Blue Jays RHP Marco Estrada (8-6) starts Saturday night against Rays rookie LHP Blake Snell (4-7), who left Sunday’s game at Houston with a bruised lower left leg. “He’ll give up a hit or two but he can also roll a groundball double-play”.
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Madison Bumgarner outpitched Jake Arrieta with 10 strikeouts over six innings, and the San Francisco Giants pounced on rare miscues by the Chicago Cubs in a 3-2 victory on Saturday. The over/under total for the contest has been set at 7.5 runs.
That moment would become huge later on when Martin was green-lighted on a 3-0 pitch with a runner on base in the eighth inning of a 3-3 tie and hammered it into the left field seats for what turned out to be a game-winning two-run homer. The Cubs had won five in a row overall.
It didn’t get any better in the third inning.
Martin was referring to his batterymate, J.A. Happ, who had his second-worst outing of the year Sunday, lasting only 2.2 innings and needing 85 pitches to get eight outs. The Rays only tally an average of 4.23 runs per game and hit.243 against all opponents combined this year.
AL West-leading Texas is 13-2 against the Astros this season and 37-19 against the division. All they could manage were three singles. He allowed eight runs over two innings in a 13-2 loss to the Rays on May 18. “We were able to pull it off and now we’re looking forward to getting to NY”. “And that last inning, a bloop hit, I couldn’t make the play on a bunt, next thing you know it’s 5-1”. NY began the day 4½ games out of the final playoff spot.
The Cardinals lost 9-1 in Cincinnati. Unfortunately for Liriano and the Jays, the veteran left-hander couldn’t register an out, allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits, including a home run.
His home ERA 2.62 (95-IP/28-ER) ranks second in the American League behind Kevin Gausman of the Baltimore Orioles (2.27 ERA). Tulowitzki had a pair of singles while Josh Donaldson walked twice. Although, at home it’s just 3.00 (5-ER/15-IP). He struck out seven and walked one.
Ryan Garton came in to work the ninth inning.
Bauer (10-6) shut down the Marlins after giving up three runs and three hits in the first. They’re still in position to get the NL’s second wild-card spot, staying ahead of the Mets, Pirates and Marlins. Gibbons said, slapping his catcher on the back. It was Forsythe that broke up Estrada’s no-hitter in the ninth inning of the game a year ago, and it was Forsythe that broke up Estrada’s no-hitter tonight as well; however, this time, he broke the streak in the fourth.
Brian Dozier led off with his 34th homer, and Byron Buxton tacked on a two-run shot in the second against beleaguered starter James Shields (5-17). Toronto is also 8-1 in Happ’s last nine starts on astroturf, and 5-1 in Happ’s last six road starts. He got two fly ball outs to start, then yielded three consecutive singles, with Corey Dickerson driving in Duffy for Tampa’s third run, signalling the end of Happ’s day.
Pittsburgh’s Neftali Feliz (4-2) was charged with two runs, retiring only one of the three batters before leaving with right arm discomfort.
Martin hit his 17th homer – he has gone deep nine times and driven in 24 runs over his last 18 games. Although Donaldson only added 1RBI, and scored 3 runs this week.
Jed Bradley (1-0) got the win in his major league debut.
Mauricio Cabrera got his fourth save in four opportunities.
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Chris Owings had a career high-tying four hits, Jake Lamb homered and Arizona beat Colorado. Happ used up 30 pitches getting through that first inning.
