Friday, May 7, 2010

Andre Ethier Finishes Brewers with Grand Slam; Guerrero, Hamilton Lead Rangers in 13-12 Win

Players of the Day for Thursday, May 6, 2010 American League When the Texas Rangers acquired Vladimir Guerrero (left) from the Angels in the off-season, they added more power to one of the most productive lineups in the majors and that worked out just fine for them as the free-swinging Guerrero belted an 8th-inning, game winning home run in a wild 13-12 win over Kansas City. The homer was Guerrero's 5th of the season, and second of the game, belting a 2-run shot with Josh Hamilton (right) aboard in the 6th after driving in a run with a sac fly in the third, netting him 4 RBI for the game. Batting just in front of him was Hamilton, who singled, doubled and homered, his solo shot coming just before Guerrero's game winner, tying the score at 12-12 in the 8th. Hamilton drove in 3 runs and crossed the plate 4 times. He has 17 RBI; Guerrero leads the team with 23. Beating the Royals snapped a two-game losing streak for the Rangers, keeping them tied in first place in the AL West with the A's, at 15-14. Seattle and the LA Angels are both languishing, 3 1/2 back. National League Scuffling along in last place in the NL West, the situation could have gotten worse on Thursday for the Dodgers were it not for a struggling Milwaukee bullpen and a timely grand slam off the bat of Andre Ethier. The Dodgers (12-16) were nursing a 3-1 lead into the 9th, but Jonathan Broxton couldn't get the job done, giving up 4 hits and 2 runs which allowed Milwaukee to tie the game at 3-3. It was Broxton's 2nd blown save of the season, but he was bailed out in the bottom half of the frame as LaTroy Hawkins only managed to get one out while loading the bases on two singles and a walk before Ethier came to the plate. With a runner at third and one out, Ethier was just trying to get a good swing on the ball, but he got it all, sending his 10th homer of the season over the center field wall for a sweet ending and a 7-3 win. The last-inning win came after the Dodgers had dropped the first two games of their home series with the Brewers. Ethier, who singled earlier in the game, finished 2-for-4, raising his league-leading batting average to .371. The homer put him in a tie for the NL lead in that department, with Arizona's Kelly Johnson. His 4 RBI gave him the outright league lead with 30, 4 better than Atlanta's prize rookie, Jason Heyward.

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