Rollins with a grand slam

The Phillies played a game on Saturday that entailed 29 hits and 20 runs, lucky for them, they had 14 of those 20 runs, winning 14-6.  Jimmy Rollins saved starter Rodrigo Lopez by hitting a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning.  The Phillies took an early 3-0 lead, but squandered it by the top of the sixth inning.  Lopez (3-0) worked six innings giving up three earned runs and four total in staying undefeated on the season.  Jimmy Rollins finished the day with a career high five RBI and Shane Victorino went 4-4 with three runs scored, three RBI and even added in a walk.  Check out Phillies Phandom for more Phillies info from this game and all others.

Cardinals pitching could almost have not been worse today.  Three pitchers combined to give up the fourteen runs, starter Kyle Lohse was let off the hook of a bad start by giving up three runs in only four innings of work as he left for a pinch hitter with a high pitch count.  Jason Motte(3-4) left after getting one out and giving up back to back home runs, one of them being the grand slam to Rollins.  New Cardinals Julio Lugo and Matt Holliday had good games again, going 6-9 with two runs scored and two RBI combined.

Blake gets the game winning RBI

In Los Angeles, Casey Blake saved the Dodgers from another possible loss to the Marlins.  With two out in the ninth inning, Casey Blake stepped to the plate and singled to drive home Rafael Furcal to win the game 4-3.  Blake had also scoredt he tying run in the sixth inning as the Dodgers came back from a 3-1 deficit to win this game.  Jonathan Broxton(7-0) got the win as he worked the top of the ninth for the Dodgers in this game and Andre Ethier and Orlando Hudson each had three hits for the Dodgers.

The Marlins as mentioned took a 3-1 lead in by the sixth with RBI singles from Cody Ross and Jeremy Hermida and an RBI double in the first by Jorge Cantu.  Besides that though, their bats couldn’t break Dodger pitching.  VandenHurk had a second straight solid start going five innings of one run ball and left in position for his second straight win, but the bullpen couldn’t hold it.  Renyel Pinto was charged with two runs in one third of an inning in the sixth and then Dan Meyer(2-1) took the loss in the ninth as he had put the baserunners on, even though Luis Ayala let up the final hit.  Check out FishGuts for more info on the Marlins.

Gallardo does it again pitching and hitting

The Brewers were able to rebound from a late loss to the Braves and their bats on Friday night, and sent their ace to the mound.  Yovani Gallardo(9-7) pitched 7.1 innings only giving up four hits and four runs and striking out six as the Brewers went on to win 4-0.  Gallardo helped himself with an RBI single in the fifth for the games first run.  Craig Counsell had an RBI groundout in the same inning and pinch hitter Casey McGehee had a two RBI single in the eighth for insurance.

The Braves sent previously undefeated Tommy Hanson to the hill on Saturday.  Hanson(5-1) took the loss even though he went seven innings and only gave up two runs because the Braves bats were silent.  Check out The Braves Baseball Blog for more on the Braves.

Niese pitches a gem

There have not been many days where I have been able to write about multiple story lines for the Mets.  Tonight you can take your pick, as the Mets won 10-3 against the Astros with a great performance from a rookie, a superb game from a newcomer and a home run from a player who hadn’t hit one all month.  Jonathon Niese(1-0) went seven innings giving up a single run on four hits and two walks to get his first win since last September on a day the Mets needed it.  Jeff Francouer also went 2-4 with a run scored and four RBI, three of them coming on a home run fifth inning, it was his second as a Met and seventh overall.  David Wright hit his sixth home run in the ninth inning and it was impressive because he hadn’t hit one this month.  The Real Dirty Mets Blog has more info on the Mets.

Russ Ortiz(3-5) started for the Astros and only lasted 4.1 innings while giving up six runs on five hits and four walks.  The Astros managed a run early on a Pudge Rodriguez RBI single and then nothing until the bottom of the ninth when they had a nine run deficit.  Hunter Pence hit a two run homer in the ninth off Francisco Rodriguez, but that was all they would get.

Adam Dunn hits a granny

The Padres and Nationals waited out an over three hour rain delay in the second inning of the game Saturday in Washington, it could have been local time for the San Diego fans.  The Nationals got two runs in the first on a Zimmerman homerun and never looked back after the rain delay in the second.  Off a new pitcher, the Nationals scored five more after the delay, on a Adam Dunn grand slam.  Zimmerman ended this game with three RBI and Dunn had five RBI as the Nationals won 13-1.  Tyler Clippard(2-0) worked four innings after the rain delay to qualify for the win in this game as J.D. Martin had to leave after two innings because of the delay.  Check out CenterfieldGate for more info on the Nationals.

Padres starter Tim Stauffer(0-2) didn’t come back after the rain delay and went one inning giving up three hits and two runs to take the loss.  Five more Padre relievers combined to give up eleven more runs to make this game way out of reach.  The two finish their series on Sunday afternoon in D.C.