And That Happened

Royals 2, Brewers 1: Luis Mendoza took a no-hitter into the seventh, but it was still close as prodigal Royal Zack Greinke was pretty sharp too, striking out eight and allowing one run over seven innings. Billy Butler’s RBI single in the eighth was the difference.

White Sox 6, Cardinals 1: Paul Konerko is batting .373. And he’s still, like, 300,000 votes behind Prince Fielder for the All-Star Game. One day he’s gonna be dead and we’re gonna treat him like we treated Whitney Houston and Levon Helm Donna Summer and all of those others who died recently: we’re gonna pretend we always recognized his greatness when, in the moment, most of us truly didn’t.

Yankees 6, Braves 4: If you get up 4-0 on CC Sabathia after seven innings and you have a bullpen like the Braves do, you can normally expect to win the game. But nope, not last night. Jonny Venters has been a weak link this year (he’s got a 7.04 ERA and a .382 opposition average in his last 20 appearances) and gave up a grand slam to Alex Rodriguez, after which Cory Gearrin gave up a two-run job to Nick Swisher. The slam was A-Rod’s 23rd, tying Lou Gehrig’s record. I expect someone today will write a column in a New York tabloid about how A-Rod doesn’t deserve to hold the record or some noise like that.

Reds 7, Indians 2: It’s the BATTLE OF OHIO!  Winner gets to leave, I suppose.  Anyway, Johnny Cueto went the distance, allowing only one run on six hits. Joey Votto’s ridiculously good season continues with a two-run homer.

Cubs 4, Tigers 3: Know what was fun? Before the season how if you suggested that Detroit’s defense was lacking and how, in response, Tigers people on the Internet would get all up in your face about it, saying how that’s all overblown and how easy and lazy a storyline that was to be peddling. Well, sorry, it’s true. Last night the Tigers were undone by defense once again as the Cubs scored the winning run by virtue of not one but two Jhonny Peralta throwing errors in the eighth inning. Some easy, lazy storylines are easy and lazy because they’re true.

Red Sox 2, Marlins 1: A strong outing from Clay Buchholz, who allowed one run in seven innings to help the Sox snap a four-game skid. The Marlins played with the roof open for the second straight night, presumably because they broke a losing streak the other night while doing it. Guess it goes back to closed now.

Rangers 9, Diamondbacks 1: Colby Lewis went the distance and allowed one run on four hits. He didn’t allow a base runner until the sixth inning.

Twins 11, Phillies 7: Another easy storyline? How the Phillies are playing so bad because of so many injuries. Guess what: the people who aren’t injured sort of suck this year too. Kyle Kendrick was shelled and Joe Savery and B.J. Rosenberg weren’t much help in relief. The Phillies are actually farther out of first place than are the Twins.

Mets 11, Rays 2:  Jordany Valdespin drove in four runs. Ike Davis chipped in three more with a homer. That’s a name we haven’t called around here very often this year. Chris Young is one too. He got his first win in a year.

Nationals 4, Blue Jays 2: Bryce Harper hit a looong homer run. Yawn. I’m far more interested in the one hit by Nats catcher Jhonatan Solano. Because if he can stick in the bigs, he and Jhonny Peralta could form some sort of super hero team of misspelled Johns.

Orioles 8, Pirates 6: Brian Roberts returned to action for the first time in13 months. He led off, went 3 for 4 and hit a sac fly. The 1-4 hitters in the O’s lineup combined to go 11 for 19 while driving in six.

Dodgers 5, Angels 2: The Dodgers had a four-run eighth inning to rally. And you know what was special about that inning?

The entire inning was set up when second-base umpire Joe West called Dee Gordon safe on a two-out stolen base. Television replays appeared to show the throw from catcherHank Conger beat the runner.

Knock me over with a feather.

Padres 5, Mariners 4: Down 5-1 in the ninth, the Mariners rallied, but it fell short. Felix Hernandez looked rusty after going 11 days between starts. He went six innings, allowing nine hits, five runs and three walks.

Athletics 8, Rockies 5: Brandon Moss homered twice. When he was called up the other day I asked whether he was truly an upgrade over Kila Kaʻaihue. Since that callup he isn’t exactly setting the Earth on fire, but he has hit three home runs.

Giants 6, Astros 3: Madison Bumgarner: one-man wrecking crew. He struck out 12 in seven and two-thirds and hit a homer.


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Richard
11 years ago

“Another easy storyline? How the Phillies are playing so bad because of so many injuries. Guess what: the people who aren’t injured sort of suck this year too. Kyle Kendrick was shelled and Joe Savery and B.J. Rosenberg weren’t much help in relief.”

Naturally, your dismissed “easy storyline” is followed up with evidence that supports it. If you have tons of injuries, which they do, and you’re forced to rely on guys like Kendrick and minor leaguers like Savery or Rosenberg, you’re going to struggle. That’s the whole point of the injury storyline.

Jason
11 years ago

Detroit’s defense is abysmal.  But last night isn’t the greatest example.  Both runners were out.