Vegas unloads on Animals

Vancouver scored 6 runs in the first two innings to knock off Amityville 6-3. Amityville had held their opponents to a combined 10 hits and 1 run in the past three games, but John Lester was not able to keep the streak alive. Clint Barmes started the scoring with an RBI triple, then scored on a single after that, then Chase Utley added to the carnage in the next inning with a 3-run home run. Chad Billingsley, who had not won in 3 weeks, picked up his 10th victory of the season.

Two days ago it was the Mudcats who scored in the 20s, and now it's the Rat Pack, unloading on the hapless Endzone Animals in a 21-1 final. To make matters worse, the Animals were held to only one hit in the game - a first inning double that gave Philly a brief 1-0 lead. John Baker and Dan Uggla each had a home run and 4 RBIs and Matt Holliday was 3-4 with 5 RBIs. Rich Harden was the beneficiary of the run support, pitching 6 innings and striking out 7.

Newark edged Hillsborough 2-1 to even the series between the two division leaders. The Hitmen got off to an early 1-0 lead when Carlos Lee hit an RBI-single in the 4th, but Bobby Abreu tied it up in the 6th with a solo home run. In the 7th, Jason Giambi hit a sac fly to give the Sugar Bears the lead. Joey Devine pitched a perfect 9th for his league-leading 31st save.

Carlos Delgado's 2 home runs and Roy Halladay's 11-strikeout effort led the Mudcats to a 4-2 win over New Jersey. After being embarrassed yesterday, the Buddahs didn't have much left in the tank. Jamie Moyer pitched a decent game (8 IP, 4 ER, 6 K) but got the loss anyway. Halladay now leads the league with a 2.69 ERA and is tied for second in wins with 15.