Players of the Day for Monday, July 22, 2019
American League
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
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.
American League
 |
| Nova: 9 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 5 K |
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.
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