2012 Fantasy Baseball Daily Fix: Humber gets rocked & a bad day for closers
Heath Bell, one of the most consistent closer in recent years, had one of his worst performances when he walked four batters and gave up a hit to allow two runs in the ninth inning of a 3-2 loss to the Mets. Bell may need some time to get over that game both mentally and physically after throwing 46 pitches while watching his ERA rise to 9.53.
Jordan Walden is almost at that same mark after giving up a two-run, walk-off homer to Brandon Allen in Tampa's 4-3 win over Anaheim. Walden gave up a hit and a homer to watch his ERA rise to 8.31.
Cincinnati's Sean Marshall took over as the closer when Ryan Madsen suffered a season-ending injury and he gave up a three-run homer to Angel Pagan in the ninth inning to blow a 6-5 loss for the Reds. Marshall gave up three hits and a walk while pushing his ERA to 6.14.
The most impressive ninth-inning pitching came from an unexpected source when Baltimore's Luis Ayala picked up his first save with his ninth scoreless inning on the season. He could be an interesting pickup with regular closer Jim Johnson in the hospital with a bacterial infection and out indefinitely.
Seattle's Brandon League gave up two hits in the ninth, but saved a 5-4 win over Detroit for his seventh save. Jonathan Broxton got his second save for Kansas City much to the relief of his fantasy owners hoping he can keep that role and Huston Street got a save for the Padres.
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Some young pitchers who have struggled this year got things turned around as Baltimore's Brian Matusz tossed six scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 5.66 while Matt Moore of Tampa Bay gave up two runs in 5 2/3. It was a different story for Detroit's Rick Porcello, who gave up five runs in 6 2/3 to Seattle, and Josh Tomlin, who gave up four runs in 4 2/3 innings.
If you picked up Philip Humber after the perfect game, you were too late. He gave up nine runs in five innings against Boston.
Ricky Nolasco gave up one run in seven innings and Jon Niese gave up two in seven innings, but neither factored in the decision. It was a similar story in San Diego where Edinson Volquez gave up one run in seven innings and Edwin Jackson threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings, but neither got a decision.
Your offensive fantasy stud of the day was Boston catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who had a pair of homers. Kevin Youkilis had three hits and four RBIs for the Red Sox.
Adam Jones went 2-for-4 with his sixth home run to raise his average to .316 and teammate Nick Markakis was 3-for-4. Jay Bruce had three hits and a homer while Mark Trumbo had two hits and a homer. There were signs of life from Brandon Belt, who took advantage of a start to get two hits.
Kirk Nieuwenhuis should continue to be a hot pick-up after getting three hits to raise his average to .333.
And Albert Pujols broke his longest hitless streak at 21 at-bats with a single, but still no homer this season for Pujols.
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