GAME DAY 99 ACTION

TEXAS 7, FROSTBITE FALLS 6 (10 innings--1st game of DH)

WP: Andrew Bailey (1-0, 20.25)
LP: Joe Nathan (1-5, 1.63)

TEXAS 8, FROSTBITE FALLS 6 (2nd game of DH)

WP: Jon Rauch (3-2, 2.27)
LP: Felix Hernandez (6-7, 3.74)
SV: Bailey (1)

Rookie Andrew Bailey blew his second save in as many chances, giving up a 6-4 lead in the ninth, but ‘vultured’ a win and came back to pick up his first-ever BARB save in the nightcap as the Tornadoes swept the visiting Squirrels in Texas. In the opener, Alex Rodriguez stole home with the bases loaded against reliever Jason Frasor and Mike Redmond singled to put the Tornadoes up as part of a six-run eighth that denied a previously-untouchable Cole Hamels a win. Bailey allowed RBI singles to McLouth and Longoria to tie the game, but in the tenth Redmond delivered another RBI single, this time for the win. In the nightcap, Alfonso Soriano snapped a 5-5 tie with a two-run single off Joakim Soria and this time, Bailey collected the save.

With the sweep, Texas (39-53) is now above .500 (24-23) since reactivating cleanup man Alex Rodriguez, a good omen for next year.

CASSELTON 17, FRESNO 6

WP: Carlos Zambrano (6-5, 5.49)
LP: Mike Pelfrey (8-8, 5.33)

The league’s hottest offense in August was outslugged by the Central-leading Horned Toads, who nearly batted around twice in an eight-run fifth, and mid-season Carlos Zambrano saved the bullpen, taking a 17-2 lead into the eighth before hitting a few speed bumps. Jose Lopez had four RBI and rookie Justin Upton had a career day, going 4-for-4 to lead Casselton’s attack.

WORCESTER 9, LOS ANGELES 5

WP: Jeremy Guthrie (6-7, 4.88)
LP: Aaron Harang (4-7, 5.18)

Mark Teixeira’s 20th boundary belt of the year was one of four hit off Flyers pitching (Cano, Hawpe and Sizemore joined him) and the fumbling Flyers (who made five errors in the game) dropped their tenth straight game, the longest such streak in the league this year. Since losing much of their projected rotation in mid-summer, Los Angeles is a league-worst 9-33 over that span, and things will just get worse if projected ace Aaron Harang needs (as feared) surgery.