Deja Vu: Like Angels, D-Backs lose when runner struck by batted ball
Baseball is a strange game sometimes. You can go for what seems like forever without seeing a specific unusual ending, and then you can see it twice in one day.
For example, earlier on Saturday we wrote about the Los Angeles Angels painful loss in San Francisco, which ended when baserunner Taylor Featherston was struck by Matt Joyce’s batted ball. Late Saturday night, the same finish happened in Los Angeles, where the Dodgers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4.
There was a little more drama in San Francisco, where Joyce’s ball would have tied the game had it advanced cleanly into the outfield. Here, it was still dramatic in Los Angeles as David Peralta represented the tying run. However, his smash ticketed for center field bounced off runner Jordan Pacheco to end the game.
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Twice is one day, and to the benefit of both the Giants and Dodgers. That’s definitely wild, and that’s definitely the unpredictability of baseball shining through again on a wild weekend.
Elsewhere in this one, Joc Pederson continued his hot streak with a game-tying home run in the seventh. Howie Kendrick and Jimmy Rollins provided the difference with run scoring singles.
ASTROS-MARINERS COMBINE FOR NINE HOMERS AS HOUSTON WINS NINTH STRAIGHT
This is just getting silly now. The Houston Astros and starter Collin McHugh spotted the Seattle Mariners offense three home runs on Saturday night, but still managed to win their ninth straight, 11-4.
After Nelson Cruz, Logan Morrison and Mike Zunino each homered for Seattle in the second, Houston countered with two runs in their half, and then went on a home run binge of their own.
In the third, Evan Gattis and Colby Rasmus went back-to-back, with Gattis’ being a two-run shot. In the fourth, Jose Altuve jacked a three-run homer, and then Luis Valbuena made it back-to-back again as the Astros opened up a huge lead.
The two teams would finish with nine home runs total. Nelson Cruz added his second in the seventh, giving him a league-high 13. Hank Conger countered with his second homer of the season.
Of course, all of this offense suggests it was a rough night for the starters. That’s partially true. Seattle’s Taijuan Walker lasted only three innings, allowing three homers and eight runs overall. Houston’s Collin McHugh avoided big innings despite allowing four home runs in seven innings. He’s 4-0 to start the season.
Here’s an interesting fact, too: The Astros are now 10-0 this season in games started by Dallas Keuchel or Collin McHugh. Overall they’re 17-7. Simply an amazing start to the 2015 season.
YANKEES EARN SERIES WIN IN BOSTON
No dramatics from Alex Rodriguez — he was 1-for-4 with a harmless single — but the New York Yankees kept on winning Saturday, taking down the Red Sox 4-2 in Boston.
Starter Nathan Eovaldi bounced back from a shaky outing on Sunday night against the Mets to pick up the victory. He allowed two runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. With regular closer Andrew Miller catching a breather, Joe Girardi reshuffled his bullpen a bit. Chris Martin and Justin Wilson bridged the gap to Dellin Betances, who picked up his first save of the season. He struck out all four batters he faced.
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Offensively, Brett Gardner and Chris Young did the heavy lifting. Gardner had three hits, including a two-run go-ahead single in the fifth. He drove in three overall. Young was 2-for-4 with his sixth home run and sixth double. He continues to be a key cog in their offense after struggling early last season with the Mets.
Overall, New York has now won 12 of their last 15 games. Their lead in the AL East is two games over the Tampa Bay Rays,who lost 4-0 to the Orioles.
JAY BRUCE DOUBLE-TRIPLES IN REDS WIN
Not to be confused with the remarkable Game 7 between the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers or anything else NBA related, Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce had a double-triple on Saturday, not a triple-double, in their 8-4 win against the Atlanta Braves.
That’s two triples in one game for Bruce, who had zero triples this season and only 17 over his eight-year career. He’s the first Reds player with two triples in a game since Dmitri Young on Sept. 28, 2000 during the final game played at County Stadium in Milwaukee. There’s another guy you wouldn’t expected to have one triple, let alone two.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
