Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.You Oughta Know ...
That Florida's Sean West is now within 299 wins of Randy Johnson on the all-time career list.
West, 22, out-dueled Johnson on Monday in the latter's first start after reaching the 300-win milestone, taking a no-hitter into the seventh against San Francisco. It was the fourth career start for West, and his first victory.
A tall left-hander, he naturally idolized Johnson growing up.So far, West – who at 6-foot-8 gives up two inches to Johnson – has a 2.22 ERA with just 14 hits allowed in 24 1/3 innings.
Going up against Johnson was an even greater thrill.
"It was so surreal seeing him out there [Monday]," West said. "It was like a dream."
From the Trainer's Room ...
Oakland outfielder Aaron Cunningham was diagnosed with a concussion after being hit in the head with a 91-mph pitch from Minnesota's Anthony Swarzak. Cunningham stayed in the game, but came out after the half-inning and was taken to a hospital for a CT scan.
Numbers Game ...
It took 15 innings against the Pirates, but Braves manager Bobby Cox got his 2,000th win with Atlanta. He has 2,355 total wins in 28 seasons (four with Toronto, 24 with Atlanta), which is fourth all-time. The only other managers to win 2,000 games with one franchise were Connie Mack of the A's, John McGraw of the Giants and Walter Alston of the Dodgers.
In Their Own Words ...
"If this was the 1980s, [not] any of [our] guys would be in the big leagues right now. Because if you hit .210, .230, and you can't execute, I don't think you should be out here. If you can't bunt, you can't bunt, you can't squeeze, you can't move the guy over, you better hit 40 home runs and drive in 140." – White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen after his team made three errors and lost 5-4 to the Tigers in the first game of a split doubleheader.
Advance Scouting ...
With Monday's defeat of the Rays, and with the Red Sox idle, the Yankees took a one-game lead in the AL East – and they visit second-place Boston for a three-game series that opens tonight (7:10 PM, ET). The Yankees are 0-5 this year against the Sox and have lost six straight overall in the rivalry. The last time Boston took seven straight from its hated rival was in 1984-85. The Yankees will start A.J. Burnett Tuesday night; his last time at Fenway Park, April 25, he blew and 6-0 lead and got no decision.
