HORNED TOADS TAKE CONTROL WITH EPIC DOUBLE DIP

HORNED TOADS TAKE CONTROL


CASSELTON 7, POTTSYLVANIA 3 (1st game of DH: 12 innings)

WP: Bobby Jenks (3-2, 2.91)
LP: Jonathan Broxton (2-2, 1.90)

CASSELTON 10, POTTSYLVANIA 7 (2nd game of DH: 12 innings)

WP: Brad Ziegler (2-2, 4.91)
LP: Santiago Casilla (1-1, 9.09)

In the longest day by innings in BARB annals, the visiting Horned Toads made expense at the sake of host Pottsylvania, needing 24 innings to win a pair of extra-inning affairs, for a total game time of 7 hours, 19 minutes. In the process, the Creepers (33-31) were knocked into a tie for second and the Horned Toads took over sole possession of the lead in the Central Division.

Justin Upton, hitting just .219 when the day began, went 6-for-11 with a pair of HR (7,8) and 5 RBI to lead the twin bill hit parade, while Michael Cuddyer, Geovanny Soto and Casey McGehee also had big days with the lumber to keep things going.

The opening game matched John Lackey and the much-maligned-of-late Ben Sheets. Sheets actually allowed only one run through six frames to outpitch Lackey, but Grant Balfour allowed two runs in the eighth to tie the game and force extra innings, the last run coming on Carlos Pena's second bomb of the game, a solo shot and Pena's BARB-leading 26th of the season. With not a lot of love for their bullpen, the Horned Toads left Bobby Jenks out there for multiple frames and their closer picked up the win when Jonathan Broxton loaded the bases in the 12th and Upton launched his first blast of the day off, a three-run shot off a struggling Brian Fuentes to cap a four-run 12th, pretty much cementing the win.

In the nightcap, Joe Saunders was set to duel with Armando Gallaraga in a battle of fifth starters, but as in the first affair, neither figured in the decision. McGehee hit a go-ahead bomb off Gallaraga and Upton added a two-run homer off Sean West in the top of the seventh to give Casselton a 7-4 lead, but the Creepers came right back in the bottom of the frame to bunch three runs off the normally-reliable Dennis O'Day (2.26), and the game was tied.....leading to extra innings, for the second straight game! Mike Adams and Brad Ziegler combined to fan ten hitters
in four-plus innings of relief, however, and in the top of the 12th Soto launched a two-out, three-run blast to give Casselton the lead for good.

After the game, to make things worse for Pottsylvania, it was announced that both starting C Jason Varitek, LF Ryan Ludwick and RP Manny Delcarmen would all be placed on the DL pretty much at the same time, hitting an already-sagging club while they are down. In their initial move, the Creepers recalled minor-league C prospect Tyler Flowers and were looking to find some sort of cheap arms on the open market.

MURLOCS DEAL FOR MORE PITCHING

Madtown---Having just acquired C.J. Wilson to bolster their run for a Western Division crown, the Murlocs made yet another move to acquire a left-handed pitcher, picking up LHP Jason Vargas along with veteran SS Cesar Izturis from the St. Francis Friars. In return, the infielder-heavy Murlocs sent 2B Kelly Johnson and a pair of struggling minor-leaguers (1B Lars Anderson and OF Aaron Hicks) to the Friars, who have been openly shopping their pitching depth.

Murlocs GM "Chops" had this to say about the trade,"I had depth in the infield and will miss Kelly Johnson, but more important needs were met with the inclusion of Vargas. Pitching has been a big weakness, which is obvious based on the ratio of runs allowed to runs scored. I will miss those prospects but they will be replaced and was glad to also receive a flexible infielder back in the trade. "

In other BARB action:

YUMA 9, MADTOWN 6

WP: Matt Cain (7-5, 3.24)
LP: Vicente Padilla (0-1, 7.94)
SV: Street (1)

Ryan Braun had three hits as part of his recent surge in production, and recently-acquired Huston Street picked up his first save of the season after a laggy first half and a trade from Oakland, giving newly-anointed closer Rafael Soriano a well-needed day off in a tight game after Matt Thornton (3 ER) uncharacteristically was whacked around by Murlocs hitters in the eighth. Madtown kept 2B Kelly Johnson out of the lineup, fueling speculation that the club may well be shopping him to get yet another pitcher.

BLACK MESA 2, DARWIN 0

WP: Barry Zito (4-7, 4.53)
LP: Josh Johnson (7-6, 3.21)
SV: Papelbon (5)

Mired in the BARB equivalent of the cellar, the Anomalies (23-46) nevertheless looked strong as the league's version of "June" was wearing down, winning four of five and getting the strong relief from Saito and Papelbon to nail down a win for Barry Zito, who combined with three relievers on a two-hit shutout. Adam Dunn hit a solo shot, his 14th of the season, to make the game 2-0 in the seventh and that was all that the bullpen would need to send the Finches (34-35) back below .500. With last year's winningest club just three games back in the West, the Unnatural Selections hadn't thrown in the towel yet, but if the draft were held today, they would have one of the first four picks...

BROOKLYN 5, FROSTBITE FALLS 4

WP: Justin Masterson (3-2, 5.06)
LP: Felix Hernandez (6-5, 4.19)
SV: Rodriguez (23)

Newly-signed free agent C Brian Schneider homered in his first at-bat to give his new club an early lead, but Ian Stewart and Andrew McCutcheon both got good wood on the ball batting at the top of the order against 'King' Felix, and the Moabs (41-29) held on keep one game ahead of hard-charging Worcester in the Eastern Division. Seemingly-unconscious Francisco Rodriguez posted his 23rd save despite allowing a run in the ninth on a Pujols sac fly, sending the Squirrels (32-32) to their eighth loss in their last nine games...

ARIZONA 8, ST. FRANCIS 4

WP: Stephen Strasberg (1-1, 2.25)
LP: Randy Wells (1-3, 3.55)

The league's most hyped rookie in many a moon outdueled Friars freshman Randy Wells in a matchup of first-year pitchers, and the Thunder (34-32) moved a half-game ahead of St. Francis, into a tie with sagging Pottsylvania for second in the competitive Central Division. Closer Andrew Bailey, brought in to get some work in a non-save situation, also got to bat, and hit a solo home run off reliever Pedro Feliciano, joining Martin Prado (4) and Andre Ethier (8) in Arizona's hit parade.

OAKLAND 4, WORCESTER 1

WP: Danny Haren (8-5, 3.28)
LP: Johnny Cueto (4-5, 4.62)

Danny Haren went all the way despite a scare by Carl Crawford to best the Eliminators and halt Worcester's season-high six-game winning streak, one which that has brought them into sole possession of second in the Eastern Division with a 39-29 mark, just one back of BARB-leading Brooklyn. Haren's only run allowed was a solo shot to Joe Mauer leading off the eighth, which was the Elims backstop's 11th blast of the season. Haren did get himself into hot water in the ninth when Crawford tripled with one out and Derek Jeter worked a 3-0 count. Haren came back, however, and on his 100th pitch got Hanley Ramirez to roll into a game-ending double play with the tieing run at the plate.