At the beginning of the Sox-Cardinals game tonight, the big story was the return of the Heir Apparent. Albert Pujols was making his debut after rehabbing from his strained right oblique. Out since June 3, that has been just enough time for the rest of the league to catch up with him. Pujols still leads the league with 25 homeruns but he now has company. Ryan Howard is tied with him. In the rbi department, Howard is one up on him 66-65.
Against the Sox, Pujols had an uneventful 0 for 4 day.
By the end of the day, the story was Anthony Reyes’ one hitter. Unfortunately, that one hit was a homerun by Peoria native Jim Thome. Even more unfortunate, that was the only run of the 1-0 Sox win and Reyes had to settle for a loss.
This was Reyes’ fourth major league start and first complete complete game. White Sox hurler Freddie Garcia was on the other end of the pitchers’ duel. He combined with Bobby Jenks in a 4-hit shutout.
Here’s Viva El Birdos’ take on Reyes aptly named reyes our hopes
I was at the ballpark again for this outstanding pitchers duel! Also with me behind the plate were RobT, Cluke, KevinS, Al, Anthony, & Anthony’s girl (she once dated Jeremy Accardo of the SF Giants). All HUGE baseball fans! And all but Anthony’s girl have played APBA baseball. Ozzie Guillen rolled great dice for the Sox in the first two games (33 runs), but Joey Cora filling in for the suspended skipper was ice cold (only one hit, although it was a BIG fly). In the first two games of the series I was complaining about missing extra points, Big Mike pointed out the Sox got their extra point in game #3! Freddy Garcia was on the losing end of a 1-0 game last year versus Minnesota where he allowed only one hit (a Jacque Jones homer) and was outdueled by Johan Santana. Earlier this year I posted Freddy’s Dead when Garcia’s fastball was clocked five MPH slower than it was last year, but after his latest performance I’d have to say this was, “Freddy’s Resurrection”.
I just wanted to point out that Teddy Ballgame’s account of this game was significantly delayed: I’d suggest that Teddy concentrates on finding a bar with a WiFi connection rather than being so concerned about drink specials.
:-)
On a lighter note…. if I ever get hit in the head with a large boulder I’m confident I can find work as a baseball color announcer on TV. I think it was Wednesday night when Macowiak reached on a dropped third strike. Now, this was a CALLED third strike, Macowiak never took the bat off his shoulder-but the Sox announcer (I guess it was former major-leaguer Darrin Jackson) was wondering if it would be scored a passed ball or a wild pitch.
hear hear.. CB. I’m with you on that first point. :)
and now that I think about it, the second one too.. it was probably DJ :P
Now that i have MLB.TV and can watch a variety of teams, I’m developing a taste for what announcers I do not like and which ones I can tolerate.
I’m with Teddy on the “Drink Specials vs. WiFi” issue.
I suggest Steve Physioc and Rex Hudler. Zealot: I will convert you YET.
Was the passed ball incident Thursday night? If so, maybe we can give DJ a pass. Based on things he said and all the giggling that he was doing, I thought Jackson was intoxicated. Maybe HE found the drink specials.
DonS.