Carlos Gonzalez Ties MLB Mark as Rockies Sweep Astros; Delmon Young Powers Tigers Past Red Sox

Players of the Day for Thursday, May 31, 2012

American League

Delmon Young

In the only Al game of the day, Detroit topped Boston, 7-3, avoiding being swept by the Red Sox in the concluded four-game series at Fenway Park.

Delmon Young, who joined the Tigers late last season after three-and-a-half years with the Twins and is off to a slow start, singled twice and hit an eighth-inning solo homer in five at-bats, powering Detroit with three RBI and a run scored.

Young is hitting just .256 with four homers and 19 RBI in 44 games this season.


National League

Gonzalez: 4 straight HRs

The Colorado Rockies completed their four game sweep of Houston with an 11-5 victory as Carlos Gonzalez tied a record held by 21 other major leaguers by hitting his fourth home run in as many plate appearances. 38 players have hit four home runs in four straight official at-bats.

Gonzalez connected in the first inning off Astro starter Bud Norris, blasting a three-run shot to left field as the Rockies scored five times in the opening frame and added four more in the second for a commanding lead.

Having hit three homers in his final three at-bats in Wednesday's 13-5 rout, Gonzalez was looking to set a new major league record for home runs in consecutive at-bats, but was intentionally walked, to the great displeasure of the Colorado fans.

He eventually scored in the inning and finished the game 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs.

NOTES: Some key weekend series begin Friday in both leagues, with the Orioles at Tampa Bay and the LA Angels hosting West division leader, Texas, in the AL, while the key action in the NL is focused on the tight East division. Philadelphia hosts Miami, and first place Washington travels to Atlanta. All five teams in the division are within three games of each other and all are above .500 on the season.