A few more dramatic home runs like tonight’s 9th inning blast for Kevin Youklis and the Florida Marlins will find some way of honoring him with a t-shirt. Much as I’m tempted to ask Todd Jones, “where’s your God now?”, I’m rational enough to know that if there is a higher power, he or she has more important things to contend with this Friday night. Like Dwyane Wade’s stomach flu.
Cubs 4, Cards 4 (bottom of the 12th)
Izzy is credited with the blown save, but Scott Rolen was the real culprit, allowing a grounder from Todd Walker to go through his legs with one out in the 9th, Freddie Bynum and Neifi Perez scoring on the play. Earlier, Rolen hit a two-run double in the bottom of the 7th after Albert Pujols was intentionally walked. The latter will soon be accumulating Sultan-esque IBB numbers and Rolen’s stats will surely benefit.
Jered Weaver’s record after two major league starts : 2 wins, 13 K’s/3 walks in 13 1/3rd innings, an era of 1.35. While I’m sure you’ve all heard the expression “no lead is safe when _______ comes into a game,” Guillermo Mota will soon be credited for inspiring “there’s no deficit that can’t get bigger.”
While Frank Thomas is begining to recapture his longball stroke of old — he hit his 13th HR of the the season this evening off Johan Santana — the A’s wish they could find a way to let him hit twice in the batting order. The Big Hurt’s HR and a Bobby Kielty single were the only offense Oakland could manage against the devestating Santana (9 K’s, no walks, 8 IP), who lowered his ERA to 3.24. Kirk Saarloos (2-4, 5.04) took the loss despite one of his best games of the year (8 IP, 2 earned runs, 5 hits).
Chris Sampson celebrated his promotion from Round Rock by allowing 6 hits and earned runs (includng a HR by Brandon Phillips)…and he still fared better than starter Wandy Rodriguez, who didn’t make it out of the 2nd inning. One the bright side, Wandy has inspired a beautiful song, which is more than Aaron Fucking Harang (6-4, 3.65 ERA) can claim.
Florida State 18, Jacksonville 0 (7th inning, delayed by rain)
I never thought I’d live long enough to say this, but full credit to Bobby Bowden for not running up the score.
College Of Charleston 5, Notre Dame 4 (16 innings)
…in which freshman Jeff “You Gotta” Beliveau wins this week’s Ryan Madson Memorial Trophy for utter sickness in relief (5 IP, 5 K’s, no runs) and the biggest win of his life. This was the longest tournament game in 8 years, and the longest game played by any club at any level, pro or amateur in the past several days that didn’t feature Keith Hernandez and Gary Cohen wearing silly hats or threatening to do so.