Fan Interference

Scouts: This is going to be one of the most expensive movie going years for me in a long time.  Agengers, Shazam, John Wick 3, Dark Phoenix, Toy Story, Spider-Man, New Mutants, Hobbs and Shaw, Zombieland 2, Joker, Kingsman 3, Masters of the Universe, Star Wars 9, and who knows what else is going to hit and surprise.  It’s a shame that movie pass subscription service flopped, because I sure could use it right about now.  What movies are you highly anticipating this year?

---

Braves 6, Reds 7 – Prof: I can’t blame it all on the bullpen this time, but they sure didn’t help. It was a Big Red Slugging Machine in the first few innings, with Yasiel Puig and Tucker Barnhart homering to bring Cincinnati up by three. Then Atlanta struck back, rallying to get ahead by a run in the sixth inning. While Kevin Gausman gets the loss because he did set up five runs, it was Braves reliever Jesse Biddle who walked a guy with the bases loaded. It’s just another bad trip on this awful roller coaster ride called the Braves Bullpen Experience.

Diamondbacks 2, Pirates 1 – Prof: Luke Weaver, who doesn’t even look old enough to have gone to junior prom, went 6 1/3 innings and struck out seven in this tight squeeze game against Pittsburgh. Greg Holland got the save (Holland, who was signed for relatively cheap in free agency, currently has five saves on the season. I’ll let y’all consider that for a second and then ask yourself if your favorite team could have used Holland’s services in the bullpen. I’ll wait.) Adam Jones continues to show people who doubted him that they were pretty damn wrong, hitting .302 with an RBI double in this game.

White Sox 1, Orioles 9 – Scouts: Oh dear Ian Nova.  You poor lost soul.  Nova gave up dingers to Renato Nunez, Dwight Smith Jr., Joey Rickard, and….Chris Davis.  Nova lasted just 4 innings, but managed to allow 9 runs on 11 hits.

 

Giants 7, Blue Jays 6 – Scouts: Kevin Pillar’s big return to Toronto was bitter sweet for Toronto fans who cheered the long time Jay.  Pillar went 1-4 with a RBI in his return as the Giants were able to stave off a late 4 run rally by the Jays in the 7th.

Tigers 7, Red Sox 4 (Game 1 Doubleheader) – Prof: I’m going to write a sentence that I can barely believe. Chris Sale is winless after five starts. The perennial Cy Young frontrunner has yet to win a match all season, but at least this time he didn’t take the L. Sale only lasted five innings, he allowed two runs but had ten strikeouts. It was Colten Brewer who deservedly got the loss here, having allowed three runs. The man of the hour was Detroit shortstop Ronny Rodriguez, who went 3-4 with 2 RBI including a home run.

 

Tigers 4, Red Sox 2 (Game 2 Doubleheader) – Prof: Los Tigres sweep the doubleheader in Boston! This one was much closer; Detroit ended up using eight pitchers in total.

Royals 2, Rays 5 – Prof: The Sea Creatures keep their hot streak going (currently 16-8) with a decisive win over Kansas City. Just as surely as he had his own hot streak, Homer Bailey fell back down to earth. Like Icarus, he flew too close to the sun, which is strangely shaped like DJ Kitty. Anyway, Mike Zunino had a homer and an RBI single.

Phillies 0, Mets 9 – Prof: Bryce Harper didn’t get ejected from last night’s game (and therefore Jake Arrieta had to find something else to complain about). But he might as well not have shown up, because he was as ineffective at the plate as he would have been sitting on the bench. This was all due to the excellent craftsmanship of Zack Wheeler, who went seven innings, struck out eleven, and even helped his own cause at bat by going 2-3 with a two run double and a solo homer. Take a bow, young man. Not to be outdone, Todd Frazier showed there’s still some gas in the tank with a grand slam in the fifth inning.

 

Brewers 3, Cardinals 4 – Prof: Battle of the Brew Cities! Christian Yelich did not hit a home run. In fact, he hit nothing. But Cardinals pitching did not take any chances, as they walked him twice. St. Louis was just that much better; Yadi Molina had an RBI single and double, and Paul DeJong hit a solo homer. On the Milwaukee side, Travis Shaw hit two home runs.

Dodgers 2, Cubs 7 – Scouts: Jose Quintana continues his recent resurgence, shutting down a very tough Dodgers squad tot he tune of 2 runs and 4 hits over 7 innings.  LA got bad Kenta Maeda last night, who allowed 7 runs on 6 hits.  I just can’t seem to figure this guy.  Some days he’s incredibly dominant, others he can’t seem to get out of the 4th.

 

Twins 4, Astros 10 – Prof: The Littlest Second Baseman who Could hit a three run homer. Alex Bregman had three RBI, George Springer had two, and the Astros capitalized on a throwing error in this offensive whooping in Houston.

Nationals 6, Rockies 3 – Scouts: All the Nats really needed was the 4 run 3rd inning, setup in large part by Victor Robles.  Robles lined the go-ahead, bases clearing double to left, stole third, and then scored on a Howie Kendrick sac fly.  Washington scored a pair of bonus runs in the 9th thanks to a bases loaded walk, and hit by pitch.

Marlins 3, Spiders 1 – Prof: Oh, how the Cookie crumbled. Carlos “Cookie” Carrasco, that is. Carrasco ran straight into Neal Walker and left the game early with knee discomfort. With Cookie gone, the Magical Bullpen of Cleve took over. Needless to say Feesh do not have arachnophobia, as they scored all three runs in the fifth inning off of Spider reliever Neil Ramirez.

 

Yankees 7, Angels 5 – Scouts: New York’s on quite the roll, picking up their 5th consecutive win thanks to a pair of homers by Luke Voit.  Justin Bour managed a late game Grand Slam, but it just wasn’t enough.

Rangers 5, Athletics 11 – Scouts: Everyone joined the Hit Parade in this one as the two squads split 28 hits evenly, but Oakland was able to make the most of theirs.  Logan Forsythe and Sin-Soo Choo were the only two players on either squad without a hit on the night.  Oakland was able to string a few of those hits together to run up a 6 run 4th that was the big difference maker in this one.

Mariners 3, Padres 6 – Scouts: Franmil Reyes’s bat finally woke up launching homers in the 2nd and 6th.  Seattle continues their recent slump, yet is still 6 games over .500, a testament to just how good of a start they actually got off to.