Sizemore's Seven Smacks Royals; Webb Wins 19th

Players of the Day from Thursday, August 21, 2008 American League Cleveland hasn't had a very rewarding season, but Grady Sizemore has put up some amazing numbers from his position atop the Indians' lineup. In Cleveland's 10-3 thumping of the Royals, Sizemore, in 5 at-bats, rapped out a pair of singles, a bases-loaded triple and a three-run homer, driving in 7 runs. Sizemore has 29 homers and 79 RBI. While Sizemore was going off at the plate, starter Cliff Lee was working around it, giving up 6 hits and 2 earned runs over 7 innings while fanning 7. Lee recorded his AL-leading 18th win against just two losses. Lee and Sizemore's feats are all the more incredible considering that Cleveland has been out of the Central division race since before the All Star break. At 59-67, Lee (18-2) has accounted for nearly a third of the Indians' wins. Notes: Minnesota downed the Angels, 2-1, in 12 innings, and moved to within 1/2 game of idle Chicago in the Central. In the East, the Yankees were hammered, 14-3, by Toronto as both the Red Sox and Rays had a day off. That put the Jays just one game behind the Yankees, though NY is 10 1/2 out of first place. The Angels, losers of 4 of their last 5, haven't been bothered by their mini losing streak, still 15 games ahead of Texas in the West. Their magic number is now 21. National League Might as well just give Brandon Webb the NL Cy Young award now. On Thursday, Webb posted his 19th win against 4 losses, shutting out the Padres on 3 hits over 7 innings as the Diamondbacks downed San Diego, 4-1.

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Webb, sporting a 2.74 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP, leads the majors in wins and has won his last 8 decisions. He ranks third in ERA among qualified starters and 6th in strikeouts with 153. Notes: Arizona maintained their 2 game bulge on the Dodgers in the West as LA dropped the Rockies, 3-1. The Mets won, while the Phillies and Marlins both lost, giving NY a 2 1/2 game lead over Philly and 6 over Florida in the East. Chicago knocked off the Reds, 3-2, and improved by 1/2 game over idle Milwaukee and St. Louis. The Cubs are 5 1/2 in front in the Central.