Fantasy Baseball All-Stars week 13 2012

As we approach the all-star break, here's who turned in a strong week last week.

Batters: Alex Rios, Ryan Zimmerman, Robinson Cano, Michael Morse, Daniel Murphy, Ian Kinsler, Hunter Pence, Ike Davis, Giancarlo Stanton, and Carlos Ruiz.

Pitchers: Mat Latos, Hiroki Kuroda, Travis Wood, Phil Hughes, Carlos Marmol, Felix Hernandez, Rick Porcello, Madison Bumgarner, R.A. Dickey, and Erasmo Ramirez.

MLB Day 91 2012

Back to a normal slate here, beginning in...

Miami, where the Marlins host the Philadelphia Phillies. Joe Blanton and Ricky Nolasco are the struggling veteran pitchers. Philadelphia got going in the first inning as Hunter Pence reached on a fielder's choice to get Juan Pierre home. Miami answered in the second inning as Omar Infante doubled home Justin Ruggiano before scoring on a John Buck double. The Marlins added on in the third inning as Giancarlo Stanton hit a solo home run. The Phillies got one back in the sixth inning as Pierre scored on a wild pitch. Miami shot back in the eighth inning with a two-run Hanley Ramirez home run, sweeping in Jose Reyes, good for a 5-2 win. Nolasco picked up the win, Heath Bell turned the save, and Blanton was stuck with the loss.

North to Baltimore, where the Orioles host the Cleveland Indians. Justin Masterson and Brian Matusz will try to right the ship. Cleveland opened in the second inning on a solo home run by Shelley Duncan. The Indians added on in the third inning with a solo shot from Aaron Cunningham. Cleveland rallied to extend the lead in the fourth inning on a Duncan double to drive in Jose Lopez, before he scored on a Casey Kotchman double, and Kotchman in turn scored when Lou Marson grounded into a fielder's choice. Baltimore got on the board in the fifth inning as Ryan Flaherty singled home Adam Jones. The Orioles pulled closer in the sixth inning on a Jones double to plate J.J. Hardy. The Indians shot back in the ninth inning as Jason Kipnis singled Asdrubal Cabrera across the dish. This made it a 6-2 final, with Masterson earning the win and Matusz suffering the loss.

Back to the south, with the Atlanta Braves hosting the Washington Nationals. Gio Gonzalez and Tim Hudson will draw the starts. Washington led off with a first inning Ryan Zimmerman doubled to bring in Steve Lombardozzi and Bryce Harper before scoring on an Adam LaRoche sacrifice fly, and then Rick Ankiel singled, which combined with an error to get Ian Desmond home. Atlanta took one back in the third inning on a Chipper Jones double to knock in Jason Heyward. The National fired back in the fifth inning on a Zimmerman solo home run. Washington padded the lead in the sixth inning as Jhonatan Solano singled Desmond safely home. The Braves chipped back in the bottom of the sixth as Freddie Freeman hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Jones and Dan Uggla. The Nationals got another in the ninth as Zimmerman singled Lombardozzi home, followed by Tyler Moore grounding into a fielder's choice to push Harper home. This made it 8-4, setting Gonzalez up for the win, while the loss went to Hudson.

South further to Tampa Bay, with the Rays hosting the Detroit Tigers. Drew Smyly and Alex Cobb are the young starters. Tampa Bay began with a first inning sacrifice fly by B.J. Upton, scoring Desmond Jennings. Detroit tied it in the fourth inning as Ryan Raburn singled Prince fielder home. The Tigers added on in the fifth inning as Delmon Young and Alex Avila hit sacrifice flies to bring home Quintin Berry and Miguel Cabrera. The Rays answered in their half of the inning on a Hideki Matsui single to knock in Ben Zobrist and a double from Jose Molina to finish Matsui's trip around. Detroit took the lead again in the sixth inning as Austin Jackson singled in Don Kelly and then scored on a Fielder single. This lead stood at 5-3 for the rest of the game, allowing Smyly the win, Jose Valverde turned his fifteenth save of the season, and Cobb was dealt the loss.

North again into New York, where the Yankees host the Chicago White Sox. Gavin Floyd and Phil Hughes are the reliable starters. Chicago quickly got a first inning lead as Kevin Youkilis singled in Alejandro De Aza before scoring on an Alex Rios single. New York tied it in the second inning with a two-run home run by Eric Chavez, also scoring Raul Ibanez. The Yankees gained the lead in the third inning when Robinson Cano went yard for a two-run blast, sweeping in Mark Teixeira. This held up throughout the rest of the game for a 4-2 win. Hughes earned the win, Rafael Soriano converted the save, and Floyd was stuck with the loss.

Northwest to Minnesota, as the Twins host the Kansas City Royals. Bruce Chen and Francisco Liriano take their turns in the rotation. Minnesota started in the second inning with a Trevor Plouffe solo home run. Kansas City tied it in the fourth inning as Brayan Pena hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Billy Butler. The Royals rallied ahead in the sixth inning when Jason Bourgeois reached on an error that allowed both Yuniesky Betancourt and Eric Hosmer to dash home safely, followed by a 2-RBI Irving Falu double, sweeping in Pena and Bourgeois. The Twins shot back in their half of the inning with Denard Span sacrificing to get Brian Dozier home, followed by a three-run home run from Josh Willingham, also scoring Jamey Carroll and Joe Mauer, followed by another Plouffe solo shot. Minnesota added on in the seventh inning as Span singled Dozier across the dish. The Twins got more in the eighth inning on a three-run homer from Drew Butera, sweeping home Justin Morneau and Darin Mastroianni. Kansas City attempted a rally in the ninth inning as Pena singled to bring Eric Hosmer home and Falu hit a 2-RBI single that drove in Pena and Salvador Perez, but they still lost 10-8. Jeff Gray was credited with the win, while Chen was on the hook for the loss.

Over in Milwaukee, the Brewers host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Josh Collmenter and Yovani Gallardo will be tabbed for the starts. Milwaukee was first on the board in the fourth inning with a Nyjer Morgan groundout giving time for Norichika Aoki to score. Arizona tied it in the eighth inning on a solo home run by Jason Kubel. The Brewers took a 2-1 lead in the ninth inning when Carlos Gomez used two errors to score the walkoff run. John Axford was in line for the win, while Patrick Corbin was the victim of a bad defensive series in the loss.

South into St. Louis, where the Cardinals host the Pittsburgh Pirates. Erik Bedard and Jake Westbrook are the surprisingly reliable pitchers. St. Louis established a lead in the second inning on a Yadier Molina solo home run. The Cardinals added on in the third inning with a two-run Allen Craig home run, also scoring Matt Carpenter. Pittsburgh took the lead in the fourth inning as Clint Barmes singled in Neil Walker before scoring on a three-run home run from Michael McKenry, which also scoring Drew Sutton. St. Louis got the lead back in the fifth inning as Matt Holliday doubled in Carpenter before scoring on a Shane Robinson single. This was all for the scoring, leaving the final at 5-4, with the win going to Westbrook, while Jason Motte converted the save, and Bedard was pinned with the loss.

Back up in Chicago, the Cubs host the Houston Astros. Wandy Rodriguez and Travis Wood will receive the starting nods. For a more detailed recap, go to ultimatebaseballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the Game of the Day. Chicago got going on an Anthony Rizzo single to knock in the pitcher Wood in the sixth inning, followed by a 2-RBI double from Jeff Baker to bring both Starlin Castro and Rizzo home. This was all the Cubs needed to win 3-0, setting Wood up for a dominant win, Carlos Marmol closed out for the save, and Rodriguez had no run support in the loss.

Up in Canada for the third biggest thing going on up north, as the Toronto Blue Jays host the Los Angeles Angels. C.J. Wilson faces a lesser foe in Aaron Laffey. Los Angeles quickly opened in the first inning as Albert Pujols flied out, which combined with an error to bring in Mike Trout. The Angels added on in the fifth inning with a two-run home run by Alberto Callaspo, sweeping in Howie Kendrick. Toronto got going in the sixth inning as Jose Bautista reached on an error that allowed both Omar Vizquel and Brett Lawrie to dart home. The Blue Jays tied it in the seventh inning when J.P. Arencibia hit a solo home run. Los Angeles regained the lead in the eighth inning with a solo shot by Trout, followed by a two-run blast from Mark Trumbo, also scoring Pujols. The Angels padded the lead in the ninth inning with a rally sparked by Torii Hunter hitting a sacrifice fly to knock in Erick Aybar, followed by Pujols singling John Hester home, Peter Bourjos doing the same for Trout, and Kendrys Morales grounding into a fielder's choice to get Pujols home. Toronto tried a rally in the bottom of the ninth as Colby Rasmus drilled a three-run home run to drive in both Rajai Davis and Vizquel, but they still lost 10-6. Jason Isringhausen was in line for the win, while the loss went to Francisco Cordero.

Back stateside, we're in Colorado, where the Rockies host the San Diego Padres. Kip Wells and Drew Pomeranz are the unknown starters. San Diego led off in the third inning as Logan Forsythe reached on an error, allowing Chris Denorfia to dash home. The Padres added on in the seventh inning when Denorfia singled Alexi Amarista across the plate. This stood for a 2-0 win, earned by Wells, while Huston Street picked up the save and Pomeranz was stuck with an unlucky loss.

Farther west, the San Francisco Giants host the Cincinnati Reds. Bronson Arroyo and Ryan Vogelsong are on the hill. San Francisco started in the third inning when Buster Posey singled to score Ryan Theriot. Cincinnati took the lead in the fifth inning as Todd Frazier hit a two-run home run, also scoring Ryan Ludwick. The Giants retied in the bottom of the fifth as Melky Cabrera singled Theriot home. San Francisco got the lead again in the seventh inning on a Posey single, again scoring Theriot. The Reds tied it in the ninth inning when Miguel Cairo singled to knock in Jay Bruce. The Giants won in the bottom of the ninth with a walkoff Angel Pagan double to plate Posey for the 4-3 win. Santiago Casilla was in position for the win while Jose Arredondo was dinged for the loss.

Up in Seattle, the Mariners host the Boston Red Sox. Felix Doubront and Jason Vargas pace the game. Seattle was first on the board in the third inning on an Ichiro sacrifice fly to knock in Chone Figgins. Boston tied it in the eighth inning as Dustin Pedroia lifted a solo home run. The Red Sox gained the lead in the tenth inning as David Ortiz hit a sacrifice fly to give Ryan Kalish time to score. This was good for a 2-1 win, picked up by Vicente Padilla, while Alfredo Aceves turned the save and Brandon League was on the hook for the loss.

Southeast to Texas, where the Rangers host the Oakland Athletics. Travis Blackley and Yu Darvish take the mound. Texas drew first blood in the third inning as Elvis Andrus singled home Ian Kinsler. Oakland tied it in the fifth inning on a Derek Norris single to bring in Seth Smith. The Athletics took the lead in the sixth inning when Jemile Weeks scored on a wild pitch. Oakland extended the lead in the seventh inning when Brandon Moss hit a solo home run. This was all for the scoring, leaving the final at 3-1. Blackley earned the win, Ryan Cook converted the save, and Darvish was stuck holding the loss.

Finally, we end in Los Angeles, with the Dodgers welcoming the New York Mets. Dillon Gee and Clayton Kershaw will handle the pitching responsibilities. New York quickly got a lead in the first inning as Scott Hairston singled home Ruben Tejada. Los Angeles tied it in the bottom of the first with a Juan Rivera double to drive in A.J. Ellis. The Mets gained the lead in the third inning as David Wright grounded into a fielder's choice that combined with an error to plate the pitcher Gee, and Wright came home later in the inning when Hairston reached on an error. The Dodgers tied it again in the fifth inning as Dee Gordon reached on an error that allowed Juan Uribe to dart home, followed by an Ellis sacrifice fly to get Tony Gwynn, Jr. home. Los Angeles got a lead in the sixth inning when James Loney's groundout gave Rivera time to score. The Dodgers padded their lead in the seventh inning as Rivera reached on an error to get both Gordon and Ellis home, followed by an Adam Kennedy sacrifice fly to bring in Bobby Abreu, and a Loney double to finish Rivera's trip. This made it 8-3, a final, where Kershaw got the win and Gee took the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @UltBaseballTrip and check out ultimatebaseballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the trip of a lifetime, passing through the north side of Chicago.

MLB Day 90 2012

A more than full slate goes today, as the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals do a doubleheader to make up for previous rain. We don't begin there though, instead starting in...

New York, where the Yankees host the Chicago White Sox. Jake Peavy and Hiroki Kuroda will handle the pitching duties. New York started in the first inning on a Curtis Granderson solo home run. The Yankees added on in the second inning as Dewayne Wise doubled in Nick Swisher. Wise extended the New York lead in the fifth inning with a solo shot of his own. The Yankees got another in the sixth inning on a Robinson Cano solo home run. This made it 4-0, which held up to be the final. Kuroda notched a strong win while Peavy went the distance in the loss.

North into Canada, as the Toronto Blue Jays host the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Garrett Richards and Henderson Alvarez are set to start. Toronto got things going in the first inning as Jose Bautista grounded into a double play that got Brett Lawrie home. The Blue Jays rallied to extend the lead in the second inning, beginning on a two-run Yunel Escobar home run, also scoring Kelly Johnson, followed by Lawrie reaching on an error that allowed J.P. Arencibia to dash home, Colby Rasmus doubling in Lawrie, Bautista singling to finish Rasmus' trip, Edwin Encarnacion hitting a single that combined with an error to knock in Bautista, and finally a Johnson triple to force in Encarnacion to complete the seven-run outburst. Los Angeles responded meekly in the third inning as Maicer Izturis doubled Bobby Wilson across the dish. Toronto struck again in the fifth inning with a three-run Lawrie home run, sweeping in Adam Lind and Arencibia. The Angels got one back in the ninth inning on an Andrew Romine singled to bring in John Hester, making the final 11-2. Alvarez got the win and Richards was torched in the loss.

Back stateside, as the first game of the Minnesota Twins hosting the Kansas City Royals gets going. Jonathan Sanchez and Scott Diamond are the young arms pitching. Minnesota opened in the third inning as Trevor Plouffe doubled home Joe Mauer and Ryan Doumit hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Josh Willingham. The Twins extended the lead in the fifth inning when Brian Dozier singled Doumit home, followed by Alexi Casilla doubling both Darin Mastroianni and Dozier home before scoring on a Denard Span single. Kansas City got on the board in the sixth inning when Yuniesky Betancourt grounded out to allow safe passage home for Jason Bourgeois. The Royals got another when Betancourt singled Bourgeois home in the eighth inning. Minnesota responded with a Plouffe solo home run. This made the final 7-2, with Diamond picking up the win and Sanchez suffering the loss.

In game two, the pitchers are Luke Hochevar and Cole De Vries. Minnesota quickly got going in the first inning with a two-run Josh Willingham home run, also scoring Joe Mauer. Kansas City got on the board in the second inning with a solo home run by Billy Butler. The Twins replied in the bottom of the second as Chris Parmelee hit a solo shot. Minnesota struck again in the third inning as Mauer hit a solo home run. The Twins padded the lead in the sixth inning as Darin Mastroianni singled Trevor Plouffe across the dish. This ended the scoring at 5-1, setting De Vries up for the win and Hochevar was stuck holding the loss.

Down to St. Louis, as the Cardinals host the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jeff Karstens and Lance Lynn are the streaky pitchers. Pittsburgh opened in grand fashion as Pedro Alvarez hit a grand slam, sweeping in Andrew McCutchen, Garrett Jones, and Neil Walker. St. Louis got some back in the third inning with a Jon Jay fielder's choice allowing Tony Cruz to score, and then Jay came home on a Matt Holliday single. The Pirates got another in the fifth inning on a Walker doubled to drive in Jose Tabata and a Clint Barmes fielder's choice that got Jones home. The Cardinals got one back in the eighth inning as Carlos Beltran doubled Jay across the plate. Pittsburgh iced it at 7-3 with a ninth inning fielder's choice by Drew Sutton to bring in Alex Presley. Karstens picked up the win, Jared Hughes turned a spot save, and Lynn was stuck with the loss.

Southeast to Atlanta, where the Braves host the Washington Nationals. Stephen Strasburg and Mike Minor show alliteration in the pitching match. Washington was first on the board with a first inning Ryan Zimmerman groundout to score Danny Espinosa. The Nationals added on in the second inning with Strasburg singling in Adam LaRoche. Atlanta stormed ahead in the third inning with Jason Heyward doubling in Michael Bourn, followed by Freddie Freeman's sacrifice fly to knock in Martin Prado, and a double from Dan Uggla to finish Heyward's trip. The Braves struck again in the fourth inning as Juan Francisco doubled to knock in Andrelton Simmons before scoring on a double by Bourn, and Bourn scored on a Prado sacrifice fly. Atlanta got another in the fifth inning when Simmons singled to score Freeman. Washington shot back in the sixth inning with singles by Tyler Moore and Jesus Flores plating LaRoche and Ian Desmond, respectively. The Nationals got another in the seventh inning on a LaRoche double to drive in Michael Morse. This made it 7-5, which was all for the scoring, allowing Minor the win, Craig Kimbrel the save, and Strasburg took the loss in an outing abbreviated by heat.

North to Baltimore, as the Orioles host the Cleveland Indians. Josh Tomlin and Dana Eveland will be tabbed to start. Cleveland began with a first inning Jose Lopez single to bring home Shin-Soo Choo. The Indians struck again in the second inning on a Choo solo home run. Baltimore got on the board in the third inning with a Brian Roberts sacrifice fly knocking in Mark Reynolds. Cleveland rallied to extend the lead in the fourth inning on an Asdrubal Cabrera single to plate Lou Marson, a Jason Kipnis groundout scoring Choo, and Cabrera scored on a single by Lopez. The Orioles got all of those back in their half of the inning with a three-run home run by Chris Davis, sweeping in Adam Jones and Wilson Betemit. The Indians were back at work in the fifth inning when Choo singled Marson across the dish, followed by Cabrera doubling home Choo and then scoring on a Lopez single. Cleveland padded the lead in the sixth inning with a solo shot by Shelley Duncan and a Choo single to drive in Marson. Baltimore replied in their half of the sixth with Matt Wieters grounding into a fielder's choice to get Betemit home. The Indians made it 11-5 in the ninth inning on a Lopez single, scoring Marson. Tomlin got the win while Eveland was shelled in the loss.

Back west, the Chicago Cubs host the Houston Astros. J.A. Happ and Matt Garza are the veteran pitchers. Houston struck first as Jordan Schafer singled to knock in J.D. Martinez in the third inning. The Astros added on in the fourth inning with Martinez singling to bring in Chris Johnson. Chicago charged ahead in the fifth inning when Starlin Castro singled to drive in Luis Valbuena before scoring on a two-run Anthony Rizzo home run. This held up for a 3-2 win, earned by Garza, while Carlos Marmol turned the save and Happ was stuck with the loss.

Out to California, where the San Francisco Giants host the Cincinnati Reds. Mat Latos and Barry Zito will try to right the ship today. Cincinnati began with a bases-loaded walk drawn by Ryan Hanigan to force in Brandon Phillips in the fourth inning. The Reds struck again in the seventh inning with a Miguel Cairo single to plate Zack Cozart. San Francisco tried a ninth inning rally when Gregor Blanco grounded out to knock in Brandon Belt, but they couldn't get the equalizer, falling 2-1. Latos went the distance for the win, allowing just two hits, while Zito was dinged for the loss.

Across the country to the east, the Miami Marlins host the Philadelphia Phillies. Cole Hamels and Mark Buehrle pace the game. Miami led off with a first inning Giancarlo Stanton solo home run. Philadelphia tied it in the second inning on a Shane Victorino sacrifice fly to bring home Carlos Ruiz. The Marlins took the lead back in the third inning as Stanton singled in Jose Reyes. Miami got another in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly by Justin Ruggiano to bring in Reyes. The Phillies got one back in the seventh inning on a Hunter Pence solo shot. They couldn't tie the game, losing 3-2. Buehrle got the win, Heath Bell tossed the save, and Hamels was stuck with a hard-luck loss.

Out west again, the Colorado Rockies host the San Diego Padres. Edinson Volquez faces Christian Friedrich atop the hill. San Diego finally opened in the fourth inning with a solo home run by Yasmani Grandal. Colorado answered in the fifth inning with a Willin Rosario solo shot followed by Dexter Fowler using a bunt single and subsequent error to drive in Eric Young. The Padres struck back in the sixth inning with a two-run Grandal home run, also scoring Carlos Quentin. San Diego got another solo home run in the seventh inning from Alexi Amarista. The Padres extended the lead in the eighth inning on a Cameron Maybin single to plate Chase Headley, before he came home alongside Yonder Alonso as Amarista went yard again for a three-run blast. The Rockies replied in their half of the inning with Jordan Pacheco singling in Carlos Gonzalez and Chris Nelson doubling Michael Cuddyer safely home. They still fell short by an 8-4 score, setting Volquez up for the win and Jeremy Guthrie was on the hook for the loss.

Southeast to Arlington, with the Texas Rangers welcoming the Oakland Athletics. Tommy Milone and Martin Perez are the relatively unknown pitchers. Oakland started with a second inning Chris Carter solo home run. Texas answered with an Adrian Beltre solo shot in the bottom of the second. The Athletics replied in the fourth inning when Brandon Inge singled home Carter. The Rangers gained the lead in the fifth inning as Ian Kinsler singled in both Mike Napoli and Yorvit Torrealba, before coming home on a three-run Josh Hamilton home run that also plated Elvis Andrus. Texas added on in the seventh inning as Hamilton singled to knock in Craig Gentry. This ended the scoring at a 7-2 final. Perez notched the win, while Milone had an unlucky loss.

Back to the east, the Tampa Bay Rays host the Detroit Tigers. Rick Porcello and Jeremy Hellickson picked up the starts. Detroit got things going in the third inning as Prince Fielder grounded out to bring in Austin Jackson. The Tigers added on in the eighth inning with a three-run home run by Jackson, sweeping in Brennan Boesch and Ramon Santiago. Tampa Bay got some back in the bottom of the eighth with solo home runs by Jeff Keppinger and Carlos Pena. Detroit extended their lead in the ninth inning as Jhonny Peralta singled to score both Fielder and Delmon Young. This made it 6-2, a final, with Porcello notching the win and Hellickson's abbreviated start resulting in a loss.

North to Milwaukee, where the Brewers host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Wade Miley and Michael Fiers are the almost-unknown pitchers. For a detailed recap, go to ultimatebasballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the Game of the Day. The Brewers led off in the second inning as Corey Hart scored on a wild pitch. Milwaukee struck again with a third inning solo home run by Ryan Braun. The Brewers padded the lead in the fourth inning as Cody Ransom hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Hart and Rickie Weeks, followed by Carlos Gomez tripling in Martin Maldonado, and then Gomez scored on a two-run Braun home run. Milwaukee got another in the fifth inning as Ransom singled to score Weeks. The Brewers got another run in the sixth inning on a Gomez solo shot. Arizona found the scoreboard in the eighth inning as Gerardo Parra grounded into a fielder's choice to drive in Stephen Drew. The Diamondbacks tried a ninth inning rally when Miguel Montero hit a solo home run, but they fell short, losing 10-2. Fiers got the win, while Miley got knocked around in the loss.

Way southwest, the Los Angeles Dodgers host the New York Mets. Johan Santana opposes a lesser foe in Nathan Eovaldi. New York got on the board in the second inning with a Daniel Murphy sacrifice fly, driving in Ike Davis. The Mets struck again in the fifth inning on a Josh Thole sacrifice fly to knock in Murphy. New York made it 5-0 in the eighth inning as Davis hit a three-run home run, also scoring Andres Torres and David Wright. This was a final, where Santana got the win and Eovaldi had no help in the loss.

Finally, we end in Seattle, with the Mariners hosting the Boston Red Sox. Josh Beckett returns from the disabled list to pace the game with Erasmo Ramirez. Seattle began in the sixth inning when John Jaso doubled in both Ichiro and Casper Wells. Boston got on the board in the seventh inning with a Ryan Kalish fielder's choice to bring in Adrian Gonzalez, and Will Middlebrooks tied it by scoring on a passed ball. The Mariners won it in walkoff fashion in the eleventh inning as Chone Figgins hit a sacrifice fly to knock in Dustin Ackley for a 3-2 win. Shawn Kelley notched the win and Alfredo Aceves was charged with the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @UltBaseballTrip and check out ultimatebaseballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the trip of a lifetime as we hit Milwaukee.

MLB Day 89 2012

Full slate again with one matinee, where we start as...

The Chicago Cubs host the Houston Astros. Bud Norris and Paul Maholm are the underwhelming starters. Chicago began in the second inning on a solo home run by Luis Valbuena. The Cubs added on in the fourth inning when Steve Clevenger hit a two-run home run, also scoring Bryan LaHair. Chicago made it 4-0 in the sixth inning with a solo shot by Alfonso Soriano. This was all for the scoring, with Maholm notching the win, Carlos Marmol picking up the save, and Norris was handed the loss.

East to Baltimore, where the Orioles host the Cleveland Indians. Derek Lowe and Jake Arrieta are the beleaguered pitchers. For a thorough recap, go to ultimatebasballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the Game of the Day. Cleveland led off in the first inning when Michael Brantley singled in Shin-Soo Choo. Baltimore answered in their half of the inning when J.J. Hardy reached on an error to get Brian Roberts home before scoring on a Wilson Betemit double, followed by Chris Davis grounding out to bring in Adam Jones. The Indians got one back in the third inning as Asdrubal Cabrera hit a solo home run. Cleveland pulled ahead in the fourth inning as Choo drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Casey Kotchman before Jason Kipnis singled in both Lonnie Chisenhall and Lou Marson. The Orioles replied in the fifth inning when Xavier Avery grounded out to knock in Robert Andino. Baltimore took the lead in the sixth inning on a three-run home run from Matt Wieters, sweeping in Betemit and Davis. The Indians pulled back in the seventh inning as Shelley Duncan doubled to drive in Kotchman, before Duncan scored on a double play from Marson. The Orioles got the lead back in the bottom of the seventh when Ryan Flaherty singled Davis in. Baltimore got another in the eighth as Avery hit a solo shot. Cleveland attempted a ninth inning rally when Choo singled Duncan in, but they still lost 9-8. Matt Lindstrom was in line for the win, Jim Johnson got the save, and Joe Smith suffered the loss.

To New York, as the Yankees host the Chicago White Sox. Jose Quintana and Adam Warren are the unknown starters. New York was first to score as Curtis Granderson hit a two-run home run, also scoring Derek Jeter, followed by Andruw Jones doubling to plate Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher. Chicago went to work in the second inning on a A.J. Pierzynski solo home run, followed by Gordon Beckham doubling to score both Dayan Viciedo and Alexei Ramirez before coming home on a Kevin Youkilis groundout. The White Sox struck again in the third inning as Paul Konerko hit a solo shot and Pierzynski singled home Alex Rios. The Yankees pulled back in the fourth inning with a 2-RBI Jayson Nix double, plating Swisher and Jones. Chicago got another in the fifth inning on another Pierzynski solo home run. The White Sox padded the lead in the sixth inning when Rios singled home Adam Dunn. Chicago extended the lead with a two-run home run by Ramirez in the seventh inning, driving in Viciedo. New York got one back in the bottom of the seventh when Robinson Cano grounded into a fielder's choice to get Mark Teixeira home. The White Sox got at it again in the ninth inning when Ramirez doubled Viciedo across the dish before coming home alongside Beckham on a double from Alejandro De Aza, and De Aza scored on a Dunn single. This made it 14-7, a final, with the win going to Quintana and the loss to David Phelps.

Up in Toronto, the Blue Jays host the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Ervin Santana and Carlos Villanueva will be called on to pitch. Los Angeles struck first with a third inning Torii Hunter single to knock in John Hester. The Angels padded the lead in the fourth inning on an Erick Aybar sacrifice fly to bring in Toronto rallied ahead in the bottom of the fourth when Edwin Encarnacion singled home Jose Bautista before scoring on a Yunel Escobar single, followed by a three-run long ball from Adam Lind to sweep in Escobar and Rajai Davis. Los Angeles got one back in the fifth inning as Albert Pujols doubled to score Hunter. The Angels tied it with a two-run home run from Hester in the seventh inning, also scoring Aybar. The Blue Jays got the lead back with an Escobar ground rule double in the bottom of the seventh, forcing home Encarnacion. Toronto got another in the eighth inning when Lind hit a solo home run. This was good for a 7-5 win, with the win going to Francisco Cordero, the save to Casey Janssen, and the loss to Jordan Walden.

Back stateside, the Tampa Bay Rays host the Detroit Tigers. Justin Verlander and David Price pace the game. Tampa Bay opened in the first inning when Luke Scott grounded out to bring in Carlos Pena. The Rays added on in the third inning with a Desmond Jennings solo home run. Tampa Bay got another in the fourth inning with a Ben Zobrist solo shot. Detroit got on the board in the fifth inning with a Delmon Young solo home run. The Rays shot back in their half of the inning when Jennings hit another solo shot. The Tigers answered on a seventh inning Prince Fielder groundout to knock in Ramon Santiago. This was all for the scoring, leaving the final at 4-2. Price picked up the win, Fernando Rodney turned the save, and Verlander was on the hook for the loss.

South still to Miami, where the Marlins host the Philadelphia Phillies. Cliff Lee and Josh Johnson take the mound. Miami began in the first inning with Logan Morrison grounding out to bring in Jose Reyes. The Marlins added on in the third inning as Giancarlo Stanton singled home Hanley Ramirez before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Omar Infante. Philadelphia shot back in the fourth inning as Hunter Pence hit a solo home run. Miami answered in the fifth inning as Justin Ruggiano doubled home both Stanton and Morrison before crossing the dish as John Buck singled. The Phillies got another in the ninth inning when Pence singled to drive in Chase Utley, but this only made it 6-2. Johnson took the win, and Lee was left with the loss.

North a tad to Atlanta, as the Braves host the Washington Nationals. Ross Detwiler and Randall Delgado will be sent to pitch. Washington started with a second inning Detwiler single to bring home Michael Morse. The Nationals added on in the third inning when Ian Desmond singled home both Adam LaRoche and Morse. Washington struck again in the fourth inning as Jesus Flores hit a solo home run. Atlanta found the scoreboard in the seventh inning when Martin Prado singled to score Freddie Freeman and a Michael Bourn sacrifice fly allowing Jack Wilson to come home, before Andrelton Simmons tied it with a two-run home run to finish Prado's trip around. The Nationals took the lead back in the eighth inning with a Morse solo shot. This made the final 5-4, with Sean Burnett earning the win, Tyler Clippard grabbing the save, and Chad Durbin took the loss.

Westward to Texas, where the Rangers host the Oakland Athletics. A.J. Griffin is mismatched with Matt Harrison. Oakland got going in the fourth inning when Yoenis Cespedes singled home Jemile Weeks. The Athletics added on in the fifth inning with a Coco crisp single to plate Chris Carter. Texas got on the board in the eighth inning with a bases-loaded walk by Nelson Cruz forcing in Elvis Andrus, followed by a bases-clearing triple from Craig Gentry to sweep in all of Josh Hamilton, Michael Young, and Cruz. Oakland tried a rally in the ninth inning as Carter hit a solo home run, but they fell 4-3. Harrison notched the win, Tanner Scheppers got a spot save, and Grant Balfour was on the hook for the loss.

Northwest to Colorado, where the Rockies host the San Diego Padres. Jason Marquis and Jeff Francis try to right the ship while pitching. Colorado led off with a first inning Carlos Gonzalez groundout allowing Marco Scutaro to score. The Rockies struck again in the third inning as Scutaro singled home Willin Rosario. Colorado rallied to extend the lead in the sixth inning with Gonzalez tripling Dexter Fowler in and then scoring on an error himself, followed by Tyler Colvin tripling to force in Michael Cuddyer and then coming the final 90 feet as Chris Nelson reached on an error. San Diego got on the board in the seventh inning with a Carlos Quentin solo home run. The Padres got another in the eighth as Will Venable singled home Alexi Amarista. The Rockies padded the lead in the bottom of the eighth on a two-run Cuddyer home run, also scoring Gonzalez, followed by another two-run bomb from Rosario, plating Nelson. The final stuck at 10-2, allowing Francis the win and handing Marquis the loss.

Back northeast a bit, the Minnesota Twins host the Kansas City Royals. Luis Mendoza and Brian Duensing are the little-known starters. Kansas City started with a first inning Billy Butler single to drive in Alex Gordon. The Royals added on in the second inning as Salvador Perez hit a solo home run. Minnesota got on the board in the bottom of the second when Ryan Doumit singled to plate Trevor Plouffe. Kansas City struck back in the fifth inning on a Yuniesky Betancourt double, allowing Alcides Escobar to dart home. The Royals got another in the seventh inning when Eric Hosmer singled Betancourt across the fish. The Twins tried a ninth inning rally with Joe Mauer doubling in Denard Span and Josh Willingham grounding out to get Ben Revere home, but they only made it 4-3 before losing. Mendoza got the win, Jonathan Broxton tossed an ugly save for his twentieth of the season, and Duensing was not freed from the loss.

Over east in Milwaukee, the Brewers host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ian Kennedy and Randy Wolf are the veterans pitching. Milwaukee was the first to score in the first inning with Aramis Ramirez grounding out to bring in Norichika Aoki. Arizona tied it in the second inning when Hector Blanco hit a ground rule double to force in Paul Goldschmidt. The Diamondbacks rallied ahead in the third inning as Justin Upton singled in Willie Bloomquist, followed by Jason Kubel doing the same for Aaron Hill, and a three-run Goldschmidt home run finished Upton's and Kubel's trips. Arizona padded the lead in the fourth as Hill picked up his third piece to the cycle puzzle by hitting a two-run home run, sweeping in Bloomquist. He had a double in the first and a single in the third. The Diamondbacks struck again when Hill finished the cycle with a sixth inning triple to knock in Bloomquist. The Brewers got a couple back in the bottom of the sixth as Cesar Izturis doubled to score both Corey Hart and Rickie Weeks. This was as close as it got, with the final standing at 9-3. Kennedy got the win and Wolf was on the hook for the loss. As a side note, Hill became the first player since 1931 to hit for a cycle twice in the same season, when Babe Herman did it for the then-Brooklyn Dodgers.

South to St. Louis, where the Cardinals host the Pittsburgh Pirates. Kevin Correia and Adam Wainwright are the well-known pitchers. Pittsburgh opened in the first inning as Neil Walker singled in Jose Tabata and Andrew McCutchen. St. Louis shot back in the second inning when David Freese grounded out to get Allen Craig home. The Cardinals rallied ahead in the third inning as Carlos Beltran singled to score Rafael Furcal before coming home alongside Jon Jay on a three-run home run from Craig. The Pirates tied it in the fifth inning on a 3-RBI double from Pedro Alvarez, driving in McCutchen, Garrett Jones, and Walker. Pittsburgh took the lead in the sixth inning with solo shots from Clint Barmes and Alex Presley, followed by a two-run long ball by Jones, also scoring McCutchen. The Pirates added on in the eighth inning as Casey McGehee singled Brad Lincoln across the dish, followed by a bases-loaded walk drawn by Alvarez to force in Tabata. Pittsburgh iced it at 14-5 when McCutchen went yard for a three-run home run in the ninth inning, taking with him Presley and Tabata. Correia had plenty of support for the win while Wainwright was shelled in the loss.

Out west to Los Angeles, as the Dodgers host the New York Mets. R.A. Dickey and Aaron Harang receive the starting nods. New York started off in the third inning when David Wright singled in Andres Torres and Ike Davis hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Ruben Tejada. The Mets added on in the fifth inning as Lucas Duda singled in Tejada before scoring alongside Wright on a Daniel Murphy double. New York got some more in the seventh inning with a three-run Murphy home run, sweeping in Davis and Duda, followed by Tejada singling home Josh Thole. This made it 9-0, with Dickey getting a dominant win and Harang taking an ugly loss.

Up into Seattle, where the Mariners host the Boston Red Sox. Aaron Cook and Hector Noesi will be pitching. Boston got going in the fifth inning with solo shots by Will Middlebrooks, Cody Ross, and Daniel Nava. The Red Sox got some more in the sixth inning on a two-run home run from Jarrod Saltalamacchia, also scoring David Ortiz. This made it 5-0, which was preserved to be a final, with Cook pitching a two-hit complete game shutout for the win and Noesi having no support in the loss.

Finally, down in San Francisco, the Giants host the Cincinnati Reds. Mike Leake and Matt Cain will be handed the ball. Cincinnati quickly grabbed a first inning lead with a lead off solo home run by Zack Cozart and a 2-RBI Jay Bruce double to knock in Drew Stubbs and Joey Votto. The Reds got another in the sixth when the pitcher Leake hit a solo shot. Cincinnati padded the lead in the seventh inning as Bruce doubled to drive in Brandon Phillips. San Francisco avoided the shutout in the ninth inning as Pablo Sandoval hit a solo home, producing the 5-1 final. Leake went the distance for the win, while Cain had a few struggles in the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @UltBaseballTrip and check out ultimatebaseballfantasytreip.blogspot.com for the adventure of a lifetime, passing through a storm-ravaged Baltimore area.

MLB Day 88 2012

Travel day for a handful of teams, with the rest playing as normal. We begin with the...

Battle of Pennsylvania, where the Philadelphia Phillies host the Pittsburgh Pirates. A.J. Burnett and Kyle Kendrick get the starting nods. Pittsburgh rallied to an early lead in the first inning as Garrett Jones singled home Drew Sutton, followed by a three-run home run from Casey McGehee that brought in Neil Walker and Jones, and a Pedro Alvarez solo home run. Philadelphia got on the board in the second inning with a two-run home run by Erik Kratz, also scoring Ty Wigginton. The Phillies got another in the sixth inning as Placido Polanco grounded into a fielder's choice to bring in Shane Victorino. Philadelphia pulled closer in the eighth inning on a Hunter Pence solo shot. They couldn't tie the game, falling 5-4. Burnett earned the win, Joel Hanrahan converted his twentieth save of the season, and Kendrick suffered the loss.

Westward to Colorado, where the Rockies host the Washington Nationals. Edwin Jackson faces a lesser foe in Josh Outman. Colorado began with a first inning Carlos Gonzalez single to bring home Dexter Fowler, followed by Chris Nelson doing the same for Scutaro, and a three-run home run by Tyler Colvin, sweeping in Todd Helton and Nelson. The Rockies added on in the second inning as Nelson doubled home Gonzalez and then scored on a Colvin single. Washington pulled back in the third inning on a 2-RBI Ryan Zimmerman single, plating both Tyler Moore and the pitcher Jackson before he came home alongside Danny Espinosa when Michael Morse hit a three-run home run. Colorado shot back in the fourth inning as Gonzalez singled in Scutaro, before being forced in on a Colvin triple. The Nationals got one back in the fifth inning when Bryce Harper singled to knock in Espinosa, followed by an Adam LaRoche sacrifice fly to finish Harper's trip and a two-run home run from Ian Desmond to tie the game as Morse came home. The Rockies responded with Gonzalez grounding into a double play, allowing Josh Roenicke to come home. Washington tied it in the ninth inning as Harper lifted a solo home run. Colorado won it in walkoff fashion in the eleventh inning as Scutaro singled Jonathan Herrera in safely for an 11-10 win. Adam Ottavino got the win while Craig Stammen was handed the loss.

Back to the east, as the Baltimore Orioles host the Cleveland Indians. Zach McAllister and Wei-Yin Chen are the little known starters. Cleveland started with a second inning three-run home run by Johnny Damon, also scoring Jose Lopez and Michael Brantley. The Indians got another in the fifth inning on a solo home run by Shin-Soo Choo. Baltimore got a couple back in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run home run from J.J. Hardy, knocking in Ryan Flaherty. Cleveland extended their lead in the seventh inning on a three-run Asdrubal Cabrera home run, sweeping in Lou Marson and Choo. This was good for a 7-2 win, with McAllister picking up the win and Chen was dealt the loss.

Over to New York, where the Yankees host the Chicago White Sox. Dylan Axelrod and Ivan Nova are the back-of-the-rotation starters. Chicago was first to score with a fifth inning Alejandro De Aza solo home run. New York took the lead in the bottom of the fifth as Alex Rodriguez doubled in Curtis Granderson before scoring on a Robinson Cano double. The Yankees added on in the eighth inning with a Mark Teixeira solo shot. The White Sox took a lead in the ninth inning on a three-run home run by Dayan Viciedo, sweeping in Alex Rios and Eduardo Escobar. This held for a 4-3 win, with Hector Santiago in line for the win, Addison Reed notching the save, and David Robertson responsible for the loss.

Up in Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays host the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Dan Haren and Brett Cecil are set to start. Los Angeles led off with a second inning Alberto Callaspo solo home run. Toronto tied it in their half of the inning when Yunel Escobar grounded out to bring in Edwin Encarnacion. The Blue Jays got the lead in the third inning when Jeff Mathis hit a solo shot. The Angels replied in the fourth inning with a two-run Mark Trumbo home run, also scoring Albert Pujols, followed by a Peter Bourjos sacrifice fly to bring in Howie Kendrick. Toronto shot back on a Rajai Davis sacrifice fly, allowing Encarnacion to score in the bottom of the fourth. Los Angeles struck again in the fifth inning as Kendrick singled Pujols across the dish. The Blue Jays shot back in the bottom of the fifth with a three-run Jose Bautista long ball, sweeping in Mathis and Colby Rasmus. The Angels took the lead back in the sixth inning after Bourjos hit a ground rule double to force in Erick Aybar before finishing his trip on a two-run home run by Mike Trout. Toronto clawed back in the seventh inning as Brett Lawrie singled to give Mathis time to come home. Los Angeles added on again in the ninth inning with a triple by Trumbo to knock Pujols home. This was all for the scoring, with the final being 9-7. Haren picked up the win, Ernesto Frieri turned his tenth save of the season, and Cecil was dinged for the loss.

Back stateside, the Tampa Bay Rays host the Detroit Tigers. Max Scherzer and James Shields are the struggling starters. For a more detailed recap, check out ultimatebaseballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the featured Game of the Day. Detroit got going in the third inning as Delmon Young singled to score Quintin Berry and Alex Avila doubled home Prince Fielder. The Tigers added on in the fourth inning when Berry reached on an error, allowing Brennan Boesch to dash home. Tampa Bay found the scoreboard in the fifth inning as Elliot Johnson singled Brooks Conrad across the dish. Detroit responded in the sixth inning as Miguel Cabrera singled home Austin Jackson. The Rays got one back in the seventh inning on a Conrad double that combined with an error to plate Jeff Keppinger. The Tigers answered in the ninth inning on a solo home run by Cabrera for a 5-2 final. The win went to Scherzer, Jose Valverde turned the save, and Shields was stuck with the loss.

North a little to Atlanta, as the Braves host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Trevor Bauer makes his highly-anticipated MLB debut against Jair Jurrjens on the mound. Atlanta opened with a third inning Brian McCann double to drive in Martin Prado. The Braves got another in the fourth inning when Michael Bourn hit a sacrifice fly that allowed safe passage home for Andrelton Simmons. Arizona tied it up in the sixth inning on a 2-RBI Jason Kubel double that plated both Willie Bloomquist and Justin Upton. The Diamondbacks took a ninth inning lead on a Chris Young solo home run. This made it 3-2, the final, with the win going to David Hernandez, the save to J.J. Putz, and the loss to Craig Kimbrel.

Westward to Houston, as the Astros host the San Diego Padres. Andrew Cashner and Dallas Keuchel are the completely unknown pitchers. San Diego started with a third inning solo home run by Chase Headley. Houston got on the board in the seventh inning as Brian Bogusevic hit a two-run home run, sweeping in Carlos Lee. The Astros got another in the eighth inning when J.D. Martinez scored on a wild pitch. The Padres stormed ahead in the ninth inning when Logan Forsythe reached on an error to knock in John Baker, Carlos Quentin was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in Cameron Maybin, and Alexi Amarista hit a grand slam to sweep home all of Forsythe, Headley, and Quentin. This made it 7-3 in the end, with the win going to Nick Vincent and the loss to Brett Myers.

Across to Arlington, where the Texas Rangers welcome the Oakland Athletics. Tyson Ross and Scott Feldman receive the starting nods. Oakland quickly got a lead with a first inning Josh Reddick solo home run. Texas tied it in the bottom of the first as Josh Hamilton grounded out to bring in Ian Kinsler. The Athletics rallied to another lead in the third inning with back-to-back solo shots by Derek Norris and Cliff Pennington before a Yoenis Cespedes single to score Coco Crisp. The Rangers got one back in their half of the third on a Hamilton single that knocked in Kinsler. Texas got another back in the fifth inning on a Elvis Andrus single to drive in Leonys Martin, followed by Adrian Beltre drawing a bases loaded walk to force in Kinsler and David Murphy singling both Andrus and Hamilton home. The Rangers got another in the sixth inning as Beltre's sacrifice fly allowed Andrus to score. Oakland got some back in the seventh inning as Cespedes singled home Crisp and Seth Smith hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Reddick. The Rangers held on for a 7-6 win, earned by Feldman, while Joe Nathan turned a rocky save and Ross was handed the loss.

West to Los Angeles, as the Dodgers host the New York Mets. Chris Young opposes a former Mets in Chris Capuano in pitching. New York began early in the first inning when David Wright doubled to score Ruben Tejada. The Mets added on in the fourth inning with a Wright solo home run. Los Angeles answered in the bottom of the fourth, tying it as Elian Herrera tripled to force in Dee Gordon before crossing home on a Juan Rivera single. New York took the lead back in the fifth inning as Andres Torres doubled to plate Mike Nickeas. This held up for a 3-2 win, with Young getting the win, Bobby Parnell turning the save, and Capuano was given the loss.

North to Seattle, where the Mariners host the Boston Red Sox. Franklin Morales and Felix Hernandez pace the game. Seattle won the game 1-0 in walkoff fashion with a ninth inning John Jaso single to drive in Casper Wells. Hernandez went the distance for a five-hit and one-walk complete game shutout, while Morales had no support from the offense, pitching seven strong innings but taking the loss.

Back south a bit to San Francisco, as the Giants host the Cincinnati Reds. Johnny Cueto and Madison Bumgarner are the pair of aces on the hill. San Francisco established an early lead in the first inning as Angel Pagan singled in Melky Cabrera and also Buster Posey on an error. The Giants struck again in the sixth inning when Pablo Sandoval doubled in Pagan. San Francisco added on in the seventh inning with Gregor Blanco tripling to force in Bumgarner before coming the final 90 feet on a Ryan Theriot single. This made it 5-0, the final, with Bumgarner tossing a one-hit and two-walk complete game shutout for the win, while Cueto suffered the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @UltBaseballTrip and check out ultimatebaseballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the trip of a lifetime, passing through Tampa Bay on our way north.

MLB Day 87 2012

Full slate of games on getaway day. We begin in...

Cincinnati, as the Reds host the Milwaukee Brewers. Zack Greinke and Homer Bailey get the starting nods. Milwaukee got things going in the second inning as Rickie Weeks hit a two-run home run, also scoring Corey Hart. The Brewers added on in the third inning as Aramis Ramirez singled in Norichika Aoki. Cincinnati got on the board in the bottom of the third inning as Brandon Phillips single to score Chris Heisey. Milwaukee replied in the fourth inning on a two-run home run by Cody Ransom, sweeping in Hart. The Reds got one back in their half of the fourth on a Ryan Ludwick solo home run. Cincinnati pulled closer in the eighth inning as Miguel Cairo grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Zack Cozart. The Brewers rallied to extend the lead in the ninth inning with Travis Ishikawa singling home Martin Maldonado, followed by bases-loaded walks from Ramirez and Hart, forcing in Ishikawa and Aoki. The Reds got one back in the bottom of the ninth with another Ludwick solo shot, but this only made it an 8-4 final. Greinke got the win while Bailey was credited with the loss.

East to New York, as the Yankees host the Cleveland Indians. Ubaldo Jimenez and Andy Pettitte are the once-amazing pitchers. Cleveland began in the second inning on a Shelley Duncan double to knock in Carlos Santana. New York answered in the fourth inning when Eric Chavez doubled in both Robinson Cano and Raul Ibanez. The Indians took the lead back in the fifth inning on an Asdrubal Cabrera single driving in Lou Marson and a Jason Kipnis single doing the same for Michael Brantley. The Yankees got the lead back in the sixth inning on a two-run home by Cano, sweeping in Alex Rodriguez. New York added on in the eighth inning as Chavez singled to plate Mark Teixeira. Cleveland got one back in the ninth inning as Michael Brantley drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Lonnie Chisenhall. This was it for the scoring, with the final being 5-4. Freddy Garcia was in line for the win, Rafael Soriano turned in a shaky save, and Jimenez was the losing pitcher.

Northwest to Minnesota, where the Twins host the Chicago White Sox. Chris Sale and Nick Blackburn take their turns in the rotation. Chicago led off in the second inning as Alexei Ramirez reached on an error, allowing Alex Rios to score. The White Sox added on in the third inning when Kevin Youkilis doubled home Eduardo Escobar. Chicago continued in the fifth inning with a three-run Adam Dunn home run, sweeping in Alejandro De Aza and Youkilis before Rios hit a solo home run. Minnesota got one back in their half of the inning on a Brian Dozier solo shot. The White Sox rallied again in the sixth inning as De Aza singled to plate Ramirez, Youkilis did the same for Orlando Hudson, and Dunn followed suit to bring in Escobar. The Twins answered in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly from Ben Revere, giving Denard Span time to come home. Chicago shot back in the seventh inning as Jordan Danks singled in A.J. Pierzynski. The White Sox padded the lead in the eighth inning on a Rios single to drive in Escobar and a Pierzynski sacrifice fly giving time to Tyler Flower for safe passage home. Minnesota got some back in the bottom of the eighth as Darin Mastroianni hit a two-run home run, sweeping home Dozier. The Twins futilely attempted to pull back in the ninth inning with Dozier grounding into a fielder's choice to bring in Chris Parmelee, setting up the 12-5 final. Sale was given the win and Blackburn suffered a brutal loss.

Back to the east, where the Boston Red Sox host the Toronto Blue Jays. Ricky Romero and Jon Lester are the staff aces pitching. Toronto began with a first inning Colby Rasmus single to knock in Brett Lawrie. Boston rallied ahead in the bottom of the first inning, beginning on a Dustin Pedroia double to score Daniel Nava, followed by Adrian Gonzalez reaching on an error that scored both Pedroia and David Ortiz, Will Middlebrooks grounding out to bring in Cody Ross, Mike Aviles singling to knock in Gonzalez, and Darnell McDonald singling to finish Aviles' trip. The Red Sox got another in the second inning when Gonzalez singled Ortiz home. The Blue Jays got one back in the fourth inning on a Jose Bautista solo home run. Boston shot back in their half of the fourth as Gonzalez singled to drive in Ortiz and Aviles doubled Ross across the dish. The Red Sox added on in the fifth inning as Ortiz hit a solo shot. Toronto chipped back in the sixth inning as Edwin Encarnacion lifted a two-run home run, sweeping in Bautista. The scoring ended here, as Boston won 10-4. Lester picked up the win and Romero was shelled in the loss.

To the Midwest, where the Kansas City Royals host the Tampa Bay Rays. Matt Moore and Everett Teaford are the uninspiring pitcher. Kansas City started in the first inning with a Mike Moustakas solo home run. The Royals added on in the third inning as Alcides Escobar hit a solo shot. Kansas City struck again in the fifth inning as Yuniesky Betancourt singled in both Jason Bourgeois and Escobar. Tampa Bay found the scoreboard in the sixth inning when Jeff Keppinger singled to plate B.J. Upton and Ben Zobrist did the same for Carlos Pena. The Rays tied it in the eighth inning when Zobrist tripled to force in Pena and Keppinger. The Royals took the lead back in the bottom of the eighth with a Billy Butler solo home run. This was all for the scoring, leaving Kansas City with a 5-4 win. Aaron Crow was in line for the win, Jonathan Broxton turned the save, and Burke Badenhop was dinged for the loss.

Up a bit into Chicago, where the Cubs host the New York Mets. Jonathon Niese and Jeff Samardzija are the back-of-the-rotation starters. New York struck first in the first inning as David Wright hit a sacrifice fly to knock in Andres Torres. Chicago got on the board in the second inning with a Luis Valbuena double to drive in Darwin Barney. The Mets answered in the fourth inning as Ike Davis doubled to score Lucas Duda before coming home on a Daniel Murphy two-run home run. New York added on in the fifth inning with Wright doubling both Niese and Ruben Tejada home before coming home himself alongside Duda when Davis hit a three-run home run, followed up by a Murphy solo home run. The Mets kept the blitz up in the sixth inning when Wright hit a 2-RBI single to bring in Niese and Torres before Scott Hairston hit a grand slam that swept home Tejada, Wright, and Duda. New York got another in the eighth inning as Murphy grounded into a fielder's choice that got Davis home. This made it 17-1, a final score. Niese was given the win for the absolute drubbing while Samardzija was shelled in the worst way for the loss.

Way out west, the Seattle Mariners host the Oakland Athletics. Jarrod Parker and Kevin Millwood are the under-appreciated pitchers. Oakland led off with a first inning Coco Crisp solo home run. Seattle tied it in the second inning on a John Jaso solo shot. The Athletics got the lead in the seventh inning on a Yoenis Cespedes solo home run. This was all they needed for a 2-1 win, with the win going to Parker, the save to Ryan Cook and the loss to Hisashi Iwakuma.

Down in San Francisco, the Giants host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chad Billingsley and Tim Lincecum are the veteran pitchers. San Francisco got things going in the third inning on a Melky Cabrera double to drive in Lincecum and a bases-loaded walk drawn by Angel Pagan to force in Ryan Theriot. The Giants added on in the fifth inning as Pagan singled Theriot across the dish. This was all they needed for a 3-0 win, which went to Lincecum, while Sergio Romo tossed the save and Billingsley had no support in the loss.

Back to the east, the Baltimore Orioles host the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Jered Weaver and Jason Hammel are on the mound. Los Angeles started in the first inning as Torii Hunter hit a solo home run. Baltimore tied it in the bottom of the first as Adam Jones doubled to score Chris Davis. The Angels took the lead again in the third inning when Kendrys Morales singled Mike Trout and Hunter safely home. Los Angeles rallied to extend the lead in the fourth inning, beginning with Howie Kendrick singling in Alberto Callaspo, followed by Trout doing the same for Erick Aybar, Hunter singling to bring in Bobby Wilson, Trout scoring as Hunter stole second, Hunter coming home on a Morales single, and Callaspo singling Albert Pujols across the plate. The Angels kept up the attack in the fifth inning as Morales reached on an error allowing both Trout and Hunter to come home safely. Los Angeles extended the lead in the seventh inning as Peter Bourjos doubled Wilson in before scoring on a single by Morales. This made it a 13-1 final, with Weaver getting an easy win and Hammel getting shelled in the loss.

Into Philadelphia, as the Phillies host the Pittsburgh Pirates. James McDonald faces a lesser foe in Raul Valdes. Philadelphia opened with a pair of solo home runs in the first inning, from Chase Utley and Carlos Ruiz. Pittsburgh took the lead on a three-run home run from Michael McKenry in the second inning, sweeping in Neil Walker and Jose Tabata. The Pirates struck again in the fourth inning on a Casey McGehee solo shot and a single from the pitcher McDonald to drive in Walker. Pittsburgh added on in the fifth inning when Walker singled Drew Sutton home, followed by Tabata doing the same for Andrew McCutchen and McKenry singled to finish Walker's trip. The Phillies got one back in the sixth inning as Hunter Pence double Ruiz in, and another when Pence scored on a Shane Victorino single. Philadelphia rallied closer in the seventh inning on a Jimmy Rollins triple to force home Hector Luna, a Juan Pierre single to bring Rollins the final 90 feet home, and a Ruiz single that finished Pierre's trip. The Pirates extended their lead again on an eighth inning Sutton double to drive home Alex Presley before he scored on a two-run home run by McCutchen. This was it for the scoring, leaving the final at 11-7. McDonald was credited with the win while Valdes was responsible for the loss.

Way south, the Miami Marlins host the St. Louis Cardinals. Joe Kelly is mismatched with Anibal Sanchez. For a more detailed recap of this game, go to ultimatebaseballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the featured Game of the Day. St. Louis was the first to score with a Carlos Beltran sacrifice fly bringing in Jon Jay and a David Freese double to drive in Matt Holliday. Miami tied it in the fifth inning on a John Buck single plating Omar Infante and a Jose Reyes groundout to bring home Gaby Sanchez. The Cardinals got the lead back in the seventh inning on a Tony Cruz solo home run. The Marlins tied it in the bottom of the seventh with a Buck solo shot and went ahead on a Logan Morrison solo home run. Miami extended the lead in the eighth inning when Infante doubled Greg Dobbs safely home. This made it 5-3, a final, with Sanchez in line for the win, Heath Bell turning the save as his fifteenth of the season, and Sam Freeman was on the hook for the loss.

North to Atlanta, as the Braves welcome the Arizona Diamondbacks. Trevor Cahill and Tommy Hanson are on the hill. Atlanta began with a first inning Jason Heyward solo home run. The Braves got another in the fifth inning as Andrelton Simmons reached on an error allowing Chipper Jones to come home, followed by Michael Bourn hitting a sacrifice fly to plate Freddie Freeman and Martin Prado doing the same to finish Simmons' trip. Atlanta struck again in the sixth inning with a two-run home run by Jones, sweeping in Dan Uggla. Arizona got on the board in the seventh inning with a three-run blast by Ryan Roberts, knocking in Miguel Montero and Aaron Hill, followed by a Chris Young solo shot. This was as close as it got, with the final standing at 6-4. Hanson picked up the win, Craig Kimbrel converted the save, and the loss was pinned on Cahill.

Westward into Texas, where the Rangers host the Detroit Tigers. Doug Fister and Roy Oswalt have the green light to pitch. Texas led off in the second inning as Nelson Cruz reached on an error to bring in Adrian Beltre before he was swept home alongside Michael Young on a three-run home run by David Murphy. Detroit got on the board in the third inning as Miguel Cabrera singled in Ryan Raburn. The Tigers got another in the fourth inning when Brennan Boesch singled to score Alex Avila. The Rangers answered in their half of the inning as Murphy hit a solo home run and Ian Kinsler hit a two-run long ball to knock in Mike Napoli. Detroit fired back in the fifth inning as Quintin Berry tripled to force in Austin Jackson before Jhonny Peralta doubled to bring in both Prince Fielder and Delmon Young. Texas shot back in their half of the inning when Murphy singled Beltre across the plate before coming home with Cruz on a Leonys Martin triple. The Rangers got more in the sixth inning as Young singled Elvis Andrus safely home. The Tigers rallied closer in the eighth inning as Jackson singled in Raburn, followed by Fielder reaching on an error that got Jackson home, a Young single to plate Cabrera, and an Avila single to finish Fielder's trip around. Texas extended their lead again in the bottom of the eighth with Andrus reaching on a bunt single to knock in Kinsler before finishing his trip on a Beltre double. The final stood at 13-9, with the win going to Oswalt and the brutal loss to Fister.

Staying in the state, the Houston Astros host the San Diego Padres. Clayton Richard and Lucas Harrell are the little-known starters. Houston was first to score with a third inning solo home run by Matt Downs. This was it for the scoring, with the Astros earning a 1-0 win, with Harrell pitching a wildly effective six hit and four walk complete game shutout, and Richard allowed just two runners but one got all the way around so he was stuck with the loss.

Finally, we end in Colorado, where the Rockies host the Washington Nationals. Jordan Zimmermann and Edwar Cabrera will be handed the ball. Washington wasted little time in scoring in the first inning as Ryan Zimmerman grounded out to give Bryce Harper time to score. The Nationals added on in the second inning as Tyler Moore hit a two-run home run, also scoring Mark DeRosa. Washington rallied some more in the third inning with a pair of solo home runs by Zimmerman and Ian Desmond, followed by Jhonatan Solano doubling both DeRosa and Moore home. Colorado found the scoreboard in the third inning when Marco Scutaro singled in Willin Rosario. The National struck again in the fourth inning when Zimmerman doubled to plate Harper. Washington got back to work in the seventh inning as DeRosa hit a sacrifice fly allowing Michael Morse to score and Solano singled Desmond safely home. The Rockies chipped back in the eighth inning as Tyler Colvin doubled home Carlos Gonzalez before coming home on a single from Jordan Pacheco. Colorado tried a rally in the ninth inning when Dexter Fowler doubled to score Jonathan Herrera before coming home on a Scutaro single, making it 11-5 in the end. Zimmermann was given the win while Cabrera was logically handed the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @UltBaseballTrip and check out ultimatebaseballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the trip of a lifetime as we take in the Sunshine State.

MLB Day 86 2012

Back to the full schedule and this post will be delayed due to real-life situations requiring my attention this evening. For the first game...

We hit Baltimore, as the Orioles host the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. C.J. Wilson opposes a lesser foe in Brian Matusz. Los Angeles opened in the first inning as Torii Hunter singled home Mike Trout. The Angels added on in the fifth inning with a two-run home run from Albert Pujols, also scoring Hunter. Baltimore got on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning as Steve Pearce hit a solo home run. Los Angeles fired back in the sixth inning with another two-run blast, this time from Peter Bourjos to score Maicer Izturis. The Angels added on in the seventh inning with a solo shot from Mark Trumbo. Los Angeles continued in the eighth inning as John Hester hit a solo home run. The Orioles kept up the power show in their half of the the eighth with a two-run long ball by Wilson Betemit, sweeping in Matt Wieters. This was it for the scoring, with the Angels winning 7-3. Wilson picked up the win and Matusz was stuck with the loss.

Into Philadelphia, as the Phillies host their cross-state rivals, the Pittsburgh Pirates. Erik Bedard and Vance Worley get the starting nods. Philadelphia was first to score in the first inning with a Carlos Ruiz single bringing in Hunter Pence. Pittsburgh got on the board in the second inning as Michael McKenry hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Pedro Alvarez. The Phillies replied in their half of the inning on a Placido Polanco single to drive in Mike Fontenot. Philadelphia added on in the third inning as Ty Wigginton hit a two-run home run, also scoring Carlos Ruiz. The Pirates responded in the sixth inning when Casey McGehee singled in Andrew McCutchen. Pittsburgh got another in the seventh inning when Drew Sutton doubled Clint Barmes across the dish. The Phillies shot back in the eighth inning when Ruiz hit a solo home run. The Pirates pulled back on a ninth inning McKenry solo shot, but they couldn't tie the game, falling 5-4. Worley was credited with the win, while Jonathan Papelbon picked up the save and Bedard took the loss.

To New York, with the Yankees hosting the Cleveland Indians. Justin Masterson and Phil Hughes are the average starters. New York got going in the second inning with Chris Stewart singled Nick Swisher in before coming home alongside Dewayne Wise on a Curtis Granderson single. The Yankees padded the lead in the fifth inning as Mark Teixeira hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Granderson. New York got another in the seventh inning as Alex Rodriguez hit a solo home run. The Yankees extended the lead in the eighth inning when Stewart's sacrifice fly plated Swisher. Cleveland tried to rally in the ninth inning as Johnny Damon singled in Kipnis before coming home on a three-run home run by Jose Lopez that also scored Casey Kotchman, but it wasn't enough to prevent the 6-4 loss. Hughes was handed the win, while Rafael Soriano mopped up the mess for a save and Masterson was not excused from the loss.

Westward to Cincinnati, as the Reds host the Milwaukee Brewers. Marco Estrada and Bronson Arroyo are tabbed for the starts. Cincinnati got things started in the sixth inning on a three-run home run by Jay Bruce, also scoring Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips. Milwaukee rallied to tie the game in the eighth inning as Corey Hart doubled in both George Kotteras and Taylor Green before coming home on a Norichika Aoki single. The Reds grabbed the lead in the bottom of the eighth as Drew Stubbs hit a solo home run. This made it 4-3, which was a final, as Sean Marshall earned the win, Aroldis Chapman tumbled his way to a save, and John Axford was on the hook for the loss.

Down in Miami, the Marlins host the St. Louis Cardinals. Kyle Lohse and Carlos Zambrano are the veteran pitchers. St. Louis started in the first inning with Carlos Beltran singling in Rafael Furcal and Allen Craig reaching on an error to get Matt Holliday home, followed by Yadier Molina hitting a three-run home run, sweeping in Beltran and Craig. Miami got on the board in the bottom of the first with a solo home run from Giancarlo Stanton. The Marlins got another in the fourth inning on a Greg Dobbs sacrifice fly that plated Stanton. This was it for the scoring, leaving the Cardinals with a 5-2 win, picked up by Lohse, while Jason Motte turned the save and Zambrano was dealt the loss.

Back north, the Boston Red Sox host the Toronto Blue Jays. Aaron Laffey and Daisuke Matsuzaka are the underwhelming starters. Toronto opened with a first inning Edwin Encarnacion single to plate Brett Lawrie. Boston tied it in the seventh inning on a Jarrod Saltalamacchia solo home run before taking the lead as Dustin Pedroia hit a 2-RBI single to drive in Ryan Kalish and Daniel Nava. The Red Sox added on in the eighth inning when Adrian Gonzalez doubled in David Ortiz and Will Middlebrooks hit a sacrifice fly to knock in Cody Ross. This was all for the scoring, leaving the final at 5-1 and Andrew Miller picked up the win while Luis Perez was dinged for the loss.

South again to Atlanta, where the Braves host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Daniel Hudson opposes the unrelated Tim Hudson for pitching purposes. Atlanta began on a first inning Michael Bourn solo home run. The Braves rallied to extend the lead in the second inning as Freddie Freeman doubled in Chipper Jones before scoring on an Andrelton Simmons single, and Simmons came home on a Jason Heyward sacrifice fly, followed by Brian McCann singling Bourn across the dish. Arizona found the scoreboard in the third inning on a Jason Kubel solo home run. Atlanta replied in the seventh inning with Freeman reaching on a fielder's choice, allowing Dan Uggla to score and Tim Hudson hitting a sacrifice fly to finish Freeman's trip around. The Braves made it 8-1 in the eighth inning as McCann singled to drive in Heyward, producing the final score. Tim Hudson earned the win while Daniel Hudson left the game early with an injury.

Westward to Houston, as the Astros host the San Diego Padres. Kip Wells and Jordan Lyles are the unknown starters. For a detailed analysis of this game, visit ultimatebaseballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the featured Game of the Day. San Diego led off with a third inning Will Venable solo home run. Houston tied it in their half of the third as Jed Lowrie hit a solo shot. The Astros rallied ahead in the fifth inning, beginning as Lowrie scored on a wild pitch, followed by Chris Johnson singling in Brian Bogusevic, and then J.D. Martinez finished Johnson's trip with a two-run home run. The Padres tried a ninth inning rally as Chase Headley singled home both Venable and Cameron Maybin, but they fell short and lost 5-3. Lyles picked up the win while Brett Myers converted the save and Wells was given the loss.

Staying in Texas, the Rangers host the Detroit Tigers. Drew Smyly and Yu Darvish are the talented young pitchers. Detroit led off in the first inning as Prince Fielder doubled in both Austin Jackson and Miguel Cabrera. Texas got one back in the bottom of the first as Ian Kinsler hit a solo home run. Fielder answered for the Tigers in the fourth inning with a solo shot of his own. The Rangers rallied in their half of the fourth as Michael Young tripled, forcing Adrian Beltre before scoring on a Nelson Cruz single, followed by Yorvit Torrealba singling Cruz in and Brandon Snyder doing the same for Torrealba. Detroit replied in the fifth inning as Quintin Berry singled in Alex Avila. Texas shot back with Elvis Andrus scoring on a passed ball. The Rangers got another in the seventh inning as Josh Hamilton went yard for a solo home run. The Tigers got one back in the eighth on a Fielder groundout to knock in Jackson, but this only made it 7-5, a final. Darvish was strong in the win, while Joe Nathan converted the save and Smyly was stuck holding the loss.

Up in Chicago, the Cubs host the New York Mets. Dillon Gee and Randy Wells receive the starting nods. New York opened in the second inning on a Josh Thole single plating Scott Hairston, followed by Gee doing the same for Daniel Murphy. Chicago replied in the third inning when Alfonso Soriano grounded out to bring in David DeJesus, followed by Luis Valbuena doubling in Starlin Castro and Darwin Barney singling to score Bryan LaHair. The Mets shot back to tie in the fourth inning as David Wright hit a sacrifice fly, giving Thole time to get home. The Cubs got the lead back in the bottom of the fourth on an Anthony Rizzo double, driving in Steve Clevenger. Chicago added on in the eighth inning as Reed Johnson singled, which combined with an error to allow Barney to come home safely. This was it for the scoring, leaving the Cubs with a 5-3 win, picked up by Scott Maine, while Carlos Marmol earned the save and Gee was on the hook for the loss.

Back south a tad as the Kansas City Royals host the Tampa Bay Rays. Chris Archer and Bruce Chen take the mound. Tampa Bay started with a first inning Hideki Matsui fly out that got Carlos Pena home after an error. The Rays added on with a Brooks Conrad solo home run in the second inning. Kansas City woke up in the third inning when Alcides Escobar doubled, which combined with an error to get Jarrod Dyson home, followed by Alex Gordon reaching on an error to push in Escobar, and Yuniesky Betancourt hitting a two-run home run to finish Gordon's trip around. The Royals added on in the eighth inning as Billy Butler singled in Gordon before Jeff Francoeur hit a three-run home run to plate Mike Moustakas and Mitch Maier. This made it 8-2, a final, with Chen getting the win and Archer taking the loss.

North into Minnesota, where the Twins host the Chicago White Sox. Gavin Floyd and Liam Hendriks will handle the pitching duties. Chicago was first to score as Alex Rios hit a two-run home run, also scoring Paul Konerko in the fourth inning. The White Sox got another in the seventh inning when Alexei Ramirez singled Rios home. Minnesota tried a ninth inning rally as Jamey Carroll hit a 2-RBI single, plating both Justin Morneau and Darin Mastroianni, but it fell short as they lost 3-2. Floyd was given the win, Addison Reed converted his tenth save of the season, and Hendriks was handed the loss.

Southwest to Colorado, as the Rockies host the Washington Nationals. Gio Gonzalez and Christian Friedrich will have the green light to pitch. Washington opened with a second inning Adam LaRoche solo home run. The Nationals added on in the third inning as Michael Morse hit a 2-RBI double to knock in Danny Espinosa and Ryan Zimmerman. Colorado replied in their half of the inning with Carlos Gonzalez doubling in Jordan Pacheco and Todd Helton singling to finish Gonzalez's trip and also Michael Cuddyer's after an error. Washington took the lead again in the fourth after the pitcher Gonzalez singled home Jesus Flores. The Nationals continued the attack in the fifth inning when Ian Desmond doubled both Zimmerman and Morse in, followed by a three-run home run from Tyler Moore, sweeping in LaRoche and Desmond. The Rockies got one back in the bottom of the fifth with a Dexter Fowler solo shot. Washington put on a power show in the sixth inning with Zimmerman launching a solo home run and LaRoche going yard again for a two-run home run that also scored Morse. Colorado answered in the bottom of the sixth as Jonathan Herrera hit a solo shot. This was all for the scoring, with the final standing at 12-5, allowing Gonzalez the win and Friedrich the loss.

Northwest into Seattle, where the Mariners welcome the Oakland Athletics. Travis Blackley and Jason Vargas take the hill. Seattle began in the third inning with a Franklin Gutierrez double to drive in Dustin Ackley, followd by a Kyle Seager sacrifice fly to bring home Ichiro. Oakland rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning on a Yoenis Cespedes solo home run and a Jonny Gomes single bringing in Seth Smith. The Mariners took the lead back in the eighth inning as Brendan Ryan singled in Casper Wells. This held up for a 3-2 win, with Charlie Furbush earning the win, Tom Wilhelmsen shutting the door for a save, and Jim Miller suffering the loss.

Finally, in San Francisco, the Giants host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Clayton Kershaw and Ryan Vogelsong are the reliable pitchers pacing the game. San Francisco got started in the fourth inning as Melky Cabrera hit a solo home run and Pablo Sandoval singled in Angel Pagan. This was the only scoring here, with the final sitting at 2-0 Giants. Vogelsong was very good in the win, while Santiago Casilla turned the save and Kershaw had no run support in the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @UltBaseballTrip and check out ulimatebaseballfantasytrip.blogspot.com for the adventure of a lifetime, heading east from Houston.