Happy trade deadline day, everyone. Seven hours after the publishing of this post, we’ll have hit the 2014 trade deadline, and most teams will be hard-pressed to improve their clubs over the season’s final two months. We already saw the chaos begin on Wednesday, when the Indians dealt Justin Masterson to the Cardinals and the Red Sox moved Felix Doubront to the Cubs. What will be next? We’ll find out sooner rather than later.
Game of the Night: Dodgers 3, Braves 2 (ten innings). Atlanta’s west coast road trip isn’t going too well. The Dodgers took a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning after Matt Kemp scored on a Juan Uribe infield single. In the ninth, the Braves tied the game back up at two following a solo homer by Justin Upton off of closer Kenley Jansen. After an uneventful bottom of the ninth, we moved into extras, and despite two walks by J.P. Howell in the tenth, Atlanta couldn’t push the go-ahead run across the plate. But the Dodgers made it easy in the bottom of the inning. Justin Turner led off with a single against David Hale, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored the winning run on a Matt Kemp single. Now wasn’t that simple?
Pitching Lines of the Day: Corey Kluber absolutely steamrolled the Mariners in Cleveland’s 2-0 win, throwing a three-hit complete game shutout, striking out eight without a walk and only needing 85 pitches to do it. Zack Greinke dominated the Braves in the Dodgers’ win, allowing one run on five hits in eight innings, walking one and striking out 13. Dallas Keuchel led the Astros to an 8-1 win over the A’s, throwing a complete game while allowing one run on four hits, walking three and punching out five. Yovani Gallardo and the Brewers shut out the Rays 5-0, as Gallardo tossed seven scoreless frames, giving up three hits while walking one and punching out five. Tanner Roark pitched the Nationals to a 4-3 win over the Marlins, allowing one run on three hits in seven innings, walking a pair and striking out seven. Max Scherzer helped the Tigers top the White Sox 7-2, giving up one run on five hits in seven innings, walking one and striking out six.
Hitting Lines of the Day: Jedd Gyorko went off in the Padres’ 12-1 thrashing of the Cardinals, going 3/5 with a double, a homer, two runs, and four RBI. In the Mets’ 11-2 win over the Phillies, Daniel Murphy went 3/5 with a homer, two runs, and three RBI, while Lucas Duda went 2/5 with a homer, two runs, and three RBI. Matt Kemp stayed hot for the Dodgers, going 3/4 with a homer, two runs, two RBI, and a walk. In the loss for Atlanta, Justin Upton went 3/4 with a double and a solo homer. Luis Valbuena played well in the Cubs’ 6-4, ten inning loss to the Rockies, going 3/5 with a homer and three RBI.
Other Games: The Diamondbacks hung on to beat the Reds 5-4. The Giants rallied to beat the Pirates 7-5. The Orioles edged the Angels 4-3. Toronto topped Boston 6-1. The Rangers beat the YAnkees 3-2. The Royals held on to beat the Twins 3-2.
Today’s Games: Jake Arrieta and the Cubs host the Rockies. Odrisamer Despaigne starts for the Padres against the Cardinals. Bud Norris and the Orioles host the Angels. Cliff Lee starts for the Phillies in Washington against Gio Gonzalez and the Nationals. Johnny Cueto starts for the Reds in Miami. Yordano Ventura and the Royals host the Twins. Jeff Locke gets the nod for the Pirates in Arizona. Julio Teheran and Clayton Kershaw will duel in Los Angeles.
National TV: Angels-Orioles (7 PM, MLB Network), Reds-Marlins (7 PM, MLB Network)
Enjoy your day of baseball, everyone.
