Kevin Gausman Blanks Rangers In 4-0 Baltimore Win; Zack Greinke 13-4 After 7-1 Arizona Win

Players of the Day for Saturday, July 29, 2017

American League

Gausman: 8 2/3, 7 H, 0 ER

While the Yankees and Red Sox were winning to stay 1-2 in the AL East, Kevin Gausman was doing his best to keep the Orioles relevant, scattering seven hits over 8 2/3 innings in a 4-0 Baltimore road victory.

New York won its sixth straight, topping Tampa Bay, 6-5, while Boston outlasted Kansas City, 9-8, ending the Royals nine game winning streak.

The Yankees took over first place in the division on Friday and remain 1/2 game ahead of the Red Sox. Baltimore is a surprising 7 1/2 back, considering how poorly the Orioles have played through much of the past two months. 7-8 since the all-star break, Baltimore is 22-30 for June and July, but still have a chance to catch the leaders with a slew of games still to be played between division opponents.

Gausman improved to 8-7 with his near-complete game, but was pulled with tow down in the ninth as his pitch count soared to 118 while walking two and allowing a base hit in the final inning. Zach Britton came out of the bullpen to nail down the final out, earning his seventh save.

Fanning eight and walking three, Gausman was solid through the middle of the game, allowing a single with two outs in the fifth before setting down ten straight Texas hitters.

Tied a game apiece, the Orioles and Rangers conclude their three-game series Sunday at 3:05 pm ET.

National League

Greinke shuffles Cards

Zack Greinke gave up three hits and a run in the first inning, but settled down after that, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 7-1 thumping of the Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

After the unsettling opening frame, Grienke set down nine straight Cardinals from the second through fourth innings before allowing one more hit and his only walk of the game in the fifth. He was bailed out of that by a double play and cruised through the sixth and seventh, setting down another six straight before departing with a 4-1 lead.

Jake Barrett and Silvino Bracho each pitched an inning of relief after the Diamondbacks tacked on three more runs in the top of the eighth.

Greinke fanned one and threw 63 of 98 pitches for strikes, improving to 13-4 on the year with a 2.84 ERA. Arizona remained in second place in the NL West, a game ahead of the Rockies but 13 back of the streaking Dodgers, winners of seven straight.

The Cardinals fell 4 1/2 off the NL Central pace, led by the Cubs, who topped Milwaukee, 2-1, in 11 innings, improving their lead over the Brewers to 1 1/2 games.

Arizona has won two of three in St. Louis. The series concludes Sunday, with game time set for 2:15 pm ET.