Breaking News - Out of the Park Baseball Report

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Tuesday, 10/3/2012

Tuesday 10/1/2012: Johnson (TOR) and Billingsley (SFG) win monthly pitcher award
It's the 9th time that the American League Pitcher of the Month award goes to Toronto's pitcher Josh Johnson. He started 6 games in September, going 6-0 and compiling an ERA of 0.71 in 51 innings. Josh fanned 45 hitters. Josh also fired a shutout. His ERA of 1.22 helped him to a 25-4 record this year. He struck out 250 and walked 36 in 265.2 innings. He has 8 complete games and 5 shutouts. He's 1st in the American League in ERA and 2nd in wins! San Francisco's pitcher Chad Billingsley is the National League winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in September. He started 5 games in September, going 5-0 and compiling an ERA of 0.41 in 44 innings. Chad fanned 60 hitters. Chad pitched THREE complete game shutouts! Chad has a record of 26-4 this season, with an ERA of 1.54. In 274.1 Innings he was able to strike out 298 batters. Chad has pitched 7 shutouts and 12 complete games. He's 2nd in the National League in ERA and 1st in wins!

Tuesday 10/1/2012: Trout (LAA) and Bruce (NYM) win monthly award
Los Angeles (A)'s leftfielder Mike Trout had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the American League Batter of the Month. He had an on base percentage of .518 and hit .438, while driving in 27 runs. His season features a batting average of .281 (153 hits in 545 AB), 17 doubles, 6 triples and 24 homeruns. Trout collected 91 RBI and 116 runs as well. New York (N)'s rightfielder Jay Bruce had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Batter of the Month. Bruce helped his team with an average of .375 and 22 RBI in 104 at bats. While compiling an on base percentage of .352, Jay hit .286 and slugged .517. He has collected 103 runs batted in this year.

Sunday 9/29/2012: Toronto's Gomez severely injured
TORONTO - Toronto's leftfielder Carlos Gomez suffered a season ending injury when he was struck by a pitch from New York (A)'s Jimmy Gobble. He collapsed in pain and was helped off the field. Toronto wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Gomez had suffered a Broken Wrist. Gomez has hit for a .273 average this season. He has 46 extra base hits along with 191 total bases, resulting in a .470 slugging percentage.

Friday 9/27/2012: Mike Hinckley (BOS) will miss 4-5 weeks
BOSTON - Boston's lefty Mike Hinckley suffered a severe injury on Wednesday and will be out for at least 4-5 weeks. In the 6th of the game against Kansas City he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Strained Elbow Ligament. His ERA of 14.00 helped him to a 0-4 record this year. He struck out 32 and walked 88 in 63 innings.

Wednesday 9/25/2012: Chicago (N)'s Webb wins Player of the Week award
The Player of the Week award in the American League goes to Cleveland's Victor Martinez this time, as the first baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Victor was on fire, hitting .538 with 3 HR and 20 RBI. The National League's best player of the week was Chicago (N)'s Brandon Webb, who wins the award for the 4th time in his career. Webb was overpowering all week long, going 2-0 with an ERA of 1.10. Along the way he struck out 21 in 16.1 innings. He hurled a shutout as well.

Friday 9/20/2012: Jorge Cantu clubs three rockets
SEATTLE - Hitting homeruns is one of the most difficult things in sports. To hit three of them in one game is almost sensational. Kansas City's shortstop Jorge Cantu accomplished that feat in a 12-1 win over Seattle. Number 1 in the 2nd inning, a shot estimated at 377 feet, cleared the wall in left field. A pitch from Alex Herrera in the 4th inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 443 feet from home plate in center field. His 3rd blast, a solo homerun off Doug Waechter in the 9th inning, landed an estimated 364 feet from home plate. Jorge got 4 hits in 6 AB, scoring three times with 5 RBI. So far this season he is batting .300 with 13 homers and 56 RBI. Kansas City improved its record to 46-107, scoring 12 runs on 17 hits.

Wednesday 9/18/2012: New York (N)'s Bruce wins Player of the Week award
The American League Player of the Week award goes to Jose A. Bautista, Toronto's starting rightfielder. Bautista helped his team with an average of .429 and 9 RBI in 21 at bats. The National League's best player of the week was New York (N)'s Jay Bruce, who wins the award for the 2nd time in his career. In 22 at bats he hit .545 with 3 HR and 6 RBI. He now has homered in 3 consecutive games as well! This year Bruce drove in 92 and scored 66 runs while batting .277 with 24 bombs.

Monday 9/16/2012: Scott Podsednik punishes Cincinnati with five hits
CINCINNATI - Scott Podsednik hits 'em where they ain't. Cincinnati certainly agrees as New York (N)'s designated hitter unloaded five hits, adding to his reputation of being one of the best pure hitters in the game. His 2nd hit, off Bobby Keppel in the 2nd inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in right-center. His 3rd hit, a two-run homerun off Miguel Gonzalez in the 3rd inning, cleared the fence in left field. A pitch from David Bush in the 5th inning left his bat for a double. He had singles in the 1st and in the 6th . Scott scored 3 runs, and he collected 3 RBI as well! He now has a total of 131 hits this season, accounting for a .268 batting average. New York (N) improved its record to 94-55, scoring 16 runs on 21 hits.

Friday 9/13/2012: David Wright on fire, laces five hits
SAN DIEGO - David Wright hits 'em where they ain't. San Diego certainly agrees as Colorado's third baseman unloaded five hits, adding to his reputation of being one of the best pure hitters in the game. His 2nd hit, off Jorge De la rosa in the 3rd inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left field. His 3rd hit was a double off Jorge De la rosa in the 5th inning. Number 4 in the 7th inning, a shot estimated at 387 feet, cleared the wall in left field. He had singles in the 1st inning and in the 9th inning . David scored 2 runs, and he collected 2 RBI as well! This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 174 hits in 528 at bats, resulting in a .330 batting average. Colorado improved its record to 75-71, scoring 4 runs on 9 hits.

Thursday 9/12/2012: New York (N) has no chance in a 2-hitter by Ben Sheets
NEW YORK (N) - Ben Sheets took the mound and never left. And New York (N) hitters couldn't touch him at all. Philadelphia's right-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 7th shutout of the season. He now has 36 career shutouts in 385 games started. 'Wow, what a nice day. I guess I had a good breakfast today.' Sheets (15-11) struck out 9 and issued 1 BB, throwing 72 of 115 pitches for strikes. Philadelphia's leftfielder Matt Kemp finished with 3 hits in 5 AB, blasting a homerun, hitting 2 doubles, scoring 2 runs and collecting 4 RBI. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Sheets. Philadelphia scored 12 runs on 16 hits.

Thursday 9/12/2012: Oakland's Jenks out for full season
OAKLAND - Oakland's right-hander Bobby Jenks experienced probably the worst case scenario for a pitcher, a season ending injury. After pitching in the 1st inning of the game against Boston, Jenks complained about serious pain in his throwing arm. He had to leave the game. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Torn Bicep Muscle. Surgery will be performed next week. Opposing players hit .315 against Bobby this season. While posting an ERA of 5.56 he went 3-2 in 2 starts, fanning 72 and walking 28 hitters.

Thursday 9/12/2012: Giancarlo Stanton out for 8 weeks
NEW YORK (A) - New York (A)'s Giancarlo Stanton suffered a serious injury Tuesday in a game against Kansas City. Stanton fell down while running the bases and couldn't get up without help. He will miss probably 8 weeks. Pulled Anterior Cruciate Ligament was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. Stanton has hit for a .298 average this season. He has 53 extra base hits along with 258 total bases, resulting in a .519 slugging percentage.

Wednesday 9/11/2012: Detroit's Taveras severely injured
DETROIT - Detroit's season has taken a hit after one of their best players, centerfielder Willy Taveras, injured himself while rounding a base. He is likely to miss 4 weeks. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Torn Calf Muscle. Surgery will be performed next week. Taveras has walked 77 times this year and posts a .402 OBP. While batting .317, 166 for 524, he has driven in 108 runs. He's 6th in the American League in batting, 5th in homeruns and 1st in RBI!

Wednesday 9/11/2012: Atlanta's Jacobsen wins Player of the Week award
The American League's best player of the week was Toronto's Anthony Rizzo, who wins the award for the 2nd time in his career. In 23 at bats he hit .478 with 5 HR and 10 RBI. Atlanta's first baseman Bucky Jacobsen had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Player of the Week. He hit .625 with 4 RBI and slugged 1.000 in 24 at bats. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 7 game hitting streak right now.

Monday 9/9/2012: Sean Marshall out for full season
TORONTO - Toronto's left-hander Sean Marshall experienced probably the worst case scenario for a pitcher, a season ending injury. After pitching in the 8th inning of the game against Minnesota, Marshall complained about serious pain in his throwing arm. He had to leave the game. Toronto wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Marshall had suffered a Ruptured Disc Back. Sean has a record of 4-4 this season, with an ERA of 3.64. In 64.1 Innings he was able to strike out 74 batters.

Wednesday 9/4/2012: Los Angeles (A)'s Blackmon wins Player of the Week award
It's the 5th time that the American League Player of the Week award goes to Los Angeles (A)'s leftfielder Charlie Blackmon. Blackmon helped his team with an average of .500 and 7 RBI in 26 at bats. Charlie is hitting .303 this year, with 158 hits in 522 at bats. He has driven in 98 runs, slugging .561. He's 5th in the American League in RBIs and 4th in homeruns! The National League's best player of the week was Chicago (N)'s Mitch Moreland, who wins the award for the 3rd time in his career. Mitch went 14 for 26 (.538), while hitting 2 HR and collecting 15 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 14 game hitting streak right now.

Tuesday 9/3/2012: Adam Wainwright fires 2-hitter against New York (A)
HOUSTON - Houston's right-hander Adam Wainwright is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking New York (A) on just 2 hits. It's his 4th shutout this season, and the 17th time he has done it in his career. The bid for a no-hitter was broken up when Ray Olmedo doubled with one out in the 6th inning. Wainwright (13-8) fanned 9 and walked none, throwing 95 pitches. 'That was one of the best games of my career. I had my stuff working very well today.' The hitting star for Houston was catcher Jay Gibbons, he stroked 1 hit in 3 AB. The final score of the game was 1-0.

Sunday 9/1/2012: Pitcher of the Month award winners announced
The best month of August in the American League certainly had Toronto's lefty Josh Johnson, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. He went 3-0 in August and finished the month with an ERA of 0.45. He struck out 45 in 40.1 innings. His ERA of 1.34 helped him to a 19-4 record this year. He struck out 205 and walked 28 in 214.2 innings. He has 6 complete games and 4 shutouts. He's 1st in the American League in ERA and 3rd in wins! Atlanta's pitcher Rich Harden is the National League winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in August. His ERA of just 0.70 helped him to a 5-1 record in August. He worked 51.1 innings, striking out 48 hitters while walking 6. Rich pitched THREE complete game shutouts! In 29 starts this year Rich struck out 233 batters in 238 innings of work. His ERA is 1.59, his record 22-5. He has 11 complete games and 7 shutouts. He's 1st in the National League in ERA and 1st in wins!

Sunday 9/1/2012: Stanton (NYA) and Moreland (CHN) win monthly award
It's the 1st time that the American League Batter of the Month award goes to New York (A)'s rightfielder Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton helped his team with an average of .339 and 29 RBI in 109 at bats. His season features a batting average of .302 (141 hits in 467 AB), 20 doubles, 6 triples and 24 homeruns. Stanton collected 75 RBI and 74 runs as well. The National League Batter of the Month award goes to Mitch Moreland, Chicago (N)'s starting first baseman. Mitch went 49 for 109 (.450), while hitting 6 HR and collecting 32 RBI. Moreland has hit for a .323 average this season. He has 52 extra base hits along with 268 total bases, resulting in a .515 slugging percentage. He's 3rd in the National League in batting and 5th in RBI!

Saturday 8/31/2012: Arizona's Hunter severely injured
ARIZONA - Arizona's centerfielder Torii Hunter will miss about 7-8 weeks after he hurt himself badly in the 3rd inning of the game between Arizona and New York (N). He dove for a drive off the bat of Scott Podsednik, and immediately signaled that he's not OK after hitting the ground. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Torn Rib Cage Muscle which will require surgery. Hunter has hit 6 taters this year while batting .217. He adds 18 doubles, along with 44 runs scored.

Friday 8/30/2012: Boston has no chance in a NO-HITTER by Anibal Sanchez
BALTIMORE - Baltimore's southpaw Anibal Sanchez made some history today, firing a no-hitter against Boston. Their hitters found out the hard way that he is among the leagues top pitchers, never having a chance against his overpowering stuff. Sanchez (16-6) struck out an astounding 13 and walked 1, throwing 75 of 118 pitches for strikes. 'Well, the ball went where I wanted it. I was able to hit the corners with all of my pitches. I'm so happy that it was enough to pitch such a great game.' Carl Crawford provided Baltimore with the offense Sanchez needed as he finished 2 for 5, blasting a homerun, and collecting 2 RBI. Baltimore scored 8 runs on 10 hits.

Thursday 8/29/2012: J.D. Drew collects 2000th hit against Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH - San Francisco's leftfielder J.D. Drew already had some highlights in his career, and today he added another one, getting his 2000th career hit. His hit in the 5th inning was a single off Miguel Asencio. His best year so far was 2010 where he hit .299 with 32 homeruns and 95 RBI. 'You dream about that as a kid, but when you reach such a milestone it's hard to believe. Fantastic.'

Thursday 8/29/2012: Pittsburgh's Cain out for 8 weeks
PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh's centerfielder Lorenzo Cain will miss at least 8 weeks after he got hurt seriously while running hard toward second base. He began limping and then fell down, causing a scary moment for his teammates. He had to be carried off the field. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Torn Thigh Muscle. Cain has hit for a .270 average this season. He has 32 extra base hits along with 170 total bases, resulting in a .383 slugging percentage.

Wednesday 8/28/2012: Jake Arrieta pitches his 1st shutout of the season
MILWAUKEE - It was a great day for Milwaukee's right-hander Jake Arrieta. The 26-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 1-hitter, against Philadelphia on Monday. The bid for a no-hitter was broken up when Wilmer Flores singled with no outs in the 5th inning. 'Well, the ball went where I wanted it. I was able to hit the corners with all of my pitches.' Arrieta (9-14) showed excellent control, walking nobody and fanning 5. Marcus Semien helped Arrieta at the plate, he got 3 hits in 4 AB. The final score of the game was 1-0.

Wednesday 8/28/2012: Chicago (N)'s Moreland wins Player of the Week award
Justin Morneau from Chicago (A) wins his 5th Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the American League. He hit .500 with 12 RBI and slugged 1.364 in 22 at bats. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 7 game hitting streak right now. The National League Player of the Week award goes to Mitch Moreland, Chicago (N)'s starting first baseman. He hit .519 with 6 RBI and slugged .889 in 27 at bats. Moreland has hit for a .313 average this season. He has 48 extra base hits along with 249 total bases, resulting in a .499 slugging percentage. He's 6th in the National League in batting!

Tuesday 8/27/2012: Victor Alvarez pitches his 4th shutout of the season
ATLANTA - Great days are rare. But not for Atlanta's left-hander Victor Alvarez. Miami found out the hard way that he is among the leagues top pitchers, getting just one hit. It's his 4th shutout this season, and the 6th time he has done it in his career. John Buck spoiled the bid for a no-hitter when he singled with one out in the 6th inning. Alvarez (14-10) was overpowering, fanning 12 while walking 1, throwing 112 pitches. 'I'll have to give a lot of credit to my catcher. He put all the right fingers down today.' Timo Perez helped Alvarez at the plate, he got 2 hits in 4 AB. Atlanta scored 1 run on 9 hits.

Tuesday 8/27/2012: New York (A)'s Mazzaro severely injured
NEW YORK (A) - New York (A)'s right-hander Vin Mazzaro suffered a severe injury on Sunday and will be out for at least 4-5 weeks. In the 7th of the game against Houston he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Ruptured Bicep Tendon. Surgery will be performed next week. Opposing players hit .285 against Vin this season. While posting an ERA of 7.00 he went 0-2 in 4 starts, fanning 37 and walking 3 hitters.

Saturday 8/24/2012: St. Louis has no chance in a 2-hitter by Tom Gorzelanny
CHICAGO (N) - Great days are rare. But not for Chicago (N)'s left-hander Tom Gorzelanny. St. Louis found out the hard way that he is among the leagues top pitchers, getting just 2 hits. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 5th time he has done it in his career. 'I felt early that I was on top of my game. Fortunately I was able to keep that feeling the entire game.' Gorzelanny (13-5) struck out an astounding 14 and walked 1, throwing 73 of 112 pitches for strikes. Justin Upton provided Chicago (N) with the offense Gorzelanny needed as he stroked 2 hits in 4 AB, blasting a homerun, with 2 RBI. Chicago (N) scored 6 runs on 8 hits.

Saturday 8/24/2012: St. Louis' Albert Pujols gets milestone hit
CHICAGO (N) - St. Louis' first baseman Albert Pujols joined some elite company today, collecting his 2000th career hit! He hit a single in the 4th off Tom Gorzelanny for number 2000. Along with his 2000 hits, Albert collected 314 homeruns and 1114 RBI in 11 seasons. 'You dream about that as a kid, but when you reach such a milestone it's hard to believe. Fantastic.'

Saturday 8/24/2012: Pittsburgh's Johnson severely injured
PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh's second baseman Elliot Johnson suffered a serious injury when he was struck by a pitch from Atlanta's Brett Myers. He collapsed in pain and was helped off the field. Johnson will probaby miss 4-5 weeks. Pittsburgh wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Johnson had suffered a Broken Hand. Johnson has hit for a .247 average this season. He has 25 extra base hits along with 152 total bases, resulting in a .388 slugging percentage.

Wednesday 8/21/2012: Stanton and Trumbo win Player of the Week award
It's the 2nd time that the American League Player of the Week award goes to New York (A)'s rightfielder Giancarlo Stanton. In 26 at bats he hit .538 with 2 HR and 9 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 7 game hitting streak right now. Stanton has hit 22 bombs this year while batting .303. He adds 18 doubles, along with 68 runs scored. Mark Trumbo from Pittsburgh wins his 3rd Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the National League. In 23 at bats he hit .435 with 7 HR and 14 RBI. He now has homered in 3 consecutive games as well!

Monday 8/19/2012: Mark Trumbo slams 3 HR
MIAMI - Mark Trumbo powered Pittsburgh to a 11-1 win over Miami. He did it in style by homering three times. A 410 foot drive to left-center marked his 1st bomb, a two-run homerun off Roy Oswalt in the 1st inning. In the 2nd inning he unloaded a two-run homerun off Joaquin Benoit. His 3rd shot, a three-run homerun off Jeff *Bennett in the 8th inning, cleared the fence in right-center. Mark stroked 3 hits in 5 AB, scoring three runs and driving in 7 runs. So far this season he is batting .262 with 22 homers and 63 RBI.

Monday 8/19/2012: Erik Bedard blanks Kansas City with a 2-hitter
MINNESOTA - It was a great day for Minnesota's left-hander Erik Bedard. The 33-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Kansas City on Saturday. 'Things like that happen. You take the mound and everything works. My velocity was pretty good today and I guess it showed.' Bedard (9-6) struck out 9 and issued 1 BB, throwing 77 of 119 pitches for strikes. The hitting star for Minnesota was designated hitter Miguel Cabrera, he stroked 1 hit in 3 AB. The final score of the game was 2-0.

Saturday 8/17/2012: Evan Longoria (TOR) will miss 7-8 weeks
TORONTO - Toronto's season took a blow when Evan Longoria suffered a serious injury in the game against Chicago (A). He hurt his arm throwing a strike to first base. Longoria will probaby miss 7-8 weeks. Longoria was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Broken Elbow. Longoria has hit for a .257 average this season. He has 28 extra base hits along with 141 total bases, resulting in a .359 slugging percentage.

Thursday 8/15/2012: Chicago (N)'s James severely injured
CHICAGO (N) - Chicago (N)'s southpaw Chuck James experienced probably the worst case scenario for a pitcher, a season ending injury. After pitching in the 3rd inning of the game against Philadelphia, James complained about serious pain in his throwing arm. He had to leave the game. James was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Torn Back Muscle. Opposing players hit .208 against Chuck this season. While posting an ERA of 2.92 he went 12-6 in 25 starts, fanning 179 and walking 26 hitters. He has 6 complete games and 2 shutouts.

Thursday 8/15/2012: Carlos Lee collects 2000th hit against Milwaukee
ATLANTA - Atlanta's leftfielder Carlos Lee was in good mood after the game against Milwaukee, and he had every reason as he made some history while collecting his 2000th career hit. He hit a single in the 1st off Homer Bailey for number 2000. His best year so far was 2003 where he hit .341 with 44 homeruns and 130 RBI. 'It's hard to believe that I did it. I want to thank my family, my friends and my teammates!'

Wednesday 8/14/2012: Minnesota's Snell severely injured
MINNESOTA - When it rains, it pours. Minnesota's right-hander Ian Snell will not pitch for at least 7 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Detroit where he left the field in the 7th inning. After being taken to a local hospital, Snell was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Ruptured Elbow Ligament. In 21 starts this year Ian struck out 135 batters in 131.1 innings of work. His ERA is 4.04, his record 8-6. Ian has pitched one shutout and one complete game.

Wednesday 8/14/2012: New York (A)'s Ray Olmedo laces six hits
BOSTON - 'You know, in batting practice I didn't really feel that comfortable about my stroke today, but baseball is more than hitting. Then, when you're not trying to force a hit, you slug them in droves,' says Ray Olmedo after his 6 hit game, which New York (A) won 20-2 against Boston. His 2nd hit was a two-run double off Justin Hampson in the 3rd inning. A RBI double off Dan Runzler in the 8th inning accounted for his 5th hit. He had singles in the 2nd inning , in the 5th , in the 6th inning (one RBI) and in the 9th (one RBI). Ray did drive in 5 while scoring 3 runs on his own. His 6 hit performance increases his batting average to .236.

Wednesday 8/14/2012: Chicago (A)'s Rollins wins Player of the Week award
The American League Player of the Week award goes to Jimmy Rollins, Chicago (A)'s starting shortstop. He had an on base percentage of .552 and hit .519, while driving in 7 runs. Jimmy has gone 133 for 449 (.296) this season, hitting 5 bombs and driving in 67 runs. He has scored 60 runs on his own. The Player of the Week award in the National League goes to Pittsburgh's Dexter Fowler this time, as the centerfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Dexter was on fire, hitting .636 with 3 HR and 8 RBI.

Sunday 8/11/2012: Bryan Bullington quiets Miami bats with shutout
MIAMI - Great days are rare. But not for Cincinnati's right-hander Bryan Bullington. Miami found out the hard way that he is among the leagues top pitchers, getting just 2 hits. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 3rd time he has done it in his career. Bullington (5-16) was overpowering, fanning 10 while walking none, throwing 119 pitches. 'Giving my team a chance to win is the most important thing for me. I was able to do it today.' Brett Gardner helped Bullington at the plate, he got 2 hits in 3 AB, doubling once, with 2 RBI. The final score of the game was 5-0.

Sunday 8/11/2012: Oakland's Francis out for 6-7 weeks
OAKLAND - Oakland's left-hander Jeff Francis suffered a severe injury on Friday and will be out for at least 6-7 weeks. In the 6th of the game against Seattle he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Oakland wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Francis had suffered a Strained Elbow Ligament. Opposing players hit .306 against Jeff this season. While posting an ERA of 5.62 he went 7-11 in 23 starts, fanning 124 and walking 60 hitters.

Sunday 8/11/2012: Cha Seung Baek pitches his 2nd shutout of the season
TORONTO - Cleveland's right-hander Cha Seung Baek is clearly one of the best pitchers in the game. Toronto found out the hard way, getting just 2 hits. Baek 2nd shutout this season was a masterpiece, as he was almost untouchable. He has now hurled 6th shutouts in his career. 'Hey, that's my job! Everytime I take the mound I give the best I can. And my best stuff was too much for them today.' Baek (14-5) struck out 9 and walked 1, throwing 62 of 97 pitches for strikes. The hitting star for Cleveland was designated hitter Pat Burrell, he went 2 for 4, hitting a double. Cleveland improved its record to 85-31, scoring 2 runs on 7 hits.

Saturday 8/10/2012: Justin Upton homers three times against Colorado
CHICAGO (N) - Justin Upton was in a groove, and the results spoke for themselves. He powered Chicago (N) to a 11-1 win over Colorado by homering three times. His 1st shot, off Colby Lewis in the 1st inning, was a GRAND SLAM and cleared the fence in center field. His 2nd blast, a solo homerun off Joey Devine in the 4th inning, landed an estimated 444 feet from home plate. A 358 foot drive to right field marked his 3rd bomb, a solo homerun off Clay Hensley in the 8th inning. Overall he went 3 for 5, scoring three runs and collecting 6 RBI.

Friday 8/9/2012: Jerry Blevins (PHI) will miss 7 weeks
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia is without its left-hander Jerry Blevins for at least 7 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Desmond Jennings in a game against Atlanta. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being taken to a local hospital, Blevins was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Pulled Bicep Muscle. This season Blevins compiled an ERA of 3.77, going 4-0 in 0 starts. He fanned 53 while giving up 38 hits in 43 innings.

Friday 8/9/2012: Atlanta's Vladimir Guerrero gets milestone hit
PHILADELPHIA - Atlanta's rightfielder Vladimir Guerrero was in good mood after the game against Philadelphia, and he had every reason as he made some history while collecting his 3000th career hit. In 16 years of big league action so far, Vladimir has compiled a batting average of .307, along with 510 homeruns and 1729 RBI. 'I guess I'll celebrate a bit today. But the most important thing is winning, and my whole career I gave everything I could to help my team.' His hit in the 4th inning was a double off Ben Sheets. The Hall of Fame already has reserved a place for this great player.

Wednesday 8/7/2012: Jason Bulger out for 6 weeks
TEXAS - When it rains, it pours. Texas' right-hander Jason Bulger will not pitch for at least 6 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Los Angeles (A) where he left the field in the 9th inning. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Strained Back Muscle. Jason has a record of 2-1 this season, with an ERA of 0.89. In 40.1 Innings he was able to strike out 41 batters.

Wednesday 8/7/2012: St. Louis' Beltre wins Player of the Week award
It's the 1st time that the American League Player of the Week award goes to Chicago (A)'s first baseman Wilin Rosario. He hit .481 with 15 RBI and slugged 1.037 in 27 at bats. Wilin has gone 92 for 365 (.252) this season, hitting 17 bombs and driving in 59 runs. He has scored 51 runs on his own. St. Louis' third baseman Adrian Beltre had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Player of the Week. Adrian was on fire, hitting .550 with 5 HR and 13 RBI. Beltre has hit 20 homeruns this year while batting .308. He adds 14 doubles, along with 49 runs scored.

Monday 8/5/2012: Max Scherzer pitches his 1st shutout of the season
LOS ANGELES (N) - Minnesota's right-hander Max Scherzer is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Los Angeles (N) on just 2 hits. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 4th time he has done it in his career. Scherzer (9-8) fanned 7 and walked 2, throwing 129 pitches. 'Wow, what a nice day. I guess I had a good breakfast today.' Minnesota's designated hitter Miguel Cabrera went 3 for 4, scoring 2 runs. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Scherzer. Minnesota scored 4 runs on 9 hits.

Monday 8/5/2012: Brandon Webb blanks Detroit with a 2-hitter
DETROIT - Chicago (N)'s right-hander Brandon Webb is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Detroit on just 2 hits. It's his 3rd shutout this season, and the 22nd time he has done it in his career. Webb (11-5) fanned 6 and walked 3, throwing 120 pitches. 'Winning is the most important thing. And I gave my team all the support it needed!' Shane Victorino provided Chicago (N) with the offense Webb needed as he finished with 3 hits in 3 AB, blasting a homerun, scoring two runs. Chicago (N) improved its record to 73-39, scoring 11 runs on 13 hits.

Monday 8/5/2012: New York (A)'s Medlen out for 5-6 weeks
NEW YORK (A) - New York (A) is without its right-hander Kris Medlen for at least 5-6 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Corey Hart in a game against Miami. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. Medlen was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Bone Chips Shoulder. Kris has a record of 1-2 this season, with an ERA of 4.85. In 55.2 Innings he was able to strike out 49 batters.

Sunday 8/4/2012: Miami's Smith out for 5 weeks
MIAMI - When it rains, it pours. Miami's right-hander Greg Smith will not pitch for at least 5 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against New York (A) where he left the field in the 9th inning. Inflamed Rotator Cuff Muscle was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. His ERA of 4.34 helped him to a 2-0 record this year. He struck out 1 and walked 18 in 18.2 innings.

Friday 8/2/2012: Gio Gonzalez blanks Oakland with a 2-hitter
PHILADELPHIA - Gio Gonzalez took the mound and never left. And Oakland hitters couldn't touch him at all. Philadelphia's left-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 2nd shutout of the season. He now has 7 career shutouts in 156 games started. 'My catcher called a very good game. I have to give credit to him.' Gonzalez (16-4) struck out an astounding 13 and walked none, throwing 78 of 126 pitches for strikes. Wilmer Flores provided Philadelphia with the offense Gonzalez needed as he got 1 hit in 3 AB, hitting a homerun. Philadelphia scored 1 run on 5 hits.

Thursday 8/1/2012: Adrian Beltre parks three against Seattle
SEATTLE - Hitting a homerun is fine, but hitting three of them in one game is something special. St. Louis' third baseman Adrian Beltre accomplished that feat in a 10-1 win over Seattle. His 1st blast, a two-run homerun off Travis Buck in the 4th inning, landed an estimated 437 feet from home plate. His 2nd shot, off Scott Stewart in the 5th inning, was a GRAND SLAM and cleared the fence in left field. His 3rd shot, a two-run homerun off James Russell in the 9th inning, cleared the fence in center field. Overall he finished with 4 hits in 5 AB, stroking a double, with FOUR runs scored with 8 RBI. Carlos Ruiz was the last player to hit 3 homeruns in a game, doing it 7/26/2012.

Thursday 8/1/2012: Baek (CLE) and Perez (STL) win monthly pitcher award
Cleveland's pitcher Cha Seung Baek is the American League winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in July. He had an ERA of just 1.08 in 50 innings of work in which he struck out 47 hitters. His record in July is 5-0. Cha Seung pitched a shutout as well. Cha Seung has a record of 13-5 this season, with an ERA of 2.55. In 144.2 Innings he was able to strike out 143 batters. Cha Seung has pitched one shutout and one complete game. Oliver Perez pitched like a legend in July, and the National League named him Pitcher of the Month for his extraordinary performance. His ERA of just 0.41 helped him to a 5-0 record in July. He worked 44.1 innings, striking out 51 hitters while walking 8. Oliver got two complete game shutouts as well! Opposing players hit .191 against Oliver this season. While posting an ERA of 1.81 he went 16-6 in 25 starts, fanning 211 and walking 38 hitters. He has 8 complete games and 6 shutouts. He's 3rd in the National League in ERA and 4th in wins!

Thursday 8/1/2012: Batter of the Month award winners announced
The American League Batter of the Month award goes to Miguel Cabrera, Minnesota's starting designated hitter. Miguel was on fire, hitting .326 with 8 homeruns and 19 RBI. Miguel has gone 126 for 403 (.313) this season, hitting 30 bombs and driving in 89 runs. He has scored 94 runs on his own. He's 10th in the American League in batting, 1st in homeruns and 1st in RBI! It's the 3rd time that the National League Batter of the Month award goes to Philadelphia's catcher Carlos Ruiz. He had an on base percentage of .489 and hit .427, while driving in 23 runs. He has hit 23 taters while batting .329 this season. His 115 hits and 33 walks add up to a .398 on-base percentage. He's 1st in the National League in batting, 5th in homeruns and 3rd in RBI!

Wednesday 7/31/2012: Nate Cornejo pitches his 4th shutout of the season
BALTIMORE - New York (N)'s right-hander Nate Cornejo is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Baltimore on just one hit. It's his 4th shutout this season, and the 31st time he has done it in his career. 'They took some ugly cuts at my breaking stuff, so I kept throwing it. Fortunately they were not able to adjust in time.' Cornejo (12-2) struck out 8 and walked 2, throwing 77 of 131 pitches for strikes. Scott Podsednik helped Cornejo at the plate, he collected 3 hits in 4 trips to the plate, hitting a homerun, scoring two runs and driving in 2 runs. New York (N) scored 7 runs on 10 hits.

Wednesday 7/31/2012: Milwaukee's Semien wins Player of the Week award
Oakland's rightfielder Nelson R. Cruz had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the American League Player of the Week. Cruz helped his team with an average of .370 and 10 RBI in 27 at bats. The Player of the Week award in the National League goes to Milwaukee's Marcus Semien this time, as the second baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. He hit .429 with 12 RBI and slugged 1.000 in 28 at bats. Marcus managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week.

Sunday 7/28/2012: Felipe Paulino fires 2-hitter against Cincinnati
CINCINNATI - Felipe Paulino had some fun again. Cincinnati hitters did not. Los Angeles (N)'s right-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 3rd shutout of the season. He now has 5 career shutouts in 127 games started. Paulino (13-6) struck out 7 and issued 1 BB, throwing 69 of 99 pitches for strikes. 'Pitching a great game is always a good thing. And it doesn't get much better than today.' Aramis Ramirez helped Paulino at the plate, he finished with 2 hits in 4 AB, homering once, with 2 RBI. Los Angeles (N) scored 5 runs on 11 hits.

Sunday 7/28/2012: Cincinnati's Stauffer out for 5 weeks
CINCINNATI - Cincinnati is without its right-hander Tim Stauffer for at least 5 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Reggie Abercrombie in a game against Los Angeles (N). His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Inflamed Rotator Cuff Muscle. Opposing players hit .312 against Tim this season. While posting an ERA of 5.64 he went 1-13 in 21 starts, fanning 105 and walking 20 hitters.

Friday 7/26/2012: Philadelphia's Carlos Ruiz slams three taters
CHICAGO (A) - Carlos Ruiz was in a groove, and the results spoke for themselves. He powered Philadelphia to a 7-4 win over Chicago (A) by homering three times. His 1st shot, off Josh Hancock in the 1st inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in right field. His 2nd shot, a two-run homerun off Josh Hancock in the 4th inning, cleared the fence in right field. A 427 foot drive to right-center marked his 3rd bomb, a solo homerun off Alfredo Aceves in the 8th inning. Carlos got 3 hits in 5 AB, scoring three times with 4 RBI. His homerun total this year is 21, along with 77 RBI. Matt Kemp was the last player to hit 3 homeruns in a game, doing it 6/29/2012.

Thursday 7/25/2012: St. Louis' Villanueva severely injured
ST. LOUIS - St. Louis is without its ace Carlos Villanueva for at least 8 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Miguel Cabrera in a game against Minnesota. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Ruptured Elbow Ligament. Opposing players hit .223 against Carlos this season. While posting an ERA of 2.28 he went 15-7 in 25 starts, fanning 189 and walking 27 hitters. He has 6 complete games and one shutout. He's 10th in the National League in ERA and 5th in wins!

Wednesday 7/24/2012: Scott T. Baker (CHA) will miss 5-6 weeks
CHICAGO (A) - When it rains, it pours. Chicago (A)'s right-hander Scott T. Baker will not pitch for at least 5-6 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Philadelphia where he left the field in the 8th inning. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle. In 21 starts this year Scott T. struck out 153 batters in 145.2 innings of work. His ERA is 3.27, his record 9-6.

Wednesday 7/24/2012: Player of the Week honors go to Gordon and Burroughs
The Player of the Week award in the American League goes to Toronto's Alex Gordon this time, as the leftfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. He hit .450 with 16 RBI and slugged 1.050 in 20 at bats. Gordon has hit 12 homeruns this year while batting .268. He adds 26 doubles, along with 50 runs scored. The National League Player of the Week award goes to Sean Burroughs, St. Louis' starting leftfielder. In 19 at bats he hit .579 with 4 HR and 11 RBI. He now has homered in 4 consecutive games as well!

Monday 7/22/2012: Carlos Beltran (TEX) will miss 7 weeks
TEXAS - Being hit with a pitch is no fun at all. Especially when you get injured. Texas' centerfielder Carlos Beltran will miss about 7 weeks after being hit by A.J. Burnett in the 2nd inning of the game between Texas and St. Louis. After being taken to a local hospital, Beltran was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Broken Hand. Beltran has hit 11 homeruns this year while batting .249. He adds 17 doubles, along with 39 runs scored.

Sunday 7/21/2012: St. Louis' Sean Burroughs laces five hits
TEXAS - St. Louis' leftfielder Sean Burroughs accomplished a difficult feat in a 14-1 win over Texas, drilling five hits to improve his career batting average to .264! His 2nd hit, a two-run homerun off Freddy Garcia in the 2nd inning, cleared the fence in left field. In the 3rd inning he belted a RBI double off Freddy Garcia. His 4th hit was a double off Mike Maroth in the 6th inning. His 5th hit was a double off Sidney Ponson in the 8th inning. He collected a single in the 1st, plating two runners. Sean did drive in 5 while scoring 3 runs on his own. He now has a total of 81 hits this season, accounting for a .261 batting average. St. Louis scored 14 runs on 18 hits.

Sunday 7/21/2012: Milwaukee's Perez severely injured
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee's catcher Salvador Perez suffered a serious injury when he was struck by a pitch from Toronto's Michael Pineda. He collapsed in pain and was helped off the field. Perez will probaby miss 6 weeks. After being taken to a local hospital, Perez was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Broken Finger. His season numbers are: .210 AVG, 69 hits, 11 doubles, no triples and 11 longballs, along with 34 RBI and 29 runs scored.

Saturday 7/20/2012: Oliver Perez dominates Texas, gives up just 2 hits
TEXAS - St. Louis' left-hander Oliver Perez is clearly one of the best pitchers in the game. Texas found out the hard way, getting just 2 hits. Perez 6th shutout this season was a masterpiece, as he was almost untouchable. He has now hurled 21st shutouts in his career. 'Wow, what a nice day. I guess I had a good breakfast today.' Perez (15-6) fanned 9 and walked none, throwing 115 pitches. St. Louis' leftfielder Sean Burroughs finished with 2 hits in 4 AB, homering once, stroking a double. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Perez. St. Louis improved its record to 58-37, scoring 3 runs on 9 hits.

Wednesday 7/17/2012: Blackmon and Freeman win Player of the Week award
Charlie Blackmon from Los Angeles (A) wins his 4th Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the American League. He hit .421 with 2 RBI and slugged .737 in 19 at bats. The Player of the Week award in the National League goes to Miami's Freddie Freeman this time, as the first baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Freddie was on fire, hitting .389 with 1 HR and 4 RBI. Freddie has gone 101 for 369 (.274) this season, hitting 13 taters and driving in 64 runs. He has scored 58 runs on his own.

Tuesday 7/16/2012: Esteban German (LAA) will miss 8 weeks
LOS ANGELES (A) - St. Louis' Mike V. Gonzalez drilled Los Angeles (A)'s shortstop Esteban German in the 9th inning. He was slow getting up and had to leave the game. Esteban German will miss at least 8 weeks. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Broken Wrist. Surgery will be performed next week. German has hit for a .250 average this season. He has 10 extra base hits along with 87 total bases, resulting in a .320 slugging percentage.

Wednesday 7/10/2012: Cabrera (MIN) and Kemp (PHI) win P.O.W. award
The American League Player of the Week award goes to Miguel Cabrera, Minnesota's starting first baseman. Miguel went 7 for 20 (.350), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 8 RBI. The Player of the Week award in the National League goes to Philadelphia's Matt Kemp this time, as the leftfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. He had an on base percentage of .652 and hit .556, while driving in 9 runs. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 7 game hitting streak right now. Matt is hitting .263 this year, with 86 hits in 327 at bats. He has driven in 66 runs, slugging .587. He's 4th in the National League in RBIs and 2nd in homeruns!

Sunday 7/7/2012: Chicago (A)'s Zito severely injured
CHICAGO (A) - When it rains, it pours. Chicago (A)'s left-hander Barry Zito will not pitch for at least 6 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Baltimore where he left the field in the 5th inning. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Bone Chips Shoulder. Surgery will be performed next week. Opposing players hit .221 against Barry this season. While posting an ERA of 4.49 he went 6-5 in 18 starts, fanning 84 and walking 45 hitters. He has 6 complete games and one shutout.

Saturday 7/6/2012: Gio Gonzalez pitches his 1st shutout of the season
PHILADELPHIA - Gio Gonzalez took the mound and never left. And Milwaukee hitters couldn't touch him at all. Philadelphia's left-hander gave up just one hit in his 1st shutout of the season. He now has 6 career shutouts in 152 games started. Gonzalez (12-4) struck out 8 and walked 2, throwing 69 of 114 pitches for strikes. 'They took some ugly cuts at my breaking stuff, so I kept throwing it. Fortunately they were not able to adjust in time.' Curtis Granderson provided Philadelphia with the offense Gonzalez needed as he got 4 hits in 6 AB, homering once, hitting a double, scoring three times and driving in 4 runs. Philadelphia scored 17 runs on 19 hits.

Saturday 7/6/2012: Brett Lawrie out for 6 weeks
DETROIT - Detroit's third baseman Brett Lawrie will miss at least 6 weeks after he got hurt seriously while running hard toward second base. He began limping and then fell down, causing a scary moment for his teammates. He had to be carried off the field. Lawrie was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Torn Calf Muscle. Lawrie has hit for a .256 average this season. He has 24 extra base hits along with 127 total bases, resulting in a .407 slugging percentage.

Thursday 7/4/2012: Charlie A. Morton turns in great performance against San Diego
CHICAGO (N) - Charlie A. Morton had some fun again. San Diego hitters did not. Chicago (N)'s right-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 4th shutout of the season. He now has 17 career shutouts in 248 games started. 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Morton (13-6) fanned 9 and walked none, throwing 108 pitches. Shane Victorino helped Morton at the plate, he finished with 1 hit in 3 AB, blasting a homerun, and driving in 2 runs. The final score of the game was 3-0.

Wednesday 7/3/2012: Ian Snell fires 2-hitter against Oakland
MINNESOTA - Minnesota's right-hander Ian Snell will never forget this day. The 30-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Oakland on Monday. 'Things like that happen. You take the mound and everything works. My velocity was pretty good today and I guess it showed.' Snell (5-4) struck out 3 and issued 2 BB, throwing 63 of 111 pitches for strikes. Joe Hietpas helped Snell at the plate, he got 3 hits in 4 AB, hitting 2 doubles, scoring three runs with 3 RBI. The final score of the game was 15-0.

Wednesday 7/3/2012: Justin Morneau on fire, laces six hits
CHICAGO (A) - On Monday, Chicago (A)'s designated hitter Justin Morneau displayed his sensational ability to handle the bat against Boston, punishing their pitchers with six hits. His 1st hit was a RBI double off Titus Gros in the 1st inning. His 3rd hit, off Mike Hinckley in the 5th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left field. His 4th hit was a double off Juan Nicasio in the 6th inning. He had singles in the 3rd inning , in the 7th inning and in the 8th . Justin did drive in 2 while scoring 5 runs on his own. This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 95 hits in 316 at bats, resulting in a .301 batting average. Chicago (A) scored 17 runs on 22 hits.

Wednesday 7/3/2012: Boston's Gros severely injured
BOSTON - Boston's right-hander Titus Gros suffered a severe injury on Monday and will be out for at least 6 weeks. In the 4th of the game against Chicago (A) he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After being taken to a local hospital, Gros was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Pulled Tricep Muscle. His ERA of 8.31 helped him to a 1-13 record this year. He struck out 73 and walked 41 in 73.2 innings.

Wednesday 7/3/2012: Madritsch and Perez win Player of the Week award
Bobby Madritsch of Kansas City wins his 1st Player of the Week award for dominating American League's hitters the entire week. Bobby went 2-0 with an ERA of 0.00, while fanning 13 in 18 innings of work. He pitched two shutouts! The National League Player of the Week award goes to Oliver Perez, one of St. Louis' best starting pitchers. He was in a zone all week, compiling an ERA of 0.00 while going 2-0. He pitched two shutouts!

Monday 7/1/2012: Oakland's Danks earns Pitcher of the Month award
John Danks couldn't have pitched much better than he did in June, and the American League thought so as well, naming the lefty Pitcher of the Month. His record of 4-1 in 5 was among the leagues best this month. In 43.1 innings of work he allowed just 23 hits while striking out 29, compiling an ERA of just 0.62. John fired two shutouts! This season Danks compiled an ERA of 2.39, going 8-7 in 16 starts. He fanned 99 while giving up 85 hits in 120.2 innings. John has pitched 3 shutouts and 5 complete games. San Francisco's Chad Billingsley had a terrific June, and it earned him the National League Pitcher of the month award. His record of 5-0 in 5 was among the leagues best this month. In 42.2 innings of work he allowed just 23 hits while striking out 43, compiling an ERA of just 0.84. Chad got two complete game shutouts as well! This season Billingsley compiled an ERA of 1.68, going 13-3 in 17 starts. He fanned 130 while giving up 95 hits in 139.1 innings. Chad has pitched 2 shutouts and 5 complete games. He's 2nd in the National League in ERA and 1st in wins!

Monday 7/1/2012: Red hot Cabrera and Martin win Batter of the Month award
The American League's best player of the month was Minnesota's Miguel Cabrera, who wins the award for the 8th time in his career. Miguel pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .304 with 12 and 29 RBI while slugging .676. Miguel is hitting .308 this year, with 95 hits in 308 at bats. He has driven in 70 runs, slugging .591. He's 2nd in the American League in RBIs and 1st in homeruns! San Francisco's catcher Russell Martin had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Batter of the Month. Russell pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .389 with 7 and 26 RBI while slugging .678. Martin has hit 11 homeruns this year while batting .273. He adds 13 doubles, along with 37 runs scored.

Saturday 6/29/2012: Philadelphia's Matt Kemp clears fence three times
COLORADO - Philadelphia beat Colorado 11-2, but that was not the real story of the game. Matt Kemp was, as he went deep three times. His 1st shot, a two-run homerun off Zack Greinke in the 3rd inning, cleared the fence in left field. Number 2 in the 5th inning, a shot estimated at 480 feet, cleared the wall in left field. A pitch from Sean Burnett in the 7th inning left his bat for a two-run homerun, landing 386 feet from home plate in left field. Overall he stroked 3 hits in 5 AB, scoring three times with 6 RBI.

Thursday 6/27/2012: Bobby Madritsch fires 2-hitter against Houston
HOUSTON - Great days are rare. But not for Kansas City's southpaw Bobby Madritsch. Houston found out the hard way that he is among the leagues top pitchers, getting just 2 hits. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 16th time he has done it in his career. 'Hey, that's my job! Everytime I take the mound I give the best I can. And my best stuff was too much for them today.' Madritsch (3-9) showed excellent control, walking nobody and fanning 7. Ben Petrick helped Madritsch at the plate, he went 3 for 4, scoring two runs. Kansas City scored 7 runs on 16 hits.

Wednesday 6/26/2012: Player of the Week honors go to Beltran and Burnett
It's the 9th time that the American League Player of the Week award goes to Texas' centerfielder Carlos Beltran. Carlos was on fire, hitting .429 with 3 HR and 7 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 7 game hitting streak right now. His season numbers are: .252 AVG, 62 hits, 14 doubles, one triple and 8 homeruns, along with 28 RBI and 29 runs scored. The National League Player of the Week award goes to A.J. Burnett, one of St. Louis' best starting pitchers. Burnett was overpowering all week long, going 2-0 with an ERA of 0.00. Along the way he struck out 23 in 18 innings. He pitched two shutouts!

Tuesday 6/25/2012: Brad Penny (ARZ) will miss 6-7 weeks
ARIZONA - Arizona's pitcher Brad Penny was part of a scary incident that saw the right-hander being hit by a line drive in the 4th inning of the game between Arizona and San Francisco. Team trainers immediately rushed onto the field after the frightening scene. Penny will miss about 6-7 weeks. Penny was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Broken Finger. Opposing players hit .260 against Brad this season. While posting an ERA of 4.22 he went 3-9 in 17 starts, fanning 115 and walking 13 hitters.

Monday 6/24/2012: Mike Sweeney (NYM) will miss 5-6 weeks
NEW YORK (N) - Atlanta's Victor Alvarez drilled New York (N)'s catcher Mike Sweeney in the 6th inning. He was slow getting up and had to leave the game. Mike Sweeney will miss at least 5-6 weeks. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Broken Cheekbone. Mike is hitting .259 this year, with 67 hits in 259 at bats. He has driven in 36 runs, slugging .375.

Wednesday 6/19/2012: Charlie A. Morton fires 1-hitter against Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA - Chicago (N)'s right-hander Charlie A. Morton is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Philadelphia on just one hit. It's his 3rd shutout this season, and the 16th time he has done it in his career. 'I felt early that I was on top of my game. Fortunately I was able to keep that feeling the entire game.' Morton (10-6) fanned 5 and walked 5, throwing 118 pitches. Jemile Weeks provided Chicago (N) with the offense Morton needed as he finished with 1 hit in 2 AB, doubling once. Chicago (N) improved its record to 47-26, scoring 2 runs on 4 hits.

Wednesday 6/19/2012: New York (N)'s Bruce wins Player of the Week award
Minnesota's first baseman Miguel Cabrera had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the American League Player of the Week. Miguel pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .552 with 5 HR and 12 RBI while slugging 1.103. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 9 games. Miguel has gone 86 for 271 (.317) this season, hitting 18 homeruns and driving in 61 runs. He has scored 63 runs on his own. He's 3rd in the American League in RBIs and 3rd in homeruns! It's the 1st time that the National League Player of the Week award goes to New York (N)'s rightfielder Jay Bruce. In 30 at bats he hit .533 with 3 HR and 8 RBI. Jay has gone 73 for 258 (.283) this season, hitting 14 taters and driving in 55 runs. He has scored 41 runs on his own. He's 4th in the National League in RBIs and 9th in homeruns!

Tuesday 6/18/2012: Peter Moylan out for 7 weeks
ST. LOUIS - When it rains, it pours. St. Louis' right-hander Peter Moylan will not pitch for at least 7 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Milwaukee where he left the field in the 8th inning. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Bone Chips Shoulder. Surgery will be performed next week. Opposing players hit .297 against Peter this season. While posting an ERA of 5.48 he went 2-0 in 0 starts, fanning 10 and walking 10 hitters.

Saturday 6/15/2012: Carlos Zambrano dominates Arizona, gives up just 2 hits
BOSTON - Carlos Zambrano had some fun again. Arizona hitters did not. Boston's right-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 1st shutout of the season. He now has 26 career shutouts in 268 games started. 'I had my stuff going. Everything I tried worked. What a day!' Zambrano (5-6) struck out an astounding 13 and walked none, throwing 76 of 107 pitches for strikes. The hitting star for Boston was third baseman Gregorio Petit, he collected 1 hit in 3 trips to the plate. Boston improved its record to 11-55, scoring 2 runs on 4 hits.

Thursday 6/13/2012: Josh Beckett (ARZ) will miss 6-7 weeks
ARIZONA - When it rains, it pours. Arizona's right-hander Josh Beckett will not pitch for at least 6-7 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Kansas City where he left the field in the 2nd inning. Pulled Bicep Muscle was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. His ERA of 5.55 helped him to a 5-7 record this year. He struck out 95 and walked 12 in 82.2 innings.

Wednesday 6/12/2012: Milwaukee's Hudson severely injured
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee's right-hander Luke Hudson will not pitch again this year, suffering a serious injury in the game against New York (A) on Monday. Torn Rotator Cuff Muscle was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. His ERA of 3.76 helped him to a 7-4 record this year. He struck out 84 and walked 15 in 91 innings.

Wednesday 6/12/2012: Cleveland's Dunn wins Player of the Week award
The Player of the Week award in the American League goes to Cleveland's Adam Dunn this time, as the centerfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Dunn helped his team with an average of .429 and 9 RBI in 28 at bats. His season features a batting average of .329 (72 hits in 219 AB), 11 doubles, one triple and 19 taters. Dunn collected 56 RBI and 45 runs as well. He's 9th in the American League in batting, 1st in homeruns and 3rd in RBI! Atlanta's leftfielder Carlos Lee had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Player of the Week. He had an on base percentage of .593 and hit .545, while driving in 6 runs.

Sunday 6/9/2012: Matt Cain quiets Texas bats with shutout
TEXAS - Matt Cain took the mound and never left. And Texas hitters couldn't touch him at all. San Francisco's right-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 2nd shutout of the season. He now has 5 career shutouts in 132 games started. Cain (8-3) fanned 6 and walked 3, throwing 134 pitches. 'Pitching a great game is always a good thing. And it doesn't get much better than today.' San Francisco's rightfielder Hunter Pence stroked 1 hit in 3 AB, hitting a homerun, and driving in 2 runs. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Cain. San Francisco scored 2 runs on 4 hits.

Saturday 6/8/2012: Adam Wainwright shuts out Arizona on one hit
ARIZONA - Adam Wainwright had some fun again. Arizona hitters did not. Houston's right-hander gave up just one hit in his 3rd shutout of the season. He now has 16 career shutouts in 305 games started. Wainwright (6-5) struck out an astounding 14 and walked none, throwing 77 of 110 pitches for strikes. 'They took some ugly cuts at my breaking stuff, so I kept throwing it. Fortunately they were not able to adjust in time.' Brandon Phillips helped Wainwright at the plate, he got 2 hits in 5 AB, hitting two dingers, scoring two runs and collecting 2 RBI. The final score of the game was 3-0.

Friday 6/7/2012: Nick Adenhart pitches his 2nd shutout of the season
CHICAGO (N) - Chicago (N)'s right-hander Nick Adenhart is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Boston on just 2 hits. It's his 2nd shutout this season, and the 7th time he has done it in his career. Adenhart (5-2) struck out 6 and issued 4 BB, throwing 65 of 116 pitches for strikes. 'I hit the corners with all of my pitches. That helped a lot!' The hitting star for Chicago (N) was centerfielder Preston Wilson, he collected 3 hits in 4 trips to the plate, blasting a homerun, scoring 2 runs with 3 RBI. Chicago (N) improved its record to 38-24, scoring 11 runs on 11 hits.

Friday 6/7/2012: Ben Sheets turns in great performance against Los Angeles (A)
PHILADELPHIA - Ben Sheets took the mound and never left. And Los Angeles (A) hitters couldn't touch him at all. Philadelphia's right-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 4th shutout of the season. He now has 33 career shutouts in 367 games started. The bid for a no-hitter was broken up when Brian Schneider singled with no outs in the 5th inning. 'Well, the ball went where I wanted it. I was able to hit the corners with all of my pitches.' Sheets (7-3) struck out 9 and walked none, throwing 71 of 114 pitches for strikes. Aubrey Huff helped Sheets at the plate, he collected 3 hits in 4 trips to the plate, homering once, scoring 2 runs and driving in 2 runs. Philadelphia improved its record to 48-13, scoring 7 runs on 11 hits.

Thursday 6/6/2012: Edwin Jackson pitches 2-hit shutout against San Diego
SAN DIEGO - Edwin Jackson took the mound and never left. And San Diego hitters couldn't touch him at all. Cleveland's right-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 1st shutout of the season. He now has 5 career shutouts in 169 games started. 'I had a good grip on the ball today and I was able to put it where I wanted. That kept them out of balance.' Jackson (5-3) fanned 9 and walked 1, throwing 99 pitches. Adam Dunn helped Jackson at the plate, he finished 3 for 4, homering once, and collecting 3 RBI. The final score of the game was 4-0.

Wednesday 6/5/2012: Player of the Week honors go to Burrell and Soriano
The American League's best player of the week was Cleveland's Pat Burrell, who wins the award for the 5th time in his career. Pat was on fire, hitting .611 with 1 HR and 7 RBI. Burrell has hit for a .297 average this season. He has 27 extra base hits along with 107 total bases, resulting in a .549 slugging percentage. Milwaukee's leftfielder Alfonso Soriano had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Player of the Week. Alfonso went 12 for 21 (.571), while hitting 4 HR and collecting 12 RBI. While compiling an on base percentage of .372, Alfonso hit .274 and slugged .468. He has collected 28 runs batted in this year.

Saturday 6/1/2012: Philadelphia's Sheets named Pitcher of the Month
The best month of May in the American League certainly had Detroit's right-hander Justin Verlander, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. He had an ERA of just 0.89 in 40.1 innings of work in which he struck out 37 hitters. His record in May is 5-0. In 11 starts this year Justin struck out 65 batters in 81 innings of work. His ERA is 1.78, his record 8-1. He has 4 complete games and one shutout. He's 4th in the American League in ERA and 2nd in wins! Philadelphia's pitcher Ben Sheets is the National League winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in May. His ERA of just 0.44 helped him to a 4-0 record in May. He worked 41.1 innings, striking out 55 hitters while walking 3. Ben got two complete game shutouts as well! This season Sheets compiled an ERA of 1.54, going 6-3 in 11 starts. He fanned 109 while giving up 62 hits in 93.1 innings. Ben has pitched 3 shutouts and 6 complete games.

Saturday 6/1/2012: Philadelphia's Hardy named Batter of the Month
The American League's best player of the month was Detroit's Russell Branyan, who wins the award for the 3rd time in his career. He had an on base percentage of .455 and hit .343, while driving in 35 runs. He has hit 16 taters while batting .285 this season. His 57 hits and 29 walks add up to a .381 on-base percentage. He's 1st in the American League in RBIs and 1st in homeruns! J.J. Hardy of Philadelphia wins his 4th Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the National League. In 95 at bats he hit .368 with 10 HR and 36 RBI. Hardy has hit 13 bombs this year while batting .297. He adds 14 doubles, along with 31 runs scored. He's 3rd in the National League in RBIs and 3rd in homeruns!

Thursday 5/30/2012: Jensen Lewis (MIA) will miss 6 weeks
MIAMI - Miami's right-hander Jensen Lewis suffered a severe injury on Tuesday and will be out for at least 6 weeks. In the 6th of the game against Baltimore he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Strained Tricep Muscle which will require surgery. This season Lewis compiled an ERA of 18.29, going 0-0 in 0 starts. He fanned 7 while giving up 19 hits in 10.1 innings.

Wednesday 5/29/2012: Lee (MIN) and Ruiz (PHI) win P.O.W. award
The American League's best player of the week was Minnesota's Cliff P. Lee, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. Cliff P. went 2-0 with an ERA of 0.00, while fanning 12 in 18 innings of work. He pitched two shutouts! The National League Player of the Week award goes to Carlos Ruiz, Philadelphia's starting catcher. Carlos went 10 for 23 (.435), while hitting 4 HR and collecting 11 RBI. Carlos is hitting .275 this year, with 46 hits in 167 at bats. He has driven in 33 runs, slugging .491.

Monday 5/27/2012: Lance Berkman stars with 2000th career hit
KANSAS CITY - Chicago (N)'s first baseman Lance Berkman was in good mood after the game against Kansas City, and he had every reason as he made some history while collecting his 2000th career hit. His best year so far was 2008 where he hit .299 with 37 homeruns and 104 RBI. 'You dream about that as a kid, but when you reach such a milestone it's hard to believe. Fantastic.' With two outs in the 5th inning, Lance drilled a double, causing a standing ovation from the crowd.

Friday 5/24/2012: Scott Kazmir out for 5-6 weeks
MIAMI - When it rains, it pours. Miami's left-hander Scott Kazmir will not pitch for at least 5-6 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against New York (N) where he left the field in the 6th inning. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Strained Tricep Muscle. This season Kazmir compiled an ERA of 2.35, going 2-5 in 10 starts. He fanned 77 while giving up 68 hits in 72.2 innings.

Thursday 5/23/2012: Vicente Padilla blanks Boston with a 1-hitter
BALTIMORE - Baltimore's right-hander Vicente Padilla is clearly one of the best pitchers in the game. Boston found out the hard way, getting just one hit. Padilla 3rd shutout this season was a masterpiece, as he was almost untouchable. He has now hurled 11th shutouts in his career. 'I was hitting my spots. Now I'll start concentrating on my next start, and hopefully it will work again.' Padilla (5-4) fanned 5 and walked 2, throwing 106 pitches. Derrek Lee provided Baltimore with the offense Padilla needed as he stroked 1 hit in 4 AB, hitting a homerun, with 2 RBI. Baltimore improved its record to 21-26, scoring 2 runs on 3 hits.

Wednesday 5/22/2012: Morneau and Rolen win Player of the Week award
Justin Morneau from Chicago (A) wins his 4th Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the American League. Justin went 11 for 26 (.423), while hitting 4 HR and collecting 11 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 8 game hitting streak right now. Justin is hitting .273 this year, with 47 hits in 172 at bats. He has driven in 29 runs, slugging .570. San Diego's third baseman Scott Rolen had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Player of the Week. Scott was on fire, hitting .565 with 3 HR and 9 RBI. This year Rolen drove in 19 and scored 21 runs while batting .242 with 7 taters.

Tuesday 5/21/2012: Ben Sheets pitches 2-hit shutout against Cincinnati
CINCINNATI - Philadelphia's right-hander Ben Sheets is clearly one of the best pitchers in the game. Cincinnati found out the hard way, getting just 2 hits. Sheets 3rd shutout this season was a masterpiece, as he was almost untouchable. He has now hurled 32nd shutouts in his career. Sheets (6-3) fanned 7 and walked 1, throwing 103 pitches. 'I was hitting my spots. Now I'll start concentrating on my next start, and hopefully it will work again.' Luke Scott provided Philadelphia with the offense Sheets needed as he finished 2 for 4, homering once, and collecting 4 RBI. Philadelphia improved its record to 34-12, scoring 8 runs on 10 hits.

Monday 5/20/2012: Brandon Webb turns in great performance against Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH - Miami's right-hander Brandon Webb is clearly one of the best pitchers in the game. Pittsburgh found out the hard way, getting just 2 hits. Webb 1st shutout this season was a masterpiece, as he was almost untouchable. He has now hurled 20th shutouts in his career. Andy Dirks spoiled the bid for a no-hitter when he singled with two outs in the 5th inning. 'They took some ugly cuts at my breaking stuff, so I kept throwing it. Fortunately they were not able to adjust in time.' Webb (5-1) fanned 8 and walked none, throwing 108 pitches. The hitting star for Miami was catcher Gary Sanchez, he finished 4 for 5, homering once. The final score of the game was 8-0.

Sunday 5/19/2012: San Francisco's Pagan severely injured
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's centerfielder Angel Pagan hurt himself in the 4th inning while diving for a batted ball. He got up slowly and had to leave the game. Angel Pagan will miss at least 5 weeks. Pagan was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Fractured Hip. Pagan has walked 16 times this year and posts a .339 OBP. While batting .277, 44 for 159, he has driven in 23 runs.

Wednesday 5/15/2012: Baltimore's Hafner severely injured
BALTIMORE - Baltimore's second baseman Travis Hafner will miss about 5-6 weeks after he hurt himself badly in the 1st inning of the game between Baltimore and Chicago (A). He fielded a ball off the bat of Juan Pierre, threw a bullet to first and immediately signaled that he's not OK. Spasms Back was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. Hafner has walked 15 times this year and posts a .329 OBP. While batting .236, 30 for 127, he has driven in 9 runs.

Wednesday 5/15/2012: Arizona's Goldschmidt wins Player of the Week award
The American League's best player of the week was Los Angeles (A)'s Charlie Blackmon, who wins the award for the 3rd time in his career. Charlie went 16 for 28 (.571), while hitting 4 HR and collecting 13 RBI. Arizona's first baseman Paul Goldschmidt had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Player of the Week. Paul was on fire, hitting .526 with 3 HR and 9 RBI. Goldschmidt has walked 11 times this year and posts a .329 OBP. While batting .268, 37 for 138, he has driven in 27 runs. He's 9th in the National League in RBIs and 9th in homeruns!

Monday 5/13/2012: 6-hit performance by Cleveland's Carlos Gonzalez
SEATTLE - Cleveland's second baseman Carlos Gonzalez once again displayed his tremendous ability to make contact with that little white ball. He tore up Seattle's pitching staff with a 6 hit performance on Saturday. He had singles in the 3rd , in the 4th inning (one RBI) , in the 5th inning , in the 6th inning , in the 9th inning and in the 9th inning (two RBIs). Carlos scored 4 runs, and he collected 3 RBI as well! He's having a very good season so far, batting .325. Cleveland scored 28 runs on 27 hits.

Saturday 5/11/2012: Ubaldo Jimenez dominates Colorado, gives up just one hit
MIAMI - Great days are rare. But not for Miami's right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez. Colorado found out the hard way that he is among the leagues top pitchers, getting just one hit. It's his 3rd shutout this season, and the 16th time he has done it in his career. 'Wow, what a nice day. I guess I had a good breakfast today.' Jimenez (5-1) struck out 7 and walked 3, throwing 69 of 110 pitches for strikes. Ryan Braun helped Jimenez at the plate, he collected 2 hits in 4 trips to the plate, with 2 RBI. Miami improved its record to 22-15, scoring 6 runs on 9 hits.

Wednesday 5/8/2012: Clayton Kershaw blanks San Francisco with a 1-hitter
LOS ANGELES (N) - Great days are rare. But not for Los Angeles (N)'s left-hander Clayton Kershaw. San Francisco found out the hard way that he is among the leagues top pitchers, getting just one hit. It's his 2nd shutout this season, and the 7th time he has done it in his career. 'I really like to play baseball, and I love the way I was able to play it today.' Kershaw (6-0) fanned 5 and walked 2, throwing 108 pitches. Nick Johnson provided Los Angeles (N) with the offense Kershaw needed as he finished with 2 hits in 4 AB. The final score of the game was 3-0.

Wednesday 5/8/2012: Philadelphia's Hardy wins Player of the Week award
Nomar Garciaparra wins his 5th Player of the Week award. American League pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. In 32 at bats he hit .500 with 3 HR and 11 RBI. While compiling an on base percentage of .386, Nomar hit .363 and slugged .548. He has collected 27 runs batted in this year. He's 5th in the American League in batting and 7th in RBI! Philadelphia's shortstop J.J. Hardy had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Player of the Week. He had an on base percentage of .517 and hit .500, while driving in 15 runs. J.J. managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week. Hardy has hit 6 taters this year while batting .288. He adds 10 doubles, along with 14 runs scored.

Tuesday 5/7/2012: Scott Elbert out for 7 weeks
NEW YORK (N) - When it rains, it pours. New York (N)'s lefty Scott Elbert will not pitch for at least 7 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Philadelphia where he left the field in the 4th inning. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Strained Elbow Ligament. Scott has a record of 2-1 this season, with an ERA of 3.24. In 16.2 Innings he was able to strike out 15 batters.

Thursday 5/2/2012: Chris R. Young pitches his 2nd shutout of the season
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia's right-hander Chris R. Young is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking San Diego on just 2 hits. It's his 2nd shutout this season, and the 18th time he has done it in his career. Young (6-0) fanned 5 and walked none, throwing 86 pitches. 'I was hitting my spots. Now I'll start concentrating on my next start, and hopefully it will work again.' J.J. Hardy provided Philadelphia with the offense Young needed as he stroked 3 hits in 4 AB, homering once, with 3 RBI. The final score of the game was 4-0.

Thursday 5/2/2012: Tomo Ohka (SEA) will miss full season
SEATTLE - Seattle's right-hander Tomo Ohka experienced probably the worst case scenario for a pitcher, a season ending injury. After pitching in the 3rd inning of the game against Detroit, Ohka complained about serious pain in his throwing arm. He had to leave the game. Torn Ligament Elbow was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. In 6 starts this year Tomo struck out 19 batters in 28.1 innings of work. His ERA is 6.04, his record 2-3.

Wednesday 5/1/2012: Cole Hamels fires 2-hitter against San Diego
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia's lefty Cole Hamels is clearly one of the best pitchers in the game. San Diego found out the hard way, getting just 2 hits. Hamels 1st shutout this season was a masterpiece, as he was almost untouchable. He has now hurled 20th shutouts in his career. 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Hamels (3-2) showed excellent control, walking nobody and fanning 7. The hitting star for Philadelphia was third baseman Endy Chavez, he went 3 for 4, hitting a homerun, doubling once, with three runs scored with 2 RBI. Philadelphia scored 6 runs on 14 hits.

Wednesday 5/1/2012: Adrian Beltre (STL) will miss 4 weeks
ST. LOUIS - St. Louis' third baseman Adrian Beltre hurt himself in the 4th inning while making a routine throw to first base. He experienced serious pain and had to leave the game. Adrian Beltre will miss at least 4 weeks. St. Louis wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Beltre had suffered a Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle. While compiling an on base percentage of .308, Adrian hit .268 and slugged .536. He has collected 27 runs batted in this year. He's 2nd in the National League in RBIs and 10th in homeruns!

Wednesday 5/1/2012: Nomar Garciaparra socks five hits for Oakland
OAKLAND - Nomar Garciaparra is among the best pure hitters in the game, but his 5 hit performance seemed to surprise even himself. His 3rd hit, a solo homerun off Damian Moss in the 4th inning, cleared the fence in left field. Number 5 in the 6th inning, a shot estimated at 375 feet, cleared the wall in left field. He had singles in the 1st inning , in the 2nd and in the 4th (two RBIs). Nomar did drive in 5 while scoring 4 runs on his own. This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 38 hits in 109 at bats, resulting in a .349 batting average. Oakland scored 23 runs on 25 hits.

Wednesday 5/1/2012: Detroit's Verlander wins Player of the Week award
Justin Verlander of Detroit wins his 2nd Player of the Week award for dominating American League's hitters the entire week. He was in a zone all week, compiling an ERA of 1.00 while going 2-0. He hurled a shutout as well. Los Angeles (N)'s catcher Travis d'Arnaud had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Player of the Week. He hit .500 with 7 RBI and slugged .962 in 26 at bats. Travis has gone 22 for 81 (.272) this season, hitting 2 longballs and driving in 11 runs. He has scored 11 runs on his own.

Wednesday 5/1/2012: Pitcher of the Month award winners announced
Josh Johnson couldn't have pitched much better than he did in April, and the American League thought so as well, naming the southpaw Pitcher of the Month. He struck out 48 hitters in his 6 starts, putting together a record of 5-1 while pitching 48 innings. His ERA in April was 0.98. Josh pitched a shutout as well. Miami's pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez is the National League winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in April. His record of 4-1 in 6 was among the leagues best this month. In 48.2 innings of work he allowed just 33 hits while striking out 42, compiling an ERA of just 0.92. Ubaldo fired two shutouts!

Wednesday 5/1/2012: Detroit's Taveras earns Batter of the Month award
It's the 1st time that the American League Batter of the Month award goes to Detroit's centerfielder Willy Taveras. He had an on base percentage of .471 and hit .394, while driving in 22 runs. Matt Holliday of San Francisco wins his 8th Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the National League. Matt pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .354 with 7 and 23 RBI while slugging .677.

Monday 4/29/2012: Scott Stewart out for 4 weeks
SEATTLE - Seattle is without its southpaw Scott Stewart for at least 4 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Pablo Ozuna in a game against New York (A). His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle. This season Stewart compiled an ERA of 1.33, going 0-2 in 0 starts. He fanned 24 while giving up 18 hits in 20.1 innings.

Saturday 4/27/2012: Adam Wainwright blanks Texas with a 2-hitter
HOUSTON - Adam Wainwright had some fun again. Texas hitters did not. Houston's right-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 2nd shutout of the season. He now has 15 career shutouts in 297 games started. 'Giving my team a chance to win is the most important thing for me. I was able to do it today.' Wainwright (3-2) fanned 7 and walked 1, throwing 109 pitches. The hitting star for Houston was third baseman Mike Moustakas, he stroked 1 hit in 2 AB, blasting a homerun, scoring two runs and collecting 4 RBI. Houston scored 5 runs on 10 hits.

Saturday 4/27/2012: Derrek Lee has 2000th career hits
BALTIMORE - Baltimore's Derrek Lee showed a smile on his face after he got his 2000th career hit against Toronto on Thursday. His hit in the 3rd inning was a double off Kane Davis. In 14 years of big league action so far, Derrek has compiled a batting average of .248, along with 480 homeruns and 1457 RBI. 'I guess I'll celebrate a bit today. But the most important thing is winning, and my whole career I gave everything I could to help my team.'

Friday 4/26/2012: Mike Pelfrey pitches his 1st shutout of the season
LOS ANGELES (A) - Los Angeles (A)'s Mike Pelfrey overmatched the opposing hitters all day long. Baltimore had no chance, collecting just 2 hits against the right-hander. 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Pelfrey (1-2) fanned 7 and walked 1, throwing 123 pitches. Alex Rios provided Los Angeles (A) with the offense Pelfrey needed as he got 1 hit in 4 AB, blasting a homerun, with 4 RBI. Los Angeles (A) improved its record to 13-8, scoring 7 runs on 11 hits.

Wednesday 4/24/2012: Justin Verlander blanks Seattle with a 1-hitter
SEATTLE - Justin Verlander took the mound and never left. And Seattle hitters couldn't touch him at all. Detroit's right-hander gave up just one hit in his 1st shutout of the season. He now has 18 career shutouts in 236 games started. 'I was hitting my spots. Now I'll start concentrating on my next start, and hopefully it will work again.' Verlander (2-1) struck out 6 and walked 1, throwing 60 of 97 pitches for strikes. The hitting star for Detroit was shortstop Danny Espinosa, he got 2 hits in 3 AB. Detroit scored 3 runs on 11 hits.

Wednesday 4/24/2012: Player of the Week honors go to Taveras and Berkman
The American League's best player of the week was Detroit's Willy Taveras, who wins the award for the 3rd time in his career. He had an on base percentage of .464 and hit .375, while driving in 12 runs. Chicago (N)'s first baseman Lance Berkman had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Player of the Week. He hit .400 with 11 RBI and slugged 1.040 in 25 at bats.

Monday 4/22/2012: Charlie A. Morton quiets New York (N) bats with shutout
NEW YORK (N) - Charlie A. Morton took the mound and never left. And New York (N) hitters couldn't touch him at all. Chicago (N)'s right-hander gave up just one hit in his 1st shutout of the season. He now has 14 career shutouts in 234 games started. Morton (3-2) struck out 5 and issued 2 BB, throwing 66 of 101 pitches for strikes. 'I'll have to give a lot of credit to my catcher. He put all the right fingers down today.' The hitting star for Chicago (N) was leftfielder Justin Upton, he collected 1 hit in 5 trips to the plate, homering once, and driving in 3 runs. Chicago (N) improved its record to 8-10, scoring 8 runs on 9 hits.

Monday 4/22/2012: Alex Rios knocks lights out with three homeruns
SEATTLE - Alex Rios powered Los Angeles (A) to a 5-4 win over Seattle. He did it in style by homering three times. A pitch from Tomo Ohka in the 2nd inning left his bat for a two-run homerun, landing 470 feet from home plate in left field. A 348 foot drive to left field marked his 2nd bomb, a solo homerun off Alex Herrera in the 6th inning. In the 8th inning he unloaded a solo homerun off James Russell. Overall he stroked 3 hits in 4 AB, scoring three runs and driving in 4 runs. So far this season he is batting .262 with 5 homers and 14 RBI.

Sunday 4/21/2012: Colorado has no chance in a 1-hitter by Chris R. Young
PHILADELPHIA - Chris R. Young had some fun again. Colorado hitters did not. Philadelphia's right-hander gave up just one hit in his 1st shutout of the season. He now has 17 career shutouts in 314 games started. 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Young (4-0) struck out 9 and issued 1 BB, throwing 71 of 121 pitches for strikes. Wilmer Flores helped Young at the plate, he got 3 hits in 4 AB. The final score of the game was 1-0.

Saturday 4/20/2012: Chicago (A)'s Juan Pierre gets milestone hit
DETROIT - Chicago (A)'s players had every reason to congratulate Juan Pierre, who reached a milestone today, collecting his 2000th career hit! He hit a single in the 4th off Joel Pineiro for number 2000. Along with his 2000 hits, Juan collected 40 homeruns and 735 RBI in 11 seasons. 'Wow. That is all I can say now. I'm thrilled.'

Friday 4/19/2012: Mark Prior shuts out Houston on 2 hits
HOUSTON - Great days are rare. But not for Toronto's right-hander Mark Prior. Houston found out the hard way that he is among the leagues top pitchers, getting just 2 hits. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 18th time he has done it in his career. With two outs in the 7th inning Andre Ethier singled to break up the no-hitter. 'I felt early that I was on top of my game. Fortunately I was able to keep that feeling the entire game.' Prior (3-0) struck out an astounding 13 and walked none, throwing 72 of 104 pitches for strikes. The hitting star for Toronto was first baseman Anthony Rizzo, he finished 1 for 5, hitting a homerun, with 2 RBI. Toronto improved its record to 12-5, scoring 5 runs on 13 hits.

Thursday 4/18/2012: Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt has great day, hits three longballs
SAN DIEGO - Paul Goldschmidt was in a groove, and the results spoke for themselves. He powered Arizona to a 6-5 win over San Diego by homering three times. His 1st blast, a solo homerun off Yovanni Gallardo in the 1st inning, landed an estimated 371 feet from home plate. His 2nd shot, a solo homerun off Yovanni Gallardo in the 4th inning, cleared the fence in center field. Number 3 in the 5th inning, a shot estimated at 368 feet, cleared the wall in right field. Paul finished 3 for 5, scoring three runs and driving in 5 runs. In 1764 career at bats, he has hit 70 homeruns and collected 260 RBI.

Thursday 4/18/2012: Sean Burroughs found the stroke, smashes three homers
CHICAGO (N) - Hitting a homerun is fine, but hitting three of them in one game is something special. Miami's third baseman Sean Burroughs accomplished that feat in a 9-8 win over Chicago (N). His 1st shot, off Ian Kennedy in the 2nd inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left-center. Number 2 in the 7th inning, a shot estimated at 444 feet, cleared the wall in center field. His 3rd blast, a solo homerun off Dellin Betances in the 9th inning, landed an estimated 454 feet from home plate. Sean stroked 3 hits in 5 AB, scoring three times with 6 RBI. So far this season he is batting .262 with 5 homers and 20 RBI.

Thursday 4/18/2012: Josh Johnson fires 2-hitter against Houston
HOUSTON - Josh Johnson took the mound and never left. And Houston hitters couldn't touch him at all. Toronto's left-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 1st shutout of the season. He now has 19 career shutouts in 175 games started. Johnson (3-1) showed excellent control, walking nobody and fanning 8. 'I felt early that I was on top of my game. Fortunately I was able to keep that feeling the entire game.' Toronto's rightfielder Ben Revere finished with 2 hits in 4 AB, hitting 2 doubles, and driving in 3 runs. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Johnson. The final score of the game was 5-0.

Wednesday 4/17/2012: Moustakas and Jacobsen win Player of the Week award
The Player of the Week award in the American League goes to Houston's Mike Moustakas this time, as the third baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. In 26 at bats he hit .500 with 5 HR and 14 RBI. The National League Player of the Week award goes to Bucky Jacobsen, Atlanta's starting first baseman. He had an on base percentage of .577 and hit .450, while driving in 7 runs.

Tuesday 4/16/2012: Scott Rolen stars with 2000th career hit
SAN DIEGO - San Diego's third baseman Scott Rolen already had some highlights in his career, and today he added another one, getting his 2000th career hit. Along with his 2000 hits, Scott collected 232 homeruns and 980 RBI in 14 seasons. 'You dream about that as a kid, but when you reach such a milestone it's hard to believe. Fantastic.' His hit in the 4th inning was a single off Dan L. Meyer.

Monday 4/15/2012: Vladimir Guerrero slams 500th homerun
CINCINNATI - Atlanta's rightfielder Vladimir Guerrero was in good mood after the game against Cincinnati, and he had every reason as he made baseball history while collecting his 500th career homerun. His historic shot, off James Shields in the 6th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left field. Perhaps his best year so far was 2000 where he hit .343 with 49 homeruns and 154 RBI. Vladimir has managed to hit 30+ homeruns in a season 6 times, and he topped 40 homeruns 2 times. 'It's hard to believe that I did it. I want to thank my family, my friends and my teammates!' The Hall of Fame already has reserved a place for this great player.

Sunday 4/14/2012: Ben Sheets dominates Los Angeles (N), gives up just one hit
LOS ANGELES (N) - Great days are rare. But not for Philadelphia's right-hander Ben Sheets. Los Angeles (N) found out the hard way that he is among the leagues top pitchers, getting just one hit. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 30th time he has done it in his career. The bid for a no-hitter was broken up when Eric Munson singled with one out in the 6th inning. Sheets (2-1) struck out an astounding 14 and walked none, throwing 76 of 111 pitches for strikes. 'Things like that happen. You take the mound and everything works. My velocity was pretty good today and I guess it showed.' J.J. Hardy provided Philadelphia with the offense Sheets needed as he collected 2 hits in 4 trips to the plate, blasting a homerun. Philadelphia scored 4 runs on 5 hits.

Sunday 4/14/2012: Chicago (N)'s Adenhart severely injured
CHICAGO (N) - When it rains, it pours. Chicago (N)'s right-hander Nick Adenhart will not pitch for at least 5 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against San Francisco where he left the field in the 4th inning. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Strained Rotator Cuff Muscle. Surgery will be performed next week.

Saturday 4/13/2012: Boston's Dustin Pedroia hits for the cycle
KANSAS CITY - Dustin Pedroia is a pretty good hitter, but his 4 hit performance seemed to surprise even himself considering that the hits added up to the cycle, one of the most difficult things to accomplish in baseball. A 365 foot drive to left field marked his 1st hit, a solo homerun off Troy Mattes in the 1st inning. His 2nd hit was a double off Troy Mattes in the 3rd inning. His 3rd hit was a RBI triple off Troy Mattes in the 6th inning. A single in the 7th off Luis Valdez accounted for his 4th hit. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Dustin scored 2 runs, and he collected 2 RBI as well! He's having a very good season so far, batting .333. He becomes the 137th player in league history collect at least a single, double, triple and a homerun in a single game. On 8/29/2011, DJ LeMahieu was the last player to hit for the cycle.

Wednesday 4/10/2012: Boston has no chance in a 2-hitter by Joel Pineiro
BOSTON - Joel Pineiro had his best stuff going, and Boston hitters had nothing to cheer about. Detroit's right-hander pitched a 2-hitter, his 1st shutout of the season. 'Giving my team a chance to win is the most important thing for me. I was able to do it today.' Pineiro (1-1) was overpowering, fanning 12 while walking 3, throwing 126 pitches. Detroit's centerfielder Willy Taveras collected 2 hits in 4 trips to the plate, hitting a double. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Pineiro. Detroit scored 4 runs on 4 hits.

Wednesday 4/10/2012: Dunn (CLE) and Jimenez (MIA) win P.O.W. award
It's the 1st time that the American League Player of the Week award goes to Cleveland's centerfielder Adam Dunn. He had an on base percentage of .533 and hit .440, while driving in 8 runs. Miami's pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Player of the Week. He was in a zone all week, compiling an ERA of 0.00 while going 2-0. He pitched two shutouts!

Tuesday 4/9/2012: Colorado's Devine severely injured
COLORADO - Colorado is without its right-hander Joey Devine for at least 6-7 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Mark Trumbo in a game against Pittsburgh. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being taken to a local hospital, Devine was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Ruptured Tricep Tendon.

Tuesday 4/9/2012: Houston's Guillen severely injured
HOUSTON - Houston's leftfielder Jose Guillen suffered a serious injury when he was struck by a pitch from Oakland's Felix Hernandez. He collapsed in pain and was helped off the field. Guillen will probaby miss 4-5 weeks. Broken Hand was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials.

Sunday 4/7/2012: Alfonso Soriano has 2000th career hits
SAN FRANCISCO - Milwaukee's leftfielder Alfonso Soriano joined some elite company today, collecting his 2000th career hit! He hit a single in the 6th off Matt Cain for number 2000. Along with his 2000 hits, Alfonso collected 384 homeruns and 1217 RBI in 13 seasons. 'My firends always told me that I will do it one day. I never believed it. Good that I was wrong!'

Wednesday 4/3/2012: Felipe Paulino dominates Chicago (N), gives up just 2 hits
LOS ANGELES (N) - Los Angeles (N)'s Felipe Paulino overmatched the opposing hitters all day long. Chicago (N) had no chance, collecting just 2 hits against the right-hander. Paulino (1-0) was really unbelievable, striking out 16 and walking none, throwing 72 of 112 pitches for strikes. 'Pitching a great game is always a good thing. And it doesn't get much better than today.' Aramis Ramirez provided Los Angeles (N) with the offense Paulino needed as he finished with 2 hits in 5 AB, stroking a double, with 4 RBI. Los Angeles (N) improved its record to 1-0, scoring 10 runs on 9 hits.

Wednesday 4/3/2012: New York (N)'s Stults out for 6-7 weeks
NEW YORK (N) - New York (N) is without its left-hander Eric Stults for at least 6-7 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Dioner Navarro in a game against Colorado. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. New York (N) wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Stults had suffered a Ruptured Bicep Tendon.

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