Alex Gordon homers, leading Royals to sweep – Alex Gordon | KC
2012
Villanueva outstanding in victory over Rays – Carlos Villanueva | TOR
2012
The Juice: Royals use ‘Bermuda Triangle’ hit to beat Tigers, Pirates bounce back against Cardinals
2012
The Juice is back for its fifth season of fun! Stop by each weekday for an ample serving of news from the action, plus great photos, stats and video highlights.
Go figure: Royals manager Ned Yost invoked the "Bermuda Triangle" when describing how his team scratched across a run against the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night. And after the last couple of games at Kauffman Stadium, the Tigers might feel like supernatural forces are conspiring against them. The craftiest of lefties Bruce Chen dazzled them for eight innings, and with the help of an amazing catch by outfielder Jarrod Dyson, closer Greg Holland held on for another thrilling save in a 1-0 Royals victory. Chen allowed four hits and a walk in his best outing of the season, which was just a shade better than the performance Detroit got from Anibal Sanchez. The only mark against him was a 70-foot, RBI bloop single into no-man's land (the Bermuda Triangle) by Eric Hosmer. The night before, the Royals jumped all over Tigers ace Justin Verlander in a high-scoring, one-run victory. No matter what the Tigers have done in K.C., it's not been enough. Detroit fell three games behind the White Sox.
Bucco pride: The Pittsburgh Pirates came back in a big way the past two nights against the Cardinals, shutting them down 5-0 behind Wandy Rodriguez to climb back within a game of St. Louis in the NL wild-card race. Pedro Alvarez hit his 26th home run, a three-run shot that gives him 24 RBIs in 15 games against Team Fredbird this season. The Pirates also beat the Cards 9-0 the night before after losing six of seven.
Crucial performance in pennant race rewarded with trip to Charlotte, N.C. : Dylan Axelrod has one of the best names in the majors (when the White Sox bring him up from Triple-A Charlotte), and his performance in an 8-1 victory against the Orioles was befitting of such a distinction. Filling in for Jake Peavy after a pair of frustrating losses for Chicago at Camden Yards, Axelrod allowed a run and three hits over seven innings before being sent back to the minors. Thanks a lot, kid! Joe Saunders seemed like a good idea for the Orioles (they had talked for weeks about acquiring him) but perhaps his next start will be better.
Two-timing Longo: Evan Longoria hit two home runs to lead the Tampa Bay Rays in an 8-4 victory against Matt Harrison and the Texas Rangers. That's one way to ensure you won't lose another 1-0 game, as has happened four times since Aug. 5 to Tampa-St. Pete.
Bronx busters: Yes, that was the Blue Jays beating CC Sabathia at Yankee Stadium, getting an 8-5 victory and taking two in a three-game series in the process. Yunel Escobar drove in five runs for the Jays, who scored five (two earned) against Sabathia for just their second win in 10 games. The Yankees lead the AL East by 3 1/2 games.
Quote of the Day:
''Bryce couldn't control his emotions again. I had a little chat with him. He'll get over it. He's just a hundred-percenter. He expects great things out of himself, breaks bats, throws his helmet. He's just got to stop it. We can't afford to be losing him in a ballgame. He'll learn. He's young.'' — Washington manager Davey Johnson, after Harper angrily spiked his helmet and it landed near umpire C.B. Bucknor, who ejected him. Harper, who also hit two homers in an 8-4 victory against Miami, said he hates hitting into double plays.
Photo of the Day: This guy.

The Phillies have lost five straight to the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. (Somebody tell him.)
* * *
Three Facts for the Water Cooler:
• Chris Heisey hit two homers and the Reds beat the Diamondbacks 6-2 for their 80th victory of the season in their 132nd game, which — quoting the Associated Press — is the fastest a Reds team has gotten to 80 wins since 1976, when the Big Red Machine did it in 125 games.
• Hunter Pence has had four homers in seven games against his old (older) team the Houston Astros after they traded him in July 2011. His three-run shot gave the Giants a four-run lead and they beat the Astros 6-4.
• C.J. Wilson had not won for 11 starts until the Angels beat the Red Sox 10-3. He allowed all three runs and eight hits over four innings for his first victory since June 26.
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Gallardo outstanding in victory over Cubs – Yovani Gallardo | MLW
2012
Moustakas plates three, including game winner – Mike Moustakas | KC
2012
Medlen spectacular again, defeats Padres – Kris Medlen | ATL
2012
Tillman outstanding in victory over White Sox – Chris Tillman | BAL
2012
Tillman outstanding in victory over White Sox – Chris Tillman | BAL
2012
Casey Kelly cruises past Braves in MLB debut – Casey Kelly | SD
2012
The Juice: Josh Beckett drops first Dodgers start, Orioles win another one-run game
2012
The Juice is back for its fifth season of fun! Stop by each weekday for an ample serving of news from the action, plus great photos, stats and video highlights.
Beckett blitzed: The Dodgers falling 10-0 to the Rockies sounds like a disastrous start for Josh Beckett with his new team, but he wasn't that bad. He wasn't that good, either. Beckett allowed three runs, seven hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings, but considering Colorado's Tyler Colvin led off the first with a home run, it could have been worse. Jeff Francis, conversely, was a total mystery to the Dodgers. The idle Giants are up 2 1/2 in the NL West.
One serious roll: The Baltimore Orioles have won 13 straight one-run games after sneaking past the White Sox 4-3. Nate McLouth hit a monstrous two-run homer against Brett Myers to put them ahead in the bottom of the eighth. Earlier, Lew Ford went deep to get the O's on the board. It's just like Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken back in the day. Close victories are definitely the reason they're hanging in the playoff hunt. Quoting the Associated Press: Baltimore is 24-6 in one-run games and 45-18 in games decided by one or two runs.
[Jeff Passan: Reds pitcher Aroldis Chapman thriving in reliever role]
Slipping off the plank: The Pittsburgh Pirates have fallen nine games back in the NL Central and three games behind St. Louis for the NL wild card after losing to the Cardinals 4-3. Matt Holliday hit a go-ahead home run against A.J. Burnett and pitcher Kyle Lohse added an RBI single. Not that pitcher records mean much, but Lohse is 14-2 after going five innings because of a rain delay. He hasn't lost in 13 starts.
Texas toasts Tampa Bay: Adrian Beltre went 3 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs, helping the Rangers beat the Rays 6-5. David Price allowed six runs and 10 hits over four innings after coming in leading the AL in ERA and having 12 straight quality starts of at least seven innings. The Ballpark at Arlington is unsafe for Price, who has a 6.04 ERA in eight starts against the Rangers and a 10.26 ERA in four starts at Texas.
Casey at the rubber: Casey Kelly excelled in his major-league debut, going six innings and combining with three relievers on a four-hitter, leading the Padres to a 3-0 victory against the Braves. Kelly is the key remaining piece from the Adrian Gonzalez trade. Yasmani Grandal hit a home run for the Padres.
[More MLB: Yadier Molina injured in violent home plate collision]
Tough night in the Bronx: The Yankees fell 8-7 to the Blue Jays in 11 innings after a rare off-night for closer Rafael Soriano, who blew the save when Colby Rasmus hit a go-ahead three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning. Soriano, who has three blown saves in 36 opportunities, also blew past reporters without comment. Derek Jeter tied the score in the bottom of the ninth with a solo homer, but the Jays went ahead for good two innings later on a strong baserunning play by Mike McCoy. The Yanks also learned that slugger Mark Teixeira has a Grade I strain of his left calf. He will be out, he says, for a week. That might be wishful thinking.
* * *
Quote of the Day:
"He's the real deal. That's why he's King Felix. That's why he's got the Cy Young, the perfect game, all that stuff. I'm officially a believer. I'm glad he's on my team.''
— Eric Thames of the Mariners after Felix Hernandez tossed a five-hitter at the Twins in a 1-0 victory. Felix is 4-0 this season in games with 1-0 scores. He's got five shutouts overall. Minnesota's Liam Hendriks also went the distance but allowed a home run to Thames.
* * *
Photo of the Day: Whoopsie daisy!

Moises Sierra of the Blue Jays slips on the warning track as a couple of helpful Yankees fans tell him to be careful.
* * *
Three Facts for the Water Cooler:
• The Brewers scored nine runs in the ninth, hitting five homers overall, and blew out the Cubs 15-4. Utility player Joe Mather got the last out of ninth (after allowing a hit), becoming the first position player to pitch for the Cubs since July 3, 1999, when Gary Gaetti did it.
• The Red Sox got a strong performance by Daisuke Matsuzaka and picked up their seventh victory in 19 games, beating the Royals 5-1.
• The Indians have been held scoreless in 36 of the past 39 innings after left-hander Brett Anderson and the Oakland Athletics beat them 3-0. In his second start since returning from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery, Anderson allowed two hits — the first on an apparent blown call by Jerry Meals in the fifth — over seven innings.
Love baseball? Even like it a little?
Follow @AnswerDave, @bigleaguestew, @KevinKaduk on Twitter,
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