Xander Bogaerts Slams Royals In Boston Win; Brian Anderson Leads Marlins Past Phillies

Players of the Day for Monday, April 30, 2018

American League

Returning to the friendly confines of Fenway Park on Monday, the Red Sox opened their three-game series against the Royals in typical Boston fashion, banging out 13 hits in a 10-6 victory, highlighted by Xander Bogaerts' third inning grand slam.

Bogaerts: Grand Slam

The Royals thought they were looking good after scoring three runs in the first inning, but the Sox took little time getting to starter Jason Hammels. After Mitch Moreland socked a solo homer in the second inning and walked with the bases-loaded in the third, Bogaerts unloaded, with a tape-measure, 430-foot blast over the Green Monster in left field.

That put the Red Sox up 6-3, and, for all intents and purposes, sealed the victory early in the affair.

Bogaerts added a couple of singles, finishing 3-for-5 with four RBI. He's batting a brisk .412 in 51 at-bats, his playing time limited to just 12 games this season due to an early injury that set him down for three weeks.

In his third game back from the DL, Bogaerts is 7-for-13 (.518) and the Red Sox have won their last two games, leaving them three in front of the Yankees in the LA East, after Houston downed the Bombers, who had won nine straight, 2-1, Monday night.

Game two of the series starts Tuesday at 7:10 pm EDT.

National League

Anderson: 3-4, HR, 4 RBI

Off to their best start in many years, the high-flying Phillies would have figured to do well on a trip to Miami, engaging the lowly Marlins in a three-game series which began on Monday.

The Phillies had taken two of three from the Marlins in Philadelphia earlier in the season, one of them a humiliating 20-1 rout, but Monday's outcome would be different, as Brian Anderson led the Marlins to an 8-4 decision.

A rookie right fielder, Anderson singled, doubled and homered in four at-bats, driving in four runs and scoring twice.

In the third inning, Anderson laced a double to right center, breaking a 2-2 tie by driving in a pair of runners. He would score later in the inning on a ground out by Miguel Rojas.

By the end of the fourth inning, the Phillies had closed to gap to 6-4, but Anderson's wo-run homer in the seventh put the game out of reach as relievers Tayron Guerrero and Brad Ziegler held the Phillies hitless and scoreless over the final two innings.

The win was the 10th of the season for Miami, the Phillies loss dropping them two games behind the Mets, who are leading the NL East. The Braves hold second place, 1 1/2 out.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Tuesday, 7:10 pm EDT.