MLB Game Recaps: Bryce Harper’s First Homer Helps Washington Nationals to Victory
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Washington Nationals 8, San Diego Padres 5
Teenage phenom Bryce Harper drilled his first Major League home run to center field as his Washington Nationals downed the San Diego Padres to reclaim the National League East lead. Harper wasn’t the only National to go deep, as Chad Tracy and Xavier Nady added homers of their own. The Nationals also got three hits from shortstop Ian Desmond and star third baseman Ryan Zimmerman reached base four times as he continued to reassert himself after returning from the disabled list.
While both starters struggled, the difference in the game was decided by the respective bullpens, as Washington’s pen managed four hitless innings and the San Diego relievers joined forces to surrender four earned runs. For those who were wondering, Chase Headley injured zero catchers in Monday night’s contest.
Chicago Cubs 6, St. Louis Cardinals 4
The Cubs used a series of bizarre bunts and a three-hit, one homer performance from Bryan LaHair to take down the rival Cardinals. The Cardinals have lost their fourth consecutive game, while the Cubs have emerged victorious in two straight. Monday’s start represented the first game this season in which the Cubs have given starting pitcher Ryan Dempster more than three runs of support. The Chicago starter still holds a 2012 ERA of 1.74 despite the four earned runs he allowed to St. Louis.
Philadelphia Phillies 5, Houston Astros 1
The Phillies rode an excellent effort by Joe Blanton (7 IP, 1 ER, 7K) to an easy victory against the Astros. Philadelphia third baseman Placido Polanco supplied a pair of runs by hitting his first home run of the season, which was also hit number 2,000 of his secretly illustrious career. The lone Astro run came courtesy of shortstop Marwin Gonzalez‘s first career homer. Obviously Marwin’s first shot is not going to garner the headlines that Harper’s will, but let’s give the man his due!
Cincinnati Reds 3, Atlanta Braves 1
The Braves fell out of their tie for the NL East lead after dropping Monday night’s game to the Reds. Joey Votto failed to leave the yard after doing so thrice on Sunday, but he did draw a couple of walks. Second baseman Brandon Phillips, recently extended by Cincinnati, delivered a run-scoring double that proved enough for a Cincinnati win. Both Homer Bailey and Randall Delgado provided quality starts for their teams.
New York Mets 3, Milwaukee Brewers 1
Miguel Batista lulled the Brewers to sleep with his mesmerizing poetry en route to yet another surprising Met win. Batista, now nearly 100 years old, pitched seven scoreless as Yovani Gallardo struggled with his control and walked six. Daniel Murphy contributed a couple of hits, drove in a run, and scored a run. Frank Francisco converted save opportunity number nine, a number eerily similar to his season ERA thus far.
Pittsburgh Pirates 3, Miami Marlins 2
Rod Barajas homered, while youngsters Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez also drove in runs for the Pirates. After Monday’s performance, Alvarez’s season triple slash line sits at .216/.281/.480. That’s a whole lot of power and nothing else. Brad Lincoln kept his undefeated record intact thanks to a quality start, though he did give up a monstrous home run to the still-struggling Hanley Ramirez.
Los Angeles Dodgers 3, Arizona Diamondbacks 1
The Dodgers were dealt debilitating news when they found out prior to this game that All-Star center fielder Matt Kemp was headed to the disabled list with hamstring woes. The powerful Kemp had played the most consecutive games of any active baseballer prior to the injury. Despite Kemp’s ailment, the team was able to capture their 24th win thanks to an Andre Ethier homer, a characteristically awesome start from Clayton Kershaw, and an Adam Kennedy RBI that could only be described as miraculous. Starters Kershaw and Ian Kennedy pretty much threw fastballs directly at one another, but both were allowed to remain in the game.
San Francisco Giants 3, Colorado Rockies 2
Giants catcher Buster Posey had two hits, and among them was the eventual game winner. The Rockies continue to flounder despite receiving an excellent effort from Christian Friedrich, who allowed just one run and struck out 10 in seven innings of work. The Giants were able to move over .500 thanks to a quality start that featured five walks from Ryan Vogelsong.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
New York Yankees 8, Baltimore Orioles 5
The Yankees plated five runs in the final four innings of Monday’s game to defeat the Orioles, who the internet insists are tied for the American League East lead. The struggling Mark Teixeira had two hits and a homer, while Curtis Granderson and J.J. Hardy also went deep. Rafael Soriano racked up his second save and appears to be manager Joe Girardi’s man of choice when it comes time to protect a lead.
Tampa Bay Rays 7, Toronto Blue Jays 1
A six-run sixth inning aided the Rays in their convincing defeat of Brandon Morrow and his Blue Jays. Offensive production was balanced, as Luke Scott and Sean Rodriguez both drove in two runs. The news wasn’t all good for Tampa, however, as starter Jeff Niemann broke his leg and outfielder Desmond Jennings was placed on the disabled list. Kelly Johnson contributed two hits for the Jays.
Boston Red Sox 6, Seattle Mariners 1
Sox starter Jon Lester went the distance while only allowing one run as Boston took a much-needed win against the offensively-challenged Mariners. Boston outfielder Daniel Nava, who like Marwin Gonzalez was determined to be overshadowed by Bryce Harper, hit his first big league home run in the win. Justin Smoak had a couple of hits for Seattle and Kyle Seager drove in his team’s lone run.
Chicago White Sox 7, Detroit Tigers 5
Power hitter extraordinaire Prince Fielder broke out of his slump with three hits, but it wasn’t enough for the Tigers to overcome homers by Dayan Viciedo and Adam Dunn. Starters John Danks and Drew Smyly struggled, though the White Sox bullpen was able to hold the Tigers in check over the course of six scoreless innings.
Cleveland Indians 5, Minnesota Twins 4
Shin-Soo Choo has been struggling to hit the ball with authority all season long, but his single in the ninth inning lifted the Indians over the hapless Twins. While Cleveland’s bullpen made this game closer than it should have been, the team got seven strong innings from Jeanmar Gomez. Gomez did not allow and earned run and held the Twins to six base runners. Also, we’re told Casey Kotchman hit a ball over the fence.
Oakland Athletics 5, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 0
The A’s continued their recent winning ways by shutting out the Angels, who seem to get shut out with alarming regularity these days. Dan Haren wasn’t himself, while Oakland starter Tyson Ross pitched six shutout innings. A’s right fielder Josh Reddick slammed his ninth home run of the season, and the former Red Sox prospect currently has an OPS of .889.
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