I was wrong the first series was also at home.
9/18: vs Cardinals (74-74/37-37 Rd), win 7-2 - WP: Jackson (5-5)
Zach Jackson pitched well, going 5.2 innings and allowing only five hits and two runs that were unearned. He did walk three though. He struck out ieght. Not only did he pitch well, he helped himself out on offense and hit the first home run of his career. Figgins was 2-5 with a RBI, and Geoff Jenkins was 2-4 with a run scored. Juan Rivera had three RBIs, but was only 1-4 with a run. Erick Aybar continues to hit well going 2-4 with a run and RBI. We did have three errors as a team, which is something I don't like to see.
9/19: vs Cardinals, loss 3-5 - LP: Villanueva
Villanueva did not pitch well today, He lasted only 3.2 innings and gave up five runs with seven hits allowed. The bullpen pitched very well, particularly Ben Hendrickson who lasted three innings and allowed only one hit. Jeff Mathis was 2-3 with a run scored and Vinny Rottino also had a good day going 2-4 with a run scored. Prince Fielder was 2-3 with a RBI.
Playoff Watch:
Chicago (N) beat Philadelphia 1-0.
Atlanta beat Washington 7-6.
New York (N) beat Florida 3-2.
Cincinnati beat Houston 6-5.
San Diego lost to Arizona 1-8.
Boston lost to Minnesota 0-3.
Baltimore lost to Tampa Bay 4-9.
9/20: vs Cardinals, win 9-4 - WP: Bush (9-14)
We had 13 hits total as a team, and particularly the 2-4 guys had big days. Gwynn was 3-5 with a run and two RBI, Rivera was 2-5 with two runs and two RBI, and Hall was 3-4 with a triple, double, two RBIs, a run, and a walk. Fielder and Hart also had a double and triple respectively. Dave Bush lasted 6.1 innings, gave up five hits and a run. He struck out five.
Playoff Watch:
Cincinnati beat Houston 3-2, .5 GA Chicago (N) in Central.
Atlanta beat Washington 4-3, 4.5 GB of New York (N).
Philadelphia beat Chicago (N) 10-5, Chicago (N) .5 GB Cincinnati.
New York (N) beat Florida 4-3, Florida 2.5 GB New York (N) in wild card.
San Diego beat Arizona 10-1, San Diego 2.0 GB New York (N) in wild card.
9/21: vs Giants (65-87/31-46 Rd), loss 0-12 - LP: Blanton (11-8)
Well let's just say we didn't pitch very well in this game. Didn't help that we only had three hits also. Blanton and Kershner combined to give up 10 runs through the first four innings. Fielder had a double, but that is about it.
9/22: vs Giants, win 5-4 - WP: Turnbow (4-3), BS: (4)
Well, everything seemed to be alright after Rickie Weeks plowed into Gilder Rodriguez for the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh. However Ray Durham, who had been 0-4 on the day, took Derrick Turnbow to a strike away from the win, and hit a two run home run to put the Giants up 4-3. The next half inning we pinch hit Gabe Gross, but he struck out so it was one out. Rickie Weeks, who was 3-4 on the day, bunted and was able to beat out the play, and he then stole second on the very next pitch. Chone Figgins then took a 1-0 pitch to right-center field for a game-winning two run home run. Weeks ended up 4-5 with two doubles, three runs, and a RBI. Fielder was 1-2 with a RBI and a walk. Juan Rivera had a RBI in three at bats, and Jeff Mathis was 2-4 with a run scored.
Playoff Watch:
Florida beat Philadelphia 3-1, .5 GB of New York (N) in Wild Card
Cincinnati beat Chicago (N) 5-4, 1.5 GA Chicago (N), Cubs .5 GB of New York (N) in Wild Card
New York (N) lost to Washington 4-7, .5 GA New York (N) in Wild Card
Atlanta beat Colorado 10-0, 2.5 GB New York (N) in Wild Card
San Diego beat Pittsburgh 6-2, 1 GB New York (N) in Wild Card
9/23: vs Giants, win 4-3 (10) - WP: Adams (1-0)
Well we trailed this whole game 3-0, until the bottom of the ninth when we worked out six straight hits to tie it up. We did have the bases loaded in that inning, but could not pull it off and went into the top of the tenth. The tenth started with Kiko Calero throwing a pitch and getting injured, so that isn't good. The Giants were then able to load up the bases with just one out, before Mike Adams got a guy to pop out and fly out to end the inning. In the bottom of the tenth Erick Aybar drove in the game-winning run with an RBI single. Jeff Mathis and Geoff Jenkins both homered today. Bill Hall was 2-5 with a run scored, Jeff Mathis was 2-4 with a run and RBI and a double, and Erick Aybar was 3-5 with a RBI. Vinny Rottino also came off the bench with a big pinch-hit RBI in the ninth.
Playoff Watch:
Chicago (N) beat Cincinnati 8-1, .5 GB Cincinnati in division, tied for first in Wild Card
Florida beat Philadelphia 7-1, tied for first in Wild Card
New York (N) lost to Washington 1-2, .5 GB of Florida and Chicago (N) in Wild Card
Atlanta lost to Colorado 1-5, 3 GB of Florida and Chicago (N) in Wild Card
San Diego beat Pittsburgh 2-1, .5 GB of Florida and Chicago (N) in Wild Card
9/24: vs Giants, loss 1-4 - LP: Jackson (5-6)
We could not hit this game, and we only had four hits all game. Jackson was able to go 7.2 innings and allowed only two earned runs with 11 strikeouts. He also only walked one which was nice to see. He did give up one unearned run. Other than that, there's really not much to say.
Jay's Thoughts: Going 4-3 in the week isn't bad, but it sure would have been nice to get a couple more wins against these struggling teams we played this week. It's hard to believe that there is only one more full week before I have finished the first season. I never thought I'd be able to play out a whole season like I have this year, and it goes surprisingly quick when you only play a game or two per series. I debated whether or not I wanted to go with a six-man rotation, but I thought it'd be a good way to get all six pitchers that will be on the team next year (or fighting for a spot at least) some time this September.
Team Stats
Record: 75-81 (4-3)
L10: 5-5
Batting Average: .252 - 13th in NL
ERA: 4.65 - 13th in NL
Team Power Rank: 21st, 86 pts
Hitting
C Jeff Mathis: 10-25, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 4 R, .400/.464/.560
3B Bill Hall: 9-26, 1 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R, .346/.414/.654
SS Erick Aybar: 10-23, 1 2B, 1 3B, 4 RBI, 3 R, .435/.462/.565
OF Corey Hart: 2-13, 1 3B, .154/.214/.308
Pitching
SP Ben Sheets: 11.1 IP, 11 HA, 13 K, 2.38 ERA
MR Ben Hendrickson: 5.0 IP, 2 HA, 4 K, 0.00 ERA, .091 AVE
SP Carlos Villanueva: 3.2 IP, 7 HA, 2 HRA, 5 ER, 12.27 ERA
MR Jason Kershner: 3.2 IP, 8 HA, 6 ER, 14.73 ERA
Around the League
Gary Sheffield had a good week hitting for the cycle one day, and then getting his 2,500th hit of his career. He ended the week by injuring himself, and will be out for the rest of the season.
Code:
American League Standings
Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Boston Red Sox 83 73 .532 - 83-73 0 49-27 34-46 6-5 20-13 6 L1 4-6
Baltimore Orioles 82 74 .526 1.0 83-73 -1 44-37 38-37 5-3 22-22 L2 6-4
Tampa Bay Devil Rays 75 80 .484 7.5 75-80 0 41-39 34-41 7-9 19-24 W1 6-4
New York (A) Yankees 73 82 .471 9.5 77-78 -4 35-40 38-42 7-8 14-24 L1 7-3
Toronto Blue Jays 67 88 .432 15.5 65-90 2 36-44 31-44 6-8 16-28 W1 3-7
Central Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Minnesota Twins 93 62 .600 - 90-65 3 43-31 50-31 12-6 26-21 * W2 4-6
Detroit Tigers 83 73 .532 10.5 82-74 1 39-36 44-37 14-12 25-25 W1 7-3
Chicago (A) White Sox 80 76 .513 13.5 82-74 -2 39-42 41-34 9-7 22-21 W1 2-8
Cleveland Indians 75 80 .484 18.0 74-81 1 45-29 30-51 6-8 28-24 L1 7-3
Kansas City Royals 65 90 .419 28.0 64-91 1 37-44 28-46 8-13 24-25 L1 4-6
Western Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Oakland Athletics 93 62 .600 - 89-66 4 49-32 44-30 5-4 26-12 6 L2 5-5
Los Angeles (A) Angels 91 64 .587 2.0 86-69 5 43-31 48-33 7-12 29-22 W2 7-3
Texas Rangers 66 90 .423 27.5 69-87 -3 35-46 31-44 5-4 13-21 W1 6-4
Seattle Mariners 65 91 .417 28.5 69-87 -4 35-40 30-51 8-10 23-29 L1 3-7
AL Wild Card
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Los Angeles (A) Angels 91 64 .587 - 86-69 5 43-31 48-33 7-12 29-22 * W2 7-3
Detroit Tigers 83 73 .532 8.5 82-74 1 39-36 44-37 14-12 25-25 W1 7-3
National League Standings
Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Philadelphia Phillies 93 63 .596 - 91-65 2 46-35 47-28 4-2 19-16 * L3 3-7
Florida Marlins 82 74 .526 11.0 83-73 -1 38-37 44-37 9-3 23-24 W4 7-3
New York (N) Mets 81 74 .523 11.5 85-70 -4 39-41 42-33 8-10 23-23 W1 5-5
Atlanta Braves 79 77 .506 14.0 85-71 -6 34-41 45-36 5-8 22-26 W1 7-3
Washington Nationals 73 82 .471 19.5 67-88 6 35-40 38-42 11-9 28-16 L1 5-5
Central Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Chicago (N) Cubs 82 74 .526 - 82-74 0 37-39 45-35 3-9 18-17 7 W2 4-6
Cincinnati Reds 81 74 .523 .5 76-79 5 43-37 38-37 6-9 23-19 L2 6-4
Houston Astros 76 80 .487 6.0 77-79 -1 42-39 34-41 5-6 23-21 W4 6-4
St. Louis Cardinals 75 80 .484 6.5 75-80 0 37-37 38-43 13-6 25-21 L5 3-7
Milwaukee Brewers 75 81 .481 7.0 71-85 4 41-40 34-41 9-2 18-15 L1 5-5
Pittsburgh Pirates 72 84 .462 10.0 78-78 -6 32-43 40-41 6-10 21-28 W1 4-6
Western Division
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Los Angeles (N) Dodgers 86 70 .551 - 85-71 1 42-39 44-31 7-7 25-24 2 L1 5-5
San Diego Padres 80 75 .516 5.5 80-75 0 40-41 40-34 10-4 24-22 L1 5-5
Arizona Diamondbacks 70 85 .452 15.5 67-88 3 39-38 31-47 6-6 24-18 W1 7-3
Colorado Rockies 70 86 .449 16.0 70-86 0 41-37 29-49 4-9 20-29 L1 3-7
San Francisco Giants 67 89 .429 19.0 73-83 -6 34-41 33-48 8-10 15-28 W1 4-6
NL Wild Card
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Florida Marlins 82 74 .526 - 83-73 -1 38-37 44-37 9-3 23-24 7 W4 7-3
Cincinnati Reds 81 74 .523 .5 76-79 5 43-37 38-37 6-9 23-19 L2 6-4
New York (N) Mets 81 74 .523 .5 85-70 -4 39-41 42-33 8-10 23-23 W1 5-5
San Diego Padres 80 75 .516 1.5 80-75 0 40-41 40-34 10-4 24-22 L1 5-5
Atlanta Braves 79 77 .506 3.0 85-71 -6 34-41 45-36 5-8 22-26 W1 7-3
That NL Wild Card is definitely going to go into the playoffs hot, that's for sure. I realized that I have been not updating the AL East race. That is my fault, and I will do so this coming week. The Dodgers have basically clinched, and it will be interesting to see if the Padres can sneak in. If the Mets got in then they may make some noise.