Ogando Leads Rangers to 12th Straight Win; Betancourt Homers Twice in Brewers Victory

Players of the Day for Tuesday, July 19, 2011

American League

Last year, the Texas Rangers made their first ever trip to the World Series. By the way they're going right now, it looks like they want to go back and maybe win it all this season.

Alexi Ogando

Rookie starter Alexi Ogando tossed eight innings of scoreless ball at the home-standing, second place Angels as the Rangers won their 12th straight, whipping LA by a 7-0 score.

Ogando (10-4) came within one inning of his second career shutout, but was lifted after eight innings due to a high pitch count (116). He allowed just four hits, walked three and struck out five, including Bobby Abreu three times.

While the Rangers are threatening to make a joke out of the pennant race in the AL East, the Angles have dropped four of their last five since the all star break and are currently five games behind the Rangers.

The Rangers' win was the first of a three-game series in LA, a crucial test for both teams which proceeds Wednesday and Thursday in Anaheim.

National League

Yunieski Betancourt

Pittsburgh shut out the Reds for the second straight day, 1-0, and remain atop the NL Central. The Reds have fallen five games back. St. Louis dropped a 4-2 decision to the Mets and now trail the Pirates by 1 1/2, but the Milwaukee Brewers kept the pressure on with an 11-3 win over Arizona, remaining 1/2 game back.


The Brewers belted out 14 hits, nine of them from the 6, 7, and 8 hitters in the lineup, but shortstop Yunieski Betancourt, batting seventh, went 3-for-5, smashed a pair of home runs, scored three times and drove in four of Milwaukee's runs.

Betancourt came over to the Brewers from Kansas City in the off-season and has solidified a shaky infield with his steady glove, though on Tuesday he did his damage at the plate.

Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart also homered for the Brewers, who have split the first two games of a four game set at Arizona.