NL East Weekend - OoTS (8/15-17)

[Frayed Knot]

Phils, off a 4-game spanking by the Manny-led Dodgers, head to Sandy Eggo for a 3-spot
Oldsters Moyer and Maddux get it started

Marlins host the Cubbies for 3
Zambrano & Josh Johnson on Friday

[Guest sharpie]

Duane Ward hits pinch-hit 3-run homer offa Fish closer Kevin Gregg. Cubs take 6-5 lead in 9th.

[seawolf17]

Goodbye, Marlins!

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Cubs @ Marlins
This one could be over by the time I finish typing this sentence, but the Cubs rallied and took a 6-5 lead in top 9, now bottom 9... Cubs win!

Sat: Sean Marshall v. Anibel Sanchez
Sun: Ryan Depster v. Chris Volstad

Phils @ Padres
Tonite: Moyer v. Maddux, underway
Sat: Kendrick v. Chad "I'm Making My MLB Debut" Reinke
Sun: Hamels v. Baek

Also: Milwaukee @ LA Dodgers, DBaggs @ Houston, Card @ Reds

Royals @ MFYs
KC winning the opener 3-0 as I type.

[Gwreck]

Garza had a no-hitter going for Tampa that was broken up by an Ian Kinsler single. Devil Rays up 6-0 in the 7th.

[bmfc1]

MFYs demoted Cabrera and DFA's Sexson.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

bmfc1 wrote: MFYs demoted Cabrera and DFA's Sexson.

Awesome: MFYs rally to tie the game 3-3 but Mariano coughs it up in the 9th (1B, 2B, WP). In the bottom of the 9th trailing 4-3, Betitmit singles; Chrsitensen (getting the time that would have gone to Melky) pinch-runs ... but gets picked off.

With 2 out, Jeter singles, Abreu walks and Arod gets an infield single on a dribbler in front of the mound. But with bases loaded, Giambi flies to RF and it's all over.

Oh and Pat F. Burrell's HR the only run so far in SD, but the Phiils are threatening again in the 8th, so not so awesome.

[Guest AG/DC]

Justin Christian clearly thinks he's Mark Little.

[TransMonk]

Cubs leave 5 men on base in the 7th and 8th innings in FLA...still trailing by one.

[TransMonk]

Chad "I'm Making My MLB Debut" Reinke wins!

Mets now 2 up on the Phils.

[Frayed Knot]

TransMonk wrote: Chad "I'm Making My MLB Debut" Reinke wins! Mets now 2 up on the Phils.

Cool -- SD's big inning came just after I shut down for the night. Great news to wake up to.

Reinke was the guy Houston gave up in the Randy Wolf deal (important to grab that vet hurler while you're fighting for 5th place)
SD's pen backed him with 4 scoreless/1-hit/8-Ks innings. I wonder what those are like to look at?

[Frayed Knot]

I think it's safe to say that the bloom is off Brian Bannister's rose.
Spotted a 3-0 lead before he even took the mound today in the Bronx, he wound up being pulled before getting an out in the 2nd down 10-3

[TransMonk]

A couple of bases-loaded doubles put the Cubs up 4-2 @ FLA in the top of the 7th. Still only one out with 2 runners in scoring position.

[TransMonk]

Make it 3...Cubs up 8-2 going to bottom of 7.

[TransMonk]

Cubs win at FLA 9-2 taking 2 of 3.

Marlins now 4.5 back in the East...which is the most they have trailed the leader by all season!!

[Frayed Knot]

2-1 Phils heading for the 9th in Sandy Eggo
Lidge in to relieve Hamels

[Frayed Knot]

K - K - BB - K and the Phils win 2-1

[Frayed Knot]

So the Rays are in Texas tonight leading 7-2 headed for the 9th.
- But closer Percival is out and quickly the bags are loaded with one out,
- An FC brings in one run (7-3) while get out #2, then a BB re-loads them and brings the tying run to the plate in the form of Josh Hamilton.
- So TB mgr Joe Maddon intentionally walks in a run to get around facing Hamilton bringing up Marlon Byrd as the winning run ... and Byrd strikes out.

Cool!

[Guest AG/DC]

That's playing your cards right.

[metirish]

That takes balls.

[Guest AG/DC]

The fun part is the mind game it plays with Marlon Byrd. He must be going up to the plate feeling like crap. And having to fight himself just get focused.

[Frayed Knot]

No doubt that the IW can't be great for the ego - but it's not like failure to hit a Walk-off GS can be considered failure there.
Byrd actually seems to have found his way in Texas since last season(stadium probably helps) years after being first a hot-shot prospect, and then disappointing MLer, in the Phils system. And just last week he spent an entire series smacking clutch hits all over the place against the Yanx, including a game-winning GS.