By Ron Kaplan, contributor
Joc Pederson struck out as a pinch hitter last night but stayed on to single twice and drive in a run as the LA Dodgers (4-3) beat the Colorado Rockies, 10-6.
Mazel of the weekend: Scott Feldman pitched six shutout innings on Sunday for the Cincinnati Reds (4-2) in an 8-0 win over the host St. Louis Cardinals. Feldman, who had a poor showing as the Reds’ opening day pitcher, allowed just four hits and one walk while striking out six for his first victory of the season.
Honorable mensch-en: Ryan Braun missed Saturday’s game for the Milwaukee Brewers (2-5) with a bad back, but he came back strong on Sunday, making a fine defensive play in the top of the third and following it up with a three-run homer in the bottom of the frame. That accounted far 75 percent of the Brewers’ runs as they lost to the host Chicago Cubs, 7-4.
Ian Kinsler was 4-for-11 with two runs scored and two RBIs this weekend for the Detroit Tigers (3-2), who took two of three from the visiting Boston Red Sox. Is Kinsler working on his post-baseball career?
Kevin Pillar was a combined 3-for-11 as the Toronto Blue Jays (1-5) were swept by the host Tampa Bay Rays. To add insult to insult, Pillar — one of the top glovemen in the Majors — had to watch as the Rays’ Kevin Keiemaeir was presented with the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year award prior to one of the games. On the brighter side, SportsNet predicts Pillar “will flirt with .300 for most of the season.”
Alex Bregman was 2-for-12 as the Houston Astros (4-3) dropped two of three to the host Kansas City Royals.
Danny Valencia was also 2-for-12 for the Seattle Mariners (1-5), who lost all three games against the host LA Angels. The last was particularly ugly: the Mariners held a 9-3 lead going into the bottom of the ninth, only to see the Halos come all the way back for a 10-9 win.
Craig Breslow did not appear for the Minnesota Twins (5-1) over the weekend. Minny won two of their three meetings against the host Chicago White Sox.
Paul Goldschmidt, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ All-Star first baseman, practices Catholicism, but his father is Jewish. He told MLB.com that his paternal grandfather’s family fled Nazi Germany for the United States. “We know our Jewish history and we respect those beliefs,” Goldschmidt said. “We had both sides of it as kids. My dad’s side, my mom’s side. We were exposed to all of it.”
Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and the forthcoming Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.
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