Garza leads dominant Tuesday for pitchers

ESPN.com

Updated: July 29, 2008

AP Photo/Frank Gunn

Matt Garza's shutout Tuesday was his first in the major leagues.

GARZA'S GEM

By Mark A. Simon, ESPN Research

WEDNESDAY NIGHT BASEBALL
• Cubs at Brewers, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

If you want to separate the pitchers who excel from those who struggle at this time of year, take a closer look at those starters who won on the road Tuesday night. John Lackey and Doug Davis both were almost unhittable in their victories. Carlos Zambrano, Matt Garza and Brett Myers weren't quite to their level, but there was no shame in being a notch below, especially on a night when the Cubs and Rays gained ground at the top of the standings, while the Phillies hung with the Mets and in the NL wild card race.

Garza may deserve a little extra credit since he went toe-to-toe with Roy Halladay and came out on top again. There may be nobody better in the American League when Garza is on his game. In his nine wins this season, he's allowed a total of seven runs. That could have significant implications on the postseason chase.

That's Nasty: Great pitching on Tuesday
IP Runs Hits Result
John Lackey 9 2 2 Win at BOS, 6-2
Matt Garza 9 0 5 Win at TOR, 3-0
Carlos Zambrano 8 0 5 Win at MIL, 7-1
Doug Davis 7 2/3 0 2 Win at SD, 3-0
Brett Myers 7 1 4 Win at WSH, 2-1

Step On To The Matt: Garza in 2008 Season
In Wins In Losses
ERA 0.79 6.91
Opp BA .141 .336
BB Per 9 1.6 4.2
Starts 9 11

Past Baseball Tonight Clubhouses: July 28 | July 27 | July 24 | July 23 | July 22 | July 21

FORWARD THINKING: WEDNESDAY

• Cardinals at Braves, 7 p.m. ET: Look who's back. Chris Carpenter makes his 2008 debut, coming off an elbow injury suffered on the Opening Day of 2007. The former Cy Young Award winner will oppose the Braves' Jair Jurrjens (10-5, 3.02 ERA), who threw eight scoreless innings against the Phillies in his last start.

• Angels at Red Sox, 7:05 p.m. ET: The Angels would love to have Mark Teixeira debut in their lineup against Boston's Josh Beckett. The switch-hitting Teixeira is 1-for-6 lifetime against Beckett, who's dropped his past two starts. Meanwhile, Angels left-hander Joe Saunders is looking to tie Cliff Lee for the AL lead in wins with 14.

• White Sox at Twins, 8:10 p.m. ET: Don't look now, but the Twins, winners of four straight, have narrowed the gap in the AL Central to a half-game. They have a chance to take over first place behind Livan Hernandez, who's 8-1 with a 3.91 ERA at home. Gavin Floyd (10-6, 3.57 ERA) is already 2-1 with a 2.11 ERA against the Twins in 2008.

• Complete list of pitching probables for Wednesday's games

TOUCH 'EM ALL

Keep track of all the home runs hit each day. For more, check out the Home Run Tracker page:

NAME HR OPPPITCHER SITUATION
M. Cabrera, Det18CleGinterTop 2: 1-0, 0 Outs. None on.
E. Hinske, TB15TorHalladayTop 3: 1-0, 0 Outs. None on.
C. Utley, Phi26WasBalesterTop 3: 1-0, 2 Outs. 1 on.
G. Anderson, LAA10BosBuchholzTop 4: 0-0, 0 Outs. 1 on.
K. Millar, Bal16NYYRasnerTop 4: 1-1, 0 Outs. None on.
A. Rodriguez, NYY22BalCabreraBot 6: 0-1, 0 Outs. None on.
A. Pujols, StL21AtlCampilloTop 6: 3-1, 0 Outs. None on.
M. Tejada, Hou11CinArroyoBot 3: 2-0, 2 Outs. None on.
M. Byrd, Tex6SeaSilvaBot 3: 0-0, 1 Outs. 2 on.
B. Anderson, CWS6MinPerkinsTop 5: 0-1, 0 Outs. None on.
K. Youkilis, Bos18LAALackeyBot 9: 0-1, 1 Outs. 1 on.
C. Lee, Hou24CinArroyoBot 5: 1-0, 2 Outs. Gr. Slam.
C. Delgado, NYM23FlaPintoTop 8: 2-2, 0 Outs. 1 on.
A. Huff, Bal22NYYRiveraTop 9: 2-1, 0 Outs. None on.
B. Inge, Det8CleBetancourtTop 8: 0-0, 2 Outs. 1 on.
J. Lopez, Sea8TexWrightTop 7: 1-1, 0 Outs. None on.
B. LaHair, Sea2TexWrightTop 7: 2-1, 0 Outs. None on.
N. Swisher, CWS15MinNathanTop 9: 3-2, 2 Outs. None on.
M. Aviles, KC6OakSmithTop 6: 1-1, 2 Outs. None on.
J. Buck, KC8OakSmithTop 7: 0-1, 2 Outs. 2 on.

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BBTN ON THE AIR: WEDNESDAY

TIME WHO'S ON?
7 p.m. ET
ESPN		 Host: Karl Ravech
Analysts: Buster Olney,
Chris Singleton, Steve Phillips
12 a.m. ET
ESPN		 Host: Steve Berthiaume
Analysts: Buster Olney,
Chris Singleton, Steve Phillips

SPORTSNATION: ALL-TIME FRANCHISE PLAYERS

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BASEBALL TONIGHT MINUTE: BIG DAY FOR ANGELS

FROM RICK TO RICH

By Rick Sutcliffe, ESPN

Editor's Note: In June 1984, Rick Sutcliffe was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Chicago Cubs. In 20 starts, Sutcliffe went 16-1 and won the National League Cy Young Award, leading the Cubs to the postseason for the first time since 1945.

The biggest series in baseball is taking place in Milwaukee, where both the Brewers and Cubs have made trades for frontline starters, CC Sabathia and Rich Harden. When a team deals for a No. 1 pitcher, they expect two things: The pitcher throws a lot of innings (keeping the bullpen fresh and allowing the manager to unload the bullpen in the games before and after his start); and there needs to be a huge win-loss differential. It doesn't do a team much good to trade for an ace and have him be just a few games over .500.

Like Sabathia and Harden, I came over from the American to the National League -- and it is much easier to pitch in the NL, if for no other reason than you don't have to face a DH. In '84, I was 4-5 in 15 starts with Cleveland before I was traded to the Cubs. My pitching didn't change when I went over to the NL, but I was pitching for a better ball club, on a team that was going somewhere.

And that's what happened with Sabathia. He was 6-8 with a 3.83 ERA with the Indians. He's 4-0 with an ERA under 2.00 in Milwaukee, but nothing has changed about his approach. He's in a better situation and on a better team.

Looking beyond 2008, don't completely rule out Sabathia returning to Milwaukee. I know most people speculate that he'll sign elsewhere next season. However, he's going to want to play for a winner, and Milwaukee has a core of talented players who are going to be competitive for the next five or six years.

When I was traded to Chicago, I told Cubs GM Dallas Green I had no intention of re-signing after the '84 season. My goal had always been to play back home for the Kansas City Royals. I had better offers from the Yankees and Braves, but the Chicago fans won me over. I was on a good team and I signed with the Cubs. Milwaukee fans will try and do the same with Sabathia.

TUESDAY'S NOTEWORTHY PERFORMANCES

GOOD
• Aubrey Huff carried the Orioles to a 7-6 victory over the Yankees with a three-run double and a solo home run in the ninth inning that proved to be the difference.
BAD
• The Nationals are falling further and further into oblivion. On Tuesday, they lost their seventh straight game, 2-1 to Philadelphia. During their seven-game skid, the Nats have scored a whopping total of 10 runs.
UGLY
• Ramon Vazquez committed three errors. That's the bad news. The good news is he atoned for the miscues with a two-run double off Seattle closer J.J. Putz in the bottom of the ninth, leading the Rangers to an 11-10 victory.

FANTASY: PREVIEW OF WEDNESDAY'S GAMES

FantasySean Allen examines the pitching matchups in store for the 15 games on Wednesday's schedule.

Allen also looks at injuries and details player reports that could help shape the way you put together your roster for Wednesday. Daily Notes