MLB Day 50 2012

Thirteen games as teams return to their respective leagues. We begin in...

Philadelphia, with the Phillies hosting the Washington Nationals. Gio Gonzalez and Kyle Kendrick show alliteration in the pitching match. Washington started with a second inning solo shot by Ian Desmond. The Nationals added on in the fourth inning when Desmond singled to score Bryce Harper. Philadelphia attempted a ninth inning rally as Ty Wigginton hit a sacrifice fly to score John Mayberry, but they couldn't avoid a 2-1 loss in the end. Gonzalez picked up the win, Sean Burnett turned the save, and Kendrick had little help in the loss.

Into New York, with the Yankees hosting the Kansas City Royals. Felipe Paulino and Hiroki Kuroda get the starting nods. Kansas City quickly opened with a first inning two-run Mike Moustakas home run, also scoring Billy Butler. The Royals added on in the third inning with Eric Hosmer doubling in Jarrod Dyson. The Royals padded the lead in the seventh inning with a two-run blast by Jeff Francoeur, sweeping in Butler. Kansas City struck again with an eighth inning wild pitch bringing in Irving Falu. This was all for the scoring producing a 6-0 final, with Paulino pitching effectively for the win while Kuroda got no help in the loss.

South a bit to Baltimore, as the Orioles host the Boston Red Sox. Clay Buchholz and Tommy Hunter are the struggling starters. Boston was first on the board in the third inning when Mike Aviles singled in Daniel Nava, followed by a Dustin Pedroia sacrifice fly to score Marlon Byrd. Baltimore answered in the bottom of the third as Xavier Avery walked with the bases load to knock in Wilson Betemit, followed by J.J. Hardy singling to score Nick Johnson, Nick Markakis drawing a bases loaded walk to force in Robert Andino, and Avery dashed home to finish his trip as Adam Jones grounded into a double play. The Orioles added on in the fourth inning when Chris Davis hit a solo home run. The Red Sox got it back in the sixth inning on a David Ortiz solo shot, followed by Nava's sacrifice fly allowing safe passage home for Adrian Gonzalez and Will Middlebrooks scoring on a balk. Boston got the lead in the seventh inning with Gonzalez's sacrifice fly allowing Aviles to cross the plate, and they extended it with Middlebrooks singling Pedroia home safely. The Red Sox got another in the eighth inning as Pedroia singled in Che-Hsuan Lin. Baltimore finally got one back in the bottom of the eighth as Matt Wieters singled home Markakis. They got no further, falling 8-6, with Andrew Miller getting the win, Alfredo Aceves cleanly tossing the save, his tenth of the season, and Kevin Gregg was on the hook for the loss.

Back in Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Pirates host the New York Mets. Johan Santana and Erik Bedard are the veteran pitchers. New York rallied to a lead in the second inning when Ronny Cedeno doubled home Vinny Rottino, before coming home alongside Mike Nickeas on a Justin Turned single, and then David Wright singled in Andres Torres. Pittsburgh shot back in the fourth inning when Andrew McCutchen doubled in Josh Harrison before finishing his trip around on a double by Pedro Alvarez. The Pirates tied it in the seventh inning on a Michael McKenry two-run home run, also scoring Clint Barmes. Pittsburgh got the lead in the eighth inning as Barmes hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Neil Walker to dash home safely. This proved to be the decisive run, leading the Pirates to a 5-4 win, earned by Jared Hughes, while Joel Hanrahan converted the save cleanly for his tenth of the season and Jon Rauch was stuck holding the loss.

West a tad to Cincinnati, as the Reds host the Atlanta Braves. Mike Minor opposes a man of a similar moniker, Mike Leake, in pitching. Cincinnati struck first with a first inning Drew Stubbs solo home run. Atlanta answered in the second inning with a solo home run by Juan Francisco. The Reds gained the lead in the fourth inning with back-to-back-to-back solo shots by the pitcher Leake, Zack Cozart, and Stubbs. This power show proved to be all there was for scoring, with Cincinnati getting a 4-1 win on the arm of Leake, and Sean Marshall picked up the save while Minor was stuck seeing gophers in the loss.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Rays host the Toronto Blue Jays. Kyle Drabek and Jeremy Hellickson are on the mound. Tampa Bay was first on the board with a first inning B.J. Upton solo home run. Toronto got on the board with a second inning Eric Thames single, bringing in J.P. Arencibia. The Blue Jays added on in the third inning as Kelly Johnson hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Colby Rasmus to dash home. The Rays retied it in the bottom of the third as Sean Rodriguez singled Matt Joyce across the plate. Toronto grabbed the lead again in the sixth inning as Yunel Escobar hit a solo shot. The Blue Jays padded the lead in the eighth inning as Jose Bautista reached on an error to score both Rasmus and Johnson, followed by Edwin Encarnacion grounding into a fielder's choice to give Escobar time to cross the plate. This produced the eventual final, 6-2, with Drabek earning the win and Hellickson taking the loss.

Staying in Florida, the Miami Marlins host the Colorado Rockies. Jamie Moyer and Mark Buehrle are the grizzled veteran pitchers. Colorado rallied to an early lead in the first inning as Michael Cuddyer doubled in both Jordan Pacheco and Carlos Gonzalez before coming all the way home on a two-run home run by Troy Tulowitzki. Miami got one back in the third inning as Austin Kearns singled, allowing Hanley Ramirez to get home. The Marlins chipped away in the fourth inning on a Jose Reyes single that combined with an error to get the pitcher Buehrle across the dish, and then they blasted their way to a lead with a grand slam by Giancarlo Stanton that swept in all of Reyes, Ramirez, and Kearns. Miami was back at work in the seventh inning with Kearns' single giving Ramirez time to dash home. This made it 7-4, a final, with Buehrle getting the win, Heath Bell tossing the save, and Moyer suffering a rough loss.

Westward to Houston, where the Astros welcome the Chicago Cubs. Matt Garza and Bud Norris are handed the ball. Houston led off with a second inning three-run home run by Jason Castro, sweeping in Chris Johnson and J.D. Martinez. The Astros padded the lead with a third inning Carlos Lee single, scoring Jed Lowrie, before coming home on a three-run homer by Johnson that also scored Brian Bogusevic. Houston struck again in the seventh inning with a Lowrie solo shot. Chicago got on the board in the ninth inning as Reed Johnson singled to bring home Adrian Cardenas, followed by David DeJesus doing the same for Koyie Hill and Blake Lalli singled in Johnson for a 8-3 final. Norris was given credit for the win while Garza got lit up in the loss.

Up in Milwaukee, the Brewers host the San Francisco Giants. Madison Bumgarner and Randy Wolf are the well known starters. San Francisco staked an early lead on a three-run home run by Buster Posey in the first inning, also scoring Brandon Crawford and Melky Cabrera. Milwaukee got on the board in the sixth inning as Aramis Ramirez doubled, bringing in Ryan Braun. The Brewers tied it in the eighth inning as Braun went yard with a two-run home run, sweeping in Norichika Aoki. The Giants took the lead in the fourteenth inning on a Hector Sanchez solo shot. This stood for a 4-3 win, with Santiago Casilla picking up the W while Juan Perez was stuck with the loss.

South a tad, the St. Louis Cardinals host the San Diego Padres. Clayton Richard (of recent pinch-hitting fame) and Jaime Garcia are the reliable starters. San Diego got things going in the second inning with a Nick Hundley sacrifice fly allowing Yonder Alonso to get home. St. Louis tied it in the seventh inning when Rafael Furcal singled home Tyler Greene, followed by a Matt Carpenter groundout to score the pitcher Garcia to take a lead. The Padres reclaimed the lead in the eighth inning with a 2-RBI double by Jesus Guzman, driving in both Chris Denorfia and Alonso. The Cardinals took the lead back in the bottom of the eighth as Greene hit a two-run home run, knocking in Yadier Molina. This made it 4-3, a final, with Jason Motte in line for the win while Andrew Cashner was pinned with the loss.

Southwest to Arizona, with the Diamondbacks hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chris Capuano and Patrick Corbin are handed the ball. Los Angeles opened with a second inning two-run Matt Treanor home run, also scoring Jerry Sands. Arizona got on the board with a fourth inning Aaron Hill single bringing in Willie Bloomquist. The Dodgers answered in the seventh inning as Andre Ethier hit a solo home run. Los Angeles extended the lead in the eighth inning on a Justin Sellers triple, forcing in Ivan De Jesus, before a two-run home run by James Loney brought him the final 90 feet home. This made it 6-1, a final, with Capuano earning the win and Corbin being dealt the loss.

Up to Oakland, as the Athletics host the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Jerome Williams and Tommy Milone are the relatively unknown starters. Oakland drew first blood in the second inning when Kurt Suzuki grounded into a double play to bring in Seth Smith. The Athletics added on in the third inning with a Kila Ka'aihue single driving in Coco Crisp. Los Angeles got on the board in the fifth inning as Mike Trout doubled to score Howie Kendrick. This was as close as it got, with Oakland winning 2-1 on the arm of Milone, while Brian Fuentes got the save and Williams suffered the loss.

Up in Seattle, the Mariners close out the day hosting the Texas Rangers. Yu Darvish and Felix Hernandez are the staff aces pacing the game. Seattle busted things open in the first inning as Ichiro tripled to force in Michael Saunders. The Mariners added on in the third inning as Ichiro singled in Dustin Ackley, and also Saunders after an error, and then Jesus Montero hit a sacrifice fly to finish Ichiro's trip around. Seattle struck again in the fourth inning as Ackley singled John Jaso across the dish. The Mariners got another in the seventh inning as Montero doubled in Seager. Texas got on the board in the eighth inning with a Mitch Moreland solo home run, producing a 6-1 final. Hernandez picked up an easy win while Darvish was rocked hard in the loss.

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