2021 Eck Award Winner: Liam Hendriks

Liam Hendriks ran away with the 2021 Eck Award, winning by one of the widest margins in recent memory and quietly putting together one of the highest Eck's scores in almost a decade.

The Schmidt hits the fan

Another fine outing from Honolulu's Jason Schmidt yesterday. The Sharks provided plenty of run support, scoring seven runs in the first inning and another two in the second. Vegas starter Anthony Reyes surrendered all nine runs in his 2.2 innings pitched. Reyes, whose ERA keeps rising and rising is now standing at 8.13 - almost Brett Myers territory. Schmidt, on the other hand, pitched six shutout innings, allowing only six hits and one walk, while striking out six. Schmidt improves to 9-2 on the season, becoming the first nine-game winner in the DMBL.

The Sugar Bears pounded away on Hoboken again last night. Leading the way, none other than Marlon Anderson. Anderson was 3-4 with 4 runs and 7 RBIs. This marks the third time in four tries that the Sugar Bears have scored more than ten runs against the Cutters. Hoboken has now lost five in a row and has fallen one game below .500.

Sardine City's Josh Barfield has been sitting on the disabled list all weekend, waiting to be activated. The team doctors have pronounced Barfield fit to play as early as Saturday, but ownership has not activated him yet. Maybe it has something to do with Julio Lugo heating up over the last few games. Lugo is now batting .293 during his stint with the Straphangers. Barfield only hit .255 so far this year. "If they want to keep Julio, then cut me, man!" said an irate Barfield in an interview yesterday. But clubhouse officials are mum about the reasons for keeping Barfield on the DL. "We're not taking any chances with Josh, especially not when our club is hot" said second base coach Willie Randolph. When reminded that the team is actually in a three-game skid and lost six of seven, Randolph retorted "whatever, we got too many coaches on this team anyway."

Pujols powers Philly

Hoboken's Scott Kazmir pitched a six-hit shutout of Las Vegas yesterday. Kazmir struck out 9 to improve to 3-4 on the year. Not only was it the first shutout of Kazmir's young career, but also his first complete game. Probably unnoticed in this game was a fine effort from Vegas' Anthony Reyes (6 IP, 2 ER, 6 K) whose last five starts have been lousy. Reyes has not had a quality start since his first two starts of the year.

Chris Carpenter returned to action for South Boston on Monday and picked up the win despite looking a bit rusty. Carpenter pitched 7.1 innings and allowed four runs and six walks. South Boston won for the fourth straight time.

Philadelphia solidified their hold on the Morris Division lead and knocked Arkansas into third place with a come-from-behind effort last night. The Animals scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth, including an Albert Pujols walk-off grand salami off reliever Justin Duchscherer. It was Pujols' second homer of the night. Pujols ended up driving in six of Philly's seven runs in the game.

The top pitching line of the day goes to Hillsborough's Jeremy Bonderman who held the Mudcats to three hits and no runs, while striking out nine in a complete game, 4-0 victory.

Look for a new Rookie Watch article later today. Phil Plantier will look at the rookies in the Morris Division.

Piazza, Ramirez, movin on up

New Jersey's Mike Piazza hit his second home run of the season yesterday in Team Buddah's victory over the Mudcats. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but it was Piazza's 386th career homer, which passes Juan Gonzalez for sixth on the all time list. Piazza faces an uphill climb to move much further up the list as all the players above him are active. Arkansas' Barry Bonds, of course, is the leader with 591 career homers (more than 150 over 2nd place Sammy Sosa who is active but most likely won't play in the DMBL again). Also moving up the home run ranks - and more quickly than Piazza - is Sugar Bear Manny Ramirez, the league leader in home runs this season with eight. Ramirez hit his eighth and 380th career homer yesterday against the Iron Fist which moves him just one behind former Sugar Bear Mark McGwire for number eight on the all-time list.

Speaking of New Jersey, the Buddahs completed a sweep against the Mudcats yesterday. Carolina has now lost five or their six games against the two newest teams. Carolina will next face the more familiar Vancouver Iron Fist. Vancouver is also coming off being swept by the Sugar Bears, so something has to give here.

Las Vegas' Anthony Reyes improved to 3-0, but he finally gave up his first runs of the season. Reyes, who had extended his scoreless innings streak to 18 and earned the coveted Guess The Virgin Pitcher of the Week Award last week finally surrendered his first run of the season in the fourth inning against the South Boston Gang. Reyes escaped the game with a win, despite giving up five runs in six innings.

Reyes of Sunshine

Las Vegas rookie Anthony Reyes put on an impressive showing last night against the Mudcats. Reyes carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning and ended up with a complete game, two-hit shutout of the 'Cats. Reyes struck out 7 and walked two. Bill Hall broke up the no-no leading off the ninth with a single up the middle.

There was an exciting game in Marietta, where Vancouver earned their third straight win - all by one run and two in extra innings. Vancouver jumped out to a quick 7-1 lead in the second by pounding the snot out of starter A.J. Burnett. Marietta started creeping back and eventually narrowed the score to 7-6, but Vancouver extended their lead to 11-6. The Mighty Men erupted in the eighth inning, scoring six runs off relievers Chris Britton and Billy Wagner. The Mighty Men were clinging to a 12-11 lead when they brought in their usually-reliable closer Mariano Rivera, but Mr. Clutch, Conor Jackson came through again and tied the game on a double in the gap. Finally in the bottom of the tenth, Jason Bay singled and Michael Young scored to win the game for the Fist.

As lucky as Vancouver has been, Team Buddah has been just the opposite. The dropped their third straight game, all one-run losses.

The Sugar Bears were held in check for the first time this season. And by "in check" I mean single digit scoring. The potent Newark lineup still put up eight runs against Dontrelle Willis and won the game to improve to 4-0. Michael Barrett hit a grand slam in the first inning to set the stage. Tomorrow the Bears face their first right hander of the season.

Two more waiver claims yesterday. Arkansas snagged Orlando Cabrera from Sardine City and Las Vegas grabbed a couple of middle relievers.