Matt Cain, Marco Scutaro, Angel Pagan Lead Giants Back to First Place; Prince Fielder Blasts O's in 5-3 Win

Players of the Day for Friday, August 17, 2012

American League

Fielder: 2HR, 4RBI

Opening a three game series critical to the wild card chase and divisional races in the East and Central, the Baltimore Orioles had a lead at Detroit, but lost it and the game when they failed to keep Prince Fielder in the yard.

Leading 3-1 in the sixth inning, Fielder unloaded for the first of two massive homers - both coming with Miguel Cabrera aboard - to tie the game, then blasted his second in the eighth, completing the 5-3 win.

The victory left the Tigers tied with the Orioles for the second wild card spot, a game behind Tampa Bay, in the #1 wild card position. The Tigers also picked up a game on Central division leader, Chicago, 4-2 losers at Kansas City, leaving Detroit 1 1/2 back in the Central.

Fielder's homers were his 21st and 22nd of the season. The first came off O's starter, Tommy Hunter, the second blow against reliever J. C. Romero. Miguel Cabrera's first inning hoemr - his 31st of the year - provided the only other run for Detroit.

The series resumes Saturday night, with the third game set for Sunday afternoon at Tiger Stadium.

Marco Scutaro

National League

Matt Cain, Angel Pagan and Marco Scutaro led the San Francisco Giants back into first place in the NL West, powering the Giants to to a lopsided, 10-1 win over the Padres, in the opener of a three-game weekend series in San Diego.

Angel Pagan

Scutaro got the Giants started in the first inning, staking Matt Cain (12-5) to an early advantage with a solo homer.

In the third inning, the Giants sent 14 men to the plate and scored eight runs to essentially put the game out of reach.

Matt Cain

Pagan drove in the first run of the epic inning with an RBI triple and was singled home by Scutaro, who later scored. Cain aided his own cause with a single in the inning which plated Brandon Belt.

Pagan finished up 3-for-5 with two RBI. Scutaro was 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBI, while Cain, who earlier this season tossed a perfect game, won his second straight start, allowing four hits and a single fifth inning run over eight, fanning six without issuing a walk.

The win gave the Giants a 1/2 game lead over the Dodgers in the West. LA dropped a 4-3 decision at Atlanta.