Happening Elsewhere: Lucky Number Seven for Reds, Hunter, Fowler

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Happening Elsewhere is your daily reminder that there is, in fact, a wide world of sports occurring outside the City of Brotherly Love. So we hear, anyway.

If you could tear yourself away from the Phillies SHMingly dropping their third game to the Pirates--yes, those Pirates--in four tries, you would have noticed some impressive displays of number-counting prowess going on around the league. Specifically, there was a whole bunch of crap going on with the number seven. I guess it would have been cooler if all these dudes had statistical accomplishments working with four--it being the 4th of July and all--but hey, July's the seventh month of the year, no? We can work with that.

The Cincinnati Reds were up first, going yard seven times in their day 14-3 win against the Cubs, four of 'em coming against the normally reliable Chi hurler Ted Lilly. Three of 'em belonged to second-year center fielder Drew Stubbs (11), and Stubbs was joined by all-star Brandon Phillips (11), Jonny Gomes (10), Paul Janish (2) and Corky Miller (really? Corky Miller? 1) in the Longball Club. Since taking two of three from the Phils, the Reds have won three of four four in Chicago--by a combined score of 30-8. Yeah, I'm impressed. 

Showing similar dominance at the plate was the Los Angeles Angels center fielder Torii Hunter, recently announced to be the only Halo representative at the 2010 All-Star Game in Anaheim. Hunter went 3-4 with two home runs and a staggering seven RBIs in front of a national ESPN audience in the Angels' 11-0 win over the Kansas City Royals. "I don't think there's much arguing what Torii means to our organization," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia. "He's having an MVP-type season." (.294, 14 HRs, .899 OPS? Ehh...if you say so, Mike.) FTR, the Angel player with the biggest All-Star Snub beef = starter Jered Weaver, (8-3, 2.82) who leads the entire league with 124 strikeouts, 
Getting less pub than the first two, but having just a noteworthy day at the bat was Colorado Rockies center fielder Dexter Fowler. (Good day for CFs in general, I suppose.) The Rox endured 15 grueling innings of an inter-division battle with the San Francisco Giants before first baseman Todd Helton finally ended things with a sac fly off the game's 16th pitcher, Guillermo Mota. It was no fault of Fowler's however, as he did what every good leadoff hitter's supposed to do--he got on base early and often, notching two triples, a single and four walks for seven total times on base. Fowler's early offensive struggles had seen the speedy young'n optioned to triple A a few months ago (MUCH TO THE DISMAY OF HIS FANTASY OWNERS), but he's gone 10-24 with nine walks and eight runs since being recalled to the majors. I guess this is now an official welcome back, Dex. 
As for the Phillies, well, starter Joe Blanton struck out seven guys. That's...almost noteworthy. 

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