Dodgers' Rich Hill Loses Game, No-Hitter In 10th; Eric Hosmer Leads Royals 3rd Straight Win

Players of the Day for Wednesday, August 23, 2017

American League

Hosmer: 3-4, HR, 4 RBI

Kansas City continues to play well enough to be in contention in both the AL Central and the wild card races. With their 6-4 victory over the visiting Rockies they picked up a game on Cleveland (losers to Boston, 6-1) and are tied with the LA Angels, 1/2 game behind division foe Minnesota for the second wild card spot.

The Royals third straight win was in doubt for much of the nine innings, the Rockies up 4-2 after six. In the seventh, Eric Hosmer got the Royals closer, singling home Whit Merrifield, and in the bottom of the ninth, still down a run, Hosmer came to the plate with the tying and winning runs on base, delivering a walk-off home run, taking the second of the three-game series with Colorado.

Hosmer's homer was his 21st of the season and his third hit of the game. Having a solid season, Hosmer is batting .319 and has driven in 73 runs. He's second in the AL in batting, though leader, Jose Altuve, has a safe advantage, at .358.

The loss was Colorado's fourth straight, endangering their playoff potential. Though they are just 1/2 game behind Arizona for the first wild card, their hold on the second spot has been slipping all through August, as the Brewers, Cardinals and Marlins are in the hunt, three, four and 5 1/2 games back, respectively.

The Royals will be seeking their fourth straight win and a sweep of the series in game three, Thursday, 2:15 pm ET.

National League

Hill's No-Hit Bid Spoiled

Taking the first two games of their four-game series in Pittsburgh, the LA Dodgers were looking good in game three, with starter, Rich Hill, cruising through eight innings with a perfect game. The problem, however, was that the Dodgers couldn't conjure up a run off Pittsburgh hurler, Trevor Williams, who had blanked the NL West leaders for eight full innings on seven hits.

Hill's perfect game disappeared in the ninth, when Mercer safe at first on error by third baseman Forsythe, but the Pirates couldn't break through, as Hill stiffened, getting the next three batters in order, taking a no-hitter into the 10th.

It was that extra inning that finally did Hill in, as Josh Harrison led off the frame with his 17th home run, a walk-off solo shot, ruining the night for Hill and the Dodgers, while sending nearly 20,000 Pirate fans home happy and with hope for the playoffs with the 1-0 victory.

Hill still is credited with a nine-inning no-hitter, but also suffers the loss. The 33-year-old is 9-5 with a 3.32 ERA. The Dodgers are in no danger, having the best record in baseball, at 89-36, and a 21-game lead over Arizona in the NL West. Pittsburgh is eight down in the NL Central and 7 1/2 out of the second wild card.

The series concludes Thursday. Game time is 4:05 pm ET.