Orioles 3, Angels 2: Baltimore is the first team this year with 9+ hits and all of them singles.

• Darren O’Day faced one batter and got two outs, on a DP grounder. But Dan Otero went one better the day before, with a lot of help from his backstop. Otero came on in the 8th inning of the Giants-Mets game with Jason Bay at bat, two men aboard and no outs.  Buster Posey first picked off Ike Davis at 1B, then threw out David Wright stealing 3rd two pitches later; then Otero retired Bay on a groundout. Otero’s outing was the first time since April 2009 that a pitcher faced one batter and got 3 outs.

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It’s a light day, what with all the rainouts and everyone suffering perfect-game hangover. Let’s see what we can stir up.

Blue Jays 5, Royals 3: I take no joy in reporting that KC’s 10-game skid includes all 9 home games this year. They’ve lost 10 straight at home dating to last year, which is a new franchise record. Continue reading →

(Trying out a different format here; let me know how it plays. I can only scratch the surface of all that happened on this crazy day.)

Phil Humber‘s perfect game was the first CG shutout this year by a non-Giants pitcher.

I still haven’t seen a clear angle on that last pitch, but I think Brendan Ryan might be feeling what Dale Mitchell always felt. (Go to the 2:50 mark.)

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Lest we think that personnel decisions have been taken over completely by objective analysis, consider the case of Darren O’Day.

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The Cardinals have one of the richest histories in baseball, right?

They’ve won more modern pennants and World Series titles than any other NL team, right? (18, 11)

They’re the only team ever to win 105+ games for three straight years, right? (1942-44)

So isn’t it a shock … Continue reading →

Justin Masterson put his team in a 7-run hole Tuesday by allowing 8 runs in 3.2 IP. But after Seattle knocked him out with 6 runs in the bottom of the 4th, Cleveland answered with 7 in their next time up, and went on to claim their 4th straight win, 9-8.

How rare is it to overcome such a disastrous start as Masterson had? Find out after the jump.

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The Rangers clobbered the Red Sox on Tuesday, 18-3, opening a two-game miniseries in Fenway.

• It’s the fourth time since 1991 that a Fenway guest scored 18+ runs; the other three were by the Yankees. The 15-run margin was the second-biggest over homestanding Boston in that span.
• Texas became the first team this year to have all 9 starting batters score at least 1 run.

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The anticipated duel between multiple Cy Young Award winners went off the rails early, as Tim Lincecum yielded 4 runs on 4 hits and a walk before getting the second out. He settled down, but finished by allowing 5 runs in 6 IP, the third straight time this year that he’s allowed 5+ runs (and fourth straight dating to 2011). He has not otherwise been touched for 5+ runs more than two straight starts at any point in his career.

• Does anyone answer the Opening Day bell better than Roy Halladay? Since 2007, his record in his first three starts is 15-1 with a 1.97 ERA and 0.96 WHIP.
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In the annual Patriots Day game in Fenway, Daniel Bard issued 7 walks (a new game high for this year) in 6.2 innings. His last two walks, to Carlos Peña and Evan Longoria, pushed in the game’s only run.

• Boston’s last 1-0 home loss was to the Yankees in July 2008, when Joba Chamberlain outdueled Josh Beckett for 7 innings.
• Their last 1-0 home loss on Patriots Day was in 2000.
• James Shields got the first out in the 9th, but walked a batter and was lifted. The last CG shutout by a visitor in Fenway was a 2009 3-hitter by Roy Halladay.
• The game ended with Cody Ross looking at 3 strikes from Fernando Rodney with the tying and winning runs on base. It was the second time in the game that Ross took 3 strikes.
• Rodney finally allowed a baserunner — an intentional walk to David Ortiz, who had 2 HRs in 11 prior meetings with Rodney.
• The Rays are 3-0 on Patriots Day in Fenway.
• I love the fact that Joe Maddon has Peña batting #2 in the order. You can have all the Darwin Barneys and Elvis Andruses with their “bat control” and their .320 OBPs; give me a #2 hitter who makes the pitcher sweat.

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Before winning in the last of the 9th today in Los Angeles, the Dodgers turned a crazy triple play in the top half. After squaring to bunt, Jesús Guzmán recoiled from a meat-seeking missile, only to have it hit his bat, bounce behind the plate, and then dribble into fair territory.

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