01:05 - San Francisco Giants vs Houston Astros 1-4
- Houston Astros -1.5 @ 2.25
02:05 - Arizona Diamondbacks vs Colorado Rockies 10-4
- Arizona Diamondbacks @ 1.77
04:05 - Florida Marlins vs San Diego Padres 1-2
- San Diego Padres @ 1.63
100% con +265
La Liga Villarreal vs Rayo Vallecano
2 hours ago
8 comments:
Bueno llego ahora a casa y van muy bien las cosas, ha ganado Houston, y Arizona gana 10-4 en el último inning, así que salvo debacle me voy a ir a la cama con 2 de 2. Y encima San Diego también gana, 2-0, aunque acaba de empezar, van en el 2º inning. Parece que las cosas van enderezandose, como era normal tratandose del genio de atman. Un abrazo!!
San Francisco Giants vs Houston Astros 1-4
Craig Biggio made it clear prior to the start of Saturday's game that he is not a home-run hitter, and batting third in the order was not going to prompt him to turn into one.
"Home runs for me come on accident," Biggio said.
Whether or not he meant to hit a two-run shot off Brett Tomko in his third at-bat in his new spot in the order is irrelevant. All that mattered was that it put the Houston Astros ahead for the first time in the game and contributed to their 4-1 win over the San Francisco Giants.
The win ended a four-game losing streak and marked the Astros' first home victory since May 2, when they topped the Pittsburgh Pirates by a seven-run margin. The Astros followed that win with 10 losses in their next 11 games, a span during which they averaged 2.4 runs per game.
So when Lance Berkman followed Biggio with a solo shot on Saturday, it's no wonder manager Phil Garner felt a collective sigh of relief resonate through the Astros' dugout.
Actually, Garner first felt the tension deflate when Brad Ausmus singled home Adam Everett in the fifth to tie the game at 1. That might not seem like a lot of production, but considering the Astros had scored just 11 runs over seven games started by Roger Clemens this year, giving The Rocket any kind of support seemed like a rare gift.
"It was the first time I've noticed it was a little bit quiet," Garner said of the mood in the dugout. "But when Brad got the hit, I felt that was a little bit of an ease of tension. But when Bidge hit the home run, that was a big boost, and when Berkman followed suit, there was a big sigh. Everybody felt pretty good."
Ausmus didn't take as much comfort after his hit as his skipper did.
"I didn't feel like the load was off," Ausmus said. "I felt like we had to score another run. We can't win 1-1. When Bidge hit the home run, I don't want to say I felt at ease, but I felt like we were in position to win with the people we had pitching."
Biggio, hitting in the No. 3 spot in the order for the first time since June 2002, took the first pitch from Tomko and deposited it far into the left-field Crawford Boxes. It was his team-leading sixth homer of the year and raised his RBI total to 19, also a club best.
Biggio said he didn't notice tension in the dugout prior to his home run as much as he sensed the same thing everyone has been talking about for the better part of a week -- too much pressing.
"I don't know if it's tightness, it's just guys trying to execute, trying to get the job done," he said. "When you're not scoring a lot of runs, you're scoring one or two every night for a week, it gets tough. I don't know if it's tight, but it's nice. It's a relief to get the job done."
Whether Garner leaves Biggio in the three-hole for any period of time remains to be seen, but the skipper likes what the second baseman's presence does for the middle of the lineup.
"He's been playing well all year from Day One," Garner said. "He swung the bat well, and he's played well at second. He gives you some flexibility because he's a guy you can slot in and try to get somebody in front of him to do something. He's got a little protection in the middle of the lineup so they have to pitch to him more often. It's good. It gives you something to work with."
The other side of the story, of course, was another brilliant performance by Clemens. The veteran right-hander matched his season-high mark with 10 strikeouts over eight innings, his longest outing of the year. Saturday marked the 109th time he has recorded double digits in strikeouts.
Once he had the 4-1 lead, Clemens appeared to bear down even more in his final two frames. He used 19 pitches to retire six batters and ended his 103-pitch outing by coaxing a fly ball from Pedro Feliz.
"It was a nice win at home, and definitely, when you get a three-run lead and it's that late in the game, you've got to try to find an extra gear if you have it," Clemens said. "Brad [Ausmus] and I were working hard as always, but [the home runs] felt [good]. You're sitting down there, and Bidge throws one out of here, and Lance -- where I'm sitting I can barely see the hitter, but I figured he got it once he laid the bat down like he does [after hitting a home run]."
Said Berkman: "When you get Roger on the mound, you feel if you can score four or five runs, he's got a pretty good chance of winning that game. He's likely to hold them to less.
"It was good to get some production, especially on a night when Roger pitched, because he certainly deserved better than we've given him to this point."
Arizona Diamondbacks vs Colorado Rockies 10-4
The Diamondbacks were determined to make a good first impression Saturday night. They scored four runs on four hits and two walks before the Rockies stepped to the plate, seizing control of the game and never letting the lead out of their grasp. Ultimately, they finished what they started, defeating Colorado, 10-4, to secure at least a split in the four-game series.
It was the first time the D-Backs had scored in the first inning in more than a week, and the momentum propelled them to a 7-0 lead over the Rockies, taking the starch out of Jamey Wright's (2-3) start and delivering some payback for their loss by a 15-run margin the night before.
"We haven't done that in a while," manager Bob Melvin said of the big opening inning. "That let Brandon [Webb] go out there and do his thing. To go out there with a four-run lead in the first ... in this ballpark, it's never enough, but it's better than one, it's better than two. Four works."
If payback is the name of the game, Brandon Webb (5-0) is the paymaster. While his offense kept the pressure on with a gamelong attack of 12 hits and -- count 'em -- seven walks throughout the night, Webb stifled the home bats, scattering nine hits through eight innings to keep the Rockies in check.
"I threw quite a bit of curveballs and changeups to keep them off balance," Webb said, noting the need to change things up a bit in his third start in six weeks against the Rockies. "I usually go with a lot of fastballs against them and kind of give them a little different look."
Webb's curveball was particularly effective, having a better bite than normal, and aside from an elevated curve to Helton, he was able to keep it down and just out of reach, enticing the Rockies to swing, but making them miss for the most part.
Helton and Aaron Miles were the only Rockies to get multiple hits off Webb, with Miles' 2-for-5 making him a career .350 (7-for-20) against the right-hander and Helton's 3-for-3 bringing him to an even .400 (10-for-25) vs. Webb.
"That guy is probably the toughest hitter that I face during the course of the year," Webb said of Helton. "And I see him so many times. He's so difficult to pitch to, because he stays on each pitch, whether it's a curveball, changeup ... he stays on it, doesn't chase, has a great eye, and he can hurt you."
With an early lead and a bushel of confidence in the infielders behind him, Webb was aggressive with his fastball and effective at changing speeds, keeping the Rockies off balance and the ball on the ground. True to form, Webb got 14 ground-ball outs against just three fly-ball outs. The Diamondbacks' defense was back in character in support of its pitcher, making rally-busting plays throughout the game.
"It's been unbelievable," Webb said of the defense behind him. "It's been a lifesaver a few times for me, for sure. I'm able to be more aggressive with my pitches knowing that they're going to be able to get out there and make the plays."
Shortstop Royce Clayton anchored the defensive game, his play in the field easily overshadowing his 0-for-4 night at the plate.
"That's what Clayton does," Melvin said. "He makes unbelievable plays look pretty much routine a lot of times. Sometimes, when you're not swinging the bat as well, it's tough to really focus, but he puts that away and he focuses on his defense and takes pride in it. Some of the plays he made today came up big for us, because it limited base runners for them in any particular inning."
Colorado's defense sprung a few leaks, however, with the infield making three throwing errors in the three-run third, finding the same kind of gaps with their thrown balls that they'd found with batted balls the night before.
The third inning took a darker turn for the Diamondbacks when immediately following the third error, Wright had a wild throw of his own, hitting Craig Counsell just below the side of his right knee. Counsell stayed in the game but felt increased pain when covering second base, and was removed for a pinch-hitter in the fifth.
"Every time you get hit on a bone like that, you're always a little bit concerned, and the knee bone -- I know that one from catching -- it's not the greatest place in the world to get hit," said Melvin. "He stayed out there as long as he could, then we got him in here and went over and took an X-ray."
The X-rays came back negative, and the bone bruise will make Counsell day-to-day, according to head team physician Dr. Michael Lee.
"He's a gamer," said right fielder Shawn Green, whose three hits on the night were the most among Arizona batsmen. "He'll be out there as long as he can move."
The win moved the Diamondbacks into a tie for the division lead with the Dodgers, who lost to the Braves on Saturday.
Florida Marlins vs San Diego Padres 1-2
Jake Peavy was back in dominant form for seven innings, driving the surging Padres to a 2-1 decision over the Marlins on Saturday night before a packed PETCO Park house numbering 42,968.
Peavy was determined to erase the sting of his first dismal outing of the season, last time out in Cincinnati.
Mission accomplished.
Needing to be at his best to outduel veteran Al Leiter, the man from Alabama came through in the fashion of an ace. Peavy needed relief from Akinori Otsuka, who sailed through the eighth inning, and Trevor Hoffman, who took care of the Marlins 1-2-3 in the ninth. The closer nailed down career save No. 404, his 13th in 15 opportunities this season and eighth in a row.
"The thing I love is it's not one guy carrying the ballclub," Peavy (3-0) said, having worked out a flaw in his mechanics with the assistance of the coaching staff. "It's 25 guys. We're not clicking on all cylinders yet; I'm not pitching the way I should and we have guys who aren't swinging the bat they way they can.
"At the beginning of the year, we got a good feel, the guys in the clubhouse, that we can win together. I believe in these 25 guys."
Peavy calls himself "high strung" and tries to channel his energy in positive directions. His outgoing nature is an elixir to a club rich in understated, easy-going personalities.
"He's a leader on this ballclub," said Padres coach and former Brewers manager Davey Lopes. "Peavy's one of those old-school kind of guys who just wants to win. That's what he's all about. He's vocal, a real team guy, and his teammates pick up on that and respond to it."
Peavy was coming off his only ineffective outing of the season, lasting 6 1/3 innings against the Reds while giving up a career-high 10 hits and five runs, four earned.
"He had his good command of all his pitches," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said. "He threw a lot of first-pitch strikes. He looked a lot more like Peav tonight."
Peavy credited pitching coach Darren Balsley, bullpen coach Darrel Akerfelds and bullpen catcher Mark Merila all with having a hand in restoring his delivery to optimum form.
"I was going over my head and my center of balance was off," Peavy said. "I was leaning back a little. I needed better balance going to the plate. Tonight I feel I was in command of both sides of the plate. Darren, Darrel and Stump [Merila] all pointed some things out, and instantly a light turned on. We have a special mix down there. If you have three guys who know pitching, why not use them?
"It's part of the team. It's not just the players; it's the coaching staff as well. It's Mags [Dave Magadan] grinding with the hitters, all the coaches working with the guys. It's awesome to see that. It all starts with the skipper. We've got a great skipper here, and I hope he's around for a long time."
Bochy has the Padres winning games and series. This was their fifth series victory in a row. They've taken 12 of their past 15 decisions to forge into contention in the National League West at 21-16, a half-game behind the Dodgers and Diamondbacks.
The Padres struck in the second inning against Leiter (1-4) after he walked leadoff man Phil Nevin, a career .440 hitter against him. Brian Giles followed with a double off the railing in right field, bringing Bochy out for an explanation why it wasn't a home run.
When Ramon Hernandez followed with an infield single off Leiter and Khalil Greene launched a sacrifice fly, the Padres had their 2-0 cushion.
Peavy protected it with a moving fastball and an assortment of complementary breaking balls. He worked out of jams in the third and fourth innings, striking out Mike Lowell and Juan Encarnacion in succession and then retiring Alex Gonzalez on a popup to leave the bases loaded in the fourth.
The Marlins broke through in the sixth. Carlos Delgado doubled to deep center, took third on Miguel Cabrera's infield out and scored on Lowell's sacrifice fly.
"They're a great ballclub," Peavy said. "With the guys they're throwing at you -- [Josh] Beckett, Leiter and [Sunday's starter A.J.] Burnett, you're not going to score a lot of runs. Fortunately, we won the series. It's a good feeling to go for the sweep."
Peavy, who pitched without a decision his previous four outings, struck out eight and walked one while surrendering five hits. The reigning National League ERA king, Peavy has 61 strikeouts and only 11 walks in 56 innings this season.
"I might have turned a corner tonight," Peavy said, admitting his arm wasn't feeling strong recently. "Physically, I haven't felt on top the last two starts. I let myself get mechanically out of whack, and I wasn't myself. In Cincinnati, I took my team out of it. I feel I've got to give my team a better effort than that.
"It felt much better tonight. I had better life late. I know what my body's capable of doing."
Hoffman likes to say he's a moment to moment, pitch to pitch kind of guy, leaving the big picture to others. But he had a thought for all those who bailed off the Padres' bandwagon when they stumbled out of the gate in April, and to those who fueled speculation that Bochy's job could be in jeopardy.
"Coming out of Spring Training with the expectations of everybody, to fall six games back is not something you want to do," Hoffman said. "To not push the panic button comes from the top down. Boch was under a lot of speculation about his contract situation. There was a lot of interesting publicity. You've got to give him credit.
"He gives us a lot of fire when he needs to. Any time the leader of the helm is encouraging guys along, it goes a long way."
Grazie cabo77!!
Benvenuto anche a te (finalmente!) da queste parti.
Amigos del blog, tengo que decir que cabo77 (mi amigo italiano) tiene estadisticas muy buenas en los pronosticos de NBA y no solo, pero es apoltronado y no quiere abrir su blog!
Tell him something! :)
Grande Atman, ya te tocaba. Los cracks volveis a si a lo grande. Me alegro que vuelvas a pillar la forma. Me gustaria que vieras o mas bien veais todos mi blog en el que pondre comentarios y tipos sobre carerras de caballos. Si a alguno le interesa esta es la direccion: http://javierplaza.blogspot.com/
Me encantaria poner tu blog con picks de beisbol en el mio, pero no se como hacerlo y si te parecera bien. Si quieres dime como lo puedo hacer y lo hago. Un abrazo y gracias por tus pronosticos.
Hola javier plaza!
El link de tu blog ya esta entre los links de mi blog.
Si quieres hacer lo mismo (gracias) tienes que ir en los opciónes de tu blog y en particular en TEMPLATE.
Allí encontras, casi en el fondo, los strings de los links y tienes que modificar ésos.
Puedes tambien pulsar "edit me" en la homepage de tu blog y vas directamente en el lugar donde puedes modificar los links.
De todas formas, independientemente de problemas de links, mucha suerte por tu blog y tus pronosticos!
ehehe :)
muchas gracias fgonzalezga!
pero yo voy a ser satisfecho solo cuando el balance da mayo es de nuevo verde, y ahora todavía no lo es.
He tratado de poner tu blog como link en el mio, pero no he podido mas que poner la direccion, pero al picar en ella no me lleva a tu blog. No se lo que he hecho mal, ¿sabes que es lo que puede ser? Gracias por la informacion y por poner mi blog entre tus links
Creo que has hecho un poco de confusión porq el link es junto a previous post (que no hay mas).
es un poco dificile para mi de explicarte bien como tienes que hacer (sobre de todo porque no se explicarlo en espanol).
Tienes que reajustar un poco las cosas, y quizas es mejor si preguntas un ayudo a setec o juan o alex, que te pueden explicar mejor de mi como ajustar los links.
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