MLB Day 113 2012

Back to a full-slate Friday, with a lone matinee from...

Wrigley Field, where the Chicago Cubs host the St. Louis Cardinals. Lance Lynn and Travis Wood take their turns in the rotation. St. Louis got going with a first inning Matt Holliday solo home run. Chicago replied in the bottom of the first as Starlin Castro singled in David DeJesus before scoring on a two-run Anthony Rizzo home run. The Cardinals took the lead again in the second inning as Yadier Molina hit a two-run home run, also scoring Lance Berkman, followed by Daniel Descalso tripling to force in Matt Carpenter before coming the final 90 feet on a Lynn sacrifice fly. St. Louis struck again in the third inning when Berkman hit a solo shot. The Cubs answered in their half of the inning as Rizzo singled home Castro and then scored on a double from Alfonso Soriano, and Geovany Soto then singled to tie the game as Soriano came home. The Cardinals got the lead back in the fourth inning on a Carpenter solo home run. St. Louis struck again in the fifth inning as Allen Craig hit a solo shot. The Cardinals got another in the seventh inning when Holliday singled Jon Jay across the dish. This held up as a 9-6 win, with Lynn getting the win, Jason Motte closing for the save, and Wood taking the loss.

At the normal time, the New York Yankees host the Boston Red Sox. Aaron Cook and Phil Hughes will get the starting nods. Boston started with a Dustin Pedroia solo home run. New York replied in their half of the inning as Mark Teixeira grounded into a fielder's choice that got Curtis Granderson home before he scored on a two-run home run from Raul Ibanez. The Red Sox answered in the third inning on a Carl Crawford solo shot. The Yankees got it back in the bottom of the third as Teixeira hit a sacrifice fly to get Derek Jeter home. Boston pulled back in the fourth inning on a Jarrod Saltalamacchia solo home run. New York extended the lead in the bottom of the fourth as Russell Martin hit a two-run home run, also scoring Ichiro Suzuki. The Yankees padded the lead in the eighth inning on a Granderson grand slam, plating all of Suzuki, Martin, and Jeter. This iced the score at 10-3, with Hughes cruising to a win and Cook getting hit around a bit in the loss.

Into Baltimore, as the Orioles host the Oakland Athletics. Jarrod Parker and Zach Britton are the relatively unknown pitchers. Oakland led off with a first inning Josh Reddick triple to force in Jonny Gomes, before coming the final 90 feet on a wild pitch, followed by a two-run Chris Carter home run, also scoring Yoenis Cespedes. The Athletics added on in the second inning with a Brandon Hicks solo home run. Baltimore answered in their half of the inning as Chris Davis hit a solo shot. The Orioles got another in the third inning as J.J. Hardy doubled in Nick Markakis. Baltimore got another in the fifth inning on a Hardy single that knocked in Taylor Teagarden, followed by a three-run home run from Adam Jones, sweeping in Markakis and Hardy. Oakland took the lead again with a 3-RBI double by Seth Smith in the sixth inning, driving in all of Hicks, Jemile Weeks, and Coco Crisp. The Orioles got one back in the eighth inning as Hardy singled Mark Reynolds across the dish, before tying the game on a Jim Thome single that plated Markakis, and they took the lead as Davis singled Hardy the rest of the way home. The Athletics retied it in the ninth inning as Derek Norris singled to score Eric Sogard, before taking the lead on a Weeks single to bring in Brandon Inge and a 2-RBI Crisp single that drove home both Norris and Brandon Moss, followed by Smith doubling Weeks and Crisp in. This was it for the offense-packed game, leaving the final at 14-9. Jerry Blevins was in line for the win while Jim Johnson took the loss.

Up in Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays host the Detroit Tigers. Rick Porcello and Carlos Villanueva are mid-rotation starters. Detroit struck first with first inning Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder solo home runs. Toronto got one back in the bottom of the first when Edwin Encarnacion singled in Omar Vizquel. The Blue Jays took the lead in the fourth inning on a 3-RBI Jeff Mathis double to sweep home all of Encarnacion, Kelly Johnson, and Travis Snider, before scoring on a Anthony Gose single. Toronto got another in the seventh inning as Vizquel tripled Brett Lawrie home. The Tigers took one back in the eighth inning on a Fielder single to drive in Cabrera. The Blue Jays shot back in the bottom of the eighth on a two-run home run by Snider, plating Yan Gomes. This was all they needed for an 8-3 win, earned by Villanueva, while Porcello was stuck with the loss.

Back stateside, the Miami Marlins host the San Diego Padres. Kip Wells is mismatched with Carlos Zambrano in pitching. Miami got going with a fourth inning Jose Reyes triple to force in Donovan Solano, before he came home on a Carlos Lee single. San Diego rallied ahead in the sixth inning as Carlos Quentin drew a bases-loaded walk to knock in Logan Forsythe, followed by Yasmani Grandal tripling to sweep in all of Jesus Guzman, Chase Headley, and Quentin, before he then scored on a Yonder Alonso single. The Padres struck again in the seventh inning on an Alonso single to drive in Headley, followed by Cameron Maybin doubling in Grandal. This made it 7-2, a final, with Wells getting the win and Zambrano suffering the loss.

North a touch to Atlanta, where the Braves host the Philadelphia Phillies. Cole Hamels and Ben Sheets are the reliable pitchers. Philadelphia opened with a first inning Shane Victorino double, driving in Jimmy Rollins. Atlanta took the lead in the second inning as Sheets reached on an error allowing Freddie Freeman to come home, followed by a Michael Bourn single to get Dan Uggla safely home. The Braves added on in the fifth inning with a three-run Brian McCann home run, sweeping in Jason Heyward and Chipper Jones. Atlanta got another in the sixth inning with a Martin Prado single to bring around Bourn. This ended the scoring at 6-1, with Sheets notching a strong win and Hamels taking a rough loss.

Westward to Houston, as the Astros welcome the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jeff Karstens and Jordan Lyles are penciled in to pitch. Houston was first on the board in the second inning as Ben Francisco singled J.D. Martinez home, and then the pitcher Lyles reached on a fielder's choice that got Justin Maxwell in. The Astros got another in the third inning on a Chris Johnson solo home run. Pittsburgh got on the board in the fourth inning on an Alex Presley solo shot. The Astros answered in their half of the inning on a Francisco solo home run. The Pirates pulled closer in the fifth inning on a two-run Michael Mckenry home run, also scoring Pedro Alvarez. Pittsburgh tied it in the seventh inning on a Josh Harrison sacrifice fly, allowing McKenry to dash home. The Astros took the lead back in the bottom of the seventh as Martinez singled home Johnson. The Pirates tied it in the ninth inning when Starling Marte hit a sacrifice fly to get Jordy Mercer safely home, before taking the lead again with Drew Sutton scoring on a wild pitch. This was all they needed to win 6-5, with Tony Watson in line for the win, Joel Hanrahan cleaning up for a save, and Rhiner Cruz was handed the loss.

Into Arlington, where the Texas Rangers host the Chicago White Sox. Chris Sale and Yu Darvish pace the game. Chicago began with a first inning Alex Rios sacrifice fly to knock in Kevin Youkilis. Texas tied it in their half of the inning as Josh Hamilton hit a sacrifice fly to get Ian Kinsler home, before taking the lead on a three-run home run by Nelson Cruz, sweeping in Adrian Beltre and Michael Young. The White Sox got some back in the second inning on a two-run Youkilis home run, also scoring Gordon Beckham. Chicago got the lead in the fourth inning on a 2-RBI Alejandro De Aza single to plate Tyler Flowers and Beckham. The White Sox added on in the seventh inning with Rios grounding into a fielder's choice that allowed Adan Dunn to dash home. The Rangers pulled closer in the bottom of the seventh when Hamilton grounded into a fielder's choice that got Craig Gentry across the dish. Chicago padded the lead in the ninth inning with a Rios double to get Dunn home before a two-run Alexei Ramirez home run finished his trip around too. This gave them a 9-5 lead and win, with Sale getting the win and Darvish was on the hook for the loss.

North to Minnesota, as the Twins host the Cleveland Indians. Josh Tomlin and Scott Diamond are the young pitchers. Minnesota led off with a first inning three-run home run from Justin Morneau, sweeping in Denard Span and Joe Mauer. The Twins rallied to extend the lead in the fourth inning on a Ben Revere single to bring in Alexi Casilla, a Mauer single doing the same for Span, and then both Revere and Mauer scored on a three-run home run by Josh Willingham. Minnesota padded the lead in the sixth inning with a Mauer single to knock in Casilla and a Willingham single to do the same for Span, and then Doumit singled to finish Mauer's trip. This made it 11-0, a final, with Diamond going the distance for a three-hit complete game shutout, while Tomlin was rocked in the loss.

Over in Milwaukee, the Brewers host the Washington Nationals. Ross Detwiler and Mike Fiers are the surprisingly good pitchers. Milwaukee drew first blood in the fourth inning with a two-run Corey Hart home run, also scoring Aramis Ramirez. The Brewers got another in the fifth inning as Carlos Gomez singled in Norichika Aoki, followed by Ryan Braun singling to finish Gomez' trip around, and then he came home on a two-run Ramirez home run. This was all they needed to win 6-0, with Fiers pitching well for a win and Detwiler was dealt the loss.

Southwest to Colorado, as the Rockies host the Cincinnati Reds. Bronson Arroyo and Drew Pomeranz will handle the pitching duties. Cincinnati opened with a fourth inning Ryan Ludwick double to knock in Brandon Phillips, before scoring on a Todd Frazier sacrifice fly. The Reds added on in the sixth inning when Ludwick scored on a wild pitch. This made it 3-0 in the end, with Arroyo showing well for a win, Aroldis Chapman converting his twentieth save of the season, and Pomeranz was given the loss.

South a little more to Arizona, with the Diamondbacks hosting the New York Mets. Jonathon Niese and Josh Collmenter will be given the green light to pitch. New York was first on the board with a second inning Ike Davis solo home run, followed by Andres Torres singling Daniel Murphy home. Arizona got on the board in the bottom of the second with a Henry Blanco walk with the bases loaded to force in Justin Upton and a single by the pitcher Collmenter that drove in Chris Young, followed by Willie Bloomquist singling Stephen Drew in, and later also both Blanco and Collmenter thanks to an error, before he finished his trip on a sacrifice fly by Aaron Hill. The Mets responded in the third inning on a three-run David Wright home run, sweeping in Ruben Tejada and Jordany Valdespin. The Diamondbacks added on in the fourth inning with a Bloomquist single to knock in Drew. Arizona struck again in the fifth inning as Paul Goldschmidt singled in Jason Kubel. The Diamondbacks extended the lead in the seventh inning as Upton singled hill across the plate, followed by a 2-RBI Young double to drive in Goldschmidt and Upton. This made it an 11-5 win for them, with the win going to Collmenter and the loss was pinned on Niese.

Westward in California, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Tampa Bay Rays. Alex Cobb is mismatched with Dan Haren. Tampa Bay started with a second inning Jeff Keppinger solo home run. Los Angeles rallied ahead in the third inning on a 2-RBI Albert Pujols double, scoring both Mike Trout and Torii Hunter, before he came home on a Mark Trumbo single. This was all needed to win 3-1, with Haren notching the win, Ernesto Frieri tossing the save, and Cobb was stuck with the loss.

Up to Seattle, as the Mariners host the Kansas City Royals. Jeremy Guthrie and Blake Beavan are the struggling starters. Seattle began with a three-run John Jaso home run, sweeping in Michael Saunders and Jesus Montero in the first inning. Kansas City got on the board in the second inning with a Salvador Perez sacrifice fly to knock in Billy Butler. The Mariners replied in their half of the inning as Dustin Ackley doubled in Brendan Ryan, before he scored on a Jaso sacrifice fly. Seattle got another in the sixth inning as Mike Carp hit a solo home run. The scoring ended here at 6-1, with Beavan earning the win and Guthrie suffering the loss.

Finally, in San Francisco, the Giants host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Stephen Fife and Matt Cain will take the hill. San Francisco led off with a second inning Nate Schierholtz fielder's choice to get Brandon Belt home. Los Angeles took the lead in the fifth inning as Jerry Hairston, Jr. doubled in the pitcher Fife, before scoring on a Mark Ellis single. The Dodgers got another in the sixth inning as James Loney singled to score Andre Ethier. The Giants tied it in the eighth inning on a 2-RBI single from Belt, knocking in both Melky Cabrera and Angel Pagan. Los Angeles took the lead in the tenth inning on a two-run Hanley Ramirez home run, also scoring Ethier. This made it 5-3, a final, with Shawn Tolleson getting the win, Kenley Jansen turning the save, and Sergio Romo was pinned with the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

MLB Day 112 2012

Very few games on today, as we get three matinees and five regularly timed games. We begin in...

Baltimore, as the Orioles host the Tampa Bay Rays. James Shields and Chris Tillman get the starting nods. Baltimore started with a 2-RBI Adam Jones single in the fifth inning, scoring both Nick Markakis and J.J. Hardy, followed by a 3-RBI Chris Davis double that swept in Jim Thome, Jones, and Matt Wieters. Tampa Bay got on the board in the seventh inning when Sam Fuld doubled both Ryan Roberts and Carlos Pena across the dish. The Orioles replied in the bottom of the seventh with a Davis solo home run. They held on for a 6-2 win, earned by Tillman, while Shields was handed the loss.

Up in Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays host the Oakland Athletics. Tommy Milone and Aaron Laffey are on the hill. Oakland opened in the first inning as Josh Reddick hit a solo home run. The Athletics added on in the fourth inning as Brandon Inge hit a two-run home run, also scoring Yoenis Cespedes. Toronto tied it in their half of the fourth as Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run home run to sweep in Rajai Davis and Brett Lawrie. Oakland got the lead back in the fifth inning on a Reddick fielder's choice that knocked in Jemile Weeks. The Blue Jays answered in the sixth inning when Travis Snider successfully laid down a bunt single, scoring Colby Rasmus and later Lawrie after an error. Toronto added on in the seventh inning with a solo shot by Kelly Johnson. The Blue Jays extended the lead in the eighth inning with a Snider double plating Lawrie, a Yan Gomes sacrifice fly to bring in Encarnacion, a Johnson double to finish Snider's trip, and a Jeff Mathis double doing the same for Johnson. This was it for the scoring, with the final sitting at 10-4, giving Brandon Lyon the win and Milone took the loss.

Back stateside, the St. Louis Cardinals host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chris Capuano and Jake Westbrook are the reliable pitchers. St. Louis got things going in the fourth inning as Matt Carpenter singled in Allen Craig and Tony Cruz did the same for David Freese. Los Angeles rallied ahead in the fifth inning when Juan Rivera singled in Andre Ethier, followed by Luis Cruz singling home Hanley Ramirez, Matt Treanor hitting a single that combined with an error to get Rivera home, and Capuano hitting a sacrifice fly to allow Luis Cruz to score. The Cardinals replied in the bottom of the fifth as Craig singled to plate Daniel Descalso before coming home alongside Matt Holliday on a Freese single, and then Freese came home with a Tony Cruz single. St. Louis got another in the sixth inning on a Holliday solo home run. This made it 7-4, the eventual final, where Westbrook notched the win, Jason Motte tossed the save, and Capuano was dinged for a loss.

Over in Cleveland, the Indians host the Detroit Tigers. Justin Verlander and Zach McAllister are penciled in to pitch. Detroit started with a first inning Prince Fielder single to knock in Austin Jackson. Cleveland tied it in their half of the inning on a Jason Kipnis sacrifice fly to bring in Shin-Soo Choo. The Tigers took the lead back in the fourth inning when Jackson singled to plate Alex Avila. Detroit got another in the sixth inning on a Delmon Young solo home run. The Indians tied it in the seventh inning with a pair of solo shots by Carlos Santana and Travis Hafner, before taking the lead when Asdrubal Cabrera singled in Jose Lopez and Kipnis did the same for Choo. This rally made it 5-3, a final, where Joe Smith got the win, Chris Perez closed for a save, and Verlander was on the hook for the loss.

South to Houston, with the Astros hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates. A.J. Burnett faces a lesser foe in Dallas Keuchel. Pittsburgh began with a first inning solo home run by Starling Marte, followed by a two-run home run from Garrett Jones, also scoring Andrew McCutchen. The Pirates added on in the second inning as Clint Barmes hit a two-run home run, sweeping in Rod Barajas. Houston got one back in the eighth inning on Chris Johnson and Carlos Corporan solo shots. The Astros tried a ninth inning rally when Johnson singled Scott Moore across the dish, but this only made it a 5-3 final. Burnett was given the win, Joel Hanrahan tossed a sloppy save for his thirtieth of the season, and Keuchel was not freed from the loss.

Back north, the Milwaukee Brewers host the Washington Nationals. Edwin Jackson and Yovani Gallardo pace the game. Washington busted things open in the second inning on a solo home run by Adam LaRoche, followed by a bases-clearing Steve Lombardozzi triple to force in all of Roger Bernadina, Jesus Flores, and the pitcher Jackson. The Nationals got another in the fifth inning on a Ryan Zimmerman single to knock in Jackson, followed by LaRoche grounding out to bring in Bryce Harper, and Michael Morse singled to finish Zimmerman's trip around. Washington struck again in the seventh inning as Morse singled Zimmerman home again. Milwaukee got on the board in the eighth inning as Carlos Gomez hit a two-run home run, also scoring Rickie Weeks. This was as close as it got, with the final resting at 8-2. Jackson notched the win and Gallardo was dealt the loss.

Southwest to Arizona, as the Diamondbacks host the New York Mets. Matt Harvey and Wade Miley are the rookie pitchers. New York opened in the first inning on a 2-RBI double from Scott Hairston to plate Ruben Tejada and Daniel Murphy. The Mets got another in the fourth inning on a Rob Johnson sacrifice fly to bring in Andres Torres. Arizona got on the board in the eighth inning on a Justin Upton sacrifice fly allowing Jason Kubel to dash home. They failed to tie the game, losing 3-1, with Harvey earning the win, Bobby Parnell turning the save, and Miley suffered the loss.

Finally, in Seattle, the Mariners host the Kansas City Royals. Luis Mendoza and Jason Vargas are handed the ball. Seattle got going with a 2-RBI single by Mike Carp, scoring both Dustin Ackley and John Jaso. Kansas City got on the board in the fourth inning with a Billy Butler double to knock in Lorenzo Cain. The Mariners answered in their half of the inning as Brendan Ryan singled to score Carp. Seattle added on in the sixth inning as Carlos Peguero doubled Miguel Olivo across the dish. This ended the scoring at 4-1, with Vargas notching a strong win, Tom Wilhelmsen tossing the save, and Mendoza was handed the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

MLB Day 111 2012

Early games on getaway day give us eight matinees and seven regular games to span the day. The first game is in...

Flushing, as the New York Mets host the Washington Nationals. Stephen Strasburg faces a lesser foe in Jeremy Hefner. Washington opened in the second inning with solo home runs by Michael Morse and Danny Espinosa. New York got one back in their half of the inning on an Ike Davis solo shot. The Nationals added on in the fourth inning as Sandy Leon reached on an error, allowing Espinosa to dash home. Washington padded the lead in the seventh inning as Adam LaRoche hit a two-run home run, sweeping in Bryce Harper. The Mets got one back in the eighth inning when Jordany Valdespin grounded out to bring in Josh Thole. This was as close as it got, with the final at 5-2, giving Strasburg the win, Tyler Clippard the save, and Hefner the loss.

West to Pittsburgh, as the Pirates host the Chicago Cubs. Ryan Dempster and Kevin Correia are given the starting nods. Chicago was first on the board with a first inning Anthony Rizzo solo home run. Pittsburgh tied it in the bottom of the first on a Neil Walker solo shot. The Cubs took the lead in the third inning as Rizzo singled home David DeJesus. The Pirates tied it in the fifth inning on a Michael McKenry solo home run. Pittsburgh retook the lead in the sixth inning on a Garrett Jones double to get Alex Presley home. They made it stand for a 3-2 win, with Correia getting a solid win, Joel Hanrahan tossing the save, and Dempster was stuck with the loss.

South to Miami, as the Marlins host the Atlanta Braves. Tommy Hanson and Ricky Nolasco will be pitching. Miami began with a third inning Justin Ruggiano double to knock in Donovan Solano. Atlanta took a lead in the fourth inning when Freddie Freeman singled home Jason Heyward before scoring on a two-run Juan Francisco home run. The Braves added on in the fifth inning when Michael Bourn hit a two-run home run, also scoring Paul Janish. Atlanta struck again in the sixth inning on a Francisco single to knock in Brian McCann. The Braves padded the lead in the eighth inning on a Heyward solo home run. This made the final 7-1, with Hanson getting the win and Nolasco suffering the loss.

Back north, the Philadelphia Phillies host the Milwaukee Brewers. Marco Estrada and Vance Worley are the back-of-the-rotation pitchers. Milwaukee led off with a second inning Martin Maldonado single to knock in Corey Hart. Philadelphia tied it in the bottom of the second on a Erik Kratz single to drive in Juan Pierre. The Phillies took the lead in the third inning with Chase Utley doubling in Shane Victorino, before coming home on a Hunter Pence single. Philadelphia got some more in the fourth inning as Utley doubled to plate both Kratz and Victorino. The Brewers replied in the sixth inning with a Rickie Weeks solo home run and a Carlos Gomez double to bring around Cody Ransom. Milwaukee tied it in the eighth inning with a two-run home run by Ryan Braun, also scoring Gomez. The Brewers took a tenth inning lead as Aramis Ramirez hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Gomez. The Phillies retied it in their half of the tenth as Carlos Ruiz hit a sacrifice fly to get john Mayberry safely home, followed by a walkoff Jimmy Rollins single to finish Mike Fontenot's trip around for a 7-6 win. Michael Schwimer was in line for the win while Francisco Rodriguez blew up another save opportunity and took the loss.

West to Chicago, with the White Sox hosting the Minnesota Twins. Nick Blackburn is mismatched with Jake Peavy. Minnesota was first to score in the first inning when Josh Willingham grounded into a double play to get Denard Span home. Chicago took the lead in the second inning as Dayan Viciedo singled home both Alex Rios and Alexei Ramirez. The White Sox added on in the third inning when Kevin Youkilis singled in Gordon Beckham and Paul Konerko hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Alejandro De Aza. The Twins got one back in the fourth inning on a Justin Morneau double to score Joe Mauer. Chicago extended the lead again in their half of the fourth with a two-run Viciedo home run, also scoring Ramirez. The White Sox poured some more on in the fifth inning with a two-run blast from Rios, sweeping in Adam Dunn. This was it for the scoring, with the final being 8-2, giving Peavy the win and Blackburn the loss.

Out west, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Kansas City Royals. Luke Hochevar and Jered Weaver are penciled in to start. Los Angeles wasted little time in scoring in the first inning as Mike Trout scored on a wild pitch, Kendrys Morales grounded out to get Torii Hunter home, and Alberto Callaspo doubled in Mark Trumbo. The Angels added on in the second inning with a 2-RBI Hunter double to plate both Bobby Wilson and Trout, before scoring himself on a Trumbo groundout. Los Angeles kept going in the third inning on a Maicer Izturis double to knock in Callaspo. The Angels got another in the fourth inning as Wilson hit a solo home run. Kansas City got on the board in the fifth inning on a two-run Billy Butler home run, also scoring Alcides Escobar. The Royals pulled closer in the eighth inning on a three-run Jeff Francoeur home run, sweeping in Butler and Salvador Perez. Los Angeles fired back in the bottom of the eighth as Trout hit a two-run home run, knocking in Peter Bourjos, followed by a Hunter solo shot. Kansas City took one back in the ninth inning on a Butler single to drive in Alex Gordon, but they still lost 11-6. Weaver was given the win while Hochevar was pinned with the loss.

North to Seattle, as the Mariners host the New York Yankees. Ivan Nova and Hisashi Iwakuma are tabbed to pitch. New York opened with a first inning Derek Jeter solo home run. Seattle answered in the bottom of the first as Kyle Seager drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Michael Saunders, and Mike Carp grounded into a fielder's choice, allowing Jesus Montero to get home. The Yankees took the lead in the eighth inning as Jayson Nix doubled Jeter, Robinson Cano, and Mark Teixeira all safely home, before coming home on a Russell Martin single. This gave them a 5-2 lead, which was a final, giving David Phelps the win, Rafael Soriano closed the door for a save, and Lucas Luetge was dinged for the loss.

Back south a bit, the San Francisco Giants host the San Diego Padres. Jason Marquis and Tim Lincecum are the veteran pitchers. San Diego got things going with a first inning Chase Headley solo home run. San Francisco tied it in the bottom of the first when Melky Cabrera hit a sacrifice fly allowing Gregor Blanco to dash home. The Padres took the lead again in the fourth inning on a Will Venable double to plate both Jesus Guzman and John Baker. San Diego struck again with a fifth inning two-run home run by Guzman, also scoring Carlos Quentin. The Padres padded the lead with an eighth inning Guzman solo shot. The Giants answered in the eighth inning as Brandon Belt scored on a wild pitch, followed by Ryan Theriot singling Eli Whiteside across the dish. This wasn't enough to avoid a 6-3 loss, with Marquis getting the win, Huston Street finishing for the save, and Lincecum was dealt the loss.

Back east, the Baltimore Orioles host the Tampa Bay Rays. David Price and Miguel Gonzalez have the green light to pitch. Tampa Bay quickly struck in the first inning with a leadoff solo home run by Desmond Jennings, followed by Carlos Pena singling in B.J. Upton and Jose Lobaton getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in Jeff Keppinger, and then Elliot Johnson singled both Pena and Ryan Roberts home. Baltimore got one back in the bottom of the first as J.J. Hardy singled Nick Markakis in. The Rays padded the lead in the third inning on a two-run Roberts home run, also scoring Matt Joyce. Tampa Bay struck again in the fifth inning on a three-run Lobaton home run, sweeping in Pena and Roberts. This ended the scoring at 10-1, with Price earning the win and Gonzalez getting shelled in the loss.

West a touch to Cleveland, as the Indians host the Detroit Tigers. Max Scherzer and Derek Lowe are the inconsistent veteran pitchers. Detroit led off in the first inning with a Miguel Cabrera single to get Austin Jackson home. The Tigers added on in the second inning when Jackson reached on an error to allow Alex Avila to dash home, followed by Quintin Berry singling to bring in Omar Infante. Cleveland got on the board in the third inning with a two-run home run by Casey Kotchman, also scoring Johnny Damon. Detroit got another in the fifth inning on a Prince Fielder sacrifice fly to knock in Jackson. The Tigers struck again in the sixth inning as Berry singled Avila across the dish. The Indians tried a ninth inning rally as Travis Hafner hit a solo home run, but they still lost 5-3, giving Scherzer the win, Jose Valverde turned a messy save, and Lowe was stuck with the loss.

Up in Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays host the Oakland Athletics. A.J. Griffin and Ricky Romero take their turns in the rotation. Oakland began with a first inning Yoenis Cespedes double, knocking in Jonny Gomes. The Athletics rallied to extend the lead in the second inning as Coco Crisp singled in Derek Norris, Gomes followed suit for Jemile Weeks, Josh Reddick ripped a double to plate Crisp, Chris Carter drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Gomes, Brandon Inge hit a 2-RBI double scoring Reddick and Cespedes, Norris singled to drive in Carter, and Inge came home on a Brandon Hicks groundout, ending the rally that totaled eight runs. Oakland struck again in the third inning with a Crisp solo home run. The Athletics got another Crisp solo shot in the fifth inning. Oakland added on in the sixth inning as Carter hit a solo home run. The Athletics extended the lead again in the eighth inning as Cespedes doubled to drive home Seth Smith before scoring on a Carter groundout. Oakland kept going in the ninth inning, as Blue Jays catcher Jeff Mathis allowed a Hicks double to score Norris, before Hicks came in on a single from Brandon Moss, making it 16-0. This was a final, with Griffin getting a lot of support for a win while Romero was absolutely crushed and destroyed for a loss.

Back stateside, the Texas Rangers host the Boston Red Sox. Josh Beckett and Derek Holland are the overrated pitchers. Boston opened in the first inning as Dustin Pedroia grounded into a double play that got Jacoby Ellsbury home. The Red Sox got another in the fourth inning as Will Middlebrooks hit a solo home run. Texas answered in the bottom of the fourth as David Murphy doubled to knock in Michael Young, followed by Craig Gentry sacrificing to get Murphy the rest of the way home and Ian Kinsler singling to plate Yorvit Torrealba. Boston tied it again in the sixth inning on a solo shot by Pedroia. The Rangers got the lead back in the seventh inning as Elvis Andrus scored on a wild pitch. Texas added on in the eighth inning as Nelson Cruz hit a solo home run. This made the final 5-3, with Holland getting the win, Joe Nathan tossing the save as his twentieth of the year, and Beckett suffered the loss.

Staying in the state, the Houston Astros host the Cincinnati Reds. Homer Bailey and Bud Norris are on the hill. Cincinnati got on the board in the third inning with a Drew Stubbs double to drive in Devin Mesoraco. The Reds got another in the eighth inning as Scott Rolen singled in Stubbs. Houston rallied in the bottom of the eighth as Scott Moore doubled in Jose Altuve before coming home on a J.D. Martinez double that turned into a little league home run after a pair of errors. Cincinnati retook the lead in the ninth inning on a Stubbs double that knocked in Xavier Paul and Brandon Phillips, before he scored on a Jay Bruce single. They held on for a 5-3 win, with Sean Marshall in line for the win, Aroldis Chapman turning the save, and Francisco Cordero was served with the loss.

North to St. Louis, as the Cardinals welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers. Aaron Harang and Kyle Lohse pace the game. Los Angeles started with a second inning James Loney sacrifice fly to get Hanley Ramirez home. St. Louis tied it in the bottom of the second as David Freese grounded into a double play that got Allen Craig home. The Cardinals took the lead in the fifth inning as Lohse hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Freese. The Dodgers tied it in the sixth inning as Ramirez singled to get Mark Ellis safely home. St. Louis won 3-2 in the twelfth inning on a Rafael Furcal single to knock in Joe Kelly. Fernando Salas got the win and Jamey Wright took the loss.

Finally, we end in Arizona, where the Diamondbacks host the Colorado Rockies. Jeff Francis and Trevor Cahill handle the pitching duties. Colorado wasted no time in opening the scoring with a first inning Marco Scutaro sacrifice fly to get Dexter Fowler. Arizona tied it in the bottom of the first as Jason Kubel hit a solo home run. The Rockies took the lead in the third inning as Scutaro doubled both Francis and Fowler across the dish. Colorado got another in the fourth inning on a Willin Rosario solo shot. The Diamondbacks replied in the seventh inning on a Miguel Montero solo home run. They got no closer, falling 4-2, with Francis earning the win, Rafael Betancourt notching the save, and Cahill taking the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion. 

MLB Day 110 2012

Back to the full slate, without as much trade activity today. We start in...

Philadelphia, with the Phillies hosting the Milwaukee Brewers. Zack Greinke and Cliff Lee are the pair of aces pitching. Milwaukee led off with a first inning Corey Hart single to plate Ryan Braun. Philadelphia tied it in their half of the inning on a Ryan Howard single to bring in Shane Victorino. The Brewers took the lead with a sixth inning Braun solo home run. Milwaukee got another in the seventh inning as the pitcher Greinke hit a solo shot. The Brewers added on in the eighth inning with a Carlos Gomez solo home run, followed by a two-run long ball from Aramis Ramirez, also scoring Braun. The Phillies got some back in the bottom of the eighth as Erik Kratz hit a two-run home run, sweeping in Ty Wigginton, before tying the game with a 3-RBI double by Carlos Ruiz to plate all of Victorino, Chase Utley and Mike Fontenot, and they took a lead when Ruiz scored on a Hunter Pence single. The rally was good for a 7-6 win, earned by Michael Schwimer, while Jonathan Papelbon closed out for the save, and Kameron Loe was dealt the loss.

West to Cleveland, as the Indians host the Detroit Tigers. Doug Fister and Ubaldo Jimenez take their turns in the rotation. Cleveland found the scoreboard in the second inning as Johnny Damon singled in Carlos Santana. The Indians added on in the fourth inning with a Santana single to knock in Jason Kipnis. Detroit tied it in the seventh inning as Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run home run, also scoring Quintin Berry. Cleveland took the lead back in their half of the inning on an Aaron Cunningham sacrifice allowing Lou Marson to dash home. This was all they needed for a narrow 3-2 win, with Joe Smith in line for the win, Chris Perez converting the save, and Fister was stuck with the loss.

Back in Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Chicago Cubs. Paul Maholm faces his old team, pitching against James McDonald. Chicago quickly got on the board in the first inning with a Starlin Castro solo home run. Pittsburgh tied it in the fourth inning with a Garrett Jones solo shot. The Cubs took the lead back in the fifth inning when David DeJesus doubled both Soto and Luis Valbuena home. Chicago got some more in the sixth inning as Alfonso Soriano hit a two-run home run, also scoring Anthony Rizzo. This made it a 5-1 final, with Maholm notching the win and McDonald taking the loss.

Over in Baltimore, the Orioles host the Tampa Bay Rays. Jeremy Hellickson and Wei-Yin Chen are the young arms pitching. Baltimore was first to score with a fourth inning Adam Jones solo home run. Tampa Bay took the lead in the fifth inning on a two-run Brooks Conrad home run, also scoring Sam Fuld. The Rays added on in the sixth inning as Jeff Keppinger singled home B.J. Upton. This was it for the scoring, leaving the final at 3-1, with Hellickson getting the win, Fernando Rodney turning a sloppy save, and Chen was handed the loss.

Up in Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays host the Oakland Athletics. Travis Blackley and Brett Cecil are the back-of-the-rotation starters. Oakland began in the second inning as Derek Norris hit a two-run home run, also scoring Brandon Inge. Toronto got one back in the third inning as Travis Snider hit a solo home run. The Athletics added on in the seventh inning when Jemile Weeks tripled to force in Brandon Hicks, before coming home on a Coco Crisp double, and then Yoenis Cespedes provided baseball with the second of these in as many nights: a 3-RBI single to sweep in Crisp, Jonny Gomes, and Josh Reddick. The Blue Jays tried a ninth inning rally as J.P. Arencibia hit a solo shot, but it fell short at 7-2. Blackley picked up the win while Cecil was stuck with the loss.

Back stateside, the New York Mets host the Washington Nationals. Gio Gonzalez and R.A. Dickey pace the game. New York started with a second inning Ronny Cedeno single to bring in Scott Hairston. Washington tied it in the fourth inning as Danny Espinosa doubled, knocking in Ryan Zimmerman. The Nationals took the lead in the sixth inning when Adam LaRoche hit a two-run home run, also scoring Michael Morse, followed Jesus Flores singling Espinosa home and also Roger Bernadina on an error. The Mets got one back in the eighth inning on a solo home run by Jordany Valdespin. It wasn't enough, as they lost 5-2 to Gonzalez, who got the win, while Tyler Clippard turned the save and Dickey was stuck with the loss.

South to Miami, where the Marlins host the Atlanta Braves. Tim Hudson and Mark Buehrle take the hill. Atlanta opened with a first inning Jason Heyward sacrifice fly to bring around Michael Bourn. Miami tied it in their half of the inning with Hanley Ramirez singling to score Greg Dobbs. The Marlins added on in the second inning as Jose Reyes hit a two-run home run, also scoring the pitcher Buehrle. The Braves got one back in the third inning as Freddie Freeman drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the pitcher Hudson. Atlanta tied it in the fourth inning as Martin Prado's sacrifice fly allowed Paul Janish to score. The Braves took the lead in the seventh inning on a Heyward single to drive in Prado. This help up for a 4-3 final, as Hudson notched the win, Craig Kimbrel converted the save, and Wade LeBlanc was on the hook for the loss.

West to Houston, with the Astros hosting the Cincinnati Reds. Mike Leake and Lucas Harrell are the average pitchers. Houston led off in the fourth inning on a two-run Justin Maxwell home run, also scoring Chris Johnson. Cincinnati replied in the sixth inning on an Xavier Paul single to knock in Brandon Phillips. The Reds took the lead in the ninth inning as Drew Stubbs hit a two-run home run, sweeping in Zack Cozart, followed by Paul singling Jay Bruce around. This stood for a 4-2 win, with the win belonging to Leake, the save converted cleanly by Aroldis Chapman, and the loss was pinned on Francisco Cordero.

Staying in the state, we go to Arlington, with the Texas Rangers hosting the Boston Red Sox. Clay Buchholz and Martin Perez draw the starting nods. Boston got things going in the fourth inning with a Kelly Shoppach double to drive in Cody Ross. Texas tied it in the sixth inning when Josh Hamilton grounded out to bring in Elvis Andrus. The Red Sox took the lead in the ninth inning on a Mike Aviles single to knock in Daniel Nava. They made it stand for a 2-1 win, with Vicente Padilla getting the win despite controversy with an errant pitch of his, while Alfredo Aceves tossed the save and Joe Nathan was given the loss.

North to Chicago, as the White Sox host the Minnesota Twins. Cole De Vries and Jose Quintana are the surprisingly good pitchers. Chicago was first to score in the first inning as Alex Rios reached on an error that brought in Adam Dunn. Minnesota tied it in the fourth inning on a solo home run by Josh Willingham. The White Sox took a lead in the fifth inning as Paul Konerko hit a solo shot. The Twins took the lead in the sixth inning as Willingham hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Denard Span and Joe Mauer. Chicago tied it in the seventh inning on a Dunn two-run home run, also scoring Kevin Youkilis, before taking the lead on a Dayan Viciedo single that brought in both Eduardo Escobar and Rios. The White Sox rallied to extend the lead in the eighth inning as Dunn doubled both Alejandro De Aza and Youkilis across the dish, before he scored on a Rios single, and then Alexei Ramirez went yard with a two-run homer, finishing Rios' trip. This made it 11-4, an eventual final, where the win was awarded to Nate Jones while Casey Fien was pinned with the loss.

A touch south again, with the St. Louis Cardinals hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers. Clayton Kershaw and Adam Wainwright take the mound. Los Angeles began in the fourth inning on a ground rule double by Juan Rivera to force in Andre Ethier, followed by Luis Cruz singling in James Loney. St. Louis got on the board in the fifth inning with a double by the pitcher Wainwright to plate Daniel Descalso before tying the game with a Rafael Furcal single allowing Wainwright to finish his trip around. The Cardinals took the lead in the sixth inning as David Freese singled Matt Holiday across the dish, followed by Wainwright walking with the bases loaded to force in Carlos Beltran, Furcal singling Freese the rest of the way home, and Allen Craig hitting a 2-RBI double to finish Wainwright's and Furcal's trips around. This rally made it 8-2, with Wainwright getting the win when the score finalized, while Kershaw's bad inning led to the loss.

Southwest to Arizona, as the Diamondbacks host the Colorado Rockies. Edwar Cabrera is mismatched with Joe Saunders. Colorado was first on the board with a fourth inning Michael Cuddyer solo home run. Arizona answered in their half of the inning on a Stephen Drew double to drive in Chris Young before he finished his trip on a Willie Bloomquist ground rule double. The Diamondbacks added on in the fifth inning with a two-run Young home run, also scoring Justin Upton. The Rockies got one back in the sixth inning as Cuddyer hit another solo shot. Arizona extended the lead in the seventh inning with a Miguel Montero single scoring both Jason Kubel and Upton. This was good for a 6-2 win, with Saunders getting the win and Cabrera getting a rough loss.

West into California, with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hosting the Kansas City Royals. Will Smith and Garrett Richards are the relatively unknown pitchers. Kansas City led off with a first inning two-run home run by Lorenzo Cain, also scoring Alex Gordon. Los Angeles got one back in the bottom of the first as Mark Trumbo singled to score Torii Hunter. The Royals extended their lead in the second inning as Gordon singled home Eric Hosmer and Alcides Escobar grounded into a fielder's choice to allow Chris Getz to score. The scoring was non-existent from here on, with the final standing at 4-1. Smith earned the win, Jonathan Broxton turned the save, and Richards was handed the loss.

North to Seattle, as the Mariners welcome the New York Yankees. Freddy Garcia faces one of his old teams, who trots out ace Felix Hernandez to pitch. New York got things going in the first inning with a Curtis Granderson solo home run. Seattle tied it in the bottom of the first on a Michael Saunders solo shot. The Mariners took the lead in the third inning with Jesus Montero singling Brendan Ryan home and John Jaso hitting a sacrifice fly to give Saunders time to get home. The Yankees got one back in the eighth inning on a Mark Teixeira sacrifice fly to give Derek Jeter time to score. Seattle replied in the bottom of the eighth as Kyle Seager singled get Dustin Ackley home. This ended the scoring at 4-2, with Hernandez getting the win despite three plunked batters, Tom Wilhelmsen closing out for the save, and Garcia was dealt the loss.

Finally, we end in San Francisco as the Giants host the San Diego Padres. Edinson Volquez and Madison Bumgarner are the reliable and talented starters. San Francisco opened in the first inning with Melky Cabrera grounding out to get Nate Schierholtz home, followed by Pablo Sandoval doubling in Ryan Theriot. San Diego tied it in the second inning with Jesus Guzman doubled in Carlos Quentin before scoring on a single by the pitcher Volquez. The Giants regained the lead and won the game in the ninth inning by a 3-2 score as Brandon Crawford singled to plate Brandon Belt. Santiago Casilla was in line for the win while Joe Thatcher took the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion. 

MLB Day 109 2012

Big day for a travel day, with thirteen games, trade rumors swirling (more on that near the end of the post) and playoff races beginning to heat up. We start in...

Pittsburgh, as the Pirates host the Chicago Cubs. Jeff Samardzija and Erik Bedard make the starts. Chicago was first on the board in the fourth inning as Alfonso Soriano doubled to plate Starlin Castro. The Cubs got another in the ninth inning as Soriano doubled again to knock in Castro. This was all they needed for a 2-0 win picked up by Samardzija, while Carlos Marmol tossed the save and Bedard got no run support in the loss.

Over in Cleveland, the Indians host the Baltimore Orioles. Tommy Hunter and Justin Masterson are the scuffling pitchers. Cleveland began with a third inning two-run home run by Shin-Soo Choo, also scoring Casey Kotchman. Baltimore got on the board in the fifth inning with an Omar Quintanilla double giving Ryan Flaherty time to score. The Indians padded their lead in the eighth inning as Michael Brantley singled to plate Choo. This was it for a 3-1 game, with Masterson showing well in the win, Chris Perez converting the save, and Hunter was stuck with the loss.

Back in Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Phillies host the Milwaukee Brewers. Randy Wolf and Roy Halladay are the veteran pitchers. Milwaukee drew first blood in the first inning as Aramis Ramirez doubled Carlos Gomez home before coming home himself on a Corey Hart single. Philadelphia tied it in their half of the inning with solo home runs by Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. The Brewers took the lead again in the third inning as Ryan Braun singled to score Gomez. Milwaukee added on in the fourth inning as Gomez hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Wolf and Norichika Aoki. The Phillies got one back in the seventh inning as Jimmy Rollins scored on a passed ball. Philadelphia rallied in the ninth inning on a Howard single knocking in both Rollins and Juan Pierre, before tying it as Carlos Ruiz singled to plate Utley, and they won 7-6 when Ty Wigginton's sacrifice fly allowed Erik Kratz. The win went to Joe Savery, while Francisco Rodriguez blew up for a blown save and loss.

Into New York, as the Mets host the Washington Nationals. Jordan Zimmermann faces a lesser foe in Chris Young. Washington opened in the first inning as Bryce Harper hit a two-run home run, also scoring Steve Lombardozzi. New York got one back in the fourth inning on a solo home run by David Wright. The Mets tied it in the seventh inning on an Ike Davis solo shot. The Nationals took the lead in the tenth inning as Harper singled Sandy Leon home before Ryan Zimmerman hit a 3-RBI double that saw all of Mark DeRosa, Lombardozzi, and Harper score, and then he scored on a two-run home run from Michael Morse. This stood for an 8-2 win, earned by Tom Gorzelanny, while Tim Byrdak was on the hook for the loss.

South to Miami, where the Marlins host the Atlanta Braves. Mike Minor and Josh Johnson show alliteration in the pitching match. Before the game, Miami shipped out pitcher Anibal Sanchez and second baseman Omar Infante to Detroit, in return getting Jacob Turner and a pair of prospects. Miami led off with a first inning Carlos Lee single to knock in Jose Reyes. The Marlins added on in the second inning as Emilio Bonifacio hit a solo home run. Atlanta tried a ninth inning rally as Chipper Jones singled home Michael Bourn, but it came up short and they lost 2-1. Johnson pitched very well for a win, Steve Cishek cleaned up the mess for a save, and Minor was stuck with no help in the loss.

West to Texas, as the Rangers host the Boston Red Sox. Felix Doubront and Scott Feldman are the uninspiring pitchers. Boston led off with a second inning Jarrod Saltalamacchia solo home run. Texas rallied ahead in the third inning when Elvis Andrus singled in Craig Gentry and also Ian Kinsler with an error, followed by Josh Hamilton doubling to finish Andrus' trip, and Michael Young singling Hamilton home. The Rangers padded the lead in the sixth inning as Mike Napoli hit a two-run home run, also scoring Nelson Cruz, followed by Craig Gentry singling to knock in Brandon Snyder, Kinsler combining a single and an error to get Gentry in, and then Kinsler scored on a Hamilton sacrifice fly. This was it, with the final sitting at 9-1, giving Feldman the win and Doubront the loss.

Staying in the state, the Houston Astros host the Cincinnati Reds. Mat Latos and Wandy Rodriguez pace the game. Cincinnati wasted no time in scoring in the first inning as Todd Frazier singled to drive in Drew Stubbs. The Reds got another in the third inning as Ryan Ludwick doubled Stubbs across the dish, followed by Chris Heisey singling to finish Ludwick's trip around. Houston found the scoreboard with a fifth inning Scott Moore groundout to bring in Jose Altuve and a Chris Johnson double knocking in Marwin Gonzalez. Cincinnati extended their lead in the seventh inning when Scott Rolen doubled home Frazier and Jay Bruce singled to knock in Heisey. The Reds padded the lead in the eighth inning with Ludwick singling to bring home Brandon Phillips, Frazier doubling to finish Ludwick's trip, and Ryan Hanigan singling Frazier across the dish. The Astros got one back in their half of the eighth with a Gonzalez fielder's choice allowing Chris Snyder to dash home. This made it 8-3, the final, with Latos notching the win and Rodriguez taking the loss.

North to Chicago, as the White Sox welcome the Minnesota Twins. Francisco Liriano and Gavin Floyd will try to improve their seasons with the starts. Minnesota was first to score in the first inning as Josh Willingham grounded into a double play that allowed Denard Span to dash home. Chicago took the lead on a three-run Paul Konerko home run, sweeping in Alejandro De Aza and Kevin Youkilis. The Twins got one back in the second inning as Brian Dozier scored on a wild pitch. The White Sox shot back with a third inning Adam Dunn two-run home run, also scoring De Aza, followed by Alex Rios doing the same for Konerko. Minnesota shot back in the fifth inning on a Joe Mauer singled combined with an error to drive in Ben Revere. The Twins got another in the eighth inning on a solo home run by Ryan Doumit. This was as close as it got, with the final at 7-4, setting Floyd up for the win, Addison Reed turned the save, and Liriano was shelled in the loss.

Back south a touch, the St. Louis Cardinals host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chad Billingsley and Joe Kelly are penciled in to pitch. St. Louis got things going in the first inning as Lance Berkman singled in Jon Jay. Los Angeles stormed ahead in the second inning when Luis Cruz hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Andre Ethier and Adam Kennedy. The Dodgers added on in the seventh inning with a 2-RBI Mark Ellis double, plating A.J. Ellis and Tony Gwynn, Jr. The Cardinals got some back in the eighth inning on a two-run home run from Carlos Beltran, also scoring Jay. They couldn't get any closer, losing 5-3, with Billingsley notching the win, Kenley Jansen tossing the save, and Kelly suffered the loss.

Southwest to Arizona, with the Diamondbacks hosting the Colorado Rockies. Jonathan Sanchez and Ian Kennedy are the well-known pitchers. Arizona began with a second inning solo home run by Paul Goldschmidt. The Diamondbacks padded the lead in the fourth inning with a 3-RBI triple from the pitcher Kennedy, sweeping in Goldschmidt, Justin Upton, and Ryan Roberts, before he came home on a Willie Bloomquist double. Colorado got on the board in the fifth inning with a Josh Rutledge solo shot. The Rockies got another in the eighth inning as Dexter Fowler singled to knock in Rutledge. Arizona replied in their half of the inning as Roberts hit a sacrifice fly allowing Upton to dash home. Colorado pulled closer in the ninth inning as Carlos Gonzalez hit a solo home run, but this only made it a 6-3 final. Kennedy got the win, J.J. Putz picked up the save, and Sanchez was handed the loss.

To the west, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Kansas City Royals. Bruce Chen and C.J. Wilson were on the hill. Kansas City led off with a third inning Alex Gordon single to bring in Eric Hosmer and a Lorenzo Cain sacrifice fly to drive in Brayan Pena. Los Angeles rallied to tie in their half of the inning as Albert Pujols grounded out to bring around Mike Trout and Howie Kendrick doubling home Torii Hunter. The Angels took the lead in the sixth inning on a Maicer Izturis single to drive in Kendrick. The Royals tied it in the seventh inning on a Pena single to get Hosmer safely home. Los Angeles reclaimed the lead in the eighth inning as Kendrys Morales hit a 3-RBI single, sweeping in all of Alberto Callaspo, Izturis, and Peter Bourjos. This was it for the scoring, with the final sitting at 6-3. Kevin Jepsen was in line for the win, Scott Downs closed out for the save, and Greg Holland was responsible for the loss.

North to Seattle, as the Mariners host their favorite trading partners, the New York Yankees. As such, they shopped fan-favorite right fielder Ichiro Suzuki to their opponents for minor-league pitching just before the game. Hiroki Kuroda and Kevin Millwood take the mound. Seattle started in the third inning as John Jaso singled home Dustin Ackley. New York rallied ahead in the fourth inning as Mark Teixeira doubled to knock in Alex Rodriguez, followed by Raul Ibanez singling in Robinson Cano and Andruw Jones doing the same to finish Teixeira's trip around. The Yankees extended the lead in the eighth inning on a Rodriguez solo home run. This made it a 4-1 final, with Kuroda getting the win, Rafael Soriano turning his twenty-fifth save of the season, and Millwood suffered the loss.

Back south a bit, we end in San Francisco, where the Giants welcome the San Diego Padres. Clayton Richard and Ryan Vogelsong are the highly underrated pitchers. San Francisco established a first inning lead as Buster Posey singled Ryan Theriot home, Angel Pagan walked with the bases-loaded to force in Melky Cabrera, Joaquin Arias grounded into a fielder's choice to bring in Posey, and Pablo Sandoval scored as Brandon Crawford singled. San Diego got one back in the fourth inning as Yonder Alonso hit a sacrifice fly to get Mark Kotsay home. The Giants added on in the fifth inning as Posey hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Theriot and Cabrera. The scoring ended here, with the final sitting at 7-1. Vogelsong pitched strong for a win while Richard was dealt the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

Fantasy Baseball All-Stars week 15 2012

Hitters: Mike Trout, Ryan Zimmerman, Miguel Cabrera, Yoenis Cespedes, Jason Kubel, and Adrian Gonzalez, Brandon Phillips, Albert Pujols, Josh Willingham, Buster Posey.

Pitchers: Aroldis Chapman, Doug Fister, Felix Hernandez, Justin Verlander, Jordan Zimmermann, Ben Sheets, David Price, Greg Holland, Tim Lincecum, Joel Hanrahan.

Stats were compiled over a ten-day span due to the All-Star Break.

MLB Day 108 2012

Once again, it's a full slate of games, beginning in...

Detroit, as the Tigers host the Chicago White Sox. Philip Humber and Jacob Turner are the back-of-the-rotation pitchers. Chicago started in the first inning on an Alex Rios single to bring in Adam Dunn. Detroit answered in the bottom of the first as Quintin Berry hit a two-run home run, also scoring Austin Jackson, followed by a Miguel Cabrera solo home run. The Tigers padded the lead in the third inning on a Cabrera solo shot and a Brennan Boesch two-run home run, sweeping in Prince Fielder. The White Sox got some back in the sixth inning as Rios hit a two-run home run, knocking in Paul Konerko. Chicago got another in the seventh inning when Kevin Youkilis hit a solo home run. They didn't get any closer, losing 6-4, with Turner picking up the win, Joaquin Benoit grabbing a spot save, and Humber was stuck with the loss.

Over in New York, the Mets host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nathan Eovaldi and Jonathon Niese get the starting nods. Los Angeles opened in the fourth inning as Juan Rivera hit a two-run home run, also scoring Matt Kemp. New York got on the board as Josh Thole singled in Daniel Murphy in the bottom of the fourth. The Dodgers padded the lead in the sixth inning when Andre Ethier singled around Mark Ellis. The Mets replied in the seventh inning as Murphy singled to plate Ike Davis. New York tied it in the ninth inning as Davis grounded out to bring home Ruben Tejada. Los Angeles got the lead in the twelfth inning as Matt Treanor hit a 2-RBI single to drive in James Loney and Kemp, followed by Luis Cruz singling in Ethier, and then Adam Kennedy doubled both Treanor and Cruz home. They held on to win 8-3, with the win belonging to Josh Wall, while Ramon Ramirez was on the hook for the loss.

Back west, the Cincinnati Reds host the Milwaukee Brewers. Mike Fiers and Johnny Cueto play on the mound. Milwaukee got going in the third inning as Aramis Ramirez singled to knock in Norichika Aoki. Cincinnati tied it in the bottom of the third as Wilson Valdez singled home Chris Heisey before taking the lead on a Brandon Phillips sacrifice fly to finish Valdez's trip around. This was it for the scoring, with the final sitting at 2-1, allowing Cueto the win, Aroldis Chapman tossed the save, and Fiers had little support in the loss.

East to Boston, where the Red Sox host the Toronto Blue Jays. Henderson Alvarez and Jon Lester are tabbed to start. Toronto rallied ahead in the first inning with a Brett Lawrie solo home run, followed by Edwin Encarnacion's ground rule double to force in Yunel Escobar, a groundout by J.P. Arencibia to knock in Colby Rasmus, a double from Rajai Davis to finish Encarnacion's trip, and a Jeff Mathis sacrifice to score Davis. Boston got some back in the bottom of the first as Adrian Gonzalez hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia. The Blue Jays replied in the second inning as Arencibia went yard on a three-run blast, taking Lawrie and Encarnacion with him, followed by Davis solo shot. The Red Sox answered in the fourth inning with a Mike Aviles sacrifice fly to drive in Gonzalez. Toronto shot back in the fifth inning when Travis Snider hit a two-run home, also scoring Davis. Boston got one back in their half of the inning as Ellsbury hit a solo home run. The Red Sox clawed closer in the sixth inning with Aviles doubling in Ryan Sweeney before coming home on a Nick Punto double. The Blue Jays extended their lead in the eighth inning when Rasmus singled both Omar Vizquel and Lawrie in, followed by sacrifice flies from Encarnacion and Snider to plate Escobar and Rasmus, respectively. The final ended up as 15-7, with Alvarez turning in a sloppy win while Lester was shelled in the loss.

West to Pittsburgh, where the Pirates host the Miami Marlins. Anibal Sanchez and Jeff Karstens are the underrated pitchers. Pittsburgh began in the first inning as Andrew McCutchen singled home Alex Presley. The Pirates added on in the seventh inning with a two-run home run by Pedro Alvarez, also scoring Casey McGehee. This was all for the scoring, with the final at 3-0. Karstens pitched well for a win, Joel Hanrahan turned the save, and Sanchez had no help in the loss.

Into DC, as the Washington Nationals welcome the Atlanta Braves. Jair Jurrjens and Ross Detwiler are the inconsistent pitchers. Washington led off with a two-run Ryan Zimmerman home run, also scoring Bryce Harper, followed by Danny Espinosa doubling in Michael Morse before scoring on a Roger Bernadina single. The Nationals added on in the third inning as Zimmerman hit a solo home run and Espinosa singled to knock in Morse. Washington struck again in the fifth inning with Sandy Leon doubling to plate both Morse and Espinosa. Atlanta got on the board in the sixth inning when Martin Prado scored on a passed ball and Freddie Freeman grounded out to bring in Jason Heyward. The Nationals replied in the bottom of the sixth with Bernadina singling Zimmerman safely home. This made it 9-2, a final, with Detwiler notching the win and Jurrjens getting crushed in the loss.

Back in Pennsylvania, as the Philadelphia Phillies host the San Francisco Giants. Barry Zito and Joe Blanton are the veteran starters. San Francisco was first to score with a first inning Nate Schierholtz solo home run. Philadelphia tied it in the bottom of the first as Chase Utley tripled to force in Shane Victorino. The Giants took the lead again in the fourth inning on a Pablo Sandoval double to knock in Buster Posey. The Phillies retied it in the bottom of the fourth as John Mayberry hit a solo shot. Philadelphia took the lead in the seventh inning as Mayberry hit another solo home run. San Francisco tied it back up in the eighth inning on another Schierholtz solo shot. The Phillies won in the twelfth inning with a walkoff Jimmy Rollins single to plate Carlos Ruiz for the 4-3 victory. Kyle Kendrick picked up the win while Brad Penny was responsible for the loss.

South to Tampa Bay, where the Rays host the Seattle Mariners. Blake Beaven and Matt Moore show alliteration in the pitching match. Seattle opened with a Jesus Montero double to get Ichiro home in the first inning. Tampa Bay tied it in their half of the inning as Matt Joyce singled to plate Ben Zobrist. The Mariners took the lead again in the second inning on a Brendan Ryan double knocking in Michael Saunders. This ended the scoring at 2-1, with Beaven pitching very well for a win, Tom Wilhelmsen shutting the door for his tenth save of the season, and Moore not getting much help in the loss.

Northwest to Kansas City, as the Royals host the Minnesota Twins. Samuel Deduno and Jeremy Guthrie will draw the starts. Minnesota led off with a second inning Ryan Doumit solo home run. The Twins added on in the third inning with Doumit singling in Jamey Carroll and Ben Revere before scoring alongside Joe Mauer on a Brian Dozier double. Kansas City got on the board in the fourth inning with a Lorenzo Cain sacrifice fly to bring around Mike Moustakas. Minnesota answered in the sixth inning as Doumit hit another solo shot. The Twins padded the lead in the seventh inning when Denard Span doubled to knock in Carroll. The Royals got some back in the eighth inning as Billy Butler hit a two-run home run, also scoring Moustakas. Kansas City pulled closer in the ninth inning with Alex Gordon hitting a sacrifice fly to allow Eric Hosmer to score, followed by a Yuniesky Betancourt solo home run, but this only made it a 7-5 final. Deduno picked up the win while Guthrie was handed the loss.

Across Missouri, the St. Louis Cardinals host the Chicago Cubs. Travis Wood and Lance Lynn have the green light to pitch. St. Louis wasted no time in getting a first inning lead with Jon Jay doubling both Allen Craig and Matt Holliday home before scoring alongside David Freese on a Tony Cruz double. The Cardinals added on in the fourth inning as Tyler Greene hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Daniel Descalso. St. Louis extended the lead in the fifth inning on solo home runs by Holliday and Carlos Beltran. This was it for the scoring, leaving the final at 7-0, with Lynn getting the win and Wood taking the loss.

Northeast to Cleveland, where the Indians host the Baltimore Orioles. Zach Britton and Josh Tomlin will make the starts. Baltimore got things going in the first inning with a two-run home run from J.J. Hardy, also scoring Nick Markakis. The Orioles added on in the seventh inning when Hardy singled in Ryan Flaherty. Baltimore padded the lead in the eighth inning with a Wilson Betemit solo home run. Cleveland tried a ninth inning rally with a two-run home run by Carlos Santana, sweeping in Michael Brantley, followed by Travis Hafner singling in Shelley Duncan, but they couldn't get the tying run and fell 4-3. Britton was given the win, Jim Johnson finally mopped up the mess for the save, his thirtieth of the season, and Tomlin took the loss.

Way west to San Diego, where the Padres host the Colorado Rockies. Christian Friedrich and Ross Ohlendorf are the little known pitchers. Colorado struck first with a first inning Marco Scutaro single to bring in Eric Young. San Diego tied it in their half of the inning with Chase Headley hitting a sacrifice fly to knock in Alexi Amarista. The Rockies took the lead back in the second inning as DJ LeMahieu doubled home Josh Rutledge. The Padres tied it in the fourth inning on a John Baker single to drive in Everth Cabrera. San Diego took the lead in the seventh inning as Will Venable singled to score Cabrera. This stood up for a 3-2 win, with Dale Thayer in line for the win, Huston Street finishing for the save, and Adam Ottavino on the hook for the loss.

Up the California coast, the Oakland Athletics host the New York Yankees. Staff aces CC Sabathia and Bartolo Colon pace the game. New York established a lead in the third inning as Mark Teixeira singled in Dewayne Wise, followed by a 2-RBI Alex Rodriguez double to drive in Chris Stewart and Curtis Granderson. The Yankees got another in the fourth inning when Granderson hit a solo home run. Oakland got on the board in the fifth inning with solo shots from Brandon Inge and Kurt Suzuki. The Athletics pulled closed in the sixth inning when Inge grounded into a fielder's choice that got Yoenis Cespedes home. Oakland tied it in the ninth inning on a Seth Smith solo home run. The Athletics won 5-4 in the twelfth inning with a walkoff single from Coco Crisp to knock in Derek Norris. Jerry Blevins was given the win while Cody Eppley suffered the loss.

Southeast to Phoenix, where the Arizona Diamondbacks host the Houston Astros. Jordan Lyles and Josh Collmenter are the struggling starters. Houston began with a second inning Justin Maxwell solo home run. Arizona tied it in the bottom of the second as Jason Kubel hit a solo shot. The Astros took the lead again in the sixth inning on a Chris Johnson double to drive in Scott Moore. The Diamondbacks took the lead in the bottom of the sixth as Miguel Montero reached on an error, allowing both Stephen Drew and Aaron Hill to dash home, before Chris Young hit a three-run home run to clear the bases of Kubel and Montero, followed by Gerardo Parra singling both Ryan Wheeler and Ryan Roberts across the dish. This made it 8-2, a final, where Collmenter notched the win while Lyles was stuck with the loss.

Finally, in Anaheim, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Texas Rangers. Matt Harrison and Dan Haren take the hill. Los Angeles started with a first inning Albert Pujols double to force in Mike Trout. The Angels added on in the second inning when Alberto Callaspo scored on a passed ball and Bobby Wilson singled in Maicer Izturis. Texas got some back in the fourth inning on a two-run Nelson Cruz home run, also scoring Michael Young. Los Angeles extended their lead in the seventh inning when Wilson hit a solo home run, followed by a two-run home run from Pujols, sweeping in Torii Hunter. The Rangers took one back in the eighth inning when Young singled to plate Elvis Andrus. The Angels fired back in the bottom of the eighth as Hunter singled Wilson safely home. Texas tried a ninth inning rally as Andrus hit a sacrifice fly allowing David Murphy to score, but they still lost 7-4. Haren grabbed the win and Harrison had a rough loss.

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