Adam Dunn Socks a Pair, Drives in Five; Matt Kemp, Dodgers Stay Hot with 3-1 Win

Players of the Day for Friday, April 20, 2012

American League

Adam Dunn

Adam Dunn worked hard during the off-season to correct a swing that produced a .159 batting average and just 11 home runs and 42 RBI in 122 games, easily the worst season of his career, now in its 12th year.

Dunn's work has been paying off. The batting average is up and in Chicago's 7-3 win over Seattle the 6'6" slugger drove in five runs with a pair of homers and a double in four at-bats.

Dunn got the White Sox on the board in the first inning with an RBI double (his 6th), then followed up with a three-run homer in the second inning, capping a four run outburst by the Sox. His second home run of the game came in the eighth inning, completing Chicago's scoring.

The White Sox improved to 7-6 with the victory, claiming third place in the AL Central, 1/2 games behind Cleveland and two back of front-running Detroit.


National League

Matt Kemp

Matt Kemp and the LA Dodgers continued their torrid paces with a 3-1 win over the Astros, in the first of a three game series in Houston. The 11-3 Dodgers have the best record in the National League and lead the West division by 4 1/2 games.

Kemp went 3-for-3, smacking his eighth home run of the season in the first inning to stake winning pitcher (2-0) Ted Lilly to an early 2-0 lead.

In his subsequent three trips to the plate, Kemp rapped out a couple of singles and took a walk, raising his batting average to .481, second to David Wright's .486. The two are well ahead of Chris Young's .410, third in the league.

Kemp leads the league in almost every other important category, including hits (26), runs (16), RBI (20) and, of course, home runs. His slugging percentage and OPS are off the charts, at 1.000 and 1.525, respectively.

MILESTONES: Alex Rodriguez lofted a fifth-inning solo shot over Fenway's Green Monster, on an historic day for Boston and the Yankee slugger. Fenway Park turned 100 years old on Friday, while Rodriguez passed up Ken Griffey Jr. for fifth place on the all-time career home run list with his 631st, putting him behind Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds. The Yankees spoiled the Red Sox' fun with a 6-2 win. A-Rod needs 29 more homers to tie Willie Mays at 660.