Seth Smith 4-4, Steals Home In Baltimore Win; Max Scherzer Fans 11 For Nationals

Players of the Day for Thursday, May 4, 2017

American League

Smith: 4-4, Steals Home

Now in his 10th full season, Baltimore right fielder Seth Smith has been around, with stops in Colorado, Oakland, San Diego and Seattle, but he may have won over the hearts of Baltimore fans in his first season with the Orioles by his play thus far, especially what he did Thursday night.

Down, 2-0 in the third inning, Smith - who led off the game beating out an infield single but was stranded - singled again, this time to center, and moved to third on a bunt and a fielder's choice. With two down and runners on first and third, Smith and Manny Machado executed a double steal, with Smith scoring for the Orioles.

Smith was hardly done. Down 3-1 in the fourth, Smith doubled with two aboard, tying the game at three. When Manny Machado launched his xxx homer of the season, Smith scored along with J.J. Hardy, putting the Orioles up, 6-3, a lead they would not relinquish en route to an 8-3 victory.

Smith walked in the fifth and singled again in the seventh, completing a 4-for-4 effort with two runs, two RBI a steal of home, having reached base in all five of his plate appearances.

The win left Baltimore 1/2 game behind the idle Yankees in the AL East, dropping Boston three games back in third.

The Orioles split four games with the Red Sox and return home Friday to open a three-game set with the White Sox. Game time at Camden Yards is 7:05 pm ET.

Scherzer: 11 Ks

National League

The Washington Nationals are rolling along, and, if Max Scherzer - who won the AL Cy Young award in 2013 with Detroit and again in the National League last season - starts pitching like he did against Arizona, the rest of the league will need track shoes to keep pace with the NL East leaders.

After a rough outing on April 28 against the Mets (9 hits, 5 earned runs in six innings), Scherzer found his good stuff, stifling the Diamondbacks on two hits and one run over seven innings in Thursday's 4-2 Washington win.

Fanning 11, Scherzer took over the NL strikeout lead with 51, two better than Arizona's Robbie Ray and the Mets' Jacob deGrom. Sherzer walked just one in earning his fourth win against two losses, and has allowed just 11 batters to reach on walks this season.

The victory put the Nationals 6 1/2 in front in the division, as the Phillies and Marlins both lost and the Mets were rained out in Atlanta.

Winners of three of their last four, Washington travels to Philadelphia to open a three-game series Friday at 7:05 pm ET.