some observations, including #70

Here are some of the highlights from the last few days while I have been busy and away from the computer....

Monday in Toronto, Randy Ruiz had 3 hits, including his 4th home run for the Blue Jays, in Toronto's 12-7 defeat at the hands of the Tampa Rays. Randy is up to .348 for the Jays!!

Also Monday, in New York, Ryan Howard had the 21st multi-home run game of his great career, belting his 33rd and 34th homers of the year, driving in 5 runs in the Phillies 6-2 win over the Mets. Ryan now has 104 RBI, breaking to 100 mark each year he has played the whole season for the Phillies. The 05 rookie of the year, and 06 MVP has 211 home runs and 603 RBI in about 4 and a half seasons!

The BlueClaws started their road trip on the right foot, pounding the Suns in Hagerstown Tuesday, 8-0. Jesus Sanchez won his 10th game, throwing 7 strong innings, allowing just 5 hits and 1 walk, with Ryan Bergh and Santo Hernandez chipping in a scoreless frame each. Anthony Gose and Troy Hanzawa had 3 hits each for the BlueClaws with Gose stealing base #70, incresing his team record. Travis d'Arnuad added 3 RBI, upping his team leading total to 66, and Jim Murphy (who hit 2 home runs Monday) and Vladimir De Los Santos (3 RBI) had 2 hits each as the 'Claws broke out a 14-hit attack!

Lakewood has also added left handed hitting outfielder Brian Gump, who had a hit and 2 walks in his debut. Gump was at the GCL, after being drafted in the 26th round out of UC-Santa Barbara in June of this year.

The Reading Phillies came up with 5 in the bottom of the 8th inning Tuesday, to snatch an 8-5 win over Erie and take a 1.5 game lead in the race for the final playoff spot. Quintin Berry had a big, 2-RBI single in the rally and Mike Spidale also dove in a run as the R-Phils came from behind 5-3 to post the victory. Spidale and Domonic Brown had 2 hits each in the game for Reading, and Scott Mathieson was the beneficiary of the rally, posting his 2nd win.

In Indianapolis, the Indians rallied for 3 in the bottom of the 9th to beat the Columbus Clippers, 8-7. Jesus Merchan had 3 hits for the Clippers. In salt Lake City, Kevin Howard had an RBI-double and scored twice as the Las Vegas 51s beat the Bees, 11-6. Howard is hitting .304 with 54 RBI this season.