Fantasy Baseball Stats and MLB Recaps: May 9, 2011, Edition
Sorry for the late start, folks. I'd say I was out doing something important, but let's not kid ourselves—I overslept. This being said, we had another couple of no-hitter chases on Sunday, a couple of beatdowns and a certain Yankees captain finally nab his first home run of the season—which must've felt so good, he decided to add a second.
Road team standouts are listed first, followed by home teams.
Tigers 5, Blue Jays 2
1 of 15
W: Brad Penny (3-3)
L: Jo-Jo Reyes (0-3)
S: Jose Valverde (7)
Tigers Standouts
Austin Jackson, 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI
Jhonny Peralta, 2-for-4, 2B, RBI
Victor Martinez, 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, R
Blue Jays Standouts
Jose Bautista, 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
Recap
Brad Penny turned in another strong start, as the Tigers took their second in a row from the Blue Jays. Penny went seven and two-thirds, allowing just two runs. The only runs he allowed were on Jose Bautista's 10th home run of the year. Jo-Jo Reyes began the day for Toronto, giving up five runs over eight innings.
Commentary
Jose Bautista may have the league lead in batting average (.352) and have second place in home runs (10), but surprisingly the Blue Jay with the most RBIs—and a tie for the American League lead in the category—is the resurgent Adam Lind. Additionally, Lind has garnered seven long-balls and currently holds a a .313 average.
Dodgers 4, Mets 2
2 of 15
W: Clayton Kershaw (4-3)
L: R.A. Dickey (1-4)
S: Vicente Padilla (2)
Dodgers Standouts
Jamey Carroll, 3-for-5, R
Andre Ethier, 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
Aaron Miles, 2-for-4, RBI
Mets Standouts
Justin Turner, 1-for-3, BB, R
Jose Reyes, 2-for-5, 3B, RBI
Recap
Clayton Kershaw picked up his fourth win, as the Dodgers took the last of their three-game set with the Mets. Kershaw pitched six and two-thirds, giving up just one run. R.A. Dickey had a tough start for New York, pitching seven innings and allowing four runs on 10 hits.
Commentary
Andre Ethier extended his hit streak to…Oh. Oops. Sorry. Old habits die hard.
Marlins 8, Nationals 0
3 of 15
W: Anibal Sanchez (2-1)
L: Livan Hernandez (3-4)
Nationals Standouts
None
Marlins Standouts
Anibal Sanchez, 7 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 11 K
Gaby Sanchez, 4-for-4, BB, HR, 2 2B, 3 RBI,
Greg Dobbs, 3-for-3, BB, 2B, 2 RBI
Craig Coghlan, 1-for-3, 2 BB, 2B, 2B, 2 R
Hanley Ramirez, 1-for-5, RBI, R
Recap
Anibal Sanchez flirted with what would've been the third no-hitter in less than a week, salvaging the last of the Marlins' three-game series with the Nationals. Sanchez didn't allow a hit until Adam LaRoche led off the seventh with a single. Sanchez ended up posting seven strong innings, giving up two hits and striking out 11. Livan Hernandez started for Washington, and surrendered six runs through five innings.
Commentary
You got the impression Sanchez's no-hitter bid wasn't meant to be if you were keeping track of his pitch count. Nonetheless, very impressive outing by Anibal.
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Pirates 5, Astros 4
4 of 15
W: Daniel McCutchen (1-0)
L: Fernando Abad (1-3)
S: Joel Hanrahan (10)
Astros Standouts
Chris Johnson, 1-for-4, HR
Humberto Quintero, 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, R
Carlos Lee, 2-for-4, 2B, R
Pirates Standouts
Ryan Doumit, 1-for-3, BB, HR, 3 RBI
Neil Walker, 2-for-3, BB, 2 R
Steve Pearce, 1-for-2, BB, SF, RBI, R
Recap
Down two runs in the bottom of the eighth, Ryan Doumit blasted a three-run shot to lead the Pirates past the Astros. James McDonald started the day for Pittsburgh, and didn't give up a run through his six innings. But in the seventh, Houston's offense got going, putting up three runs on three straight hits, including a solo shot by Chris Johnson. J.A. Happ got the start for the 'Stros, throwing six innings and allowing two.
Commentary
Hanrahan is turning into a reliable closer, nabbing 10 saves (a career high) in as many attempts so far this season. He has a 14:5 BB/K ration, a decent 1.33 WHIP and a very respectable 1.50 ERA.
Red Sox 9, Twins 5
5 of 15
W: Daisuke Matsuzaka (3-3)
L: Carl Pavano (2-4)
Twins Standouts
Danny Valencia, 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, SB
Jason Kubel, 3-for-4, 2 RBI, R
Trevor Plouffe, 1-for-3, BB, 2 R
Red Sox Standouts
Jacoby Ellsbury, 3-for-5, 2B, R, SB
Kevin Youkilis, 2-for-4, RBI, 4 R
Adrian Gonzalez, 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
Jed Lowrie, 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI
J.D. Drew, 1-for-4, 2 RBI
Recap
The Red Sox amassed 14 hits in their second straight victory over the Twins. Carl Pavano was the recipient of the offensive outburst, going five innings and surrendering seven runs. Daisuke Matsuzuka went six innings and allowed four for the BoSox. Jacoby Ellsbury had three hits, and extended his hit streak to 17 games.
Commentary
In what should come as a shock to absolutely no one, the Twins are currently last in run differential for the season (-63). That's not the gruesome part. The gruesome part is that the team in 29th—the Astros—are a full 28 runs ahead (-35).
Rays 5, Orioles 3
6 of 15
W: Wade Davis (4-2)
L: Brad Bergesen (0-4)
S: Kyle Farnsworth (7)
Rays Standouts
Evan Longoria, 1-for-3, BB, HR
B.J. Upton, 2-for-4, 4 RBI
Matt Joyce, 2-for-4, 2 2B 2 R
Orioles Standouts
Derrek Lee, 1-for-5, HR
Luke Scott, 1-for-3, BB, 2B, R
Matt Wieters, 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI
Recap
B.J. Upton continued his hot streak, helping the Rays complete a three-game sweep of the Orioles. Upton socked two singles and drove in four runs. Brad Bergesen was on the receiving end of that offense, going four and two-thirds innings, and giving up five runs. Wade Davis started the day on the hill for Tampa, and allowed three runs over five innings.
Commentary
Man, Upton wasn't kidding when he said that he liked hitting in Camden Yards. His numbers for the series: 7-for-14, three 2B, HR, two R and eight RBI. During the series, he raised his batting average a total of 31 points (.229 to .260).
Yankees 12, Rangers 5
7 of 15
W: C.C. Sabathia (3-2)
L: Arthur Rhodes (1-2)
Yankees Standouts
Derek Jeter, 4-for-6, 2 HR, 3 RBI
Curtis Granderson, 3-for-4, BB, HR,
Mark Teixeira, 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, R
Francisco Cervelli, 1-for-5, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
Brett Gardner, 3-for-5, 2 R
Rangers Standouts
Elvis Andrus, 3-for-5, RBI, R, SB
Adrian Beltre, 1-for-4, BB, RBI, R
Mike Napoli, 1-for-5, 2 RBI
Chris Gentry, 1-for-3, BB, R, SB
Ian Kinsler, 0-for-4, BB, R, SB
Recap
It wasn't pretty, but the four errors the Yankees incurred on themselves didn't stop their bats from amassing 12 runs in their blowout of the Rangers. Derek Jeter led the way with four hits—including two home runs—and Francisco Cervelli added a grand slam. C.C. Sabathia notched the win, pitching six innings and allowing five runs (three earned). Dave Bush started the day for Texas and lasted four innings, giving up three (two earned).
Commentary
For those interested in how far off Jeter is from 3K hits, the countdown currently stands at 40. At the current rate, he should theoretically break into the elite club sometime in mid-June. My prediction is he goes on a hot streak and tallies it on…We'll say June 3rd.
Athletics 5, Royals 2
8 of 15
W: Tyler Ross (2-2)
L: Jeff Francis (0-4)
S: Brian Fuentes (9)
Athletics Standouts
Conor Jackson, 3-for-5, RBI
Kevin Kouzmanoff, 2-for-4, HR
Kurt Suzuki, 1-for-4, BB, HR
Daric Barton, 2-for-5, 2B, R
Coco Crisp, 1-for-5, RBI, R
Royals Standouts
Eric Hosmer, 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, R
Mitch Maier, 1-for-2, BB, RBI
Recap
Kevin Kuzmanoff and Kurt Suzuki each had solo home runs to help the Athletics take their second of three from the Royals. Tyler Ross picked up the win for Oakland, going six innings and allowing two runs. Jeff Francis was tagged with the loss, pitched six and one-third, and allowed three runs (two earned).
Commentary
As expected, the A's pitching staff has been dominant, tied with Cleveland for the least runs allowed in the AL (117).
Cardinals 3, Brewers 1
9 of 15
W: Kyle McClellan (5-0)
L: Chris Narveson (1-3)
S: Fernando Sala (3)
Brewers Standouts
Prince Fielder, 1-for-3, BB, R
Carlos Gomez, 1-for-2, 2 BB
Cardinals Standouts
Colby Rasmus, 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI
Nick Punto, 1-for-3, SF, RBI, R
Recap
The Cardinals took their second of three from the Brewers, led by a strong outing by Kyle McClellan. McClellan earned his fifth win, going eight innings and allowing just one run off of four hits. Chris Narveson started for Milwaukee, and pitched a reasonable six innings, giving up two earned runs—three total. Colby Rasmus provided the necessary offense, hitting a two-run double in the fifth.
Commentary
The Brewers have to be happy to head home after a dismal 2-8 road trip. Their next six games provide a good opportunity to get back into the swing of things, as this week's schedule consists of six games against the Padres and the Pirates.
Reds 2, Cubs 0
10 of 15
W: Johnny Cueto (1-0)
L: Ryan Dempster (1-4)
S: Francisco Cordero (6)
Reds Standouts
Drew Stubbs, 2-for-4, HR, 2B
Jay Bruce, 2-for-3, BB, R
Cubs Standouts
None
Recap
Johnny Cueto finally began his season on Sunday, and made up for lost time by tossing six shutout innings in route to a Reds victory over the Cubs. Drew Stubbs provided the offense, nabbing a double and home run. Ryan Dempster started the day for Chicago, and had a respectable outing, going seven innings and giving up only two.
Commentary
Johnny Cueto was actually slated to have one last rehab start before coming back to the Reds, but he obviously proved he didn't need it. The Reds could use the help, as their starting rotation has been lacking consistency.
Angels 6, Indians 5
11 of 15
W: Fernando Rodney (2-1)
L: Joe Smith (1-1)
S: Jordan Walden (6)
Indians Standouts
Grady Sizemore, 3-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 R
Asdrubal Cabrera, 2-for-5, 2B, RBI, R
Carlos Santana, 1-for-4, BB, 2 R
Angels Standouts
Erick Aybar, 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI
Peter Bourjos, 2-for-3, BB, RBI, R
Alberto Callaspo, 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R
Recap
The Angels outlasted the Indians in a back-and-forth affair that ended with Cleveland stranding the tying run on second base to end the game. With the game knotted at four in the bottom of the eighth, Erick Aybar hit a two-run double, plating Mark Trumbo and Peter Bourjos. Cleveland tried to mount a rally in the ninth, coming within one with consecutive doubles by Grady Sizemore and Asdrubal Cabrera. But Jordan Walden struck out the last two batters to end the game, giving the 714's their second win in three games over the Tribe. Dan Haren began the day on the mound for the Angels, pitching six and two-thirds and allowing two runs. Fausto Carmona got the start for the Indians, and gave up three unearned runs over seven innings.
Commentary
The Indians shouldn't be too down about losing this series—if nothing else, it should feel vindicative of what they've accomplished thus far. The Angels are in first place in a good division. Going to Anaheim and losing twice the way they did—Friday in 11 innings and today, with the tying run in scoring position—is nothing to be ashamed of when you're on the road against a highly competitive team. It's still early in the season, but the more series Cleveland puts together like this one, the more difficult it is to write them off as a fluke.
Padres 4, Diamondbacks 3
12 of 15
W: Aaron Harang (5-2)
L: Joe Saunders (0-4)
S: Heath Bell (8)
Diamondbacks Standouts
Josh Wilson, 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, R
Padres Standouts
Jorge Cantu, 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI
Chris Denorfia, 2-for-4, R, SB
Jason Bartlett, 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, R
Recap
The Padres put up four runs in the first and never looked back, taking the last of their set with the Diamondbacks. Joe Saunders took the loss for Arizona, pitching six innings and giving up four. Aaron Harang started for San Diego, surrendering two over seven.
Commentary
Jorge Cantu has started off the season slower than usual, batting a mere .184 coming into this game. Those are not numbers you want your first baseman to be putting up at any point in the year.
Giants 3, Rockies 0
13 of 15
W: Ryan Vogelsong (2-0)
L: Jorge De La Rosa (4-1)
S: Brian Wilson (11)
Rockies Standouts
Chris Ianetta, 2-for-3
Giants Standouts
Cody Ross, 2-for-3, BB, HR, 3 RBI
Recap
The Giants completed their first sweep of the season, taking three straight from the first place Rockies. Ryan Vogelsong pitched five perfect innings, going a total of six and a third shutout innings and allowing just one hit. Jorge De La Rosa got the call for Colorado, and pitched six innings, surrendering three runs in the loss.
Commentary
And just like that, San Francisco is within a game of first place. That seems like it happened kinda fast, didn't it?
White Sox 5, Mariners 2, F/10
14 of 15
W: Sergio Santos (1-0)
L: Brandon League (0-1)
White Sox Standouts
Paul Konerko, 5-for-5, 2B, R
Alexei Ramirez, 1-for-3, 2 BB, 2B, RBI
Adam Dunn, 1-for-5, 2B, RBI, R
Alex Rios, 2-for-5, RBI, R
Mariners Standouts
Jack Cust, 1-for-3, BB, 2B, R
Recap
Paul Konerko was a perfect five-for-five, helping the White Sox take their second in a row from the Mariners. With the game in the 10th, Chicago scored three runs on five hits, putting the game out of reach. Mark Buehrle started the day for the Sox, pitching eight innings and giving up two runs. Erik Bedard went five innings for Seattle, also conceding two.
Commentary
This was the first series win the White Sox had since they took three of four from Tampa about a month ago. Hopefully it gave them something to build on.
Braves 5, Phillies 2
15 of 15
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