Christian Yelich Hits For Cycle Again Vs. Reds; Daniel Vogelbach's Pinch-Hit Grand Slam Carries Mariners Past Astros

Players of the Day for Monday, September 17, 2018

American League

Vogelbach slams Astros

At 6'0", 250 pounds, 25-year-old Daniel Vogelbach can put a charge into a baseball.

On Monday, the rookie first baseman unleashed a shot that sent Houston fans home unhappy, launching an eighth-inning grand slam that eviscerated the Astros' 1-0 lead and kept Seattle's slim post-season hopes alive with a 4-1 victory at Houston.

Vogelbach, a call-up a various points this season, socked his second homer in as many nights. On Sunday, he crushed a two-run shot in Seattle's loss to the Angels. On the year, he has four home runs and 13 RBI in 72 at-bats. In 84 games with triple-A Tacoma this season, Vogelbach mashed 20 homers with 60 RBI.

The rookie's rocket shot - a lifting liner to right-center - probably won't matter in the wild card race. The Mariners fell apart in late August and early September when they lost 12 of 19 games. They trail the Athletics by seven games for the second wild card but have only 12 games remaining. The A's were idle Monday.

Seattle continues its three-game series with the Astros on Tuesday. Game time is 8:10 pm EDT.

National League

Yelich: 2nd cycle of season

Every baseball season has its own special moments. In the ongoing series between the Reds and Brewers, fans have the opportunity to see the batting title disputed in real time as the two leading hitters, Cincinnati's Scooter Gennett and Milwaukee's Christian Yelich, ply their trades in each at bat.

In Monday's 8-0 Milwaukee whitewash, the drama was palpable. While the Brewers ran up the score, Yelich thrived at the plate while Gennett saw his lead whittled away as the night progressed.

While Gennett finished the game 1-for-3, Yellich had a monumental night at the plate, going 4-for-4, hitting for the cycle, driving in four runs. Yelich, who has been in the hunt for the batting title since the all star break, singled in the first inning, doubled in the third, socked a two-run homer in the fifth, and capped off his night with a two-run triple in the sixth.

Having already completed the cycle and the game in hand, Hernan Perez pinch-hit for Yelich in the eighth.

Yelich's cycle was the second time he's done it in three weeks, both times against the Reds. He went 6-for-6 in a 13-12 comeback victory on Aug. 29 at Cincinnati, making him the fifth player to turn the trick twice in one season -- and first in Brewers history. He's also the only player in major league history to hit for the cycle twice in one season against the same team.

Yellich still has his work cut out for him as concerns the batting title. Gennett still leads, but by the narrowest of margins. His average is .318182 (175-for-550), compared to Yelich's .317757 (170-for-535).

After finishing July with a 15-game hitting streak, Yellich has carried a big bat through August and into September, batting .307 in August and .321 so far this month. On the season, he has 31 homers and 93 RBI, making him a prime candidate for MVP honors.

Milwaukee's win kept them firmly in the cat bird's seat, 2 1/2 games behind the Cubs in the NL Central, but also leading the wild card by three games over the Cardinals and 3 1/2 over the Rockies. The series with the Reds continues Tuesday and Wednesday in Milwaukee with the post-season and the batting title on the line.