Tuesday, May 22, 2012

MLB Day 51 2012

Full slate once again, beginning in...

Pittsburgh, with the Pirates hosting the New York Mets. R.A. Dickey and James McDonald are the underrated starters. New York began with a second inning Mike Nickeas single scoring Daniel Murphy. Pittsburgh tied it in the sixth inning on an Andrew McCutchen sacrifice fly, allowing safe passage home for Josh Harrison. The Mets got the lead back in the eighth inning as Lucas Duda singled Mike Baxter across the plate, and Murphy reached on a fielder's choice that combined with an error, scored Kirk Nieuwenhuis. The Pirates pulled back a little in the bottom of the eighth with a McCutchen single scoring Jose Tabata. They couldn't tie the game, falling 3-2, with the win belonging to Dickey, the save going to Frank Francisco, and Juan Cruz took the loss.

West into Cleveland, where the Indians host the Detroit Tigers. Rick Porcello and Ubaldo Jimenez get the starting nods. Cleveland was first on the board with a first inning Asdrubal Cabrera double knocking in Jason Kipnis. Detroit took the lead in the second inning on a three-run Alex Avila home run, sweeping in Brennan Boesch and Jhonny Peralta. The Indians got one back in the third inning when Travis Hafner singled in Shin-Soo Choo. Cleveland tied it in the fifth inning as Hafner hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Choo to come home. The Indians took the lead in the sixth inning on a Casey Kotchman single, driving in Michael Brantley, before coming home on a Jose Lopez double. This made it 5-3, a final, with Jimenez getting the win, Chris Perez getting out of a jam for a save, and Porcello was dealt the loss.

Back in Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Phillies host the Washington Nationals. Jordan Zimmermann and Roy Halladay pace the game. Philadelphia opened the scoring in the second inning with a Hector Luna ground rule double scoring Hunter Pence. Washington rallied to a lead in the third inning as Bryce Harper tripled in both Zimmermann and Steve Lombardozzi before coming the final 90 feet on an Adam LaRoche sacrifice fly, followed by an Ian Desmond solo home run. The Nationals got another in the fourth inning with Rick Ankiel going yard for a solo shot. The Phillies got one back in the eighth inning as Erik Kratz hit a solo home run. This made it 5-2, a final, with the win going to Zimmermann, the save turned by Tyler Clippard, and the loss pinned on Halladay.

Down in New York, the Yankees welcome the Kansas City Royals. Luke Hochevar and Phil Hughes are the struggling pitchers. Kansas City struck first with Humberto Quintero doubling in Irving Falu in the third inning. The Royals added on with a fourth inning Jeff Francoeur solo home run. New York got on the board with a Robinson Cano solo shot in the bottom of the fourth. The Yankees got to work in the fifth inning as Derek Jeter singled in Mark Teixeira, followed by Curtis Granderson grounding out to bring in Russell Martin. They held on from here for a 3-2 win, earned by Hughes, while Rafael Soriano converted the save and Hochevar held the loss.

Near the Chesapeake, the Baltimore Orioles host the Boston Red Sox. Felix Doubront and Brian Matusz will take their turns in the rotation. Baltimore busted things open in the second inning with a two-run Steve Tolleson home run, also scoring Chris Davis. Boston got one back in the fourth inning on a Kevin Youkilis solo home run. The Orioles extended the lead with an eighth inning two-run home run by Wilson Betemit, sweeping in Matt Wieters. This held up for a 4-1 win, earned by Matusz, while Jim Johnson easily converted the save and Doubront had little help in the loss.

Down in Miami, the Marlins host the Colorado Rockies. Juan Nicasio and Ricky Nolasco are tabbed to start. Colorado rallied to an early lead in the first inning with a pair of singles by Todd Helton and Michael Cuddyer paving the way for Jonathan Herrera and Jordan Pacheco to come home, before a sacrifice fly from Willin Rosario got Troy Tulowitzki home safely. Miami got some back in their half of the first, with Bryan Petersen tripling to force in Jose Reyes before finishing his trip on a Hanley Ramirez single. The Marlins took the lead in the third inning as Giancarlo Stanton doubled home Austin Kearns before coming home alongside Donnie Murphy when the pitcher Nolasco hit a double. Miami got another one in the fourth inning as Chris Coghlan singled in Ramirez. The Rockies replied in the fifth inning as Tulowitzki singled home Carlos Gonzalez. The Marlins answered in the sixth inning as Ramirez singled to score Petersen. Colorado shot back in the seventh inning on a Rosario single to bring Helton home safely, followed by Cuddyer scoring on an error. Miami was able to hold on for a 7-6 win. Nolasco was in line for the win, Heath Bell turned the save, and Nicasio was stuck with the loss.

Staying in Florida, the Tampa Bay Rays host the Toronto Blue Jays. Drew Hutchison and Matt Moore are called on to pitch. Tampa Bay led off with a second inning Luke Scott solo home run. The Rays added on in the fourth inning when Drew Sutton doubled in Scott, and then scored on a fielder's choice from Chris Gimenez, followed by Carlos Pena lifting a three-run home run to score Gimenez and Elliot Johnson, as well as himself. Toronto got on the board in the fifth inning as Jose Bautista singled in both Rajai Davis and Kelly Johnson, before he came home alongside Yunel Escobar when Edwin Encarncaion reached on an error. Tampa Bay shot back in their half of the inning as Gimenez singled in Ben Zobrist. The Blue Jays chipped away in the sixth inning as Yan Gomes hit a solo shot. The Rays continued the ping-pong game as B.J. Upton went yard on a solo home run. They ended up on top by an 8-5 score, allowing the win to go to Burke Badenhop, the save to Fernando Rodney, and the loss to Hutchison.

Up to Cincinnati as the Reds welcome the Atlanta Braves. Brandon Beachy and Mat Latos are the talented young pitchers. Atlanta got things going in the first inning with a Michael Bourn solo home run. Cincinnati responded in their half of the inning as Brandon Phillips hit a two-run home run, also scoring Drew Stubbs. The Reds added on in the third inning with a Zack Cozart solo shot. The Braves replied with a fourth inning Jason Heyward double, driving in Dan Uggla. Cincinnati shot back in the bottom of the fourth when Phillips went yard again, this time as a solo home run. Atlanta got one back in the eighth inning with another Bourn solo shot. This wouldn't be enough to avoid a 4-3 loss, leaving the win with Latos, while Aroldis Chapman converted the save, and Beachy had the loss.

Down in Houston, the Astros host the Chicago Cubs. Travis Wood and J.A. Happ are the relatively unknown starters. Houston began with a first inning Jose Altuve solo home run. Chicago tied it in the fourth inning with an Alfonso Soriano solo shot. The Astros got the lead again in the sixth inning when J.D. Martinez singled to score Justin Maxwell. Houston held on to win 2-1, with the win earned by Happ, while Brett Myers converted the save, and Wood took the loss.

North to Chicago, as the White Sox host the Minnesota Twins. P.J. Walters is mismatched with Gavin Floyd. Chicago started with a first inning Gordon Beckham solo home run. Minnesota rallied to a lead in the second inning as Alexi Casilla doubled to score both Justin Morneau and Ryan Doumit before coming home on a Jamey Carroll single, and Carroll crossed the plate on a Denard Span single. The Twins extended the lead in the fourth inning with a 2-RBI single by Josh Willingham, knocking in Span and Carroll, followed by a three-run home run from Morneau, sweeping in Joe Mauer and Willingham. The White Sox got one back in the ninth inning as Paul Konerko grounded out, giving time for Orlando Hudson to score, producing a 9-2 final, with Walters going the distance for the win while Floyd was stuck with the loss.

Further to the north, the Milwaukee Brewers host the San Francisco Giants. Matt Cain and Shaun Marcum pace the game. San Francisco opened with a first inning Buster Posey ground rule double scoring Brandon Crawford and an Angel Pagan sacrifice fly bringing home Melky Cabrera. The Giants padded the lead in the fourth inning as Joaquin Arias hit a two-run home run, also scoring Aubrey Huff. Milwaukee got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning as Rickie Weeks doubled in both Aramis Ramirez and Jonathan Lucroy. San Francisco added on in the sixth inning with a two-run home run by Posey, sweeping in Cabrera. The Brewers got one back in the seventh inning as Norichika Aoki doubled George Kotteras home, before he finished his trip on a Ryan Braun single. They couldn't pull closer, losing 6-4 at the hands of Cain, while Santiago Casilla converted the save and Marcum was dealt the loss.

Back to the south, the St. Louis Cardinals host the San Diego Padres. Edinson Volquez and Adam Wainwright are the staff aces pitching. St. Louis wasted little time in scoring first in the first inning as Carlos Beltran singled Daniel Descalso across the plate. The Cardinals got another in the sixth inning as Beltran reached on a fielder's choice, again bringing in Descalso, followed by Tyler Greene grounding into a fielder's choice to score Matt Holliday. St. Louis struck again in the seventh inning as Holliday doubled in Rafael Furcal. This held up for a 4-0 win, with Wainwright tossing a complete game shutout while only giving up 4 hits and a walk, while Volquez had almost no support whatsoever in the loss.

Southwest to Arizona, where the Diamondbacks host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Aaron Harang and Trevor Cahill have the green light to start. Josh Bell got Arizona going with a two-run home run in the second inning, also scoring Lyle Overbay. The Diamondbacks added on in the third inning with a Justin Upton single providing Ryan Roberts time to dash home. Arizona struck again in the fifth inning on an Upton double driving in Willie Bloomquist and a Jason Kubel sacrifice fly allowing Upton to cross the plate. Los Angeles got on the board in the sixth inning with an Andre Ethier sacrifice fly, scoring Tony Gwynn, Jr. The Diamondbacks shot back in the bottom of the sixth as Henry Blanco doubled Overbay across the plate. The Dodgers shot back in the seventh inning as Jerry Sands doubled A.J. Ellis home safely, before coming home alongside Dee Gordon on a Gwynn single, and Gwynn finished his trip on a Bobby Abreu single, before the rally closed on an Ivan De Jesus sacrifice fly to bring home the tying run Elian Herrera. Arizona got the lead again in the eighth inning with Overbay hitting a solo shot. Los Angeles won in the ninth inning as De Jesus doubled in Herrera and Abreu for an 8-7 lead and win. Josh Lindblom picked up the win, Kenley Jansen converted the save, and J.J. Putz choked once again for a blown save and loss.

Northwest to Oakland, as the Athletics bring in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. C.J. Wilson and Graham Godfrey take to the pitching duties. Los Angeles rallied for a first inning lead beginning with an Albert Pujols sacrifice fly to knock in Mike Trout, followed by Mark Trumbo singling in Maicer Izturis and Howie Kendrick singling to score Kendrys Morales. The Angels extended the lead in the third inning as Pujols hit a solo home run. Los Angeles struck again in the seventh inning when Erick Aybar was hit by a pitch with the bases-loaded to force in Morales. This made it 5-0, a final, with Wilson allowing just a hit and two walks in eight innings for the win, while Godfrey obviously had no help in the loss.

Finally, in Seattle, the Mariners host the Texas Rangers. Matt Harrison and Hector Noesi play from the mound. Seattle began with a first inning Justin Smoak single, scoring Alex Liddi. Texas rallied to a lead in the third inning when Elvis Andrus tripled to force in both Nelson Cruz and Mitch Moreland, before coming the final 90 feet on a Josh Hamilton ground rule double. This was all for the scoring, giving the Rangers a 3-1 win, earned by Matt Harrison, while Joe Nathan picked up his tenth save of the season, and Noesi was stuck holding the loss.

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