Rays 6, Yankees 5
- David Price made just two major mistakes -- a single to Eduardo Nunez and a homer to Curtis Granderson -- but they accounted for the five runs he allowed in five innings. He struck out five, though.
- Juan Cruz (2-0) got the win in relief.
- A.J. Burnett (4-3) had his worst start of the year, allowing three homers among the Rays' eight hits off him. He was tagged for six runs over 5.2 innings.
- Granderson's three-run homer was his 14th of the year, second in the majors only to Jose Bautista.
- Sam Fuld (2), Johnny Damon (7) and B.J. Upton (6) hit the homers off Burnett.
- Kyle Farnsworth pitched a clean ninth with a strikeout for his eighth save. I don't get it.
- Robinson Cano fouled a ball off his leg and got hurt a bit, but stayed in and isn't supposed to miss time.
Blue Jays 4, Tigers 2
- Good news: Kyle Drabek (3-2) allowed just one run on three hits over seven innings. No, don't look at the rest of the line. Don't do it. Oh, you did it. Yeah, so Drabek threw 58 strikes and 55 balls, walked six batters, struck out just two... but yeah, seven "solid" innings.
- Max Scherzer allowed the same number of baserunners over seven innings -- eight hits (all singles) and one walk for him -- and just a lone unearned run. He struck out only two, too. Battle of the unimpressively effective starters, this. It was Joaquin Benoit (1-3) who took the loss, though, giving up three runs.
- Frank Francisco gave up a homer to Jhonny Peralta (6) as well as a walk, but nailed down his fourth save. I still feel in my bones that Jon Rauch is the guy here ultimately.
- Austin Jackson stole his sixth base.
- Andy Dirks made his major league debut, going 1-for-2 with a walk and getting picked off by Drabek. He was hiting .328 in Triple-A with six homers and 10 steals, so there is some interest here with Ryan Raburn struggling. Raburn pinch-hit for Dirks and made an out, falling to .212 on the year.
- Victor Martinez's 13-game hitting streak ended.
Nationals 4, Pirates 2
- John Lannan struggled through 6.1 innings, allowing 11 baserunners (seven hits, four walks), but just two runs. He did strike out four. Cole Kimball (1-0) got the win in relief.
- Paul Maholm (1-6) arguably outpitched Lannan, striking out seven and allowing just six baserunners over 6.1 innings, but gave up three runs (all on two swings of the bat) and took the loss.
- Drew Storen allowed two hits, but collected his ninth save.
- Danny Espinosa hit a two-run homer (5) and Jerry Hairston Jr. (2) hit one, too, for all the offense against Maholm.
- Jayson Werth stole his sixth base.
- Ian Desmond (hamstring) was back in after missing two games. He went 0-for-2 with a couple walks.
Cardinals 3, Phillies 1
- Jake Westbrook (3-3) joined the club of unremarkably good Monday pitching performances with a seven-inning, four-hit, one-run effort. He walked three and struck out just one. Seriously, what gives?
- Cliff Lee (2-4) was uncharacteristically wild on the other end, throwing 122 pitches in 6.1 innings, walking a career-high six batters and allowing three runs. He struck out four.
- Fernando Salas got the call to close this one out for St. Louis, and he did so in fine fashion, throwing a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout for save No. 4.
- John Mayberry Jr., starting in place of the ailing Shane Victorino, stole his third bag.
Braves 3, Astros 2
- Tommy Hanson (5-3) was dominant, striking out 10 over seven innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk. He's got a 0.99 WHIP on the year.
- Brett Myers allowed 11 baserunners (eight hits, three walks), but struck out six and held the Braves to just two runs. He received no decision; Fernando Abad (1-4) took the loss. Still wondering why that guy's in the majors.
- Craig Kimbrel nailed down his 11th save. He allowed a single, but struck out the side.
- Matt Downs was the Astros' offense, homering (3) and also hitting an RBI double off Hanson.
- Carlos Lee had two hits and has a 10-game hitting streak going.
Marlins 2, Mets 1 in 11
- Yet another member for the threw-seven-innings-but-had-more-walks-than-strikeouts club: Mike Pelfrey, who allowed just one run on six hits, but walked two and struck out one. He had a 1-0 lead through six, but left a pitch up for Mike Stanton (8), who clubbed it well out to dead center.
- Josh Johnson made it through five innings, allowing seven hits and two walks, but just one run. He was hit on the forearm by a ball off Carlos Beltran's bat and didn't come out for the sixth.
- Ryota Igarashi (2-1) took the loss, allowing three hits, including reliever Burke Badenhop's second career hit, an RBI single in the top of the 11th. Don't be surprised if Igarashi, owner of a 1.97 WHIP, isn't on the team tomorrow.
- Badenhop (1-0) walked a couple in his inning of work, but didn't give up any hits and helped his own cause.
- Leo Nunez somehow allowed a pinch-hit triple to Mets starting pitcher Jonathan Niese, but struck out Jose Reyes with Niese 90 feet away for his 15th save.
- Reyes went 2-for-5 with a walk and stole two bags, giving him an MLB-leading 16, but uncharacteristically struck out twice.
- Hanley Ramirez went 0-for-6, stranding seven runners, and is hitting .204.
Red Sox 8, Orioles 7
- The troubled Chris Tillman actually turned in five scoreless innings, though you can't say they were altogether impressive. He allowed five hits and three walks while striking out just two, but he did hold the Red Sox off the scoreboard for half a game and left with a 6-0 lead that his bullpen blew quite efficiently.
- Kevin Gregg (0-1) put the cherry on top of the O's bullpen implosion, walking a couple batters and giving up Adrian Gonzalez's game-winning two-run double. He's got three blown saves and a 1.63 WHIP on the year.
- Michael Gonzalez (with the help of two errors) was the main culprit, giving up four runs in the sixth.
- Daisuke Matsuzaka was absolutely brutal, walking seven batters in just 4.1 innings, allowing five hits, and giving up five runs. He was lucky it was just five runs.
- Alfredo Aceves (1-0) threw three effective innings, allowing one run, in relief for the win.
- It's always a good day for steals when Jason Varitek is behind the plate: two for Brian Roberts (6), the first of the year for Mark Reynolds, No. 3 for Nick Markakis.
- Jacoby Ellsbury (13) and Carl Crawford (6) stole bags for Boston.
- Reynolds picked up a homer in addition to his steal, going 2-for-5 to raise his average all the way to .191.
Reds 7, Cubs 4
- Homer Bailey (3-0) wasn't at his sharpest, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks over six innings, but it was good enough. He struck out four.
- Carlos Zambrano (4-2) allowed the same number of hits and walks over 5.1 innings, but gave up six runs and struck out a mere three.
- Carlos Pena had two hits and homered (4) for the Cubs. He's quietly been on base in 11 straight games, although he'd gone 0-for-9 over his past three.
- Jonny Gomes apparently isn't completely dead, as he hit his seventh homer.
- Darwin Barney had three more hits, singles all, and is hitting .345.
- Francisco Cordero pitched a clean ninth for his eighth save.
Rangers 4, White Sox 0
- Hi there, Colby Lewis. His complete-game, five-hit shutout (the first of his career) certainly put him back on the radar. He struck out seven and walked just one; there's still a lot to like here.
- Stay infuriating, Edwin Jackson. Fourteen baserunners (11 hits, three walks) over 5.1 innings somehow led to just four runs, which is... impressive? He struck out six, at least.
- The battery of Jackson and A.J. Pierzynski is apparently fun to run on, as Endy Chavez (1), Michael Young (4) and Craig Gentry (2) swiped bags with success for Texas.
- Chavez, 0-for-9 in two games since being called up, batted leadoff and went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs.
Indians 19, Royals 1
- Josh Tomlin (5-1) was somehow able to make an 18-run lead hold up, once again pitching efficiently for six innings, allowing just one run on five hits with no walks and a strikeout. He needed only 81 pitches.
- Kyle Davies (1-6) walked three of the four batters he faced, then was pulled with shoulder soreness. He is truly awful. But not as awful as...
- Vin Mazzaro, who came on in the third inning and proceeded to deliver the worst pitching performance in Royals history: 2.1 innings, 11 hits, three walks, and 14 -- yes, fourteen -- runs. Way to take one for the team, Vin. He still didn't take the loss, providing reason No. 6,229,781 why wins and losses are irrelevant. He was demoted after the game. Big shock, I know.
- Michael Brantley hit a three-run homer (4) off Mazzaro in Cleveland's 10-run fourth inning.
- Asdrubal Cabrera had two hits, stole two bags (5) and scored three runs.
- Carlos Santana stole his first base of the year. He went 1-for-3 with three walks and a couple runs.
- Matt LaPorta went 4-for-4 with a walk and four RBI, raising his average from .248 to .274.
Rockies 7, Giants 4
- Coors Field is still a dangerous place to play your starters. Tim Lincecum (3-4) gave up seven runs (just three earned, thanks to his own error) over 5.2 innings, thanks to a ridiculous 15 baserunners (nine hits, six walks) and a couple homers. He struck out just three. So, to be clear, it's not exactly the ballpark's fault. But still.
- Clayton Mortensen (1-0) gave up four runs in six innings, which was good enough for his first win since Sept. 17, 2009, when he was with the A's.
- Huston Street picked up his 13th save, no problem.
- Seth Smith homered (4) and stole a base (3).
- Carlos Gonzalez homered, too (5), a three-run blast off Lincecum. He was also caught stealing for the first time.
- Dexter Fowler got caught stealing twice. He's a very Juan Pierre-like 2-for-7.
- Andres Torres (1) and Nate Schierholtz (3) homered off Mortensen.
- Cody Ross stole his first base of the year.
Padres 8, Diamondbacks 4
- Clayton Richard (2-4) was good enough, allowing five hits and three runs over 5.2 innings of work. He struck out five and walked three, and would have had a much better day if not for...
- Henry Blanco, a.k.a. Hank White, who got him for a pair of solo home runs (4). Blanco, who turns 40 in August, has hit all four of those homers in his last four starts behind the plate, already doubling his output from last year.
- Armando Galarraga (3-4) had a good, old-fashioned bad day, allowing eight runs (five earned) on eight hits and a couple walks in five innings of work. He walked two ands fanned just one.
- Mike Adams struck out three over 1.2 innings of work for his second career save in 242 appearances. -- a circumstantial one of the entered-the-game-with-the-tying-run-on-deck variety. No controversy here.
- Ryan Ludwick had two hits and three RBI, including a two-run bomb (7) off Galarraga.
- In addition to Blanco's homers, Justin Upton (8) went deep for Arizona.
- Stephen Drew stole his third base.
- Padres backup backup catcher Kyle Phillips took a clocking on the head from Galarraga's bat, then was hit by a pitch later in the game, but stayed in despite the vicious attacks on his person.
Mariners 5, Twins 2
- Michael Pineda (5-2) keeps working on that Rookie of the Year award, and if he doesn't hit the rookie wall, he might find himself working on a Cy Young, too. He went seven shutout, striking out seven, allowing three hits, walking no one, and throwing 70 of 99 pitches for strikes.
- Scott Baker (2-3) continued his surprising strikeout spike, fanning eight over six innings, but he still got tagged for four runs on seven hits.
- Adam Kennedy (4) and Carlos Peguero (2) went yard off Baker.
- Justin Smoak tweaked an ankle and left the game.
- Delmon Young went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts to drop his average to .192.
Brewers 2, Dodgers 1
- Shaun Marcum (5-1) continued making the National League his playground, going seven innings in this one and allowing just one run on five hits. He struck out five and walked one.
- Jon Garland (1-3) walked four while striking out just one, and allowed seven hits, but just two runs. Man, how many times have I written something like that tonight? At least he lost.
- John Axford saved his ninth, striking out two.
- Carlos Gomez picked up his ninth steal of the year, but also went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and left eight men on base. Nice.
Athletics 5, Angels 4 in 10
- Joel Pineiro stayed classy, allowing three runs (only one earned) over seven innings of typical Pineiroball -- 13 groundouts, six flyouts. He walked two, struck out three, and allowed six hits.
- Brett Anderson struggled with his control at times, walking four and flagging in the sixth and seventh innings after holding the A's off the board for the first five. He ended up being charged with three runs on five hits and four walks over 6.2 innings, but struck out seven.
- Anderson was let down by Michael Wuertz, who let his inherited runner score, plus another of his own. Wuertz entered the game with a zero ERA and just one hit allowed in 9.1 innings.
- Jordan Walden blew his third save, allowing a game-tying single to Daric Barton in the ninth, then Fernando Rodney (2-2) finished the losing by surrendering a run in the 10th.
- Grant Balfour (3-1) was the beneficiary. He struck out the side in the top of the 10th.
- Coco Crisp stole his 13th base.