Big day for a travel day, with thirteen games, trade rumors swirling (more on that near the end of the post) and playoff races beginning to heat up. We start in...
Pittsburgh, as the Pirates host the Chicago Cubs. Jeff Samardzija and Erik Bedard make the starts. Chicago was first on the board in the fourth inning as Alfonso Soriano doubled to plate Starlin Castro. The Cubs got another in the ninth inning as Soriano doubled again to knock in Castro. This was all they needed for a 2-0 win picked up by Samardzija, while Carlos Marmol tossed the save and Bedard got no run support in the loss.
Over in Cleveland, the Indians host the Baltimore Orioles. Tommy Hunter and Justin Masterson are the scuffling pitchers. Cleveland began with a third inning two-run home run by Shin-Soo Choo, also scoring Casey Kotchman. Baltimore got on the board in the fifth inning with an Omar Quintanilla double giving Ryan Flaherty time to score. The Indians padded their lead in the eighth inning as Michael Brantley singled to plate Choo. This was it for a 3-1 game, with Masterson showing well in the win, Chris Perez converting the save, and Hunter was stuck with the loss.
Back in Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Phillies host the Milwaukee Brewers. Randy Wolf and Roy Halladay are the veteran pitchers. Milwaukee drew first blood in the first inning as Aramis Ramirez doubled Carlos Gomez home before coming home himself on a Corey Hart single. Philadelphia tied it in their half of the inning with solo home runs by Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. The Brewers took the lead again in the third inning as Ryan Braun singled to score Gomez. Milwaukee added on in the fourth inning as Gomez hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Wolf and Norichika Aoki. The Phillies got one back in the seventh inning as Jimmy Rollins scored on a passed ball. Philadelphia rallied in the ninth inning on a Howard single knocking in both Rollins and Juan Pierre, before tying it as Carlos Ruiz singled to plate Utley, and they won 7-6 when Ty Wigginton's sacrifice fly allowed Erik Kratz. The win went to Joe Savery, while Francisco Rodriguez blew up for a blown save and loss.
Into New York, as the Mets host the Washington Nationals. Jordan Zimmermann faces a lesser foe in Chris Young. Washington opened in the first inning as Bryce Harper hit a two-run home run, also scoring Steve Lombardozzi. New York got one back in the fourth inning on a solo home run by David Wright. The Mets tied it in the seventh inning on an Ike Davis solo shot. The Nationals took the lead in the tenth inning as Harper singled Sandy Leon home before Ryan Zimmerman hit a 3-RBI double that saw all of Mark DeRosa, Lombardozzi, and Harper score, and then he scored on a two-run home run from Michael Morse. This stood for an 8-2 win, earned by Tom Gorzelanny, while Tim Byrdak was on the hook for the loss.
South to Miami, where the Marlins host the Atlanta Braves. Mike Minor and Josh Johnson show alliteration in the pitching match. Before the game, Miami shipped out pitcher Anibal Sanchez and second baseman Omar Infante to Detroit, in return getting Jacob Turner and a pair of prospects. Miami led off with a first inning Carlos Lee single to knock in Jose Reyes. The Marlins added on in the second inning as Emilio Bonifacio hit a solo home run. Atlanta tried a ninth inning rally as Chipper Jones singled home Michael Bourn, but it came up short and they lost 2-1. Johnson pitched very well for a win, Steve Cishek cleaned up the mess for a save, and Minor was stuck with no help in the loss.
West to Texas, as the Rangers host the Boston Red Sox. Felix Doubront and Scott Feldman are the uninspiring pitchers. Boston led off with a second inning Jarrod Saltalamacchia solo home run. Texas rallied ahead in the third inning when Elvis Andrus singled in Craig Gentry and also Ian Kinsler with an error, followed by Josh Hamilton doubling to finish Andrus' trip, and Michael Young singling Hamilton home. The Rangers padded the lead in the sixth inning as Mike Napoli hit a two-run home run, also scoring Nelson Cruz, followed by Craig Gentry singling to knock in Brandon Snyder, Kinsler combining a single and an error to get Gentry in, and then Kinsler scored on a Hamilton sacrifice fly. This was it, with the final sitting at 9-1, giving Feldman the win and Doubront the loss.
Staying in the state, the Houston Astros host the Cincinnati Reds. Mat Latos and Wandy Rodriguez pace the game. Cincinnati wasted no time in scoring in the first inning as Todd Frazier singled to drive in Drew Stubbs. The Reds got another in the third inning as Ryan Ludwick doubled Stubbs across the dish, followed by Chris Heisey singling to finish Ludwick's trip around. Houston found the scoreboard with a fifth inning Scott Moore groundout to bring in Jose Altuve and a Chris Johnson double knocking in Marwin Gonzalez. Cincinnati extended their lead in the seventh inning when Scott Rolen doubled home Frazier and Jay Bruce singled to knock in Heisey. The Reds padded the lead in the eighth inning with Ludwick singling to bring home Brandon Phillips, Frazier doubling to finish Ludwick's trip, and Ryan Hanigan singling Frazier across the dish. The Astros got one back in their half of the eighth with a Gonzalez fielder's choice allowing Chris Snyder to dash home. This made it 8-3, the final, with Latos notching the win and Rodriguez taking the loss.
North to Chicago, as the White Sox welcome the Minnesota Twins. Francisco Liriano and Gavin Floyd will try to improve their seasons with the starts. Minnesota was first to score in the first inning as Josh Willingham grounded into a double play that allowed Denard Span to dash home. Chicago took the lead on a three-run Paul Konerko home run, sweeping in Alejandro De Aza and Kevin Youkilis. The Twins got one back in the second inning as Brian Dozier scored on a wild pitch. The White Sox shot back with a third inning Adam Dunn two-run home run, also scoring De Aza, followed by Alex Rios doing the same for Konerko. Minnesota shot back in the fifth inning on a Joe Mauer singled combined with an error to drive in Ben Revere. The Twins got another in the eighth inning on a solo home run by Ryan Doumit. This was as close as it got, with the final at 7-4, setting Floyd up for the win, Addison Reed turned the save, and Liriano was shelled in the loss.
Back south a touch, the St. Louis Cardinals host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chad Billingsley and Joe Kelly are penciled in to pitch. St. Louis got things going in the first inning as Lance Berkman singled in Jon Jay. Los Angeles stormed ahead in the second inning when Luis Cruz hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Andre Ethier and Adam Kennedy. The Dodgers added on in the seventh inning with a 2-RBI Mark Ellis double, plating A.J. Ellis and Tony Gwynn, Jr. The Cardinals got some back in the eighth inning on a two-run home run from Carlos Beltran, also scoring Jay. They couldn't get any closer, losing 5-3, with Billingsley notching the win, Kenley Jansen tossing the save, and Kelly suffered the loss.
Southwest to Arizona, with the Diamondbacks hosting the Colorado Rockies. Jonathan Sanchez and Ian Kennedy are the well-known pitchers. Arizona began with a second inning solo home run by Paul Goldschmidt. The Diamondbacks padded the lead in the fourth inning with a 3-RBI triple from the pitcher Kennedy, sweeping in Goldschmidt, Justin Upton, and Ryan Roberts, before he came home on a Willie Bloomquist double. Colorado got on the board in the fifth inning with a Josh Rutledge solo shot. The Rockies got another in the eighth inning as Dexter Fowler singled to knock in Rutledge. Arizona replied in their half of the inning as Roberts hit a sacrifice fly allowing Upton to dash home. Colorado pulled closer in the ninth inning as Carlos Gonzalez hit a solo home run, but this only made it a 6-3 final. Kennedy got the win, J.J. Putz picked up the save, and Sanchez was handed the loss.
To the west, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Kansas City Royals. Bruce Chen and C.J. Wilson were on the hill. Kansas City led off with a third inning Alex Gordon single to bring in Eric Hosmer and a Lorenzo Cain sacrifice fly to drive in Brayan Pena. Los Angeles rallied to tie in their half of the inning as Albert Pujols grounded out to bring around Mike Trout and Howie Kendrick doubling home Torii Hunter. The Angels took the lead in the sixth inning on a Maicer Izturis single to drive in Kendrick. The Royals tied it in the seventh inning on a Pena single to get Hosmer safely home. Los Angeles reclaimed the lead in the eighth inning as Kendrys Morales hit a 3-RBI single, sweeping in all of Alberto Callaspo, Izturis, and Peter Bourjos. This was it for the scoring, with the final sitting at 6-3. Kevin Jepsen was in line for the win, Scott Downs closed out for the save, and Greg Holland was responsible for the loss.
North to Seattle, as the Mariners host their favorite trading partners, the New York Yankees. As such, they shopped fan-favorite right fielder Ichiro Suzuki to their opponents for minor-league pitching just before the game. Hiroki Kuroda and Kevin Millwood take the mound. Seattle started in the third inning as John Jaso singled home Dustin Ackley. New York rallied ahead in the fourth inning as Mark Teixeira doubled to knock in Alex Rodriguez, followed by Raul Ibanez singling in Robinson Cano and Andruw Jones doing the same to finish Teixeira's trip around. The Yankees extended the lead in the eighth inning on a Rodriguez solo home run. This made it a 4-1 final, with Kuroda getting the win, Rafael Soriano turning his twenty-fifth save of the season, and Millwood suffered the loss.
Back south a bit, we end in San Francisco, where the Giants welcome the San Diego Padres. Clayton Richard and Ryan Vogelsong are the highly underrated pitchers. San Francisco established a first inning lead as Buster Posey singled Ryan Theriot home, Angel Pagan walked with the bases-loaded to force in Melky Cabrera, Joaquin Arias grounded into a fielder's choice to bring in Posey, and Pablo Sandoval scored as Brandon Crawford singled. San Diego got one back in the fourth inning as Yonder Alonso hit a sacrifice fly to get Mark Kotsay home. The Giants added on in the fifth inning as Posey hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Theriot and Cabrera. The scoring ended here, with the final sitting at 7-1. Vogelsong pitched strong for a win while Richard was dealt the loss.
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