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Greinke's scoreless streak reached 43 innings before he finally allowed a run Wednesday against Toronto. Still, through five starts, he is 5-0 with a 0.50 ERA and 44 strikeouts. Look out, though. He's Sports Illustrated's cover boy this week, the first Royals player so honored in-season since Bo Jackson in 1989.
Brewers : RHP Yovani Gallardo
Gallardo did something few pitchers ever have done when he won a 1-0 game by hitting a home run to beat Pittsburgh on Wednesday. He became only the third pitcher in major-league history to win, 1-0, hit a home run and strike out at least 10 hitters. The Yankees' Red Ruffing (1932) and the White Sox's Early Wynn (1959) were the others.
WEEK AHEAD
Monday-Tuesday: Red Sox at Yankees. New York was swept in Boston.
Monday-Tuesday: Phillies at Cardinals. St. Louis off to big start.
Wednesday-Thursday: Phillies at Mets. Philly sluggers test spacious Citi Field.
Friday-Sunday: Rays at Red Sox. Rematch of 2008 ALCS.
Brewers THIS WEEK
Some intraleague games get picked off the schedule to allow for interleague play, so the Brewers have an unusual four-game trip to Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, playing twice in both cities. Then, it's right back home to play the Cubs at home for the second time this young season. Weird, huh?
DID YOU KNOW?
San Diego first baseman Adrian Gonzalez stole his first base in 558 career games Tuesday night, against Colorado left-hander Jorge De La Rosa. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no active everyday player had gone that many games before swiping his first base.
The last former player to go that many games before steal No. 1 was Darrin Fletcher, who went 658 games from 1989-'97.
YOU FIGURE IT OUT
Russell Branyan, pegged as a utility player throughout his career because of his propensity for striking out, is thriving as Seattle's regular first baseman.
In fact, Branyan produced his first career five-hit game Tuesday night against the Chicago White Sox. Branyan caught general manager Jack Zduriencik's eye when both were in Milwaukee, and Zduriencik decided to give the left-handed slugger a chance to prove he could play every day.
"I've never been given a shot to really play this game on an everyday basis and what's happened this year is really a first go-round for me," said Branyan, 33. "Being confident and knowing that each day I come in to the ballpark, I'll be in the lineup and have a chance at four at-bats."
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