It's going to be a dogfight with Toronto and Boston

[Machado13]

Sounded like he was getting squeezed by the umpire big time.

I had the game on, it was really 1 pitch and it wasn't something so bad that you don't see every game. Villanueva us a junk pitcher and he was nibbling at corners of plate which is why umpire didn't give him close pitches.

The good news is the Jays bullpen is trash. The Padres threatened in every inning to take the lead. Jays pen got lucky that Padres were hitting into bad luck and then bailed out when green went to Villanueva to close a 6-4 lead.

[backwardsk]

Really? They are going to shut Sanchez down?

I didn't know that.

I don't know if they are going to shut him down, but they may move him to the pen because of his innings.

[MDK02]

Lets go Padres!!

[backwardsk]

Lets go Padres!!

They took care of business today.

[spiritof66]

A nice afternoon of baseball. :2yay-thumb:

Is that the sound of opportunity knocking that I hear?

[Machado13]

Just win the series tonight! Be the big dog

Thank you tigers and fathers

[weams]

Just win the series tonight! Be the big dog

Thank you tigers and fathers

Before the Tigers took Wednesday's series finale, 4-3, at Fenway Park, the Red Sox were the only team in the Major Leagues that had gone all of 2016 without being swept. Right-hander Michael Fulmer cruised through six innings before getting counterpunched by a powerful Boston lineup in the seventh and eighth, but the rookie limited Boston to seven hits and three runs over 7 2/3 innings as the Red Sox joined the ranks of the swept.

All but two batters in the Tigers lineup reached base by either a walk or hit against the Red Sox. Most notable was first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who mauled the go-ahead home run in the ninth to put the Tigers ahead, 4-3. Catcher James McCann went deep in the sixth, adding an insurance run over the Green Monster for a 3-1 Tigers lead.

Though the Red Sox battled back, it wasn't enough steam. Xander Bogaerts crushed a homer into the Green Monster seats to bring Boston within one in the seventh, while Mookie Betts added a game-tying RBI triple into deep center field an inning later.

It didn't help Boston that left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez couldn't make it through six innings. He allowed nine hits, three earned runs and three walks (one intentional) while whiffing six. After allowing the homer to McCann, Rodriguez has given up at least one home run in each of his last eight starts.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/192053204/miggys-hr-propels-tigers-to-fenway-sweep/?game_pk=448375

[weams]

A nice afternoon of baseball. :2yay-thumb:

Is that the sound of opportunity knocking that I hear?

Adam Rosales, Brett Wallace and Alex Dickerson each went deep in San Diego's 8-4 victory over the Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon at Rogers Centre. Christian Bethancourt added a Little League home run after he doubled in the fourth but was able to keep running thanks to a pair of Toronto errors on the play.

All nine players in San Diego's starting lineup reached base at least once, and the Padres have now homered in a National League-record 25 consecutive games, which is a franchise record and the longest in the Majors since 2002

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20160727192025624/padres-hit-three-hrs-in-win-over-blue-jays/?game_pk=448380

[O's are Legends]

Another big test and battle as the O's face the Jays best pitchers. At least the O's have KG, Gallardo and Tillman going. The bats need to come alive and fast. Use the whole field, time is now.

[Frobby]

Weekly tracking post

At the all-star break, here were the standings:

BAL 51-36

BOS 49-38

TOR 51-40

Post-ASB Week 1: BAL 3-4, BOS 5-1, TOR 3-2

Post-ASB Week 2: BAL 4-3, BOS 1-6, TOR 3-3

Current standings:

BAL 58-43

TOR 57-45

BOS 55-45

[OFFNY]

Weekly tracking post

At the all-star break, here were the standings:

BAL 51-36

BOS 49-38

TOR 51-40

Post-ASB Week 1: BAL 3-4, BOS 5-1, TOR 3-2

Post-ASB Week 2: BAL 4-3, BOS 1-6, TOR 3-3

Current standings:

BAL 58-43

TOR 57-45

BOS 55-45

The Red Sox have lost 6 out of their last 7 games.

The Blue Jays have played respectable but not spectacular baseball since the All-Star break, going 7-6 in 13 games.

It always seems like the Orioles are headed for certain and unavoidable doom whenever they struggle, for various reasons (disastrous starting pitching, an otherwise explosive offense going cold, etc.) ...... but looking at it more objectively, the Orioles are still very much in the thick of the playoff race well past the halfway mark of the season.

[Frobby]

Watch out for Houston. Someone here is going to get pinched out.

That's a definite possibility. I haven't ruled out Detroit or Seattle, either. Detroit in particular has made a move of late.

[Frobby]

The Red Sox have lost 6 out of their last 7 games.

The Blue Jays have played respectable but not spectacular baseball since the All-Star break, going 7-6 in 13 games.

Just nitpicking, but the Jays are 6-5, not 7-6. I only point it out to highlight that the Jays have had three off-days since the all-star break, including yesterday, while the O's have played every single day and just had to make their second one-day stop of the season. So, big advantage to the Jays this weekend in a crucial series with the O's.

[bpilktree]

Watch out for Houston. Someone here is going to get pinched out.

They may win the division with Texas dropping out.

[ChuckS]

Watch out for Houston. Someone here is going to get pinched out.

I think it could be the Rangers. Houston is the best team in that division.