Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Ibanez Tears Up Padres; Posada's Bat is Back

Players of the Day for Tuesday, June 2, 2009 American League Jorge Posada, recently returned to activity after missing 22 games with a strained right hamstring, had an up-and-down experience in the Yankees' 12-3 romp over the Texas Rangers. In the top of the 4th, Posada ended the Yanks' MLB-record streak of errorless games at 18 when he overthrew second base trying to catch stealing Elvis Andrus. In the bottom of the inning, however, Posada began to make amends for his errant throw with an RBI single, scoring later on Hideki Matsui's 3-run blast during a 7-run Yankee uprising. A few innings later, in the 6th, Posada circled the bases with a 3-run homer, completing the Yankees' scoring. He also singled in the second inning, but was thrown out trying to go first-to-third on Matsui's single. In just 28 games this season, Posada is carrying a .312 batting average with 7 homers and 25 RBI. The Yankees are happy to have his potent bat back in the lineup. New York leads Boston by one game in the AL East. National League When the Phillies picked up Raul Ibanez during the off-season to replace departing Pat Burrell, they figured he'd supply a productive bat, but they didn't know he'd challenge not only for the team lead in home runs and RBI, but the league lead. In Tuesday's 10-5 mashing of the Padres, Ibanez went 3-for-5, with 5 RBI and 3 runs on an RBI double and score in the 1st and a pair of two-run homers, in the 3rd and 7th innings. Ibanez, who came over from the Mariners after a solid 2008 campaign (.293, 23, 110), is having an MVP season thus far with the Phillies, who have streaked (5 straight wins) to a 2 1/2 game lead over the Mets in the NL East. He is batting .340, with 19 homers and 51 RBI, ranking him 5th, 2nd and 1st in those respective categories.

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