There’s just one lonely playoff spot left to clinch with two games remaining in the 2014 regular season. It’ll come down to Oakland and Seattle in the AL West. If the A’s can win just one more game in Texas this weekend, they’ll clinch the spot. If Seattle loses, the A’s clinch the spot. For the Mariners to get in, they need to take two more from the AL West champion Angels, and have the Rangers take two straight from the Athletics. Not an easy task.
Game of the Night: Cardinals 7, Diamondbacks 6 (ten innings). Just when you think Tony La Russa’s club was going to lay down for the team that he brought a couple of championships to…this game happens. Arizona took an early 2-0 lead, but an outmanned Diamondbacks team allowed a total of five runs in the sixth and seventh innings, falling behind 6-2. But the Diamondbacks somehow fought back, scoring one in the seventh to make it 6-3 and three in the eighth to tie the game thanks to a game-tying, two-run, ground rule double by Ender Inciarte. Arizona had a chance to win in the ninth after Cody Ross walked to lead off the inning, but a couple of pop ups and a strikeout nullified a Matt Carpenter error that gave the team even more up. In the tenth, St. Louis finally drove the stake home after Matt Adams began the inning with a double and pinch runner Daniel Descalso scored on a single by Jhonny Peralta. Trevor Rosenthal set the Diamondbacks down in order in the bottom of the inning, keeping the Cards all alone in first place – for now, at least.
Pitching Lines of the Night: Washington and Miami split a doubleheader, and in the Nationals’ 4-0 win in game one, Doug Fister threw a complete game, three-hit shutout, striking out nine without a walk. In Cleveland’s 1-0 win over Tampa Bay, Corey Kluber solidified his Cy Young candidacy by allowing five hits in eight shutout innings, striking out 11 and walking just two. Chris Archer countered him by allowing one run on three hits in 7 2/3 innings, striking out six and walking two. Jeremy Guthrie pitched the Royals to a 3-1 win over the White Sox and a playoff berth, giving up four hits over seven scoreless frames, striking out six and walking one. In Cincinnati’s 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh, Mike Leake gave up one run on three hits in seven innings, striking out eight and walking two. Ian Kennedy allowed one unearned run on four hits in seven innings in the Padres’ 4-1 win over the Giants, striking out six and walking two. Chris Capuano pitched the Yankees to a 3-2 win in Boston, allowing one unearned run on four hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out five without a walk. Scott Kazmir and the A’s beat the Rangers 6-2, thanks to Kazmir allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits in seven innings, striking out five without a walk.
Hitting Lines of the Night: In Minnesota’s 11-4 win over Detroit, Brian Dozier went 3/5 with a homer, three runs, and three RBI. Miguel Cabrera went 3/4 with a double, a homer, two runs, and two RBI for the Tigers in their loss. Dalton Pompey shined for the Blue Jays in their 4-2 win over the Orioles, going 3/4 with a double, two triples, two runs, and two RBI. Jacob Realmuto went 3/5 with a double, a triple, two runs, and four RBI in Miami’s 15-7, game two win over the Nationals, while teammate Justin Bour went 3/4 with a double, four runs, two RBI, and a walk. In Milwaukee’s 6-4 loss to the Cubs, Jean Segura went 3/4 with a double, a solo homer, two runs scored, and a stolen base.
Other Games: The Phillies rallied to beat the Braves 5-4. The Astros topped the Mets 3-1. The Mariners edged the Angels 4-3. The Dodgers beat the Rockies 7-4.
Today’s Games: Masahiro Tanaka starts for the Yankees in Boston. Francisco Liriano and Alfredo Simon will duel in Cincinnati. Wei-Yin Chen gets the nod for the Orioles in Toronto. Stephen Strasburg and the Nationals host the Marlins. Jake Peavy and the Giants battle the Padres. Carlos Carrasco takes the hill for the Indians against the Rays. Danny Duffy will go for the Royals in Chicago. Wily Peralta and the Brewers host the Cubs. Jeff Samardzija and Derek Holland will duel in Texas. Lance Lynn and Wade Miley will face off in Arizona. Dan Haren and the Dodgers host the Rockies. C.J. Wilson faces off with James Paxton in Seattle.
National TV: Yankees-Red Sox (1 PM, Fox, because OF COURSE THEY ARE), Pirates-Reds (1 PM, Fox), Padres-Giants (4 PM, MLB Network), Marlins-Nationals (4 PM, MLB Network), Royals-White Sox (7 PM, MLB Network), Cardinals-Diamondbacks (8 PM, MLB Network)
Enjoy your day of baseball, everyone.
