Boomer's Diamond Note: The Stretch Run of the Season

The longest game of the MLB season (19 innings!)

Deja Vu, for the Pirates was avoided. A season ago, the Pirates dropped a 19-inning game to the Atlanta Braves, and never seemed to recover from it the rest of the season. On Sunday, again the Pirates faced the same situation. However, this season has been a little different, as the Pirates prevailed 6 to 3 over the St. Louis Cardinals in the longest game of the 2012 MLB season (19-innings). Like last year, we will see where the Pirates will go the rest of the season after taking the W in this 19-inning game. Seven weeks, till Oct. 1st, the end of the regular season for baseball. As we enter into the "stretch run" of the season, plenty of storylines (who's grabbing those extra wild card spots this season) and fairytales (Pirates finally having a winning season for the 1st time in 20 years!) will unfolded over the last month or so of the season, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it all plays out. Updated MLB Standings

News & Notes

• ESPN MLB Homepage
• MLB Frontpage

Hot Teams

• Rays (5 straight W's, 8-2 last 10)
• Rangers (3-game winning streak)
• Mariners (6 straight W's, 8-2 last 10)
• Phillies (3-game winning streak)

Cold Teams

• Blue Jays (3-7 last 10)
• Indians (6-game losing streak, 2-8 last 10)
• Twins (2-8 last 10)
• Angels (4 straight L's, 3-7 last 10)
• Astros (4 straight L's)

Clubhouse Chat

Cleveland Indians (54-68, 12.5 GB of 1st place in the AL Central)

• Swept by Oakland over the weekend, dropped their 1st to the Mariners last night (6 straight L's).
• The Tribes 638 RA is the 2nd worst in the MLB, only ahead of the Colorado Rockies (682).
• Whats the over/under this team reaches 70 wins by seasons end?

Cincinnati Reds (74-49, 6.5 game lead in the NL Central; 2.5 GB of ML-leading Nationals)

• Following a 5-2 record at home this past week, Redlegs dropped the 1st of 4 games in Philly.
• Huge 3-game series this weekend in the Queen City vs. the Cardinals (statement series).
• The question is still to be asked, "When will we see the return of Joey Votto?".

(Cut to the 8 min mark, this is what its all about!)