Haren Outduels Verlander; Granderson Knocks a Pair; Howard Leads Phils; Jeter Two Hits Closer

Players of the Day for Tuesday, July 5, 2011

American League

Well, Justin Verlander is human after all, as proven by Dan Haren and the LA Angels Tuesday night.

Haren: 2-Hitter

Haren (8-5) shut out the Tigers on two hits, and the Angels pushed across a run in the 2nd inning that held up for the 1-0 win. It was the first loss for Verlander after winning seven consecutive starting assignments dating back to mid-May.

Throwing 87 of 122 pitches for strikes, Haren issued no walks and struck out nine Tigers. The Angels have won four straight and remain tied with Texas atop the AL West with Seattle lurking, just 2 1/2 games back. The win was Haren's second complete game shutout of the year.

Granderson: 25 HR

In Cleveland, the Yankees pounded out 17 hits for a 9-2 win over the Indians. Curtis Granderson went 3-for-6, with two homers - his 24th and 25th - three RBI and three runs. Granderson's two-run shot in the 2nd inning and solo blast in the 4th put the Yankees up 6-0, as C.C. Sabathia improved to 12-4, throwing seven innings of shutout ball and striking out 11.

The Yankees maintained their 1 1/2 game lead over Boston in the AL East, while the Indians held onto the same edge over the Tigers in the Central.

National League

Howard: 71 RBI

It may not seem fair that the Phillies play a three-game series with the Florida Marlins, but the schedule dictates they play the games, no matter the expected outcome.

Tuesday's 14-2 Phillies' romp surprised nobody, as the Phillies kept their NL East lead over the Braves at four games and the Marlins sunk further into the depths of the division.

Ryan Howard went 4-for-5, including his 18th home run of the season, a two-run job in the 4th. Howard also singled twice and doubled, drove in four runs and scored three times.

Jeter: 2996 Hits

With 71 RBI, Howard tied Prince Fielder of the Brewers for the lead in the National League. LA's Matt Kemp is third, with 64.

JETER 3000 WATCH: Derek Jeter took two steps closer to the magic 3000-hit mark, going 2-for-6 in the Yankees' win at Cleveland. That puts him just four hits away with one more game to complete the series in Cleveland. Manager Joe Girardi has suggested that he might sit the Yankee captain for Wednesday's game, as Jeter is just off the DL and has played four straight games - two of them with Trenton on a rehab assignment - and Girardi wants to keep Jeter healthy.

Jeter said he wants to play Wednesday, as the team prepares to head back to Yankee Stadium for a four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays.