A's win in 19th inning on second home run by Brandon Moss

Here’s what’s happening in baseball:

Yesterday 4/29 Games

Oakland 10 Los Angeles Angels 8 (19 innings)

Brandon Moss hit his second home run of the night in the bottom of the 19^th inning as the A’s walked off a winner at home after over six hours of baseball.  Albert Pujols homered twice for the Angels, but a costly error in the 15^th inning allowed the A’s to tie the game again and keep it going until they won it in the 19^th.

Houston 9 New York Yankees 1

Andy Pettitte got rocked for seven runs in less than five innings, and Carlos Corporan went 4-5 with a home run and four RBI as the Astros routed the Yankees in the Bronx.

Detroit 4  Minnesota 3

Max Scherzer struck out 10 as he pitched into the eighth, and Prince Fielder hit a go-ahead 3-run homer run in the sixth as the Tigers won game one.

Atlanta 3 Washington 2

Andrelton Simmons broke the tie with a sac fly in the seventh, and the Braves hung on to beat a very wild Stephen Strasburg who struck out eight but walked four.  His right arm was examined by a doctor after the game.

Miami 4  New York Mets 3 (15 innings)

Matt Harvey pitched in-and-out of trouble on a steamy night in Miami, striking out seven in less than six innings, but left with a lead until closer Bobby Parnell blew the save and win for Harvey.  The Marlins won the game on a sac  fly in the 15^th inning.

Chicago Cubs 5 San Diego 3

Scott Hairston and Cody Ransom each hit solo home runs in the second to start the scoring and Ransom singled in another run in the sixth as the Cubs held on to win at home.

Cleveland 9  Kansas City 0

Ubaldo Jiminez allowed just three hits through seven innings, and Ryan Raburn went 4-4 with a pair of home runs to go with four RBI as the Indians split the 4-game series with the Royals.

Milwaukee 10  Pittsburgh 4

The Brewers belted five home runs, one by starter Yovanni Gallardo who also pitched seven innings of one-run ball as the Brewers beat up on the Pirates in Milwaukee.

Cincinnati 2  St. Louis 1

Mat Latos outdueled Adam Wainwright with six innings of shutout ball and Joey Votto & Xavier Paul each drove in a run as the Reds won in St. Louis.

San Francisco 6  Arizona 4

Brandon Belt hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth as the Giants overcame three Arizona home runs to pull out a victory in Phoenix.

Colorado 12 Los Angeles Dodgers 2

The Rockies had 19 hits, including three home runs, one each by Dexter Fowler, Wilin Rosario, and rookie 3B Nolan Arenado, as Tyler Chatwood tossed six scoreless innings for the win in the opening game of a 3-game series in Los Angeles.

Seattle 6  Baltimore 2

Kyle Seager had a clutch two-run triple, and Michael Saunders homered in his first at-bat back from the DL, but it was another Saunders, Joe, who was the star for Seattle.  He threw a complete game four-hitter and extended his home winning streak to 8 games as the Mariners beat the Orioles.

New & Notes: Anthony Bosch, the man behind the biogenesis lab in south Florida that is under examination from MLB, finally spoke out on Monday, denying any involvement in providing banned substances to major league baseball players, and refused to talk about any of his baseball player clients, some who were found on paperwork directly involved with the lab.

Miami Marlins all-star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton has been placed on the 15-day DL with a right hamstring strain.

A.L. MVP Watch: Albert Pujols, 1B, Los Angeles Angels.  Monday went 4-8 with two home runs.  His foot is badly hurting, but he’s played entire seasons in pain before, and is a 3-time former MVP.  Don’t rule it him out yet.

N.L. MVP Watch:  Wilin Rosario, C, Colorado Rockies.  Monday went 3-4 with his seventh home run, and is batting .350 and on pace for 47 HRs and 128 RBI.

Fantasy Spin:  Rockies second year catcher Wilin Rosario is off to a very hot start, already belting seven home runs with 19 RBI, and shows no sign of a sophomore slump.  He hit 28 HRs last year in his first full season, he no longer splits catching duties, and hits for power away from Coors Field (5 of his seven HR’s came on the road).  At this pace the young Rosario should set career highs in HRs and RBI and is worth starting in all leagues, even on the road.

History – Colorado Rockies Team History

          The Rockies joined Major League Baseball in 1993 along with the Florida Marlins when the National League expanded.  They played their first two seasons at Mile High Stadium which they shared with the Denver Broncos until Coors Field in downtown Denver was ready for Opening Day 1995.  The Rockies have made the playoffs three times, each as the wild card, and have won one National League pennant, in 2007, when they finished the season winning 21 of 22 games.  They were swept by the Red Sox in the World Series. 

They do have one of the nicest Spring Training facilities in Scottsdale, Arizona, a ranch-like complex called Salt River Fields at Talking Stick that opened in 2011, a venue they share with the Arizona Diamondbacks.  I saw a game there when it first opened, pictures below of their scoreboard, the field, and of Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.

Trivia – Today’s Question – What is the official mascot of the Colorado Rockies?

Yesterday’s Question – – Luis Gonzalez also holds the Diamondbacks record for most home runs hit in one season.  How many did he hit?

Answer – 57 in 2001

Vegas Bet:  Lastly, here’s an actual bet you can make in Las Vegas casinos: Over/Under 6 innings pitched by John Lester tonight at Toronto.

Yesterday’s Bet: Over/Under 8 strikeouts tonight by Andy Pettitte vs. Houston. 

Result: Way Under.  Pettitte struck out 4.

Standings

American League East
Team	W	L	GB	Strk
Boston	18	7	-	W 5
N.Y. Yankees	15	10	3	L 1
Baltimore	15	11	3½	L 2
Tampa Bay	12	13	6	W 2
Toronto	9	17	9½	L 4
American League Central
Team	W	L	GB	Strk
Detroit	14	10	-	W 4
Kansas City	13	10	½	L 2
Minnesota	11	11	2	L 1
Cleveland	10	13	3½	W 2
Chi. White Sox	10	14	4	L 2
American League West
Team	W	L	GB	Strk
Texas	16	9	-	L 2
Oakland	15	12	2	W 2
Seattle	12	16	5½	W 3
L.A. Angels	9	16	7	L 3
Houston	8	18	8½	W 1
National League
National League East
Team	W	L	GB	Strk
Atlanta	16	9	-	W 1
Washington	13	13	3½	L 2
Philadelphia	12	14	4½	W 3
N.Y. Mets	10	14	5½	L 5
Miami	7	19	9½	W 2
National League Central
Team	W	L	GB	Strk
Pittsburgh	15	11	-	L 1
St. Louis	14	11	½	L 3
Cincinnati	15	12	½	W 2
Milwaukee	13	11	1	W 1
Chi. Cubs	10	15	4½	W 1
National League West
Team	W	L	GB	Strk
Colorado	16	10	-	W 1
Arizona	15	11	1	L 1
San Francisco	14	12	2	W 1
L.A. Dodgers	12	13	3½	L 1
San Diego	9	16	6½	L 1

Tuesday 4/30 Schedule with probable pitchers in parentheses. 
My picks to win are highlighted.  Monday’s Picks:  4-8  Overall: 169-149

Times EST

7:05 PM	Minnesota	Worley (0-3)	@	Detroit	Verlander (2-2)
7:05 PM	Houston	Humber (0-5)	@	N.Y. Yankees	Kuroda (3-1)
7:07 PM	Boston	Lester (4-0)	@	Toronto	Morrow (0-2)
7:10 PM	Washington	Gonzalez (2-1)	@	Atlanta	Hudson (2-1)
7:10 PM	Philadelphia	Halladay (2-2)	@	Cleveland	McAllister (1-3)
7:10 PM	N.Y. Mets	Hefner (0-2)	@	Miami	Slowey (0-2)
8:05 PM	San Diego	Volquez (1-3)	@	Chi. Cubs	Jackson (0-3)
8:05 PM	Chi. White Sox	Quintana (2-0)	@	Texas	Darvish (4-1)
8:10 PM	Pittsburgh	McDonald (2-2)	@	Milwaukee	Estrada (2-1)
8:10 PM	Tampa Bay	Cobb (3-1)	@	Kansas City	Shields (1-2)
8:15 PM	Cincinnati	Arroyo (2-2)	@	St. Louis	Garcia (2-1)
9:40 PM	San Francisco	Bumgarner (3-0)	@	Arizona	Cahill (1-3)
10:05 PM	L.A. Angels	Richards (1-1)	@	Oakland	Parker (0-4)
10:10 PM	Baltimore	Hammel (3-1)	@	Seattle	Maurer (2-3)
10:10 PM	Colorado	De La Rosa (2-2)	@	L.A. Dodgers	Ryu (2-1)