Screw-jobs for June 18h 2009

I bet the New York Yankees against the Washington Nationals

Craig Stammen (WSH starting pitcher) earned his first major league victory.

Boosted by Ryan Zimmerman's three hits and a bunch of nifty plays, Washington posted its first two-game winning streak since taking three straight May 7-9.

The Nationals' problematic outfield produced two gems. Left fielder Willie Harris made a diving catch on the warning track to rob Alex Rodriguez, and Kearns unleashed a perfect throw from right to cut down Nick Swisher at second.

Screw-jobs for June 16th 2009

I bet the Atlanta Braves against the Cincinnati Reds

Left-hander Daniel Ray Herrera (CIN pitcher) got his first major league victory.

The Braves had 12 hits but stranded five runners in scoring position. They loaded the bases with one out in the sixth and failed to score.

I bet the Detroit Tigers against the St. Louis Cardinals

Albert Pujols (STL hitter) lined his 23rd homer an estimated 446 feet over the left field wall off Ryan Perry to start the sixth. Chris Duncan followed with a 418-foot shot that gave the light-hitting Cardinals back-to-back homers for the first time all season.

Justin Verlander (DET starting pitcher) had been 7-0 with a 1.10 ERA over nine starts before running into trouble against a team that had scored three or fewer runs in 10 of its previous 15 games.

It was 80 degrees at game time, not at all oppressive in a city known for its brutal summers, but Verlander said the humidity sapped him.

"I think after the first inning, I was just gassed," Verlander said. "I couldn't get my legs underneath me. It was a weird feeling."

Verlander gave up five runs and eight hits for his first loss since April 17 at Seattle.

Verlander's first balk of the season forced in a run and Joe Thurston added an RBI double.

Screw-jobs for June 13th 2009

I bet the Cincinnati Red against the Kansas City Royals

The Royals won back-to-back games for the first time since May 17-19. By winning the first two games over the Reds, the Royals have won a series for the first time since May 5-6, going 0-9-1 in their previous 10 series. They had a stretch of 23 losses in 30 games.

Kyle Davies (KC starting pitcher), who was 0-5 with two no-decisions in his previous seven starts, picked up his first victory since April 30.

Screw-jobs for June 11th 2009

I bet on the New York Yankees against the Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox are 8-0 against the New York Yankees. J.D. Drew hit an RBI single to spark an eighth-inning rally, then scored the go-ahead run on Mike Lowell's fly ball to help the Red Sox beat New York 4-3. It's the first time the Red Sox have opened the season with eight straight wins against their New York rivals since they helped christen the brand-new Fenway Park by winning the first 14 matchups against the Highlanders in 1912.

Takashi Saito (1-0) earned his first AL victory with four outs of scoreless relief.

The Yankees did not lead against Boston at any time in the previous four games. That has happened only eight times in the 107-year-old rivalry, the last in 1974.

This was Brad Penny's first game of the season where he did not give up a run.

I bet the Chicago Cubs against the Houston Astros

Geoff Blum singled to down the right-field line off Jose Ascanio in the 13th inning on Thursday to score Hunter Pence and lift the Astros to a 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs. The third baseman is the first Houston player with winning hits in back-to-back games since Derek Bell did it on July 20-21, 1996, against Atlanta.

I bet the Detroit Red Wings against the Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh was 1-5 in Detroit this year and last until this game.

The Penguins are the first team since the 2004 Tampa Bay Lightning to win the Cup after trailing the series 3-2.

They are the first to take Game 7 on the road after the home team won the first six games, since the 1971 Montreal Canadiens.

Uncharacteristic mistakes by the experience-laden Red Wings led to both Pittsburgh goals.

Detroit had been 11-1 at home in the playoffs.

The last road team to win Game 7 of the championship round in any major league was the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates.

Screw-jobs for June 8th 2009

I bet the Texas Rangers against the Toronto Blue Jays

Scott Feldman (TEX starting pitcher) lost for the first time in nine starts.

I bet the St. Louis Cardinals (yes, again) against the Colorado Rockies

The Rockies won their season-high fifth in a row. St. Louis has lost a season-worst four straight.

Colorado last swept the Cardinals in July 1994.

Even star slugger Albert Pujols was in a slump during this series, going 1-for-14.

I bet the Arizona D-Backs against the San Diego Padres

Kevin Kouzmanoff (San Diego third-baseman) did his part, too, tying his career-high with four RBI.

Jake Peavy (San Diego starting pitcher) limped after running out a sacrifice bunt in the fifth inning and again as he walked off the mound for the final time in the seventh. Peavy, who's been bothered recently by tendinitis in his right ankle, bounced back from the shortest start of his career.

Screw-jobs for June 7th 2009

I bet the St. Louis Cardinals against the Colorado Rockies

The Colorado Rockies got unexpected offense from Paul Phillips, who drove in three runs in a 7-2 victory on Sunday. Phillips had a career-best four hits, including his first homer since 2006.

The Rockies have scored 38 runs in their first four-game winning streak of the year.

Ubaldo Jimenez (COL starting pitcher) had a season-high nine strikeouts and won for the first time in five starts.

Screw-jobs for June 6th 2009

I bet the St. Louis Cardinals against the Colorado Rockies

1. Aaron Cook (COL starting pitcher) came into the game with a career ERA of over 6 against the Cardinals. Cook allowed a run and four hits in eight dominant innings, facing no batters with runners in scoring position.

2. The Rockies reached double digits in runs in three straight road games for the first time since April 7-9, 2006.

3. Todd Wellemeyer (St. Louis starting pitcher) lost for the first time in four career decisions against the Rockies.