Twins 6, Indians 4

- Scott Baker (3-4) was hittable (nine hits, including a pair of homers, as well as some hard-struck balls that found gloves), but pitched a solid seven innings, allowing four runs, three earned, to pick up the win. He didn't walk a batter for the second time in three starts and struck out five, making it seven straight outings in which he's fanned five or more.
- Josh Tomlin (7-3) couldn't keep the good times rolling, allowing six runs on nine hits over six innings of work. Once again, he didn't walk anyone, but he was done in on a bunch of soft hits and a couple wild pitches. Tomlin has just 11 walks against 44 strikeouts this year and has walked one or no batters in 10 straight starts now, but he's given up 16 runs in his last three turns.
- Michael Brantley had three hits, including a double and a solo homer (5), and scored two runs.
- Asdrubal Cabrera had the same line as Brantley except that his homer (12!) was of the two-run variety.
- Carlos Santana: 0-for-4, .224. His BABIP is low at .252 entering the night's play, but a lot of that can be attributed to a steep decline in line drive rate from last year's 21.1|PERCENT| to 13.8|PERCENT|. All those line drives have turned into ground balls, and a lot of his fly balls have turned into pop-ups, suggesting that Santana may be pressing a bit.
- Matt Capps walked one, but pitched a scoreless ninth for his eighth save.

Phillies 3, Dodgers 1

- Cliff Lee (5-5) was back in Jekyll mode for this one, scattering seven hits and a walk while striking out 10 batters over seven shutout innings. He's been a wild card all year long, alternating between absolute dominance and absolute mediocrity.
- Ted Lilly (4-5) was the hard-luck loser, going six innings and allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out four and walked one.
- Ryan Madson picked up an uninspiring save (13), allowing a run on two hits, but striking out two.
- Three singles in four turns out of the leadoff spot for the pesky Jamey Carroll.
- Dee Gordon made his MLB debut as a pinch-runner and scored a run. Please note the .316 average (in the hitter-friendly PCL, admittedly) and 22 steals in Triple-A.

Orioles 4, Athletics 2

- It was a long time waiting for Brian Matusz's (1-0) first win of 2011, but he accomplished it Monday. Despite allowing nine baserunners (seven hits, two walks) over 5.1 innings, the only runs he gave up came on a two-run homer. Matusz has shown some rust in his first two starts back, but he should just keep getting better.
- Gio Gonzalez (5-4) found his control again, walking just one over seven innings, but he was charged with four runs (three earned) on nine hits and struck out just three, his lowest total all year. Consistency is still a problem, but he did settle down after allowing all four runs in the first two innings.
- Adam Rosales, just called up from his rehab assignment, made his season debut and accounted for both the A's runs with the fourth-inning homer (1) off Matusz.
- Derrek Lee, playing in his third game back from the DL, picked up his second steal of the season -- and of third base, no less.
- Kevin Gregg pitched a perfect ninth with a pair of strikeouts for save No. 11.
- Mark Ellis left the game with a hamstring strain. Hi there, just-called-up Scott Sizemore.

Reds 8, Cubs 2

- Mike Leake (5-2) worked around 10 hits in eight innings, allowing just two runs. That's three quality starts in a row, but he's still not striking batters out -- just three in this one makes it eight total in his last three starts. Ground balls will only take you so far.
- Matt Garza (2-5) just can't get his game together. He allowed four runs on six hits and three walks in four innings of work. He's walked 10 in 15 innings spanning his last three starts.
- Bombs for Drew Stubbs (9) and Jonny Gomes (8). Gomes' was of the three-run variety; he drove in a fourth run with a single.
- Jay Bruce just keeps on doin' work -- 3-for-4, two doubles, three runs and an outfield assist for some icing.
- Kosuke Fukudome went 3-for-5 with a double and a run, and Blake DeWitt went 3-for-4 with a double for the Cubs.
- Geovany Soto: 0-for-4, .213.
- Tyler Colvin: 0-for-4, .086. He hasn't had a hit since April 28, including going 0-for-19 in six games since being recalled.

Brewers 7, Marlins 2

- Zack Greinke (5-1) keeps moving in the right direction -- three straight quality outings and wins in five of his last six outings. This time, seven innings of two-run ball, six strikeouts, and just one walk -- he's only walked seven batters in seven starts so far.
- Javier Vazquez pulled a Javier Vazquez, getting six runs laid on him in four innings. On the bright side, he struck out six against just one walk.
- Prince Fielder struck the big blow against Vazquez, a three-run bomb (14), and he later added an RBI single.
- Ryan Braun had a couple hits and his 14th steal.
- Three-hit games for Logan Morrison (and a pair of RBI) and Omar Infante (a perfect 3-for-3).

Tigers 13, Rangers 7

- Max Scherzer (7-2) was the beneficiary of the Tigers' offensive outburst, allowing five runs on eight hits in five innings. He's now allowed 19 runs in his last 13.2 innings, during which his ERA has leapt from 2.98 to 4.68. He makes an intriguing buy-low candidate, perhaps.
- Just when it looked like things were going right for Colby Lewis (5-6)... here's the implosion. Ten hits, including four homers, produced nine runs in just 3.1 innings of work.
- Brennan Boesch was the offensive star for Detroit, going 5-for-6 with a pair of homers (7), a double and five RBI. He's ht in four straight after seeing his average fall to .250.
- More homers for Le Tigres (I didn't take Spanish, so I don't know if that's right): Alex Avila (9), Andy Dirks (3).
- Nelson Cruz provided the majority of the Texas offense, homering twice (14), including a 459-foot B-O-M-B and driving in four.
- Ian Kinsler provided much of the rest, going 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBI. He's still only at .230, but you gotta love the 37:26 BB:K.
- Danny Worth came on as a pinch-hitter for Detroit and went 2-for-2 with three RBI.

Royals 3, Blue Jays 2

- Felipe Paulino's second start of the year was quite a useful one, as he went 6.2 innings, allowing just three hits, three walks, and two runs (one earned) while striking out four. Possibly useful waiver material here.
- Brandon Morrow was even better on the other side, going six innings and allowing just two hits and three walks while fanning five. He gave up just an unearned run, but like Paulino, he got no decision.
- The losing decision went to Frank Francisco (1-3), who hasn't had a hitless appearance since May 19. That's also the date of his last save.
- The winner? Joakim Soria (4-3), with two perfect innings and -- GASP -- a strikeout!
- Aaron Crow still performed the closer duties despite the lack of a save situation, bailing out Greg Holland in the eighth and pitching the ninth at home in a tie game.
- Steals for Toronto: Corey Patterson (8), Aaron Hill (8).
- Steals for KC: Melky Cabrera (7), Mike Aviles (10).
- Marc Rzepczynski threw one strike out of 13 pitches in a painful relief appearance.

White Sox 3, Mariners 1

- It took John Danks until June, but he finally won a game, and he did it in style: 7.1 innings, seven hits, one run (unearned), six strikeouts. I hope you didn't give up on him.
- Michael Pineda (6-3) wasn't his usual strikeout-y self, fanning just three, but he went seven solid nonetheless, allowing only five hits and two runs. Not enough to keep from losing, unfortunately.
- Sergio Santos nailed down his 11th save with a perfect inning.
- Paul Konerko homered (13) off Pineda.
- Adam Dunn: 0-for-4, two strikeouts and an error. Now batting .176.
- Chone Figgins: 0-for-2, walk, strikeout, caught stealing. He's 7-for-13 on the basepaths. Figgins and Dunn battling it out to the bitter end for the biggest bust award.
- Greg Halman went 3-for-3 with a run, making him 6-for-7 (.857) in his first two games of the year. I predict he keeps this up all season long.

Rays 5, Angels 1

- David Price (7-5) was on top of his game again, going seven pretty innings, allowing just one run on five hits. He struck out seven and didn't walk a batter.
- Tyler Chatwood's (3-3) ERA is slowly catching up to his horrendous WHIP, as he allowed five runs (four earned) in seven innings. He struck out five and walked just one -- a welcome turn of events, since he entered the game with 34 walks and 29 strikeouts on the year.
- Justin Ruggiano hit a two-run homer (2) and added a run-scoring single.
- Reid Brignac went 3-for-4 with his first steal of the year, but is still hitting .186.
- Johnny Damon went 1-for-4 with a steal (7) and a run.

Rockies 3, Padres 0

- Clayton Mortensen (2-3) may have saved his rotation spot with six innings of five-hit shutout ball. He allowed two walks and struck out three.
- Clayton Richard (2-7) turned in a terrific outing, exactly the sort of thing you expect from him in Petco -- seven innings, one run, five hits, three walks, eight strikeouts. And he got a loss for his trouble.
- Huston Street cleaned up neatly with two strikeouts for his 16th save.
- Chase Headley went 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 16 games.

Giants 5, Nationals 4 in 13

- Tim Lincecum didn't quite have it tonight, allowing four runs in five innings. He surrendered five hits and three walks, but did strike out five.
- John Lannan went unrewarded on the other end, pitching seven pretty innings (four hits, three walks, six strikeouts) and allowing no scoring other than a solo homer by Aaron Rowand (2).
- Ian Desmond had three hits and stole his 18th base.
- Michael Morse just keeps raking and raking. He doubled and homered off Lincecum and drove in three runs.
- Jayson Werth: 0-for-5, .244.
- Andres Torres had a couple hits and stole his seventh base.
- The win goes to Javier Lopez (3-1) for a perfect 1.1; the loss to Craig Stammen (0-1) for an unpretty 0.2.