Monday Night Football Week 5 2012

This week's game comes from New Jersey, as the New York Jets host the Houston Texans. Houston led off in the first quarter as Matt Schaub threw a 34 yard touchdown pass to Owen Daniels, and Shayne Graham was good on the extra point. New York tied it as Mark Sanchez passed 27 yards to Jeff Cumberland for a touchdown, and Nick Folk's extra point was the equalizer. The Texans took the lead again in the second quarter on a 13 yard touchdown run by Arian Foster, and Graham was there with another extra point. Houston struck again as Graham kicked in a 27 yard field goal. The Texans padded the lead in the third quarter on a Graham field goal of 42 yards. The Jets got some back on the ensuing kickoff, which was returned 100 yards by Joe McKnight for a touchdown, and Folk handled the PAT. Houston shot back as Graham was true on a field goal from 22 yards out. New York answered in the fourth quarter on a 21 yard field goal by Folk. It wasn't enough to avoid a 23-17 loss, with Houston moving to 5-0 while the Jets drop to 2-3.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

Fantasy Baseball All-Stars week 25 and Season

First of all, the Championship Week stars.

Batters: Chris Davis, Robinson Cano, Aaron Hill, Brandon Moss, Bryce Harper, Nick Swisher, Chase Headley, Evan Longoria, Ichiro Suzuki, and Aramis Ramirez.

Pitchers: Grant Balfour, CC Sabathia, James Shields, Mat Latos, Bobby Parnell, Craig Kimbrel, Clayton Kershaw, Ryan Vogelsong, Homer Bailey, Jason Motte.

For bragging purposes, I had 7 championships, 2 runner-ups, 5 third-place, and 3 fourth-place out of 30 teams.

Now, let's fill out our lineup card for the year.

Hitters
Catcher: Buster Posey: 78 runs scored, 178 hits, 24 home runs, 103 RBI, 1 stolen base, .336 batting average, .408 on-base percentage
First Base: Prince Fielder: 83 runs scored, 182 hits, 30 home runs, 108 RBI, 1 stolen base, .313 batting average, .412 on-base percentage
Second Base: Robinson Cano: 105 runs scored, 196 hits, 33 home runs, 94 RBI, 3 stolen bases, .313 batting average, .379 on-base percentage
Third Base: Miguel Cabrera: 109 runs scored, 205 hits, 44 home runs, 139 RBI, 4 stolen bases, .330 batting average, .393 on-base percentage
Shortstop: Derek Jeter: 99 runs scored, 216 hits, 15 home runs, 58 RBI, 9 stolen bases, .316 batting average, .362 on-base percentage
Left Field: Ryan Braun: 108 runs scored, 191 hits, 41 home runs, 112 RBI, 30 stolen bases, .319 batting average, .391 on-base percentage
Center Field: Mike Trout: 129 runs scored, 182 hits, 30 home runs, 83 RBI, 49 stolen bases, .326 batting average, .399 on-base percentage (and he didn't play the full season)
Right Field: Alex Rios: 93 runs, 184 hits, 25 home runs, 91 RBI, 23 stolen bases, .304 batting average, .334 on-base percentage
Utility hitters
Andrew McCutchen, CF: 107 runs scored, 194 hits, 31 home runs, 96 RBI, 20 stolen bases, .327 batting average, .400 on-base percentage
Josh Hamilton, OF: 103 runs scored, 160 hits, 43 home runs, 128 RBI, 7 stolen bases, .285 batting average, .354 on-base percentage (significant time missed throughout the season)
Edwin Encarancion, DH/CI: 93runs scored, 152 hits, 42 home runs, 110 RBI, 13 stolen bases, .280 batting average, .384 on-base percentage
Adrian Beltre, 3B: 95 runs scored, 194 hits, 36 home runs, 102 RBI, 1 stolen base, .321 batting average, .359 on-base percentage
Chase Headley, 3B: 95 runs scored, 173 hits, 31 home runs, 115 RBI, 17 stolen bases, .286 batting average, .376 on-base percentage.
Rotation

R.A. Dickey: 233 2/3 innings pitched, 20 wins, 230 strikeouts, 2.73 ERA, 1.05 WHIP
Justin Verlander: 238 1/3 innings pitched, 17 wins, 239 strikeouts, 2.64 ERA, 1.06 WHIP
Clayton Kershaw: 227 2/3 innings pitched, 14 wins, 229 strikeouts, 2.53 ERA, 1.02 WHIP
David Price: 211 innings pitched, 20 wins, 205 strikeouts, 2.56 ERA, 1.10 WHIP
Matt Cain: 219 1.3 innings pitched, 16 wins, 193 strikeouts, 2.79 ERA, 1.04 WHIP
Bullpen

Craig Kimbrel: 62 2/3 innings pitched, 3 wins, 42 saves, 116 strikeouts, 0 holds 1.10 ERA, 0.65 WHIP

Fernando Rodney: 74 2/3 innings pitched, 2 wins, 48 saves, 76 strikeouts, 0 holds, 0.60 ERA, 0.78 WHIP

Aroldis Chapman: 71 2.3 innings pitched, 5 wins, 38 saves, 122 strikeouts, 6 holds, 1.51 ERA, 0.81 WHIP Jason Motte: 72 innings pitched, 4 wins, 42 saves, 86 strikeouts, 0 holds, 2.75 ERA, 0.92 WHIP Jonathan Papelbon: 70 innings pitched, 5 wins, 38 saves, 92 strikeouts, 2.44 ERA, 1.06 WHIP Kenley Jansen: 65 innings pitched, 5 wins, 25 saves, 99 strikeouts, 8 holds, 2.35 ERA, 0.85 WHIP Jim Johnson: 68 2/3 innings pitched, 2 wins, 51 saves, 41 strikeouts, 0 holds, 2.49 ERA, 1.02 WHIP

NFL Week 5 Afternoon/Night Games 2012

Another six games in this post. Don't look for these until Monday afternoon, due to the aforementioned Sounders game. The first half of the afternoon games will be up at 3 PM Pacific.

First up, the Jacksonville Jaguars host the Chicago Bears. Chicago began in the first quarter on a Robbie Gould field goal of 32 yards. Jacksonville tied it in the second quarter as Josh Scobee made a 31 yard field goal. The Bears took the lead in the third quarter on a Gould 31 yard field goal. Chicago extended the lead as Charles Tillman intercepted Blaine Gabbert and returned the ball 36 yards for a touchdown, with Gould true on the extra point. The Bears added on in the fourth quarter as Jay Cutler threw a 10 yard touchdown pass to Alshon Jeffrey, and Gould made the extra point. Chicago kept going as Cutler found Brandon Marshall for a 24 yard touchdown connection, and Gould again handled the PAT. The Bears padded the lead as Lance Briggs intercepted Gabbert for 36 yards and a touchdown, followed by another Gould extra point. Chicago struck again as Armando Allen rattled off a 46 yard run for a touchdown, and Gould was true again with the extra point. This ended the scoring a 41-3, with the Bears moving to 4-1, while the Jaguars fell to 1-4.

Up in Carolina, the Panthers host the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle started in the first quarter as Steven Hauschka kicked in a 22 yard field goal. The Seahawks struck again in the second quarter as Hauschka nailed a 36 yard field goal. Carolina got on the board when Justin Medlock made a 32 yard field goal. The Panthers took the lead as Captain Munnerlyn returned an interception of Russell Wilson back to the house 33 yards for the toucdown, and Medlock was good with the PAT. Seattle regained the lead as Wilson found the right guy, Golden Tate, for a 13 yard touchdown, allowing Hauschka to tack on the extra point. The Seahawks got some more in the fourth quarter as Hauschka made a 44 yard field goal. Carolina got some back as Jon Ryan ran out of the end zone for an intentional safety (don't question it, that was by design). This made it 16-12, which held as a final, moving Seattle to 3-2 and Carolina went to 1-4.

Out west, the San Francisco 49ers host the Buffalo Bills. San Francisco opened in the first quarter as David Akers made a chip-shot 19 yard field goal. Buffalo tied it in the second quarter as Rian Lindell kicked in a 31 yard field goal. The 49ers took the lead as Alex Smith found Kyle Williams for a 43 yard touchdown connection, and Akers booted in the extra point. San Francisco extended the lead as Smith passed 28 yards to Michael Crabtree for a touchdown, and Akers again made the PAT. The 49ers got some more in the third quarter on a 1 yard Frank Gore touchdown run, and Akers was there with the extra point. San Francisco kept going in the fourth quarter as Smith tossed a 10 yard touchdown to Mario Manningham, and Akers supplied the extra point. The 49ers struck again with a 16 yard touchdown run by Colin Kaepernick, and Akers again iced the drive off with an extra point. San Francisco padded the lead again as Anthony Dixon made a 3 yard rush for a touchdown, and Akers tacked on another extra point. This made the final score 45-3, with San Francisco jumping to 4-1 and the Bills falling to 2-3.

Back east, the New England Patriots welcome the Denver Broncos. New England led off in the first quarter as Tom Brady passed 8 yards to Wes Welker for a touchdown, and Stephen Gostkowski was true on the extra point. Denver tied it in the second quarter as Peyton Manning passed 1 yard to Joel Dreessen for a touchdown, and Matt Prater's PAT was the equalizer. The Patriots took the lead back as Shane Vereen ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Gostkowski was good with the extra point. New England got some more as Gostkowski made a 23 yard field goal. The Patriots extended the lead in the third quarter when Brady ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Gostkowski was there with the extra point. New England padded the lead as Stevan Ridley ran 8 yards for a touchdown, allowing Gostkowski to make another extra point. The Broncos shot back as Manning tossed a 2 yard touchdown to Eric Decker, with Prater finishing the drive off with the extra point. Denver pulled closer in the fourth quarter as Manning found Brandon Stokley for a 5 yard touchdown connection, and Prater again handled the extra point. They got no closer, losing 31-21, with New England improving to 3-2, and the Broncos fell to 2-3.

Northwest a touch to Minnesota, as the Vikings bring in the Tennessee Titans. Minnesota got going in the first quarter as Percy Harvin ran 4 yards for a touchdown, and Blair Walsh knocked in the extra point. The Vikings extended the lead in the second quarter as Walsh made a 42 yard field goal. Minnesota struck again on a Walsh field goal of 36 yards. The Vikings got some more in the third quarter as Walsh made a 26 yard field goal. Minnesota padded the lead as Christian Ponder found Harvin for a 10 yard touchdown connection, and Walsh handled the PAT. Tennessee got on the board in the fourth quarter with Matt Hasselbeck throwing 10 yards to Jared Cook for a touchdown, and Rob Bironas was good with the extra point. The Vikings replied as Ponder threw a 15 yard touchdown to Kyle Rudolph, allowing Walsh to make another extra point. This ended the scoring at 30-7, with Minnesota jumping to 4-1 while the Titans dropped to 1-4.

Finally, the Sunday Night Game is in New Orleans, as the Saints host the San Diego Chargers. San Diego was first to score in the first quarter as Philip Rivers passed 15 yards to Robert Meachem for a touchdown, and Nick Novak was there with the extra point. New Orleans tied it as Drew Brees passed 40 yards to Devery Henderson for a touchdown, and Garrett Hartley booted in the extra point. The Chargers took the lead back in the second quarter on a Novak field goal from 20 yards out. The Saints went ahead as Brees passed 19 yards for a touchdown to Marques Colston, and Hartley was good with the extra point. San Diego pulled back ahead on another Rivers touchdown pass to Meachem, this time for 44 yards, and Novak again kicked in the extra point. The Chargers extended the lead in the third quarter as Ryan Mathews ran 13 yards for a touchdown, and Novak was good with the PAT. New Orleans shot back as Brees passed 16 yards for another touchdown to Colston, and Hartley iced the drive with the extra point. The Saints gained the lead in the fourth quarter as Brees hooked up with Colston for another touchdown, this time a 5 yard connection, and Hartley again made the extra point. New Orleans padded the lead on a Hartley field goal of 26 yards. This produced the 31-24 final, with the Saints going to 1-4 while the Chargers dropped to 3-2.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

NFL Week 5 Morning Games 2012

Only six games on this morning, and another six in the later wave of kickoffs. Those later games will be significantly postponed for publishing as I will be at the Seattle Sounders game against the Portland Timbers. Here's your morning games.

First up, the Cincinnati Bengals host the Miami Dolphins. Cincinnati got going in the first quarter as Mike Nugent kicked a 42 yard field goal. The Bengals added on an Nugent made a field goal from 24 yards. Miami took the lead in the second quarter with a 1 yard touchdown run by Daniel Thomas, and Dan Carpenter was there with the extra point. The Dolphins added on in the third quarter when Reggie Bush ran in a touchdown of 13 yards, and Carpenter supplied the PAT. Miami got some more with a Carpenter field goal of 46 yards. Cincinnati pulled closer in the fourth quarter as Andy Dalton tossed a 2 yard touchdown pass to A.J. Green, and Nugent made the extra point cleanly. They failed to rally ahead, falling 17-13, with Miami improving to 2-3 and Cincinnati falling to 3-2.

East to New Jersey, as the New York Giants host the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland started in the first quarter as Trent Richardson ran 15 yards for a touchdown, and Phil Dawson made the extra point. The Browns added on as Brandon Weeden threw a 62 yard touchdown pass to Josh Gordon, and Dawson was good with another extra point. New York shot back when Eli Manning found Victor Cruz for a 3 yard touchdown connection, and Lawrence Tynes kicked in the extra point. Cleveland answered in the second quarter as Dawson made a field goal of 32 yards. The Giants replied on a Tynes field goal of 29 yards. New York tied it on a 4 yard Ahmad Bradshaw touchdown run, and Tynes' extra point was the equalizer. The Giants took the lead as Manning hooked up with Cruz again, this time for 7 yards and a touchdown, and Tynes tacked on the PAT. New York added on as Tynes booted a 40 yards field goal. The Giants extended the lead in the third quarter as Manning and Cruz completed their hat trick of touchdowns, connecting for a 28 yard score, and Tynes capped the drive with an extra point. The Browns got some back as Dawson was true on a field goal from 41 yards away. New York padded the lead on a David Wilson 40 yard touchdown run, and Tynes supplied another extra point. Cleveland got some back as Weeden threw 20 yards to find Gordon again for a touchdown, and Dawson made another extra point. This was as close as it got, with the final being 41-20. New York moves to 3-2 while Cleveland drops to 0-5.

Back west, the Indianapolis Colts welcome the Green Bay Packers. Green Bay led off as John Kuhn ran 2 yards for a touchdown, and Mason Crosby supplied the extra point. The Packers extended the lead in the second quarter as Aaron Rodgers threw a 6 yard touchdown pass to James Jones, and Crosby again made the extra point. Indianapolis got on the board as Adam Vinatieri made a 24 yard field goal. Green Bay replied on a 31 yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Randall Cobb, and Crosby again handled the PAT. The Colts pulled back in the third quarter when Andrew Luck tossed an 8 yard touchdown pass to Dwayne Allen, and Vinatieri knocked in the extra point. Indianapolis chipped away with a 50 yard field goal by Vinatieri. The Colts pulled closer as Luck ran 3 yards for a touchdown, but they failed to convert the two-point attempt. Indianapolis took the lead on a Vinatieri 28 yard field goal in the fourth quarter. The Packers took the lead back with Rodgers connecting with Jones on another touchdown, this time of 8 yards, but he couldn't go back to him on the two-point attempt. The Colts grabbed the lead as Luck passed to Reggie Wayne for a 4 yard touchdown, and Donald Brown ran the two-point conversion in successfully. This stood for a 30-27 win, moving the Colts up to 2-2 while the Packers drop to 2-3.

East again, as the Battle of Pennsylvania writes another chapter when the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Philadelphia Eagles. Pittsburgh was first to score in the second quarter as Ben Roethlisberger threw a 13 yard touchdown pass to Rashard Mendenhall, and Shaun Suisham finished the drive with an extra point. The Steelers added on with a Suisham field goal of 20 yards. Philadelphia got on the board in the third quarter when Michael Vick threw 15 yards for a touchdown to LeSean McCoy, and Alex Henery was there to make the extra point. Pittsburgh extended the lead in the fourth quarter on a Suisham field goal of 34 yards. The Eagles took the lead as Vick threw a touchdown pass of 2 yards to Brent Celek, and Henery's PAT was the go-ahead point. The Steelers won it 16-14 on a last second Suisham field goal from 34 yards out. Pittsburgh moved to 2-2 while Philadelphia fell to 3-2.

Into DC, with the Washington Redskins hosting the Atlanta Falcons. Washington led off in the second quarter with Ryan Kerrigan intercepting Matt Ryan and returning the ball 30 yards for a touchdown, with Billy Cundiff making the extra point. Atlanta tied the game when Ryan tossed a touchdown to the right guy, namely Tony Gonzalez, for a 1 yard connection that was iced off by a Matt Bryant extra point. The Redskins took the lead back in the third quarter as Cundiff made a field goal from 23 yards away. The Falcons took the lead in the fourth quarter with Ryan passing 18 yards to Julio Jones for a touchdown, and Bryant tacked on the PAT. Washington quickly struck back on a 77 yard Kirk Cousins touchdown pass to Santana Moss, and Cundiff made the extra point. Atlanta pulled even again as Bryant made a 53 yard field goal. The Falcons took the lead with a 13 yard touchdown rush by Michael Turner, and Bryant was good with the extra point. This held up for a 24-17 win, with Atlanta moving to a perfect 5-0 and the Redskins falling to 2-3.

Finally, this set ends in Kansas City, where the Chiefs welcome the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore began in the first quarter as Justin Tucker nailed a 28 yard field goal. Kansas City tied it in the second quarter as Ryan Succop made a 30 yard field goal. The Ravens took the lead back as Tucker booted in a 26 yard field in the third quarter. Baltimore extended the lead as Tucker was true on a field goal of 39 yards. The Chiefs got closer on a Succop field goal of 31 yards in the fourth quarter. They couldn't tie the game, losing 9-6. Baltimore moved to 4-1 while Kansas City dropped to 1-4.

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MLB Wild Card Day 2012

Welcome to the postseason everyone. For historical purposes, this is the first season baseball has been played with a ten-team playoff format. Most recently, an eight-team system was used, but in the offseason it was expanded to what is before us today. Without further delay, I present you the wild card play-in games.

First up, the National League Wild Card Game in Atlanta, Georgia at Turner Field. Kyle Lohse and Kris Medlen pace the game. Atlanta got going in the second inning on a two-run home run by David Ross, also scoring Dan Uggla. St. Louis replied in the fourth inning as Allen Craig doubled in Carlos Beltran, followed by Yadier Molina grounding out to bring in Matt Holliday, before gaining the lead as David Freese hit a sacrifice fly to score Craig. The Cardinals padded the lead in the sixth inning as Holliday hit a solo home run. St. Louis struck again in the seventh inning as Pete Kozma reached on an error to allow Adron Chambers to dart home, before scoring on a Matt Carpenter single. The Braves took one back in their half of the inning as Michael Bourn grounded out to provide time for Jose Constanza to safely come home. They got no closer, losing 6-3, with the win going to Lohse, the save tossed by Jason Motte, and the loss pinned on Medlen. The Braves head home empty-handed while the Cardinals prepare to face the Washington Nationals in the NLDS.

In the American League, the Wild Card Game comes from Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas, with the Rangers hosting the Baltimore Orioles. Joe Saunders is mismatched with Yu Darvish pitching. Baltimore began in the first inning as J.J. Hardy singled Nate McLouth home. Texas tied the game in the bottom of the first as Josh Hamilton grounded into a double play that allowed Ian Kinsler to dash home. The Orioles took the lead in the sixth inning on an Adam Jones sacrifice fly to bring in Hardy. Baltimore padded the lead in the seventh inning with McLouth singling Robert Andino across the dish. The Orioles extended the lead in the ninth inning as Manny Machado singled to drive in Lew Ford, followed by a McLouth sacrifice fly to give Andino time to score again. This made it 5-1, a final, with Saunders picking up the win and Darvish taking an unlucky loss. The Rangers are eliminated from postseason play, while the Orioles get to play their division rivals, the New York Yankees in the ALDS.

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Thursday Night Football Week 5 2012

This evening, the St. Louis Rams host the Arizona Cardinals. St. Louis began in the first quarter as Sam Bradford passed 7 yards to Lance Kendricks for a touchdown, and Greg Zuerlein made the extra point. Arizona got on the board as Jay Feely kicked a 35 yard field goal. The Rams padded the lead in the second quarter as Zuerlein booted in a 53 yard field goal. St. Louis extended the lead in the fourth quarter as Bradford tossed a 51 yard touchdown pass to Chris Givens, and Zuerlein made another PAT. This made it 17-3, the final, with the Rams moving to 3-2, and the Cardinals dropping to 4-1.

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MLB Day 181 2012

As you baseball fans know, this is the last day of the regular season. Unless the Yankees and Orioles end up tied when it's all over, I will be baseball free tomorrow, gearing up for the playoffs. Football is still on for tomorrow. Finally, I'd like to say that staring on November 1st, I will take my down time and turn it into KHL blogging. That's right, daily recaps of all Kontinental Hockey League games from November onward. I'm excited to take a shot at blogging European hockey as my first non-North American effort. Happy Game 162 Day, which begins in...

Pittsburgh, with the Pirates hosting the Atlanta Braves. Ben Sheets makes the last start of his career against A.J. Burnett. Atlanta began in the first inning as Martin Prado singled to knock in Michael Bourn. The Braves added on in the fourth inning on a Dan Uggla single to plate Jason Heyward. Atlanta extended the lead as J.C. Boscan singled Chipper Jones around for his final regular season run (congrats to one of the best third basemen of this generation), followed by Juan Francisco grounding out to get Heyward home. This stood for a 4-0 win, with the win belonging to Luis Avilan, while Burnett had no help in the loss. The Braves finished 94-68, good for a wild card game, while the Pirates ended at 79-83.

Over in Washington, the Nationals host the Philadelphia Phillies. Cliff Lee and Edwin Jackson take the mound. Philadelphia got going in the fourth inning as Darin Ruf hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Carlos Ruiz. Washington tied it in the bottom of the fourth as Ryan Zimmerman hit a solo home run, followed by Tyler Moore doubling to knock in Michael Morse. The Nationals got another in the sixth inning on a Moore solo shot. Washington extended the lead in the eighth inning as Morse hit a two-run home run, also scoring Bryce Harper. This made the final 5-1, with the win going to Jackson, while Lee was dinged for the loss. The Nationals finish at 98-64 with the playoffs on tap, while the Phillies end even at 81-81.

West to Chicago, for the last Wrigley Field matinee of the year, with the Cubs hosting the Houston Astros. Edgar Gonzalez and Travis Wood are the young starters. Houston started in the first inning as Carlos Corporan singled in Matt Dominguez. Chicago tied it in the second inning on a Bryan LaHair solo home run. The Cubs took the lead in the fourth inning as Anthony Recker walked with the bases loaded to force in Dave Sappelt, followed by Wood singling Josh Vitters and Brett Jackson around. The Astros tied it in the eighth inning on a three-run home run by Justin Maxwell, sweeping in Jed Lowrie and Dominguez. Chicago won 5-4 in the ninth inning as LaHair singled to drive in Darwin Barney. This set the win up for Carlos Marmol, while Hector Ambriz was stuck with the loss. The Cubs finish 61-101, and the Astros end at 55-107.

Out in California, the Oakland Athletics host the Texas Rangers for AL West supremacy. Ryan Dempster and A.J. Griffin are set to start. Oakland was first to score in the first inning on a Brandon Moss double, plating Stephen Drew. Texas rallied ahead in the third inning as Adrian Beltre singled in Ian Kinsler, Michael Young doubled to knock in Josh Hamilton, David Murphy singled both Nelson Cruz and Young home, and Geovany Soto singled to finish Murphy's trip around. The Athletics got them all back and then some in the fourth inning as Josh Reddick doubled to plate Moss before scoring on a Seth Smith single, followed by Coco Crisp doubling both Josh Donaldson and Smith across the dish, and Yoenis Cespedes reached on an error to allow both Crisp and Drew to come home. Oakland got another in the fifth inning as Derek Norris singled to drive in Donaldson. The Athletics padded the lead in the eighth inning as Norris hit a solo home run, followed by Moss singling both Crisp and Drew home, and also Cespedes after an error. This made the final 12-5, with the win belonging to Evan Scribner, while Derek Holland was dealt the loss. The Athletics secured the division with a 94-68 record, while the Rangers face a wild card fate at a 93-69 record.

Way southeast to Miami, as the Marlins host the New York Mets. Jeremy Hefner and Tom Koehler are the unknown pitchers. New York opened in the third inning on an Andres Torres solo home run. The Mets added on in the fourth inning as Scott Hairston hit a two-run home run, also scoring Ike Davis. New York struck again in the sixth inning as Davis hit a solo shot. Miami got on the board in their half of the inning when Gorkys Hernandez singled in Donnie Murphy. The Marlins pulled closer in the eighth inning with Bryan Petersen scoring on a passed ball. This wasn't enough to escape a 4-2 loss, with Hefner notching the win and Koehler taking the loss. The Mets end the season at 74-88, while the Marlins finish 69-93.

As far northwest as you can go, the Seattle Mariners host the Los Angeles Angels. Jered Weaver faces a lesser foe in Blake Beavan. Seattle began in the first inning with Kyle Seager doubling in Dustin Ackley, followed by Jesus Montero grounding into a fielder's choice to give Seager time to score. The Mariners added on in the third inning as Montero doubled both Casper Wells and Seager across the dish. Seattle padded the lead in the sixth inning with a Wells single to knock in Montero and Michael Saunders. The Mariners kept going in the seventh inning when Montero singled, which combined with an error to get John Jaso home, followed by Carlos Triunfel singling both Justin Smoak and Montero safely home, and a Wells three-run home run, sweeping in Trayvon Robinson and Triunfel. This ended the beatdown at 12-0, with Beavan pitching very well in the win and Weaver was on the hook for the loss. The Mariners finished with a 75-87 record, while the Angels ended the season at 89-73.

Back east, the Cleveland Indians host the Chicago White Sox. Gavin Floyd and David Huff are the back-of-the-rotation starters. Chicago led off in the second inning as Dan Johnson hit a two-run home run, also scoring Dayan Viciedo. The White Sox added on in the fourth inning as Hector Gimenez singled Viciedo around. Chicago padded the lead in the fifth inning on a two-run blast by Paul Konerko, sweeping in Ray Olmedo, followed by Johnson going yard on another two-run homer, bringing Viciedo with him again. The White Sox kept going in the ninth inning with solo shots by Viciedo and Johnson. This produced a 9-0 final, with the win going to a dominant Floyd, while Huff was dealt the loss. The White Sox end the year at 85-77, while the Indians are closing out at 68-94.

A little more east, the New York Yankees welcome the Boston Red Sox. Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hiroki Kuroda are the Japanese pitchers. Boston was first to score with a first inning Cody Ross single to drive in Jacoby Ellsbury. New York took the lead in the second inning on a three-run home run by Curtis Granderson, sweeping in Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher. The Yankees padded the lead in the third inning as Cano hit a two-run home run, also scoring Alex Rodriguez. New York got some more in the fifth inning as Cano hit another two-run home run, again scoring Rodriguez. The Yankees extended the lead in the sixth inning with Cano singling to plate both Russell Martin and Ichiro Suzuki. The Red Sox took one back in the seventh inning on a Jose Iglesias single to score Pedro Ciriaco. New York shot back in their half of the inning as Granderson hit a solo home run, followed by Suzuki doubling in Raul Ibanez and Brett Gardner, Swisher singling to finish Suzuki's trip around, and Mark Teixeira hitting a sacrifice fly to bring in Eduardo Nunez. This concluded the 14-2 drubbing, with Kuroda earning the win and Matsuzaka getting pinned with the loss. The Yankees end the year with a playoff bound 95-67, while the Red Sox finish with a 69-93 record.

Up in Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays host the Minnesota Twins. Scott Diamond and Brandon Morrow are on the hill. Toronto established a lead in the third inning with Rajai Davis singling in Anthony Gose before scoring on an Adeiny Hechavarria single. Minnesota took one back in the fourth inning as Matt Carson grounded into a fielder's choice to bring in Ben Revere. This was as close as it got, with the final being 2-1. Morrow was dominant in the win, while Brandon Lyon picked up a spot save, and Diamond took a hard-luck loss. The Blue Jays finish at 73-89, while the Twins end the season with a 66-96 record.

Back stateside, the Tampa Bay Rays host the Baltimore Orioles. Chris Tillman and Jeremy Hellickson are the reliable starters. Tampa Bay got going in the first inning on an Evan Longoria solo home run. The Rays added on in the fourth inning with solo shots from Longoria and Ryan Roberts. Tampa Bay struck again in the sixth inning as Longoria went yard for his third solo home run of the game. Baltimore got on the board in the ninth inning as Adam Jones hit a sacrifice fly to bring in J.J. Hardy, but this only made it a 4-1 final. Hellickson notched a strong win, Fernando Rodney closed out for the save, and Tillman was given the loss. The Rays end the year at 90-72, while the Orioles will be designated to the wild card game against the Rangers with a record of 93-69.

Way to the west, the Arizona Diamondbacks host the Colorado Rockies. Jeff Francis and Ian Kennedy receive the starting nods. Arizona opened in the third inning as A.J. Pollock hit a solo home run. Colorado pulled ahead in the fourth inning with Wilin Rosario reaching on an error to bring in Charlie Blackmon, followed by DJ LeMahieu singling to knock in Jordan Pacheco. This stood for a 2-1 final, with the win going to Francis, the save finished off by Matt Belisle, and the loss pinned on Kennedy. The Rockies finish the year at 64-98, while the Diamondbacks end at an even 81-81.

Out in California again, the Los Angeles Dodgers welcome the San Francisco Giants. Ryan Vogelsong and Clayton Kershaw pace the game. San Francisco started in the fourth inning as Buster Posey grounded out to get Marco Scutaro home. Los Angeles tied it in the fifth inning with Kershaw singling home Luis Cruz. The Dodgers took the lead in the sixth inning on an Adrian Gonzalez single to plate Andre Ethier. Los Angeles extended the lead in the eighth inning on an Alex Castellanos solo home run, followed by Juan Rivera hitting a two-run home run, also scoring Elian Herrera. This produced a 5-1 final, with the win going to Kershaw, while Clay Hensley was handed the loss. The Dodgers end the year at 86-76 while the Giants are playoff bound on a 94-68 mark.

Northeast to Milwaukee, as the Brewers host the San Diego Padres. Andrew Werner and Josh Stinson are the unknown pitchers. Milwaukee led off in the first inning as Aramis Ramirez singled home Rickie Weeks. The Brewers added on in the second inning as Travis Ishikawa grounded out to give time for Carlos Gomez to dash home. Milwaukee padded the lead in the third inning as Jonathan Lucroy doubled in Norichika Aoki, followed by a 3-RBI Ishikawa double, sweeping in Ryan Braun, Lucroy, and Gomez. San Diego got on the board in the fourth inning on a Chris Denorfia solo home run. The Padres got another in the fifth inning as Alexi Amarista scored on an error as Everth Cabrera stole second base, and Cabrera was able to score on a ground rule double by Chase Headley. San Diego pulled closer in the sixth inning as Cameron Maybin hit a two-run home run, also scoring Denorfia. The Padres took the lead in the seventh inning as Headley tripled to force in Will Venable before coming the final 90 feet on a Yonder Alonso sacrifice fly. This was good for a 7-6 win, Tommy Layne in line for the win, Luke Gregerson finishing off for the save, and the loss was pinned on Jim Henderson. The Padres finish at 76-86, while the Brewers end at 83-79.

South to Kansas City, as the Royals host the Detroit Tigers. Max Scherzer and Luis Mendoza are the inconsistent starters. Detroit began in the fifth inning as Austin Jackson doubled home Omar Infante. This was the only run scored, with the final being 1-0. The win was handed to Luis Marte, the save was finished off by Luke Putkonen, and the loss was stuck on Mendoza. The Tigers end the year postseason bound with an 88-74 record, and the Royals head into the offseason at 72-90. Another big congratulations is in order for Miguel Cabrera, the first Triple Crown winner (batting average, home runs, and RBIs) since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.

Across Missouri, we end with last year's World Series champions, the St. Louis Cardinals, hosting the Cincinnati Reds. Homer Bailey makes his follow up to a no-hitter pitching against Shelby Miller. St. Louis got going in the eighth inning on a Matt Carpenter single to bring in Shane Robinson. This was the only run, giving Victor Marte the win, Jason Motte the save, and Jonathan Broxton the loss. The Cardinals head to the wild card game with an 88-74 record, while the Reds get some time off before playoff ball, sitting on a 97-65 record.

Again, I'd like to thank everyone for sticking with me throughout the MLB regular season. It has been the most difficult season to complete, but here we are, over six months from the season opener in Japan. Keep an eye out for the playoff posts, as well as the usual for football, and starting on November 1st, the KHL to feed the hockey-hungry among us. As always, follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion, and I wish you all a happy postseason.