Midday Recap: Wheeler wheels and deals into the 7th, Whitney field drawn

Another game, another walkoff for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Meanwhile, their AL counterparts have a wild game in Texas.  Jake Peavy's heading from one Sox to another.  And today's the draw for the Whitney.

But the big story this morning is Mets pitcher Zack Wheeler, and his flirtation with a no-hitter last night.  For 6 innings, Wheeler looked good as he kept the Marlins at bay, allowing only two base runners by way of walks.  After getting Giancarlo Stanton to strike out, Wheeler then gave up a walk to Logan Morrison, then Ed Lucas broke up the no-hit bid with a single to right, as four straight Marlins reached base as they plated two runs to tie the game.  But after a visit to the mound by the Mets pitching coach, Wheeler returned his focus and got Jeff Mathis to ground into a double play, allowing him to escape the inning.

But those two runs yielded a no-decision for Wheeler.  Marlon Byrd tripled to lead-off the 8th, but was stranded after Ike Davis struck out, John Buck grounded to 3rd to keep Byrd where he was, and Omar Quintanilla struck out after a Juan Lagares walk.

After a scoreless 9th, David Wright led off the 10th with a single, and Marlon Byrd singled after Giancarlo Stanton was unable to scoop in the ball on a diving play.  Ike Davis walked to load the bases, and John Buck made up for his ground out in the 8th with a 2-run single to center field.

So armed with a two run lead, Bobby Parnell made things a little easier for Mets fans by getting the first two hitters to ground out.  But a walk to Christian Yelich allowed the tying run to come to the plate.  Not tonight, Marlins fans, as Yelich would be stranded on a Adeiny Hechavarria ground out.

Wheeler only needed 87 pitches to get through his 7 innings of work, in which he struck out 5 and walked 3.  The two runs he allowed on three hits brought his season's ERA to 3.55.

SAME OL', DIFFERENT DAY
For the 2nd straight game, both the Yankees and the Dodgers were involved in walk-offs.  For the Yankees, however, they were the victim of one as the Los Angeles Dodgers walked-off in the 9th inning off a Mark Ellis single.

Tied 2-2 in the 9th inning, Andre Ethier singled to left.  Then as Mark Ellis was batting, Ethier put himself closer as he steals 2nd base.  Then on a 3-2 count with 2 men out, Shawn Kelley delivered a slider that Ellis got a piece of.  Kelley delivered another slider, which Ellis got enough of to drive to center, scoring Ethier to win the game.

The Dodgers walked off against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday when Yasiel Puig homered in the 11th inning to break a scoreless tie.  Earlier in the day, the Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays when Alfonso Soriano singled to win their game in the bottom of the 9th inning.

WEARING OUT HOME PLATE
The Los Angeles Angels and the Texas Rangers combine for 25 total runs as the two teams duke it out until the 10th inning.

The scoring started early as Mark Trumbo homers to center field, scoring Mike Trout for the 2-0 Los Angeles lead.  But Texas struck back, scoring on an Ian Kinsler single and tying the game on a Nelson Cruz single.

Mike Trout would get the Angels back on top with a single to left to score Erick Aybar for the 3-2 lead heading into the bottom of the 3rd.  But Los Angeles was unable to maintain the lead, as C.J. Wilson got into trouble, and further caused more trouble when his wild pitch scored Nelson Cruz.  Craig Gentry would give Texas the lead, 5-3, with his 2-run single.

After Adrian Beltre singled to widen the gap to 6-3, former Met Collin Cowgill homered to lead off the Los Angeles 5th, pulling the Angels back within two.

Then in the 7th inning, Josh Hamilton unloaded the bases with a 3-run double to give the Angels a  7-6 lead.  But Texas answers back with Elvis Andrus's single, tying the game at 7-7.

Los Angeles would take the lead again in the 8th inning as Erick Aybar grounds out, allowing Kole Calhoun to score.  Howie Kendrick brings home J.B. Shuck and Collin Cowgill, and Mike Trout comes home on a Josh Hamilton single.  The four run inning made the score 11-7, but it wouldn't last as Geovany Soto hit a 3-run homer in the 8th inning to pull Texas within 1, then with two outs in the 9th, Adrian Beltre singled home Ian Kinsler to tie the game and to force extra innings.

After a scoreless top half, the Angels walked the first two Rangers, who advanced to 2nd and 3rd on a David Murphy ground-out.  But their position didn't matter as Leonys Martin brought everyone home with his 6th of the season, giving the Rangers the 14-11 win in 10 innings.

The two teams combined for 35 hits.  Every batter for Texas touched the bases, as the only one who didn't have a hit, Engle Beltre, came in to run for Nelson Cruz in the 8th inning.

14 pitchers in all were used.

TRADING SOX
In a three-team trade, Chicago White Sox Jake Peavy is changing his socks to those of the Boston Red Sox.  In the deal announced late last night, Peavy will head to Boston, who will send Jose Iglesias to the Detroit Tigers, who will in turn send Avisail Garcia to the White Sox.

In 13 games this season, Peavy is 8-4 with a 4.28 ERA.  He's struck out 76 and granted 18 free passes via 17 walks and 1 hit batter.  Against the Mets in May, Peavy went 6 2/3rd innings, allowing only 3 hits and striking out 6 as he allowed one lone run in the winning decision.

Peavy has spent some time in June and early July on the disabled list with a rib injury, but has won his two starts since his return.

WHITNEY DRAWING
And finally, post positions have been drawn for this Saturday's Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.  A field of 8 is set to run in the 86th running of the midsummer prep for the Breeder's Cup Classic.

In post position order:
1 - Successful Dan - 12/1 - The 4th place finisher in the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.
2 - Mucho Macho Man - 6/1 - Last year's runner up in the Woodward Stakes.
3 - Fort Larned - 7/5 - Resume includes wins in the Stephen Foster Handicap, last year's Breeders' Cup Classic, and last year's Whitney.
4 - Cross Traffic - 5/2 - Only has four races to his resume, but all four he has finished 1st and 2nd in.  Was the runner up in the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont in May.
5 - Ron The Greek - 6/1 - Last year's runner up to Fort Larned in the Whitney.  Finished 4th in the Breeders' Cup Classic, and finished 3rd in this year's Stephen Foster.
6 - Alpha - 10/1 - Co-winner of last year's Travers Stakes, will try to continue his perfect 3-for-3 record at the Spa.
7 - Csaba - 20/1 - Entered the race after an overnight stakes he was slated to run in didn't fill, comes out of a 3rd place finish in the Salvator Mile at Monmouth.
8 - Fast Falcon - 15/1 - Hasn't won since a Maiden at Pimlico last year, comes out of a 3rd place finish in the Suburban Handicap and the Brooklyn Handicap, both at Belmont.

Post time for the Grade I Whitney is scheduled for 5:45PM.  If you're unable to make it to Saratoga, the race will air locally on WNYT, Channel 13.

Midday Recap: Leapfrogging - Mets and Marlins play some, so too does Boston and Tampa Bay

The Tampa Bay Rays take advantage of a botched call to leapfrog past the Red Sox in the AL East.  And E.J. Manuel is already wowing the brass in Buffalo.

Associated Press

But the big story today is the 7th inning comeback the Mets exhibited against the Miami Marlins on Monday to win only their 4th game against the Marlins in 12 starts.

The 7th inning comeback started with Eric Young doubling off new pitcher Mike Dunn.  He was brought home by Daniel Murphy, who singled to center.  Daniel Murphy took advantage of a stolen base and a wild pitch to get him to 3rd base.  Then Marlon Byrd, who has been talked about more as the trade deadline approaches, took a 3-2 count to center field to bring Murphy home, tying the game.  Then Ike Davis brought a ball down the right field line that allowed Marlon Byrd to circle the bases to home, where he just beat the tag of catcher Jeff Mathis.

The comeback helped erase the loss that Jeremy Hefner would have taken for his 5 1/3rd innings of work where he allowed 5 runs on 4 hits, three of them earned.  He struck out only 4 while walking 5.  Bobby Parnell saved the game, but with tense moments as he got Giancarlo Stanton to ground to 2nd with runners on the corners for the final out.

LEAPFROG
With the latest surge of the Tampa Bay Rays, any series against the Boston Red Sox grows in importance as first place in the AL East with two months left to play hangs in the balance. But it was a botched call that helped allow the Tampa Bay Rays move back into first a day after Boston reclaimed the top spot.

In the 8th inning, with Tampa Bay leading 2-1, Boston gets runners on 2nd and 3rd after Stephen Drew doubles with one man out.  With Daniel Nava at 3rd, Brandon Snyder flies out to left, who then tosses it over to the catcher trying to beat Nava home.  Jose Molina tagged Nava out for the 3rd out according to Home Plate Umpire Jerry Meals.  The call would be argued by Red Sox skipper John Farrell, who would be ejected.

However, replays showed that Farrell's argument was the correct call, as Nava was able to slide into home plate before Molina's tag.  Jerry Meals would later admit that he botched the call, as he thought Nava's foot was elevated, therefore not touching the plate before the tag.

Tampa Bay would hang on to win 2-1, gaining a 1/2 game lead over Boston for the AL East.

THE IT FACTOR
It didn't take long for Buffalo Bills General Manager Doug Whaley to like what he saw from 1st Round draft pick E.J. Manuel.   In an interview with media after practices Monday afternoon, Whaley described Manuel as having the "it" factor.

The "it", in this case, refers to the distinct possibility that Manuel will be taking the first snap from center on September 8th against the New England Patriots. But before Manuel can assume the role of their starter come Week 1, the Buffalo Bills will be putting more and more pressure on him in practice situations as camp progresses.

Manuel will get a taste of what it's going to be like when he, and the Bills, start their preseason schedule on August 11th against the Indianapolis Colts.

Don't forget to LIKE 1230 FOX Sports Radio on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter because we'll be making an important announcement later this week.

Midday Recap: Shell Shocked

Yasiel Puig is back in the headlines. We survive our first trip to the Spa.  A Hoosier wins the Brickyard 400. The Mets get whalloped in D.C., and Derek Jeter makes his triumphant return to the Yankees for the 2nd time.

Nathan Denette | The Canadian Press

But the big story this weekend is the decision of Hunter Mahan.  This story is making headlines everywhere as Mahan drops out of the Canadian Open to be by his wife's side as she goes into labor.  As the golfer was on the driving tee getting ready to make his third round, he received the phone call that his wife was in labor. He immediately withdrew from the tournament, and was on the first flight to Dallas.

There's a unique twist to this story - Mahan was the tournament leader at the time he got the phone call.  His withdrawal allowed Brandt Snedeker to become the tournament winner, who announced during his press conference that baby Zoey will be getting a special gift.

ONE WAY TO BREAK A TIE
It was a pitcher's duel in Los Angeles on Sunday, ending with Yasiel Puig's show to left field that cleared the wall in the bottom of the 11th inning for the 1-0 win.  Tony Cingrani kept the Dodgers off the bases, except for one walk and a hit by opposing pitcher Chris Capuano.  Capuano gave up all three hits the Reds were able to get on Sunday.

The homer was Puig's 10th of the season and gives the Dodgers a 2 1/2 game lead in the National League West.

SHELL SHOCKED
Entering Friday's night game, the Mets had the opportunity to pull 1/2 game behind the Philadelphia Phillies for 2nd in the NL East.  But Ryan Zimmerman's walk-off homer gave the Nationals momentum, which in turn deflated the Mets, who now have lost three straight after the Nationals rocked Carlos Torres for 8 runs in 3 innings on the way to a 14-1 loss.

After yesterday, the Mets are now 1 1/2 games behind the Phillies and are 4 games back of 2nd place Washington.  It doesn't get any easier for the Mets as they travel to Miami to face the Marlins, a team who the Mets are 3-8 against this season, including losing their last five against the fish.

The Mets send Jeremy Hefner on the mound.  Hefner is trying to return to his pre-break form after pitching two duds.  Unfortunately, Hefner is 0-2 against the Marlins this season, but those two losses were fine pitching performances that became losses due to lack of run support.  The Marlins send Jacob Turner, who debuted against the Mets on May 31st, going 7 innings without allowing a run.

Pregame Coverage: 6:30PM on 1230 FOX Sports Radio

WELCOME HOME
It didn't take long for Derek Jeter to get the crowd excited on Sunday.  In his first plate appearance after returning from his latest stint on the DL, Jeter homered to give the Yankees the lead.  After a three-run first, Tampa Bay answered with 1 in the 2nd and 3 in the 3rd for the 4-3 lead.  Alfonso Soriano would put the Yankees back on top with his 18th homer of the year.  But Wil Myers would even things up in the top of the 5th.

The score would remain tied until the bottom of the 9th, when with two men on, Soriano singled home Brett Gardiner for the walk-off victory.

The Yankees win prevents the Tampa Bay Rays from sweeping the series, and coupled with the Boston Red Sox win against the Orioles, moved the Rays back to 2nd place in the AL East.

HITTING THE GAS
Ryan Newman wins the race in his own backyard, winning the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis.  Newman, who won the pole in record time on Saturday, took advantage of a fast final pit in order to keep Jimmie Johnson at bay.  Johnson was vying to join Michael Schumacher as the only five-time winners at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Newman's win ends a 49-race drought.

HITTING THE BRAKES

Horses hit the top of the stretch in the 7th race
at Saratoga Race Course on Sunday | @WMML1230 Twitter

Macaroon secured the lead and ran off in the backstretch in the 2nd race at Saratoga Race Course, but found herself running out of gas as the field made their way around the far turn.  As she hit the brakes, it forced Illapa to do the same with nowhere to go.

Miss Frost emerged as the winner, upsetting the field at 13-1.

Miss Lamour in the 3rd race hit the gas, running away from the field to lead by 10 lengths at the half-mile pole, but kept some in reserve as she held to win.

That was just a couple of the highlights on a day which 49,000+ braved the intermittent rain showers to grab their free T-Shirts and enjoy a day at the Spa.  Two upsets, with Meeker Avenue in the 7th and Dissension in the 8th, fuels a $330,000 carryover into today's races.

Forty Tales likely cements his place on the Travers day card with a win the Amsterdam.  Forty Tales held back, then started passing horses left and right in the stretch, catching Mico Margarita just steps before the finish line.  Joel Rosario was on board the winner, winning for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Forty Tales should be making his next appearance in the 7 furlong Grade I Kings Bishop, part of the Travers card on Saturday, August 24th.

Be sure to like 1230 FOX Sports Radio on Facebook and follow on twitter for the latest news... especially this week as we've got some big announcements coming soon.

LIVE BLOG: NY Mets @ Washington Nationals - 1:35PM

Join us as the New York Mets play the first of the doubleheader against the Washington Nationals this afternoon as the broadcast airs live on 1230 FOX Sports Radio.  New information will be posted on the top, so refresh the page to get the most updated information.

BOTTOM 9th: No scares here, as it seems like the Nationals have already written off this game and are making plans for the night game, as they fall 11-0.

TOP 9th: The Mets add 6 more runs as Daniel Murphy hits his 4th base hit of the game, and Ike Davis added an exclamation point with his 3 run shot. 11-0, Mets

BOTTOM 8th: Scott Rice in to pitch in relief for Mejia.  Surrenders one hit, but gets big defensive help by way of a double play.  5-0 Mets, as it looks like the Mets will be able to rest Bobby Parnell for the nightcap.

BOTTOM 7th: BIG help for the Mets as Mejia goes 7IP.  Appears to be done after pitching 97 pitches through those 7 innings of work, but what a big help it is for the Mets.

Mejia's Final Line: 7IP 7H (no XBH) 0ER 0R 0BB 7K

TOP 7th: Anthony Recker starts off the inning with a lead-off that hits the wall.  He's brought home by Juan Lagares to pad the Mets lead, now 4-0.  And that will wrap up Zimmermann's day.  Murphy gets his 3rd hit of the game, which brings home Lagares to make it 5-0 at the stretch.

BOTTOM 6th: Mejia's at 7K's, and sits at 84 pitches.  Still 3-0, Mets.

TOP 6th: Ike Davis find himself sitting yet again.  Nothing else to report here.

BOTTOM 5th: Finally Mejia gets a 1-2-3 inning, which is going to help his pitch count.  According to ESPN New York's Adam Rubin, Mejia is on a 105 pitch limit today.  But the Mets would love those 105 pitches to get them deep with a game still to be played tonight.  The longer they stay out of the bullpen this afternoon, the better the weekend will be for the Mets.

TOP 5th: Bryce Harper has saved two runs now after his diving catch took away a base hit from Daniel Murphy that would have scored Lagares.

4th: Mejia allows one hit, but gets it erased thanks to a double play.

BOTTOM 3rd: Mejia gets into a jam again, but is able to get himself free thanks to a big strikeout.  Still 3-0, Mets.

TOP 3rd: Daniel Murphy is 2-for-2 with two home runs, scoring Juan Lagares.  3-0, Mets.  David Wright came close to making it back-to-back, but Bryce Harper brought it back.

BOTTOM 2nd: Mejia able to strand base runners again as he has kept the Nationals away from home plate.

TOP 2nd: Ike Davis was a little too eager, taking the first pitch breaking ball for a groundout.

BOTTOM 1st: Jenrry Mejia got into a little trouble, with runners on the corners with one out, but gets a strike out and a ground out to get out of the jam.  1-0, Mets

TOP 1st: Juan Lagares got punched out by Zimmermann.  The Mets might want to get to him early, and wreck any chance of him regaining his confidence considering he only made it two innings.

As we type that, Daniel Murphy gets the Mets on the board with a deep shot towards center.  1-0, Mets

Pitching Matchup: Jenrry Mejia (2013 Debut) vs. Jordan Zimmermann (12-5, 3.01).

Mejia comes activated off the Disabled List  to make this spot start.  He went 2-0 with an 0.82 ERA for the Binghamton Mets this season, striking out 9 in his two starts.  Zimmermann has a 12-5 record, but has lost his last two starts.  He got torched for 7 runs in two innings in his last start against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Day Game: Wheeler gets the run support, wins his 4th of the season

Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke | Newsday

The Mets went 4/19 with runners in scoring position.  They left 14 on base.  Zack Wheeler gave up two home runs and allowed 4 runs, three of which were earned.

And yet, they won.

A bottom 6th rally, aided by a generous call by the umpire crew that gave David Wright three bases instead of a ground-rule double, helped to propel the Mets over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday, earning Zack Wheeler his fourth win of the season.

It wasn't the prettiest game, but Wheeler got run support when he needed it the most, helping to overcome a 1st inning error that allowed Reed Johnson to score off a wild throw on a strikeout.  Then after giving up a game-tying homerun to Freddie Freeman in the 6th inning, the Mets responded with 3 in the bottom 6th.

Wheeler went 6 innings, striking out 5 while giving up 4 hits.  His ability to make it to the 6th inning after pitching over 30 pitches in the 1st inning helped preserve the bullpen for the Mets, who face a day-night doubleheader tomorrow in Washington.

Not Young: Eric Young left the game in the 4th inning, with pain in his right knee.  The injury stems from last night's collision that sent Tim Hudson to the disabled list for the remainder of the season.  The Mets are optimistic that Young will be back in the lineup in time for tomorrow's nightcap.

Midday Recap: Carlos Torres rebounds from his 2nd pitch, Jagr on the move

Boston slows down a hot charging Tampa Bay team.  Jaromir Jagr takes his talents down I-95.  And San Francisco and the Cincinnati play a doubleheader of unusual nature.

Howard Simmons | New York Daily News

But the big story this morning is Carlos Torres's 2nd start for the New York Mets.  Torres started by allowing a solo shot by lead-off hitter Andrelton Simmons, but then calmed down to keep the Braves at one run through his 6 innings of work.

The bullpen kept the Braves bats quiet, failing to allow a hit through their three innings of work.  Bobby Parnell, who blew a save in the Mets 2-1 loss on Monday, struck out two as he earned his 19th save of the season.

Ike Davis helped the Mets earn Torres his first win of the season thanks to his double in the 6th inning that scored Daniel Murphy to give the Mets the 2-1 lead, and the force was with John Buck as he brought Marlon Byrd home to widen the gap.  A Juan Lagares sac-fly would bring the final score of 4-1.

The Braves scored 1 run on 7 hits, all against Torres.  Torres struck out 6 and walked 2 as the one earned run he allowed boosted his ERA to 0.94.  Ike Davis, who earned boos after his first two at bats, drove in cheers thanks to his go-ahead double in the 6th.

For Braves starting pitcher Kris Medlen, it was his third loss in a row.  Allowing 14 runs in his last three starts, Medlen's spot in the starting rotation is in jeopardy.  He's allowed 24 hits and struck out 13 during this three game span, and in all three games, he had to be replaced prior to the end of an inning.

On-Deck: Jeremy Hefner came back from the All-Star break with a dud in his last start against the Philadelphia Phillies.  Touting one of the best ERA's since the start of June, Hefner got torched for 8 runs on 10 hits as his season's ERA rose 0.60 after the Friday effort.  If Hefner can return to the form he had prior to the All-Star break, the Mets stand a chance of climbing back to within 9 games of the Braves in the NL East.

It hasn't been pretty, but Tim Hudson is a winner of his last three starts.  Allowing 8 runs on 23 hits in the three-game span, Hudson has struck out 13 as the Braves offered him some run support to overcome those deficits.

Game Coverage: 6:30PM on 1230 FOX Sports Radio

Mar-GONE

Jim McIssac | Newsday

The New York Mets begin proceedings to release pitcher Shaun Marcum from their roster.  Yesterday, prior to their game against the Braves, the Mets placed Marcum on waivers with the intent of an unconditional release from their roster.  Marcum was shelved from the lineup a couple weeks ago with a thoratic outlet syndrome that required season-ending surgery.

Marcum went 1-10 this year with a 5.29 ERA, with his lone win being at the Chicago White Sox in June.  Marcum had a season-high 12 strikeouts against the Atlanta Braves on national television, but had consistency issues throughout the season.

ROADBLOCK
The Tampa Bay Rays fail to convert on an opportunity to do what the Los Angeles Dodgers accomplished the previous night.  In their way was the Boston Red Sox, who kept firm control of 1st place in the AL East with their 6-2 win last night in Boston.

Heading into the game, the Rays were winners of 6 straight and 9 of their last 10.  And down 3-2, the Rays had the opportunity to tie the game after Jose Molina doubled with one man out.  However, the Rays were unable to move the runner over, and was stranded at 2nd after Junichi Tazawa got Desmond Jennings to strike out to end the 7th.

The Red Sox would pad their lead with three in the 8th inning, pushing the Rays back to 1 1/2 games behind the Red Sox for the lead in the AL East.

GOING DOWN I-95

USA Today Sports

Jaromir Jagr is heading down the Atlantic.  The Boston Bruin has signed a 1 year contract, worth $2 million, to play for the New Jersey Devils.  The signing replaces the hole that came when Ilya Kovalchuk retired from the NHL to play hockey in Russia.

Last year Jagr scored 16 goals and 19 assists with the Boston Bruins and the Dallas Stars.  Those 16 goals would have led the Devils, and his 35 points would put him one point behind team leader Patrik Elias.

UNUSUAL DOUBLEHEADER
It was an unusual doubleheader for the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday.  In the first game, the Reds prevailed 9-3.  Following the game, both teams changed jerseys, with the Giants wearing the road colors and batting first, and the Reds treated as the home team, despite the game being played at AT&T Park in San Francisco.  In the nightcap, the Giants, as the road team, prevailed 5-3.

The weird doubleheader came about after rain postponed the Giants/Reds game on July 4th in Cincinnati.  After the two teams had a tough time rescheduling the game for its home field in Cincinnati, the two teams came to terms on the doubleheader in San Francisco.

Midday Recap: Dillon Gee's wasted gem, and more.

The hammer comes down on a Brewer.  The Los Angeles Dodgers show the league that you can come back after a slow start.  And the 2nd week of racing at Saratoga will begin with a juicy carryover.

But the big story this morning is the wasted gem.  Dillon Gee pitched 7 innings of two-hit ball for the New York Mets, getting out of a jam in the 7th inning when he got Joey Terdoslavich to strike out, stranding the bases.  Both hits came in that 7th inning, with Freddie Freeman ending Gee's no-hit bid with a lead-off single.  Evan Gattis had the other hit.

Corey Sipkin | New York Daily News

The Mets took a 1-0 lead into the top of the 9th, but couldn't hold it long as Bobby Parnell surrenders back-to-back hits to lead off the 9th.  A passed ball would set up both runners in scoring position, and both runners would come home thanks to a Chris Johnson ground-out and then a Reed Johnson single.  The blown save is Parnell's 4th of the season.

With little life in the bottom of the 9th, the Mets were ready to score the tying run off the bat of Justin Turner, but an amazing diving catch by Jason Heyward sealed the Braves victory.

Marlon Byrd scored the lone run for the Mets, using the triple to his advantage.  He would be brought home by Ike Davis in the 4th inning.

GEE WHIZ: Gee's numbers weren't impressive for a no-hit bidder, allowing as many walks as he did strikeouts (3), but did what he needed combined with some fantastic defense behind him in order to preserve the bid until the 7th inning.

This is the second straight start against Atlanta where a fantastic start from Gee has gone wasted.  He was his own worst enemy in his last start, in Atlanta, where in the 9th inning, he watched Freddie Freeman walk off at 1:20AM.

The numbers are getting better for Dillon Gee.  After an abysmal April and May that saw him exit the home game against the Braves on May 25th with a 2-6 record and a 6.34 ERA, Gee's 5-1 with a 2.39 ERA.  He has kept opposing players from reaching home plate in his last two starts, and now sits with a 7-7 record and a 4.07 ERA.

K-RIS TONIGHT: Kris Medlen loves to punch Mets out, having struck out 7 in his last start against them down at Turner Field last month, then 9 in his last appearance at Citi Field in May.  Things have been rocky for Medlen of late, having given up 10 earned runs in his last two starts.  Carlos Torres takes the ball for the Mets, in his 8th Major League start.  Torres went a season-high 5 innings in his last start, against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He struck out 5 in the no-decision.

Broadcast Coverage: 6:30PM on 1230 FOX Sports Radio

BRAUN'D
For a year and a half, Milwaukee Brewer Ryan Braun maintained his innocence amid the investigations put forth by Major League Baseball.  On Monday, Braun admitted to his drug use, and accepted a suspension that takes him out for the rest of the season, without pay.

In a statement, Braun apologized to the fans and admitted that he had made some mistakes.  Through his mistakes, he hit 41 home runs for the Brewers last year.  This year Braun hit 9 home runs, and was sitting just below .300 in the batter's box.

IT CAN BE DONE
On June 21st, the Los Angeles Dodgers exited their Friday night loss to the San Diego Padres with a 30-42 record.  9 1/2 games behind first place Arizona, the Dodgers were looking for something to help turn their season around.

A Saturday night win against the Padres became the launching point as the Dodgers started putting together winning streaks and inched their way closer to front-running Arizona.

The month's worth of hard work paid off last night when, coupled with the Dodgers 14-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays and the Arizona loss to the Chicago Cubs, the Dodgers took control of 1st, and now lead the National League West by a half-game.

With over two months remaining in the season, the Dodgers have shown the rest of the league that being in the basement doesn't mean that's where you will finish.

WIRED MONEY
When Angel's South went wire-to-wire in the 8th race at Saratoga Race Course yesterday, it sent Pick-6 players heading for the exits with programs in hand. Angel's South win at odds of 34-1 helped fuel a double-day carryover in the Pick-6, with $245,000 heading into the pool when racing resumes on Wednesday.

In the Pick-6, bettors are asked to pick correctly the winners of 6 consecutive races.  The challenge helps to yield one of the bigger payoffs at the track, with many times the $2 wager yielding a return of well over a thousand dollars.

In other Saratoga news, Bigger is Bettor stalked the pace and struck the lead to win the Evan Shipman Stakes, the Monday feature.

Racing continues Wednesday with the running of the Lake George, a Grade II.  First post is 1:00PM.

All-Star Tuesday & other musings: Midday Recap 7/17

As the Major Leagues roll into their All-Star Break, we roll into a break of our own.  You see, in Winter when the NBA and NHL go into their breaks, there's still something going on.  You have the league not on break playing, plus collegiate sports to keep the headlines coming.  Plus there's the anticipation of Spring coming with pitchers and catchers set to report to Spring Training.  And every four years, you have the best in their sports compete for Olympic Gold.

However, you don't get that with baseball.  Outside of some random Major League Soccer games and the anticipation of the upcoming British Open, you do not get a lot of sports to talk about, unless there's a blockbuster signing or trade emanating from the NBA or NHL.

So we use this time to recharge our sportswriting batteries and get fresh for this Friday, when the season resumes.  Plus we'll be sure to talk Saratoga, as the 2013 meeting starts up at the 150 year old oval.
Editor's Note: You can't call it the 150th year of racing because there wasn't racing at Saratoga in 1896, 1911, 1912, 1943, 1944 or 1945.
As far as the All-Star game is concerned, the American League captures home-field advantage in the World Series, winning 3-0.  Of the Mets who played, David Wright went 1-for-3, accounting for one of the National League's 3 hits, and Matt Harvey pitched two scoreless innings and got out of a jam after allowing a lead-off single to Mike Trout and plunking Robinson Cano near the knee.

Exit Left.  Enter Right.  Mariano
enters the All-Star Game in the 8th.
FOX Television/MLB

But the best part of last night, by far, was Mariano Rivera coming in to play the 8th inning.  Jim Leyland wasn't going to take any chances of a National League comeback taking away Rivera's right to save the 9th, so in comes Rivera, greeted by his long-time entrance music, Metallica's Enter Sandman.  Both dugouts clapped and showed their appreciation for the career Saves leader, who proceeded to pitch a 1-2-3 inning.

So, for now, we relax and start planning our Midday Recaps for the 2nd half of the Major League season.  But we want to know what you like about the Recap and what you think needs to be fixed.  Place your comments below and we'll do our best to craft this daily feature to be the briefs you need to keep you informed what's going on in the world of sports.

Not So Fast: Why 2013 Shouldn't Be Declared End of Pirates Streak Just Yet

Associated Press Photo

The big story through the first half of the season was the impressive play of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and how they may be in line for their first winning season since 1992.

Going into Sunday, the Pirates sat 20 games above .500 with the best record in the Majors.

Almost sounds like last year, doesn't it?

Heading into last year's All-Star break, the Pittsburgh Pirates sat on top the NL Central, 11 games above .500 with a substantial chance of finishing above .500, despite their 19-23 road record.

We remember what happened in the 2nd half.  An 11-17 August and a horrific 7-21 September returned the Pirates to their losing ways as they continued the streak for yet another year.

Will that collapse happen again this year?

Heading into play [Tuesday], the Pirates have lost three straight and are 2-5 for the month.  In their two wins, the Pirates had to survive a 9th inning scare from their cross-state rivals from Philadelphia, and the other was a 6-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

A lighter shade of the Bucs that won 9 straight to wrap up the month of June.

Their current three game losing streak has cost them the top record of the Majors as their in-division companion, the St. Louis Cardinals, have won three straight to take the top spot of the NL Central.  The Pirates are still in command of the Wild Card.  But there are plenty of hungry teams that would love to capitalize on a sinking ship, including the rising Dodgers.  The Nationals too, if they can get the kinks out of their system, because the Atlanta Braves sure look like they're going to run away with the NL East this year.

This isn't a blog to hope that the Pirates collapse, because it would be a good story to see a team that has been one of the rock-bottom franchises in the Majors for years to finally catapult themselves into an October appearance.  It's a blog to say... "Not so fast."

We, as in the media, shouldn't be overhyping these Pirates at this stage of the season.  If they are really going to make this 21 year streak walk the plank, we're going to witness it in September.  July's too early to celebrate good times in the city of three rivers, as there's a lot of baseball still to be played.

The commentary of this blog posting is solely of its author and not that of the station's management, its affiliates and/or sponsors.

Midday Recap: Matt Harvey dazzles with a Blister.

Nick Swisher has an embarrassing night.  Zack Greinke meets up with the Diamondbacks for the first time since benches cleared on June 11th.  And trade rumors circulate involving Jimmer Fredette, again.

But the big story is the Mets winning in San Francisco while you were sleeping.

With Matt Harvey on the mound, the Mets take a 3-2 lead in the top 6th as Daniel Murphy converts Eric Young's triple into a run, then Murphy came home as Ike Davis hit into a double play.

Jeff Chiu | Associated Press

However, the Giants come back, as Hunter Pence triples and is brought home on Brandon Crawford's single.

The two teams stay off the scoreboard for the following 9 innings, when Eric Young's speed helps gain him 3rd base, and Anthony Recker capitalizes on a Crawford fielding error to give the Mets the 4-3 advantage heading into the bottom 16th.

Bobby Parnell saves the game and strands two as the Mets win at 3:41AM, 4-3 in 16 innings.

It wasn't the best start for Matt Harvey, who admitted he was fighting a blister.  But he did pitch 7 innings, striking out 6.

The Mets continue their Bay Area visit with Dillon Gee on the mound tonight against Barry Zito.  First pitch is scheduled for 10:15PM EDT.  Pregame coverage begins on 1230 FOX Sports at 9:35PM.

SWISHED
It was an embarrassing night for former New York Yankee Nick Swisher.  The now Cleveland Indian stared at a ball that rolled foul, only to find it come back into fair territory and as he wasn't running towards first base, he was easily tagged just feet away from the batter's box.

Then in the 10th inning, with the Detroit Tigers leading 4-2, Swisher slipped and slid as he rounded 3rd base, and had to retreat back to 3rd, preventing the Indians from scoring the run on a teammate's base hit.  He would be stranded at 3rd as the following hitter struck out.

REMATCH
Eight were suspended the last time Zack Greinke pitched against the Arizona Diamondbacks.  However, it was a calmer affair between the two teams this time around as the Los Angeles Dodgers put an end to the Diamondbacks 5 game winning streak, 6-1.

Greinke punched out 7 and walked 2 in his seven innings pitched, and Yasiel Puig continued his case to be the last NL player admitted to next Tuesday's All-Star game with a two-hit game.

MOVING EAST?
According to Sports Illustrated, the Sacramento Kings are interested in selling Glens Falls native Jimmer Fredette, if the offer's right.  In the 2012-13 season, Fredette, who spent most of his season sitting on the pine, averaged over 7 points per game.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are reported to be one of the teams interested in Fredette, but how interested the Cavaliers truly are depends on how things go with Andrew Bynum, who was offered a $24 million dollar contract.

All-Star Final Vote: Local fans torn in AL, set on Freeman in NL

Major League Baseball announced the current standings on their "Final Vote" for the final two All-Stars to play next Tuesday at Citi Field in New York.

In the National League, a surprise is that Yasiel Puig, who has earned national headlines because of his fantastic debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers, isn't leading in the vote.  Instead, that honor belongs to Atlanta Braves 1st Baseman, Freddie Freeman.

MLB.com

Locally, fans are agreeing with those in the Southeast in that Freddie Freeman should be playing next Tuesday.  We'd like to think that some of those fans have been listening to the Mets games against the Atlanta Braves on 1230 FOX Sports Radio.

And if that is the case, Freddie Freeman would definitely stand out with local Mets fans, especially since the Mets just wrapped up 5 games against the Atlanta Braves a couple weeks ago.  Mets fans have not seen Yasiel Puig up close, and won't get to do so until the long west coast trip in August.

In the American League, Steve Delabar leads in the vote, but you wouldn't think that looking at the local numbers.

The Red Sox/Yankees territory dispute couldn't be more prevalent by looking at the local leaders.  Red Sox All-Star hopeful Koji Uehara leads David Robertson in Warren County 64% to 31%, however, in Washington County, the top 2 are flipped.  Yankee reliever David Robertson leads 84% to Uehara's 15%.

If you want to take a look at the numbers in detail, or to vote for your favorite All-Star, do so now at MLB.com.  Voting ends at 4PM this Thursday.

Midday Recap: Arizona persistent in win, Trades and a wild 9th for the Halos.

Tyler Seguin is calling somewhere else home now.  The Sacramento Kings make a trade, but it doesn't involve Jimmer Fredette.  Claude Giroux will be spending the next 8 years in Philadelphia.  Daniel Alfredsson will not be retiring as an Ottawa Senator.  And a wild finish in Los Angeles.

But the big story this post-Independence Day is the Arizona Diamondbacks coming away with a 5-4 win over the New York Mets in 15 innings.

In the 4th inning, the Mets take advantage of David Wright's 19th double of the season as he would later score thanks to an Ian Kennedy wild pitch and a Marlon Byrd sacrifice ground out.

But a walk and a double in the top of the 5th gets Dillon Gee and the Mets into trouble, and Wil Nieves capitalizes on a single to center to bring both runners in.

But Gee answers back, with a single to center to bring home Omar Quintanilla in the bottom half of the inning.

The two teams would remain scoreless until the 13th when Cody Ross walks in the go-ahead run for the Diamondbacks.  And on the last hope, the Mets extend the game with Anthony Recker's long ball to bring the 14th inning.

In the 14th, Martin Prado singles in to put the Diamondbacks ahead again, but it was answered by Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who homered.

In the 15th inning, the Mets had no answer for Cliff Pennington's RBI single, earning Scott Rice his 5th loss of the season.

It's another Wheeler Day for the Mets as they spin the wheels out west in Milwaukee to begin a three-stop road trip leading to the All-Star Break.

NO MORE BRUIN
Tyler Seguin is moving west.  The 2010 Number 2 draft pick highlights a 7-player trade that helps close a gap at Center for the Dallas Stars.  Loui Eriksson, Matt Fraser, Reilly Smith and Joe Morrow will now call Boston home as the Stars acquire Rich Peverly and Ryan Button in addition to Seguin.

Seguin scored 16 goals for the Bruins in the 48-game regular season, but lit the lamp only once during the postseason.

TRADE KING
The Sacramento Kings conduct a three-team trade, but it doesn't involve hometown grown Jimmer Fredette.  According to the sources for the Associated Press, Tyreke Evans will play for the Portland Trail Blazers, Robin Lopez will play for the New Orleans Pelicans, and Greivis Vasquez will become a King.

The trade will not become official until July 10th.

BROTHERLY LOVE
Claude Giroux and the Philadelphia Flyers agree on terms.  Sources tell the Associated Press that the Flyers captain will sign a $64 million contract to play for the Flyers for the next 8 years.  Giroux scored 13 goals last year with the Flyers, but his assist numbers improved, getting 35 assists during the strike-shortened season.

AL-FREED-SON
Daniel Alfredsson will not retire an Ottawa Senator.  The 17-season Senator signed a one-year deal to play for the Detroit Red Wings, a shock to those in Ottawa as during contract negotiations the Sweeden-born player was offered a blank check by the Senators brass.

Alfredsson, however, felt that another team would give him an improved chance to win the Stanley Cup.

In over 1,100 career games, Alfredsson lit the lamp 426 times, and contributed on another 682 through assists.

HALO COMEBACK
Looking good through 8 innings, Adam Wainwright steps onto the mound to finish off the Los Angeles Angels.  Unfortunately, the Angels had other things in mind, as Albert Pujols finished off a 6 pitch at-bat with a liner to left.  That would be the end of Adam Wainwright's night.  Edward Mujica, a perfect 21-for-21 in save opportunities this year, steps onto the mound.

It only took two pitches to Josh Hamilton to end that perfect streak, as took a Splitter deep to center field, tying the game at 5-5.  It would be Mujica's first blown save since September 14th last year against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Howie Kendrick and Mark Trumbo would make four straight Angels to reach base without anyone being retired, and two fly outs later, Erick Aybar took a 2-1 Splitter to left field to score the game-winning run.

Midday Recap: Firsts of the Season

A man who police want to talk to in conjunction with the Aaron Hernandez case dies in a one-car accident.  The Mets deal Patrick Corbin his first loss of the season.  And a divided city council votes on the future of hockey Phoenix.

But the big story today is the first no-no of the 2013 Major League Baseball season.  Homer Bailey strikes out 9 as he throws his second career no-hitter as the Cincinnati Reds beat the San Francisco Giants 3-0.  Gregor Blanco was the lone player to reach base against Bailey, doing so to lead off the 7th inning.

The last no-hitter to be thrown in the majors also came from Bailey, on September 28th when the Reds defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates.  In that game, two Pirates made it onto base against Bailey, one coming from an error to lead off the 3rd, and a walk to Andrew McCutchen in the 7th.

It's the 16th no-hitter in Reds franchise history.

TWISTS AND TURNS
There's been so many twists and turns in the Aaron Hernandez case that you don't know where it's going to head next.  Now a person of interest to police dies in a one-man car accident when, according to the Hartford Courant, the car went airborne and crashed into the Farmington Country Club.

Police are looking for any possible linkage between Hernandez and a 2012 double murder in Boston and were hoping to speak to the man, identified as Hernandez's Uncle.

There'll be more to this story as details become more available.

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING

Associated Press via
FOX Sports Arizona

What's the best way to emerge from a rain delay?  How about plating 6 more runs in that inning to deal Patrick Corbin his first loss of the season as the Mets roll to a 9-1 victory.  When rain caused the game to be suspended in the 7th inning, the Mets had the bases loaded.

After the 100 minute delay, the Mets got back-to-back singles from Anthony Recker and Omar Quintanilla to plate 3, and Eric Young and Juan Lagares batted in runs as well.

Corbin, now 9-1 for the season, allowed a season-high 5 runs, and continues a streak where no D-Back starter has earned a winning decision since June 5th.  Jeremy Hefner allowed just 4 hits, striking out 6 in his 7 innings of work, allowing just the single run off Martin Prado's homer in the top of the 7th.

Next up for the Mets is Harvey Day.  Matt Harvey struck out 11 in his last start against the Washington Nationals, but couldn't get the win as the Nats exploded for 5 runs in the last two innings.  Randall Delgado gets his 4th major league start of the season as he will try to control his pitches better.  He walked four in the loss against the Atlanta Braves last time out.

HOT HOCKEY
Hockey's staying in Glendale.  The City Council voted last night 4-3 in favor of a 15-year $225 million lease for Jobing.com arena to the Renaissance Sports & Entertainment, a.k.a. IceArizona.  The vote reassures the Phoenix suburb that hockey will continue to be played for years to come, and ends four years of court challenges and rumors of relocation of the Coyotes to either Seattle or Quebec City.

Midday Recap: Buck passes the buck to Brown

Eights are Great in Toronto on Canada Day.  A former Ranger and Whale skater is coming to the Phantoms.  Serena Williams is out at Wimbledon.  And Chris Paul is staying to play for Doc Rivers and the Los Angeles Clippers.

But the big story is the Mets walk-off victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the late night last night.  It was shaping up to be a tough loss for the Mets as Paul Goldschmidt belted a 2-run shot off Shaun Marcum in the first inning, meanwhile the Mets were able to make base runners, but couldn't get them home.  

With starting pitcher Wade Miley gone after 5 2/3rd innings, the Mets started clawing back, with a run in the 7th and a run in the 8th to cut the deficit to one.  Then in the 9th inning, Marlon Byrd traveled home on a Josh Satin single, and scored when Miguel Montero failed to hold onto the ball.

However, the Mets rally for a walk-off fell short when John Buck, the run that didn't matter, tried to advance to 2nd on a passed ball, and was easily tagged for the 3rd out, stranding Josh Satin at 3rd base.

So in extra innings, the Mets used up their bench, and facing a one-run deficit in the bottom of the 13th after Cody Ross led off with a homer, Terry Collins had no choice but to use his next pinch hitter available, Matt Harvey.  With runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out, Harvey successfully bunted the two runners to 2nd and 3rd. A walk to Omar Quintanilla loaded the bases for Andrew Brown, who took an 0-2 pitch up high into left field to score the two runs needed for the Mets victory.

The come-from-behind win saves Marcum from losing his 10th of the year.  In the means of winning, the Mets left 20 on base, going 5-for-20 with runners in scoring position.

The Mets may not get as many opportunities tonight when they face Patrick Corbin, a 9-0 pitcher who is searching for his first win since June 2nd.  He regularly goes 6 or more innings, with nearly a 3:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.  His lone game against the Mets did not go well, only going 3 1/3rd innings as the Mets scored four in a winning effort at Citi Field last season.  However, that was Corbin's 2nd career start.

Jeremy Hefner may sport a 2-6 record, but the Mets have won the last three games he started.  In that span, he has nearly a 5:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.  

THE NUMBER EIGHT

R.A. Dickey's record with the Toronto Blue Jays is 8-8 after the team celebrated Canada Day with an 8-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

Dickey allowed 6 hits in his 7 innings pitched, allowing two runs as the Blue Jays evened their record to 41-41.  Mark DeRosa was the biggest contributor for the Blue Jays, belting out his 5th of the year in the 4th inning to plate 3 runs.

NEW PHANTOM

Two American Hockey League veterans are sporting new jerseys today after being traded by their parent clubs.  Danny Syvret, a favorite with the Adirondack Phantoms, is heading to the New York Rangers organization after he was traded for Connecticut Whale regular Kris Newbury.  In 599 games, Newbury lit the lamp 142 times and assisted 297 times.

Syvret leaves the Phantoms third all-time on the Adirondack Phantoms assist list with 67, and 7th in the history of the Phantoms franchise (including Philadelphia Phantoms era) with 112.

SERENA DONE

Serena Williams 34 match win streak is done after losing to Sabine Lisicki at Wimbledon.  The top seed fell behind early and lost the first set to Lisicki 6-2, then rebounded to dominate the 2nd set 1-6.  However, she was critical of her serve in the 3rd set, to which Lisicki exploited to win the 3rd set 6-4.

Serena's departure leaves one lone American left in the singles tournament, Sloane Stephens.  She defeated Monica Puig in three sets after losing the 1st set 4-6 to advance to the quarterfinals.  She will face Marion Bartoli next.

[editor's update: After typing this, Sloane Stephens fell to Marion Bartoli in the quarterfinals in two straight sets to leave no American left in the singles field, men or women.  Sabine Lisicki won her quarterfinals match and will be playing Agnieszka Radwanska in the semis.]

STAYING

Chris Paul is staying in the city of Angels after agreeing to a 5 year contract.  The 28 year old agrees to terms on a 5 year contract with the Clippers that will widen his wallet by $107 million dollars, and will give Doc Rivers some options to mull as he tries to build of this year's success in Los Angeles.

Misadventures run first couple days at Tour De France

It's been an interesting start to the Tour de France this year.

In Day #1, a bus crashing into an overhead banner at the finish line caused grave concerns about where the official race finish was going to be.

Luckily, workers were able to get the bus unstuck and out of the way before the riders would make way to the finish.  Had they not been able to get the bus unstuck, an alternative option was to take the results of when the riders race past the 3km banner.

Then in Day #2, a dog nearly causes a massive pileup in the closing kilometers of the 2nd stage.

This comes days after Lance Armstrong announced that there would be no way he could win all his repeat titles if it wasn't for his steroid use.

Wheeler's flat in home debut

The Devils are showing signs of the future.  The Golden Eagles play a marathon Saturday night ... will it translate to Sunday success?  And Inbee Park does something no other woman has done since 1950.

Errol Anderson | Newsday

But the big story today is the big city debut of Zack Wheeler.  After an impressive win over the Atlanta Braves to start his major league career, Wheeler was taken off the hook when the Chicago White Sox misplayed what should have been the final out in a Mets loss.

The question was going to be, how would Zack handle playing for the first time in front of the hometown crowd.  The crowd was energetic and excited after Wheeler handled the Nationals in order in the 1st inning.

After the Mets failed to convert a runner on 1st and 2nd with only 1 out in the bottom half, Adam LaRoche made sure TV and Radio producers were back on the air as he took Wheeler's 1st offering deep to kick off a four-run 2nd inning for the Nationals where Wheeler was unable to retire the first three Nationals.

It didn't get much better for Wheeler, or the Mets.  Already down 5-0, Brandon Lyons got torched for 6 runs in the 8th, 5 of them under his arm and the 6th run coming in after he was replaced by Scott Rice.  Washington would score two more runs off Anthony Recker in the 9th, which was countered by John Buck's 13th homer of the season as the Mets drop the rubber game to the Nationals 13-2.

Zack Wheeler's first loss of the season came after a 4 2/3rd inning effort where he allowed 5 runs, all earned,  on 6 hits.  He struck out 5 and offered 2 free passes via walks.

MARATHON MEN

Bryan Ramirez
Glens Falls Golden Eagles

Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League history was made at East Field on Saturday.  Saturday night's game between the Glens Falls Golden Eagles and the Albany Dutchmen marked the first time a game in the league has reached 16 innings.

In the bottom of the 9th, the Dutchmen went with closer Ben Seabrook with a 1 run lead.  Seabrook got into trouble quickly, allowing a hit from Ramon Laureano.  Laureano would gain 2nd base on a Wild Pitch, then reached 3rd base when a strike out to Josh Anderson wasn't caught by Nate Rupiper, forcing him to throw to 1st.  Laureano would score on a Wild Pitch to tie the game.

Both teams would trade runs in the 13th inning, and then after a couple of scoreless innings that saw rain threaten to suspend play, the Golden Eagles would win the game on Bryan Ramirez's single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 16th inning to cap a marathon game that started at 7:05PM and saw its completion at 11:30PM.

Following Saturday night's 16-inning affair, the Golden Eagles were able to win in 9 innings, beating the Newark Pilots 3-1.  Starting pitcher Ryan Gray got into trouble in the 3rd inning as he walked the first three batters he faced.  The Golden Eagles were able to transcribe two of those walks into runs, and then held on thanks to some strong pitching from Andy Cheray and Armand Rugel.

GOLDEN EAGLE: Josh Anderson has been selected as a co-Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League Player of the Week, thanks to his strong contributions in the batter's box this week.  Anderson went .526 with two homers last week in his return to the Golden Eagles.  Anderson was last selected as a Player of the Week back in the final week of the 2011 regular season.

FUTURE DEVIL
Of the splashes made in the NHL Draft on Sunday, none were greater than the ones created by the team that was hosting the draft, the New Jersey Devils.  The draft started with the Devils trading their first round pick with the Vancouver Canucks for Corey Schneider, giving the Devils a future option for when Martin Brodeur hangs up his goalie mask for the final time.

The draft concluded with Brodeur himself announcing the Devils 7th Round pick, Anthony Brodeur.  The offspring of Martin Brodeur will be playing Junior Hockey this winter with the Gatineau Olympiques.

In all, it's been a pretty good weekend for the elder Brodeur.  He learned to begin the weekend that he will be on the cover of EA Sports yearly hockey game, NHL '14.

TRIPLE PLAY
Inbee Park has done something no other woman has done since 1950 - win the first three majors of a season in Women's Golf.  She accomplished the feat after her four stroke victory in the U.S. Women's Open yesterday on Long Island.

Babe Zaharias was the only other woman to complete that feat.  The next major on the schedule for the women is the Women's British Open, which will be held in St. Andrews the first weekend of August.