Sunday, April 22, 2012

MLB Day 21 2012

Another day ravaged by rain, postponing the Washington Nationals-Miami Marlins game until later and the New York Mets-San Francisco Giants until tomorrow for a twin bill, as well as the marquee game originally scheduled for tonight, between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. First up for the games left...

The Detroit Tigers host the Texas Rangers. C.J. Wilson and Drew Smyly are set to start. Texas led off with a first inning Josh Hamilton solo home run. Detroit tied it in the third inning as Ramon Santiago scored on a wild pitch. The Tigers got the lead in the sixth inning with a Brennan Boesch solo shot. The Rangers tied it with Hamilton hitting a sacrifice fly to bring home Elvis Andrus in the eighth inning. Texas got the lead in the eleventh inning as Alberto Gonzalez laid down a bunt single that provided time to get Nelson Cruz home. This gave them a 3-2 lead, which held for a win to be earned by Robbie Ross, while Joe Nathan converted the save and Thad Weber took the loss.

Over to Pittsburgh, as the Pirates host the St. Louis Cardinals. Kyle Lohse and Erik Bedard are the designated pitchers. St. Louis started off with a Carlos Beltran groundout into a double play that provided Rafael Furcal time to score. The Cardinals added on in the third inning when David Freese singled in both Furcal and Tyler Greene. Pittsburgh got on the board in the eighth inning as Casey McGehee singled in Michael McKenry. St. Louis padded the lead in the ninth inning as Furcal lined a single to bring in Shane Robinson, followed by Matt Holliday singling to bring home Skip Schumaker. This was it for the scoring, as Lohse earned the the win in the 5-1 game while Bedard got the loss.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Rays host the Minnesota Twins. Francisco Liriano and Jeff Niemann will get to pitch today. Tampa Bay got things going in the third inning when Desmond Jennings and Ben Zobrist hit sacrifice flies, allowing Sean Rodriguez and Chris Gimenez to come home safely. The Rays added on in the fourth inning when B.J. Upton hit a sacrifice fly that brought in Evan Longoria. Tampa Bay struck again as Jennings hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, also scoring Elliot Johnson. Minnesota got on the board in the second inning with a Ryan Doumit single that scored both Denard Span and Jamey Carroll. The Rays ended up winning 6-2 with an eighth inning Upton sacrifice fly scoring Carlos Pena. The win went to Niemann, while Liriano took the loss.

Westward to Houston, as the Astros host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chad Billingsley and Wandy Rodriguez are the well known pitchers for today. Houston began in the first inning as Carlos Lee hit a two run home run, knocking in Jed Lowrie. The Astros extended the lead with a second inning Jordan Schafer grand slam, forcing in Chris Johnson, Jason Castro, and Rodriguez. Houston kept the attack up in the fourth inning as Rodriguez reached on an error allowing Castro to score, Lowrie drew a walk and Jose Altuve scored on the wild pitch, and J.D. Martinez grounded into a fielder's choice, providing time for Schafer to get home. The Astros continued the assault in the fifth inning as Castro singled to drive in Johnson. Houston padded the lead with an eighth inning Johnson single to finish a trip around the bases by Matt Downs, and then Altuve singled to get Brian Bogusevic across the plate, for a 12-0 final when all was said and done. Rodriguez got the win and Billingsley suffered a bad loss.

Up to Kansas City, with the Royals hosting the Toronto Blue Jays. Ricky Romero and Danny Duffy are the pitchers demonstrating alliteration. Toronto drew first blood in the fifth inning as Yunel Escobar singled in Rajai Davis, followed by a Jose Bautista single to score J.P. Arencibia, and then both hitters came home when Brett Lawrie singled. Kansas City got on the board in their half of the fifth as Alcides Escobar grounded into a fielder's choice that provided Jeff Francoeur time to get home, and Mike Moustakas scored on a subsequent error. The Blue Jays got one back in the eighth as Lawrie showed some guts and stole home safely. The Royals tried to rally in the ninth, beginning with a Moustakas single that scored Yuniesky Betancourt, but this was all they would get as they fell 5-3. Romero was in line for the win, Francisco Cordero converted a sloppy save, and Duffy was stuck with the loss.

Northward to Milwaukee, as the Brewers host the Colorado Rockies. Jeremy Guthrie and Yovani Gallardo are the veterans on the mound. Colorado struck first as Jason Giambi hit a single in the first inning that drove in Tyler Colvin. Milwaukee tied it in the fourth inning as Mat Gamel singled in Ryan Braun. Colorado retook the lead in the eighth when Michael Cuddyer doubled in both Troy Tulowitzki and Giambi. Colorado padded the lead in the ninth as Carlos Gonzalez singled in Dexter Fowler. This made the final stand at 4-1, with Guthrie earning the win, Rafael Betancourt converting the save, and Francisco Rodriguez taking the loss.

Back to the south, as the Chicago Cubs host the Cincinnati Reds. Johnny Cueto and Randy Wells will pace the game. Cincinnati opened with a third inning Joey Votto double to knock in Drew Stubbs before coming home on a Scott Rolen single. Chicago got on the board in the fifth inning with Joe Mather scoring on an error, and they tied it as Bryan LaHair singled to drive in Starlin Castro. The Reds regained the lead in the sixth inning when Stubbs grounded into a fielder's choice and Ryan Hanigan darted home safely, followed by Jay Bruce drawing a bases-loaded walk to force in the pitcher Cueto. The Cubs got one back in the ninth inning on a Jeff Baker groundout giving time for Castro to dash home, but they couldn't tie it, falling 4-3. Cueto picked up the win, Sean Marshall converted a sloppy save against his former team, and Rodrigo Lopez was pinned with the loss.

Out to California, as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Baltimore Orioles. Wei-Yin Chen and Dan Haren get the starting nods. Los Angeles first dented the scoreboard in the fourth inning as Alberto Callaspo singled Vernon Wells home. Baltimore took the lead in the eighth inning with a 2-RBI single from Nick Markakis, scoring both Robert Andino and Endy Chavez. The Angels retied it in the bottom of the eighth as Howie Kendrick hit a solo home run. Markakis gave the Orioles a lead as he singled Andino home in the tenth inning. This was good for a 3-2 win, with Pedro Strop earning the win, Jim Johnson converting the save, and LaTroy Hawkins taking the loss.

Up in Oakland, the Athletics host the Cleveland Indians. Justin Masterson and Tyson Ross take the hill. Cleveland got an early lead with a first inning Travis Hafner double to bring home Shin-Soo Choo. Oakland tied it in the third with a Cliff Pennington double that drove in Jemile Weeks. The Athletics got the lead on a two-run home run by Seth Smith in the fourth inning, also scoring Kila Ka'aihue. Oakland padded the lead in the fifth inning as Kurt Suzuki singled to bring around Ka'aihue. The Athletics struck again in the eighth inning as Pennington singled to drive in Eric Sogard. This made it 5-1, a final, with the win going to Ross and the loss to Masterson.

Back down the the coast, the San Diego Padres host the Philadelphia Phillies. Joe Blanton and Anthony Bass are the back end of the rotation pitchers for today. San Diego stared with a Chase Headley first inning double to bring in Will Venable and a Nick Hundley sacrifice fly giving Mark Kotsay time to come around to home. Philadelphia got one back in the second inning as Juan Pierre singled and Venable erred, combining to give Carlos Ruis time to dash home. The Padres extended their lead with a Hundley triple to sweep in Headley before he came home when Yonder Alonso reached on an error in the third inning. San Diego added on again in the sixth inning with a Hundley two-run homer, sweeping in Headley. This held up for a 6-1 win, earned by Bass, while Blanton was dealt the loss.

Up in Washington, the Seattle Mariners host the Chicago White Sox. John Danks and Kevin Millwood are on the mound. Chicago got things going in the third inning as Alexei Ramirez doubled home Brent Lillibridge before crossing the plate himself on an Adam Dunn single. Seattle replied in the bottom of the third as Jesus Montero singled in Chone Figgins and Alex Liddi doubled home Ichiro to tie the game. The Mariners took the lead in the fourth inning as Miguel Olivo came home on a Danks error, and Dustin Ackley reached on a fielder's choice that provided time for Casper Wells to dash home. The White Sox retied it with an Alex Rios triple, forcing in Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski, and they gained the lead with a Kosuke Fukudome sacrifice fly providing time for Rios to come the final 90 feet. Chicago padded their lead in the eighth with a Rios single to give time for Alejandro De Aza to score, followed by a Fukudome single that brought Pierzynski home. The final stood at 7-4, with Danks getting the win, Hector Santiago earning the save, and Millwood taking the loss.

Wrapping up the rain-thinned slate of games, we go to Arizona, with the Diamondbacks hosting the Atlanta Braves. Randall Delgado and Ian Kennedy will play from the mound. Atlanta was first on the board with a Freddie Freeman sacrifice fly giving time for Michael Bourn to score. Arizona took the lead in the second inning, as the pitcher Kennedy drew a walk with the bases loaded to force in Jason Kubel, before Gerardo Parra swept the bases clean with a grand slam, scoring Cody Ransom, John McDonald, and Kennedy as well as himself. The Braves got one back in the third as Martin Prado doubled to bring home Bourn. Atlanta kept chipping away with a fifth inning Freeman single that got the pitcher Delgado around home. The Diamondbacks got one back as Aaron Hill's double gave Parra time to dash home. Juan Francisco tried to help the Braves rally with a solo home run in the ninth, but they fell 6-4 with no more runs scored after his blast. Kennedy took the win, J.J. Putz shakily picked up the save, and Delgado was dealt the loss.

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