Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.You Oughta Know ...
That two crafty left-handers showed they still have something left in the tank Sunday. Eric Milton, who went almost three years without a win in the major leagues, won his second consecutive start in this 2009 comeback with the Dodgers -- an 8-2 defeat of the Cubs -- since being recalled by the club from Triple-A Albuquerque. It's unclear if he will get a third with Hiroki Kuroda returning from injury on Monday.
Hundreds of miles away and hours earlier, the Phillies' Jamie Moyer -- who knows a thing or two about making a comeback -- picked up his 250th career win against the Nationals ... after five previous tries. Moyer needs just four more wins to pass Carl Hubbell and become the 10th-winningest left-handed pitcher in major league history.
"[Moyer's] 250 wins is ... I don't know that I have to tell you, that's quite a few," manager Charlie Manuel said.From the Trainer's Room ...
A second DL stint already this season could be looming for Josh Hamilton. The Rangers center fielder was limited to pinch-hitting duties Sunday and will have an MRI Monday on his midsection. Hamilton missed time earlier this year with a strained ribcage and may have reaggravated the injury in recent days. Considering that he played only 90 games in 2007 and faded badly at the end of last season (and considering what he put his body through during years of drug addiction), you have to wonder if health is constantly going to be an issue for Hamilton going forward.
Numbers Game ...
San Diego first baseman Adrian Gonzalez became the first player in the majors this season to reach the 20-homer plateau, keeping him firmly on pace to to hit more than 60 home runs. In fact, he's currently on pace to hit 64.8 home runs in 2009.
If he kept that pace all season, would he all of a sudden become the people's single-season home run champ? That's hard to say. What's easy to say is that it is hard to envision him keeping this up all year when he plays half of his games at the cavernous Petco Park. Only five of his 20 homers on the year have come at the Padres' home park. (Hat tip to Baseball Musings' David Pinto, who first pointed out his pace.)
In Their Own Words ...
"They got base hits with two strikes and two outs. That's usually what I feel like I do real good at. You need just one more out, I can finish it out. Today, they beat me at that situation." -- Royals pitcher Zack Greinke after he had the gall to give up multiple earned runs in a 7-4 loss to the White Sox. The right-hander surrendered three earned runs, a season high and only the third time he has given up more than one in a start in 2009, as his ERA shot all the way up to 1.10. He still escaped the game with a no decision.
Advance Scouting ...
It's an abbreviated slate Monday, but there are two high-profile pitchers making their return from the disabled list. Cincinnati's Edinson Volquez returns from a stint on the shelf due to back spasms against the Cardinals (8:15 PM ET), while the Dodgers' Kuroda -- out since April 7 with a strained oblique -- will rejoin the L.A. rotation with a start against the Diamondbacks (10:10 PM ET).
