Curveballs for Jobu

Curveballs for Jobu is Off Base Percentage's daily trip around the ballparks.

Today's honorary bat boy: Chris Bosio



Yankees 6, Athletics 2. That's five straight for the defending champions after A.J. Burnett allowed two earned runs in seven solid innings and Mark Teixeira continued a good July with a three-run bomb in a five-run Yankees' fourth. Teixeria is 9-for-25 (.360) with two home runs and 9 RBIs in seven July games. Nick Swisher had a big night as well, falling a triple short of the cycle. This should help Swisher's online candidacy for the final AL all-star spot as it is being reported that Frankie Nostrils late Wednesday got on his computer and voted 11,000,000 times. This time it counts.

Giants 15, Brewers 2. Buster Posey Watch: 4-for-4, 2 HR (1 GS), 6 RBIs. Tim Lincecum also gave up one earned run and struck out 10 in seven innings after allowing 17 earned runs in 27 innings in four previous starts against Milwaukee. Brewers starter Chris Narveson was simple SuperIrabuian, scattering nine hits and nine earned runs in 3 1/3 IP. Milwaukee third baseman Casey McGehee on bouncing back Thursday: "We are not going to go out there defeated before we go out there." McGehee's correct, there's no way Milwaukee can lose before the game begins.

Whitesox 5, Angels 2. Chicago won despite making five errors. That's just OzzieGuillenSmartBall.

Rockies 8, Cardinals 7. The rest of the St. Louis bullpen saw what Ryan Franklin did in the ninth inning Tuesday (1/3 IP, 6 ER) and said anything Ryan can do we can do just as poorly. The Cards, fresh off blowing a six-run, ninth-inning lead and losing 12-9, coughed up a 7-4 cushion in the eighth Wednesday as Colorado won its third straight on Chris Iannetta's lead off homer in the ninth.

Marlins 4, Dodgers 0. Despite the fact that Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez was given the NL Cy Young award last month, Florida's Josh Johnson can still finish second. The righty was brilliant again Wednesday, limiting LA to six hits in eight fantastic innings. Johnson in his last 11 starts, spanning 79 innings, has given up seven earned runs (0.80 ERA).

Curveballs for Jobu

Curveballs for Jobu is Off Base Percentage's daily trip around the ballparks.

Today's honorary bat boy: Chico Salmon



Rockies 5, Twins 1. Ubaldo Jimenez's 2010 campaign is bringing back fond memories of RBI Baseball-John Tudor. Like Tudor, Jimenez throws a variety of nasty pitches, including the wobbly pitch that rolls off the screen and the outside fastball that the computer always swings at. Jimenez moved to 13-1 and lowered his ERA to 1.15 with eight innings of one-run ball Thursday. All that's left for the Colorado right-hander is to get into the ninth inning when his velocity is down to 35 M.P.H. and get out pinch hitter Bill Madlock.

Reds 7, Dodgers 1. Cincy avoided a sweep thanks to Bronson Arroyo, who allowed an earned run in seven innings, helped start three double plays, hit a three-run home run and even found Dusty Baker's toothpick.




Tigers 8, Nationals 3. A week ago, Detroit had lost consecutive series to the Royals and Whitesox, which is the equivalent of losing four of six to the Chico's Bail Bonds Bears, pre-Kelly Leak. Since, the Tigers have won six straight, including Jeremy Bonderman's seven Ks and two hits in seven innings that finished a sweep of Washington. Ramon Santiago, who had just six hits in June, picked up his first four-hit day since last May 17.

Royals 5, Astros 2. Somebody break up the Royals, because they've won five of seven. That's all I've got.