Brian Dozier Powers Twins Past Indians; Corey Seager Leads Dodgers To Best NL Record

Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 26, 2017

American League

Dozier: 3-5, HR, 3 RBI

With an 8-6 win over the Indians in Cleveland, the Minnesota Twins moved one step closer to clinching the second wild card, clinching at least a tie with the LA Angels. Both the Twins and Angels have five games remaining, so any win by the Twins or loss by the Angels would clinch the position outright for Minnesota.

Brian Dozier continued his season of excellence, going 3-for-5 with a single, double and a three-run, eighth inning home run that rallied the Twins from a 6-4 deficit to a 7-6 lead. Minnesota added another run in the top of the ninth for the final score.

Dozier's home run was his 33rd, the three RBI upping his season total to 80, which is incredible considering Dozier is a leadoff hitter.

Dozier led off the game with a double, and scored the first Minnesota run in the first, then singled leading off the the third, scoring on one of Eddie Rosario's two doubles. Rosario was 4-for-5 with three RBI including his 27th home run, in the first with the bases empty.

Minnesota plays game two at Cleveland Wednesday at 7:10 pm ET. The Twins can clinch the wild card outright with a win. Meanwhile, Cleveland has a tenuous hold on the best record in the league, one game better than the Houston Astros.

National League

Seager: HR, 4 RBI

Corey Seager drove in four runs, leading the LA Dodgers to a 9-2 home victory over the San Diego Padres, securing playoff home field advantage with the best record in the National League.

The Dodgers are 101-57. With five games left, the Washington Nationals, at 95-62, cannot match the Dodgers' mark. Thus, the Dodgers will host the winner of the wild card game, which currently will be either Arizona or Colorado, making for an all-NL West series. Washington will host the winner of the NL Central. The Cubs need one more win or a Milwaukee loss to wrap up the division.

Seager singled in a run to put the Dodgers up, 5-2, in the sixth, then wrapped up the scoring with his 21st home run, a three-run blast, in the seventh inning. Seager is batting .295 with 75 RBI.

LA will be looking to add to their win total and sweep the Padres in game three of the series, Wednesday, at 7:00 pm PT. Los Angeles closes out the regular season with a three-game road series at Colorado.