A.J. Griffin Shuts Out Padres In 11-0 Texas Rout; Mark Reynolds Keeps Rockies In 1st, Beating Cubs

Players of the Day for Tuesday, May 9, 2017

American League

The Texas Rangers haven't been doing anything exceptionally well, but they may have gotten an emotional boost after Tuesday's 11-0 demolition of the Padres in San Diego.

Griffin: CG, 4-Hit Shutout

Ranger hitters scored 11 runs on just nine hits, thanks to seven walks by Padre pitchers. While the regulars in the lineup were scoring at will, starting pitcher, A.J. Griffin, improved to 4-0 with a complete game four-hit shutout, the first of each for the 29-year-old righty this season and his second (his first shutout was in 2013 with Oakland).

Griffin was on the mark throughout, throwing 71 of 104 pitches for strikes and getting first strikes on 23 of the 30 batters he faced. After getting out of the sixth inning with a double play, Griffin mowed down the final nine batters in order, finishing with four strikeouts while allowing one base on balls.

Griffin has been solid this season, with a 2.45 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP, fanning 27 while walking just six. Opposing hitter are batting a mere .183 against him in 29 1/3 innings.

The win marks the end of a nine-game road trip for the Rangers, in which they went 3-6. They remain in last place in the AL West, 8 1/2 games behind Houston, but return home Wednesday for two games against the Padres at 8:05 pm ET, starting an eight-game home stand.

National League

Reynolds: 12HR, 30RBI

After Monday's opener was rained out in Colorado, the Rockies took the first of a twi-night doubleheader over the troubled Cubs, 10-4, before dropping the nightcap, 8-1. In the first game, Mark Reynolds showed why Colorado is a team to watch in the NL West, which they lead by 1 1/2 over the LA Dodgers.

Reynolds completed the scoring for Colorado when he stroked his 12th home run of the season in the sixth inning after singling home runs in the third and fourth, finishing 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs. In the late game, Cubs' pitchers worked around Reynolds, walking him three times. Reynolds was 0-for-1.

A veteran of 11 seasons, Reynolds, 33, has found new life in the high air of Denver. Always a slugger, but generally with a low average, Reynolds hit a career-best .282 with Colorado last season and is belting at a .333 pace this season (39-for-117). He's tied for seventh in batting and is third in both homers (12) and RBI (30).

At 21-13, the Rockies have been steady, winning five of their last seven after the completion of Tuesday's doubleheader. The Cubs have not been sharp. Their win snapped a four-game losing streak and they are just 5-8 over their last 13 games.

With the series tied 1-1, the Cubs and Rockies will play the rubber game Wednesday at 3:10 pm ET at Coors Field in Denver.