Nationals vs. Braves

The Nationals beat the Braves in a score of 4-2.  In the top of the 2nd Justin Maxwell hit a grand slam for the Nationals to take a 4-0 lead. In the 4th Melkey Cabrera grounded out scoring Troy Glaus to put the Braves on the board.  In the 5th Martin Prado singled scoring Omar Infante.

John Lannan got the win pitching 6 innings giving up 8 hits, 2 runs, and 6 strikeouts.  The loss went to Mike Minor who pitched 5 innings giving up 4 hits, 4 runs, and 6 strikeouts.  Drew Storen got the save giving up no hits with 1 strikeout.

Marlins vs. Phillies

The Phillies beat the Marlins in a score of 10-5. The Phillies scored 3 runs in the 1st when Jason Werth singled home Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez doubled home Ryan Howard and Jason Werth.  In the bottom of the 1st The Marlins got on the board when Dan Uggla singled home Emilio Bonifacio.  The Phillies scored 3 more runs in the 3rd when Chase Utley hit a solo home run, Wilson Valdez singled home Ryan Howard, and Shane Victorino singled home Raul Ibanez.  In the 4th Wilson Valdez singled home Jason Werth and Raul Ibanez scored on a wild pitch.  In the bottom of the 4th the Marlins scored when Hector Luna hit a sac fly to score Gaby Sanchez.  In the 5th Placido Polanco singled home Shane Victorino.  The Marlins added a run in the 6th when Gaby Sanchez hit a solo homerun and in the 7th Hanley Ramirez grounded out scoring Logan Morrison.  In the 9th Ross Gload doubled home Carlos Ruiz.  In the bottom of the inning with the bases loaded Gaby Sanchez walked bringing home Emilio Bonifacio.

Roy Halladay got the win after pitching 6 innings giving up 10 hits, 3 runs, and 9 strikeouts.  Jorge Sosa got the loss pitching just 2.1 innings giving up 6 hits, 6 runs, with 1 strikeout.

Mets vs. Pirates

The Mets beat the Pirates in a score of 8-7. The Pirates scored a run in the 3rd when Jose Tabata hit a sac fly to score Ronny Cedeno.  In the 4th then Pirates scored when Pedro Alvarez tripled scoring Garrett Jones,  John Bowker doubled home Pedro Alvarez, and Andrew McCutchen singled home John Bowker and Chris Snyder.  The Mets took the lead in the 4th when Ike Davis doubled home Carlos Beltran, Mike Hesserman singled home David Wright, Ike Davis and Nick Evans, and Mike Hesserman scored  due to 2  fielding errors, and Angel Pagan singled home Ruben Tejada and Joaquín Árias.  In the 6th Jose Reyes hit a solo homerun.  The Pirates fought back scoring in the 8th when Ryan Doumit doubled home Ronny Cedeno and in the 9th Andrew McCutchen hit a solo homerun.

Jenrry Mejía left early due to injury after pitching just 2.1 innings giving up no hits, 1 unearned run, and 1 strikeout.  Raul Valdez got the win pitching only 1.2 innings giving up 4 hits, 4 runs, and no strikeouts.  The loss went to  Paul Maholm who pitched 3.2 innings giving up 7 hits, 7 runs, and 1 strikeout.  Hisanori Takahashi got the save after giving up 1 hit, 1 run, and 2 strikeouts.

Marlins vs. Braves

The Marlins blew a 6-0 lead to the first place Braves, but scored a run in the bottom of the 10th to earn a 7-6 victory Sunday afternoon in Florida. 

The Marlins jumped on Atlanta starter Mike Minor for six runs in the first three innings.  Hanley Ramirez ignited Florida’s offense with a run-scoring single in the first inning, and then hit a two-run homer in the third to put the Marlins up 6-0.  Marlins starter Alex Sanabia held the Braves scoreless until Nate McLouth singled home a run in the fifth, and Atlanta rallied for five more runs in the sixth to even the score.  Florida outfielder Cameron Maybin kept the Braves from taking the lead when he robbed McLouth of what would have been a go-ahead grand slam.  Instead, McLouth’s long drive turned into an unusual two-run sacrifice fly which tied the game at 6.

The score remained tied at 6 until the bottom of the 10th.   After lining a foul ball off of on-deck batter Logan Morrison, Florida’s Emilio Bonifacio tripled off of Atlanta reliever Eric O’Flaherty (3-2) to open the inning.  With Morrison unable to take his turn at bat, pinch hitter Scott Cousins delivered his first major league hit to score Bonifacio with the winning run.  Burke Badenhop (2-5) earned the victory in relief for the Marlins.

Phillies vs. Brewers

The Phillies remained a game back of the Braves as they fell by a score of 6-2 to former Phillie Randy Wolf and the Brewers in Philadelphia.

Prince Fielder blasted a three-run homer off of Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick (9-8) in the first inning to give Milwaukee an early lead.  The Phillies pulled to within a run in the second inning when Carlos Ruiz doubled home two runs off of Wolf, but the Brewers answered back with single runs in the third and fourth innings.   The Brew Crew pounded out 13 hits, including three each by Rickie Weeks and Ryan Braun.

Wolf (11-10) allowed just two runs and seven hits over 6 2/3 innings, and John Axford pitched two scoreless innings to earn save number 20.

Mets vs. Cubs

The sliding Mets avoided a sweep as their offense exploded for 18 runs and 21 hits in an 18-5 victory over the Cubs in Chicago.

The Cubs built a 4-2 lead off of New York starter Jonathon Niese, helped by a two run homer from Aramis Ramirez.  However, the Mets knocked out Chicago starter Ryan Dempster (12-10) in the fifth with a five run inning.  Ruben Tejada singled home two runs to break a 4-4 tie, and added his first major league home run in the seventh as the Mets took the lead for good.   The Mets broke open the game by scoring five runs in both the eighth and ninth innings.  Tejada drove in five runs on the afternoon, and Ike Davis added four hits, including a home run.  Niese (9-7) wasn’t on top of his game, allowing five runs over six plus innings, but earned the victory thanks to New York’s offensive outburst.

Nationals vs. Pirates

The Nationals used a five run inning and solid starting pitching on their way to a 8-1 victory against the Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

After scoring a run in the first on an RBI ground out from Ryan Zimmerman, the Nationals took control of the game in the fourth inning off of Charlie Morton (1-11) and the Pirates.  Adam Dunn homered, and Zimmerman singled home two more in the five run frame.  Meanwhile, Washington starter Jason Marquis (2-7) allowed just one run over six innings, courtesy of a Pedro Alvarez solo homer.  Zimmerman added another run scoring single in the sixth, finishing the game with four RBI to lead the Nationals to the victory.

Mets vs. Cubs

The Mets dropped their opener with the Cubs by a score of 7-6. New York got on the board early when David Wright knocked in two runs in the 1st inning with a double to left field. Wright would later score in the inning on a ground-out by Joaquin Arias, giving the Mets a 3-0 lead. The Mets held that lead until the 4th inning when Chicago scored four runs in the inning on a single by Xavier Nady and a three-run shot off the bat of Alfonso Soriano to put the Cubs up 4-3. Rookie Lucas Duda tied up the game for the Mets in the 6th with his first major league hit, a double to right field, and his first RBI. The game did not remain tied long. In the bottom of the 6th, Mets starter R.A. Dickey gave up a three-run home run, the second of the day, to Blake Dewitt. Wright and Luis Hernandez each homered for the Mets in the 7th and 8th innings respectively.

Dickey took the loss for New York. He went 6 innings, giving up seven runs on eight hits while striking out three. Cubs starter Randy Wells went 5.2 innings to get a no decision. He gave up four runs on eight his while striking out four. James Russell got the win for Chicago. Carlos Marmol recorded his 26th save for the Cubs.

Phillies vs. Brewers

Philadelphia beat the Brewers 1-0, moving within one game of the NL East leading Braves. The lone run of the game came in the 2nd inning when Carlos Ruiz grounded out to the shortstop allowing Shane Victorino to score. Philadelphia’s bats were quiet for much of the night, only getting a total of four hits. Milwaukee bats were held to just three hits all night. Phillies starter Cole Hamels had a no-hitter going into the 5th inning until it was broken up by a single to center field by Casey McGehee.

Hamels got the win, going 7 innings and giving up only three hits and striking out seven. Milwaukee’s starter Chris Capuano took the loss, going 5 innings and allowing one run on four hits while striking out four. Ryan Madson closed it out for the Phillies to record his 5th save.

Nationals vs. Pirates

Washington fell to the Pirates 8-5. Danny Espinosa hit his first career home run in the 3rd inning to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead. Pittsburgh followed suit in the bottom of the inning, scoring three runs on RBI’s by Andrew McCutchen and Garrett Jones. Ryan Doumit hit a solo shot in the 4th inning to give the Pirates a 4-1 lead. The Pirates would then go on to have a four-run 5th inning. Back-to-back doubles by Jones and Pedro Alvarez made it 7-1. Doumit capped of the inning with an RBI single to score Alvarez. Washington fought back with their own four-run inning in the top of the 6th. Adam Dunn and Justin Maxwell each singled home a run and Ivan Rodriguez hit into a double play which allowed Ryan Zimmerman to score. A double by Espinosa drove in the final run of the inning.

Zach Duke got the win for Pittsburgh, going 5 innings and giving up four runs on five hits while striking out five. Livan Hernandez took the loss, going 4.1 innings and allowing eight runs on eight hits while striking out four.

Braves vs. Marlins

Good pitching and speed on the bases were just too much for the Braves as they dropped their opener with the Marlins 6-1. Florida got things started in the 1st inning with a run scoring on a triple by Logan Morrison. Morrison had two triples in the game. Hanley Ramirez followed with an RBI double to score Morrison. Ramirez stole two bases in the game. Atlanta starter Kenshin Kawakami helped himself out at the plate, hitting a single in the top of the 2nd to give the Braves their only run, and cut the lead to 2-1. Florida responded in the bottom of the 3rd with three runs thanks to a double by Chad Tracy to drive in two runs, and a sacrifice fly by Brad Davis to score Gaby Sanchez. Florida tagged on another run in the 4th inning on an RBI double by Dan Uggla.

Florida starter Andrew Miller got the win, his first since July of 2009. He went 5 innings and gave up one run on seven hits while striking out six. Kawakami took the loss, going only 3 innings and allowing five runs on five hits while striking out two.

Mets vs. Rockies

The Mets beat the Rockies in a score of 4-0.  In the 1st Angel Pagan singled home Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran hit a sac fly to score Angel Pagan.  In the 7th the Mets added 2 more runs when Jose Reyes singled home Ruben Tejada and Fernando Martinez hit a sac fly to score Johan Santana.

Johan Santana got the win after pitching a complete game shut out giving up just 4 hits with 10 strikeouts.  Jason Hammel got the loss after pitching 7 innings giving up 8 hits, 4 runs, and 4 strikeouts.

Phillies vs. Dodgers

The Phillies beat the Dodgers in a score of 10-9. The Dodgers scored 3 runs in the 1st when Ronnie Belliard singled home Scott Podsednik, Matt Kemp singled home James Loney, and Jamey Carroll singled home Ronnie Belliard.  In the 2nd The Phillies scored a run when Joe Blanton grounded out scoring Carlos Ruiz.  The Phillies added another run in the 4th when Carlos Ruiz singled home Jason Werth.  The Dodgers added a run in the 5th when Ronnie Belliard hit a sac fly to score Ryan Theriot.  They added 2 more in the 7th when Matt Kemp homered scoring James Loney.  In the 8th the Dodgers added 3 runs when Casey Blake singled home Scott Podsednik, Matt Kemp singled home Andre Either, and Jamey Carroll singled home Casey Blake.  The Phillies added 4 runs in the 8th when Jason Werth singled home Placido Polanco,  Ben Francisco doubled scoring Jason Werth, and Wilson Valdez singled home Ben Francisco.  In the 9th Placido Polanco and Mike Sweeney scored due to a fielding error and Carlos Ruiz doubled home Jason Werth and Ben Francisco to score the winning runs.

Clayton Kershaw pitched 6.2 innings giving up 6 hits, 2 runs, and 4 strikeouts.  Joe Blanton pitched 5.2 innings giving up 8 hits, 4 runs, and 3 strikeouts.  Danny Baez got the win after pitching 1 inning giving up just 1 hit.  The loss went to Jonathan Broxton who didn’t record an out giving up 1 hit and 4 runs.

Marlins vs. Nationals

The Marlins beat the Nationals in a score of 5-0. The Marlins scored 2 runs in the 2nd when Mike Stanton homered scoring Dan Uggla.  In the the 3rd they added another run when Cody Ross singled home Logan Morrison.   In the 8th the Marlins scored a run when Dan Uggla scored due to a wild pitch.  In the 9th Dan Uggla singled home Hanley Ramirez.

Ricky Nolasco got the win and pitched 6 innings giving up 6 hits, no runs, and 8 strikeouts.  The loss went to Livan Hernandez who pitched 6.1 innings giving up 7 hits, 3 runs, and 3 strikeouts.

The Braves had an off day.

Mets vs. Rockies

The Mets beat the Rockies 1-0 Tuesday night. This game featured a great pitchers duel between starters Mike Pelfrey and Ubaldo Jimenez. The only run of the game came in the bottom of the 7th. After walking Chris Carter to start the inning, Jimenez then gave up a double to Josh Thole to put men on second and third. A few batters later, Jose Reyes hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Jeff Francoeur, who pinch-ran for Carter.

Pelfrey went 7 strong innings to get the win, giving up no runs and only four hits while striking out four.  Jimenez also went 7 great innings, but took the loss. Jimenez allowed one run on four hits while striking out eight. Francisco Rodriguez recorded his 25th save of the season for the Mets.

Marlins vs. Nationals

The Marlins took the series opener 8-2 Tuesday. Florida jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the 1st on an Dan Uggla home run. Uggla drove in two more runs in the 3rd on a double to left field to score Hanley Ramirez and Gaby Sanchez. Washington got on the board in the bottom of the 3rd after a field error by Wes Helms allowed Ivan Rodriguez to score. Florida added three more runs in the 5th with doubles by Sanchez and Helms. Logan Morrison singled in the 6th to score Ramirez, making it 8-1 Florida. Washington had the bases loaded in the bottom of the 7th, but could only get one run home to make it 8-2.

Anibal Sanchez got the win, going 6.2 innings and giving up two runs on five hits while striking out seven. Stephen Strasburg took the loss, going 4.1 innings and allowing six runs on six hits while striking out four.

Phillies vs. Dodgers

The Phillies fell to the Dodgers 15-9. Andre Ethier drove in Los Angeles’ first two runs of the game with a single in the 1st and a double in the 3rd. Ethier would score later in the 3rd on a single by Jay Gibbons. The Dodgers scored four more runs in the 4th to make it 7-0 Dodgers. Placido Polanco scored the Phillies first run in the bottom of the 4th. In the bottom of the 5th, Wilson Valdez scored on a ground out by Polanco. Ross Gload followed with a two-run shot t0 right field to cut the lead to 7-4. As soon as the Phillies made it a close game, they gave it all right back, giving up four more runs to L.A. in the top of the 6th. Domonic Brown homered in the 6th for the Phillies to make it 11-5. Los Angeles responded in the 7th with two more runs on a single by Matt Kemp. Philadelphia put up two runs in the 7th on a homer by Gload to make it 13-7.  In the top of the 9th, Casey Blake made it 15-7 Dodgers with a two run home run to left field. The Phillies fought back in the bottom of the inning, but were only able to add two runs on a double by Brown.

Vicente Padilla got the win, going 5 innings and giving up four runs on six hits while striking out two. Kyle Kendrick took the loss, lasting only 3.1 innings and giving up six runs on eight hits while striking out one.

Braves vs. Astros

The Braves beat the Astros by a score of 4-2. After entering the game for an injured Chipper Jones, Brooks Conrad scored the games first run in the 7th on a single by Troy Glaus. The Braves defense was sloppy in the bottom of the 8th, however, with errors by Alex Gonzalez and Omar Infante allowing Houston to take a 2-0 lead. Solo shots by Conrad and Glaus in the to of the 9th gave Atlanta the lead.

Braves starter Jair Jurrjens went 7.1 innings and got the no decision. He gave up two runs on six hits while striking out three. Jonny Venters got the win for Atlanta after facing just one batter. Houston starter J.A. Happ also got a no decision, going 6.1 innings and allowing one run on two hits while striking out six. Matt Lindstrom took the loss for the Astros. Billy Wagner  came in to pitch a 1-2-3 9th to get his 28th save of the season for Atlanta.

Braves vs. Giants

The Braves took the opening game of their four-game series with the Giants by a score of 3-2. San Francisco jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the 1st as Andres Torres scored on Aubrey Huff’s ground out. The Giants tagged on another run in the 2nd when Torres hit a double to center, driving home Aaron Rowand. Atlanta tied up the game in the bottom of the 2nd with a two-run shot to left field off the bat of Alex Gonzalez. Eric  Hinske would homer for the Braves in the bottom of the 6th to make it 3-2 Atlanta.

Jair Jurrjens got the win, going 6 innings and giving up two runs on seven hits while striking out three. Tim Lincecum took the loss, going 6.1 innings and allowing three runs on six hits while striking out seven. Billy Wagner recorded his 26th save of the season for Atlanta.

Marlins vs. Phillies

The Phillies beat the Marlins 5-4 in 10 innings. The game was scoreless until the top of the 6th when Carlos Ruiz doubled, hitting  a line drive to center to drive in Raul Ibanez and Domonic Brown, giving Philadelphia a 2-0 lead. The Marlins came back in the bottom of the 7th to score four runs. Donnie Murphy hit a ground-rule double to drive in a run. Two batters later, Logan Morrison walked with the bases loaded tying the game at 2-2. Gaby Sanchez followed with a single to drive in two more runs for Florida. Going into the 9th with a 4-2 lead, a Hanley Ramirez error along with poor pitching from the Florida bullpen allowed for the Phillies to tie up the game. The game winning run for the Phillies came in the top of the 10th on a homer to left field off the bat of Ruiz.

Phillies starter Roy Oswalt went 6.1 innings, giving up two runs on three hits while striking out five. Ryan Madson got the win for Philadelphia. Chris Volstad went 5.2 innings for Florida, allowing two runs on eight hits while striking out two batters. Will Ohman took the loss for Florida. Brad Lidge recorded his 12th save for the Phillies.

Nationals vs. Diamondbacks

The Nationals lost to the Diamondbacks by a score of 8-4. A fielding error by Adam Dunn in the 2nd allowed for Rusty Ryal to reach base and Adam LaRoche to score for Arizona. Ryal would score later in the inning on a double by Bobby Crosby. Adam Kennedy got Washington on the board in the 3rd with a solo shot to right field, cutting Arizona’s lead to 2-1. The next inning, Stephen Drew hit an RBI single for Arizona. Arizona starter Barry Enright helped himself out at the plate, driving in Drew with a single to center field. Ryan Zimmerman homered in the top of the 5th, cutting the lead to 4-2. Zimmerman had two home runs on the night. Arizona would respond, however, with three more runs in the bottom of the 5th. Roger Bernadina homered in the 7th for Washington. Arizona tagged on their 8th run in the 8th on a sacrifice fly by Justin Upton.

Ross Detwiler took the loss for Washington. He lasted only 4 innings, giving up seven runs on  nine hits while striking out five. Barry Enright got the win for Arizona. He went 6 innings allowing two runs on six hits while striking out three.

Braves vs. Marlins

The Marlins beat the Braves 5-4 in 11 innings. An RBI single in the first by Brian McCann and a home run off the bat of Eric Hinske in the 3rd gave Atlanta a 2-0 lead. Florida got on the board in the bottom of the 4th, scoring four runs in the inning. Cody Ross drove in Hanley Ramirez with a single, followed by two more runs thanks to a triple by Wes Helms. Helms would score the 4th run of the inning on a single by Brad Davis. A sacrifice fly by Melky Cabrera in the 6th cut the Marlins lead to 4-3. Atlanta tied up the game in the 8th on a double by Chipper Jones. It would remain 4-4 until the bottom of the 11th when Ramirez scored the winning run on a walk-off single by Helms.

Chris Volstad went 6 innings, giving up three runs on five hits in his no decision. Jair Jurrjens got a no decision as well, throwing 7 innings and allowing four runs on six hits. Jorge Sosa got the win for Florida. Jesse Chavez took the loss for Atlanta.

Nationals vs. Brewers

The Nationals fell to the Brewers 8-3 Sunday. Milwaukee jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on a single by Jonathan Lucroy and a wild pitch by Ross Detwiler allowed Prince Fielder to score. Milwaukee scored three more in the 4th thanks to a throwing error by Ian Desmond and a two run shot off the bat of Rickie Weeks. A sacrifice fly by Josh Willingham and an RBI single by Adam Dunn in the 6th got the Nationals on the board and cut the Brewers’ lead to 5-2. Nyjer Morgan singled home a run in the 7th making it 5-3. Milwaukee responded in the bottom of the 7th with a three-run shot off the bat of Casey McGehee.

Ross Detwiler took the loss in his first game back since undergoing hip surgery in February.  Detwiler lasted only 3.2 innings and gave up five runs on three hits. Dave Bush got the win, going 6 innings and allowing three runs on six hits.

Phillies vs. Rockies

Philadelphia beat the Rockies 4-3. The Rockies, Clint Barmes, drove in the game’s first run in the 1st.  The Phillies responded in the bottom of the inning with a two-run shot to left field off the bat of Ben Francisco. Ryan Spilborghs homered in the 4th for Colorado to give the Rockies a 3-2 lead. The Phillies came back in the 7th as Jimmy Rollins drove in and scored the Phillies’ 3rd and 4th runs.

J.A. Happ got a no decision, throwing 5 innings and allowing three runs on four hits.  Jeff Francis also got a no decision, going 5 innings and giving up two runs on six hits. Ryan Madson got the win for Philadelphia. Joe Beimel took the loss for Colorado. Brad Lidge recorded his 9th save for the Phillies.

Mets vs. Dodgers

The Mets fell to the Dodgers 1-0, finishing their road trip with a 2-9 record. Russell Martin doubled to left field in the 8th inning, scoring Casey Blake from first base for the game’s only run. The Mets threatened in the 5th, 6th, and 7th innings, but couldn’t break through against Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw.

R.A. Dickey left the game after landing awkwardly while pitching to Martin in the 6th.  Dickey was pulled after pitching 5.2 brilliant innings, and giving up two hits.  Kershaw pitched 8 very good innings to get the win. He allowed seven hits and no runs. Pedro Feliciano gave up the winning run giving him the loss. Kenley Jansen recorded his 1st save for the Dodgers.

Marlins vs. Braves

The Marlins and Braves went extra innings on Friday night in Atlanta.   The Braves blew a ninth inning lead and fell behind in the top of the 11th, but Atlanta bounced back in the bottom of the 11th and defeated the Marlins 4-3.

Braves starter Kris Medlen and Marlins ace Josh Johnson each allowed only one run.  Medlen allowed a solo homer to Hanley Ramirez in the top of the first, but kept the Marlins off of the scoreboard after that.   A pair of RBI singles by Martin Prado in the 5th and 7th innings gave the Braves a 2-1 lead.  The score stayed that way until the top of the ninth.  Billy Wagner came on for the save, but Gaby Sanchez led off the frame with a solo shot to center to tie the game at 2.

The score remained tied at 2 until the top of the 11th, when the Marlins took the lead on a bizarre play.  With the bases loaded and one out, the Marlins attempted a squeeze with pinch hitter Brian Barden at the plate.  Barden missed the bunt attempt and Wes Helms was caught in a rundown breaking from third.   However, the Marlins caught a break when Braves reliever Jonny Venters dropped the ball as he went to tag out Helms, who scored the go-ahead run.   The Marlins brought in closer Leo Nunez in the bottom of the 11th, but he failed to retire a batter.  After allowing a leadoff walk and a double, Omar Infante singled to left to bring home two runs and give the Braves a walk-off victory.  Venters (3-0) earned the victory for Atlanta, while Nunez (3-2) suffered the loss for Florida.

 

Mets vs. Nationals

The Mets received a solid starting pitching performance for the second straight day in Washington.  This time, they provided their starter with some offense, jumping out to an early lead and hanging on to defeat the Nationals by a score of 5-3.

The Mets jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning against Nats starter Luis Atilano on an RBI groundout from Ike Davis, and then knocked Atilano (6-5) out of the game in the fourth.  After loading the bases with no outs, Atilano retired the next two Mets and looked like he might escape the jam.  However, Alex Cora followed with a triple off of the right field wall to clear the bases.  Mets pitcher Jonathon Niese followed with an RBI double to bring home Cora and give the Mets a 5-0 lead.

Niese held the Nationals scoreless until the seventh inning, when Josh Willingham led off the inning with a solo homer to put the Nats on the board.  However, Niese (6-2) retired the next three batters and finished up seven innings, allowing just that one run.  The score remained 5-1 until the bottom of the ninth, when things got interesting.  Mets manager Jerry Manuel elected not to bring in his closer to start the inning with a four run lead, but summoned Francisco Rodriguez once the game became a save situation with two outs and runners on second and third.  Roger Bernadina and Ian Desmond hit back-to-back RBI singles to cut the lead to 5-3 and put the tying runs on base.   Met killer Willie Harris then came up and worked a full count, but instead of coming home, Rodriguez wheeled around and threw to second, picking off Bernadina to end the game.  That pickoff was the only out K-Rod recorded, but it was enough to earn him his 19th save on the season.

 

Phillies vs. Pirates

The Phillies and Pirates couldn’t muster much offense Friday night in Pittsburgh.  The Pirates scratched out two runs in the fourth, and those runs held up as the Pirates defeated the Phillies by a score of 2-0.

Phillies starter Jamie Moyer pitched six strong innings, allowing just five hits and striking out eight.  Unfortunately for Moyer (9-7) and the Phillies, it wasn’t enough.  In the fourth inning, with the bases loaded and two outs, Moyer got Andy LaRoche to hit a slow roller towards third base.  Moyer raced to pick up the ball and fired to first, but he threw wildly over the head of Ryan Howard, allowing two runs to score.  LaRoche was credited with an infield hit and an RBI on the play.

Meanwhile, Pirates starter Ross Ohlendorf pitched seven shutout innings for Pittsburgh, allowing five hits and just one walk while striking out eight.  Octavio Dotel came on in the ninth inning and retired the Phillies in order to earn his 18th save and give Ohlendorf (1-6) his first win on the season.

Phillies vs. Reds

The Phillies fell to the Reds 4-3 in their series finale Wednesday afternoon. Philadelphia took a 3-0 lead in the 4th inning thanks to a three-run home run by Dane Sardinha.  The Phillies bats were quiet for the remainder of the game, only recording three hits after the the 4th. The Reds began to chip away scoring a run on a Joey Votto homer in the 6th and again on a RBI single by Orlando Cabrera in the 7th. The final blow came in the bottom of the 8th. Leading 3-2, Roy Halladay gave up a two-run shot to right field.

Halladay pitched a  complete game, but took the loss, his 7th of the season. He pitched 8 innings, giving up four runs on 13 hits. Reds starter, Aaron Harang, got a no decision, throwing 6.1 innings and allowing three runs on eight hits. Reliever Arthur Rhodes got the win for Cincinnati. Francisco Cordero recorded his 21st save of the season.

Check out Phillies Phandom for more.

Marlins vs. Mets

Following a rain delay, the Mets salvaged the final game of their series with the Marlins, winning 6-5. A double by David Wright and a single by Ike Davis gave the Mets a 3-0 lead in the 1st. The Marlins bounced back quickly scoring two runs in the bottom of the 1st on singles by Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla. New York extended their lead to 4-2 in the 2nd on an RBI single by Jesus Feliciano. Florida tied up the ballgame in the 5th with a double by Jorge Cantu and a single by Uggla.  The Mets scored a run in the 6th and 7th innings, giving them a 6-4 lead. The Marlins cut the lead to 6-5  in the 8th on an RBI double by Gaby Sanchez.

Chris Volstad pitched 5 innings, but got a no decision. He gave up four runs on six hits. Mike Pelfrey lasted 4.2 innings to get a no decision as well. He allowed four runs on 12 hits. Elmer Dessens got the win for the Mets, while Alejandro Sanabia took the loss. Francisco Rodriguez recorded his 18th save of the season for the Mets.

For more, check out Fish Guts and Real Dirty Mets Blog.

Braves vs. Nationals

The Braves won the series against the Nationals, winning the final game by a score of 4-1. The Braves jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a RBI double by Brian McCann in the 1st. Atlanta scored two more runs in the 4th on a single by Jair Jurrjens and a sacrifice fly by Martin Prado. Washington got on the board in the 6th when Ivan Rodriguez grounded into a double play allowing Ryan Zimmerman to score. Atlanta scored again in the 7th after Washington pitching walked in a run.

Jurrjens got the win, pitching 5 innings and giving up one run on six hits. J.D. Martin took the loss, going 5 innings and allowing three runs on six hits. Billy Wagner recorded his 16th save of the season for the Braves.

For more info, go to Braves  Baseball and Centerfield Gate.

Mets vs. Yankees

The Mets got off to a fast start in the Bronx, but the Yankees answered back and went on to defeat their crosstown rivals 5-3 to end the Mets’ winning streak at eight games.

Jose Reyes led off the game with a home run off of Phil Hughes, and added a two-run shot in the third inning to give the Mets an early 3-1 lead.  However, Mike Pelfrey allowed two-run homers to Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson in the third and fourth innings to put the Yankees on top.  Pelfrey (9-2) settled down after Granderson’s homer and gave the Mets seven innings, but took the loss.  Hughes (10-1) shut down the Mets after Reyes’ second home run and earned the victory.   Mariano Rivera pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to pick up his 16th save on the season.

 

Phillies vs. Twins

The Phillies and Twins played home run derby at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday afternoon.  Philadelphia was poised to take their second straight from Minnesota, but the Phillies could not hold onto a five run 9th inning lead and fell to the Twins 13-10 in 11 innings.

The Phils jumped on Twins starter Kevin Slowey for seven runs in 1 2/3 innings, powered by home runs from Wilson Valdez (yes, that’s right) and Ryan Howard.  Longballs by Raul Ibanez and Jayson Werth helped the Phillies build a 9-4 lead in support of starting pitcher Cole Hamels.  Jose Contreras started the ninth for the Phillies and allowed a two run homer to Jim Thome before giving way to closer Brad Lidge.  Lidge allowed an RBI single to Denard Span and a two run shot to Joe Mauer to cap off the Twins’ five run ninth and tie the game at 9.

In the 10th, Chad Durbin allowed a solo homer to Drew Butera to give the Twins a 10-9 lead, but the Phillies answered back with a Ross Gload home run in the bottom of the inning off Twins’ closer Jon Rauch to tie it up.   However, the Twins went ahead for good in the 11th off of Danys Baez (2-3), scoring three runs thanks to a Delmon Young RBI single and a two run double from Matt Tolbert.  Rauch (2-1) bounced back from his blown save to pitch a scoreless 11th and earn the victory.

 

Nationals vs. White Sox

The Nationals and White Sox engaged in a pitcher’s duel for the second straight day in Washington.  The pitchers were different, but the result was the same as the Sox defeated the Nats 1-0 on Saturday.

Jake Peavy (6-5) was the story of the day, allowing just three hits and pitching a complete game shutout.  Nationals starter J.D. Martin (0-3) pitched well, allowing just one run over six innings, but that one run was the difference.  Carlos Quentin singled home Omar Vizquel in the fourth for the game’s only run.  The Nats threatened in the ninth off of Peavy, but couldn’t break through.  Nyjer Morgan walked to open the inning and was sacrificed to second.   However, Ryan Zimmerman struck out, and after an intentional walk to Adam Dunn, Peavy got Josh Willingham to pop out to seal the shutout.

 

Braves vs. Royals

The first place Braves hosted the Royals on Saturday night in Atlanta and used a walk-off home run to defeat Kansas City 5-4.

The Braves jumped out to a 3-0 lead off of Royals’ ace Zack Greinke, scoring two in the first and adding one more in the fourth on Brian McCann‘s solo homer.  Braves starter Kris Medlen entered the top of the seventh with a 4-2 lead, but Medlen and reliever Eric O’Flaherty allowed two runs in the inning as the Royals tied up the game at 4 apiece.   The game remained tied until the bottom of the ninth, when Troy Glaus led off the inning with a home run off of Robinson Tejeda (2-3) to win it for the Braves.  Closer Billy Wagner (5-0) pitched a scoreless ninth and picked up the win for Atlanta.

 

Marlins vs. Rays

The Florida teams played a wild game in Miami on Saturday night.  Played to a soundtrack of vuvuzelas (you know, those air horn instruments that have been the “buzz” of the World Cup), the Marlins scored three in the 8th inning to send the game to extra innings.  Florida mounted another furious comeback in the 11th, but couldn’t bring home the tying run and fell to the Rays by a score of 9-8.

The Marlins got solo home runs from Chris Coghlan and Hanley Ramirez  off of Rays’ starter Jeff Niemann, but the Rays scored four runs against Marlins’ starting pitcher Chris Volstad and entered the bottom of the eighth with a 5-2 lead.  However, Ramirez doubled in two runs, and Ramirez scored the tying run after Evan Longoria couldn’t field Cody Ross‘ ground ball cleanly.

In the top of the 11th, the Rays scored four runs thanks to the wildness of reliever Jorge Sosa (1-2).  Sosa allowed an infield single and walked two to load the bases, and then walked B.J. Upton and Reid Brignac with the bases full to force in two runs.  Jason Bartlett added a two run single as the Rays built a 9-5 lead.

The Marlins fought back, as Chris Coghlan singled home two and Gaby Sanchez singled home another to cut the lead to 9-8.  With runners on the corners and no outs, the Rays called on Andy Sonnanstine, who had pitched 4 2/3 innings the night before.   Sonnanstine struck out two and got Dan Uggla to fly out to right to end it and earn his first career save.  James Shields (6-6), who started on Thursday for the Rays, pitched the 10th inning and earned the victory in relief.