Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.You Oughta Know ...
That the Braves have their longest winning streak of the year.
OK, it's only four games. But before Thursday night, Atlanta was the only team that had not won four straight at some point this season.
And where has it gotten the Braves? Not out of fourth place in the NL East – yet within two games of the first-place Phillies, their victims the past three games.
"We're right there in the middle of it," [Matt] Diaz said. "Somehow, some way."Atlanta won Thursday by breaking a 2-2 tie with three runs in the eighth inning – the final two on Garret Anderson's first career pinch homer.
Philadelphia has lost 14 of 18 yet is still in first, a fraction of a percentage point ahead of Florida.
"Our whole game has got to come together," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "We've been playing bad baseball."From the Trainer's Room ...
Alex Gordon, the Royals' third baseman who has been out since April 16 and underwent hip surgery, is scheduled to take a step forward in his recovery today when he plays for Triple-A Omaha. Gordon has been in rookie ball, and after tonight's game he will go to Double-A from Sunday through July 14. The Royals have gotten 30 RBI from third base, third-fewest in the AL.
Numbers Game ...
Not that Barry Zito deserves to be much better than 4-8 with his 4.82 ERA, but he also has the worst run support in the majors. San Francisco didn't score against St. Louis last night until after Zito had left the game, and the Giants have managed just 29 runs during his 93 1/3 innings – an average of 2.8 runs per nine innings.
In Their Own Words ...
"He just showed that he's human and certain nights he's not going to have his best stuff." – Yankees manager Joe Girardi on CC Sabathia, who allowed six run on a season-high 10 hits in an 8-4 loss to the Mariners.
Advance Scouting ...
A big series in the AL Central opens tonight as Detroit visits Minnesota (8:10 PM ET), and the Twins trail the first-place Tigers by three games. Minnesota is already 4-1 this year against Detroit, which has lost nine of its past 12 games at the Metrodome. Kevin Slowey, 3-0 in his career against the Tigers, faces lefty Lucas French, who replaces fellow rookie Alfredo Figaro in the Detroit rotation.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Prado has definitely come out of nowhere. Had no idea he had that in him. was randomly watching the game and was blown away. I think we're going to see some good things come from him this season.