Sixteen games on in the third of four super sports weekends. This is the post for baseball, football will arrive in two additional posts throughout the day. We begin today with...
The New York Yankees hosting the Oakland Athletics. A.J. Griffin and Hiroki Kuroda are on the mound. Oakland started in the first inning as Stephen Drew scored on a wild pitch. The Athletics added on in the second inning as Cliff Pennington hit a two-run home run, also scoring Josh Donaldson. New York got on the board in the fourth inning as Nick Swisher went yard on a two-run home run, bringing Robinson Cano with him, followed by Raul Ibanez doubling in Curtis Granderson, and then they took the lead as Eduardo Nunez grounded out to get Russell Martin home. Oakland tied it in the fifth inning on a Yoenis Cespedes single to drive in Pennington. The Athletics took the lead in the sixth inning as Pennington singled to knock in Donaldson. This was it for the scoring, with the win going to Jerry Blevins, while Grant Balfour turned his twentieth save of the season, and Kuroda was stuck with the loss.
Next up, the Detroit Tigers host the Minnesota Twins for two. The first game pits solid starters Scott Diamond and Max Scherzer against each other. Detroit was first to score in the fourth inning as Miguel Cabrera doubled to plate Omar Infante before scoring on a single by Delmon Young. Minnesota rallied ahead in the sixth inning as Joe Mauer singled home Ben Revere before scoring on a single by Justin Morneau, followed by Trevor Plouffe singling Josh Willingham around, Morneau finishing his trip on a wild pitch, and Pedro Florimon grounding into a fielder's choice that allowed Ryan Doumit to dash home. The Twins struck again in the seventh inning as Mauer hit a sacrifice fly to allow Revere to score. Minnesota padded the lead in the eighth inning on an Eduardo Escobar single that provided time for Doumit to get safely home, before scoring on a single by Revere, and then Mauer tripled to force in both Florimon and Revere. The Tigers tried a ninth inning rally when Avisail Garcia singled both Don Kelly and Andy Dirks home, but this only made it 10-4 as a final. Diamond picked up the win and Scherzer took a rough loss.
In the late game, the pitchers are youngsters P.J. Walters and Drew Smyly. Detroit got going with a first inning Miguel Cabrera double to score Austin Jackson. Minnesota replied in the fifth inning as Jamey Carroll grounded into a fielder's choice that allowed Pedro Florimon to come home after an error. On that same play, two other runs were out at the dish. The Twins took the lead in the tenth inning on a Carroll single scoring Denard Span. This held up for a 2-1 win, with Jared Burton picking up the win, Glen Perkins throwing the save, and Jose Valverde was on the hook for the loss.
Back in New York, the Mets host the Miami Marlins. Ricky Nolasco and Chris Young are the embattled starters. New York began in the first inning as David Wright hit a two-run home run, also scoring Daniel Murphy. Miami tied it in the fifth inning when Bryan Petersen hit a sacrifice fly to get Rob Brantly home, followed by Gorkys Hernandez stealing second, which combined with an error to allow Gil Velazquez to dash home. The Mets won 3-2 in the ninth inning on a Ruben Tejada single to bring in Scott Hairston. Bobby Parnell got the win and Ryan Webb was responsible for the loss.
Over in Philadelphia, the Phillies host the Atlanta Braves. Tim Hudson and Cliff Lee take the hill. Atlanta got going in the second inning on a David Ross solo home run. The Braves got another in the third inning with Dan Uggla hitting a sacrifice fly to get Reed Johnson home. Philadelphia got on the board in the sixth inning as Chase Utley hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Jimmy Rollins. They failed to tie it, losing 2-1 with Hudson getting the win, Craig Kimbrel tossing the save, and Lee suffered the loss.
Moving along to Washington, as the Nationals host the Milwaukee Brewers. Yovani Gallardo faces a lesser foe in Chien-Ming Wang. Milwaukee led off in the fourth inning when Jonathan Lucroy singled in Ryan Braun and Logan Schafer doubled to knock in Corey Hart. Washington tied it in the fifth inning Chad Tracy singling home Ian Desmond and Jayson Werth hitting a sacrifice fly to bring in Danny Espinosa. The Brewers took the lead in the seventh inning with Lucroy again singling Braun in, Carlos Gomez doing the same for Aramis Ramirez, and Jean Segura grounding out to allow Hart safe passage home. Milwaukee padded the lead in the eighth inning on a Braun sacrifice fly that brought in Norichika Aoki. This produced the 6-2 win, as Brandon Kintzler picked up the win, John Axford notched the save, and Ryan Mattheus was dinged for the loss.
To Boston, as the Red Sox host the Baltimore Orioles. Chris Tillman and Felix Doubront receive the starting nods. Boston was first to score in the fourth inning as Danny Valencia grounded into a fielder's choice, which combined with an error to bring in Cody Ross. Baltimore tied it in the fifth inning as Manny Machado singled to knock in Lew Ford. The Red Sox took the lead in the eighth inning on a Ross double to knock in Dustin Pedroia. This stood up for a 2-1 win, with Junichi Tazawa picking up the win, Andrew Bailey turning the save, and Luis Ayala was dinged for the loss.
Down in Tampa Bay, the Rays host the Toronto Blue Jays. Chad Jenkins is mismatched with Jeremy Hellickson. Tampa Bay led off with a first inning B.J. Upton solo home run. The Rays added on in the eighth inning with Evan Longoria doubling in both Desmond Jennings and Ben Zobrist. This was good for a 3-0 win, earned by Hellickson, while Fernando Rodney closed out for the save, and Jenkins had no help in the loss.
Westward to Houston, as the Astros host the Pittsburgh Pirates. A.J. Burnett and Jordan Lyles will take their turns in the rotation. Pittsburgh finally got things going in the fifth inning when Gaby Sanchez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in Alex Presley, followed by Jose Tabata walking to push in Josh Harrison, Clint Barmes singling Andrew McCutchen around, and Rod Barajas did the same for Sanchez. The Pirates struck again in the sixth inning with McCutchen doubling Harrison around. Houston got on the board as Scott Moore hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth.Pittsburgh padded the lead in the eighth inning on a Pedro Alvarez single to plate Sanchez before scoring on a Tabata single himself, followed by Burnett singling Tabata the rest of the way home. They cruised from here to an 8-1 win, earned by Burnett, while Lyles was knocked around in the loss.
North into Kansas City, as the Royals host the Cleveland Indians. David Huff and Jake Odorizzi are the completely unknown pitchers. Kansas City began with a third inning Adam Moore solo home run. Cleveland answered in the sixth inning as Asdrubal Cabrera singled in Jason Kipnis before scoring on a two-run home run by Carlos Santana. The Indians added on with a seventh inning double steal, as Shin-Soo Choo swiped third while Kipnis swiped second, and an error let Choo score, followed by Santana singling, which combined with an error to bring in Kipnis, and Casey Kotchman singling Cabrera around, Jack Hannahan doing the same for Santana, and Ezequiel Carrera grounding out to bring home Michael Brantley. The Royals got one back in the bottom of the seventh as Tony Abreu hit a sacrifice fly to get Jeff Francoeur in. Kansas City got another in the eighth inning on a Billy Butler double, plating Irving Falu, followed by Francoeur singling Butler the rest of the way home. Cleveland shot back in the ninth inning with Carrera singling Brantley across the dish, followed by Choo walking with the bases loaded to force in Hannahan, Kipnis grounding into a fielder's choice to complete Carrera's trip around, and Cabrera singling Lou Marson in, before capping the rally on a three-run home run by Santana, sweeping in Kipnis and Cabrera. This capped the 15-4 drubbing as well, with the win belonging to Huff while Odorizzi was shelled in the loss.
Edging north a little more to Chicago, where the Cubs host the St. Louis Cardinals. Kyle Lohse and Justin Germano have the green light to pitch. St. Louis opened in the third inning as Allen Craig doubled both Jon Jay and Matt Holliday in, before scoring on a David Freese single. Chicago got some back in the fourth ining with Welington Castillo doubling to plate Starlin Castro before coming home on a wild pitch. The Cardinals added on in the sixth inning with a Pete Kozma solo home run. The Cubs took one back in the bottom of the sixth as Alfonso Soriano hit a solo shot. St. Louis extended the lead in the eighth inning as Kozma hit a sacrifice fly to allow Adron Chambers to dash home, followed by Carlos Beltran singling to drive in Skip Schumaker. This made it 6-3, a final, with Lohse notching the win, Jason Motte converting his fortieth save of the year, and Germano was dealt the loss.
Out west, the Colorado Rockies host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ian Kennedy and Jeff Francis are penciled in to pitch. Arizona quickly started in the second inning with a Cody Ransom single to score Jason Kubel, followed by Wil Nieves doing the same for Ryan Wheeler. The Diamondbacks added on in the fifth inning as Wheeler walked with the bases loaded to force in Aaron Hill. Colorado got on the board in the bottom of the fifth as Charlie Blackmon singled, which combined with an error to get Matt McBride in, followed by Jordan Pacheco singled to knock in Josh Rutledge and Wilin Rosario doubling to bring in Charlie Blackmon. The Rockies gained the lead in the sixth inning as Blackmon singled around DJ LeMahieu. Arizona took the lead in the eighth inning on a Mike Jacobs single to plate John McDonald, followed by a three-run home run by Hill, sweeping in Nieves and Jacobs. The Diamondbacks padded the lead in the ninth inning as Jake Elmore hit a 2-RBI single to drive in both Paul Goldschmidt and Kubel before scoring on an A.J. Pollock groundout. Colorado replied in the bottom of the ninth with Tyler Colvin doubling to get both Jordan Pacheco and Chris Nelson across the dish before scoring on a single by LeMahieu. This only made it 10-7, a final, with the win going to Matt Albers, the save finished off by J.J. Putz, and the loss was pinned on Matt Belisle.
Out in California, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Chicago White Sox. Gavin Floyd and Jered Weaver are the veteran pitchers. Los Angeles finally got going in the sixth inning as Albert Pujols doubled in both Mike Trout and Torii Hunter home, before scoring on a two-run home run by Kendrys Morales. Chicago got on the board in the seventh inning with Dayan Viciedo hitting a sacrifice fly to allow A.J. Pierzynski to score. This was as close as it got, with Weaver picking up the win and Floyd was handed the loss.
Up the coast, the San Francisco Giants host the San Diego Padres. Eric Stults and Yusmeiro Petit are the back-of-the-rotation starters. San Diego led off in the second inning as Stults sacrificed, which combined with an error to bring in Alexi Amarista. San Francisco tied it in the fourth inning on a Xavier Nady double to get Ryan Theriot in, before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Eli Whiteside. The Padres tied it in the fifth inning with Yasmani Grandal singling in Logan Forsythe. San Diego took the lead in the seventh inning when Yonder Alonso singled both Everth Cabrera and Forsythe around. The Giants answered in their half of the inning with Emmanuel Burriss grounding into a fielder's choice that gave time for Francisco Peguero to dash home. The Padres shot back as Mark Kotsay hit a solo home run, followed by Cabrera scoring on an error in the eighth inning. San Francisco tried a ninth inning rally as Buster Posey grounded into a fielder's choice to allow Brandon Crawford to score, but they still lost 6-4. Stults was given the win, Huston Street finished off a messy save, and Clay Hensley was stuck holding the loss.
Farther north, the Seattle Mariners host the Texas Rangers. Ryan Dempster and Jason Vargas pace the game. Texas began in the fourth inning as Mike Napoli hit a solo home run, followed by Geovany Soto hitting a two-run home run, also scoring David Murphy. Seattle got on the board in the seventh inning as both Eric Thames and Brendan Ryan hit solo shots. They failed to tie it, losing 3-2, with Dempster getting the win, Joe Nathan finished off the save, and Vargas took an unlucky loss.
Finally, in Cincinnati, the Reds host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Clayton Kershaw and Homer Bailey are set to pitch. Los Angeles started in the second inning with an Adrian Gonzalez solo home run. Cincinnati tied it in the third inning as Todd Frazier singled in Wilson Valdez. The Dodgers took the lead back in the seventh inning on a Gonzalez solo shot, followed A.J. Ellis sacrificing to knock in Dee Gordon, Mark Ellis doubling Luis Cruz around, and Andre Ethier singling to drive in Bobby Abreu. The Reds got some back in the eighth inning as Denis Phipps hit a two-run home run, also scoring Miguel Cairo. This was as close as it got, with the final being 5-3. Shawn Tolleson got the win, Brandon League notched the save, and Bailey was dinged for the loss.
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