Stephen Drew Leads Yankee Rout in Boston; Clayton Kershaw Goes the Distance as LA Completes Sweep of Giants

Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 2, 2015

American League

Despite winning 10 of their last 12 games, the Toronto Blue Jays can't shake loose from the Yankees, who continue to dog the Jays, just 1 1/2 back after defeating the Bston Red Sox, 15-8, Wednesday afternoon.

Stephen Drew

Kershaw: CG, 1 ER

The Yankees have won five of their last six and took two of three in Boston.

Banging out 15 hits, the Yankees took control of the game early, scoring eight times in the second inning. Stephen Drew, who's been on a serious hot streak (9-for-12, with two doubles, two homers and seven RBI in his last four games), was 3-for-4 with a double and a three-run homer.

The Yankees open a 10-game homestead with three games against the Rays on Friday, followed by three with the Orioles and then host the Blue Jays in what could amount to the most important series for both clubs this season.

Toronto hosts Baltimore for three games beginning Friday, then heads to Boston for three before landing in New York next weekend.

National League

The LA Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants with their second straight 2-1 win Wednesday night in Los Angeles, sending the Giants hopes for the post-season into free fall.

The Giants had entered the series 3 1/2 games behind the NL West-leading Dodgers, but the three straight losses - and their fifth straight overall - have the Giants trailing by 6 1/2 after

Clayton Kershaw allowed five hits and just one run in a complete game victory, his 12th win against six losses. Kelley Tomlinson scored on Angel Pagan's single in the sixth for the lone Giant run.

Kershaw walked one and struck out a season-high 15, throwing 95 of 132 pitches for strikes.

While the Dodgers have a secure lead in the division with just 30 games left on the schedule, the Giants have imploded and have also fallen 6 1/2 games behind the pace of the Chicago Cubs for the second wild card spot.

San Francisco opens a four-game series at Colorado Thursday. The Dodgers embark on a ten-game road trip, beginning with four in San Diego starting Thursday.