Take 2 Roundup: Games of Sat, 3/8/08

[bernieh]

[size=24:5b2e27cc36][b:5b2e27cc36]ARRRRRRRRR[/b:5b2e27cc36][/size:5b2e27cc36]
[size=18:5b2e27cc36]1st Place Cards Send Pirates to 8th Straight Loss[/size:5b2e27cc36]

<img src="http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/images/baseball/stratomatic/1986/story_photos/osmith_wmcgee_150x221.jpg" align="left" border="1" width="150" height="221" style="margin-right: 10px;" /> The surging St. Louis Cardinals took sole possession of 1st place in the NL East (again), with a [url=http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/1986/scores/boxscore.php?id=1426]7-1 win over the Pirates[/url] on Saturday night - their 4th straight win in as many games. The Mets are on an extended losing streak (again), [url=http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/1986/scores/boxscore.php?id=1424]dropping their 6th straight[/url], and frankly, this pennant race is making us motion sick.

Besides the fact that the loss was the Pirates' 8th straight defeat, the other notable turn of events was that the [b:5b2e27cc36]Philadelphia Phillies[/b:5b2e27cc36] suddenly find themselves tied with Pittsburgh for 3rd place, a mere 5 games back of St. Louis. A quick glance at the Phillies' strong run differential tells us that their sub-.500 record (54-56) is rather deceiving; this team is for real. Well at least as real as any team in the NL East can be.

[b:5b2e27cc36]Meanwhile, Wade Boggs[/b:5b2e27cc36] swatted his 8th homer of the year, and Oil Can Boyd went the distance for his 10th win, as the resurgent [url=http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/1986/scores/boxscore.php?id=1432]Red Sox beat the slumping Tigers, 6-2[/url]. Now that Boston is finally above .500 (56-54), it can finally talk about making some noise in the still wide-open AL East.

[i:5b2e27cc36]photo: SN Archives[/i:5b2e27cc36]