Perhaps youre fretting over what to get Jennifer and Justin for a wedding present. How about buying them tickets to an Orioles playoff game? Thats a unique gift. No one has been able to buy such tickets in 15 years. While you ponder that or consider getting a toaster instead, lets go Around the American League East.
Rays: Down by eight runs and facing All-Star pitcher C.J. Wilson, the Rays didnt look headed for victory on Saturday. But Tampa Bay swung its way back, putting together a seven-run inning and beating the Angels, 10-8. "I really felt all along that we had a chance, and I mean that sincerely," manager Joe Maddon said. "Wilson wasn't as sharp as he normally can be, and we've been doing a nice job of scoring runs. I thought our at-bats were good early in the game. We weren't getting anything done, but I've seen Wilson a lot, so I know when he's really on top of his game and when he's not. And I thought he might be a little bit vulnerable." Evan Longoria homered during the fifth-inning rally, and Carlos Pena hit a pinch-hit, two-run homer to put the Rays ahead in the eighth.
Red Sox: When the Red Sox beat the Yankees, 4-1, on Saturday, something happened that hadnt occurred in the majors since 1883. Given how this season has gone, Red Sox fans might feel its been that long since Jon Lester won back-to-back starts, but actually thats just been since May. History was made when reliever Craig Breslow entered and was pitching to catcher Ryan Lavarnway. Both are from Yale, apparently becoming the first all-Yale battery in a big-league game in nearly 140 years. Before the Ivy League moment, Lester (7-10) put in seven innings with just one run and five hits. "It's been a grinding season," Lester said. "I said back a month or so ago, I'm not giving up. Keep working hard, and things will turn. The last handful of starts I feel like they have."
Yankees: David Phelps completed his fill-in starts for CC Sabathia with a strong outing Saturday in the Yankees loss to the Red Sox, going 6 23 innings while yielding three runs on seven hits and striking out seven. I am not going to do what he Sabathia does, Phelps said. But I try to keep us in the game. Outfielder Nick Swisher said: I love the guy; he competes and he loves to be out there. He battled today but ended up on the wrong side of the stick. The Yankees lack of offense included a continuing slump for second baseman Robinson Cano, who is on a 1-for-23 skid.
Blue Jays: Even when the sun shines on the Blue Jays, its a bad thing. Right fielder Anthony Gose lost a fly ball in the sun, and the Rangers followed with a home run, providing their only runs in a 2-1 win on Saturday. The bad break meant a loss for Carlos Villanueva (6-3), who otherwise stymied the powerful Texas lineup, going 6 13 innings while yielding four hits. "He was outstanding," pitching coach Bruce Walton said. "He mixed his pitches up well. He had his good slider again, he sunk the ball pretty good today. Also with his four-seam location, just keeping them off-balance he can just flat out pitch." The Blue Jays went 3-for-13 with men in scoring position and stranded 10 runners.
