Boston's Chris Sale Fans 13, Downs Orioles; Hunter Renfroe Socks 3 HR But Padres Lose To Arizona

Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 20, 2017

American League

Sale: 300 strikeouts

While the Yankees were busy eliminating the competition in the wild card race, sweeping three from the Minnesota Twins and advancing their lead over them to seven games, the Boston Red Sox had the pedal to the metal as well, matching the Yanks with three straight over the fading Orioles, in Baltimore.

Capping the sweep with a 9-0 shutout, starter Chris Sale went eight full innings, didn't allow any walks, gave up just four hits and fanned 13, sending his major-league leading strikeout total to 300, becoming the first American League pitcher to achieve that milestone since Boston's Pedro Martinez did it 1999, when he set a club record with 313.

Sales threw 111 pitches, 77 of them for strikes, improving to 17-7 on the year. With 10 games remaining, and a mere three game lead over the Yankees, it's a good bet that Sale will get to the mound again this season, with the possibility of equalling or breaking Martinez's club record.

Boston's win assured that they will be playing in October, at least as a wild card, though the Sox clearly have higher aims. New York has a magic number of three to clinch a playoff berth, but they too have their eyes on the AL East division title.

The two contenders (Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Toronto have been mathematically eliminated) do not play each other again this season, unless they meet up in the playoffs. After a day off Thursday, Boston will head to Cincinnati for a three-game series with the Reds, then return home for their final seven games, three against the Blue Jays and four with Houston.

New York also opens a three-game road series on Friday, in Toronto. A make-up game with the Royals is slated for September 25 (Monday), prior to back-to-back three-game home series against Tampa Bay and Toronto.

Renfroe: 3 HR, 4 RBI

National League

Arizona increased its lead in the wild card race to 5 1/2 over the Rockies with a 13-7 win at San Diego, despite the best efforts of rookie outfielder, Hunter Renfroe, who became the first Padre to belt three home runs in one game since the inception of the franchise back in 1969.

Renfroe socked his first in the third inning, a two-run blast, followed by solo shots in the fifth and ninth innings. Renfroe has 24 home runs and 54 RBI on the year.

The Padres built a 6-2 lead after five innings, but the Diamondbacks scored four in the sixth, one in the seventh, two in the eighth and four more in the ninth to win going away, avoiding the sweep in the three-game series.

Fortunately for Arizona, which had lost three straight before Wednesday's win, they had built a sizable lead in the wild card race. Below them, the battle is engaged for the #2 position. Colorado leads Milwaukee by one game and St. Louis by 2 1/2.

Looking like a sure thing to clinch the top wild card spot, Arizona has Thursday off, then opens a six-game home stand, playing three with Miami and then the Giants. They close out the regular season with three games at Kansas City.