Major League Baseball 2003: A SOM replay

[OliDegu2008]

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Cincinnati outlast the Pirates in wild one on Opening Day 9-7

Cincinnati, OH. - It was a cold, blustery end of March day in Cincinnati but there was baseball to play and what a show the Pittsburgh Pirates and Reds put on Monday.

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The Reds prevailed over the Pirates 9-7 with veteran starter Jimmy Haynes getting the win. Haynes went 4 innings, allowing 7 runs (4 earned), 5 walks and 7 hits.

His counterpart, Kris Benson was a tad worse, going 3 2/3, allowing 9 hits and 8 runs.

The Reds were helped out in large part to a dominating bullpen of Scott Sullivan, Chris Reitsma, Felix Heredia and Scott Williamson.

Brian Meadows shut down the Reds for the Pirates during the middle innings, pitching 2 scoreless innings in relief.

All but one of the 16 runs scored in this game were scored after the 4th inning, thanks to the effort of both bullpens.

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Providing the fire power for the Reds was Ken Griffey Jr. who had one of, if not his best Opening Day of his career. Griffey was 4-4, with 2 homers, a double, 3 runs scored and 4 RBI.

For the Pirates, Reggie Sanders was a healthy 3-5 while Jason Kendall, Jack Wilson and Jose Hernandez all picked up 2 hits in the losing effort.

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If you're looking at the scoreboard and wondering if the 9 combined errors is a mistake, it is not. The Red's Barry Larkin, who was also 0-5 at the dish had 3 errors. For the Pirates, Hernandez had 2 errors at 3rd base.

Both of these teams are back in action Wednesday in game 2 of this series.


POTG: Ken Griffey Jr - 4-4, 2 HR's, 2B, 3 Runs, 4 RBI

[OliDegu2008]

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Brian Lawrence pitches Padres past Giants on Opening Day

San Diego, CA. - It was a beautiful, sunny March day in San Diego, perfect for baseball and the home team did not dissapoint.

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Padres starter Brian Lawrence looked fresh and feeling good, because he was brilliant Monday. Lawrence earned his first win of the year, pitching 7 flawless innings, allowing just 3 hits and no runs.

He was helped by his offense which gave him just enough support to secure the victory.

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The Padres offense was led by Mark Loretta, Gary Bennett and Sean Burroughs, all of which contributed RBI's to the winning cause.

Giant's starter, Kirk Rueter was decent in his opening start of the 2003 campaign. Rueter lasted 6 innings, allowing 3 hits on 3 runs.

He was not helped by his offense, an offense that managed only 4 hits. The lone Giants run came off a double by Rich Aurilia in the 8th off reliever Lawrence Hackman. Hackman would persevere and would hand the ball over to Padre's closer Rod Beck.

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Beck would earn save number 1 as he pitched a perfect 9th inning to shut the door on the visiting Giants.

The Padres were able to keep Barry Bonds at bay also, pitching around him all game long in an obvious strategic move. Bonds ended the day with an 0-2 effort with 2 walks.

In injury news, its good news for the Giants who learned late Monday that utility man Ramon Vazquez which had to be removed from the game citing an ankle injury will only miss 1-2 games according to team staff. Vazquez came up limping after trying to beat out a grounder in the 5th inning.

Both of these teams are back in action Tuesday in game 2 of this series.


[b]POTG: Brian Lawrence - 7 IP, 3 hits, 0 runs, Win

[OliDegu2008]

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Joe Kennedy pitches Rays past Pedro and the Red Sox

Tampa, FL. - It may not have been the prettiest of wins but the Tampa Bay Devil Rays will take it on Opening Day against their division rivals, the Boston Red Sox.

Ray's starter Joe Kennedy ousted Pedro Martinez on Monday, yes you're reading this right.

Kennedy earned his first win of the year going 7 strong, allowing 6 hits and 1 earned. His counterpart, Martinez lasted 6, allowing 3 earned runs. Martinez did manage to strikeout 10 Rays hitters but when you don't win, does it really matter?

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The Rays scored most of their 7 runs in the 6th (2) and the 8th (4) to take care of the visiting Sox. The final nail in the proverbial coffin came when Damian Rolls hit a 2 run single scoring Aubrey Huff and Ben Grieve. Rolls, Grieve and Rocco Baldelli all collected 2 hits on the day.

Kennedy which kept the Sox hitters off balance all evening did give up a couple of hard hit balls. One those hits being a RBI double coming off the bat of Nomar Garciaparra. Garciaparra finished the day 2-4 with the RBI.

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Though Pedro took the loss in this one, Sox reliever Alan Embree got shelled. Embree allowed 4 runs on 3 hits in just a 1/3 of an inning.

Jesus Colome and Chad Gaudin both pitched scoreless innings in relief for the Rays to secure the win for home team.

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Both of these teams are back in action Tuesday in game 2 of this series.


POTG: - Joe Kennedy 7 IP, Win, 6 hits, 1 ER, 5 K's

[OliDegu2008]

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Yankees rally late, spoil Opening Day for Blue Jays in Toronto

Toronto, ON. - The Yankees were down, they were up and everything in between but at the end of the day, they just win.

When looking at the pitching match-up on paper of Roger Clemens and Roy Halladay, you'd think this contest would have been a defensive struggle. It was the exact opposite.

Both teams combined for 23 hits and 15 runs. That is hardly a defensive battle.

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Both starters earned no decisions. Clemens went 5 innings, allowing 7 runs (4 earned) on 6 hits while striking out 7 Blue Jays.

Halladay went 5 1/3, allowing 5 runs on 10 hits. He racked up only 3 strikeouts but walked zero.

The Yankees jumped on top of the Blue birds 4-1 before the third inning due to a couple of 2-run blasts off the bats of Jason Giambi and Raul Mondesi.

That lead however would diminish over the middle innings thanks to hits from Mike Bordick, Orlando Hudson, Vernon Wells and Bobby Kielty. Errors also played a part as the Yankees committed 4 total, all coming in the 4th and 5th innings.

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The game changing moment however came in the 8th inning and it came off the bat of Alfonso Soriano. Soriano cracked a seeing eye single off Cliff Politte that scored 2. Most importantly it scored the eventual game winning run Mondesi.

The Yankees would then hand the ball to closer Mariano Rivera who picked a flawless 9th to earn his first save of the year and the Yankees, its first win of the new 2003 season.

Picking up the win on the mound is Antonio Osuna for the Yankees, Jason Kershner was credited with the loss for the Blue Jays. Kershner lasted 2/3 of an inning, allowing 3 runs on 2 hits.

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An interesting stat that should be noted is that every Yankee batter had a hit in the game. Posada led the way with 4 hits (4-4). Mondesi was 1-4 with 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored.

The Blue Jays lost the game and they also received some injury news to two of their starters that may hamper them in the beginning of the year. Orlando Hudson and Josh Phelps both were injured in this game and will be out at least 3 games due to undisclosed injuries according to team officials.

Both of these teams are back in action Tuesday in game 2 of this series.


POTG: - Alfonso Soriano 2-5, 2 RBI, GW hit

[OliDegu2008]

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Blue Jays clobber Pettitte, win 11-4

Toronto, ON. - After a disappointing loss on Opening Day, the Blue Jay were out for revenge Tuesday and they got it.

It seemingly did not matter if it was Sandy Koufax, Nolan Ryan or Andy Pettitte on the mound, the Blue Jays were going to have a day at the dish no matter what.

Pettitte lasted only 3 2/3 innings, allowing 8 runs on 10 hits. Pettitte gave up 3 in the 2nd, 2 in the 3rd and 3 in the 4th and that would prove good enough to propel the Jays to victory.

The opening blow came off of Reed Johnson's bat when he blasted a 3-run homer, scoring Eric Hinske and Mike Bordick. Speaking of Mike Bordick, he had himself a day at the plate going 4-4 with 2 RBI and 4 runs.

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Besides the homer off of Johnson's bat, the rest of runs scored by the home town team came off of doubles and singles.

Johnson finished with 4 RBI while Howie Clark added 2 RBI of his own. Thankful for the bottom half of his lineup, Carlos Tosca saw his 1,2 hitters go 0-10 on the day.

Cory Lidle got the start for the Blue Jays and relished the run support. Lidle was able to pitch his way thru 6 innings, allowing 9 hits and 4 runs while striking out 5. Jeff Tam and Josh Towers shut the door in relief for the Jays.

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The Yankees did managed 10 hits on the day but never could string anything together to make a run at the deficit. Alfonso Soriano was 3-5, Derek Jeter 2-4 with an RBI and Raul Mondesi was 2-4 on the day.

Both teams now look to Wednesday's game #3 of the series with both teams at 1-1.


POTG: - Mike Bordick 4-4, 2B, 4 Runs and 2 RBI

[OliDegu2008]

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Oswalt brilliant, timely hitting upends Colorado on Opening Day

Houston, TX. - Roy Oswalt enters his 3rd MLB season and if start 1 is any prediction of how his season might go, it may be a long year for his opposition.

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Oswalt earned win #1 Tuesday, throwing 7 strong innings, allowing 4 hits and only 1 run. He did walk 3 but managed to strikeout 6 Rockie hitters.

His counterpart on the mound, 2002 NL Rookie of the Year Jason Jennings was also very good in his Opening Day start but his offense just couldn't get anything going. Jennings went 6 strong allowing 2 runs on 7 hits while striking out 4.

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The Astros blew the game open in their half of the 7th inning when Rockie reliever Todd Jones came into the ballgame to pitch. Jones gave up 2 base hits and a single before Astros star Jeff Bagwell contributed with a 2-run single, scoring Adam Everett and pitch-hitter Jose Vizcaino. The Rockies just never recovered after that inning.

Bagwell had a day at the plate going 3-3 with 3 RBI and a double. Stro's infielder Adam Everett also contributed with a 3 hit day of his own.

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A huge blow was dealt to the visiting Rockies when all-star outfielder Preston Wilson hobbled to the locker-room in the 3rd inning after being hit by a pitch. MRI's were conducted on his knee and it has been deemed he suffered a severe lateral contusion and is out at least a week team officials say.

Both of these teams are back in action Wednesday in game 2 of this 3 game series.


POTG: - Roy Oswalt Win, 7 IP, 4 hits, 1 run allowed, 6 strikeouts

[OliDegu2008]

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Curt Schilling leads Arizona past Dodgers 5-1

Phoenix, AZ. - It's not the start the Dodgers had in mind, losing 2 straight to open the 2003 season against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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However, no one told the Dodgers how good the Diamondbacks pitching would be in either game, especially this game with Curt Schilling on the hill. Schilling was masterful Tuesday, striking out 7 while allowing only 2 hits in 8 innings. Oh, he also did not walk a batter.

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All the D-backs had to do was provide a little offense and they did just that thanks in large part to catcher Rod Barajas who jacked a moon shoot in the 6th inning, chasing Dodger starter Odalis Perez.

Perez went 5 1/3, allowing 5 runs (3 earned) on 7 hits with 3 strikeouts and no walks.

The Dodgers lone run came in the top-half of the 9th against Steve Randolph when pinch-hitter Mike Kinkade blasted his 1st homer of the year.

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Luis Gonzalez and Lyle Overbay both picked up RBI's in the winning effort as well.

The Dodgers managed just 4 hits on the day, 2 of them coming off the bat of Brian Jordan. One was a towering double in the 4th inning.

Both of these teams are back in action Wednesday in the final game of this series.


POTG: - Curt Schilling 8 IP, 2 hits allowed, no runs, 7 strikeouts, WIN

[underdog13]

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