Monday, June 1, 2009

Peralta Stun Yankees; Jones Powers Braves Over D-Backs

Players of the Day for Sunday, May 31, 2009 American League Jhonny Peralta came to the plate in key spots - early and late - and delivered, as the Indians topped the Yankees, 5-4. Peralta singled three times in the Cleveland win, driving in two runs with a bases-loaded hit in the 3rd for Cleveland's first two runs of the game, and, after Mark Teixeira homered and doubled in four runs for the Yanks, tying the score at 4-4, the pesky infielder singled home the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth. He also singled in the seventh, to no avail. A mainstay at short since breaking in with Cleveland in 2003, Peralta set up shop at the hot corner Sunday, as manager Eric Wedge was forced to shuffle his lineup to accommodate for injured center fielder Grady Sizemore, who was placed on the 15-day DL prior to the game. National League Chipper Jones did all of his damage in the first four innings, propelling the Braves to a 9-3 thumping of Arizona. Jones singled in a run in the first inning, stroked a two-run homer in the 3rd, drove in another run and scored in the 4th, helping the Braves build an early 8-0 lead, which became 9-0 an inning later. In his 16th season - all with the Braves - Jones is still one of the most reliable hitters in the game, with a .310 lifetime batting average. So far this season, he's batting .316, with 5 home runs and 21 RBI.

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