Take 2 Roundup: Games of Mon, 4/21/08

[Proverbial Psalms]

[size=24:9f714cde25][b:9f714cde25]AL EAST RACE HEATS UP[/b:9f714cde25][/size:9f714cde25]
[size=18:9f714cde25]George Bell Helps Toronto Defeat Detroit in 12 Innings [/size:9f714cde25]

<img src="http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/images/baseball/stratomatic/1986/story_photos/george_bell_1_150x220.jpg" align="left" border="1" width="150" height="220" style="margin: 0px 10px;" /> Outfielder George Bell hit a two run home run early... and then shortstop Tony Fernandez hit a two run HR late... leading the Toronto Blue Jays [url=http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/1986/scores/boxscore.php?id=1950][u:9f714cde25]to a 5-3 victory[/u:9f714cde25][/url] over the Detroit Tigers.

Detroit's loss, combined with the N.Y. Yankees [url=http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/1986/scores/boxscore.php?id=1949][u:9f714cde25]10-4 victory over the Orioles[/u:9f714cde25][/url] knocked the Tigers out of first place in the AL East. The Yankees now lead the division by 1 game over Detroit.

While Toronto's ever faithful fans have come to expect clutch home runs from George Bell (30 HR on the season), the 12th inning home run by Tony Fernandez (his 8th of the year) was more of a surprise... and a pleasant one at that.

Toronto is now just 3 games behind New York.

[b:9f714cde25]NL EAST UPDATE...[/b:9f714cde25] The St. Louis Cardinals moved back into sole possession of first place in the NL East by [url=http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/1986/scores/boxscore.php?id=1943][u:9f714cde25]defeating the Mets 2-1[/u:9f714cde25][/url]. Platoon catcher Ron Karkovice's two run double in the 2nd inning was all the offense St. Louis needed, as the Cardinals bullpen shut out the Mets over 8 innings (St. Louis starter Bob Forsch left the game with an injury after pitching just one inning).

[b:9f714cde25]NL WEST UPDATE...[/b:9f714cde25] The San Diego Padres climbed back to within 2 games of the Houston Astros in the AL West playoff race. San Diego got a one hitter from Neal Heaton to [url=http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/1986/scores/boxscore.php?id=1947][u:9f714cde25]beat the Braves 11-0[/u:9f714cde25][/url], sending Atlanta to their 10th straight loss. [url=http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/1986/scores/boxscore.php?id=1948][u:9f714cde25]Houston lost 1-0[/u:9f714cde25][/url] to the Dodgers... as Dennis Powell tossed his 2nd consecutive shutout, a 2 hitter that followed a 3 hitter his last time out.

[i:9f714cde25]photo: SN Archives[/i:9f714cde25]