MLB Day 147 2012

This is post #800 for the blog here, and it's on a travel day. Games begin today in...

Cleveland, as the Indians host the Oakland Athletics. Jarrod Parker and Justin Masterson make the starts. Cleveland led off in the first inning on a Jason Kipnis solo home run. Oakland tied it in the third inning as Coco Crisp hit a solo shot. The Athletics took the lead in the fourth inning with a 3-RBI George Kotteras double, sweeping in all of Yoenis Cespedes, Seth Smith, and Josh Donaldson, followed by Cliff Pennington hitting a two-run home run to finish Kotteras' trip around. The Indians took one back in their half of the inning as Jack Hannahan singled in Ezequiel Carrera. Oakland replied in the fifth inning as Josh Reddick hit a two-run home run, also scoring Stephen Drew. Cleveland shot back in the bottom of the fifth with Shin-Soo Choo grounding out to give Kipnis time to score. The Athletics added on in the sixth inning when Drew hit a sacrifice fly to bring around Pennington, followed by Reddick singling to drive in Crisp. The Indians chipped back in their half of the sixth as Kipnis walked with the bases loaded to force in Casey Kotchman, followed by a 2-RBI Choo single, plating Carrera and Hannahan. Oakland shot back in the seventh inning as Chris Carter's sacrifice fly brought in Brandon Moss. Cleveland got one back in the bottom of the seventh with Lou Marson singling to knock in Carlos Santana. The Athletics got one more in the ninth inning on a Donaldson solo home run, making the final 12-7. Parker picked up a sloppy win, while Masterson was knocked around in the loss.

East to Baltimore, as the Orioles host the Chicago White Sox. Jose Quintana and Zach Britton are the back-of-the-rotation starters. Chicago started in the second inning as Gordon Beckham singled in Dayan Viciedo. Baltimore answered in the third inning as Taylor Teagarden hit a solo home run, followed by J.J. Hardy doubling home Nick Markakis before scoring on a two-run home run by Adam Jones. The Orioles added on in the fourth inning when Teagarden doubled to score Nate McLouth. The White Sox tried a ninth inning rally as Alexei Ramirez singled both Alex Rios and Hector Gimenez in, but they still lost 5-3. Britton got the win, Jim Johnson tossed the save, and Quintana was dealt the loss.

Into Philadelphia, as the Phillies host the New York Mets. Jonathon Niese and Kyle Kendrick receive the starting nods. New York got going in the first inning with a Mike Baxter solo home run. The Mets added on in the second inning with a Scott Hairston solo shot. Philadelphia got on the board in the third inning when Kevin Frandsen singled in Jimmy Rollins. The Phillies tied it in the fourth inning with a Ty Wigginton double to knock in John Mayberry. Philadelphia took the lead on a fifth inning Ryan Howard sacrifice fly to allow Frandsen to score. This held up to be a 3-2 final, with Kendrick picking up the win, Jonathan Papelbon turning the save as his thirtieth of the season, and Niese was stuck holding the loss.

Northwest to Minnesota, where the Twins host the Seattle Mariners. Blake Beavan and Brian Duensing are the struggling starters. Seattle began with a first inning Kyle Seager double to plate Franklin Gutierrez. Minnesota rallied ahead in their half of the inning as Alexi Casilla singled in Ben Revere and Justin Morneau hit a sacrifice fly to finish Casilla's trip around. The Mariners took the lead back in the sixth inning as Seager's sacrifice fly allowed Brendan Ryan to score, followed by Jesus Montero reaching on an error to bring in Dustin Ackley, and then a 2-RBI Trayvon Robinson single gave them the lead as both Gutierrez and Montero scored. The Twins pulled back in the eighth inning on a two-run Josh Willingham home run, also scoring Casilla. They failed to get an equalizer, falling 5-4, with the win going to Beavan, while Tom Wilhelmsen turned a rocky save, and Duensing was dinged for the loss.

Down in Chicago, the Cubs host the Milwaukee Brewers. Shaun Marcum faces a lesser foe in Brooks Raley. Chicago opened in the first inning with Starlin Castro tripling to force in David DeJesus before coming the final 90 feet on an Anthony Rizzo double. The Cubs got another in the second inning when DeJesus singled to knock in Brett Jackson. Milwaukee took the lead in the third inning with a Jonathan Lucroy grand slam, sweeping in Rickie Weeks, Ryan Braun, and Corey Hart, followed by Cody Ransom singling in Carlos Gomez. The Brewers struck again in the fourth inning on a two-run home run by Braun, also scoring Weeks. Milwaukee padded the lead in the sixth inning on a 2-RBI Lucroy singled, plating Weeks and Braun. Chicago rallied closer in the bottom of the sixth as DeJesus doubled to knock in Jackson, followed by Josh Vitters scoring on a passed ball, Luis Valbuena singling to finish DeJesus' trip around, who then came home on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Welington Castillo, and a Jackson double to tie the game as both Castro and Alfonso Soriano crossed the dish. The Brewers reclaimed the lead in the seventh inning as Ransom hit a solo home run. Milwaukee got another in the eighth inning on a Lucroy single to drive in Weeks. The Cubs tried a ninth inning rally with Castro singling to drive in DeJesus, Rizzo doubling to push in Valbuena to tie the game, and they won 12-11 as Soriano singled Castro the rest of the way home. Carlos Marmol was in line for the win, while Francisco Rodriguez was responsible for the loss.

Back east, the Washington Nationals host the St. Louis Cardinals. Jaime Garcia and Edwin Jackson are on the mound. Washington led off with a two-run home run by Bryce Harper, also scoring Jayson Werth in the first inning. The Nationals got another in the third inning as Adam LaRoche hit a sacrifice fly to allow Werth to come home. Washington added on in the fifth inning on a Werth solo home run. The Nationals padded the lead in the sixth inning as Werth grounded into a fielder's choice to bring in Danny Espinosa, followed by Harper singling to drive in Jesus Flores. Washington extended the lead in the seventh inning with a 2-RBI Flores single to plate Michael Morse and LaRoche. St. Louis got on the board in the eighth inning as Jon Jay reached on an error to allow Bryan Anderson to come home. This was as close as it got, with the final being 8-1. Jackson notched the win and Garcia was dealt the loss.

Up in Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays host the Tampa Bay Rays. Matt Moore and Carlos Villanueva are the relievers-turned-starters pitching. Toronto quickly started in the first inning as Kelly Johnson singled to plate both Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Lind. This was the only scoring, with final standing at 2-0. Villanueva earned the win, Casey Janssen tossed the save, and Moore had no help in the loss.

Back stateside, the Houston Astros host the San Francisco Giants. Ryan Vogelsong faces a lesser foe in Jordan Lyles. Houston began in the first inning as Jason Castro doubled in Jose Altuve before scoring on a Jimmy Parades single. The Astros added on in the second inning with Brian Bogusevic's sacrifice fly allowing Matt Dominguez to dash home. Houston struck again in the third inning as Tyler Greene hit a solo home run. San Francisco got on the board in the fifth inning when Angel Pagan doubled to drive in Gregor Blanco, followed by Marco Scutaro singling home Vogelsong and Pablo Sandoval hitting a sacrifice fly to finish Pagan's trip around. The Giants tied it in the seventh inning as Sandoval singled to get Scutaro home, before scoring alongside Buster Posey on a 2-RBI Hunter Pence single to take the lead. San Francisco padded the lead in the eighth inning when Joaquin Arias hit a solo shot. The Giants made it 8-4 in the ninth inning as Brandon Belt doubled to knock in Pence. This was a final, with Vogelsong getting the win, Sergio Romo tossing the save, and Fernando Rodriguez was responsible for the loss.

North to Kansas City, as the Royals host the Detroit Tigers. Rick Porcello and Jeremy Guthrie are penciled in to pitch. Kansas City got things going in the fifth inning as Johnny Giavotella grounded into a fielder's choice to allow Mike Moustakas to score. The Royals struck again in the sixth inning as Alex Gordon hit a solo home run. Detroit got on the board in the eighth inning with a Jhonny Peralta single to knock in Prince Fielder. They failed to tie the game, falling 2-1, with the win belonging to Guthrie, while Kelvin Herrera picked up a spot save, and Porcello took an unlucky loss.

Out in California, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Boston Red Sox. Joe Lester and Zack Greinke are on the hill. Los Angeles opened in the first inning as Albert Pujols doubled in both Mike Trout and Torii Hunter. Boston got on the board in the second inning on a Mike Aviles sacrifice fly to allow James Loney to score. The Angels shot back in the third inning as Mark Trumbo singled Hunter across the dish, followed by Alberto Callaspo doing the same for Pujols. Los Angeles padded the lead in the fourth inning as Trout grounded into a double play that gave time for Vernon Wells to come home. The Red Sox got one back in the sixth inning on a Loney solo home run. This was as close as it got, leaving the final at 5-2, with the win belonging to Greinke, the save tossed by Ernesto Frieri, and Lester was pinned with the loss.

Along the freeway, the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ian Kennedy and Clayton Kershaw pace the game. Arizona led off in the fourth inning as Chris Young hit a two-run home run, also scoring Miguel Montero. This was it for the scoring, with the final standing at 2-0. Kennedy pitched a strong win, J.J. Putz closed out for the save, and Kershaw had no help in the loss.

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