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Leading Off
What's happening in the world of Major League Baseball.
April 2008
Monday April 28, 2008
Permalink Posted by: Skeet at 11:30AM EST on April 28, 2008
Tampa Bay won its 6th in a row Sunday, taking a 3-game set from the Red Sox. The 3-0 home win catapulted the Rays into a 1st place tie in the AL East with the Orioles. It was the team's first-ever 3-game sweep of Boston. It’s also the latest in any season that Tampa Bay has held a share of the division lead. The Rays' James Shields out-dueled Josh Beckett who struck out a season-high 13 Tampa Bay batters. But Shields matched Boston's ace pitch for pitch, tossing a nifty 2-hit complete game shutout, with seven Ks of his own. ... (more)
Friday April 25, 2008
Permalink Posted by: Skeet at 2:31PM EST on April 25, 2008
Pitcher Andy Sonnanstine led Tampa Bay to its third straight win over Toronto last night at the team's home away from home Disney complex. Rookie 3rd sacker Evan Longoria tripled and had a sacrifice fly and right fielder Eric Hinske added two RBIs to pace the Rays offense. Sonnanstine scattered six hits over 6+ innings and closer Troy Percival pitched out of a 9th inning jam to notch his 4th season save. The sweep improved Tampa Bay's season record to 11-11, and completed the third come from behind win in a row.... (more)
Thursday April 24, 2008
Permalink Posted by: Skeet at 11:27AM EST on April 24, 2008
The Tigers early-season struggles may be over. Detroit hitters erupted for an 11-run 6th inning last night to deal a 6th straight defeat to the hapless Texas Rangers. Miguel Cabrera hit a three-run homer and Carlos Guillen had five RBIs to lead Detroit to a 19-6 win. Five Tigers had at least two hits and two RBIs each. Overall, Texas pitchers gave up 16 earned runs, including 14 hits and 10 walks. Detroit starter Kenny Rogers also allowed nine hits and six runs in just over three innings of work. But that rocky beginning was ancient history by the top of the 7th. ... (more)
Tuesday April 22, 2008
Permalink Posted by: Skeet at 11:06AM EST on April 22, 2008
Among many early-season surprises, the Florida Marlins are setting the pace in the NL East, ahead of highly touted New York and Philadelphia. They've done it with good pitching, good hitting, and a $22 million payroll. Monday the team faced Pittsburgh's $10 million pitcher, Matt Morris. Marlins' batters jumped on Morris for nine hits and eight runs in just four innings. The result was a 10 to 4 drubbing in which six Florida batters had at least two hits. ... (more)
Monday April 21, 2008
Permalink Posted by: Skeet at 11:48AM EST on April 21, 2008

Atlanta's bats are alive and well, backed by solid pitching in the series against Los Angeles. Sunday young Jair Jurrjens tossed a 3-hit gem through seven, including three strikeouts of fellow Curaco countryman, Andruw Jones. Braves' hitters supported their young fireballer with 14 hits, three by cleanup batter Mark Teixeira who was 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs. Kelly Johnson added two hits and a homer. Johnson scored three times, and right fielder Jeff Francoeur chipped in with three hits of his own.

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Wednesday April 16, 2008
Permalink Posted by: Skeet at 1:29PM EST on April 16, 2008
Randy Wolf took a no-hitter deep into the 6th inning last night as San Diego blanked Colorado 6-0 at Petco Park. The Padres' lefty struck out nine but was hooked by manager Bud Black after 100+ pitches while allowing just one hit. The Rockies got only one baserunner as far as second against Wolf (1-0), who helped bunt his team into a six-run rally in the 5th. San Diego broke through against the Rockies' Ubaldo Jimenez when they got two-run doubles from Brian Giles, Kevin Kouzmanoff and Jim Edmonds. ... (more)
Tuesday April 15, 2008
Permalink Posted by: Skeet at 10:39AM EST on April 15, 2008
In a game that boasted eight home runs over the Tropicana Field fence, New York came back to beat Tampa Bay 8-7 last night. Johnny Damon led off the contest with a homer, and A-Rod soon followed with his 521st. But leading 7-2 going into the bottom of the 7th, the Yanks' bullpen gave up three Rays' long balls and it took another roundtripper by Robinson Cano to unknot the score in the 8th. Mariano Rivera nailed down his fourth save of the season by getting the final four Tampa Bay batters. ... (more)
Monday April 14, 2008
Permalink Posted by: Skeet at 11:23AM EST on April 14, 2008
On a cold night in Boston, the Red Sox outlasted the Yankees 8-5 thanks to strong work by the bullpen in relief of a struggling Daisuke Matsuzaka. Dice-K walked six and lasted just five innings. Yet it was good enough for his third win of the season because New York failed to do much against Boston relievers. On the other hand, the Sox chased Yankee starter Phil Hughes early, battering the young right-hander for six hits and seven runs in just two innings of work. Five Boston batters had two hits each, including Coco Crisp, Manny Ramirez, Kevin Youkilis, Sean Casey and Dustin Pedroia. ... (more)
Thursday April 10, 2008
Permalink Posted by: Skeet at 11:16AM EST on April 10, 2008
The race in the NL West will heat up before it's all said and done, but for now, the Diamondbacks are dominating. Last night Arizona edged the Dodgers behind Micah Owings' strong 7-hit, 7-inning pitching performance. The D'Backs also pounded out 11 hits, nine off LA starter Hiroki Kuroda. For Arizona, left fielder Eric Byrnes led the way with three hits, including a go-ahead, two-run single in the seventh. The final? Arizona 4 LA 3. ... (more)
Tuesday April 8, 2008
Permalink Posted by: Skeet at 10:37AM EST on April 8, 2008
Joe Crede celebrated Chicago's home opener with a grand slam home run, leading the White Sox’ to a 7-4 win over the Twins Monday. The victory helped Chicago claim first place over the Royals in the young season. Crede, batting .393 with 10 RBIs, is coming back from a bad '07 season due to a bad back. So far, his offensive numbers are very healthy. Javier Vazquez gave the Sox seven solid hittings, allowing seven hits and three runs. Closer Bobby Jenks pitched a scoreless ninth. ... (more)
Monday April 7, 2008
Permalink Posted by: Skeet at 10:54AM EST on April 7, 2008
Milwaukee maintained its standing atop the NL Central Sunday with a 7-0 spanking of San Francisco at Miller Park. Ben Sheets tossed his first shutout since 2001 in a 5-hit, complete game performance. Smoking from the start, Sheets struck out the side in the first inning and tallied eight total over his nine inning stint. In support of Sheets, Ryan Braun went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and both he and Gabe Kapler homered for the second time in as many days as the Brewers scored in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings off Giants left-hander Barry Zito. ... (more)
Friday April 4, 2008
Permalink Posted by: Skeet at 5:47PM EST on April 4, 2008
For the first time since 1951, a major league team in Washington, D.C. has started the season 3-0. The Nationals beat the Phillies 1-0 Wednesday thanks to strong pitching by Tim Redding and a solo homer by rising star Ryan Zimmerman. “Nobody likes to lose. We’re tired of it,” Zimmerman said. Redding outdueled Cole Hamels, who also pitched well. The Phils turned the tables with an 8-7 extra-inning victory on Thursday, but Washington still leads the division going into the weekend. ... (more)
Tuesday April 1, 2008
Permalink Posted by: Skeet at 12:17PM EST on April 1, 2008

Celebrated lefty Johan Santana put his new team on a winning track Monday, tossing a nifty 3-hitter in a commanding 7-2 victory over the Florida Marlins. Signed to a record  $137.5 million, six-year contract in the offseason, Santana struck out eight in a 100-pitch, 68-strike effort over seven innings. New York Mets' batters supplied all the runs he needed, with 3rd sacker David Wright leading the way by swatting two doubles good for three RBIs. The Mets cruised over the final five innings in Miami.

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