Miller and Lester Were Almost a Perfect Pair

Shelby Miller gave up a leadoff hit, but then set down the next 27 Rockies hitters in order. (Dilip Vishwanat)

Tonight, St. Louis’ Shelby Miller and Boston’s Jon Lester did something no pair of pitchers have done on the same night in the history of baseball. They each threw a one-hit, no-walk, complete-game shutout. The only hit Miller allowed was a leadoff single by the Rockies’ Eric Young, Jr. Lester bid for perfection lasted until the sixth inning when the Blue Jays’ Maicer Izturis hit a double.

Let's compare the two superb performances. Miller's outing is really unique in that after giving up that leadoff single, he retired the next 27 hitters. This is really as close to a no-hitter as you possibly can be. After the leadoff single, he threw a no-hitter. That's impressive to say the least. However, that is not all that is impressive about Miller's performance. He also stuck out 13 batters and maintained his velocity of up to 93 mph throughout his 113 pitches. That is how dominant Miller was. Finally, his opponent, the Rockies, are the NL’s highest-scoring team.

Lester’s one-hitter is his first shutout since 2008. This is an encouraging sign for Red Sox fans that the lefty might be regaining that top form. On paper, Lester was not as dominant as Miller. He only five struck out five batters. Instead, Lester relied on his infield for a total of 12 ground-ball outs. Both pitchers benefitted from getting ahead in the count. In fact, both pitchers threw first-pitch strikes to 21 of the 28 batters they faced.

You might be wondering how rare of an occurrence is it for two pitchers to throw one-hitters on the same night. It has only happened three other times since the turn of the century.

May 25, 2001: The Cubs’ Kerry Wood and the Red Sox’ Hideo Nomo each threw a complete-game, one-hit shutout on the same night. Both pitchers struck out 14 batters. Wood walked two hitters, while Nomo did not issue any walks.

April 26, 2002: The Dodgers’ Odalis Perez and the Mets’ Shawn Estes both threw complete-game, one-hit shutouts on the same night as well. Perez did not walk any batters, while Estes allowed just one walk.

June 16, 2012: The Orioles’ Jason Hammel and the Angels' Ervin Santana each threw a complete-game, one-hit shutout on the same night. Hammel issued two walks, while Santana only walked one batter.

As you can now see, Miller and Lester share a unique bond that only a handful of major league pitchers have ever shared. There is one statistic that distinguishes them above the rest. Neither one of them walked a single batter. Miller and Lester can say that they are the only pair of pitchers to throw one-hit, no-walk, complete-game shutouts on the same night.

Yankees Power Their Way to AL East Lead Once Again

Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira hit a two-run homer in his first game back in the lineup since September 8. (Elsa)

Entering tonight, the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles were tied for the AL East lead. Both teams had one last three-game series against a division rival to end the season. The Yankees are hosting the Boston Red Sox, while the Orioles are in St. Petersburg to take on the Tampa Bay Rays.

Yankees 10 Red Sox 2
 
Sitting 23 games out of first place, the Red Sox simply hoped to play spoiler to the Yankees hopes of a division crown. Those plans got off to an abrupt start Monday night. The Bronx Bombers lived up to their name in the second inning. They tied a club record with four home runs in the inning. Red Sox starting pitcher Clay Buchholz only lasted 1 2/3 innings, giving up eight earned runs on six hits (three home runs).

Following his recovery from a strained left calf, Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira returned to the Yankees lineup for the first time since September 8. He greeted Red Sox reliever Alfredo Aceves with a two-run slam to the second-deck. The Yankees scored nine runs on eight hits in the inning to break the game wide open.

Meanwhile, Yankees ace CC Sabathia was dealing on the mound. He threw eight strong innings, giving up just two runs on four hits while striking out seven. Freddy Garcia came out and threw a eight pitch ninth inning to complete the Yankees 10-2 victory.

Rays 5 Orioles 3

The Rays came into this final series holding onto the slimmest of playoff hopes.  They completed step one Monday night. The game began as a pitchers' duel between Rays starter Alex Cobb and Orioles starter Wei-Yin Chen. The Rays struck the first blow of the game in the fourth inning on a solo shot by shortstop Ben Zobrist. In the seventh inning, Orioles catcher Matt Weiters answered with a solo home run of his own.

In the bottom half of the frame, Rays designated hitter Ben Francisco broke the deadlock with a sacrifice fly. Later that inning, catcher Chris Gimenez came through with the big hit, a two-RBI double to deep right. The Rays tapped on one more run in the eight to take the 5-1 lead into the ninth.

In their last at-bats of the game, the Orioles tried to make a comeback. They got halfway there on a two-run home run by right fielder Chris Davis. This forced the Rays to bring in their closer Fernando Rodney. Rodney struggled some, but still managed to close the door on the Rays 5-3 win for his 47th save of the season.

Looking Ahead

The Yankees now lead the AL East by one game. They have decided to start rookie David Phelps tomorrow against Red Sox starter Jon Lester. In the other pivotal matchup, the Orioles will go with Miguel Gonzalez against Rays ace James Shields. If the Yankees win and the Orioles lose, the Yankees will win the division. The Rays must win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Both games tomorrow are scheduled to begin shortly after 7:00.

Red Sox and Dodgers Near Blockbuster Trade

Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine talks with first baseman Adrian Gonzalez for what may be one of their last times together. (Jim Rogash)

Sources have revealed major trade discussion between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Red Sox are almost certainly out of contention for a playoff spot. They have already begun to make moves to help them rebuild for the future. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are pushing hard to win the NL West over their rival San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers are under new ownership and not afraid to spend money to improve.

According to reports, the Red Sox would trade star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, starting pitcher Josh Beckett, left fielder Carl Crawford, and infielder Nick Punto to the Dodgers. In return, the Dodgers will send first baseman James Loney and three prospects, pitcher Allen Webster, infielder Ivan de Jesus, and outfielder Jerry Sands. There are still some hoops the teams have to get through to finalize the trade. One example of this would be that Beckett has the right to veto a trade.

Another significant factor of this trade is the money being exchanged. If the trade goes through, the Dodgers will have to pay the vast majority of the $261 million remaining on the contracts of Gonzalez (six years), Beckett (two years), and Crawford (five years). Dodgers ownership has seemed to be willing to spend that kind of money, especially when you consider who they have acquired this season.

The Red Sox willingness to depart with Gonzalez is really difficult to believe. After all, they dealt two of their top prospects, first baseman Anthony Rizzo and pitcher Casey Kelly to bring in Gonzalez in the first place. Then, the Red Sox convinced him to sign a seven-year, $154 million extension in April 2011. Gonzalez leads the Red Sox in hits (145), batting average (.300), RBIs (86), and on-base percentage (.343). So the Red Sox aren't trading him because of a lack of production, but rather a change in team direction.

The trade appears to be a beneficial one for both sides. The Red Sox are able to wipe their slates clean and start fresh. Their willingness to include Adrian Gonzalez in the trade did surprise me. Most teams that are traditionally contenders don't look to trade away their best hitter. That is exactly what the Sox would be doing here. Poor clubhouse culture and connectivity appeared to be two of the biggest problems with the current Red Sox team. My concern becomes whether or not that will continue with whomever joins next season's ball club.

The Dodgers did quite well in this trade as well. Gonzalez is one of the best hitters in baseball. He should thrive with the return to hitting in the NL West. If Beckett and Crawford are even able to regain some of their former form, they could greatly affect this team as they push for the playoffs. The question for the Dodgers now becomes how their players and coaches will come together to play excellent baseball. For example, they now have seven new players in their daily lineups.The development of a winning chemistry is crucial to the success of the team. It will be interesting to see if this trade does indeed happen and which team will benefit the most down the road.

Kuroda and Ichiro Come Up Huge During Homestand

New York Yankees starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda threw a pair of gems during this seven-game homestand. (Jason Szenes)

The New York Yankees keep finding ways to win baseball games, despite not having some of their best players due to injuries. One of the main reasons why is that other players have stepped up to help pick up the slack. During their seven game homestand that ended tonight, the Yankees went 5-2 against the Texas Rangers and rival Boston Red Sox. Two of the players that made probably the biggest difference during the homestand were starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda and outfielder Ichiro Suzuki.

When CC Sabathia returned to the disabled list with an elbow injury, the Yankees lost their clear ace and number one starter. Someone needed to step up and take control of the number two spot in the rotation. That someone appears to have become Kuroda. On last Tuesday, he faced off against one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball, the Texas Rangers. Kuroda dominated that Rangers offense from start to finish while throwing a complete game. He limited the Rangers to two hits and two walks while striking out five batters.

Kuroda returned to the mound for a second time during the homestand to face the Red Sox on Sunday Night Baseball. He retired 13 of the first 14 batters he faced and then six of the next seven. Kuroda's only mistake was throwing a hanging slider to Red Sox first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who turned into into a solo shot into the right field bleachers. Other than that, he was dominant in eight innings of work, giving up just four hits and the one run in eight innings of work.

Even though Ichiro Suzuki's numbers were down this season, the Yankees decided to take a chance on those improving by acquiring him from the Seattle Mariners. Sure enough, Suzuki has found his groove and seems to greatly enjoy playing with the Yankees. He particularly saw his numbers take off during this seven-game homestand. Tonight, Suzuki capped it all off with a rare display of his power. He cranked out two solo shots to help provide all the help Kuroda needed on the mound. During the entire homestand, Suzuki hit .526 with four runs, a double, a triple,  and two home runs. As a Yankee, Ichiro has a .301 average and has hit safely in 21 of 23 starts.

Even after other players return from injuries, the Yankees are going to need players to step up and make the crucial plays needed. Hiroki Kuroda and Ichiro Suzuki have done exactly that so far. If Kuroda continues to pitch like he has in his last two starts, he will be nearly impossible to hit. Suzuki has been a spark plug at times to his new ball club. The Yankees are reaping the benefits of these players and others making the differences needed. It will be interesting to watch Kuroda and Suzuki the rest of the season and into the postseason.

Answering Some of Baseball's Biggest Second Half Questions

Will the Washington Nationals put an innings-limit on young phenom Stephen Strasburg? (Toni L. Sandys)

With the second half of the Major League Baseball's season about to get underway, I take a look at some of the biggest questions that remain to be answered.

1. Will the Pittsburgh Pirates make their first postseason appearance since 1992?
The Pirates had to be the biggest surprise of baseball's first half. After 19 consecutive losing seasons, the Pirates are 11 games over .500 and in first place in the NL Central. Star Andrew McCutchen is one of the leading contenders for NL MVP. Veteran A.J. Burnett is leading the starting rotation with 10 wins in his first season in Pittsburgh. The Pirates' bullpen has a major league best 2.63 ERA. With young prospects, such as outfielder Sterling Marte, nearing their debut, the Pirates seem primed for a postseason run. Manager Clint Hurdle appears to have his boys primed and ready. (To read more about the Pirates, check out my blog post about their first half.)


2. Will the Washington Nationals put an innings-limit on young phenom Stephen Strasburg?
One of the biggest questions for the young Nationals is what do with their young ace Strasburg. They of course want to be careful with him since he is coming off Tommy John Surgery. Prior to the beginning of the season, the Nationals said the would limit Strasburg to about 160 innings. They took a similar approach last season with another young stud pitcher Jordan Zimmerman. However, the big difference this year is that the Nationals are in first place. Strasburg has been vocal about his desire to stay in the rotation. The Nationals have to carefully weigh their short-term and long-term options.

3. Will the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies be able to overcome their rough first halves?
The Red Sox have been in a state of disarray since last September. New manager Bobby Valentine has yet to be able to solve the mystery of the Red Sox's troubles. Kevin Youkilis has traded in his sox for white ones. The team has be ravaged by injuries. The health of some key players, such as Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Carl Crawford could make or break their season. The Phillies offense has been sputtering all season. The return of stars Ryan Howard and Chase Utley should only help things, but will it be enough. It may or may not. The Phillies also have to solve their pitching woes as well. Cliff Lee will likely need to win more than one game in the second half to help lead the Phillies out of the cellar of the NL East.

4. Will the trade deadline have an affect on the push for the postseason?
With teams pushing for the postseason and a chance at the World Series, the trade deadline can have a huge affect on their chances. Their are a number of quality starters who are rumored to be reportedly available. Cole Hamels, Zack Greinke, Matt Garza, and Ryan Dempster are just some of the names out there. As far as hitters are concerned, the potential stud out there is Justin Upton. Upton still has so much potential, but is supposedly unhappy in Arizona. The Diamondbacks will be looking for a ton in return, but it could absolutely be worth it for the right contender.

5. Will Josh Hamilton win the AL's first Triple Crown since 1967?
Hamilton's first half numbers are impressive to say the least. His first half line of .308, 27 home runs, and 75 RBIs had people talking about a potential Triple Crown. However, Hamilton has significantly cooled off during June and so far in July. We can only hope that the All-Star Break provided the recharge he needed. The other concern with Hamilton is always his health. If Hamilton can remain healthy, you can never count out his chances of making history.

Rangers & Rays Offenses Explode in Wins

Rangers outfieler Nelson Cruz had 8 RBIs, including a grand slam. (David Klutho)

With the Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays facing off this weekend, everyone expected a lot of power and runs to be scored, but I doubt anyone expected to see this. Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow lasted only 2/3 of an inning and gave up 6 runs. Josh Hamilton and Yorvit Torrealba both hit solo home runs the next two innings. The Rangers added three runs in the 6th, and Nelson Cruz capped things off with a grand slam in the 7th. The Rangers hammered out 18 hits and 14 runs. Cruz matched a career-high with 8 RBIs. The Blue Jays simply could not recover, ultimately losing the game 14-3.

After Franklin Morales threw behind Luke Scott, the benches cleared. (Charles Krupa)

The Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox really don't like each other. John Lester was on the mound for the Red Sox, but didn't have his A game. The Rays took Lester deep three times. Matt Joyce stuck the big blow with a grand slam in the 3rd. Elliot Johnson and Carlos Pena hit back-to-back bombs in the 4th. With the Rays leading 7-4 in the 6th, Rays reliever Burke Badenhop hit Dustin Pedroia with a pitch. Fast forward to the top of the 9th, same score. Red Sox reliever Franklin Morales threw behind Luke Scott. Scott had some words for Morales, and the benches cleared. No punches were thrown, but lots of words were. Fernando Rodney closed out the win for the Rays in the ninth.

Two very exciting starts to a pair of great weekend series. The Rangers showed again why they have one of the most feared lineups in baseball. I expect the Blue Jays to play better, but Arlington is a tough place to win for anyone. The Rays and the Red Sox were already fired up for this series, but will be even more so now. Things could get interesting with David Price and Josh Beckett on the mound tomorrow. The Rays showed they have just as much hitting to keep up with the Red Sox in any game. We will just have to watch and see how these two series unfold the rest of the weekend.

Chris Davis Shines as Designated Pitcher

Photo Credit: Greg M. Cooper/USPW Photo

Little in Sunday's game between the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox went as expected. Poor starting pitching by both teams meant a bullpen-controlled game. Both bullpens got the job done. The problem was they both ran out of pitching. Beginning in the 16th inning, first baseman Chris Davis came in to pitch two innings for the Orioles, while outfielder Darnell McDonald came in the top of the 17th for the Red Sox. The game became the first major league baseball game since 1925 to have two position players come in and pitch.

Davis began the game as the Orioles' designated hitter. Today, hitting just wasn't his thing, as he went 0-8 from the plate with five strikeouts. When Davis was told he would be pitching, he was more than happy to oblige. After the game, he stated, "I was like 'Sweet! I get to try something different today -- because hitting ain't working.'" Making his major league pitching debut, Davis came out and struck out the first batter he faced. After the Orioles gained the lead in the top of the 17th, he got into a little bit of trouble having given up a single and a walk. However, he ended up striking out All-Star slugger Adrian Gonzalez and got McDonald to ground into a game-ending double play. Davis became the first position player to pick up a win as a pitcher, while striking out five times as a hitter. Clearly today Davis shined as a designated pitcher, rather than a hitter.

A side note from the game that is worth pointing out is that the Orioles just keep winning. Their methods may not be traditional, but they are getting the job done. The Orioles' record now stands at a major league-best 19-9. Impressive for a team that hoped merely to finish above .500. The youth movement and the entertaining managing work of Buck Showalter have taken Baltimore by storm. The Orioles are playing great baseball. Now, they just have to prove themselves over the course of a season.

Red Sox Win Overshadowed by Ellsbury Injury

The Boston Red Sox struggles at the beginning of the season have been well-documented. Their offense finally broke out tonight. The Sox scored 12, but lost Ellsbury to injury when he slid into second. Ellsbury has been one of the imperative pieces of the Sox offense. He will certainly be missed.

The Red Sox will have to find a patchwork replacement for Ellsbury. They currently have Cody Ross, Ryan Sweeney, and the young Darnell McDonald. They could also call up the talented Che-Hsuan Lin from the minors. First-year manager Bobby Valentine will most likely opt for a splitting time amongst committees. Valentine will have to explore options before making a decision.

What isn't up for the debate is how much Ellsbury will be missed by his ballclub. He is an integral part of what the Red Sox do on and off the field. As a Yankees fan, I of course despise the Red Sox, but I wish Ellsbury a speedy recovery. He is a hard worker and a fun player to watch. The Red Sox don't know how long it will be before he recovers. There are reports stating he will be out at least four to sic weeks. Meanwhile, the Red Sox will simply have to make due the best they can.

Photo Credit: Charles Krupa/AP Photo

Bard and Feliz: The Tale of Two Relievers Turned Starters

Major League Baseball teams always debate whether or not their top prospects should be starting pitchers or relievers. They like to make that decision before they reach the majors, but that doesn't always happen. When Daniel Bard and Neftali Feliz came up to the majors both were sent to their respective bullpens. Bard achieved some success and Feliz did very well as the Texas Rangers' closer. However, both the Boston Red Sox and the Rangers decided to turn their young bullpen guns into starters this year. Interestingly enough, they both made their season debuts tonight.

Bard made his first start for the Red Sox since 2007 at Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays hitters got to him early and finally drove him from the game in the sixth inning. He gave up five runs on eight hits, while walking one batter and striking out six. Bard struggled with control as he left too many pitches over the plate. The Red Sox claim they are committed to him remaining in the rotation, but the questions are going to be raised as he continues to struggle and the bullpen keeps imploding. Bard's got a great changeup, but control is going to be crucial to any success he hopes to have. Right now, the Red Sox are going to keep one eye on Bard and his maturation as a starter, while the other remains on their struggling bullpen.

Feliz may have been the more surprising move to the rotation. After all, he won the 2010 AL Rookie of the Year, was an All-Star selection the same year, and had a combined 72 saves his first two seasons as the Rangers' closer. I guess the old saying if it ain't broke don't fix it, doesn't count in baseball. Feliz made the Rangers look brilliant in his first start tonight. He pitched seven scoreless innings, giving up only four hits and two walks while striking out four. Feliz kept the Seattle Mariners hitters off balance all night. His mix of pitches between his off-speed stuff, his changeup and slider, and his fastball was excellent. The start was against the Mariners, but still was impressive nonetheless. It will be interesting to see how the Rangers monitor his innings the rest of the season.