Stayin Hot, A’s pound Jays

The A’s had come into this game with surprisingly the best record in baseball in the month of july (15-2). In the first they took the lead on a RBI double by Yoenis Cespedes, then in the second the got all over the Jays scoring 8 runs in the inning. The runs coming from two singles, two doubles walk and a groundout. So A’s lead 9-0 after just two innings, but there close from done. In the third with nobody out, Coco Crisp hit one out to right and it carried out for a solo home run so the A’s lead it 10-0. Then in the fifth inning Crisp wasn’t done as he launched his second homer of the game out near right field and the A’s take a 11-0 lead. Then later in the game, Chris Carter joins the party by hitting a home run of his own and the A’s lead it 12-0. In the eighth Yoenis Cespedes hits one into the gap for a RBI double and the A’s now lead it 13-0. I just thought this was crazy. In the eighth they got one more run and in the ninth they got two more runs of Jays catcher Jeff Mathis who was pitching. The A’s won 16-0.

Once a Yankee, Always a Yankee

On monday, Ichiro Suzuki was traded to the Yankees for DJ Mitchell and another prospect. The Yankees and Mariners had a game in Seattle so for Ichiro it was as simple as walking across the field and changing his jersey. He said in a press conference before the game that he wanted to be traded because it was time to let the young players get a chance. In the bottom of the first two on and two outs, Kyle Seager lines one to right and Ichiro makes his first catch as a Yankee. In his first at bat, on a 1-1 pitch he singles up the middle for his first hit, then steals second. In the top of the fourth the Yankees scored three runs on base hits and after losing the lead in the bottom of the third, the Yankees took a 3-1 lead. Hiroki Kuroda pitched great for the Yankees going seven strong innings giving one run and striking out eight Mariners. In the top of the eighth, A-Rod comes up and on a 1-1 pitch kills a ball to deep center and it is gone his 15th homer of the year and the Yankees lead 4-1. In the bottom ninth Rafael Soriano comes out and after blowing a save in Oakland gets a 1-2-3 ninth and Ichiro wins his first game as a Yankee.

20, 40.

The Yankees are looking to do something nobody had accomplished in since 1994 when the cleveland Indians had scored 3+ runs in 48 consecutive games. They are currently at 40 after beating the Blue Jays 6-1. One more game and they tie the A’s for 41 consecutive games. Aside from that, Robinson Caño had a 19 game hit streak going and he extended that to 20 after a 2nd inning single. In the bottom of the second with two runners on Andruw Jones blasts one to deep left and it is gone! a three run blast. His fifth in six games and his 12th on the year, 3-0 yanks. CC was dealing, on his first start from the DL he hurled six scoreless innings and got his tenth win of the year. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Chris Stewart and Derek Jeter hit back-to-back RBI doubles and the Yankees took a 5-0 lead. A couple batters later A-Rod came up and hit a ball to second for and out but the run scored and the Yankees took a 6-0 lead. In the top of the 8th, Jeff Mathis hit a sac fly and the Blue Jays got a run, 6-1. Now in the top of the ninth Rafael Soriano in to close it out with the bases loaded and one out, pinch hitter J.P Arencibia comes up and lines into an unassisted double play to end it and the Yankees win 6-1.

Sanchez Delivers, Giants take First Place Back

Looking to get Tim Lincecum his fourth win of the year, the Giants are playing the Astros which Lincecum happens to have a 5-0 career record vs Houston. The first four innings was completely a pitchers duel, Lincecum had struck out five at that point. In the bottom of the fifth with two outs Melky Cabrera singled to bring home the first run of the game and the Giants had a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Giants scored another run on a RBI Double and took a 2-0 lead. Lincecum is rolling right along allowing no runs in eight innings. To the top of the ninth Santiago Casilla in for San Fran, a good start to the ninth inning as he strikes out the first batter in the ninth. Then a walk and another strike out, now two outs in the ninth and with. Two strikes on Justin Maxwell, he hits a double into the gap and the Astros cut the Giants lead, 2-1. The next batter struck out or thought he did on a wild pitch but Giants catcher Hector Sanchez threw a bad throw that pulled Brandon Belt of the bag and Maxwell scored from second and the Astros tied the game. I thought they should have put in Romo to close it out for SF but they went with Casilla and he blew the save. But the Giants got some luck when in the bottom of the twelfth when Hector Sanchez delivered a game winning single and the Giants win 3-2!

Ninth Inning Issues

It’s a Giant Night, NL wins third straight All-Star Game

From 2002 to 2009 the NL had lost seven straight All-Star games and then from 2010 to 2011 had one the past two. So what would they do now? In the top the first of the NL got all over Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander allowed five runs in the first inning giving up a walk to Carlos Beltrán then a double to Ryan Braun. So 1-0 NL then the bases were loaded and Pablo Sandoval from the Giants it a bases clearing triple the first in All-Star game history. In the bottom of the first Matt Cain was very good he only gave up one single to Derek Jeter and then got out of the inning. In the top of the fourth, Giants all star outfielder Melky Cabrera hit a two run bomb to left and the NL took a 8-0 lead after being up 6-0. In the top of the sixth, Chipper Jones came up for his last at bat in a all star game and got a standing ovation. The NL would end up winning their third consecutive all star game in a row and Melky Cabrera would be the MVP.

Sweeeeeeeeep! A’s Spoil Papi’s 400th homer

The A’s hadn’t swept a three game series vs the Boston Red Sox since 2008 and they were on the verge of doing that again. In the bottom of the second, Brandon Moss launched one right out of the gate and just like that the A’s lead 1-0. In the top of the fourth the Red Sox still without a hit but here comes David Ortiz and he drills one to right and it is gone. That is Big Papi’s 400th career home run and joins a list of Red Sox players including Ted Williams and Manny Ramirez with 400 career bombs. In the top of the sixth, with two outs and two runners on, Adrian Gonzalez singles and brings home the go ahead run so Boston leads it 2-1. In the bottom of the sixth, after a bit of miscommunication and bright sun, the Red Sox let a routine pop up drop and Brandon Inge makes them pay by hitting one into the gap and the A’s tie it at 2. In the bottom of the seventh after a triple by Coco Crisp, Jemile Weeks singles and the A’s lead it 3-2. That would be the final and I can not believe the A’ swept Boston.

Dreams Come True

Every year players, some different and some returning get chosen to support their team and their league. This Year a lot of unlikely names were chosen by the fans for a starter at the all star game in Kansas City. For example I am a Giants fan and a Yankees fan and I am proud to say that Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, Melky Cabrera, Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and Derek Jeter are all starting in the all star game for their leagues. Here are the starting lineups.

National League

Starting lineup (voted on by fans)

C: Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants

1B: Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds

2B: Dan Uggla, Atlanta Braves

SS: Rafael Furcal, St. Louis Cardinals

3B: Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants

OF: Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers

OF: Carlos Beltran, St. Louis Cardinals

OF: Melky Cabrera, San Francisco Giants

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American League

C: Mike Napoli, Texas Rangers

1B: Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers

2B: Robinson Cano, New York Yankees

SS: Derek Jeter, New York Yankees

3B: Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers

OF: Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers

OF: Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees

OF: Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays

DH: David Ortiz, Boson Red Sox