Early MLB games this week: the final few days

It seems incredible, but it’s true: we’ve reached the final week of the MLB regular season.  Of the eight potential playoff spots, there are probably only two still up for grabs over these last few days.  The Rockies are still in pole position to win the NL Wild Card, but the Braves are catching them fast and could still snatch it from them at the death.  Meanwhile the AL Central is a genuine two-way battle between the Twins and Tigers and they will meet for a four-game series in Detroit, the final game of which is an early encounter on Thursday.

All times are in BST. 

Monday 28 September

17.35. Dodgers @ Pirates – Kuroda (8-6), Duke (10-15)

We start the working week with an early game from PNC Park. With the Dodgers needing just one more win to return to the postseason, the Pirates staged a stunning ninth-inning comeback yesterday to turn a 5-2 deficit into a 6-5 walk-off win.  The Rockies then defeated the Cardinals to leave L.A.’s magic number at one.  Hiroki Kuroda will start for the road team in their quest to get that elusive victory and to start the celebrations, but the Pirates have already showed that they are intent on spoiling the party. 

Tuesday 29 September

There are no early games tomorrow.  At midnight, Tim Hudson makes a start at Turner Field for the Braves against Rick van den Hurk and the Marlins.  Jason Marquis pitches for the Rockies at home to the Brewers (01.40). The Twins-Tigers pitching match-up is Brian Duensing versus Justin Verlander (00.05).

Wednesday 30 September

19.05. Pirates @ Cubs – Morton (4-9), Lilly (12-8)
21.35. Mets @ Nationals – Redding (3-6), Lannan (9-13)

Wednesday brings us two early games from the Senior Circuit.  In both, you have one team who were always going to struggle in 2009 versus a team whose high hopes for the season were extinguished a while ago.  Prior to the season, the Cubs and Mets must have looked at these games as excellent opportunities either to get important late-season wins or to rest a few players with postseason play already secured.  Sadly for their fans, that’s not how things have panned out.

Thursday 1 October

12.35. Cardinals @ Reds – Carpenter (16-4), Maloney (2-4)
18.05. Twins @ Tigers – Baker (14-9), Robertson (2-2)
20.10. Brewers @ Rockies – Parra (11-10), TBD
20.45. D-Backs @ Giants – TBD, Lincecum (14-7)
23.05. Rangers @ Angels – Millwood (12-10), Lackey (11-8)

The final ‘getaway’ Thursday of 2009 takes us directly into the races for the AL Central division and the NL Wild Card.  Scott Baker and Nate Robertson are scheduled to be the starters in Detroit, although the context of the game will be changed greatly if one of the teams has swept the first three games of the series. Colorado will be hoping that this game against the Brewers isn’t the last at Coors Field in 2009.

A seventeenth victory for Chris Carpenter might help him to win the Cy Young Award, taking the place of the ’08 winner Tim Lincecum whose total of a maximum of fifteen wins will probably count against him.

Friday 2 October

19.20. D-Backs @ Cubs – TBD, TBD

Early Friday games from Wrigley are one of the joys of the baseball season for British fans, so it’s fitting that the Cubs are staging a day game on the final Friday of the regular season. 

All the above games can be followed via various resources on MLB.com (Gameday, Gameday Audio and MLB.tv), while ESPN America’s MLB schedule can be found here.