6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog

Top 1st: Tim Lincecum gave up a single to leadoff man Elvis Andrus; he eventually scored on a bizarre infield single from Vlad Guerrero that bounced off Lincecum and rolled out to shallow right. He must have had an awful case of nerves out there, since he then blew a rundown play on Nelson Cruz's bouncer back to the mound. The mental mistake — which led to Cruz reaching — cost him nothing since he induced a double play from Ian Kinsler.

Marijuana kills brain cells, kids. Science.

—Sam Miller

Bottom 1st: Freddie Sanchez gets a one-out single that makes Vlad Guerrero run, but then he erases himself by drifting too far off the bag. That let Ian Kinsler double him up on Buster Posey's popup, ending the inning. Did someone put stupid pills in the San Francisco dugout water cooler?

Top 2nd: Benjie Molina singles, and then Cliff Lee doubled, with one out. Really?. This game looks like it's getting out of hand in a hurry, and Lincecum had 31 pitches already.

Andrus sac flies Molina home as the ball came in quite wide. 2-0 Rangers.

Bottom 3rd: After Lincecum got the game to the bottom half 1-2-3 for the first time all game, Edgar Rentaria reached on a David Young error. Lincecum failed to bunt him over, but then Cliff Lee plunked Andres Torres. Freddie Sanchez then doubled to put the Giants on the board 2-1, and with one out, the Giants could get a sac fly to tie it up.

Buster Posey whacked one into the outfield that tied the game 2-2, and would have given the team the lead but for Torres having to hold at second.

Bottom 3rd: Lee wobbled through Lincecum's at-bat, but got him out. But then Torres doubled, and Sanchez doubled him in to give the Giants their first lead of this World Series, 3-2. Jayson Stark claims this is the first time Lee has surrendered five doubles in a single game in a Texas uniform.

Darren O'Day warms up while Lee continued to struggle; eventually, he gave up an RBI single to NLCS MVP Cody Ross, cashing in Freddy Sanchez from second. Lee is perilously close to getting pulled before five. Pat Burrell knocked another one in with a second consecutive two-out single, and that's all for Lee. 5-2 Giants, and the game isn't even through five. Strange: on two consecutive plays, Josh Hamilton did not attempt a play at the plate.

Juan Uribe took the first two pitches from Darren O'Day, crushing one into the seats to make it 8-2 Giants. The game is really getting out of hand, but the Rangers can really score in a hurry and there's a lot of game left. Not that it mattered — Edgar Rentaria got plunked, and then Andrus kicked a ball that let Lincecum reach on a dribbler up the middle. The wheels are falling off for the Rangers.

Top 6th: After striking out the first two batters, Lincecum walked Ian Kinsler and gave up an RBI double to Bengie Molina for an 8-3 advantage. Of course it's Bengie.

And done ... The Giants tacked on three more, and the Rangers went after a few themselves, but not so many as los Gigantes...

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Labels: giants, live blogging, postseason, rangers, recaps

Top 3rd

Joel Pineiro reached on a swinging strikeout. That is high comedy. Russell Martin made a great attempt in the stands on a pop foul on the first pitch to Maicer Izturis; it deflects off his glove, and a woman narrowly missed giving up her dinner to the Dodger catcher. Izturis bounced into a great double play started by Furcal. But on the play, Pineiro advanced to third, and Bobby Abreu cashed him in to make it 1-0 Angels. Matsui slammed a grounder right at DeWitt to end the frame, but the Angels took the lead early.

Bottom 3rd

Joel Pineiro gets out of the inning, retiring the Dodgers in order, the last out being Andre Ethier lining out to Robb Quinlan at first. It was a "you've gotta be kidding me" moment.

Bottom 4th

After getting Manny to strike out, Pineiro gives up a line drive solo blast just over the glove of Abreu to James Loney to tie the game 1-1. Pineiro retires the next two in order, but the damage is done.

Top 5th

Billingsly walks Pineiro and eventually hits Torii Hunter to load the bases, and then gives up a bases-clearing double to make it 4-1 Angels. The ball tips off Andre Ethier's glove, who narrowly missed making a highlight-reel catch to save the game for the Dodgers.

Bottom 5th

After Martin reaches on an infield single, Billingsley attempts to bunt him over to second, and Pineiro falls on his ass fielding it, so both end up safe. Furcal bounces into a 4-6-3 double play, and Martin strikes out looking to end the threat. Sometimes, you just wanna laugh. Or cry.

Top 6th

Billingsley loads the bases, starting with — uncredibly! — a walk to Joel Pineiro. And that's the end of his day.

So, naturally, Joe Torre brings out ... George Sherrill.

My brain may explode.

Sherrill walks the first batter he faces — Abreu, who is known for his ball-four-friendly approach to the game — to make it 5-1 Angels. Vinny announces that this is the first time Pineiro has scored three runs in his career.

And another bases-clearing double, this one from Hunter (and why is Torre letting Sherrill face righties?), makes it 8-1 Angels. It's becoming a rout pretty early.

Top 8th

Justin Miller got Joel Pinero for the first time tonight. A good sign for the Blue.

Aybar grounded out to short, and the crowd sounded like they could care less. It's been that kind of a night.

Top 9th

Miller's been nails for the Dodgers. Outside of a two-out double to Izturis in the last inning, he hadn't allowed a baserunner. That changes as soon as I wrote that, because he gave up an infield single to late-innings left field replacement Reggie Willits with one out, DeWitt throwing the ball well away from first base, and Loney saving him from an error by leaping off the bag.

Napoli collected the Golden Sombrero with his fourth swish.

Helen: So, will you not say he sucks this time?

No, Howie Kendrick's two-run jack does not suck. 10-1 Angels.

Bottom 9th

Manny bounced out. Easily, cheaply, the whole offensive night for the Dodgers in one at-bat. Two down.

Loney, the only Dodger to drive in a run or score a run, bounced out to end the game. Pineiro got a CG win to go 5-6 on the season.

And the Pads have loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth in San Diego to jeopardize the Dodgers' division lead.

And the Pads win on a walkoff sac fly.

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Labels: angel stadium, dodgers, live blogging, recaps

Top 4th: A grand slam to the pitcher, Mr. Ex-Cardinal Joel Piniero? Couldn't you have sent them a different sort of present, maybe shaving mugs?

Update: Bill Plunkett notes the last time the Angels gave up a grand slam to the opposing pitcher was in 1969 to Fred Talbot of the Seattle Pilots.

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Labels: angels, cardinals, live blogging, recaps

Top 2nd: The Angels hammered David Huff for three runs in the first; surprisingly, Kendry Morales had nothing to do with it, but the leadoff homer by Erick Aybar was the keynote that got things started.

Weaver gave up a double and an RBI single to Jhonny Peralta, but that was it. 3-1 Angels.

Bottom 3rd: After Huff's rough first inning, he settled in and started making consistent outs. This time he only surrendered a two-out double to Juan Rivera, but Howie Kendrick's hard smash ended up in Russell Branyan's glove to end the inning on an unassisted 3 groundout. Still 3-1 Angels.

Bottom 4th: Bobby Abreu gets rung up on a called strike three that the pitch tracker on screen shows as off the plate. Abreu shakes his head as he heads back to the dugout, and home plate umpire Paul Schreiber jaws at him some on the way back, but no ejection. It didn't matter, as the men on first and second didn't go anywhere thanks to Torii Hunter grounding out into a 6-4 fielder's choice to end the frame. K-Mo walked, bringing Juan Rivera to the dish.

Top 5th: Jered Weaver allowed a two-out single to Shin-Soo Choo, right over the head of Howie Kendrick, but he got Pronk to fly out to center on a pretty close play that had Torii galloping in from mid-center to take over for the infielders, with some wide eyes on Kendrick providing a underscore to the end of the inning.

Bottom 5th: Matsui knocked one down the right field line for his 1,000th major league hit, with 2,390 professional hits between the North American majors and the Japanese leagues. It comes to nothing, but yay, Gojira!

Bottom 6th: Brandon Wood worked something of a miracle: his second hit in the game, a leadoff single.

And then Abreu went yard on an elevated pitch high over the plate to make it 5-1 Angels, yanking it deep into the right field bleachers.

Torii Hunter nailed one off reliever Rafael Perez down the left field line. Hunter skidded into second; Austin Kerns throw actually beat Torii to the bag by about a week, but second baseman Luis Valbuena dropped the ball. He recovered and tagged Hunter, but second base umpire Joe West wasn't in a forgiving mood and declared Hunter safe despite the facts. That put a man on second with only one out; Matsui flied out to right, pushing Hunter to third, but now with two down and Morales at the plate. Morales walked to the crowd's delight, but Juan Rivera whiffed to end the thread.

Top 7th: Weaver's out of it, and Jason Bulger's in. He started badly, throwing four straight out of the zone to walk catcher Mike Redmond, and every Angels fan got a queasy feeling in their stomach. Bulger went 3-1 on Asdrubal Cabrera, and that got Butcher on the horn to the bullpen — and then Bulger walked Cabrera to load the bases.

That was it; hullo, Kevin Jepsen. Jepsen's first pitch to Pronk was a strike practically at his eyes, and Schreiber calls it as Pronk snarls contempt; the third pitch, a tight slider, blows past him for the swinging strikeout. Russell Branyan, now back in a Tribe uniform, gets to a 1-1 count on a breaking pitch in the dirt he spat on as it bounced to Mike Napoli. He tapped out to Erick Aybar on the first base side of second to end the frame, and it's still 5-1 Angels.

Bottom 7th: Brandon Wood shocked all of us by whacking one up the left side for his third hit of the game, putting men on first and second with one out. That's a knockout blow for Rafael Perez, and the Tribe calls in Tony Sipp — who promptly got Aybar to bounce into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Top 8th: Brian Stokes came in and promptly surrendered a leadoff homer to Austin Kerns, Kerns' first of the year, making it 5-2 Angels. Bobby Abreu made a beautiful running catch to nail down the final out of the inning with two men on, giving everyone — including reliever Fernando Rodney — a big sigh of relief.

Top 9th: Fuentes survives a shaky 9th (B. Wood throwing error and a walkd) by punching out punching out Peralta to finish things with a 5-2 win. Woo!

ESPN Box • Angels recap

Labels: angels, indians, live blogging, recaps

Bottom 1st: The Dodgers squeaked out of a rough first inning by Charlie Haeger. With a calm day, Haeger had almost nothing to work with for his knuckleball, and loaded the bases on a walk. But a wild pitch caused the baserunners to scramble; Haeger was credited with tagging Eugenio Velez out at the plate, though the subsequent replay showed the Giants got jobbed on the call, Velez catching the plate with a hook slide between Haeger's legs.

Top 2nd: Charlie Haeger continued to get himself in trouble, putting men on the corners with pitcher Tim Lincecum at the plate. Lincecum popped a perfect bunt up the right side, past Haeger and between the infielders to make it 1-0 Giants. Haeger's burned through a lot of pitches, and he's just struggling.

Haeger managed to escape further damage. Despite loading the bases once again, he struck out both Edgar Rentaria and Pablo "Kung-Fu Panda" Sandoval to end the frame. It's gonna be a long game for everyone, because the Dodgers need innings and it looks like Haeger can't provide them if he keeps this up.

Top 3rd: Lincecum again burned Haeger by hammering an RBI single into the right field gap with the bases loaded, the third time the Giants had juiced the bags this game; it's 4-0 Giants; and shortly thereafter, Haeger uncorks another wild pitch that makes it 5-0. It's looking like a very short day for Haeger.

Top 4th: Haeger got the hook (phew!) after surrendering two baserunners on a double and a walk; that brought Joe Torre's hook, with Carlos Monasterios entering the game. Andre Ethier missed Bengie Molina's towering pop fly in shallow right field along the first base line, the ball bouncing off his forearm to make it 6-0 Giants. And then Juan Uribe lines out to Matt Kemp, but the man on third — Aubrey Huff — scores, 7-0 Giants. Starting to look like time to mow the lawn.

Top 5th: After Lincecum reaches on his third hit of the game, Velez reaches on another single, putting men on first and second. Rentaria then blows one down the left field line that goes in and out of Garrett Anderson's glove. Anderson recovers from his slide, he throws a dart to third base, and then Ronnie Belliard relays to first, and thence Blake DeWitt to first; but the umps only give credit for the out at third despite the replays.

Top 7th: I fell asleep somewhere in here, and another Ramon Ortiz relief outing led to a forfeit score of 9-0 when he stuttered a hit and a walk. What a mess.

ESPN box • Dodgers recap

Labels: dodgers, giants, live blogging, recaps

Really, I had something useful to say about yesterday's 7-5 win over Toronto, mostly snark aimed at the bullpen; Kevin Jepsen recovered from a Jason Bulger implosion that made it into a game again. Bulger ended the day with an 11.69 ERA, which fairly estimates the level work he's done this year. A good offensive game starring Kendry Morales' solo homer, and another fantastic outing by Jered Weaver, the team's best pitcher at the moment.

When I started listening to today's early east coast starter, I somehow managed to arrive just in time to hear Brandon Wood muff three straight plays in the third; and he's hitting less than a supermodel's weight. Fortunately, Joe Saunders didn't take it personally and managed to get out of the inning anyway; I was shocked to see Wood still in the game the next frame. About as horrible as anything I've seen, though I should mention that we haven't even seen a month of him as a starter. (Sean Rodriguez hasn't crossed the Mendoza line, either, but he would have made pretty good Brandon Wood insurance in case the latter flames out ... oh, well.)

Top 8th: Juan Rivera ripped a hard-hit single down the right-field line to make it 5-2 Angels. It was the first scoring either team has done in five innings. Not coincidentally, Saunders hadn't left the game, and he stays in entering the bottom of the frame.

Bottom 8th: With Toronto shortstop Alex Gonzalez on second with two outs, Adam Lind singled to center. Reggie Willits, getting the start in right, returned the ball slightly off-line to Mike Napoli. Gonzalez screwed up, too, failing to touch the plate — and Napoli tagged him for the last out. (Gonzalez actually caught Napoli's shin guard instead of the plate, though it was fairly close.)

Top 9th: The Angels got another insurance run off a Reggie Willits leadoff hustle double, and an RBI single from Howie Kendrick, making it 6-2 Angels. It looks like Mike Scioscia's bringing in Kevin Jepsen to finish the game.

Bottom 9th: That didn't last long. Jepsen surrendered consecutive doubles to Vernon Wells and Lyle Overbay to make it 6-3 Angels; but Fernando Rodney, summoned to finish things for reals this time, held the Jays scoreless, retiring all three men he faced. The Halos pick up their first series win despite Wood's miscues (and another 0-fer day), and do it on the road, too.

ESPN Box • Angels recap

Labels: angels, blue jays, live blogging, recaps

This is beginning to recall the manhandlings handed out by the old 80's-era Twins.

And it's no more fun.

Top 9th: Delmon Young goes yard, and it's 10-1 Twins. Anybody want to take over/unders on how long Rodney lasts on the team?

Not overly impressed with Victor Rojas so far, but I can't complain too much, either. "Better than Steve Physioc" is a low bar.

Bottom 9th: There's something utterly appropriate about Robb Quinlan striking out to end the game and lose the series. Bleh.

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Labels: angels, live blogging, recaps, twins

Top 1st: Shane Victorino reaches on a one-out line drive single off Clayton Kershaw, and immediately afterwards, the fans hearts find their way into their throats as Chase Utley chases Matt Kemp to the warning track for a long, scary flyball out. Kershaw picks off Victorino 1-3-6; the Flyin' Hawaiian stumbles along the way to make it easy for the Dodgers.

Bottom 1st: Following leadoff man Rafael Furcal's flyout to left off Cole Hamels, Andre Ethier proves himself capable of hitting Cole Hamels, spanking a single into left. That brings Manny Ramirez to the plate. He strikes out. Matt Kemp grounds one to left for a single, but Casey Blake pops out to second baseman Utley to end the frame.

Top 2nd: Kershaw gets both Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez on called third strikes using "public enemy number one", his enormous bender made famous in last year's spring training when Vinny gave it that name from Roy Campanella. It's the second inning in a row where he's faced the minimum.

Bottom 2nd: James Loney takes a 93 MPH fastball into the right center pavilion to make it 1-0 Dodgers with a solo homer. Of the three hits given up by Hamels, two have been from lefties.

With two out, Kershaw walks on five pitches; the lineout Hamels gave up earlier to Belliard was hammered, so the Dodgers are getting in some good swings. That's not what Furcal does, though, tapping out meekly to third to end the frame. 1-0 Dodgers.

Top 4th: After getting the first two batters in the frame on harmless pop outs, Ryan Howard walks on a very close 3-2 pitch (Gameday says it's well over the corner of the plate). Jayson Werth gives the Dodgers a scare with a long flyball out that Manny Ramirez catches at the fence for the final out. Still 1-0 Dodgers.

Bottom 4th: Hamels gets Ronnie Belliard to pop out to Utley for the inning's final out, the last of a 1-2-3 inning. Hamels hasn't allowed a baserunner since he walked Kershaw in the second.

Top 5th: Kershaw gives up a leadoff single to Ibanez, walks Pedro Feliz, and then leaves one out and over the plate for Carlos Ruiz, who punishes it into the right field seats to make it 3-1 Phillies. He goes 3-0 to Hamels, bringing Russell Martin to the mound for a conference.

Hamels walks on four pitches, Kershaw's fourth walk of the game. Scott Elbert starts warming up in the bullpen.

Jimmy Rollins hits into a fielder's choice, and takes second on Shane Victorino's wild pitch strikeout. The first pitch of Utley's at-bat is another wild pitch, Kershaw's third of the inning, pushing Rollins to third.

Utley reaches on what would have been Kershaw's fourth wild pitch but for a nice save by Martin. And then Ryan Howard belts a double to cash in two, 5-1 Phillies. Ramon Troncoso relieves Kershaw with two out.

Tron-tron gets Werth on a flyball out to medium left to end the frame. Gah.

Bottom 5th: The Dodgers get right back in it with Andre Ethier's scoring fielder's choice (thanks to an error by Jimmy Rollins that ended up with Ethier on second) and a two-run jack by Manny, making it 5-4 Dodgers. The Dodgers really need to get a lead back.

Top 6th: Ronald Belisario gets the Phils in order, including homer-hitting Ruiz on a tapper to second. The crowd's still very much into it.

Bottom 6th: The Dodgers get men on first and second to bring up Jim Thome with two out. Charley Steiner keeps calling him James Loney. Yes, it's exciting, Charley.

Thome walks against reliever J.A. Happ, loading the bases. The Dodgers replace him with pinch-runner Randy Wolf. Maybe. Yup, it's Wolfie.

Happ now to Furcal, and he's wild, going 2-1. Furcal swings and foul tips one into home plate umpire Randy Marsh's mask. 2-2 count now. Just downstairs for a 3-2 count, and on the next pitch, Furcal bounces out to Utley to end the inning.

Bottom 7th: Vinny comes back to the booth, and informs us how poorly Ethier has done against left-handed pitching in the regular season. Just after that announcement, Ethier hammers one into the right field corner for a double, chasing Antonio Bastardo, who only faced Ethier.

It's Chan-Ho Park time, so this should be interesting. It's Manny versus Park with the winning run at the plate and nobody out. Park quickly gets a 1-2 count on Ramirez, and Manny checks his swing on a high, inside pitch. 2-2. Manny taps out to third for the first out of the inning.

Here's Matt Kemp. He works a full count after going 1-2, and strikes out for the inning's second out. Casey Blake taps out to third, and despite a high throw from Pedro Feliz, the Dodgers are out of the inning, wasting the leadoff double.

Top 8th: The normally impregnable George Sherrill gives up a pair of walks and Raul Ibanez belts one over the fence to break open the game once again, making it 8-4 Phillies. It's only the second home run he's given up all year, Vinny says.

Sherrill eventually limps out of the inning by getting a flyball double play to end it.

Bottom 8th: Ryan Madsen gives up three consecutive singles, culminating with Russell Martin's to make it 8-5 Phillies, James Loney scoring from second. That brings on pinch-hitter Juan Pierre, who will hopefully rediscover his beast mode right about now. Pierre bounces into a 1-4 fielder's choice for the inning's first out. But there's now men on the corners for Rafael Furcal with Belliard at third.

Furcal flies out to deep right, cashing in Belliard to nibble away the lead to only a two-run advantage, 8-6 Philadelphia. Andre Ethier singles, Pierre scampers to third, and now Ramirez arrives at the plate as the go-ahead run. Anticlimactically, he bounces slowly to third to end the inning, stranding another pair of baserunners, the eighth and ninth of the game.

Bottom 9th: The Dodgers go with hardly a peep, getting leadoff man Matt Kemp aboard on a single, but Casey Blake grounding into a double play. Belliard eventually pops out to end the game, in a very disappointing game that really should have been much closer; even the Dodgers' supposed strength, left-handed pitching, mostly failed (Kershaw and Sherrill). Get 'em tomorrow, I guess.

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Labels: dodgers, live blogging, phillies, postseason, recaps

Bottom 1: The Phils went up 1-0 on a Chase Utley solo homer, but the Rocks have come back smartly and pecked J.A. Happ to death on three singles and a groundout, tying the game at 1-1.

Yorvit Torrealba singles with men on the corners to make it 2-1 Rockies with two out. Ryan Spilborghs hammers a pitch to left center, but it's right at a shifted Shane Victorino to end the frame. Happ's already thrown 35 pitches and he's only through one frame.

Top 2nd: With one out, Jason Hammel catches a "oh, look, what do I have here in my glove?" line drive that he promptly drops. He collects himself and throws to first base to record the out against Raul Ibanez, the middle out of an easy 1-2-3 frame for him.

Bottom 3rd: With two out and Todd Helton still stuck at first after a leadoff walk, Garrett Atkins belts one over the head of Shane Victorino, who misplays the carom slightly. Helton scores, running hard all the way, and Atkins ends up at second with a double as the Rocks extend their lead to 3-1. Ryan Spilborghs strikes out swinging to end the frame, but Happ has expended 76 pitches to get through only three innings.

Top 4th: Hammel starts to make some mistakes as he gives up a leadoff walk to Victorino. Chase Utley singles, and Ryan Howard singles Victorino home from second to make it 3-2 Rockies with nobody out.

Hammel loads up the bases with his second walk in the inning, to Jayson Werth. It's looking like he's very close to getting yanked, as Jim Tracy starts up the bullpen. Raul Ibanez steps to the plate. After a long at-bat, Raul Ibanez walks in a run, and we're tied 3-3.

Pedro Feliz bounces out to Hammel for a 1-2-3 double play, leaving men on second and third with two down. Hammel goes to a full count on Carlos Ruiz, but he fouls a couple away, one off his foot, and then sneaks a single through the hole in the left side, making it 4-3 Phillies for the lead. That's it for both pitchers, as Jim Tracy pulls Hammel and Charlie Manuel yanks Happ for pinch hitter Greg Dobbs.

Matt Belisle gets out of the frame without further damage, but the Rocks are now behind after a three-run inning.

Bottom 4th: Leadoff man Carlos Gonzalez crushes a rocket off reliever Joe Blanton to deep right, tying the game at 4-4, collecting his seventh hit in 12 at-bats.

Top 5th: After getting two out, Belisle walks Chase Utley, and that's that for him. That brings up LOOGY Joe Beimel to face Ryan Howard, who obliges him by popping out to short on the first pitch. In some fairness to Howard, it was quite a pop that required Tulo to race to shallow left to make an over-the-shoulder catch for the out.

Top 6th: Jose Contreras issues two straight one-out walks, the second one to Feliz on four straight balls. Contreras falls behind Ruiz 2-1, and nobody's warming up in the bullpen; on the next pitch, Ruiz drives in a run with an up-the-middle single to give the Phils a 5-4 lead. Contreras eventually gets Jimmy Rollins on a 4-6 fielder's choice groundout to end the frame, but at the moment he's on the hook for a loss.

Bottom 7th: After an uneventful top of the seventh, Ruiz hammers a ball into the left field gap for a double off reliever Scott Eyre, who entered the game in the sixth with two out. Dexter Fowler then bunts one up the middle on the right side; Eyre falls down and injures his ankle trying to retrieve the ball. That puts men on the corners with one out, and Manuel calls on Ryan Madsen to put out the rally.

Todd Helton goes to a 2-2 count, fouling several pitches off Madsen; he goes up the ladder to strike out Helton for the first out of the inning.

After fouling off a couple pitches inside and off the plate, Tulowitzki yanks a line drive sac fly to left to tie the game 5-5. Torrealba strikes out to end the inning without further damage.

Top 8th: Raul Ibanez walked, and Pedro Feliz gets a bloop double to left, all with only one out. Rafael Betancourt is in some trouble with first base open, pitching to Ruiz.

Betancourt strikes out Ruiz swinging on a 1-2 count. Two down. Now it's Matt "Wonder Hamster" Stairs' turn, and Betancourt quickly goes to a 2-2 count. After getting Stairs to foul off a pitch and throws a ball, he gets Stairs swinging to end the threat. Wow.

It's 11:37 AM in Denver. It's 1:37 AM in Philadelphia. And it's really cold in Denver.

Top 9th: Huston Street gives up a leadoff single to Jimmy Rollins that's eventually cashed in by Ryan Howard for a 6-5 Phillies lead. Man, isn't it about time for the infomercials to start?

Bottom 9th: It's Brad Lidge's turn to show whether he can keep the icicles off his fingers. After retiring Brad Hawpe on two pitches, he surrenders a walk to Carlos Gonzalez. With pinch-hitter Jason Giambi at the plate, Gonzalez steals second easily on Lidge, who wasn't paying much attention. Giambi pops out in foul territory to Feliz, and the Phils are one out away from a win.

Brad Lidge manages to walk Helton, even despite a gift strike call in the at-bat. Eric Young replaces Helton at first, and here comes Tulo. Tulo pops it up, and the Phils are one win away from advancing to meet the Dodgers.

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Labels: live blogging, phillies, postseason, recaps, rockies

Bottom 8th: With the Yanks up 2-1 thanks to a two-run seventh against former teammate Carl Pavano (a pair of solo homers to A-Rod and Jorge Posada), Denard Span sends a high bouncing chopper up the middle. Nick Punto, on second following a leadoff double, reaches third but foolishly tries to score, as Jeter gets the ball and throws home, getting Punto in a rundown and nailing him 6-2-5 at third. A horrible, ugly baserunning gaffe costs the Twins what is probably their best, last hope for winning this game.

Reliever Phil Hughes gets Orlando Cabrera to fly out to center, and Joe Girardi calls on Mariano Rivera to finish the game's final four outs, facing Joe Mauer with a man on first. Mauer shatters his bat and taps out meekly to first to end the inning.

Top 9th: Good lord. The Twins walk the bases loaded with one out, as neither Jon Rauch nor Jose Mijares can find the plate facing A-Rod or Hideki Matsui. Joe Nathan sends a 0-1 fastball to Posada, and he welts it into the outfield for an RBI single, making it 3-1 Yankees. This game is suddenly getting mighty sad for the Twins, who have three outs against Rivera to make some noise. The crowd certainly isn't into what is almost certainly going to be the final major league baseball game played at the Metrodome.

With the Twins' defense playing deep, Robinson Cano fists one to shallow right center. Jason Kubel makes a valiant but ultimately futile dive for the ball, but the ball just caroms off his glove, and the Yanks cash in yet another run. 4-1 Yanks, and I'm heading off to TNT for the start of the Phils/Rocks game, where I understand the Phillies have already drawn first blood.

Bottom 9th: The Twins' Michael Cuddyer singles to lead off the inning, but Rivera gets Jason Kubel to strike out looking, and Delmon Young to strike out swinging. Brendan Harris bounces out to Derek Jeter to end the game, the final play at the Metrodome.

The Angels start against the Yankees in New York on Friday.

ESPN Box

Labels: live blogging, recaps, twins, yankees

Bottom 2nd: Home plate umpire Eric Cooper is calling a very tall strike zone; a lot of low pitches that, from my view, ought to be called strikes are getting labeled balls.

After hammering a towering moon shot foul inside the left field line, Kevin Youkilis goes down looking on a Scott Kazmir bender that gets Youk jawing with the umpire (again!). A walk to Jason Bay gives the Sox their first baserunner of the game, but both David Ortiz and Mike Lowell fly out to end the inning.

Top 3rd: So, Dave Henderson threw out the first pitch, huh?

After Chone Figgins bounces out to second, Bobby Abreu lines out to Jacoby Ellsbury in center; Ellsbury makes a fine leaping, outstretched catch to make the play.

Bottom 3rd: Kazmir's playing a dangerous game, giving up his second walk of the day, this time to Alex Gonzalez with one out. Ellsbury smacks a line drive single to left over the head of the drawn-in Chone Figgins. There's men on first and second for Dustin Pedroia now. Pedroia hammers a 1-1 pitch into the Green Monster for an RBI double, giving the Sox a 2-0 lead as the throw comes in late to the plate.

Victor Martinez one-hands an offspeed pitch into the Monster; while Rivera gets it back quickly and holds Martinez to a single, it also cashes in the speedy Pedroia for a 3-0 Red Sox lead. Those hard line drive outs were a bad omen, and we're now starting to see Boston straighten out some of those pitches.

Youkilis lines out to left and Bay lines out to Torii Hunter to end the frame, but Kazmir may not survive much longer if he doesn't start getting some balls hit on the ground.

Top 4th: Vlad is still batting fourth? Seriously, Scioscia, how much do you want to win this game?

Vlad taps out meekly to short to start off the fourth. That bit of managerial ineptitude immediately costs the Angels, as Kendry Morales crushes a high fastball into the right field seats to nibble the Sox' advantage down to 3-1. That's it from the Angels, as both Rivera (5-3 groundout) and Izturis (pop out to short) go down quickly.

Bottom 4th: The Green Monster eats a one-out home run for Mike Lowell, who belts a pitch high onto the ediface that Rivera hurries back to the infield for a mere single. Kazmir continues to flirt with disaster, not helped by Eric Cooper calling almost nothing low in the zone. J.D. Drew then crushes a pitch over the fence in dead center that bounces back to the seats, but Cowboy Joe West immediately throws up the home run signal, and it's 5-1 Boston. Welcome to Fenway.

Kazmir finally gets Ellsbury on a broken bat bouncer to the box for the inning's final out, but the game is in danger of becoming a rout. Jason Bulger was last seen warming up in the Angels bullpen.

Top 5th: Cooper's calling a terrible and inconsistent strike zone; nonetheless, Mike Napoli belts a 3-2 pitch down the left field line that caroms off the outfield padding and takes a funny turn past Jason Bay. Napoli gets a stand-up double as Bay has to unexpectedly change direction to field the ball.

Erick Aybar takes an inside pitch (according to the TBS strike zone box) for a called strike three. This is the worst umpiring crew of the four out there this postseason.

Figgins goes down the same way, albeit that pitch — a bender inside — looks like it's an actual strike.

Bottom 5th: Kazmir, shockingly enough, is still in the game. Even more shocking: he gets the side in order.

Top 6th: Torii Hunter whams a leadoff double; Buchholz tries to pick him off second, and after grimacing on his return to the plate, Buchholz tries again, only this time he balks him to third. Vlad hits an infield single to short, and Hunter stays at third after Lowell comes over to back up the play. That brings up Kendry, and necessitates a meeting on the mound.

K-Mo takes an intentional unintentional walk on four pitches, and that's it for Buchholz, who leaves the bases loaded with nobody out. Daniel Bard, he of the 98 MPH heat, is coming up.

Bard gets out of it by getting Rivera to bounce into a 5-4-3 double play and Maicer Izturis to pop out. One run scores, but it could have been far worse, and the Angels will face the teeth of the Red Sox' excellent bullpen. 5-2 Red Sox.

Bottom 6th: Kazmir gives up a two-out walk to Lowell, but he posts another scoreless inning as he gets Drew to bounce out harmlessly to Kendry for the final out. Kaz has settled down from his bad innings in the third and fourth, but he's also probably faced his last batters, as he's at 90 pitches.

Top 7th: After two straight outs to start the inning, Chone Figgins comes to the plate and gets a strike called on a very borderline check swing call. Okay, I'll come out and say it: Dan Iassogna is full of bologna.

Figgins goes down on a 0-2 bender on the outside corner to end the frame. Looks like we're going to a game 4, at least. Still six outs left, though.

Top 8th: After Jason Bulger unexpectedly gets out of the seventh with a zero frame, Bobby Abreu hits one down the right field line, and Kevin Youkilis' attempt to field the ball merely swats it into the stands for a two-base infield hit; it goes down as a "double to first" in the record book. Torii Hunter makes a bunt attempt and gets all upset when he pulls the bat back late and first base umpire calls him out on it. He really has something to be upset about as he strikes out looking.

Vlad somehow works a walk after a protracted at-bat. Kendry swings hard at the first pitch, one up at his eyes. Morales taps to second on a tough play that ends up a 4-3 ground out, but that brings in Papelbon with the Angels' best home run threat out, and Boston four outs away from their first series win.

Shockingly, Juan Rivera, who has been mostly ineffective, spanks a first-pitch fastball into the gap to cash in two, narrowing the lead to 5-4 Boston. The Red Sox outfield played it well to limit Rivera to a single; he's lifted for pinch-runner Reggie Willits. Willits, taking an aggressive lead, gets picked off first to end the frame. Gad, he can be a dunce.

Top 9th: Following a one-run inning by the Sawx in the bottom of the frame that pushed their advantage to two runs (6-4 Boston), chasing Kevin Jepsen, the Angels somehow managed to reverse the deficit against the Sox against their ace closer, Jonathan Papelbon, the big blow coming on Vlad's RBI single. Vlad? VLAD?

As Helen says, he gets to keep hitting fourth.

Erick Aybar singled off Billy Wagner, Chone Figgins walked (his 2009 skill coming through again), and Bobby Abreu doubled, cashing in Aybar. Figgins could have gone home, but Dino Ebel held him at third; it was an odd call from the Angels' third base coach, because the throw to the infield had no target, and he likely would have scored.

As it turned out, that didn't matter, thanks to Vlad's single, but we'll see how this turns out with the Angels' shaky bullpen.

And yes, Papelbon gives up his first postseason runs. Which feels pretty damn good right now, even if Fuentes chokes up this lead for a loss.

Hideki Okajima replaces Papelbon, and gets Kendry Morales to make a routine fly out to left.

Bottom 9th: Jed Lowry pinch hits for Gonzalez and pops out to center, a play Hunter has to race in to make. One out.

Ellsbury pops out to defensive replacement Jeff Mathis. Two out.

Fuentes gets a gift called strike on the 0-1 pitch on Pedroia, misses the plate with the next one, and gets a popout to short.

Break out the champagne, boys, I didn't think you had it in you. And beating Papelbon, at Fenway to boot! The runs he gave up were the first in the postseason ever.

Postgame: Torii Hunter: "The fat lady hasn't sung yet."

Francona: "It's tough to walk the bases loaded. ... We thought we put ourselves in a better place to win."

Papelbon: very subdued, as you would expect, but gracious, talking about how his location was off.

ESPN Box • Angels recap

Labels: angels, live blogging, postseason, recaps, red sox

Top 3rd: The St. Louis fans have nothing to root for so far, as the Dodgers get a run in the first on a Manny Ramirez RBI double, and now in the third, Andre Ethier clocks one to deep right field to make it 3-0 Dodgers. Manny doubles, and James Loney reprises his role in Game 2 of Player Who Reaches On Opposition Error (Joel Piñero fails to catch Pujols' lob), but this time he doesn't score, as Piñero ends up getting Casey Blake on a 5-4 groundout.

Bottom 3rd: Vicente Padilla, lone wolf, pitching for his career, gets Albert Pujols to pop out to shortstop Rafael Furcal to end the inning for a clean third. If he's got two more innings in him, Padilla just increased his asking price for next offseason.

Top 4th: With two down and Ronnie Belliard on second, Rafael Furcal whacked one up the left field line to cash him in, making it 4-0 Dodgers. I ... I love you guys.

Ryan Franklin struck out Kemp to end the frame, but the Cards need a grand slam to tie it.

Bottom 4th: Holliday lines out to right, but then, ignoring the TBS broadcasters' comments about how St. Louis batters haven't been hitting Padilla hard, Colby Rasmus belts a one-out double past Casey Blake to put a baserunner in scoring position for the Cards. Yadier Molina bounces out to Blake for the second out, advancing Rasmus to third. Mark DeRosa's line drive finds Padilla's glove for the final out, nabbed as if it were a drink he ordered from the bar back of home plate.

Top 5th: My God, the Cardinals fans are depressed. But they have something to cheer about, briefly, as reliever Dennys Reyes strikes out both Andre Ethier and Manny Ramirez for the first two outs of the frame. James Loney's groundout to short finishes a 1-2-3 inning for St. Louis, the second of the game.

Bottom 5th: After a long eight-pitch battle with pinch-hitter and ex-Dodger Future Of Second Base Joe Thurston, Padilla gets Skip Shumacher to line out for the final out of the fifth. Padilla's eligible for a win now, and has pitched shockingly well for a guy who's making his first professional postseason appearance.

Top 6th: John Smoltz comes in and immediately gives up an infield single to Casey Blake, who sneaks one under the glove of shortstop Brendan Ryan. Smoltz is a little wild and throwing just under the bottom of the strike zone. Belliard strikes out, bringing Russell Martin to the plate — who strikes out swinging to make the inning's second out. Vicente Padilla strikes out to make it a trifecta of struck out batters, with Padilla facing the 2-3-4 batters in the bottom of the frame.

Bottom 6th: Padilla strikes out Albert Pujols looking on an incredible strike three that gets Pujols jawing with the umpire. On the first pitch, Matt Holliday pops out to the catcher, and suddenly the Dodgers are nine outs away from advancing.

Top 7th: After striking out the first two batters for five consecutive, Andre Ethier clocks one over Colby Rasmus' head for a clean triple. Manny whacks a line drive over the hole at short, and it's now 5-0 Dodgers. James Loney adds to the Cards' worries, singling to right, with men on first and second.

After a protracted battle, Smoltz finally gets Casey Blake to fly out to Matt Holliday, who catches it just to prove it can be done.

Bottom 7th: Padilla gets Rasmus to fly out to left — a "room service fly ball" as Vinny says — but then Molina whacks one down the left field line past Casey Blake for a double, but then makes a tragic (for the Cards) mistake on a bouncer to short, attempting to reach third. He's easily erased, and while Mark DeRosa reaches first on the fielder's choice, it's cold comfort to the St. Louis fans, who are watching their offense frozen out on a cold night. Brendan Ryan flies out to Matt Kemp to finish things, and the stillborn rally ends quietly.

Bottom 8th: Padilla's gone, and what a job: a seven-inning, four-hit shutout; George Sherrill's in, and he immediately gets Jason LaRue on a pop up. Unexpectedly, Sherrill walks Julio Lugo. Ludwick hits a ball 373 feet to left to the bullpen gate at 375 feet, and Manny sends it back to the infield without damage. That's it for Sherrill, and Jonathan Broxton enters the game for the last four outs.

Oh, yes, and to face Albert Pujols.

Broxton gives up an RBI single to Phat Albert, and it's 5-1 Dodgers. Holliday flies out to Ethier, and the Dodgers are three outs away from advancing.

Top 9th: Ethier hammers one one off Ryan Franklin the opposite way down the left field line, to DeRosa's bafflement, expecting him to pull, putting a man in scoring position with two out. He's a single away from a cycle.

Manny bounces out to end the frame, but the Cards have a mighty big hill to climb in the bottom of the ninth.

Bottom 9th: Rasmus swings and misses at a third strike to make it one out in the ninth. Two more to go.

Molina bounces one up the third base line, a swinging bunt that amounts to an infield single. He reaches second on the first pitch to DeRosa, who then taps to the box for two out.

Broxton strikes out pinch-hitter Rick Ankiel to finish the game, and they'll see the winner of the Phillies/Rockies NLDS. One "murmur of protest" (thanks, Vinny) of the Cards to vaporize "the eraser" from the Times comment that it would be the Cards in three.

ESPN Box

Labels: cardinals, dodgers, live blogging, postseason, recaps

Top 4th: With two out, Yankees starter A.J. Burnett plunked both Delmon Young and Carlos Gomez. That brought Matt Tolbert to the plate; he singled, and almost scored Young from second, but Gomez overran second and was tagged out by Derek Jeter before Young had a chance to score. The call brought out a confused Joe Girardi and Ron Gardenhire to have them explain the situation; the Twins are 1-for-1 with runners in scoring position but still don't have an RBI. Still scoreless.

Top 5th: The Twins get their second baserunner on with two out in the form of Orlando Cabrera, who walked. Burnett then falls behind Joe Mauer 3-0 and walks him on a 3-1 pitch. For the second inning in a row, the Twins have men on first and second with two out, only this time they've got Jason Kubel at bat. It's Burnett's fourth walk of the night, but he's got a two-hitter going through 4.2; Nick Blackburn has yet to allow a hit. Kubel bounces out to second for an easy end of the fifth.

Top 6th: Minnesota finally breaks through with yet another two-out rally, only this time Brendan Harris punches an RBI triple to cash in Delmon Young. It's 1-0 Twins but Punto grounds out to end the inning. Blackburn will have to face the 9-1-2 batters in the bottom of the frame.

Day after: The Twinks got a pair in the top of the eighth off Phil Hughes; true to form with the Twins in this game, it came on a two-out rally following a Carlos Gomez walk and a Brendan Harris single; Nick Punto's RBI single pushed across Gomez. That brought out Mariano Rivera, but Denard Span hit him anyway, making it 3-1 Twins.

New York went scoreless in the bottom of the frame, but normally untouchable closer Joe Nathan missed the plate wildly and gave up a single to Mark Teixeira and a homer to A-Rod to tie the game 3-3; the teams traded zeroes in extras until Teixeira homered off Jose Mijares in the 11th for the Yankees win. As I expected, this wasn't really a fair fight, and the Twins will go away rather quickly, though the old Metrodome will get a final postseason game, at least, in its last year.

ESPN Box

Labels: live blogging, postseason, recaps, twins, yankees

Top 2nd: After trading zeros with Adam Wainwright in the first frame, Clayton Kershaw gives up a solo blast to Matt Holliday to make it 1-0 St. Louis. Kershaw gets Ryan Ludwick to bounce to third, but Casey Blake can't come up with the ball cleanly, and Ludwick reaches on an infield single. Yadier Molina gets lucky and a flyball pop finds a hole in the outfield and now there's men on first and second with nobody out. Colby Rasmus finally hits into a 6-4-3 double play to end the frame and the threat.

Bottom 4th: After Wainwright retired the first twelve batters in succession, Andre Ethier crushes one over the center field fence to make it a 1-1 tie. Manny Ramirez possibly starts another streak by grounding out to end the frame.

Top 6th: Kershaw allows a leadoff single to Albert Pujols. After getting Holliday to pop out to first, he uncorks a wild pitch to Ryan Ludwick, allowing Pujols to take second. Ludwick eventually lines out to third, and Casey Blake throws a bit wildly to Ronnie Belliard in an attempt to double off Pujols. Pujols scampers back safely, but the wild inning continues as Yadier Molina lines the first pitch to Matt Kemp in center; Kemp momentarily loses the ball, but recovers with a shoestring catch. Still tied 1-1.

Top 7th: Kershaw gives up a leadoff single to Mark DeRosa. Colby Rasmus then hammers a ball to center, over the head of Matt Kemp. Kemp hits his cutoff man, Furcal, who tries for the play at the plate; the ball's late, but James Loney, covering at the plate, throws to third to nail Rasmus. 2-1 Cardinals; Kershaw retires Adam Wainright on a popup, but Julio Lugo hits him for a line drive. That's all for Kershaw, who works 6.2 innings, and leaves a man behind for Ronald Belisario, facing Brendan Ryan.

Bottom 9th: And then the heavens opened, and the Dodgers won. More on this tomorrow.

Update 10/9: I can't stop watching this. OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!! James Loney's line drive right at Matt Holliday — lost in the lights? (No, it had nothing to do with the fans waving rally towels.) Ronnie Belliard, whose swing-first-ask-questions-later approach, the exact opposite of what was needed with two outs, comes up with an RBI single to tie the game? Improbable. Mark Loretta, who never had a hit against Ryan Franklin previously, getting a pinch-hit single for the go-ahead run? Impossible.

Easily the craziest Dodger comeback since Vic Davalillo.

Linkies:

• MSTI.
• SOSG (and a surprising and prescient comment about shadows at Dodger Stadium).
• Dylan Hernandez:

  "All of a sudden, I heard people go crazy," Ethier said.

• T.J. Simers is worried about that dork Steve Lopez.

Good grief. What a finish. What a game.

ESPN Box • Dodgers recap

Labels: cardinals, dodgers, live blogging, postseason, recaps

Top 1st: Denard Span clocks a leadoff double but C.C. Sabathia strikes out the next two batters. A passed ball in Joe Mauer's at-bat allows Span to reach third. Sabathia gets Cuddyer to fly out harmlessly to center to end the threat, and it's the Yankees' turn to bat against Brian Duensing in the bottom of the frame.

Bottom 1st: The Yanks get leadoff man Derek Jeter aboard on a single, but he never advances past second, and Brian Duensing holds down the Yanks for an inning.

Top 3rd: Sabathia gives up a leadoff single to Nick Punto but retires Denard Span on a 5-4-3 double play. Orland Cabrera singles, Joe Mauer doubles, and a Michael Cuddyer single and a wild pitch score both Cabrera and Mauer to make it 2-0 Twins. Sabathia strikes out Jason Kubel to end the frame, but the Twinks are outhitting the Bombers by 6-1. Brian Duensing hasn't allowed a baserunner since Jeter's leadoff single in the first.

Bottom 3rd: And just like that, the game's tied 2-2. Duensing gave up an infield single to Melky Cabrera, a wild pitch, and ultimately a Derek Jeter homer. Duensing's not done giving up hits, as he gives up a single to Johnny Damon, and there's still only one out.

Duensing almost gets out of it as Mark Teixeira hits a smash to short, but Orlando Cabrera's throw to first is wild, eliminating the double play. A-Rod strikes out, but New York has tied the game.

Top 4th: Sabathia finally has a 1-2-3 inning. He's burned 76 pitches through four, but he's a horse and the Yanks are gonna ride him.

Bottom 4th: Robinson Cano reached on yet another blown double play, and Nick Swisher makes him pay with an RBI double down the left field line. Delmon Young gets the ball to the infield in time, but Joe Mauer botches the catch and the run scores. 3-2 Yankees for the lead.

Bottom 5th: Duensing gives up yet another run, this time with two out and A-Rod at the plate, an RBI single on the first pitch to plate Derek Jeter. It's 4-2 Yanks, and Duensing's getting the hook; Francisco Liriano takes the mound.

Liriano almost immediately gives up a two-run jack to Hideki Matsui to make it 6-2 Yankees, and we're nearing rout territory here from what had once looked like a good pitchers' duel.

Top 7th: The Twins manage to get a pair on second and third with two out, and Orlando Cabrera at the plate. Phil Hughes gets him to strike out swinging after a 10-pitch at-bat, but the Twins' two-out rally is snuffed out.

Two worst things about the Twins' broadcast:

1. Calling "God Bless America" "traditional" and "baseball's national anthem".
2. Ads from a local megachurch talking about how some athlete or other is in sync with Jesus. Cringe.

The best thing about it, of course, is that it is not the Yankees homer broadcast.

Bottom 7th: A-Rod picks up another RBI for a 7-2 Yankees lead. Jon Rauch has a couple on first and second, and faces Jorge Posada with a 2-0 count; Posada bounces to second to end the frame. The run is unearned thanks to Michael Cuddyer's error.

Top 9th: Mariano Rivera to close out a game with a five-run lead? Yup. What's more, he gave up a pair of baserunners, and they got to second and third (Denard Span and Nick Punto, respectively); but Rivera got O-Cab to bounce out to second to end the game.

ESPN Box

Labels: live blogging, postseason, recaps, twins, yankees

Bottom 2nd: Ubaldo Jimenez is cruising so far, giving up only a single to Jayson Werth but getting through two innings on only 19 pitches. Given that he has a history of getting better once he gets out of the first (.302 avg. allowed against in the first vs. .228 in the 2nd through 7th), the Phils may have had their chance already.

Bottom 3rd: Jimenez gives up a single to Phillies starter Cliff Lee, and Lee proceeds to steal second. Immediately afterwards, Jimenez throws a pickoff toss to Troy Tulowitzki — and second base umpire Jerry Meals declares Lee safe, despite both Lee and Tulo emoting otherwise. The (apparently) blown call doesn't matter, as Jimmy Rollins strikes out for the inning's final out.

Top 4th: Cliff Lee gets out of the frame on 12 pitches, using three for the first two batters. He's at 48 pitches now, a very good number, and it looks like both pitchers have settled in.

Bottom 4th: After taking a two-out pitch the other way for a single, Ryan Howard erased himself attempting to steal second; I guess the thinking is that if a pitcher who's never had a career stolen base can do it, so can Ryan. Not so fast, as Yorvit Torrealba nails him for the final out.

Bottom 5th: Jimenez finally cracks, giving up a leadoff walk to Jayson Werth and an RBI double down the line to Raul Ibanez to make it 1-0 Phillies. With the way these two are pitching, it's possible the game has just been decided.

Pedro Feliz bounces out to second, advancing Ibanez to third with only one out. The Rocks draw in their infield, and catcher Carlos Ruiz steps to the plate. Ruiz welts one to right, Brad Hawpe misplays it for an error, and Ibanez scores easily as Ruiz reaches second on the single plus the error. 2-0 Phillies and there's only one out. Former Dodger Joe Beimel starts warming up. Taking some pressure off, Jimenez gets Cliff Lee to bounce out to a 1-6-5 fielder's choice that nails Ruiz in a rundown.

Jimmy Rollins collects his first hit of the game, pushing Lee to second. But Shane Victorino flies out to left on a 3-1 pitch, ending the frame. The Phils have sent seven men to the plate, and the Rockies are in a serious hole, especially considering they haven't had a man in scoring position since the second inning.

Top 6th: After a brief scare in the stiff wind blowing at Citizen's Bank Park, Raul Ibanez catches Carlos Gonzalez' fly ball for the final out of the inning. Cliff Lee has now retired 14 in a row, and the Rockies straits are increasingly dire.

Bottom 6th: Chase Utley singles to make it the second inning in a row the Phils have had the leadoff man on. Utley promptly steals second, and then Ryan Howard welts one to the wall that a gust of wind snatches out of the glove of Gonzalez; it's 3-0 Phillies and once again, there's nobody out.

Jayson Werth belts one to center, and Dexter Fowler tries to haul it in at the wall. Once more, a gust of wind pushes the ball away from a Rocky outfielder, and Werth cruises in to third on an RBI triple, scoring Howard to give the Phils a 4-0 advantage. With the game close to a runaway, Jim Tracy hauls Beimel out of the bullpen to hopefully make the first out of the inning with yet another run sitting at third base.

Beimel faces his only opponent, and fails, giving up an RBI single to Ibanez; it's 5-0 Phils now, and time's getting pretty short for Colorado.

Matt Daley finally gets the first out of the inning after Colorado pitchers have faced four batters, getting Pedro Feliz to fly out. But he wild pitches Ibanez to second, giving up a walk to Ruiz. Lee sac bunts the pair to second and third, setting up another RBI possibility for Jimmy Rollins, who bounces out to Clint Barmes in a close play at first.

Top 7th: After retiring his 16th consecutive Colorado batter, Lee finally gets hurt by the swirling winds when Clint Barmes belts one deep to right and the winds push the ball away from Werth. It doesn't matter, though, as Lee gets Torrealba to bounce out harmlessly to second to end the frame. Six more outs and the Phils go up 1-0 in the series.

Bottom 7th: Shane Victorino reaches on leadoff double. That's it for Daley, and Franklin Morales takes the mound. After getting Utley to pop out, Victorino steals third in Ryan Howard's at bat. With one out, Howard lines out to Helton, and Helton manages an unusual 3-5 double play as Victorino is doubled off third.

Bottom 9th: Lee finally gets scuffed for a single run on a single to Gonzalez and a double to Tulo to make it 5-1 Philadelphia, but he gets the complete game anyway, going the distance for the win. The Phillies' weakness of the bullpen is never exposed, and they go up 1-0 in the series.

ESPN Box

Labels: live blogging, phillies, postseason, recaps, rockies

Top 3rd: After a pair of scoreless innings, Scott Baker and his infield defense got sloppy. Orlando Cabrera missed a 4-6-3 double play with a double-clutch getting the ball out of his glove, and the next batter, Magglio Ordonez, singled to drive in the game's first run. Baker then fed Miguel Cabrera a cookie, elevated over the middle of the plate, in the first pitch of his at bat, but Cabrera fouled it off. Baker got him to an 0-2 count, but then provided that same cookie again, and Cabrera didn't miss it to make it 3-0 Tigers.

Bottom 3rd: With men on the corners and two out, Rick Porcello threw a pickoff toss away, but it hit first base coach Jerry White, bouncing back in the general direction of Detroit first baseman Miguel Cabrera. That scored an unearned run to move the score to 3-1 Tigers. Porcello then walked Joe Mauer, but struck out Jason Kubel to end the frame.

Top 4th: Baker's having a rough game, giving up a leadoff single to Ryan Raburn, and using up 61 pitches to this point; he only had a single 1-2-3 inning, the first. Ron Gardenhire had Ron Keppel warming up in the bullpen already. Baker finally got out of the inning without damage by inducing a 5-4-3 double play from catcher Gerald Laird. Keppel starts getting wild with Laird at the plate, and goes 3-1 to the Tigers catcher, who fouls the next pitch off — and strikes him out on ball four to end the frame.

Top 5th: Baker gave up a two-out single off the end of Placido Polanco, and found himself once again facing Magglio Ordonez, who hurt him in the third. This time, Ordonez bounced out to short to keep the game at 3-1 Tigers.

Top 6th: Baker finally has a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth, setting down the 4-5-6 batters in order. He's only used 84 pitches, and while he's down by two runs, it's not too late for the Twinks to come back. They'll send their 2-3-4 batters to the plate in the bottom of the frame.

Bottom 6th: After getting Orlando Cabrera to fly out and Joe Mauer to strike out swinging, Rick Porcello finally gives up a run on a solo upper-deck blast to Kubel, making it 3-2 Tigers. That brings up the dangerous Michael Cuddyer, who walked after an eight-pitch at-bat. That brings out Jim Leyland with the hook for Porcello. Zach Miner in relief then gave up a first-pitch bloop single to Delmon Young. Gardenhire sent Brendan Harris to pinch hit, and Miner immediately hit him in the elbow, loading the bases for .231-hitting Matt Tolbert. Tolbert flies out on a 2-1 pitch, leaving the bases loaded.

Top 7th: Scott Baker walks Brandon Inge after a seven-pitch at-bat, and that's all from him today. Jon Rauch comes out to face Gerald Laird, and got him to pop out to first. Though Jose Mijares gave up a two-out single, the Twins use two more relievers (Mijares and Matt Guerrier) to hold off the Tigers attack for another inning.

Bottom 7th: Orlando Cabrera sneaks a homer over the left field wall to drive in Nick Punto to make it 4-3 Twins, Minnesota's first lead of the game. Fu-Te Ne and Brandon Lyon finish the frame, but the damage is done, and the Tigers have six outs to reclaim the lead or at least force extras.

Top 8th: Ordonez wastes no time, crushing a 1-0 pitch off Matt Guerrier over the left field fence to tie the game 4-4. Guerrier gets Miguel Cabrera to ground out to third, but walks Carlos Guillen and Ryan Rayburn. That's it for Guerrier, and Gardenhire brings in closer Joe Nathan with men on first and second and only one out. Nathan then gets Inge (pop out on ball 3) and Laird (strikeout swinging) to end the frame without further damage.

Bottom 9th: After Nathan survives a scary top of the frame (ending in a 6-3 lineout double play on Magglio Ordonez), Nick Punto walks to lead off the frame, and Denard Span drops a sac bunt to move him over. Tigers closer Fernando Rodney comes in, and gets Orlando Cabrera on a 5-3 hot smash groundout. He intentionally walks Mauer to get to center fielder Carlos Gomez (who pinch-hit for Justin Kubel in the eighth), and then Gomez bounces out to short. We're headed for extras in Minnesota; the Metrodome refuses to die!

Top 10th: With one out, Jesse Crain plunks Aubrey Huff on the foot. Crain then retires Ryan Raburn on a swinging strikeout, but Inge doubles down the left field line, and Huff scores from first despite a 7-6-2 attempt at the plate; Huff breaks through Mauer's block of the plate to score, making it 5-4 Tigers. Gerald Laird then bounces out 4-3, but the damage is done.

Bottom 10th: Rodney is pitching from the stretch even with the bases empty, and then Raburn loses Cuddyer's ball in the Metrodome lights, and Cuddyer turns a fly out or a double into a leadoff triple. Delmon Young bounces out to short, and Cuddyer holds his ground. One out.

Rodney then walked Brendan Harris on five pitches, and .228-hitting Tolbert knocks in the tying run to make it 5-5 on a single up the middle. Alexi Casilla, running for Harris, goes first to third, and now the Twins have men on the corners with Nick Punto at the plate. Punto then flies out to left, and Raburn throws a bullet to the plate, cutting down Casilla and forcing yet another frame. Wow.

Bottom 11th: Orlando Cabrera barks at home plate umpire Randy Marsh on a called first strike from Rodney; he eventually strikes out anyway, but that's the extent of the fireworks in this inning, as Joe Mauer grounds out harmlessly to second to end the frame.

Top 12th: Bobby Keppel loads up the bases with one out after walking Cabrera, giving up a bloop double to Don Kelly (who entered the game as a pinch-runner in the 10th for Aubrey Huff), and an intentional pass to Raburn. Inge bounces into a 4-2 fielder's choice at the plate, and there's two out with a slow Miguel Cabrera getting gunned down on the force. Keppel goes 3-2 on Laird, and then gets him to strike out on ball four to end the frame.

Bottom 12th: Rodney gets in trouble immediately by giving up a leadoff single to Carlos Gomez, with Mauer bouncing out to second to move him over to second. After missing twice in the strike zone, Rodney hands Delmon Young an intentional pass, and Alexi Casilla, the ex-Angel, squirts a seeing-eye single through the right side to push across the winning run to make it 6-5 Twins, who finish with only their second lead of the night, but the last one. Congratulations to the Twins, who will barely have time to wipe the champagne out of their eyes before getting on the plane to New York.

ESPN Box • Twins recap

Labels: ex-angels, live blogging, recaps, tigers, twins

Tigers Survive A Scare To Clinch A Tie: Tigers 5, White Sox 3

Riding Justin Verlander on regular rest, the Tigers managed to get almost eight innings out of their ace. The big nail-biting moment came in the eighth, when Verlander gave up an RBI double to .184-hitting Ramon Castro, and an RBI single to .158-hitting Brent Lillibridge. After throwing a wild pitch in Scott Podsednik's at-bat and walking Jayson Nix on four pitches, that brought out manager Jim Leyland with the hook, and Fernando Rodney came on to get slugger Carlos Quentin on a fly ball to center, thanks to a fine athletic catch by Curtis Granderson.

With the win, the Tigers have clinched at least a tie with the Twins for the AL Central. If the Twins win (and it looks like they will) there will be a tiebreaker game 163 on Tuesday at 4:00 PM Central in Minneapolis.

ESPN Box

After An Early Blowout, Royals Scaring Twins Late: Twins 13, Royals 4

Powered by a pair of Jason Kubel three-run homers, the Twins took an early 7-0 lead after four and looked ready to coast to a game 163. The Royals apparently had other ideas, and after six innings, it's now 8-4 Twins following a big three-run rally by the Royals. Carl Pavano lasted 5.2 innings and is in line for the win, with all but one of the Twinks' runs coming off Luke Hochevar, who only lasted three innings.

Bottom 6th: Denard Span worked a two-out walk, bringing up Old Friend Orlando Cabrera, who promptly knocked him in with an RBI double. It's 9-4 Twins to recover one of those runs, and with Joe Mauer at the plate and a man in scoring position, there's the possibility for more. Instead, Mauer bounced out to short on a slow-hit ball up the middle to end the frame.

Top 7th: The inning began with a close play at first. Mike Jacobs tapped a ball slowly up the third base line, and reliever Brian Duensing ran to field it. Throwing hard and a bit wildly, first baseman Michael Cuddyer managed to both grab the ball and tag Jacobs a millisecond before Jacobs' foot hit the base.

Bottom 7th: Jason Kubel led off with a flyball single to left, and with a big lead, Ron Gardenhire lifted him for pinch runner Carlos Gomez. After Michael Cuddyer and Delmon Young both flied out, Jose Morales walked and then Matt Tolbert knocked a pair in on a 2-2 pitch from reliever Yasuhiko Yabuta to make it 10-4 Twins.

Bottom 8th: In a replay of the sixth, O-Cab knocked another in on an RBI double to make it 11-4 Twins. Two batters later, and Michael Cuddyer blasted one to left for a crushing 13-4 Twins lead. That's five homers for the Twins, who won't be able to have a practice tomorrow because the Metrodome will be in its football configuration.

Top 9th: The Twinks take it with Francisco Liriano cleaning up the game, with only pinch-hitter Tug Hulett's single coming between the Twins and a clean ninth. The Twins become the first team in the majors since division play to force two game 163's.

ESPN Box

Labels: live blogging, recaps, royals, tigers, twins, white sox

A seven run sixth?

Weaver couldn't get a quality start, as I feared.

I'm not sure which one is more irritating, watching the Angels lose because of their crappy pitching, listening to Steve Physioc describe it, or the extra-innings extravaganza currently going on in Colorado that's tied at 1-1. Meh.

Update: 10-7, final. Pitching and defense wins ballgames. Too bad the Angels don't have the pitching. Jose Arredondo gave up four runs, including a three-run jack to Carlos Guillen.

At least the Rockies won on a walkoff grand slam... now that was exciting.

Yahoo box • Angels recap

Labels: angels, live blogging, recaps, suck, tigers

The Cubs sent Pirates starter Charlie Morton to the showers after giving up four runs in the first, and topped that by scoring ten runs in the second inning against former Angel reliever Chris Bootcheck. It's now 17-2 Cubs after a bases-clearing Derrek Lee double in the fourth, and the Cubstitutions have started, with Lee and Alfonso Soriano pulled from the game. Lee's seven RBIs tied a career record set earlier in the year in a a 9-5 drubbing of the Brewers on July 2.

Update: Neither side scored again, though the Cubs managed to strand seven baserunners, including leaving the bases loaded in the seventh. 17-2 Cubs, final.

Yahoo box

Labels: cubs, ex-angels, live blogging, pirates, recaps, wow