NEWBERG REPORT PLUS -- May 1, 2008

Sidney Ponson last won a big league game on May 1, 2007, one year ago today.

Since that date, Zack Greinke has gone 9-4, 2.76.

And yet, today, Sir Sidney was better.  He fired eight brilliant innings, scattering six singles and two walks, punching out five and inducing a pair of double plays.  Working swiftly and efficiently (a tidy 108 pitches), Ponson earned the 2-1 victory on the anniversary of his last.

If this were a hockey game, the Aruba native would have skated out as the game's number one star, flanked by Ramon Vazquez, whose single and decisive sixth-inning home run made him a lifetime 3 for 5 hitter off Greinke, and Ian Kinsler, whose leadoff homer in the first staked Texas to an early lead.  

The flight to Oakland is going to be a good one.