MLB Day 53 2012

Short slate of seven games today on Travel Day. We begin with a lone matinee from...

Cleveland, as the Indians host the Detroit Tigers. Justin Verlander opposes a man of a similar moniker, Justin Masterson, as the staff aces take the mound. Cleveland opened with a first inning Shin-Soo Choo solo home run. Detroit tied it in the third inning as Miguel Cabrera grounded out, bringing home Quintin Berry. The Indians took the lead back in the fourth inning on a Jose Lopez single driving in Michael Brantley. This was it for the scoring, giving Cleveland and Masterson a 2-1 win, while Chris Perez picked up the save, and Verlander went the distance but was stuck with the loss.

At the normal time, the Miami Marlins host the San Francisco Giants. Ryan Vogelsong and Anibal Sanchez are the underrated starters. Miami got going in the second inning with a solo home run by Giancarlo Stanton. San Francisco answered in the fourth inning as Angel Pagan singled in Melky Cabrera. The Giants rallied to extend the lead in the sixth inning as Pagan doubled to score both Gregor Blanco and Cabrera, followed by Buster Posey scoring on a wild pitch, and Pagan coming home on a Brandon Belt single. San Francisco added on in the seventh inning with Cabrera's 2-RBI double, scoring both Blanco and Brandon Crawford before coming all the way home after Pagan grounded into a fielder's choice. The Marlins got one back in the bottom of the seventh when Greg Dobbs singled to bring around Jose Reyes, followed by a bases-loaded walk drawn by Logan Morrison to force in Omar Infante. The Giants padded the lead in the eighth inning as Crawford doubled home both Emmanuel Burriss and Brett Pill, before coming home with Blanco on a Cabrera double. Miami shot back in the bottom of the eighth on a Donovan Solano 2-RBI single, bringing in Chris Coghlan and Reyes, before he was knocked in by a Stanton double that also scored Infante. San Francisco, not to be outdone, attacked once again in the ninth inning as Burriss reached on an error to squeeze in Nate Schierholtz, and Pill grounded into a double play to allow Joaquin Arias to dash home. This made the eventual final 14-7, with Vogelsong earning the win and Sanchez taking the loss.

Up in Cincinnati, the Reds host the Atlanta Braves. Randell Delgado and Homer Bailey get the starting nods. Cincinnati began in the fourth inning when Todd Frazier doubled in Chris Heisey. Atlanta took the lead in the fifth inning as Michael Bourn hit a two-run home run, driving in the pitcher Delgado. The Reds replied in the sixth inning on a Devin Mesoraco grand slam, sweeping in all of Brandon Phillips, Heisey, and Frazier. The Braves got one back in the seventh inning as Juan Francisco hit a solo home run. Cincinnati shot back in their half of the inning with a solo shot by Drew Stubbs. This made it 6-3, a final, with Bailey picking up the win, Logan Ondrusek getting a spot save, and Delgado suffering the loss.

East to New York, with the Mets hosting the San Diego Padres. Eric Stults and Jeremy Hefner are the completely unknown pitchers. New York started with a second inning run scored by Vinny Rottino, as he stole third and then dashed home on an error. San Diego rallied to a lead in the third inning when Will Venable doubled in Everth Cabrera, followed by Cameron Maybin singling Venable the rest of the way home before he scored alongside Yonder Alonso on a double by Jesus Guzman. The Padres extended the lead in the fourth inning when Venable doubled Cabrera home again, and Maybin kept the déjà vu going with a single to finish Venable's trip around. The Mets got some back in the sixth inning on a two-run home run by David Wright, also scoring Daniel Murphy. San Diego replied with a seventh inning Chase Headley single, knocking in Maybin before he came home with Guzman on an Andy Parrino single. The Padres padded the lead in the eighth inning as Alonso doubled to drive in Maybin. New York struck back in the bottom of the eighth with Ike Davis singling in both Scott Hairston and Lucas Duda. Not to be outdone, San Diego got a solo shot from Nick Hundley in the ninth inning, making the final 11-5. The win went to Stults while Hefner had the loss.

Westward to Chicago, as the White Sox host the Minnesota Twins. Cole De Vries and Philip Humber are the back-of-the-rotation starters. Chicago led off with a second inning solo home run from A.J. Pierzynski. Minnesota tied it in the third inning on a Jamey Carroll single, scoring Alexi Casilla. The White Sox retook the lead in the bottom of the third as Paul Konerko singled to score Alejandro De Aza before coming home alongside Gordon Beckham on a double by Alex Rios. The Twins pulled back in the fifth inning as Denard Span scored on a wild pitch and Joe Mauer hit a solo shot, and then Brian Dozier singled in both Josh Willingham and Justin Morneau to take a lead. Chicago retook the lead with back-to-back solo home runs in the sixth inning, off the bats of Konerko and Rios, followed by a De Aza grand slam to sweep in all of Dayan Viciedo, Alexei Ramirez, and Orlando Hudson. Minnesota chipped away in the seventh inning as Morneau went yard on a solo shot. The White Sox got it right back with an eighth inning Viciedo solo home run. The Twins only got as close as 11-8 after a ninth inning two-run blast from Morneau, also scoring Mauer. Nate Jones was in line for the win while De Vries was stuck holding the loss.

Down in St. Louis, the Cardinals host the Philadelphia Phillies. Joe Blanton and Jake Westbrook take the hill. Philadelphia took little time in the first inning to establish a sizable lead, rallying on a Shane Victorino fielder's choice to bring in Placido Polanco, followed by Ty Wigginton singling home Hunter Pence and Freddy Galvis hitting a 2-RBI single the knocked in both Victorino and Wigginton. The Phillies added on in the second inning with a 2-RBI double from Victorino, scoring both Pence and Carlos Ruiz. St. Louis got number of them back in the third inning, rallying on a Matt Holliday groundout that scored the pitcher Westbrook, followed by Carlos Beltran singling home Skip Schumaker before dashing home on a David Freese double, and Freese was plated by a Yadier Molina single. Philadelphia shot back in the fifth inning as Polanco singled in Galvis. The Cardinals answered in the bottom of the fifth as Holliday hit a solo home run, and they tied it when Molina went yard on a two-run blast, taking Freese with him. The Phillies took the lead back in the sixth inning as Galvis singled to drive in Victorino and Mike Fontenot did the same for Wigginton. St. Louis kept the ping-pong game up with a Freese solo shot in the seventh inning. Philadelphia shot right back with a Wigginton solo home run in the eighth inning. The Cardinals stayed within reach as Schumaker hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Steven Hill to dash home safely. Philadelphia was able to hold on for a 10-9 win. Raul Valdes was in line for the win, Jonathan Papelbon converted the save, and Fernando Salas took the loss.

Finally, on the abbreviated day, we end with the Seattle Mariners hosting the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Dan Haren and Jason Vargas are the second-in-command starters playing from the mound. Los Angeles quickly got the lead in the first inning as Albert Pujols hit a two-run home run, also scoring Mike Trout. The Angels added on in the sixth inning as Kendrys Morales singled in Pujols. This produced a 3-0 final, with Haren going the distance for a 4-hit and 14-strikeout complete game shutout and Vargas getting no help in the loss.

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