In an intracity battle in Chicago on Monday night, White Sox starter Jose Quintana saw his no-hit bid foiled by none other than Cubs hurler Jeff Samardzija, who ripped a double off Quintana to begin the sixth inning.
MLB news: Jeff Samardzija ruins Jose Quintana’s no-hitter, Max Scherzer dominates Astros, Braves lose again
Jeff Samardzija plays the role of no-hit spoiler against Jose Quintana, Max Scherzer torments a woeful Astros offense, and the Braves lose for the seventh straight game. Elsewhere, Troy Tulowitzki keeps on hitting for the Rockies.
Denis Poroy
Samardzija’s double would be the only hit Quintana allowed all outing, as he shut out the Cubs over seven innings of work, dropping his ERA to 3.56 in his seventh start this season.
The strong outing must have been a positive for Quintana, though seeing his no-hit bid broken up by a career .108/.150/.165 hitter had to be a bit frustrating. Samardzija, for his part, doesn’t have any exceptional, Ankiel-esque skills at the plate, but he kept the Cubs from suffering a humbling night on offense regardless.
Scherzer dominates Astros
In a matchup with the lowly Astros, Max Scherzer pitched about as well as you would expect, shutting Houston out over eight innings on Monday night in Detroit's 2-0 victory.
The reigning AL Cy Young winner struck out nine Astros hitters and walked just one, while allowing only three hits. Dating back to 2013, Scherzer has a 2.35 ERA against Houston to go along with 24 strikeouts to six walks in three starts.
Scherzer has picked up right where he left off last season. The 29-year-old has a 2.09 ERA and 2.69 FIP in 39 innings pitched and has struck out more than 4.5 as many batters as he's walked. Astros starter Jarred Cosart did his best to keep up with Scherzer, allowing four hits and just an unearned run over seven innings. Though he did add a little extra something to the ball.
Considering his tremendous 2013 campaign and strong start to this season, it's safe to say that Scherzer is in for a big payday next offseason when he becomes a free agent. Scherzer already turned down a reported six-year, $144 million extension from the Tigers this past winter.
Braves lose seventh straight
Just a week ago, the Braves were the toast of Major League Baseball after beginning the season 17-7 behind a strong start from their rotation. Seven straight losses, including back-to-back sweeps versus the Marlins and Giants, have seen Atlanta fall back to earth, and the losing streak continued Monday with the club's 4-3 loss to St. Louis.
The Braves have been outscored 36-13 over this stretch, and their offensive woes are beginning to grow increasingly conspicuous. Atlanta ranks 29th in baseball in runs scored (102), 27th in team OBP (.294), and 19th in slugging percentage (.378).
Despite all the injuries to their pitching staff this season, it’s Atlanta’s offense that has been the driving force behind their recent struggles.
With the Braves dropping back to the pack, the NL East is now quite the crowded division as Atlanta and Washington are tied for first place and the Phillies sit just 1.5 games back in fifth place.
Tulowtizki sparks strong Rockies offense
Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki has always hit when healthy, a trend that’s continued early this season. The 29-year-old shortstop belted two more home runs in Colorado’s 8-2 win over the Rangers on Monday, bringing his season tally to nine.
Tulowitzki is batting .408/.512/.786 so far in 2014 and has already compiled an MLB-leading 2.6 WAR through 30 games. Even crazier, Tulowitzki has 28 hits in 49 at-bats in Coors Field this season, good for a .571 average. Nolan Arenado also added a home run, his sixth of the season as he continues to build a solid resume for the NL Rookie of the Year award.
Both Tulowitzki and Arenado have been a big part of Colorado’s strong offense to begin the 2014 campaign. The Rockies lead MLB in home runs (44), runs (186), OBP (.346), and slugging percentage (.486).
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