The Pennant Race - 10/2

Three of the four playoff series got underway yesterday, with some good games right off the bat.

Cole as Ice

It may have only been his second career playoff game, but Cole Hamels looked like Whitey Ford yesterday for the Phillies. Hamels limited the Brewers to just two runs over eight innings as the Phillies beat Milwaukee, 3-1.

Brad Lidge may have been 41-41 in save situations this season, but we still don't trust him in big spots. His performance yesterday did nothing to change that. Lidge struck out the side, but not before allowing a run on two hits and a walk.

Game 2 is tonight with CC Sabathia facing off against Brett Myers.


Loney Slams Cubs

It's a managerial match up of ex-Yankees managers. Joe Torre in his first year with the Dodgers and Lou Piniella in his second season with the Cubs. The Cubs sent 17-game winner Ryan Dempster to the mound in game one and things looked good as Chicago led 1-0 through four innings.

But James Loney, who was 3-4 in his only other playoff experience, hit his first career playoff grand slam to give the Dodgers the lead for good. Manny Ramirez added a solo shot for good measure, as did Russell Martin.

Dempster struggled with his control, walking seven Dodgers, while Dodgers starter Derek Lowe allowed two runs in six innings of work for the win. The series continues tonight at Wrigley with Chad Billingsley facing Carlos Zambrano.


Manny Who?

Everyone knows Jason Bay is very talented, but when you're in a deal for Manny Ramirez, you don't get a lot of attention. That may change after last night, when Bay's 2-run home run put the Red Sox ahead and catapulted them to a 4-1 win.

The Angels had taken a 1-0 lead in the third inning against Boston starter Jon Lester, but Bay made his first playoff appearance a memorable one, hitting a John Lackey pitch over the left field wall.

Lester breezed through seven and the Red Sox gave Jon Papelbon room to work with, scoring a pair of runs off of Scot Shields in the ninth. The series continues on Friday night with Dice-K facing Ervin Santana.

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The Pennant Race - 9/19

Fortunes changed in both the AL East and AL Central last night when the Twins met the Rays. Tampa had a 7-4 lead and led 8-6 in the 9th. Joe Maddon used Troy Percival as a set up man in the eighth before turning things over to Dan Wheeler in the ninth. Maddon would now like a do over. Alexi Castilla hit a game tying home run and the Twins scored three more times for an 11-8 victory.

The win moved the Twins back to 1.5 games of the White Sox, while the Rays lead, over the idle Red Sox, shrunk to 1.5 games. Lost in the loss with a monster, 3-home run night by Evan Longoria.

The Dodgers maintained their 3.5 game lead in the NL West, with a 3-2, 12 inning win over the Pirates. James Loney knocked in the game winner. The Diamonbacks kept pace with a 3-2 win over the Giants, as Randy Johnson and the Dbacks pen out pitched Tim Lincecum, who went the distance for San Fran. Adam Dunn singled in the game winner in the bottom of the eighth.

The Phillies nipped the Braves 4-3 on the strength of a 2-run home run by Pat Burrell and six strong innings from Cole Hamels (14-9). Ryan Howard picked up RBI #138.

The Mets remained a half-game back, behind a big game from Johan Santana (7 IP, 1 ER), with a 7-2 win over the Nationals. Santana's battery mate, Brian Schneider, provided the power with a pair of home runs.

The Mets also added a game on their wildcard lead when the Brewers blew a 4-run lead in the ninth to the Cubs. Rookie sensation Geovany Soto hit a game tying 3-run home run and Derrek Lee singled in the game winner in the 12th for a 7-6 Cubs win. Somewhere Harry Caray was yelling, "Cubs win, Cubs win.".

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The Pennant Race - 8/22

There wasn't too much action in MLB yesterday, but some races were impacted. The Mets increased their lead over the Phillies to 2.5 games, behind some clutch hits from the still-hot Carlos Delgado. The first baseman went 5-5 with 3 RBI including the game winner in the bottom of the ninth. The Mets topped the Braves, 5-4.

Meanwhile, the Nats broke their 12 game losing streak with a 4-3 win over the Phillies. Washington was down 3-2 when they struck for a pair of runs in the eighth inning.

The Marlins fell 6 back in the East after losing to the Giants in the bottom of the ninth for the second straight game, this time on a wild pitch.

The Cubs upped their lead over the Brewers to 5.5 games in the NL Central with a 3-2 win over the Reds. Carlos Zambrano hit his fourth home run of the year and picked up his 13th win. Zambrano, who also managed to break a tooth during the game, now has 16 career home runs.

Brandon Webb's major league-leading 19th win kept the Diamondbacks 2 games ahead of the Dodgers. Arizona won 4-1 as Connor Jackson drove in 2 runs. LA beat Colorado 3-1 as James Loney homered and drove in 2 runs, and Derek Lowe picked up his 10th win.

Denard Span's 12th inning single gave the Twins a 2-1 win over the Angels and moved them back to within a half-game of the idle White Sox in the AL Central. Starters Scott Baker and John Lackey each allowed one run in eight innings pitched.

Big game last night for Cleveland's Grady Sizemore. Two singles, a 3-run triple, and a 3-run home run; 7 RBI in all.

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