Wednesday baseball

What you missed, in a nutshell:

- Good pitching shuts down good hitting for the Yankees. Well, unless you're Kyle Farnsworth. Yankees def. Red Sox 4-3.

- So, I might have mentioned something about the Orioles' bullpen sucking, right? I told Steve Trachsel he needed that complete game, but no one listens to me... Bullpen blows a win for Steve Trachsel, sends the game into extras, and then loses. So the team will be annoyed and tired. Always good. Devil Rays def. Orioles 5-4.

- Speaking of extras, so much for that pitching duel I anticipated. The award for best pitching of the afternoon went to former Yankee Scott Proctor, who pitched three scoreless extra innings in relief on the way to a victory. Dodgers def. Nationals 10-9.

- How does it feel to be bested by someone as old as Moyer, I wonder? Perez was good. Just, not good enough. Phillies def. Mets 3-2.

- Arizona and San Diego are still playing. They are in the bottom of the 7th inning, and the score is tied 1-1.

Other scores of note: Angels def. Mariners (8-2), Indians def. Twins (4-3), Royals def. Tigers (5-0), Braves def. Marlins (7-4), Brewers def. Cubs (6-1), Astros def. Cardinals (7-0)

News: As if the Orioles needed any more pitching woes. Staff ace Erik Bedard will be missing his next scheduled start because of an oblique issue. First Chris Young of the Padres with the oblique strain, now Bedard. Bedard still has an outside chance for a Cy Young if he puts up some more wins and keeps the strikeout lead. Hopefully this will be nothing serious.

As for Thursday's action...

RHP Chien-Ming Wang (15-6, 3.95 ERA) and the Yankees look to make it a sweep against RHP Curt Shilling (8-5, 4.11 ERA) and the Red Sox. Wang took the win in his August 25th start against Detroit. He went eight innings, his longest outing since June 17th against the Mets. Wang gave up one earned run (two total) with five hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. In three starts against the Red Sox this season, Wang is 2-1. His last start, back on June 1st, was a victory. Wang lasted 5.2 innings and allowed three runs on ten hits with two walks and one strikeout. His two homeruns allowed to Boston came in his April 29th start against them - to David Ortiz and Alex Cora.

Schilling is coming off a win against the White Sox (but which Red Sox pitcher isn't?) on August 24th. He went six innings in that one, allowing one run on three hits (1 HR) with one walk and three strikeouts. In three starts this season against the Yankees, Schiling as an 0-1 record. His last start against the Yankees back on June 2nd was a no decision. Schilling went five innings in that game and allowed four runs on nine hits (2 HR - Cabrera, Posada) with one walk and two strikeouts. He has allowed no fewer than four runs in a game against the Yankees this season, but this is the first they will see of Schilling since his return from the DL.

The Padres are singing praises in San Diego as RHP Chris Young (9-4, 2.12 ERA) returns to the rotation after missing one start with back issues. He is taking on LHP Doug Davis (11-11, 4.09 ERA) and the Diamondbacks. Young had an abbreviated start against the Mets on August 21st. He went five innings and allowed four runs on five hits (1 HR) with two walks and five strikeouts. In two starts this season against Arizona, Young is 0-1. He took the no decision against the Diamondbacks back on July 14th. Young went six innings in that game and allowed one run on two hits (1 HR - Clark) with no walks and eight strikeouts.

Davis is coming off a win against the Cubs on August 25th. He went seven innings and allowed one run on six hits with one walk and eight strikeouts. Davis' one start against the Padres this season was a victory on July 13th. He went six innings in this one and allowed two runs on five hits (1 HR - Kouzmanoff) with three walks and two strikeouts.

RHP Orlando Hernandez (9-4, 3.07 and the Mets look to salvage anything against RHP Kyle Lohse (7-12, 4.47 ERA) and the Phillies. El Duque is coming off a win against the Dodgers on August 25th. He went seven innings and allowed two runs on four hits (2 HR) with two walks and seven strikeouts. In two starts against the Phillies this season, Hernandez is 1-0. His last start against them, June 29th, resulted in a victory. Hernandez went six innings and allowed two runs on three hits (2 HR - Rowand, Coste) with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Lohse picked up a no decision against San Diego on August 25th. He went 6.2 innings and allowed one run on four hits (1 HR) with two walks and four strikeouts. Lohse's one start against the Mets this season was a loss. He lasted just 4.2 innings against them back on July 15th and allowed five runs on six hits (1 HR - Reyes) with three walks and three strikeouts.

Good match-up of young talent as RHP Jeremy Guthrie (7-4, 3.46 ERA) takes on LHP Scott Kazmir (10-8, 3.64 ERA). Guthrie pitched a good game against the Twins on August 24th. He lasted 6.2 innings and allowed three runs on nine hits (2 HR) with one walk and one strikeout. But, as usual, the bullpen blew it for him. Guthrie is 2-0 in two starts this season against the Devil Rays. His last start against them was all the way back on May 8th. In that one, Guthrie went six innings and allowed one run on sit hits with no walks and two strikeouts.

Kazmir is coming off of a win against the Athletics on August 25th. He lasted eight innings and allowed three runs on five hits (1 HR) with no walks and thirteen strikeouts. Kazmir is 1-1 in three starts this season against the Orioles. His last start against them was on August 4th. Kazmir took the win in that one, going seven innings and allowed one earned run on seven hits with two walks and nine strikeouts.

Other games of note:
Cardinals @ Astros (Pineiro vs. Albers)
Tigers @ Royals (Bonderman vs. Nunez)
Mariners @ Indians (Ramirez vs. Laffey)
Brewers @ Cubs (Parra vs. Lilly)