Nothing changed today in the NL Central as the Cubs, Cardinals and Astros all lost. The Cubs' Mark Prior had a rare poor outing (for him) and fell to 15-6 for the year. The Cubs loss keeps them one game back of the Astros with the Cardinals a game and a half further back. Sixteen days to go and the race is still on!

The Marlins had the night off but the Phillies are trudging on playing the Braves. Pitching tonight for the Braves was Greg Maddux who, after a dreadful start to his season, had improved his record to 14-10 and his ERA to under four.

But the Phillies pounced all over him for seven earned runs on twelve hits in just three plus innings. The Phillies remain on top 8-2 in the eighth inning.

Both Roy Halliday and Esteban Loaiza went for their twentieth wins tonight. Halliday was successful as he and the Blue Jays beat the Devil Rays, 3-1. Esteban pitched well but was out-pitched by Brad Radke as the Twins not only denied Loaiza his twentieth win but knocked the White Sox back to a tie in the AL Central.

Halliday is still my pick for the AL Cy Young. While Loiaza is 19-7 with a lower ERA than Halliday, keep in mind that Halliday pitches all his home games on fake turf. That fact alone wins the Cy Young award to Halliday.

Radke pitched his one brilliant game of the year. He always has one brilliant game to remind you of the false impression that he is one of the best talents in baseball. The truth is that like Kerry Wood, he's a lifetime .500 pitcher. The Fan always hears about Radke and Wood's tools, but talent alone doesn't win the game.

And finally, my man, Roger Clemens won his fourteenth game tonight against the Tigers. At 14-9, Clemens won his 307th game and guaranteed himself his eighteenth winning season with only two losing seasons. We have less than a month to watch a legend.