REYNOLDS PUNIISHES FRIARS...

SPARKS SWEEP FOR FLYERS
...SPARKS SWEEP FOR FLYERS!

St. Francis----The news in 2010 hasn't been good for the PF Flyers for the most part. The club that has given up the most runs (398) is also the roster that is dead-last in scoring and, at best, average on defense. But 3B Mark Reynolds, the front office whipping boy, showed why he is still a starter in this league by homering three times in a doubleheader to knock St. Francis (29-25) out of their (brief) lead atop the Central Division.

In the opener, rookie Randy Wells allowed only one earned run in seven frames to outpitch Tim Hudson (6 IP, 10 H, 2 R), but Brandon Lyon (1-3, 4.96) let Hudson off the hook by putting on to start the Flyers eighth, and Reynolds made him pay, hitting a 1-2 pitch over the CF wall to score Nick Swisher and rookie Chris Coughlan.

The beneficiary of this largesse'? Brad Lidge (1-1, 4.97), still trying to reestablish himself as a reliever. This time, it was veteran Octavio Dotel who got the save (his third of the season) with two scoreless innings: LOS ANGELES 4, ST. FRANCIS 2!

In the nightcap, Reynolds & Co. got off to a great start against St. Francis hurler Gavin Floyd (5-5, 3.79 and the subject of trade rumors). Lance Berkman hit his 11th shot of the year aboard to key a four-run first, but Brett Cecil (1-1, 7.50) got no love from the Flyers bullpen, who nearly allowed St. Francis to chip away at the lead. But, the Friars mound corps was even worse at putting out a fire: Reynolds hit his 17th of the year with a man aboard to finally knock out Floyd in the sixth, walked as part of two-run eighth vs. Pedro Feliciano, then drilled his second bomb of the day and 18th of the campaign with a man aboard for a two-run ninth....and a convincing win for the visitors: LOS ANGELES 10, ST. FRANCIS 7!

In other BARB action:

DARWIN 9, POTTSYLVANIA 3

WP: Zack Greinke (4-6, 3.90)
LP: Cliff Lee (5-3, 5.87)

Zack Greinke fanned 9 Creepers over 7 frames, Miguel Tejada had four hits at the top of the order, and utility man Ryan Doumit smacked a three-run circuit shot, his fourth of the year, as the Finches (30-32) won for the eighth time in their last ten games, stopping Pottsylvania's six-game winning streak.

ARIZONA 5, CASSELTON 2

WP: Ricky Nolasco (7-4, 4.44)
LP: Joe Saunders (2-5, 6.08)
SV: Bailey (15)

Ricky Nolasco won his team-leading seventh game, fanning 11, the fourth time in his last six starts that he has reached double figures in "K's", as the Thunder (31-27) overcome HR by Horned Toads IF J.J. Hardy (subbing for the sidelined Rafael Furcal) and Jose Lopez. Bailey's 15 saves gave him more in that BARB category than any league closer other than Jonathan Broxton (16) and the white-hot Francisco Rodriguez, who already has 20 saves before the All-Star Break, as seen below . . .

BROOKLYN 5, FROSTBITE FALLS 2

WP: Justin Verlander (7-2, 3.02)
LP: Cole Hamels (8-2, 3.55)
SV: Rodriguez (20)

Mike Cameron, inserted into the leadoff spot with Jacoby Ellsbury again sidelined, delivered against Cole Hamels to stop a Moabs losing streak and keep the hard-charging Squirrels (32-25) two games back in the East. Cameron smacked HR in his first two at-bats against Hamels to deny the southpaw the chance to become the loop's second nine-game winner.

In the process, Cameron drove in three, and the sensational Brooklyn pen did their bit to ensure that would be all the Moabs would need. Rookie Neftali Feliz collected his BARB-leading 11th hold of the year, and the remarkable Rodriguez his BARB-leading 20th save!

How remarkable is Rodriguez's streak? After all, he has lost two games and blown three saves. Answer: still outstanding. He has the lowest ERA of any reliever who has faced at least as many hitters as his team has played games (0.90) and yet also leads all BARB relievers with 28 games finished. Excellence + lots of appearances = many saves collected.

(Context alert: in my 18 seasons of running such simulations, I have never had a reliever convert 40 saves in a season)

BARB SAVE LEADERS, BY YEAR:
The fact that 'F-Rod' has led it each of the last two seasons, and that Brooklyn is giving so many save opportunities, suggest that Billy Wagner's total of 36 saves in the league's inaugural season is not safe. Barring injury, we are likely to see a new saves record set by the Moabs closer.

Irony of ironies: the well-traveled Wagner, who has been the closer for four playoff teams, is now 'F-Rod's' insurance policy in Brooklyn's bullpen. Another irony: since-retired Eric Gagne, the most dominant reliever in the league's first two seasons, never once led the loop in saves despite fanning 244 hitters in his first 168 innings (2003-04). His light, fueled by substance use, burned all too brightly.