MLB Day 11 2012

Thin slate today everyone, with a majority of the games coming in the morning/afternoon period as well. We begin with the...

Washington Nationals hosting the Cincinnati Reds. Mat Latos and Gio Gonzalez were tabbed to start today. Washington began with a fifth inning Adam LaRoche single, scoring both Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa. Cincinnati tied it in the ninth with a 2-RBI single by Ryan Ludwick, knocking in Joey Votto and Scott Rolen. The Nationals won it 3-2 in the tenth inning as Ryan Zimmerman scored on a wild pitch. Craig Stammen was in line for the win while the errant throw by Alfredo Simon produced his loss.

Over to Detroit, where the Tigers welcome the Tampa Bay Rays. Jeff Niemann and Drew Smyly were the opposing pitchers. Tampa Bay opened the scoring with a solo shot by Carlos Pena in the third inning. Detroit gained the lead in the fifth inning as Andy Dirks ripped a triple to score Alex Avila before he came home alongside Austin Jackson on a Brennan Boesch single. The Rays took one back as Evan Longoria lined a single to bring home Desmond Jennings. Boesch padded the Tigers lead in the bottom of the seventh with a 2-RBI single, knocking in both Jhonny Peralta and Dirks. Detroit made it 7-2 when Avila tripled in the eighth inning to score Prince Fielder and then ran the final 90 feet home on a wild pitch. This was a final, with Collin Balester getting the win and Niemann taking the loss.

Westward farther to Minnesota, with the Twins hosting the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Dan Haren and Francisco Liriano were given the ball. Los Angeles got things going in the second inning with a solo home run by Mark Trumbo, a Peter Bourjos double to bring in Alberto Callaspo, a 2-RBI single by Maicer Izturis that scored Bobby Wilson and Bourjos, and Izturis darting home on a Joe Mauer error. The Angels added on in the fifth inning as Vernon Wells hit a ground rule double that forced in Trumbo. Minnesota answered in the bottom of the fifth as Joe Mauer lifted a three-run homer, also scoring Denard Span and Jamey Carroll. The Twins tied it with a seventh inning rally as Josh Willingham hit a solo shot, Luke Hughes hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Chris Parmelee, and Span singled in Danny Valencia. Los Angeles retook the lead in the eighth on a Bourjos single that allowed Wells to score. Minnesota responded with Justin Morneau's two-run homer, also scoring Mauer, Valencia doubling to get Willingham across the plate and then he crossed home himself on a Hughes single. The Angels made an attempt to rally and tie in the ninth as Trumbo singled to score Albert Pujols and Callaspo grounded out to allow Torii Hunter to dash home, but they fell short losing 10-9. Jeff Gray got the win, Matt Capps pitched a rocky ninth for the save, and Rich Thompson was dealt the loss.

Down in Texas, the Rangers host the Seattle Mariners. Jason Vargas and Derek Holland paced the game. Texas led off in the first inning as Michael Young lined a single to bring home Ian Kinsler. Young struck again for the Rangers in the fifth with a two-run homer, again bringing in Kinsler. Seattle got on the board in the sixth inning as Alex Liddi singled in Brendan Ryan. The Mariners pulled closer with a solo shot by Kyle Seager in the seventh inning. Texas took it back in the bottom of the seventh when Kinsler doubled to allow Yorvit Torrealba to score before coming the rest of the way home on a Young single. Seattle got as close as 5-3 in the ninth inning with a Miguel Olivo double that knocked in Jesus Montero. The win went to Holland, Mike Adams pitched a rocky ninth for the save, and Vargas was stuck with the loss.

Up north a tad, the Chicago Cubs host the Milwaukee Brewers. Zack Greinke and Matt Garza are on the hill. Chicago rallied to a large lead in the third inning as Reed Johnson singled in Steve Clevenger, followed by Darwin Barney's single to score Johnson, Starlin Castro's single doing the same for David DeJesus, Alfonso Soriano also singling to bring home Barney and Castro, before he came all the way home on an Ian Stewart single. The Cubs blitzed again in the fourth inning as DeJesus singled, and combined with an error by Alex Gonzalez, brought in Clevenger, before DeJesus made it all the way around with a Castro single. The scoring ended here, with Chicago winning 8-0, as Garza pitched 8 and 2/3 innings of 3 hit and 2 walk ball for the win, while Grienke was given mercy early in his loss.

Out in Colorado, the Rockies welcome the San Francisco Giants (spoiler: much lower score today than yesterday). The young Madison Bumgarner went up against the old Jamie Moyer on the mound. San Francisco began with a third inning Brett Pill single, scoring Pablo Sandoval. The Giants extended the lead in the fourth inning as Melky Cabrera singled to bring in Brandon Crawford. San Francisco padded the lead in the sixth inning as Angel Pagan singled to knock in Ryan Theriot before finishing his trip around on a Cabrera double. Colorado got going in the bottom of the sixth with a Dexter Fowler single that allowed Tyler Colvin. The Rockies tried to rally in the ninth with a bases-loaded Colvin walk that forced in Troy Tulowitzki, but this was all they could muster in a 4-2 loss. Bumgarner got the win, Brian Wilson had a slightly messy save, and Moyer took the loss.

Eastward to Philadelphia, where the Phillies host the Miami Marlins. Mark Buehrle and Joe Blanton were given the ball today. Philadelphia began with a fourth inning solo home run by Shane Victorino, followed by a John Mayberry single to drive in Hunter Pence. Miami got one back in the fifth inning as John buck singled to score Omar Infante. The Phillies padded their lead in the seventh inning with a solo shot by Ty Wigginton. This made it 3-1, a final, where Blanton picked up the win, Jonathan Papelbon earned the save, and Buehrle was a victim of a lack of run support in the loss.

Far to the west, the San Diego Padres bring in the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ian Kennedy and Anthony Bass receive the manager's approval to start. San Diego opened with a first inning single by Will Venable, scoring Cameron Maybin. Arizona tied it in the fifth inning as Aaron Hill hit a single that brought in Lyle Overbay. The Diamondbacks gained the lead in the sixth inning on a Jason Kubel double that scored Willie Bloomquist. Chris Young made it 3-1 Arizona in the eighth inning with a solo home run. This was good enough to win, as Kennedy earned the W, J.J. Putz converted the save cleanly, and Micah Owings was stuck with the loss.

Finally, the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jeff Karstens and Chris Capuano will throw tonight. Los Angeles began with a first inning Juan Rivera sacrifice fly to allow Mark Ellis time to come home, followed by a James Loney single bringing home Matt Kemp and a Juan Uribe single allowing Andre Ethier time to score. Pittsburgh got one back as Michael McKenry hit a solo home run in the fifth inning. The Pirates pulled closer in the sixth inning on a Yamaico Navarro sacrifice fly that provided time for Andrew McCutchen to score. They never got an equalizer, falling 3-2, with Capuano getting the win, Javy Guerra converting the save, and Karstens holding the loss.

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