Tigers Win at Toronto On Austin Jackson's 4-for-5 Effort; Wilson Ramos Powers Nats over Brewers, 8-5

Players of the Day for Thursday, July 4, 2013

American League

Austin Jackson

Miguel Cabrera was out of Detroit's lineup with a sore back for the finale of their four-game series in Toronto. For some teams, having the best hitter on the planet on the bench might be a problem. The Tigers, however, are not just some team.

Detroit hitters banged out 16 hits and Justin Verlander allowed just one run over seven innings for an 11-1 rout, taking three of four from the Blue Jays, who are once again watching their season slip away, 11 games out and in last place in the AL East.

Austin Jackson led the Detroit charge from the leadoff spot, going 4-for-5 with a two run homer, three singles, three RBI and four runs. Jackson, normally prone to a lot of whiffs, has been squaring up the ball better of late, raising his batting average to .296, after hitting an even .300 last season.

The Tigers moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the Indians in the Central division, as Kansas City knocked off Cleveland, 10-7.

Cleveland will be hosting the Tigers in a four-game showdown series beginning Friday night at 7:05 pm EDT.

National League

Wilson Ramos

Picking up a game on NL East rival Atlanta, the Washington Nationals ripped Milwaukee, 8-5, splitting the four-game series, two games apiece while the Braves fell to the Marlins, 4-3.

Catcher Wilson Ramos provided a huge does of hitting, going 3-for-4 with a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh which broke a five-all tie and provided the winning Margin for Washington.

Previously, Ramos had singled home a pair of runs in the sixth, putting the Nationals up by a 5-2 score, but the Brewers rallied with three of their own in the top of the seventh.

The win left Washington six games out of first place, still chasing the Braves in the division.

The Nats close out a seven-game home stand with three games against the Padres, beginning Friday night at 7:05 pm EDT.

Today's Trivia: Ichiro broke the long-standing, single-season hits record that was held by a National Leaguer and is still tops in the senior circuit. Who holds the NL record for hits in a season?

Yesterday's Answer: Ichiro Suzuki holds the single-season record for hits, knocking out 262 in 2004.