MLB Day 137 2012

Only twelve games on as my busiest week begins. We start the games in...

Philadelphia, as the Phillies host the Cincinnati Reds. Mike Leake and Roy Halladay will be sent out to pitch. Cincinnati struck first in the first inning as Jay Bruce doubled home Zack Cozart, followed by Scott Rolen grounding out to bring in Brandon Phillips. Philadelphia answered in the bottom of the first on a Ryan Howard single to knock in Juan Pierre. The Phillies tied it with a third inning Howard solo home run. Philadelphia gained the lead in the fourth inning on an Erik Kratz solo shot. The Reds retied it in the fifth inning as Chris Heisey doubled to plate Devin Mesoraco, before taking the lead as Bruce singled to finish Heisey's trip around, and then Phillips scored as Bruce was caught stealing. The Phillies replied in their half of the fifth as Chase Utley doubled Pierre across the dish before scoring on a John Mayberry single, followed by a 2-RBI Domonic Brown double to knock in both Howard and Mayberry. Philadelphia extended the lead in the sixth inning as Utley hit a sacrifice fly to allow Jimmy Rollins to dart home, followed by Mayberry hitting a two-run home run that also scored Pierre. The Phillies padded the lead in the seventh inning as Pierre singled to get Placido Polanco safely home. Philadelphia got another run in the eighth inning with Kratz's sacrifice fly to bring around Mayberry. This was good for a 12-5 win, picked up by Halladay, while Leake suffered the loss.

Into DC, as the Washington Nationals host the Atlanta Braves. Tim Hudson and Jordan Zimmermann are on the mound. Atlanta was first on the board after a rain delay, as Jason Heyward singled to drive in Martin Prado. Washington answered in the bottom of the first as Bryce Harper singled home Jayson Werth, followed by an Adam LaRoche groundout to plate Harper and a two-run Ian Desmond home run that also scored Ryan Zimmerman. The Braves got one back in the fourth inning on a Paul Janish single allowing Freddie Freeman to score. Atlanta tied it in the fifth inning on a two-run home run by Heyward, sweeping in Prado. The Nationals won it 5-4 in the thirteenth inning as Chad Tracy reached on an error that gave time for Danny Espinosa to get home. Craig Stammen was in line for the win while Cristhian Martinez was stuck with the loss.

South to Tampa Bay, as the Rays host the Kansas City Royals. Will Smith is mismatched with Jeremy Hellickson. Tampa Bay started in the second inning on an Elliot Johnson single to drive in Sean Rodriguez. Kansas City tied it in the third inning when Alex Gordon singled to knock in Johnny Giavotella. The Rays took the lead back in the bottom of the third as Desmond Jennings scored on a wild pitch. Tampa Bay got some more in the fourth inning as Jose Lobaton singled in Rodriguez, followed by Jennings doubling to finish Lobaton's trip around. The Rays struck again in the fifth inning as Jeff Keppinger hit a solo home run. This made the final 5-1, with Hellickson earning the win while Smith was given the loss.

Back north to Flushing, with the New York Mets hosting the Colorado Rockies. Alex White opposes R.A. Dickey in pitching. New York began with a first inning Daniel Murphy single to score David Wright. Colorado tied it in the fifth inning on a Tyler Colvin solo home run. The Rockies gained the lead in the eighth inning as Jonathan Herrera scored on a passed ball. Colorado extended the lead in the ninth inning on a Ramon Hernandez single to plate Dexter Fowler. This made it 3-1, a final, with Rex Brothers notching the win, Rafael Betancourt tossing the save, and Josh Edgin was pinned with the loss.

Down in Texas, the Rangers host the Baltimore Orioles. Miguel Gonzalez and Ryan Dempster receive the starting nods. Baltimore opened with a first inning Adam Jones single to knock in Nate McLouth. Texas tied it in the fourth inning as David Murphy singled to score Adrian Beltre, before taking the lead with Geovany Soto singling in Nelson Cruz, and Ian Kinsler hit a sacrifice fly to finish Murphy's trip around. The Rangers added on in the fifth inning as Cruz doubled to get Josh Hamilton home. Texas struck again in the eighth inning on a Murphy singled to bring around Michael Young. This made it a 5-1 final, with Dempster notching the win and Gonzalez took the loss.

Well to the north, the Milwaukee Brewers host the Chicago Cubs. Justin Germano and Mark Rogers are the unknown pitchers. Chicago got going in the first inning as Anthony Rizzo hit a ground rule double to force in David DeJesus. The Cubs got another in the second inning as DeJesus hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Welington Castillo. Milwaukee got on the board in the bottom of the second as Jonathan Lucroy hit a solo home run. Chicago shot back as Josh Vitters hit a fifth inning solo shot. The Brewers tied it in the bottom of the fifth as Travis Ishikawa singled to plate Carlos Gomez and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Norichika Aoki, followed by Corey Hart singling both Rickie Weeks and Ryan Braun home, Lucroy hitting a three-run home run to sweep in Aramis Ramirez and Hart, and Gomez hit a solo home run. The Cubs shot back in the seventh inning on a DeJesus groundout that gave time for Darwin Barney to get home. Chicago got another in the ninth inning as Castillo scored on a wild pitch, but they still lost 9-5. Rogers picked up the win and Germano was shelled in the loss.

Back south to Chicago, where the White Sox host the New York Yankees. Freddy Garcia and Gavin Floyd are the struggling pitchers. New York led off in the first inning with Mark Teixeira singling in Derek Jeter and
Eric Chavez grounding into a fielder's choice to bring in Robinson Cano. The Yankees added on in the second inning with Curtis Granderson singling to plate Nick Swisher. Chicago got on the board in the fifth inning with a two-run home run by Dewayne Wise, also scoring Gordon Beckham, before tying it as Alex Rios grounded into a fielder's choice that allowed Kevin Youkilis to get home, and then taking the lead as A.J. Pierzynski single, knocking in Adam Dunn, followed by Dayan Viciedo singling to finish Rios' trip around. New York pulled closer in the sixth inning on a Jeter solo home run, and they tied it as Teixeira singled in Swisher, before taking the lead on a Casey McGehee single to drive in Cano. The White Sox retied with a Beckham solo shot in the bottom of the sixth inning. Chicago took the lead back in the seventh inning as Alexei Ramirez hit a two-run home run, sweeping in Pierzynski. The White Sox got another in the eighth inning on a Dunn solo home run. This gave them a 9-6 lead, which was good for a win, with Brett Myers in line for the win, Addison Reed tossing the save, and Boone Logan was responsible for the loss.

Southwest to Arizona, as the Diamondbacks host the Miami Marlins. Mark Buehrle and Joe Saunders are the veteran pitchers. Arizona started in the first inning on a Jason Kubel solo home run. Miami tied it in the fourth inning on a Carlos Lee single to drive in Donovan Solano, followed by a three-run Giancarlo Stanton home run to sweep in Jose Reyes and Lee, and a Justin Ruggiano solo shot, a Solano single plating John Buck, and a 2-RBI Reyes double to knock in both Emilio Bonifacio and Solano, and Lee singling Reyes the rest of the way home. The Diamondbacks got one back in the bottom of the fourth as Chris Johnson singled to drive in Paul Goldschmidt. The Marlins replied in the fifth inning as Donnie Murphy tripled to force in Buck. Miami shot back in the sixth inning when Stanton and Buck hit solo home runs. Arizona got one back in the eighth inning on a Kubel groundout to allow Chris Young safe passage home. They only made it 12-3, with Buehrle getting the win and Saunders getting shelled in the loss.

Out in San Diego, the Padres host the Pittsburgh Pirates. Kevin Correia faces his former team, with Edinson Volquez opposing him. San Diego began with a first inning Will Venable single to drive in Everth Cabrera, before scoring on a Yasmani Grandal groundout. The Padres added on with a second inning Venable single to score Cameron Maybin. Pittsburgh got on the board in the sixth inning as Neil Walker singled home Andrew McCutchen. This was as close as it got, with the final being 3-1. Volquez notched the win, Dale Thayer shut the door for a save, and Correia was handed the loss.

Up into Oakland, with the Athletics hosting the Minnesota Twins. Brian Duensing and Brandon McCarthy receive the starting nods. Minnesota opened with a first inning Josh Willingham double to plate Darin Mastroianni, and then Trevor Plouffe drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Willingham. The Twins got more in the second inning on a Mastroianni single to knock in Pedro Florimon, followed by Willingham singling Mastroianni the rest of the way home. Oakland got on the board in the bottom of the second as Josh Donaldson doubled to plate Yoenis Cespedes. The Athletics got another in the third inning on a Josh Reddick groundout providing time for Coco Crisp to dash home. Minnesota added on in the fourth inning as Joe Mauer singled in both Florimon and Ben Revere. The Twins padded the lead in the eighth inning with a Mastroianni sacrifice fly to allow safe passage home for Florimon. This made it a 7-2 score, which was a final, giving Duensing the win and McCarthy the loss.

Further north, the Seattle Mariners welcome the Cleveland Indians. Ubaldo Jimenez and Kevin Millwood are on the hill. Cleveland got going with a first inning Jason Kipnis solo home run. Seattle took the lead in the third inning as Michael Saunders hit a two-run home run, also scoring Dustin Ackley. The Indians tied it as Kipnis singled to plate Casey Kotchman, followed by Asdrubal Cabrera doing the same for Ezequiel Carrera. The Mariners retied it in the sixth inning on an Eric Thames solo shot. Seattle took the lead again in the seventh inning as Saunders hit another two-run home run, sweeping in Brendan Ryan. This produced the 5-3 final, with Charlie Furbush being credited with the win, Tom Wilhelmsen turning the save, and Joe Smith was dealt the loss.

Finally, the Los Angeles Dodgers host the San Francisco Giants. Madison Bumgarner and Clayton Kershaw are the staff aces pacing the game. San Francisco led off with a first inning Pablo Sandoval sacrifice fly to plate Angel Pagan. The Giants got another in the sixth inning on a Sandoval single to knock in Pagan. Los Angeles tried a ninth inning rally as Hanley Ramirez hit a solo home run, but they still fell 2-1. Bumgarned earned the win with a dominant performance, while Javier Lopez cleaned up a mess for the save and Kershaw was not freed from the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.