Sunday, September 9, 2012

MLB Day 157 2012

This begins the first of four very busy Sundays for me, with the baseball-football overlap beginning today. Check out my other posts throughout the day for your NFL information, while all sixteen baseball games are covered here. We start in...

Philadelphia with a doubleheader, as the Phillies do two with the Colorado Rockies. Game 1 sees Tyler Chatwood and Cole Hamels pitch. Colorado started in the second inning as DJ LeMahieu singled in Wilin Rosario, followed by the pitcher Chatwood doing the same for Chris Nelson. Philadelphia tied it in the third inning as Ryan Howard doubled both Hamels and Chase Utley home. The Phillies won 3-2 with a walkoff John Mayberry single to plate Nate Schierholtz. The win went to Jonathan Papelbon, while Matt Belisle was dealt the loss.

In game two, the starts belong to Drew Pomeranz and Tyler Cloyd. Philadelphia led off with a second inning Michael Martinez single to knock in Ty Wigginton. Colorado replied in the third inning as Ramon Hernandez singled home Jordan Pacheco, followed by a three-run home run from Chris Nelson, sweeping in Tyler Colvin and Hernandez. The Phillies pulled back in the fifth inning on a 2-RBI Ryan Howard single, scoring both John Mayberry and Chase Utley. Philadelphia tied it in the sixth inning on a Wigginton solo home run, followed by Kevin Frandsen singling Martinez safely home. The Phillies extended their lead in the seventh inning as Carlos Ruiz singled to drive in Domonic Brown, followed by Nate Schierholtz doing the same for Martinez. This paced them to a 7-4 win, picked up by B.J. Rosenberg, while Papelbon turned the save, and the loss was stuck on Josh Roenicke.

Over in New York, the Mets host the Atlanta Braves. Tommy Hanson and Chris Young are set to pitch. New York began in the fourth inning as Ike Davis singled to knock in Daniel Murphy. Atlanta tied it in the fifth inning on a Michael Bourn single to allow Jose Constanza to score. The Braves gained the lead in the sixth inning as Brian McCann hit a solo home run. The Mets retied it in the bottom of the sixth as David Wright doubled home Murphy. Atlanta took the lead in the tenth inning on a McCann sacrifice fly that allowed Martin Prado to dash home. This stood for a 3-2 win, picked up by Craig Kimbrel, while the save was turned by Peter Moylan, and the loss pinned on Bobby Parnell.

West to Cincinnati, as the Reds host the Houston Astros. Edgar Gonzalez is mismatched with Johnny Cueto. Houston got going in the first inning on a Fernando Martinez sacrifice fly to bring in Jimmy Parades. The Astros padded the lead in the third inning with Matt Dominguez hitting a three-run home run, sweeping in Brett Wallace and Martinez. Cincinnati got on the board in the fourth inning as Jay Bruce tripled to force in Joey Votto. Houston replied with a sixth inning Tyler Greene solo home run. This held up for a 5-1 win, belonging to Gonzalez, while Cueto was stuck holding the loss.

Back in Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Chicago Cubs. Chris Rusin and Jeff Locke are the unknown pitchers. Pittsburgh opened in the first inning on an Andrew McCutchen solo home run. Chicago replied in the fourth inning with solo shots from both Josh Vitters and Anthony Recker. The Pirates retied it in the seventh inning as Brock Holt scored on a balk. The Cubs took the lead back in the eighth inning on a two-run Alfonso Soriano home run, also scoring Anthony Rizzo. This made it 4-2, a final, with James Russell notching the win, Carlos Marmol closing out for the save, and Jason Grilli was responsible for the loss.

Over to DC, as the Washington Nationals welcome the Miami Marlins. Ricky Nolasco and Edwin Jackson are the well-known starters. Miami was first to score in the second inning as Rob Brantly singled to knock in Greg Dobbs, followed by a 2-RBI Nolasco double to get both Donovan Solano and Brantly the rest of the way home. The Marlins added on in the fourth inning as Bryan Petersen singled to score Solano before scoring on a double by Justin Ruggiano. Miami got another in the fifth inning as Solano hit a sacrifice fly that gave time for Giancarlo Stanton to dash home. The Marlins struck again in the seventh inning as Stanton hit a solo home run. Miami padded the lead in the eighth inning as Carlos Lee singled Petersen around. This was plenty for an 8-0 win, with Nolasco going the distance for a four-hit and one-walk complete game shutout, while Jackson was knocked around in the loss.

Onward to Boston, with the Red Sox hosting the Toronto Blue Jays. Carlos Villanueva and Clay Buchholz are given the starting nods. Boston opened with a two-run home run by Jacoby Ellsbury, also scoring Cody Ross. Toronto rallied ahead in the fourth inning with Jeff Mathis singling in Rajai Davis, Omar Vizquel hitting a sacrifice fly to get Anthony Gose home, and Adeiny Hechavarria singling to finish Mathis' trip around. The Red Sox tied it in the sixth inning as Dustin Pedroia hit a solo home run. The Blue Jays took the lead again in the ninth inning as Vizquel hit another sacrifice fly to bring in Davis. This held for a 4-3 win, picked up by Brandon Lyon, while Casey Janssen notched his twentieth save of the year, and Buchholz was given the loss.

Back to the Beltway area, with the Baltimore Orioles hosting the New York Yankees. Freddy Garcia and Zach Britton are the back-of-the-rotation pitchers. New York began with a first inning Robinson Cano single to knock in Derek Jeter. The Yankees extended the lead in the fourth inning as Steve Pearce walked with the bases loaded to force in Alex Rodriguez, followed by Jayson Nix singling Cano home, Ichiro Suzuki doing the same for Russell Martin, and Jeter walking with loaded bases to push in Pearce. Baltimore got on the board in their half of the inning when Wilson Betemit doubled both Nate McLouth and J.J. Hardy in, before scoring on a Matt Wieters single. New York responded on a sixth inning Curtis Granderson solo home run. The Yankees extended the lead in the seventh inning on a 2-RBI Granderson single, plating both Rodriguez and Cano. New York kept going in the eighth inning on a two-run home run by Jeter, also scoring Suzuki, followed by Martin singling to plate Rodriguez, and Granderson doubling to drive in both Cano and Martin. This concluded the scoring in a 13-3 rout, with Garcia cruising to the win and Britton getting shelled in the loss.

South to Tampa Bay, as the Rays host the Texas Rangers. Roy Oswalt and James Shields are on the mound. Tampa Bay led off with a first inning B.J. Upton solo home run, followed by Matt Joyce doubling home Ben Zobrist. The Rays added on in the second inning as Jose Molina hit a two-run home run, also scoring Carlos Pena. Tampa Bay got another in the fourth inning on an Upton solo shot. The Rays padded the lead in the sixth inning as Upton hit his third solo home run of the game. This ended the scoring at 6-0, with Shields allowing just two hits for a complete game shutout, and Oswalt was far less fortunate in the loss.

North again to Chicago, with the White Sox hosting the Kansas City Royals. Jeremy Guthrie and Hector Santiago take their turns in the rotation. Kansas City finally ended the stalemate with a tenth inning Mike Moustakas single to knock in Jarrod Dyson, followed by Jeff Francoeur doing the same for Salvador Perez. Chicago answered in their half of the inning as Gordon Beckham doubled to drive in A.J. Pierzynski, but they failed to get the equalizer, losing 2-1. Kelvin Herrera picked up the win, Greg Holland finished off the save, and Brett Myers was dinged for the loss.

Further to the north, the Minnesota Twins host the Cleveland Indians. Corey Kluber and Esmerling Vasquez are the unheard of pitchers. Cleveland got going in the second inning as Carlos Santana hit a solo home run, followed by Shin-Soo Choo hitting a sacrifice fly to bring in Brent Lillibridge and Jason Donald scoring on a wild pitch. The Indians got another in the third inning as Lillibridge hit a sacrifice fly to allow Michael Brantley to score. Minnesota pulled back in their half of the inning as Joe Mauer tripled to force in Jamey Carroll before scoring on a two-run home run by Justin Morneau. The Twins tied it in the fourth inning as Pedro Florimon singled to knock in Darin Mastroianni, before taking the lead as Ben Revere singled Florimon the rest of the way home. Cleveland retied it in the fifth inning when Santana doubled to drive in Brantley, before taking the lead back as Russ Canzler singled Santana across the dish. Minnesota took the lead back in the seventh inning on a 2-RBI Chris Parmelee single, plating both Carroll and Mauer. The Indians pulled even in the eighth inning as Donald tripled to force in Lillibridge. The Twins won 8-7 in the ninth inning on a Morneau solo shot. Brian Duensing was credited with the win while Vinnie Pestano was on the hook for the loss.

Back south a touch to St. Louis, with the Cardinals hosting the Milwaukee Brewers. Shaun Marcum and Joe Kelly will take the hill. St. Louis established a first inning lead on two-run home run by Matt Holliday, also scoring Jon Jay, followed by a Carlos Beltran solo home run. Milwaukee got on the board in the second inning when Corey Hart scored on a wild pitch. The Cardinals replied in the bottom of the second as Matt Carpenter doubled Kelly in. The Brewers shot back in the fourth inning as Jean Segura singled Hart across the plate. Milwaukee tied it in the ninth inning as Norichika Aoki hit a two-run home run, driving in Segura. St. Louis won it in the tenth inning as Allen Craig singled to plate Carpenter for a 5-4 walkoff win. Lance Lynn was in line for the win, while Kameron Loe was stuck holding the loss.

Out west, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Detroit Tigers. Anibal Sanchez and Zack Greinke are the overrated pitchers. Los Angeles wasted no time in scoring first with a first inning Mike Trout solo home run. The Angels added on in the second inning with a two-run Alberto Callaspo home run, also scoring Erick Aybar. Detroit got on the board in the fourth inning as Andy Dirks hit a solo shot. The Tigers pulled closer in the seventh inning as Brennan Boesch doubled in Delmon Young. This made it 3-2, and the scoring stopped here. The win belonged to Greinke, while Ernesto Frieri worked from a jam to get the save, and Sanchez was pinned with the loss.

South to San Diego, as the Padres host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Patrick Corbin and Andrew Werner are the relatively unknown starters. San Diego led off with a second inning Cameron Maybin double to knock in Carlos Quentin, followed by an Andy Parrino sacrifice fly to allow Jesus Guzman to come home. Arizona got on the board in the third inning as Jason Kubel grounded out to get Adam Eaton home. The Padres shot back with a Chris Denorfia solo home run in the sixth inning. San Diego extended the lead as Chase Headley hit a grand slam, sweeping in all of John Baker, Denorfia, and Logan Forsythe, followed by a Quentin solo shot. The Diamondbacks tried a ninth inning rally as Gerardo Parra grounded out to give time for Miguel Montero to dash home, but this only made the final 8-2. Werner picked up the win, and Corbin was dealt the loss.

North to Seattle, as the Mariners host the Oakland Athletics. Tommy Milone and Jason Vargas pace the game. Oakland started in the fifth inning with a three-run home run by Jonny Gomes, sweeping in Adam Rosales and Coco Crisp. Seattle got on the board in their half of the inning as Michael Saunders tripled to force in Alex Liddi. The Mariners pulled closer on a sixth inning Kyle Seager solo home run. The Athletics added on in the ninth inning with a Josh Donaldson solo shot. This made it 4-2, the final, with the win belonging to Milone, the save converted by Grant Balfour, and the loss given to Vargas.

Finally, we go back south to San Francisco, as the Giants host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Joe Blanton and Barry Zito pace the game. San Francisco began in the first inning as Hunter Pence doubled both Angel Pagan and Pablo Sandoval in. The Giants added on in the fifth inning as Marco Scutaro hit a sacrifice fly to get Pagan in. San Francisco struck again as Buster Posey hit a sixth inning solo home run. This ended the scoring at 4-0, with the win going to Zito and the loss to Blanton.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

NFL Week 1 Morning Games 2012

You've seen the kickoff of the season, now here's the bulk of the games. For those of you read last year, you know that I split the games up by their scheduled starts. This will be easier this year thanks to the NFL moving the Afternoon Games back by 10-15 minutes. As a note, I will try to do every game this season, but if unseen circumstances arise, I will put my priorities in order and take time off as needed. That said, happy football season.

Our first game comes from Kansas City, as the Chiefs host the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta opened with a first quarter Matt Ryan touchdown pass of 8 yards to Julio Jones, with Matt Bryant making the extra point. Kansas City got on the board with a 39 yard field goal by Ryan Succop. The Falcons extended the lead with a Bryant field goal from 34 yards. The Chiefs shot back in the second quarter on a 22 yard touchdown pass from Matt Cassel to Kevin Boss, and the Succop PAT tied the game. Atlanta regained the lead on another Ryan touchdown to Jones, this time for 14 yards, and Bryant provided the extra point. Kansas City pulled even again when Cassel ran 5 yards for a touchdown, and Succop put the equalizer through the uprights with the extra point. The Falcons took the lead with a field goal of 21 yards by Bryant. Atlanta kept going in the third quarter as Ryan rushed 5 yards for a touchdown, finished off with a Bryant extra point. The Falcons padded the lead as Ryan found Tony Gonzalez for a 7 yard touchdown pass, and Bryant again tacked on the extra point. Atlanta struck again in the fourth quarter as Bryant nailed a 30 yard field goal. The Falcons got some more with a 41 yard field goal for Bryant. The Chiefs got some too little, too late points when Shaun Draughn rushed 4 yards for a touchdown, and Succop tacked on the extra point. This made it 40-24 Falcons, a final. Atlanta goes to 1-0 while Kansas City starts in an 0-1 hole.

Into Ohio, where the Cleveland Browns host the Philadelphia Eagles. Cleveland led off in the first quarter as Phil Dawson kicked a 43 yard field goal. Philadelphia tied it in the second quarter when Alex Henery nailed a 42 yard field goal. The Eagles pulled ahead when Michael Vick found Jeremy Maclin on an 18 yard touchdown, and Henery supplied the extra point. The Browns got some back in the third quarter as Dawson booted a 42 yard field goal. Cleveland pulled closer in the fourth quarter as Dawson made a 22 yard field goal. The Browns took the lead as D'Qwell Jackson intercepted Vick, returning the ball 13 yards for a touchdown, and Dawson was good on the PAT. Philadelphia edged ahead with Vick connecting with Clay Harbor on a 4 yard touchdown pass, and Henery nailed the extra point to give them a 17-16 lead. This held as the final, with the Eagles improving to 1-0 and the Browns falling to 0-1.

Down in New Orleans, the Saints host the Washington Redskins. Washington began with a first quarter Billy Cundiff 37 yard field goal (presumably tucked just inside the left post). New Orleans gained the lead as Drew Brees threw a 20 yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Graham, and Garrett Hartley made the extra point. The Redskins took the lead back as Robert Griffin III connected with Pierre Garcon on an 88 yard touchdown pass, and Cundiff made the extra point. Washington padded the lead in the second quarter with Griffin finding Aldrick Robinson for a 5 yard touchdown, and Cundiff again made the PAT. The Redskins extended the lead with a 41 yard Cundiff field goal. The Saints replied as Courtney Roby picked up a loose ball after a blocked punt and took it 4 yards for the touchdown, with Hartley supplying the extra point. Washington extended the lead again in the third quarter as Alfred Morris rushed 1 yard for a touchdown, and Cundiff got the extra point in. Cundiff also tacked on a 37 yard field goal for the Redskins. New Orleans shot back with a field goal of 21 yards for Hartley. Washington answered in the fourth quarter as Cundiff was true from 45 yards away. The Saints chipped away as Drew Brees tossed a 33 yard touchdown at Lance Moore, and Darren Sproles ran in the two-point conversion. The Redskins put the game a little further out of reach as Morris ran 3 yards for a touchdown, and Cundiff was true on the extra point. New Orleans shot back as Brees threw a 2 yard touchdown Sproles, and Hartley iced it with an extra point. They failed to tie it, falling 40-32, with Washington improving to 1-0 and the Saints dropping to 0-1.

Back to the north, as the Detroit Lions host the St. Louis Rams. St. Louis opened as Greg Zuerlein kicked a 48 yard field goal in the first quarter. Detroit took the lead in the second quarter as Joique Bell ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Jason Hanson kicked the extra point. The Rams pulled back on a Zuerlein field goal of 29 yards. St. Louis took the lead as Cortland Finnegan returned an interception from Matthew Stafford 31 yards for a touchdown, and Zuerlein made the extra point. The Lions got some back on a field goal by Hanson from 41 yards away. Detroit tied it in the third quarter as Hanson booted a 45 yard field goal. The Rams retook the lead in the fourth quarter when Sam Bradford found Brandon Gibson on a 23 yard touchdown pass, and Zuerlein finished it off with the extra point. The Lions pulled even again on a 5 yard touchdown run by Kevin Smith, and Hanson had the equalizer on the extra point. St. Louis took the lead back late as Zuerlein nailed a field goal from 46 yards. Detroit took a late lead as Stafford connected with Smith on a 5 yard touchdown pass, and Hanson's extra point made it 27-23, the final. The Lions' comeback effort puts them at 1-0 while The Rams take a disheartening loss to fall to 0-1.

South again, with the Tennessee Titans welcoming the New England Patriots. Tennessee got on the board with a first quarter 28 yard field goal from Rob Bironas. New England took the lead when Tom Brady found Aaron Hernandez for a 23 yard touchdown, finished off by a Stephen Gostkowski extra point. The Patriots added on in the second quarter as Dont'a Hightower recovered a fumble and took it 6 yards for a touchdown, with Gostkowski capping the play off with the extra point. New England extended the lead as Brady found Rob Gronkowski for a 2 yard touchdown, and Gostkowski added on the extra point. The Titans answered in the third quarter with Jake Locker throwing a 29 yard touchdown to Nate Washington, and Bironas was true with the extra point. The Patriots padded the lead as Stevan Ridley ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Gostkowski provided the extra point. Tennessee got some back in the fourth quarter on a 24 yard field goal by Bironas. New England replied as Gostkowski one-upped his kicking counterpart by nailing a 25 yard field goal. The Patriots got another Gostkowski field goal later, good from 31 yards. This ended the scoring at 34-13, with New England going to 1-0 and the Titans falling to 0-1.

Into Texas, as the Houston Texans host the Miami Dolphins. Miami led off when Dan Carpenter kicked a first quarter 39 yard field goal. Houston tied it in the second quarter with a 35 yard Shayne Graham filed goal. The Texans gained the lead as Arian Foster ran for a 14 yard touchdown, and Graham supplied the extra point. Houston struck again when Foster ran 2 yards for another touchdown, with Graham again making the extra point. The Texans extended the lead with Matt Schaub finding Andre Johnson for a 14 yard touchdown connection, with Graham kicking another PAT. The Dolphins got some back in the third quarter as Marcus Thigpen returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown, allowing Carpenter to make the extra point. Houston shot back on a 40 yard field goal from Graham. The Texans got some more in the fourth quarter as Graham was true on a 19 yard field goal. This was good for a 30-10 final, with Houston starting the year at 1-0 and Miami beginning at 0-1.

Northward again to New Jersey, as the New York Jets bring in the Buffalo Bills. New York started in the first quarter as Mark Sanchez threw a 12 yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Kerley, and Nick Folk washed it down with the extra point. The Jets struck again in the second quarter as Sanchez connected with Stephen Hill for a 33 yard touchdown, and Folk again made the extra point. New York padded the lead with a 68 yard punt return by Kerley, taking it all the way home for the touchdown, and Folk added the PAT. Buffalo got on the board with a 56 yard C.J. Spiller touchdown run, followed by Rian Lindell's extra point. The Jets extended the lead on a Folk field goal of 25 yards. New York got another field goal from Folk from 39 yard away. The Jets kept going in the third quarter as Antonio Cromartie intercepted Ryan Fitzpatrick and returned the ball 40 yards for the touchdown, with Folk supplying another extra point. New York added on again as Sanchez found Hill for a 17 yard touchdown, finished off by the Folk extra point. The Bills got some back when Fitzpatrick passed to the proper team, finding Scott Chandler for a 5 yard touchdown, and Lindell was there to make the extra point. Buffalo pulled closer in the fourth quarter as Fitzpatrick tossed a 6 yard touchdown to Donald Jones, and Lindell again had the extra point. The Bills chipped more away as Fitzpatrick threw a touchdown to Stevie Johnson for 29 yards, and Lindell again converted the extra point. The Jets recovered enough to put the game out of reach on a 1 yard run from Shonn Greene for the touchdown, and Folk finished it with an extra point for a 48-28 final. New York went to 1-0 while Buffalo fell to 0-1.

West to Minnesota, where the Vikings host the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville was first on the board in the first quarter with a 19 yard field goal from Josh Scobee. The Jaguars added on in the second quarter as Blaine Gabbert threw a 1 yard touchdown pass to Marcedes Lewis, but Scobee missed the nefarious extra point, the first such miss of the season. Minnesota got on the board with a 3 yard touchdown run by Adrian Peterson, and Blair Walsh made the extra point. The Vikings took the lead in the third quarter as Peterson found the end zone again on a 2 yard touchdown run, and Walsh supplied another extra point. Jacksonville pulled back on a Scobee field goal from 26 yards. Minnesota shot back in the fourth quarter as Walsh hit a field goal of 20 yards. Scobee answered for the Jaguars by making a 47 yard field goal. The Vikings kept pace when Walsh was true on a field goal from 42 yards away. Jacksonville stormed ahead as Gabbert found Cecil Shorts for a 39 yard touchdown connection, and then funneled the ball to Justin Blackmon for the two-point conversion. Minnesota practiced some heartbreak though, tying the game on a Walsh field goal from a whopping 55 yards away, forcing overtime. The Vikings scored on their first overtime (fifth quarter?) drive with Walsh playing the hero with a 38 yard field goal. Under new rules, both teams get possession in overtime now, but the Jaguars did nothing with their attempt, and fell 26-23 in an especially heartbreaking manner. Minnesota went to 1-0, and Jacksonville was knocked to 0-1.

Finally, we close the morning segment of games in Chicago, with the Bears hosting the Indianapolis Colts. Indianapolis started with Jerrell Freeman intercepting Jay Cutler in the first quarter and returning it 4 yards for the touchdown, followed by an Adam Vinatieri extra point. Chicago tied it when Michael Bush rushed 1 yard for the touchdown, finished off by a Robbie Gould extra point. The Bears gained the lead in the second quarter on a 3 yard touchdown pass from Cutler to Brandon Marshall, and Gould was there with the extra point. Chicago got some more as Gould kicked a 35 yard field goal. The Colts pulled back as Donald Brown rushed 18 yards for a touchdown, and Vinatieri made the PAT. The Bears answered as Bush again ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Gould supplied the extra point. Chicago kept going in the third quarter as Matt Forte ran 6 yards for a touchdown, and Gould was there with the extra point. The Bears got more on a Gould field goal from 26 yards. Indianapolis pulled back in the fourth quarter on an Andrew Luck touchdown pass of 4 yards to Donnie Avery, iced off by a Vinatieti extra point. Chicago shot back as Cutler threw 42 yards to Alshon Jeffery, good for a touchdown, and Gould provided the extra point once more. This stood for a 41-21 win, with the Bears going to 1-0 and the Colts falling to 0-1.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

MLB Day 156 2012

Originally a full slate for the day, but the Phillies and Rockies were rained out in Philadelphia. This leaves us with fourteen games, beginning in...

DC, as the Washington Nationals host the Miami Marlins. Mark Buehrle and Ross Detwiler are the underrated pitchers. Miami got going in the first inning as both Gorkys Hernandez and Giancarlo Stanton hit solo home runs. The Marlins added on in the second inning as Donovan Solano singled home Donnie Murphy. Washington got on the board in the third inning with a Jesus Flores solo shot. The Nationals pulled closer in the fourth inning as Danny Espinosa singled to drive in Ryan Zimmerman. Miami extended the lead in the fifth inning when Justin Ruggiano reached on an error to get Solano home and John Buck singled to plate Carlos Lee. Washington shot back in their half of the inning as Bryce Harper hit a solo home run. The Marlins struck again in the seventh inning with Ruggiano again reaching on an error to provide time for Solano to come home. The Nationals pulled back in the eighth inning on a two-run home run by Zimmerman, also scoring Harper. Washington tied it in the ninth as Jayson Werth launched a solo shot. The Nationals won 7-6 in the tenth inning on a Corey Brown single to plate Ian Desmond. Drew Storen picked up the win and Chad Gaudin was sent the loss.

West to Chicago, as the White Sox host the Kansas City Royals. Bruce Chen and Chris Sale get the starting nods. Chicago started in the first inning with a Dayan Viciedo solo home run. Kansas City tied it in the third inning as Billy Butler singled home Lorenzo Cain. The White Sox took the lead back in their half of the inning on an Alexei Ramirez double to drive in Gordon Beckham. Chicago padded the lead in the fourth inning on a two-run home run by Tyler Flowers, also scoring A.J. Pierzynski. The White Sox got another in the sixth inning on a Paul Konerko solo shot. The Royals answered in the eighth inning when Alcides Escobar doubled to knock in Johnny Giavotella. Kansas City tried a ninth inning rally on a Brayan Pena single to plate Mike Moustakas, before he scored on a Giavotella single, but this only made it 5-4 in the end. Sale held onto the win, Addison Reed turned a sloppy save, and Chen was not freed from the loss.

Back east, the New York Mets host the Atlanta Braves. Kris Medlen faces a lesser foe in Jeremy Hefner. Atlanta opened when Jose Constanza singled home Dan Uggla in the second inning. The Braves added on in the third inning as Freddie Freeman singled to knock in Jason Heyward, before scoring alongside Uggla on a Brian McCann double, and then Medlen doubled McCann the rest of the way home. New York got on the board in the fourth inning as Lucas Duda singled to score David Wright. Atlanta replied in the fifth inning as McCann hit a two-run home run, also scoring Uggla. The Mets shot back in their half of the inning on a Ronny Cedeno solo home run. The Braves answered in the sixth inning with Chipper Jones grounding out to bring in Martin Prado. Atlanta padded the lead in the seventh inning when Prado singled McCann and Constanza across the dish. New York took one back in the eighth inning with a Duda double (all the du-da-day!) to drive in Wright. The Braves iced it at 11-3 in the ninth inning on an Eric Hinske solo shot. Medlen earned the win while Hefner was stuck holding the loss. 

Out in California, the San Francisco Giants host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chris Capuano and Matt Cain take the mound. San Francisco led off in the first inning as Buster Posey singled home Marco Scutaro. Los Angeles tied it in the sixth inning when Shane Victorino hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Capuano. The Giants retook the lead in the seventh inning on a Brandon Belt groundout that allowed Posey to dash home. The Dodgers retied it in the eighth inning as Bobby Abreu walked on a wild pitch that gave time for Alex Castellanos to score. Los Angeles took the lead in the ninth inning when Hanley Ramirez doubled in Adrian Gonzalez, good for a 3-2 win. Ronald Belisario picked up the win, Brandon League converted the save, and Jeremy Affeldt was on the hook for the loss.

Eastward to Pittsburgh, as the Pirates host the Chicago Cubs. Jeff Samardzija and James McDonald are the strikeout machines pitching. Pittsburgh got going in the first inning with Pedro Alvarez singling home Brock Holt and Andrew McCutchen. Chicago got one back in the second inning on an Alfonso Soriano solo home run. The Cubs tied it in the third inning as Luis Valbuena grounded into a double play that brought in Tony Campana. Chicago gained the lead in the fifth inning on a Valbuena sacrifice fly, again allowing Campana to come home. The Pirates got one back in the seventh inning when Jeff Clement singled Josh Harrison across the dish. The Cubs shot back in the eighth inning on a David DeJesus single to drive in Welington Castillo. This held for a 4-3 win, with Samardzija going the distance in the win while McDonald was given the loss.

Over in Baltimore, the Orioles host the New York Yankees. CC Sabathia and Joe Saunders draw the starts. New York began in the first inning as Alex Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly to get Derek Jeter home. The Yankees added on in the second inning as Ichiro Suzuki doubled home Russell Martin. Baltimore tied it in the bottom of the second with solo home runs by Mark Reynolds and Lew Ford. The Orioles gained the lead in the third inning on a J.J. Hardy double to drive in Nick Markakis. Baltimore padded the lead in the sixth inning as Hardy hit a solo shot and Ford singled to knock in Adam Jones. New York got one back in the eighth inning as Rodriguez hit a solo home run. The Yankees tried a ninth inning rally when Nick Swisher grounded into a fielder's choice to give Suzuki time to dart home, but it failed to tie the game, leaving the final at 5-4. Saunders picked up the win, Jim Johnson turned a messy save, and Sabathia couldn't avoid the loss.

Northwest into Minnesota, with the Twins hosting the Cleveland Indians. Zach McAllister and Cole De Vries are the young pitchers. Minnesota opened in the third inning as Joe Mauer singled in Ben Revere and Josh Willingham hit a sacrifice fly to give time for Jamey Carroll to score. The Twins added on in the fifth inning as Justin Morneau walked with the bases loaded to force in Revere. This ended the scoring at 3-0, with De Vries getting the win, Glen Perkins closing for the save, and McAllister had no help in the loss.

Back to the east, the Boston Red Sox host the Toronto Blue Jays. Aaron Laffey and Daisuke Matsuzaka are the uninspiring starters. Toronto rallied to a lead in the second inning on a Yunel Escobar solo home run, followed by Adeiny Hechavarria doubling home Kelly Johnson, Anthony Gose hitting a 2-RBI single to knock in both J.P. Arencibia and Hechavarria, and Rajai Davis hitting a sacrifice fly to finish Gose's trip. Boston shot back in the fifth inning with Scott Podsednik singled home Ryan Lavarnway, followed by Pedro Ciriaco doing the same for Mike Aviles before the second rain delay of the game hit. The Blue Jays padded the lead in the eighth inning when Adam Lind singled to get Colby Rasmus across the dish. Toronto extended the lead in the ninth inning on a three-run home run by Gose, sweeping in Arencibia and Hechavarria. This gave them a 9-2 lead, the final, with Brad Lincoln getting the win and Matsuzaka suffering the loss.

South to Tampa Bay, as the Rays host the Texas Rangers. Yu Darvish and Chris Archer are the prospects pitching. Texas led off in the fourth inning on a two-run home run by Josh Hamilton, also scoring Elvis Andrus. Tampa Bay answered in the sixth inning with a Sam Fuld groundout to get Jeff Keppinger home. The Rays tied it in the eighth inning when Carlos Pena reached on an error, allowing Rich Thompson to come home. The Rangers took the lead again in the tenth inning as Jurickson Profar doubled to knock in Leonys Martin, before being forced in when Hamilton was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. This stood for a 4-2 win, picked up by Mike Adams, while Joe Nathan tossed the save, and Kyle Farnsworth was responsible for the loss.

Northward to Cincinnati, where the Reds host the Houston Astros. Bud Norris and Bronson Arroyo take the hill. Houston got going in the first inning as Justin Maxwell singled home Fernando Martinez. Cincinnati tied it in the second inning on a Jay Bruce solo home run. The Reds tied it in the third inning as Brandon Phillips hit a solo shot. Cincinnati padded the lead in the sixth inning as Ryan Hanigan singled to drive in Joey Votto, followed by Wilson Valdez doing the same for Bruce and also Todd Frazier after an error. The scoring stopped here at 5-1, giving Arroyo the win and Norris the loss.

Into St. Louis, as the Cardinals host the Milwaukee Brewers. Mike Fiers and Jake Westbrook are the middle-rotation starters. Milwaukee opened in the second inning as Carlos Gomez sacrificed to bring in Aramis Ramirez, followed by Fiers singling Jonathan Lucroy in. St. Louis got one back in their half of the inning as Daniel Descalso singled to knock in David Freese. The Brewers replied in the third inning as Corey Hart reached on an error that allowed Ryan Braun to dash home. Milwaukee added on in the seventh inning as Rickie Weeks hit a solo home run. The Cardinals answered in the bottom of the seventh when Adron Chambers tripled to force in Bryan Anderson. St. Louis pulled closer in the eighth inning as Skip Schumaker hit a sacrifice fly that plated Yadier Molina. The Brewers extended the lead in the ninth inning as Ramirez hit a solo shot and Gomez singled to drive Hart. This produced the 6-3 final, with the win going to Fiers, the save to John Axford, and the loss to Westbrook.

Out to California again, with the San Diego Padres hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks. Wade Miley and Casey Kelly are the back-of-the-rotation starters. Arizona started in the first inning on a two-run home run by Jason Kubel, also scoring Adam Eaton. San Diego tied it in the bottom of the first on a 2-RBI Jesus Guzman double, plating both Chris Denorfia and Logan Forsythe. The Diamondbacks retook the lead in the second inning on a Jake Elmore grounded out to bring in Justin Upton. Arizona padded the lead in the third inning with solo home runs by Aaron Hill and Kubel, followed by Elmore doubling Paul Goldschmidt safely home. The Padres chipped away in the fourth inning on a two-run home run from Forsythe, driving in Everth Cabrera. The Diamondbacks replied in the fifth inning as Upton hit a solo shot. San Diego shot back in the sixth inning as Denorfia doubled to knock in Cameron Maybin. Arizona extended the lead in the eighth inning as Miguel Montero walked with the bases loaded to force in Gerardo Parra. This made it 8-5, a final, with Miley picking up the win, J.J. Putz finishing off for the save, and Kelly was stuck with the loss.

Up to Anaheim, where the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Detroit Tigers. Justin Verlander and C.J. Wilson pace the game. Los Angeles stormed out of the gate for a first inning lead when Mike Trout hit a solo home run, followed by Howie Kendrick doubling both Albert Pujols and Kendrys Morales home, and Vernon Wells did the same to finish Kendrick's trip around. The Angels added on in the third inning with Morales doubling to knock in Pujols. Detroit got on the board in the fourth inning when Omar Infante singled to plate Austin Jackson. Los Angeles answered in the bottom of the fourth with Pujols singling to drive in Trout. There was no more scoring, with the final being 6-1. Wilson got the win and Verlander took a rough loss.

Finally, in Seattle, the Mariners host the Oakland Athletics. Brett Anderson and Hisashi Iwakuma have the green light to start. Oakland led off in the first inning as Yoenis Cespedes reached on an error that brought in Josh Reddick. Seattle tied it in the second inning with Trayvon Robinson grounding into a fielder's choice that gave Michael Saunders time to score. The Athletics took the lead back in the fourth inning when Stephen drew singled home Cespedes, followed by a two-run home run by George Kotteras, also scoring Josh Donaldson, and a Coco Crisp double to knock in Cliff Pennington. Oakland got another in the ninth inning as Cespedes hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Seth Smith. This gave them a 6-1 lead and victory, with Anderson notching the win and Iwakuma taking the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion. 

Friday, September 7, 2012

MLB Day 155 2012

Full slate once again, and we start in...

Washington, as the Nationals host the Miami Marlins. Jacob Turner and Stephen Strasburg are the phenom pitchers. Miami led off in the first inning as Giancarlo Stanton doubled home Bryan Petersen, followed by Carlos Lee hitting a sacrifice fly to get Jose Reyes home. Washington tied it in their half of the inning on a two-run home run by Ryan Zimmerman, also scoring Jayson Werth. The Marlins retook the lead in the second inning on a Rob Brantly solo home run. Miami added on in the third inning when Stanton hit a solo shot, followed by Donovan Solano singling to drive in Greg Dobbs. The Marlins padded the lead in the fourth inning as Reyes tripled to force in Justin Ruggiano. The Nationals shot back in the seventh inning on a Danny Espinosa double to knock in Ian Desmond, followed by Kurt Suzuki doing the same for Espinosa, and he then scored as Steve Lombardozzi hit a single that combined with an error to give the time to score. Washington tied it in the eighth inning as Michael Morse hit a solo home run. Miami took the lead in the tenth inning as Reyes tripled to push both Petersen and Ruggiano across the dish, before he scored on a Lee sacrifice fly. The Nationals tried to rally back in the bottom of the tenth as Morse singled Adam LaRoche around, but they failed to tie, losing 9-7. Chad Gaudin was credited with the win, Steve Cishek turned an ugly save, and Tyler Clippard was on the hook for the loss.

Into Pittsburgh, as the Pirates host the Chicago Cubs. Travis Wood and A.J. Burnett draw the starts. Chicago got going in the first inning as Alfonso Soriano singled in Luis Valbuena. The Cubs added on in the third inning with Starlin Castro singling both Anthony Rizzo and Soriano across the dish before scoring on a single by Steve Clevenger. Chicago padded the lead in the sixth inning as David DeJesus reached on an error to allow Brett Jackson to come in, followed by a 2-RBI double from Valbuena that plated both Darwin Barney and Wood. The Cubs got some more in the seventh inning as Rizzo walked with the bases loaded to force in Tony Campana, followed by Soriano singling to drive in both DeJesus and Valbuena, and Castro doubling to get both Rizzo and Dave Sappelt home. Pittsburgh got on the board in the eighth inning on a Michael McKenry double to get Josh Harrison home before he scored on a Starling Marte sacrifice fly. This was as close as it got, with the final being 12-2. Wood was given the win, and Burnett was dealt the loss.

Across Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Phillies host the Colorado Rockies. Jeff Francis and Cliff Lee are the veteran starters. Colorado quickly struck in the first inning as Carlos Gonzalez doubled to score Josh Rutledge before scoring on a single by Wilin Rosario. Philadelphia tied the game in the seventh inning when Laynce Nix doubled in both Pete Orr and Juan Pierre. The Phillies won it in the ninth inning on a Nate Schierholtz single to plate the decisive run, Jimmy Rollins, for a 3-2 win. Jonathan Papelbon was in line for the win, and Will Harris was stuck holding the loss.

Back to Maryland, as the Baltimore Orioles host the New York Yankees. Phil Hughes and Wei-Yin Chen are the underrated pitchers. New York exploded to a lead in the fourth inning on a three-run home run by Russell Martin, sweeping in Nick Swisher and Robinson Cano, followed by a two-run blast from Steve Pearce, also scoring Andruw Jones. The Yankees added on in the fifth inning as Alex Rodriguez lifted a two-run homer, bringing in Derek Jeter. Baltimore got on the board in the sixth inning as Adam Jones went yard on a three-run home run, bringing J.J. Hardy and Nate McLouth with him. The Orioles got another in the seventh inning on a Robert Andino solo home run. New York padded the lead in the ninth inning as Jeter singled Ichiro Suzuki in. Baltimore tried a rally in the bottom of the ninth when Manny Machado hit a solo shot, but they couldn't get any more, losing 8-5. Hughes was given the win and Chen was handed the loss.

West to Cincinnati, as the Reds host the Houston Astros. Lucas Harrell and Homer Bailey are penciled in to pitch. Houston began with a first inning Justin Maxwell two-run home run, also scoring Jose Altuve. Cincinnati tied it in their half of the inning on a 2-RBI Ryan Ludwick single, plating both Brandon Phillips and Chris Heisey. The Reds padded the lead as Jay Bruce singled to drive in Heisey in the fifth inning. The Astros retook the lead in the ninth inning on a three-run home run by Jimmy Parades, sweeping in Tyler Greene and Matt Dominguez. This gave them a 5-3 lead, good for a final, with Hector Ambriz getting the win, Wilton Lopez finishing off for the save, and Aroldis Chapman was dinged for the loss.

Eastward to Boston, where the Red Sox host the Toronto Blue Jays with a side of rain. Henderson Alvarez and Felix Doubront are the back-of-the-rotation pitchers. Toronto started in the first inning on an Edwin Encarnacion sacrifice fly to allow Brett Lawrie. The Blue Jays added on in the third inning as Encarnacion hit a solo home run. Toronto padded the lead in the fourth inning as Moises Sierra hit a two-run home run, also scoring Kelly Johnson. The Blue Jays struck again in the fifth inning as Yunel Escobar singled home Colby Rasmus. Boston got on the board in their half of the inning with Dustin Pedroia grounding into a fielder's choice to get Ryan Kalish home. The Red Sox got another in the seventh inning as Mauro Gomez singled home Pedro Ciriaco. Boston pulled closer in the eighth inning on a Pedroia solo shot. Toronto extended the lead in the ninth inning as Rasmus went yard and took Lawrie with him. The Red Sox tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth on a two-run homer from Gomez, driving in Mike Aviles, but they still lost 7-5. Alvarez notched the win and Doubront was pinned with the loss.

Moving along, the New York Mets host the Atlanta Braves. Paul Maholm and Jonathon Niese take the mound. Atlanta opened with a fourth inning Jason Heyward solo home run. The Braves added on in the seventh inning as David Ross hit a sacrifice fly to get Dan Uggla in. Atlanta struck again in the ninth inning on an Uggla solo shot. This produced the 3-0 final, with the win belonging to Maholm, Craig Kimbrel tossing his thirty-fifth save of the season, and the loss stuck on Niese.

South to Tampa Bay, as the Rays host the Texas Rangers. Derek Holland and Jeremy Hellickson are the young pitchers. Tampa Bay was first to score with a fourth inning Evan Longoria solo home run. Texas tied it in the fifth inning as Michael Young hit a solo shot. The Rays won in the eleventh inning on a two-run home run by Ben Zobrist, also scoring B.J. Upton for a 3-1 win. Wade Davis picked up the win while Mark Lowe was responsible for the loss.

Northwest to Minnesota, as the Twins host the Cleveland Indians. Jeanmar Gomez and Liam Hendriks are the unknown pitchers. Minnesota led off with a second inning Chris Parmelee sacrifice fly to allow Josh Willingham to score. The Twins extended the lead in the third inning as Willingham doubled both Pedro Florimon and Ben Revere in, followed by a Justin Morneau sacrifice fly to bring in Joe Mauer. Cleveland got on the board in the fourth inning as Russ Canzler hit a two-run home run, also scoring Michael Brantley. The Indians shot back in the fifth inning as Shin-Soo Choo singled Jack Hannahan home, followed by Canzler singling to get Jason Kipnis in. Cleveland took the lead with a seventh inning Brantley single to drive in Kipnis, followed by Casey Kotchman doing the same for Carlos Santana, and Cord Phelps drawing a bases-loaded walk to force in Brantley. Minnesota got one back in the eighth inning as Willingham doubled Mauer across the dish. The Twins tried a rally in the ninth inning as Revere grounded out to bring around Alexi Casilla, but they still fell 7-6. David Huff was credited with the win, Chris Perez turned a messy save as his thirty-fifth of the year, and Tyler Robertson was stuck with the loss.

Down in Chicago, the White Sox host the Kansas City Royals. Luis Mendoza and Francisco Liriano are the inconsistent starters. Chicago began with a first inning Paul Konerko single to knock in Alejandro De Aza. Kansas City took the lead in the second inning on a two-run home run by Salvador Perez, also scoring Billy Butler. The White Sox tied it in the fourth inning on an A.J. Pierzynski solo home run. The Royals pulled ahead again in the fifth inning as Lorenzo Cain hit a solo shot. Chicago tied it in the bottom of the fifth as Dewayne Wise hit a solo home run. Kansas City edged ahead again in the sixth inning with Jeff Francoeur doubling Perez across the dish, followed by Eric Hosmer hitting a sacrifice fly to allow Mike Moustakas safe passage home. The White Sox quickly retied it in their half of the inning as Alexei Ramirez hit a two-run home run, bringing in Dayan Viciedo. The Royals pulled ahead again in the ninth inning as Cain went yard on a two-run home run, taking Johnny Giavotella with him. This was good for a 7-5 win, with Kelvin Herrera picking up the win, Greg Holland tossing the save, and Addison Reed on the hook for the loss.

Further south, the St. Louis Cardinals host the Milwaukee Brewers, if the rain lets up. Yovani Gallardo and Kyle Lohse are scheduled to start. After the rain parted, St. Louis got going in the first inning as Matt Carpenter doubled in Jon Jay before scoring on an Allen Craig sacrifice fly. Milwaukee got on the board in the fourth inning as Taylor Green grounded out to get Rickie Weeks home. The Brewers tied it in the seventh inning as Travis Ishikawa doubled home Martin Maldonado. Milwaukee got the lead in the eighth inning as Carlos Gomez singled, combining with an error to bring in Corey Hart before finishing his trip on a single by Maldonado. The Cardinals pulled even again in the bottom of the eighth as Yadier Molina hit a two-run home run, also scoring Carpenter. The Brewers took the lead back in the thirteenth inning on a Ryan Braun solo home run. This made it 5-4, the final, with the win going to Brandon Kintzler, the save converted by John Axford, and the loss pinned on Lance Lynn.

Out in California, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Detroit Tigers. Max Scherzer and Ervin Santana are on the hill. Los Angeles led off in the first inning as Torii Hunter singled home Mike Trout and Howie Kendrick grounded out to get Albert Pujols home. Detroit shot back in the second inning on a Prince Fielder solo home run. The Tigers tied it in the third inning as Alex Avila hit a solo shot. The Angels won in the ninth inning by a 3-2 score as Alberto Callaspo singled Peter Bourjos across the dish. Ernesto Frieri was in line for the win and Octavio Dotel was responsible for the loss.

South into San Diego, as the Padres host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Tyler Skaggs and Andrew Cashener take their turns in the rotation. San Diego opened in the first inning with Yasmani Grandal doubling in both Chris Denorfia and Logan Forsythe. The Padres added on in the third inning as Chase Headley hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Denorfia and Forsythe. Arizona got on the board in the fifth inning when Ryan Wheeler doubled home both Miguel Montero and Chris Johnson. The Diamondbacks struck again in the seventh inning as Wheeler doubled to plate Montero. Arizona tied it in the eighth inning on a 2-RBI Montero double to knock in both Adam Eaton and Jason Kubel. San Diego gained the lead back in the bottom of the eighth on a Headley solo home run. This held for a 6-5 win, picked up by Brad Brach, while Luke Gregerson turned the save, and David Hernandez was handed the loss.

Way north to Seattle, with the Mariners hosting the Oakland Athletics. A.J. Griffin is mismatched with Felix Hernandez. Oakland was first to score in the first inning as Yoenis Cespedes singled, which combined with an error to get Seth Smith home. Seattle tied it in the second inning as Brendan Ryan singled to knock in Michael Saunders. The Athletics took the lead in the fourth inning as George Kotteras hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Josh Donaldson and Stephen Drew. Oakland extended the lead in the fifth inning as Donaldson doubled home Brandon Moss and Drew singled to finish Donaldson's trip around. This was all for the scoring, with the final being 6-1. Griffin earned the win and Hernandez was dealt the loss.

Finally, we end in San Francisco, where the Giants host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Josh Beckett and Tim Lincecum pace the game. Los Angeles started in the third inning as Matt Kemp grounded out to get Mark Ellis home. San Francisco tied it in the bottom of the third as Angel Pagan singled in Brandon Crawford. The Dodgers took the lead in the sixth inning on an Adam Kennedy solo home run. The Giants tied it in their half of the inning as Hunter Pence singling to knock in Pagan. San Francisco gained the lead in the seventh inning on a 2-RBI Marco Scutaro single, plating both Gregor Blanco and Crawford. The Giants padded the lead in the eighth inning on a Joaquin Arias single to give Brandon Belt time to score. This produced the 5-2 final, with Santiago Casilla notching the win, Sergio Romo tossing his tenth save of the year, and Beckett was stuck with the loss.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

MLB Day 154 2012

Only five games on today, so this is a really short post as the rest of baseball travels. Two matinees today, beginning in...

Atlanta, as the Braves host the Colorado Rockies. Jhoulys Chacin and Tim Hudson take the mound. Atlanta led off in the second inning as Juan Francisco scored when Chacin muffed the return throw. This was the decisive run for one of the more interesting 1-0 finals ever, with Hudson showing dominance in the win, Craig Kimbrel closing out for the save, and Chacin being charged with the loss for his critical error.

South to Miami, as the Marlins host the Milwaukee Brewers. Marco Estrada and Josh Johnson are on the hill. Miami rallied to a first inning lead as Donovan Solano singled home Bryan Petersen, followed by Jose Reyes doubling Solano across the dish before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Greg Dobbs. The Marlins struck again in the second inning as the pitcher Johnson reached on an error that allowed Donnie Murphy to come home. Milwaukee got on the board in the third inning with a Ryan Braun sacrifice fly to bring in Norichika Aoki. The Brewers got another in the seventh inning as Aoki hit a sacrifice fly to get Jeff Bianchi in. Miami replied in the eighth inning as Dobbs doubled Giancarlo Stanton across the dish, before scoring on a Murphy single. This produced the 6-2 final, with the win going to Johnson and the loss to Estrada.

Up in Washington, the Nationals host the Chicago Cubs. Justin Germano and Jordan Zimmermann receive the starting nods. Chicago opened with a first inning Anthony Rizzo solo home run. Washington tied it in the bottom of the first as Ryan Zimmerman grounded out to get Bryce Harper in. The Cubs shot back in the second inning as Darwin Barney tripled to force in Starlin Castro. The Nationals charged ahead in their half of the second on a three-run home run by Kurt Suzuki, sweeping in Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa. Washington padded the lead in the fourth inning when Harper singled, combining with an error to bring in Suzuki, followed by a 2-RBI Zimmerman single plating both Jayson Werth and Harper. The Nationals extended the lead in the sixth inning on a two-run Adam LaRoche home run, also scoring Zimmerman. The scoring ended here at a 9-2 final, with the win belonging to Zimmermann, and the loss given to Germano.

In the same general region, the Baltimore Orioles host the New York Yankees in a critical series. David Phelps welcomes Jason Hammel back from the disabled list. Baltimore started in the first inning as Adam Jones singled in J.J. Hardy, followed by a three-run home run by Matt Wieters to sweep in Nate McLouth and Jones. New York got on the board in the fourth inning as Curtis Granderson singled to knock in Robinson Cano. The Orioles shot back in the bottom of the fourth on a Robert Andino solo home run. Baltimore struck again in the sixth inning as Mark Reynolds hit a solo shot. The Yankees answered in the eighth inning on an Alex Rodriguez double to drive in Nick Swisher, followed by Granderson singling to finish Rodriguez's trip around, Chris Dickerson walking with the bases loaded to force in Eric Chavez, and Ichiro Suzuki tied the game with a 2-RBI single that got both Granderson and Russell Martin across the dish. The Orioles took the lead back in the bottom of the eighth as Jones hit a solo home run, followed by a two-run blast from Reynolds, also scoring Wieters, and a Chris Davis solo shot. This paced them to a 10-6 win, picked up by Darren O'Day, while David Robertson was responsible for the loss.

Finally, we end in Kansas City, with the Royals welcoming the Texas Rangers. Scott Feldman and Luke Hochevar will pace the game. Kansas City got going in the second inning with a Jeff Francoeur solo home run. The Royals padded the lead in the third inning as Alex Gordon tripled to force in Lorenzo Cain before scoring on a single from Salvador Perez. Texas pulled even in the fourth inning as Josh Hamilton hit a two-run home run, also scoring Michael Young, followed by an Adrian Beltre solo shot. The Rangers gained the lead in the seventh inning on a Geovany Soto double to knock in David Murphy. Kansas City retied it in their half of the inning on an Eric Hosmer solo home run. Texas took the lead in the tenth inning as Young singled Ian Kinsler in. This was good for a 5-4 win, with the win credited to Mike Adams, the save tossed by Joe Nathan as his thirtieth of the season, and loss pinned on Greg Holland.

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Wednesday, September 5, 2012

MLB Day 153 2012

Four early games before the regular slate, with getaway day beginning in...

Cincinnati, as the Reds host the Philadelphia Phillies. Roy Halladay and Mike Leake take their turns in the rotation. Philadelphia established a lead in the second inning as Domonic Brown singled in Ryan Howard, followed by a three-run home run off the bat of Erik Kratz, sweeping in John Mayberry and Brown. The Phillies added on in the third inning as Chase Utley hit a two-run home run, also scoring Juan Pierre. Cincinnati got on the board in the fourth inning on a Jay Bruce double to bring in Chris Heisey. The Reds tried a ninth inning rally on a Bruce solo home run, but this only made it a 6-2 final. Halladay got the win and Leake was handed the loss.

Over in St. Louis, the Cardinals host the New York Mets. R.A. Dickey and Adam Wainwright pace the game. New York started in the second inning on a Josh Thole single to get Justin Turner home. The Mets added on in the third inning as Lucas Duda drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Mike Baxter. St. Louis replied in their half of the inning on a solo home run by the pitcher Wainwright. New York shot back in the fifth inning on a three-run Ike Davis home run, sweeping in Baxter and Daniel Murphy. The Cardinals got one back in the seventh inning as Allen Craig grounded into a double play to give time for Daniel Descalso to dash home. The Mets extended the lead in the eighth inning on an Andres Torres single to plate Turner. This was it for the scoring, leaving the final at 6-2. Dickey notched the win and Wainwright was stuck with the loss.

Up in Chicago, the White Sox host the Minnesota Twins. P.J. Walters is mismatched with Jake Peavy. Chicago set the tone in the first inning on an Alex Rios grand slam, sweeping in Dewayne Wise, Kevin Youkilis, and Adam Dunn. Minnesota shot back in the third inning as Eduardo Escobar hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Matt Carson. The White Sox extended the lead in the sixth inning as Rios hit a two-run home run, also scoring Paul Konerko. The Twins tried a ninth inning rally when Carson hit a sacrifice fly to plate Ryan Doumit, but they scored no more, losing 6-2. Peavy earned the win and Walters was given the loss.

Out west, the Oakland Athletics host the Los Angeles Angels. Dan Haren and Brandon McCarthy get the starting nods. Los Angeles opened in the third inning as Torii Hunter singled in Alberto Callaspo before scoring alongside Albert Pujols on a Howie Kendrick single. Oakland got on the board in the bottom of the third as Seth Smith singled to score Derek Norris. The Angels rallied to extend the lead in the ninth inning with Maicer Izturis walking with the bases loaded to force in Peter Bourjos, followed by a 2-RBI Hunter single to knock in both Erick Aybar and Callaspo, and then Izturis stole home cleanly to produce the 7-1 final. Haren notched the win and McCarthy was stuck with the loss after getting hit in the head by a come-backer.

East to Pittsburgh, where the Pirates host the Houston Astros. Fernando Abad and Kevin Correia are the little known pitchers. Pittsburgh started in the first inning as Garrett Jones singled in Clint Barmes, followed by Gaby Sanchez doing the same for Andrew McCutchen. The Pirates got another in the second inning as Brock Holt singled, scoring Alex Presley. Houston answered in the fourth inning on a Brian Bogusevic single that allowed Jimmy Parades to dash home. Pittsburgh shot back in their half of the inning on a Presley triple to force in Rod Barajas, before finishing his trip on a Holt sacrifice fly. The Pirates added on in the sixth inning as Barmes sacrificed to get Presley in. The Astros tried a ninth inning rally when Brandon Laird hit a two-run home run, also scoring Brett Wallace, making the final 6-3. Correia was handed the win while Abad was dinged for the loss.

Backing up to Detroit, as the Tigers host the Cleveland Indians. Ubaldo Jimenez and Doug Fister are the inconsistent pitchers. Detroit led off in the first inning on a two-run Miguel Cabrera home run, also scoring Austin Jackson. Cleveland got on the board with a fourth inning Michael Brantley single to bring in Jason Kipnis. The Tigers rallied to extend the lead in the eighth inning when Andy Dirks tripled to force in Jackson before scoring on a Cabrera sacrifice fly, followed by a Prince Fielder solo home run, and a Jhonny Peralta 2-RBI double to plate both Quintin Berry and Avisail Garcia. This made it 7-1, with Fister grabbing the win and Jimenez was pinned with the loss.

Further east, the Washington Nationals host the Chicago Cubs. Chris Volstad and Gio Gonzalez are penciled in to pitch. Washington began in the first inning when Adam LaRoche singled to plate Roger Bernadina. The Nationals added on in the third inning as both Bernadina and Bryce Harper hit solo home runs, followed by a two-run long ball from LaRoche, also scoring Ryan Zimmerman. Washington struck again in the sixth inning as Harper hit a solo shot. The Nationals padded the lead in the seventh inning on Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa solo home runs, followed by a bases-loaded walk drawn by Zimmerman to force in Kurt Suzuki. Chicago got on the board in the ninth inning with an Anthony Rizzo solo shot, producing the 9-1 final, with Gonzalez getting the win, while Volstad was dealt the loss.

Up in Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays host the Baltimore Orioles. Miguel Gonzalez and Brandon Morrow are the solid starters. Baltimore got going with a second inning Adam Jones solo home run, followed by Manny Machado grounding out to bring in Matt Wieters. Toronto got on the board in the bottom of the second as Kelly Johnson doubled home Adam Lind. The Blue Jays tied it in the third inning with a Rajai Davis solo shot. Toronto extended the lead in the seventh inning as Adeiny Hechevarria laid down a bunt single to score Yunel Escobar, followed by a 2-RBI single from Davis that plated both Johnson and Hechevarria, and later Anthony Gose after an error. The Orioles tried a ninth inning rally as Mark Reynolds hit a two-run home run, also scoring Wieters, but they failed to tie the game and lost 6-4. Steve Delabar was credited with the win while Gonzalez was on the hook for the loss.

Back in the States, the Atlanta Braves host the Colorado Rockies. Alex White and Mike Minor are the young starters. Atlanta started in the fourth inning as Brian McCann grounded into a fielder's choice that combined with an error to get Chipper Jones home. This was the only run, with the 1-0 final in favor of Minor, while Craig Kimbrel tossed the save, and White took the unlucky loss.

Further south, the Tampa Bay Rays host the New York Yankees. Hiroki Kuroda and Matt Moore are set to start. Tampa Bay was first to score with a first inning Evan Longoria single to plate Sam Fuld. New York rallied ahead in the fourth inning as Alex Rodriguez doubled to score Derek Jeter before being forced in alongside Robinson Cano on a ground rule double by Russell Martin. The Rays tied it in the fifth inning when Zobrist tripled to push both Fuld and Desmond Jennings in. The Yankees got the lead back with a sixth inning Martin solo home run. Tampa Bay tied it in the bottom of the sixth as Luke Scott hit a solo shot. New York took the lead back in the seventh inning as Jeter reached on an error that got both Ichiro Suzuki and Steve Pearce across the dish. This made the final 6-4, with Kuroda notching the win, Rafael Soriano tossing the save, and Moore was handed the loss.

Staying in Florida, the Miami Marlins host the Milwaukee Brewers. Wily Peralta and Nathan Eovaldi are the completely unknown pitchers. Milwaukee struck first in the third inning on a two-run home run by Rickie Weeks, also scoring Norichika Aoki. Miami got on the board in the fifth inning when John Buck singled home Carlos Lee. The Brewers added on in the seventh inning as Weeks hit another two-run homer, again scoring Aoki, and a two-run blast by Corey Hart to drive in Aramis Ramirez. The Marlins answered in their half of the inning when Greg Dobbs singled in Justin Ruggiano, followed by Bryan Petersen doing the same for Buck, Donovan Solano following suit for Donnie Murphy, and Jose Reyes hitting a sacrifice fly to finish Dobbs' trip around. Milwaukee padded the lead in the ninth inning on a 2-RBI Hart double, driving in Weeks and Jonathan Lucroy. This produced an 8-5 final, with Peralta getting the win, John Axford turning his twenty-fifth save of the season, while Eovaldi was given the loss.

Northwest to Kansas City, where the Royals welcome the Texas Rangers. Ryan Demspter and Everett Teaford are called on to pitch. Texas wasted little time in scoring first as Adrian Beltre hit a three-run home run, sweeping in Ian Kinsler and Josh Hamilton in the first inning. Kansas City got on the board in the bottom of the first as Billy Butler doubled home Alcides Escobar. The Royals pulled closer in the sixth inning on a Salvador Perez double to get Butler home. The Rangers extended their lead in the seventh inning as Michael Young hit a solo home run, followed by Kinsler hitting a sacrifice fly to plate Geovany Soto and Elvis Andrus singling in Mitch Moreland. Kansas City replied in their half of the inning as Jeff Francoeur scored on a wild pitch and David Lough hit a sacrifice fly to give time for Eric Hosmer to score. Texas shot back in the eighth inning on a Nelson Cruz single, driving in Beltre. The Royals answered in their half of the inning when Mike Moustakas grounded into a fielder's choice that allowed Butler to dash home. Kansas City tried a ninth inning rally as Escobar singled to get Jarrod Dyson safely home, but they couldn't tie it, losing 7-6, with Dempster getting the win, Joe Nathan turning a messy save, and Teaford was not freed from the loss.

Westward to Los Angeles, as the Dodgers host the San Diego Padres. Clayton Richard and Aaron Harang take the hill. San Diego paced themselves to a first inning lead as Chase Headley doubled in Everth Cabrera, and also Will Venalbe after an error, before scoring on a Yasmani Grandal single. Los Angeles got on the board in the second inning as Luis Cruz singled Hanley Ramirez in. The Dodgers took one back in the third inning as Adrian Gonzalez singled home Mark Ellis. Los Angeles tied it in the fifth inning when Ramirez singled to get Shane Victorino across the plate. The Padres took the lead again in the seventh inning as Carlos Quentin hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Venable to dash home. This ended the scoring at 4-3, with the win belonging to Nick Vincent, the save turned by Tommy Layne, and the loss stuck on Shawn Tolleson.

North to Seattle, as the Mariners host the Boston Red Sox. Aaron Cook and Kevin Millwood are the back-of-the-rotation pitchers. Seattle opened in the fourth inning as Dustin Ackley singled to score both Eric Thames and Mike Carp. Boston got on the board in the sixth inning as Cody Ross doubled in Jacoby Ellsbury. They failed to tie the game, falling 2-1, giving Millwood the win, while Tom Wilhelmsen notched the save, and Cook was given the loss.

Finally, we end in San Francisco, as the Giants host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Trevor Cahill and Madison Bumgarner take the mound. Arizona led off with a first inning Miguel Montero single to knock in Adam Eaton. The Diamondbacks got another in the fourth inning when John McDonald singled in Chris Johnson. Arizona struck again in the seventh inning on an Aaron Hill double to drive in Eaton, followed by Paul Goldschmidt singling Hill the rest of the way home, before coming home alongside Montero on a Johnson double. San Francisco got on the board in their half of the inning as Brandon Belt hit a 2-RBI single to score both Marco Scutaro and Buster Posey. They scored no more, losing 6-2, with the win earned by Cahill and the loss pinned on Bumgarner.

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Wednesday Night NFL Opener 2012

Welcome to football, everybody. My hopes, as usual, are to cover every game to the best of my ability and provide accurate recaps of NFL games throughout the season. If you are new to the blog, please enjoy the ride throughout the season. For returning readers, you know what to expect from me, and it's your readership that keeps me going with my work. I appreciate every time someone visits this blog, and I hope that this season will bring many more visits here. With that said, let's kick off the season in...

East Rutherford, New Jersey, with the New York Giants hosting the Dallas Cowboys. New York opened the scoring in the second quarter as Lawrence Tynes kicked a 22-yard field goal. Dallas pulled ahead with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Tony Romo to Kevin Ogletree, and Dan Bailey made the extra point. The Cowboys added on in the third quarter as Romo connected with Ogletree for another touchdown, this time for 40 yards, and Bailey again converted the extra point. The Giants answered as Ahmad Bradshaw ran 10 yards for a touchdown, with Tynes kicking the extra point. Dallas extended the lead on a 33-yard field goal from Bailey. The Cowboys struck again in the fourth quarter as Romo hooked up with Miles Austin for a 34 yard touchdown, iced off with a Bailey PAT. New York pulled back with Eli Manning connecting for a 9 yard touchdown to Martellus Bennett, and Tynes kicked the extra point. They failed to tie it, losing 24-17. Dallas improves to 1-0 while the Giants start their title defense in an 0-1 hole.