UP AND DOWN

BROOKLYN 5, FROSTBITE FALLS 4

WP: Micah Owings (6-1, 4.14)
LP: Cole Hamels (3-5, 3.82)
SV: Rodriguez (20)

Rookie Evan Longoria’s error loaded the bases against Cole Hamels and Aki Iwamura doubled to key a five-run fourth inning that knocked out the Squirrels lefty and gave the Moabs a solid lead, but it still took great work by the Moabs pen to hold off a late Frostbite charge, with recently-reactivated Mike Gonzalez and Joel Zumaya each getting key outs to set up “F-Rod’s” BARB-leading 20^th save.

Speaking of reactivation, the Squirrels will regain the services of 1B Carlos Pena and Albert Pujols this weekend. Since losing the pair to injuries, the three-time world champs are just 5-9, but with their lineup on all cylinders 34-22. Their recent slump has been a godsend for Brooklyn (44-31), which has won six straight and 10 of their last 12 to move a half-game back of the Finches in the competitive East.

WORCESTER 3, DARWIN 2

WP: Pedro Feliciano (1-2, 3.71)
LP: Jonathan Broxton (3-3, 2.20)
SV: Sherrill (8)

Lance Berkman and Milton Bradley each hit their 12^th HR of the seasons for the Finches, but they were solo shots, and the Elims’ stingy bullpen was able to keep them in the game long enough for C Joe Mauer to line a two-out triple slicing away from Rick Ankiel in left. A hyped-up Jonathan Broxton then bounced a slider away from Ryan Doumit to score Mauer with what proved to be the winning run.

It was yet another tough loss of late for the Finches, who looked to put some distance between themselves and Eastern clubs with the Squirrels offense sputtering and Brooklyn beleaguered by injuries. Instead, Darwin matched Frostbite Falls with a 5-9 mark during that span, and watched Brooklyn and Worcester get hot at the very same time. With the win, Worcester (36-34) is just six games out of first, and perhaps recharged by the trade for run-producing OF Jermaine Dye . . .

LAS VEGAS 8, POTTSYLVANIA 1

WP: Ervin Santana (3-8, 6.11)
LP: Nate Robertson (3-4, 5.51)

The Creepers, still dreaming of getting back into the race in the mediocre Central, took another body blow in the hopes department as they were nearly shut out by the Luchadores fifth starter, while journeyman Nate Robertson handed out fat pitches to Manny Ramirez and Kelly Johnson, who hit their 10^th and 6^th HR of the year, respectively, to give the host Luchadores the early lead.

Santana dominated early, twice fanning slumping Bobby Abreu with a runner on, and had a shutout until two out in the seventh, when the Creepers rather freakishly bunched three singles together to scratch out a run. But the Vegas starter did not even blink at this blemish, and would retire 7 of the next 11 hitters, twice stranding a pair of runners, in earning his first complete-game win of the season. Vegas (38-36) has won two straight after falling back to .500 with a tepid June home stand.

S-MART 6, OAKEYLAND 3

WP: James Shields (7-4, 4.30)
LP: Daisuke Matsuzaka (5-5, 5.55)

James Shields went the distance with plenty of early support, as the Boom Sticks got a pair of home runs from Alex Rodriguez, including a two-run shot as part of a four-run first off a slumping “Dice-K”, who has gone from an ace-like stature at the end of May to a guy struggling to keep his spot in the rotation…most curious!

Rodriguez added another two-run shot in the eighth, giving him a total of 29 round-trippers with nearly two weeks of play left before the league’s official All-Star Break. That’s SIX more than Vegas 1B Prince Fielder, and (as we should all remember) occurred despite ‘A-Rod’ missing two weeks of games while on the DL.

As for the club, since June began (and since ‘A-Rod’ has returned), the Boom Sticks have won 15 of their last 23 contests, including seven of their late ten, and are now looking like the Central club best equipped to give the division-leading Luchadores a run for their money.

CASSELTON 10, LEXINGTON 4

WP: Aaron Harang (7-5, 3.46)
LP: Brandon Webb (7-4, 3.63)

Former Rebels 1B James Loney, in his first action against the club that traded him, went 4-for-4 with a home run as part of a Horned Toads attack that featured 4 walks and 14 hits in a one-sided trouncing of the home team, with Brandon Webb gone by the middle of the third already trailing 7-1. New Rebels 1B Adrian Gonzalez had one hit in three trips versus his old compadres.

With the win and Black Mesa’s recent shocking collapse, Casselton actually moved out of last place in the West: with their 34-48 record, if the season were to end today, they would have the fourth pick in the 2009 Draft.

YUMA 5, BLACK MESA 4

WP: Rafael Perez (3-1, 1.18)
LP: Glen Perkins (0-1, 5.79)
SV: Wilson (3)

The Firebirds scored four times in the first to mount an early lead, but would need an RBI single by Ryan Braun in the seventh to take the lead for good as the sagging Anomalies finally hit rock bottom, losing their twelfth straight contest to fall to 32-42, and in last place in the surprisingly-tepid Western Division.

Black Mesa’s woes are traceable to the high workload their amazing pen has put out through the first half of the season, with Takashi Saito (9-1, 1.75) leading the loop in holds and relievers like Papelbon, Fuentes and Kuo all working overtime to shore up the gap between the starters and the ninth inning. During their last 12 games, the Anomalies are (of course) 0-12 with a 6.38 team ERA, as opposed to the previous three months, where they were above .500 (32-30) with a 4.80 team mark.