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elaine95  
#1 Posted : Saturday, December 01, 2018 11:08:49 AM(UTC)
elaine95

Rank: Advanced Member

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Joined: 5/28/2018(UTC)
Posts: 1,052
American Samoa

MIAMI — Watch out for the Miami Marlins — it’s Wei-Yin Chen Day.Chen (5-9 Joe Crede Jersey , 4.91 ERA) has been below average overall this year and horrible on the road (1-6, 9.35). But the left-hander has been superb at Marlins Park, where he will pitch Saturday night against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays.In Chen’s most recent start, he struck out 10 batters — his biggest total since May 11, 2016 — and beat the first-place Atlanta Braves.Article continues below ...“He kind of kept those (Braves hitters) in check,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said after Chen improved to 4-3 with a 1.86 ERA in 11 home starts this year. “He made pitches when he needed to, which was big.”Toronto will counter Chen with right-hander Marco Estrada (7-10, 5.18). Estrada, a 35-year-old veteran, is 62-62 with a 4.16 ERA in parts of 11 major-league seasons.Estrada has made 23 starts this year, but his past three appearances were hindered by a lingering back injury. He lasted just two innings in his most recent start http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-james-shields-jersey , allowing five runs.“He’s good to go,” Jays manager John Gibbons insisted when asked about Estrada starting Saturday.After posting a sterling 2.35 ERA in June, Estrada slipped to a 12.46 ERA in two July starts and a 6.15 ERA in five August starts.Perhaps the fact that it is now September will be good news for Estrada and the Blue Jays.The Jays ended August in fine fashion on Friday night, snapping a four-game losing streak by rallying for a 6-5 win.Miami has lost four games in a row.Toronto trailed at one point 5-0 and entered the ninth inning down 5-1.But Justin Smoak, who did not start as Toronto looked into possibly trading him before the midnight waiver deadline, hit a two-out, two-strike, pinch-grand slam to put the Jays up 6-5.Toronto closer Ken Giles nailed shut his 19th save of the season in the bottom of the inning.After the game, Gibbons reacted to reports that third baseman Josh Donaldson had been traded to the Cleveland Indians.“I haven’t been officially told, but I assume that is accurate. I’m going to miss him,” Gibbons said. “The city is going to miss him. His teammates are going to miss him. He was a big part of turning the franchise around after a lot of lean years.“I love the guy. We had our battles. But he has a big heart Ron Santo Jersey , and he is a special baseball player. … He is like a race horse. He’s high strung, but he did a lot for us here. I wish him the best.”After reporters left Gibbons’ office, it was announced that Toronto also traded outfielder Curtis Granderson to the Milwaukee Brewers.With those sell-offs, it’s fairly obvious the Jays are closing in on their second straight losing season, disappointing a passionate fan base. The Jays sold 3.2 million tickets last year — trailing only the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants — but the results haven’t been there lately.The Jays, for example, have a 4.35 home ERA this year. On the road, they had a 5.48 ERA entering Friday, and that disparity between those two figures is the third largest in the majors.Meanwhile http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-yolmer-sanchez-jersey , since July 28, the Marlins lead the National League with a 2.39 ERA. Batters are hitting just .215 against Miami during that span.One of Miami’s biggest standouts this season has been rookie Brian Anderson, who has split time between third base and right field. He went 2-for-3 on Friday with two doubles, two walks and two runs. Both of his doubles started Miami’s only two rallies of the game.Entering this weekend, Anderson led all major-league rookies in games (133), runs (73), average with runners in scoring position (.383) and on-base percentage (.358). PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Gabe Kapler is keeping an eye on the NL playoff picture. He’s watching even closer to see how his Philadelphia Phillies handle their place in the standings.He was happy with their resolve Saturday night.Cesar Hernandez hit a go-ahead, three-run home run in the fifth, seven relievers combined for seven shutout innings and Philadelphia beat Miami 5-4 for its second straight win following a five-game losing streak. That clinched the Phillies’ first series victory since a four-game sweep of the Marlins from Aug. 2-5.Philadelphia overcame a 4-0 deficit and closed within 6 ½ games of first-place Atlanta in the NL East with 15 games left. The Phillies remained five games back for the NL’s second wild card, improving to 11-7 against the Marlins — including 8-1 at home.“We looked at tonight as an opportunity to gain a game in the standings,” Kapler said. “But Adam Engel Jersey , much more importantly, it’s an opportunity to win a series and to demonstrate there’s zero quit in this team.”The Phillies saw their 1 1/2-game advantage in the NL East turn into a 7 1/2-game deficit due to an 11-23 stretch from Aug. 6-Sept. 12 in which they failed to win any of their 11 series.Kapler has seen contributions throughout the roster the last two nights.“We’re really playing team baseball the last couple of days,” he said.JT Riddle had a pair of doubles and three RBIs for the Marlins, who have lost five straight and at 57-91 are trying to avoid what would be only the third 100-loss season in team history.Luis Garcia (3-1) got the last two outs in the fifth, and Pat Neshek pitched a hitless ninth for his fifth save in six chances. Philadelphia relievers allowed two hits, struck out eight and walked none.Phillies starter Vince Velasquez gave up four runs and four hits in two innings. Velasquez is 1-3 in his last seven starts and has gotten an out past the fifth inning just once since July 22.“If I had to pinpoint it, I’d say frustration got the best of him tonight and therefore we had to go to our ‘pen,” Kapler said.Marlins manager Don Mattingly started reliever Jarlin Garcia, and the lefty pitched a perfect first inning. Miami used seven pitchers.Miami took a 4-0 lead with two outs in the second on Austin Dean’s RBI single and Riddle’s three-run double.Justin Bour, pinch hitting for Velasquez, hit a two-run single in the bottom half off Brett Graves http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-matt-davidson-jersey , runs that were unearned because Dean allowed Carlos Santana’s fly to drop behind him on the left-field warning track for an error.Hernandez homered off Drew Rucinski (4-2).“We really just had that one tough inning with Rucinski,” Mattingly said. “And we couldn’t put anything else up on the board.”SWITCHESThe teams combined to use 39 players, including 15 pitchers. Kapler hit for shortstop Scott Kingery in the second inning before Kingery ever batted.SLOPPYPhiladelphia’s two errors increased its total to 110. The Phillies trailed only St. Louis (112) for most in the majors starting the day.TRAINER’S ROOMPhillies: 3B Maikel Franco (sore right shoulder) was out of the starting lineup for the third straight game.UP NEXTPhiladelphia RHP Nick Pivetta (7-12, 4.64) and Miami RHP Jose Urena (6-12, 4.29) are slated to start Sunday’s series finale.
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