2007 MLB Highlights June 30

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Thanks @espn

STADIUM. FIRST ONE TO THREE WINS. I WROTE THAT BEFORE THIS GAME STARTED. I WANT TO POINT THAT OUT. BRAD PENNY WITH AN E.R.A. 2.14. RUNNERS ON THE CORNERS. JOSH BARD TRIES TO STEAL AND THAT’S ILL-ADVISED. MIKE CAMERON STAYS ON THIRD AND

WILL BE STRANDED. KEVIN KOUZMANOFF STRIKES OUT LOOKING. PENNY IS FIRED UP WITHOUT GIVING UP A RUN IN SEVEN INNINGS. PEAVY FACING NOMAR. 84 1/3 INNINGS WITHOUT ALLOWING A HOME RUN. NOMAR IN THE LONGEST HOME RUN DROUGHT OF HIS CAREER, HE FOULS

OFF THE SIXTH PITCH, THE SEVENTH PITCH, THE EIGHTH PITCH AND THE NINTH PITCH. UP TO THIS POINT THE LONGEST AT-BAT BY ANYBODY WAS FIVE PITCHES. ON THE 10TH TO NOMAR, WHAT A BATTLE, A 94-MILE-PER-HOUR

PITCH AND HE SENDS IT OUT TO TIE THE GAME AT 1-1. BOTTOM SEVEN, PEAVY HAS GOT TO DIG DOWN DEEP AND HE’S GOT A BATTLE. BASES ARE LOADED. PINCH-HITTER OLMEDO SAENZ IS UP. AND PEAVY SAYS, YOU GOT THIS? NOPE.

GIVES HIM THE GAS FACE. SIXTH K OF THE GAME. HE GIVES UP ONE. TO THE 10TH, SAITO PITCHING. RAFAEL FURCAL MAKES A SPECTACULAR PLAY. BUT YOU’RE NOT WATCHING THAT AND YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT THE PITCHER. HE WAS ALL RIGHT. TO THE 11TH.

RUSSELL MARTIN ON SECOND AFTER THE STEAL. THEN HE HAS A JULIO LUGO MOMENT. YOU’LL UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS LATER IN THE SHOW. HE’S THROWN OUT ON BALL FOUR TO JEFF KENT. LOOKS LIKE MAYBE THE HAND SNUCK IN. REGARDLESS, HE’S CALLED OUT.

TO THE 12TH, JOSE CRUZ JR. AT THE PLATE. KHALIL GREENE IS ON SECOND AND HE SERVES ONE OUT THERE. ANDRE ETHIER SHORT-HOPS IT. WE’LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER LOOK AT THIS ONE. ETHIER, HECK OF AN EFFORT. THAT’S CLEARLY A SHORT HOP.

YOU BRING IN TREVOR HOFFMAN LOOKING FOR SAVE 505. TONY ABREU EARLIER THIS WEEK IN AN EXTRA INNING GAME AGAINST ARIZONA HIT A HOME RUN THAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE. HERE HE HITS A FLY BALL THAT’S THE FINAL OUT OF THE GAME.

>>> BARRY BONDS, HALFWAY TO 1,500 HOME RUNS, SITTING ON 750. SIX MORE FOR THE RECORD. THAT’S WILLIE MCCOVEY IN ATTENDANCE. JUNE 30, 1978 HE HIT HIS 500TH CAREER HOME RUN IN A GIANTS HOME RUN. BOTTOM ONE, GIANTS DOWN 1-0.

TWO OUTS, TWO RUNNERS ON. BENGIE MOLINA HITTING .417 WITH TWO OUTS AND TWO RUNNERS ON, DOUBLES OFF DOUG DAVIS. DURHAM SCORES. CAN BONDS MAKE IT FROM FIRST? YOU BETCHA. BONDS WALKED THREE TIMES IN THIS GAME. HE HAD ONE HIT. WAS IT A HOMER?

WE’LL LET YOU KNOW. NOAH LOWRY, 6-1 AT HOME THIS SEASON. HE HAD IT WORKING. PAINTING THE OUTSIDE CORNER. PAINTING THE INSIDE CORNER AND MAKING BATTERS LIKE ERIC BYRNES MISS. HIS E.R.A. 3.46. EIGHT K’S FOR LOWERY. BONDS HAD ONE HIT. HERE IT IS.

A SWING AND A DRIVE. BUT THE LOWER BODY STRENGTH IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE. HE’S AN UPPER BODY HITTER. IT JUST WAS NOT ENOUGH. ERIC BYRNES WITH A GREAT EFFORT. DOESN’T MAKE THE PLAY. BONDS CAREER DOUBLE 376 TIES

HIM WITH WILLIE MAYS FOR MOST IN SAN FRANCISCO HISTORY. HE HIT MORE AS A PIRATE. TOP SIX, DIAMONDBACKS DOWN 4-1. DAVE ROBERTS, A GREAT CATCH. ARIZONA WAS THE N.L. WILD CARD LEADER WHEN THE DAY BEGAN SATURDAY. AFTER THE GREAT DEFENSE BY

>>> ANGELS, 17-8, JUNE, THE BEST IN BASEBALL. IN PART BECAUSE THEIR BATTING AVERAGE IS .325 AND IN PART BECAUSE CHONE FIGGINS DOESN’T MAKE OUTS. FIRST PITCH OFF RYAN BURR AND EXTENDS HIS HITTING STREAK. MORE INFORMATION ON FIGGINS COMING MOMENTARILY.

VLAD WILL SWING IF YOU THROW IT. HE LITERALLY WILL. JAY GIBBONS MAKES THE GRAB. FIGGINS IS CAUGHT SLEEPING AND DOUBLES OFF FIRST BASE. BOTTOM FIVE, BARTOLO COLON WHO LOOKS LIKE ANDRE THE GIANT TO ME. KEVIN MILLAR SINGLES, BRINGS IN

JAY PAYTON AND BRIAN ROBERTS. THE ORIOLES LEAD 3-0. THE ANGELS HAD NOT HAD A HIT SINCE THE FIGGINS SINGLE YOU SAW IN THE FIRST. IF HE GETS A HIT, IT’S HIS 53RD IN THE MONTH OF JUNE WHICH ADDS ON TO HIS TEAM RECORD.

NICK GORNEAULT SCORES. FIGURE AS SOON AS SAFE AT THIRD. HOW ABOUT THAT, 53 HITS IN A MONTH? ORLANDO CABRERA, A DOUBLE. THAT’S A YEAR FOR PEOPLE. ALL OF A SUDDEN IT’S 3-2. ANGELS CLIMBING BACK INTO IT. THEN HECTOR CARRASCO, THE BIG

BLOW OF THE BALLGAME, A THREE-RUN SHOT PUTS THE ORIOLES UP 6-2. PAUL SHUEY RETIRED IN 2005 AND HAD HIP SURGERY AND HASN’T HAD WIN HIS 129 GAME. HASN’T BEEN AS SHARP AT HOME AS OF LATE FOR WHATEVER REASON. TAKING ON TEXAS.

JACOBY ELLSBURY, FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE AT-BAT. WELCOME TO THE BIGS. THE CHECK SWING. GERALD LAIRD TAGS HIM OUT. IT’S A TAPE MEASURE SHOT. >> IT WENT A FOOT. >> ELLSBURY IS LIKE YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME? LATER IN THE INNING, KEVIN YOUKILIS IS UP.

HE PICKS UP THE ROOK. YOUR MOM GOES TO COLLEGE! A TWO-RUN SHOT INTO THE — HAVE YOU EVER SAT UP THERE YET? >> A COUPLE TIMES. >> I SAT THERE ONCE. A GREAT TIME. SOX LEAD 4-0. HERE COME THE RANGERS. BRAD WILKERSON, DEEP.

ELLSBURY MISPLAYS THAT ONE. CATALANOTTO AND BYRD SCORE. THE OUTFIELD IN BOSTON IS AN ACQUIRED TASTE. YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO PLAY EVERY POSITION, IT’S TRICKY. TOP FIVE, KNOTTED AT 4-4. BECKETT FACING SOSA. THIS HOME RUN JUST HAS ENOUGH TO GET OUT.

602ND OF SOSA’S CAREER, GIVING THE RANGERS THE 5-4 LEAD. EIGHTH INNING. KEVIN YOUKILIS IS UP. JULIO LUGO AT SECOND. HE CAME IN TO PINCH-RUN AND TAKES OFF. GERALD LAIRD HESITATES AND GETS HIS MAN THERE. LUGO DIDN’T SLIDE. YOU WONDER AFTERWARDS THEIR

C.C. SABATHIA TURNS 27 ON JULY 21 AND WILL BE THE SAME AGE AS JOSH BECKETT AND IS ALSO HAVING THE SAME DOMINATING YEAR IN CLEVELAND AS BECKETT IS IN BOSTON. A NORTHERN CALIFORNIA GUY. YOU KNOW STARTING THE ALL-STAR

GAME IN SAN FRANCISCO WOULD BE A CAREER HIGHLIGHT FOR THE BIG GUY. GETTING IT DONE AGAINST THE DEVIL RAYS AS HE USUALLY DOES. GRADY SIZEMORE, 3-4 IN THIS GAME, HITTING .285 BUT HIS ON-BASE IS 4.01 AND THE INDIANS HAVE A 2-0 LEAD.

THIRD INNING, LOOK AT THIS HOOK. HELLO. BOTTOM FIVE. INDIANS UP 4-2. IF I HAD ONE WISH IT WOULD BE TO BE AS STRONG AS TRAVIS HAFNER FOR JUST ONE DAY. 13TH HOMER OF THE YEAR. INDIANS UP 5-2. TOP SIX, SABATHIA AGAIN.

LOOK AT THAT BREAKING BALL. LATER, JORGE CANTU, EIGHT K’S FOR SABATHIA. HE IS IN THE RACE FOR THE ALL-STAR STARTER IN THE BOROWSKI COMES GOOD FOR CLUB MORALE. HE HAS A NO-NO ON HIS FIRST HALF RESUME. >>> THE CUBS HAVE WON SEVEN IN

A ROW, TRYING TO MAKE IT EIGHT. . JACK FONTENOT IS BATTING .400. ERROR THERE. THE BREWERS GET THEIR INNING GOING. TOP ONE, PRINCE FIELDER, DOUBLE, BRINGS IN J.J. HARDY AND BRIAN BRAWN — RYAN BRAUN. LOU SAYS LET’S CHANGE THINGS UP.

FONTENOT SWITCHES POSITIONS WITH DEROSA. DOESN’T MATTER WHERE THEY’RE STANDING FOR THIS ONE BECAUSE PRINCE FIELDER — ANYWAY, HERE COMES BRAUN TO SCORE. HERE’S BRAUN AND FINDS FONTENOT. HE AVERAGES .349. NICE FOR HIM. 10-2, BREWERS. FONTENOT, BATTING .400.

BEN SHEETS THE BENEFICIARY OF ALL THE RUNS. HE’S FILFTHY TO SORIANO. CARLOS ZAMBRANO IS BATTING ABOVE .250 SO THEY BRING HIM IN TO PINCH-HIT. SIT DOWN. S. S. S. S. S. >>> PHILLIES BEGAN THE DAY FOUR BACK OF THE METS. THAT’S J.A. HAPP.

THE SIXTH DIFFERENT PHILLY PITCHER TO MAKE HIS DEBUT. AFTER GIVING UP A TWO-RUN HOMER, HE HAS ANOTHER ONE. RYAN HOWARD, HE HAD NINE HOME RUNS IN JUNE LAST YEAR. 10 THIS YEAR. VERY FAR. DEEP IN THE SECOND DECK.

>> ONLY .198 AT HOME THIS YEAR FOR SOME REASON. >> CARLOS BELTRAN HIT .356 IN APRIL. OFF TO A GREAT START. JUST .208 IN JUNE. THE LAST DAY HE’S MAKING UP FOR IT. THERE GOES BELTRAN AGAIN. >> IT’S HOME RUN DERBY, ISN’T IT?

>> IT IS. LOOK AT THIS. AARON ROWAND WOULD HAVE HAD THE “WEB GEM” OF THE YEAR. HE HAS AN EYE ON IT. HIS GLOVE JUST WASN’T OPEN ENOUGH. METS WIN. THEY’VE WON 8-9 AND GO FOR THE FOUR-GAME SWEEP SUNDAY.

>>> CARDINALS, MISERABLE SEASON CONTINUES, TRYING TO GET BACK TO .500. ADAM WAINWRIGHT SAID, I DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN THE SIXTH INNING. THIS IS THE SIXTH, REDS LEAD 2-1. KEN GRIFFEY JR. WALKS, ENCARNACION WALKS. BASES LOADED, NOBODY OUT.

JOSH HAMILTON WALKS ON FOUR STRAIGHT PITCHES. HOW IS YOUR COMMAND? TONY LA RUSSA GOES TO THE BULLPEN. RUSS SPRINGER HAS AN 0-2 COUNT TO ALEX GONZALEZ AND HE UNCORKS ONE THAT HITS HIM. CINCINNATI NOW LEADS 4-1. NOT A LOT OF HITTING GOING ON.

KYLE LOHSE PRAISED BY HIS TEAM FOR HIS STUFF AND HE HAD SOME DEREK JETER’S OPINION, NINE GAMES? TOO LONG. FIRST WORLD SERIES WAS THE BEST OF NINE, SO WAS IT IN 1921 AND 1929. KEI IGAWA MISSING HIS LOCATION TO SHANNON STEWART.

I’M OK, YOU’RE NOT OK. SEVENTH HOMER OF THE SEASON. LATER, JORGE POSADA TALKING MECHANICS TO KEI IGAWA. DON’T LEAN BACK. DON’T LEAN BACK. GET ON TOP. FORWARD. FORWARD. FORWARD. WHO SINGS THAT? >> I GET CONFUSED. >> DAN JOHNSON. WE’RE MISSING LOCATION, HIP, HIP, JORGE!

BEST PITCH, 93 ON THE WHERE PERHAPS THEY CAN MAKE A MOVE. >>> TWINS TRY TO TAKE THE FIRST TWO OF THEIR WEEKEND SERIES IN DETROIT. TIGERS HAVE LOST 5-6 AT HOME. BOTTOM TWO, TIED AT 1-1. CRAIG MONROE A GROUNDER OFF KEVIN SLOWEY.

NICK PUNTO DIVES AND IN ONE MOTION THROWS HIM OUT. IF YOU ATE A BUCKET OF CHICKEN FOR DINNER, YOU PROBABLY COULDN’T DO THAT. AND YOU AND I DID FOR NO APPARENT REASON TODAY. TWINS NOW LEAD 2-1. FULL COUNT.

TWO OUTS FOR LEW FORD OFF ANDREW MILLER. GOOD-LOOKING ROOKIE OUT OF CAROLINA. A COUPLE RUNS COME IN TO SCORE AND THE TWINS LEAD. TOP FIVE, SAME SCORE, RUNNERS ON THE CORNER. FIRST PITCH FASTBALL, MICHAEL CUDDYER, THAT IS SMOKED.

RON GARDENHIRE SAID A COUPLE GOOD BALLGAMES TO START THE >>> AFTER LOSING FIVE IN A ROW, ATLANTA HOPING TO BNO CARRIERRI >> IT’S NOW 6-5. HUDSON IS IN LINE FOR THE VICTORY. TYLER YATES NOW GIVEN THE BALL. DAN UGGLA AT THE DISH.

HE EARLIER HOMERED IT OFF THE BAT AND LOOKED LIKE HE HAD ANOTHER EXTRA-BASE HIT. THEIR LIVES STARTING SUNDAY ON “SPORTSCENTER.” >>> SEATTLE HAS THE LONGEST WINNING STREAK IN THE BIGS. MIGUEL BATISTA TAKING ON THE FORMER TEAM, THE JAYS.

FRANK THOMAS, FLY BALL. BEN BROUSSARD GIVES WAY TO ICHIRO BECAUSE HE HAS A HAND CANON. VERNON WELLS KNOCKS THE BALL AWAY. TOP SEVEN, TWO ON. SEATTLE LEADS 3-1. LEFTY ERIC O’FLAHERTY HAS TO GO BACK TO THE PEN BECAUSE HE

THOUGHT HE WAS CALLED. THEN COMES SHAWN GREEN. NO, WE WANT THE RIGHTY. BUT IT WORKS OUT. ZAHN HITS INTO THE 1-2-3 DOUBLE PLAY AND ENDS THE INNING. MARINERS LOOK TO BUST IT OPEN. BEN BROUSSARD STINGS ONE INTO CENTER. GUILLEN AND SEXSON SCORE.

BROUSSARD 4-4 WITH A COUPLE OF R.B.I.’S. GUESS WHO IS IN? O’FLAHERTY. HERE WE GO. WITH A CHOPPER! THE MARINERS WIN AGAIN BY A SCORE OF 8-3. >>> THE ROCKIES WILL GO TO SEVERAL CLOSERS. THE ROCKIES TRYING TO AVOID

LOSING NINE IN A ROW FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2005. .443 AT HOME, .351 ON THE ROAD. HE CAN HIT ANYWHERE, ESPECIALLY AT HOME. ON THE ROAD HE GIVES THE ROCKIES THE LEAD. JEFF FRANCIS THREW WONDERFULLY AND GETS BERKMAN.

BIGGIO DID GET TWO HITS. NOW 3,004 HITS. GARRETT ATKINS BRINGS HOME KAZ >>> A WALKOFF, WALKOFF ON BOB WALK BOBBLEHEAD NIGHT. THE PIRATES WERE A .500 TEAM IN 1992, BARRY BONDS’ LAST SEASON IN PITTSBURGH AND SOME BUCCO

FAN HAS ENOUGH AT THE LIST OF MORTAL SINS, LETTING BONDS WALK, LETTING TIM WAKEFIELD WALK, TRADING JASON SCHMIDT FOR ANOTHER PLAYER AND TRADING ARAMIS RAMIREZ. AND THE DRAFT. PASSING ON ZITO IN 1999, WRIGHT AND HOWARD. THE LUMBER COMPANY HAS BECOME

THE SLUMBER COMPANY SO IT WAS WALKOFF ON BOBBLEHEAD NIGHT. SOME STAGED A PREGAME RALLY. FANS UPSET WITH THE BAD DRAFTING, BAD OWNERSHIP AND INTENTIONALLY WALKED OUT OF THE BALLPARK. SOME CAME BACK TO THE SETS AFTER LEAVING. THE PRINCIPAL OWNER SAID I

UNDER THE TERM FRUSTRATION. LOOK AT THAT MULLET FOR BOB WOK. CAPTURED BEAUTIFULLY IN THE BOBBLEHEAD. BRIAN SCHNEIDER. LUCKY BREAK FOR THE BUCCOS. SANCHEZ WON THE BATTING LEANCH LAST YEAR. PAULINO AND JACK WILSON SCORE. TOM GORZELANNY IS PITCHING WELL. GETTING BETTER, PITTSBURGH.

HANG IN THERE. BUCK YOSE WIN 7-2. >> THEY HAVE GOOD FANS OUT THERE. THEY WANT TO SUPPORT THEIR TEAM. >>> KANSAS CITY HAS WON FIVE STRAIGHT AND CAN CLIMB OUT OF THE CELLAR AND PUT OZZIE’S TEAM IN THE CELLAR.

BOSH FIELDS GROUNDS THE BALL AND GETS HIS MAN. EDDIE GONZALEZ WITH THE WHITE SOX LEADING IT. AMIL BROWN, HERE COMES TROUBLE. YES, IT DOES. HE SLIDES FOR THE CATCH AND HOMERED IN THE SEVENTH TO TIE THE GAME. BASES LOADED. LOOKING AT IGUCHI.

IT’S ABOUT THAT TIME. TADAHITO WITH A BASE HIT BRINGS IN TWO MEN. >> BONDS IS 1-1 WITH THREE WALKS. NUMBER NINE, METS-PHILLIES. JIMMY ROLLINS BELIEVES HE MIGHT HAVE AN EXTRA-BASE HIT. CARLOS BELTRAN SAID YOU’LL GET NOTHING AND LIKE IT. NICE CATCH.

YOU’VE GOT TO GAUGE THAT WALL. GRACEFUL AND ATHLETIC. BELTRAN ALSO HOMERED A COUPLE TIMES. >> SCOTT VERPLANK. HE WAS ROLLING HIS ROCK. HIS CADDIE HAS A BEARD GOING FOR GOOD LUCK. SEE IF IT WORKS SUNDAY. SHOT OFF A LEAD HEADING INTO THE FINAL ROUND.

>> NUMBER SEVEN, HOLLYWOOD GOLD CUP. WE HAVE SOME HORSERACING. LAVA MAN LOOKING FOR HIS THIRD STRAIGHT GOLD CUP VICTORY. >> LAVA MAN, A.P. XCELLENT. LAVA MAN, YES, THERE’S THE ORIGINAL RAGS TO RICHES. LAVA MAN DID IT AGAIN BY A NOSE.

>> I HAVE NATIONAL WOMEN’S FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION. IT’S THE PITTSBURGH PASSION-WEST MICHIGAN MAYHEM. LISA HORTON HAS WHEELS ON THAT. I’M TALKING ABOUT FOOT SPEED. THEN TO HORTON FINDS JENNIFER MOODY AND NOW MOODY AGAIN FOR THE TWO-POINT CONVERSION. THE PASSION. >> GOOD LOOK-AWAY.

>> THEY WIN 34-6. ALL THE LADIES IN THE HOUSE SAY YEAH. >> WESTERN P.A. DOGS PLAY FOOTBALL. METS-PHILLIES. LOOK AT GREG DOBBS. COME ON, DOBBS, YOU’RE UP. PAUL LO DUCA, DENIED. >> RANGERS-RED SOX. JUSTIN PEDROIA. JERRY HAIRSTON. >> METS-PHILLIES.

JOSE REYES POPS UP. SHANE VICTORINO, WHEN HE’S NOT THROWING FOLKS AT — OUT AT THE PLATE, HE’S DOING THIS. HE IS FROM MAUI.