Friday baseball

What you missed, in a nutshell:

- The scary thing is that a 14-inning game with Toronto took less time to finish than a 9-inning game with Boston. Blue Jays def. Yankees 5-4 [14 inn.]

- Sorry, Shawn. 3 homeruns isn't going to get it done. Phillies def. Nationals 6-3

- Bases loaded with nobody out in the 9th and only plating one run? Ouch. I guess the positive is that Rob Bell pitched three scoreless innings? Yes, I'm reaching... Rangers def. Orioles 3-2

Other results of note: Cubs def. Pirates (13-8), Tigers def. Royals (5-4), Brewers def. Braves (4-1), Indians def. A's (4-3), Red Sox def. Devil Rays (8-1)

Well, if you wanted a pitchers' duel out of Wang vs. Halladay (and I did), you were rewarded with six innings of shutout baseball. Because of an error in the 7th inning, only one of those two runs was charged to Wang, who had a brilliant bounce-back effort off of his terrible outing in Boston. But what are you going to do against Halladay when he's on? Only one of the four runs that scored in the 9th inning were charged to him. Up until then, he was as close to perfect as can be...including no walks. Great rally by the Yankees, but there's only so much you can do to counter the utter suck that is Brian Bruney in a big spot. Or any spot, really. And just when you never thought you'd hear Yankee fans clammor for Kyle Farnsworth...

The Brewers did what they had to to keep up with the Cubs in the Central. Excellent pitching match-up in Atlanta Friday night, with a 1-0 Braves score heading into the 8th. Hudson, who had been on his game until then, allowed three runs. Another was tacked on in the 9th inning against Yates, and the Brewers picked up a much-needed victory. Great outing by Villanueva. And about those Pirates...didn't I see something on ESPN not too long ago about how the Pirates were the spoiler team no one would want to face this year? Oops.

Given the score, you'd think Beckett vs. Kazmir was a total disaster of a pitching match-up. But Kazmir was actually okay in the five innings he pitched. He allowed two earned runs, three overall. But the bullpen took over early. Beckett allowed only four hits in six innings, one run and eight strikeouts. He leads the league with 20 wins. Combine that with a 3.14 ERA, especially if the Red Sox hold on for the division, and it's going to be hard for workhorse C.C. Sabathia to take the award from him.

As of this update, the Mets are hanging in there against the Marlins in the top of the 9th, leading 9-6. That bullpen is terrible. And so much for the Dodgers playing the Diamondbacks tough. They're trailing 12-3 in the top of the 9th. A leadoff homerun from Adrian Gonzalez forced extra innings in San Diego and spared Cy Young hopeful Jake Peavy from what would have been a tough loss. They're currently in the top of the 10th, tied 1-1.

Saturday's baseball:

RHP Roger Clemens (6-6, 4.18 ERA) fills in for the injured Ian Kennedy as the Yankees host RHP Shaun Marcum (12-6, 4.15 ERA) and the Blue Jays.

LHP Oliver Perez (14-9, 3.43 ERA) and the Mets take on RHP Byung-Hyun Kim (9-7, 6.06 ERA) and the Marlins.

RHP Tim Redding (3-5, 3.73 ERA) and the Nationals host RHP Kyle Kendrick (9-4, 4.05 ERA) and the Phillies.

RHP Radhames Liz (0-2, 7.71 ERA) and the Orioles take on RHP Edinson Volquez (2-1, 3.52 ERA) and the Rangers.

RHP Jack Cassel (1-0, 2.87 ERA) and the Padres host LHP Mark Redman (1-4, 9.28 ERA) and the Rockies.

Other games of note:
Pirates @ Cubs (Duke vs. Hill)
Brewers @ Braves (Gallardo vs. Smoltz)
Mariners @ Angels (Batista vs. Colon)
Royals @ Tigers (Davies vs. Rogers)
Athletics @ Indians (Haren vs. Byrd)
Red Sox @ Devil Rays (Matsuzaka vs. Sonnanstine)
Dodgers @ Diamondbacks (Wells vs. Webb)

The battle for the NL East, the NL West, and the NL Wild Card continue. The Mets take on the Marlins, the Phillies take on the Nationals, the Diamondbacks host the Dodgers, and the Padres host the Rockies. NL Cy Young candidate Brandon Webb will be in action for the Dimaondbacks against David Wells, as wll long-shot AL Cy Young candidate Dan Haren against the Indians.

Pitching match-up of the day belongs to Yovani Gallardo vs. John Smoltz, as the Brewers take on the Braves on FOX in select markets. (I'm sure we'll be getting Mets-Marlins up here in New York) While Smoltz is still respected as one of the best in the league, I'm not sure many realize that he's just shy of a 3.00 ERA on the season. And Gallardo has been pitching well lately at a time when the Brewers are desperate for wins, victorious in his four past starts and five of his last six.