Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw Stops Giants; Tyler Collins Belts A Pair, Leads Tigers Over O's

Players of the Day for Wednesday, May 17, 2017

American League

Collins: 2 HR, 4 RBI

In four at-bats, Detroit's Tyler Collins doubled and homered twice, the second of which chased Baltimore starter, Ubaldo Jimenez, in the fifth inning, the tree-run shot turning the game around and erasing the Orioles' 4-2 advantage.

Following the turn-around blast, the pitching took over and neither team scored again, producing a 5-4 Detroit win and improving starter Michael Fulmer's record to 5-1, despite allowing 10 Baltimore hits and three earned runs over seven innings. After that, the Wilson boys took over - Alex and Justin (unrelated). Alex hurled a perfect eighth, but Justin got his third save only after throwing 30 pitches, allowing a hit and a walk, but fanning two.

Collins also belted a solo shot in the second off Jimenez. His two homers gave him four for the season, the four RBI upping his total to 14.

Baltimore's loss was their fifth in the last six outings, dropping them 1 1/2 behind New York in the AL East. Detroit attained breakeven at 19-19 with the victory, leaving them in third place, 1 12 games behind Minnesota in the Central. Cleveland trails the Twins by one game.

Detroit will host game three of the three-game series with an afternoon getaway game starting at 1:10 pm ET at Comerica Park.

National League

Kershaw Leads NL at 7-2

Having won the NL Cy Young award in 2011, 2013, and 2014, Clayton Kershaw is looking good to add a fourth trophy to his collection, becoming the first NL pitcher to reach seven wins this season with Wednesday's 6-1 win over the Giants.

Kershaw allowed just three hits over seven innings, walking none while striking out five. The Giants got their only run of the game off reliever Sergio Romo in the ninth, on an Edwardo Nunez solo homer, his first of the season.

The workmanlike performance for Kershaw consisted of 89 pitches, 63 of which went for strikes. He also calmly ignored a bench-clearing in the third inning, heading right to the mound to take his warm-up throws.

The win stopped the bleeding for LA, as the Gaints had taken the first tow games of the series at AT&T Park in San Francisco. A sellout crowd of 41,588 saw Kershaw improve to 7-2 (2.15 ERA), besting Johnny Cueto (4-3)

With Colorado rained out at Minnesota, the Dodgers picked up 1/2 a game and trail by 2 1/2. San Francisco dropped nine back.

The Dodgers return home Thursday to open a 10-game homestand, starting with a four-game series with the Marlins. San Francisco heads to St. Louis.