MLB Day 55 2012

Another Saturday full of games. We begin with eight afternoon specials, beginning in...

New York, as the Mets host the San Diego Padres. Clayton Richard and Johan Santana are the reliable starters. New York began with a first inning three-run home run by Scott Hairston, sweeping in Andres Torres and David Wright, followed by a Vinny Rottino solo home run. The Mets added on in the eighth inning as Ike Davis doubled home Justin Turner, before Mike Nickeas cleared the bases with a grand slam, sweeping in all of Davis, Rottino, and Kirk Nieuwenhuis. This produced the 9-0 final, with Santana tossing a complete game, four-hit shutout for the win, while Richard got no help in the loss.

West to Minnesota, as the Twins host the Detroit Tigers. Max Scherzer and Carl Pavano try to right their personal ships today while pitching. Detroit quickly jumped to a first inning lead as Miguel Cabrera doubled in Andy Dirks, before coming home on a Prince Fielder single. Minnesota got one back in their half of the inning when Joe Mauer grounded into a double play, allowing Denard Span to come home. The Twins tied it on a second inning Justin Morneau solo home run. The Tigers rallied ahead in the fifth inning as Quintin Berry singled in Alex Avila, followed by Dirks doubling home both Ramon Santiago and Berry, before he came home on a Cabrera single. Minnesota got one back in the sixth inning on a Span solo shot. This was as close as it got, with the final standing at 6-3 Detroit, allowing Scherzer to get the win, Jose Valverde to convert the save, and Pavano was stuck with the loss.

South to Texas, with the Rangers hosting the Toronto Blue Jays. Henderson Alvarez and Colby Lewis play from the mound. Texas was first on the board in the first inning as Josh Hamilton grounded out to bring in Ian Kinsler, followed by an Adrian Beltre sacrifice fly to knock in Elvis Andrus. Toronto tied it in the fifth inning as Colby Rasmus hit a two-run home run, also scoring David Cooper. The Blue Jays went ahead in the sixth inning as Cooper singled Eric Thames in, followed by Omar Vizquel reaching on a bunt that scored Brett Lawrie. The Rangers got the lead in the bottom of the sixth with three solo shots in a row by Nelson Cruz, Yorvit Torrealba, and Mitch Moreland. Toronto retied it in the seventh inning as J.P. Arencibia singled in Jose Bautista. The Blue Jays gained the lead again in the thirteenth inning when Vizquel singled Lawrie home, followed by Yunel Escobar reaching on an error to push in Vizquel. Texas got the last laugh in the bottom of the thirteenth, as Andrus doubled in Kinsler, and then Hamilton went yard to secure the 8-7 victory with a two-run homer to finish Andrus' trip around. Yoshinori Tateyama was in line for the win while Jason Frasor suffered the loss.

Northeast to Baltimore, with the Orioles hosting the Kansas City Royals. Felipe Paulino and Wei-Yin Chen take their turns in the rotation. Baltimore was first to score as Chris Davis hit a second inning solo home run. The Orioles added on in the third inning with a J.J. Hardy solo shot and a Matt Wieters sacrifice fly to score Adam Jones. Kansas City got on the board in the fifth inning with Eric Hosmer singling in Johnny Giavotella. The Royals pulled closer in the sixth inning on a Billy Butler solo home run. Kansas City tied it in the seventh inning as Humberto Quintero doubled Hosmer across the dish. The Royals gained the lead with an eighth inning Hosmer single, scoring Mike Moustakas. This held up for a 4-3 win, earned by Greg Holland, while Jonathan Broxton turned the save, and Pedro Strop was on the hook for the loss.

Down in Atlanta, the Braves welcome the Washington Nationals. Stephen Strasburg and Mike Minor show alliteration in the pitching duel. Washington led off with a first inning Adam LaRoche sacrifice fly to allow Danny Espinosa to score. The Nationals padded the lead in the second inning on a three-run homer from Espinosa, sweeping in Jesus Flores and the pitcher Strasburg. Atlanta got some back in the bottom of the second as Juan Francisco singled in Eric Hinske before J.C. Boscan grounded out to allow Jason Heyward to get home. The Braves tied it in the fifth inning as Dan Uggla hit a two-run home run, also scoring Martin Prado. Washington shot back in the sixth inning as Chad Tracy doubled in Ian Desmond and Rick Ankiel tripled to force in Edwin Jackson. The Nationals extended the lead again in the seventh inning as Bryce Harper lifted a solo shot, and LaRoche doubled Ryan Zimmerman home safely. This made it 8-4, the eventual final, giving Strasburg a win, Tyler Clippard a save, and Kris Medlen the loss.

Out in California, the Oakland Athletics host the New York Yankees. CC Sabathia takes on former teammate Bartolo Colon on the hill. Oakland drew first blood with a first inning Jonny Gomes single to bring home Jemile Weeks. New York tied it in the second inning on a Robinson Cano solo home run. The Yankees got the lead in the third inning on a Derek Jeter single, scoring Eric Chavez. The Athletics retied it in the bottom of the third with a Josh Reddick solo shot. New York took the lead back in the fourth inning on a Mark Teixeira solo home run. The Yankees added on in the fifth inning as Alex Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Chris Stewart to dash home, followed by Teixeira singling in both Jeter and Cano. New York got another in the eighth inning when Jeter was plunked with a pitch, which resulted in Nick Swisher being forced home. The Yankees made it 9-2 in the ninth inning when Teixeira hit a two-run home run, also scoring Cano. Sabathia earned the win while Colon was shelled in the loss.

Back to the Midwest, as the Chicago White Sox bring in the Cleveland Indians. Derek Lowe and Jake Peavy both look to continue their resurgent careers in this match. Chicago was first to score with a first inning Paul Konerko single, bringing home Gordon Beckham, followed by an A.J. Pierzynski double, scoring Adam Dunn and a 2-RBI Dayan Viciedo single, plating both Konerko and Pierzynski. Cleveland pulled close in the third inning as Michael Brantley doubled, sweeping in all of Juan Diaz, Lou Marson, and Shin-Soo Choo, and they took the lead on a two-run home run by Jason Kipnis, also scoring Brantley. The White Sox regained the lead in the bottom of the third on a ground-rule double from Konerko forcing in Dunn, followed by Alex Rios singling to finish his trip around, and then Viciedo hit a two-run home run to plate Rios and himself. The Indians shot back in the fifth inning on a Kipnis two-run blast, sweeping in Choo. Chicago roared away yet again seventh inning on a rally ignited by Rios doubling, which combined with an error to score Konerko, followed by Viciedo singling in Rios, and Alejandro De Aza grounding into a fielder's choice, which gave Pierzynski time to get home, and also Viciedo when an error occurred. The White Sox struck again in the eighth inning as Rios lifted a two-run homer, driving in Brent Lillibridge. This made it 14-7, a final, with Peavy grabbing the win and Lowe taking a tough loss.

Down in Florida, the Miami Marlins wrap up the matinees by hosting the San Francisco Giants. Madison Bumgarner and Mark Buehrle are the underrated pitchers. Miami began on a second inning Donovan Solano single to bring in Giancarlo Stanton. San Francisco tied it in the third inning on a Gregor Blanco single to knock in Emmanuel Burriss. The Marlins shot back in the bottom of the third as Hanley Ramirez singled in Jose Reyes, followed by Logan Morrison grounding into a fielder's choice the allowed Omar Infante to score, and a subsequent error getting Ramirez all the way home. Miami extended the lead in the sixth inning as Morrison doubled home Stanton. The Giants got one back in the eighth inning when Melky Cabrera grounded out to bring home Ryan Theriot. San Francisco tried a ninth inning rally as Nate Schierholtz hit a sacrifice fly allowing Angel Pagan to get home, but they still lost 5-3. The win went to Buehrle, while Randy Choate picked up the spot save, and Bumgarner was stuck holding the loss.

Across the country diagonally, we land in Seattle, as the Mariners host the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Jerome Williams and Felix Hernandez get the starting nods. Los Angeles drew first blood with a fourth inning Albert Pujols solo home run. Seattle answered in the fifth inning as Mike Carp singled in John Jaso and Dustin Ackley did the same for Miguel Olivo. The Angels got the lead back in the sixth inning on a grand slam by Alberto Callaspo, sweeping in all of Mark Trumbo, Howie Kendrick, and Erick Aybar. The Mariners got one back in the bottom of the sixth as Justin Smoak hit a solo shot. This was all for the scoring, leaving the final at 5-3 Los Angeles. Williams picked up the win, Ernesto Frieri got the save, and Hernandez was dealt the loss.

Back east in Cincinnati, with the Reds hosting the Colorado Rockies. Jeremy Guthrie and Mike Leake are the veteran starters. Colorado quickly opened in the first inning as Tyler Colvin singled Marco Scutaro home. Cincinnati replied in the bottom of the first when Brandon Phillips doubled Zack Cozart home before coming home himself on a Chris Heisey three-run home run that also knocked in Jay Bruce. The Reds extended the lead in the third inning on a Bruce double, providing Joey Votto time to get home. The Rockies answered in the fourth inning with Wil Nieves doubling in Jordan Pacheco before crossing the dish on a Colvin single. Cincinnati replied in the bottom of the fourth as Devin Mesoraco hit a solo home run. The Reds added on in the seventh inning as Phillips singled, driving in Drew Stubbs, followed by a three-run home run from Ryan Ludwick, sweeping in Phillips and Heisey. This was all for the scoring, resulting in a 10-3 final that gave J.J. Hoover the win and Guthrie a rough loss.

West a bit to St. Louis, as the Cardinals host the Philadelphia Phillies. Kyle Kendrick and Jaime Garcia are the young arms pitching. Philadelphia was first to score in the fourth inning when Shane Victorino doubled in Hunter Pence. The Phillies struck again in the sixth inning on a John Mayberry double that scored both Placido Polanco and Pence, followed by Freddy Galvis grounding out to knock in Victorino. This was it for the scoring, giving Philadelphia a 4-0 win, earned by Kendrick, who threw a seven-hit complete game shutout for the win, while Garcia was stuck holding the loss.

Farther to the east, the Pittsburgh Pirates welcome the Chicago Cubs. Paul Maholm faces his old team, who fields Kevin Correia at pitcher. Pittsburgh opened in the third inning as Pedro Alvarez singled in Jose Tabata, followed by a Neil Walker sacrifice fly allowing Andrew McCutchen to dash home. Chicago got on the board in the fourth inning with an Alfonso Soriano solo home run. The Cubs tied it in the fifth inning as Starlin Castro tripled to force in David DeJesus. The Pirates won it 3-2 in the ninth inning with a walkoff hit by pitch, as Matt Hague was in the way of an errant ball, and to take his base he forced in the winning run, Tabata. The win was picked up by Joel Hanrahan, while Rafael Dolis was unfortunately lacking control, which led to the loss.

Into Boston, as the Red Sox host the Tampa Bay Rays. David Price and Josh Beckett are the staff aces sent out to pitch. Boston finally got things going in the sixth inning with a Will Middlebrooks single to score David Ortiz. Tampa Bay took the lead in the seventh inning as Ben Zobrist hit a sacrifice fly, allowing B.J. Upton safe passage home, followed by Luke Scott singling in Matt Joyce. The Red Sox got the last laugh here, as pinch-hitter Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning for a 3-2 win as Daniel Nava also scored. Rich Hill was in line for the win, while Fernando Rodney blew the save and took the loss. 

Out in California again, the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Houston Astros. Bud Norris and Chad Billingsley pace the game. Houston got started in the first inning with Carlos Lee singling home Jose Altuve. The Astros added on in the second inning as Jordan Schafer drew a bases-loaded walk, forcing in Brian Bogusevic. Los Angeles got on the board in the third inning when Andre Ethier doubled Elian Herrera across the plate. The Dodgers took the lead in the fourth inning with a 2-RBI single by Tony Gwynn, Jr., scoring both James Loney and Dee Gordon. Houston tied it in the eighth inning as Jason Castro doubled in Bogusevic. Los Angeles won it 6-3 in the ninth inning on a a three-run walkoff home run by A.J. Ellis, also scoring Ethier and Loney. The win went to Kenley Jansen, while Wesley Wright was dealt the loss.

Finally, in Arizona, the Diamondbacks host the Milwaukee Brewers. Zack Greinke goes up against a lesser foe in Wade Miley for pitching purposes. Milwaukee struck first with a first inning Jonathan Lucroy single driving in Corey Hart. Arizona took the lead in the bottom of the first as Justin Upton singled in Gerardo Parra and Jason Kubel did the same for Aaron Hill. The Brewers responded in the third inning with Ryan Braun grounding out to score Norichika Aoki, followed by Cody Ransom doubling in both Lucroy and Rickie Weeks, and Edwin Maysonet reaching on an error that allowed Ransom to finish his trip around. The Diamondbacks got some back in the bottom of the third as Ryan Roberts walked with the bases loaded to force in Upton, followed by Konrad Schmidt grounding into a fielder's choice to bring in Kubel, and then  John McDonald cleared the bases with a three-run home run, sweeping in Paul Goldschmidt and Schmidt to give them a lead after the 5-run rally. Arizona got another in the seventh inning with Hill singling Parra home. This made it 8-5, a final, with Miley picking up the win, J.J. Putz getting the save, and Greinke getting shelled early in the loss.

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