TOC pop quiz: aside from the pathetic trio (Astros, Diamondbacks, Cubs), which team in baseball has the worst record? What if I told you that it was the defending World Champion Boston Red Sox? The Sox are 20-27, and their .426 winning percentage is worse than every team in the league aside from those three dreadful clubs. They’re tied with the Rays at six games back in the AL East, but Tampa Bay has played two more games, giving them a slightly higher winning percentage. The Sox have lost eight straight games after Friday night’s walk off loss in Tampa, and they’re just 7-13 in May, worse than every team in baseball but the Mets. And it’s not going to get any easier for the Red Sox either – 15 of their next 18 games are against the Rays, Braves, Tigers, and Orioles, and ten of those 15 take place away from Fenway Park.
Game of the Night: White Sox 6, Yankees 5. This season is going much better than last for the White Sox, who are now at .500 on the year and in a battle with the Twins and Royals for second place in the AL Central and possibly, the second AL Wild Card spot. This was a wild, back and forth game. New York took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first following a three-run homer by Brian McCann, but the White Sox rallied to score the next four runs, including a two-run homer in the fifth by Alexei Ramirez. The Yankees plated a pair in the seventh in an inning that included two singles, a sacrifice bunt, two walks, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly. David Robertson was looking for a four-out save, and he couldn’t get more than the first out. In the ninth, Dayan Viciedo led off with a single on an 0-2 pitch to bring up Adam Dunn, who homered on an 0-2 pitch to thrust Chicago into the winner’s circle.
Pitching Lines of the Night: Felix Hernandez did Felix Hernandez things in Seattle’s 6-1 win over Houston, allowing one run on five hits in eight innings, walking one and striking out nine. Clayton Kershaw pitched the Dodgers to a rain-soaked 2-0 win in Philadelphia, allowing two hits over six shutout innings, walking three and punching out nine. Chris Archer shut down the Red Sox in Tampa Bay’s 1-0 win, giving up four hits in six scoreless innings, striking out 11 and walking four. John Lackey countered Archer by allowing five hits in seven shutout innings, walking one and striking out three.
Hitting Lines of the Night: In Milwaukee’s 9-5 win over Miami, Carlos Gomez went 4/5 with three doubles, two runs, and two RBI, while Mark Reynolds went 2/5 with a pair of two-run homers. In the loss for Miami, Garrett Jones went 2/3 with a walk and a pair of solo homers, while Giancarlo Stanton chipped in with a pair of solo homers of his own. Chris Davis helped the Orioles beat the Indians 8-4, going 2/3 with a double, a homer, a walk, two runs, and four RBI.
Other Games: The Braves rallied to beat the Rockies 3-2. The Blue Jays topped the Athletics 3-2. The Pirates held on to beat the Nationals 4-3. The Tigers pummeled the Rangers 7-2. The Reds beat the Cardinals 5-3. The Angels beat the Royals 6-1. The Padres smashed the Cubs 11-1. The Giants topped the Twins 6-2. Rain wiped out the Diamondbacks and Mets, necessitating a doubleheader be scheduled on Sunday.
Today’s Games: Corey Kluber and Ubaldo Jimenez square off in Baltimore. Jesse Chavez starts for the A’s in Toronto against R.A. Dickey and the Blue Jays. Dan Haren starts for the Dodgers in Philly. Mike Minor and the Braves host the Rockies. Zach Wheeler starts for the Mets against the Diamondbacks. Rick Porcello and the Tigers host the Rangers. Wily Peralta takes the hill for the Brewers in Miami. Jake Peavy and David Price will square off in Tampa Bay. James Shields gets the nod for the Royals in Anaheim. Jaime Garcia and the Cardinals take on Tony Cingrani and the Reds. Stephen Strasburg and Gerrit Cole will face off in Pittsburgh. Dallas Keuchel starts for the Astros in Seattle.
National TV: Indians-Orioles (12:30 PM MLB Network), Athletics-Blue Jays (1 PM, MLB Network), Cardinals-Reds (7:15 PM, Fox), Nationals-Pirates (7:15 PM, Fox), Royals-Angels (7;15 PM, Fox), Twins-Giants (10 PM, MLB Network), Astros-Mariners (10 PM, MLB Network)
Enjoy your day of baseball, everyone.
