HEARD AROUND THE LEAGUE

BROOKLYN 6, NEW ENGLAND 5

WP: Neftali Feliz (2-2, 8.18)
LP: Jonathan Papelbon (3-1, 2.79)

Justin Verlander was knocked out in the third despite allowing only one earned run, but the Moabs rallied for two in the bottom of the ninth to deny Danny Haren the win, handing Yankee Stompers closer Jonathan Papelbon his second blown save of the young season.

The Moabs didn't exactly pummel their way to victory. An impatient John Buck went after a 2-0 pitch to lead off the ninth trailing by a run, and hit a can of corn to right. B.J. Upton pinch-hit for Neftali Feliz, who had worked two scoreless innings of relief, the fifth Moabs reliever. Upton hit a dribbler to third that Aubrey Huff couldn't come up with, which was ruled an infield hit. Jacoby Ellsbury then grounded a single between Huff and SS Jed Lowrie, and Upton daringly took third on the arm of LF Adam Dunn. Moabs CF Andrew McCutcheon then lined the only hard-hit ball of the inning over Lowrie's head to score Upton with the tying run and send Ellsbury to third!

Papelbon could've still escaped the loss, as Troy Tulowitzki grounded sharply to 2B Dustin Pedroia, who could've looked the runner back and then got the sure out at first. Instead, Pedroia attempted to turn a double play, and when "Tulo" beat the relay, Ellsbury scored the walkoff-winning go-ahead run from third!

A wild finish, and ironically, Neftali Feliz picked up the win with a two-inning effort that left his seasonal ERA over eight! Many BARB clubs are working their closers very heavily in the first few weeks...

YUMA 3, FROSTBITE FALLS 2

WP: C.C. Sabathia (3-1, 2.10)
LP: Joakim Soria (1-3, 3.12)
SV: Soriano (4)

Sabathia and "The Freak" both worked eight innings of two-run ball, but it was the big southpaw who came away with the win when his club was the first to break a 2-2 tie. Yuma's Joey Votto led off the ninth against Soria, and worked the count to 3-1 before crushing a ball to deep right center. Rafael Soriano then worked around a leadoff double from Victor Martinez in the bottom of the ninth. Tyler Colvin pinch-ran for 'V-Mart', but Soriano popped up Albert Pujols, got Michael Young to ground out, and fanned Jason Werth for the ballgame.

"Now that," remarked Firebirds GM Billy Beane, "that is what I call a save!"

ST. FRANCIS 6, POTTSYLVANIA 3

WP: Roy Oswalt (2-2, 3.19)
LP: Chris Carpenter (2-2, 3.04)
SV: Nunez (1)

Alexei Ramirez hit a two-run triple to cap a four-run sixth inning against Chris Carpenter and the reeling Creepers, who have yet to comeback this season from any deficit after the sixth inning. "It's pretty tough right now," Carpenter admitted after the game. "We just can't seem to put good pitching and good hitting together at the same time....I don't have any easy answers."

CENTRAL CALIFORNIA 5, SIN CITY 2

WP: Jered Weaver (2-2, 3.71)
LP: Josh Beckett (1-2, 5.66)
SV: Wilson (4)

Pedro Sandoval hit a two-run HR in the fourth, offsetting some poor defensive play (error, and a pair of 'doubles' out of his reach) to help the .45's hold on and win on the road in Sin City. The Cowboys scored all their runs in the eighth with some help from Sandoval's glove, as rookie 1B Gary Sanchez hit one of the three two-baggers under the Panda's mitt with Dan Wheeler on the mound. The Bearded One, Brian Wilson, emerged from the pen and kept the home team down with an effective inning. Wilson has yet to allow an earned run this year....

PHILADELPHIA 5, LOS ANGELES 2

WP: Ricky Nolasco (2-1, 3.90)
LP: Aaron Harang (0-2, 6.27)
SV: Jose Valverde (5)

Rebels closer Jose Valverde put up his BARB-leading fifth save of the season, and Andre Ethier put him in position to do it, hitting a two-run single and a sac fly as the difference-maker with the bat. In all, the Rebels collected ten hits against the visiting Wolverines, and are leading all Central Division clubs in runs scored.

ANAHEIM 5, WORCESTER 4

WP: Jordan Walden (1-0, 3.38)
LP: Jair Jurrjens (0-1, 2.08)

Rookie Jordan Walden got a chance to pick up a save, but (like veteran Ryan Franklin) couldn't pick his club up, allowing a game-tying sac fly to fellow rookie Mike Morse, one batter after Josh Johnson (7.1 IP, 4 ER) had let the ANAHEIM ballclub back in it, courtesy of a fat pitch that Billy Butler turned into a two-run single.

Happily for AC/BC, there was a 'Highway to Hell', and erstwhile starter Jair Jurrjens walked that highway by going deep in the count with pinch-hitter Chipper Jones. The veteran lofted a 3-2 pitch over the wall in right center for the go-ahead score, and Walden (who had blown the save), got himself his first BARB win with a scoreless ninth.