Carlos Quentin Powers Sox Rout; Joey Votto Delivers for Reds

Players of the Day for Friday, March 18, 2011

American League

Carlos Quentin

John Danks worked six solid innings, fanning four while giving up a solitary run on 4 hits, but he didn't need to be that sharp as his teammates rapped out 21 hits in an 18-1 destruction of the Oakland A's and a quartet of untested hurlers.

Carlos Quentin was at the heart of the batting-practice-like affair, pounding a home run, two doubles and a single in four at-bats, with four RBI and three runs.

A mainstay in the White Sox lineup, Quentin, despite playing in only 131 games in 2011, cracked 26 home runs and drove in 87. He's healthy once more and looking to make up for lost time. The rest of the AL Central has been put on notice.

National League

Joey Votto

The rival Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds added some fuel to the Central Division fire on Friday, engaging in a 40-hit slugfest that had the Reds come out eventually on top, 14-13.

The Reds burned through five pitchers, while the Cubs employed just four, including starter Carlos Zambrano, who was dinged for sic runs on seven hits over 4 1/3 innings.

Joey Votto and Scott Rolen homered for the Reds. Rolen nailed a three-run shot, while Votto's was a two-run variety, and he added an RBI singles in a 2-for-3 effort.

Votto had a breakout season in 2010, earning him the league's MVP award, with 37 home runs, 113 RBI and a .324 batting average. He flirted with triple crown numbers all season, along with Carlos Gonzalez of the Rockies and and Albert Pujols of St. Louis.