[ayaghmour2]

July 26th, 2022: Zach Davies (8-6, 4.51 ERA, 1.40 WHIP) jumped up a spot to face former teammate Jordan Montgomery (7-7, 3.43 ERA, 1.09 WHIP) in the opener. We gave him a huge ovation in his return to a sold out Marlins Stadium. We tried to let him win, and after 6 scoreless we allowed 2 in the 7th and 4 in the 8th to fall behind 6-2. Luckily, we scored 5 runs in the 9th and walked off with a Ryan Mountcastle single.

Montgomery pitched well, just 2 runs in 7 innings off 6 hits and 6 strikeouts. Victor Arano allowed 4 runs, walking 3 and allowing a grand slam to Jesse Winker with two outs. Yasukazu Shiotani got the win with a perfect 9th.

While Mountcastle might have been the hero, Keston Hiura had a great game as well. He was 3-for-5 with a base clearing double, and he scored twixe. Mountcastle did triple as well and was 2-for-5. Andrelton Simmons was 2-for-2 with a run scored and a double. Brendan Rodgers was 2-for-5 with a run scored and one driven in.

July 27th, 2022: The Padres will be without RP Pedro Strop for the year. At 55-48, they're 6 games out of the 2nd Wild Card and cna't afford any major losses.

Bobby Stiles (1-3, 6.47 ERA, 1.44 WHIP) started today, and A.J. Puckett (8-4, 3.28 ERA, 1.19 WHIP) got the start for us. I still can't believe we claimed him off waivers, as he's been amazing since joining the pitching staff. But the Reds bested us 4-2 with more late inning runs.

Puckett alowed just an unearned run in 6 innings after an Andrelton Simmons error. He allowed 6 hits, 2 walks, and struck out 4. Joe Jimenez allowed a run off 2 hits in the 7th, and Tanner Rainey allowed 2 runs off 2 hits in the 8th. Bobby Stiles threw 131 pitches in his complete game with a pair of unearned runs. 131! That's insane! That's a full 1980's work out.

Keston Hiura was 2-for-3 with a RBI and a walk. Brendan Rodgers also doubled, and scored both runs.

July 28th, 2022: The Braves got awful news, as they'd be without ace Sean Newcomb for the rest of the year with a tron labrum. he was 6-3 with a 2.93 ERA with 112 strikeouts in 113.2 innings, as his season ends today.

We looked to win the series with Tyler Mahle (6-5, 3.48 ERA, 1.03 WHIP) facing the team that traded him and Hunter Greene (6-6, 4.09 ERA, 1.24 WHIP). It took 10 innings, but we were still shutout 2-0...

But that's not the worst of it...

Tyler Mahle left after 3.2 innings with an injury, as I crossed my fingers and prayed...

Tanner Rainey struck out the side in the 6th inning. Yasukazu Shiotani got the loss, allowing 2 runs in his 2nd inning of work off 4 hits after striking out 3.

Christian Bethancourt did all he could, 2-for-3 with a double and a wlak. Scott Kingery was 1-for-4 with a double. Keston Hiura was 2-for-4. But we couldn't score, and now we could be down a starter...

Next is Arizona for four, as we took on the 55-51 D'Backs. At 61-44, we're 5 out of first, but have a 4.5 game lead over Colorado for the 2nd Wild Card. We'd see Jhoan Duran (6-6, 5.30 ERA), Taijuan Walker (9-8, 4.15 ERA), Yency Almonte (9-5, 4.92 ERA), and Brian Johnson (2-3, 5.07 ERA) as we approached the deadline.

July 29th, 2022: Walker Buehler (10-5, 2.57 ERA, 1.05 WHIP) opened the series against Duran (6-6, 5.30 ERA, 1.46 WHIP) as we looked to bounce back. We shut the snakes out 4-0 in a strikeout expedition.

Buehler struck out 13 in 6 innings and won his 11th game of the year. He allowed just 2 hits and a walk. Koda Glvoer, Victor Arano, and Tyler Jay had an inning a piece with 2 strikeouts. Arano was the only one to not allow a hit, the other two allowed 1 each.

Keston Hiura was 2-for-3 with a sac fly and a pair of RBI's as his average is approaching .300. Ryan Mountcastle was 2-for-4 with a run scored, a double, and an RBI. Lewis Brinson left with a sore knee, and Carlos Soler was 2-for-2 with a double, walk and run scored. Brinson was 1-for-1 and scored before leaving, so the leadff spot was perfect. Brinson will just miss a handfull of games.

July 30th, 2022: The Red Sox lost RHP Travis Lakins for the year with a torn meniscus. It occured in his first big league start of the season, where he allowed 6 hits and 4 runs in 2.1 innings.

Jameson Taillon (8-7, 2.19 ERA, 1.13 WHIP) took on Taijuan Walker (9-8, 4.15 ERA, 1.24 WHIP) in the second of four. I gave Brinson the day off in favor of Soler. Late runs killed us again, and we fell 7-5.

Taillon allowed just 3 in 5.1 innings off 8 hits, a walk, and 4 strikeouts. Koda Glover pitched 1.2 perfect innings and got a hold. Arano allowed 2 runs in the 8th and Shiotani took the loss with 2 in the 9th.

Keston Hiura pushed his average to .302 with a 3-for-4 game. He scored twice and doubled, but also committed an error.Ryan Mountcastle launched a 2-run homer off Walker in the 4th and was 1-for-4. Carlos Soler was 2-for-4 with a solo shot and Dustin Fowler was 2-for-5 with a solo shot.

Down in A- Batavia, 18-year-old Luis Puerta was 5-for-5 in a 9-5 loss to Vermont. He's hitting .431 against significantly older competition in 51 at bats.

Dinelson Lamet tossed a 3-hit shutout as the Padres got closer to us with a 9-0 win over the Pirates.

July 31st, 2022: So the worst news came, Mahle tore his ulnar collateral ligament and will miss 13 months. I have a solid replacement in Joe Labrie down in AAA, and he'll replace him in the rotaiton. The former Atlanta 1st rounder is rated as a 2.5/3.5 and has a bit of big league experience. It wasn't worth guting the farm for a temporary replacement when I had a good option in LaBrie.

The A's made two deadline deals, sending RHP Alex Lange to the Braves for LF Dustin Peterson. It's a steal for the Braves, as Lange, a former Marlin, is way better. He's, I'm assuming, the Newcomb replacement. They also sent RF Skye Bolt and RHP Angel Ozuna to the Rangers for RHP Ariel Jurado, in what looks like a good deal for the A's. Neither prospect is worth much, especially the 28-year-old Bolt.

We finished July with Jordan Montgomery (7-7, 3.38 ERA, 1.08 WHIP) facing Yency Almonte (9-5, 4.92 ERA, 1.48 WHIP). I gave Brinson another day off. We ended the month strong with a 6-2 victory.

Montgomery allowed just 2 runs (1 earned) in 5 innings off 7 hits, a walk, and 4 strikeouts. Tanner Rainey and Joe Jimenez earned holds and Shiotani got the save. Art Warrent finally made his Malrins debut, 1.1 innings with 2 walks and a strikeout. The error was charged to Mountcastle

Brendan Rodgers was 2-for-4 with a run scored and 2 RBI's as well as a homer. Keston Hiura was 2-for-4 with solo homer in the 1st. Dustin Fowler also hit a solo homer, and finished 2-for-4 with 2 total runs scored. The pitcher Montgomery was 1-for-2 with a pair of RBI's.

The Yankees SP Zack Littell tossed a 4-hit shut out in a 12-0 win over the Rangers.

August 1st, 2022: We started August with the news that 1B Seth Beer won American Confrence Batter of the Month. He hit .357 with 4 HR's, 18 RBI's, and 22 runs scored.

We're also now down to 7th in the Power Rankings, with the Braves at #1. They are tied with the Mets in 1st, 4.5 games ahead of us.

A.J. Puckett (8-4, 3.12 ERA, 1.20 WHIP) got the 1st strart of August against former Marlin Brian Johnson (2-3, 5.07 ERA, 1.47 WHIP). Lewis Brinson was back in the lineup and hit 4th. It was a classic pitcher's duel that we won 2-1.

Puck was brilliant, no walks and just 4 hits with a single run in 7 innings. He struck out 7 hitters as well. Joe Jimenez got a hold, and Tanner Rainey a save.

Keston Hiura kept up his hot streak, doubling twice in four at bats with a RBI. Andrelton Simmons was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Hiura drove in Kingery and Simmons drove in Marwin Gonzalez.

Another former Marlin, Zack Godley, tossed a 5-0 shutout as the Yankees have shut the Rangers out in consecutive days.

We've lessened the gap to 3.5 and sit at 64-45, with a 5.5 game lead over San Diego and Colorado. We're off to the Mets, as the tired team will face one of the best in the league for a tough series. We'd face Chris Sale (5-4, 3.80 ERA), Luis Marrero (6-1, 2.23 ERA), and Jacob deGrom (13-5, 3.25 ERA) as we trudge through the Dog Days of August.