Hamels, Galarraga battle in classic duel

Now that's what I call a pitchers' duel! Sardine City and Amityville battled it out to a 1-0 finale, with the Sardines taking the win. Cole Hamels, starting for the Straphangers, got into some early "trouble" when he gave up a double to Ryan Garko. It would be the only hit he would give up. Hamels subsequently walked Jason Kubel, but struck out Torii Hunter to get out of the jam. In the bottom of the inning, Carlos Quentin hit a solo home run to give the Straphangers the 1-0 lead. Miguel Montero would get a double in the third inning, and that was all for the two teams' offenses. Okay, well Raul Ibanez would also walk in the 4th, but the bats would go silent after that. In fact, Hamels would retire 24 straight batters before he allowed Johnny Damon to reach base in the 9th on his own error. Taylor Buchholz came in to strike out the final batter and earn his 9th save. Hamels ended the night pitching 8.2 innings, allowing 1 hit and 1 walk and striking out 7. Armando Galarraga, taking a tough loss, fell to 2-9 on the season, despite giving up only one run on 2 hits in 8 innings. Galarraga walked 1 and struck out 8.

Darren Oliver is up to his tricks again. Vancouver and Hillsborough, knotted at 3 ended up in extra innings again. Oliver, who had already pitched 2 shutout innings in the matchup, took the mound in the 10th. Sure enough, Oliver surrendered a home run to Mike Lowell, giving the Hitmen a 4-3 lead. The Fist went down in order in the bottom of the inning, sealing the fate of Oliver, who lost for the 4th time in 5 games - all to the Hired Hitmen. Vancouver's series with Hillsborough is now over, but the club has already announced that the next time the two clubs face each other, Oliver will be banished for the series. "We know Darren's got an illegitimate family living in Hillsborough" said bullpen coach Gregg Olson, "so we want to make sure his emotions don't get in the way of his pitching." Clubhouse cameras also caught Oliver accepting a package from a shady character wearing a Hillsborough baseball cap. Oliver denied any charges of impropriety.