(JUNE 15TH IN THE MAJORS)

As of today, about 40 percent of the BARB regular season is completed.

POTTSYLVANIA 5, LEXINGTON 2 (1^st game of DH)

WP: Gil Meche (5-7, 1.84)
LP: Johann Santana (7-4, 3.36)

LEXINGTON 6, POTTSYLVANIA 1 (2^nd game of DH)

WP: Josh Beckett (5-5, 3.07)
LP: Cliff Lee (3-7, 4.89)

For the first time in their BARB careers, the Brothers Upton both homered on the same day, part of four round-trippers launched by the Rebels to back Josh Beckett’s solid seven innings and gain a split of a twi-night doubleheader on the road in Pottsylvania. The host Creepers took the opener, however, as they scored three times in the sixth to snap a 1-1 duel between Meche and Santana, with the scoring being bookended by a pair of homers from 3B Aramis Ramirez. The Creepers (27-39), actively shopping pitching with the expected return of Pedro Martinez in their sites, have been playing better of late, going 11-10 over the last two weeks. Despite their slow start, they are only seven-and-a-half games back in the moribund Central.

BROOKLYN 4, DARWIN 2 (1^st game of DH)

WP: Micah Owings (4-1, 3.95)
LP: Tim Wakefield (3-4, 4.42)
SV: Rodriguez (17)

DARWIN 7, BROOKLYN 4 (2^nd game of DH)

WP: Chad Billingsley (1-1, 3.34)
LP: Roy Oswalt (4-6, 5.47)
SV: Broxton (3)

Josh Hamilton had three hits, including an RBI double, and Chad Billingsley (making just his fourth start of the season) finally got his name in the ‘W’ column as the charged-up Finches gained a split with the host Moabs, snapping a four-game losing streak. In the opener, the Finches rested most of their regulars and essentially sent 41-year-old knuckleballer Tim Wakefield out to be punished, in order to save their beleaguered pitching staff. The veteran not only went eight innings in the loss, but was competitive, working into the eighth with a 2-2 tie before Chase Utley hit an RBI triple. The split pulled Brooklyn (38-28) into a tie with Darwin (38-23) in the ‘W’ column, and as the summer heats up, only five-and-a-half games separate the field of four Eastern clubs.

CASSELTON 1, YUMA 0

WP: Kevin Correia (3-1, 3.10)
LP: Matt Cain (5-6. 3.46)
SV: Jenks (16)

Just-activated Kevin Correia and Bobby Jenks combined on a two-hitter to anesthetize the weak-hitting Firebirds and Freddie Sanchez spoiled a great effort by Matt Cain with a solo homer leading off the top of the eighth to give the Horned Toads (winners of seven of their last ten) a rare 1-0 win. Yuma (35-32) has played below .500 since losing Travis Hafner and Ryan Zimmerman and is widely believed to be in the market for a power-hitting first baseman.

WORCESTER 10, FROSTBITE FALLS 0

WP: Jeremy Guthrie (6-3, 2.37)
LP: Cole Hamels (3-4, 3.51)

Grady Sizemore had a bases-loaded double and an RBI triple, Carl Crawford smacked four hits and Mark Teixeira hit a pair of boundary belts (#14 and #15, which lead his team) as the Eliminators took advantage of Albert Pujols’ absence and crushed the slumping Squirrels on the road, at Frostbite Falls. The Squirrels (34-26) have lost a season-high nine straight games with Pujols, Victor Martinez and Carlos Pena all sidelined despite getting quality starts from four different pitchers.