Padres Rip Brewers for 23 Hits; Adam Dunn Leads White Sox Past Angels

Players of the Day for Wednesday, April 11, 2011

American League

When people think of Adam Dunn, they usually envision a huge, lumbering hulk of a man with a big swing who hits lots of home runs and strikes out even more frequently.

Adam Dunn

Well, Adam Dunn was lumbering all right in Chicago's 10-inning, 6-4 win over the LA Angels. He was lumbering around the bases, mostly, going 4-for-6 with a home run (yeah, had one of those), a double, two singles, a walk and yes, one strikeout, scoring three times and driving in one run.

Dunn's four-hit game was punctuated by a 10th-inning double which sent Alexei Ramirez around to third base with one out. Ramirez scored on a wild pitch and Dunn followed him home with an insurance run on Brent Lillibridge's scratch single.

A third inning solo home run was Dunn's 4th of the season and briefly tied the game at 1-1.

The win gave the White Sox a 2-1 series win at LA, and it was the fourth win in their last five games, though Chicago remains well back in the AL Central, 9 1/2 games behind the division-leading Indians. The Royals and Tigers, both winners on the night, picked up a game on the Indians - who had their home win streak snapped at 14 in an 8-2 loss to the Rays - and are 4 1/2 back.

National League

Jason Bartlett

With the team decimated by trades over the past three seasons, there isn't much noise coming from the San Diego Padres, but every now and then the crack of the bat punctures the silence, as it was in their 13-6 win at Milwaukee.

San Diego punched out 23 hits off six Milwaukee pitchers, 12 of them off starter Randy Wolf, who lasted just 3 1/3 inning. Doing his fair share of the damage was Jason Bartlett, who went 4-for-6, with a double and three singles, scored twice, drove in two runs and, for good measure, stole a pair of bases.

The baker's dozen put up on the Brewers was the most runs in a single game by the Padres this season, topping the 11 they scored on St. Louis on opening day. Despite the offensive outburst, the Padres remain in last place in the NL West, but, even though they are just 15-22, they are only 5 1/2 games behind co-leaders San Fran and Colorado.

Hope springs eternal, or at least in early May.

Rappin': Rajai Davis went 4-for-4 (all singles), scored twice, drove in a pair of runs and stole two bases as the Blue Jays knocked off Boston, 9-3. With the Red Sox scuffling along in last place (actually tied with Baltimore and Toronto, 4 1/2 games out), the upcoming weekend series with the Yankees is an opportunity for every team in the AL East to make a move. Tampa Bay is already tied with the Yanks and hosts Baltimore for three games, while the Jays head to Minnesota for three with the Twins, who have the unique distinction - at 12-23 - of having the worst record in the majors. Minnesota has lost five straight.