Jered Weaver Wins 7th Straight; Brandon Crawford Dives in Five for Giants

Players of the Day for Friday, July 20, 2012

American League

Jered Weaver improved to 12-1 as the LA Angels opened their three game home series with rival Texas with a 6-1 victory, slicing a full game off the Rangers' division lead, which now stands at five.

Weaver: 12-1

Weaver was in complete control for most of the seven innings he worked, allowing six hits and a walk while striking out five. The lanky hurler kept the top of the Texas batting order in check, limiting the first seven batters to a 2-for-27 output.

Only Elvis Andrus did any damage, belting a solo homer in the top of the first inning. After that, Weaver was pretty much lights out.

Weaver won his seventh straight decision, not having lost since being belted around by the Rangers, in Texas, on May 13, a 13-6 Texas win in which Weaver lasted only 3 1/3 innings. It was his only loss of the season.


National League

Crawford: Slammin'

Brandon Crawford untied a 1-1 score with a sixth inning grand slam, propelling the Giants to a 7-2 win over the home-standing Phillies.

Crawford, a second year shortstop, knocked his third homer of the season off Philly starter Vince Worley and followed that up with a run-scoring single in the eighth, giving him five RBI for the game.

Tim Lincecum allowed five hits and two earned runs while fanning six over seven innings to pick up his fourth win of the season against 10 losses.

With the win, the Giants maintained their 2 1/2 game lead over the Dodgers in the NL West, and will look to make it two in a row over the Phillies, Saturday afternoon, with the series concluding Sunday.