LIDGE AND SHIELDS WORKED IN RETURN

The high-flying Squirrels of Frostbite Falls got another big game from new 1B Carlos Pena, Carlos Marmol (1-0, 0.00) worked two hitless innings for the win, and the three-time world champs remained the only unbeaten team in BARB (6-0) as they outslugged the host Ballers in a contest that only became interesting in the ninth. Pena doubled and scored in the fourth, hit his team-leading fourth homer of the year with a man aboard in the sixth, and then tripled home two runs and later scored to key Frostbite’s four-run seventh.

The Ballers thus trailed 8-1 going into the eighth, and they had to be shaking their heads, as they had gotten two big-time arms back off the disabled list in Game 7, RHP Brad Lidge and Scott Shields. Both worked in this game—and both were dreadful, with Shields coughing up another run after coming in for an ineffective Joe Blanton (0-1, 7.27) and Lidge allowing three runs of damage himself. Neither had an answer for the left-handed hitting Pena, or for Brad Hawpe, who collected three doubles on the day.

On the other hand, Oakeyland does have some bats, and they made some noise in the late innings against Andrew Haynes’ club, scoring four runs in the ninth off an ineffective Russ Springer (5 BB, 3 H) and forcing Joe Nathan to nail down the last two outs for his second save of the season and a wild, 8-7 victory. After the game, it was revealed that Springer was suffering from a sore elbow and will be placed on the disabled list.

In other BARB action:

DARWIN 8, LAS VEGAS 4
WP: John Smoltz (1-0, 1.50)
LP: Ian Snell (0-2, 11.81)

The Luchadores hit three home runs in the ninth off Kevin Gregg and Jonathan Broxton, raising their total to a BARB-leading 14 for the young season, but they were all solo shots and the Finhes pen held on to keep the Luchadores winless after seven games, the only BARB team so far not to earn a win. Veteran John Smoltz, just activated from the DL, fanned eight over six frames and both Jeff Francouer and backup catcher Ryan Doumit had three hits from the bottom of the order to lead Darwin’s attack.

Amazingly, despite the skid to start the season, Las Vegas is only two games out: no other club in the Central has managed more than two wins in their opening week series with Eastern Division powerhouses.

S-MART 10, BROOKLYN 5
WP: Alan Embree (1-0, 0.00)
LP: Roy Oswalt (1-1, 7.27)

A.J. Pierzynski capped a five-run first with a bases-loaded triple and Alex Rodriguez drove in four with a two-run single and his fourth HR of the season as the visiting Boom Sticks snapped the Moabs five-game winning streak. S-Mart starter Garret Olson ran out of gas in the fifth, not retiring a batter, but by then his club was up 5-0 and eager to swing the bats against rookies Ubaldo Jiminez (who gave up three runs) and Micah Owings (two runs) in long relief.

LEXINGTON 6, BLACK MESA 2
WP: Brandon Webb (1-0, 1.76)
LP: Bryan Fuentes (0-1, 11.57)

Brandon Webb had two hits, scored twice and scattered just five hits over eight innings to throttle down the Anomalies, who lost Andy Pettite early with a cramp and played lackluster ball (1 E, 1 WP, 1 HB) to hand the Rebels (5-2) their third straight win, and sole possession of first place early in the 2008 campaign.