Victor Martinez hr

The Boston Red Sox sat 5.5 games back of the American League East-leading NY Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays, as well as the wild card heading into Friday’s games. That is what makes this weekend’s Red Sox-Rays series so great. If the injury-riddled Red Sox were to sweep, they would be just 2.5 games back. Friday night’s game matched two of the best young left-handed starting pitchers in the game: Boston’s Jon Lester against Tampa’s David Price.

Price was hurt by the long ball and Victor Martinez, who hit two homeruns in the Red Sox 3-1 victory. Price struck out eight in his seven innings of work. Lester was somewhat dominant though his control was a little off. He allowed just two hits in seven innings and struck out ten, though he walked five. Jonathon Papelbon struck out the side to record his 33rd save. Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett had two of the Rays three hits. For Boston, Martinez had three hits while JD Drew collected two hits.

The NY Yankees received another subpar pitching performance from AJ Burnett as they lost to the Chicago White Sox 9-4. Burnett last just 3.1 innings while he allowed nine runs (eight earned) on eight hits while walking three. Sergio Mitre saved the Yankees bullpen for the weekend by going 4.2 shutout innings as he allowed just one hit. White Sox starter Freddy Garcia allowed just two runs (one earned) on five hits in seven innings. Offensively for the White Sox, Juan Pierre and Omar Vizquel went a combined 4-for-8 with four runs scored at the top of the order.

The White Sox made news as they claimed slugger Manny Ramirez off waivers from the LA Dodgers. The teams have until Tuesday to make a deal.
The Minnesota Twins kept ahead of the White Sox as they defeated the Seattle Mariners 6-3. While clinging to a 2-1 lead over the Mariners, the Twins scored three runs in the 6th inning to pull away. Twins starter Scott Baker put together another solid start as he allowed two runs on five hits through 6.2 innings. Offensively for the Twins, rookie third baseman Danny Valencia collected two RBIs and his first Major League triple.

The Twins also made news on Friday as they acquired lefty reliever Brian Fuentes from the LA Angels. This move gives the Twins three potential closers (Jon Rauch, Matt Capps, and Fuentes). They also welcomed Randy Flores, who was claimed off waivers from the Colorado Rockies (he went 0.1 inning on Friday night).

The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies have both been struggling at the same time, which has allowed teams in the wild card (like the LA Dodgers, Rockies, SF Giants, and St. Louis Cardinals) to creep closer. The Braves continue to struggled with their pitching staff and bullpen (right-handed relievers for the Braves have an ERA over 5.00) which led to rookie Craig Kimbrel being recalled.

Logan Morrison celebrates 1st homer

Tommy Hanson struggled again, allowing back-to-back homeruns for the first time in his career, and that happened to him twice against the Florida Marlins. In the 1st inning, Cameron Maybin and rookie Logan Morrison went back-to-back to give the Marlins a quick 2-0 lead (it was Morrison’s first big league homerun). In the 6th inning, Dan Uggla and Gaby Sanchez went back-to-back. For the Marlins, Chris Volstad was dominant as he allowed one run (a solo homerun to Jason Heyward in the 8th inning) on six hits in eight innings in the Marlins 7-1 victory.

The Phillies have struggled offensively. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley have returned to the lineup from the DL and have not regained their strokes. Howard has struck out 13 times in his last 27 at-bats. On Friday night in San Diego, the Phillies faced Mat Latos, who allowed just one run on five hits through seven innings. Roy Oswalt was just as good for the Phillies, as he allowed just one run (a solo homerun to Yorvit Torrealba) on five hits through eight innings. The Phillies scored a run off the Padres bullpen in the 8th inning to give them a 2-1 lead.

Jimmy Rollins slide for game winner

However Brad Lidge could not close out the win. With a man on and two outs, he intentionally walked Adrian Gonzalez to face Ryan Ludwick, who he then hit. With Chase Headley batting and the bases loaded, Lidge balked in a run to tie the game at 2-2 (Headley would ground out to end the inning on the next pitch). Into the 13th the game would go and Jimmy Rollins scored just around the tag at home plate on a single by Placido Polanco. Chad Durbin closed out the game for the Phillies with two shutout innings of relief.

Tags:

Boston Red Sox, David Price, Jimmy Rollins, Jonathon Papelbon, Victor Martinez

Johnny Damon

The Boston Red Sox claimed former Red Sox and current Detroit Tiger Johnny Damon off waivers. However the decision to go back to Boston is Damon’s as he has a no-trade clause to Boston. Damon loves Detroit and playing for the Tigers. Damon was in uniform for the Tigers and in the lineup on Monday as the DH and he went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. The Tigers pummeled the visiting KC Royals 12-3, capped by a seven run 6th inning. Tigers starter Jeremy Bonderman was solid, going six innings while allowing two runs on eight hits.

Rich Harden returned to the Texas Rangers rotation on Monday evening in Arlington against the American League Central-leading Minnesota Twins. Harden spent time on the DL with a shoulder injury (plus time on the DL earlier in the summer) and had not gone more than five innings in three of his last five starts prior to his DL stint. Against the Twins, Harden was the best he had been all season. Harden pitched 6.2 no-hit innings and despite the boos bearing down on manager Ron Washington as he entered the field to remove Harden from the game, Harden understood. “I just wanted to go out there and go as deep into the game as I could. I thought about it, but I knew my pitch count was up unless I started getting five-, six-pitch innings.”

Lefty Matt Harrison came in to face Jim Thome with two outs and a man on base but got Thome to line out to end the inning. Darren O’Day pitched a perfect 8th inning while striking out two and rookie closer Neftali Feliz came in to close out the 9th inning, the 3-0 shutout, and complete the combined no-hitter. After walking Orlando Hudson with one out, Joe Mauer singled to center field to end the no-hitter. Feliz held on to get the final two outs to complete the shutout.

Brett Myers returns

Brett Myers returned to Philadelphia for the first time since signing with the Houston Astros this offseason. Myers has been Mr. Consistent all season for the Astros, lasting at least six innings in all of his starts. Myers spent his entire career with the Phillies until this season. He pitched seven solid innings and wound up with the win as the Astros scored two runs in the top of the 8th inning on a controversial call as the Astros held on for a 3-2 victory.

Myers allowed two runs (in the third inning on a Carlos Ruiz solo homerun and a Chase Utley RBI single) on nine hits while striking out nine.
The Tampa Bay Rays received a solid pitching performance from starter James Shields in LA, as the Rays beat the Angels 4-3 and former teammate Scott Kazmir. Shields went six innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out ten. The Rays bullpen went three perfect innings. In the 1st inning, the Rays jumped on Kazmir for three runs coming on a BJ Upton solo homerun to lead off the game and a two-run single by Ben Zobrist. With the win, the Rays pulled even with the NY Yankees for the AL East lead.

Jose Bautista

The Yankees received a solid pitching performance from rookie Ivan Nova, though there were some fireworks. Jose Bautista, the AL’s homerun leader, connected on a two-run homerun in the 3rd inning off Nova for a Blue Jays 2-1 lead. In the 6th inning, Nova threw a fastball up and towards Bautista’s head and both players created a heated moment (though cooler heads prevailed). With the game tied at 2-2 in the 8th inning, Bautista got his revenge by launching a David Robertson pitch over the left field wall for his 40th homerun and eventual game winner. The other star of the night for the Blue Jays was starting pitcher Brandon Morrow. He again shut down the Yankee offense at the Rogers Centre as he allowed two runs on four hits through six innings while striking out 12. Nova allowed two runs on six hits and the Yankees have not determined if he will remain with the big league club.

In Pittsburgh, the St. Louis Cardinals Albert Pujols hit his 399th career homerun (a three-run shot) in the 1st inning off Pirates starter Ross Ohlendorf. He ended up going 3-for-5 and fell a triple short of the cycle. Fans stayed on until the final out as Pujols’ at-bat came up in the 9th inning, only to see Tony LaRussa pinch-hit for the slugger with a 9-2 lead. The fans in attendance showered the pinch-hitter, Bryan Anderson, with boos and he added an RBI single to up the Cardinals lead to 10-2.

Tags:

Boston Red Sox, Brett Myers, Jeremy Bonderman, Johnny Damon, Jose Bautista, Matt Harrison

Evan Longoria is congratulated after hr

The Tampa Bay Rays swept a statement series Wednesday against the American League West first place team, the Texas Rangers. It was a possible divisional series matchup, and despite the lack of fans at the Trop, the Rays players seemed to treat it like a playoff series. James Shields looked like the Shields of old, pitching seven innings while allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits, while striking out six. The hot hitter for the Rays continues to be Evan Longoria, who again went 3-for-4 including a homerun and four RBIs. The Rangers came back in the 8th and 9th innings to make the game interesting, but closer Rafael Soriano threw just eight pitches to record his AL-leading 35th save.

Despite the Rays sweep, both the NY Yankees and Boston Red Sox also won in the same timeframe. The Yankees won a slugfest against the visiting Detroit Tigers, 9-5. The Yankees hit three homeruns (Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, and Curtis Granderson), while the Tigers added three of their own (Don Kelly and Miguel Cabrera hit two).

Daniel Nava catch

As for the Red Sox, they survived another subpar start by John Lackey and a comeback against the LA Angels provided the 7-5 victory. Rookie Daniel Nava continues the folklore as he pinch-hit in the 7th inning and was hit by a pitch to drive in the game-winning run. He also made a rally-ending catch in the 8th inning in left field with two outs and two Angels runners on base. Jonathon Papelbon cruised through the 9th inning for his 30th save. He became the first player in Major League history to earn 30 saves in each of his first five full seasons.

Adam Wainwright’s undefeated season at home ended on Wednesday as the visiting Milwaukee Brewers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2. Wainwright allowed three runs on seven hits in seven innings while striking out seven. The Cardinals offense was dominated by Randy Wolf, as he allowed just one run on three hits in 8.1 innings. Until the 9th inning, only Allen Craig and Wainwright had collected hits. In the 9th inning, the Cardinals mounted a rally, scoring two runs and loading the bases. With Brendan Ryan at the plate, the Brewers went to all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman to finish the game. Ryan would strike out to end the game, giving Hoffman 598 career saves.

The Cincinnati Reds increased their lead in the National League Central to three games over the Cardinals as they came back to beat he Arizona Diamondbacks 11-7. The Reds scored four runs in both the 8th and 9th innings in the comeback. The bottom of the lineup for the Reds (Jay Bruce, Ramon Hernandez, and Paul Janish) combined to go 9-for-13 with six runs scored and four RBIs.

The Philadelphia Phillies have been one of the hottest teams in baseball as of late, as they have increased their lead in the NL wild card to two games over the Cardinals and the SF Giants. Joe Blanton continued his first inning struggles against the Giants on Wednesday as he allowed a lead off homerun to Andres Torres. However he settled down to just give up another run into the 7th inning (Pat Burrell hit another homerun). The Phillies jumped all over Matt Cain and reliever Jeremy Affeldt as they hit three triples (Carlos Ruiz, Jimmy Rollins, and Raul Ibanez). Phillies rookie Domonic Brown added a pinch-hit homerun in the 8th inning into the right field upper-deck for an 8-2 victory.

Jason Heyward walk off

Unfortunately for the Phillies, the Atlanta Braves continue to win. They beat the Washington Nationals on a Jason Heyward walk-off single in the bottom of the 9th inning off Nationals reliever Tyler Clippard. Both team’s starting pitchers (Livan Hernandez and Tim Hudson) were solid, as they both allowed two runs in seven innings. The Braves also added Derek Lee to their playoff contending team in a trade with the Chicago Cubs.

The Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox again to win their 6th game in a row and increased their AL Central lead to five games. Despite getting a subpar pitching performance from Francisco Liriano, the Twins scored three runs in the bottom of the 6th inning to beat Gavin Floyd. The White Sox mounted a comeback against Twins closer Matt Capps (he allowed a run to cut the lead to 7-6), but Alex Rios grounded out with the tying run on second base to end the game.

Tags:

Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Daniel Nava, Evan Longoria, James Shields, Jason Heyward, Jonathon Papelbon, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers

Martin Prado

The big news on Tuesday was the return of three All-Star second baseman to their respective teams. Martin Prado of the Atlanta Braves missed the least amount of time with a broken finger, but was missed with the loss of veteran Chipper Jones for the season. Prado will move to third base and the third spot in the Braves order, with fellow All-Star Omar Infante taking over his second base and leadoff spots. Prado had the biggest return of all three as he went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs scored in the Braves 10-2 rout of the Washington Nationals. In the win, rookie Mike Minor (the Braves 2009 top draft pick) earned his first ML win. He allowed two runs on five hits in six innings of work.

Dustin Pedroia returned to the Boston Red Sox lineup on his 27th birthday after missing 44 games with a broken foot. Pedroia went 0-for-4 with a strikeout against LA Angels starter Jered Weaver (and the bullpen). The Red Sox are 5.5 games out of first place in the American League East and the wild card. Clay Buchholz lowered his AL-leading ERA to 2.36 as he pitched seven shutout innings. Rookie Red Sox outfielder Ryan Kalish delivered the big blow, a grand slam off Weaver in the 4th inning with two outs.

Jim Thome's hr

Chase Utley of the Philadelphia Phillies returned two weeks early from surgery on his thumb. The Phillies went 26-17 without him and after Tuesday’s 9-3 victory, moved into first place in the wild card race. Utley went 0-for-5 against the SF Giants. Former Phillie Pat Burrell returned to hit a solo homerun in the first inning off Roy Oswalt to give the Giants a 2-0 lead, but Oswalt would settle in after that, only to allow a solo homerun to Jose Guillen in the 7th inning. Oswalt allowed three runs on six hits in seven innings, while striking out seven.

The Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox were battling for the AL Central lead in the first of a three game series at Target Field in Minnesota. The Twins took the first game (and increased their division lead to four games) in dramatic fashion. In the bottom of the 10th inning after the White Sox took a 6-5 lead, Jim Thome launched a two-run walk-off homerun off All-Star lefty Matt Thornton to send the Twins fans home happy. Twins new closer Matt Capps blew the save in the 9th inning as Alexei Ramirez hit a solo homerun to tie the game at 5-5. In the top of the 10th inning, Jon Rauch allowed a Ramirez RBI single to give the White Sox a short-held lead.

The Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers met for the second game of their three game series with another good pitching matchup between Matt Garza and Tommy Hunter. The Rays offense jumped all over Hunter in the first inning with three runs, highlighted by a Carl Crawford RBI triple. Hunter lasted just three innings while allowing four runs on six hits and three walks. Meanwhile Garza was dominant, going seven shutout innings, while striking out ten. Crawford also added a two-run homerun in the 7th inning and Evan Longoria fell a homerun short of the cycle.

Luke French of the Seattle Mariners carried a no-hitter into the 6th inning, but rookie third baseman Josh Bell of the Baltimore Orioles broke it up with one out in the 6th inning (a single). French pitched 7.2 shutout innings and allowed just three hits (two to Bell). Brandon League finished off the O’s for the save. Kevin Millwood was the hard-luck loser as he allowed just one run in eight innings (the bullpen allowed three runs).

Tags:

Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chipper Jones, Dustin Pedroia, Jim Thome, Martin Prado, Omar Infante

Brooks Conrad

This is a big weekend in regards to the playoffs. I know it’s only August but some of these series could end the hopes of some teams or make other races more interesting. The LA Dodgers held a big lead that starter Clayton Kershaw gave to the bullpen on Thursday night, only to see Carlos Ruiz of the Philadelphia Phillies launch a two-run double to win the game in the bottom of the ninth. The Dodgers dropped to 9 games behind the first-place San Diego Padres and 6.5 games behind the Wild Card leading SF Giants. The Dodgers headed to NL East-leading Atlanta to face the Braves, who were 2 games ahead of the Phillies.

Thinking that the Dodgers would be mad and fired up after a tough loss and closer Jonathon Broxton being removed from the closer’s role, I expected a lot of offense. Instead, Braves ace Tim Hudson completely dominated the Dodgers. He was locked up in a pitcher’s duel with Hiroki Kuroda until the seventh when Brooks Conrad hit a solo homerun to centerfield to break the scoreless tie for the Braves. For Conrad, that is his 7th homerun after the seventh inning this season. Hudson had retired 12 in a row (he struck out the side in the fifth) before Scott Podsednik collected the Dodgers second hit of the game in the sixth inning. Billy Wagner closed out the ninth for the Braves 1-0 victory.

The Phillies headed to NY to face the Mets for a make-or-break series for the Mets. The Mets entered the series 8 games out of the Wild Card and 8 games behind the Braves. RA Dickey of the Mets had a no-hitter with one out in the fifth when Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels collected the Phillies first hit. Dickey would continue to dominate as he pitched a complete game one-hit shutout. Hamels lost his second straight 1-0 game to the Mets, as he allowed just an RBI double to Carlos Beltran.

Ra Dickey

The Boston Red Sox, after losing a stunner to the Toronto Blue Jays in the ninth on Thursday afternoon, headed to Texas to face the AL West-leading Rangers. The Red Sox torched Tommy Hunter and Scott Feldman in the fourth inning for 7 runs (and three straight homeruns). However after being down 8-2 early, the Rangers offense went to work on Red Sox starter Josh Beckett. They scored two runs each in the fourth and fifth innings to come within two runs and then scored two in the seventh and one in the eighth off the bullpen to tie the game at 9-9. In the bottom of the 11th, Nelson Cruz completed the seemingly insurmountable comeback by hitting the first pitch from Tim Wakefield for a walk-off homerun. With the Rays and NY Yankees losing on Friday night, the Red Sox could have used the win to gain ground in the division and wild card race.

Ryan Ludwick's slide

The best matchup may be in San Francisco as the second-place Giants faced off against the first-place Padres. With a Giants sweep, the Giants would move a ½ game ahead of the Padres. After Giants starter Jonathon Sanchez’ comments about a definite sweep for the Giants, the Padres were fired up. The Giants scored two quick runs in the bottom of the first, but the Padres came right back to tie the game in the top of the second. Ryan Ludwick scored the go-ahead run in the sixth inning on a Chase Headley grounder to shortstop, just sliding in ahead of the Buster Posey tag. The Padres bullpen made the one-run lead hold up. The Padres improved to 8-1 against the Giants this season.

The Baltimore Orioles could ruin playoff plans for many, as they play playoff contenders for the rest of the season (minus Seattle). Jeremy Guthrie of the O’s dominated the Tampa Bay Rays in the opener of their series, winning 5-0.

Tags:

Boston Red Sox, Brooks Conrad, Clayton Kershaw, Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan Ludwick

Cliff Lee with the Rangers

Last year, the NY Yankees rode a three-man rotation in the playoffs to a World Series title. With the playoffs less than two months away, which teams in the American League have the best three starting pitchers to make it out of the short playoff series? Let’s take a look at the AL teams fighting for playoff spots:

Texas Rangers: Cliff Lee (lhp), CJ Wilson (lhp), and Tommy Hunter (rhp). When the Rangers beat out the Yankees in the bidding for Lee, the Rangers became that much better by adding a legitimate ace. Lee could end the season with more wins than walks (right now he has 10 wins and just 9 walks). Lee proved his dominance over the Yankees (and everyone else) last year in the World Series (and playoffs) for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Wilson had quietly emerged as the Rangers ace before the acquisition of Lee after spending last season as the team’s closer. Wilson always seemed to be slotted against the opposition’s aces and was coming up a winner in the first half (despite not making the All-Star team). Opponents are hitting just .216 against him. Wilson has struggled a bit as of late with the walks, but that may be attributed to the innings he is racking up. Hunter has dominated since coming off the DL in June to a tune of a 9-1 record and a 3.01 ERA. Hunter could prove to be the dominant right-hander slotted between lefties Lee and Wilson, especially since he is more rested after missing the first two months.

CC Sabathia with NY

NY Yankees: CC Sabathia (lhp), AJ Burnett (rhp), and Andy Pettitte (lhp) or Phil Hughes (rhp). This three-man rotation (with Pettitte) dominated in the playoffs in 2009 but this year’s group has not been as dominating. Pettitte is on the DL and Burnett has been inconsistent. Burnett has struggled against playoff contenders and with his control. Hughes could step in if Pettitte (or Burnett) are not ready, though the Yankees are trying to limit his innings. Pettitte is almost unbeatable in the postseason (a matchup with Cliff Lee would be entertaining). Sabathia has not lost at home and has been good against playoff contenders.

John Danks

Chicago White Sox: Mark Buehrle (lhp), John Danks (lhp), and Gavin Floyd (rhp). Floyd won Pitcher of the Month for July as he has been the AL’s best pitcher so far in the second half (after an abysmal first two months). He has given up just two homeruns once the calendar turned to June and has walked just nine batters after the All-Star break. Danks has also been dominant since the All-Star break, going 4-1 with a 2.91 ERA. Will the amount of innings that Danks and Floyd have thrown hurt them in the postseason? Buehrle has been inconsistent but is the ace. He has also struggled against the Rangers, Yankees, and Rays.

Minnesota Twins: Carl Pavano (rhp), Francisco Liriano (lhp), and Scott Baker (rhp). I think the Twins rotation will be what keeps them out of the playoffs come October. When you name Carl Pavano as your most consistent and reliable starter, that’s trouble (no matter how many times he beats the Yankees). Pavano has earned 14 victories with an ERA under 3.30 and has been more dominant so far in the second half. Liriano has been dominant at times, though some of the struggles have come against the division and on the road. He does keep the ball in the ballpark (he has allowed just two homeruns in 2010). Baker has also struggled on the road and has not been the dominant pitcher he was in 2009. Nick Blackburn has been banished to the minors and maybe he can regain his form there. Brian Duensing has been a pleasant surprise since moving from the bullpen to the rotation.

Tampa Bay Rays: David Price (lhp), Matt Garza (rhp), and James Shields or Jeff Niemann (rhp). Price could be headed towards a CY Young award in his second season in the majors and has quickly become the dominant force in the Rays young rotation. Garza has been inconsistent though he has recently pitched a no-hitter and thrown better in the second half. Shields’ season has been disastrous though he has pitched well against the Yankees. Niemann could get the nod in a short series, especially if his shoulder heals after his stint on the DL.

Boston Red Sox: Josh Beckett (rhp), Jon Lester (lhp), and Clay Buchholz (rhp). The Red Sox have been hit by the injury bug time-and-time again. Lester and Buchholz have anchored the rotation. Beckett has been solid since coming off the DL and should be fresh for the postseason (plus he pitches his best then). Lester and Buchholz may be Price and Lee’s biggest competition for the CY Young award. Lester started off terrible in April but has recovered to a 12-7 record and a 2.94 ERA. He also has pitched well against playoff-contending teams. Buchholz currently leads the AL in ERA (2.49) and has been dominant so far in August (2-0 with a 1.54 ERA in three starts).

Tags:

Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, NY Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers

Manny greets Big Papi

The headline series in Interleague Play for the weekend is the LA Dodgers visiting Boston. Former slugger Manny Ramirez returned to Fenway Park on Friday night for the first time since being traded to the Dodgers. No one was sure of how the Red Sox fans would react to one of their greatest sluggers returning since he left Boston on bad terms. Dodgers manager Joe Torre made sure to start him at DH instead of sending him out to his customary left field. It wasn’t until the second inning that Manny came to the plate and for the most part, fans were cheering and giving him a standing ovation.

Making his Major League debut for the Red Sox was starting pitcher Felix Doubront. He showed no signs of nervousness as he got Manny to fly out to center field on one pitch. The Red Sox had scored three runs in the first inning off Dodgers rookie starter Carlos Monasterios, capped by homeruns from David Ortiz and JD Drew. Manny would collect a hit against Doubront in the sixth inning as he allowed two runs in that inning before being relieved. However the Red Sox had just scored seven runs in the bottom of the fifth. The Red Sox bullpen would hold onto the lead, despite scoring a run in the ninth (Manny struck out looking to end the game with two men on base). Doubront won his first Major League start 10-6 as he allowed five runs (three earned) on six hits in five plus innings.

The other storyline Friday night was Stephen Strasburg making his third start (second in Washington) of the season against the Chicago White Sox. The speed at the top of the White Sox order got to him in the first inning. Juan Pierre beat out a ground ball to first base (because Strasburg did not hustle to cover the bag) and Omar Vizquel hit a double to put runners at second and third. Alex Rios would produce an RBI ground out, but Strasburg would strike out Paul Konerko and Carlos Quentin to end the inning. Strasburg would cruise from there as he struck out ten in seven innings of work (he only allowed four hits and did not walk a batter). He set the record for most strikeouts in a pitcher’s first three starts. White Sox starter Gavin Floyd was just as sharp as he only allowed four hits in eight innings and only allowed a single run in the seventh on an Adam Dunn two-out RBI double.

The game would stay tied until the 11^th with rookie Drew Storen in for his second inning of relief. With a runner on third and two outs, Rios hit a ground ball down the third base line that Ryan Zimmerman made a great play on. However the ball sailed just over the head of Dunn at first base and the go-ahead run scored. Storen received his first Major League loss as White Sox closer Bobby Jenks retired the Nationals in order in the bottom of the 11^th on just nine pitches.

Brian Matusz of the Baltimore Orioles returned to San Diego (he pitched for the University of San Diego in 2008) to start against the Padres. He pitched well, allowing just one run on six hits in six innings. Padres starter Wade LeBlanc was just as good as he only allowed a run on seven hits in 6.2 innings. The Orioles scored a run off the Padres Heath Bell in the top of the ninth inning on a Julio Lugo two-out hit that Scott Hairston just missed.

Adrian Gonzalez receives high-fives

In the bottom of the ninth, Orioles closer Dave Hernandez walked the first batter he faced (Chase Headley) on four pitches and then Jerry Hairston and Aaron Cunningham followed with singles to load the bases (Cunningham’s was a bunt base hit that the Orioles could not make a play on). After getting pinch-hitter Nick Hundley to strike out, David Eckstein followed with an RBI single to tie the game at 2-2. Tony Gwynn grounded into a force out and up came Adrian Gonzalez. The Orioles had left-hander Mark Hendrickson ready, but manager Juan Samuel stayed with Hernandez, who allowed an RBI single to Gonzalez on the first pitch for the game winner. It was their 8^th walk-off hit of the season (tops in MLB).

Tags:

Adrian Gonzalez, Alex Rios, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Brian Matusz, Chicago White Sox, Felix Doubront, Gavin Floyd, LA Dodgers, Manny Ramirez, San Diego Padres, Stephen Strasburg, Wade LeBlanc, Washington Nationals

Jake Arrieta reacts to his final out

This must be the week for the rookie debuts. On Thursday, the Baltimore Orioles called up right-handed pitcher Jake Arrieta from Triple-A Norfolk to make his debut against the visiting NY Yankees. The Orioles were throwing Arrieta, a fifth round draft pick in 2007 out of Texas Christian University, into the fire facing the defending World Series champion.

Arrieta has been on the radar for some time, especially with the Orioles starters struggling and him having success in Triple-A (6-2 with a 1.85 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 11 starts). He leads the International League in ERA though he also leads the league in walks, though the Orioles are hoping for better control.

Arrieta believes he is throwing his best baseball right now and the Orioles needed it as the Yankees had won ten straight against them.
Well, Arrieta came out throwing strikes as he needed 16 pitches to get through the first inning. He allowed an RBI triple to Curtis Granderson in the second inning, but the Orioles held a 2-1 lead.

The Yankees scored a pair of runs in the third inning but he struck out Mark Teixeira and got Ramiro Pena out to end the inning. He then retired nine out of the next ten. In the sixth inning (his final inning), Arrieta dealt with a bases loaded jam, but he got Marcus Thames to strike out on just four pitches. Arrieta allowed just three runs on four hits and four walks (though two were intentional) in six innings.

He also struck out six. Not bad for your debut against the Yankees. And the youth movement in Baltimore continued as former starter Dave Hernandez came in for the save. He walked one in the ninth to record his first ever save as the Orioles held on for the 4-3 victory.

In Cleveland, the Indians gave Boston Red Sox starter Jon Lester his worst start since April. He allowed six runs on nine hits in six innings, though he struck out eight. This was all after the Red Sox gave him a 5-0 lead after two innings (though three runs were unearned due to the Indians third baseman Andy Marte’s three errors in the first inning). Indians rookie starter Mitch Talbot lasted just four innings, but the bullpen combination of Jensen Lewis, Frank Herrmann, and Chris Perez limited the Red Sox to just three hits in four innings.

The Indians held a 6-5 lead but closer Kerry Wood could not close out the game. He allowed an Adrian Beltre two-run homerun in the ninth to give the Red Sox a 7-6 lead. In came Daniel Bard, who has been closing games with Jonathon Papelbon on the bereavement list. Bard walked Trevor Crowe and then Shin-Soo Choo delivered a double to put runners at second and third.

Russell Branyan's game-winning hit

He then walked Austin Kearns to load the bases with no one out. Bard battled back to get Travis Hafner to strike out and Jhonny Peralta to pop up. With two out and the bases still loaded it seemed like another night that the Indians would suffer because they could not hit with men on base. However Russell Branyan delivered the walk-off two-run single on a 2-1 pitch as the Indians won 8-7.

Brett Cecil of the Toronto Blue Jays was again dominant, this time against the Tampa Bay Rays. In 6.2 innings, he allowed just one run on three hits, with the lone run coming on a Carlos Pena homerun. Alex Gonzalez of the Blue Jays hit his 13th homerun of the season against Rays starter Wade Davis, as Davis allowed three runs on seven hits in seven innings. Despite giving up a homerun to Sean Rodriguez in the ninth inning, closer Kevin Gregg finished off the Rays to win 3-2.

Josh Johnson

In Philadelphia was the rematch of Phillies ace Roy Halladay and Florida Marlins ace Josh Johnson, the game in which Halladay pitched a perfect game (and Johnson allowed just an unearned run). This time the game went to Johnson and the Marlins. Halladay allowed just one run on a Jorge Cantu sacrifice fly in the first inning.

He struck out eight in eight innings. Johnson pitched eight scoreless innings as he allowed just three hits while striking out five. In the ninth inning, the Marlins received some insurance as Dan Uggla hit a solo homerun off Phillies reliever Danys Baez to increase the lead to 2-0. With Placido Polanco standing on third base with two outs, Marlins closer Leo Nunez threw slugger Ryan Howard a steady diet of changeups and struck him out to end the game.

Tags:

Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Curtis Granderson, Frank Herrmann, Jake Arrieta, Jensen Lewis, Jon Lester, Jonathon Papelbon, Josh Johnson, Marcus Thames, Mark Teixeira, Russell Branyan

Juan Samuel introduced as manager

The Baltimore Orioles finally made the move that most expected weeks ago. Manager Dave Trembley was dismissed Friday morning and third base coach Juan Samuel was named interim manager. Unfortunately for Samuel, the end result was the same: an uninspired loss. Orioles starter Chris Tillman could not get out of the second inning as he allowed four runs on five hits.

However the bullpen was not any better as the Orioles lost 11-0 to the visiting Boston Red Sox. Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz was stellar as he pitched a complete game shutout. The Orioles mustered just five hits off him. Offensively for the Red Sox, they hit three homeruns (Kevin Youkilis, Adrian Beltre, and Marco Scutaro) and collected 16 hits.

AJ Burnett of the NY Yankees returned to the Rogers Centre to face his former team, the Toronto Blue Jays. He had always pitched well there, but Friday was an exception. The Blue Jays Jose Bautista hit two homeruns (his MLB-leading 18th) in his first two at-bats (he went 3-for-3) and starter Brett Cecil allowed just one run on five hits in eight innings as the Blue Jays took Game 1 of the series 6-1.

The Washington Nationals and Cincinnati Reds battled to a 2-2 tie until the bottom of the seventh. The Nationals scored two runs after a miscue in left-center field, giving reliever Tyler Clippard the win (his 8th of the season). Nationals closer Matt Capps worked out of trouble to record his 18th save. Both starters allowed just two runs, though Reds starter Aaron Harang lasted just four innings, while Livan Hernandez of the Nationals went six innings (he also went 1-for-1 with a walk at the plate).

The struggling Philadelphia Phillies used a two-run third inning capped by their first hit of the game by pitcher Roy Halladay followed by Shane Victorino’s homerun. After the San Diego Padres tied the game in the fifth inning, the Phillies scored a run in the bottom of the inning on a Jayson Werth RBI ground out to take a 3-2 lead.

Despite a bases-loaded situation in the eighth inning, reliever JC Romero got Chris Denorfia to hit into an inning-ending double-play. Closer Brad Lidge pitched a perfect ninth for the save. Halladay followed his perfect game performance with a not-so stellar start though he picked up the win. He allowed ten hits in seven innings, though he only allowed two runs. The Padres were 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

The St. Louis Cardinals received dominant pitching from second ace Adam Wainwright as he pitched a complete game shutout. He allowed just two hits while striking out eight. Offensively for the Cardinals against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers, Ryan Ludwick, Colby Rasmus, and Brendan Ryan collected two hits each, with Rasmus hitting a two-run homerun.

Justin Masterson

There were three pitchers looking to collect their first wins of the season, though only two of them finally won. Justin Masterson of the Cleveland Indians had not won since August of 2009 (a span of 17 starts) until last night. Masterson allowed one run on five hits (though he walked six) in 5.2 innings.

The Indians routed the Chicago White Sox 10-1 and collected 15 hits with Jhonny Peralta going 4-for-5 and Austin Kearns and Luis Valbuena collecting three hits a piece. Indians reliever Frank Herrmann made his Major League debut in the sixth inning with two men on base but got Gordon Beckham to fly out to end the inning. He went 1.1 scoreless innings in his debut.

The other winless pitcher, Felipe Paulino of the Houston Astros, was 0-7 this season before picking up the victory on Friday night against the Chicago Cubs. He dominated the Cubs as he went eight innings and allowed one run on just five hits while striking out seven.

For the Cubs, Carlos Zambrano returned to the rotation and allowed three runs on six hits in just 4.1 innings (he also walked three). Offensively for the Astros, Michael Bourn and Lance Berkman both went 3-for-4.

Tags:

Adrian Beltre, AJ Burnett, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Clay Buchholz, Dave Trembley, Juan Samuel, Justin Masterson, Kevin Youkilis, Lance Berkman, Livan Hernandez, Michael Bourn

Jimmy Rollins

Over the past week or so, teams have seen key members return from the DL, only to be placed back on the DL after a week or less. Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who is the sparkplug of the team, returned from the DL on May 17th from a calf strain. However he returned to the DL on May 22nd after he re-aggravated the calf.

This strain is not considered to be as bad as the first and he should be activated from the DL when he is eligible (which is June 6th). His absence from the lineup is being magnified right now as the Phillies struggle to score runs. The Phillies are using Juan Castro and Wilson Valdez as Rollins’ replacement.

SF Giants shortstop Edgar Renteria returned from the DL on May 22nd only to be placed back on May 26th. He strained his right hamstring during a Giants victory running to first base. Renteria was 4-for-10 with an RBI in three games since returning from recovering from a groin strain.

This is a devasting injury on a team that has struggled the past year and a half to score runs and who are already without Mark DeRosa. Manager Bruce Bochy will mix-and-match shortstops with Ryan Rohlinger, Juan Uribe, Matt Downs, and possibly Freddy Sanchez (who has also recently returned from the DL).

The Oakland A’s have had a few players return from the DL only to be placed back on after a few days. Starter Justin Duchsherer returned from the DL to make a start, only to re-injure his hip during warm-ups and was placed back on the DL. He is rehabbing at the A’s minor league facility in Phoenix, Arizona, but is not ready to begin throwing off a mound.

Coco Crisp returned to the A’s on May 21st only to return to the DL May 26th. Crisp had gone 2-for-6 with three RBIs as the leadoff hitter. He was on the DL for a broken left pinkie since April 3rd but injured his right intercostals muscle, which led to his latest DL stint. This is a tough blow but one that the A’s have been overcoming so far this season.

The Baltimore Orioles activated pitcher Koji Uehara from the DL on May 6th from a left hamstring injury, only to see him return to the DL on May 25th with a right elbow strain. The injury is around the same place as last year when he went on the DL in June. Uehara became a reliever after missing so much time due to injuries in the last year (it is his fourth trip to the DL).

He had allowed just one run in six games (five innings). There is no timetable for his return but since he was one of their more effective relievers, this is tough to deal with, especially since they already have a beleaguered bullpen (new closer Alfredo Simon also went on the DL around the same time to join other closers Mike Gonzalez and Jim Johnson).

Jacoby Ellsbury Collision

The Boston Red Sox lost speedy outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Mike Cameron around the same time. Ellsbury had fractured ribs and Cameron had a lower abdominal strain. .Ellsbury returned from the DL list this past weekend in Philadelphia, with Cameron returning during the week. Unfortunately for the Red Sox, Ellsbury played in just three games before complaining of pain in his left side. He admits he was not quite ready to return. Now he is back on the DL.

The biggest name to possibly make a return trip to the DL is the Texas Rangers Nelson Cruz. He would also be the biggest impact loss. Cruz just returned to the lineup on May 14th after recovering from a right hamstring strain. Now he strained his left hamstring. They feel that this strain is not as bad as the first.

Cruz was set to workout early on Friday at Target Field in Minneapolis to determine if he will return to the DL. The Rangers have decided he is day-to-day, but is limited to pinch-hitting duties for now. Cruz and his “boomstick” (from MLB 2K10 commercials) was third in the American League in the early voting for outfielders. He is also hitting .330 with ten homeruns, 34 RBIs, 19 runs scored, and a .408 on-base percentage in 31 games.

UPDATE: Cruz went on the DL on Sunday.

Tags:

Boston Red Sox, Edgar Renteria, Freddy Sanchez, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jimmy Rollins, Juan Castro, Justin Duchsherer, Mark DeRosa, Mike Cameron, Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan Rohlinger, Wilson Valdez

The Philadelphia Phillies have allowed the rest of the National League East to get back into the race. I know it is only the end of May, but fans are beginning to get concerned over the way the Phillies are performing on the field. Facing their rivals the NY Mets at Citi Field, the Phillies were swept in the three-game series.

Not only were they swept, but they were shutout in those three games. The Phillies have only scored in one inning in their last 47 innings (three runs in the ninth inning against Boston Red Sox reliever Ramon Ramirez on Sunday night).

Mike Pelfrey

Last night after an almost two-hour rain delay to start, Mike Pelfrey limited the Phillies to just three hits in seven innings if work. Though he walked five, he also struck out five. Phillies starter Cole Hamels pitched well until the seventh inning as he was only losing 1-0. However he gave up two more runs in the seventh before being taken out. Mets reliever Pedro Feliciano and closer Francisco Rodriguez shut the Phillies down for the 3-0 victory.

The Phillies accumulated just four hits, three of which came from Shane Victorino. For the Mets, Jose Reyes collected three hits and two RBIs.

Chicago Cubs veteran Ted Lilly faced off against LA Dodgers rookie John Ely, which turned into a pitcher’s duel. The game was scoreless into the eighth inning when Mike Fontenot, who came off the bench to play third base, ripped a triple. Rookie Tyler Colvin pinch-hit and ripped an RBI single for the game-winner.

Ely ended up being the hard-luck loser as he allowed just that one run in the eighth inning. He allowed four hits and struck out four. Lilly allowed three hits in seven innings of work. Left-hander Sean Marshall was credited with the victory with one scoreless inning of relief and Cubs closer Carlos Marmol worked a perfect ninth while striking out the side to record his 11th save.

Coming off being swept by the Red Sox, the Tampa Bay Rays had the Chicago White Sox in town. Rays starter Jeff Niemann was dominant as he allowed just a solo homerun to Mark Teahen in the eighth inning. Niemann went eight innings and allowed three hits while striking out five. Offensively, the Rays got solo homeruns from Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria, who also had two hits, as the Rays won 5-1.

The Red Sox, after sweeping the Rays, welcomed the KC Royals to town. Despite collecting nine hits off Royals starter Brian Bannister, the Red Sox could only muster single runs in the fourth, fifth (a solo homerun from Bill Hall), and sixth innings. The Royals capitalized on Red Sox starter Dice-K Matsuzaka’s wildness, as he walked eight in just 4.2 innings (and allowed three runs).

Royals relievers Robinson Tejeda, Blake Wood, and Joakim Soria combined for three perfect innings (with Soria throwing just eight pitches). Offensively, the Royals collected just four hits with the hits all coming from their 2-3-4 hitters (Mike Aviles, David Dejesus, who had two hits, and Billy Butler).

The Baltimore Orioles took a 5-2 lead and allowed starter Brad Bergesen to begin the eighth inning. After allowing just two hits to the Oakland A’s through seven innings, Bergesen allowed two hits to lead off the eighth and was relieved by Jason Berken, who got Rajai Davis to fly out. Berken was out and left-hander Mark Hendrickson was in.

After getting an infield pop-out for out number two, Ryan Sweeney deposited an RBI single. Then Kurt Suzuki followed with a single off the foot of Hendrickson to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Jake Fox then hit a ground ball to shortstop that took a bad hop on Cesar Izturis for an RBI single to cut the Orioles lead to 5-4. Hendrickson was out and in came Cla Meredith, who immediately allowed a two-run double to Kevin Kouzmanoff to give the A’s a 7-5 lead. The A’s scored five runs with two outs in the eighth inning for the victory.

Ryan Spilborghs homerun

The Colorado Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks at their own game on Thursday. They hit four homeruns off Diamondbacks starter Dan Haren to account for six of the eight runs the Rockies scored. They hit back-to-back-to-back homeruns in the seventh inning with Seth Smith beginning it all with a two-run pinch-hit homerun, followed by solo homeruns by Carlos Gonzalez and Ryan Spilborghs.

Rockies starter Jason Hammel was solid in his 5.1 innings of work. He allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out eight. The top two hitters for the Rockies, Gonzalez and Spilborghs, were 6-for-8 with three RBIs and five runs scored. The 8-2 victory gave the Rockies a sweep.

Tags:

Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Cole Hamels, Francisco Rodriguez, Jeff Niemann, Mark Hendrickson, Mike Fontenot, Mike Pelfrey, Philadelphia Phillies, Ramon Ramirez, Ryan Spilborghs, Sean Marshall, Tampa Bay Rays

Scott Olsen

There were two no-hit bids in baseball last night. The first was in Washington as Nationals starter Scott Olsen carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning. He had allowed just a walk to Atlanta Braves outfielder Melky Cabrera to that point. With one out in the eighth, backup catcher David Ross hit a line drive just past the diving shortstop Ian Desmond for the Braves first hit.

Cabrera would reach on an error and Nate McLouth would single to load the bases. That was all for Olsen and in came Tyler Clippard. Clippard, who has been Mr. Reliable for the past year and a half for the Nationals, allowed a pinch-hit two-run single to Jason Heyward to tie the game at 2-2.

Unfortunately for Olsen and the Nationals, Braves starter Tim Hudson was just as good. Hudson allowed two solo homeruns (to Ivan Rodriguez and Adam Dunn) in seven innings of work. Into the bottom of the ninth the game would go and the Nationals loaded the bases against Peter Moylan, who allowed a walk-off single to former Brave Willie Harris for the Nationals 3-2 win.

In Florida, the Marlins again were stifled by a SF Giants stellar pitching performance. This time it was Matt Cain, who carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning. With two outs in the sixth, Chris Coghlan singled for the Marlins first hit. Cain pitched seven plus innings and allowed two runs on four hits. The Giants would win the game 6-3 and sweep the Marlins.

The slugfest was in Arlington as the Texas Rangers and KC Royals met for the first game of the series. The Rangers led 8-0 after three innings against Royals starter Kyle Davies, but the Royals came roaring back in the middle innings. The Royals actually took a 12-11 lead in the top of the eighth inning, but the Rangers came back to score two in the bottom of the inning to win it.

Royals closer Joakim Soria came in to get one out in the eighth but allowed back-to-back homers by Josh Hamilton and Vlad Guerrero (his second homerun of the game) to seal the win for the Rangers. Seven homeruns were hit in the game (the Royals hit three) and there were 26 hits. Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, and David Murphy collected three hits for the Rangers.

The Pittsburgh Pirates swept the Chicago Cubs in demoralizing fashion, winning the final game 11-1. Cubs starter Randy Wells, who has been their best starter, lasted just two innings as he gave up seven runs. Pirates starter Brian Burres was stellar as he went seven shutout innings and allowed just three hits. Andrew McCutchen, Garrett Jones, and Lastings Milledge collected two hits a piece for the Pirates. Jones and Milledge also combined for seven RBIs.

After sweeping the Boston Red Sox and then being swept by the NY Yankees, the Baltimore Orioles went to Minnesota and took the first game of their series. O’s starter Brad Bergesen pitched the way he did last season as he allowed six hits in 6.2 shutout innings for the win. Twins starter Carl Pavano was solid in his eight innings of work (he allowed two runs on six hits while striking out eight) but he received no run support. He allowed a two-run homerun to Ty Wiggington (his 10th of the season) in the second inning to account for the only runs of the game.

The struggling Chicago White Sox were dominated by the Toronto Blue Jays and starter Dana Eveland. Eveland gave up just two hits in seven shutout innings (the White Sox would get another hit against closer Kevin Gregg). John Danks, the White Sox best starter, allowed just two runs on eight hits in seven innings of work, but did not receive run support. Fred Lewis of the Blue Jays collected two hits and drove in the only two runs of the game in the fifth inning.

The Tampa Bay Rays again dominated the Seattle Mariners. This time they received stellar pitching from Jeff Niemann. Niemann allowed four hits in seven shutout innings while striking out six. The offense went to work on Mariners starter Ryan Rowland-Smith, as he allowed six runs on seven hits. Carl Crawford collected three hits for the Rays, and Ben Zobrist and Willy Aybar contributed two hits a piece. The Rays have outscored the Mariners 16-3 in the two games of the series so far.

The LA Dodgers have been struggling but the hopes are that with slugger Manny Ramirez due back on Saturday, that the team may be ready to take off. Closer Jonathon Broxton was handed a two-run lead in the ninth after solid pitching from John Ely. However Broxton could not close out the game as he gave up two runs and four hits in the inning.

Andre Ethier's walk-off grand slam

The Milwaukee Brewers Greg Zaun and Craig Counsel contributed two-out RBI singles. Fortunately for the Dodgers, they have Andre Ethier, the best end-of-game hitter. Brewers reliever LaTroy Hawkins loaded the bases for Ethier with one out. Ethier crushed a fastball down the middle for a walk-off grand slam, his 11th walk-off hit of his career. It was Ethier’s second at-bat of the season with the bases loaded and the second time he has hit a grand slam.

Tags:

Andre Ethier, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Brian Burres, Dana Eveland, David Ross, Jason Heyward, Joakim Soria, Josh Hamilton, Kyle Davies, Milwaukee Brewers, Nate McLouth, Scott Olsen, Tim Hudson