ANOMALIES ELIMINATED: WILL TOADS CROA
K?
Arizona--The revived Thunder won their fourth straight game to improve to 67-62, just a game and a half out of the lead in the Central after sending Casselton to its season-high eighth straight loss despite a tremendous game by rookie Carlos Gonzalez.
In the process, GM Ronald Melkonian's club knocked out division rival Los Angeles, ending the PF Flyers gallant late surge (seven straight wins). James Shields (7-10, 4.75) got the win with seven strong frames, and rookie Ryan Raburn homered in each of his first two at-bats versus Horned Toads starter Joe Saunders (5-14, 5.76), and Arizona went on to win 9-6, with five of the Toads runs coming in 'garbage time' in the last two frames as the Thunder rested their regulars.
Carlos Gonzalez missed hitting the cycle by a single, stole two bases and made a spectacular grab at the wall to deny Raburn extra bases in his third at-bat. Overall, 'Car-Go' is hitting .394 with 13 HR and 37 RBI since being called up to play the outfield regularly, and has easily been his club's brightest spot down the stretch.
However, the Horned Toads fan base has to be concerned about the recent play of their team, with ace Johann Santana lost for the year, closer Bobby Jenks day-to-
day with injuries and ineffectiveness and setup men Mike Adams and Darren O'Day showing signs of fatigue. But, heh, it is a pennant race . . . .the only question is, will either Arizona or Pottsylvania play well enough in the next 16 or so games to make a race of it?
In other BARB action:
LOS ANGELES 4, ST. FRANCIS 3
WP: Tim Hudson (11-9, 3.56)
LP: Randy Wells (4-8, 4.20)
SV: Lidge (13)
The PF Flyers were eliminated despite winning their seventh game, their best stretch of play all year, including a three-game sweep of Central-leading Casselton....but it was a case of too little, too late. Arizona's win the same day versus the Horned Toads guaranteed that at least one team would finish second in the division with a better record, eliminating any hope of a wild card berth for the Flyers. In the game itself, Tim Hudson continued his strong second half, making only one mistake (a solo HR to Paul Konerko) while otherwise holding the Friars down.
BROOKLYN 1, FROSTBITE FALLS 0
WP: Ubaldo Jiminez (15-7, 3.21)
LP: Cole Hamels (8-9, 4.63)
SV: Wagner (6)
Cole Hamels pitched well, but made one mistake: a flat slider that Ryan Howard drilled out of the park in the 5th, his team-leading 42nd boundary belt. Jiminez, meanwhile, fanned 14 batters through eight innings and Billy Wagner came on to retire the side in the top of the ninth to help the Moabs win the first game of an important three-game set with Eastern-leading Frostbite Falls in Brooklyn. The Moabs are currently tied with the Madtown Murlocs, one game out of the wild
card position held by division rival Worcester.
DARWIN 9, ST. FRANCIS 1
WP: Sean O'Sullivan (3-3, 6.23)
LP: Bronson Arroyo (7-7, 3.93)
The Finches received bad news that star CF Josh Hamilton would miss much of the final two weeks due to bruised ribs. This was the latest blow to an offense that has seen Chipper Jones incur a season-ending knee injury while another switch-hitter, Milton Bradley, essentially was reduced to a bench player.
Starter Max Scherzer did not finish the fourth inning due to a lengthy rain delay in this contest, but swing man Sean O'Sullivan came on to allow only one run (unearned) in two-plus frames to earn the win. The Unnatural Selections are still in the hunt for a wild card spot despite Hamilton's loss, and their starting pitching would make them respectable in a short series. Getting into the big dance? That's another story.
K?Arizona--The revived Thunder won their fourth straight game to improve to 67-62, just a game and a half out of the lead in the Central after sending Casselton to its season-high eighth straight loss despite a tremendous game by rookie Carlos Gonzalez.
In the process, GM Ronald Melkonian's club knocked out division rival Los Angeles, ending the PF Flyers gallant late surge (seven straight wins). James Shields (7-10, 4.75) got the win with seven strong frames, and rookie Ryan Raburn homered in each of his first two at-bats versus Horned Toads starter Joe Saunders (5-14, 5.76), and Arizona went on to win 9-6, with five of the Toads runs coming in 'garbage time' in the last two frames as the Thunder rested their regulars.
Carlos Gonzalez missed hitting the cycle by a single, stole two bases and made a spectacular grab at the wall to deny Raburn extra bases in his third at-bat. Overall, 'Car-Go' is hitting .394 with 13 HR and 37 RBI since being called up to play the outfield regularly, and has easily been his club's brightest spot down the stretch.
However, the Horned Toads fan base has to be concerned about the recent play of their team, with ace Johann Santana lost for the year, closer Bobby Jenks day-to-
day with injuries and ineffectiveness and setup men Mike Adams and Darren O'Day showing signs of fatigue. But, heh, it is a pennant race . . . .the only question is, will either Arizona or Pottsylvania play well enough in the next 16 or so games to make a race of it?
In other BARB action:
LOS ANGELES 4, ST. FRANCIS 3
WP: Tim Hudson (11-9, 3.56)
LP: Randy Wells (4-8, 4.20)
SV: Lidge (13)
The PF Flyers were eliminated despite winning their seventh game, their best stretch of play all year, including a three-game sweep of Central-leading Casselton....but it was a case of too little, too late. Arizona's win the same day versus the Horned Toads guaranteed that at least one team would finish second in the division with a better record, eliminating any hope of a wild card berth for the Flyers. In the game itself, Tim Hudson continued his strong second half, making only one mistake (a solo HR to Paul Konerko) while otherwise holding the Friars down.
BROOKLYN 1, FROSTBITE FALLS 0
WP: Ubaldo Jiminez (15-7, 3.21)
LP: Cole Hamels (8-9, 4.63)
SV: Wagner (6)
Cole Hamels pitched well, but made one mistake: a flat slider that Ryan Howard drilled out of the park in the 5th, his team-leading 42nd boundary belt. Jiminez, meanwhile, fanned 14 batters through eight innings and Billy Wagner came on to retire the side in the top of the ninth to help the Moabs win the first game of an important three-game set with Eastern-leading Frostbite Falls in Brooklyn. The Moabs are currently tied with the Madtown Murlocs, one game out of the wild
card position held by division rival Worcester.
DARWIN 9, ST. FRANCIS 1
WP: Sean O'Sullivan (3-3, 6.23)
LP: Bronson Arroyo (7-7, 3.93)
The Finches received bad news that star CF Josh Hamilton would miss much of the final two weeks due to bruised ribs. This was the latest blow to an offense that has seen Chipper Jones incur a season-ending knee injury while another switch-hitter, Milton Bradley, essentially was reduced to a bench player.
Starter Max Scherzer did not finish the fourth inning due to a lengthy rain delay in this contest, but swing man Sean O'Sullivan came on to allow only one run (unearned) in two-plus frames to earn the win. The Unnatural Selections are still in the hunt for a wild card spot despite Hamilton's loss, and their starting pitching would make them respectable in a short series. Getting into the big dance? That's another story.
ANOMALIES ELIMINATED: WILL TOADS CROAK?
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