Pedro with a three-run shot to deep center at PNC Park to put the Bucs up 4-2 on the NL west leading Giants. Giants at 20-11 coming into the game. Pedro hit it off Yusmeiro Petit who has a 3.91 ERA and some pretty good stuff. Hit a 3-1 fastball about 350 to left central. El Toro hit a game tying blast Friday night in the bottom of the ninth against the Blue Jays. Bucs were down 5-3 in that game and won it on the next at bat when Starling Marte hit one out for the walk off winner. Pedro now has 8 on the season and 21 RBIs. Dave pitched well against the Yankees Friday Night allowing only two runs in seven innings walking none and K’ing eight. He gave up a two run shot to Brian McCann in the second inning, but really battled in Yankees Stadium, a hitter’s mecca with some high priced, high quality bats. That’s a tough lineup. Thought Dave was awesome. He left with a 4-2 lead, the Rays’ pen couldn’t hold it, but the Rays ended up winning 10-5 in 14. They pounded out 20 hits. Took two of three at Yankee Stadium. David threw 118 pitches, 79 for strikes with 39 balls. The home plate ump, Brian O’Nora, has a ridiculously tight strike zone. Dave was bringing it 93-94 and his change up, splitter and curve were all on. Rays now 15-17, two back of the Yankees which are at 16-14. Rays host the Orioles (15-14 second place East) for three beginning tomorrow night. Dave pitching Thursday vs. Ubaldo Jimenez (1-4, 5.19) Jimenez is famous for the blown call on the last out of his perfect game by the clownish ump Jim Joyce. Joyce wrote a book about it. Sounds like he tried to capitalize on a disastrous decision. Something is not right about that. David now with five walks and 55 K’s on the season. That’s outrageously good. Love where David is. Pedro just made a terrific stop and throw to first, diving to his left, fielding the ball and firing to first on a perfect throw. Pirates 12-19 on the sesaon, but took two of three from the hard hitting Blue Jays over the weekend. Up 4-2 on Giants through three and a half.
MIke Minor had his first outing of the seasonFriday Night against the Giants, after spending the first month on the DL with shoulder tightness, and pitched pretty darn well. Mike went six gave up seven hits, two runs with 0 walks and four K’s. Mike threw 80 pitches, 55 of them for strikes with 25 balls. Excellent. Braves lost 2-1. Didn’t get much hitting this weekend. Got swept by the Giants over the weekend to drop to 17-13. Playing Cards tonight at the Ted, 0-0 bottom four. Braves lead Nats by 1/2 game. Nats at 17-14. MIke pitches against the Cards’ Adam Wainwright on Wednesday night. Wainwright has always been a stud; this year he’s 5-2 with a 2.16 ERA with 13 walks and 46 K’s. Should be a classic.
Sonny pitched well yesterday at Fenway against the Sox and helped the A’s salvage a game at Bawston. Sonny went six, gave up two runs on six hits with two walks and three K’s. Gave up a solo shot to A.J. Pierzynski in the seventh and got pulled in the seventh. Sonny threw 102 pitches with 60 strikes and 42 balls. Would like to see him get a better ratio, but that ump, Mark Ripperger had a laser tight strike zone too. A’s beat the Soc, 3-2. Sonny didn’t get the victory, but he’s still 4-1 with a 1.91 ERA. Sonny pitching at home against the Nationals Saturday Night. Sonny faces Tanner York (2-1, 4.17).
Our VU baseball team had an awesome weekend sweeping Missouri at Mizzou. We’ve gotten it together and are starting to hit our stride. Tyler pitched well Friday night, Carson was good Saturday and Tyler Ferguson and Adam Ravanelle got the job done yesterday. We’re hitting it a lot better too and playing good defense. Huge week this week. Play No.7 Louisville (USA Today Coaches Poll) tomorrow night at the Hawk at 6:30. Huge game as the Ville knocked us out of the Super Regional at our place last year. They are 37-11 and we are 36-12 and ranked 10th in the country (Coaches poll). Then we go to Florida for Thursday through Saturday games. The Gators are hot. They are No.8 in the country at 33-15 and have won something like 12 in a row and just swept No.22 Alabama at Tuscaloosa. So we need to do a lot of good work this week.
Pacers down 68-60 to the tough Washington Wizards. Have the Thunder and Pacers in my final with the Thunder winning in seven. A lot of work left for both teams though. Pacers are in for a war with the Wizards and OKC will be in a war with Blake Griffin, C Paul, Doc and the Clippers. Wow, that Clippers-Warriors game Saturday night was an epic. These NBA playoffs are sensational!
Will have baseball, football and basketball stuff on Wednesday. Go Dores!