Colorado downed Cincinnati 5-1 with a five-run third inning and six scoreless innings from its bullpen after starter Jose Contreras suffered a strained quadriceps running to first base.
From the Windup is Matt Snyder's extended look at some aspect of America's pastime each Thursday -- it's running Friday this week.
Earlier this week, Brad Lidge's nightmare 2009 season continued, when he allowed a walk-off homer to Andrew McCutchen. Ed Price covered the outing the following morning. The abysmal performance by the Phillies' closer underlines the only weakness of the defending World Series Champions.
NEW YORK -- Twice in the past week, a pitcher has been hit by a line drive back at him. And Billy Wagner's advice to Hiroki Kuroda of the Dodgers and Darin Downs, a Rays farmhand: You will never completely get over it.
In July 1998, Wagner took a liner off the left side of his head -- while he was on the same mound where Kuroda was felled 11 years later.
"You just have to kind of go straight through and say, 'Hey, I'm going to pitch through it, I'm not going to worry about it,'" Wagner told FanHouse on Tuesday. "But you do have that thought in the back of your mind. I still walk out there, I mean, in a minor-league (rehabilitation) game, you sit there and they call fastball away or something like that, you go, 'Awww.' You think about getting that ball coming back at you. There's no doubt."
PHOENIX (AP) -- Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda suffered a concussion when he was hit in the head by a line drive during a 4-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night, but tests revealed no fracture or internal bleeding.
"Amazingly, things look really pretty good," Dodgers head athletic trainer Stan Conte said. "The fact that he didn't lose consciousness is a very good sign."
Kuroda was to spend the night at St. Joseph's Hospital for observation.
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
Vladimir Guerrero's had a rough 2009, with injury issues and his dwindling power (his .466 slugging percentage would easily be his career low if the season ended today) causing concern the 34-year-old was full-on in the middle of a career decline.
With two cracks of the bat Monday night, "Vlad the Impaler" reminded us that he's been swinging a hot stick of late. In fact, he's been the old Vlad for quite some time. He just needed to shake the Earth a little bit to ensure everyone took notice.
Yet after missing two months with tendinitis in his right knee, Perez was in midseason form.
That is, missing the strike zone with regularity.
Somehow, though, the Mets beat the Dodgers 5-4 and snapped a four-game losing streak to get to 40-42, which in the tepid NL East is good for 4 1/2 games out of first place.
The Mariners are still hanging around in the AL West, though, so it's not exactly a sure thing they'd be willing to part with Washburn. He does make quite the hefty salary, but his contract is up at the conclusion of this season, so moving him wouldn't really save the Mariners much money.
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
The Mets are beginning to look like the Patriots when it comes to injury information. Just a couple of weeks ago, I told you to be worried about Jose Reyes' bum leg when we found out he had a "calf strain." Thursday night, the team confirmed Reyes has a torn right hamstring tendon and this is believed to be something new. Excuse me for being cynical, but this is the latest in a long line of sketchy diagnoses. Let's take a look at what else New York bungled, shall we ...
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead. You Oughta Know ... That two crafty left-handers showed they still have something left in the tank Sunday. Eric Milton, who went almost three years without a win in the major leagues, won his second consecutive start in this 2009 comeback with the Dodgers -- an 8-2 defeat of the Cubs -- since being recalled by the club from Triple-A Albuquerque. It's unclear if he will get a third with Hiroki Kuroda returning from injury on Monday.
Hundreds of miles away and hours earlier, the Phillies' Jamie Moyer -- who knows a thing or two about making a comeback -- picked up his 250th career win against the Nationals ... after five previous tries. Moyer needs just four more wins to pass Carl Hubbell and become the 10th-winningest left-handed pitcher in major league history.
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.
NEW YORK -- Twice in the past week, a pitcher has been hit by a line drive back at him. And Billy Wagner's advice to Hiroki Kuroda of the Dodgers and Darin Downs, a Rays farmhand: You will never completely get over it.
PHOENIX (AP) -- Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda suffered a concussion when he was hit in the head by a line drive during a 4-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night, but tests revealed no fracture or internal bleeding.
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
NEW YORK – The Mets needed a win in the worst way.
As Eric Milton eyes his return to the Dodgers' starting rotation, general manager Ned Colletti has been out watching some of their minor-league affiliates recently. It's no secret the Dodgers would like to upgrade starting pitching before the trade deadline, and reportedly Colletti is checking out which minor leaguers in the Dodgers' system can be used in a trade to acquire left-hander Jarrod Washburn from Seattle. 
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.
