MLB Day 128 2012

Full schedule of games again, beginning up in...

Canada, as the Toronto Blue Jays host the New York Yankees. Ivan Nova and Aaron Laffey are the uninspiring starters. New York started in the fourth inning as Jayson Nix singled in Mark Teixeira before coming home alongside Andruw Jones on a three-run home run by Casey McGehee. Toronto got on the board in the bottom of the fourth as Edwin Encarnacion singled to plate Rajai Davis. The Yankees shot back in the sixth inning as Derek Jeter hit a ground rule double to force in McGehee. The Blue Jays took it back in the eighth inning as Encarnacion singled Davis safely home again. This was it for the scoring, with the final standing at 5-2. Nova got the win, Rafael Soriano finished for a save, and Laffey was given the loss.

Back stateside, the Chicago Cubs host the Cincinnati Reds. Bronson Arroyo and Travis Wood make the starts. Chicago led off in the second inning as David DeJesus singled in both Luis Valbuena and Bryan LaHair. Cincinnati answered in the fourth inning on a Todd Frazier single to bring in Brandon Phillips. The Reds took the lead in the eighth inning as Ryan Ludwick doubled, plating both Drew Stubbs and Phillips, followed by Wilson Valdez singling to knock in Chris Heisey. This ended the scoring at 4-2, with the win going to Arroyo, the save to Aroldis Chapman, and the loss to James Russell.

Out west, the San Francisco Giants host the Colorado Rockies. Drew Pomeranz is mismatched with Matt Cain. San Francisco got going in the second inning as Joaquin Arias hit a sacrifice fly to get Hunter Pence home and Cain singled to knock in Brett Pill. The Giants added on with a two-run home run by Buster Posey in the third inning, also scoring Melky Cabrera. San Francisco struck again in the fifth inning when Pence doubled home Marco Scutaro. Colorado got on the board with a sixth inning Josh Rutledge fielder's choice that allowed DJ LeMahieu to come home. The Giants replied in their half of the inning as Angel Pagan tripled to force in Ryan Theriot and Arias before scoring on a single by Scutaro. The Rockies answered in the eighth inning as LeMahieu hit a solo home run. San Francisco shot back with Arias scoring on a wild pitch. Colorado tried a ninth inning rally as Chris Nelson singled to plate Tyler Colvin, but this only made the final 9-3. Cain was given the win and Pomeranz was dealt the loss.

Back to the east, the Cleveland Indians host the Boston Red Sox. Franklin Morales and Zach McAllister are the back-of-the-rotation pitchers. Cleveland struck first on a third inning Brent Lillibridge solo home run. Boston took the lead in the fourth inning when Adrian Gonzalez doubled in both Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford. The Indians retied it in the fifth inning on a Lillibridge single to drive in Michael Brantley. Cleveland took the lead with a sixth inning Brantley sacrifice fly to bring in Asdrubal Cabrera. The Indians added on in the seventh inning when Lou Marson sacrificed to get Lillibridge home. Cleveland got another in the eighth inning as Ezequiel Carrera singled Carlos Santana across the dish. This produced the final of 5-2, with McAllister getting the win, Chris Perez turning the save, and Morales was handed the loss.

Into Pennsylvania, as the Philadelphia Phillies host the St. Louis Cardinals. Jake Westbrook and Cliff Lee are on the mound. Philadelphia began in the first inning when Ryan Howard grounded into a fielder's choice to bring in Domonic Brown. St. Louis answered in the sixth inning as Matt Holliday hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Jon Jay and Allen Craig. The Cardinals added on in the eighth inning when Carlos Beltran singled in Craig. This made the final 4-1, with Westbrook notching the win, Jason Motte converting the save, and Lee took the loss.

Dow south in Houston, the Astros host the Milwaukee Brewers. Marco Estrada and Dallas Keuchel are the little known starters. Houston got going in the first inning as Steve Pearce singled both Tyler Greene and Jose Altuve home. Milwaukee answered in the second inning with Corey Hart reaching on an error to get Aramis Ramirez home and Jonathan Lucroy hitting a sacrifice fly to knock in Hart. The Astros took the lead again in the third inning as Bret Wallace singled, which combined with an error to get Altuve home, before Wallace was forced in by a triple from Pearce. The Brewers shot back in the fifth inning as Norichika Aoki doubled home both Lucroy and Jean Segura. Houston took the lead in the bottom of the fifth as Greene hit a solo home run. Milwaukee tied it in the ninth inning as Segura grounded out, allowing Rickie Weeks to score. The Astros won 6-5 in the tenth inning as Scott Moore singled, driving in Altuve to end the game. Wilton Lopez picked up the win while Jim Henderson was on the hook for the loss.

Back to Pennsylvania, as the Pittsburgh Pirates host the San Diego Padres. Jason Marquis and A.J. Burnett have the green light to pitch. San Diego quickly opened with a first inning Chase Headley solo home run. The Padres added on in the third inning as Headley grounded out to bring in Everth Cabrera. San Diego struck again in the fourth inning on a Cameron Maybin single that scored Will Venable. The Padres padded the lead in the sixth inning as Venable hit a solo shot, followed by Headley drawing a bases-loaded walk to force in Marquis. The scoring stopped here, leaving the final at 5-0. Marquis had a complete game shutout of two hits and a walk, while Burnett had no support in the loss.

Over in Baltimore, the Orioles host the Kansas City Royals and a long rain delay. Luis Mendoza and Chris Tillman made the starts despite the showers. When the scoring began, it started with Kansas City in the first inning as Alex Gordon hit a solo home run to lead off the game. The Royals struck again in the second inning as Salvador Perez hit a two-run home run, also scoring Lorenzo Cain. Kansas City got another in the third inning on a Billy Butler solo shot. The Royals padded the lead in the sixth inning when Eric Hosmer singled in Perez, before stealing second base while Jeff Francoeur stole home/fourth base. Kansas City added on in the seventh inning on another Gordon solo home run. Baltimore got on the board in the bottom of the seventh as Manny Machado doubled to drive in Wilson Betemit, followed by Omar Quintanilla singling both Chris Davis and Machado all the way home. They got no closer, falling 7-3, with Mendoza picking up the win and Tillman suffering the loss. 

Westward to Chicago, as the White Sox host the Oakland Athletics. Travis Blackley and Francisco Liriano took their turns in the rotation. Chicago led off in the second inning as Dayan Viciedo grounded out to bring in A.J. Pierzynski and Tyler Flowers doubled to plate Alexei Ramirez. Oakland rallied ahead in the third inning as Chris Carter singled in both Coco Crisp and Josh Reddick, followed by a Derek Norris ground rule double to force in both Yoenis Cespedes and Carter, and an Adam Rosales single brought around Brandon Inge. The Athletics got another in the fourth inning as Reddick singled home Crisp. The White Sox took one back in the bottom of the fourth when Flowers singled to plate Viciedo. Chicago pulled closer in the fifth inning with a two-run home run by Kevin Youkilis, also scoring Alejandro De Aza. The White Sox tied the game in the sixth inning on a Flowers solo home run. Chicago took the lead in the seventh inning when Pierzynski singled to knock in Youkilis. Oakland tied it in the eighth inning with a Jonny Gomes solo shot and an Inge single to finish Cespedes' trip. The Athletics got another in the ninth inning as Gomes singled home Crisp for a 9-7 final. Ryan Cook was in line for the win, Grant Balfour picked up the spot save, and Matt Thornton was stuck holding the loss.

Back to the east, as the New York Mets welcome the Atlanta Braves. Kris Medlen and Johan Santana are tabbed to start. Atlanta opened in the first inning with a 2-RBI Freddie Freeman double, scoring both Michael Bourn and Reed Johnson. The Braves rallied to extend the lead in the second inning as Medlen singled home Dan Uggla, Bourn did the same for Paul Janish, Jason Heyward singled to finish Medlen's trip around, Chipper Jones singled to drive in Bourn, and then Freeman hit a three-run home run to sweep in both Heyward and Bourn as well as himself. New York replied meekly in the bottom of the second with an Andres Torres single to get Ike Davis home. The Mets added on in the eighth inning with Ruben Tejada doubling to score Ronny Cedeno before coming home on a David Wright single. This made the eventual final 9-3, with the win going to Medlen and the loss to Santana.

To the west again, with the Minnesota Twins hosting the Tampa Bay Rays. David Price faces a lesser foe in Nick Blackburn. Tampa Bay began in the first inning with a two-run home run by B.J. Upton, also scoring Desmond Jennings, followed by a Matt Joyce solo home run. Minnesota answered in the second inning as Darin Mastroianni singled to knock in Josh Willingham. The Rays shot back in the fifth inning on an Upton solo shot. The Twins replied as Brian Dozier hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth. The scoring stopped here, with the final being 4-2, giving Price the win, Fernando Rodney converted his thirty-fifth save of the season, and Blackburn was stuck with the loss.

Into Florida, as the Miami Marlins host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Joe Blanton and Ricky Nolasco are the veteran pitchers. Los Angeles got things going in the fourth inning as Shane Victorino grounded into a fielder's choice to get A.J. Ellis home. The Dodgers got another in the fifth inning as Andre Ethier singled to knock in Matt Kemp. Miami rallied to the lead in the bottom of the fifth when Nick Green doubled in Donovan Solano before scoring on a John Buck double, and then Buck scored when Gorkys Hernandez sacrificed, followed by Justin Ruggiano singling to plate Austin Kearns. The Marlins padded the lead in the eighth inning with Carlos Lee doubling both Hernandez and Jose Reyes home, followed by Solano singling to finish Lee's trip around. Los Angeles tried a ninth inning rally when Kemp grounded out to allow Victorino to come home. This only made the final 7-3, with the win going to Nolasco and the loss was pinned on Blanton.

Across the south, the Texas Rangers host the Detroit Tigers. Justin Verlander and Derek Holland take the hill. Detroit led off with a leadoff first inning solo home run by Austin Jackson. Texas tied it in the third inning as Nelson Cruz singled to knock in Josh Hamilton. The Rangers won 2-1 in the ninth inning as Mike Olt singled to drive in Cruz. Mike Adams was in line for the win and Brayan Villarreal was on the hook for the loss.

Further to the west, the Arizona Diamondbacks host the Washington Nationals. Edwin Jackson and Wade Miley pace the game. Washington was first on the board in the first inning as Ryan Zimmerman doubled, which combined with an error to get Danny Espinosa home. Arizona tied it in the bottom of the first with an Aaron Hill solo home run. The Diamondbacks took the lead in the second inning when Miguel Montero tripled to force in Justin Upton before scoring on a Stephen Drew single. Arizona got another in the third inning as Chris Johnson's sacrifice fly allowed safe passage home for Jason Kubel. The Nationals rallied back in the fifth inning as Jayson Werth doubled in Steve Lombardozzi, before scoring alongside Espinosa on a Zimmerman single, followed by Michael Morse doubling in Zimmerman and then scoring on a Jesus Flores single. The Diamondbacks pulled closer in the sixth inning when Ryan Wheeler doubled to drive in Gerardo Parra. They got no closer, falling 6-5, with Jackson getting an ugly win, Tyler Clippard shutting the door for the save, and Miley was not freed from the loss.

Finally, in Anaheim, the Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim host the Seattle Mariners. Hisashi Iwakuma and Dan Haren pace the game. Seattle began in the second inning as Trayvon Robinson singled home Mike Carp, followed by Dustin Ackley singling both Miguel Olivo and Robinson home. The Mariners got another in the third inning on a John Jaso solo home run. Seattle rallied to extend the lead in the fourth inning as Brendan Ryan hit a sacrifice fly that scored Olivo, Dustin Ackley reached on an error that allowed Robinson to dash home, and Jaso singled to finish Ackley's trip around. Los Angeles got on the board in the fifth inning as Vernon Wells singled to knock in Erick Aybar. The Angels pulled closer in the eighth inning with a two-run home run by Wells, also scoring Aybar. Los Angeles tried a ninth inning rally on a Kendrys Morales solo shot, but they got no closer and lost 7-4. Iwakuma notched the win, while Haren was responsible for a messy loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion. 

MLB Day 127 2012

Back to the full schedule today, beginning with...

A Wrigley Field matinee, as the Chicago Cubs host the Cincinnati Reds. Homer Bailey and Justin Germano are the little known pitchers. Chicago began with a first inning Alfonso Soriano fielder's choice to bring in David DeJesus. Cincinnati answered in the second inning as Todd Frazier doubled in Ryan Ludwick before scoring on a single by the pitcher Bailey. The Reds added on in the third inning with Ludwick hitting a two-run home run, also scoring Brandon Phillips, followed by Devin Mesoraco reaching on an error that got Xavier Paul home. The Cubs replied in the bottom of the third when Soriano doubled both Darwin Barney and Anthony Rizzo safely home. Cincinnati shot back in the sixth inning as Drew Stubbs scored on a pair of errors, followed by Frazier singling to plate both Phillips and Ludwick. Chicago answered in their half of the inning as Welington Castillo doubled to knock in Josh Vitters. The Cubs got closer in the seventh inning as Starlin Castro doubled home both DeJesus and Barney. The Reds extended the lead again in the eighth inning on a Frazier single to give Ludwick time to dash home. Chicago fired back in the bottom of the eighth as Castillo doubled Brett Jackson in, before scoring on DeJesus double. Cincinnati padded the lead with a ninth inning Zack Cozart double to knock in Ryan Hanigan. This made it 10-8, a final, with Bailey notching the win, Aroldis Chapman turning the save, Germano taking the loss, and the bullpens sucking in almost equal proportions.

Over in Baltimore, the Orioles host the Kansas City Royals. Luke Hochevar and Miguel Gonzalez are the uninspiring pitchers. Kansas City started with a second inning Salvador Perez solo home run. Baltimore answered in the bottom of the second as Omar Quintanilla hit a two-run home run, also scoring Wilson Betemit. The Orioles added on with a fifth inning Manny Machado solo shot. Baltimore added on in the sixth inning as Nate McLouth doubled in Matt Wieters, before scoring alongside Betemit on a three-run home run by Machado. This ended the scoring at 7-1, with the win going to Gonzalez and the loss to Hochevar.

Back west, the Cleveland Indians host the Boston Red Sox. Clay Buchholz and Chris Seddon are the struggling pitchers. Cleveland was first to score with a first inning Asdrubal Cabrera solo home run. Boston tied it in the fourth inning as Dustin Pedroia singled in Mike Aviles. The Red Sox took the lead in the sixth inning with a two-run home run from Cody Ross, also scoring Pedroia. The Indians got one back in the bottom of the sixth with an Ezequiel Carrera sacrifice fly to bring in Jason Donald. This was as close as it got, with the final being 3-2. Buchholz went the distance for the win, allowing just two hits and two runs, only one of which was earned, while Seddon had little help in the loss.

Into Pennsylvania, as the Pittsburgh Pirates host the San Diego Padres. Edinson Volquez and James McDonald take the mound. San Diego opened with a leadoff solo home run by Alexi Amarista. Pittsburgh tied it in the second inning on a Starling Marte single to bring in Clint Barmes. The Pirates took the lead in the third inning on a Garrett Jones solo shot. Pittsburgh padded the lead with a fifth inning three-run Travis Snider home run, sweeping Barmes and the pitcher McDonald, followed by Pedro Alvarez hitting a 2-RBI single to score both Andrew McCutchen and Jones. The Padres replied in the fifth inning as Yonder Alonso doubled in both Cameron Maybin and John Baker, before he scored on a single from Amarista, and then they tied it as Chase Headley hit a three-run home run that swept home Amarista and Everth Cabrera. The Pirates took the lead back with a sixth inning Rod Barajas single to drive in Jones. San Diego took the lead in the seventh inning as Headley went yard again on a two-run home run, bringing Cabrera with him. They held to win by a 9-8 margin, with the win belonging to Brad Brach, the save turned by Huston Street, and the loss was pinned on Tony Watson.

Across the state, the Philadelphia Phillies welcome the St. Louis Cardinals. Kyle Lohse and Roy Halladay pace the game. St. Louis led off with a second inning Carlos Beltran solo home run. Philadelphia tied it in their half of the inning as Domonic Brown singled home Ryan Howard. The Phillies took the lead in the eighth inning as Chase Utley hit a two-run home run, also scoring Jimmy Rollins. They held on for a 3-1 win, with Halladay earning the win, Jonathan Papelbon closing for his twenty-fifth save of the year, and Barret Browning was responsible for the loss.

Up in Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays host the New York Yankees. Freddy Garcia and Ricky Romero try to right the ship with their starts. New York got going in the second inning as Russell Martin drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Robinson Cano, followed by Ichiro Suzuki grounding into a fielder's choice to bring in Andruw Jones. Toronto got on the board in the bottom of the second as Kelly Johnson hit a solo home run. The Yankees replied in the third inning on a Cano single to knock in Nick Swisher. The Blue Jays answered in the fourth inning as Johnson double to plate Yunel Escobar. New York extended the lead in the eighth inning on a Mark Teixeira solo shot, followed by Suzuki singling both Jayson Nix and Martin. Toronto took one back in the bottom of the eighth as Colby Rasmus grounded into a double play that allowed Anthony Gose to score. The Yankees took it back on a ninth inning Swisher double to drive in Derek Jeter, before coming the rest of the way home on a Raul Ibanez single, followed by Suzuki double to score both Cano and Ibanez. The Blue Jays cut the final deficit to 10-4 with a Jeff Mathis single to knock in David Cooper in the bottom of the ninth, but they came no closer. Garcia was credited with the win, while Romero was pinned with the loss.

Back stateside, the New York Mets host the Atlanta Braves. Paul Maholm and Matt Harvey get the starting nods. Atlanta struck first in the first inning on a two-run Jason Heyward home run, also scoring Michael Bourn. The Braves padded the lead in the eighth inning as Dan Uggla hit a two-run home run, sweeping in Freddie Freeman. This was more than enough, leaving the final at 4-0, with Maholm pitching a three-hit complete game shutout, and Harvey had no support in the loss.

Down in Florida, the Miami Marlins host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Clayton Kershaw and Mark Buehrle are the staff aces pitching. Miami began with a first inning Justin Ruggiano solo home run. Los Angeles rallied ahead in the sixth inning when Matt Kemp doubled in Shane Victorino before scoring on a Hanley Ramirez single, who then scored on a two-run home run by Juan Rivera. The Marlins answered in their half of the inning as Carlos Lee hit a sacrifice fly to get Gorkys Hernandez home. The Dodgers shot back in the seventh inning as Ramirez singled A.J. Ellis across the dish. This gave them a 5-2 lead, which was a final, where Kershaw notched the win, Kenley Jansen tossed the save, and Buehrle was handed the loss.

A bit west, the Texas Rangers host the Detroit Tigers. Max Scherzer and Scott Feldman are the inconsistent pitchers. Texas got things going with a first inning Josh Hamilton solo home run. The Rangers struck again in the third inning as Elvis Andrus singled to knock in Ian Kinsler. Detroit got on the board in the fourth inning as Miguel Cabrera singled home Austin Jackson. The Tigers took a sixth inning lead as Prince Fielder ripped a three-run home run, sweeping in Andy Dirks and Cabrera, followed by Delmon Young doubling in Brennan Boesch. Detroit added on in the seventh inning as Jackson hit an inside-the-park solo shot. This made it 6-2, a final, with Scherzer getting the win and Feldman was handed the loss.

Staying in the state, the Houston Astros host the Milwaukee Brewers. Mark Rogers and Bud Norris are the back-of-the-rotation pitchers. Milwaukee opened with a first inning Ryan Braun double to knock in Nyjer Morgan. The Brewers got another in the second inning with Rickie Weeks scoring on a wild pitch. Houston got on the board in the fifth inning with a Carlos Corporan single to drive in Scott Moore. Milwaukee shot back in the seventh inning as Jean Segura singled Weeks safely home. The Astros pulled closer in the eighth inning with a Corporan solo home run. Houston attempted a ninth inning rally with Steve Pearce singling to bring in Tyler Greene to tie the game, followed by the go-ahead Brian Bogusevic single that finished Pearce's trip around and the game. The final was 4-3, Wilton Lopez was handed the win, and John Axford was on the hook for another loss.

North into Minnesota, as the Twins host the Tampa Bay Rays. Jeremy Hellickson and Cole De Vries are the young pitchers. Tampa Bay wasted no time in scoring first in the first inning as Matt Joyce hit a two-run home run, also scoring Desmond Jennings. Minnesota shot back in their half of the inning on a Josh Willingham single to drive in Joe Mauer. The Rays added on in the second inning as Ryan Roberts reached on an error that allowed Carlos Pena to get home, followed by Jose Molina singling in Jeff Keppinger, Jennings doubling to finish Roberts' trip around, and then both Molina and Jennings scored on a double from Joyce, before he came home on an Evan Longoria single. The Twins got one back in the third inning as Mauer singled to knock in Jamey Carroll. Minnesota got another in the fourth inning as Ryan Doumit hit a solo home run. Tampa Bay padded the lead in the sixth inning with a Molina single that plated both Keppinger and Roberts, followed by B.J. Upton doubling Molina and Jennings across the dish. The Twins took some back in the eighth inning when Alexi Casilla singled to get Darin Mastroianni home, followed by Brian Dozier hitting a sacrifice fly that scored Justin Morneau. Minnesota got another in the ninth inning as Ben Revere grounded out to get Denard Span safely home, but this only made the final 12-6. Hellickson got the win and De Vries was dealt the loss.

Back down in Chicago, the White Sox host the Oakland Athletics. Brandon McCarthy returns from the disable list to oppose Gavin Floyd in pitching. Oakland was first on the board with a first inning Josh Reddick groundout that got Coco Crisp home. The Athletics added on in the second inning with a two-run home run by Brandon Moss, also scoring Chris Carter. Chicago got one back in the bottom of the second as A.J. Pierzynski hit a solo home run. The White Sox pulled closer with a fourth inning Alexei Ramirez solo shot. Chicago tied it in the seventh inning as Dayan Viciedo hit a solo home run. The White Sox won it in the ninth inning on a Jordan Danks solo shot for a 4-3 walkoff win. Brett Myers was in line for the win while Pat Neshek was dinged for the loss.

Southwest to Arizona, as the Diamondbacks welcome the Washington Nationals. Stephen Strasburg and Trevor Cahill are the promising starters. Washington started in the third inning with a Bryce Harper sacrifice fly to knock in Steve Lombardozzi. Arizona tied it in the fourth inning as Chris Johnson singled home Justin Upton. The Nationals took the lead in the fifth inning with a two-run Ryan Zimmerman home run, also scoring Lombardozzi. Washington added on with a sixth inning Michael Morse solo home run. The Nationals padded the lead in the seventh inning as Adam LaRoche grounded into a fielder's choice that combined with an error to score Lombardozzi. Washington got another in the ninth as Harper hit a sacrifice fly to knock in Tyler Moore, followed by LaRoche doubling to score Lombardozzi, and a 2-RBI double from Jayson Werth to bring in both Zimmerman and LaRoche. This made the final 9-1, with Strasburg getting the win and Cahill suffering the loss.

Further west, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Seattle Mariners. Felix Hernandez faces a lesser foe in Ervin Santana. Seattle led off in the third inning as Dustin Ackley hit a two-run home run, also scoring Eric Thames, followed by a three-run home run from John Jaso, sweeping in Michael Saunders and Jesus Montero. Los Angeles replied in their half of the inning with a three-run blast from Mike Trout, plating Howie Kendrick and Erick Aybar. The Angels pulled closer in the fifth inning on a Trout sacrifice fly to get Kendrick and Erick Aybar across the dish. Los Angeles won it in the ninth inning as Peter Bourjos scored on a wild pitch to end the game 6-5. Ernesto Frieri was credited with the win and Josh Kinney was dealt the loss.

Finally, we end up in San Francisco, as the Giants host the Colorado Rockies. Tyler Chatwood is mismatched with Tim Lincecum. Colorado began with a third inning Dexter Fowler single to plate DJ LeMahieu. The Rockies added on in the fourth inning as Tyler Colvin singled in Willin Rosario. Colorado got another in the seventh inning as a sacrifice fly by Chris Nelson allowed Colvin to get home. This was it for the scoring, leaving the final at 3-0, with Chatwood earning the win, Rafael Betancourt tossing his twentieth save of the season, and Lincecum was stuck with the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

MLB Day 126 2012

Only nine games on today, and five of them come early, so you know it's travel day. We start in...

New York, with the Mets hosting the Miami Marlins. Josh Johnson and R.A. Dickey pace the game. New York started in the second inning as Josh Thole singled in Ike Davis. Miami tied it with a fourth inning Justin Ruggiano solo home run. The Mets retook the lead in their half of the inning on an Andres Torres double to knock in David Wright. New York added on in the sixth inning as Torres hit a solo shot. The Mets got another in the seventh as Wright singled to plate Mike Baxter. New York padded the lead in the eighth inning as Torres tripled to force in Jordany Valdespin and then came home on a Thole single. This was good for a 6-1 win, with Dickey going the distance for the win, and Johnson was stuck with the loss.

Over in Detroit, the Tigers host the New York Yankees and rain. Hiroki Kuroda and Doug Fister are on the mound. New York got the lead in the second inning as Raul Ibanez tripled in Eric Chavez and then came the final 90 feet home on an Ichiro Suzuki single. Detroit tied it in the fifth inning with a two-run home run by Alex Avila, also scoring Jhonny Peralta, and they took the lead as Andy Dirks doubled home Quintin Berry. The Yankees took the lead back in the eighth inning with back-to-back solo shots by Mark Teixeira and Chavez. They held on for a 4-3 win, with the win credited to Clay Rapada, the save picked up by Rafael Soriano, and loss was pinned on Joaquin Benoit.

Down in Tampa Bay, the Rays host the Toronto Blue Jays. Henderson Alvarez and Matt Moore are penciled in to pitch. Toronto was first on the board in the first inning as Rajai Davis scored on a balk. Tampa Bay took the lead in the second as Jose Lobaton singled both Ben Zobrist and Jeff Keppinger home, followed by B.J. Upton grounding into a fielder's choice to get Ryan Roberts home. The Rays added on in the third inning with Roberts singling to score Zobrist. Tampa Bay struck again in the fourth inning with Evan Longoria singling to plate Upton. The Rays got another in the fifth inning on a Lobaton single, driving in Carlos Pena. Tampa Bay extended the lead in the eighth inning as Longoria doubled Matt Joyce across the dish. This made it a 7-1 final, with Moore earning the win and Alvarez taking the loss.

Northwest to St. Louis, as the Cardinals host the San Francisco Giants. Madison Bumgarner and Adam Wainwright are the staff aces pitching. St. Louis opened with a first inning two-run Carlos Beltran home run, also scoring Allen Craig. San Francisco got on the board in the fifth inning with a Marco Scutaro sacrifice fly that allowed Joaquin Arias to score. The Cardinals answered in the sixth inning as Craig hit a sacrifice fly to get Jon Jay home. This was enough to win 3-1, with Wainwright earning the win, Jason Motte finishing off for his twenty-fifth save of the season, and Bumgarner took an unlucky loss.

Back to the east a bit, the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Joe Saunders and Wandy Rodriguez are the veteran pitchers. Arizona led off with a first inning two-run Jason Kubel home run, also scoring Aaron Hill. Pittsburgh got on the board in the second inning as Michael McKenry singled in Gaby Sanchez, before tying it with a Jordy Mercer sacrifice fly to knock in Neil Walker, and taking the lead as Starling Marte singled to plate McKenry. The Diamondbacks took the lead again in the sixth inning on a two-run Wil Nieves home run, sweeping in Chris Johnson. Arizona added on in the seventh inning as Kubel went yard with another two-run home run, bringing Hill with him again. This made it 6-3, a final, with Saunders picking up the win, J.J. Putz earning the save, and Rodriguez was handed the loss.

Over in Ohio, the Cleveland Indians host the Boston Red Sox. Felix Doubront faces a lesser foe in Ubaldo Jimenez. Cleveland started in the first inning with a Jason Donald solo home run. Boston answered in the fourth inning on an Adrian Gonzalez two-run home run, also scoring Dustin Pedroia. The Red Sox got another in the fifth inning with Pedroia singling in Jacoby Ellsbury. The Indians rallied back in the bottom of the fifth as Asdrubal Cabrera doubled in Lou Marson, Carlos Santana singled to score Donald, and Michael Brantley hit a sacrifice fly to finish Cabrera's trip around. Cleveland extended the lead in the eighth inning when Donald grounded into a fielder's choice that scored Ezequiel Carrera. They held on for a 5-3 win, with the win going to Jimenez, the save turned by Chris Perez as his thirtieth of the season, and the loss was dealt to Doubront.

On the east coast again, the Baltimore Orioles host the Kansas City Royals. Will Smith is mismatched with Wei-Yin Chen. Kansas City quickly got on the board in the first inning as Alex Gordon hit a leadoff solo home run, followed by a three-run Billy Butler home run, sweeping in Alcides Escobar and Lorenzo Cain. The Royals added on in the third inning with Mike Moustakas doubling Butler home, before scoring on a Jeff Francoeur double. Kansas City struck again in the fifth inning as a Salvador Perez sacrifice fly allowed Butler to score. Baltimore answered in their half of the inning with a Nick Markakis sacrifice fly to get Manny Machado home. The Royals fired back in the sixth inning on an Escobar single, plating Gordon. The Orioles shot back as Matt Wieters hit a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth. They got no closer, losing 8-2, with Smith picking up the win and Chen suffering the loss.

West to Chicago, where the Cubs host the Cincinnati Reds and try to dodge raindrops doing it. Mike Leake and Chris Volstad are the uninspiring pitchers. Cincinnati began in the first inning after a lengthy delay with a Zack Cozart leadoff solo home run, followed by Ryan Ludwick grounding out to get Drew Stubbs home. Chicago got on the board in their half of the inning with Anthony Rizzo singling home David DeJesus. The Reds got another in the fourth inning on a Todd Frazier solo shot. The Cubs tied it in the sixth inning as Starlin Castro hit a 2-RBI double to knock in Darwin Barney and Rizzo. Chicago took the lead in the eighth inning on a two-run home run by Alfonso Soriano, also scoring Rizzo. This was it for the scoring, leaving the final at 5-3, with Shawn Camp taking the win, Carlos Marmol tossing the save, and Sean Marshall was responsible for the loss.

Finally, we end in Houston, as the Astros host the Washington Nationals. Jordan Zimmermann and Lucas Harrell are on the hill. Washington opened in the fourth inning as Adam LaRoche singled in Roger Bernadina, followed by a Michael Morse sacrifice fly to score Ryan Zimmerman. The Nationals added in the sixth inning when Morse hit a solo home run. Washington struck again in the eighth inning with another Morse solo shot. The Nationals padded the lead in the ninth inning as Zimmerman hit a sacrifice fly that brought in Izturis. This was it for the scoring, with the final sitting at 5-0, giving Zimmermann a dominant win and Harrell had no help in the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

MLB Day 125 2012

Full slate but on a getaway day, so we have five earlier games. We start the day in...

Cleveland, as the Indians host the Minnesota Twins. Brian Duensing and Justin Masterson are the struggling starters. Cleveland opened in the first inning as Shin-Soo Choo doubled home Jason Kipnis before scoring on a Carlos Santana single. The Indians added on in the second inning with an Asdrubal Cabrera singled in Casey Kotchman, followed by Choo doing the same for Brent Lillibridge. Minnesota got on the board in the fifth inning as Alexi Casilla hit a two-run home run, also scoring Brian Dozier. Cleveland answered in the sixth inning with Kotchman reaching on a fielder's choice that allowed Ezequiel Carrera to dash home, before a Kipnis sacrifice fly finished Kotchman's trip around. This ended the scoring at 6-2, with Masterson picking up the win and Duensing taking the loss.

Eastward to Boston, as the Red Sox host the Texas Rangers. Matt Harrison and Josh Beckett are sent out to pitch. Texas rallied to a first inning lead as Josh Hamilton tripled to force both Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus home, before scoring on an Adrian Beltre sacrifice fly. Boston got some back in their half of the inning as Adrian Gonzalez doubled in Dustin Pedroia, followed by Cody Ross singling to finish Gonzalez's trip. The Red Sox tied it in the third inning on a Ross solo home run. The Rangers retook the lead in the fifth inning on a Mitch Moreland solo shot, followed by a two-run Hamilton homer, also scoring Andrus. Boston answered in the bottom of the fifth as Gonzalez doubled to drive in Carl Crawford, before he came across home on a passed ball. Texas replied in the sixth inning as Geovany Soto hit a two-run home run that swept in David Murphy. The Rangers added on in the seventh inning with a Nelson Cruz solo home run. The Red Sox rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh as Gonzalez doubled Pedroia across the plate again before bieng driven in on a three-run long ball by Will Middlebrooks, sweeping in Ross as well. The Rangers regained the lead with a ninth inning Beltre sacrifice fly to get Andrus safely home, giving them a 10-9 advantage they would not let go of. Alexi Ogando was in line for the win, Joe Nathan closed out for the save, and Clayton Mortensen was stuck holding the loss.

Back to the west, the Milwaukee Brewers host the Cincinnati Reds. Mat Latos faces a lesser foe in Randy Wolf. Cincinnati got things going in the third inning as Dioner Navarro hit a two-run home run, also scoring Miguel Cairo. Milwaukee got one back in the sixth inning on a Carlos Gomez solo home run. The Brewers tied it in the eighth inning as Gomez singled Norichika Aoki home, before taking the lead as Gomez scored when Ryan Braun doubled. They held for a 3-2 win, picked up by John Axford, while Jim Henderson turned the save, and Jonathan Broxton was stuck with the loss.

Out in Oakland, the Athletics host the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Zack Greinke and Daniel Straily receive the starting nods. Los Angeles was first to score with a second inning Kendrys Morales solo home run. Oakland rallied ahead in their half of the inning on a two-run home run by George Kotteras, also scoring Chris Carter, followed by Brandon Moss singling in Jemile Weeks, and Josh Reddick doing the same for Coco Crisp. The Angels got one back in the third inning on a Chris Iannetta solo shot. Los Angeles got another in the fifth inning with a Torii Hunter solo home run, followed by a go-ahead two-run blast from Morales, sweeping in Mark Trumbo. The Athletics tied it in the sixth inning on a Crisp double to knock in Cliff Pennington, before scoring alongside Reddick on a Yoenis Cespedes single, before finishing his trip on a two-run home run by Carter. The Angels took one back in the seventh inning as Trumbo hit a solo shot. Los Angeles pulled closer in the ninth inning as Howie Kendrick's single provided Albert Pujols and Vernon Wells time to come home, but they couldn't tie the game and fell 9-8, with the win credited to Pat Neshek, the sloppy save turned by Ryan Cook, and the loss was pinned on LaTroy Hawkins.

Down in San Diego, the Padres host the Chicago Cubs. Jeff Samardzija and Clayton Richard are on the mound. San Diego led off with a second inning Will Venable double to knock in Chase Headley. The Padres added on in the eighth inning as Yonder Alonso singled in Chris Denorfia. This gave them a 2-0 lead and win, with Richard going the distance for a complete game shutout on five hits and two walks, while Samardzija pitched well but had no support.

Across the country, the Baltimore Orioles host the Seattle Mariners. Kevin Millwood and Steve Johnson are the back-of-the-rotation pitchers. Baltimore got things going in the first inning as Matt Wieters doubled both J.J. Hardy and Adam Jones in. The Orioles added on in the third inning as Hardy singled home Nick Markakis before scoring on a Wieters groundout. Baltimore struck again in the fourth inning on a Mark Reynolds solo home run, followed by a two-run Markakis homer, also scoring Omar Quintanilla. Seattle got on the board in the sixth inning on a two-run Kyle Seager home run that swept in Jesus Montero. The Orioles padded the lead in the seventh inning as Wieters doubled Chris Davis and Jones across the dish. This ended the scoring at 9-2, with the win belonging to Johnson and the loss to Millwood.

Westward again to Detroit, as the Tigers welcome the New York Yankees. CC Sabathia and Anibal Sanchez are the well-known pitchers. New York wasted no time in scoring first in the first inning as Eric Chavez singled in Nick Swisher, followed by Curtis Granderson doing the same for Mark Teixeira. The Yankees padded the lead in the third inning on a three-run Granderson home run, sweeping in Robinson Cano and Chavez. New York added on the in the fourth inning as Teixeira hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Derek Jeter to dash home. Detroit got on the board in the bottom of the fourth on a Brennan Boesch single that knocked in Jeff Baker. The Tigers pulled closer in the sixth inning as Baker singled to plate both Prince fielder and Delmon Young. The Yankees shot back in the seventh inning as Ichiro Suzuki singled Granderson across the dish. Detroit took it back in their half of the inning as Fielder grounded out to knock in Austin Jackson, followed by Andy Dirks singling to score Miguel Cabrera and Boesch doing the same for Young, and Alex Avila followed suit to finish Dirks' trip around. New York replied in the eighth inning as Teixeira singled to push in Swisher, followed by a Chavez groundout that got Cano home. The Tigers answered again in their half of the inning with an Omar Infante solo home run. The Yankees extended their lead in the ninth inning with Jayson Nix scoring on a balk and Cano singling Jeter to cross home. This ended the scoring with the final being 12-8. The win went to Sabathia in the back-and-forth game, while Sanchez was never freed from the loss.

Back east a little to Pittsburgh, where the Pirates host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ian Kennedy and Kevin Correia draw the starts. Arizona began in the first inning as Chris Johnson singled home Stephen Drew and Paul Goldschmidt hit a sacrifice fly to allow Willie Bloomquist to score. Pittsburgh gained the lead in their half of the inning on a Neil Walker three-run home run, sweeping in Andrew McCutchen and Garrett Jones. The Pirates struck again in the third inning on a Starling Marte solo home run. The Diamondbacks answered in the fifth inning as Bloomquist doubled to drive in Gerardo Parra, followed by Goldschmidt reaching on an error to bring in Drew. Pittsburgh took the lead back in the bottom of the fifth on a 2-RBI Walker double, driving in Travis Snider and McCutchen. The Pirates got another in the sixth inning on a Jordy Mercer solo shot. Arizona pulled back in the seventh inning as Goldschmidt hit a sacrifice fly to plate Drew. The Diamondbacks got another in the eighth inning as Bloomquist singled Parra across the dish. They couldn't pull even, losing 7-6, with the win going to Correia, the save converted cleanly by Joel Hanrahan, and the loss was stuck on Kennedy.

Across Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Phillies host the Atlanta Braves. Tim Hudson opposes Kyle Kendrick in pitching. Philadelphia opened with a first inning Jimmy Rollins solo home run. Atlanta rallied ahead in the second inning as David Ross grounded out to bring in Freddie Freeman, followed by a 2-RBI double from the pitcher Hudson, knocking in both Dan Uggla and Paul Janish before he scored on a Martin Prado single. The Braves added on in the fourth inning as Michael Bourn hit a two-run home run, also scoring Janish. The Phillies shot back in the fifth inning on a Rollins double that plated Kevin Frandsen, before he scored on a Domonic Brown double, before tying the game on a three-run home run by Ryan Howard, sweeping in Brown and Chase Utley. Atlanta took the lead in the seventh inning on a 3-RBI double from Uggla, plating all of Jason Heyward, Chipper Jones, and Freeman, before he scored as Ross reached on an error. The Braves got another in the eighth inning on a Bourn double to push in Tyler Pastornicky, before he scored on a Freeman groundout. This was it for the scoring, with the final being 12-6. Chad Durbin notched the win and Antonio Bastardo was dealt the loss.

To the south, the Tampa Bay Rays host the Toronto Blue Jays. Carlos Villanueva and Alex Cobb are the little known pitchers. Toronto got going in the third inning on an Edwin Encarnacion sacrifice fly, allowing Rajai Davis to score. Tampa Bay answered in the bottom of the third as B.J. Upton doubled home Desmond Jennings, Evan Longoria grounded into a double play to finish Upton's trip around, and Jeff Keppinger singled to drive in Ben Zobrist. The Blue Jays tried a ninth inning rally with a David Cooper solo home run, but they still fell 3-2. Cobb was given the win, Fernando Rodney shut the door for a save, and Villanueva was stuck holding the loss.

Back north, the New York Mets welcome the Miami Marlins. Nathan Eovaldi and Chris Young are the serviceable starters. Miami started with a first inning solo home run by Jose Reyes, followed by a two-run home run by Giancarlo Stanton, also scoring Carlos Lee. The Marlins added on in the fifth inning with a 2-RBI Lee single to drive in both Justin Ruggiano and Reyes, followed by another two-run blast from Stanton, sweeping in Lee again. Miami padded the lead in the eighth inning as Bryan Petersen tripled, forcing in all of Greg Dobbs, John Buck, and Gorkys Hernandez, before coming the final 90 feet on a single from Ruggiano. The Marlins kept going in the ninth inning as Dobbs hit a two-run home run, plating Scott Cousins. This was more than enough for the win, with the final sitting at 13-0, as Eovaldi picked up a wild win, and Young had no help in the loss.

Southwest to Houston, where the Astros host the Washington Nationals. Gio Gonzalez and Armando Galarraga will take the mound. Washington scored first with Bryce Harper scoring in the first inning on a balk. Houston answered in their half of the inning as Justin Maxwell singled in Jose Altuve. The Nationals took the lead again in the second inning with the pitcher Gonzalez hitting a two-run home run, also scoring Kurt Suzuki. The Astros got one back in the fourth inning on a Carlos Corporan sacrifice fly to drive in J.D. Martinez. Washington padded their lead in the seventh inning when Jayson Werth reach on an error, plating Ryan Zimmerman. Houston tried a ninth inning rally as Ben Francisco singled to knock in Brandon Barnes, but they still lost 4-3. Gonzalez went the distance for the win, while Galarraga was not freed from the loss.

Up in Chicago, the White Sox host the Kansas City Royals. Jeremy Guthrie is mismatched with Jose Quintana. Kansas City led off with a second inning solo home run by Mike Moustakas. The Royals added on in the fourth inning as Salvador Perez hit a solo shot. Chicago got on the board in the ninth inning with A.J. Pierzynski singling home Adam Dunn, but they failed to get an equalizer, falling 2-1. Guthrie was given the win, Greg Holland turned a messy save, and Quintana took a hard-luck loss.

South a touch to St. Louis, as the Cardinals host the San Francisco Giants. Ryan Vogelsong and Joe Kelly pace the game. San Francisco quickly struck first in the first inning as Hunter Pence singled Melky Cabrera home. The Giants struck again in the third inning with Marco Scutaro singling Angel Pagan safely home. San Francisco padded the lead in the sixth inning as Pence singled to drive in Cabrera, followed by Ryan Theriot reaching on an error that brought in both Buster Posey and Pence, a Brandon Crawford single to score fellow Brandon, Mr. Belt, and a Pagan sacrifice fly to finish Theriot's trip around. The Giants got another in the eighth inning as Brett Pill singled to drive in Theriot, followed by Scutaro doubling both Crawford and Pill in, and Cabrera hitting a sacrifice fly that allowed Pagan to come home. San Francisco added insult to injury in the ninth inning as Scutaro hit a grand slam to sweep in all of Theriot, Crawford, and Pagan. The onslaught ended here at a final of 15-0, with Vogelsong pitching better than necessary to win, while Kelly was shelled in the loss.

Finally, we end in Los Angeles, where the Dodgers host the Colorado Rockies. Jeff Francis and Chad Billingsley are the veteran pitchers. Colorado started with a lead off inside the park solo home run from Eric Young, followed by Tyler Colvin singling in Dexter Fowler. Los Angeles took the lead in the bottom of the first as Matt Kemp hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Shane Victorino and Mark Ellis. The Rockies tied it in the fourth inning as DJ LeMahieu singled to drive in Jordan Pacheco. The Dodgers took the lead back in the fifth inning when Hanley Ramirez drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Victorino. Los Angeles struck again in the sixth inning as Victorino singled Matt Treanor safely home, before scoring on an Ellis single. Colorado got one back in the seventh inning as a Young single combined with an error got LeMahieu across the dish. This was as close as it got, with the final being 6-4, giving Billingsley the win, Kenley Jansen the save, and Carlos Torres was stuck with the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

MLB Day 124 2012

Full slate of evening games, with yours truly bringing them all to you while working like a madman to do it. We begin in...

Philadelphia, as the Phillies host the Atlanta Braves. Mike Minor and Cole Hamels receive the starting nods. Philadelphia started in the first inning with Domonic Brown doubling in Jimmy Rollins, followed by a two-run home run by Ryan Howard to finish Brown's trip around. The scoring was silent for the next eight innings, leaving the final at 3-0, with Hamels tossing a five-hit complete game shutout for the win while Minor had little help in the loss.

Over in Baltimore, the Orioles host the Seattle Mariners. Blake Beaven and Zach Britton are the struggling starters. Seattle got a first inning lead with a three-run Kyle Seager home run, sweeping in Dustin Ackley and Jesus Montero. The Mariners struck again in the second inning on a Miguel Olivo solo home run, followed by Trayvon Robinson singling in Munenori Kawasaki. Baltimore got on the board in the bottom of the second as Matt Wieters hit a solo shot and Nick Markakis singled home Nate McLouth. Seattle shot back in the sixth inning as Mike Carp singled to drive in Casper Wells, followed by Ackley singling Carp the rest of the way home. The Orioles answered in their half of the inning on another Wieters solo shot. Baltimore pulled closer in the seventh inning on an Omar Quintanilla double to knock in Mark Reynolds, before tying the game with a three-run home run by J.J. Hardy that also scored Quintanilla and Markakis. The Orioles won in the fourteenth inning as Adam Jones singled Quintanilla across the dish for an 8-7 final. Darren O'Day picked up the win and Shawn Kelley was handed the loss.

Westward to Cleveland, as the Indians host the Minnesota Twins. Samuel Deduno and Corey Kluber are the young pitchers. Minnesota was first on the board with a first inning Justin Morneau single to get Ben Revere home. Cleveland tied it in their half of the inning on a Shin-Soo Choo fielder's choice, allowing Jason Kipnis to get home. The Indians struck again in the second inning as Shelley Duncan hit a two-run home run, also scoring Michael Brantley, followed by an Asdrubal Cabrera single to knock in Jack Hannahan. Cleveland padded the lead in the sixth inning on a Carlos Santana double to drive in Kipnis. The Twins shot back in the seventh inning as Revere grounded out to plate Brian Dozier, followed by Morneau reaching on an error that scored both Jamey Carroll and Joe Mauer. Minnesota tied it again in the ninth inning as Morneau reached on an error that provided time for Darin Mastroianni to safely cross home, before taking the lead with Tsuyoshi Nishioka hitting a sacrifice fly to get Morneau home and Dozier singled Ryan Doumit in. This rally led them to win 7-5, with the win going to Tyler Robertson, the save tossed cleanly by Glen Perkins, and the loss pinned on Chris Perez.

Back in Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Patrick Corbin and Jeff Karstens are the average starters. Arizona opened with a first inning Paul Goldschmidt single to knock in Stephen Drew. Pittsburgh tied it in the bottom of the first when Andrew McCutchen grounded into a fielder's choice that got Starling Marte home. The Diamondbacks got the lead back in the third inning as Drew hit a solo home run. The Pirates shot back in their half of the inning as McCutchen singled to drive in Travis Snider. Arizona retook the lead in the fourth inning as Drew singled to plate Gerardo Parra. Pittsburgh got another equalizer in the seventh inning on a Marte solo shot, before taking the lead as Neil Walker hit a sacrifice fly that got Snider in. The Diamondbacks tied it in the eighth inning as Miguel Montero singled Goldschmidt across the dish, before scoring alongside Justin Upton on a three-run, go-ahead home run from Chris Johnson. Arizona added on in the ninth inning as Montero hit a ground rule double to force in Upton before being swept in on a two-run Johnson home run. They would coast from here to a 10-4 win, picked up by Brad Ziegler, while Jason Grilli was dealt the loss for his implosion.

Northwest to Detroit, as the Tigers host the New York Yankees. Phil Hughes and Rick Porcello are the veteran pitchers. New York led off with a fourth inning two-run home run from Eric Chavez, also scoring Mark Teixeira. Detroit took one back in the bottom of the fourth on a Miguel Cabrera solo home run, before tying it as Jhonny Peralta doubled home Brennan Boesch. The Tigers took the lead in the fifth inning as Cabrera doubled both Andy Dirks and Austin Jackson across the dish. Detroit added on with a sixth inning Dirks double that plated Alex Avila. The Yankees took one back in the seventh inning as Ichiro Suzuki doubled in Nick Swisher. The Tigers replied in the eighth inning as Dirks singled to get Delmon Young safely home. New York tried a ninth inning rally as Suzuki singled Chavez safely home, followed by Russell Martin doubling to score Raul Ibanez, but they fell short at 6-5. Porcello was credited with the win, while Jose Valverde turned a messy save, and Hughes was not off the hook for the loss.

Well to the south, the Tampa Bay Rays host the Toronto Blue Jays. J.A. Happ and James Shields have the green light to pitch. Tampa Bay got things going in the second inning with a Sean Rodriguez single to drive in Ryan Roberts. The Rays added on in the third inning with Evan Longoria and Jeff Keppinger hitting sacrifice flies to get Desmond Jennings and B.J. Upton home. Toronto got on the board in the fourth inning with a Colby Rasmus solo home run. Tampa Bay answered in the fifth inning as Ben Zobrist doubled Jennings in. This paced them to a 4-1 win, with Shields throwing a dominant victory, Fernando Rodney shutting the door for a save, and Happ was stuck with the loss.

Back north, the New York Mets host the Miami Marlins. Wade LeBlanc and Jonathon Niese are tabbed to start. Miami began with a fourth inning Carlos Lee single to score Justin Ruggiano, followed by Giancarlo Stanton hitting a sacrifice fly to bring in Jose Reyes, and John Buck doubling in both Lee and Austin Kearns. New York got on the board with a fifth inning Daniel Murphy solo home run, followed by Andres Torres singling Jason Bay in. They got no closer, falling 4-2, with Carlos Zambrano working from the bullpen for a win, Steve Cishek finishing for a save, and Niese was pinned with the loss.

To Boston, as the Red Sox host the Texas Rangers. Ryan Dempster and Jon Lester are on the mound. Texas finally busted things open in the sixth inning with an Ian Kinsler single to drive in David Murphy before scoring on a single by Josh Hamilton. The Rangers got another in the seventh inning as Murphy's sacrifice fly allowed Michael Young to dash home, and a Kinsler single to plate Geovany Soto. Boston got some back in the bottom of the seventh with a three-run home run by Will Middlebrooks, sweeping in Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ryan Kalish. Texas replied in the eighth inning as Nelson Cruz singled home Hamilton. The Rangers added on in the ninth inning as Elvis Andrus singled Craig Gentry across the dish. This gave them a 6-3 lead, which turned into a win that belonged to Dempster, while Joe Nathan closed out efficiently for the save, and Lester was given the loss.

South again into Houston, as the Astros welcome the Washington Nationals. Ross Detwiler and Jordan Lyles will have the green light to pitch. Houston opened in the first inning as Ben Francisco hit a two-run home run, also scoring Jose Altuve. Washington tied it in the second inning on a two-run home run by Danny Espinosa, sweeping in Roger Bernadina. The Nationals took the lead again in the twelfth inning as Espinosa singled in Cesar Izturis. They held on for a 3-2 win, with Drew Storen in line for the win, Tyler Clippard converting a rocky save, and Mickey Storey was on the hook for the loss.

Back north, the Milwaukee Brewers host the Cincinnati Reds. Johnny Cueto and Mike Fiers are atop the hill. Milwaukee struck first in the first inning as Aramis Ramirez hit a two-run home run, also scoring Ryan Braun. Cincinnati got on the board in the seventh inning on a Brandon Phillips sacrifice fly to allow Zack Cozart to come home. The Brewers took it back in the bottom of the seventh as Jean Segura grounded out to bring in Rickie Weeks. This was all they needed for a 3-1 win, picked up by a dominant Fiers, while Jim Henderson turned a spot save, and Cueto had almost no help in the loss.

Down in Chicago, the White Sox host the Kansas City Royals. Bruce Chen is mismatched with Jake Peavy. Chicago was first on the board with a first inning Gordon Beckham solo home run. Kansas City tied it in the sixth inning with a Mike Moustakas sacrifice fly, allowing Alex Gordon to dash home. The White Sox took the lead back in their half of the inning on an Adam Dunn single to score Beckham. The Royals tied it again in the seventh inning as Tony Abreu singled Jeff Francoeur in, before taking the lead as Gordon singled to finish Abreu's trip around. Kansas City extended the lead on a two-run eighth inning Billy Butler home run, also scoring Moustakas. This made it 5-2, a final, with the win belonging to Chen, the save turned by Greg Holland, and the loss was stuck on Peavy.

Further south, the St. Louis Cardinals host the San Francisco Giants. Barry Zito and Lance Lynn are the surprisingly effective pitchers. San Francisco rallied to a first inning lead when Buster Posey hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Angel Pagan and Melky Cabrera. St. Louis got on the board in the third inning as Allen Craig hit a solo home run. The Cardinals got another in the fifth inning on another Craig solo shot. The Giants padded the lead in the sixth inning as Joaquin Arias doubled in Brandon Belt. This ended the scoring at 4-2, with Zito earning the win, Jeremy Affeldt turning the save, and Lynn was responsible for the loss.

Out in San Diego, the Padres host the Chicago Cubs. Brooks Raley and Ross Ohlendorf are the completely unknown pitchers. San Diego led off with a third inning Chase Headley single, scoring both Ohlendorf and Chris Denorfia, followed by Everth Cabrera hitting a 2-RBI single to drive in Logan Forsythe and Headley. The Padres added on in the fourth inning with a three-run home run by Carlos Quentin, sweeping in Forsythe and Headley. Chicago got on the board in the fifth inning as Darwin Barney doubled home Luis Valbuena. The Cubs got another in the seventh inning on a Steve Clevenger single to knock in Bryan LaHair, followed by Josh Vitters doubling Clevenger and Barney across the dish. This ended the scoring at 7-4, with Ohlendorf picking up the win, Huston Street converting his twentieth save of the season, and Raley was stuck with the loss.

Up to Oakland, as the Athletics host the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. C.J. Wilson and Bartolo Colon are the staff aces pitching. Oakland opened with a first inning Jonny Gomes solo home run. The Athletics extended the lead in the third inning as Derek Norris reached on an error that allowed both Yoenis Cespedes and Chris Carter to dash home, followed by Adam Rosales hitting a sacrifice fly to get Brandon Inge home, and Jemile Weeks tripling to force in Norris. Oakland padded the lead in the fifth inning as Gomes singled to drive in Coco Crisp. The Athletics struck again in the sixth inning as Norris hit a two-run home run, also scoring Inge, followed by a Rosales solo shot. Los Angeles got on the board on a Maicer Izturis single to knock in Kendrys Morales in the seventh inning. Oakland shot back in the bottom of the seventh with a Josh Reddick solo home run. The Angels responded in the eighth inning as Mike Trout hit a solo shot. Los Angeles tried a ninth inning rally as Erick Aybar hit a two-run home run, sweeping in Alberto Callaspo, but this only made it a 10-4 final. Colon was credited with the win, while Wilson was handed the loss.

Finally, we end in Los Angeles, with the Dodgers hosting the Colorado Rockies. Alex White and Aaron Harang will pace the game. Colorado started in the fifth inning as Josh Rutledge doubled in Eric Young. The Rockies struck again in the seventh inning on a 2-RBI Rutledge double, scoring both Chris Nelson and Young. Los Angeles got on the board in the eighth inning as Mark Ellis singled to score Hanley Ramirez. This was as close as it got, with the final sitting at 3-1. Josh Roenicke picked up the win, Rafael Betancourt finished off for the save, and Harang was on the hook for the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

MLB Day 123 2012

Travel day time, meaning a smaller set of games. We begin in...

Detroit, as the Tigers host the New York Yankees. Ivan Nova and Justin Verlander will take the mound. Detroit began with a second inning Prince Fielder solo home run. The Tigers got another in the fourth inning on a Miguel Cabrera solo shot. New York tied it up in the fifth inning with Derek Jeter singling in Eric Chavez and Robinson Cano doing the same for Curtis Granderson. Detroit rallied back ahead in the bottom of the fifth when Omar Infante singled to drive in Alex Avila, followed by Austin Jackson singling to get Jhonny Peralta home, and Andy Dirks hit a sacrifice fly to finish Infante's trip. The Tigers padded the lead in the sixth inning as Avila singled home Brennan Boesch, followed by Peralta doing the same for Delmon Young. This was all they needed for a 7-2 win, picked up a strong Verlander, while Nova was dealt the loss.

Eastward to Baltimore, as the Orioles host the Seattle Mariners. Jason Vargas and Chris Tillman are the reliable pitchers. Baltimore started in the second inning as Mark Reynolds doubled home Lew Ford, followed by a two-run home run by Nick Markakis, also scoring Reynolds. Seattle got on the board in the eighth inning with a Munenori Kawasaki single to drive in Eric Thames. They didn't get any closer, falling 3-1, with Tillman getting the win, Jim Johnson tossing the save, and Vargas completing the game in a loss.

Back into Ohio, as the Cleveland Indians host the Minnesota Twins. Scott Diamond and Zach McAllister draw the starts. Cleveland got things going in the first inning as Carlos Santana grounded into a double play that got Jason Kipnis home. Minnesota tied it in the second inning on a Josh Willingham solo home run, before taking the lead with a Justin Morneau solo shot, followed by Denard Span reaching on an error to bring in Ryan Doumit, Ben Revere singling to knock in Jamey Carroll, Joe Mauer doubling both Span and Revere in, Morneau singling to finish Mauer's trip around, and Doumit hit a three-run home run to sweep in Willingham and Morneau, capping a ten-run rally. The Twins got some more in the fourth inning on a two-run Morneau home run, also scoring Revere. Minnesota added on in the sixth inning as Mauer doubled to plate Revere. The Indians got some back in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run home run by Santana, plating Kipnis. The Twins got another in the eighth inning on a Willingham fielder's choice that allowed Span safe passage home. This set up the 14-3 final, with Diamond leading the Vikings Twins over McAllister and the Browns Indians.

Over in Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Phillies welcome the Atlanta Braves. Ben Sheets and Vance Worley are set to pitch. Atlanta struck first in the third inning as Freddie Freeman doubled in both Michael Bourn and Martin Prado, before scoring on a wild pitch. The Braves got another in the fourth inning when Bourn singled to knock in Paul Janish. Philadelphia got on the board in the bottom of the fourth with a John Mayberry solo home run. Atlanta shot back in the seventh inning when Brian McCann singled to plate Jason Heyward. The Braves padded the lead with a ninth inning Heyward solo shot. This was it for the scoring, with the final at 6-1, leaving the win with Sheets and the loss was stuck on Worley.

Across the state, the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Wade Miley and Erik Bedard take their turns in the rotation. Pittsburgh led off with a fourth inning Gaby Sanchez groundout to get Andrew McCutchen safely home. The Pirates added on in the eighth inning as Neil Walker singled home McCutchen, followed by Travis Snider doing the same for Sanchez, and Rod Barajas hit a sacrifice fly to finish Walker's trip around. This made the final 4-0, with Bedard getting the win and Miley taking the loss.

Into Massachusetts, as the Boston Red Sox host the Texas Rangers. Yu Darvish and Aaron Cook receive the starting nods. Texas was first on the board in the second inning as David Murphy singled in Nelson Cruz. Boston answered in the third inning as Carl Crawford doubled home Jacoby Ellsbury to tie the game before gaining the lead when Adrian Gonzalez doubled Crawford the rest of the way home. The Red Sox added on in the fourth inning with Ellsbury doubling Ryan Kalish in, followed by Crawford hitting a sacrifice fly to get Mike Aviles home and Dustin Pedroia doubling to finish Ellsbury's trip around. Boston got another in the seventh inning as Gonzalez singled to drive in Pedroia. The Red Sox padded the lead in eighth inning when Crawford doubled Ellsbury in again before scoring on a Gonzalez single, followed by Cody Ross hitting a sacrifice fly to knock in Pedro Ciriaco. The Rangers took one back in the ninth inning on an Adrian Beltre solo home run. They still lost 9-2, with Cook picking up the win while Darvish was shelled a bit in the loss.

Down in Houston, the Astros host the Washington Nationals. Edwin Jackson faces a lesser foe in Dallas Keuchel. Houston opened with a first inning solo home run from Marwin Gonzalez. Washington tied it in the fourth inning as Adam LaRoche singled Ryan Zimmerman home. The Nationals took the lead in the fifth inning with a 2-RBI Zimmerman single to plate both Jackson and Danny Espinosa, followed by Michael Morse singling Bryce Harper across the dish. The Astros replied in the sixth inning as Brett Wallace hit a sacrifice fly to allow Jose Altuve to come home, followed by Steve Pearce singling Justin Maxwell safely home. Houston tied it in the ninth inning on an Altuve double to score Lucas Harrell. Washington took the lead again in the eleventh inning on a Kurt Suzuki single to drive in Roger Bernadina. They held on for a 5-4 win, with Craig Stammen in line for the win while Wilton Lopez was responsible for the loss.

To the north, the Milwaukee Brewers host the Cincinnati Reds. Bronson Arroyo and Yovani Gallardo pace the game. Milwaukee led off with a fifth inning Gallardo single to knock in Martin Maldonado. The Brewers added on in the sixth inning with solo home runs by Aramis Ramirez and Corey Hart, followed by a two-run Maldonado home run, also scoring Rickie Weeks. Cincinnati got on the board in the seventh inning on a Zack Cozart solo shot. The Reds pulled closer in the eighth inning when Xavier Paul singled Jay Bruce home and Dioner Navarro hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Scott Rolen to dash home. Milwaukee answered in the bottom of the eighth on a Maldonado ground rule double to force in Weeks. This made the eventual final 6-3, with Gallardo notching the win, John Axford tossing the save, and Arroyo was pinned with the loss.

South a little to Chicago, as the White Sox host the Kansas City Royals. Luis Mendoza and Chris Sale are penciled in to pitch. Chicago began with a second inning A.J. Pierzynski double to knock in Alex Rios. Kansas City tied it in the fifth inning on a Jeff Francoeur solo home run. The Royals took the lead in the seventh inning on a Billy Butler solo shot. The White Sox retied it as Paul Konerko hit a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh. Chicago took the lead in the eighth inning with a Gordon Beckham solo shot, followed by Kevin Youkilis doubling in Jordan Danks. This held up as a 4-2 win, with Sale earning the win, Addison Reed finished up for his twentieth save of the year, and Mendoza was handed the loss.

Down into Missouri, as the St. Louis Cardinals host the San Francisco Giants. Matt Cain and Jake Westbrook are on the hill. San Francisco started with a first inning Angel Pagan solo home run. St. Louis responded in the second inning with a Carlos Beltran solo shot, followed by a Rafael Furcal single to drive in David Freese. The Giants tied it up in the sixth inning on a Buster Posey solo home run. The Cardinals took the lead back in the bottom of the sixth on a Freese sacrifice fly that allowed Matt Holliday to dash home, followed by Matt Carpenter hitting a 2-RBI single to plate both Yadier Molina and Jay. St. Louis added on in the seventh inning as Freese singled to get Allen Craig home, followed by Jay singling in both Beltran and Freese. This finished the scoring at 8-2, with Westbrook picking up the win and Cain struggling during the loss.

Out in California, the San Diego Padres host the Chicago Cubs. Travis Wood and Eric Stults are the relatively unknown pitchers. San Diego opened in the fourth inning as Yonder Alonso singled in Carlos Quentin, before he scored on a single by Everth Cabrera. This was it for the scoring, leaving the Padres with a 2-0 win, earned by Stults, while Huston Street tossed the save, and Wood was handed the loss.

North to Oakland, as the Athletics welcome the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Jered Weaver and Jarrod Parker are on the hill. Los Angeles led off with a second inning Erick Aybar single to plate Kendrys Morales, before he scored on a Mike Trout single. The Angels added on in the seventh inning with a 2-RBI Torii Hunter single to drive in both Aybar and Chris Iannetta. They held on from there for an easy 4-0 win, with Weaver tossing a four-hit complete game shutout for the win and Parker had no help in the loss.

Finally, we finish in Los Angeles, with the Dodgers hosting the Colorado Rockies. Drew Pomeranz and Chris Capuano have the green light to pitch. Colorado got things going with a first inning Carlos Gonzalez sacrifice fly to get Eric Young home. The Rockies got another in the third inning with Jordan Pacheco singling to get Young in. This was all they needed for the 2-0 win, picked up by Adam Ottavino, while Rafael Betancourt closed for the save, and Capuano was dealt the loss.

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Fantasy Baseball All-Stars week 17 2012

Playoff races are heating up once again, and here's who helped you out the most last week.

Batters: Albert Pujols, Mike Trout, Adam LaRoche, A.J. Pierzynski, Drew Stubbs, Matt Holliday, Buster Posey, Carl Crawford, Chase Headley, Paul Goldschmidt.

Pitchers: A.J. Burnett, Aroldis Chapman, James Shields, Felix Hernandez, Josh Johnson, Doug Fister, Jonathan Papelbon, Adam Wainwright, Wade Miley, David Price.