Braves Top Nat, 11-8, Behind Adam Duvall HRs; Justin Verlander Blanks Indians in 2-0 Houston Win

Players of the Day for Tuesday, July 30, 2019

American League

Verlander's 14 wins leads AL

Whenever Justin Verlander goes to the mound, the Houston Astros expect to win.

That's been the case in most of Verlander's 23 starts this season. With a seven-inning, two-hit effort Tuesday at Cleveland, Verlander out-dueled Cleveland's Shane Bieber for a 2-0 victory and his 14th win against four losses.

Dominating the Indians from the very start, Verlander struck out 13 and did not issue any walks. He leads the AL in wins and ERA (2.73). His 196 strikeouts are second league-wide to teammate Gerritt Cole (212).

The win was Verlander's fourth straight. Last outing, he held the A's to two hits and one run over six innings.

Houston's win kept them eight up on Oakland in the AL West and dropped the Indians to three behind Minnesota in the Central division. The Twins took a 2-1 decision at Miami.

Game two of Houston's three-game series at Cleveland gets underway at 7:10 pm ET Wednesday.

National League

Duvall: 4-5, 2 HR, 2 RBI

Atlanta continues to hold onto first place in the NL East, but both the Nationals and Phillies have been bearing down on the division leaders of late.

The Braves won for just the fifth time in their last 13 games, topping Washington, 11-8 in game two of their three-game series. That left the Nationals 5 1/2 back, while Philadelphia, 4-2 winners over the Giants, remained six games out.

Developing an impressive lead by scoring nine runs in the first four innings, the Braves got home runs from Josh Donaldson (3-run homer in the fourth) and Adam Duvall, who cranked out a pair of solo shots, in the fourth and seventh innings. Duvall also singled twice, going 4-for-5, and scored a run in the third.

Acquired from Cincinnati near the end of last season, Duvall has played in just four games this year, but he's already added some pop, going 9-for-17 (.529) with three homers and five RBI.

What's plagued the Braves most of the season has been a lack of quality relief pitching and that was evident in Tuesday's win. Leading 11-1 after starter Julio Teheran (6 2/3, 7H, 2ER, 6K, 6-7) departed, the Nationals scored seven runs, one in the seventh and two each in the eighth and ninth.

Having split the first two games, the teams meet at 12:05 pm ET Wednesday for the rubber game.

Cavan Biggio Leads Blue Jays Over Royals; Anthony Rendon's Grand Slam Boosts Nationals Past Braves

Players of the Day for Monday, July 29, 2019

Biggio: 3-4, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI

American League

Cavan Bigio, son of Hall of Fame, Craig Biggio, unknotted a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning with a solo homer, helping Toronto to a 7-3 victory at Kansas City.

In the ninth, Biggio singled home another run and came around to score for the third time in the game. Earlier, he singled to lead off the sixth inning and scored on Randal Grichuk's two-run shot.

While the Blue Jays are hopelessly out of the playoff scenario, the youth movement is alive and well in Toronto, with Biggio, 24, one of the up-and-coming prospects.

With Toronto taking the opener in Kansas City, they'll look to make it two straight over the Royals. Tuesday's game is scheduled for an 8:15 pm ET start.

National League

Rendon: Grand Slam

Anthony Rendon broke a 2-2 tie with a sixth-inning grand slam, leading the Washington Nationals to a 6-3 victory over division-leading Atlanta.

Rendon's bases-full blast was his 23rd home run of the season, a no-doubter that measured 411 feet over the left field wall at Nationals Park. The four RBI boosted his total to 80, tied for third in the National League.

Rendon trails Pittsburgh's Josh Bell (86) and Atlanta's Freddie Freeman (81) in the NL RBI race.

More importantly, the Nationals' win brought them to within 4 1/2-games of the Braves in the NL East.

Washington has been gaining ground since the all-star break, going 9-2. Atlanta won four straight coming out of the break, but are 4-8 over subsequent games.

Game two of the three-game series is slated to begin Tuesday at 7:00 pm ET.

Miguel Sano Homers In Minnesota Win; Cubs Slug Brewers, 11-4, Behind Kyle Schwarber HRs

Players of the Day for Sunday, July 28, 2019

American League

Sano: 3-4, HR, 3 RBI

At least temporarily, the Minnesota Twins stopped the bleeding in the AL Central race, putting the Indians two games back after thumping the White Sox, 11-1, while Kansas City cooled off the Indians, 9-6.

After Jorge Polanco ripped a two-run homer in the opening frame, Miguel Sano launched his 18th of the year with two aboard, sending White Sox starter, Dylan Covey, to the showers without recording a single out.

Sano also singled twice and scored a run on Jonathan Schoop's two-run shot in the fifth.

Sano, who has played in just 58 games this season due to an early injury, has been beating the rawhide senseless his last seven games, batting .333 (9-for-27) with four homers and 11 RBI.

The Twins have been watching their once-sizable lead in the division diminish as the Indians reeled off 12 wins in 14 games, but got one back on Sunday.

Minnesota may be able to pad its lead in coming days. The Twins will be traveling Monday and arrive in Miami for three games with the Marlins. After that, it's back home for three with the Royals. After three with the Braves, the Indians come to Minneapolis for four games, starting August 8.

National League

Schwarber: 2 HR, 7 RBI

It doesn't get any tighter than the NL Central, which, after Sunday's results, have the Cubs and Cardinals deadlocked for the division lead, with the Brewers one game back.

Avoiding a sweep, Chicago got all over the Brewers in the finale of their three-game series in Milwaukee, or rather, Kyle Schwarber got all over the Brewers, bashing a grand slam and a three-run homer in three at-bats, accounting for seven of the Cubs runs in an 11-4 rout.

Schwarzer also singled, walked twice and scored four times. The Brewers simply did not have an answer for the lumbering, 6'0", 235-pound left fielder.

Coupled with St. Louis losing at home to the Astros, 6-2, the division is up for grabs.

The Cubs travel to St. Louis for a three-game series with the Cardinals on Tuesday, then it's back to the Windy City for a rematch with the Brewers, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Milwaukee heads to Oakland on Tuesday for a three-game meeting with the A's.

Dodger Rookie Will Smith Rips Nats With 6 RBI; Indians Top Royals, 9-1, on Jason Kipnis Grand Slam

Players of the Day for Saturday, July 27, 2017

American League

Kipnis: Grand Slam

Oscar Mercado went 4-for-5, Jose Ramirez socked his 100th career home run, Jason Kipnis whacked a first-inning grand slam and Mike Clevinger (5-2) scattered eight hits over seven innings as the Indians routed the Royals, 9-1, in Kansas City Saturday.

The Kipnis slam off Royals' starter, Glenn Sparkman, ignited Cleveland's offense. Following the four runs in the first and one in the second, Ramirez sent Sparkman to the showers in the fifth with a three-run blast.

Cleveland's steady second baseman, Kipnis is batting .248 with eight home runs and 42 RBI in 83 game.

Coupled with Minnesota's 5-1 loss to the White Sox in Chicago, the Indians closed to within one game of the Twins, who hold a tenuous lead in the AL Central.

The Indians have been red hot since the all-star break. They dropped a pair of home games to Minnesota on July 12 and 13, but have gone 12-2 since, currently riding a four-game winning streak.

Cleveland will be looking to sweep the Royals in game four of their series, Sunday, at 2:15 pm ET. An Indians win and a Minnesota loss would produce a tie atop the Central division.

National League

Smith: 6 RBI Rookie

With a double-digit lead in the NL West, the Dodgers appear to be on cruise control for their seventh straight divisional title. LA has taken the conference crown every year since 2013. The last time the Dodgers missed the playoffs was 2012, when they finished with a record of 86-76, eight games behind the Giants.

So, what exactly do the Dodgers need, given the best record in the majors (69-37) their 15 1/2-game bulge over Arizona and San Francisco?

Another slugger might fill the bill, particularly a raw rookie like Will Smith, who drove in six runs in Saturday's 9-3 beatdown of the Washington Nationals with a home run, single, double and a sac fly.

Smith, who was called up from Oklahoma City for brief stints in May and June, has only 29 at-bats with the Dodgers, but, he's made the most of them, batting .345 with four homers and 12 RBI.

Those impressive numbers should not come as a surprise. The 24-year-old has been tearing up the Pacific Coast League this season, with 20 home runs and 54 RBI in 61 games.

In the win at Washington, Smith socked a solo shot in the third, drove in another run with a sac fly in the fourth, doubled in another run in the sixth, and put the game out of reach with a three-run double in the seventh.

A catcher by trade, Smith may be seeing more playing time as the Dodgers adjust their roster for the post-season.

Sunday will conclude the three-game series in the nation's capitol, with LA sending out Walker Buehler (9-1, 3.23) against Stephen Strasburg (13-4, 3.37) at 1:35 pm ET. The Dodgers are seeking the sweep.

NOTES: Paul Goldschmidt tied the franchise record by homering in his sixth straight game, though it was not nearly enough, as St. Louis fell to Houston, 8-2. He shares the mark with Mark McGuire and Matt Carpenter.

Mookie Betts' 3 Homers Power Red Sox Past Yankees; Paul Goldschmidt Blasts Cardinals into 1st Place

Players of the Day for Friday, July 26, 2019

American League

Betts: 4-5, 3 HR, 5 RBI

In the first two games of their four-game set at Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox have made the New York Yankees look like also-rans, rather than the team leading the AL East.

After bombing them 19-3 on Thursday, the Red Sox came out swinging again, as Mookie Betts got the hit parade going with a leadoff homer. J.D. Martinez followed with a two-run blast, putting Boston up, 3-0, after one, en route to a 10-5 victory.

Betts homered in his second and third at-bats, stroking a solo shot in the third and a two-run rip in the fourth. All three of his home runs were over the Green Monster in left field. For good measure, Betts tattooed the wall in his fourth at-bat, driving in another run with a double in the sixth inning. He finished up 4-for-5 with five RBI and four runs.

Boston's hard-hitting lineup has taken the measure of New York's below-average starting pitching and depleted bullpen. They mangled Yankee starter, James Paxton, for nine hits and seven runs over four innings.

Despite giving up 10 hits, Boston's Andrew Cashner (10-5) took the win, limiting the Yanks to three runs over 6 2/3 innings.

New York has lost four of their last six games while the Red Sox have won four of their last five. The Yankees still lead Tampa Bay by 8 1/2 games, with Boston another 1/2-game back.

Game three of the series starts at 4:05 pm ET, Saturday.

Goldschmidt: 5 Games, 5 HR

National League

Paul Goldschmidt's eighth-inning, three-run homer turned the tables on Houston, leading St. Louis to their sixth straight win, 5-3 over the visiting Astros.

It was the fifth straight game in which Goldschmidt has gone yard, one game short of the club record shared by Matt Carpenter and Mark McGwire.

After Matt Wieters tied the score at 2-2 in the seventh and the Astros responded with a run in the top of the eighth, Goldschmidt provided the winning margin, sending St. Louis to first place in the NL Central, a position they have not held since May 7. Losing 3-2 to Milwaukee, the Cubs dropped into second place, one game back. Milwaukee is just two games off the pace.

The win was the sixth straight for St. Louis. They are 12-3 since the all-star break. During that period, Goldschmidt has batted .269, with seven dingers and 19 RBI.

St. Louis will have the opportunity to extend their streak and maintain sole possession of first place when they take on the Astros in game two of their three-game series. First pitch is slated for 7:15 pm ET, Saturday night.

Houston remained eight games ahead of Oakland in the AL West, as the A's were dropped by the Rangers, 5-2.

Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox Pound Yanks, 19-3; Daniel Murphy Leads Rockies in Comeback Win

Players of the Day for Thursday, July 25, 2019

Bogaerts: 4-6, 2HR, 4RBI

American League

Entering their four game series at Boston, the New York Yankees held a 10-game lead over Tampa in the division and an 11-game bulge over the Red Sox.

That would be hard to believe after the events of the first game, in which the Red Sox hammered starter Masahiro Tanaka for seven runs in the first inning, en route to a 19-3 demolition of the first place Bombers.

The Red Sox amassed 23 hits off four Yankee hurlers, 13 of them for extra bases. Xander Bogaerts was one of the leaders of the assault, going 4-for-6 with four RBI and four runs. Bogaerts' first-inning, three-run homer set the tone, and Boston hitters just kept piling on the division leaders with impunity.

Bogaerts added a pair of singles and an eighth-inning solo homer. While the Red Sox are just 8-6 since the all-star game, their relatively tame performance cannot be tied to Bogarts and his hot bat. He's batting .419 with six home runs and 17 RBI over his last 15 games.

Friday's game two is scheduled for a 7:10 pm start at Fenway Park.

Murphy: 3-5, HR, 2 RBI

National League

Daniel Murphy is heating up, and that should be good news for the Colorado Rockies.

One of the best hitters in the majors, Murphy's been boosting his batting average, upping it to .287 with a 3-for-5 effort in Colorado's 8-7 comeback win at Washington.

The Nationals held a 7-5 lead entering the eighth inning, but Murphy cut the lead in half with his third hit of the game, a solo homer into the right field seats.

After Ian Desmond tied the game in the ninth with a solo shot of his own, Murphy knocked in the game-winner on a fielder's choice ground out, getting Charlie Blackmon home from third.

Murphy drove in two runs and scored three times. Over his past 15 games, Murphy has been on fire, batting .327 with three homers.

Colorado's victory left them mired in last place in the NL West. They are 6 1/2 games away from the wild card spot.

The Rockies open a three-game series in Cincinnati, Friday at 6:40 pm.

Cleveland's Shane Bieber Tosses One-Hitter at Jays; Paul DeJong Belts 3 HRs as Cardinals Top Pirates

Players of the Day for Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Bieber throws 1-hitter

American League

Shane Bieber took a no=hitter into the seventh inning and finished with a one-hit, complete game shutout in Cleveland's 4-0 win at Toronto.

Bieber gave up a ground rule double to Eric Sogard to open Toronto's seventh, but, other than plunking Lourdes Guriel Jr., set down the final batters without incident or hits, striking out four of the final eight Blue Jay batters.

Bieber issued just one walk, to Vlad Guerrero Jr., in the second inning. Guerrero was erased on a double play, after which Bieber set down the next 12 batters in order prior to Sogard spoiling the no-hit bid.

Throwing 68 of 102 pitches for strikes, Bieber fanned 10 and improved his record to 10-3 with a 3.44 ERA in 21 starts.

Cleveland's win, combined with Minnesota's 10-7 loss to the Yankees, boosted the Indians to within two games of the AL Central leader.

Winners of nine of their last 11, the Indians head to Kansas City on Thursday for a four-game series. First pitch for game one is slated for 8:10 pm ET.

DeJong socks 3 homers

National League

All of a sudden, the St. Louis Cardinals are contending for first place in the NL Central.

The Cardinals won their fourth straight and seventh in their last eight games with a 14-9 victory at Pittsburgh that included a nine-run second inning and three homers by shortstop, Paul DeJong.

Down 2-0 as they opened the second, DeJong knotted the score with a two-run homer and sparked a huge rally. Later in the frame, he doubled and scored as the Cardinals sent 13 batters to the plate.

DeJong socked another two-run homer in the fourth and homered again to lead off the eighth inning. He finished 4-for-4 with five RBI and four runs.

The win kept the Cardinals 1/2-game behind the Cubs in the division. Chicago was a 4-1 winner at San Francisco Wednesday. Milwaukee is also in the division mix, just two games out of first place.

St. Louis will be seeking a four-game sweep of the Pirates when they meet on field Thursday, at 12:35 pm ET.

Didi Gregorius 5-5, 7 RBI in Wild Yankee Win over Twins; Mets' Robinson Cano Socks Three HR

Players of the Day for Tuesday, July 23, 2019

American League

Gregorius: 5-5, 7 RBI

It took more than five hours, 14 pitchers throwing 432 pitches, 35 hits, and a bases-loaded, circus catch by Aaron Hicks, but the Yankees finally prevailed over the Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis, 14-12, in 10 innings.

Yankee shortstop Didi Gregorius had a career night, going 5-for-5 with two singles, two doubles, and a three-run homer. He collected seven RBI in total and scored twice, including the game-winning run.

The Twins built an early 8-2 lead after four innings, but the Yankees batted back with three in the fifth and a five-run eighth. They finally took the lead with two runs in the ninth on Aaron Hicks' two-run homer, but the Twins came back to tie it with a run in the bottom fo the frame.

In the 10th, Gregorius singled with one out, moved to second on Austin Romine's single, and scored on a single by Gleyber Torres. Romine scored an insurance run on a wild pitch.

Minnesota mounted a rally in the home half of the 10th, loading the bases on three walks, but the game ended when Aaron Hicks made a diving catch in center field on Max Kepler's line drive.

The win kept the Yankees 10 games up on both Boston and Tampa Bay in the AL East. Minnesota's loss was not damaging, keeping them three games ahead of the Indians in the Central. Cleveland dropped a 2-1, 10-inning decision in Toronto.

Tied at a game apiece, the two teams finish up their three-game series on Wednesday, 8:00 pm ET.

National League

Cano: 4-4, 3HR, 5 RBI

Both the Mets and Pardes fell out of their respective divisional races in June, but the games still have to be played.

On Tuesday night in New York, Robinson Cano made the most of it, going 4-for-4, belting three home runs and driving in all of the Mets' runs in New York's 5-3 win.

After singling in the first, Cano whacked a solo homer in the fourth off San Diego starting pitcher, Chris Paddack (6-5). In the sixth inning, he victimized Paddock again, lining a two-run homer in the sixth. Cano completed the trifecta with a two-run blast in the seventh off Logan Allen.

Acquired from the Mariners after the 2018 season, Cano has not been productive for the Mets, batting .254, with nine home runs and just 27 RBI. In his last 15 games, however, Cano has hit .316 with five home runs and nine RBI.

The Mets and Padres take up game two of their three-game set at 7:10 pm ET on Wednesday.

Ivan Nova Throws Complete Game in 9-1 White Sox Win; Paul Goldschmidt Slam Leads Cards Past Pirates

Players of the Day for Monday, July 22, 2019

American League

Nova: 9 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 5 K

Pitching has changed with the times in the major leagues.

With the advent of pitch counts, closers, holders, and more recently, "openers," complete games have become rarities.

Bucking the trend on Monday night was White Sox hurler, Ivan Nova, who threw 112 pitches en route to a complete game, 9-1, win over the visiting Miami Marlins.

Nova (5-9, 5.49) allowed four hits, giving up the single run on a solo homer by Jorge Alfaro in the second inning. The 32-year-old hurler was helped by two double plays. He struck out five and did not allow a walk.

Nova, acquired by the Sox from the Pirates in the off-season, was able to relax on the mound as his teammates belted four home runs, building a sizable lead.

The complete game was Nova's first since 2017 and ninth of his career.

The White Sox (45-52) are 3-8 since the all-star break and host the Marlins in game two of their three-game series on Tuesday, at 8:10 pm ET.

Notes: The Minnesota Twins turned a triple play in the first inning of their 8-6 win over the Yankees. The win kept the Twins three games ahead of Cleveland - 7-3 winners at Toronto - in the AL Central.

National League

Goldschmidt: Grand Slam

Squeezing out a 10-inning, 6-5, win at Pittsburgh, St. Louis moved into second place in the NL Central, as the Milwaukee Brewers dropped a 6-5 decision to the Reds. With the Cubs losing, 5-4, at San Francisco, the Cardinals find themselves just 1 1/2 games off the division lead.

Paul Goldschmidt socked a grand slam in the 10th to put the Cardinals comfortably ahead, but the St. Louis bullpen, a sore spot all season, nearly gave the game away, giving up three runs before finally closing the book on the Pirates.

The slam was Goldschmidt's only hit of the game. It was his 19th home run of the season, to go with 48 RBI and a .248 average, numbers well short of what the Cardinals thought he would produce when they acquired him from Arizona in the off-season.

Despite Goldschmidt's struggles (he's currently mired in a deep slump, batting .174 over the past seven games), the Cardinals have kept pace in the most contentious division in the majors. St. Louis is also holding the second wild card spot, 1/2-game behind the Nationals and 1/2-game ahead of the Phillies.

Pittsburg hosts St. Louis in game two of their four-game series in the Steel City, Tuesday, at 7:05 pm ET.

Max Kepler Leads Twins In Walk-Off Win Over A's; Walker Buehler Blanks Marlins in 9-0 Dodger Victory

Players of the Day for Sunday, July 21, 2019

American League

Kepler: Game-winner

With the Cleveland Indians bearing down upon them, the Minnesota Twins needed some magic in the final game of their four-game series with the tough Oakland A's.

They got just enough tricks from leadoff hitter Max Kepler to come away with a walk-off, 7-6, victory and a split in the series.

After doubling and scoring the game's first run in the opening frame, Kepler uncorked a three-run bomb in the second - his 24th home run of the year - to give the Twins a commanding 4-0 lead. Oakland battled back, and, by their at-bat in the bottom t=of the eighth, Minnesota found themselves down, 6-5. Oakland maintained the lead through the eighth and into the ninth, but closer Liam Hendriks could not contain the Minnesota hitters.

Luis Arraez got things started with a one-out single in the ninth, followed by Ehire Adrianza's triple to right field, tying the score. After Jason Castro struck out swinging, Kepler delivered a scratch single to left center, bringing home Adrianza with the winning run.

Kepler was 3-for-6 with four RBI and two runs. The Twins maintained their three-game lead over Cleveland, who topped Kansas City, 5-4.

Minnesota remains home to open a three-game series with the Yankees on Monday. Game time is 8:10 pm ET.

National League

9-1 Buehler: 7 scoreless

Looking very much like the team with the best record in baseball, the LA Dodgers dismantled the Miami Marlins in the finale of their three-game series, completing the sweep with a 9-0 win.

Starting pitcher, Walker Buehler, improved to 9-1 with seven innings of five-hit, shutout ball. Buehler fanned 11, didn't walk a batter and threw 71 of 94 pitches for strikes. The Marlins were flailing away at his tosses all day.

In just his second full season, Buehler has an ERA of 3.23. He's struck out 131 batters in 117 innings while issuing just 17 bases on balls.

Since the all-star break, the Dodgers have seven wins against three losses and lead the NL West by a whopping 16 games. At 67-35 on the season, they've outclassed and outpaced the rest of the league. The Braves have the league's second-best record, at 59-41. In the AL, the Yankees are 64-34; the Astros, 64-37.

With Monday off, the Dodgers host the crosstown rival Angels for two games starting Tuesday.

Red Sox Rout O's, 17-6, Behind Jackie Bradley Jr.; Javier Baez Leads Cubs Past Padres, 6-5

Players of the Day for Saturday, July 20, 2019

Bradley Jr.: 2 HR, 6 RBI

American League

After dropping the opener of their three-game series in Baltimore, 11-2, Friday, the Boston Red Sox roared back with a 17-6 romp at Camden Yards in game two, socking five home runs, two of them by center fielder, Jackie Bradley Jr.

Appreciated primarily for his defense, the fleet-footed Bradley whacked a pair of three-run homers, driving in six runs as the Red Sox took advantage of the small dimensions in Baltimore.

Since the all-star break, Boston is just 5-4, and they're still in third place in the AL East, 11 games behind the runaway Yankees and a game behind struggling Tampa Bay. They're also three games behind Oakland for the second wild card, so the defending world champs have work to do down the stretch.

After Sunday's series finale (1:05 pm ET), the Red Sox will enter a crucial stretch in which they play 14 straight games against Tampa Bay and New York, six against the Rays and eight against the Yankees from July 22 through August 4.

National League

Baez: 3-4, HR, 3R, 3RBI

Opening up a three-game lead in the contentious NL Central with a 6-5 win over San Diego, the Chicago Cubs have a golden opportunity to put some space between themselves and their closest pursuers, Milwaukee and St. Louis.

Chicago leads Milwaukee by three games and St. Louis by 3 1/2.

Javier Baez singled, doubled, and mashed a three-run homer to left field in the fourth inning that put the Cubs on top to stay.

Jose Quintana (8-7) allowed five runs in five innings, but four Chicago relievers blanked the Padres over the final four.

It was the second straight 6-5 win for the Cubs over visiting San Diego, and Chicago's fourth straight win overall. They're 7-1 since the all-star break and are looking to distance themselves in the division.

Baez, who came close to being the NL MVP last season with 40 doubles, 34 home runs and 111 RBI, is on pace to equal or exceed those figures. He's batting .292 with 25 doubles, 24 home runs and 67 RBI.

The Cubs will be seeking the series sweep when they take the field Sunday against the Padres. Game time is 2:20 pm ET.

Oscar Mercado 5-for-5 as Indians Win 6th Straight; Paul DeJong Rallies Cardinals Past Reds, 12-11

Players of the Day for Friday, July 19, 2019

Mercado: 5-for-5

American League

With a 10-5 win over visiting Kansas City, the Cleveland Indians gained another game on Central division-leading Minnesota, as the Twins dropped a 5-3 decision to Oakland Friday night.

Their sixth straight win left the Indians a mere three games off the pace, keyed by rookie center fielder, Oscar Mercado's 5-for-5 effort.

Mercado stroked four singles and a double, scored twice and drove in a pair of runs. In 51 games, the fleet 24-year-old, who hails from Tampa, Florida, is batting a brisk .299 with seven homers, 25 RBI, 35 runs and eight stolen bases. Over his last seven games, Mercado has blazed a .455 average with three homers and eight RBI.

Batting second in the order, behind perennial all-star, Francisco Lindor, Mercado has added speed, power, defense and consistency to the Indian offense.

The win came in the opener of a three-game series with the Royals. Game two is Saturday, 7:10 pm ET.

DeJong: 2-4, HR, 4 RBI

National League

No matter if the score is 1-0 or 19-6, a win is a win in baseball and that's all the St. Louis Cardinals needed Friday night to stay relevant in the wild card and Central division races.

Chalking up a 12-11 win over the Reds in the second of a four-game set at Cincinnati, the Cardinals erased an early 7-0 deficit with 10 runs in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh. A sore spot all season, the Cardinal bullpen nearly gave it all back, allowing the Reds two runs in each of the eighth and ninth innings.

In the middle of the fray was St. Louis shortstop, Paul DeJong, who doubled, drove in two, and scored in the sixth, then stroked a two-run homer (his 15th) in the seventh.

DeJong has been steady this season, batting .254 with 15 homers and 44 RBI. St. Louis is 6-2 since the all-star break, keeping them close in the Central division. Their win moved them past Milwaukee (a 10-7 loser at Arizona), into second place, 2 1/2 back of the Cubs. They are tied with the Phillies for the second wild card spot, a game behind the Nationals.

Game three of the series starts at 7:10 pm ET, Saturday in Cincinnati.

Chris Sale Fans 12 As Red Sox Blank Blue Jays; Stephen Strasburg Bats His Way to 12th Win, Leads NL

Players of the Day for Thursday, July 18, 2019

American League

Sale: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 12 K

Still on the outside looking in at the AL wild card race, the Boston Red Sox got a needed boost from Chris Sale, as the seven-time all-star allowed two hits and no runs over six innings, striking out 12 in a 5-0 Boston win.

Despite a 4-9 record, Sale is second in Al strikeouts with 172, trailing Houston's Gerrit Cole, who leads the majors with 194.

Boston's bullpen finished the shutout, no-hitting the Jays through the seventh, eighth and ninth.

At 53-44, the Red Sox are two games behind the Rays and A's for the second wild card. Cleveland has surged to claim the first wild card by one game, with a 55-40 mark.

Boston took three of four from the Blue Jays and are 4-3 since the all-star break. They head to Baltimore for a three-game series, starting Friday at 7:05 pm ET.

National League

12-4 Strasburg Leads AL

Taking the lead in NL wins with his 12th of the year, Stephen Strasburg didn't pitch his best game in Washington's 13-4 whipping of the Braves, but he did hit the highlight reel pretty hard at the plate, socking a three-run homer and singling in two more runs as the Nationals inched closer to first-place Atlanta in the East.

Strasburg only lasted 5 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits and three earned runs, fanning seven, but, thanks to an eight-run third inning, the Nationals really didn't need to extend their ace. Three relievers mopped up the final 3 2/3 innings, allowing the Braves just one more tally after Strasburg's departure.

Leading off the third inning with a single, Strasburg scored on Adam Eaton's triple and homered later in the frame. His two-RBI single came in the fifth, padding the Washington lead.

Teammate Max Scherzer leads the NL in strikeouts with 181. Arizona's Robbie Ray is second with 152; Strasburg is next, at 151.

The result of Thursday's contest in Atlanta left the Nationals 5 1/2 games behind the Braves, the closest they've been to the division lead since late April. The Nationals are 14-4 since June 25th. Atlanta has lost three straight.

Thursday's game was the first of four in Washington. Game two of the series is Friday at 7:20 pm ET.

Amed Rosario Powers Mets to 14-4 Win at Twins; Jurickson Profar Belts a Pair of HRs as A's Win 6th Straight

Players of the Day for Wednesday, July 17, 2019

American League

Profar: 2 HRs, 4 RBI

After winning their sixth straight - a 10-2 pounding of the Mariners - the Oakland A's are part of a four-team pack seeking two wild card spots, the others being the Red Sox, Rays, and Indians. The A's, however, are eyeing a more distinct entry point into the playoffs, namely the AL West crown, as they have a firm grip on second place in the division, a mere 4 1/2 games behind the Astros.

In Wednesday's conquest, Oakland played their own version of home run derby, socking six out of their park in a dazzling power display. Long balls by Chad Pinder, Ramon Laureano, Mark Canha, and Jurickson Profar accounted for all of the A's runs.

Pinder had a three-run shot, Laureano a solo blast, while Canha belted two solo homers and Profar launched a pair of two-run blasts. Profar, the sixth-season second baseman, was acquired by the A's from the Rangers following the 2018 season. He also walked and scored on Pinder's home run.

The A's begin a seven-game road trip on Thursday, with four games at Minnesota followed by three at first-place Houston. Game time for the open in Minnesota Thursday is 8:10 pm ET.

National League

Rosario: 4-4, HR, 3b, 4R

The New York Mets completed their only visit to the Twin Cities this season with a resounding, 14-4, romp over the home-standing Twins, desperately holding onto first place in the AL Central after dropping two straight to the invaders from New York.

Trailing 3-2 entering the seventh inning, the Mets went on a hitting binge, scoring three runs in the seventh, five in the eighth, and three more in the ninth.

With a spectacular day at the plate, Mets' shortstop, Amed Rosario went 4-for-4 with a home run, triple and two singles, scoring four times and driving in three runs.

One of the hottest hitters of late, Rosario is batting a brilliant .545 over this last seven games.

After splitting a pair of games in New York, the Mets stole two from the Twins at home. The Mets have won four straight while Minnesota has dropped three in a row and now lead the charging Cleveland Indians by only four games. The Indians have won four straight and are 8-2 over their last 10.

On Thursday, the Mets head West to San Francisco, while the Twins remain home, opening a four-game series with Oakland.

Matt Chapman Delivers in A's 5th Straight Victory; Phillies' Bryce Harper Walks Off Dodgers for 9-8 Win

Players of the Day for Tuesday, July 16, 2019

American League

Chapman heats up for A's

Winners of five straight, the Oakland Athletics rode the arm of Daniel Mengden (7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER) and the white-hot bat of Matt Chapman to a 9-2 win over the visiting Mariners.

While Mangden was mowing down Seattle batters en route to a 5-1 mark, Chapman was lacing balls to left field and beyond, going 3-for-5 with a single, double and his 22nd home run, a two-run shot in the fifth inning that put the A's up 4-1. Immediately following Chapman's blast, Matt Olson ripped his 20th dinger and the rout was on.

Chapman accounted for five RBI, bringing his total to 59 on the season. In his last 15 games, Chapman is 20-for-57 (.351), with four homers and 16 RBI, helping the A's to within 4 1/2 games of West division-leader, Houston.

In just his third season, the 26-year-old is having the best of it, already closing in on career marks in home runs and RBI. He socked 24 long balls in 2018, driving in 68 runs in 145 games. His numbers this year are in just 93 games.

The A's look to complete the sweep in game three of the series, Wednesday, 3:37 pm ET.

National League

Harper: 3-5, HR, 5RBI

After signing a blockbuster long-term contract, Bryce Harper got off to a very slow start with his new team, the Phillies, this season, but as the weather has warmed up, so has Harper's bat.

In Tuesday's 9-8 victory over the Dodgers, Harper was the walk-off hero, doubling in a pair of runs with one out in the ninth to turn the score around and saddle LA closer, Kenley Jansen, with his fourth blown save.

Earlier, in the second inning, Harper smoked a three-run blast to put the Phillies up, 6-1, but the potent Dodger offense rallied to erase that lead, holding an 8-6 edge heading into the bottom of the ninth.

Prior to Harper's final shot, Scott Kingery singled home Andrew Knapp to close the gap to 8-7. Jansen gave up four hits, retiring only one batter.

For Harper, a six-time all-star, the five RBI upped his total to 67. His homer was #17 on the year. In his last 15 games, Harper is batting .315 with four homers and 13 RBI.

The win left Philly 8 1/2 off the pace in the AL East, led by the Atlanta Braves. Washington is currently in second place, 6 1/2 out. The Phils can write their own ticket in the division, as they have five games left with Washington and 10 against the Braves, seven of those at home.

The Phillies host the Dodgers in game three of the four-game set, Wednesday at 7:05 pm ET.

Brandon Crawford Drives in 8 in 19-2 Giants' triumph; Rays Down Yanks, 5-4, with 3 HRs by Travis d'Arnaud

Players of the Day for Monday, July 15, 2019

American League

Trailing the Yankees by six games in the race for the AL East crown, the Tampa Bay Rays opened a crucial four-game series in New York on Monday.

d'Arnaud: 3-3, 3HR, 5RBI

Thanks to the efforts of catcher Travis d'Arnaud, the Rays managed a 5-4 win, all of their runs coming off three homers by d'Arnaud.

The Rays' backstop mashed solo shots in the first and third innings, giving the Rays a lead, but, two homers by Edwin Encarnacion and one by Urshela, left the Rays down 4-2 heading into the ninth.

d'Arnaud stepped into the spotlight with two aboard in the ninth, cracking his third homer of the game into the right field stands for a 5-4 edge that Rays relievers made stand, completing a perfect night with three homers, a pair of walks and five RBI in three official at-bats.

The win left the Rays five behind the Yankees. Game two of the series is Tuesday at 7:05 pm ET in New York.

National League

Crawford: 5-6, 2HR, 8RBI

San Francisco may be in last place in the NL West, but they sure didn't look the part Monday, walloping the Rockies, 19-2 in the opener of a four-game set in Denver.

Of their 21 hits, the Giants banged out 10 for extra bases, including a pair of homers by Brandon Crawford, who went 5-for-6, driving in eight runs, scoring three times.

Crawford also helped the Giants take both ends of the day-night double-header, socking a solo shot in San Fran's 2-1 win over the Rockies in the nightcap.

The power performance has come suddenly for the 32-year-old Crawford, of his nine homers this year, six of them have come in his last 30 games.

If the Giants continue beating the Rockies, they won't remain in last place for long. With the Dodgers running off with a 15-game lead over Arizona in the division, San Francisco is 17 games back, Colorado 16 games back. In between them, the Padres are 16 1/2 out.

The Giants and Rockies resume their rivalry on Tuesday. Game three is slated for an 8:40 start, ET.