Shin Soo Choo Leads Reds to Fifth Straight Win; Raul Ibanez Powers Seattle in Rout of Yankees

Players of the Day for Wednesday, May 15, 2013

American League

Ibanez: 2HR, 6RBI

Well-traveled Raul Ibanez showed the Yankees why they shouldn't have traded him. Fortunately for the pinstripes, they won't have to see much of him for the rest of the season.

Ibanez, who began his career in Seattle and has returned home, has had stints with the Phillies, Royals and Yankees. In the first inning of Wednesday night's 12-2 rout, Ibanez capped a seven-run first inning with a grand slam off starter Phil Hughes, then further victimized Yankee pitching with a two-run homer in the fifth inning, cashing in a season-high six RBI.

Hughes didn't even make it though the first inning; Ibanez's slam sending him to a very early shower with two down in the first inning. Hughes allowed six hits, walked two and gave up seven runs, all earned.

The Mariners cranked out 16 hits, tying Oakland for second place in the AL West, seven behind Texas. Despite the loss, New York still leads Boston and Baltimore by two games in the East.

With a career spanning three decades, Ibanez is a .277 career hitter with 277 homers and 1900 hits.

The Yankees won game one of the series, which concludes Thursday night at Yankee Stadium. Game time is 7:05 pm EDT.

National League

Shin Soo Choo

While Mike Leake and three relievers were scatteing 11 Miami hits in a 4-0 Reds' victory, leadoff hitter Shin Soo Choo was adding and padding his already impressive stats.

Choo accounted for the bulk of Cincinnati's scoring, going 4-for-5 with a pair of homers, two singles, two RBI and three runs, raising his average to .322., tied with Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt for sixth-highest in the National League, right behind teammate Joey Votto (.327).

The homers were numbers eight and nine for Choo, who has tallied 19 RBI, impressive for a leadoff batter. His 33 runs leads the NL and is tied with Detroit's Austin Jackson for most in the majors.

With their fifth straight win and eighth in their last 10, the Reds remained 2 1/2 behind the equally-hot Cardinals in the NL Central race. Tehy'll be looking to sweep the Marlins in Miami at 7:10 pm EDT Thursday night.

Today's Trvia: Here's a really old-school quizzer. Back in 1886, Toad Ramsey struck out 499 batters for the Louisville Colonels of the American Association, but was outdone by a pitcher who fanned 513, a single-season record which likely will never be broken. Who was this flame-thrower?

Yesterday's Answer: As of May 15, 2013, the active strikeout leaders are C.C. Sabathia (2268) and Andy Pettitte (2354), both of the Yankees.