This is really a last gasp for the Milwaukee Brewers. After a crushing 3-2, 13 inning loss to the Cardinals on Thursday, the Brewers are six games back of St. Louis in the NL Central, and 3.5 games behind the Pirates for the NL’s second Wild Card spot. You can pretty much count out the division at this point, but Milwaukee still has a shot at the Wild Card, especially given that they’ve got three in Pittsburgh this weekend. A Pirates sweep wouldn’t end the Brewers’ season, but it would put them on the brink of elimination heading into the season’s final week.
Game of the Night: Rockies 7, Diamondbacks 6. Who said that games between terrible baseball teams can’t be entertaining? A four-run sixth inning increased Arizona’s lead to 6-1, but Colorado answered back with two of their own in the bottom of the inning to make it 6-3. Kirk Gibson struck with Zeke Spruill into the eighth, and he immediately allowed a double to Michael Cuddyer and a single to Wilin Rosario to make it 6-4. After a Brandon Barnes double play, Charlie Culberson reached on an infield single and scored on a double by D.J. LeMahieu to make it 6-5. Will Harris replaced him and got out of the inning, but closer Addison Reed ran into a wall in the ninth. Reed gave up a single to Corey Dickerson, then got both Justin Morneau and Cuddyer to line out. That brought up Rosario, who launched a massive, walk off, two-run homer to left field, thrusting the Rockies to a victory and into a last place tie with the Diamondbacks.
Pitching Lines of the Night: Felix Hernandez pitched the Mariners to a 3-1 win over the Angels, tossing seven shutout innings while allowing three hits, walking two, and striking out 11. In Cleveland’s 2-1, 13 inning win in Houston, Danny Salazar allowed one run on five hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out nine and walking one. In the loss, Scott Feldman gave up one run on four hits in eight innings, walking one and striking out two. In the Yankees’ 3-2 win over Toronto, Shane Greene tossed 6 2/3 scoreless frames, allowing three hits, walking two, and punching out six. Kyle Lohse gave up one run on four hits in 7 1/3 innings during the Brewers’ 3-2, 13 inning loss to the Cardinals, striking out two and walking one.
Hitting Lines of the Night: In Colorado’s 7-6 win over Arizona, Wilin Rosario went 4/5 with a double, a homer, and three RBI, while Michael Cuddyer went 3/5 with a double, a solo homer, and three runs. Alexi Amarista helped the Padres beat the Phillies 7-3, going 2/3 with a homer, two runs, and three RBI. Logan Morrison went 2/4 with a three-run homer in Seattle’s win over the Angels. Jake Smolinski helped the Rangers beat the A’s 7-2, going 4/5 with a run and an RBI. Sam Fuld went 2/4 with a double, a triple, and two runs in the loss for Oakland. Starling Marte went 2/4 with a solo homer in Pittsburgh’s 3-2 win over Boston.
Other Games: The Nationals continued rolling, beating the Marlins 6-2. The Dodgers rallied late to beat the Cubs 8-4.
Today’s Games: Clayton Kershaw starts for the Dodgers against the Cubs. Kevin Gausman and the Orioles host the Red Sox. Mark Buehrle and Hiroki Kuroda will duel in the Bronx. Yovani Gallardo and the Brewers battle the Pirates. Jose Quintana takes the hill for the White Sox in Tampa Bay. Doug Fister starts for the Nationals in Miami. Zack Wheeler and Julio Teheran duel in Atlanta. Jason Vargas and the Royals host Justin Verlander and the Tigers. Trevor Bauer and Phil Hughes will square off in Minnesota. Taijuan Walker starts for the Mariners in Houston. Jon Lester and the A’s host the Phillies. Tim Hudson and the Giants take on Odrisamer Despaigne and the Padres.
National TV: Dodgers-Cubs (2 PM, MLB Network), Giants-Padres (10 PM, MLB Network), Rangers-Angels (10 PM, MLB Network)
Enjoy your day of baseball, everyone.
