Kris Bryant, Wade Davis Lead Cubs Over Brew Crew; Joe Mauer Keeps Twins Alive In Wild Card

Players of the Day for Thursday, September 21, 2018

American League

Mauer: 3-for-4, .311 BA

After dropping three straight to the Yankees in New York, the Minnesota Twins were hoping for better results when they opened a four-game series in Detroit on Thursday.

Getting exactly what they needed from their batsmen - 14 hits - the Twins got back on the winning track with a 12-1 thumping of Detroit.

Leading the assault on Detroit starter Jordan Zimmermann and six relievers was Joe Mauer, resurgent this season as the Twins defied the experts by staying in contention throughout the season. Maueer went 3-for-4 with a double and two singles, driving in two runs and scoring twice. In his 14th year in the majors - all of them with the Twins - he's batting .311 after hitting just .261 last season. His average is the sixth-highest in the American League.

Minnesota also got an assist from Central division rival Cleveland, as the Indians topped the Angels, 4-1, dropping LA into a tie with Texas, 2 1/2 games behind the Twins for the second wild card spot.

Game two of the series is Friday, 7:10 pm ET at Detroit's Comerica Park.

National League

Bryant: game-winning HR

Taking an important step closer to capturing the NL Central division, the Chicago Cubs rallied in the ninth inning and won the opener of a four-game series at Milwaukee in the 10th inning for a 5-3 victory.

Kris Bryant socked a two-run homer in the Cubs' half of the extra inning and Wade Davis (4-1) earned the win with 1 2/3 innings of shutout ball, striking out four, including setting down the Brewers in order, on strikes, in the 10th.

Davis: bullpen ace

For Bryant, the 2016 NL MVP, the home run was his 28th of the season. He has 67 RBI on the year. Davis, called on with a man aboard and one out in the ninth, loaded the bases by hitting a batter and allowing a base hit, but struck out Domingo Santana and got Orlando Arcia on a routine ground ball to end the threat. Davis, the Cubs' closer, has 32 saves, a 1.95 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 55 1/3 inning.

The Cubs entered the ninth down a run, but tied the game on Javier Baez's RBI single.

Chicago's win left them with a 4 1/2 game lead over the Brewers and five over the Cardinals. The Cubs have caught fire at the most opportune time, winning eight of their last nine.

Game two of the series starts Friday at 7:30 pm ET.