The St. Louis Cardinals were looking to stay afloat against the Nationals following their series win over the hottest team in baseball, the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cardinals put their ace on the hill, Adam Wainwright, whom tossed seven strong innings against the Cubs last Saturday. The Nationals came into yesterday's game on a 6-3 win over the Marlins. They had rebounded after an ugly game on Tuesday, when they allowed 11 runs, en route to a loss. They featured Taylor Jordan on the mound, who took a loss to the Braves just five days earlier. Wainwright not only bounced-back, but he had his best outing of the season. He went all nine innings, allowing just two hits and three walks, while striking out eight. Wainwright tossed his seventh shutout since 2010. Behind Wainwright, the Cardinals roughed up Jordan, scoring three runs in the first and sixth, while adding single runs in the fourth and seventh. Wainwright helped his own cause; he got two hits, drove in one, and scored one more. Five other Cardinals totaled two hits in their eight run, fifteen hit attack. The Cardinals are 10-6 in their first 16 games. The Nationals did not get much from anyone. Ian Desmond and Adam LaRoche got the two hits, while LaRoche also walked in the second. Other than two other walks, the Nationals were completely shut down. Taylor Jordan tossed five and one-third innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on seven hits, while striking out four. He falls to 0-2 on the season. The Nationals overall are 9-7 in their first 16 games. Cardinals 8, Nationals 0
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While the reigning champions came into this game with a 5-8 record, the Chicago White Sox have been one of this season's early surprises, coming into Tuesday's game with a 7-6 record. In a battle of the Sox, Erik Johnson (White Sox) faced off against Jake Peavy (Red Sox) on a 40 degree night in Chicago. What a way to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day. The first hit, and run, was a solo shot from Adam Dunn in the bottom of the second inning. He took the sixth pitch off of Jake Peavy, and drove it just behind the right field wall. That was number 42's third home run of the season. Then, in the top of the fourth, Daniel Nava took the fifth pitch of his at bat off of Erik Johnson to right field as well. That was his second shot of the season. Only four hits were recorded following Nava's home run. One of them was a single by Alexi Ramirez in the ninth inning. Two batters later, Adam Eaton walked. Then, Marcus Semien hit a ground-ball to Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts. Bogaerts fielded the ball cleanly, but did not make an accurate throw to Mike Carp, sealing the deal for the White Sox. White Sox 2, Red Sox 1 Heading into today's matchup with the Pirates, the Milwaukee Brewers were one, if not the hottest, of the hottest teams in all of the Major Leagues. They had won eight in a row, catapulting them to the top of the National League. Today, they featured Kyle Lohse on the hill, against the Pirates' Charlie Morton.
The Brewers jumped out on top in the third when Carlos Gomez hit a sacrifice fly to right field. After an Andrew McCutchen sac fly as well, the Brewers scored in the bottom of the fourth, on an Aramis Ramirez RBI Single, scoring Ryan Braun. After that, the Brewers never looked back. They scored their other two runs on a throwing error. Kyle Lohse was dominant. He pitched 8 2/3 strong innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out nine and walking none. Lohse had allowed 6 runs in 12 innings previous to today's start. The Brewers winning streak is now at nine. For the Pirates, Charlie Morton kept them in the game until the error that plated two runs. He pitched seven innings, while allowing four runs (two earned runs) on six hits, while striking out three and walking three. Andrew McCutchen was the main offensive provider for the Pirates, going 1-for-3 with an RBI on a sac fly. Three other players tallied one hit. No Pirate hitter had a multi-hit game off of Lohse. Brewers 4, Pirates 1 Two American League West rivals faced off yesterday, the Los Angeles Angels and the Seattle Mariners. On the mound for the Angels was Garrett Richards, who struck out seven over five innings in his last start. For the Mariners, Roenis Elias was on the mound, who pitched five innings in his last start as well. The Angels picked apart the Mariners, tossing a combined one-hitter. The only hit for the Mariners was by Abraham Almonte, who singled to right off of Richards in the third. Albert Pujols hit his second home run of the season, crushing a two-run bomb, accounting for both of the Angels runs. This came in the top of the third. After one shutout inning of relief, Ernesto Frieri shut down Robinson Cano, Corey Hart, and Kyle Seager for the save, while only allowing a walk in between. There was pretty much no offense for the Mariners. In addition to their lone hit, they did walk four times. Other than that, they were silent. They kept themsevles in the game behind a good five innings Elias, whom allowed the homer to Pujols. Their bullpen came up big, as four relievers combined for five shutdown innings. Their offense just could not back them up. Angels 2, Mariners 0 The Philadelphia Phillies cancelled their home opener on Monday, so the game was rescheduled for yesterday. The Brewers wanted to come to Philly, score a lot of runs, and dampen the mood of the fans at Citizens Bank Park. And that's exactly what they did. The Brewers were powered by a historic day from Ryan Braun, who homered thrice, and drove in seven runs in his five at bats. Kyle Lohse delivered a good start, allowing three runs on seven hits in five strong innings. Jonathan Lucroy and Carlos Gomez each doubled, with the elder totaling three hits. And the Brewer bullpen allowed only one Phillies run over four good innings in the "complete game," where the Brewers were playing well in all aspects of the game. The Phillies took a lead in the bottom of the first on a Marlon Byrd single, but after allowing one to tie the game in the top of the second, they never regained the lead. Kyle Kendrick pitched five innings and allowed six runs (four earned) on nine hits. The Phillies bullpen added insult to injury, allowing four more runs (three were earned). Ben Revere and Jimmy Rollins led the team with three hits. Brewers 10, Phillies 4 The Kansas City Royals got their second look at their new acquisition of Jason Vargas yesterday as they faced the Tampa Bay Rays. Vargas, in his first start against the Tigers, went 7 innings and only allowed one run. He had signed a four-year, $32 million contract with the Royals back in November. For the Rays, Matt Moore was on the mound. Plainly, Vargas was absolutely fantastic. After pitching a three-hitter over eight innings, Ned Yost let him get back out for the ninth. Vargas (1-0) gave up a leadoff home run to Ben Zobrist in the ninth, and was then removed from the game. The Royals' four runs of offense came on an Eric Hosmer RBI single, and a three-run double from Alcides Escobar. Nori Aoki led the team with two hits. The Rays' Matt Moore (0-2) went 4 1/3 innings, but only allowed one run. His pitch count was not high; Moore had only 78 pitches. Regardless, Joe Maddon lifted him from the game. Evan Longoria had three hits to lead the Rays, Ben Zobrist homered, and Matt Joyce hit a RBI single to provide the offense for the Rays. They were unable to catch up following the Royals four consecutive runs. Royals (3-3) 4, Rays (4-4) 2 The Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves were in a early, but crucial, three game series to get a jumpstart on their opponent. The Braves were looking for the sweep after winning games one and two of the series. But, behind six and one-third innings of one run ball from Taylor Jordan, the Nationals were able to prevail. Jordan's only run of support came in the bottom of the first, when Jayson Werth singled and drove in Anthony Rendon. Jerry Blevins (1-0) came in relief of Jordan, and tossed an inning of shutout ball. Offensively, Ian Desmond hit a solo shot to give the Nationals the lead for good. Rafael Soriano shut the door on the Braves in the ninth. The Braves managed eight hits off of Nationals pitching, but their only run came on a sacrifice fly from Dan Uggla. Alex Wood (0-1) tossed seven innings, but gave up the go-ahead home run to Desmond, giving him the loss. Andrelton Simmons added two hits for the Braves, who are now 4-2 on the season. Nationals (4-2) 2, Braves (4-2) 1 All eyes were on Yankees' starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (1-0), as he made his first career Major League start yesterday. Tanaka impressed, as he went seven innings, allowing six hits, three runs (two earned), while striking out eight Blue Jay hitters. The Yankees also went off offensively, as every starter in their lineup got at least one base knock. Jacoby Ellsbury had three hits and five total bases. He stole two bases and scored two runs as well. And, Ichiro Suzuki also led the Yankees in hits, as he singled three times, and also scored two runs.
The Blue Jays got an early lead on Tanaka in the first two innings, scoring all three of their runs in that time. Melky Cabrera took Tanaka's third pitch of the evening, and launched it to right center field. Jonathan Diaz singled in their other two runs in the second, driving in Dioner Navarro and Brett Lawrie. Dustin McGowan (0-1), took the loss, allowing four Yankee runs in only two and two-thirds innings pitched. Yankees (2-2) 7, Blue Jays (2-3) 3 The 1-2 Athletics came out of a three game series against the Indians where they did not look that great. They head into a series against 3-0 division rival Seattle Mariners. And after a good start from Jesse Chavez (6 innings, 2 runs, 1 earned run), the Athletics had to come back. Their first run was scored on a scored on a Sam Fuld triple, who was thrown out at home. And following an RBI Triple by Yoenis Cespedes, the Athletics won the game in the 12th inning on a Coco Crisp home run. The Mariners took their hot start into the beginning of the game, scoring two quick runs on a Robinson Cano groundout, and an Abraham Almonte RBI Single. The Mariners held the lead until the eighth, when Tom Wilhelmsen gave up Cespedes' triple. That was the beginning of the end for the Mariners, as Hector Noesi gave up a home run to Crisp in the 12th inning to secure the Athletics' win. Athletics 3, Mariners 2 (F/12) The Houston Astros were all over Yankees starter C.C. Sabathia in the first and second innings, scoring all six of their runs. Second baseman Jose Altuve drove in two runs on two RBI singles, one in the first and second innings. Jesus Guzman hit a two-run homer in the first to blow open the lead. L.J. Hoes followed up in the second with his first homer of the season, on a pitch right down the middle from C.C. Sabathia. The Yankees did not get their first hit until Carlos Beltran got a single in the fourth inning. Astros starter did a good job shutting the Yankees down, pitching 6 2/3 shutout innings. In Derek Jeter's last Opening Day, he got hit by a pitch in his first at bat, but was okay. The Yankees runs came on RBI Singles from Brian McCann and Mark Teixeira in the eighth. Astros 6, Yankees 2 |
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