BIG NIGHT IN THE MLB

This day in baseball got started in a big way. The Boston Redsox were up 5 to 2 on the Toronto Bluejays in the bottom of the 9th, Jose Bautista was leading off and couldn’t lay down a bunt. He just decided to do what hes been doing all year long and thats unload on a ball and he made it 5 to 3. Jonathan Papelbon was brought in to clean up and get the Sox in the win column and lets face it, the guy is usually very solid. Key word here, Usually. Vernon Wells came up and blasted a double, then Adam Lind ripped a single, scoring Wells, and making the game 5 to 4. Aaron Hill then came up and singled and moved the runner over to third. Travis Snyder came up and was K’d by Papelbon. Edwin Encarnacion came up and hammered a double scoring the guy on third, making it 5 to 5, There were now guys on second and third with still, just one out. Lyle Overbay pinched hit and was intentionally walked to try to get Lewis to hit into the double play to end the inning. Daniel Bard came in to take over for Papelbon and to face Fred Lewis. Lewis connected on a pitch and got the sac fly, scoring Hill as the Jays rang up 4 runs in the bottom of the 9th to win the ball game.

Moving on, The Dodgers took on the Phillies tonight and as usual, Phillies Pitcher Joe Blanton, got rung up early. He gave up 4 singles and 2 walks, and 3 runs in just the 1st inning alone. He ended up pitching 5.2 innings, giving up 8 Hits and 4 Earned Runs. The bullpen wasn’t much better as they gave up a combined 7Hits and 5 Earned Runs. LA took a 9 to 2 lead into the 8th inning, Safe right? In the words of Lee Corso, “Not so fast my friends”. The bottom of the 8th saw Ronald Belisario heading to the mound to help finish off the Phils. The first batter he faced was Placido Polanco, who singled. Next up, Mike Sweeney hit a single as well. Jason Werth came up and hammered a single and scored both runners making the game 9 to 4. Werth made it to Second on a balk, Ben Francisco came up and belted a double scoring Werth, making the game 9 to 5. That was the end of the night for Belisario and the Dodgers were ready to try there luck with Kenley Jansen. Jansen came in and got Carlos Ruiz to ground out, but then Wilson Valdez hit a single and scored Francisco,making the game 9 to 6. The Dodgers would get out of the inning up 9 to 6 but the damage was far from over. Jonathan Broxton, aka “Big Boy” came on to finish off the Phils in the bottom of the 9th. He came in and hit Polanco, then walked Sweeney and then Walked Jason Werth. The bases were loaded with no outs, and next up Ben Francisco who hit one to Third base, only problem was Casey Blake let it go right through the wickets, and that scored 2 runs making it 9 to 8. Guys were on first and second with no outs,  and Carlos Ruiz made up for his ground out in the 8th, by punching a double in the gap, scoring 2 and the Phils won the game 10 to 9. This was unreal, what a come back by the Phils. They scored 7 unanswered runs and just blew up the Dodger bullpen. You have to ask yourselves, what were they drinking in the Bullpen tonight?

Later on in the night, we had the Twins trying to reclaim the AL Central back from the Chicago Whitesox. Orlando Hudson started it off in the 1st inning blasting a HR and giving the Twins the early 1 to 0 lead. The Chisox came back in the bottom part of the inning as A.J. Pierzynski got a single scoring a run and evening it up at 1. Jim Thome got his former team back in the second by hitting an Sac Fly, RBI and helping the Twins regain the lead, at 2 to 1. After a Balk in the 3rd inning the Twins upped there lead to 3 to 1 and then in the 7th inning, Jason Kubel Unloaded on a pitch and hit a three run shot, making it 6 to 1. That was how it ended, as the Twins pitcher, Francsico Liriano pitched 5.2 innings, giving up 7 hits but only 1 earned run. The bullpen came in and finished up the game for him, pitching 3.1 innings giving up only 2 hits and no runs. The Twins now have 1st place back and I dont think they will lose it the rest of the year.

Last but not least, the New York Yankees were out in Kanas City tonight to take on those tricky, Royals. New York started out with a 3 to 1 lead and then getting it to 4 to 1 heading into the 9th inning. C.C. Sabathia took his complete game into the 9th getting the first out. The next guy up for the Royals, Alex Gordon, singled and then Mike Aviles singled as well. Mitch Maier was next up and he grounded into a fielders choice, which Aviles was out at second. So now there were runners on the corners with 2 outs. David Robertson came on to try to put the finishing touches on Sabathias great game. Maier ended up taking 2nd on a fielders indifference, and then Willie Bloomquist came up and ripped a single, scoring both Gordon and Maier, making the game 4 to 3, with a man on 1st. Wilson Betermit came up and singled as well and the Royals had guys on first and second with 2 outs. But we all know how the Royals are, and just like that Jason Kendall came up and struck out, and the ball game was over, as the Yanks hung on to win 4 to 3. C.C. pitched 8.2 innings, giving up 10 hits and 3 ERs. Derek Jeter was 2 for 5 and Nick Swisher was 3 for 4 in the Yanks win tonight.

What a night in Baseball! It seemed like everyone was comming back tonight and what happened to the pitching? It’s been the year of the pitcher, well not tonight. Baseball is really starting to get good, because we are on the final stretch towards October. Keep it Locked INN!