#stratomatic

CIN: 000 201 000 // 3-8-0 (LoB: 6) STL: 000 000 000 // 0-9-0 (LoB: 8)

WP: Latos (2-0); LP: García (1-1); S: Chapman (2) HR: Votto (off García; 1 on)

The Red pieced together multiple base runners in just 2 innings, but on the power of 3 doubles and a 2-run home run, it proved to be enough to lead them to a 3-0 shutout victory to ruin the Cardinals home opener. Mat Latos scattered 7 hits over 7 innings for the win, outpitching Jaime García, who allowed just 6 hits over 6 innings but was hurt by those 4 extra-base hits. The Cardinals did get lead-off doubles in both the 1st and 2nd innings, and had the first 2 runners reach in the 4th inning with singles, but were unable to cash in, further ailed by hitting in 4 double plays - including a 5-4 double play that erased both of the lead runners in that 4th inning, and were unable to have a runner reach 3rd base in the loss.

(Strat notes: The Reds have really struggled offensively at the plate - I benched Jay Bruce today, and both Ryan Hanigan and Zack Cozart - who was already on the bench 2 games ago - have also been miserable. The Cardinals, meanwhile, are apparently top-10 in the league in BA thus far, but bottom 10 or 15 (I don't remember exactly) in runs scored, so something isn't translating. They did add David Freese back from the injured list, so that may help, and Daniel Descalsco is due back from his Strat-injury soon, so that may also help Maybe. )

MIN: 000 100 000 // 1-7-2 (LoB: 6) KC: 000 030 00x // 3-8-0 (LoB: 7)

WP: Santana (1-1); LP: Correia (1-1); S: Holland (1) HR: Gordon (off Correia; 1 on)

Down 1-0 in the 5th, the Royals mounted a small 2-out rally - with a single followed by Alex Gordon's go-ahead 2-run home run, and then a walk followed by back-to-back singles to push home another run - providing just enough offense in the Royals 3-1 win in their home opener for the 2013 season. That offensive burst proved enough for Ervin Santana, who pitching 7 innings of 1-run ball, scattering just 6 hits - 3 of them in the 3rd inning, when the Twins were unable to push a run across and left the bases loaded - while striking out 7, and Royals hang on when closer Greg Holland struck out 3 straight batters after allowing the first two hitters to reach base in the 9th. For the Royals, it was a welcome win, as it snapped a 3 game losing streak.

(Strat notes: The Twins were without Joe Mauer, who got injured in the last strat-game and had to miss 1 game. Pedro Florimón had like his 5th error of the season, in just 7 games, which is absolutely bonkers - he did have 18 for the season in reality, which is really not good, but he's currently on pace for 116 if he plays the entire season. Which, of course, if that rate keeps up, he will not - or he'll be DH'ing most of the time, which the Twins can't afford with Doumit and Morneau also on the roster. )

BAL: 000 000 013 // 4-9-0 (LoB: 10) BOS: 001 104 00x // 6-11-2 (LoB: 9)

WP: Buccholz (2-0); LP: Chen (0-2); S: Uehara (3) HR: none

What started as a pitching duel between Clay Buccholz and Wei-Yin Chen - with the Red Sox squeaking out just 2 runs through 5 and the Orioles failing to bring home any of their base runners through 7 - turned into a late offensive outpouring, with the Red Sox holding on to walk away with a 6-4 win. Chen started the 6th inning but loaded the bases without getting an out, and reliever Luis Ayala let all 3 runners score, plus another runner, to put the O's in a 6-0 hole. Then in the 9th, after the Orioles had gotten 1 run in the 8th thanks to an error and 2 singles, Buccholz was pulled after putting 2 runners on with just 1 out. Reliever Clayton Mortensen promptly tossed a wild pitch and then, after forcing a fly out, allowed a 2-run single that cut the lead to 6-3 and brought the tying run to the plate. Sox closer Uehara allowed a single that brought home 1 run, but he struck out Chris Davis to end the game.

(Strat notes: Yikes, the Orioles just kept shooting themselves in the foot with bad at-bats (fine, unlucky dice rolls) every time they got someone on base. Manny Machado was put on the bench due to a slow start to the Strat-season; Matt Wieters may be next, and Adam Jones may have staved off the similar by getting 2 RBI singles in his last 2 at-bats of this game. Been a slow start for the team though - and Chris Davis, who hit 53 homers during the regular season, has 0 through 7 games now. The dice are not in their favor.)

MIL: 100 010 300 // 5-13-1 (LoB: 8) CHC: 504 020 00x // 11-10-1 (LoB: 5)

WP: Jackson (1-1); LP: Burgos (0-1) HR: DeJesus (off Burgos; 2 on); Valbuena (off Figaro; 1 on)

The Cubs entered their home opener is miserable 0-6, the last winless team in the league, with a struggling offense. They turned things around early in front of their hometown fans, sending 9 players to bat in the 1st inning on their way to 5 runs, before adding 4 more in the 3rd and cruising to an 11-5 win. For the Brewers, who have now lost 3 straight, the game was a wasted opportunity - they took a 1-0 lead in the first, but were done in by 3 double plays and additionally had a caught stealing and left the bases loaded in the 6th inning; defensively, an error in the 3rd led to all 4 runs scored in that inning by the Cubs being unearned, including DeJesus's 3-run home run. Hiram Burgos, making his first career start, had a night to forget; Edwin Jackson, meanwhile, returned from injury and was able to get through 5.2 innings.

(Strat notes: The Brewers remain attractive to the injury bug - they got Álex González back today, but then Yuniesky Betancourt got plunked in the 8th inning and will now miss 2 games. Hiram Burgos got the start because Marco Estrada is still on the IL. and he got slammed for 7 hits and 9 runs, 5 earned, in 2.2 innings in what technically would've been first ever MLB start. For all their hits, it was really Castillo and Lillibridge coming thru for the Cubs - Rizzo, Castro, and Soriano combined to go 3-15 with 5 strikeouts.)

AL East Boston Red Sox 4-2 Toronto Blue Jays 3-3 Tampa Bay Rays 3-3 Baltimore Orioles 2-4 New York Yankees 1-5

AL Central Cleveland Indians 4-2 Chicago White Sox 4-2 Minnesota Twins 4-2 Detroit Tigers 3-3 Kansas City Royals 1-5

AL West Texas Rangers 5-1 Seattle Mariners 4-3 Anaheim Angels 3-3 Oakland Athletics 3-4 Houston Astros 1-5

NL East Atlanta Braves 5-1 Washington Nationals 4-2 Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 New York Mets 2-4 Miami Marlins 1-5

NL Central Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2 Cincinnati Reds 3-3 St. Louis Cardinals 2-4 Milwaukee Brewers 2-4 Chicago Cubs 0-6

HR: Adam Dunn (CWS) / Paul Goldschmidt (ARI) - 5 RBI: Paul Goldschmidt (ARI) - 11 BA: Welington Castillo (CHC) - .500 SB: Juan Pierre (MIA) - 4

I figured I'd go to a "day recap" instead of blurbing out each game - but then TV and work and books got in the way, and it took over a month to play the games of Sunday, April 7. So that was unexpected. We'll see, I may have to find something between the prior and this.

Game of the Day

KC: 002 000 000 // 2-4-1 (LoB: 6) PHI: 000 000 003 // 3-3-1 (LoB: 3) W - Horst (1-0); L - Holland (0-1) PotG - M. Young (PHI): 1-4, 1 HR (walk-off), 2 RBI

Royals' spot-starter Yordano Ventura loses no-hitter in 9th inning, and Michael Young blasts a walk-off 2-run home run off reliever Greg Holland to hand the Royals the loss

Around the League

BOS: 110 010 000 // 3-12-1 (LoB: 13) TOR: 201 010 20x // 6-11-2 (LoB: 9) W - Dickey (1-0); L - Lester (0-1); S - Janssen (2) PotG - Arencibia (TOR): 2-4, 3 RBI

NYY: 000 010 000 // 1-6-0 (LoB: 7) DET: 012 000 10x // 4-11-1 (LoB: 10) W - Verlander (1-0); L - Sabathia (0-2); S - Benoit (2) PotG - Cabrera (DET): 2-2, 1 RBI, 1 run scored, 1 BB, 1 HBP

PIT: 010 000 010 // 2-12-0 (LoB: 11) LAD: 201 001 00x // 4-9-0 (LoB: 7) W - Capuano (1-0); L - Locke (0-1); S - League (1) PotG - Uribe (LAD): 2-4, 2 RBI, 1 BB // Ryu injured, out 10 games

ARI: 000 201 100 // 4-10-0 (LoB: 12) MIL: 010 110 000 // 3-12-0 (LoB: 11) W - Ziegler (1-0); L - Wooten (0-1); S - Bell (1) PotG - Hill (ARI): 2-3, 1 RBI, 1 run scored, 2 BB

SEA: 200 000 111 // 5-8-0 (LoB: 7) CWS: 010 101 100 // 4-7-0 (LoB: 7) W - Luetge (1-0); L - Jones (0-1); S - Wilhelmsen (2) PotG - Dunn (CWS): 3-4, 3 HR, 3 RBI, 3 runs scored

MIA: 100 000 000 // 1-8-2 (LoB: 9) NYM: 200 000 20x // 4-6-0 (LoB: 9) W - McHugh (1-0); L - Fernández (0-1); S - Parnell (1) PotG - Davis (NYM): 3-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI // Wright injured, out 3 games

OAK: 020 202 300 // 9-10-0 (LoB: 6) HOU: 000 100 000 // 1-3-0 (LoB: 5) W - Chavez (1-0); L - Harrell (0-2) PotG - Chavez (OAK): 4.2 IP, 2 hits, 3 K, 1 ER // Anderson injured, out 15 games; Reddick injured, out 15 games

CHC: 100 000 000 // 1-5-0 (LoB: 5) ATL: 000 030 02x // 5-9-1 (LoB: 9) W - Hudson (2-0); L - Samardzija (0-2) PotG - Hudson (ATL): 9 IP, 5 hits, 4 K, 1 ER; 2-4, 1 double, 2 RBI

MIN: 120 040 001 // 8-12-1 (LoB: 7) BAL: 002 000 010 // 3-10-1 (LoB: 5) W - Hernández (1-0); L - Hammel (0-2); S - Pressly (1) PotG - Plouffe (MIN): 3-5, 1 HR (grand slam), 4 RBI

CLE: 200 000 000 // 2-6-0 (LoB: 5) TB: 100 100 02x // 4-8-0 (LoB: 9) W - Peralta (1-0); L - Allen (0-1); S - Rodney (3) PotG - Lobatón (TB): 2-4, 3 RBI, 1 triple

STL: 000 000 000 // 0-4-0 (LoB: 5) SF: 000 000 31x // 4-6-0 (LoB: 4) W - Cain (1-1); L - Wainwright (0-2) PotG - Cain (SF): 7 IP, 4 hits, 7 K, 0 ER

SD: 100 000 000 // 1-3-0 (LoB: 8) COL: 100 000 10x // 2-11-1 (LoB: 9) W - Chacin (1-0); L - Brach (0-1); S - Betancourt (2) PotG - Brignac (COL): 1-1, 1 HR (go-ahead, pinch-hit), 1 RBI