Ryan Braun Homers Three Times for Brewers; David Ortiz, Mike Aviles Lead Boston

Players of the Day for Monday, April 30, 2012

American League

David Ortiz

Following a a tough start, the Red Sox are back at .500 with an 11-11 record, good enough for last place in the AL East. In either of the other two AL divisions, Boston would be in second place, but, that's mere conjecture and idle specualtion.

Mike Aviles

On the final day of April, the Sox beat up on the A's, scoring 11 runs on 11 hits for an 11-6 victory in the opener of a three-game series at Fenway Park.

David Ortiz socked a pair of solo homers - his fifth and sixth of the season - and scored three times, while at the top of the order, shortstop Mike Aviles - acquired last season from Kansas City - parked a three-run shot in the left-center stands in the fifth inning, drove in another run with a single and scored twice.

Despite their pedestrian record, last place in the AL East doesn't look so bad when you're only 3 1/2 games off the pace, currently being set by Tampa Bay.


National League

Braun: 3 HR 6 RBI

Fresh off a 3-2 win at St. Louis, which avoided being swept by the Cardinals, the Brewers took their road trip to its next stop, San Deigo, where Ryan Braun unloaded for three home runs in consecutive at-bats and finished off his highlight-reel night with a two-run tripe in the ninth as the Brewers popped the Padres, 8-3.

After flying out to center in the first, Braun homered with one out and no men aboard in the fourth, socked a two-run shot in the fifth and sent out another solo shot in the seventh, giving the 2011 NL MVP seven long balls for the season.

Braun finished 4-for-5 with three runs and four RBI. His three-homer effort was the second of the season in the majors this year. Curtis Granderson turned the trick in New York in the AL.

It was the first time Braun has homered three times in a game. The Brewers' victory kept them in the NL Central hunt, 3 1/2 games behind the Cardinals, with the Reds in between, 3 games out.