Early Removal, a Cycle, and Offensive Juggernauts

PITCHING
Usually, a pitcher has given up a fair number of hits and runs when they get removed after having thrown just 78 pitches. That was not the case for Shaun Marcum in the TAM/TOR game yesterday:

              IP    H   R   ER  BB  K   HR
S. Marcum     6.0   0   0   0   3   7   0

Not only was Marcum removed just 78 pitches into his start without having given up any runs, he also had a no-hitter going. The no-hitter, and the win, were given up by the bullpen.

FIELDING
I'm filing this little nugget under fielding because it shows a surprising lack of the skill by Johnny Estrada in yesterday's MIL/NYM game:

SB - D Wright 3 (7, 2nd base off C Capuano/J Estrada,
                       2nd base off C Villanueva/J Estrada,
                       3rd base off C Villanueva/J Estrada),
        J Reyes (21, 2nd base off C Capuano/J Estrada),
        C Gomez (1, 2nd base off E Dessens/J Estrada).

This is likely not all Estrada's fault, but you have to figure it was a frustrating game for him.

HITTING
I'm sure most hitters in the National League look forward to their annual trips to Coors Field, but the Giants have to be counting down the days until their next series in Colorado following yesterday's offensive juggernaut. Every starter, including the pitcher, not only had a hit, but they also scored a run. Let me say that again: EVERY starter for the Giants had a hit AND a run scored.

Not too surprisingly, that led to the first cycle recorded on this blog:

                AB  R   H  RBI  BB  K  LOB
F. Lewis cf     6   3   5   4   0   1   2

2B - F Lewis (1, T Buchholz)
3B - F Lewis (1, T Martin)
HR - F Lewis (1, 4th inning off T Buchholz 2 on, 2 Out)

Contrary to the fact that today saw Lewis' first double, triple, and home run of the season, it was not his first game of the season. It was his third. It was also the 16th game of his career, in which he had just 20 plate appearances before yesterday.

A lot of players go an entire career without hitting for the cycle and Lewis did it in just his 16th career game.

On a related note, the Twins had their offensive juggernaut on display last night when they put up 22 hits and 16 runs in the DET/MIN game. Every player, including the two pinch hitters, had a hit, but Nick Punto failed to join the rest of the team in scoring a run and matching the Giants. Torii Hunter had an amazing 7 RBI on just 3 hits.