Well, the Yankees were shut down by a pitcher they had never seen before, again. It is a common theme. Oakland rookie Griffin (GS 54) stifled the bombers on 7 hits and Freddy Garcia (GS 39) allowed 4 runs in 5 2/3, The only bright spot, for me, was that Swisher hit a HR in the ninth for the Yankees’ third run, thus extending their 3-runs-or-more streak to 43 games.
the Diamondbacks built a 6-0 lead, only to see the Reds score 3 in the seventh and 4 in the eighth to steal a 7-6 win. Brandon Phillips had 5 RBI to pace the division leaders.
In a contest between two 12-game winners, each bidding to become the first NL pitcher to win 13 this year, the Mets’ ageless knuckleballer Dickey squared off against the Nats’ brilliant off-season acquision Gonzalez. New York pummeled Gonzalez (GS 23) and his first reliever Stammen (yikes) for 9 runs in the first four innings, and Dickey cruised to a 13-1 (!!) record despite a GS 48 (bullpen allowed 2 inherited runners to score – hey, they’re not MY runners!). The Mets break a 6-game losing streak, and sort of continue to hang around the pennant race, now 47-45.
Baltimore (4-3 over the Twins) and Tampa Bay (6-0 over Cleveland, Price’s 13th win to lead the AL) both gained a game on the Yankees, while Toronto and Boston were idle.
Edinson Volquez threw a 1-hitter (GS 87) as the two worst offenses (Houston and San Diego) squared off in the best pitcher’s park (Petco) in baseball. San Diego had a run after two batters (double, single) and it held up for a 1-0 win. Predictable result, I guess.
Baseball is fun.
You mean the highlight of the Yankees-A’s game wasn’t the new world record 718 dogs at a sporting event?
Ugh! Who gets to clean up after 718 dogs? Only 23000 fans were at the game – the Yankees normally draw more than that in KC on a Wednesday afternoon. Thousands missed a great game staying away because of the dogs.