Youkilis, Lester Lead Boston Rout of Toronto; Jordan Zimmerman Ks 10; Jeter Within 7 of 3000

Players of the Day for Sunday, June 11, 2011

American League

Kevin Youkilis

Francisco Liriano flirted with a no-hitter in Minnesota, eventually surrendering two hits and a run in the 8th in a 6-1 Minnesota win, their third in four games against the Rangers, but Keven Youkilis was a model of efficiency, driving in a run with each hit he had in Boston's 14-1 rout of Toronto.

Jon Lester

The Boston third baseman went 3-for-4, with an RBI single in the 3rd, walked and scored in the 5th, doubled in another run and scored in the 6th and belted a two-run homer in the 9th. That's a single, double, home run, three runs scored and four RBI, a manager's dream, even a fantasy manager's dream.

While "Youk" and the Sox were pounding the Blue Jays for the third straight day, starter John Lester was in his own little world, limiting the Jays to two hits - one of them a 4th inning Jose Bautista solo home run (21) - over eight innings, fanning eight, to go to 9-2 on the season.

The Red Sox maintained their two-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East with the three-game sweep of the Blue Jays, outscoring them by a combined score of 35-6.

National League

Jordan Zimmermann

Jordan Zimmermann might be the best 4-6 pitcher in the major leagues, and on Sunday, he might have pitched his best game of the season, but came away with nothing to show for it, despite the Nationals winning, 2-0.

Zimmermann worked seven scoreless inning for the Nats, allowing just four hits, walking one and striking out 10. Todd Coffey pitched a scoreless 8th inning and the Nationals pushed across two runs in the top of the 9th to give him the win. Drew Storen pitched the 9th for has 15th save.

For Zimmermann, nothing, except for extending a very nice string of games. In his last eight starts, he's gone at least six innings each time on the mound and allowed two or fewer runs in all but one of those starts. For that, three wins, but a seasonal ERA of 3.10 and a 1.08 WHIP.

If only the Nationals could score some runs...

JETER 3000 WATCH: The Yankees took their third straight from the Indians, by a 9-1 score, and Jeter added two more hits to his total, a couple of RBI singles, bringing his career total to 2993, seven hits shy of the haloed mark. The Yanks are home again against Cleveland on Monday, before taking on the Rangers for three games to complete the homestand. The rabid NY fans are hopeful that their favorite son can get hot in time to reach 3000 before the team hits the road.