With their season falling apart after the loss of Derrek Lee, the Cubs needed a strong outing from Gregg Maddux against San Diego today. Maddux delivered his end of the bargain (1 earned run, 4 hits allowed over 7 innings) but watched Ryan Dempster piss it all away.
Dempster allowed a 3 run HR to Mike Piazza in the top of the 9th inning. When he’s not chatting with unfunny comedians and culturally challenged DJ’s, Piazza apparently has a little bit left in the tank.
In San Francisco, the Nomar Garciaparra revival continues ; the Dodgers shortstop hit a solo HR off the Giants’ Noah Lowry in the top of the 3rd, followed by a Lt. Dangle longball with no one on in the following frame. LA’s ahead, 2-0, and if the Sultan had it 714, you’d probably already know about it.
A pair of HR’s from Alex Rodriguez (above) and Derek Jeter off Brad Halsey provided all of the Yankees’ offense in a 4-3 defeat of Oakland earlier today, the A’s 4th loss in a row and 7th out of their last 10. New York’s Jaret Wright won his first decision since last September, despite putting the leadoff hitter on in 4 of the 5 innings he worked.