Night of the Carlos: Quentin Socks Three for Sox; Gonzalez Blasts a Pair for Rockies

Players of the Day for Tuesday, May 24, 2011

American League

Carlos Quentin had his first three-homer game as a major leaguer and the Chicago White Sox took the middle game of their series with the Texas Rangers, 8-6.

Carlos Quentin

Quentin hit solo shots in the 1st and 9th innings, and belted a three-run shot in the 3rd, minutes before the game was halted for nearly three hours due to heavy rain and hail in Arlington.

Despite the loss, Texas retained its 1/2 game lead in the West, as the Angels were dominated by Oakland, 6-1. Chicago, winners in six of their last eight games, still have plenty of work ahead of them. They trail the Indians by nine games in the AL Central.

The White Sox and Rangers complete their series on Wednesday afternoon. Chicago will head off to Toronto for three games and then three more at Boston to finish out the month of May. The Rangers will host Kansas City for three games after a day off Thursday.

National League

Carlos Gonzalez

In the NL West, everybody's chasing the Giants, but the Colorado Rockies aren't worried about being three games back in second place, especially since Carlos Gonzalez seems to be hitting his best stride.

Gonzalez belted two home runs in Colorado's 12-2 win over the Diamondbacks, a solo shot in the 4th inning and a two-run blast in the 7th. He also walked and scored a run in the 5th inning and drove in another on a fielder's choice in the 6th.

The Rockies dropped the nightcap, 5-2. Gonzalez has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, raising his batting average, from horrible (.234), to only slightly embarrassing (.251). Over that nine-game span, however, the Colorado outfielder has hit four homers and driven in 11 runs.
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