The Heat and the Pacers are back at it tonight, here at the AAA with the Eastern Conference finals series tied at 2-2. Not a whole lot to say before the game, just go out and play 48 minutes of good basketball. Something to watch for tonight is how LeBron James reacts to the childlish acts of Lance Stephenson, whose defensive tactics include making faces, staring, and blowing in LeBron’s ear. Chris Bosh also needs to step up his game against Pacers center Roy Hibbert, and Chris Andersen needs to be the bird man again tonight. Game time is 8:30 pm, and you can watch it on TNT on your cable or satellite system. I’m sticking by my original pick - Miami in six games.
The Marlins anemic offense reared its ugly head again last night, as the Fish only managed to score one run, as they suffered their eighth straight loss, 3-1 to the Rays. Thanks again to Jeffrey Loria and his minions for putting a competitive major-league-caliber team on the field. Roberto Hernandez, the artist previously known as Fausto Carmona, pitched 8 2/3 innings, allowing just three hits and an unearned run, while striking out five and issuing no walks. Marlins’ starter Tom Koehler deserved better, pitching eight innings, and allowing just three runs. Kelly Johnson and Yunel Escobar drove in runs for the Rays, who are now a season-best four games over .500. These two teams close out their four-game series today at Marlins Park at 7:10 pm. Ricky Nolasco takes the hill against Alex Colome, who is making his major league debut.
Let’s just learn to live with the inevitable: the Fish are still the worst run-scoring team in MLB, with 145 runs in their 53 games. I will be posting the “bottom five” rankings in runs scored until the Marlins aren’t on the list. It looks like we’ll be here all season long.
TEAM W-L Runs
Marlins 13-40 145
Dodgers 22-29 178
White Sox 24-26 180
Phillies 26-27 185
Nationals 27-26 190
In the major leagues yesterday,
Cubs 9 White Sox 3
Dioner Navarro blasted three home runs and finished with six RBI. The Cubbies have won three straight.
Mets 9 Yankees 4
The Mets scored five times in the first inning. Ike Davis, Lucas Duda, and Marlon Byrd all drove in two runs, Byrd connected long distance.
Indians 5 Reds 2
Jason Giambi hit a three-run homer, Justin Masterson improved his record to 8-3.
Phillies 4 Red Sox 3
Domonic Brown homered twice, Ryan Howard and Erik Kratz also went yard for the Phillies.
Pirates 5 Tigers 3
Pedro Alvarez belted a game-tying double, and Travis Snider followed him with the go-ahead run-scoring double as part of a four-run seventh inning.
Blue Jays 3 Braves 0
Melky Cabrera went 3-3 with two RBI and scored a run.
Orioles 9 Nationals 6
Chris Davis went 4-4 with two home runs and three RBI. Nick Markakis and Steve Pearce each homered as well. Ryan Zimmerman hit three home runs for the Nationals in the loss.
Twins 4 Brewers 1
Samuel Deduno pitched into the eighth inning and Aaron Hicks connected long distance. The Brewers have lost five in a row.
Cardinals 5 Royals 3
Daniel Descalso decided the game with a tie-breaking two-run pinch hit single in the bottom of the eighth inning. Carlos Beltran homered and David Freese added a run scoring single in the four-run eighth inning.
Astros 6 Rockies 3
JD Martinez drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. Carlos Peña connected long distance in the win.
Padres 3 Mariners 2 (10 innings)
Will Venable drove in the winning run with a bases loaded single in the bottom of the tenth.
Angels 4 Dodgers 3
Jered Weaver returned from the disabled list and tossed six innings of one-run ball. Mark Trumbo hit a two-run homer and added a sacrifice fly.
A’s 9 Giants 6
Nate Freiman drove in three runs and Yoenis Cespedes added an RBI triple. The A’s are on fire, winning 11 of their last 12 games.
The game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Texas Rangers was postponed due to rain.
Today’s games:
D-Backs @ Rangers 2:05 pm
Brandon McCarthy vs Justin Grimm
White Sox @ Cubs 2:20 pm
Jake Peavy vs Travis Wood
Mariners @ Padres 3:40 pm
Felix Hernandez vs Andrew Cashner
A’s @ Giants 3:45 pm
AJ Griffin vs Barry Zito
Reds @ Indians 7:05 pm
Homer Bailey vs Scott Kazmir
Nationals vs Orioles 7:05 pm
Dan Haren vs Freddy Garcia
Mets @ Yankees 7:05 pm
Dillon Gee vs Vidan Nuño
Red Sox @ Phillies 7:05 pm
Franklin Morales vs Jonathan Pettibone
Tigers @ Pirates 7:05 pm
Doug Fister vs Jeff Locke
Blue Jays @ Braves 7:10 pm
RA Dickey vs Mike Minor
Rays @ Marlins 7:10 pm
Alex Colome vs Ricky Nolasco
Brewers @ Twins 8:10 pm
Kyle Lohse vs PJ Walters
Royals @ Cardinals 8:15 pm
Jeremy Guthrie vs Michael Wacha
Astros vs Rockies 8:40 pm
Lucas Harrell vs Juan Nicasio
Dodgers @ Angels 10:05 pm
Ted Lilly vs Jason Vargas
TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: Mariano Rivera blew a save the other night against the Mets without retiring a batter. When it is any other closer, you just say “stuff happens”. When it happens to the greatest closer in the history of the game, it is quite a different story. In 747 career save opportunities (700 regular season and 47 in the postseason, how many times had Mo blown a save without retiring a batter? Tell you later, alligator.
Here are the up-to-the-minute standings in MLB:
Here are the individual league leaders in MLB:
In boxing news, the fight that boxing fans want will be a reality as Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul “El Canelo” Alvarez have signed on to meet September 14. Here’s the full story from Dan Rafael of ESPN:
In college baseball, the NCAA regionals get under way tomorrow. The University of Miami Hurricanes made the postseason field for the 41st consecutive year, a college football record in any sport. The Canes are the second seed in the Louisville regional. Their first game is tomorrow against Oklahoma State at 2:00 pm, and it will be televised on ESPN-3 on your computer or smartphone. The other two teams in that regional, Louisville and Bowling Green duke it out starting at 6:00 pm. The other Florida teams participating: The University of Florida Gators are the #3 seed in the Indiana regional, and will take on Austin Peay, beginning at 1:00 pm. The Florida State Seminoles are hosting their regional, and as the #1 seed in Tallahassee, will play Savannah State at 5:00 pm. Florida Atlantic, who won the Sun Belt Championship, drew the short straw and will play in the North Carolina regional, and will face Towson in the opening game in Chapel Hill at 1:00 pm.
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THE ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: Mariano Rivera blew a save the other night against the Mets without retiring a batter. When it is any other closer, you just say “stuff happens”. When it happens to the greatest closer in the history of the game, it is quite a different story. In 747 career save opportunities (700 regular season and 47 in the postseason, how many times had Mo blown a save without retiring a batter?
We’ll keep the answer simple . . . NEVER. I guess it only happens when Mo throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the game.
Don’t miss my two “Descarga Deportiva” radio segments (for the Spanish-challenged, “Sports Jam Session”) every day, Monday through Friday, at 9:25 am and 12:15 pm on Radio Esperanza, 1550 AM or on the internet on www.miradioesperanza.com.
IF YOU OR ANYONE YOU KNOW WANT TO ADVERTISE YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE ON MY RADIO SEGMENTS, PLEASE E-MAIL ME FOR ALL THE DETAILS - jerry@descargadeportiva.com
Behave yourselves, and always remember that tomorrow will bring us a brand new day.
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