Dodgers Roar Back to Eliminate D-Backs

The Los Angeles Dodgers rallied from a 3-0 deficit to eliminate Arizona in a seven game series. A recap of the games:

Game 1: Arizona 3 - LA 1. Arizona scored all 3 of it's runs in the first inning off Verlander. Sheilds and 3 relievers made it stand.

Game 2: Arizona 5 - LA 2. Arizona took an early 3-0 lead again, but after LA cut it to a 1 run lead, Rafael Furcal hit a pinch hit 2-run homerun in the 8th to give the D-Backs a few insurance runs.

Game 3: Arizona 5 - LA 2. Curt Schilling pitched a complete game. Jack Cust drove in two runs.

Game 4: LA 2 - Arizona 1. In a rematch of game 1 starters, Justin Verlander outdueled James Shields. Ryan Ludwick hit a homer in the 8th inning that proved to be the decisive run.

Game 5: LA 3 - Arizona 1. In another tight pitching contest, Mark Buehrle defeated Jered Weaver. Ryan Ludwick was again the difference maker as his two-run shot in the bottom of the 7th secured the win.

Game 6: LA 1 - Arizona 0. Ben Sheets pitched 8 2/3 innings of shutout ball and Chase Utley drove in the only run of the game as Los Angeles evened up the series.

Game 7: LA 10 - Arizona 8. In a wild shootout after a pitcher dominated series, the Dodgers rallied from a late 8-6 deficit to overtake Arizona. Huston Street provided two innings of shutout relief to pick up the win.

Buccos Eliminate Twins in 7 Games

The Pittsburgh Pirates eliminated the Minnesota Twins in seven games in an exciting series. The final two games - played in Minnesota -were both won by Pittsburgh in exciting one run games. A recap of the games:

PITT 4, MIN 1 - Shawn Marcum pitches 7+ innings of 3-hit ball

MINN 9, PITT 6 - Matsui hits a pair of homers

PITT 6, MINN 4 - Dustin Pedroia doubles in the game winning runs in the bottom of the 7th

MINN 8, PITT 3 - Johan Santana piches seven strong innings for the win; Ortiz hits his second homer of the series

MINN 3, PITT 2 - Jack Wilson doubles home the winning run in the top of the 7th to take a 3-2 series lead

PITT 2, MINN 1 - Shawn Marcum pitches eight strong innings as the Buccos squeeze out a win

PITT 3, MINN 2 - Brad lidge closes out the ninth with his fourth save of the series

Braves Roll - Sweep Mariners in Four Games

#1 Seed Atlanta cruised through the first round of the playoffs by sweeping the Seattle Mariners in four games. The Braves shut down the high powered Seattle offense with their starting duo of Smoltz (2-0 1.15 ERA in the series), Lackey and Escobar. Ryan Braun, Seattle's #1 draft pick last season, struggled mightily by going 0 for 14 in the series.

Marlins Close Out Angels

Strong pitching allowed the Marlins to win Game 6 and oust defending champion Anaheim with a 3-1 victory. The Angels took a 1-0 lead after two batters as Maicer Izturis delivered an RBI single. But AJ Burnett and the Marlins bullpen allowed only four hits thereafter. Luis Castillo tied the game with an RBI single in the 2nd, then a bases-loaded DP delivered the go-ahead run in the 3rd. Adam Dunn's sac fly, his 12th RBI of the series, added an insurance run in the 5th.

Click here for the box scores.....

Dunn Powers Marlins to 3-2 Series Lead

Florida wins 2 of 3 on the West Coast and will take a 3-2 series lead back to Miami. The Marlins rallied to win Game 3 against Anaheim co-closer Joe Nathan, then won a super-ugly Game 4 before the Angels bounced back to stay alive.

GAME 3

Marlins 9, Angels 5 (Anaheim took a 5-2 lead when Troy Glaus' HR sparked a 3-run 4th. But Mike Lowell hit a 2-run shot for the Marlins in the top of the 6th, then the Angels squandered a 1st and 3rd, no-out chance in the home half. Florida won it with five in the 8th. Adam Dunn's 3-run blast off Nathan was the big blow)

GAME 4

Marlins 21, Angels 9 (Florida slugged eight homers, including two each by Dunn and Victor Martinez. Chuck James was the sacrificial lamb for Anaheim as he yielded 14 runs and 20 hits in 6 innings)

GAME 5

Angels 2, Marlins 1 (Anaheim pitching, led by starter Matt Chico and closer Takashi Saito, shut down the thundering Florida bats after Hunter Pence homered in the 1st. The Angels scored their only runs in the 3rd on an RBI single by Bobby Abreu and an RBI double by Alfonso Soriano)

Halos & Fish Split First Two Games

Teams split the first two games of the series in Florida before heading to the West Coast.

GAME 1
Angels 6, Marlins 3 (Nick Markakis' 2-run double sparks a 3-run Anaheim 4th. Jake Peavy fans 10 in defeat)

Angels.......... 0 0 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 - 6 11 1
Marlins......... 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 - 3 9 0

T.Saito WIN(1-0), J.Peavy LOSS(0-1)
HOME RUNS- D.Lee(1st)

GAME 2

Marlins 4, Angels (A.J. Burnett and the Florida bullpen combine on a 2-hitter. Derrek Lee hits his second HR of the series)

Angels.......... 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 2 0
Marlins......... 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 x - 4 8 0

N.Lowry LOSS(0-1), A.Burnett WIN(1-0), H.Bell SAVE(1st)
HOME RUNS- D.Lee(2nd)

Seattle Qualifies For #8 Seed

Kansas City traveled to Seattle for the second elimination game. Game #163 for Kansas City and #164 for Seattle. Brian Bannister started for Kansas City while Roy Oswalt took the mound for Seattle in the deciding game. Seattle Manager John Ferraro was saving Oswalt for the first game of the playoffs but was forced to treat this as the first game of the playoffs after losing to Anaheim in the first elimination game. Kansas City jumped on Oswalt early by scoring 3 runs in the first on 5 hits. After 4 innings, KC held a 3-0 lead and was out hitting Seattle 7 to 2. Bannister then tired in the 5th inning after allowing 3 hits and 2 walks but Seattle only scored once by grounded into a double play and leaving the bases loaded. Seattle tied the game in the 7th by adding 2, including a solo home run by Yadier Molina off Rudy Seanez. Kansas City then fell apart in the 8th inning with Casey Janssen on the mound. With 1 run in and men on first and second, Janssen threw a wild pitch to advance the runners. Molina then hit a single that scored both runners when Hanley Ramirez threw the cut off throw wildly. With a 6-3 going into the 9th, 2 men on and the tying run at the plate, Hanley Ramirez struck out looking for the third time on a Francisco Rodriguez 98mph fastball to end the game and the season for Kansas City. Ramirez, the first overall pick in the 2006 draft was able to manage two hit when he actually swung the bat. The star of the game was Jose Reyes who was 3 for 5 with a stolen base, 2 runs and stellar defense. Russ Springer improved to 7-1 with the win. He struck out 4 in 1 2/3 IP. Seattle moves on to face top seed Atlanta in the playoffs. It is a surprise match up for the Mariners as they didn't expect to make the playoffs. They traded two strong 2010 pitchers in John Maine and Kelvim Escobar to Atlanta for some players to assist in the future. But Ryan Braun fell to the Mariners at #4 in the draft and they acquired Albert Pujols to provide protection for Alex Rodriguez. As a result, the Mariners had three players with 40+ homeruns to make up for the weakened pitching staff.

Strat-O-Matic Report

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BOXSCORE: 2007 Kansas City Royals At 2007 Seattle Mariners          9/19/2007








 








  Royals             AB  R  H RBI AVG     Mariners           AB  R  H RBI AVG








  R.Willits LF        4  1  1  0 .319     J.Reyes SS          5  2  3  0 .255  








  C.Granderson CF     4  1  3  1 .311     S.Green RF          4  0  3  2 .323  








  M.Ordonez RF        5  0  1  0 .383     A.Pujols 1B         4  0  0  0 .351  








  H.Ramirez SS        5  1  2  1 .334     A.Rodriguez 3B      2  1  0  0 .290  








  A.Gonzalez 1B       4  0  2  0 .288     R.Braun DH          3  0  1  0 .348  








  P.Burrell DH        4  0  1  1 .239     G.Jenkins LF        1  0  0  0 .228  








  J.Mauer C           3  0  0  0 .280   A-K.Millar PH,LF      2  1  1  1 .257  








  H.Blalock 3B        4  0  0  0 .228     B.Phillips 2B       2  1  0  0 .264  








  A.Ojeda 2B          4  0  1  0 .259     M.Cameron CF        4  0  0  0 .232  








                                          Y.Molina C          4  1  2  2 .229  








                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---      








         Totals      37  3 11  3                 Totals      31  6 10  5








 








A-Pinch Hit For Jenkins In 6th Inning








 








Royals.......... 3 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 0  -  3 11  2








Mariners........ 0 0 0  0 0 1  2 3    -  6 10  0








 








Royals (93-70)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA








B.Bannister               5 2/3   5   1   1   1   2   0   3.14








R.Seanez HOLD(4th)        1       2   2   2   0   2   1   4.32








M.Wise BS(3rd)            0       1   0   0   0   0   0   6.54








C.Janssen LOSS(4-2)       1 1/3   2   3   2   3   0   0   4.09








Totals                    8      10   6   5   4   4   1








 








Mariners (94-70)         IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA








R.Oswalt                  6 1/3   9   3   3   2   4   0   3.00








R.Springer WIN(7-1)       1 2/3   1   0   0   0   4   0   2.84








F.Rodriguez SAVE(33rd)    1       1   0   0   1   2   0   4.03








Totals                    9      11   3   3   3  10   0








 








ATTENDANCE- 18,502 DATE- Thursday, September 19th 2007 TIME- Day WEATHER- Good








UMPIRES- Scott Packard, Jeff Nelson, Derryl Cousins, Alfonzo Marquez








T- 2:57








LEFT ON BASE- Royals:10  Mariners: 7








DOUBLE PLAYS- Royals: 3  Mariners: 1








ERRORS- H.Ramirez, A.Gonzalez








DOUBLES- C.Granderson-2(35th), S.Green-2(29th)








HOME RUNS- Y.Molina(2nd)








STOLEN BASES- J.Reyes(76th)








WALKS- R.Willits, C.Granderson, J.Mauer, A.Rodriguez, R.Braun, G.Jenkins,








       B.Phillips








HIT BY PITCH- A.Rodriguez, B.Phillips








STRIKE OUTS- R.Willits-2, C.Granderson, M.Ordonez, H.Ramirez-3, P.Burrell-2,








             J.Mauer, R.Braun, B.Phillips, M.Cameron-2








GIDP- H.Blalock, S.Green, A.Pujols








WILD PITCHES- C.Janssen








2-out RBI- Y.Molina-2, S.Green








WEB GEMS- Bot 8th: Joe Mauer blocked the plate, saving a run!








 








At Camden Yards the Seattle Mariners were finally were able to get back on the








winner's track and outscored the Kansas City Royals 6 to 3.








 








Seattle won the game with a rally in the 8th inning with 3 runs on 2 hits.








Alex Rodriguez led off and keyed the rally when he drew a walk.  Ryan Braun








stepped up to the plate and he drew a walk.  Casey Janssen then unleashed a








wild pitch.  Kevin Millar followed next and he stroked a single.  Brandon








Phillips came up to bat and drew a walk to load the bases.  After an out was








recorded, Yadier Molina came to the plate and delivered a one-base hit, and








an error was also committed.  Seattle rapped out 10 hits for the afternoon.








 








Russ Springer(7-1) went 1 and 2/3 innings allowing no runs for the victory.








Francisco Rodriguez recorded the save, his 33rd.  Janssen(4-2) was charged








with the loss in relief.  








 

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