A-ROD STOPS SQUIRRELS, VEGAS'S STREAK ENDS

Frostbite Falls—Alex Rodriguez isn’t widely considered the best player in all of baseball for nothing, and on Game Day 10 showed why, crushing three home runs with five RBI to lead he and his teammates to a 10-6 road win at Frostbite Falls. The visiting Boom Sticks finally halted the host Squirrels season-opening winning streak at eight games courtesy of a 12-hit attack, as well as a solid outing (8 IP, 3 ER) from Jake Westbrook (1-1, 4.85).

Rodriguez hit a two-run homer off of Tim Lincecum (0-1, 11.25) in the first, tripled and scored in the fourth, smashed another two-run shot off reliever Tony Pena in the fifth and added a solo shot for good measure off Carlos Marmol in the seventh, as dominant a single-game performance as has ever been seen in five-plus years in the BARB simulation.

As for the Squirrels, while they came up short, they scored plenty of runs as well to continue their pattern of early-season slugging, collecting ten hits of their own, the last with Corey Hart coming off the bench in the ninth to belt a three-run bomb off Jose Valverde. With all the Eastern clubs playing the moribund Central, run scoring is at a premium in the division.

In other BARB action. . . .

LAS VEGAS 4, WORCESTER 2
WP: Jered Weaver (1-1, 2.70)
LP: Jeremy Guthrie (1-1, 4.38)
SV: Rivera (1)

Jorge Posada hit a two-run homer with none out in the top of the sixth, and the Luchadores bullpen finally put together a few scoreless frames to put an end to Las Vegas’s agonizing nine-game losing streak and put their first ‘W’ of the year on the board in Worcester. In doing so, the Luchadores clearly had to overcome some issues, however. Las Vegas at present has no left-handed pitching, and (heavily-laden with payroll), their bench of OF/1B Joey Votto, DH Jason Kubel and C Michael Barrett gives them virtually no flexibility in late-inning matchups.

"Las Vegas has been unlucky," commented Commissioner Scott Hatfield. "But they’ve also become a bit rigid in terms of their lineup. This club has outstanding power, among the best in BARB. But you can’t always count on getting an early pile of homers and riding that lead into the ninth. Sometimes, you need to be able to pinch-hit in the middle of the order, and if you don’t have the bench to do it, you’re going to have a hard time in games where you’re tied or behind after seven. I’m just sayin’. . . "

BROOKLYN 10, POTTSYLVANIA 2
WP: Adam Wainwright (2-0, 3.38)
LP: Dontrelle Willis (0-2, 6.43)

Troy Tulowitski and Miguel Cabrera both went deep for the Moabs, and former Creepers starter Adam Wainwright showed no mercy on his old team, working eight solid innings for an easy win in a lopsided win at home in Brooklyn. It was the third straight win overall for Brooklyn, who improved to 8-1 in the Eastern Division, pulling into a tie for first with Frostbite Falls. Wainwright denied any animus against his old club, which had left him unprotected in this year’s draft. "That was their decision, and nothing I say now would change it," said Wainwright. "My job now is to pitch for the Brooklyn Moabs, and so far I would say I’m holding up my end of the deal."

DARWIN 8, OAKEYLAND 5
WP: Kevin Gregg (1-1, 5.40)
LP: Jamie Walker (0-1, 9.95)

The Finches scored five times in their last two shots at the Ballers bullpen, spoiling a fine effort by Oakeyland starter Jeff Francis, who took a shutout into the seventh, capped by a three-run, walkoff pinch-home run by Lance Berkman, as the Unnatural Selections won their fifth straight, improving to 7-2. It was the fourth time in this young season that Darwin had rallied to a win a game that was tied or trailing after seven innings. "I have a lot of weapons on my bench," bragged Finches skipper P.Z. Myers. "It makes it a lot easier to manage."

YUMA 9, BLACK MESA 1
WP: Jake Peavy (1-2, 2.89)
LP: Todd Wellemeyer (0-2, 9.82)

A previously-winless Jake Peavy took a shutout into the ninth, and Travis Hafner, Russell Martin and Ryan Braun all homered as the Firebirds used a six-run fifth to hang a loss on visiting Black Mesa, improving to 4-7 thanks to their biggest offensive outburst of the year. It was a welcome relief for the defending world champions, which coming into the game had scored only 2.7 runs per game, last in BARB. "It’s still early," commented Hafner on his second homer of the season, "and when we get going, we’ll score plenty of runs."

CASSELTON 4, LEXINGTON 3
WP: Jeremy Bonderman (1-1, 1.20)
LP: Rich Harden (1-1, 0.66)
SV: Jenks (3)

Jermaine Dye hit a two-run single after an error by James Loney loaded the bases, and Jeremy Bonderman outpitched an otherwise-effective (but ailing) Rich Harden and the Horned Toads survived a ninth-inning scare to come away with a win on the road in Lexington. Harden actually lowered his ERA with seven solid frames, but after the game it was announced that the heavily-leveraged righty had suffered yet another injury, and he was placed on the disabled list. "I’m shocked," said a nameless BARB owner. "Who could’ve predicted this turn of events?"