Thursday action

As hot as it was in New York today, I have no idea how these teams were able to play an afternoon game. But I guess that's why they're the athletes and I'm not. But anyone watching could tell that it wasn't a fun time to be a pitcher on either team in the Bronx.

Final Score: White Sox 13, Yankees 9
WP: Logan (2-0, 4.86 ERA)
LP: Karstens (0-2, 11.74 ERA)

Welcome back, Jeff Karstens! Here, pitch in an oven and have a loss.

Here's something you won't see everyday: a total of 16 runs scored in the second inning. The White Sox scored eight and the Yankees answered with eight. Both starting pitchers were pulled, making this a battle of the bullpens. We see how that turned out.

Clemens wasn't good, but he had opportunities to work out of the top of the 2nd inning. Andy Phillips knocked down a hard liner up the first base line, but Clemens wasn't able to beat the runner to the bag. Then, with one out, Robinson Cano bobbled and booted what appeared to be an easy double play ball off the bat. Because of the error, only three of the eight runs scored by the White Sox were charged to Clemens. But that doesn't soften the fact that he was hit hard. His splitter wasn't splitting. It seemed like everything he threw hung.

Karstens came in to get the final out of the 2nd inning when Myers was unable to do so. He wokred 3.1 inning, giving up a big two-run homer to Jermaine Dye, who had a multi-homer afternoon and went 4-for-5. But even with an added run in the 5th inning, the Yankees looked poised to strike after making the score 11-9 in the 6th inning off a solo Bobby Abreu homerun. Wilson Betemit also went yard in his first at-bat as a Yankee, a 3-run HR in the 2nd inning that gave the Yankees life after an abysmal start of the inning. (he started in place of Derek Jeter at shortstop).

The Yankees seemed poised to strike in the 7th inning, until a hard Johnny Damon liner - which would have made the score 11-10 - was snared by Paul Konerko at 1B. Then came Kyle Farnsworth and two solo homeruns. According to Farnsworth, he needs more work if the Yankees want him to be better. According to the Yankees, it seems, he needs to be better if he expects more work. Granted, the conditions these guys were playing in were brutal. But Farnsworth has dug himself a hole with his actions and comments of late. The always loving Stadium fans let him know, booing him fiercely as he walked off the mound after the eighth inning. Farnsworth cracked a smile at the fans' reaction. Not quite as dramatic as Cliff Lee tipping his cap to the Cleveland fans not too long ago, but it got the point across.

Can you imagine Farnsworth reacting like Lee at this point? I think the fans might riot. Farnsworth is this season's A-Rod, it seems.

Something to watch: Jorge Posada had to leave the game in the top of the 8th because of some bruising/swelling on his knee. It's considered a day-to-day situation presently, and the Yankees sure hope it doesn't become any worse than that.

It wasn't a pretty loss, but the Yankees have the benefit of knowing that they never stopped fighting, even after they were down 8-0. They'll look to carry that fight with them into this weekend's series against the Royals.

RHP Chien-Ming Wang (12-5, 3.61 ERA) vs. LHP Odalis Perez (6-9, 5.73 ERA)

Wang is coming off six innings of three-run ball in Baltimore on Sunday. It wasn't one of his best outings, with four walks and nine hits. But he fought through it and received the run support necessary to win. Wang has allowed at least three runs in all of his last four starts. Run support from the offense has allowed him to win all but one of these.

Perez is coming off of a victory Saturday against Texas. Similar to Wang, Perez lasted six innings and allowed three runs on seven hits. He wasn't great but was effective enough to get his team the win. He took the loss in his only start of the season against the Yankees on July 23rd. In that game, Perez went seven innings and allowed four runs on eight hits.

For those wondering, in that last outing A-Rod was 0-for-2 against Perez with two walks.

In other action today...

Final Score: Red Sox 7, Orioles 4
WP: Wakefield (13-9, 4.55 ERA)
LP: Bell (3-2, 4.79 ERA)

At least the O's didn't blow a 5-0 lead for Guthrie in the 9th inning this time around. But it was a Guthrie game, so you knew Boston was winning. How is Wake 13-9? I guess I miss all of his winning games, because he's been hit hard by the Yankees this season. He was good in this game, giving up 3 earned runs over seven innings. Big time effort from Jamie Walker, who relieved Guthrie of a bases loaded/one out jam in the 6th inning. He didn't allow a run, and the game remained knotted at 3-3. Rob Bell, who has been good overall for the O's, faltered in Fenway, allowing four runs on four hits.

Tomorrow night, RHP Daniel Cabrera (7-11, 5.08 ERA) and the Orioles head down to Tropicana Field to take on righty James Shields and the Devil Rays.

Final Score: Mets 12, Brewers 4
WP: Lawrence (1-0, 5.40 ERA)
LP: Capuano (5-8, 4.86 ERA)

David Wright and Jose Reyes both homered in this one, but the highlight had to be Damion Easley's inside-the-park homerun off of Capuano in the 6th inning. If it was anywhere near as hot in Milwaukee as it was in New York this afternoon, that couldn't have been fun. Brian Lawrence was acceptabe in his first major league appearance this season. He went five innings, allowed three runs (including a homerun to Corey Hart), and pitched well enough to earn the win.

Quick turn around, as the Mets travel to Chicago for an afternoon game at Wrigley tomorrow. RHP Orlando Hernandez (7-4, 3.02 ERA) takes on Carlos Zambrano. Should be an interesting pitching match-up.

Final Score: Padres 11, Diamondbacks 0
WP: Peavy (11-5, 2.30 ERA)
LP: Petit (2-3, 4.23 ERA)

Ah, there's the Jake Peavy we know and love. I was wondering where he went. Peavy sparkled, going seven shutout innings while allowing only three hits and striking out ten. Among those ten, Peavy picked up his 1,000th career strikeout. I suppose in celebration, the Padres offense remembered that it can be fun to hit the ball hard! Welcome to the Padres, Morgan Ensberg. Ensberg was picked up from the Astros just before the trade deadline and greeted his move with two homeruns in this game. His power seemed to wake the bats of his fellow hitters. Adrian Gonzalez and Khalil Greene also went yard.

Tomorrow night, it's baby against veteran as RHP Greg Maddux (7-8, 4.20 ERA) and the Padres host righty Matt Cain and the Giants. It should be very interesting to see if Bonds manages #755 in the game currently being played against the Dodgers tonight. Either way, a ton of attention will be placed on the Padres series this weekend. Could we possibly get Padres games on ESPN out of this? One of the few good things about this record chase.

Final Score: Nationals 7, Reds 3
WP: Bacsik (5-6, 4.19 ERA)
LP: Dumatrait (0-1, 16.20 ERA)

Rough major league debut for Dumatrait. He lasted just 3.1 innings and allowed six earned runs on eight hits. Bacsik, on the other hand, was very good. He lasted seven innings and allowed three earned runs, all on two homeruns to Dunn and Gonzalez. It was another doubles party for the Nationals: six total, including the first of the year for the pitcher Bacsik.

I'm sure the Nationals wish they could play the Reds everyday. Unfortunately, that can't happen. It's sure to be a test for the Nats this weekend, as they host the defending (albeit struggling) World Series Champion Saint Louis Cardinals. In the Friday night game, RHP Tim Redding (1-2, 2.64 ERA) is coming off a tough luck loss at Shea. He'll face shaky right-hander Kip Wells.