Thome homers in return to Minnesota (AP)

Jim Thome hit home run No. 603 in his return to Minnesota, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Twins 7-6 Friday night to keep the Detroit Tigers from clinching the AL Central title. Thome homered in the ninth inning against Joe Nathan for a 7-4 lead, just Thome’s second home run since Cleveland reacquired him [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.mlbnewsblog.com/2011/09/17/thome-homers-in-return-to-minnesota-ap/

Add to del.icio.us

Digg this

Post to Furl

Add to reddit

Add to myYahoo!

Os slow Angels playoff push, win 8-3 (AP)

Knowing that every loss puts their playoff hopes in further jeopardy, the Los Angeles Angels played a clunker of a game against the last-place Baltimore Orioles. Starting pitcher Dan Haren struggled in his second-shortest outing of the season, the offense was silent until the ninth inning, and the Angels also made a costly error in [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.mlbnewsblog.com/2011/09/17/os-slow-angels-playoff-push-win-8-3-ap/

Add to del.icio.us

Digg this

Post to Furl

Add to reddit

Add to myYahoo!

Os slow Angels playoff push, rip Haren (AP)

Knowing that every loss puts their playoff hopes in further jeopardy, the Los Angeles Angels played a clunker of a game against the last-place Baltimore Orioles. Starting pitcher Dan Haren struggled in his second-shortest outing of the season, the offense was silent until the ninth inning, and the Angels also made a costly error in [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.mlbnewsblog.com/2011/09/17/os-slow-angels-playoff-push-rip-haren-ap/

Add to del.icio.us

Digg this

Post to Furl

Add to reddit

Add to myYahoo!

Red Sox beat Rays, lead wild card by 4 (AP)

Trade-deadline pickup Mike Aviles broke a fourth-inning tie with his first homer since joining the Red Sox and Boston beat Tampa Bay 4-3 on Friday night to hold off the charging Rays and extend its lead in the AL wild-card race to four games. Josh Beckett (13-5) returned from a skipped start for another strong [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.mlbnewsblog.com/2011/09/17/red-sox-beat-rays-lead-wild-card-by-4-ap/

Add to del.icio.us

Digg this

Post to Furl

Add to reddit

Add to myYahoo!

Cards continue surge, top Phillies in 11 (AP)

Adron Chambers drove in the go-ahead run with his first major league hit and Tyler Greene added an RBI double in the 11th inning to help St. Louis beat Philadelpha 4-2, keeping the Cardinals’ playoff push alive while putting the Phillies’ title celebration on hold. St. Louis appeared to have the game won in the [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.mlbnewsblog.com/2011/09/17/cards-continue-surge-top-phillies-in-11-ap/

Add to del.icio.us

Digg this

Post to Furl

Add to reddit

Add to myYahoo!

Braun hits 2 HRs, reaches 30-30 in win (AP)

Ryan Braun celebrated 30-30 and helped the Milwaukee Brewers start their final push toward a first NL Central title. Braun homered twice and became only the second player in Brewers history to get 30 homers and steals in a season Friday night, setting up a 6-3 victory that eliminated the Cincinnati Reds from playoff contention.

Read The Full Article:
http://www.mlbnewsblog.com/2011/09/17/braun-hits-2-hrs-reaches-30-30-in-win-ap/

Add to del.icio.us

Digg this

Post to Furl

Add to reddit

Add to myYahoo!

Molinas hit in 9th gets Jays by Yankees (AP)

Mariano Rivera remained on hold at 600 saves when CC Sabathia failed to hold a fifth-inning lead and Jose Molina’s single in the ninth lifted the Toronto Blue Jays over the New York Yankees 5-4 Friday night. Ahead 3-1, Sabathia allowed a three-run double to Aaron Lind in the fifth. Nick Swisher’s RBI single tied [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.mlbnewsblog.com/2011/09/17/molinas-hit-in-9th-gets-jays-by-yankees-ap/

Add to del.icio.us

Digg this

Post to Furl

Add to reddit

Add to myYahoo!

Brewers Braun reaches 30-30 in win (AP)

Ryan Braun homered twice and became the second player in Brewers history to get 30 homers and steals in a season, leading Milwaukee to a 6-3 victory Friday night that started a final push toward its first NL Central title and eliminated Cincinnati from playoff contention. Braun hit one of Milwaukee’s four homers off Bronson [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.mlbnewsblog.com/2011/09/17/brewers-braun-reaches-30-30-in-win-ap/

Add to del.icio.us

Digg this

Post to Furl

Add to reddit

Add to myYahoo!

Game Thread – September 16, 2011

Read The Full Article:
http://www.ladodgertalk.com/2011/09/game-thread-september-16-2011/

Add to del.icio.us

Digg this

Post to Furl

Add to reddit

Add to myYahoo!

Astros Lose In Extras 4-3

I actually was attending a funeral today during the Astros and Cubs game so we're going to do the recap a little different. I will be using comments from the game thread and tweets from twitter to give a recap, I'll also have my thoughts on the final play of the game after the jump:

Zachary Levine via Twitter:

Martin Sheen threw out the first pitch before Cubs-Astros today at Wrigley.

mike_o via the Game Thread:

Wow, I'm not even getting the game on WGN.

They’re showing Walker, Texas Ranger. And freaking FSSW has something about U of H.

Greg Lucas via Twitter:

Carlos Lee's 22nd career HR at Wrigley Field (and 17th this year) give Astros 1-0 lead in top 2nd.

mike_o via the Game Thread:

Soto HR.

/SIGH

AstroB via the Game Thread:

you can gauge the excitement of the game

when Brownie and JD are discussing the possibility that the flags in the CF poles are on the wrong poles.

AstroB via the Game Thread:

Ouch. Misplayed by Boggy single

and Ramirez ends up at third base.

Greg Lucas via the Twitter:

One out triple by Ramirez followed by RBI 1b by Baker and Cubs take their first lead 2-1 in bot 6

Cubs add another on RBI 1b by Soriano... now 3-1 with Wandy relieved by Wilton Lopez. Two out Two on bot 6

Alyson Footer via Twitter:

Martin Sheen will be singing "Take Me Out" during the 7th inning stretch today. Sweet!

Greg Lucas via Twitter:

After Seven: No change... Cubs 3, Astros 1

Zachary Levine via Twitter:

Jose Altuve just had his 200th career plate appearance last inning. He has 4 walks.

Greg Lucas via Twitter:

Astros get single by Corporan, but nothing more in top 8. Wallace rolls out 4-3 to extend hitless run to 0-26. Still 3-1 Cubs bot 8

mike_o via Game Thread:

Didn't even notice Harrell pitched an inning.

1-2-3 eighth, w/no strikeouts.

Joe in Birmingham via Game Thread:

Ninth inning starts with a Schafer single

AstroBrit via Twitter:

Faints dead away. Boy does Carlos love Wrigley. RT @GREGCLUCAS: Carlos Lee RIPS A TWO RUN HR... GAME TIED... 3-3!!!!

Zachary Levine via Twitter:

This was the first multi-homer game by an Astro this year, question mark, exclamation point

Nice easy low-leverage spot here for Xavier Cedeno's Astros and MLB debuts.

Brad Mills getting booed considerably here in Chicago for his third pitching change of the inning.

Alyson Footer via Twitter:

Not sure how long the game will last but here's what Corporan is wearing home #RookieRoadTrip http://twitpic.com/6lvdtz

Joe in Birmingham via Game Thread:

I think he was second batter

but quick two outs (Barmes and Corporan)

Matt Downs batting in the ninth slot

and he struck out to end the Astros tenth

And Greg Lucas to close us out via Twitter:

In Bot 12... Castro led off w/walk. Barney sac...int walk to Ramirez and Carpenter now faces Reed Johnson.

Wild pitch moves runners to 2nd and 3rd w/one out. Would Cubs try a squeeze???

Mills runs out (to boos) to confer. Astros might load 'em. That would make squeeze less likely..but no walk coming.

Carpenter throws pitch out in case of squeeze, but count goes to 3-0 so Johnsn walked. Bags jammed one out...winner at third. Byrd up

 

Cubs win on slow roller to third. Ruled fair, but may not have really been. Replays show Johnson touched it after ball was FOUL?? CLOSE!!

The first highlight I saw of the game was the final play in which Chris Johnson charged down the line on a ball bouncing near the foul line. Yes it looks like the umpires got the call wrong, but there was one out in the inning and no way of turning two, if Johnson was planning on going home it was going to be a tough play there as well. The ball should of been left alone, but I don't blame Johnson I blame Brad Mills for having him in that situation.  

This kids is what we call over managing.

First he took out Jose Altuve by pinch hitting J.B. Shuck who after grounding out was then replaced defensively by Angel Sanchez. He then used four relievers in the bottom of the ninth going lefty, righty, lefty, righty while also taking out Jimmy Paredes in the ninth inning and replacing him with Matt Downs. In the top of the twelfth inning Jason Bourgeois would pinch run for Carlos Lee who had reached via a singled. in came the pinch hitting Johnson who would pop out for Fernando Rodriguez, the last reliever to enter the ninth inning. 

With Lee and Brett Wallace (pinch hit eight inning) out of the game already that meant moving Downs from third base to first base. But wait you say, Bourgeois was in the game why not move Brian Bogusevic from right field to first base and keep Matt Downs at third. I don't know #MillsLogic 

David Carpenter would load the bases setting up Johnson's blunder. substituting Paredes, Altuve and Lee for Johnson, Sanchez and Downs is just asking for trouble. With the exception of Downs your weakening your offense and defense.

You're not going to win games that way but you are certainly going to lose a 100 that way. 

Add to del.icio.us

Digg this

Post to Furl

Add to reddit

Add to myYahoo!