Around the Horn - 5/17

Let the Interleague Madness Begin!

The AL won day 1, 7-5 with 2 rain outs. The National League had the player of the day though. Jayson Werth of the Phillies smashed 3 home runs and tied a team record with 8 RBI. Werth had a grand slam, 3-run shot, and a plain old solo home runs. The Phillies pounded the Blue Jays 10-3.

When you see a score of 16-8 you figure the Texas Rangers are on the losing end. But this time it was the Rangers on the correct end of the drubbing. Josh Hamilton continued to realize his potential with a 5-5, 2 home run, 5 RBI, 4 runs scored night.

Joe Torre had 11 years of the Subway Series plus a World Series battle to boot. Last night he came out on the wrong end of his first Freeway Series as the Angels beat the Dodgers 4-2.

The Royals won their 5th straight, edging the Marlins 7-6. Jose Guillen had a 3-hit, 2 RBI night to extend his hot hitting streak to 8 games (16-30, .533).

Former Athletics outfielder Mark Kotsay came back to haunt his old team, hitting the game winning double in the Braves 3-2 win in Atlanta.

Tampa moved 8 games over .500 with a 3-1 win over the Cardinals in St. Louis. Andy Sonnanstine improved to 6-1.

The Indians got home runs from Jhonny Peralta, Travis Hafner, and Casey Blake in the 6th inning, but it was the Reds who pulled out a 4-3 win. Adam Dunn, who had earlier homered, walked with the bases loaded for the game winner.

Nick Blackburn and the Twins bullpen dropped the Rockies to 12 games under .500 with a 4-2 win.

Eric Byrnes busted out a big time slump with a 2-run home run in the Diamondbacks 4-3 win over the Tigers. Daren Haren went 7 innings to earn his 5th win.

Brian Giles had 4 hits and 2 RBI, and Tadahito Iguchi homered as the Padres topped the Mariners 6-4.

Gavin Floyd and 4 pitchers combined on 5-hitter in the White Sox 2-0 shutout of the Giants. Alexi Ramirez provided the only runs with his 1st home run.

Melvin Mora doubled in the go ahead run in the Orioles 5-3 win over the Nationals. Garrett Olson improved to 3-0 with the victory.

In the lone intraleague game, Alfonso Soriano homered in his first two at-bats in the Cubs 7-4 win against the Pirates. Sori is 14-27 (.519) with 5 HR and 10 RBI in his last 6 games.