Jose Peraza Goes 4-for-5, Leads Reds Over Brewers, 9-7; Nick Martini Paces A's Win Over Astros With 9th Inning Double

Players of the Day for Tuesday, August 28, 2018

American League

Martini: Game-winning 2B

The most important game of the day was the second in a three game series between the A's and Astros at Houston.

Nick Martini, hitless in for at bats, drove a ground rule double into the right-center field stands, driving home Ramon Laureano with what turned out to be the game-winning run in a 5-4 triumph for the Athletics.

With one out in the inning, Laureano walked and moved to second on Jonathan Lucroy's single. After Martini's double, he and Lucroy were left stranded on second and third. Blake Treinen needed just 10 pitches in the bottom of the ninth to earn his 33rd save. Treinen is third on the AL saves list, behind Seattle's Edwin Diaz (50) and Boston's Craig Kimbrel (37).

Martini, a true rookie with just 38 games under his belt, was in the leadoff spot. He's batting .260 in 10 at-bats.

The Oakland win shaved Houston's lead in the division to 1 1/2 games over the A's and seven over Seattle. Game three of the series starts Wednesday at 2:10 pm EDT.

Elsewhere, the Indians increased their major-league-best lead in the AL Central to 14 games with a 8-1 victory over the second place Twins in Cleveland.

Peraza: 4-for-5, 4R, 2RBI

National League

Taking a step backwards, the Milwaukee Brewers dropped a 9-7 decision at Cincinnati, losing half a game to the NL Central front-running Cubs (suspended game, tied at 1-1, 10th inning with the Mets) and a full game behind the Cardinals.

While the final score was close, the game was more of a rout by the Reds, as Cincinnati put up six runs in the first two innings, before Milwaukee finally got on the board in the fourth.

Christian Yelich rocked a pair of homers - his 24th and 25th - and drove in five runs for the Brewers, but his effort fell short of catching the Reds and shortstop Jose Peraza, who was 4-for-5 with three singles and a two-run, first-inning home run, scoring four times and driving in a pair.

Peraza's homer was his ninth. He has 44 RBI on the season and is batting .293.

The Reds are completely out of contention in the NL central, trailing Chicago by 21 games, but the Brewers need all the wins they can get. They trail Chicago by 5 1/2. The Cardinals are four games out and hold the top wild card spot. Milwaukee has the second spot, barely. They lead Colorado and Arizona by 1/2-game, the Dodgers by 1 1/2, and Philadelphia by 2 1/2.

The Brewers were in first place at the all star break but have tailed off, going 18-17 since the midsummer classic. Game two of their series in Cincinnati is slated for a 7:10 pm EDT start on Wednesday.