MLB Game Recaps: Bryce Harper Bryce Harpers the Washington Nationals To Win Over Blue Jays

INTERLEAGUE (AL STADIUMS)

Washington Nationals 6, Toronto Blue Jays 3

It’s been a long time since baseball has featured a duo of emerging stars as genuinely exciting as Bryce Harper and Mike Trout. Harper had a big night to get his Washington Nationals past the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday. Harper went 3-4 with two runs scored, one RBI, a walk, and a stolen base. He may have also won a decathlon somewhere in there; reports are currently inconclusive. Adam LaRoche and Rick Ankiel both managed to chip in by going deep against the Blue Jays staff, while Edwin Jackson only allowed two runs in eight innings. Brandon Morrow left the start before recording an out thanks to an angry oblique (it turned on him), but we’re hearing it’s a day-to-day sort of thing. Toronto scored all three runs on the long ball, as a surging Colby Rasmus homered early and Yan Gomes hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth. The home run was part of an ongoing effort by Gomes to overcome getting stuck with a given name as silly as Yan.

INTERLEAGUE (NL STADIUMS)

Miami Marlins 4, Boston Red Sox 1

Josh Johnson did a fine job shutting down a quality Boston offense despite being on my fantasy team’s bench by accident. Sigh. Johnson pitched seven innings, allowed one run, and struck out seven to take home his fourth win. Donovan Solano had a two-run single that was really all the Marlins needed, while Logan Morrison and Jose Reyes added extra-base hits just for funsies. Sixty percent of the Boston hits came from Scott Podsednik (he had three!), while Josh Beckett‘s effort was middling at best. Hey, only one of these Joshes could win.

New York Yankees 3, Atlanta Braves 0

Thanks to two years in a row of dynamite offensive support, it really seems like Ivan Nova never loses a game no matter how well he pitches. Nova deserved the W in this one, as he went seven shutout innings while striking out six and walking one. Raul Ibanez, who is now roughly as old as Gandalf, hit his 10th home run of the season in the win. Ibanez isn’t getting on base, but that .256/.311/.506 line is a lot more than I expected. I’m sure the home park and less accentuated role helps, but it’s still a nice little run for Soul Patch. The Braves are honestly fortunate the Yanks didn’t score more after Randall Delgado decided he needed to walk six batters.

Los Angeles Angels 3, Los Angeles Dodgers 2

This Battle of Los Angeles is surely what that entire Rage Against the Machine album was about. Monday night’s contest went right down to the wire tied 2-2 before Albert Pujols hit a meager RBI single that shattered his bat and gave his team a lead they wouldn’t lose in the top of the ninth. Albert’s younger teammate Mike Trout had a fantastic night, as the center fielder went 2-4 with a home run, two runs, two RBI, a walk, and a stolen base. Dee Gordon had two hits and a steal for the Dodgers, while both starters struggled with control before giving way to the more efficient bullpens.

Thus concludes an extremely short version of our morning game recaps! I don’t believe there should ever be a day in which so few baseball games are played.

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