MLB playoffs
Rays take game 2
Sunday, October 12th, 2008 | Sports | 1 Comment
In what was arguably a must win game for the Rays the bull pens shined and Tampa pulled out a 11th inning victory. Not what we expected from Beckett and Kazmir but a 9 – 8 win that showed 7 home runs and 4 lead changes. This was another classic between these 2 teams who just went 14 innings 1month ago where Tampa Bay had a walk off in the 14th, their 11 and major league leading of the season. Both starting pitchers struggled in this game but both bull pens reached deep and after the 6th it was a pitcher’s duel until the end. Evan Longoria found his bat after going 2 for his last 16, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youklis shined in this one for a total of 3 home runs between them. One thing is for sure that this will be a hard fought series no matter who wins. Sunday is a travel day while the teams head to Boston to resume Game 3 on Monday. Game time is scheduled for 4 pm est. On the mound will be Lester for the Red Sox, who is quickly being vaulted into the Ace spotlight and going for Tampa will be Garza. This will be another dual from the mound as both pitchers have sub 3.5 ERAs.
Phils Take 2-0 Lead Over Dodgers
Saturday, October 11th, 2008 | Sports | No Comments
The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-5 to take a 2 games to none lead in the National League Championship Series. Although Phillies starter Bret Myers had a sub-par pitching performance – giving up 6 hits, 4 walks and 5 earned runs in only 5 innings of work – his bat helped spark rallies in the 2nd and 3rd innings to lead the Phillies to victory. Myers went 3 for 3 with 3 RBI’s at the plate including an RBI single in the 2nd inning and a 2-RBI single in the 3rd inning. Phillies Center Fielder Shane Victorino had 2 big hits – a 2-RBI single in the 2nd inning and a 2-RBI triple in the 3rd inning. Myers scored a run on each of Victorino’s hits. Victorino’s triple in the 3rd inning extended the Phillies lead to 8-2 and although Manny Ramirez’s 3-run home run off of Myers in the 4th inning cut the lead to 3, the Phillies bullpen shut down the Dodgers hot offense for the final 4 innings of play. Brad Lidge walked to batters in the 9th inning to make things interesting, but he was able to strike out Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp and Nomar Garciaparra to pick up his 2nd save of the NLCS in as many days.
The series now shifts to Los Angeles on Sunday, October 12th. Veteran Jamie Moyer will toe the rubber for the Phillies while Hiroki Kuroda will try to lead the Dodgers to their first NLCS victory of the series.
Red Sox – Rays to Battle in ALCS
Friday, October 10th, 2008 | Sports | No Comments
The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Devil Rays will open up the 2008 American League Championship Series in Tampa Bay on Friday, October 10th. Japanese sensation Daisuke Matsuzaka will start for the Boston Red Sox while the Tampa Bay Rays will counter with 14-game winner James Shields. Both teams will possess a huge home field advantage throughout the series. The Rays won the season series 10-8 over the Red Sox, but 8 of those 10 wins came at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay. Likewise, 7 of the Red Sox 8 wins against the Rays came at Fenway Park in Boston, while the team struggled mightily in Tampa Bay. Much will ride on the health of Red Sox ace Josh Beckett who did not fair well against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Game 3 of the ALDS. Beckett is slated to start ALCS Game #2 in Tampa on Saturday, October 11th and if he can return to form that led the Marlins to the World Series title in 2003 and the Red Sox to the World Series title in 2007, it could end up being a short ALCS.
Phillies top Dodgers 3-2 in NLCS Game #1
Friday, October 10th, 2008 | Sports | No Comments
The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 in the 1st game of the National League Championship Series played on Thursday, October 9th. Phillies Ace Cole Hamels pitched 7 strong innings giving up only 2 earned runs on 6 hits. Hamels struck out 8 and walked only 2. Hamels picked up his 2nd victory of the 2008 post-season, and Brad Lidge worked a perfect 9th inning to record the save and preserve the all-important NLDS Game #1 victory. Los Angeles Dodgers starter Derek Lowe was effective until the 6th inning when he gave up a 2-run home run to Chase Utley and a solo home run to Pat Burrell. Lowe didn’t make it out of the 6th inning and only struck out 2 Phillies batters. Manny Ramirex continued his torrid post-season hitting, delivering 2 hits including an RBI-double in the 1st inning to open up the scoring.
NLDS Game #2 is scheduled to start at 4:35PM EST on Friday, October 10th. Chad Billingsley will start for the Dodgers while the Phillies count with veteran Bret Myers.
Sox ousted by Rays in NLDS Game 4
Tuesday, October 7th, 2008 | Sports | No Comments
The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Chicago White Sox 6-2 on Monday 10/6 to clinch its first post-season series victory in franchise history. B.J. Upton set the tone for the Rays with solo home runs in each of the 1st and 3rd innings. The Rays tacked on 3 more runs in the 4th and 5th innings to extend the lead to 5-1. Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine did the rest as he pitched 5 2/3 innings allowing only 2 earned runs on 3 hits. Sonnanstine never really got into any serious trouble as he allowed solo home runs to Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye. Rays relievers J.P. Howell and Grant Balfour finished out the final 3 1/3 innings allowing only 2 base runners in the final 3 innings. White Sox starter Gavin Floyd never found his true form – he lasted only 3 innings, giving up 4 earned runs on 5 hits and 2 walks. The Rays magical season continues on as they will face the Boston Red Sox – their AL East pursuer – in the American League Championship Series set to begin on Friday, October 10th in Tampa Bay, Florida.
White Sox Avoid Sweep – ALDS Game 4 Set for Monday
Monday, October 6th, 2008 | Sports | No Comments
The Chicago White Sox defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 to avoid a 3-game sweep on Sunday 10/5 in Chicago. John Danks pitched into the 7th inning giviing up 3 runs on 7 hits, while striking out 7 Rays batters. White Sox Relievers Octavio Dotel and Matt Thornton helped get the Sox into the 9th, where Bobby Jenks cleaned house allowing only one batter to reach in notching hist 1st save of the 2008 playoffs. The bottom-half of the White Sox order helped pace the Sox offensive attack – Ken Girffey, Jr. was 2 for 2 with a run scored; Dwayne Wise was 1 for 2 with 2 RBI’s and a run scored and Juan Uribe was 1 for 3 with an RBI. Rays Pitcher Matt Garza took the loss by giving up 5 runs in 6 innings of work – he gave up 7 hits, while walking 4 and striking out 4. B. J. Upton hit a 2-run hoem run for the Rays in the 7th inning to cut the Sox lead to 5-3, but they could never get closer than that.
ALDS Game 4 will be played on Monday 10/6 at 4PM in Chicago. The Rays will throw 137-game winner Andy Sonnanstine, while the White Sox will counter with 17-game winner Gavin Floyd.
Cubs Choke Again…
Monday, October 6th, 2008 | Sports | No Comments
Cubs 2008
For the 2nd consecutive year, the Chicago Cubs were swept out of the playoffs with a 3 games to none disaster against the NL West representative – this time the Los Angeles Dodgers. Dodgers Manager Joe Torre (ex- New York Yankees Manager and winner of 4 World Series titles) bested friend and Chicago Cubs Manager Lou Pinella in the short 3-game set. After the Cubs fell behind 4-2 on James Loney’s Grand Slam off of Ryan Dempster in the 5th inning of NLDS Game 1, the 2 teams could have called it quits and saved a lot of time and money for players and fans traveling cross-country to Los Angeles. The Cubs bumbled their way to a 10-3 loss at home in NLDS Game #2 (each Cubs infielder committed an error in the contest), and then showed no heart in the decisive 3-1 loss in Los Angeles on Saturday night. The Cubs bats did not show up for a 2nd consecutive year – although the team had numerous opportunites to score in all 3 games, the Cubs only scored runs in 4 of the 27 innings played. The Cubs hit only one home run all series, and productive stars Left Fielder Alfonso Soriano (1 for 14 just as he did against the Diamondbacks in 2007), Third Baseman Aramis Ramirez (2 for 11), Catcher Geovany Soto (2 for 11) Center Fielder Jim Edmonds (2 for 10), each had atrocious series. With runners in scoring position, the Cubs got only 2 hits in 28 bats. On the opposite side of the ball, Manny Ramirez had 5 hits in 10 at-bats, including 2 home runs, 5 runs scored and 3 RBI’s in the series. The top 3 hitters in the Dodgers lineup (Rafael Furcal, Russell Martin and Ramirez) did all the damage in NLDS Game #3 – 4 for 9 with 3 weeks and all 3 runs scored – and for the series, hit a collective .371 with 11 runs scored and 10 RBI’s. 100 years has come and gone for the Chicago Cubs – will it be another 100 years before we see a Cubs World Series Championship? Ask Cubs fans, and most will likely say … yes!
Lester, Red Sox Top Angels, While Hamels, Phils Shut Down Brewers
Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 | Sports | No Comments
The Boston Red Sox defeated the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 4-1 in ALDS Game #1. Red Sox Pitcher Jon Lester pitched 7 superb innings, giving up only 6 hits and 1 run, while striking out 7. Red Sox Closer Jonathan Papelbon pitched a scoreless 9th inning, giving up 1 hit but striking out the side to record his first save of the 2008 post-season. After falling behind 1-0 on a Torii Hunter RBI single in the 3rd inning, the Red Sox took the lead for good on a Jason Bay 2-run home run in the 6th inning off Angels starter John Lackey. It was the first post-season game in Jason Bay’s career, as he came over to the Red Sox in the mid-season trade of Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Red Sox tacked on 2 insurance runs in the 9th inning on RBI singles by Jacoby Ellsbury and David Ortiz off of Angels reliever Scott Shields. ALDS Game #2 features 18-3 Daisuke Matsuzaka for the Red Sox against 16-7 Ervin Santana for the Angels.
The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 in NLDS Game #1. Phillies Pitcher Cole Hamels pitched 8 shutout innings, giving up only 2 hits and striking out 9. Brad Lidge gave up 2 hits and 1 run in the 9th inning, but held on to record his first save of the 2008 post-season. The Phillies scored all 3 of their runs in the 3rd inning, 2 on a double by Chase Utley. All 3 runs were unearned, courtesy of a botched catch by 2nd baseman Rickie Weeks who was covering 1st base on a sacrafice bunt by Cole Hamels. The Phillies scored all 3 runs following the error. NLDS Game #2 features Brewers ace CC Sabbathia against Phillies starter Bret Myers.
Here We Go Again… Cubs Lose in the Playoffs?!
Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 | Sports | No Comments
The Chicago Cubs turned in another lackluster playoff performance, losing 7-2 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in front of more than 41,000 diehard Cubs fans at the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field. After taking an early 2-0 lead on Mark DeRosa’s 2nd inning home run, the Dodgers scored the next 7 runs en route to a dominating win over the deflated Cubs. It was the Cubs 7th consecutive post-season loss. Ryan Dempster walked 7 batters in less than 5 innings of work. Twice, he walked the bases loaded in an inning. He worked out of his own-bases-loaded jam in the 3rd inning, but his luck ran out in the 5th inning when James Loney crushed a 1-2 splitfinger fastball over the center field fence for a Grand Slam that put the Dodgers ahead for good. The Dodgers added home runs by Manny Ramirez and Russell Martin, and although the Cubs out-hit the Dodgers 9-8, they never managed any other threats throughout the rest of the game. NLDS Game #2 features Chad Billingsley for the Dodgers and Carlos Zambrano for the Cubs in a must-win game for the Cubs.
MLB Update Saturday
Saturday, September 27th, 2008 | Sports | No Comments
- Rays win moves them into the playoffs.
- Red Sox loss move them to the Wild Card
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Tiebreaker Scenarios
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| AL Central | |
| Twins at White Sox | |
| NL East | |
| Mets at Phillies | |
| NL Wild Card | |
| Brewers at Phillies | |
| Brewers at Mets | |
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