Reds 4, @Nationals 3 (15 inn.) — With both sides running out of bodies, Todd Frazier’s 2-run shot broke a tie in the 15th, and the struggling Logan Ondrusek survived some loud outs in his second inning of work to preserve the win. The Reds weathered Washington’s winning bids in the 12th and 14th with great defensive plays, by Brandon Phillips and Billy Hamilton, each ending the frame with a man on third.
Tigers 6, @Red Sox 2 — Not quite a Boston Massacre, but Detroit outscored the champs 13-3 in this weekend sweep, out-hit them 32-16, with an extra-base hits margin of 14-2. The Sox have three XBH-free home games this year, two in this series.
@Royals 1, Orioles 0 — Danny Duffy was perfect into the 7th, dueling Bud Norris with strong defensive backing, and Greg Holland worked through his own problems in the 9th, getting the last two outs on strikes with the tying run on third.
More Julio — yay!
Blue Jays 2, @Rangers 0 — Drew Hutchison finished off a 3-hit shutout in his 20th career game, besting Yu Darvish to be the second Texas visitor this year to do what none could in the prior two.
@Reds 5, Padres 0 (day) — Is this roll of Johnny Cueto’s really happening? His second 3-hit shutout this year gave him nine straight starts allowing 5 hits or less in 7 innings or more — ten straight if you count last season. Neither streak has a searchable match.
Your humble narrator makes his first 2014 trip to Mets Park Wednesday night, so here’s a lot of words to keep you busy.
Tigers 4, @Orioles 1 — Tommy Hunter was one strike away from closing a tight 1-0 win. Ahead 1-and-2 on Torii Hunter, with the tying run on second, but lost him. That brought up … uh-oh … Guess who’s back?
Damn it. Jose Fernandez faces T.J. surgery, after just 36 major-league games. Damn it!
OK, a few notes from Monday, and some Sunday junk.
After two years of two-way futility at shortstop, Dee Gordon crossed over to second base this season — his fourth in the majors, at age 26 — and is off to a flying start, batting .336 with an MLB-high 24 stolen bases in his first 35 games.
One narrative for a successful SS-to-2B transition goes like this: “Defensive woes got in his head, dragging his whole game down. Playing second eased that pressure, freed his mind, and let his other skills shine.” More on that angle, after the jump.
@Dodgers 6, Giants 2 — LA scored twice in the 6th, 7th and 8th to overcome their rivals’ early edge. Fortunes turned quickly after Matt Cain walked Dee Gordon leading off the 6th. He stole, Puig’s popup fell in front of a lumbering Moose, and Han-Ram walked to load the bags for Adrian Gonzalez. Southpaw Jeremy Affeldt got the slugger on a scoring DP, leaving the tying run on third for Matt Kemp, whose career line says .336/.957 off lefties. What would Bruce Bochy do?
@Rangers 8, Red Sox 0 — Paging Mike Mussina and Dave Stieb … Shaking off the strange events two innings back, Yu Darvish came within one out of a no-hitter. But on his 126th pitch, David Ortiz ripped a hard grounder past the diving second baseman/short-right-fielder, foiling Darvish for the second time on history’s doorstep.