Royals 5 - Indians 3
- Danny Duffy held the Indians to 2 runs over 5 innings, for his third win. It could have been much worse as he gave up 8 hits and 3 walks. To his credit he did strikeout 6 batters, to build on his already nice 54 strikeouts over 62.2 innings.
- Fausto Carmona fell to 5-11 as he gave up 4 earned runs over 7.1 innings. He was inducing plenty of ground balls, but he wasn't able to miss many bats as he registered just 2 strikeouts. At this point, his 5.46 ERA is probably doing more bad than good for the Indians.
- Jason Kipnis hit his first ever MLB homer, a solo shot. It was his lone hit of the game as he went 1-5 with 2 strikeouts. In only 24 plate appearance he's hitting .136/.208/.318.
- Mike Moustakas went 1-4 with a double. He finishes the month of July with 6 extra-base hits. In 168 plate appearances he's hitting .199/.259/.258.
- W: Danny Duffy (3-4), L: Fausto Carmona (5-11), SV: Joakim Soria (20)
- HR: Alex Gordon (14), Jeff Francoeur (14), Jason Kipnis (1)
- SB: Chris Getz (19); CS: Jeff Francoeur (5), Michael Brantley (5), Asdrubal Cabrera (3)
Yankees 4 - Orioles 2
- Freddy Garcia pitched 6 innings and allowed 2 earned runs. He walked 2, struck out 6, and in the process lowered his ERA to 3.22. Garcia has now allowed 5 earned runs over his last 20.1 innings with 18 strikeouts and 3 walks.
- Jake Arrieta allowed 4 runs (2 earned) over 5 innings. He didn't command the ball well at all as he walked 6 batters and struck out 4. For the season his walk rate is a bloated 4.45 BB/9.
- Robert Andino went 1-2 with a walk, run, and 3 stolen bases. He's shown decent speed in the past in the minors, but this is likely just an aberration.
- Derek Jeter left the game after being on the hand with a Arrieta pitch. The diagnosis was a bruised middle finger on his right hand. He's day-to-day for now (aren't we all?).
- W: Freddy Garcia (10-7), L: Jake Arrieta (10-8), SV: Mariano Rivera (27)
- SB: Adam Jones (10), Robert Andino (3, 4, 5), Robinson Cano (7)
Tigers 3 - Angels 2
- Justin Verlander flirted with a no-no into the 8th inning, before ultimately giving up 1 hit and 2 runs (0 earned). He struck out 9, in what was another utterly dominant outing. Verlander is third in ERA (2.24), first in wins (15), first in strikeouts (178), and first in innings (181.0). He has to be considered the front runner for the Cy Young award right now.
- Jered Weaver pitched 6.2 innings and allowed 3 earned runs on 4 hits and 1 walk. He struck out 8 batters, before being ejected for throwing at Tigers catcher Alex Avila. Weaver was in a foul mood after Carlos Guillen homered off him and posed to watch his shot. Weaver is still first in the AL in ERA (1.88).
- Carlos Guillen went 1-3 with a solo homer. He's batting .280/.296/.460 in just 54 plate appearances, since coming off the DL.
- Peter Bourjos went 0-3 with a RBI and run. More importantly, Mike Trout was nowhere to be seen. Most likely, Trout will be headed back to the minors, so he can get everyday at-bats.
- W: Justin Verlander (15-5), L: Jered Weaver (14-5), SV: Jose Valverde (28)
- HR: Magglio Ordonez (4), Carlos Guillen (2)
- SB: Vernon Wells (7)
Blue Jays 7 - Rangers 3
- Brandon Morrow struck out a season high 11 batters over 7 innings as he gave up 2 earned runs and received his 8th win. He came in a 6.38 ERA at home this season, so this was a welcomed start for Morrow. He could post some truly awesome stats if he could stay healthy for an entire season.
- C.J. Wilson got touched up for 7 runs (5 earned) over 3.2 innings. He's now given up 10 earned runs over his last two starts (7.2 innings). Maybe, just maybe, all the extra innings he's put on his arm over the last year are catching up to him.
- Colby Rasmus went 2-4 with a double, 2 RBI, and a run. Finally, his first hit as a member of the Blue Jays. He also struck out again, which put him at a 6 strikeouts to just 1 walk as a blue bird.
- Edwin Encarnacion went 1-3 with a 2-run homer. He's batting .270/.314/.444 this season with 9 homers and 29 RBI.
- W: Brandon Morrow (8-5), L: C.J. Wilson (10-5)
- HR: Edwin Encarnacion (9)
- SB: John McDonald (2); CS: Endy Chavez (3), John McDonald (3)
Red Sox 5 - White Sox 3
- Andrew Miller pitched 5.2 innings and allowed 3 earned runs on 10 hits and 1 walk with 8 strikeouts. He left in line for the loss, till Dustin Pedroia went laser show and drove in two runs. Miller has hasn't been all that effective this season with the Red Sox as he has a 5.36 ERA over 40.1 innings.
- Mark Buehrle allowed 2 earned runs over 6 innings on 5 hits, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts. For whatever reason, he's pitched better this season at the Cell with a 2.25 ERA there coming into this game. With the no-decision his record remains 8-5.
- Jacoby Ellsbury went 2-5 with 2 runs and a stolen base. He's up to 31 stolen bags now on the season. Pretty impressive for a guy who missed most of last season due to injuries.
- Adrian Gonzalez went 2-5 with a double and RBI, while Carl Crawford went 0-4 with a walk and 2 strikeouts. This has been the story for what seems like the majority of the season for these two.
- W: Alfredo Aceves (7-1), L: Jesse Crain (5-3), SV: Jonathan Papelbon (24)
- HR: Jason Varitek (7)
- SB: Jacoby Ellsbury (31), Kevin Youkilis (3)
A's 7 - Twins 3
- Brandon McCarthy had a quality start with 6 innings, 3 earned runs, no walks, and 9 strikeouts. He staked the Twins to a 3-0 lead after 3 innings, but then Carl Pavano did his thing (see below). McCarthy's performances at home since coming back from injury have been productive (3-0, 8 ER, 26 IP).
- Carl Pavano got shelled for 7 earned runs over 4 innings on 9 hits and 2 walks. His ERA is now 4.90, this coming off a season where he posted a 3.75 ERA. It's as if he's the Pavano of Yankee days past. It's worth noting that he owns a 3.32/5.68 home/road ERA split this season.
- Coco Crisp went 2-3 with a double, RBI, run, walk, and 3 stolen bases. Just imagine the damage he could do if he could stay healthy for a full season and/or get on base more often than a .329 clip. His next stolen base will break his current season record of 32… Who says speed is a young man's game?
- Jemile Weeks went 2-4 with a double, run, and stolen base. The rookie is hitting .302/.328/.413 this season over 203 plate appearances.
- Jim Thome went 3-4 with a solo shot. He's batting .252/.363/.470 and is now up to 597 career homers.
- W: Brandon McCarthy (4-5), L: Carl Pavano (6-8)
- HR: Jim Thome (8)
- SB: Jemile Weeks (11), Coco Crisp (30, 31, 32)
Rays 8 - Mariners 1
- Jeremy Hellickson pitched 7 innings of 1-run ball on 5 hits, 1 walk, and 2 strikeouts. It's been pretty much smooth sailing for Hell Boy this season as he's allowed more than 3 earned runs only twice this season through his 19 starts. He's now 10-7 with a 3.15 ERA, 79 strikeouts, and 45 walks over 122.2 innings.
- Jason Vargas was tagged for 4 runs over 5.1 innings with 1 walk and 6 strikeouts. That's now four straight starts with at least 4 earned runs allowed. Despite that, his ERA is still a semi-respectable 4.19.
- Sean Rodriguez went 3-4 with a homer, 3 RBI, 2 runs, a stolen base, and caught stealing. He's batting .224/.311/.380, which is a slight downgrade from the .251/.308/.397 he posted last season.
- Ben Zobrist went 3-5 with a double, 3 RBI, and a run. He's hitting .282/.374/.501 in a season where he's 4th in the AL in WAR. That probably means little to most fantasy owners, but his roster flexibility and constant production is very real.
- W: Jeremy Hellickson (10-7), L: Jason Vargas (6-10)
- HR: Sean Rodriguez (5)
- SB: Desmond Jennings (5), Sam Fuld (19), Sean Rodriguez (8); CS: Desmond Jennings (2)
Reds 9 - Giants 0
- Johnny Cueto tossed a complete game shutout on 3 hits, 1 walk, and 6 strikeouts. Cueto is now 7-4 with a 1.72 ERA. He hasn't allowed more than 3 earned runs in any of his starts this season. The Reds are going to need more of these types of performances from their pitching staff if they're going to make the playoffs.
- Barry Zito was tagged for 5 earned runs over 5 innings, in a loss. He gave up 8 hits with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. Zito came back in late June hot with three wins and 3 earned runs given up over 21 innings. However lately things have changed as he's given up 19 earned runs over his last 15.2 innings.
- Drew Stubbs went 4-5 with a double and 3 runs. Even with the four hits, his batting line is only .257/.333/.396. That's very close to the .255/.329/.444 line he posted last season.
- Joey Votto went 2-4 with a 3-run homer and a RBI single. The reigning MVP is hitting .319/.428/.515.
- Orlando Cabrera went 0-3 with a strikeout in his Giants debut.
- Todd Frazier went 1-4 with a solo shot, his first career HR.
- W: Johnny Cueto (7-4), L: Barry Zito (3-4)
- HR: Joey Votto (17), Todd Frazier (1)
- CS: Jay Bruce (5)
Marlins 3 - Braves 1
- Ricky Nolasco allowed just 1 earned run over 6.2 innings for his 8th win. He struck out 4 with no walks, but did give up 12 hits. Things could and probably should have been worse, but the Braves simply could not string hits. That's now back-to-back wins, after his 9 earned run implosion against San Diego.
- Tommy Hanson had a quality start with 6 innings pitched and 3 earned runs allowed. He gave up 6 hits and 4 walks with 7 strikeouts. After two lackluster starts (11 ER, 11.1 IP), he now has back-to-back quality starts.
- Emilio Bonifacio went 1-4 with a solo shot. His hit streak ended two games ago, but he seemingly still had lady luck on his side. It was his 3rd career homer for the power starved OF.
- Jose Constanza went 3-5 with a double and run. His short lived days at the team's leadoff centerfielder are over, now that the Braves have acquired Michael Bourn.
- W: Ricky Nolasco (8-7), L: Tommy Hanson (11-6), SV: Leo Nunez (30)
- HR: Emilio Bonifacio (2)
- SB: Hanley Ramirez (19); CS: Hanley Ramirez (10)
Nationals 3 - Mets 2
- Jordan Zimmerman twirled 6 shutout innings on 7 hits, 1 walk, and 6 strikeouts. After his last two starts (12 ER, 11.2 IP), this was a welcomed outing from his owners. Unfortunately, he didn't get the win as Drew Storen poo-pooed that bid in the 9th.
- Jonathon Niese pitched 5.1 innings and gave up 2 earned runs, also in a no-decision. He gave up 8 hits with no walks and 6 strikeouts. In the process he improved upon his 4.75 road ERA.
- Drew Storen blew a 1-run lead in the 9th for his 4th blown save of the season on a Scott Hairston solo shot. He was rumored to be traded to the Twins, but ultimately stayed put.
- Michael Morse went 2-4 with two doubles and a RBI. The 1B is hitting .312/.364/.545 in his breakout season.
- W: Drew Storen (6-2), L: Bobby Parnell (3-3), BSV: Drew Storen (4)
- HR: Scott Hairston (6, 7)
- SB: Jayson Werth (13); CS: Jose Reyes (7), Willie Harris (4)
Phillies 6 - Pirates 5
- Jeff Karstens pitched 7 innings of 3 run ball on 7 hits, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts. He did his job and was in line for the win, but the Pirates bullpen short-circuited that. Despite his paltry strikeout total (69 K over 126.2 IP), his 2.49 ERA is 5th best in the NL.
- Vance Worley struck out 7 batters and walked none, but gave up 4 earned runs over 7 innings in the process. This is his weakest outing since late May (5 ER, 3 IP) as his ERA is now a smooth 2.33. After the no-decision, his record remains 7-1.
- Raul Ibanez had a big day at the plate as he went 3-5 with two homers, a double, 4 RBI, and 2 runs. The double was a walk-off knock and he scored new teammate Hunter Pence. Ibanez is now batting .247/.293/.434 this season.
- Hunter Pence went 1-4 with a double, walk, and 2 runs. He also scored the game winning run in what was his second game as a Philly. He's batting .306/.355/.468 on the season.
- Pedro Alvarez went 0-5 with 3 strikeouts. Since coming back up he has 13 strikeouts and 3 walks over 29 at-bats.
- W: Antonio Bastardo (4-0), L: Tony Watson (0-2)
- HR: Lyle Overbay (8), Raul Ibanez (15, 16)
- SB: Pedro Ciriaco (1), Jimmy Rollins (23, 24), Shane Victorino (15); CS: Jimmy Rollins (5)
Brewers 5 - Astros 4
- Chris Narveson allowed 3 earned runs over 6.2 innings in a no-decision. He gave up 4 hits with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts. A 3-run homer in the 4th inning did all of the damage for Narveson, who was pretty lights out in his other 5.2 innings. He finished the month of July with a 4.39 ERA.
- Brett Myers pitched 6 innings and allowed 4 runs (3 earned) with no walks and 6 strikeouts. Over his last four starts (27 innings) he has a 3.67 ERA, which is almost a full run lower than his current 4.65 ERA. Myers should have been traded by the Astros last season when his value was high, unlike now.
- Jason Bourgeois went 1-4 with a 3-run homer, 2 runs, and 2 stolen bases. With Michael Bourn now a member of the Braves, Bourgeois should be the Astros everyday CF. The sky is the limit to his speed.
- J.D. Martinez went 0-3 with a walk and 2 strikeouts in his second game as a member of the Astros big league team. In 370 plate appearances at double-A he hit .338/.414/.546 this season.
- W: Francisco Rodriguez (4-2), L: Fernando Rodriguez (2-1), SV: John Axford (31)
- HR: Jason Bourgeois (1)
- SB: Jason Bourgeois (21, 22), Jason Michaels (1); CS: Corey Hart (6)
Padres 8 - Rockies 3
- Juan Nicasio struck out a season high 10 batters over 7 innings of 2 run ball. He gave up just 1 earned run on 5 hits and 2 walks. Rex Brothers and Matt Belisle promptly came in afterwards and nixed his win. Nicasio now has a 3.95 ERA to go with his 4-3 record.
- Wade LeBlanc had a quality start with 6 innings pitched and 3 earned runs allowed on 9 hits and 2 walks. After four starts he has 11 strikeouts and 9 walks over 21.2 innings.
- Dexter Fowler went 2-5 with 2 runs. He's batting .266/.363/.395 for the season and is 22-61 (.361) since coming back up.
- Jesus Guzman went 2-4 with a double, 3 RBI, and run. He 1B/OF is batting .333/.378/.607 in just 90 plate appearances.
- W: Chad Qualls (5-5), L: Rex Brothers (1-1)
- SB: Troy Tulowitzki (8), Cameron Maybin (25), Chase Headley (11)
Diamondbacks 6 - Dodgers 3
- Joe Saunders pitched 7.2 innings of 2-run ball on 8 hits, no walks, and 3 strikeouts. Coming into this game he had a 2.81 road ERA, which is quite different from his home 4.62 ERA. With a 3.56 ERA for the season, the D-Backs are getting better than expected value from Saunders.
- Rubby De La Rosa gave up 3 earned runs over 4 innings on 5 hits and 4 walks. In addition, he gave up 2 homers, while striking out 6 batters. Over his first 60.2 innings in the majors he has a 60/31 K/BB ratio… not bad, considering his aggressive promotion from Double-A this season.
- Gerardo Parra went 2-4 with two homers, 3 RBI, and 3 runs. The OF is batting .288/.356/.432 this season over 309 plate appearances.
- Dee Gordon went 1-4 in his first game back up in the majors.
- Collin Cowgill went 1-2 with a RBI, 2 walks, a stolen base, and caught stealing. Over his first 14 at-bats he has 2 hits with 2 stolen bases.
- W: Joe Saunders (8-8), L: Rubby De La Rosa (4-5), SV: J.J. Putz (24)
- HR: Ryan Roberts (15), Gerardo Parra (6, 7), Dioner Navarro (4)
- SB: Collin Cowgill (2); CS: Willie Bloomquist (8), Colling Cowgill (1)
Cubs 6 - Cardinals 3
- Ryan Dempster had a quality start with 6 innings pitched and 3 earned runs allowed. He gave up 7 hits with 1 walk and 6 strikeouts. He had a shutout going through 5 innings, till he gave up a 3-run homer in the 6th inning. Over 57.2 innings on the road this season, Dempster has a 6.24 ERA.
- Jake Westbrook gave up 4 earned runs over 6 innings on 3 hits, 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Coming into this game, he had a 6.33 home ERA. A year after he got traded to the Cardinals, Westbrook has been little more than a 4.00 ERA pitcher.
- Rafael Furcal went 0-1 in a pinch-hit effort. It was his first at-bat as a member of the Cardinals.
- He hit .197/.272/.248 as a member of the Dodgers this season.
- Lance Berkman hit a 3-run homer in a 1-4 effort. The 1B/OF is hitting .286/.396/.601 with 28 homers and 72 RBI this season.
- Alfonso Soriano went 1-4 with a 2-run homer. The 35 year old is hitting .247/.285/.458 this season.
- W: Ryan Dempster (8-8), L: Jake Westbrook (9-5), SV: Carlos Marmol (20)
- HR: Alfonso Soriano (17), Lance Berkman (28)