Friday's streaking and slumping pitchers
By JUSTIN BANKS
Streaking
Brett Myers, Philadelphia Phillies (8-10, 4.40)
Myers, who had a short stint in the minors last month, has been pitching like an ace recently. He is 3-0 and has a 0.78 ERA in his last three starts and is 5-1 since rejoining the Phillies’ rotation.
Myers, who is just 2-7 on the road, is 2-1 in his last four road starts and has not relinquished more than three runs in a start in his last eight overall. He is 5-1 all-time on the road against the New York Mets.
The Phillies are 6-1 in Myers’ last seven overall and are 4-1 in his last five road starts against the Mets.
Kevin Millwood, Texas Rangers (8-7, 4.95)
Millwood has just one loss in his last five starts and is 3-0 and has a solid 1.46 ERA in his last three overall.
In his last home start, a victory over the Detroit Tigers, Millwood conceded one earned run in nine innings. He has relinquished just four earned runs and has struck out 13 in his last 24.2 IP and is 1-0 in his last three starts against the Boston Red Sox.
The Rangers are 16-5 in Millwood’s last 21 home starts and are 8-3 in his last 11 starts against the AL East.
Slumping
Jair Jurrjens, Atlanta Braves (11-9, 3.59)
Jurrjens has just two wins in his last 10 and is 0-1 in his last three with an 8.36 ERA. He has relinquished 13 earned runs in his past 14 IP.
Jurrjens is 0-3 in his last four at home and is 0-1 against the Washington Nationals. In his last home start, he surrendered six earned runs and one homer in three IP.
The Braves are 0-4 in Jurrjens’ last four against a club with a losing record and are 0-5 in their last five against the Nationals.
Baseball Today
SCOREBOARD
Friday, Sept. 5
San Diego Padres at Milwaukee Brewers (8:05 p.m. EDT). CC Sabathia looks to improve to 10-0 with Milwaukee as they host San Diego. He pitched a one-hitter in his last start and already has six complete games.
STARS
Thursday
- James Parr, Braves, tossed six sharp innings in his major league debut and gave up just two hits in a 2-0 win over Washington.
- Joey Votto, Reds, hit a solo homer and a tiebreaking, bases-loaded single in the eighth inning, completing the Reds' rally from a five-run deficit to an 8-6 victory over the Pirates.
- Scott Kazmir, Rays, gave up just one hit in six shutout innings of Tampa Bay's 7-5 win over the Yankees.
- Jesse Litsch, Blue Jays, pitched a four-hit shutout to help Toronto complete a three-game sweep of Minnesota.
- David DeJesus, Royals, had three hits in each game of Kansas City's doubleheader sweep of Oakland. He also scored three runs.
- Ervin Santana, Angels, struck out eight and allowed one run in 7 1-3 innings of Los Angeles' 7-1 win over Detroit.
SAVIOR
Mike Gonzalez got his ninth save of the season in Atlanta's 2-0 win over Washington. He has converted all of his save opportunities this season and 39 straight overall, the longest current streak in the major leagues, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He has not blown a save since June 25, 2004, for Pittsburgh at Cincinnati.
SLASHING PRICES
The Washington Nationals, who rank in the bottom half of Major League Baseball in attendance despite a new ballpark, are lowering some of their season ticket prices for next season. Prices will go down for 7,500 seats in the 41,888-seat Nationals Park, mostly in the outfield sections. Seats in most of the discounted sections will cost $5 to $10 less per game, lowering the stadium's average season ticket price for a non-premium seat to approximately $29.
SUDDEN PASSING
Todd Cruz, an infielder with the 1983 world champion Baltimore Orioles, has died. He was 52. Cruz died Tuesday while swimming at the apartment complex in which he lived in Bullhead City, Ariz. The cause of death is pending results of an autopsy.
SPEAKING
"I think it might have been the farthest one I've seen here. I truly do. That was zero gravity right there.'' - Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon on Alex Rodriguez's 436-foot homer on Thursday night that struck one of the catwalks that support the roof at Tropicana Field.