MLB Day 18 2012

Travel Thursday for the Major Leagues. That means less games and some afternoon frolicking around the ballparks. We begin in...

Miami, as the Marlins host a matinee with the Chicago Cubs. Jeff Samardzija and Ricky Nolasco will be throwing today. Miami led off with a first inning Logan Morrison single to score Emilio Bonifacio and a Giancarlo Stanton groundout giving time for Hanley Ramirez to score. Chicago gained the lead in the second inning as  Darwin Barney ripped a triple, knocking in Bryan LaHair, Geovany Soto, and David DeJesus. The Marlins answered with a Greg Dobbs double, driving in Ramirez and Morrison, followed by a Nolasco single to finish Dobbs' trip around. The scoring ceased here, so Miami won 5-3, with Nolasco earning the win, Heath Bell converting the save cleanly, and Samardzija taking a loss.

Northwest to Milwaukee, as the Brewers welcome in the Los Angeles Dodgers. Aaron Harang and Randy Wolf were given the ball. Los Angeles started off with a second inning Matt Treanor sacrifice fly, giving Andre Ethier time to score. Milwaukee replied in their half of the inning on a Travis Ishikawa double to bring home George Kotteras, and they gained the lead as Wolf hit a sacrifice fly to give Alex Gonzalez time to dart home. The Dodgers got it back in the third inning when Juan Rivera and Ethier singled in Mark Ellis and Matt Kemp home, respectively. Los Angeles padded the lead in the fifth inning as Kemp hit a solo home run. The Brewers tried to rally back with a sixth inning Ishikawa single that knocked in Aramis Ramirez, but this was all they would get, losing 4-3. Harang earned the win, Javy Guerra converted a clean save, and Wolf was dealt the loss.

Down in St. Louis, the Cardinals host the Cincinnati Reds. Bronson Arroyo and Adam Wainwright took the hill. Cincinnati got things going with a pair of home runs in the fourth inning, a solo shot from Brandon Phillips and a two-run blast by Ryan Ludwick that swept in Jay Bruce as well. The Reds added on in the fifth inning as Phillips singled to bring around Zack Cozart. St. Louis got most of them back in the sixth inning when Matt Holliday lifted a three-run home run, scoring himself, Rafael Furcal, and Jon Jay. Cincinnati shot back on a Drew Stubbs solo home run in the seventh inning. The Reds made it 6-3 in the ninth inning when Joey Votto singled in Ryan Hanigan. This was a final, with Arroyo getting the win, Sean Marshall picking up the save, and Wainwright suffering the loss.

Up in Chicago, the White Sox host the Baltimore Orioles. Jason Hammel and Gavin Floyd were picked to start. Baltimore struck first in the first inning as Adam Jones doubled in Endy Chavez, followed by a groundout from Nick Johnson, providing time for Nick Markakis to cross the plate. Chicago shot back in the third inning Adam Dunn doubled in Alejandro De Aza before finishing his trip around on an Alex Rios single. The Orioles shot back with a J.J. Hardy sacrifice fly in the fifth, giving time for Robert Andino to cross home, followed by a two-run homer from the bat of Jones, also scoring Chavez. The White Sox got one back as Alexei Ramirez grounded out to get Paul Konerko home safely, but they fell 5-3 as the offense stalled from here. Hammel picked up the win, Jim Johnson converted a rocky save, and Floyd took the loss.

East to New York, where the Yankees host the Minnesota Twins. Anthony Swarzak and Phil Hughes were tabbed to start. Minnesota started with a first inning Ryan Doumit single, bringing in Jamey Carroll and Joe Mauer before Danny Valencia doubled to score Justin Morneau and Doumit. New York answered in their half of the inning as Curtis Granderson hit a solo home run and Mark Teixeira went yard with a two-run bomb, also scoring Alex Rodriguez. The Yankees gained the lead in the second inning as Derek Jeter singled in Eduardo Nunez, before coming home on another Granderson homer. New York added on with a fourth inning Granderson solo home run, his third bomb of the game. The Twins pulled back as Doumit lifted a two-run home run in the sixth inning, sweeping in Morneau. This was it for the scoring, leaving the Yankees with a 7-6 win, earned by Hughes, while Mariano Rivera threw a clean ninth inning for the save, and Swarzak was dealt the loss.

Into Washington, with the Nationals welcoming the Houston Astros. Bud Norris and Edwin Jackson will play from the mound. Houston rallied to a sizable lead in the first inning as J.D. Martinez singled home Jose Altuve, followed by a Brian Bogusevic triple to bring in both Martinez and Carlos Lee, before coming home when Matt Downs tripled him in, and ending the blitz with a Jason Castro to bring Downs the final 90 feet home. Washington got one back in the second inning with a Wilson Ramos single, allowing Adam LaRoche to score. The Nationals pulled closer in the third inning when Ryan Zimmerman launched a three-run home run, also scoring Steve Lombardozzi and Danny Espinosa. The Astros padded their lead again with a single by the pitcher Norris, driving in both Downs and Castro, before he came home alongside Marwin Gonzalez when Altuve doubled, and wrapping up the rally was a Martinez groundout that allowed Jordan Schafer time to score. Houston kept going in the seventh with a Castro single to knock in Downs. This produced an 11-4 win, with Norris getting credited with the win while Jackson was stuck with the loss.

Northwest of there, the Detroit Tigers brought in the Texas Rangers. Yu Darvish and Adam Wilk take to the hill today. Texas began with a first inning Michael Young single, scoring Ian Kinsler. The Rangers added on with a solo shot by Mike Napoli in the second inning. Detroit got one back with a Don Kelly groundout to allow time for Prince Fielder to score. Texas answered with a fifth inning Josh Hamilton run as Nelson Cruz reached on an error, followed by a Yorvit Torrealba sacrifice fly that allowed Adrian Beltre to cross home. The Rangers extended the lead in the sixth inning as Young grounded into a fielder's choice, allowing time for Elvis Andrus to get home safely. Texas pounded away with an eighth inning rally, beginning with Cruz doubling in Young, Torrealba doubling in Cruz, Kinsler using a double to score both Napoli and Torrealba, and Andrus hitting a single to complete Kinsler's trip around. The Tigers answered in the bottom of the eighth when Kelly singled, scoring both Miguel Cabrera and Fielder. This made it a 10-3 game, the eventual final, with Darvish getting the win and Wilk taking the loss.

Crossing into Canada, as the Toronto Blue Jays host the Tampa Bay Rays. Jeremy Hellickson and Henderson Alvarez are the starting pitchers with long names. Tampa Bay started off with a first inning Evan Longoria single, knocking in Ben Zobrist. Toronto tied it in the bottom of the first as Adam Lind doubled to bring around Yunel Escobar. The Rays gained the lead again as Matt Joyce scored on an error, followed by Sean Rodriguez coming home when Desmond Jennings singled him in. The Blue Jays tied the game in the fourth as J.P. Arencibia doubled to bring home Colby Rasmus, before coming home when Escobar reached on an error. Tampa Bay got the lead back in the fifth inning on a Jennings solo home run, and they added on when Longoria went yard, sweeping in Zobrist. The Rays extended their lead in the ninth as Longoria doubled to bring home Jennings, followed by a Luke Scott double driving in Carlos Pena and Longoria. Toronto cut the final to 9-4 when Brett Lawrie grounded out in the ninth inning, giving Jose Bautista time to come around. Hellickson picked up the win, while Alvarez suffered the loss.

Down to Arizona, with the Diamondbacks hosting the Atlanta Braves. Mike Minor and Josh Collmenter are the opposing pitchers. Atlanta began with a two-run Freddie Freeman first inning home run, knocking in Martin Prado. Arizona got one back in the third inning when the pitcher Collmenter grounded out to give Gerardo Parra time to get home. The Diamondbacks tied it as A.J. Pollock hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Henry Blanco. The Braves took the lead as Jason Heyward doubled in Brian McCann and Juan Francisco singled in both Dan Uggla and Heyward in the sixth inning. Atlanta extended the lead when Freeman went yard again in the seventh inning, another two-run homer, also scoring Prado. The Braves padded the lead on an eighth inning Prado double that forced in both the pitcher Minor and Michael Bourn, before he came home on a Freeman double.This gave Atlanta a 10-2 win, which was earned by Minor, while Collmenter suffered the loss.

Out in Anaheim, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Oakland Athletics. Tommy Milone and C.J. Wilson get the starting nods. Oakland opened with a second inning Kurt Suzuki double, allowing Seth Smith to score. The Athletics added on in the fourth inning as Smith reached on an error that gave both Yoenis Cespedes and Jonny Gomes time to come home, followed by a Kila Ka'aihue single to finish Smith's trip around. Los Angeles got on the board in the bottom of the fourth as Vernon Wells doubled in Albert Pujols before being singled in by Mark Trumbo. This was it for the scoring, giving Oakland a 4-2 win. Milone picked up the win, Grant Balfour converted the save, and Wilson took a hard luck loss.

Down in San Diego, the Padres host the Philadelphia Phillies. Vance Worley and Joe Wieland are the under-the-radar starters. Philadelphia led off with a first inning sacrifice fly by Jimmy Rollins, providing Juan Pierre time to dart home. The Phillies extended the lead when Hunter Pence scored on a passed ball in the ninth inning. Philadelphia held on for a 2-0 win, earned by Worley, with Jonathan Papelbon picking up the save, and Wieland being a victim of run support.

Finally, we end in Seattle, with the Mariners welcoming the Cleveland Indians. Josh Tomlin and Felix Hernandez are the dueling pitchers. Seattle was the first to score when John Jaso reached on an error in the fifth inning, allowing time for Michael Saunders to dart home. Cleveland gained the lead with a 2-RBI single by Jack Hannahan, scoring both Carlos Santana and Aaron Cunningham. They held on to win 2-1, which was credited to Tomlin, and Chris Perez got the save while Brandon League blew his save chance and took the loss.

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