Braves celebrate Mccann's replay walk-off

The St. Louis Cardinals continue their road woes as they lost their series in Washington. The Nationals beat Cardinals ace 1b Adam Wainwright 4-2 on Sunday. Wainwright has lost three straight starts for the first time in his MLB career. Wainwright has not picked the best time to struggle, as the Cardinals now sit five games behind the National League Central-leading Cincinnati Reds.

Wainwright allowed all four runs on six hits through just five innings. He allowed a two-run homerun to Mike Morse in the 3rd inning (Morse went 2-for-4 a day after going 4-for-4). Nationals starter John Lannan gave up just one run on eight hits through 7.2 innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out four. He also did damage at the plate by going 1-for-3 with a two-run double. Lannan is 4-1 with a 3.25 ERA since being recalled from Double-A Harrisburg on August 1st.

The Reds increased their NL Central lead to five games as they defeated the Chicago Cubs 7-5. Reds rookie starter Travis Wood struggled but pitched well enough to earn the victory. He allowed three runs on ten hits through five innings while walking three. However lefty reliever Arthur Rhodes blew the save in the 8th inning when he gave up a Kosuke Fukudome two-run homerun to tie the game at 5-5. The Reds came right back to score two runs in the bottom of the 8th inning, capped by a Fukudome throwing error that allowed Chris Heisey to score the go-ahead run. Francisco Cordero needed just nine pitches to close out the Cubs in the 9th inning for his 35th save of the season.

The NY Mets knuckleball pitcher RA Dickey single-handedly beat the Houston Astros 5-1 on Sunday. Dickey allowed just one run on six hits through seven innings. At the plate, Dickey contributed a two-run double in the Mets four-run 2nd inning off Astros starter Bud Norris. Dickey improved to 9-5 and lowered his ERA to 2.56 (which is 10th best in MLB).

The Atlanta Braves stormed back to defeat the Florida Marlins 7-6 after being down 6-1 after the 4th inning. Braves starter Derek Lowe lasted just three innings and allowed five runs on six hits while walking three. Marlins starter Josh Johnson was dominant through six innings as he allowed an unearned run on three hits while striking out eight. The Braves scored three runs in the bottom of the 8th inning off Marlins reliever Will Ohman (though only one was earned). In the 9th inning off Marlins closer Leo Nunez, Matt Diaz hit a pinch-hit two-run homerun and then with two outs and a runner on base, Brian McCann continued his hot day by hitting a ball off the right field wall which was ruled a double (McCann went 3-for-4). After further review, the umpires ruled that the ball was a homerun, and the Braves walked off with the 7-6 victory. It was the first reviewed walk-off homerun since MLB instituted replay for homeruns.

The Philadelphia Phillies continued their dominance over the San Diego Padres, as they swept the three-game series. Cole Hamels was again dominant, as he pitched eight shutout innings. Hamels allowed just four hits while striking out six (he also did not walk a batter). The Phillies have lost just four total games at Petco Park since it opened and have swept the Padres in San Diego four times in the last eight years (they only play each other home-and-home each year). The Phillies remain two games behind the Braves.

Ivan Nova wins 1st game

Ivan Nova of the NY Yankees won his first Major League game (in his second start) as he defeated the Chicago White Sox and Gavin Floyd 2-1. Nova allowed just one run on five hits through 5.2 innings and struck out seven. Floyd allowed just the two runs (one on a Marcus Thames solo homerun) on seven hits through 6.2 innings. Yankees rookie catcher Francisco Cervelli went 4-for-4.

The White Sox remain five games behind the Minnesota Twins in the American League Central as the Twins were defeated by Luke French and the Seattle Mariners 2-1. French allowed one run on a Michael Cuddyer solo homerun in the 7th inning. He went seven innings and gave up just three hits while striking out four. Carl Pavano was the hard-luck loser as he allowed two runs on five hits through seven innings.

The Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays remain tied for first in both the AL East and the wild card as the Rays defeated the visiting Boston Red Sox on ESPN’s Sunday Night game of the week. Rays starter James Shields outlasted Red Sox starter John Lackey as the Rays won 5-3. Carlos Pena hit a solo homerun in the 4th inning off Lackey and Carl Crawford hit a two-run shot in the 6th inning off Lackey (his 100th of his MLB career). Shields allowed three runs while striking out eight while Lackey allowed five runs while striking out seven. John Jaso, Crawford, and Evan Longoria each had two hits a piece for the Rays. The Red Sox fell to 6.5 games behind the Yankees and Rays in the AL East and wild card standings.

Tags:

Adam Wainwright, Ivan Nova, James Shields, Marcus Thames, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays

Lou Piniella says goodbye

Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella announced earlier this season that he would be retiring at the end of the season. Piniella, along with Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox and Toronto Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston would all end their managerial careers at the end of the 2010 season. However Piniella decided that he had had enough and announced that Sunday against the Braves would be his final game (his mother has been very sick). For him family came first, but no one can blame him for leaving the Cubs with 37 games left. He compiled a 313-393 record with the Cubs over three-plus seasons. Piniella has been a favorite for his infamous tirades with umpires which for most are more entertaining than the play on the field.

Sunday was also the day for contending teams to receive dominating pitching performances from their starters. The best was from St. Louis Cardinals rookie Jaime Garcia, who threw his first career shutout in an 8-0 blanking of another contender, the SF Giants. He faced just one batter over the minimum and allowed just three hits (two by Pat Burrell). Garcia did not walk a batter and struck out six while throwing just 89 pitches. The Cardinals win put them in a tie for second place with the Giants for the wild card race, behind the Philadelphia Phillies.

Roy Oswalt

The Phillies received a dominating performance from Roy Oswalt, who pitched seven shutout innings. He allowed five hits and one walk while striking out eight. Oswalt also collected two hits in the Phillies 6-0 blanking of the Washington Nationals. With the Phillies leading just 2-0, the Nationals elected to walk Carlos Ruiz to get to Wilson Valdez. Valdez proceeded to rip a two-run single, giving Oswalt a larger cushion to work with.

In the American League (and especially in the AL East), they also had their share of pitching domination. NY Yankees ace CC Sabathia allowed just three hits and no runs in six innings of work. He walked none while striking out eight Seattle Mariners. He may have went deeper in the game if not for an almost hour rain delay at Yankee Stadium. Sabathia won his AL-leading 17th game of the season and is undefeated at home during the regular season.

The Boston Red Sox received six shutout innings from Clay Buchholz. He allowed five hits and walked three while striking out seven. Buchholz earned his 15th win of the season. Red Sox rookie Felix Doubront earned his second career save while throwing two shutout innings. He allowed one hit while striking out two. Buchholz and the Red Sox bullpen shut down the prolific Toronto Blue Jays offense.

The Tampa Bay Rays also received stellar pitching from Matt Garza. He allowed one run on four hits in 7.2 innings. Evan Longoria continues his hot hitting as he collected a two-run double in the 6th inning against the Oakland A’s Dallas Braden.

Michael Cuddyer

Minnesota Twins starter Scott Baker twirled his best performance of the season. Baker pitched seven scoreless innings against the LA Angels as the Twins extended their AL Central lead over the Chicago White Sox to five games. The Twins offense went to work against Angels ace Jered Weaver in the 5th inning as they scored four runs, with the big hit coming from Michael Cuddyer with two outs (a three-run double).

The combination of Baker, Buchholz, Garcia, Garza, Oswalt, Sabathia, and Colorado Rockies rookie Jhoulys Chacin combined to allow just one run over 56.1 innings for just a 0.16 ERA on Sunday. All of these pitchers also earned victories.

Tags:

Atlanta Braves, Jaime Garcia, Lou Piniella, Michael Cuddyer, Roy Oswalt, St. Louis Cardinals

Derek Lee

This week there were a few moves made that could impact playoff contending teams (and that is precisely why these moves were made). Derek Lee of the Chicago Cubs agreed to be traded to the Atlanta Braves, who are currently in first place in the National League East. Lee has struggled this season and maybe a move to a contender will rejuvenate the veteran. Lee was expected to see time at first base and off the bench as a pinch-hitter. However Troy Glaus has struggled as of late (both offensively and with his health) and was placed on the DL to make room for Lee. Lee’s defense is a huge step above Glaus’ and his presence in the clubhouse should be great.

The key will be to regain his stroke and help the Braves to the postseason, something he did in 2003 with the Florida Marlins. Lee’s first game will come…against his former team in his former home, against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Friday afternoon was his first go-round with the Braves. Lee commented after the deal “…it’ll be different, but it’ll be exciting. Sometimes it’s more fun to compete with your friends because you can talk a little trash with them.” Lee went 0-for-4 (the first three at-bats came against one of his closest friends, Ryan Dempster) with a strikeout in the 9th inning off Carlos Marmol.

The St. Louis Cardinals found out that rookie third baseman David Freese, a sure contender for the National League Rookie of the Year award, would not be returning to the team due to right ankle surgery. Freese had been on the DL since June 27th and tore the tendon in his ankle during a rehab assignment. In Freese’s absence, super utility-man Felipe Lopez has taken over at third base. As of late though, Lopez has struggled at the plate (a .137 average in August) and has committed ten errors at the hot corner this season.

Pedro Feliz

So the Cardinals made a waiver trade with the Houston Astros for veteran Pedro Feliz (who won a World Series in 2008 with the Philadelphia Phillies). Feliz was acquired mainly to sure up the defense in the infield, though Feliz has struggled this season with his defense (eight errors in 63 games). Feliz is also having his worst season of his career at the plate, hitting just .221. The Cardinals are hoping that putting Feliz in a winning environment and a playoff atmosphere will motivate Feliz and his offensive numbers will climb. Lopez will move back into his super-utility role and get a few days off. The Cardinals played at their best with Lopez playing all over the field. Feliz was inserted into the lineup on Friday night, batting fifth, and he went 2-for-4 with two runs scored against his former team (the SF Giants).

Brad Hawpe

Brad Hawpe of the Colorado Rockies was designated for assignment on Thursday, thus ending his time with the Rockies (a team he has spent his entire career). The outfielder (who was an All-Star last season) should be a hot commodity in the coming days though he is owed a little over $2 million for the rest of the season. Hawpe has one of the best arms in right field, has a sweet left-handed stroke, and looked good at first base when Todd Helton was on the DL (thus adding to his resume). Plus he is a class act, which could help any team’s clubhouse.

The Chicago White Sox coveted Washington Nationals first baseman Adam Dunn but could not make the deal. They could use Hawpe at first base and move Paul Konerko to the everyday DH. The Texas Rangers would also be a good fit, with hitting coach and former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle there, and with all of the injuries the Rangers are dealing with. Hawpe would fit well in right field while Nelson Cruz is on the DL. Every team in contention should have interest in Hawpe as he is just 31 years old and is a career .280 hitter. Plus he could re-sign with that team instead of electing free agency (he is a free agent at the end of the season).

Will these three help contenders into the playoffs? We shall see as the next month and a half finishes.

Tags:

Atlanta Braves, Brad Hawpe, Chicago Cubs, Derek Lee, Florida Marlins, Pedro Feliz, St. Louis Cardinals

Will Venable scores

The National League West leading San Diego Padres have now won 10 of 11 as they swept the four game series at Wrigley. The Padres received a dominant pitching performance from Mat Latos, as he allowed just two runs on five hits in seven innings while striking out 10. Chicago Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano was just as dominant as he allowed just one run on four hits in six innings. However reliever Sean Marshall could only get one out in the 7th inning while allowing four runs.

The fifth and final run for the Padres scored on a wacky play. With runners on second and third and one out, Chris Denorfia grounded into a force out as third baseman Aramis Ramirez threw the runner on third (Chase Headley) out running home. Catcher Koyie Hill tug out Headley looked at Will Venable on third base, but turned his back and never called time out. With no one covering home plate, Venable raced in to score.

The SF Giants desperately needed a win in the final game of their series in Philadelphia. They got what they needed with a dominant pitching performance from left-hander Jonathon Sanchez. Sanchez did not allow his first hit until Shane Victorino singled in the 3rd inning and did not allow another hit until Victorino again singled in the 9th inning. Sanchez was removed in the middle of Placido Polanco’s at-bat in the 9th inning and the Phillies collected two hits and two runs off Giants reliever Sergio Romo, but closer Brian Wilson got Raul Ibanez to fly out to end the game.

Sanchez had the Phillies offense off-balance all night as they weakly popped out, took good pitches, or were swinging at the first pitch to get themselves out. Phillies starter Cole Hamles struggled for the first time in seven starts as he allowed five runs in five innings (three coming in the first inning). Rookie Buster Posey collected two hits and two RBIs, Freddy Sanchez also had two hits, and Pablo Sandoval added a solo homerun to cap the Giants scoring. The Giants climbed to a game back of the Phillies in the wild card race. The Phillies had their 100th consecutive sellout.

The Texas Rangers continue to struggle as they lost their fourth game in a row and fifth game to the Baltimore Orioles this season. O’s rookie left-hander Brian Matusz continued the rotation’s run of three straight eight inning performances. Matusz dominated the potent Rangers offense, as he pitched eight shutout innings while allowing just five hits and he struck out six. Rangers starter Colby Lewis held the O’s scoreless until the 7th inning when the O’s scored four runs.

The Cincinnati Reds continue to win and score runs in Arizona. Last night, rookie Travis Wood returned to the Reds rotation and dominated the Diamondbacks, going 6.1 innings while allowing just one run (on a Mark Reynolds homerun) on four hits while striking out six. The Reds offense scored four runs in the 4th inning and another five runs in the 8th inning, which was needed as the Diamondbacks scored four runs in the bottom of the 8th inning. However the Reds held on for a 9-5 win, increasing their lead in the NL Central to 3.5 games over the idle St. Louis Cardinals.

The Chicago White Sox finally defeated the Minnesota Twins as they pounded out 11 runs and 21 hits (15 came off Twins starter Carl Pavano) in their 11-0 pummeling of the Twins. White Sox starter Mark Buehrle pitched seven shutout innings. Paul Konerko went 5-for-5 with a homerun, four RBIs, and three runs scored while four other players (Juan Pierre, Omar Vizquel, Mark Teahen, and Alexei Ramirez) collected three hits each.

Cliff Pennington's double

With the NY Yankees posting a 9 run 6th inning against the visiting Detroit Tigers on their way to an 11-2 victory (and Phil Hughes’ 15th win of the season), the Tampa Bay Rays needed a win out in Oakland. The Rays got to A’s starter Trevor Cahill with two homeruns (a two-run homer from Carlos Pena and solo shot from Evan Longoria), which gave the Rays a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the 6th inning. In that inning, Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine was removed with two men on base for reliever Dan Wheeler. Wheeler proceeded to give up those two runs and one of his own, capped by a Cliff Pennington two-run double. The A’s would hold on for a 4-3 win, sending the Rays to a game behind the Yankees in the American League East.

Tags:

Baltimore Orioles, Carlos Zambrano, Chris Denorfia, Cliff Pennington, Cole Hamles, Jonathon Sanchez, Koyie Hill, Mat Latos, San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays

Adam Wainwright

Just like the American League, the National League playoff contenders will need strong starts from three starting pitchers. Who has the best three-man rotation? Let’s take a look.

St. Louis Cardinals: Chris Carpenter (rhp), Adam Wainwright (rhp), and Jaime Garcia (lhp). This group offers two aces and a rookie that doesn’t throw hard but knows how to pitch. These three just proved how good they are as they swept their division rival, the Cincinnati Reds, and moved into first place in the Central. Wainwright is tied for first in baseball with 17 wins, is third in the league in strikeouts (158), and has the second best ERA (1.99) and may have moved ahead of Colorado Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez as the favorite for the CY Young award. Garcia has been overshadowed by all the big name rookies but may be the best (10-5 with a 2.71 ERA and has allowed just 6 homeruns in 22 starts). Carpenter hasn’t been as dominant as in 2009, but has been good (13-3 with a 2.89 ERA), though his good is most people’s dominant.

Tim Hudson

Atlanta Braves: Tim Hudson (rhp), Jair Jurrjens (rhp), and Derek Lowe (rhp). Hudson has completely regained his pre-surgery form and is a favorite for the CY Young award. He holds a 2.24 ERA and opponents are hitting just .217 against him. Hudson joins fellow ground ball machine Lowe, who has not been great but gives the Braves innings and keeps them in the game. Jurrjens has returned from the DL and been the pitcher he was prior to the beginning of the season. In six starts after the All-Star break, he is 3-1 with a 3.10 ERA and he keeps the ball in the ballpark (he has allowed just 7 homeruns all season).

Roy Halladay

Philadelphia Phillies: Roy Halladay (rhp), Cole Hamels (lhp), and Roy Oswalt (rhp). Halladay has never been to the postseason in his career but has pitched well against NL playoff contenders. Hamels has returned to his 2008 form and could be just as dominant this postseason. Hamels has been better at home than on the road. Oswalt was acquired by the Phillies to help with their postseason push. Oswalt has struggled in his career against the NL East, though he did just dominate in his Citizens Bank Park debut on Wednesday night.

Mat Latos

San Diego Padres: Jon Garland (rhp), Mat Latos (rhp), and Clayton Richard (lhp). Pitching has been the reason that the Padres have held onto first-place in the NL West for most of the season. Many teams passed on Garland this offseason and he has pitched well for the young Padres, going 10-8 with a 3.55 ERA so far. He has been better at home and seems to have recovered from his June and July struggles. Latos is 7-1 with a 1.42 ERA in his last 10 starts. Richard, since coming over from the White Sox in the Jake Peavy deal, has made a huge impact. He has struggled as of late.

Cincinnati Reds: Bronson Arroyo (rhp), Johnny Cueto (rhp), and Edinson Volquez (rhp). The Reds have held their own this season to stay with the heavy favorite Cardinals. They have done so with pitching and defense and the two youngest starting pitchers, Mike Leake and Travis Wood, have been impressive.These two may be pushed aside in favor of more seasoned pitchers like Arroyo, Cueto, and Volquez (and even Aaron Harang) for the postseason. Arroyo has quietly racked up 12 wins with an ERA under 4.00 while opponents are hitting .230 against him. Cueto has also put up solid numbers (11-3 with a 3.38 ERA) though he has struggled against the Cardinals and some playoff contenders (Atlanta and SF). Volquez has returned from Tommy John surgery and his 50-game suspension and could be like a July trading deadline piece (and he is rested). He has gotten better in his last two starts.

SF Giants: Tim Lincecum (rhp), Matt Cain (rhp), and Barry Zito (lhp). The Giants are carried by their pitching staff. Lincecum has not been as dominant as in season’s past yet he still made the All-Star team and still has solid numbers (11-6 with a 3.41 ERA). He is second in the league in strikeouts with 163. Cain has quietly put up a solid season with a 3.06 ERA though his record is just 9-9. Cain has also pitched well against playoff contenders. Zito is having his best season since joining the Giants and has pitched well within the division.

LA Dodgers: Vicente Padilla (rhp), Clayton Kershaw (lhp), and Ted Lilly (lhp). Padilla missed the month of May, which makes him a well-rested ace who dominates when the games are on the line. The young lefty Kershaw has struggled against the Phillies (though he pitched well Thursday night) and who knows they might match up for the third straight postseason. The Dodgers traded for Lilly to fill out their rotation, which would most likely push Chad Billingsley and Hiroki Kuroda to the bullpen.

Colorado Rockies: Ubaldo Jimenez (rhp), Jeff Francis (lhp), and Aaron Cook (rhp). The Rockies are 8 games back (as are the Dodgers) but we all know the type of run that the Rockies are capable. Jimenez has struggled as of late and maybe that has to do with all the innings he has accumulated. Francis has pitched well after missing all of 2009. Cook is currently on the DL so they could go to Jason Hammel or Jorge De La Rosa.

Tags:

Adam Wainwright, Atlanta Braves, Mat Latos, Philadelphia Phillies, Roy Halladay, San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals, Tim Hudson

Monday was a big day in MLB because it was the beginning of the 2010 First-Year MLB draft. MLB Network covered the first 50 picks (the first round and the supplemental round) with the rest of the rounds set for Tuesday and Wednesday. This year’s draft class was expected to be weaker than in year’s past, but the number one selection was not much of a surprise.

The Washington Nationals had the first pick for the second straight season and selected junior college outfielder Bryce Harper (interesting in that he is a catcher). Harper left high school after his sophomore season, received his GED, and played at the College of Southern Nevada (a junior college).

He is just 17 years old, though he has been calling his own game since he was 11 years old (which is rare), which makes him a good choice as a catcher, but he is athletic enough to move to the outfield. Harper was deemed the “Chosen One” and has been labeled baseball’s version of LeBron James.

Harper was followed in the draft by two other high school players, pitcher Jameson Taillon to the Pittsburgh Pirates and shortstop Manny Machado to the Baltimore Orioles. The top three selections were considered the cream of this year’s draft crop. Taillon, considered the best right-hander of the draft, comes out of Texas where his idol Josh Beckett hails from.

Machado is compared regularly to Alex Rodriguez. The last time that prep-age players were drafted with the top three picks was in 1990. The first-round this year was littered with high school players being selected over quality college players, with MLB Network analyst Harold Reynolds left to say that it is obvious that some of the college players priced themselves out of the early first-round or the first-round altogether.

Christian Colon

The first collegiate player selected came at number four by the KC Royals as they selected Cal State Fullerton shortstop Christian Colon. Colon is the leadoff man for the Titans and was named last season’s Baseball America’s Summer Player of the Year, as he was Team USA’s captain. Colon broke his leg in the final week of Team USA’s summer which hampered him a bit this spring.

However now he is one of the hottest hitters in college. For the first time in the history of the Titans, they had two players selected in the first round. The SF Giants selected Big West Player of the Year Gary Brown, an outfielder, with the 24th pick.

The fifth pick was also a collegiate player, this time being the top pitcher in Ole Miss left-hander Drew Pomeranz. Pomeranz, the SEC Pitcher of the Year, threw seven scoreless innings against St. John’s in their regional win (though Ole Miss was eliminated over the weekend).

Yasmani Grandal

A few collegiate players who dropped in the draft were University of Miami catcher Yasmani Grandal (dropped to 12th to the Cincinnati Reds), Arkansas third baseman Zack Cox (dropped to 25th to the St. Louis Cardinals), Middle Tennessee State outfielder Bryce Brentz (went in the supplemental round to the Boston Red Sox), San Diego left-handed pitcher Sammy Solis (who dropped to the Nationals with the first pick of the second round), and Texas right-handed pitcher Brandon Workman (who dropped to the second round to the Red Sox).

A few college players who did move up were Texas A&M right-hander Barrett Loux (6th overall to the Arizona Diamondbacks) and UNC right-hander Matt Harvey (who was a third round pick in 2007 but went 7th overall in 2010 to the NY Mets). The concern with Harvey is his 150+ pitch outing this season as he was most likely overused throughout his junior season (arm injuries in his future?).

A few teams made some surprise picks, like the Philadelphia Phillies picking hometown left-handed pitcher Jesse Biddle out of Germantown Friends School with the 27th pick in the first round (he was rated as a 3rd-4th round talent), the Texas Rangers taking high school outfielder Jake Skole with the 15th pick (he missed most of the year with an ankle injury and committed to Georgia Tech to play football and baseball with his brother), and the NY Yankees selecting high school shortstop Cito Culver with the final pick in the first round (he was rated as a 5th-6th round talent). These were a few surprise picks for teams that only had one first round pick and could have made these picks later in the draft.

Anthony Ranaudo

The Boston Red Sox made a splash with their first day’s picks. They coveted LSU right-hander Anthony Ranaudo but his arm injury (and not so great second half) concerned many. He fell to the supplemental round (39th overall) but the Red Sox grabbed him. Prior to that they plucked Brentz, who also had fallen, and selected Ball State second baseman Kolbrin Vitek with their first pick (20th overall). Vitek dropped a bit as he was rated the top second baseman in the draft though he has hit wherever he has played (though he may move to the outfield).

With many of the top picks being represented by the Boras Corp., there are signability concerns and whether or not the process will take until the very last minute (August 16th is the deadline).

Are there any picks you were surprised about or really liked (or did not like)? Let me know through the comments section.

Tags:

Alex Rodriguez, Anthony Ranaudo, Bryce Harper, Christian Colon, Drew Pomeranz, Gary Brown, Jameson Taillon, Jesse Biddle, LeBron James, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Yasmani Grandal

The NY Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays battled into extra innings on Saturday afternoon. Both teams’ starters were solid. For the Yankees, Andy Pettitte allowed two runs on five hits in 7.2 innings while striking out ten.

Aaron Hill is mobbed by teammates

Pettitte’s only mistakes were the two solo homeruns to Vernon Wells and Alex Gonzalez. For the Blue Jays, Ricky Romero allowed just two runs on five hits in eight innings while striking out seven. Romero allowed a two-run homerun to Derek Jeter in the fifth inning. The score would stay tied 2-2 until the 14th inning when with one out Aaron Hill delivered an RBI single for the 3-2 walk-off victory.

Jon Niese returned to the NY Mets rotation and was solid against the Florida Marlins. Niese allowed just one run on six hits in seven innings of work. He struck out six. The Mets won the game 6-1 as David Wright hit a two-run homerun in the third inning. Rookie Mets first baseman Ike Davis went 4-for-4 with three runs scored.

Colby Rasmus is mobbed by teammates

The St. Louis Cardinals scored four runs in the first inning off Milwaukee Brewers starter Chris Narveson, but could not muster anymore runs off him. The Brewers chipped away to tie the game at 4-4 in the sixth inning. Cardinals rookie starter Adam Ottavino allowed two runs on five hits in five innings. The game would stay tied until the 11th inning when the Cardinals Colby Rasmus delivered his third hit of the game for a walk-off victory (it was the Cardinals third straight hit in the 11th inning).

In Washington, the Nationals faced the Cincinnati Reds as both teams were throwing rookie pitchers. Luis Atilano took the mound for the Nationals and Mike Leake took the mound for the Reds. The game was a pitcher’s duel as both rookies pitched like seasoned veterans.

Atilano allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits in seven innings while striking out six. Leake, who has yet to lose a game in his short professional career, allowed an unearned run in seven innings while striking out five. Leake also went 2-for-3 at the plate to raise his average to .417. Leake improved to 5-0 on the season as the Reds scored three runs in the eighth inning to win 5-1.

The Cleveland Indians are 8-3 against the Chicago White Sox this season but are just 13-30 against the rest of MLB. Mitch Talbot of the Indians allowed one run on six hits in seven innings to improve to 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA against the White Sox in three starts this season. White Sox starter Jake Peavy also pitched well as he allowed just two runs (one scoring on a controversial balk call) in seven innings.

Jon Lester of the Boston Red Sox continues his dominance. Last night against the Baltimore Orioles he pitched 6.1 scoreless innings. Lester allowed just four hits. The Red Sox offense did not get going until late in the game. The game was scoreless until the seventh inning as Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie was just as good as Lester. Guthrie ended up allowing two runs on five hits in 7.1 innings.

He allowed a solo homerun to Kevin Youkilis in that seventh inning. Newly recalled outfielder Josh Reddick delivered a triple and then scored on a Marco Scutaro single in the eighth. The Red Sox busted out in the ninth inning off the Orioles bullpen for six runs, capped by pinch-hitter Darnell McDonald’s two run double. The Red Sox are now 11-0 versus the Orioles this season.

Dontrelle Willis in first dbacks game

Newly acquired starting pitcher Dontrelle Willis made his Arizona Diamondbacks debut on Saturday night versus the Colorado Rockies. Willis’ wildness was still there, but he was effective. He did not allow a run in six innings though he walked four and gave up five hits. Willis also went 1-for-2 at the plate. The Diamondbacks scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 4-0 lead capped by a pinch-hit two-run double from Ryan Roberts. The Diamondbacks held on for the 4-3 victory as they have now won two in a row after losing 10 in a row.

Tags:

Aaron Hill, Adam Ottavino, Alex Gonzalez, Chris Narveson, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Colby Rasmus, Dontrelle Willis, Florida Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Vernon Wells

Neil Walker's first homerun

It was a wild night across baseball as teams were scoring late to secure victories. For the second straight night, the Pittsburgh Pirates scored in the eighth inning to beat the visiting Chicago Cubs. With the Cubs ahead 2-1, the Pirates scored two runs off Cubs starter Ted Lilly on a Neil Walker two-run homerun (his first of his Major League career). Pirates closer Octavio Dotel worked a perfect ninth with two strikeouts to preserve the 3-2 victory.

The Toronto Blue Jays hit two more homeruns early in their game against the Tampa Bay Rays and starter Jeff Niemann. Blue Jays starter Brian Tallet pitched well in his first game back off the DL (four hits and no runs in 5.2 innings). However the Rays offense went to work against the Blue Jays bullpen. Casey Janssen and Jason Frasor allowed three runs in the seventh inning to cut the Blue Jays lead to 5-3.

In the ninth inning off Blue Jays closer Kevin Gregg, the Rays use patience and a big hit to finish the comeback. After Gregg walked in a run and the bases still loaded, Sean Rodriguez delivered a bases-clearing double for the 7-5 lead. All-in-all, the Rays got just that one hit in the ninth and scored four runs with the help of five walks. Gregg also was ejected from the game after his last walk.

The Houston Astros needed a good start from Brett Myers to save the bullpen after Roy Oswalt lasted into the third the day before. Myers allowed four runs, but only one was earned in seven innings. He allowed four hits while striking out ten. The Astros led 6-4 when he departed.

The lead did not last as Brandon Lyon allowed a run in the eighth inning and closer Matt Lindstrom blew the save by allowing two runs in the ninth, capped by back-to-back RBI singles from Ian Desmond and Roger Bernadina to give the Nats a 7-6 lead. With the sluggish Astros lineup, you would think the game was over with Washington Nationals closer Matt Capps coming in.

Lance Berkman's walk-off

Well Capps has been struggling and he continued that streak on Tuesday night. Pedro Feliz led off with a hot shot to third that Ryan Zimmerman could not handle for an error. Feliz was sacrificed to second and pinch-hitter Cory Sullivan delivered a double to put runners at second and third. Michael Bourn was intentionally walked, but Jeff Keppinger grounded into a force out (Feliz was thrown out at the plate). Up came Lance Berkman, who delivered a two-run single for the walk-off victory (he drove in five runs in the game).

The Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals are battling it out in St. Louis for first place in the National League Central. Tuesday night was a wild back-and-forth game. Both teams scored three runs in the first inning, capped by Scott Rolen of the Reds’ three-run shot and Colby Rasmus of the Cardinals’ two-run shot.

Rolen would add another homerun in the third inning, right after Joey Votto hit a solo homerun (Votto returned to the lineup to go 4-for-5). The Cardinals came back to score four runs in the sixth inning to take an 8-7 lead, only to see the Reds score two more runs in the top of the seventh. The Reds held on for the 9-8 victory. Jon Jay of the Cardinals hit his first Major League homerun as he went 3-for-5.

The Dodgers celebrate

The Arizona Diamondbacks and LA Dodgers played scoreless baseball into the tenth inning. Diamondbacks starter Dan Haren allowed eight hits in seven innings while striking out seven. Dodgers starter John Ely allowed two hits in seven innings while striking out five. With one out in the bottom of the tenth, the Dodgers Matt Kemp blasted a walk-off solo homerun to give the Dodgers the 1-0 victory.

The Colorado Rockies and SF Giants were also locked into a pitcher’s duel. Speedy outfielder Andres Torres provided the only run for the Giants as he blasted a solo homerun off Rockies starter Jason Hammel in the fourth inning. Torres’ blast bounced into McCovey Cove. Hammel allowed just that run on seven hits in 6.2 innings. Giants starter Barry Zito allowed one run on four hits in seven innings while striking out eight.

The game would stay tied up at 1-1 until the 11th when the Rockies Clint Barmes delivered an RBI double off Santiago Casilla for the game-winner.

Tags:

Brian Tallet, Cincinnati Reds, Ian Desmond, John Ely, Kevin Gregg, LA Dodgers, Lance Berkman, Neil Walker, Pittsburgh Pirates, Roger Bernadina, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays

Felipe Paulino of the Houston Astros has yet to win a game this season. He was facing the Cincinnati Reds and rookie Mike Leake, who has yet to lose a game. Unexpectedly, this was a pitcher’s duel as the game went into the tenth inning with the score 0-0. Paulino went eight scoreless innings and allowed just four hits and struck out five (though he walked four).

Lance Berkman's two-run double

He also went 2-for-3 at the plate to raise his average to .389. Leake went six scoreless innings and allowed seven hits. He also went 1-for-2 to keep his average at .381. It was probably the game of two of the best hitting pitchers. The Astros Lance Berkman hit a two-run double in the tenth for the 2-0 victory to snap their three-game losing streak.

The Philadelphia Phillies continue to struggle offensively. Following Roy Halladay’s perfect game, veteran left-hander Jamie Moyer provided great pitching yet the lineup could not muster any runs. Moyer allowed just one run on four hits in six innings. Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez got a base hit, stole second, and scored on Ronny Paulino’s two-out single in the sixth inning.

Marlins starter Anibal Sanchez pitched into the seventh inning and allowed just three hits. Marlins closer Leo Nunez pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 10th save with two strikeouts. The Phillies have lost six of their last eight games and have been shut out in five of their last eight games, with three earned runs scored in that stretch.

The Atlanta Braves have crept to just a ½ game behind the first place Phillies in the National League East. On Sunday, the Braves came back against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. With the game tied at 2-2 in the eighth inning, Chipper Jones came off the bench to deliver an RBI single and rookie Jason Heyward delivered a two-run triple to give the Braves a 5-2 lead. Braves closer Billy Wagner shut down the Pirates in the ninth with just ten pitches to record his 7th save.

one of Pujols' 3 homeruns

The Chicago Cubs could not figure out St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols at all on Sunday. Pujols homered in the first inning with two outs off Cubs starter Ryan Dempster. In the fifth inning off Dempster, Pujols hit a two-run homerun. In the ninth inning off reliever John Grabow, he hit a solo homerun (and two batters later David Freese followed with a two-run homerun).

Pujols’ offense alone was enough for Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright, who allowed just one run on seven hits in seven innings while striking out eight. The lone run came on a Geovany Soto solo homerun in the seventh inning. Pujols and Freese collected three hits (with Pujols also walking twice), Matt Holliday collected four hits, and Ryan Ludwick contributed two hits.

The visiting Baltimore Orioles jumped on Toronto Blue Jays ace Ricky Romero for a run in the first inning. However that was the only run the Orioles could muster on the day. The Blue Jays also scored in the first inning, with a three-spot off Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie.

That was enough for Romero, who pitched a complete game and allowed one run on six hits while striking out seven. Offensively the Blue Jays hit three more homeruns, from Lyle Overbay, Jose Bautista (his MLB-leading 16th), and Alex Gonzalez (who also collected three hits).

The Boston Red Sox Jon Lester continued his dominance through the month of May. Lester dominated the visiting KC Royals by allowing just one run on four hits while striking out five (though he walked four). Royals spot-starter Bruce Chen allowed just one run on two hits in four innings, but his bullpen fell apart.

Reliever Brad Thompson allowed six runs in just a little over one inning, capped by a David Ortiz two-run homerun. The bottom three in the Red Sox order (Jason Varitek, Bill Hall, and Mike Cameron) combined to go 6-for-11 with seven runs scored.

Howie Kendrick's walk-off

The LA Angels had their second walk-off in as many days. This time they did not lose a slugger in the celebration. Down 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth, Howie Kendrick hit his second homerun of the game, a three-run shot off Seattle Mariners closer David Aardsma for the Angels 9-7 victory. The walk-off shot was the culmination of the Angels comeback as they were down 7-3 after five innings.

Tags:

Albert Pujols, Anibal Sanchez, Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds, Felipe Paulino, Florida Marlins, Jamie Moyer, Lance Berkman, Mike Leake, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals

Mark Buehrle after ejection

It’s not often that you see Chicago White Sox ace Mark Buehrle angry, let alone being ejected from a game. However it happened on Wednesday afternoon in Cleveland after a second balk was called against him in the third inning. Manager Ozzie Guillen had already been ejected after the first balk was called in the second inning. White Sox reliever Tony Pena came into the game in the fourth inning and pitched four scoreless innings (a career high) to earn the victory.

The Philadelphia Phillies were shut out for the second consecutive night, this time by a NY Mets right-hander (and spot starter). Hisanori Takahashi allowed five hits in six scoreless innings while striking out six (and not walking a batter). The Mets bullpen followed with three scoreless innings. The Phillies offense collected just seven hits in the 5-0 loss.

Mets shortstop Jose Reyes hit a homerun (his first of the season) off Phillies starter Joe Blanton in the third inning. The National League East division is now separated by just three games from top to bottom.

Luke Hochevar of the KC Royals spun together his second straight gem as he pitched eight innings and allowed two runs on six hits while striking out four (and did not walk a batter) against the visiting Texas Rangers. Hochevar gave up single runs in the second and sixth innings. Joakim Soria pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th save.

Royals first baseman Billy Butler continued his hot-hitting as he hit a solo homerun off Rangers starter Scott Feldman in the sixth inning (he improved his batting average to .348 as he collected two more hits). Royals shortstop Mike Aviles also continues to hit as he also collected two hits.

The Detroit Tigers held a 4-1 lead into the eighth inning, but reliever Ryan Perry could not contain the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners scored four runs in the inning off Perry, capped by a Mike Sweeney two-run homerun. This after Tigers starter Jeremy Bonderman allowed just an unearned run in seven innings.

Sweeney, Josh Wilson, and Franklin Gutierrez collected two hits a piece for the Mariners. For the Tigers, rookies Austin Jackson and Brennan Boesch each collected two hits while Magglio Ordonez had three hits.

Cincinnati Reds starter Bronson Arroyo pitched another gem, following up rookie Mike Leake’s solid showing on Tuesday. Arroyo lasted into the eighth inning as he allowed five hits and no runs. Arroyo has won four straight starts and retired 11 straight hitters to begin the game after the leadoff walk. The Reds Miguel Cairo, Drew Stubbs, and Ryan Hanigan all collected two hits.

In San Diego, there was a pitcher’s duel between the Padres Kevin Correia and St. Louis Cardinals rookie Jaime Garcia. Correia did not allow a run in six innings, though he walked six. Garcia also did not allow a run in six innings to lower his ERA to 1.14. Cardinals reliever Kyle McClellan allowed a run in the eighth inning (on a Matt Stairs pinch-hit RBI double), only to see the Cardinals come back to tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the ninth on a two-out RBI single from Ryan Ludwick off Padres closer Heath Bell.

Jerry Hairston walk-off

Into the 13th inning the game would go. With two outs, Padres shortstop Jerry Hairston delivered a walk-off homerun to win the game 2-1. It was Hairston’s second game-winning homerun in the last two days.

Out in San Francisco, the Giants faced Washington Nationals rookie Luis Atilano as they were throwing their ace Tim Lincecum. Lincecum struggled against the Nationals lineup as he last just two outs into the fifth inning. He allowed six runs on six hits and five walks. Atilano, on the other hand, allowed just two runs on four hits in 5.1 innings.

His lone blemish was the homerun to Juan Uribe. On offense for the Nationals, Adam Dunn, Josh Willingham, and Ian Desmond collected two hits a piece.

The NY Yankees and Minnesota Twins played two on Wednesday. The first was a completion of Tuesday’s suspended game which started after the fifth inning. The Yankees scored a run in the sixth inning (or first inning of Wednesday) on a Derek Jeter homerun. The Yankees bullpen of Dave Robertson, Joba Chamberlain, and Mariano Rivera made that lone run stand up.

Nick Swisher's game-winner

In the second game, both team’s starters were solid as the Yankees Andy Pettitte allowed two runs on eight hits in eight innings and Twins starter Francisco Liriano allowed two runs on eight hits in seven innings. With the game tied at 2-2 in the ninth inning, Twins closer Jon Rauch allowed a solo homerun to Nick Swisher for the game-winner.

Rivera came in for his second save of the day and pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth. On offense for the Yankees, Swisher, Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, and rookie Kevin Russo all collected two hits a piece. On offense for the Twins, Denard Span, Michael Cuddyer, and Delmon Young all collected two hits a piece.

Tags:

Detroit Tigers, Franklin Gutierrez, Hisanori Takahashi, Jaime Garcia, Jerry Hairston, Luke Hochevar, Mark Buehrle, Nick Swisher, Philadelphia Phillies, Scott Feldman, St. Louis Cardinals, Tony Pena

After receiving a dominant performance from Clay Buchholz on Monday night, the Boston Red Sox received an even better start from Jon Lester against the Tampa Bay Rays. Despite going just six innings (he walked five batters), Lester allowed just one hit (a single to Willy Aybar) while striking out nine.

Manny Delcarmen, Daniel Bard, and Jonathon Papelbon combined to pitch three perfect innings of relief. DH David Ortiz of the Red Sox provided the only offense, a two-run double in the third inning off Rays starter James Shields. Shields lasted eight innings and allowed two runs on four hits while striking out five.

Ra Dickey

The Philadelphia Phillies offense has become stagnant over the last week, especially against left-handed starting pitchers and knuckleballers. This has allowed the rest of the National League East to get back into the race. On Tuesday, the NY Mets started RA Dickey (a knuckleballer) who shut down the Phillies offense.

Despite collecting seven hits off Dickey, they could not muster a single run. Dickey struck out seven in six innings of work. The Phillies offense greeted reliever Raul Valdes with back-to-back hits to put runners at second and third, but Valdes shut down the middle of the order (Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Jayson Werth) to leave the runners stranded. Valdes pitched three scoreless innings to earn his first save.

A pitcher’s duel arose in San Diego as Jon Garland of the Padres matched up with Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals. Wainwright allowed a solo homerun to Jerry Hairston in the second inning. Wainwright went seven innings and allowed four hits while striking out 12. He also collected a hit. Unfortunately for Wainwright, Garland did not allow a run in his seven innings of work. The Cardinals collected six singles (seven in the game) with Albert Pujols collecting three hits and Felipe Lopez collecting two.

The SF Giants received solid pitching from Todd Wellemeyer, as he allowed just two runs (both scored in the seventh inning) on four hits in six-plus innings. The Giants got to Washington Nationals starter Livan Hernandez for four runs in the fifth inning, his last inning of work. Giants closer Brian Wilson worked a perfect ninth while striking out all three batters he faced for his 11th save.

There was also a pitcher’s duel in Cincinnati last night between the Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates and their young starters. Rookie Mike Leake continues to impress as he gave up just one run on ten hits while striking out three in 7.1 innings. He lowered his ERA to 2.70 and also collected a hit (his average is .368).

Paul Maholm of the Pirates pitched seven shutout innings and allowed six hits. Unfortunately for Maholm, reliever Joel Hanrahan allowed a solo homerun to Brandon Phillips to tie the game at 1-1 in the eighth inning. In the ninth inning, Ryan Doumit hit a solo homerun to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead off Nick Masset, a lead that Pirates closer Octavio Dotel protected for this 10th save.

In Chicago, there was also a pitcher’s duel between the LA Dodgers Clayton Kershaw and the Cubs Ryan Dempster. The game pitted legendary managers Joe Torre against Lou Piniella. Kershaw allowed an unearned run in the sixth inning. Reliever Ramon Troncoso allowed two runs (one earned) in the eighth inning. Dempster pitched eight shutout innings and allowed just three this while striking out seven. Closer Carlos Marmol pitched a perfect ninth with two strikeouts to preserve the 3-0 victory.

Tags:

Adam Wainwrigh, Chase Utley, Daniel Bard, Jon Lester, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, RA Dickey, Raul Valdes, Ryan Howard, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays

The big news on Friday was the request by Houston Astros ace Roy Oswalt to be traded. Oswalt was coming off a loss on Thursday night where the offense could not give him run support (he receives the least amount of run support in the National League). The Astros are in last place in the National League Central and have the worst record in the NL.

Oswalt has spent his entire 10-year career with the Astros, compiling 139 wins and a 3.21 career ERA. This season, he is 2-6 with a 2.66 ERA and all nine of his starts are quality starts though he has received just four runs total in his six losses (39 innings). The frustration in Houston seems to be boiling over though Astros management has not made any activity yet.

Brett Myers

The Astros won a hard fought battle on Friday night while playing host to the best team in baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays. Starter Brett Myers, who has been a workhorse since coming over from Philadelphia, pitched out of trouble after allowing an unearned run in the first inning. He lasted seven innings and allowed six hits while striking out seven. The six hits he allowed came from Ben Zobrist and Reid Brignac. Rays starter Matt Garza got the hard-luck loss as he pitched a complete game and allowed two runs on six hits.

On Friday night, a few teams lost key players. The Philadelphia Phillies, who just got All-Star shortstop Jimmy Rollins back, may lose him again. Rollins re-aggravated his right calf in which he spent time on the DL already this season. He may have to deal with the injury for the rest of the season before it fully heals.

The Phillies still beat the visiting Boston Red Sox 5-1 after Phillies starter Cole Hamels allowed a solo homerun to Victor Martinez in the first inning. Hamels settled in to allow just two more hits in seven innings of work while striking out eight. Red Sox starter John Lackey was unimpressive as he lasted just five innings and allowed four runs on six hits while walking five. He allowed homeruns to Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth.

Brad Penny's grand slam

The St. Louis Cardinals lost starter Brad Penny to the DL after he launched a two out grand slam to give the Cardinals a 9-4 lead. He lasted just three innings. The Cardinals bullpen allowed just one run on three hits in six innings of relief. Felipe Lopez followed Penny’s grand slam with a homerun of his own.

LA Angels starter Joel Pineiro (the former Cardinals pitcher) lasted only three innings while allowing all nine runs. Trevor Bell of the Angels was impressive as he pitched three scoreless innings of relief and struck out four.

The Minnesota Twins became the next team to batter the Milwaukee Brewers pitching staff. The Twins jumped all over Brewers starter Dave Bush for seven runs in the first inning as he only recorded one out. The Twins were not done. They scored five runs off of reliever Jeff Suppan, one run off Claudio Vargas, and two runs off Mitch Stetter to account for their 15 runs.

The Twins did not hit a homerun in the game. Denard Span, Orlando Hudson, Justin Morneau, and Delmon Young all accumulated three hits a piece. Shockingly, Twins All-Star catcher Joe Mauer did not collect a hit (though he walked twice and scored two runs). Twins starter Nick Blackburn was solid, with his only blemish being a three-run homerun by former Twin Carlos Gomez in the eighth inning.

Javier Vazquez of the NY Yankees was dominant in the Subway Series rematch. He went six innings and allowed just one hit but had to leave after hurting his finger on a bunt attempt. Hisanori Takahashi was just as dominant in his spot start for the NY Mets. He left after six innings without allowing a run on five hits.

Kevin Russo's two-run double

His bullpen though failed him. With runners at second and third in the seventh inning, Yankees rookie Kevin Russo ripped a two-run double to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. It was Russo’s first extra-base hit of his career and first RBIs (he had collected his first hit in the third inning).

Tags:

Ben Zobrist, Brad Penny, Brett Myers, Jayson Werth, Jeff Suppan, Kevin Russo, Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, Roy Oswalt, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays