MLB Day 74 2012

Today is travel day, which means we have less games and more matinees than usual. We begin with the...

Battle of Ohio, as the National League Cincinnati Reds host the Cleveland Indians. Josh Tomlin and Mike Leake are the average starters. Cleveland began with a first inning Shin-Soo Choo solo home run, followed by Carlos Santana grounding out to bring home Asdrubal Cabrera. Cincinnati got the lead in the bottom of the first on a three-run home run by Joey Votto, also scoring Chris Heisey and Zack Cozart. The Reds got another in the third inning with a Brandon Phillips solo shot. Cincinnati struck again in the fourth inning with Phillips singling to score Leake and Heisey. The Indians got one back in the fifth inning as Choo hit another solo home run. The Reds rallied to extend the lead in the bottom of the fifth as Ryan Ludwick hit a two-run home run, sweeping in Todd Frazier, followed by Heisey reaching on an error allowing Devin Mesoraco to get home, Phillips singling to drive in Kristopher Negron, and Jay Bruce walking with the bases loaded to force in Homer Bailey. Cincinnati kept going in the sixth inning when Negron scored on a wild pitch. Cleveland got some back in the seventh inning as Jose Lopez grounded out to plate Santana, followed by Aaron Cunningham doing the same for Michael Brantley. This was all for the scoring, with the Reds winning 12-5. The win went to Jose Arredondo, while Tomlin was shelled in the loss.

Down south and in the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays host the New York Mets. Johan Santana faced a younger foe in Jeremy Hellickson. New York started with a first inning Kirk Nieuwenhuis solo home run. The Mets added on in the second inning with a Jason Bay solo shot. Tampa Bay tied it in the bottom of the second as Matt Joyce doubled home both Hideki Matsui and Ben Zobrist before taking the lead as Elliot Johnson singled to finish Joyce's trip around. New York shot back in the third inning with a Lucas Duda sacrifice fly to bring home Jordany Valdespin and an Ike Davis single that plated David Wright. The Rays replied in their half of the inning as Zobrist doubled to knock in B.J. Upton. The Mets roared ahead in the fourth inning as Nieuwenhuis hit a two-run home run, also scoring Omar Quintanilla, followed by a 2-RBI Duda double, driving in Valdespin and Wright. New York extended the lead in the ninth inning with Davis singling Wright across the dish. Tampa Bay tried a rally in the bottom of the ninth as Desmond Jennings singled to bring home Jose Lobaton and Carlos Pena reached on a fielder's choice that scored Johnson, but this was all they got, falling 9-6. Santana earned the win, Frank Francisco mopped up a mess for the save, and Hellickson was on the hook for the loss.

Back in the NL and up northwest a bit, the Chicago Cubs host the Detroit Tigers. Justin Verlander opposes a lesser foe in Travis Wood. Detroit quickly got a lead in the first inning as Prince Fielder doubled to score Austin Jackson. The Tigers got another in the second inning with a Ryan Raburn double giving Jhonny Peralta time to dash home. Chicago tied it in the bottom of the second as Darwin Barney doubled home Alfonso Soriano before Luis Valbuena grounded out to give Bryan LaHair time to come home. Detroit took the lead again in the seventh inning on a Jackson single, plating Raburn. The Tigers added on in the ninth inning as Jackson hit a two-run home run, also scoring Don Kelly. The Cubs tried a rally in the bottom of the ninth as David DeJesus grounded out to give time for the speedy Tony Campana to get home safely, but this only made it 5-3 in the end. Verlander notched a strong win, Jose Valverde converted a sloppy save, and Wood was stuck with the loss.

Out west in Colorado, the Rockies host the Oakland Athletics under NL rules. Jarrod Parker and Alex White are the relatively unknown starters. Oakland got things going in the second inning as Adam Rosales reached on an error to knock in both Brandon Moss and Kurt Suzuki. The Athletics got some more in the third inning when Moss doubled home both Josh Reddick and Seth Smith. Oakland padded the lead in the eighth inning on a Reddick solo home run. The Athletics rallied to extend the lead in the ninth inning as Moss hit a solo shot, followed by Coco Crisp singling in Suzuki and Cliff Pennington grounding out to provide Rosales time to cross home. Colorado avoided the shutout in the bottom of the ninth as Marco Scutaro hit a solo home run followed by a Tyler Colvin double to plate Carlos Gonzalez for an 8-2 final. Parker was dominant in the win while White was not in the loss.

Further west, we have the NL-only game in San Francisco, as the Giants host the Houston Astros. Wandy Rodriguez and Barry Zito are the veteran starters. Houston already improved on their efforts from the night before when Matt Downs hit a second inning solo home run. The Astros added on in the third inning with a J.D. Martinez grand slam, sweeping in all of Jose Altuve, Brian Bixler, and Jed Lowrie. San Francisco got on the board in the fourth inning as Brandon Belt hit a two-run home run, also scoring Hector Sanchez. Sanchez helped the Giants pull closer in the sixth inning by hitting a sacrifice fly to bring home Angel Pagan. Houston got it back in the eighth inning with Justin Maxwell singling to score Bixler. This made it 6-3, a final, with Rodriguez notching the win, Brett Myers converting the save, and Zito suffering the loss.

Across the country in the east, the AL Baltimore Orioles host the Pittsburgh Pirates. Erik Bedard and Tommy Hunter will be on the mound. Baltimore led off in the first inning as Matt Wieters singled Brian Roberts home, followed by Mark Reynolds doubling Chris Davis in and Steve Pearce hitting a 2-RBI double to drive in both Wieters and Reynolds. The Orioles struck again in the third inning on a Wieters ground rule double to force in Davis. Baltimore added on in the fourth inning when Wieters singled home both J.J. Hardy and Davis before scoring on a three-run home run by Pearce that swept in Wieters and Reynolds. Pittsburgh got on the board in the fifth inning as Rod Barajas hit a three-run home run of his own, knocking in Garrett Jones and Casey McGehee. The Pirates pulled closer in the sixth inning as McGehee grounded out to bring in Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez singled to drive in Jones. The Orioles shot back in the bottom of the sixth as Wieters doubled to push Adam Jones home. Baltimore got another in the eighth inning as Reynolds hit a solo shot. Pittsburgh answered with an Alex Presley groundout in the ninth inning to bring home Jose Tabata, making the final 12-6. Hunter picked up the win while Bedard was shelled early and often in the loss.

Down in Texas but still in the AL, the Rangers host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Struggling pitchers Daniel Hudson and Scott Feldman will make the starts. Texas got going in the first inning as Adrian Beltre singled to score Elvis Andrus. Arizona took the lead in the second inning on a two-run Jason Kubel home run, also scoring Lyle Overbay. The Diamondbacks extended the lead with a third inning Overbay double to knock in both Justin Upton and Miguel Montero. Arizona got another in the sixth inning with Overbay doubling to drive in Montero before coming home when Aaron Hill hit a single, and then Gerardo Parra hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Hill and Ryan Roberts. The Rangers got some back in the seventh inning on a two-run David Murphy homer, knocking in Beltre. The Diamondbacks made it 11-3 with a two-run Montero home run in the ninth inning, also bringing in Upton. This was a final, with the win going to Hudson, while Feldman was served another loss.

North and still in the AL, the Minnesota Twins host the Philadelphia Phillies. Joe Blanton and Scott Diamond are the surprisingly reliable starters. Philadelphia struck first with a second inning Ty Wigginton solo home run. Minnesota tied it in the bottom of the second on a Trevor Plouffe solo shot. The Phillies took the lead back in the third inning as Jim Thome hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Jimmy Rollins and Hunter Pence. Philadelphia added on in the eighth inning as Carlos Ruiz doubled to score Shane Victorino. The Phillies struck again in the ninth inning as Placido Polanco singled Jimmy Rollins across the dish. This made it 6-1, a final, with the win going to Blanton, who tossed a complete game, while Diamond had little help in the loss.

South a bit to Kansas City, as the Royals hot the Milwaukee Brewers under AL rules. Shaun Marcum and Luke Hochevar will take the hill. Milwaukee opened the scoring with a fourth inning Ryan Braun solo home run. Kansas City took the lead in the sixth inning with a two-run Eric Hosmer home run, also scoring Alex Gordon. The Brewers retied it in the seventh inning as Aramis Ramirez hit a solo shot. Milwaukee took the lead in the eighth inning on a Cody Ransom single to bring home Carlos Gomez. The Royals took the lead in the ninth inning Brayan Pena singling to plate Mitch Maier as the tying run, and then Jarrod Dyson was also able to score to seal a 4-3 victory on the throw from left. This left Tim Collins in line for the win, while John Axford was pinned with the loss.

Across the state, the NL St. Louis Cardinals host the Chicago White Sox. Gavin Floyd and Jake Westbrook pace the game. St. Louis was first on the board with a second inning David Freese double to drive in Allen Craig. The Cardinals padded the lead in the third inning as Freese hit a two-run home run, again scoring Craig. St. Louis struck again in the fifth inning with a 2-RBI single by Matt Adams, scoring both Daniel Descalso and Craig. Chicago got some back in the sixth inning as Adam Dunn hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Alejandro De Aza and Gordon Beckham. This was all there was for the scoring, with the Cardinals winning 5-3, giving Westbrook the win, Jason Motte turned the save, and Floyd was stuck holding the loss.

Finally, we switch back to the AL, with the Seattle Mariners hosting the San Diego Padres. Edinson Volquez and Erasmo Ramirez will get the starting nods. San Diego started the scoring in the fifth inning as Will Venable singled in Chris Denorfia, followed by Everth Cabrera grounding into a fielder's choice that brought home Jesus Guzman and also John Baker, the latter on an error. The Padres added on in the sixth inning as Denorfia doubled to drive in Carlos Quentin, followed by Guzman singling to score Yonder Alonso, Baker singling to finish Denorfia's trip around. Seattle got on the board in the seventh inning on a Dustin Ackley single to drive in Franklin Gutierrez. The Mariners got another in the eighth inning as Gutierrez singled to bring in Justin Smoak. This made 6-2, a final, with Volquez getting the win and Ramirez suffering the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @UltBaseballTrip and check out ultimatebaseballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the trip of a lifetime, which went through Minneapolis today.