Oye Como Va! Twice The Santana Means Twice The Fun

Please do not confuse Johan Alexander Santana Araque, pitcher for the Mets, with Ervin Ramon Santana, pitcher for the Angels. One is from Venezuela (chief exports: Petroleum, bauxite and aluminum) and one is from the Dominican Republic (predominant religion: Roman Catholicism). Unfortunately, we are well-supplied with Santanas on the east and west coasts, but there are none for the vast middle of our nation. Hopefully we can rectify that soon. On Tuesday, Ervin Santana threw a three-hitter as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (California, U.S., planet Earth) took a 3-2 win over Detroit. Meanwhile, The Johan struck out seven over seven innings as the Mets garnered a much-needed 5-3 victory over Florida.

And I just saw Carlos Santana last week at the Fillmore.

E. Santana shook off Miguel Cabrera's two-run homer in the second, and the Angels won it on Gary Matthews Jr's run-scoring single with two out in the ninth. Meanwhile, Willie Randolph lived to see another day as Fernando Tatis and Ramon Castro each had two run-scoring singles for New York, which won for the second time in nine games. But, can anyone tell me why they played in Baltimore?

• And If That's Too Soon, You Can Make It A Minute-And-A-Huff. Oh what a night. Tuesday's Yankees-Orioles game featured nine home runs, 12 pitchers and a 67-minute rain delay, which is always fun. It ended predictably, though, as Aubrey Huff doubled in the 11th to make it 9-9,, then scored the winning run on Alex Cintron's single. Baltimore came back from deficits of 4-0 and 8-4, making steam shoot from Hank Steinbrenner's ears in comical, cartoon-like fashion.

• Tim The Enchanter. In case you didn't know, Tim Lincecum is 7-1, 3-0 over his past four starts, after getting the win in the Giants's 6-3 victory over Arizona. Bengie Molina and Jose Castillo had homers for El Gigantes.

• M-M-M-My Kuroda. Sean Gallagher got the win and Aramis Ramirez and Kosuke Fukudome had run-scoring hits in a three-run seventh to lead the Cubs over the Dodgers 3-1. Hiroki Kuroda (2-4), who was Alfonso Soriano's teammate with the Hiroshima Carp in 1997, took the loss, although he left with a 1-0 lead.

• Mets Geek Changes Name To Rays Geek. Hey wait, can they do that? Because their chosen team "sucks," as they put it, popular New York Mets blog Mets Geek has changed its name to Rays Geek, and will now follow the Tampa Bay Rays. This has to be a first, doesn't it? Peculiar, especially since they've decided to keep their old logo, Mr. Met.

• Wizard Cat Defensive Player Of The Day. Brian Roberts, Guillermo Quiroz, Baltimore Orioles. It's common knowledge that Wizard Cat loves the 4-2-5 double play almost as much as he loves Little Friskies Seafood Sensations®. And all the better when it comes against A-Rod. And when it occurs with nobody out in the 11th? Just pure magic. Wizard Cat gives this play: Four wands.

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