#282---CLE @ TEX, 4/1/2016

The Indians tuned up for the season with an exhibition at the Ballpark at Arlington by launching four homers and getting 6 2/3 innings with just one run allowed from Cody Anderson. As they would win the pennant, the homers kept coming to some extent, but quality pitching from Anderson did not.

You can see I kept this game with my modified version of LL Bean’s pictorial system, which I most often using when scoring off the radio and so unable to record precise (or phonily-precise as the case may be) batted ball locations. One thing the system doesn’t make easy to represent is a foul pop caught by the pitcher; I used my normal symbol indicating foul (`) in the center of the circle, but felt the need to make a note on the bottom of the page explaining what that symbol meant.

#281---ATL @ MIA, 4/7/2015

Mat Latos faced nine hitters in the first inning, seven of whom reached and eventually scored. Brad Hand came on in relief, allowing the first two hitters he faced to reach, but then settling in to retire thirteen of the final fourteen he faced. The Braves pinned another disaster inning on a top Marlin pitcher in the ninth, as Steve Cishek retired the first batter he faced and then allowed four straight to reach. Miami managed only two runs, clustered around Donovan Solano’s pinch-hit triple in the fifth. I was going to point out that this game features an Ichiro as a Marlin sighting, but had forgotten that he actually appeared in more games for the Marlins (432) than the Yankees (360). 

#280---NYA @ BOS, 4/24/2014

Yankee batters drew a whopping twelve walks, and every starter either drove in or scored a run. Mike Carp, first baseman turned pitcher, walked five in the ninth, including four in a row. Boston also managed six walks, three of which paired with a double and a Jeter error for their biggest inning in a three-run seventh, much of it coming off of Shane Greene (making his MLB debut). 

#279---TB @ BOS, 4/14/2013

Through seven, Clay Buchholz had needed 99 pitches to record eleven strikes with four walks and no hits allowed. But Dan Johnson singled to right on an 0-1 pitch to lead off the eighth, and Desmond Jennings doubled after a double play. It was still a brilliant outing for Buchholz, with Andrew Miller pitching the ninth. The BoSox got all they needed when the first five batters of the third reached against Alex Cobb, leading to a four-spot. 

#278---CLE @ SEA, 4/19/2012

Josh Tomlin was his efficient self, not walking a batter and needing just 96 pitches to get through eight; he allowed five hits, four of which were doubles, but kept the ball in Safeco Field and allowed just one run. Through seven King Felix had been better and flashier, yielding Cleveland just two hits and a walk while fanning nine, but the eighth was a little more interesting. After striking out Shelley Duncan, three straight hits (two of the infield variety) loaded the bases. Felix than fanned Jason Kipnis and Shin-Soo Choo swinging.

But having made 126 pitches, the King departed for Brandon League, and two walks and a single set up Jack Hannahan’s go ahead single to left, with pinch-runner Aaron Cunningham scoring the go-ahead run. Chris Perez needed just ten pitches to set down Seattle’s 3-4-5 of Suzuki-Smoak-Seager (Saunders was batting sixth for good measure), and a great Hernandez start went for naught.

#277---DET @ NYA, 4/2/2011

 

The Yankees pounded Brad Penny for eight runs over 4 1/3, with three-run homers from Mark Teixeira and Russell Martin (facing reliever Brad Thomas but scoring two of Penny’s runners) the big blows. Brayan Villarreal made his major league debut in the sixth, and the first batter he faced was A-Rod.  He took him deep to center-left for homers #1/7 for Villarreal and #614/696 for Rodriguez. 

That made it 10-3; Victor Martinez’ two-run shot in the eighth got Detroit closer, and in the ninth the Tigers had made it 10-6 with runners at the corners and two outs after a throwing error by Derek Jeter that should have ended the game. Mariano Rivera was summoned to face Miguel Cabrera, and got a three-pitch save: two fouls and a grounder to second on what must have been the most Jeterian of swings.

#276---CHA @ CLE, 4/18/2010

The Indians bombed Gavin Floyd for seven runs as he failed to record an out in the second, with Shin-Soo Choo’s grand slam as the big blow. Over seven innings the ChiSox bullpen allowed just two hits and two walks, but their offense only scored four runs so it was for naught. Random notes:

* Juan Pierre stole three bases

* Alexei Ramirez had three hits

* Omar Vizquel started at third for the White Sox 

* Michael Brantly hit ninth for the Indians behind Luis Valbuena, Mark Grudzielanek (who was DHing), and Mike Redmond 

#275---SF @ SD, 4/11/2009

 

Henry Blanco’s two homers and Adrian Gonzalez’ bases clearing double provided all the support Jake Peavy would need. Peavy struck out ten over 8 1/3, his complete game bid ended on Fred Lewis’ double in the ninth, with Heath Bell recording the last two outs for the save. 

#274---CLE @ ATL, 3/28/2008

 I don’t have much to say about this one, although I have always had a soft spot for exhibition games played in major league parks. Maybe it was the excitement with which my neighbor talked about going to the first game played at Jacobs Field in 1994, or the cold Indians/Cubs game I watched from the home run porch a few years later. 

Grady Sizemore, en route to his best season, had an interesting day, with a double, triple, and hit by pitch twice. Fausto Carmona probably gave us all reason to believe he’d continue his 2007 form as he allowed one run over six innings with one walk, two strikeouts, and ten outs on groundballs. Spoiler: he would not continue his 2007 form.

#273---SD @ LA, 4/15/2007

Chris Young did not have his control, walking five Dodgers (including opposite number Randy Wolf twice) and coughing up five runs in just 2 1/3. Andre Ethier had a big day at the plate (three hits, a homer, four RBI), Wolf hit the minimum qualifications for a quality start, and Joe Beimel, Jonathan Broxton, and Takashi Saito combined to allow just one walk in three innings of relief.

But the most interesting aspects of the scoresheet come from Rafael Furcal’s trips to the plate. He started the game by reaching on catcher’s interference, and drew a walk in the eighth which was aided by an automatic third ball (indicated by the “a” preceding my normal “D” on the left side of the scorebox) called on Doug Brocail.