CARMONA WHITEWASHES ANOMALIES

BROOKLYN 7, BLACK MESA 0

WP: Fausto Carmona (4-1, 2.27)
LP: Jarrod Washburn (0-5, 7.35)

Fausto Carmona became just the fourth BARB hurler to win four games—and he did it in style, spinning a three-hit shutout, and Chase Utley had three hits and scored three runs, the last on Ryan Howard’s team-leading 7th HR of the season as the Moabs (15-13) won for only the fourth time in their last ten games.

YUMA 4, WORCESTER 1

WP: Matt Cain (2-2, 3.08)
LP: Jeremy Guthrie (2-2, 3.68)
SV: Rauch (1)

Brian Roberts drove in three runs with a pair of home runs off Jeremy Guthrie, and Matt Cain took a shutout into the seventh as the Firebirds held on to win in Worcester, with former Eliminators setup man Jon Rauch earning the save in relief of a flagging Manny Corpas. Alex Rios hit a solo homer off Cain to break up the shutout bid for Worcester’s only run.

FROSTBITE FALLS 4, LEXINGTON 2 (10 innings)

WP: Joe Nathan (2-0, 0.71)
LP: Joakim Soria (0-1, 5.68)

Joe Nathan gave up his first run of the season, but still got the decision as the Squirrels scored three unearned runs in the top of the tenth, then held on to win what started out as a pitcher’s duel between Josh Beckett (9 IP, 1 ER) and former teammate Cole Hamels (8 IP, 1 ER). Carlos Lee’s two-out single in the first off Hamels gave Lexington their only lead of the game, but they would not score again until they trailed in the bottom of the tenth.

It was the seventh straight win for the Squirrels, who at 19-6 have the best record in BARB. . .

DARWIN 6, CASSELTON 0

WP: Scott Kazmir (1-0, 0.93)
LP: Dave Bush (1-4, 5.63)

Scott Kazmir, just off the DL, scattered three hits through seven-plus frames and combined with ageless Tim Wakefield on a shutout as the Finches (led by rookie Josh Hamilton) completed the sweep of the host Horned Toad to improve to 16-8, only good enough for second place in the competitive Eastern race. Hamilton drove in four runs with his first-ever BARB home run and a bases-loaded double, but despite that will probably be sent back to the minors if a spot is empty.

“Hammie’s got options,” said GM Scott Hatfield, by way of explanation. “Some of our other guys don’t, and we have to think about that.”