Texas Rookie Ronald Guzman Bombs Yankees With 3 HRs; Reds' Anthony DeSclafani Stymies Diamondbacks

Players of the Day for Friday, August 10, 2018

American League

Guzman: 3HRs vs. Yanks

No rookie has ever hit three homers in a game against the New York Yankees ...until now.

23-year-old first baseman, Ronald Guzman, accomplished the feat on Friday, helping lift the Texas Rangers to a 12-7 victory after dropping the opener of their four-game series, 7-3.

Guzman socked two homers off Masahiro Tanaka and one off A.J. Cole as the Rangers piled up 14 hits. Guzman's homers were all of the solo variety. He has 12 HRs on the season, to go with 46 RBI and a .245 batting average.

His second homer off Tanaka sent the Yankee hurler to the showers and his third loss against nine wins.

Elvis Andrus, who had his career-best 19-game hitting streak broken in Thursday's loss, went 4-for-5 with three RBI.

The Yanks trail the Red Sox by nine games in the AL East. Texas remained in last place in the West, despite going 10-4 since July 27.

Game three is on tap for Saturday, 1:05 pm EDT at Yankee Stadium.

National League

DeSclafani: 7IP, 3H, 0ER

The Reds aren't likely to make the playoffs this season, but they are in a position to play spoiler as 11 of the league's 15 teams contend for three division pennants and two wild card spots. Along with the Reds, only the Mets, Marlins and Padres have little to no post-season aspirations.

On Friday, Cincinnati pushed back against the Diamondbacks with a 3-0 win at Great American Ball Park to open a three-game set, leaving Arizona and the LA Dodgers tied for first place in the NL West.

Anthony DeSclafani tossed seven innings of shutout ball, improving to 6-3 on the year and 26-23 lifetime, allowing three hits and no walks, fanning nine.

DeSclafani also singled in the seventh and scored on a throwing error by Arizona's Clay Buckholtz on a Billy Hamilton bunt. The 28-year-old right-hander started the eighth, but was lifted after Steven Souza, Jr. singled to lead off the inning. DeSclafani gave up singles in the first and fourth innings, setting down the side in order in the second, third, fifth, sixth and seventh innings, throwing 63 of 94 pitches for strikes.

Game two of the series is scheduled for a 6:40 pm EDT start in Cincinnati.