Great Success!

No analysis, questions, nitpicking, scenarios, or solutions here. I'd just like to put all of my endless speculating (and bitching) aside for one night and give a pat on the back to all my boys. The Cardinals won their second straight over the Pirates 5-3 on the back of Kip Wells' first good outing in forever (7 innings, 2 runs) a five-out save from a rejuvenated Isringhausen, and home runs from Chris Duncan (well, of course, he's the team leader) Jim Edmonds (!) and David Eckstein (!!). The Birdies try to sweep the Buccos tomorrow with Tom Gorzelanny vs. Braden Looper, who believe it or not has started off quite well this year. Go Cards!

The Rockies also won their second straight, clinching a road series win over the D-backs. Jeff Francis continued his recent run of brilliant pitching, going 7 shutout innings and NOT getting yanked by Hurdle (what a thought). Manny Corpas and Brian Fuentes did their thing, and Ryan Spilborghs, in his first start of the season, made the most of it, knocking in both Rockies runs for a 2-0 final. Sad (and illuminating) fact: In 5 at-bats this year, Spilborghs has 3 RBI, and this is more than Steve Finley has all season. And we're not giving the grizzled veteran (translation: should have retired two years ago) his walking papers why?

Ah, no complaining. I'm happy. The Rockies next head into a weekend series with the resurgent Giants, where they will have to face Matt Cain, Matt Morris, and Noah Lowry, three straight tough assignments; only Cain has an ERA over 3 and even then by not a great margin. The Rockies really will have to discover the thunder in their bats to win a second straight road series before coming home for 10 to face the Cards, Reds, and Astros. They'll also have to start playing better at Coors, where they are 10-13. Hopefully they can finally get something going, as that would be fun. It's painful to be addicted to this team, but I really am. Go Rockies!

The A's managed to avoid the sweep after inadvertently waking the sleeping dragon known as the White Sox offense and getting their behinds served to them on platters the past two games. Hiram Bocachica (!) hit a two-run homer to back a stellar start from Chad Gaudin (7.1 shutout innings) and the bullpen didn't crumble when faced with a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the eighth. The A's nipped the Sox 4-0 and head to Baltimore next, where they'll open a series with the Orioles on Friday. AL ERA leader and staff ace Danny Haren faces off against Baltimore ace Erik Bedard. Baltimore has scuffled this year, posting a 21-25 record, but the A's have been playing a season-long game of tag with .500, currently sitting on a 23-23 record. The [censored] Angels will just not lose (although they did tonight despite Jose Mesa's best efforts to the contrary. How does that man still have a job? Honestly). Half the A's are on the DL, no exaggeration, so by the time they get their A-team back (pun intended) it may be too late... Oh well. No bitching in this post. Go A's!