Black Mesa----Weird things happen regularly at the Black Mesa facility, as research scientist Gordon Freeman can attest. But few things were weirder that the spectacle of former Friars utility man Ben Zobrist driving in seven runs while "going yard" three times, as the Oakland club won a slugfest sparked by their biggest trade acquisition of 2010.
Zobrist (.290, 31 HR, 91 RBI) hit a three-run blast in the first against Erwin Santana and a two-run shot against Luis Perdomo in the second as the visiting Oaks seven times in the first three innings. But the slugging Anomalies kept pace, scoring six times in the same amount of time against Danny Haren and aging former relief star Trevor Hoffman. Chad Qualls worked three innings of one-hit ball in relief of Hoffman, but when Chris Ray (1-4, 5.45) was brought in, the Anomalies promptly scored four runs against him to take a 10-9 lead after seven innings.
Not to worry, though. Carlos Villanueva (0-3, 5.37) was in the zip code. Andruw Jones led off the top of the eighth with his second circuit shot of the contest, and three batters later Zobrist finished him off with his second two-run blow and third overall. Incredibly, a four-run eighth to answer Black Mesa's rally, enough to make Ray a winner of the 'vulture' variety.
Zobrist's heroics are all the more striking when you consider that at the time he was traded to the Oakland ballclub he was leading the Friars in HR and RBI. In the 38 games he has played for United since being acquired, Zobrist has more HR (15) and RBI (45) than any other Oakland player, including the hot-hitting Andruw Jones. If Zobrist was on a contending club, he could arguably be an MVP candidate, which is not what you would expect from anyone who has been a utility player much of his career.
Conversely, if Oakland was to deal Zobrist right now, his value might arguably be at its peak!
TRADE DEADLINE IMMINENT
Current standings as of 'August 30th' in game time are shown above. As of this moment, 9 of the league's 13 teams are still at .500 or above and mathematically contending for a playoff spot. Our condolences to (in alphabetical order) Black Mesa, Oakland, Los Angeles and (sigh) St. Francis. Because so many are still contending, we haven't had as much trade activity in the second half as we usually do. Still, after August 31st in 'game time' no trades will be permitted. If you have a deal that's been percolating for 'later', now is the time.
In other BARB action:
POTTSYLVANIA 6, CASSELTON 1
WP: Mark Buerhle (11-6, 3.57)
LP: Joe Saunders (5-10, 5.24)
Mark Buerhle allowed a one-out solo homer in the first to Jose Lopez, but only two hits over the next eight frames in going the distance as the Central-leading Horned Toads lost for the eighth time in their last ten games, with another meltdown from their bullpen (O'Day and Ziegler) with an overworked (and increasingly-ineffective) Bobby Jenks suddenly an issue. With the win, the Creepers (58-56) kept themselves in the conversation for a playoff spot, but remain five games back.
ST. FRANCIS 6, ARIZONA 3
WP: Bronson Arroyo (6-6, 4.14)
LP: Javier Vazquez (5-7, 4.61)
Aubrey Huff and Casey Blake took Thunder starter Javier Vazquez deep, and A.J. Pierzynski added a big two-run double to help the Friars clinch a series win against Arizona, which helped the Cloistered Ones with a pair of errors in a big four-run fourth. Despite the loss, the Thunder is seven games over .500, and the club has played a division-best 25-20 since July 1st (league time).
DARWIN 12, FROSTBITE FALLS 4
WP: Zack Greinke (8-8, 2.75)
LP: Matt Garza (8-6, 4.62)
David Ortiz had three hits, including his 15th boundary belt of the campaign, and Zack Greinke posted seven scoreless innings in a one-sided affair against Garza and the Squirrels bullpen to keep themselves close in the Western Division. Despite the loss, Frostbite Falls has the loop's most wins since the All-Star Break, and is just a half-game out in the competitive Eastern Division.
YUMA 3, BROOKLYN 2
WP: Roy Halladay (11-8, 3.72)
LP: Justin Verlander (10-7, 2.80)
Halladay's BARB-leading 6th complete game of the season was just the tonic the host Firebirds needed to cool the left-handed bats of the Moabs, who got Ryan Howard's 38th bomb of the season but little else, trailing pretty much the entire way after Joey Votto's 19th of the season capped a three-run first. With the win, Yuma's fourth straight, the Firebirds stayed in an effective tie with Madtown for the lead in the West.
MADTOWN 8, WORCESTER 1
WP: C.J. Wilson (3-1, 3.62)
LP: Heath Bell (6-7, 3.65)
Little-used veteran C Ramon Hernandez made his first HR of the 2010 BARB season a big blow, hitting a grand slam as part of a seven-run eighth against Heath Bell and the rest of the Worcester pen, blowing out a game that had been a pitcher's duel between Jared Weaver and Johnny Cueto.
Hernandez got to bat against lefty reliever Craig Breslow after Bell had already allowed a sac fly by Scott Rolen and an RBI single by Cesar Izturis, and he clubbed a 2-1 pitch over the wall in left for his first boundary belt of the year. It was a nice moment for the veteran, who had first dealt with injuries, then was blocked by charismatic free-swinger Pablo Sandoval and the younger (but underperforming) Chris Ianetta.
TRADE DEADLINE IMMINENT
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