11th inning wild pitch gives Marietta Game 1 win

Ben Zobrist raced home on a wild pitch in the 11th winning and Marietta held off a Tucson rally in the bottom of the inning to preserve a 4-3 win on the road in Game 1 of their 1st round Wildcard matchup.

Ant Slayers have been slain

The Ant Slayers' winning streak has finally been snapped at 7 thanks to a 1-0 brilliant pitching effort from Jon Danks. The Mighty Men pitcher held the Slayers to only 2 hits over 8 innings, while striking out 7. Poor Jon Lester did all he could to keep the streak alive, pitching 7.2 innings of 3-hit ball, giving up only one unearned run. But it wasn't enough. The game's lone run scored in the 6th when Adrian Beltre singled in Kevin Youkilis from second.

Hoboken wished that they could break their streak. Yesterday the Cutters lost 7-6 to Team Buddah making it 7 straight losses. The Cutters had a nice 6-3 lead going into the bottom of the 8th, but the Buddahs exploded for 4 runs to claim the lead. Elijah Dukes was 2-4 in the contest with 3 RBIs. Hoping to get rid of some bad juju, the Cutters released transaction posterboy Matt Joyce. Joyce will now try to latch on to his 5th team this season.

D.C. recently cut the volatile Oliver Perez after a disappointing start to his season, but Philadelphia was quick to claim the lefthander. After passing through waivers, the Endzone Animals wasted no time throwing him into a game. Perez started yesterday's matchup against the Falcons and, well, the results were not pretty. Perez was torched for 7 runs (6 earned) in 1.2 innings. Perez said that it was not fair to make him pitch on Cinco de Mayo. The Mexican-born pitcher was all set to celebrate his new-found freedom with some friends at a local Chevy's restaurant when he got the call that he was starting. "Generalissimo Seguín would have been very dissapointed" said Perez in a post-game conference. "My corazon was not in the game. Perhaps next time they will think twice and check the calendar when they start me." After the game, general manager and owner Bocci Pucci said "We thought he would have been proud to start the game on such an historic date, but I guess he'd rather be eating tacos and guacamole."

Send in the medics

The Sugar Bears took over first place as Team Buddah pulled off a miraculous sweep of the Rat Pack. The Buddahs capped off the series with a 3-0 3-hit shutout by Oliver Perez. Perez, as you may remember, struggled in the Rat Pack rotation all last season before being shipped off to the Buddahs in the offseason, where he's currently struggling. Perez struck out 8 Rats and walked 4. Newark only played one game, an 8-7 extra inning victory over Sardine City. The Sardines held a 7-5 lead until the Sugar Bears' Bobby Abreu tied it up with a 2-run homer in the ninth. Jack Cust won the game with a walk-off solo shot in the 11th.

Yesterday was an ugly day for many DMBL squads, but a good day for their medical staffs. Four players were lost with various injuries. Blue Ridge lost second bagger Jose Vidro for around 2 weeks. Dan Uggla, who had platooned with Vidro this season, will take over full time. Uggla took full advantage of the extra playing time by swatting a 3-run home run in yesterday's loss to Philly. Uggla then hit another home run and drove in 3 runs in game two yesterday, an 8-3 win.

D.C. lost Carl Crawford for six days in yesterday's 9-2 win over Arkansas. Replacing Crawford will be Coco Crisp. New Jersey lost a third outfielder, Shane Victorino, for 12 days. Team Buddah picked up the recently released Juan Pierre to fill in.

The Hoboken Cutters lost outfielder Travis Buck a week or so ago, but his replacement will now hit the DL. Ryan Freel left yesterday's game (and will probably leave the Cutters roster as well). The Cutters picked up hometown favorite Brian Giles, who was a mainstay with the team from 2001-2004. Giles had been playing with the independent New Jersey Jackals to stay in shape and Hoboken scouts liked what they had seen. "It's good to be back in Cutters brown" said Giles at a team press conference.

See you again in a week!

Spring Surprises and Disappointments - the Pitchers

Carolina's Roy Halladay has been superb so far in three starts - 2-0 with a 0.38 ERA (1 run in 24 innings). He's looking like his old workhorse self. The real surprise in Mudcat camp has been Barry Zito returning to form. It's only been two starts, but Zito has been solid with a 3.21 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 14 IP. Of course having said that he'll probably get bombed in his next start.

The Straphangers' youngsters have been pretty impressive so far, especially Fausto Carmona (1-1, 1.80) and Phil Hughes (1.69, 0.63 WHIP). Carmona has been interesting - despite the low ERA, he's walked a ton of batters (8 in 15 innings) and only struck out two. On the other side of the fence, Cole Hamels has continued his struggles from last year so far in spring (0-2, 12.96).

Team Buddah has to be happy with their two starters acquired in the Ichiro deal. Oliver Perez is dominating so far (2-1, 1.08 ERA, 0.92 WHiP in three starts) and Joe Blanton has been solid as well (2-1, 3.24 - but 32 hits in 25 innings). In fact, Team Buddah's 2.59 team ERA is second in the league. Only George Sherrill has really struggled so far.

Sitting atop the heap in team pitching is the Las Vegas Rat Pack. Led by Chris Young, who is probably the top pitcher so far this spring. Young is now 3-0 with a 1.09 ERA, 0.81 WHiP and 16 Ks. The Ageless Wonder, Orlando Hernandez has done well (1-1, 2.25) and A.J. Burnett, acquired from Marietta, has been lights out (2-1, 2.59). Rookie Tim Lincecum has looked impressive at times (3.00 ERA, 14 Ks in 18 innings), but the underlying numbers (16 H, 11 BB, 1.50 WHiP) indicate that he's a work in progress.

Bringing up the rear are the Mighty Men of Marietta. With four starters with a 7.00 ERA or higher, the Mighty Men are looking like they won't be returning to the finals this year. Rookie John Danks has been the sole bright spot (1-1, 2.38 in 3 starts).

Upton leads Sardine City offense

B.J. Upton hit two homers in yesterday's 8-7 loss to the Cutters. Upton went 3-4 with 4 runs and 3 RBIs in the game. The Straphangers were cruising with a 6-3 lead in the game until they fell apart in the seventh and gave up five runs between the seventh and eighth innings. Upton also went 3-5 in the earlier game against the Sugar Bears. Daisuke Matsuzaka was roughed up in his DMBL debut, pitching 5 2/3 innings and surrendering five runs on seven hits and three walks. Dice-K did strike out six.

Tampa Bay was on the losing end of another 1-0 hardluck loss Thursday. Felix Hernandez held the Plunkers to four hits and struck out seven. Andy Pettitte took the loss this time, giving up nine hits in eight innings of work. Billy Butler's solo home run in the second inning was the only run either team could muster.

Shawn Green hit a 3-run homer and drove in 4 in the game, but the Bombers still lost their fourth in a row, 6-5 to the Mudcats. Dustin Pedroia was 2-4 at the top of the Mudcat order and is now hitting .467 in preseason.

Yovani Gallardo was impressive for the Endzone Animals but got a no decision as Philly defeated Vancouver 3-2 in extra innings. Gallardo pitched eight innings and gave up two runs on seven hits, while walking none and striking out four. Ross Gload was 3-4 for the Iron Fist and is now batting .471 so far in the spring.

Oliver Perez pitched a gem for Team Buddah en route to a 2-1 win. Perez went the distance, only giving up five hits and striking out six.

Day of Blowouts

D.C. pounded the snot out of Carolina yesterday, 15-8. Esteban German, filling in for the injured Luis Castillo, was 5-6 with three doubles and four runs scored. Lyle Overbay was 4-5 with 6 RBIs and Alfonso Soriano went 3-6 with 4 RBIs. Altogether, D.C. slapped out 20 hits and walked 10 times. Carolina starter Jason Jennings, no stranger to getting bitchslapped (bushslapped?), surrendered 13 runs and 14 hits in 4.1 innings.

Meanwhile in Hillsborough, the Hired Hitmen scored early and often against the South Boston Gang, taking the contest 12-4. Jason Bartlett was 3-3 with 2 stolen bases and Brad Hawpe hit a pinch-hit grand slam in the sixth. With the win, Hillsborough evened up their record at 53-53.

Finally in Vancouver, the Iron Fist were once again shellacked, this time by Arkansas, 16-4. It looked like a close contest in the beginning. Starter Ben Sheets had given up five runs, but Vancouver climbed back to make it a one run game after a 4-run fourth. Then in the eighth all hell broke loose. You knew it was going to be a bad inning when Wes Littleton hit Barry Bonds with the first pitch. Both benches cleared, but it was mostly just a lot of screaming. Bonds was forced to leave the game. Littleton was able to get two outs, though he allowed two more to score, then the two-out rally began. Brian Sweeney was called in to stop the bleeding, but instead cut the wound deeper. Seven runs crossed the plate that inning and four more in the ninth. Orlando Cabrera was 5-5 in the game with 4 runs and 4 RBIs and Brandon Phillips also drove in four.

Meanwhile, in a return to sanity, Las Vegas and Sardine City's starters duelled but Vegas prevailed 2-1 in the end. Cole Hamels pitched well for the Sardines (7 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 7 K), but it was not enough against Oliver Perez's brilliant outing. A rare sight this year (Perez is 5-14 with an 8.87 ERA on the season), Perez pitched 8 innings, surrendering only one run and seven hits, while striking out seven.

Newark rallied to beat Team Buddah yesterday. The Buddahs were clinging to a 3-2 lead late in the contest, when Bobby Abreu hit a two run shot off Todd Jones, giving the Sugar Bears the lead back. Both starters pitched brilliantly but were not factors in the decision. Tom Gorzelanny limited the mighty Sugar Bear offense to three hits and one run in six innings, while Javier Vazquez struck out 12 Buddahs in 6.1 innings for the Sugar Bears.

Dicey deal

Las Vegas is busy on the trading block. This time the Rats surrendered highly-touted pitching prospect Daisuke Matsuzaka to Sardine City in return for their second round pick that they traded to the Straphangers earlier this year. Sardine City sent Cameron Maybin packing to make room for Dice-K on the farm team. Interestingly the trade was made while the two teams were playing each other on the field. Sardine City beat the snot out of starter Oliver Perez, who could only record one out while surrendering seven earned runs on five hits and three walks.

Greg Maddux was hanging on to a 4-3 lead against the Falcons when it all unraveled in the eighth. Maddux started off by giving up a hit to Lance Berkman, then walking Justin Morneau. Barry Bonds then launched his fourth homer in the last three games, giving the Falcons a 6-4 lead. Bob Wickman held down the fort in the ninth for his sixth save and 100th career save. Wickman became just the tenth player all-time to reach the mark.

Honolulu and Marietta began the first of their key divisional series. Marietta came back from a 7-3 deficit to tie the game up at seven with a four-run seventh inning, only to watch Honolulu grab the lead back after a Jason Giambi solo shot. Tom Gordon, who squeaked out of a jam in the eighth, could not hold it together for another inning. After giving up a leadoff double to Todd Helton, Gordon walked the next four batters, including walking in the tying and winning runs! Derek Jeter with the...um...walk-off walk? Did Gary Carter fall asleep in the dugout?
John Smoltz won his 150th career victory yesterday against Team Buddah. Smoltz held the Buddahs to one run on six hits over eight innings. Smoltz also struck out five.

New Did You Know? coming later tonight.