MLB Day 63 2012

Full slate of Sunday baseball, what more can you ask for? I'd also like to thank the regular readers of this blog for our 5,000th view, achieved yesterday while I was out. Here's to another 5,000 and hopefully quicker than 18 months time for them too! For the baseball, we begin in...

Detroit, as the Tigers host the New York Yankees. Phil Hughes and Justin Verlander are the well-known starters. New York began with a first inning Derek Jeter solo home run, followed by a Mark Teixeira sacrifice fly scoring Curtis Granderson. The Yankees added on in the third inning as Alex Rodriguez hit a solo shot. Detroit got one back in the fourth inning as Prince Fielder lifted a solo home run. New York answered in the fifth inning as Robinson Cano tripled to force in Granderson before scoring on an error. The final was 5-1, with Hughes going the distance for the win, while Verlander was a bit off in the loss.

Up in Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays host the Boston Red Sox. Daniel Bard and Drew Hutchison will make the starts. Toronto opened early with a three-home run from Jose Bautista in the first inning, sweeping in Kelly Johnson and Yunel Escobar. The Blue Jays struck again in the second inning as Bautista drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Colby Rasmus, followed by Edwin Encarnacion being hit by a pitch that pushed home J.P. Arencibia. Boston got on the board with a solo home run by Kelly Shoppach in the fifth inning. This was it for the scoring, leaving the final at 5-1, with Hutchison collecting the win while Bard lasted a very short time in the loss.

Back stateside, the Philadelphia Phillies host the Miami Marlins. Carlos Zambrano and Joe Blanton will take the mound. Miami started with a third inning solo home run by the pitcher Zambrano. The Marlins struck again in the fourth inning with a Hanley Ramirez solo shot. Miami rallied onward in the seventh inning as Jose Reyes doubled in both John Buck and Chris Coghlan, followed by Zambrano scoring on a wild pitch. Philadelphia got on the board in the eighth inning as Juan Pierre singled, allowing Brian Schneider to cross home. This made it 5-1, a final, with Zambrano effective on both sides of the ball in the win, Heath Bell closing out for the save, and Blanton getting little help in the loss.

Over to Washington, as the Nationals welcome the Atlanta Braves. Tommy Hanson and Gio Gonzalez are the reliable starters. Washington quickly struck in the first inning as Steve Lombardozzi and Bryce Harper hit solo home runs. Atlanta got one back in the third inning on a Dan Uggla double to bring home Martin Prado. The Braves took the lead in the fifth inning with a 2-RBI single from Jason Heyward, knocking in both Michael Bourn and Uggla. The final stood from here at 3-2, with Hanson picking up the win, Craig Kimbrel tossing the save, and Gonzalez suffering an unlucky loss.

South to Tampa Bay, as the Rays host the Baltimore Orioles. Jake Arrieta and Matt Moore will try to fix their seasons with the starts. Baltimore got things going in the second inning on a Matt Wieters solo home run. Tampa Bay took the lead in the fourth inning as Matt Joyce hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Carlos Pena and B.J. Upton the score, with the latter getting home on an error. The Orioles retied it in the fifth inning as Mark Reynolds singled to drive in Endy Chavez. The Rays got the lead back in the bottom of the fifth with a 2-RBI Upton double, scoring Will Rhymes and Jose Molina. Tampa Bay rallied to extend the lead in the sixth inning as Ben Zobrist scored on an error, Elliot Johnson singled in Rich Thompson, Molina reached on an error to bring in Sean Rodriguez, and Pena hit a sacrifice fly to finish Johnson's trip around. Baltimore got another back in the eighth inning with a Reynolds solo shot. The Orioles tried a ninth inning rally as Wieters singled to drive in Robert Andino, but they got no further, falling 8-4. Moore was in line for the win while Arrieta was pinned with the loss.

Westward to Houston, as the Astros welcome the Cincinnati Reds. Bronson Arroyo and Jordan Lyles will handle the pitching duties. Houston was first to score with a second inning Jason Castro sacrifice fly bringing in Chris Johnson. Cincinnati took the lead with a two-run home run by Zack Cozart in the third inning, also scoring the pitcher Arroyo. The Astros took the lead again in the fifth inning as Marwin Gonzalez singled home Brett Wallace, followed by a Jordan Schafer sacrifice fly allowing safe passage home for Castro. Houston got some more in the seventh inning on a two-run home run by Justin Maxwell, sweeping in Gonzalez. The Reds got one back in the eighth inning as Joey Votto hit a sacrifice fly to allow Todd Frazier to dash home. This was as close as it got, with the final standing at 5-3, with Lyles earning the win, Brett Myers turning the save, and Arroyo getting stuck with the loss.

North to Kansas City, with the Royals hosting the Oakland Athletics. Tommy Milone and Vin Mazzaro are the relatively unknown pitchers. Kansas City took an early lead with an Eric Hosmer solo home run in the second inning. The Royals added on in the fifth inning as Johnny Giavotella singled to score Jarrod Dyson. This was it for the scoring, with Mazzaro grabbing the win, Jonathan Broxton converting the save, and Milone getting no run support in the loss.

Farther to the north, as the Milwaukee Brewers host the Pittsburgh Pirates. James McDonald faces a lesser foe in Michael Fiers. Milwaukee wasted little time in establishing a first inning lead as Taylor Green double home Nyjer Morgan before scoring on a Rickie Weeks single. Pittsburgh got one back in the second inning as Clint Barmes singled, plating Casey McGehee. The Pirates gained the lead in the fifth inning as Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run home run, also scoring McDonald, before Garrett Jones hit a solo home run. Pittsburgh added on in the sixth inning with a Rod Barajas solo shot. The Brewers got one back in the bottom of the sixth as Morgan hit a solo home run. Milwaukee pulled closer in the seventh inning as Martin Maldonado hit a solo shot. The Pirates got some breathing room with a ninth inning solo home run by Barmes. The Brewers tried a ninth inning rally on a Brooks Conrad solo shot, but they still fell by a 6-5 score. McDonald pitched well for the win, Joel Hanrahan converted a shaky save, and Fiers was on the hook for the loss.

Back south a tad, the Chicago White Sox host the Seattle Mariners. Kevin Millwood and Chris Sale are the veteran pitchers starting. Seattle opened in the second inning with a two-run Miguel Olivo home run, also scoring Justin Smoak. Chicago got one back in their half of the inning as Brent Lillibridge drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Kosuke Fukudome. The White Sox tied it in the third inning with Alex Rios singling to bring home Adam Dunn. Chicago gained the lead in the fourth inning as Gordon Beckham singled home Tyler Flowers, followed by Rios singling to score Eduardo Escobar. This was good enough for a 4-2 win, with Sale going the distance for the win, and Millwood taking the loss.

Into Ohio, as the Cleveland Indians host the Minnesota Twins. Scott Diamond and Justin Masterson are given the green light to start. Minnesota got things going as Joe Mauer singled Denard span across the plate. The Twins got another in the third inning as Justin Morneau singled in Mauer. Minnesota struck again in the fourth inning on an Alexi Casilla sacrifice fly to allow Brian Dozier to score. Cleveland got on the board in the bottom of the fourth as Jose Lopez hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Jason Kipnis, followed by a Shelley Duncan single to score Asdrubal Cabrera. The Twins extended their lead in the seventh inning as Josh Willingham doubled to plate Ben Revere, before coming home on a Ryan Doumit single. The Indians answered in the bottom of the seventh with Lou Marson doubling to plate Matt LaPorta. Minnesota struck again in the eighth inning as Casilla hit a sacrifice fly, bringing home Trevor Plouffe. This made it 6-3, a final, with the win going to Diamond, the save to Matt Capps, and the loss to Masterson.

Westward to Colorado, as the Rockies bring in the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nathan Eovaldi and Alex White will be on the hill. Colorado drew first blood in the first inning as Marco Scutaro grounded out to bring in Dexter Fowler. The Rockies added on in the sixth inning as Todd Helton singled in Scutaro, followed by Jordan Pacheco doubling to get Carlos Gonzalez home. Los Angeles got on the board in the seventh inning with a two-run home run by A.J. Ellis, also scoring James Loney. They couldn't tie the game, falling 3-2, with the win going to White, the save recorded by Rafael Betancourt as his tenth of the season, and Eovaldi was stuck holding the loss.

Out in California, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Texas Rangers. Matt Harrison and Dan Haren will be on the mound. Texas got going in the third inning as Elvis Andrus doubled to knock in Mike Napoli. The Rangers added on in the fifth inning as Michael Young singled to score Ian Kinsler. Los Angeles got on the board in the bottom of the fifth as Erick Aybar doubled to drive in Mark Trumbo. Texas shot back in the sixth inning as Kinsler grounded out to provide David Murphy time to get home. The Angels replied with a Jon Hester solo home run in the bottom of the sixth. The Rangers padded their lead with a two-run home run by Nelson Cruz, sweeping in Young in the seventh inning. Los Angeles chipped away in their half of the inning as Mike Trout singled in Peter Bourjos. Texas struck again in the ninth inning as Napoli singled Craig Gentry safely home, before an Andrus single brought him the rest of the way home. This made it 7-3, which was later a final, with Harrison earning the win and Haren was dealt the loss.

Northward to San Francisco, as the Giants host the Chicago Cubs. Travis Wood and Barry Zito are the struggling starters. San Francisco opened in the fifth inning as Joaquin Arias singled home Angel Pagan. The Giants added on in the eighth inning as Melky Cabrera singled in Gregor Blanco. This made it 2-0, an eventual final, with Zito pitching effectively to earn the win, Sergio Romo collecting the save, and Wood having no help in the loss.

Down in San Diego, the Padres host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Trevor Cahill and Eric Stults will throw tonight. Arizona was first on the board in the second inning with a solo home run from Paul Goldschmidt. The Diamondbacks added on in the sixth inning with a Jason Kubel sacrifice fly to knock in Ryan Roberts, followed by a two-run home run from Miguel Montero, also scoring Justin Upton. Arizona struck again in the seventh inning as Gerardo Parra hit a two-run home run, sweeping in Josh Bell. This made it 6-0, a final, with Cahill going the distance for a complete game shutout, allowing just six hits and three walks in the process, while Stults was dinged for the loss.

Finally, we end in New York, as the Mets host the St. Louis Cardinals. Jake Westbrook and Jonathon Niese are the young arms pacing the primetime game. New York led off with a first inning Lucas Duda single, knocking Andres Torres. The Mets added on in the fourth inning as Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit a two-run home run, also scoring the pitcher Niese. New York padded the lead in the sixth inning as Nieuwenhuis singled to drive in Omar Quintanilla, before coming home alongside Josh Thole on a triple by Torres. St. Louis got on the board with an eighth inning Adron Chambers singled to plate David Freese. This made it 6-1, a final, with Niese solid in the win and Westbrook shaky in the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion and check out the new blog over at ultimatebaseballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the adventure of a lifetime.

MLB Day 62 2012

Full slate on the schedule today, and we begin in...

Canada, as the Toronto Blue Jays host the Boston Red Sox. Felix Doubront and Kyle Drabek are the young pitchers. Boston opened in the second inning with Will Middlebrooks singling to score Jarrod Saltalamacchia, followed by Nick Punto doubling in Ryan Sweeney, and Daniel Nava hitting a 2-RBI single to knock in both Middlebrooks and Punto. Toronto got on the board in the third inning with a Jeff Mathis solo home run. The Red Sox shot back in the fourth inning as Middlebrooks grounded into a double play allowing Kevin Youkilis to get home safely. The Blue Jays answered in the bottom of the fourth with Kelly Johnson singling in David Cooper. Toronto pulled closer with a fifth inning Jose Bautista solo shot. Boston padded their lead in the eighth inning as Sweeney singled, bringing home David Ortiz. The Blue Jays pulled closer in the bottom of the eighth as Brett Lawrie hit a single, which combined with an error plated Edwin Encarnacion. The Red Sox gained breathing room on a Punto solo home run in the ninth inning. This stood for a 7-4 win, with Doubront picking up the win, Alfredo Aceves turning the save, and Drabek taking the loss.

Stateside, the Kansas City Royals host the Oakland Athletics. Brandon McCarthy and Luke Hochevar draw the starts. Oakland quickly scored in the first inning as Collin Cowgill grounded out to score Jemile Weeks. Kansas City tied it in the bottom of the first with a Jeff Francoeur single to drive in Alex Gordon. The Athletics got the lead again in the fourth inning as Yoenis Cespedes scored on a wild pitch. Oakland added on in the fifth inning with a triple from Josh Reddick forcing in Kurt Suzuki and Weeks, followed by Cespedes singling to finish Reddick's trip around, and Kila Ka'aihue knocking Cespedes in with a double. The Royals got one back in the sixth inning as Eric Hosmer doubled to score Billy Butler. Kansas City got another in the seventh inning as Yuniesky Betancourt hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Jarrod Dyson safe passage home. The Athletics roared away in the eighth inning as Adam Rosales singled in both Suzuki and Cliff Pennington, before coming home as Reddick reached on an error. This was it for the scoring, leaving the final at 9-3, with McCarthy getting the win and Hochevar getting nailed with the loss.

Eastward to Washington, as the Nationals host the Atlanta Braves. Brandon Beachy and Stephen Strasburg show alliteration in the pitching battle. Washington started with a fifth inning Jesus Flores solo home run. The Nationals struck again in the seventh inning as Xavier Nady doubled in Danny Espinosa. This produced the 2-0 final, with Strasburg cruising to victory, while Tyler Clippard got the save, and Beachy took the loss with little support.

Over in Philadelphia, the Phillies host the Miami Marlins. Ricky Nolasco and Cole Hamels are the staff aces set to start. Philadelphia got things going in the first inning on a Carlos Ruiz groundout to bring in Juan Pierre. The Phillies added on with a second inning Jimmy Rollins single, driving in Placido Polanco. Philadelphia struck again with a third inning solo home run by Hunter Pence. Miami got on the board with a fourth inning Hanley Ramirez solo shot, before Justin Ruggiano doubled to score Logan Morrison. The Marlins took the lead in the sixth inning as Ramirez hit a two-run home run, sweeping in Omar Infante. Miami extended the lead with a seventh inning Jose Reyes double to knock in Chris Coghlan. The Phillies got one back in the eighth inning when Pence hit a sacrifice fly, paving the way home for Rollins. They couldn't tie it, falling 5-4, with Nolasco grabbing the win, Heath Bell converting the save, and Hamels was dealt the loss.

Way to the west, the Colorado Rockies welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers. Aaron Harang and Juan Nicasio are the middle-of-the-rotation starters. Los Angeles wasted little time in scoring in the first inning with an Andre Ethier single giving Tony Gwynn, Jr. time to dash home. Colorado tied it in the bottom of the first on a Michael Cuddyer double, scoring Dexter Fowler. The Dodgers took the lead back in the second inning as Elian Herrera singled home both Dee Gordon and Gwynn. Los Angeles added on in the fourth inning as Ethier drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Gwynn. The Dodgers struck again in the sixth inning with a Bobby Abreu solo home run, followed by Adam Kennedy singling to plate Ethier. The Rockies got one back in the seventh inning as Willin Rosario doubled to drive in DJ LeMahieu. This was as close as it got, with Harang picking up the win in the 6-2 game, and Nicasio suffering the loss.

Back to the Atlantic, as the New York Mets host the St. Louis Cardinals. Lance Lynn and R.A. Dickey are the underrated pitchers. New York struck first in the second inning as Dickey reached on an error to bring home Ike Davis, followed by Kirk Nieuwenhuis grounding out, providing time for Omar Quintanilla to get home safely, and then Andres Torres did the same thing for Josh Thole. The Mets got another in the seventh inning when Daniel Murphy scored on a wild pitch. New York made it 5-0 in the eighth inning, an eventual final, as David Wright hit a solo home run. Dickey went the distance for a complete game shutout, allowing just seven hits while striking out nine, and Lynn suffered a lack of run support in the loss.

To the Midwest, as the Chicago White Sox host the Seattle Mariners. Hector Noesi is mismatched with Gavin Floyd for pitching purposes. Seattle led off with an Ichiro solo home run in the first inning. The Mariners added on in the second inning with a Justin Smoak solo shot. Chicago tied it in the bottom of the second with A.J. Pierzynski hitting a two-run home run, also scoring Alex Rios. Seattle got the lead back in the third inning with another Ichiro solo home run. The White Sox pulled back in the bottom of the third as Gordon Beckham singled in Orlando Hudson. The Mariners kept up the power show in the fourth inning with a two-run home run from Michael Saunders, sweeping in Mike Carp. Chicago answered with a solo shot by Rios in their half of the inning. The White Sox took a lead in the fifth inning on a two-run home run by Beckham, bringing in Alejandro De Aza. Chicago struck again in the seventh inning as Beckham singled to drive in De Aza. Seattle shot back in the eighth inning as Brendan Ryan doubled in both John Jaso and Saunders before scoring on a throwing error. The White Sox retied it in the bottom of the eighth on a Dayan Viciedo solo home run. The Mariners took a 10-8 lead in the twelfth inning as Jaso doubled, knocking in Munenori Kawasaki, before finishing his trip on a Chone Figgins single. They held on for the win, with Tom Wilhelmsen in line for the win, Hisashi Iwakuma turning the save, and Addison Reed getting dinged for the loss.

Down in Florida, the Tampa Bay Rays host the Baltimore Orioles. Brian Matusz and Jeremy Hellickson take their turns in the rotation. Baltimore got on the board in the third inning with an Endy Chavez solo home run. Tampa Bay tied it in the fifth inning as Drew Sutton reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Sean Rodriguez to dart home. The Orioles took the lead again in the seventh inning with Robert Andino reaching on an error, giving time for Mark Reynolds to get home. This was it for the scoring, with Matusz earning the win, Jim Johnson converting the save, and Hellickson pitching solidly but still taking the loss.

Northwest to Milwaukee, as the Brewers host the Pittsburgh Pirates. Erik Bedard and Shaun Marcum are the veteran pitchers. Milwaukee got things started in the second inning as Brooks Conrad hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Aramis Ramirez. Pittsburgh tied it with a fourth inning Garrett Jones solo home run. The Brewers got the lead back in the bottom of the fourth as Cody Ransom singled in both Ramirez and Rickie Weeks, before scoring on a two-run homer by Conrad. This was all for the scoring, as the final stood at 5-1 Brewers, with the win credited to Marcum and the loss handed to Bedard.

Over in Detroit, the Tigers host the New York Yankees. Hiroki Kuroda and Rick Porcello get the starting nods. Detroit finally opened things up in the fourth inning with a Miguel Cabrera solo home run. The Tigers got another in the fifth inning as Quintin Berry singled in Don Kelly. New York got on the board in the sixth inning as Raul Ibanez grounded out to bring home Robinson Cano. The Yankees struck again in the eighth inning as Nick Swisher singled to score Mark Teixeira. Detroit got the lead back in their half of the inning on another Cabrera solo shot. New York retied it in the ninth inning as Teixeira drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Dewayne Wise. The Tigers won it with a Omir Santos walkoff sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth that plated Brennan Boesch for the 4-3 final. Jose Valverde blew the save but got the cheap win, while Boone Logan was on the hook for the implosion in the loss.

Down in Houston, the Astros host the Cincinnati Reds. Mat Latos and Wandy Rodriguez are the well-known starters. Cincinnati quickly got going in the first inning as Drew Stubbs doubled to score Zack Cozart before coming home on a two-run home run by Joey Votto. Houston got some back in the bottom of the first on a two-run Jed Lowrie long ball, also scoring Jose Altuve. The Reds rallied ahead in the second inning with a solo home run from Todd Frazier, a three-run blast from Stubbs that brought in Ryan Hanigan and Cozart, and a Chris Heisey single to score Votto. The Astros answered in the third inning with J.D. Martinez grounding out to bring in Altuve, and Fernando Martinez hitting a 2-RBI double to drive in Lowrie and Chris Johnson. Houston rallied ahead in the fourth inning as Jordan Schafer singled, knocking in Jason Castro, followed by J.D. Martinez singling in both Schafer and Altuve, and Johnson singling to finish J.D. Martinez's trip around. Cincinnati retied it in the fifth inning with a Ryan Ludwick solo shot. The Reds got the lead in the sixth inning as Brandon Phillips doubled home Votto. Cincinnati roared away in the eighth inning as Phillips hit a 2-RBI single to knock in both Cozart and Stubbs. This stood up for a 12-9 win, with the win credited to Sam LeCure, while Aroldis Chapman turned the save and Fernando Rodriguez was pinned with the loss.

Northeast to Cleveland, as the Indians host the Minnesota Twins. P.J. Walters and Josh Tomlin are sent out to pitch. Minnesota rallied to an early first inning lead as Joe Mauer singled home Denard Span, followed by Justin Morneau doing the same for Ben Revere, and Trevor Plouffe hitting a 2-RBI single to drive in Morneau and Ryan Doumit. Cleveland got one back in their half of the inning as Michael Brantley grounded into a fielder's choice, bringing home Shin-Soo Choo. The Indians pulled closer in the third inning as Asdrubal Cabrera singled to score Jason Kipnis. Cleveland chipped away in the fourth inning on a Lou Marson groundout providing time for Johnny Damon to dash home. The Indians tied it in the fifth inning as Brantley singled, driving in Kipnis. The Twins got the lead again in the sixth inning on a Plouffe solo home run. Minnesota added on in the seventh inning with a two-run home run by Mauer, also scoring Revere. This made it 7-4, the final, with Brian Duensing in line for the win, Matt Capps successfully converting the save, and Tomlin getting stuck with the loss.

Out in California, the San Francisco Giants host the Chicago Cubs. Matt Garza and Matt Cain are the talented Matts taking the mound tonight. Chicago drew first blood with a fourth inning David DeJesus solo home run. San Francisco took the lead in the sixth inning as Aubrey Huff drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Ryan Theriot, followed by Joaquin Arias grounding into a fielder's choice that scored Melky Cabrera. This was good enough to give the Giants a 2-1 win, with Cain picking up the victory, Sergio Romo turning the save, and Garza getting no help in the loss.

Down in San Diego, the Padres host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Daniel Hudson and Edinson Volquez pace the game. Arizona got things going in the fourth inning with the pitcher Hudson hitting a sacrifice fly that allowed safe passage home for Miguel Montero. San Diego answered in the bottom of the fourth as Cameron Maybin singling to score Will Venable before coming home on a Yonder Alonso single. The Diamondbacks tied it again in the fifth inning on a Paul Goldschmidt solo home run. Arizona gained the lead in the seventh inning as Willie Bloomquist hit a single that combined with a balk to bring in Gerardo Parra. The Diamondbacks added on in the eighth inning as Parra drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Montero. This made the eventual final 4-2, with Hudson earning the win, J.J. Putz notching a sloppy save, and Joe Thatcher got stuck with the loss.

Finally, in Anaheim, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Texas Rangers. Yu Darvish opposes C.J. Wilson on the hill. Los Angeles finally opened things up in the sixth inning as Mark Trumbo reached on an error, allowing Albert Pujols to get home. Texas tied it in the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly by David Murphy, knocking in Nelson Cruz. The Angels rallied back in the bottom of the seventh as Alberto Callaspo singled to score Erick Aybar and Kendrys Morales hit a sacrifice fly that brought in Mike Trout. The Rangers got one back in the eighth inning as Michael Young's single, combined with an error, plated Elvis Andrus, but it wasn't enough to avoid a 3-2 loss. The win was given to Bobby Cassevah, while Ernesto Frieri picked up the save and Darvish was left holding the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion and got check out ultimatebaseballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the upcoming baseball adventure of a lifetime.

MLB Day 61 2012

Originally we had a full slate waiting to be played, but rain around D.C. postponed the Washington Nationals game with the Atlanta Braves. With the games being played, we begin in...

Cleveland, with the Indians hosting the Minnesota Twins. Carl Pavano and Derek Lowe are given the starting nods. Cleveland got going in the second inning with a two-run home run by Lonnie Chisenhall, also scoring Johnny Damon. The Indians added on in the third inning with a Michael Brantley double to score Shin-Soo Choo. Cleveland kept going in the fourth inning with a Jason Kipnis grand slam, sweeping in all of Chisenhall, Lou Marson, and Choo. Minnesota found the scoreboard in the seventh inning as Brian Dozier singled to score Josh Willingham. This made it 7-1, a final score, with Lowe getting the win and Pavano taking the loss.

Up in Detroit, the Tigers host the New York Yankees. CC Sabathia faces a lesser foe in Casey Crosby. Detroit was first to score in the first inning as Danny Worth singled in Quintin Berry. New York tied it in the second inning with Derek Jeter drawing a bases-loaded walk to force in Robinson Cano, before Curtis Granderson cleaned the bases with a grand slam to bring in all of Nick Swisher, Jayson Nix, and Jeter. The Tigers pulled back in the third inning on a Ramon Santiago solo home run, followed by Prince Fielder singling in Berry. The Yankees got one back in the fourth inning when Chris Stewart singled in Berry. New York struck again in the eighth inning with Andruw Jones doubling home Swisher. Detroit got one back in the bottom of the eighth as Jhonny Peralta hit a sacrifice fly to score Miguel Cabrera. The Yankees iced it at 9-4 in the ninth inning with a two-run homer from Alex Rodriguez, also bringing in Granderson. This allowed Sabathia to get the loss, Rafael Soriano the save, and the loss went to Crosby.

Back east, the Philadelphia Phillies host the Miami Marlins. Mark Buehrle and Kyle Kendrick made the starts. Miami drew first blood in the first inning with Giancarlo Stanton doubling Omar Infante home. Philadelphia took the lead in the bottom of the first on a 2-RBI Hector Luna single, knocking in both Placido Polanco and Hunter Pence. The Phillies added on in the fifth inning with Pence hitting a two-run home run, also scoring Polanco. The Marlins got one back in the sixth inning when Jose Reyes grounded into a double play to allow safe passage home for Chris Coghlan. Philadelphia answered in the bottom of the sixth with a Jimmy Rollins groundout to score Freddy Galvis. The Phillies struck again in the seventh inning as Luna doubled in Pence. Miami pulled back in the eighth inning with back-to-back solo shots from Logan Morrison and Justin Ruggiano. The final stood at 6-4, with Kendrick getting the win, Jonathan Papelbon converting his fifteenth save of the season, and Buehrle was given the loss.

Up in Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays host the Boston Red Sox. Clay Buchholz and Henderson Alvarez will be taking their turns to pitch. Boston led off in the second inning with a David Ortiz solo home run. The Red Sox added on in the third inning as Adrian Gonzalez singled home Daniel Nava. Toronto got one back in the bottom of the third as Yunel Escobar hit a solo shot. Boston shot back in the sixth inning as Jarrod Saltalamacchia grounded into a fielder's choice to bring in Nava. The Red Sox extended the lead in the seventh inning when Scott Podsednik singled to drive in Ryan Sweeney before coming home on a Nava double, followed by Gonzalez singling to score Nava and Ortiz singling to finish Gonzalez's trip around. The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the seventh with a David Cooper solo home run. This was all for the scoring in the 7-2 game, as Buchholz grabbed the win and Alvarez was stuck holding the loss.

Back stateside, the Tampa Bay Rays host the Baltimore Orioles. Wei-Yin Chen and David Price are handed the ball. Tampa Bay rallied to a large first inning lead as Luke Scott singled in both B.J. Upton and Matt Joyce, followed by a Sean Rodriguez sacrifice fly allowing Ben Zobrist to score, and then Hideki Matsui hit a two-run home run to finish Scott's trip around. This was it for the scoring, leaving the final at 5-0, with Price getting the win, Fernando Rodney turning the save, and Chen getting no support in the loss.

North to New York, as the Mets host the St. Louis Cardinals. Staff aces Adam Wainwright and Johan Santana will play from the mound. New York got things started in the fourth inning with a Lucas Duda sacrifice fly to bring in Kirk Nieuwenhuis, followed by a Daniel Murphy triple that forced in David Wright. The Mets added on in the sixth inning as Duda hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Nieuwenhuis and Wright. New York padded the lead again in the seventh inning with a bases-loaded walk by Wright forcing in Omar Quintanilla, and Murphy singling in both Andres Torres and Nieuwenhuis. This made it 8-0, with Santana tossing a no hitter and allowing only five walks for the win, while Wainwright suffered from a lack of run support in the loss. The no-no is the first in Mets history.

Southwest to Texas, where the Houston Astros host the Cincinnati Reds. Mike Leake and J.A. Happ try to improve their season stats tonight. Cincinnati wasted no time in scoring in the first inning when Brandon Phillips doubled in Joey Votto before scoring on a Jay Bruce single. The Reds added on in the third inning with a Votto single scoring Zack Cozart. Houston got on the board in the sixth inning as Carlos Lee grounded into a double play, allowing Jose Altuve to come home. Cincinnati made it 4-1 in the ninth inning on a Bruce solo home run. Leake was in line for the win, Aroldis Chapman got the save, and Happ was stuck with the loss.

North a little to Kansas City, as the Royals host the Oakland Athletics. Bartolo Colon and Felipe Paulino are tabbed to start. Kansas City opened with a first inning Yuniesky Betancourt double knocking in Alex Gordon, before he came home on Mike Moustakas single. This was all there was in the scoring, leading the Royals to a 2-0 win, earned by Paulino, while Jonathan Broxton closed out for the save, and Colon was on the hook for the loss.

Farther north, the Milwaukee Brewers host the Pittsburgh Pirates. Kevin Correia and Randy Wolf are the veteran starters. Milwaukee got started with a Nyjer Morgan solo home run in the first inning. Pittsburgh went ahead in the third inning as Andrew McCutchen tripled to force in Josh Harrison, before coming the rest of the way home on a Neil Walker single, and then Walker scored on a Rod Barajas single, followed by a 3-RBI Jose Tabata double to bring home all of Barajas, Jordy Mercer, and Correia. The Brewers got one back in the sixth inning as Corey Hart hit a solo shot. The Pirates extended their lead on a McCutchen double, knocking in both Tabata and Harrison. The final was 8-2, with Correia getting the win while Wolf was dealt the loss.

Into Chicago, as the White Sox host the Seattle Mariners. Felix Hernandez and Jake Peavy will pace the game as a pair of aces. Chicago began with a two-run home run in the first inning off the bat of Gordon Beckham, also scoring Alejandro De Aza. The White Sox added on in the fifth inning as Beckham and Adam Dunn hit back-to-back solo home runs. Seattle got on the board in the seventh inning with a two-run home run by Kyle Seager, also scoring Dustin Ackley. The Mariners tied it in the eighth inning when Seager singled to score Ichiro, and Justin Smoak did the same for Ackley. Chicago took the lead again in the bottom of the eighth as Alexei Ramirez singled home Brent Lillibridge, followed by De Aza singling in both A.J. Pierzynski and Ramirez, making the eventual final 7-4. Jesse Crain was in line for the win, Addison Reed got the save, and Shawn Kelley was dealt the loss.

Out west, the Colorado Rockies host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chris Capuano and Josh Outman will make the starts. Colorado got things going in the second inning as both Michael Cuddyer and Willin Rosario scored on an error. Los Angeles got on the board in the fourth inning with an Alex Castellanos triple forcing in Scott Van Slyke. The Rockies answered in the bottom of the fourth when Jordan Pacheco grounded into a double play, allowing Cuddyer to get home. Colorado added on in the fifth inning as Carlos Gonzalez singled, driving in Dexter Fowler. The Dodgers got one back in the sixth inning with a Castellanos sacrifice fly bringing in Jerry Hairston, Jr. The Rockies shot back in the bottom of the sixth as Rosario hit a two-run home run, also scoring Todd Helton, followed by Fowler reaching on an error that brought in DJ LeMahieu and a Marco Scutaro single finishing Fowler's trip around. Colorado extended the lead in the seventh inning as Rosario grounded into a fielder's choice to score Cuddyer, followed by LeMahieu singling Pacheco across the plate, and Fowler singling to finish Rosario's trip around. Los Angeles got one back in the eighth inning as Matt Treanor grounded into a fielder's choice to bring home Hairston. The Rockies replied in the bottom of the eighth inning with solo shots by Chris Nelson and Cuddyer. This made it 13-3, a final, with Carlos Torres snagging the win, while Capuano was stuck with the loss.

Out in San Diego, the Padres host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Wade Miley and Clayton Richard are on the hill. Arizona was first on the board with a third inning Miguel Montero single to knock in Aaron Hill. San Diego tied it in the bottom of the third as Richard grounded out to bring home Alexi Amarista. The Padres took the lead in the eighth inning as Jesus Guzman hit a two-run home run, also scoring Amarista, followed by Cameron Maybin tripling to force in Chris Denorfia before coming the final 90 feet when Carlos Quentin singled, and then both Yonder Alonso and Anthony Bass scored on an error, making the score 7-1. This became a final, with Andrew Cashner in line for the win while Miley was on the hook for the loss. 

Up in Anaheim, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Texas Rangers. Colby Lewis and Jerome Williams pace the game. Texas struck first with a first inning Adrian Beltre single scoring Josh Hamilton. The Rangers added on in the fourth inning as Mike Napoli singled home Michael Young. Los Angeles tied it in the sixth inning as Mike Trout tripled to force in John Hester before coming the final 90 feet on an Albert Pujols sacrifice fly. The Angels took the lead in the seventh inning on a 2-RBI Trout single, scoring both Howie Kendrick and Erick Aybar. This was it for the scoring, leaving the final at 4-2, with Williams earning the win, Ernesto Frieri picking up the save, and Lewis being dealt the loss.

Finally, in San Francisco, the Giants host the Chicago Cubs. Paul Maholm and Madison Bumgarner man the mound. San Francisco drew first blood in the first inning as Ryan Theriot doubled in Gregor Blanco, followed by a Buster Posey sacrifice fly to finish his trip around. The Giants went back to work in the third inning with Melky Cabrera tripling to force in Theriot before scoring on a Posey single. Chicago got close in the ninth inning with a three-run Alfonso Soriano home run, sweeping in Starlin Castro and Joe Mather, but they couldn't get a tying run and fell 4-3. Bumgarner was credited with the win, while Javier Lopez notched a spot save and Maholm couldn't escape the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion, and check out a new blog that I will be proud to contribute to, over at ultimatebaseballfantasytrip.blogspot.com.

MLB Day 60 2012

Welcome to the 700th post on this blog in a little more than a year and a half, and it's a travel day in baseball. With 44 views tomorrow, we could break 1,000 for the monthly numbers, which would mean a lot to me, and I've greatly appreciated the recent surge in visitation. As for the games, there's only three of them, and we start in...

Boston, as the Red Sox host the Detroit Tigers. Max Scherzer and Josh Beckett pace the game. Boston got going in the second inning with a Jarrod Saltalamacchia solo home run followed by Scott Podsednik doubling to score Ryan Sweeney. Detroit rallied ahead in the third inning as Quintin Berry singled in Don Kelly, followed by a Brennan Boesch sacrifice fly to allow safe passage home for Danny Worth, and a single by Prince Fielder driving in Berry. The Red Sox retied it in the bottom of the third with a Saltalamacchia single knocking in Kevin Youkilis. The Tigers took the lead back in the fifth inning as Miguel Cabrera singled to score Berry. Detroit got another in the eighth inning on a Delmon Young solo home run. The Tigers made it 7-3 in the ninth inning as Fielder tripled to force in Cabrera, before he came the final 90 feet home on a Young single. Scherzer picked up the win by that score, while Beckett was pinned with the loss.

Out west, the Colorado Rockies host the Houston Astros. Bud Norris and Jeremy Guthrie are on the mound. Colorado busted out to an early lead with a first inning three-run home run by Carlos Gonzalez, also scoring Dexter Fowler and Marco Scutaro, followed by Todd Helton doubling in Michael Cuddyer and Jordan Pacheco hitting a ground rule double to force in Helton. Houston got on the board in the second inning with a J.D. Martinez solo home run. The Rockies shot back in the bottom of the second as Cuddyer doubled, scoring both Scutaro and Gonzalez, before he came home on a Willin Rosario single, and then Pacheco singled to finish Rosario's trip around. The Astros pulled back a bit in the fourth inning with a Jason Castro triple forcing in Brian Bogusevic before he scored on a double by Justin Maxwell, who then came home on a Jose Altuve single. Colorado answered in the bottom of the fourth as Cuddyer singled to drive in Gonzalez. The Rockies continued their dominance in the sixth inning with a Scutaro solo shot. Houston got one back in the seventh inning as Carlos Lee grounded into a double play that allowed Jordan Schafer to dart home. This was as close as it got, with the final standing at 11-5. Guthrie cruised to the win while Norris exited early from the loss.

Finally, we end in Los Angeles as the Dodgers welcome the Milwaukee Brewers. Zack Greinke and Chad Billingsley are on the hill. Milwaukee led off in the second inning with a Rickie Weeks single knocking in Aramis Ramirez and a Martin Maldonado fielder's choice allowing Taylor Green to score. Los Angeles answered in their half of the inning as Billingsley singled in Adam Kennedy. The Brewers added on in the third inning with a two-run home run by Ramirez, also scoring Nyjer Morgan. Milwaukee struck again in the ninth inning as Carlos Gomez hit a two-run homer, sweeping in Norichika Aoki. The Dodgers tried to rally back in the bottom of the ninth as James Loney singled, driving in Ivan De Jesus, but they still lost 6-2. Greinke was in line for the win while Billingsley was dealt the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

MLB Day 59 2012

Full, regular slate for today's games, including four matinees. We begin in...

Cleveland, as the Indians host the Kansas City Royals. Bruce Chen and Jeanmar Gomez will take their turns in the rotation. Cleveland busted things open in the second inning as Casey Kotchman singled in Shelley Duncan, followed by Luke Carlin grounding into a fielder's choice to bring home Michael Brantley, and Shin-Soo Choo singling to finish Carlin's trip around. Kansas City shot back in the third inning as Mike Moustakas doubled in Johnny Giavotella before coming home on a Jeff Francoeur single. The Royals took the lead in the fourth inning when Alex Gordon doubled to score Alcides Escobar and then crossed the plate himself when Giavotella singled. Kansas City struck again in the fifth inning with a Brayan Pena single allowing Francoeur to score. The Royals made it 6-3 in the eighth inning as Billy Butler grounded out, providing Escobar time to cross the dish. This was it for the scoring, with Chen getting the win, Jonathan Broxton working out of a jam for the save, and Gomez getting stuck with the loss.

Southeast to Tampa Bay, as the Rays host the Chicago White Sox. Jose Quintana and Alex Cobb are the relatively unknown starters. Chicago got going in the first inning as Alex Rios singled to score Gordon Beckham. Tampa Bay tied it in the second inning on a Luke Scott solo home run. The White Sox gained the lead back in the third inning when Dayan Viciedo singled, driving in Rios, followed by Alexei Ramirez's sacrifice fly allowing safe passage home for A.J. Pierzynski. Chicago added on in the fifth inning with a Ramirez double paving the way for Viciedo to come home. The Rays pulled back in the sixth inning with a two-run home run by Carlos Pena, also scoring Jose Molina. This made it 4-3, which lasted for a final, with Nate Jones in line for the win, Addison Reed picking up the save, and Cobb suffering the loss.

Up in Minnesota, the Twins host the Oakland Athletics. Tyson Ross and Francisco Liriano were on the hill. Minnesota opened in the first inning as Josh Willingham singled in Denard Span, followed by Brian Dozier doing the same for Joe Mauer. The Twins added on in the fifth inning as Willingham lifted a two-run home run, sweeping in Mauer. This was all the scoring in the game, resulting in a 4-0 final, with Liriano pitching well for the win while Ross had little help in the loss.

Down in Chicago, the Cubs host the San Diego Padres. Anthony Bass and Ryan Dempster got the starting nods. San Diego led off in the second inning with a two-run home run by Chris Denorfia, also scoring Chase Headley. Chicago answered in the bottom of the second with Steve Clevenger singling in Darwin Barney, before coming all the way home on a Dempster single. The Padres got the lead back in the third inning with a two-run blast by Carlos Quentin, knocking in Everth Cabrera. The Cubs shot back with a fourth inning Clevenger double to drive in Barney. San Diego took off again with another Quentin two-run homer in the fifth inning, this time bringing in Yonder Alonso. Chicago got them back in the bottom of the fifth as Ian Stewart and Barney drew bases-loaded walks to force in David DeJesus and Starlin Castro. The Cubs tied it in the eighth inning as Castro singled home Tony Campana. Chicago took the game 8-6 with a walkoff two-run home run by Barney, sweeping in Bryan LaHair. James Russell was in line for the win while Dale Thayer was pinned with the loss.

East into Pittsburgh, where the Pirates host the Cincinnati Reds. Johnny Cueto and A.J. Burnett are tabbed for the starts. Cincinnati struck first with a first inning Brandon Phillips sacrifice fly to score Zack Cozart. Pittsburgh got the lead in the sixth inning as Matt Hague hit a two-RBI double to knock in both Neil Walker and Garrett Jones. This was good enough to earn them a 2-1 win on the arm of Burnett, while Joel Hanrahan picked up the save and Cueto took a hard-luck loss.

Up in Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays host the Baltimore Orioles. Jason Hammel and Brandon Morrow will be handling the pitching duties. Baltimore was first to score in the second inning with a Ryan Flaherty single bringing in Mark Reynolds. Toronto tied the game in the bottom of the second with an Edwin Encarnacion solo home run. The Blue Jays got the lead in the third inning with a Rajai Davis solo shot. Toronto extended the lead in the fourth inning with a Brett Lawrie solo home run. The Blue Jays added on again in the fifth inning as Colby Rasmus hit a solo shot. This was all in the scoring, with Morrow credited for a win, Casey Janssen getting the save, and Hammel taking the loss.

Back stateside, the New York Mets host the Philadelphia Phillies. Cliff Lee rhymes with and pitches against Dillon Gee. New York wasted little time in denting the scoreboard with a first inning David Wright double to bring in Daniel Murphy. Philadelphia tied it with a second inning Ty Wigginton solo home run. The Mets pulled back ahead in the sixth inning as Lucas Duda hit a two-run home run, also scoring Scott Hairston. The Phillies tied it again in the seventh inning on a two-run homer from Carlos Ruiz, sweeping in Brian Schneider. Philadelphia got the lead in the eighth inning on a Shane Victorino sacrifice fly allowing Juan Pierre to dash home. The Phillies extended the lead in the ninth inning as Jimmy Rollins hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Freddy Galvis and John Mayberry, followed by a Wigginton double to plate Pierre, and a 2-RBI Victorino single to pave the ways home for Hunter Pence and Wigginton. New York took one back in the bottom of the ninth on a Duda solo shot, followed by Andres Torres doubling in Kirk Nieuwenhuis, and Murphy singling in Torres for a 10-6 final. Antonio Bastardo was in line for the win while Jon Rauch was on the hook for the loss.

Back in Florida, the Miami Marlins host the Washington Nationals. Chien-Ming Wang and Josh Johnson were sent out to pitch. Miami started with a first inning Giancarlo Stanton single to knock in Omar Infante. Washington tied it in the second inning as Roger Bernadina hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Danny Espinosa to get home. The Nationals took the lead in the fourth inning with Espinosa singling in Adam LaRoche before coming home himself on a Bernadina double. The Marlins answered in their half of the inning as Chris Coghlan hit a sacrifice fly to score Logan Morrison, followed by a single by the pitcher Johnson to bring in Bryan Petersen. Miami gained the lead in the fifth inning as John Buck reached on a fielder's choice, providing Hanley Ramirez time to get home. The Marlins extended the lead in the seventh inning as Stanton hit a solo shot. This produced a 5-3 final score, with the win going to Johnson, the save turned by Heath Bell his tenth of the season, and the loss tagged on Wang.

Up in Atlanta, the Braves host the St. Louis Cardinals. Kyle Lohse and Tim Hudson are the reliable starters. Atlanta struck early in the first inning as Brian McCann hit a two-run home run, also scoring Martin Prado, followed by a Freddie Freeman solo home run. The Braves were back at work in the third inning as Freeman doubled in Dan Uggla, before coming home himself on a Jose Constanza single. St. Louis got on the board in the fourth inning as Matt Holliday singled in Rafael Furcal. The Cardinals chipped away in the sixth inning when Holliday singled to score Furcal, before coming home alongside Skip Schumaker as Tyler Greene singled, and then Daniel Descalso lined a single to drive in Matt Adams. Atlanta responded in their half of the inning with Jack Wilson doubling to drive in Constanza, followed by McCann singling in both Michael Bourn and Prado. St. Louis chipped away in the eighth inning as Shane Robinson hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Yadier Molina and Carlos Beltran singled to knock in Greene. The Braves got some breathing room in the bottom of the eighth as Uggla hit a sacrifice fly scoring Tyler Pastornicky and Freeman singled to knock in Bourn. This made it 10-7, a final, with the win going to Jonny Venters, while Craig Kimbrel gets the save and Marc Rzepczynski takes the loss.

Farther north, the Boston Red Sox host the Detroit Tigers. Drew Smyly and Jon Lester will take the mound. Detroit was first on the board with a first inning Delmon Young fielder's choice allowing Danny Worth to dash home. The Tigers added on in the third inning with Worth's sacrifice fly to score Quintin Berry and Prince Fielder grounding out to bring in Miguel Cabrera. Boston roared ahead in the fourth inning with a pair of two-run home runs, as David Ortiz hit a long ball to score Adrian Gonzalez and Will Middlebrooks went yard and brought Kevin Youkilis with him. Detroit retied it in the seventh inning as Cabrera doubled in Gerald Laird. The Red Sox got the lead back in the bottom of the seventh as Gonzalez hit a ground rule double, forcing in Daniel Nava. Boston struck again in the eighth inning with a Youkilis solo home run. This was good enough to make it a 6-4 win, earned by Matt Albers, while Alfredo Aceves notched the save and Octavio Dotel was in line for the loss.

Southwest to Texas, where the Rangers host the Seattle Mariners. Blake Beaven and Derek Holland were sent out to pitch. Seattle ripped the game open in the second inning with a rally sparked by Miguel Olivo singling in Jesus Montero and Justin Smoak, followed by a three-run Dustin Ackley home run to score Olivo and Brendan Ryan, and then Kyle Seager singled in Chone Figgins before coming home on a two-run home run by Montero, ending the 8-run outburst. The Mariners were back at work in the third inning with Ryan reaching on an error that allowed Michael Saunders to dash home, followed by a 2-RBI double from Montero to bring home Ryan and Figgins, a three-run Smoak homer sweeping in Seager and Montero, a Saunders doubled driving in Alex Liddi, and Ryan grounding out to provide Olivo time to get home safely, capping off another 8-run burst. Seattle got another in the fourth inning with a Liddi sacrifice fly knocking in Seager. Texas found the scoreboard in the sixth inning with an Ian Kinsler sacrifice fly allowing safe passage home for Alberto Gonzalez, followed by Adrian Beltre singling in Michael Young, David Murphy doing the same for Josh Hamilton, and Mike Napoli hitting a double to finish Beltre's and Murphy's trips around.The Rangers got some more in the seventh inning as Young grounded out, scoring Gonzalez and Hamilton doubled to knock in Kinsler. The Mariners got one back as Seager doubled to bring home Ackley in the eighth inning, before Smoak cleared the bases with another three-run bomb, sweeping in Seager and Montero. Texas responded in the ninth inning with Young singling Gonzalez home for a 21-8 final (do not adjust your monitors, you are reading that score correctly). Beaven got the win with copious amounts of run support and Hisashi Iwakuma pitched three innings to collect the save, while Holland was shelled for the loss, not to mention the work of those who came after him as well.

Up to Colorado, as the Rockies host the Houston Astros. Lucas Harrell and Christian Friedrich will be given the ball. Colorado got going early in the first inning with a Michael Cuddyer grand slam, sweeping in all of Marco Scutaro, Troy Tulowitzki, and Todd Helton in the first inning. Houston got on the board in the second inning with a Harrell single, knocking in Justin Maxwell. The Rockies replied in their half of the inning as Scutaro singled in Dexter Fowler. The Astros rallied to tie in the third inning with Maxwell singling to score Jose Altuve, followed by a Chris Johnson sacrifice fly allowing Jed Lowrie to score, and Chris Snyder doubling to drive in both J.D. Martinez and Maxwell. Colorado took the lead back in the fifth inning with a Carlos Gonzalez solo home run. The Rockies rallied to extend lead in the sixth inning with Jordan Pacheco singling in Willin Rosario before finishing his trip on a three-run home run by Fowler, also scoring Eric Young, and then Gonzalez hit a two-run homer to sweep in Scutaro. Colorado got another in the eighth inning with the third homer of the game for Gonzalez, another solo shot. This made it 13-5, a final, with Friedrich picking up the win and Harrell suffering the loss.

Out in California, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the New York Yankees. Ivan Nova and Ervin Santana try to right the ships on their seasons with the starts. Los Angeles began with a first inning Mark Trumbo sacrifice fly allowing Mike Trout to come home. New York took the lead with a third inning Curtis Granderson three-run home run, sweeping in Russell Martin and Derek Jeter, followed by a two-run bomb from Robinson Cano, also scoring Alex Rodriguez. The Angels pulled back in the fourth inning as Trumbo hit a two-run homer, knocking in Kendrys Morales, and then tied it on a 2-RBI Trout double, scoring both Erick Aybar and Bobby Wilson. The Yankees got the lead again in the sixth inning on a Nick Swisher sacrifice fly to bring home Raul Ibanez. This was it for the scoring, resulting in a 6-5 final, with Nova grabbing the win, Rafael Soriano turning the save, and Hisanori Takahashi being nailed with the loss.

Up in Los Angeles, the Dodgers host the Milwaukee Brewers. Yovani Gallardo and Clayton Kershaw are the staff aces pacing the game. Los Angeles got going with a first inning Andre Ethier double to knock in Matt Kemp. Milwaukee took the lead in the fourth inning with a 2-RBI Carlos Gomez singled, scoring both Aramis Ramirez and Rickie Weeks. The Brewers rallied to extend the lead in the sixth inning as Martin Maldonado sacrifice to bring in Weeks, followed by a Gallardo single to drive in Gomez, before he came home on a single by Norichika Aoki. The Dodgers got a couple back in the seventh inning on an Elian Herrera 2-RBI single, bringing home both A.J. Ellis and Dee Gordon. Milwaukee shot back in the eighth inning with a Ramirez fielder's choice providing Nyjer Morgan time to get home. This made it 6-3, a final, with Gallardo earning the win, John Axford converting his tenth save of the season, and Kershaw getting stuck with the loss.

Finally, we end in San Francisco as the Giants host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ian Kennedy and Tim Lincecum are the under-performing stars on the mound. Arizona was first on the board with a second inning Ryan Roberts flyout that combined with an error to bring home Miguel Montero. San Francisco tied it with a fourth inning Ryan Theriot single driving in Gregor Blanco. The Diamondbacks took the lead back in the sixth inning with a Paul Goldschmidt solo home run. Arizona padded the lead in the eighth inning as Goldschmidt singled in Justin Upton and Roberts did the same for Montero. This produced a 4-1 final, where Kennedy picked up the win, David Hernandez got the spot save, and Lincecum was on the hook for the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

MLB Day 58 2012

Only fourteen games on today, beginning in...

Chicago, as the Cubs host the San Diego Padres. Eric Stults and Jeff Samardzija are the back-of-the-rotation starters. San Diego got things going in the fifth inning as Carlos Quentin hit a solo home run. Chicago answered in their half of the inning as Darwin Barney doubled in Reed Johnson before coming home on a single by the pitcher Samardzija. The Cubs added on in the sixth inning with a solo shot by Alfonso Soriano. The Padres got one back in the seventh inning as John Baker singled home Quentin. Chicago answered in the bottom of the seventh as Barney scored on a passed ball. San Diego shot back in the eighth inning as Will Venable tripled to force in Andy Parrino. The Cubs got it back in their half of the inning as Jeff Baker singled in Joe Mather. This was it for the scoring, with a 5-3 final in Chicago's favor. Samardzija got the win, James Russell got the save, and Stults took the loss.

Over in Cleveland, the Indians host the Kansas City Royals. Will Smith and Justin Masterson get the starting nods. Kansas City began in the first inning as Mike Moustakas hit a two-run home run, also scoring Johnny Giavotella. Cleveland answered in their half of the inning as Jose Lopez singled in Shin-Soo Choo before Michael Brantley grounded into a fielder's choice to bring home Jason Kipnis. The Royals fired back in the second inning as Humberto Quintero reached on a fielder's choice allowing Eric Hosmer to score, followed by Alex Gordon, Giavotella, and Moustakas singling, plating Alcides Escobar and Quintero on the first two before the first two single hitters came home on the last one (a 5-run rally for those getting confused by my verbatim). Kansas City got another in the sixth inning as Quintero singled home Jarrod Dyson. This made it 8-2, a final, with Smith getting the win and Masterson suffering the loss.

East to Pittsburgh, with the Pirates hosting the Cincinnati Reds and a lot of rain. Homer Bailey and Charlie Morton are the uninspiring pitchers set to duel. Cincinnati was first on the board after the rain with a second inning Jay Bruce double scoring Brandon Phillips, and a Todd Frazier double finishing Bruce's trip around. The Reds added on in the fourth as Frazier tripled to force in Bruce before coming home on an error. Pittsburgh got going in the fifth inning as Casey McGehee singled in Matt Hague. Cincinnati shot back in the sixth inning as Bailey singled to drive in Bruce. The Reds went to work in the seventh inning with singles by Phillips, Bruce, and Ryan Ludwick bringing in Drew Stubbs, Joey Votto, and Phillips. This produced the 8-1 final, which after an extensive rain delay allowed Bailey the win after he went the distance, while Morton took a loss with a relatively short outing.

North to Canada, as the Toronto Blue Jays host the Baltimore Orioles. Jake Arrieta and Ricky Romero will play from the mound. Baltimore was first to score in the second inning with an Adam Jones solo home run. Toronto answered in the third inning when Rajai Davis reached on a bunt single and then an error occurred to bring in Brett Lawrie, followed by Yunel Escobar grounding out to score David Cooper. The Blue Jays added on in the fourth inning when Lawrie doubled in both Colby Rasmus and J.P. Arencibia, before scoring on Davis single. Toronto rolled along in the fifth inning as Lawrie singled in Jose Bautista, Cooper did the same for Edwin Encarnacion, and Davis brought Lawrie home again on a single. The Orioles got some back in the sixth inning with Mark Reynolds grounding out to score Jones before Chris Davis hit a two-run home run, also scoring Ronny Paulino. Baltimore tried a ninth inning rally as Jones hit a two-run home run, sweeping in J.J. Hardy, but they couldn't pull even and lost 8-6. Romero was credited with the win while Arrieta suffered the loss.

Way south, the Miami Marlins host the Washington Nationals. Edwin Jackson and Anibal Sanchez are the well-known pitchers. Washington struck first in the fifth inning as Corey Brown sacrificed to bring in Ian Desmond. Miami tied it in the sixth inning on a Giancarlo Stanton double to knock in Omar Infante. The Marlins pulled ahead in the seventh inning with a Greg Dobbs sacrifice fly scoring Chris Coghlan. Miami padded the lead with an eighth inning Hanley Ramirez solo home run. This made it 3-1, which held up as a final, with Sanchez getting the win, Heath Bell converting the save, and Jackson taking a hard-luck loss.

Back north, the New York Mets host the Philadelphia Phillies. Joe Blanton opposes a lesser for in Jeremy Hefner. Philadelphia started off in the first inning with Jimmy Rollins scoring on a wild pitch. New York got the lead in their half of the inning as David Wright hit a single to bring in Mike Baxter and Ike Davis singled home Kirk Nieuwenhuis. The Phillies tied it in the second inning on a Brian Schneider solo home run. The Mets got the lead back in the bottom of the second as Baxter doubled, driving in Omar Quintanilla. New York added on in the fourth inning as the pitcher Hefner hit a solo shot. Philadelphia got one back in the sixth inning with a Hunter Pence double and subsequent error allowed Juan Pierre to get home. The Mets extended the lead again in the bottom of the sixth as Scott Hairston hit a two-run home run, sweeping in Quintanilla. This stood for a 6-3 win, as Hefner picked up a win to go with his power display, while Frank Francisco turned the save and Blanton was pinned with the loss.

Over in Boston, the Red Sox host the Detroit Tigers. Justin Verlander and Daniel Bard will take the hill. Boston opened in the second inning as Mike Aviles grounded into a fielder's choice, allowing David Ortiz to dash home. The Red Sox added on with a 3-RBI Daniel Nava double, sweeping in all of Kevin Youkilis, Aviles, and Scott Podsednik in the fourth inning. Detroit got one back in the fifth inning with a Jhonny Peralta solo home run. Boston shot back in the bottom of the fifth as Ortiz doubled home Adrian Gonzalez. The Tigers clawed back with a sixth inning Prince Fielder solo shot. Detroit chipped away in the seventh inning when Fielder singled home Miguel Cabrera. The Red Sox got some breathing room in the bottom of the seventh on an Ortiz solo home run. This held up for a 6-3 win, with Bard picking up the victory, Alfredo Aceves turning the save, and Verlander taking a rare loss.

Back in Florida, the Tampa Bay Rays host the Chicago White Sox. Philip Humber (Mr. Perfect) goes up against James Shields (Big Game James) for pitching purposes. Tampa Bay led off in the fourth inning with a two-run Hideki Matsui home run, also scoring Matt Joyce. Chicago got one back in the fifth inning as Alexei Ramirez singled in Dayan Viciedo. The White Sox rallied ahead in the sixth inning as A.J. Pierzynski singled in Adam Dunn, Viciedo hit a single to score Alex Rios, Ramirez doubled to bring in Pierzynski, Orlando Hudson hit a single that knocked in Viciedo, and Alejandro De Aza grounded into a fielder's choice allowing safe passage home for Ramirez. Chicago got another in the eighth inning on a Viciedo solo home run. This made it 7-2, a final, with the win going to Humber and the loss pinned on Shields.

A touch to the north, the Atlanta Braves host the St. Louis Cardinals. Jake Westbrook and Randall Delgado took their turns in the rotation. Atlanta was quick to open the scoring with a first inning Michael Bourn solo home run. The Braves added on in the third inning with a three-run Dan Uggla home run, also scoring Bourn and Martin Prado. St. Louis got going in the fourth inning as Yadier Molina singled in Matt Holliday, followed by Tyler Greene grounding out to knock in Carlos Beltran. Atlanta answered in the fifth inning as Jose Constanza scoring on a wild pitch. The Cardinals shot back with a sixth inning Molina solo shot. St. Louis chipped away in the seventh inning with Molina singling to drive in Holliday. The final stood at 5-4 Braves, which left the win with Delgado, the save with Craig Kimbrel, and Westbrook was stuck holding the loss.

Westward to Texas, with the Rangers hosting the Seattle Mariners. Jason Vargas and Scott Feldman have the green light to pitch. Texas opened with Josh Hamilton grounding out in the first inning, providing time for Elvis Andrus to come home. Seattle got the lead in the second inning with a two-run John Jaso home run, also scoring Justin Smoak. The Mariners added on in the fifth inning as Jesus Montero reached on an error, allowing both Brendan Ryan and Dustin Ackley to come home. The Rangers pulled back with a sixth inning Hamilton two-run homer, also scoring Andrus. Seattle answered in the eighth inning as Jaso singled Kyle Seager across the dish, followed by Ryan reaching on an error to bring in Smoak, Ackley singling to finish Jaso's trip around, Mike Carp singling to score Michael Saunders, Ichiro hitting a sacrifice fly to knock in Ryan, and Ackley scoring on a wild pitch for a 6-run rally. This made it 10-3, a final, with Vargas getting the win while Feldman took the loss.

North to Minnesota, as the Twins host the Oakland Athletics. Jarrod Parker and Cole De Vries are the relatively unknown pitchers. Oakland finally busted things open in the seventh inning as Collin Cowgill singled in Kurt Suzuki. The Athletics got another in the eighth inning as Coco Crisp singled home Seth Smith. Minnesota got the lead in the ninth inning with a walkoff three-run Josh Willingham home run, also scoring Jamey Carroll and Joe Mauer for a 3-2 win. Glen Perkins got the win while Brian Fuentes was on the hook for the collapse.

Southwest to California, with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hosting the New York Yankees. Andy Pettitte and Dan Haren pace the game. Los Angeles got things going in the third inning with Mike Trout tripling to force in Peter Bourjos and Albert Pujols hitting a two-run home run, also scoring Maicer Izturis. New York answered in the fourth inning as Nick Swisher singled in Raul Ibanez. The Angels added on in the sixth inning on a Mark Trumbo solo home run. Los Angeles extended the lead in the eighth inning with Howie Kendrick singling to score Pujols. This was it for the scoring in the 5-1 game, with Haren earning the win and Pettitte having the loss

Into Los Angeles proper, as the Dodgers welcome the Milwaukee Brewers. Michael Fiers and Nathan Eovaldi are the completely unknown starters. Milwaukee struck first with a first inning two-run Ryan Braun home run, also scoring Nyjer Morgan. Los Angeles got on the board in the sixth inning as Andre Ethier doubled in Ivan De Jesus. They were unable to pull even, losing 2-1, with Fiers getting a win, John Axford tossing the save, and Eovaldi being stuck with the loss.

Finally, we end in San Francisco, with the Giants welcoming the Arizona Diamondbacks. Joe Saunders and Ryan Vogelsong are the reliable starters. Arizona began on a Josh Bell single, scoring Chris Young. San Francisco tied it in the sixth inning with a Buster Posey double to score Melky Cabrera. The Giants gained the lead in the eighth inning as Posey hit a sacrifice fly to score Ryan Theriot, followed by Joaquin Arias grounding into a fielder's choice to bring home. This held for a 3-1 win, earned by Clay Hensley, while Santiago Casilla turned the save and Bryan Shaw was stuck with the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

MLB Day 57 2012

Happy Memorial Day to all the American people visiting here today. It will be quite the memory for me, because today we passed last month's one-month record again, so I appreciate the approximately 1,500 visits I've had to this blog in the past two months. Much thanks to everyone. As for the baseball, it's on all day, and we begin in...

Miami, where the Marlins host the Washington Nationals. Jordan Zimmermann and Carlos Zambrano are the Z-men on the mound. Washington began in the third inning with a solo home run by the pitcher Zimmermann. Miami tied it in the fourth inning as Logan Morrison hit a solo shot. The Nationals got the lead back in the fifth inning as Ryan Zimmerman doubled in both Steve Lombardozzi and Bryce Harper. The Marlins retied it in the sixth inning with a two-run home run by Giancarlo Stanton, also scoring Hanley Ramirez, and they gained the lead with a sacrifice fly by Chris Coghlan to plate Morrison. Miami added on with a Ramirez sacrifice fly providing Jose Reyes time to get home in the seventh inning. This made it 5-3, a final, with the win going to Zambrano, the save converted by Heath Bell, and the loss pinned on power-hitter Zimmermann.

Up in Atlanta, the Braves host the St. Louis Cardinals. Lance Lynn and Tommy Hanson are the starters. St. Louis rallied to a lead in the third inning with Matt Holliday scoring on a passed ball, followed by Yadier Molina singling in Matt Adams before completing his trip on a two-run homer by Daniel Descalso. The Cardinals got another in the fourth inning with a solo home run by Rafael Furcal, followed by Adams singling to provide Skip Schumaker time to dash home. Atlanta got on the board in their half of the inning as Juan Francisco singled in both Dan Uggla and Jason Heyward. St. Louis extended the lead in the sixth inning on a 2-RBI Adams double scoring both Furcal and Schumaker. This made it 8-2, which was all the scoring in store, allowing Lynn to pick up a win while Hanson had a short outing in the loss.

Farther north, the New York Mets host the Philadelphia Phillies. Cole Hamels and Jonathon Niese get the ball. Philadelphia struck first with a third inning Ty Wigginton double, scoring both Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino. New York tied it on a two-run Vinny Rottino home run, also scoring Lucas Duda in the fifth inning. The Phillies got the lead again in the sixth inning as John Mayberry hit a two-run homer, sweeping in Wigginton. The Mets pulled even again in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run Scott Hairston homer, bringing in Kirk Nieuwenhuis. Philadelphia took the lead in the seventh inning as Wigginton singled Jimmy Rollins across the plate. The Phillies extended the lead in the ninth inning as Wigginton hit a three-run home run to sweep in Placido Polanco and Pence. Hamels got the win in the 8-4 game, while Bobby Parnell was on the hook for the loss.

Continuing to Boston, with the Red Sox hosting the Detroit Tigers. Doug Fister and Felix Doubront take their turns in the rotation. Boston struck first with a first inning David Ortiz double scoring Adrian Gonzalez. Detroit tied it in the second inning with a Delmon Young solo home run. The Red Sox took the lead back in the bottom of the second as Mike Aviles singled in Ryan Sweeney, followed by Daniel Nava doubling in Aviles and then coming all the way home on a Dustin Pedroia single. Boston got another in the third inning on a Jarrod Saltalamacchia solo shot. The Tigers replied in the fifth inning as Gerald Laird hit a solo home run. The Red Sox answered back in the sixth inning on a Will Middlebrooks single to drive in Saltalamacchia. Boston got another in the eighth inning as Aviles doubled in Sweeney. Detroit got a couple back in the ninth inning on a two-run Jhonny Peralta home run, also knocking in Prince Fielder, but they got no more runs and fell 7-4. Doubront got the win while Fister got hit hard in the loss.

Into Pennsylvania, as the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Cincinnati Reds. Bronson Arroyo and James McDonald are the reliable starters. Pittsburgh led off in the first inning as Pedro Alvarez doubled home Neil Walker and then scored himself on a Garrett Jones single. The Pirates added on in the second inning as Walker doubled in the pitcher McDonald. Pittsburgh rolled along in the third inning when Rod Barajas singled in Alvarez. Cincinnati got on the board in the ninth inning as Chris Heisey hit a single to bring home Joey Votto, for a 4-1 final. McDonald pitched very well in the win, while Joel Hanrahan picked up a save and Arroyo had little help in the loss.

Further west, the Minnesota Twins host the Oakland Athletics. Travis Blackley and Scott Diamond are the relatively unknown pitchers. Josh Reddick put Oakland up early with a solo home run in the first inning. The Athletics got another one in the second inning as Kila Ka'aihue hit a solo shot. Minnesota got on the board in the fifth inning with a Trevor Plouffe solo home run. Oakland got it back in the bottom of the fifth as Brandon Inge's groundout gave Reddick time to dash home. The Twins pulled even in the sixth inning when Josh Willingham doubled to score Darin Mastroianni before Justin Morneau hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Joe Mauer. The Athletics got the lead again in the eighth inning as Kurt Suzuki singled to score Jonny Gomes. Minnesota got the lead back in the bottom of the eighth as Morneau doubled in Mauer, and Ryan Doumit hit a sacrifice fly to allow safe passage home for Willingham. This was all for the scoring in the 5-4 game, with Alex Burnett getting the win, Matt Capps shutting the door for a save, and Ryan Cook unluckily taking the loss.

Down south a bit, the Chicago Cubs host the San Diego Padres. Jeff Suppan and Travis Wood are the back-of-the-rotation pitchers. San Diego struck early with a first inning Carlos Quentin double knocking in Chris Denorfia. Chicago took the lead in the bottom of the first as Starlin Castro singled to score David DeJesus before coming home as Bryan LaHair grounded out. The Cubs got another in the second inning as Darwin Barney hit a solo home run. The Padres pulled back in the third inning on a Will Venable solo shot. San Diego tied it in the fourth inning with a Chase Headley solo home run, before taking the lead on an Everth Cabrera solo long ball. Chicago tied it again in the bottom of the fourth when Alfonso Soriano doubled LaHair in, and then he scored when Ian Stewart hit a two-run home run. The Padres got another equalizer in the fifth inning as Headley hit another home run, this time a two-run bomb that also scored Quentin. San Diego took the lead with a Venable double to drive in Andy Parrino in the sixth inning. The Cubs took the lead once again in the bottom of the sixth as Soriano hit a two-run home run, also driving in LaHair. Chicago extended the lead with a two-run Castro home run, also scoring Reed Johnson, followed by Stewart singling, allowing LaHair to cross the dish. This made it 11-7, an eventual final, allowing Randy Wells the win and Alex Hinshaw was stuck with the loss.

Speaking of Chicago, the White Sox are down in Tampa Bay to visit the Rays. Chris Sale and Matt Moore are the relievers turned starters set to pitch. Tampa finally drew blood in the fourth inning on a Jose Lobaton single to knock in Ben Zobrist. Chicago went ahead in the sixth inning as Adam Dunn hit a two-run home run, also scoring Gordon Beckham. This was all they needed for a 2-1 win, earned by Sale, while Addison Reed turned the save, and Moore pitched strong but still lost.

Now we get a mid-day doubleheader, with the Colorado Rockies hosting the Houston Astros. Wandy Rodriguez and Juan Nicasio are tabbed for starting the first game. Houston got things going with a first inning Jose Altuve groundout scoring Jordan Schafer, followed by a Jed Lowrie solo home run. Colorado got one back in their half of the first as Jordan Pacheco tripled to force in Dexter Fowler, and they tied it when he came the final 90 feet on a wild pitch, followed by Troy Tulowitzki doubling in Carlos Gonzalez to give his team a lead, before he finished his trip on a two-run home run run by Willin Rosario. The Astros pulled back in the third inning as Lowrie grounded out to score Schafer, followed by Carlos Lee singling to allow Altuve to dash home. The Rockies got some breathing room in the bottom of the third inning as DJ LeMahieu doubled in Rosario. Houston tied it in the fifth inning as Chris Johnson singled home Lowrie and then Lee scored on an error for the equalizer. Colorado shot back in their half of the inning with a Tulowitzki solo shot. The Astros retied it in the seventh inning as Altuve singled Schafer home safely. The Rockies took the lead once again in the eighth inning with a 2-RBI Pacheco single, scoring both Jeremy Guthrie and Fowler. This made it 9-7, a final, with Matt Belisle picking up the win, Rafael Betancourt getting the save, and Fernando Rodriguez taking the loss.

In the second game, the pitchers are Jordan Lyles and Alex White. Colorado began on a Dexter Fowler solo home run. Houston got the lead on a third inning two-run home run by Brian Bogusevic, also scoring Lyles. The Rockies retied it in the bottom of the third as Carlos Gonzalez grounded out to score Fowler. The Astros reclaimed the lead in the fourth inning on a Chris Snyder solo shot, followed by Jordan Schafer singling in Marwin Gonzalez. Colorado shot back in the bottom of the fourth as Fowler drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Jordan Pacheco, before Marco Scutaro cleared the bases with a double, knocking in all of Tyler Colvin, Wil Nieves, and Fowler. Houston pulled back in the fifth inning on a Snyder single to bring in Travis Buck. The Astros tied it with a sixth inning Justin Maxwell solo home run. The Rockies won in the tenth inning as Fowler tripled to force in Michael Cuddyer for a 7-6 walkoff win. Josh Roenicke was in line for the win while Brett Myers was on the hook for the loss.

Northeast to Cleveland, as the Indians host the Kansas City Royals. Nate Adcock and Josh Tomlin are handed the ball. Kansas City got on the board in the second inning with a two-run Eric Hosmer home run, also scoring Jeff Francoeur. Cleveland got on the board in the third inning with a Lonnie Chisenhall solo home run, and then they rallied ahead as Jason Kipnis hit a two-RBI single to score Luke Carlin and Shin-Soo Choo, followed by Jose Lopez singling in Michael Brantley and Casey Kotchman lining a single to finish Kipnis' trip around. The Royals got one back in the fifth inning with a Brayan Pena solo shot, followed Jarrod Dyson tripling and then scoring on an error. The Indians answered in the bottom of the fifth as Lopez singled to knock in Kipnis. Kansas City chipped away in the seventh inning as Alcides Escobar singled Dyson across the plate. Cleveland shot back in the bottom of the seventh as Brantley singled, allowing Juan Diaz to come home, followed by Lopez reaching on an error, pushing Brantley all the way home. This made it 8-5, a final, with Tomlin in line for the win, Chris Perez converting the save, and Adcock getting shelled early in the loss.

Out in California, the San Francisco Giants host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Trevor Cahill and Barry Zito are the well-known starters. San Francisco got a sizable lead in the first inning beginning with Gregor Blanco stealing home, Hector Sanchez singling to drive in Angel Pagan, and Brandon Belt ripping a triple to finish Sanchez's trip around. The Giants added on in the second inning as Blanco doubled to score Emmanuel Burriss. Arizona got on the board in the third inning with a Justin Upton ground rule double, forcing in the pitcher Cahill. The Diamondbacks chipped away in the eighth inning on a John McDonald solo home run. This made it 4-2, a final, with Zito grabbing the win, Santiago Casilla converting the save, and Cahill taking the loss.

Well to the northeast, the Toronto Blue Jays host the Baltimore Orioles. Tommy Hunter and Drew Hutchison take the hill. Toronto was first to score as Colby Rasmus singled in first inning, knocking in Kelly Johnson. The Blue Jays added on in the second inning when Johnson grounded out to bring in David Cooper. Toronto struck again with a third inning two-run home run by Edwin Encarnacion, also scoring Jose Bautista. The Blue Jays padded the lead in the fourth inning as Johnson went yard on a two-run blast, sweeping in Omar Vizquel. Baltimore got on the board in the ninth inning as Wilson Betemit singled home Adam Jones and Mark Reynolds doubled to drive in Matt Wieters for a 6-2 final. Hutchison was in line for the win, while Casey Janssen got the save, and Hunter was dealt the loss. 

Back stateside, the Texas Rangers host the Seattle Mariners. Kevin Millwood and Matt Harrison are on the mound. Seattle quickly opened with a first inning Jesus Montero single knocking in Ichiro. Texas tied it in the second inning on a Nelson Cruz solo home run. The Rangers got the lead in the sixth inning as Mike Napoli lifted a three-run home run, also scoring Adrian Beltre and David Murphy. The Mariners got one back in the eighth inning when Brendan Ryan tripled to force in Michael Saunders. This was all there was, leaving Texas up 4-2 with the win going to Harrison, the save turned by Joe Nathan, and the loss stuck on Steve Delabar.

Out in Los Angeles, the Dodgers host the Milwaukee Brewers. Shaun Marcum and Aaron Harang will be pitching. Los Angeles got things going in the first inning as Andre Ethier doubled home Tony Gwynn, Jr. Milwaukee tied it in the fourth inning on a solo home run by Aramis Ramirez. The Brewers went ahead in the sixth inning on a Ramirez single to score Norichika Aoki and a Rickie Weeks sacrifice fly allowing Ryan Braun to come home. The Dodgers got one back in the eighth inning as Jerry Hairston, Jr. singled home Bobby Abreu. They couldn't tie the game, falling 3-2, with Marcum earning the win, John Axford tossing the save, and Harang got stuck holding the loss.

Finally, in Anaheim, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the New York Yankees. Phil Hughes and Jered Weaver pace the game. New York struck first in the first inning with Alex Rodriguez reaching on an error, driving in Derek Jeter, followed by a Raul Ibanez sacrifice fly allowing Curtis Granderson to get home and Nick Swisher reaching on an error that brought in Rodriguez. Los Angeles gave as good as they got in the bottom of the first with Kendrys Morales singling in Mike Trout, followed by a ground rule double from Mark Trumbo forcing in Albert Pujols and a 2-RBI Howie Kendrick single, scoring both Morales and Trumbo. The Yankees tied it back up in the second inning on a Granderson solo home run. The Angels got the lead again in the third inning as Kendrick hit a sacrifice fly allowing safe passage home for Trumbo. Los Angeles added on in the fourth inning with a Trout solo shot. Mark Teixeira got it back for New York with a solo home run. The Angels extended their lead in the sixth inning on a 2-RBI Morales double, driving in both Peter Bourjos and Maicer Izturis. The Yankees pulled even in the seventh inning as Swisher hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Robinson Cano, and Russell Martin doubled in both Teixeira and Ibanez. Los Angeles won 9-8 in the ninth inning with a walkoff Trumbo solo shot. The win was credited to Jordan Walden, while Cory Wade was responsible for the loss.

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