Aug. 31st: Al Leiter shuts down the Marlins and adds his first career triple as the Mets win 6-1 to take over 3rd place in the NL East.

Aug. 30th: Another Blue Jays' loss, this one 5-4 in 11 innings. The Yankees look ready to defend their title again this year.

Aug. 28th: The Blue Jays get shutout 4-0 by the evil Yankees on Sean's birthday - how disappointing. But New York is fun.

Aug. 25th/26th: The Toronto Blue Jays continue their late season quest for the playoffs with two weekend victories over the Orioles in beautiful Camden Yards.

Ripken grounds out

Aug. 23rd: The best minor league game on the trip as former Blue Jay heroes Juan Guzman and Pat Borders are the starting battery for the Durham Bulls. The visiting Norfolk Tides clinch the Southern division championship with a 6-5 win in 10 innings and the game gets the first 10/10 ranking!!!! 

The bull hasn't been hit this season.

Aug. 22nd: Two of the best control pitchers in the National League do battle. Greg Maddux goes 8 strong innings as the Braves rebound and knock off the Padres and Brian Tollberg 6-3. Tollberg now has the longest current streak of innings pitched without a walk at 41. The crowd of 22,787 was the lowest in Turner Field history.  

Aug. 21st: Tony Gwynn is honoured before the game and doesn't play as his Padres beat the Braves 3-1 in 10 innings. 

Aug. 18th: Over to Dunedin to see the same two teams, and sadly the result is the same as Tampa wins 4-2. Even worse, Stubby Clapp is sent back to Memphis.

Aug. 17th: After 4 days with no baseball, we return to Tampa to watch the Tampa Yankees play the Dunedin Blue Jays. We see the final inning of the first game of a twinbill as the Yanks sweep the Jays 7-0 and 6-5.

Aug. 12th: Mike Redmond's inside-the-park home run doesn't stop Houston from bashing 4 dingers of their own in a 10-5 romp over the Marlins. Billy the Marlin's birthday party is ruined by those meanie Astros. 

Billy cries as his Marlins are butchered by the Astros.

Aug. 11th: Florida crushes the Astros 13-5 in the first major league blowout on our trip in over two months. 

Aug. 9th: Roger Clemens is one out from his second loss, but Luis Sojo smacks a 2-run double in the top of the 9th and Mariano Rivera saves the game as the Yankees come back to beat Tampa Bay 4-3. It was worth the 10 hour drive to see this one.

Sojo blasts the game-winner

Aug. 7th: New Orleans' starter Tim Redding pitches no-hit ball for 7 innings, leading the Zephyrs to a 6-3 victory over Calgary.

Aug. 5th: Astros' Ace Wade Miller throws one pitch before getting injured and leaving the game. Expos still lose 4-1. More great defensive plays, but anemic Montreal bats are disappointing.

Aug. 4th: A battle of O's as Roy Oswalt of the 'Stros battles Tomo Ohka of the 'Spos. Both pitchers throw Os for the first 6 innings, including Oswalt having a no-hitter, but Houston explodes for 4 in the 7th and holds on to knock off Montreal 4-1. Two Web Gems as well! What a great game! 

Aug. 3rd: The longest game of the trip! 15 innings in San Antonio as the Missions knock off the Round Rock Express 6-3 after almost 4 hours of baseball. Update: Carlos Hernandez, the Round Rock starter, is called up to Houston and pitches 7 shutout innings against Pittsburgh on August 18th.

Aug. 1st: We made it to Las Cruces through some interesting scenery and weather, more driving tomorrow.

Rainbow along I-10