MLB Day 77 2012

Full slate on what I hope is a happy Father's Day for all the dads out there. We begin in...

Detroit, as the Tigers host the Colorado Rockies under American League rules. Jeremy Guthrie and Max Scherzer are taking the hill. Detroit opened in the second inning on a Gerald Laird double to drive in Don Kelly. The Tigers added on in the third inning as Prince Fielder doubled to score Qunitin Berry, before he came home alongside Miguel Cabrera on a Ramon Santiago single. Detroit got another in the sixth inning as Cabrera doubled to knock in Austin Jackson. This was it for the scoring, leaving the final at 5-0, with Scherzer getting the win while Guthrie was given the loss.

Down in Cleveland and still in the AL, the Indians hosted the Pittsburgh Pirates. Brad Lincoln and Jeanmar Gomez are the uninspiring starters. For a more detailed recap of this game, check out ultimatebaseballfantasytrip. blogspot.com for the Game of the Day. Cleveland was first on the board with a first inning Jason Kipnis solo home run. The Indians got another in the second inning as Casey Kotchman singled in Johnny Damon. Pittsburgh went ahead in the fourth inning on a three-run home run by Pedro Alvarez, also scoring Garrett Jones and Casey McGehee. Cleveland shot back in the bottom of the fourth as Shin-Soo Choo doubled home both Damon and Lou Marson. The Pirates rallied in the fifth inning to take the lead again, as Alex Presley hit a solo shot, followed by McGehee reaching on an error to bring in Neil Walk and Andrew McCutchen, and then Alvarez cleared the bases of Jones and McGehee on another three-run homer. The Indians got one back in the seventh inning as Michael Brantley doubled to bring in Kipnis. This made it 9-5, with Tony Watson in line for the win while Gomez was served the loss.

Up into Canada, we continue in the AL, with the Toronto Blue Jays hosting the Philadelphia Phillies. Kyle Kendrick and Brett Cecil are called on for the starters. Toronto was first to score in the first inning as Colby Rasmus doubled in Brett Lawrie before coming home on a Kelly Johnson single. Philadelphia got one back in the second inning on a Jim Thome solo home run. The Phillies tied it in the third inning with a solo shot by John Mayberry. The Blue Jays took the lead in the fourth inning on a Rajai Davis single driving in Yunel Escobar. Toronto added on in the fifth inning with a two-run Rasmus home run, also scoring Lawrie. The Blue Jays got another in the seventh inning with Rasmus singling, which combined with an error to plate Jeff Mathis. This made it 6-2, a final, with the win going to Cecil and the loss to Kendrick.

Back stateside, we switch to the National League as the New York Mets host the Cincinnati Reds in the NL-only game. Johnny Cueto and Chris Young will be handed the ball. New York began in the second inning as the pitcher Young walked with the bases loaded to force in Ike Davis. Cincinnati took the lead in the fifth inning when Wilson Valdez singled in Zack Cozart, before scoring on a Brandon Phillips single, which also brought in Joey Votto on a subsequent error. This was it for the scoring, leaving the final at 3-1, with Cueto picking up the win, Sean Marshall turning the save, and Young suffering the loss.

Staying in the NL, we go down to Atlanta, with the Braves hosting the Baltimore Orioles. Wei-Yin Chen and Randall Delgado are the relatively unknown starters. Baltimore got things going in the second inning as Mark Reynolds hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Adam Jones. The Orioles got another as Chen sacrificed, and combined with a balk, Steve Pearce crossed the plate. This was it for the scoring, with Baltimore earning a 2-0 win, which was credited to Chen, while Jim Johnson turned his twentieth save of the season, and Delgado had no help in the loss.

North again, staying in the NL as we stop in Washington, D.C., for the Nationals hosting the New York Yankees. Ivan Nova and Edwin Jackson get the starting nods. New York drew first blood with a first inning Mark Teixeira sacrifice fly, allowing Derek Jeter to score. Washington tied it in the second inning on an Adam LaRoche solo home run. The Yankees got the lead again in the fifth inning on a Curtis Granderson solo shot. New York extended the lead in the seventh inning on a Robinson Cano solo home run, followed by Andruz Jones drawing a walk and Teixeira scoring on a passed ball on the same play. This made it 4-1, which eventually was the final, with Nova earning the win, Rafael Soriano converting the save, and Jackson getting little run support in the loss.

Down to the battle of Florida, as the Tampa Bay Rays of the AL host the Miami Marlins. Jim Johnson faces a lesser for in Alex Cobb. Tampa Bay wasted little time in scoring first in the first inning on a B.J. Upton solo home run. The Rays got another in the sixth inning on a Drew Sutton single to bring in Elliot Johnson. Tampa Bay added on in the seventh inning as Ben Zobrist singled to score Upton. This made it 3-0, a final, with Cobb earning a solid win, Fernando Rodney turning the save, and Johnson getting no run support in the loss.

Northward, we end up in Minnesota, as the the Twins of the AL host the Milwaukee Brewers. Zack Greinke and Nick Blackburn will be pitching this afternoon. Milwaukee led off with a first inning Aramis Ramirez single to drive in Nyjer Morgan. Minnesota answered on a Joe Mauer single in the third inning to plate Jamey Carroll. The Brewers got the lead again in the fifth inning as Corey Hart hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Norchika Aoki and Morgan. The Twins rallied to tie it in the seventh inning as Carroll singled in Trevor Plouffe, Ben Revere singled home Carroll, and Mauer singled Denard Span across the dish. Minnesota won it in walkoff fashion in the fifteenth inning as Span singled Brian Dozier home for a 5-4 win. Anthony Swarzak was in line for the win while Tim Dillard was stuck holding the loss.

South a bit and into the NL, as the St. Louis Cardinals host the Kansas City Royals. Luis Mendoza is mismatched with Adam Wainwright. Kansas City opened the scoring in the second inning as Humberto Quintero singled to drive in Mike Moustakas. St. Louis took the lead in the sixth inning with solo home runs by Matt Holliday and Allen Craig. The Royals tied it in the ninth inning on a Billy Butler solo shot. Kansas City took the lead in the fourteenth inning as Yuniesky Betancourt doubled in Alex Gordon. The Cardinals avoided the loss in their half of the fourteenth as Yadier Molina singled to knock in Craig. The Royals reclaimed the lead in the fifteenth inning on a Betancourt two-run home run, also scoring Jarrod Dyson, and they held on for the 5-3 win. Jonathan Broxton escaped with a win after blowing a save, while Eduardo Sanchez wasn't so lucky.

Farther to the south, we hit the battle of Texas, as the Rangers host the Houston Astros under AL rules. Dallas Keuchel and Colby Lewis will have the green light to pitch. Houston finally opened the scoring in the fifth inning on a Matt Downs single to bring home Jason Castro. Texas rallied ahead in the sixth inning as Ian Kinsler wiped the bases clean with a 3-RBI triple, sweeping in Nelson Cruz, Mike Napoli, and Craig Gentry, followed by Michael Young singling in both Kinsler and eventually Elvis Andrus on the throw home, before he came home on a two-run home run from Adrian Beltre. The Rangers added on in the seventh inning as Andrus singled Yorvit Torrealba across the dish. The Astros responded in the eighth inning on a 2-RBI single from Carlos Lee, knocking in Brian Bixler and Jose Altuve. Texas got another in the bottom of the eighth as Torrealba grounded into a fielder's choice allowing safe passage home for Beltre. This was all the scoring the game had to offer, with the Rangers winning 9-3. Lewis picked up the win while Fernando Rodriguez was handed the loss.

Out in California, we stay in the AL, where the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ian Kennedy and Garrett Richards played from the mound. Los Angeles got things going in the fourth inning on an Albert Pujols solo home run. The Angels added on in the seventh inning with a Mike Trout double to knock in Peter Bourjos. This made it 2-0, the final, with Richards pitching well for a win, Ernesto Frieri picking up a save with a clean ninth inning, and Kennedy going the distance but taking the loss.

Up into Oakland, we're still in the AL as the Athletics host the San Diego Padres. Clayton Richard and Bartolo Colon are the reliable starters. San Diego began in the third inning as Will Venable grounded into a fielder's choice to bring in Everth Cabrera. The Padres got another in the ninth inning as Logan Forsythe scored on a wild pitch. Oakland tried a rally in the bottom of the ninth as Coco Crisp singled in Seth Smith, but they couldn't get the equalizer, falling 2-1. Richard got the win, Huston Street tossed a sloppy save, and Colon was on the hook for the loss.

Back south and over in the NL, the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Chicago White Sox. Jose Quintana and Chris Capuano are the surprisingly good starters. Chicago started with a sixth inning Dayan Viciedo single to score Brent Lillibridge. Los Angeles tied it in the ninth inning when Juan Rivera hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Bobby Abreu. The Dodgers won in the tenth inning on a walkoff Dee Gordon single that plated Tony Gwynn, Jr. for a 2-1 win. Ronald Belisario was in line for the win while Matt Thornton was handed the loss.

Northward to Seattle and the AL, as the Mariners host the San Francisco Giants. Madison Bumgarner and Felix Hernandez are the aces pacing the game. San Francisco opened early with a first inning Angel Pagan single to score Pablo Sandoval. Seattle tied it in the second inning as Dustin Ackley hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Casper Wells. The Mariners won it in walkoff fashion in the ninth inning as Justin Smoak singled Munenori Kawasaki across the dish. Tom Wilhelmsen picked up the win, while Sergio Romo was pinned with the loss.

Finally, we go back east to Chicago, with the Cubs hosting the Boston Red Sox. Franklin Morales and Paul Maholm will make the starts. Boston staked an early lead in the first inning as Dustin Pedroia doubled in Scott Podsednik before coming home on a David Ortiz single. Chicago got one back in the bottom of the first as Starlin Castro tripled to force in Reed Johson. The Cubs tied it in the third inning as Castro doubled Darwin Barney across the dish. The Red Sox got the lead back in the fourth inning on an Ortiz solo home run. Chicago tied it again in the sixth inning as Jeff Baker reached on an error that allowed Barney to score. Boston rallied back ahead in the seventh inning as Ryan Kalish singled in Darnell McDonald, followed by Will Middlebrooks hitting a sacrifice fly to knock in Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and Daniel Nava sacrificing to get Kalish the rest of the way home. The Red Sox added an insurance run in the eighth inning when Saltalamacchia grounded into a fielder's choice to get Ortiz home. The Cubs tried a ninth inning rally as David DeJesus hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Tony Campana, but this only made it a 7-4 final. Matt Albers was in line for the win while Shawn Camp was the victim of the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @UltBaseballTrip and check out ultimatebaseballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the trip of a lifetime, dodging raindrops in Cleveland today.