MLB Day 83 2012

Should be another full slate as long as the weather doesn't have its way again. We start in...

Miami, as the Marlins host the Toronto Blue Jays. Brett Cecil and Josh Johnson are called on to pitch. Toronto started in the second inning with a Rajai Davis fielder's choice that allowed Edwin Encarnacion to score. Miami tied it in the seventh inning on an Omar Infante double to plate Justin Ruggiano. The Blue Jays rallied ahead in the ninth inning beginning with an Encarnacion solo home run, followed by Jeff Mathis reaching on an error to allow Kelly Johnson to come home, and a grand slam by Colby Rasmus, sweeping in Mathis, Vizquel, and Brett Lawrie. This made it 7-1, the final, with the win going to Darren Oliver and the loss to Steve Cishek.

Northwest of that, the Kansas City Royals host their cross-state rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals. Adam Wainwright opposes Luis Mendoza in pitching. St. Louis started in the third inning with a Matt Holliday single to score Rafael Furcal. The Cardinals added on in the fifth inning as Jon Jay singled in Daniel Descalso, Holliday singled home Furcal, and Jay finished his trip on a Carlos Beltran single. St. Louis got another in the sixth inning with Furcal's single to drive in Tony Cruz. Kansas City got on the board in the bottom of the sixth with an Alex Gordon triple, forcing in Humberto Quintero and a Yuniesky Betancourt groundout to get Gordon home. The Cardinals answered in the seventh inning with a two-run Allen Craig home run, also scoring Holliday. St. Louis made it 8-2 in the ninth inning when Craig singled Holliday across the dish. This was a final, with the win going to Wainwright and the loss to Mendoza.

Down into Texas, with the Rangers hosting the Colorado Rockies. Josh Outman is mismatched with Colby Lewis. Colorado began in the first inning as Jason Giambi singled in Jonathan Herrera. The Rockies added on in the third inning with Tyler Colvin singling home Jordan Pacheco and Carlos Gonzalez before coming home alongside Giambi when Chris Nelson singled. Colorado struck again in the fourth inning on a Herrera double to drive in Dexter Fowler and a 2-RBI Michael Cuddyer double plating Herrera and Pacheco. Texas got on the board in the bottom of the fourth as Nelson Cruz hit a solo home run. The Rockies got some more in the fifth inning with a two-run home run by Wil Nieves, also scoring Nelson, followed by a Fowler solo shot. The Rangers rallied in their half of the fifth, beginning with Adrian Beltre singling home Brandon Snyder, followed by Michael Young doing the same for Elvis Andrus, a three-run homer by Cruz, sweeping in Beltre and Young, and a Yorvit Torrealba single that allowed Mike Napoli to cross home. This was all for the scoring, with Colorado leading 11-7, with the win going to Rex Brothers and the loss served up to Lewis.

Northeast to Philadelphia, as the Phillies host the Tampa Bay Rays. James Shields opposes Kyle Kendrick on the mound. For a more detailed recap, go to ultimatebaseballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the featured Game of the Day. Tampa Bay got things going in the second inning as Jeff Keppinger doubled in both Ben Zobrist and Jose Lobaton, followed by a groundout from the pitcher Shields that allowed Keppinger to dash home. Philadelphia got some back in the third inning as Jimmy Rollins hit a two-run home run, also scoring the pitcher Kendrick. The Phillies gained the lead in the fourth inning on a Juan Pierre three-run home run, sweeping in Mike Fontenot and Rollins. Philadelphia got another in the seventh inning as Carlos Ruiz singled Pierre across the dish. The Rays struck back in the eighth inning when Sean Rodriguez singled Zobrist home. Tampa Bay tied it up in the ninth inning as Keppinger singled to score Hideki Matsui and Brooks Conrad did the same for Chris Archer. The Phillies got the last laugh as Jim Thome lifted a walkoff solo shot in the bottom of the ninth to seal a 7-6 win. Jonathan Papelbon was excused from the blown save with the win, while Jake McGee gave up the homer and received the loss.

Back in Texas, the Houston Astros host the Cleveland Indians. Jeanmar Gomez and Dallas Keuchel are the unknown starters. Cleveland opened in the fourth inning on an Asdrubal Cabrera solo home run. Houston answered in the fifth inning as Chris Johnson doubled in Brian Bogusevic, followed by a two-run J.D. Martinez homer to finish Johnson's trip, and a solo shot by Jordan Schafer. The Astros got another in the sixth inning on a Carlos Lee double, scoring Jed Lowrie. Houston rallied more in the eighth inning with a Jose Altuve solo home run, followed Lee doubling to score Lowrie before coming home on a Johnson double. This made it 8-1, a final, with the Keuchel going the distance for the win and Gomez was given the loss. 

Up in Pennsylvania again, as the Pittsburgh Pirates welcome the Detroit Tigers. Max Scherzer and Brad Lincoln get the starting nods. Pittsburgh was first on the board with a fourth inning three-run home run by Andrew McCutchen, also scoring Alex Presley and Jose Tabata. Detroit got on the board in the seventh inning with a solo home run by Miguel Cabrera. The Pirates answered in the bottom of the seventh as Neil Walker singled in Casey McGehee. This was all for the scoring, with the final sitting at 4-1. The win belonged to Lincoln, while Joel Hanrahan turned the save and Scherzer was pinned with the loss.

Over in Cincinnati, the Reds host the Minnesota Twins. Brian Duensing and Johnny Cueto will be handed the ball. Cincinnati struck first in the fourth inning as Brandon Phillips hit a two-run home run, also scoring Joey Votto, followed by Scott Rolen doubling in Jay Bruce and Cueto sacrificing to finish Rolen's trip around. The Reds added on in the sixth inning as Cueto grounded out to bring in Rolen. Cincinnati got another in the eighth inning as Todd Frazier reached on an error, allowing Bruce to come home. This made it 6-0, the final, with Cueto pitching well in the win while Duensing got no support in the loss.

Westward to Chicago, as the White Sox host the Milwaukee Brewers. Randy Wolf opposes a much younger pitcher, Dylan Axelrod. Milwaukee led off in the second inning as George Kotteras doubled, which combined with an error to bring in Aramis Ramirez. Chicago answered in their half of the inning on a Dayan Viciedo single to bring home Paul Konerko, followed by Alexei Ramirez singling Alex Rios home. The Brewers shot back in the third inning as Ryan Braun singled in Norichika Aoki. The White Sox got it back in the fourth inning as Viciedo hit a two-run home run, also scoring A.J. Pierzynski. Milwaukee responded in the fifth inning with Nyjer Morgan singling Aoki across the dish. The Brewers rallied to add on in the sixth inning with Martin Maldonado singling in Aramis Ramirez, Cody Ransom doing the same for Rickie Weeks, and Carlos Gomez hitting a sacrifice fly to finish Maldonado's trip around. Chicago replied in the bottom of the sixth as Viciedo singled to drive in Rios before Orlando Hudson doubled him the rest of the way home. The White Sox got the lead in the seventh inning on a Rios single, knocking in Gordon Beckham. Chicago extended the lead in the eighth inning as Beckham singled Alexei Ramirez safely home. This was it for the scoring, leaving the final at 8-6. Jesse Crain was in line for the win, Addison Reed turned the save, and Jose Veras was dinged for the loss.

Back east, the Boston Red Sox host the Atlanta Braves. Randall Delgado and Franklin Morales were in line to pitch. Atlanta wasted no time in opening the scoring in the first inning as Brian McCann singled home Michael Bourn. Boston answered in their half of the inning as Adrian Gonzalez singled in Dustin Pedroia and Will Middlebrooks doubled in Jarrod Saltalamacchia. The Red Sox added on in the second inning with a 2-RBI Pedroia double, scoring both Mike Aviles and Daniel Nava. Boston got another in the third inning as Middlebrooks hit a solo home run. The Braves got one back in the fifth inning when Bourn singled to score Jason Heyward. The Red Sox answered in the bottom of the fifth with Cody Ross doubling, driving in Gonzalez. Atlanta replied again in the sixth inning on a Chipper Jones double, plating Dan Uggla. The Braves chipped away in the seventh inning as Bourn grounded out, giving David Ross time to get home. Boston shot back in the eighth inning with Nava singling in both Cody Ross and Ryan Kalish. This concluded the scoring, with the final being 8-4. Morales picked up the win, while Delgado was shelled early for the loss.

Way to the west, the Oakland Athletics host the San Francisco Giants. Madison Bumgarner faces a lesser foe in Tyson Ross. Oakland began in the first inning on a two-run home run by Josh Reddick, also scoring Jemile Weeks. San Francisco answered in the second inning with Pablo Sandoval singling, which combined with an error to bring in Buster Posey, followed by Sandoval dashing home on a Brandon Belt single. The Athletics shot back in the bottom of the second as Reddick singled home Coco Crisp. Oakland got another in the third inning on a Jonny Gomes solo home run. The Giants rallied a bit in the sixth inning as Sandoval reached on an error that allowed both Angel Pagan and Posey to score, followed by a two-run home run from Belt, finishing Sandoval's trip around. San Francisco added on in the seventh inning when Posey hit a two-run home run, sweeping in Melky Cabrera, and Nate Schierholtz struck out, which gave time for Pagan to get home. The Athletics tried to rally back in the ninth inning when Brandon Inge singled Reddick home, follow by Derek Norris doing the same for Gomes, and then both Inge and Norris were forced in by a ground rule double from Brandon Hicks, but they couldn't get the equalizer, and fell 9-8. The win went to Bumgarner, while Clay Hensley shut the door for the save and Ross was not excused from the loss.

Back on the east coast, the New York Mets hosted the New York Yankees. Ivan Nova and Chris Young are the back-of-the-rotation starters. The Mets opened with a third inning Kirk Nieuwenhuis solo home run. The Mets added on in the fourth inning as Josh Thole grounded out, giving time for Scott Hairston to score. The Mets extended the lead in the sixth inning when Young singled in Daniel Murphy. The Yankees tied it in the seventh inning with a three-run home run by Raul Ibanez, sweeping in Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher, before taking the lead with a solo shot from Eric Chavez. This was good enough for a 4-3 win, with Clay Rapada earning the win, Rafael Soriano converting the save, and Jon Rauch getting drilled for the loss.

Westward to California again, as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chris Capuano and Ervin Santana are the reliable starters. The Dodgers were first to score in the first inning as Jerry Hairston, Jr. reached on an error to get Dee Gordon home and Juan Rivera also got aboard thanks to an error that allowed Hairston to finish his trip. The Angels got one back in the fifth inning as Erick Aybar singled Howie Kendrick home. The Dodgers answered in the sixth inning as Hairston singled in Gordon. This made it 3-1, a final, with Capuano notching the win, Kenley Jansen throwing the save, and Santana suffering the loss.

East again, as the Baltimore Orioles host their regional rivals, the Washington Nationals. Edwin Jackson and Wei-Yin Chen are the above-average pitchers. Washington began in the second inning as Xavier Nady singled in Michael Morse and also Adam LaRoche, the latter coming home with the help of an error. The Nationals added on in the fourth inning with a LaRoche solo home run. Baltimore found the scoreboard in the fifth inning as Adam Jones hit a solo shot. This ended the scoring, with the final being 3-1. Jackson pitched well for the win, while Tyler Clippard turned the save and Chen had little help in the loss.

Back in the west, the San Diego Padres host the Seattle Mariners. Felix Hernandez and Jason Marquis take the hill. San Diego got going in the first inning as Cameron Maybin scored on a balk. Seattle charged ahead in the second inning when Brendan Ryan grounded out to bring in Michael Saunders, before the pitcher Hernandez doubled in both Justin Smoak and Dustin Ackley. The Mariners added on in the third inning with a Saunders solo home run. Seattle kept going in the fourth inning as Ichiro singled Ackley home. This was all they needed for a 5-1 win, with the win going to Hernandez while Marquis was pinned with the loss.

Finally, we backtrack to Arizona, as the Diamondbacks host the Chicago Cubs. Paul Maholm and Ian Kennedy are the veteran pitchers. Arizona started with a third inning Justin Upton solo home run. Chicago answered in the fourth inning as the pitcher Maholm hit a two-run home run, also scoring Adrian Cardenas. The Diamondbacks retied it in the bottom of the fourth as Aaron Hill reached on an error to score Ryan Roberts and Upton singled to plate Willie Bloomquist for a lead, followed by Jason Kubel singing both Hill and Upton across the dish, and Paul Goldschmidt tripled to force Kubel in before coming the final 90 feet when Miguel Montero singled. The Cubs got some back in the fifth inning as Steve Clevenger doubled in both Alfonso Soriano and Geovany Soto, followed by Jeff Baker singling to finish his trip. Arizona responded in the sixth inning on a Goldschmidt solo shot. The Diamondbacks added on in the seventh inning as Hill singled Bloomquist in. Arizona made it 10-5 in the eighth inning on a Montero single, finishing Goldschmidt's trip around and producing the final. The win went to Craig Breslow while Maholm was stuck with the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @UltBaseballTrip and check out ultimatebaseballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the trip of a lifetime, now finally getting out from a special game in Philadelphia.