MLB Day 8 2012

Twelve games on as the Monday travel day comes around. We begin with three early games, the first of which is in...

Philadelphia, with the Phillies hosting the Miami Marlins. Anibal Sanchez and Cole Hamels were named the starters. Miami started with a first inning Hanley Ramirez groundout to get Jose Reyes home. The Marlins added on in the fourth inning with a Gaby Sanchez single that brought around Ramirez. Miami struck again with a solo home run in the fifth inning off the bat of Omar Infante. Gaby Sanchez ran up the score farther for the Marlins in the sixth with a double to knock in Emilio Bonifacio. In the seventh, Infante went yard again, another solo home run for Miami. Philadelphia got a couple back when Freddy Galvis doubled in both Shane Victorino and Carlos Ruiz in the bottom of the seventh. The Marlins finished up 6-2 with an Austin Kearns solo shot in the ninth inning. Anibal Sanchez was the winning pitcher while Hamels was the losing pitcher.

Out in Colorado, the Rockies hosted the San Francisco Giants. Barry Zito and Jhoulys Chacin got the starts. San Francisco began with a two-run Pablo Sandoval home run in the first inning, also scoring Melky Cabrera. The Giants were back to scoring in the third inning as Hector Sanchez singled Cabrera across the plate before Angel Pagan grounded out to allow Sandoval to make a dash home. San Francisco added on again in the fifth inning with a Brandon Crawford 3-RBI double, knocking in Aubrey Huff, Sanchez, and Pagan. This made it 7-0, a score that lasted to the end of the game. Zito pitched a complete game shutout, while Chacin suffered a lack of run support in the loss.

Northeast of there, the Minnesota Twins welcome the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. C.J. Wilson and Nick Blackburn were given the ball today. Los Angeles began in the first inning as Torii Hunter singled home Albert Pujols and Bobby Abreu hit a ground rule double to force in Kendrys Morales. Minnesota got one back in the fourth inning as Josh Willingham hit a solo home run. The Angels padded their lead in the seventh inning as Chris Iannetta doubled home both Abreu and Alberto Callaspo before he was allowed to dart home with an Erick Aybar sacrifice. This made it 5-1, a final, with Wilson getting the win and Blackburn taking the loss.

Down to Cleveland, as the Indians bring in the Chicago White Sox. Chris Sale and Josh Tomlin paced the game. Chicago began with a pair of home runs in the first inning, as Alejandro De Aza hit a solo shot, followed by a two-run blast off the bat of A.J. Pierzynski, also scoring Paul Konerko. Brent Morel added on for the White Sox in the fifth inning as he singled to bring home De Aza. Cleveland got on the board in the sixth inning when Carlos Santana singled to knock in Shin-Soo Choo. The Indians got as close as 4-2 in the ninth inning when Jose Lopez hit a solo home run. Sale picked up the win, Hector Santiago converted a rocky save, and Tomlin was dealt the loss.

Eastward to Baltimore, with the Orioles hosting the New York Yankees. Ivan Nova and Brian Matusz were on the hill. New York started off with a Marx Teixeira single to bring around Derek Jeter in the first inning. Baltimore tied it on a second inning solo home run from Matt Wieters. The Yankees went to work in the fourth inning, as Russell Martin singled in Curtis Granderson, Eduardo Nunez hit a sacrifice fly to allow safe passage for Andruw Jones, and Jeter finished Martin's trip around the bases with a double. Jones padded the New York lead in the sixth inning with a solo shot. The Yankees extended the lead in the seventh as Brett Gardner hit a single that knocked in Granderson. The Orioles answered in the bottom of the inning as Chris Davis ripped a double to get Wilson Betemit across the plate. The game would end with New York winning 6-2, earning Nova the win and Matusz the loss.

Westward to Chicago, as the Cubs welcome the Milwaukee Brewers. Shaun Marcum and Chris Volstad were set to pitch. Milwaukee started things with a first inning Aramis Ramirez sacrifice fly, allowing Nyjer Morgan to dart home. Chicago tied it in their half of the inning on a solo home run by Darwin Barney. The Cubs took the lead in the second inning as Bryan LaHair hit a solo shot. The Brewers retied it in the third inning on a solo home run by Rickie Weeks. Milwaukee took the lead again in the fourth inning as Marcum sacrificed to allow Alex Gonzalez safe passage home. Chicago tied it back up with a fifth inning Blake DeWitt sacrifice fly that gave Geovany Soto time to dash home. The Brewers regained the lead in the sixth inning as Mat Gamel tripled to score Corey Hart before coming the final 90 feet on a Jonathan Lucroy sacrifice fly. Milwaukee padded the lead in the seventh inning as Ramirez doubled in Ryan Braun. The Brewers extended the lead in the eighth inning as Carlos Gomez sacrificed, bringing home Gamel. The Cubs got one back in the ninth inning as Marlon Byrd reached on an error, allowing Ian Stewart to cross the plate, and they pulled closer when Steve Clevenger singled to bring home Soto, but couldn't find another two runs, losing 7-5. The winning pitcher was Marcum, John Axford picked up a very rocky save, and Shawn Camp suffered the loss.

Back in Ohio, the Cincinnati Reds host the St. Louis Cardinals. Jake Westbrook and Homer Bailey were given permission to pitch. St. Louis led off early with a first inning home run rally, as Matt Holliday hit a solo shot, David Freese went yard and brought Lance Berkman with him, and Yadier Molina hit his own solo home run. Cincinnati got on the board in the fifth inning as Zack Cozart singled to the pitcher, who erred while fielding the hit, allowing Brandon Phillips to dart home. The Cardinals put it out of reach for good in the eighth inning when Molina doubled both Berkman and Freese across the plate before Matt Carpenter's sacrifice fly brought him the rest of the way home. This was good for a 7-1 win, as Westbrook was named winning pitcher and Bailey was stuck with loss.

Eastward once again as the New York Mets hosted the Washington Nationals. Edwin Jackson and Mike Pelfrey played from the mound. Washington drew first blood in the first inning as Adam LaRoche hit a single to bring in Danny Espinosa. The Nationals added on in the third inning with a Ryan Zimmerman double that scored Ian Desmond before he was knocked in on a LaRoche single. New York got one back in the bottom of the inning as David Wright singled in the pitcher Pelfrey. The Mets tied it in the fourth inning on a two-run home run by Kirk Nieuwenhuis, bringing in Josh Thole as well. New York won it in the ninth inning as Daniel Murphy ripped a single, allowing the winning run to cross the plate in the form of Mike Baxter for a 4-3 win. Jon Rauch was in line for the win, while Henry Rodriguez suffered the loss.

North of the border, the Toronto Blue Jays host the Boston Red Sox. Felix Doubront and Henderson Alvarez are the dueling pitchers. Toronto began in the third inning as Kelly Johnson reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Colby Rasmus to score before Edwin Encarnacion singled to score Yunel Escobar. Boston got one back with a sixth inning solo home run by Dustin Pedroia. The Red Sox went on a rally in the ninth inning as Adrian Gonzalez hit a sacrifice fly to get Pedroia across the plate, followed by Ryan Sweeney singling in the go-ahead run in the form of Darnell McDonald, and a wild pitch extended the lead as Cody Ross darted home. They held on for a 4-2 win, with Scott Atchison picking up the win, Alfredo Aceves pitching a clean ninth inning for the save, and Sergio Santos suffering the loss.

Down in Texas, the Rangers host the Seattle Mariners. Hector Noesi goes up against the hyped prospect Yu Darvish. Seattle started the scoring with a Kyle Seager first inning single to bring home Chone Figgins and Ichiro, followed by Miguel Olivo's single allowing Justin Smoak to score, and a Munenori Kawasaki bases-loaded walk forcing in Seager. Texas replied in the bottom of the first as Michael Young and Nelson Cruz singled to score Ian Kinsler and Adrian Beltre, respectively. The Mariners added on in the second inning with Seager's double bringing home Ichiro. The Rangers tied it in the third inning on a three-run home run by Cruz, knocking in Beltre and Young as well. Texas took the lead in the fourth inning with Mitch Moreland hitting a two run home run, also bringing around Mike Napoli, followed by a Josh Hamilton solo shot. The Rangers did a little more damage in the eighth inning as Kinsler lifted a three-run homer, forcing in Napoli and Moreland too. This made it 11-5, a final, with Darvish getting the win and Noesi taking the loss.

Staying in the state, the Houston Astros welcome the Atlanta Braves. Brandon Beachy and J.A. Happ received the starting nods. Atlanta first dented the scoreboard in the second inning with a Tyler Pastornicky single to bring home Matt Diaz, and the pitcher Beachy singled, allowing Juan Francisco to score. The Braves added on in the third inning as Brian McCann singled, knocking in Martin Prado. Houston got going in the bottom of the inning as Travis Buck doubled, allowing both Jordan Schafer and Jose Altuve to cross the plate, and then he came all the way home with a Carlos Lee single. In the fourth inning, the Astros added on as the pitcher Happ singled, giving Marwin Gonzalez time to get home. Houston went back to work in the sixth inning when J.D. Martinez singled Jason Castro around, followed by Altuve's sacrifice fly to allow Gonzalez to dart home. Justin Maxwell ended the scoring for the Astros in the eighth on a two-run homer, again with Gonzalez scoring. The final was 8-3, with Happ getting the win and Beachy taking the loss.

Out to out last game in Oakland, as the Athletics host the Kansas City Royals. Luis Mendoza and Tommy Milone make the starts tonight. Josh Donaldson got things going for Oakland in the second inning with a single to score Seth Smith. This was the only run, giving the Athletics a 1-0 win, with Milone getting the save, Grant Balfour pitching a decent ninth for the save, and Mendoza taking the loss as a victim of a lack of offense behind him.

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