Giancarlo Stanton Ties HR Record As Marlins Win 4th Straight; Indians Shutout Sweep Royals With Yan Gomes Slam

Players of the Day for Sunday, August 27, 2017

American League

Gomes: Grand Slam

What was supposed to be a showdown series in Cleveland with the Royals turned into a laugher for the Indians as they swept Kansas City with three straight shutouts, culminating in a complete 12-0 humiliation of the now-wild-card-hopefuls.

After blanking the Royals in back-to-back 4-0 wins, the Indians sent starter Carlos Carrasco (13-6) to the mound, backing him with three runs in the first inning and nine in the second. Carrasco worked seven innings of shutout ball without a walk, allowing six hits and fanning eight. Craig Breslow and Zach McAllister each put in an inning of shutout ball, to complete the three-game whitewash.

In the second inning, he Indians got a two-run homer from Francisco Lindor, followed by Carlos Santana's three-run blast, capped off by a grand slam by catcher Yan Gomes. It was Gomes' ninth homer run of the season. The four RBI gave hm 44 on the year. Gomes had singled to lead off the inning and scored on Lindor's home run. He finished 2-for-4.

The win was Cleveland's fourth straight and improved their lead in the AL Central to 6 1/2 games over the Twins. Kansas City suffered its fourth straight loss and hasn't scored a run in 34 straight innings. They trail the Indians by nine games and fell behind the Orioles in the wild card standings. Baltimore swept three games from the Red Sox in Boston over the weekend and have won four straight. Baltimore trails Minnesota by two games for the second wild card spot. Kansas City fell to 2 1/2 back.

Fresh off the sweep, Cleveland heads to New York on Monday, opening a three game series with the Yankees, who took two of three from Seattle and are just 2 1/2 back of Boston in the AL East. The Yankees have a 3 1/2 game lead in the first wild card slot.

The Royals will try to score some runs when they open a three game series Monday in Kansas City with the Rays.

National League

Stanton: Ties HR Record

With four games still on tap for the month, Giancarlo Stanton socked his 17th home run of August, joining Willie Mays and Sammy Sosa for the National League record for most HRs ever in the month. The major league record is held by Rudy York, who hit 18 for Detroit in 1937.

In three at-bats, Stanton singled, doubled and launched his 50th home run of the season, a two-run rocket shot to center field which broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth, propelling the Marlins to their fourth straight victory, winning 6-2 and completing a three-game sweep of the visiting Padres.

The record for most home runs in any month is 20. That mark is also held by Sammy Sosa, who smashed 20 for the Cubs in June of 1998. If anybody in today's baseball is capable of socking three homers in four games, it would be Stanton, who has 50 on the year and has far outpaced the opposition. Cody Bellinger is stuck on 34 in the National League, second behind Stanton. Aaron Judge leads the AL with 37. Stanton added three RBI in the game, giving him 108 and tying him with Colorado's Nolan Arenado for the major league lead.

Somewhat overshadowed by Stanton's record home run month is Miami's meteoric rise in the standings. The Marlins have won 13 of their last 16, cut Washington's lead in the NL East down to 12 games, and, while they are unlikely to catch the Nationals, they have become a contender in the wild card race, now 4 1/2 behind the Rockies for the second wild card spot and six back of Arizona, which holds the top position.

Miami heads to Washington Monday to begin a three-game series with the Nationals. Stanton and the Marlins hope to extend their winning ways.