Cleveland’s surge to the top of the AL Central standings has been primarily fueled by offense. The Indians piled up 12 runs and 16 hits in Thursday’s romp at Boston, and for the year they’re second in runs scored, trailing only Detroit. The Tribe continues to get on base (fourth in OBP) and knock down the walls (first in homers and slugging). Keep your pitchers away from these guys.
The pitching hasn’t been nearly as sharp, posting a 4.07 ERA (19th in the majors). But let’s take a second to appreciate Thursday’s winning pitcher, emerging 25-year old Zach McAllister .
McAllister scored his fourth win of the year at Fenway and it was, curiously enough, his worst outing of the season (5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 5 K). A captain of consistency, McAllister has allowed three runs or less in all nine of his turns, fashioning a 2.89 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. His strikeout rate is nothing special this year (6.27/9), a dip from his 2012 clip, but he’s collecting 2.73 whiffs for every walk. McAllister isn’t going to beat himself, you have to beat him.

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SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Mariners sent slumping catcher Jesus Montero to the minor leagues Thursday, a year after acquiring him in trade full of potential that hasn’t panned out for either side.

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The Juice returns for season No. 6! It’s almost eligible for free-agency! Stop by daily for news from the action, along with great photos, stats, video highlights and more.

Chris Davis’ hot-hitting season continued with four more hits, including his American League leading 14th home run, as the Orioles locked up an important division series with a 6-3 win over the New York Yankees. Davis’ two-run blast in the first inning capped a three-run rally against Hiroki Kuroda. Nick Markakis also homered in the inning. Matt Wieters later added a three-run homer that proved to be the difference.
All important hits in a big game, but it was Davis who kept the line moving with productive at-bat after productive at-bat. And as he noted after the game, the series was of utmost importance to the Orioles. And not just because it was their biggest competition within the division. David Ginsburg of the Associated Press tells us more:
In the opener Monday night, Baltimore closer Jim Johnson blew a ninth-inning lead and Baltimore absorbed its sixth straight loss. The Orioles rebounded to win in 10 innings on Tuesday night before coasting in the finale.
”Anytime a division rival comes in, you want to try to win the series especially when you’re at home,” Davis said. ”We avoided the snowball effect to some degree and were able to get back on track.”
The Yankees have also avoided the snowball effect this season despite numerous injuries. They added another on Wednesday night as Kuroda was forced to leave in the third inning after being struck on the calf by a Manny Machado line drive. At this time it’s not believed to be a serious concern, but one could understand if Yankees fans held their breath a few hours longer.

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ANAHEIM, Calif. — C.J. Wilson allowed one run over eight innings and the Los Angeles Angels offense continued its hot stretch in a 7-1 win over the Seattle Mariners Wednesday at Angel Stadium.

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In becoming the youngest person in American League history and the sixth player ever from the Los Angeles Angels to hit for the cycle, Mike Trout required skill, preparation and timing to converge Tuesday night.
A favorable call by an umpire didn’t hurt, either.
Trout hit a home run in the eighth inning to cap a historic night for himself, but it was his second at-bat against the Seattle Mariners — which resulted with an infield single — that got Trout’s cycle started in the third inning. Only, a close look at one of the replay angles shows that Trout didn’t beat lumbering pitcher Aaron Harang to the first-base bag after a grounder to Justin Smoak:

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CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians closer Chris Perez deactivated his Twitter account following two rough outings, and after receiving a slew of negative comments.

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(Reuters) – Arizona’s Patrick Corbin delivered a dominant nine innings to lead the Diamondbacks to a 5-1 win over Colorado and improve his unbeaten start to 7-0 on Monday. The 23-year-old struck out 10 and allowed just three hits during his complete game, while Didi Gregorius went 3-for-5 with two RBIs to help keep Arizona top of the National League West. Corbin is now one of five undefeated starting pitchers in baseball with a minimum of eight starts. …

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Before the walkoff, came the muff.
Seattle Mariners closer Tom Wilhelmsen, messing up a play that pitchers and first basemen across the league work have worked on time and memorial during spring training, muffed a flip from first baseman Justin Smoke in the bottom of the ninth inning Monday afternoon, dropping the ball for an unbelievable error that allowed the Cleveland Indians to score the tying run.
It was right of Smoak to throw the ball, after a grounder came his way, and not try to beat Carlos Santana to the bag himself. Smoak’s flip didn’t have too much on it, or not enough. It wasn’t too high that Wilhelmsen had to reach, and it wasn’t too low that he had to stoop. Wilhelmsen wasn’t late covering the bag, and Smoak didn’t lead him too much. The ball hit him right in the leather. Everything about the play was right — except for the catch. Wilhelmsen, who came in 11 of 11 converting saves and really had pitched as well as anyone in ninth innings this season, just didn’t catch it. After time was called Smoak bent over at the waste in apparent disbelief.
The Mariners re-took the lead in the top of the 10th, but manager Eric Wedge chose not to use Wilhelmsen for another inning, and they lost on a three-run home run by Yan Gomes — Cleveland’s backup catcher — in the bottom half. It was an exhilarating ending to one of the more entertaining games of the season. For one side, anyway.
Wilhelmsen spoke matter-of-factly about his error, via Geoff Baker’s Mariners Blog in the Seattle Times :

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Rare poor outing for Hernandez

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(Reuters) – Tampa Bay’s Matt Moore matched a 1917 start by Babe Ruth as he improved to a Major League-leading 8-0 in the Rays’ 3-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. Moore tossed seven innings and allowed just five hits and one run to stay undefeated and win his ninth straight decision, setting a Rays’ franchise record. The 23-year-old left-hander’s start is the best by a pitcher that young since the 22-year-old Ruth went 8-0 in 1917. “Historically speaking, it’s been wonderful,” Rays manager Joe Maddon told reporters. “I like the idea that he knows that he can get better. …

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