Carlos Quentin, 3-for-5, 5 RBI in 15-10 Win; Neil Walker Hits Grand Slam as Pirates Win Opener

Players of the Day for Friday, April 2, 2011

American League

Carlos Quentin

As the White Sox and Indians renewed their AL Central rivalry with an old-fashioned, opening day slug-fest, Carlos Quentin wasted little time letting the Sox know who's boss in the division.

Quentin went 3-for-4, with all of his hits coming in the first four innings of Chicago's 15-10 triumph.

After Paul Konerko opened the scoring in the top of the first inning with an RBI single, Quentin followed with the same, then smacked a two-run homer in the 3rd, and doubled in two more in Chicago's 8-run 4th, putting the Sox up, 14-0.

Mark Beuhrle allowed four runs over six innings, and the Chicago bullpen gave up another six runs, but it still wasn't enough to catch the White Sox.

National League

Neil Walker

The Pittsburgh Pirates have spent the better part of the last two decades in the NL Central cellar, but this season has fielded a starting lineup that may be their best in years. Whether management decides to keep them all together for the duration of the season is another story. The Pirates have a history of trading away their best players before August.

In their opening day, 6-3 win over the Cubs, second baseman Neil Walker brought the Pirates back from a 2-run deficit with a grand slam homer in the 4th inning, and scored again after doubling in the 7th, when Andrew McCutchen also homered.

Walker finished his 2011 debut going 2-for-4 with 4 RBI and a pair of runs, getting the Pirates off to a solid start.

Walker showed tremendous potential in 134 games last season for Pittsburgh, batting .290 with 13 homers and 70 RBI.