Last week, I gave you the top five best catchers in fantasy baseball and my projections for each one. It’s time to go around the diamond this week and analyze the best first baseman.

1. Albert Pujols- Now I understand Pujols had a slow start to the 2012 season, but the second half of the season has me optimistic he’s still the best first baseman in fantasy baseball. He’s a model of consistency (.300, 30 HR, 100 RBI), and while his average has regressed slowly the past few seasons, it’s still pretty darn good. Add Josh Hamilton and an established Mike Trout, and there’s a lot of good reasons why the 33-year-old will be very productive. Projections: .302 BA, 32 HR, 115 RBI, 93 R, 7 SB

2. Joey Votto- At 29 years of age, Votto’s right in the middle of his prime and the previous seasons have shown how scary good he is. But last year has me scared of his health. Votto injured his knee and was limited to only 14 home runs, and none of those came after the All-Star break. Trust me, I have no concerns about a decline in production. He’s still a top tier first baseman. Since I’m a big fan of consistency as you know by now, Pujols is number one on my board. That can easily change after this year, so expect a healthy bounce-back for Votto in 2013. Projections: .325 BA, 29 HR, 110 RBI, 85 R, 4 SB

3. Prince Fielder- My mantra of consistency leads me to another elite first baseman, and he resides in the Windy City. When you take away the 2005 outlier and his first official rookie season, you’ll notice Fielder’s a home run machine. While most power hitters don’t get average (take Curtis Granderson as an example), he stays within the .280 range, and that’s not bad one bit. Speaking of health, Fielder’s also very healthy. Add in Victor Martinez returning from an injury sidelining him last year along with Austin Jackson getting on base more, and the Prince is guaranteed to hit like a king. Projections: .299 BA, 33 HR, 111 RBI, 90 R, 2 SB

4. Billy Butler- While the Kansas City Royals might not be one of the league’s best teams, Butler’s still a top first baseman. In fact, he’s a very underrated player due to the team he plays for. Last year, “Country Breakfast” broke out, hitting 29 home runs, 107 RBIs, and a solid .313 average. Butler’s only 26 too, so he’s only entering the prime stages of his career. I know you WAR geeks say he isn’t worth much (he has a WAR of 3), but to many fantasy lineups, Butler’s a catalyst to a championship squad. Projections: .310 BA, 24 HR, 97 RBI, 72 R, 3 SB

5. Edwin Encarnacion- E5 has been a very frustrating player most of his career, having years that flash his potential but other seasons that diminish his value. Last year propelled him into elite status, hitting 42 home runs and 110 RBIs. This isn’t the only player to rejuvenate his career in Toronto (see Jose Bautista), and I don’t expect a huge regression. The home runs might not stay in the 40 range, but the RBIs and average should stay where they are. Projections: .275 BA, 35 HR, 103 RBI, 82 R, 11 SB

If you have any questions or players you want me to evaluate like I did here, ask me through email, message me on Facebook, or tweet at me via Twitter.

With the World Series upon us, 28 big-league teams have cleaned out their lockers for the season. Of the squads who didn’t make the cut for October baseball, who might break out in 2012?

Here are five under-the-radar teams that could explode into relevancy next season.

1. Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays have a lot in common with the Tampa Bay Rays entering their breakout 2008 season. Toronto is loaded with prospects and widely considered to have one of the five best farm systems in the game. Youngsters like Ricky Romero, J.P. Arencibia and Brett Lawrie have already justified their hype by making a big impact. The Jays have powerful veteran bats in Jose Bautista and Adam Lind.

Next season, if pitcher Kyle Drabek sticks with the club and Colby Rasmus, acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals this year, delivers on his promise as a hitter, the Blue Jays could contend for the American League Wild card. If they go out and spend this winter on a solid veteran pitcher and perhaps a powerful DH, they could even top 90 wins in 2012.

2. Washington Nationals

The Nats’ late-season surge is the real deal. Stephen Strasburg is back after Tommy John surgery and dominating hitters like a seasoned veteran. His first full season in the bigs next year could be epic. Jordan Zimmermann forms a solid one-two punch with him atop Washington’s rotation.

With Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth and Michael Morse, Washington’s offensive core is improving. The key to next year will be whether or not Bryce Harper makes the jump to the majors. Strasburg was the most hyped pitching prospect of the last decade and Harper’s hype as a hitter was just as significant. These two pillars should take Washington to new heights – possibly as soon as next season.

3. Seattle Mariners

The Mariners handled their 2011 season smartly. Knowing that they had no shot at the American League West crown, they gave up hope early and decided to play their young guys in hopes of developing them for next year. Justin Smoak is working out the kinks as a hitter; Mike Carp has been among baseball’s best sluggers in the second half; and top offensive prospect Dustin Ackley is here to stay as a second baseman with pop.

Rookie pitcher Michael Pineda was an All-Star this season and will form a powerhouse duo with Felix Hernandez next year. If the Mariners spend a bit of money on a No. 3 pitcher and/or a bat, they could push the Angels and Rangers next season.

4. Kansas City Royals

The Royals’ crop of elite prospects is unrivalled; that’s what happens when you finish last ever year for a million straight years. Billy Butler is already a perennial .300 hitter; Alex Gordon went from bust to success story this season; and both Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas, prized rookie hitters, have shown they belong.

The key for K.C. is for its young pitchers to break out. Mike Lamb will try to return from Tommy John surgery next season and Mike Montgomery will hope to make the team.

In theory, Kansas City’s future is bright, but we say that about the Royals ever year.

5. Cincinnati Reds

After winning the National League Central in 2010, Cincinnati flopped in 2011. The reason: horrible pitching. Cincinnati’s bats aren’t to blame. The Reds’ high octane attack includes Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce and Drew Stubbs. Former first-rounder Yonder Alonso has teased with major power potential in his rookie season. Cincy has arguably the game’s best defense, too.

In theory, a couple of tweaks to the Reds’ pitching staff could turn them back into contenders next season. Perhaps they’ll let megaprospect Aroldis Chapman start games instead of pitching him in relief. Maybe they’ll acquire a veteran. If Cincy does both, look out.

This is a guest post submitted by Jeff Herbst. Jeff has had a passion for sports ever since he could first walk. He works with Phoenix Bats, a company that creates wooden bats such as their high-quality custom wood bats for amateur and professional ball players around the globe.

-The morning kicked off with news of the Boston Red Sox agreeing to a seven-year/$142 million deal with OF Carl Crawford. The 29-year old joins Adrián González as the two major deals for Boston of the meetings, already making them one of the most feared lineups in all of baseball.

-Torii Hunter and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were shocked to learn they were significantly outbid by Boston.

-Cliff Lee’s contract negotiations have been far from easy for the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers. The Yanks have offered Lee a seven-year deal, and even an additional two deal with each offer decreasing in years but slightly more money annually.

-Texas will meet with Lee and his agent on Thursday night to determine if they will be able to re-sign their ace, meaning we could know by tonight where the Arkansas-native will sign on.

-Concerning the Red Sox, they are also the favorite to sign former-Dodgers C Russell Martin. Despite a down season in 2010, Martin has played effective in the past. He has also drawn interest from the New York Yankees.

-No news currently on 3B Adrian Beltre. All we know at this point is that the Angels are the most serious suitors, and he will likely end up out west unless the Orioles swoop in.

-The Baltimore Orioles acquired SS J.J. Hardy and INF Brendan Harris from the Minnesota Twins. Hardy hit .268 last season with Minnesota, but is a former All-Star.

-Kansas City added another former-Brave, as they tentatively reached a deal with OF Melky Cabrera.

-Miguel Olivo is returning to Seattle. After a great season with Colorado and being traded to then non-tendered by Toronto, Olivo will look for retribution in a slumping Seattle squad.

Remember to keep it with the SFC twitter as the night goes on for up-to-the-second news on the Lee situation and more!

-Lima died of an apparent heart attack at his home in Los Angeles this morning, and could not be revived by paramedics.

-Over his career, Lima managed 89 wins with 102 losses and a 5.26 ERA.

-José broke into the majors at age 22 with the Detroit Tigers, but did not gain true notoriety until signing on with the Houston Astros in 1997. Here he posted 21 wins in 1999, making a trip to his first and only All-Star Game in the process.

-The pitcher is best known for the phrase “Lima Time”, which was associated with him whenever he came in to pitch. He had a dominating presence, and while he may not have been very popular amongst fans and the media, he maintained a strong figure throughout his career.

-Lima had spent time over the past year or so with the Edmonton Capitals of the Northern League, and was attempting to make a big-league comeback. Throughout his career, he also pitched for the Royals, Dodgers, and Mets in Major League Baseball.

SFC would like to wish the best for the family of Lima, and duly notes that baseball has lost a colorful character today.

Milwaukee Brewers 7 Chicago Cubs 4- Dave Bush improved to 5-7 as a starter after squandering four earned runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings. Jody Gerut hit a grand slam in the 4th inning while Mike Rivera added a two-run double in the 7th to lift Milwaukee to its 71st victory of the season. Micah Hoffpauir doubled in two runs in the 4th inning for Chicago, but it was not enough as the Cubs reached the 70-loss milestone. Trevor Hoffman worked the 9th inning for Milwaukee and picked up his 33rd save in 36 chances.

Kansas City Royals 9 Detroit Tigers 2- Zack Greinke picked up his 14th victory of the season, scattering three hits in five scoreless innings. Miguel Olivo and Josh Anderson each blasted a three-run bomb to lift the Royals to their 59th win of the year. Miguel Cabrera drove in both Detroit runs on a home run in the 6th inning; the Tigers ended up suffering their 68th loss of the season.

Philadelphia Phillies 4 Washington Nationals 2- Cole Hamels joined the MLB’s 10-win club after limiting Washington to one earned run on five hits in eight innings; Hamels, who struck out ten, also drove in a run in the 6th inning to give Philadelphia a 3-0 lead. Jimmy Rollins and Carlos Ruiz each drove in a run for the Phillies, who won their 85th game of the season. Elijah Dukes and Ian Desmond drove in the runs for the Nationals, who fell to 50-96 on the year. Brad Lidge squandered an earned run in the 9th inning, but prevailed with his 30th save in 40 chances.

Cincinnati Reds 3 Florida Marlins 2- Matt Maloney scattered two earned runs on seven hits in five innings en route to his first major league victory. The Reds scored all three of their runs in the 1st inning: one on a Devon McDonald leadoff home run, and two on a Jay Bruce single. The win was Cincinnati’s 68th of the season. The Marlins scored both of their runs in the 5th inning: one on a Hanley Ramirez single, and the other on a Dan Uggla double. The loss was Florida’s 69th of the year. The Marlins extended their losing streak to nine games and are now 4.5 games behind the Rockies and a game behind the Giants. Francisco Cordero picked up his 38th save in 41 chances after pitching a 1-2-3 9th inning.

Seattle Mariners 4 Chicago White Sox 3- Ichiro Suzuki’s walk-off single in the bottom of the 14th inning lifted the Seattle Mariners to Win #76 of the season. The game would never have reached extra innings had Jose Lopez and Bill Hall not gone deep off Bobby Jenks in the bottom of the 9th inning. Adrian Beltre also belted a solo shot in the 7th inning for Seattle, who improved to 30-17 in one-run games. Mark Kotsay drove in two runs while A.J. Pierzynski added one RBI for Chicago, but it was not enough as the White Sox fell to 72-75 on the year.

Tampa Bay Rays 3 Baltimore Orioles 0- Wade Davis pitched a complete-game four-hit shutout to earn his first major league win; Davis also got the game ball and a shaving-cream pie in the face to boot. Carl Crawford, Gabe Kapler, and Evan Longoria drove in the runs for the Rays, who improved to 74-73 on the season. Tampa Bay has won just two of its last fifteen games. Michael Aubrey led all Orioles with two hits, but Baltimore ended up suffering Loss #86 of the year.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 4 Boston Red Sox 3- Howie Kendrick’s RBI single in the 9th inning broke a 3-3 tie and lifted the Angels to their 87th victory of the season; Kendrick also blasted his 9th long ball of the year in the 3rd inning to give Los Angeles a 1-0 lead. Boston scored all of its runs off 4th inning home runs from Jacoby Ellsbury and Jason Bay. It was not enough, however, as the Red Sox suffered their 59th loss of the season. Brian Fuentes, who blew a save in the previous game, was successful this time around, picking up his 42nd save of the year. Boston’s seven-game winning streak came to an end.

Atlanta Braves 7 New York Mets 3- Jair Jurrjens limited the Mets to two runs (only one was earned) on six hits in seven innings as the Braves starter improved to 12-10 on the season. Brian McCann’s three-run blast in the 5th inning broke a 2-2 tie and lifted Atlanta to Win #78 of the year. Fernando Tatis singled in two runs in the 4th inning while Daniel Murphy added a solo shot in the 8th for New York, who fell to 63-84 on the season.

Oakland Athletics 5 Cleveland Indians 2- Clayton Mortensen picked up his second victory of the season after giving up two earned runs on four hits in five innings. Kurt Suzuki blasted a three-run bomb in the 3rd inning while Ryan Sweeney and Adam Kennedy had one RBI each to lift Oakland to Win #68 of the year. The Athletics extended their winning streak to four games and have won nine of their last eleven games. Trevor Crowe and Michael Brantley each drove in a run for Cleveland, who suffered Loss #85 loss of the season. The Indians extended their losing streak to five games and have lost nine of their last ten games.

Photo Source: Photobucket

Florida Marlins 5 St. Louis Cardinals 2- Josh Johnson joined the MLB’s 15-win club after holding St. Louis to one earned run on nine hits in six innings. Cody Ross had two RBI singles while Dan Uggla, John Baker, and Jorge Cantu each drove in a run to lift the Marlins to their 78th victory of the season. Julio Lugo and Albert Pujols each had 1 RBI for the Cardinals, who suffered their 62nd loss of the year. Leo Nunez recorded the final two outs for Florida to earn his 22nd save in 28 chances.

Los Angeles Dodgers 3 Pittsburgh Pirates 1- Down 1-0 after five innings, Matt Kemp hit a two-run bomb to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead in the 6th inning. Ronnie Belliard, who scored on Kemp’s 24th home run of the season, also went deep in the 8th inning for Los Angeles, who improved to 88-59 on the year. Dodgers starter Hideki Kuroda picked up his 7th win of the season after squandering one earned run on six hits in six innings. The Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh, who fell to 55-89 on the year. Jason Jaramillo singled in the lone run of the game for the Pirates in the 2nd inning.

San Diego Padres 6 Arizona Diamondbacks 5- Down 5-3 in the middle of the 9th inning, Adrian Gonzalez belted a two-run blast to level the score at five and force extra innings. In the 10th inning, Everth Cabrera’s walk-off RBI single scored Luis Durango and lifted San Diego to Win #66 of the year. The Padres avoided clinching a losing season (at least for now) as closer Heath Bell picked up his 6th win of the year. Augie Ojeda, Chris Young, Justin Upton, and Mark Reynolds each drove in a run for Arizona, but it was not enough as the Diamondbacks fell victim to their opponent for the 83rd time this season.

Minnesota Twins 7 Cleveland Indians 3- Nick Blackburn joined the MLB’s 10-win club after scattering two earned runs on eight hits in 6.1 innings. Michael Cuddyer homered in the 5th inning to lift the Twins to their 74th victory of the season; Cuddyer finished the game with 3 RBIs. Joe Mauer added a two-run single in the 4th inning for Minnesota, who completed a three-game sweep over Cleveland. Matt LaPorta drove in all three runs for Cleveland: two on a 7th inning home run, and one on an 8th inning RBI single. It was not enough, however, as the Indians fell to 61-84 on the year. Joe Nathan picked up his 41st save in 46 chances after striking out the final two batters. Minnesota extended its winning streak to four games while Cleveland has lost just as many games in a row.

Philadelphia Phillies 6 Washington Nationals 1- Jayson Werth’s grand slam in the 7th inning powered the Phillies to their 84th victory of the season. Joe Blanton joined the MLB’s 10-win club after limiting the Nationals to five hits in six shutout innings. Chase Utley stole home in the 1st, and Pedro Feliz drove in the other Philadelphia run in the 6th inning. Willie Harris singled in the lone Nationals run of the game in the 9th inning; Washington fell to 50-95 on the year.

Cincinnati Reds 6 Houston Astros 5- A wild pitch by Jeff Fulchino enabled Joey Votto to break a 5-5 tie and score the go-ahead run. It proved to be the game-winning run as the Reds won their 67th game of the season. Jonny Gomes and Drew Stubbs each hit a long ball for Cincinnati. Houston scored all of its runs off solo home runs: two from Jeff Keppinger, and one each from Kazuo Matsui, Carlos Lee, and Geoff Blum. However, not even a five home run day could prevent the Astros from suffering their 76th loss of the year. Francisco Cordero slammed the door shut on the Astros in the 9th inning en route to his 37th save of the season.

Milwaukee Brewers 9 Chicago Cubs 5- Braden Looper improved to 13-6 as a starter after scattering five earned runs on nine hits in five innings. Alcides Escobar led all batters with 3 RBIs while Corey Hart drove in two to lift Milwaukee to the 70-win milestone. Alfonso Soriano blasted a two-run shot in the 5th inning for Chicago, but it was not enough as the Cubs fell to 75-69 on the season.

Baltimore Orioles 4 Tampa Bay Rays 2- Matt Wieters’ walk-off two-run blast in the bottom of the 9th inning broke a 2-2 tie and lifted the Baltimore Orioles to the 60-win milestone. The game, however, would never have reached a bottom of the 9th inning had Ben Zobrist not homered in the top half to level the score at two. Zobrist’s home run off Jim Johnson occurred shortly after a 100-minute rain delay. Despite blowing his 5th save of the season, Johnson ended up winning his 4th game of the year. Gregg Zaun also went deep for Tampa Bay, who fell to 73-73 on the season.

Detroit Tigers 4 Kansas City Royals 3- Zach Miner pitched just one scoreless inning of relief, but it was good enough to earn Win #7 of the season. Kansas City actually led 3-0 in the middle of the 4th inning before Detroit came back with a pair of two-run innings. Placido Polanco’s RBI single in the 6th inning broke a 3-3 tie and lifted Detroit to its 78th victory of the year. Mitch Maier, Miguel Olivo, and Alex Gordon drove in the runs for the Royals, who suffered their 87th loss of the season. Fernando Rodney worked the 9th inning and picked up his 33rd save in 34 chances.

New York Yankees 5 Toronto Blue Jays 4- Hideki Matsui’s two-run blast in the bottom of the 8th inning leveled the score at four. Francisco Cervelli’s RBI single in the bottom of the 9th inning broke the 4-4 tie and won the game for New York, who improved to 94-53 on the season. Cervelli’s walk-off hit gave Mariano Rivera his third victory of the year. Jose Bautista hit a solo home run in the 3rd inning while Adam Lind added two RBIs for Toronto, but it was not enough as the Blue Jays reached the 80-loss milestone.

Boston Red Sox 9 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 8- Trailing 7-5 in the middle of the 8th inning, Boston scored two in the bottom half to level the score. Trailing 8-7 in the middle of the 9th inning, the Red Sox did it again, scoring two more in the bottom half to earn Win #86 of the season. Nick Green drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game, and Alex Gonzalez hit a bloop single to left field to win the game for the Red Sox, who have won seven consecutive games. Brian Fuentes had converted 71 of his last 79 saves, but ended up with his 5th loss of the year. Torii Hunter homered in the 6th inning for the Angels, who suffered their 59th loss of the season.

Oakland Athletics 4 Texas Rangers 0- Trevor Cahill gave up just one hits in seven shutout innings en route to his 9th victory of the season. Landon Powell homered to cap off a 3-run 6th inning for Oakland, who improved to 67-78 on the year after completing a three-game sweep over Texas. Marlon Byrd registered the lone Texas hit of the game while Ian Kinsler drew two walks for the Rangers, who fell to 80-65 on the season. Texas has scored just once in its last four games, all of which resulted in a Rangers loss.

Seattle Mariners 4 Chicago White Sox 1- Ryan Rowland-Smith improved to 4-3 as a starter after giving up one earned run on nine hits in eight innings. Mike Carp blasted his first major league long ball in the 4th inning to lift Seattle to Win #75 of the season. Gordon Beckham scored the lone Chicago run of the game on a solo home run in the 8th inning; the White Sox suffered their 74th loss of the year. David Aardsma picked up his 35th save after working the 9th inning for Seattle.

Atlanta Braves 6 New York Mets 5- At least Luis Castillo isn’t the only one in the dark. This time, it was Daniel Murphy’s turn to cough up another game for the Mets. Same exact situation: Runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs. What happens this time? No, Murphy didn’t drop a pop fly. Instead, he misplayed a simple ground ball and allowed David Ross to score the winning run from second base. At least Murphy’s blunder was committed when the game was tied. Nevertheless, the win was Atlanta’s 77th of the season. Omir Santos hit a solo home run in the 8th inning to give the Mets a 5-4 lead, but it was not enough as New York fell to 63-83 on the year.

Colorado Rockies 4 San Francisco Giants 3- Jorge De La Rosa earned membership in the MLB’s 15-win club after holding San Francisco to three hits in eight shutout innings. Troy Tulowitzki hit a solo home run in the 4th while Ian Stewart added a two-run blast in the 6th to lift Colorado to its 83rd victory of the season. The Giants made it a game in the bottom of the 9th inning when Franklin Morales squandered three straight singles to start the bottom of the 9th. Morales was charged with three earned runs, but in the end, Rafael Betancourt prevailed with his first save of the season after recording the final three outs for Colorado. The Giants fell to 79-67 on the year and are now 3.5 games behind the Rockies in the NL Wild Card.

Photo Source: Photobucket

Atlanta Braves 6 New York Mets 0- Tommy Hanson scattered just three hits in seven innings as he earned membership in the MLB’s 10-win club; Hanson walked three and struck out eight. Adam LaRoche homered twice and drove in three runs to lift Atlanta to Win #76 of the season. Nate McLouth drove in the other three runs for the Braves, who extended their winning streak to five games. The Mets fell to 63-82 on the year, clinching a losing season. New York has lost seven of its last eight games.

Philadelphia Phillies 5 Washington Nationals 0- Cliff Lee pitched a complete-game six-hitter en route to his 7th victory of the season. Carlos Ruiz’s three-run double in the 2nd inning lifted Philadelphia to Win #83 of the year. Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins drove in the other runs for the Phillies, who won six of their last eight games. Washington fell to 50-94 on the season.

Cincinnati Reds 5 Houston Astros 4- Paul Janish’s RBI double in the 7th inning broke a 4-4 tie and lifted Cincinnati to its 66th win of the season. Janish’s double enabled Daniel Ray Herrera to earn Win #4 of the year; Herrera struck out Michael Bourn to end the 7th inning. Drew Stubbs went deep in the 1st inning for Cincinnati. Kazuo Matsui blasted a long ball in the 3rd inning and added an RBI single in the 1st for Houston, but it was not enough as the Astros suffered their 75th loss of the season.

Baltimore Orioles 10 Tampa Bay Rays 5- Jason Berken improved to 5-11 as a starter after squandering five earned runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings. Luke Scott and Matt Wieters blasted long balls to lift Baltimore to Win #59 of the season; Wieters finished the game with 5 RBIs. Pat Burrell homered and drove in four runs for the Rays, but Tampa Bay ended up suffering its 72nd loss of the year. The Rays actually had a 5-run lead in the middle of the 3rd inning, but Baltimore scored six runs in a three-inning stretch against Jeff Niemann, who fell to 12-6 as a starter.

Boston Red Sox 4 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 1- Fresh off the disabled list, Daisuke Matsuzaka earned his second victory of the season after allowing three hits in six innings. David Ortiz hit a solo home run in the 8th inning and added an RBI single in the 6th to lift Boston to its 85th win of the year. Erick Aybar drove in the lone Los Angeles run of the game with an RBI double in the 9th inning; the Angels suffered their 58th loss of the season.

Kansas City Royals 11 Detroit Tigers 1- Robinson Tejada held Detroit to one earned run on two hits in five innings as he picked up his third victory of the season. Alberto Callaspo, David DeJesus, and Miguel Olivo each blasted a three-run bomb to lift Kansas City to Win #58 of the year; Callaspo led all Royals with 4 RBIs. Carlos Guillen singled in the only Detroit run of the game in the 5th inning; Detroit fell to 77-67 on the season.

Florida Marlins 2 St. Louis Cardinals 1- Sean West outduelled Adam Wainwright as the Marlins rookie held St. Louis to one earned run on six hits in six innings; West improved to 7-5 on the season while Wainwright fell to 18-8. Dan Uggla’s two-run bomb in the 6th inning was all Florida needed to earn Win #77 of the year. Albert Pujols’ sacrifice fly in the 5th inning scored the lone St. Louis run of the game; the Cardinals suffered their 61st loss of the season. Leo Nunez worked the 9th inning to pick up his 21st save in 27 chances. St. Louis has lost four of its last five games.

Toronto Blue Jays 10 New York Yankees 4- Roy Halladay joined the MLB’s 15-win club after holding the Yankees to two earned runs on eleven hits in six innings. Travis Snider homered twice while Adam Lind, Edwin Encarnacion, and Jose Bautista each went deep once to lift Toronto to its 66th victory of the season. Brett Gardner drove in two runs for New York, but it was not enough as the Yankees fell to 93-53 on the year.

Oakland Athletics 6 Texas Rangers 1- After scoring the first run of the game, Rajai Davis drove in the next four Oakland runs to lead the Athletics to their 66th win of the season. Kurt Suzuki drove in the other Oakland run of the game in the 6th inning after drawing a bases-loaded walk. David Murphy scored the lone Texas run of the game in the 4th inning on a solo home run, but the Rangers ended up losing their 64th game of the year.

Minnesota Twins 5 Cleveland Indians 4- Nick Punto registered two RBI singles while Orlando Cabrera blasted a solo shot in the 5th inning to lift Minnesota to its 73rd victory of the season. Jon Rauch pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless relief to pick up his third win of the year. Matt LaPorta homered in the 9th inning to make it a game, but it was not enough as Cleveland fell to 61-83 on the season; LaPorta led all Indians with 2 RBIs. Despite giving up the long ball to LaPorta, Joe Nathan prevailed with membership in the MLB’s 40-save club.

Chicago Cubs 13 Milwaukee Brewers 7- Twelve walks and three hit batsmen, two of which occurred with the bases full of Cubs, led to the downfall of the Brewers for the 75th time this season. Geovany Soto homered and drove in three runs to lift Chicago to Win #75 of the year. Derrek Lee added 3 RBIs while Ryan Theriot, Aramis Ramirez, Micah Hoffpauir, Milton Bradley, Mike Fontenot, and Carlos Zambrano each drove in a run for the Cubs, who have won seven of their last eight games. Corey Hart drove in three runs while Mike Cameron added 2 RBIs for Milwaukee.

Arizona Diamondbacks 4 San Diego Padres 2- Mark Reynolds’ two-run blast in the top of the 9th inning broke a 2-2 tie and lifted the Diamondbacks to their 64th victory of the season. Reynolds’ 42nd long ball of the year enabled Dan Haren to improve to 14-8 as a starter; Haren gave up two earned runs on five hits in eight innings. Eric Byrnes drove in the other two runs for Arizona: one on a solo home run in the 3rd, and the other on an RBI double in the 7th. Chase Headley and Edgar Gonzalez each drove in a run in the 4th inning for San Diego, but the Padres fell short as they suffered their 81st loss of the year, clinching a non-winning season.

San Francisco Giants 10 Colorado Rockies 2- Barry Zito joined the MLB’s 10-win club after giving up two earned runs on five hits in seven innings. Juan Uribe drove in three runs while Travis Ishikawa, Aaron Rowand, and Bengie Molina each added to RBIs to lift San Francisco to Win #79 of the season. Troy Tulowitzki homered in the 6th inning while Carlos Gonzalez added an RBI single in the 3rd inning for Colorado, but the Rockies ended up on the short end of an MLB game for the 64th time this year.

Chicago White Sox 6 Seattle Mariners 3- Down 3-2 in the 7th inning, A.J. Pierzynski hit a two-run single to give Chicago a 4-3 lead; the White Sox added two more runs as they went on to win an MLB game for the 72nd time this season. Ken Griffey Jr. blasted his 626th career home run in the 2nd inning for Seattle, but it was not enough as the Mariners fell victim to their opponent for the 71st time this year. Freddy Garcia picked up his 2nd win of the season after giving up three earned runs on seven hits in six innings. Bobby Jenks worked the 9th inning for Chicago to pick up his 29th save of the year.

Los Angeles Dodgers 5 Pittsburgh Pirates 4- Ryan Doumit’s RBI single in the top of the 13th inning broke a 3-3 tie, but did NOT lift Pittsburgh to Win #56 of the season. Instead, the Pirates suffered Loss #88 of the year after Andre Ethier hit a walk-off two-run blast in the bottom of the 13th. Ethier’s 30th long ball of the season lifted the Dodgers to their 87th win of the year; it was Ethier’s sixth walk-off hit and fourth walk-off home run of the season. Ethier also scored the tying run in the bottom of the 9th inning on a Matt Kemp RBI single. Despite giving up the RBI single to Doumit, Ronald Belisario was credited with his 4th victory of the year. Steve Pearce blasted his 4th home run of the season in the 2nd inning to give Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead; the Pirates added another run in the 2nd on a Zach Duke RBI single.

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Philadelphia Phillies 5 New York Mets 4 (Game 1)- Kyle Kendrick gave up two earned runs on seven hits in 7.1 innings as he won in his first Phillies start of the season. Ben Francisco and Shane Victorino each hit a long ball for Philadelphia, who improved to 81-60 on the year, clinching a non-losing season. Anderson Hernandez blasted a two-run bomb for New York in the 8th inning, but it was not enough as the Mets reached the 80-loss milestone. Brad Lidge scattered two earned runs in the 9th, but prevailed with his 29th save in 39 chances.

Philadelphia Phillies 1 New York Mets 0 (Game 2)- Pedro Martinez threw 130 pitches in eight shutout innings, giving up six hits and striking out seven en route to his fifth victory of the season. Chase Utley singled in the lone run of the game in the 1st inning to lift the Phillies to their 82nd win of the year, clinching a winning season for the leaders of the NL East. Ryan Madson worked the 9th inning and picked up his 8th save of the year. Mets starter Tim Redding, despite giving up the one earned run, scattered just three hits in six innings; nevertheless, Redding was issued his 6th loss of the season. New York clinched a non-winning season with Loss #81 of the year.

Pittsburgh Pirates 2 Hosuton Astros 1- Paul Maholm allowed six hits in eight scoreless innings as he picked up his eighth victory of the season. Ryan Doumit hit a solo shot in the 8th while Garrett Jones added an RBI single in the 1st to lift Pittsburgh to Win #55 of the year. Lance Berkman blasted his 21st long ball of the season in the 9th inning, but Houston ended up losing its 73rd game of the year. Despite giving up the home run to Berkman, Matt Capps picked up his 25th save of the season.

Atlanta Braves 9 St. Louis Cardinals 2- Javier Vazquez held St. Louis to two earned runs on seven hits, pitching all nine innings to improve to 13-9 on the season. Adam LaRoche hit a long ball in the 9th inning and doubled in two runs in the 3rd to lift Atlanta to its 75th victory of the year. Yunel Escobar and Matt Diaz each had 2 RBIs for the Braves, who completed a three-game sweep over the Cardinals. Matt Holliday singled in two runs for St. Louis in the bottom of the 9th inning, but the Cardinals ended up reaching the 60-loss milestone.

Chicago Cubs 5 Cincinnati Reds 2- Ted Lilly allowed six hits in as many innings en route to his 12th victory of the season. Derrek Lee homered in the 7th inning while Andres Blanco drove in two runs to lift the Cubs to their 73rd win of the year. Drew Stubbs singled in both Cincinnati runs in the 9th inning, but it was not enough as the Reds fell to 64-79 on the season.

Boston Red Sox 3 Tampa Bay Rays 1 (Game 1)- Dustin Pedroia’s two-run bomb in the 8th inning broke a 1-1 tie and lifted the Boston Red Sox to Win #83 of the season. Pedroia’s 13th home run of the year enabled Hideki Okajima to pick up his 6th victory of the season; Okajima pitched a perfect inning of relief. Jonathan Papelbon struck out the side in the 9th inning to pick up his 36th save in 39 chances. Jason Bartlett singled in the lone Tampa Bay run of the game, but the Rays ended up losing their 10th straight game; Tampa Bay has now reached the 70-loss milestone.

Boston Red Sox 4 Tampa Bay Rays 0 (Game 2)- Jon Lester improved to 13-7 as a starter after scattering two hits in eight scoreless innings. Jason Bay blasted his 32nd home run of the season in the 8th inning for the Red Sox, who won their 84th game of the season. Jason Varitek singled in two runs in the 6th while Mike Lowell added an RBI groundout in the 2nd. Tampa Bay extended its losing streak to eleven games, which ties for the third longest in franchise history. The Rays now stand at 72-71 on the year.

Kansas City Royals 7 Cleveland Indians 0- Kyle Davies didn’t give up a hit until the 6th inning as he won his 4th straight start; Davies finished the game giving up one hit in six innings as he picked up his 8th victory of the season. John Buck hit his 7th home run of the season in the 3rd inning for Kansas City, who improved to 57-86 on the year. Shin-Soo Choo and Matt LaPorta each got a hit against the Royals, but the Indians ended up losing their 81st game of the year, clinching a non-winning season.

Detroit Tigers 7 Toronto Blue Jays 2- Rick Porcello scattered two earned runs on four hits in six innings as he improved to 13-8 as a starter. Gerald Laird drove in two runs for Detroit, who earned Win #76 of the season. Edwin Encarnacion and Aaron Hill each drove in a run for the Blue Jays, but it was not enough as Toronto fell to 65-78 on the year. The win snaps Detroit’s five-game losing streak.

New York Yankees 13 Baltimore Orioles 3- C.C. Sabathia picked up his AL-leading 17th victory of the season after squandering three earned runs on five hits in seven innings. Hideki Matsui homered during an eight-run 8th inning to lift the Yankees to their 92nd win of the year. Melky Cabrera drove in four runs for the Yankees, who registered more hits in this game (20) than they did in the first two games of the series combined (19). Justin Turner, Chad Moeller, and Jeff Fiorentino each drove in a run for the Orioles, but Baltimore ended up suffering its 84th loss of the season.

Minnesota Twins 8 Oakland Athletics 0- Brian Duensing allowed eight hits in seven scoreless innings as he picked up his third victory of the season; Duensing walked three and struck out six. Joe Mauer blasted his 27th long ball of the year for Minnesota, who improved to 71-72 on the season. The Twins remain 5.5 games behind Detroit for first place in the AL Central. Oakland fell to 64-78 on the year.

Washington Nationals 7 Florida Marlins 2- John Lannan won for the first time in seven starts, improving to 9-11 on the season after scattering one earned run on six hits in five innings. The game actually ended with no outs in the bottom of the 9th inning due to rain. Pete Orr blasted his first long ball of the season in the 3rd inning for Washington, who reached the 50-win milestone. Jorge Cantu and Cody Ross singled in the runs for the Marlins, but it was not enough as Florida fell to 76-67 on the year.

San Diego Padres 7 Colorado Rockies 3- Tony Gwynn’s sacrifice fly in the 6th inning broke a 3-3 tie and lifted the San Diego Padres to Win #65 of the season. San Diego has now won 2 of 3 games in three consecutive series, all against NL West playoff contenders (Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and Colorado Rockies). Adam Russell picked up his second victory of the season after pitching a scoreless inning of relief. Will Venable blasted his 11th home run of the year in the 2nd inning for the Padres. Garrett Atkins tripled in two runs in the 4th inning for the Rockies, but Colorado ended up suffering its 62nd loss of the season. Colorado’s lead in the NL Wild Card is now down to 4.5 games over San Francisco.

San Francisco Giants 7 Los Angeles Dodgers 2- Brad Penny won his third game as a San Francisco Giant after squandering two earned runs on five hits in seven innings. Juan Uribe hit a two-run home run in the 2nd inning for San Francisco, who improved to 77-66 on the season. Russell Martin drove in both Los Angeles runs on a long ball in the 7th inning; it was not enough, however, as the Dodgers fell to 85-59 on the year. Los Angeles’ lead in the NL West is still at three games over Colorado.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 3 Chicago White Sox 2- Torii Hunter’s home run in the 7th inning broke a 2-2 tie and lifted the Angels to Win #86 of the season; it was Hunter’s 21st long ball of the year. Bobby Abreu and Maicer Izturis drove in the other runs for Los Angeles, who took two of three games from the White Sox. Carlos Quentin singled in both Chicago runs in the 1st inning, but it was not enough as the White Sox suffered their 73rd loss of the season. Brian Fuentes recorded the last two outs to pick up his major league-leading 41st save in 47 chances.

Milwaukee Brewers 5 Arizona Diamondbacks 3- Prince Fielder’s home run in the 4th inning tied Milwaukee’s single-season RBI record and lifted the Brewers to Win #69 of the year. Milwaukee scored four more in the 7th inning en route to completing a three-game sweep of Arizona. Chris Young blasted a 4th inning home run of his own for the Diamondbacks, who fell to 62-82 on the year, clinching a losing season. Trevor Hoffman pitched a perfect 9th inning and earned his 32nd save in 35 chances.

Texas Rangers 7 Seattle Mariners 2 (Game 1)- Tommy Hunter pitched his first complete game, squandering two runs (only one was earned) on six hits en route to Win #8 of the season. Chris Davis, David Murphy, and Nelson Cruz homered for the Rangers, who reached the 80-win milestone. Ichiro Suzuki went 1-for-4 with an RBI double in the 3rd inning to give him 199 hits on the season; one more and Ichiro will have set a major league record with nine consecutive 200-hit seasons. Adrian Beltre singled in the other run for the Mariners, who reached the 70-loss milestone.

Seattle Mariners 5 Texas Rangers 0 (Game 2)- Ichiro Suzuki’s infield single in the 2nd inning enabled him to break the MLB record for most consecutive seasons with at least 200 hits; Ichiro’s single also scored Josh Wilson to make it 2-0 Seattle. Adrian Beltre hit a two-run bomb in the 5th inning for the Mariners, who won their 74th game of the year. Mariners starter Felix Hernandez earned membership in the MLB’s 15-win club after holding Texas to four hits in seven shutout innings; Hernandez walked one and struck out five. The Rangers fell to 80-62 on the season.

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Cincinnati Reds 7 Chicago Cubs 5- Drew Sutton’s two-run double in the 9th inning broke a 5-5 tie and lifted Cincinnati to Win #64 of the season. Drew Stubbs, Brandon Phillips, Darnell McDonald, Joey Votto, and Scott Rolen each drove in a run for Cincinnati, who jumped out to a 5-0 lead after four innings. Geovany Soto led all batters with 2 RBIs for the Cubs, but it was not enough as Chicago fell to 72-68 on the year. Francisco Cordero worked the 9th inning for Cincinnati and picked up his 34th save in 37 chances.

Baltimore Orioles 7 New York Yankees 3- Behind a six-run 2nd inning, the Baltimore Orioles improved to 58-83 on the season after defeating the Yankees for the second straight day. Brian Matusz gave up one earned run on four hits in seven innings as he picked up his 5th victory of the year; Matusz struck out three as he won his third straight start. Brian Roberts blasted a grand slam while Nolan Reimold hit a solo shot in the 2nd inning for Baltimore. Mark Teixeira, Melky Cabrera, and Jorge Posada each drove in a run for New York, who fell to 91-52 on the season.

Oakland Athletics 4 Minnesota Twins 2- Brett Anderson improved to 9-10 as a starter after holding Minnesota to two earned runs on five hits in seven innings. Five of the six runs scored in the game were scored off sacrifice flies; Cliff Pennington’s RBI double drove in the other run of the game for Oakland, who earned Win #64 of the season. Eric Patterson, Rajai Davis, and Kurt Suzuki each hit a sacrifice fly for the Athletics. Denard Span and Jason Kubel hit the sacrifice flies for Minnesota, who fell to 70-72 on the year. Andrew Bailey worked the 9th inning for Oakland to earn his 23rd save in 27 chances.

New York Mets 10 Philadelphia Phillies 9- Down 9-8 in the top of the 9th inning, David Wright blasted his second two-run home run of the game to lift the Mets to their 63rd victory of the season; Wright finished the game with 6 RBIs. Carlos Beltran also hit a two-run blast for New York in the 1st inning. Pedro Feliz, Chase Utley, and Raul Ibanez each homered for the Phillies, but it was not enough as Philadelphia reached the 60-loss milestone. Ryan Madson blew his sixth save and fell to 5-5 on the season. Francisco Rodriguez, however, earned his 31st save of the year after shutting down the Phillies in the 9th inning.

Atlanta Braves 7 St. Louis Cardinals 6- Trailing 5-4 in the middle of the 8th inning, St. Louis scored two to take a 6-5 lead. However, in the top of the 9th inning, Atlanta answered back when Brian McCann hit a two-run double to lift the Braves to their 74th victory of the season. Ryan Franklin, who gave up the two runs in the 9th inning, blew his second consecutive save and his fourth of the year; Franklin fell to 2-3 on the season. Tim Hudson blasted his first career long ball in the 2nd inning to give Atlanta a 3-2 lead; on the mound, however, he squandered four earned runs on ten hits in five innings. Mike Gonzalez was credited with his 4th victory of the season despite giving up the two runs in the 8th inning, and Rafael Soriano worked the 9th inning for his 24th save in 28 chances.

Chicago White Sox 4 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 3- Kevin Jepsen’s wild pitch in the 10th inning enabled Scott Podsednik to score the go-ahead run for Chicago, who ended up winning its 71st game of the season. Podsednik also scored on an inside-the-park home run in the 3rd inning. Gordon Beckham also hit a home run for Chicago, but of the outside-the-park variety. Vladimir Guerrero, Torii Hunter, and Maicer Izturis each drove in a run for Los Angeles, but it was not enough as the Angels fell to 85-56 on the year. Tony Pena picked up the save after recording the final two outs for the White Sox.

Houston Astros 4 Pittsburgh Pirates 2- Carlos Lee and Miguel Tejada each blasted a two-run shot to lift Houston to the 70-win milestone; Tejada’s long ball in the 7th inning broke a 2-2 tie and enabled Jeff Fulchino to pick up his sixth victory of the season. Ramon Vazquez and Andy LaRoche each drove in a run for the Pirates, but it was not enough as Pittsburgh fell to 54-86 on the year. Jose Valverde picked up his 23rd save of the season after shutting down the Pirates in the 9th inning.

Cleveland Indians 13 Kansas City Royals 6- David Huff joined the MLB’s 10-win club after scattering three earned runs on seven hits in six innings. Shin-Soo Choo homered in the 5th inning while Jhonny Peralta added 4 RBIs for Cleveland, who improved to 61-80 on the season. Willie Bloomquist and Mike Jacobs each drove in two runs for the Royals, but Kansas City ended up suffering Loss #86 of the year.

Toronto Blue Jays 8 Detroit Tigers 6- Aaron Hill’s two-run blast in the top of the 9th inning broke a 6-6 tie and lifted the Blue Jays to their 65th win of the season. Rod Barajas, Vernon Wells, and Marco Scutaro also went deep for the Blue Jays. Detroit scored all of its runs off home runs from Curtis Granderson, Alex Avila, and Miguel Cabrera; nevertheless, the Tigers suffered their 5th consecutive loss and fell to 75-66 on the year. Jason Frasor recorded the final out of the game for Toronto and earned his 10th save in 12 chances.

Florida Marlins 11 Washington Nationals 3- Jorge Cantu drove in the first five runs for Florida via a three-run blast and a two-run double to lift Florida to Win #76 of the season. Gaby Sanchez added his first career long ball for Florida, who won four of its last five games. Justin Maxwell homered twice for the Nationals, but it was not enough as Washington fell to 49-93 on the year. Tim Wood pitched 1.1 scoreless innings of relief and earned his first major league victory.

Milwaukee Brewers 9 Arizona Diamondbacks 2- Dave Bush earned a win for the first time in almost four months, squandering one earned run on five hits in seven innings; Bush struck out eleven en route to his fourth victory of the season. Casey McGehee blasted two long balls to lift Milwaukee to Win #68 of the year; McGehee finished the game with 6 RBIs. Gerardo Parra and Chris Young each drove in a run for the Diamondbacks; it was not enough, however, as Arizona fell to 62-81 on the year, clinching a non-winning season.

Los Angeles Dodgers 9 San Francisco Giants 1- Vincente Padilla held San Francisco to one unearned run on three hits in six innings, picking up his third victory of the season in a Dodgers uniform. Russell Martin and James Loney went deep for Los Angeles, who improved to 85-58 on the year. The Giants, who are now 76-66, have lost their fourth consecutive game and five of their last six games.

Boston Red Sox 9 Tampa Bay Rays 1- Josh Beckett won his first game in a month, and the game didn’t even last six innings; the game was called in the top of the 6th inning due to rain. Beckett pitched the whole five innings for Boston, giving up one earned run on four hits in five innings; Beckett struck out four before joining the MLB’s 15-win club. Boston scored eight in the 3rd inning en route to Win #82 of the year, clinching a winning season for the Red Sox. Kevin Youkilis added his 25th home run of the year in the 4th inning. Jason Bartlett singled in the lone Tampa Bay run of the game; the Rays, who fell to 72-69 on the season, have now lost nine consecutive games.

Seattle Mariners 8 Texas Rangers 3- Brandon Morrow picked up his first victory since September 26, 2008 after allowing three earned runs on five hits in five innings. Ichiro Suzuki homered and added another hit to lift the Mariners to their 73rd win of the season; Ichiro now needs two more hits for a record 9th consecutive 200-hit season. The game actually ended in the bottom of the 9th inning due to rain. Julio Borbon drove in all three runs for the Rangers: two on a 3rd inning home run, and one on a 5th inning groundout. It was not enough, however, as Texas fell to 79-61 on the year.

San Diego Padres 3 Colorado Rockies 2- A walk-off walk drawn by Nick Hundley lifted the San Diego Padres to their 64th victory of the season. Adrian Gonzalez and Chase Headley each drove in a run in the 1st inning for San Diego. Troy Tulowitzki went deep in the 6th inning for Colorado, but it was not enough as the Rockies fell to 82-61 on the season. The loss snaps Colorado’s eight-game winning streak. Yorvit Torrealba forced extra innings when his RBI single in the 9th inning drove in Dexter Fowler; it was the second straight night San Diego closer Heath Bell blew a save.

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Chicago Cubs 6 Cincinnati Reds 4- Jeff Stevens pitched one inning of relief, scattering three earned runs on as many hits; despite giving up a three-run home run to Jonny Gomes, Stevens managed to pick up his first victory of the season. Geovany Soto homered in the 4th inning and added a sacrifice fly in the 2nd to lift Chicago to Win #72 of the year. Joey Votto drove in the other Cincinnati run of the game in the 3rd inning, but it was not enough as the Reds fell to 63-78 on the season. Carlos Marmol picked up his 12th save in 16 chances after shutting down the Reds in the 9th inning.

Philadelphia Phillies 4 New York Mets 2- Cole Hamels improved to 9-9 as a starter after squandering one earned run on seven hits in 6.2 innings. Jimmy Rollins, Pedro Feliz, Carlos Ruiz, and Chase Utley each drove in a run for Philadelphia, who reached the 80-win milestone. Luis Castillo drove in a run for the Mets, but it was not enough as New York fell to 62-79 on the season. Ryan Madson earned his 7th save in 12 chances after working the 9th inning for the Phillies.

Washington Nationals 5 Florida Marlins 3- J.D. Martin picked up his 4th victory of the season after allowing two earned runs on as many hits in five innings. Adam Dunn and Ryan Zimmerman went deep while Mike Morse added a two-run double to lift Washington to Win #49 of the year. Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla both homered for Florida, but it was not enough as the Marlins fell to 75-66 on the season. Mike MacDougal recorded the final five outs for Washington and picked up his 15th save in 16 chances.

Houston Astros 9 Pittsburgh Pirates 1- Bud Norris improved to 5-3 as a starter after giving up one earned run on six hits in six innings. Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee each homered for the Astros, who won their 69th game of the season; Berkman and Lee combined to drive in five runs for Houston, who won eleven of its last fifteen home games. Andy LaRoche scored the lone Pittsburgh run of the game on a solo home run in the 5th inning; the Pirates fell to 54-85 on the year.

Atlanta Braves 1 St. Louis Cardinals 0- Jair Jurrjens picked up his 11th victory of the season after holding St. Louis to six hits in eight scoreless innings; Jurrjens struck out seven and walked two. Omar Infante drove in the only run of the game in the 2nd inning to lift Atlanta to Win #73 of the year. Rafael Soriano shut down the Cardinals in the 9th inning to earn his 23rd save in 27 chances. Joel Piniero gave up the one earned run on five hits in seven innings, but was issued his 10th loss of the season. St. Louis fell to 84-58 on the year.

Milwaukee Brewers 6 Arizona Diamondbacks 3- Braden Looper picked up his 12th victory of the season after giving up three earned runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings. Ryan Braun hit a two-run blast and added an RBI double to lift Milwaukee to Win #67 of the year. Justin Upton blasted his 24th long ball of the season in the 6th inning for Arizona, but it was not enough as the Diamondbacks reached the 80-loss milestone. Trevor Hoffman picked up his 31st save in 34 chances after pitching a perfect 9th inning for Milwaukee.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 7 Chicago White Sox 1- Joe Saunders won his 4th straight start as he held Chicago to one earned run on three hits in seven innings; Saunders struck out three en route to Win #13 of the season. Vladimir Guerrero, Bobby Abreu, and Maicer Izturis each drove in two runs for the Angels, who improved to 85-55 on the year. Jayson Nix scored the lone Chicago run of the game on a solo home run in the 3rd inning; the White Sox suffered their 72nd loss of the season.

Kansas City Royals 2 Cleveland Indians 1- Miguel Olivo’s home run in the 12th inning lifted the Kansas City Royals to their 56th victory of the season; Olivo also drove in a run in the 4th inning on an RBI groundout. Travis Hafner singled in the lone Cleveland run of the game in the 7th inning, but the Indians ended up reaching the 80-loss milestone. Joakim Soria worked the 12th inning for Kansas City and picked up his 25th save in 28 chances.

Toronto Blue Jays 6 Detroit Tigers 4- Brian Tallet picked up his 7th victory of the season after scattering three earned runs on eight hits in 6.1 innings. Rod Barajas and Randy Ruiz each hit a ball out of the park while Vernon Wells drove in two runs to lift the Blue Jays to their 64th win of the year. Ryan Raburn drove in two runs for the Tigers, but it was not enough as Detroit fell to 75-65 on the season. Jason Frasor worked the 9th inning and picked up his 9th save of the year.

Oakland Athletics 12 Minnesota Twins 5- Clayton Mortenson earned his first major league victory after holding Minnesota to one earned run on five hits in six innings. Jack Cust, Cliff Pennington, Mark Ellis, Daric Barton, and Kurt Suzuki all homered for Oakland, who improved to 63-77 on the season. Denard Span homered in the 1st inning for Minnesota, but it was not enough as the Twins suffered their 71st loss of the year.

Los Angeles Dodgers 10 San Francisco Giants 3- Hiroki Kuroda squandered two earned runs on three hits in eight innings as he picked up his sixth victory of the season. Casey Blake homered for the Dodgers, who won their 84th game of the year; Blake finished the game with 3 RBIs. Nate Schierholtz, Ryan Rohlinger, and Kevin Frandsen each drove in a run for San Francisco, but the Giants ended up suffering Loss #65 of the season.

Colorado Rockies 4 San Diego Padres 1- Down 1-0 after eight innings, Colorado stormed back with four runs in the top of the 9th inning to earn Win #82 of the year, clinching a winning season. Yorvit Torrealba broke the shutout with a three-run double off Padres closer Heath Bell; Paul Phillips added an RBI single for Colorado, who stayed two games behind Los Angeles in the NL West. Oscar Salazar drove in the lone San Diego run of the game by drawing a base-loaded walk in the 1st inning; the Padres fell to 63-79 on the season. Franklin Morales worked the 9th inning for Colorado and earned his 6th save in seven chances.

Baltimore Orioles 10 New York Yankees 4- September 11 may be a day that most Americans would like to forget, but it may also be a day that most Yankees (or at least Derek Jeter) fans would like to remember forever. Jeter’s third-inning single to right field broke the Yankees’ all-time hits record, which was previously held by Lou Gehrig; Jeter also singled in a run in the 4th inning. Unfortunately, for the Yankees, they suffered their 51st loss of the season after falling victim to the Baltimore Orioles. Baltimore starter Chris Tillman was credited with his second victory of the season after giving up four earned runs on nine hits in five innings. Brian Roberts drove in three runs while Cesar Izturis and Nick Markakis had two RBIs each to lift Baltimore to Win #57 of the year. Alex Rodriguez blasted a three-run home run in the 1st inning for the Yankees.

The Rays/Red Sox and Mariners/Rangers games have been postponed due to rain. All four teams will play doubleheaders on Sunday.

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