Stephen Strasberg Leads Nationals Over Rockies; Nick Castellanos Powers Tigers Past Cubs

Players of the Day for Wednesday, August 19, 2015

American League

Nick Castellanos

Strasberg: 7 IP, 0 ER

Simply by out-slugging them, the Detroit Tigers cooled off the Chicago Cubs over a two-game series at Wrigley Field, the Tigers taking Tuesday's game, 10-8, and Wednesday's meeting, 15-8.

Third baseman Nick Castellanos delivered most of the mayhem for Detroit, going 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles and two home runs, a solo shot and a grand slam.

Castellanos drove in five runs as the Tigers pelted Cubs' starter, Jon Lester, and four relievers with 21 hits, 12 of them going for extra bases.

The pair of losses left the Cubs just three games ahead of the Giants for the second and final wild card spot.

National League

With the Mets falling to Baltimore, 5-4, Washington closed to within 3 1/2 games with a 4-1 victory over the home-standing Colorado Rockies, thanks to an outstanding pitching stint from their ace, Stephen Strasberg.

Strasberg worked seven full innings, allowing two hits, fanning five. The Rockies scored an unearned run in the second inning. Strasberg did not walk any batters, throwing 68 of 93 pitches for strikes.

It was the second win in three starts for Strasberg since returning from the DL on August 8th. Over his past 20 innings, Strasberg has allowed just three earned runs.

The win was Washington's second straight over Colorado. The teams complete their three-game series, with the Nationals seeking the sweep, Thursday night at 8:40 pm EDT.