George Springer Leads Astros to MLB-Best Record; Cardinals Snag NL Central Behind Jack Flaherty

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 29, 2019

American League

Spinger: 4-4, HR, 2 RBI

With all the playoff spots and home fields already set in the AL, only one of the five playoff squads came up with a win on the final day of the regular season.

Houston, led by George Springer's 4-for-4 effort, bombed the Angels, 8-5, finishing with the best record in the majors, at 107-55.

The Astros scored in each of the first four innings and coasted to the win. Springer singled to open the game and scored on Jose Altuve's double. In the second, Springer spanked his 39th home run of the year, a solo shot that put the Astros up, 3-0. In the fourth, Springer doubled in a run and later scored. He finished with a fifth-inning infield single and was lifted for a pinch runner.

Houston's 107 wins are a franchise record, topping last season's mark of 103. In 2017, the Astros captured the first World Series in franchise history, dating back to 1962, when they were established as a National League expansion team known as the Colt .45s.

The Astros will host the first two games of the best-of-five division series starting Friday, October 4, facing the winner of the wild card contest between the A's and the Rays, which is scheduled for Wednesday, October 2.

The Yankees host Minnesota in the other divisional series, also starting on Friday, October 4.

National League

Flaherty clinches for Cards

It took until the final day of the season, but the St. Louis Cardinals are champions of the NL Central, ripping the Cubs, 8-0, behind yet another sparkling performance by Jack Flaherty, who has been one of the best pitchers in either league over the second half of the season.

Flaherty blanked the Cubs on two hits over seven innings while his teammates feasted on Chicago pitching, slugging three home runs as they scored in each of the first four innings.

Going 7-2 in his last 15 starts, Flaherty gave up just 10 earned runs over 99 1/3 innings for an ERA of 0.71. Over that span, Flaherty fanned 124 and walked 23 batters. For the year, he finished with 213 strikeouts.

St. Louis captured the division by two games over Milwaukee, who ended the regular season with a 4-3 loss at Colorado.

The Cardinals will open the best-of-five divisional series at Atlanta on Thursday, October 3, while the Nationals and Brewers play a one-game wild card playoff Tuesday, the winner advancing to meet the Dodgers in the other divisional series, which opens in Los Angeles, also on Thursday.

A's Grab WC Home Field on Ramon Laureano's HR; Ian Happ, Cubs Thwart Cardinals in NL Central

Players of the Day for Saturday, September 28, 2019

American League

Laureano's HR wins for A's

The Oakland A's wrapped up home field for their upcoming wild card playoff game against Tampa Bay with a 1-0 win at Seattle Saturday.

Ramon Laureano roped a third-inning solo home run to left and Brett Anderson and a trio of relievers made it hold up, giving the A's a one-game edge over the Rays in the wild card hunt.

Laureano's home run was his 24th of the year.

Oakland's victory assured that he A's would host Wednesday's AL wild card game (8:00 pm ET), the winner going on to face the Houston Astros, the loser going home. Even if Oakland loses its final regular season game Sunday at Seattle, they would still own the tie-breaker over Tampa Bay, as they took the head-to-head season series over the Rays, 4-3.

The other playoff positions in the AL are set. Minnesota will open agains the Yankees in New York in the other five-game divisional series.

National League

Happ: 2 HR, 4 RBI

A week ago, St. Louis all but eliminated the Cubs from playoff contention, sweeping their NL Central rivals four straight in Chicago.

Now, the Cubs are bent on getting revenge.

St. Louis, on the verge of capturing the division crown for the first time since 2015, has dropped the first two games of their regular-season-ending series with the Cubs and have just one game remaining.

After losing the opener, 8-2, Friday, the Cubs clubbed the Cardinals again, 8-6, on Saturday.

Ian Happ socked a pair of two-run homers off Cardinal starter, Adam Wainwright, to lead the Cubs assault. A bench-clearing non-brawl erupted in the second inning after Yadier Molina was hit by a pitch from Cubs' starter, Cole Hamels.

The Cardinals, who have lost four straight, remain a game to the good over the Brewers, thanks to Colorado, who have cooled off the Brewers by taking the first two games of their three-game series.

St. Louis faces the Cubs one last time on Sunday, while the Rockies host the Brewers. Should the Brewers and Cards tie for the division title, they would play one game - in St. Louis on Monday - to determine the wild card and division. The winner would play Atlanta in one divisional series; the loser would play at Washington in the one-game wild card elimination game, Tuesday

Raimel Tapia Slams Brewers, Rockies Win; Tommy Pham, Tyler Glasnow Lead Rays Into Playoffs; A's Also Qualify

Players of the Day for Friday, September 27, 2019

American League

Glasnow: 4 1/3 hitless

Cleveland is out. The Rays and A's are in the playoffs.

Tommy Pham's third inning, two-run homer broke a scoreless tie and Tyler Glasnow tossed 4 1/2 innings of no-hit ball, as the Rays went on to defeat the Blue Jays, 6-2, Friday in Toronto.

Pham's homer was his 21st of the year; Glasnow fanned four and issued two walks, setting down the last eight batters he faced before being lifted with one out in the fifth inning.

Pham: 2-run homer

The win, combined with Cleveland's 8-2 loss at Washington, put the Rays into the playoffs for the first time since 2013, taking a wild card spot.

Oakland, falling 4-3 at Seattle, also qualified as a wild card, but fell into a flat-footed tie with the Rays. Both teams are 96-64, with two games left.

Should the two finish tied for the wild card spots, Oakland would be the home team, as they won the season series over the Rays, four games to three. Wherever it is played, the AL wild card game will be played Wednesday, October 2nd.

Cleveland, which had been in contention not only for a wild card, but also for the Central division, played itself right out down the stretch, losing four of its last six.

National League

Tapia's slam buries Brewers

On their path the the playoffs, the Milwaukee Brewers finally ran into a game the could not win, a team they could not beat, as the Colorado Rockies out-slugged them, 11-7, Friday night.

After Lorenzo Cain put the Brewers up 2-1 in the fourth inning, the floodgates opened for the Rockies, scoring seven times in the sixth inning, capped by Raimel Tapia's grand slam. Colorado tacked on three more in the seventh and though the Brewers posted a pair in the eighth and three in the ninth, it was not nearly enough.

Tapia's home run was his ninth of the season and upped his RBI total to 44.

Milwaukee's loss was only their second in their last 11 games. The Brewers are having a September to remember, going 20-5 to overtake the Cubs in the Central division and gain, at least, a wild card spot. Despite losing, the Brewers remain one game behind St. Louis in the division, as the Cardinals were bombed by the Cubs, 8-2. Both teams have two games remaining.

Should the Brewers and Cardinals tie for the division title, they would play a one-game playoff, the loser to face Washington in another one-game elimination, while the division winner would open a five-game divisional playoff series in Atlanta. The wild card team would head to Los Angeles to meet the Dodgers.

Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers Ready for Playoffs; Matt Chapman Gets A's Closer to wild Card

Players of the Day for Thursday, September 26, 2019

American League

Chapman belts 2-run HR

Game by game, little by little, the Oakland A's continue to charge toward the playoffs.

On Thursday, the A's took a 3-1 win at Seattle, holding a one-game lead over Tampa Bay for the first wild card.

Matt Chapoman's second inning, two-run homer off Felix Harnandez was all the A's needed in support of Sean Manaea's six innings of four hit ball. Manaea allowed one run, before the Oakland bullpen took over, holding the Mariners hitless over the final three innings.

Chapman's home run was his 36th. He's driven in 91 runs this season.

Oakland's win, and Cleveland's 8-0 loss to the White Sox, left the A's one win short of clinching a playoff spot. The A's will close out the regular season this weekend, playing three more games in Seattle, while the Rays finish with three in Toronto and the Indians have three in Washington against the Nationals.

National League

Kershaw: 6 scoreless

Clayton Kershaw is ready for October baseball.

In a final tuneup in preparation for the playoffs, the Dodgers' ace shut out the Padres Thursday night on two hits over six innings, improving to 16-5 with a 1-0 win at San Diego. Kershaw threw just 90 pitches for the win, striking out seven with one walk.

The Dodgers have already locked up home field for the duration of their National League playoff run.

In other games that mattered, the Washington Nationals topped the Phillies for the fifth straight time, maintaining their one-game lead over Milwaukee in the wild card race. The Brewers won again, defeating the Reds in Cincinnati, 5-3.

Milwaukee remains alive for the Central division crown. They are one game behind St. Louis in the division race.

The Brewers close out their season with three games at Colorado. St. Louis hosts three with the Cubs, while the Nationals finish up at home, hosting three games with the Cleveland Indians.

Randy Dobnak Pitches Twins Into Playoffs; Ryan Braun's Grand Slam Secures Playoff Berth for Brewers

Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 25, 2019

American League

Dobnack: 6IP, 1H, 0ER, 6K

The Twins are in.

Randy Dobnak tossed six innings of one-hit ball as Minnesota cruised to a 5-1 victory. Coupled with Cleveland's 8-3 loss to the White Sox, the Twins clinched the AL Central and will likely meet the Yankees in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Dobnak, as raw a rookie as there is, gave up a first inning unearned run on an error and a double, which turned out to be the only hit the Tigers would produce off the 24-year-old. Dobnak no-hit the Tigers over the next 5 1/3 innings, and did not issue any walks, fanning six. Having worked just 28.1 innings, Dobnak is 2-1 with a save and a 1.59 ERA in eight appearances, five of those starting assignments.

Clinching the division for the first time since 2010, the Twins are likely to finish with the third-best record among division winners, meaning they will open the best-of-five divisional series against the team with the second-best records, which is currently the Yankees, who have lost their last two to Tampa Bay, as the Rays continue to battle Cleveland and Oakland for two wild card spots.

With the Rays topping the Yankees, 4-0, and Oakland slipping by the Angels, 3-2, Cleveland's loss leaves them in a precarious position, 1 1/2 games behind the Rays for the second spot. Oakland holds the top position, but only by 1/2 game over the Rays. Tampa Bay has just three games left to play; Cleveland and Oakland each have four remaining.

National League

Braun: Grand Slam

Ryan Braun's first inning grand slam got the Brewers off to a big start, leading to a 9-2 romp over host Cincinnati, putting the Brewers into the playoffs for the second straight year.

Braun's belt was his 22nd of the year and was also his second grand slam in the past ten days. He socked a ninth-inning grand slam in a victory over St. Louis on September 15. Eric Thames also homered in the first inning, his 24th.

The rampaging Brewers won for the 17th time in its last 19 games and secured at least a wild card for the playoffs. Their victory, coupled with the Cardinals' 9-7 loss at Arizona, left them 1 1/2 games behind St. Louis in the Central division.

Seedings in the National League are still very up in the air. The Dodgers have the best record in the league and will host the wild card entrant in the divisional round. Atlanta, East division champs, will host the either the Cardinals or Brewers, depending on which team captures the division pennant. Washington has secured a wild card but holds a slim, one-game lead over Milwaukee, with each team having four games to play.

St. Louis has three games remaining, all against the Cubs in St. Louis, starting Friday.

Houston's Gerrit Cole Wins 15th Straight Decision; Trea Turner Leads Nationals to Two Wins Over Phillies

Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 24, 2019

American League

Cole: 15 straight wins

Winning his 15th straight decision, Houston's Gerrit Cole blanked the Seattle Mariners on two hits over seven innings, striking out 14 in a 3-0 Houston win.

Cole (19-5, 2.52) didn't issue any walks and threw 101 pitches in what should be his final start of the season. Houston would likely use him as the starter in the playoff opener next week. Cole leads the majors in strikeouts with 316, and hasn't been on the wrong end of a decision since May 22. He's 4-0 in five September starts.

The win put the Astros up 1 1/2 games over the Yankees for the best record in the American League. Houston is 103-54; the Yankees - 2-1 losers at Tampa Bay Tuesday - are 102-56.

Houston has won eight of its last nine. After closing out their series in Seattle Wednesday, the Astros finish the regular season with four games against the Angels in Anaheim. The Yankees also finish on the road. They have one more game in Tampa on Wednesday, Thursday off, and close out at Texas over the weekend.

In the wild card race, Oakland lost to the Angels, 3-2, while Cleveland slaughtered the White Sox, 11-0. The A's lead Tampa Bay by 1/2 game and Cleveland by one.

National League

Turner powers Nationals

Taking both ends of a double-header from the visiting Phillies, the Washington Nationals increased their lead in the NL wild card to one full game over the hard-charging Milwaukee Brewers.

Leadoff batter, Trea Turner, did it all for the Nationals, going 3-for-4 in the opener with a single and two doubles, scoring twice in the 4-1 win, and slugging a sixth-inning grand slam to lead Washington to a 6-5 victory in the nightcap.

Turner is having a solid season, batting .298 with 18 home runs, 55 RBI, 94 runs, and 34 stolen bases. He's stepped it up for the stretch run, batting a robust .406 with four homers, eight RBI and 10 runs in his last seven games.

Washington's taken three straight from the Phillies in their five-game series, but the damage has already been done, the National;s eliminating Philadelphia and their $200 million payroll from the playoffs. The Nats and Brewers each have five games remaining, the intrigue being whether the Brewers can catch the Cardinals in the NL Central, where they trail St. Louis by 2 1/2 games. St. Louis, a 3-2 loser in 19 innings at Arizona, has just four games left, three of them this weekend against the reeling Cubs, losers of seven straight.

Milwaukee has won five straight and is 16-2 since September 6. On Tuesday, they topped Cincinnati, 4-2, and will finish on the road, with two more against the Reds and three in Colorado over the weekend.

Behind Patrick Corbin, Nats Stop Phillies, 7-2; Ji-Man Choi Leads Rays Over Red Sox, 7-4

Players of the Day for Monday, September 23, 2019

American League

Choi: HR, 3 RBI, 2 R

In the only game of importance in the AL, Tampa Bay kept charging toward the post-season with a 7-4 win over the fading Red Sox.

Down 4-0 entering the bottom of the fourth inning, Ji-Man Choi ignited a six-run rally with a three-run homer off Boston starter, Jhoulys Chacin. Two more home runs in the frame - a solo shot by Nate Lowe and a two-run rip by Willy Adames - put the Rays up, 6-4, and they never looked back, the Tampa bullpen blanking Boston over the final five innings on three hits.

Choi also doubled and scored an insurance run in the sixth inning.

Tampa Bay's victory left them 1 1/2 games behind the Oakland A's in the wild card race, with Cleveland just 1/2-game behind the Rays.

Tampa has five games remaining in the regular season. Cleveland and Oakland each have six left.

The Rays took three of four from Boston and host the Yankees for two games Tuesday and Wednesday before closing out the regular season with three games in Toronto.

National League

Corbin stops Phillies

It was the top of the sixth inning that the Phillies finally got to Patrick Corbin for a run, but by then, the Nationals had already scored five times, en route to a 7-2 victory over Philadelphia, pushing them closer to elimination from the playoffs.

Corbin didn't pitch his best game, though he held the Phillies to three hits and four walks and kept them off the scoreboard. Striking out six, Corbin threw 108 pitches, improving to 14-7, in what could be his last start of the regular season.

Acquired from Arizona in the off-season, Corbin has flourished with the Nationals, having his best season in his seven years as a major leaguer. His 3.05 ERA is a career-best and his 230 strikeouts are fourth in the league.

With seven games left on the schedule, the Nationals host the Phillies four more times, including a double-header on Tuesday. Washington needs three more wins or losses by other contenders to secure one of the two wild card spots in the National League.

The Nationals and Brewers are the two likely wild cards, with Washington up by 1/2-game over Milwaukee. Chicago is four games behind the Brewers, the Mets five back, Arizona six behind, and the Phillies 6 1/2 out.

George Springer's 3 HRs Bring AL West Crown to Houston; Cody Bellinger Slams Rockies in Dodger Win

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 22, 2019

American League

Springer: 3 HR, 4 RBI

George Springer cracked a trio of home runs, leading the Houston Astros to a 13-5 victory over the LA Angels, securing the AL West pennant for the third consecutive season.

Springer led off the bottom half of the first inning with a solo homer, spanked a two-run shot in the second, and belted another solo shot in the fourth, giving him 38 homers on the year. Springer's four RBI upped his total to 94.

The Astros cruised to the win, their 102nd against 54 losses, clinching the division in their final home game of the regular season. They also hold a 1/2-game edge on the Yankees for the best record in the league and home field advantage through the playoffs.

Houston will finish on the road, with two games in Seattle and four in Anaheim against the Angels.

The Al wild card race tightened up, as Oakland and Tampa Bay both lost, as Cleveland downed the Phillies, 10-1. The A's hold a two-game edge on both the Rays and Indians. All three have six games left in the regular season.

National League

Bellinger: Grand Slam

With a 7-4 win over the visiting Rockies, the LA Dodgers won their 100th game of the season and need just two more wins - or Atlanta losses - to secure home field for the duration of their playoff run.

After starting pitcher, Hyun-Jin Ryu, tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth with a solo shot, the Dodgers loaded the bases for slugger Cody Bellinger, who promptly unloaded them with a grand slam, his 46th home run of the season.

Bellinger is third in home runs league-wide, trailing the Mets' Pete Alonso (50) and the Reds' Eugenio Suarez (48). His 114 RBI ranks seventh among NL hitters.

In other NL happenings, the St. Louis Cardinals secured a post-season berth after sweeping the Cubs in a four-game series in Chicago, winning Sunday's finale, 3-2. By sweeping the Cubs, the Cardinals eliminated Chicago from the NL Central race, which is now down to St. Louis and Milwaukee. The Cardinals lead the Brewers by three games with six games remaining.

Washington dropped a 5-3 decision at Miami, leaving them tied with the Brewers for the top wild card spot. The Cubs are four games back. The Phillies, Mets, and Diamondbacks are nearing elimination.

Cardinals Down Cubs on Yaider Molina, Paul DeJong HRs; Marcus Semien Leads A's Past Rangers

Players of the Day for Saturday, September 21, 2019

Semien: 3-3, HR, 3BB

American League

The Oakland A's are serious about making the playoffs.

Winning their fourth straight and 15th in their last 18 games, the A's pounded the Rangers, 12-3, maintaining a two-game lead in the wild card race over Tampa Bay.

Oakland belted out 14 hits and worked nine walks against eight Texas hurlers. Leadoff hitter, Marcus Semien, led the assault, going 3-for-3 with two singles and a home run. He was on base six times, as he walked in his other three plate appearances.

Semien led off the A's first with a single and scored on Matt Olson's single to right. He also walked later in the inning as the A's piled seven runs on the visiting Rangers.

In the second, Semien walked, forcing in a run, then socked his 32nd homer of the year in the fifth inning, a solo shot that put the A's up 10-0. He scored twice and drove in two runs.

Over his last 15 games, as the A's have gone 12-3, Semien has been sensational, batting .371, with six homers and 15 RBI. He's driven in 90 runs this season and scored 119 runs. His totals for batting average, runs, home runs and RBI all all career highs for the seven-year veteran.

Tampa Bay kept pace with the A's winning, 5-4 over Boston. Cleveland dropped a game behind the Rays, losing, 9-4, to the visiting Phillies. Each of the three wild card contenders have seven games remaining.

National League

Molina's HR tied game.

Yadier Molina and Paul DeJong socked back-to-back 9th inning home runs off Chicago closer, Craig Kimbrel, and the Cardinals took their third straight over the Cubs at Wrigley Field with a 9-8 victory Saturday.

On the wrong end of an 8-7 score after eight innings, St. Louis struck quickly against Kimbrel and the Cubs. Molina led off the inning with his ninth homer of the season, tying the game. DeJong followed with his 28th, a towering 440-foot blast that stood up as the game-winner when Carlos Martinez got the final three outs in the bottom of the frame.

DeJong's HR won game.

The win left the Cubs stunned with their fifth straight defeat and third straight at the hands of the Cardinals. Chicago fell six games back in the NL Central, and are in danger of being eliminated not just from the division race, but from the wild card as well.

Washington, holder of the top wild card, kept a one-game lead over Milwaukee with a 10-4 win over the Marlins. The Brewers won their fifth straight, dropping the Pirates, 10-1. Chicago trails the Brewers in the wild card race by three games with seven left to play.

The Cardinals, winners of four straight, will be looking for a four-game sweep of the Cubs when the two meet in the series finale, Sunday, 2:20 pm ET.

On the verge of clinching a post-season spot after a three-year playoff absence, St. Louis plays three games in Arizona next week before returning home for a final, three-game series with the Cubs.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Powers Braves to NL East Title; Carlos Correa Belts a Pair in Houston Win

Players of the Day for Friday, September 20, 2019

Correa: 2 HR, 3 RBI

American League

Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Carlos Correa each socked fist inning home runs and the Braves inched closer to their third straight AL West pennant with a 6-4 win over the LA Angels.

After his two-run shot in the first, Correa connected again in the third inning with a solo shot to left center. The pair of homers give him 21 on the year, along with 59 RBI in a season in which he's been out of action due to injuries twice for extended periods.

Correa missed all of June and most of July and has just returned - this was his second game back - from another month off due to a sore back. In all, he's missed nearly half the season, sitting out 80 games.

Key to Houston's success in winning the World Series in 2017, the 24-year-old shortstop and 2015 AL Rookie of the Year provides slick fielding and a potent bat to the middle of the Astros' lineup.

With their magic number at one, all Houston needs to do to clinch the division is win Saturday against the visiting Angels or have Oakland lose Saturday's game against the Texas Rangers. Houston has won six straight.

The Astros cracked 100 wins for the third straight year. In 2017, they won 101 games, and 103 in 2018. This year's squad appears to be the most potent of recent vintages. The are 101-53 and are 1 1/2 games up on the Yankees for the best AL record.

Oakland is eight game behind the Astros in the West, but holds a two-game edge on both Tampa Bay and Cleveland in the wild card race. All three have eight games left to play.

National League

Acuna Jr.: 2-2, 3 R, 2 RBI

Mike Foltynewicz threw eight innings of shutout ball and Ronald Acuna Jr. stroked his 41st home run of the year, leading the Braves to a 6-0 win over San Francisco and their second straight NL East pennant.

Fans and players alike exploded exuberantly when Acuna made the final out on a short fly ball to center. The second-year player was on base all night, going 2-for-2 with a pair of walks, a double and his home run. Acuna, who scored three times, surpassed the 100-RBI threshold with his two-run poke in the fifth inning. He has 101 on the year.

Voted NL Rookie of the Year in 2018 when he batted .293, hit 26 homers, drove in 64 runs, scored 78 times, and swiped 16 bases in 111 games, Acuna verified the voters' choice this season, batting .281, with 41 homers, 101 RBI, 126 runs and 37 steals. He can still add to his totals, as the Braves still have seven games left in the regular season.

Winning the NL East with a 92-70 mark in 2018, eight games better than the Washington Nationals, the Braves are even more potent this season with a 95-60 mark and a 9 1/2 game edge on the Nats. Already assured of the second-best record in the league, they have an outside chance of catching the Dodgers for the best record should they stumble in the final week. LA has a 4 1/2 game lead, at 99-55 and clinched the West division on September 9.

Atlanta has two more home games with San Francisco, Saturday and Sunday, before finishing up the regular season on the road with two in Kansas City and three in New York against the Mets.

In the wild card race, St. Louis defeated the Cubs in Chicago for the second straight day, winning, 2-1, while Milwaukee won for the 13th time in their last 15 tries, whipping the Pirates, 10-1. With Washington taking down Miami 6-4, the Brewers have taken over the second wild card, a game behind the Nationals, with the Cubs now trailing the Brewers by two games.

St. Louis continues to lead the NL Central by three games over Milwaukee. Chicago has fallen to five back.

Masahiro Tanaka Hurls Yankees to AL East Crown; Matt Carpenter Homers, Leads Cards Past Cubs

Players of the Day for Thursday, September 19, 2019

American League

Tanaka pitches clincher

Through all the injuries, doubts, and player changes, the New York Yankees managed to overcome all of it and clinch the AL East with a little more than a week left in the regular season.

Masahiro Tanaka controlled the mound and the LA Angels while his teammates knocked out four homers en route to a 9-1, no-doubt victory, their 100th of the season.

Tanaka improved to 11-8, allowing four hits and one earned run over seven innings of work. He fanned six and did not walk any batters.

Tanaka needed to throw only 86 pitches for the win. The lone Angel run came off the bat of Kole Calhoun, who roped a leadoff homer in the fourth inning.

The Yankees are tied with Houston at 100 wins. The Dodgers, leading the National League, have 98.

New York hosts the Toronto Blue Jays in a three-game series beginning Friday.

National League

Carpenter wins it in 10th

If St. Louis wins the NL Central or takes one of the wild card slots, it will be in spite of its bullpen, not thanks to it.

The Cardinals squandered an excellent pitching performance by Jack Flaherty (again) and a 4-1 lead, but were bailed out by Matt Carpenter's 10th inning home run, defeating the Cubs, 5-4.

Flaherty worked eight innings, allowing one run on four hits, the lone Chicago run coming on an Anthony Rizzo solo home run in the third inning.

Carlos Martinez, the on-again, off-again closer for St. Louis, was charged with three runs in the bottom of the ninth, allowing the Cubs to tie the score.

Carpenter socked his 13th home run of the season into the left-center stands of Wrigley Field off Cubs' reliever, Craig Kimbrel. Giovanny Gallegos put down the Cubs in order in the bottom of the inning to seal the win, leaving the Cardinals with a three-game edge over Milwaukee in the Central division, with the Cubs four games out.

Milwaukee defeated the Padres Thursday, 5-1, and has won 12 of its last 14 games.

The St. Louis win opened a four-game series in Chicago. The Cubs and Cardinals go at it again on Saturday, with the series extending through Sunday and game four on Monday. The two NL Central rivals close out the season with three games in St. Louis next week.

Tommy Pham 5-for-6 in Rays Win at LA; Adam Wainwright Wins 4th Straight for Cardinals

Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Pham: 5-6, 3R, 2RBI, SB

American League

Austin Meadows socked a solo home run in extra innings, but Tommy Pham did everything for the Rays as Tampa Bay topped the LA Dodgers, 8-7, in 11 innings.

Meadows' homer put the Rays ahead in the top of the 11th inning, 7-6. Pham followed with a double, moved to third on a ground out and scored on Ji-Man Choi's sac fly. The run was crucial because the Dodgers scored in the bottom of the inning, but could not produce the second run, which would have tied the score again.

Pham went 5-for-6 in the game with a pair of doubles, three singles, a stolen base, three runs and two RBI. In the first inning, Pham got the Rays started, reaching on an error, moving to third on Brandon Lowe's base hit. He scored on Travis d'artaud's single.

In the third, Pham singled but was left stranded, but, in the fifth, he got the Rays even at 3-3 with a double that plated two runs. In the seventh, he reached on an infield single, only to be left on base again. With the Rays down, 6-4, in the top of the ninth, Pham singled again, stole second and scored on Choi's RBI single. The Rays tied the game on another sac fly by Choi.

On fire his last 15 games, Pham has gone 22-for-61 (.361) over that span with 10 RBI, 12 runs and seven stolen bases.

The result kept the Rays firmly in the playoff hunt. Tampa Bay holds a 1/2-game edge on Cleveland for the second wild card. Oakland is currently in the top spot, with a two-game lead over the Rays.

Managing to split two games with the Dodgers in LA, the Rays head home, opening a four-game series with the Red Sox on Friday. Oakland also has Thursday off, hosting three with the Rangers, starting Friday. The Indians, still hopeful, just four games behind the Twins in the AL Central, finishes up with Detroit on Thursday looking for the three-game sweep, then hosts three with the Phillies over the weekend.

National League

Wainwright wins 4th straight

Adam Wainwright out-dueled Washington's Max Scherzer and the St. Louis Cardinals improved their chances of reaching the post-season with a 5-1 win over the Nationals.

While Scherzer was shelled for five runs over 6 2/3 innings, Wainwright improved to 13-9, scattering eight hits over seven innings. The Nationals did manage to cross the plate in the seventh, but the run was unearned and the Cardinals responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame.

The usually shaky St. Louis bullpen was remarkably solid. Andrew Miller and Carlos Martinez combined to work the final six outs, with Miller allowing the only base hit.

Wainwright has been a bulwark for the Cardinals in September, winning all four of his starts while allowing just one earned run over 27 innings of work. The 38-year-old is a prime candidate for comeback player of the year. In 2018 he was 2-4 in just eight starts, limited due to injury.

The victory improved St. Louis' lead in the NL Central to three games over Milwaukee and Chicago, both losing on Wednesday. The Cubs were taken out in the 10th inning by the Reds, 3-2, while Milwaukee was stopped cold by San Diego's Dinelson Lamet, who fanned 14 in six innings, giving up three hits and one earned run in a 2-1 Padres victory.

Wednesday's results left the Nationals in the #1 wild card spot, 1 1/2 games up on the Cubs and Brewers. The Phillies and Mets were both winners, creeping closer, to within two games of the #2 spot.

Washington continues on the road, opening a three-game series in Miami Friday, while the Cardinals head to Chicago for a four-game series with the Cubs opening Thursday night. Milwaukee figures to benefit, hosting one more game with the Padres Thursday before welcoming in the Pirates for three games over the weekend.

Cavan Biggio Hits for Cycle in Blue Jays' Win; Marlins' Miguel Rojas Drives In 6; Wild Card Updates

Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 1, 2019

American League

It must be in the genes.

Biggio hits for cycle

On Tuesday night, in an otherwise meaningless game, the Toronto Blue Jays knocked off the Baltimore Orioles, 8-5. While the two teams have only next season to look forward to, rookie Cavan Biggio made the most of it, hitting for the cycle, driving in four runs.

Biggio, son of Hall of Famer, Craig Biggio, began putting together the historic night in the third inning, with a two-run homer that gave Toronto a 3-2 lead. After singling in the sixth inning, he doubled, stole third and scored on a sac fly to tie the game at 4-all in the eighth. Finally, in the ninth, after Justin Smoak put the Blue Jays up, 5-4, Biggio legged out a triple that plated two more runs and came home to score on a Baltimore error.

Biggio's father, Craig, hit for the cycle in 2002. Cavan's cycle was the first ever in the 27-year history of Baltimore's Camden Yards. Batting a mere .230, Biggio has 14 homers and 42 RBI in 313 at-bats. He's also swiped 10 bases and scored 58 runs.

In the wild card race, the Oakland A's have taken the initiative, winning their last seven of eight, with a 2-1 gut-check win over the Royals. The win left them two games up on Tampa Bay, 7-5 losers to the Dodgers in LA.

The Indians are 1/2-game behind Tampa, but have 11 games left, as opposed to just 10 for the Rays and A's.

Already in a good spot, the A's have the lightest schedule remaining, hosting one more game with the Royals, then three with Texas. They finish on the road, playing two with the Angels, then four at Seattle.

Cleveland finishes up its home schedule with two more against Detroit, then three with the Phillies. On the road the final six games, they visit the White Sox for three and end in Washington against the Nationals.

The Rays have a tough week ahead. After one more in LA, they return home for four games with Boston and two against the Yankees. Their season ends with three in Toronto.

National League

In a game that more than likely knocked the Diamondbacks completely out of playoff contention, the Miami Marlins put a 12-6 hurting on Arizona, with Miguel Rojas driving in six runs, fueling the effort.

Rojas: 4-for-6, 6 RBI

Rojas doubled three times and singled in six at-bats. In the third inning, he stroked a double to left center, driving in the first run of the game, then, after grounding out in the fourth, he came to the plate with the bases loaded and cleared them with a double to left field. He singled in two more in the seventh. For good measure, he doubled again in the ninth, but was left stranded as he was after each of his four hits.

For the Diamondbacks, the loss was their eighth in the last 10 games, sending them 5 1/2 behind the Cubs and Brewers, who are tied for the second wild card. With just 10 games remaining, Arizona would have to leapfrog the Phillies, Mets and either the Cubs or Brewers to take a wild card and that's unlikely.

The Brewers appear to be in the best position for either a wild card or the NL Central crown. Their 3-1 win over San Diego Tuesday was their 11th win in their last 12 games. With the Cubs dropping a 4-2 decision to the Reds, the Brewers and Cubs are two games behind St. Louis in the division, after the Cardinals lost, 6-2, to the Nationals.

Washington has a 1 1/2-game lead in the first wild card position and finishes up their three-game series with the Cardinals Wednesday afternoon in St. Louis. Max Scherzer goes to the mound for the Nets, with Adam Wainwright going up the hill for St. Louis.

The Cardinals and Cubs have the toughest roads to the playoffs, playing each other seven times in the closing days. Milwaukee has two more home games with the Padres, then three at home against the Pirates. They finish the season on the road, with three games each in Cincinnati and Colorado.

Washington has the most exotic down-the-stretch schedule after finishing up in St. Louis. They have Thursday off and play three over the weekend in Miami. Then they return home for an eight-game home stand, playing the Phillies five times before ending the regular season hosting Cleveland for three games. The Phillies are still on the fringe of the playoff picture, but the Indians are likely to still be in the AL wild card race until those final games.

Luis Arraez Leads Twins Win Over White Sox; Marcell Ozuna Powers Cardinals Past Nationals

Players of the Day for Monday, September 16, 2019

American League

Rookie Arraez has 100 hits

Minnesota rookie, Luis Arraez, collected his 100th major league hit on Monday, and it helped fuel a Twins win over the White Sox, 5-3.

Arraez, sporting a .350 batting average, led off the bottom of the first with an infield single, but was left stranded at third base. In the second, he singled again, moving runners to second and third. Both of those scored, but Arraez was left stranded again, this time on second base.

After lining out in the fourth inning, Arraez came up in the sixth with runners on second and third and delivered another single, plating both, completing the Twins' scoring. The 22-year-old second baseman from Venezuela has been on fire of late, going 23-for-54 (.426) over his last 15 games.

With Cleveland idle, the Twins increased their lead in the Central division to five games with just 12 to play.

The Twins have what looks to be an easy path to the division title. After two more home games against Chicago, the remainder of their schedule includes seven games against Kansas City and three versus Detroit, the two laggards of the division.

National League

Ozuna: 2-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI

With the Central division contenders all playing Monday, the St. Louis Cardinals maintained their lead over the Cubs and Brewers, with a 4-2 edge over the Washington Nationals.

Marcell Ozuna drove in all four St. Louis runs, with a first-inning, two-run homer off Washington starter, Stephen Strasburg, and a two-run double in the seventh that unknotted a 2-2 tie. Ozuna has 28 home runs and 86 RBI after missing the entire month of July due to injury. His hits were timely, snapping a 2-for-17 mini-slump.

Dakota Hudson picked up his 16th win against seven losses, allowing two runs on five hits over seven innings.

The win kept the Cardinals two games up on Chicago, 8-2 winners over Cincinnati, and three up on Milwaukee, as the Brewers topped the Padres, 6-1.

Also tightening was the wild card race. With Washington losing - they're 6-9 in September - their grip on the top wild card spot is only 1/2-game over the Cubs, with Milwaukee another game back.

The NL wild card race is looking like a four team affair, with the Cardinals, Nationals, Cubs and Brewers all vying for three spots - two wild cards and the Central division crown. The Mets, Phillies, and Diamondbacks have each begun to fade. They are five, five and 5 1/2-games behind the Cubs, respectively.

St. Louis hosts the Nationals in game two of their three-game series, Tuesday, 7:45 pm ET.

Ryan Braun's Slam Lifts Brewers Over Cardinals; Josh Reddick 5-for-5 As Astros Sweep Royals

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 15, 2019

American League

Reddick: 5-5 HR 3R 3RBI

Houston completed a sweep of the Royals Sunday with a 12-3 win in Kansas City, tying the Yankees for the best record in the American League.

Josh Reddick went 5-for-5, including a home run, as the Astros dropped their magic number to clinch the division to FIVE.

Reddick stroked four singles and knocked his 13th home run, scored three times and drove in three runs.

Proving just how far afield the Astros are in the division and the league, they outscored the Royals 22-5 in the three-game series.

Houston has Monday off, resuming their run to the post-season on Tuesday, hosting two games with the Texas Rangers. The Astros will finalize their home schedule this weekend, possibly clinching the division when they play three games with the Angels.

National League

Braun's Slam Folds Cards

Ryan Braun's grand slam in the top of the ninth provided the game-winning runs as the Milwaukee Brewers topped the St. Louis Cardinals for the second straight game win a 7-6 victory.

Three walks loaded the bases for Braun, who appeared at the plate with two outs and the Brewers down, 4-3. On a 3-2 count from St. Louis reliever, Junior Fernandez, Braun deposited the offering into the left-center stands.

The Cardinals responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning on a Tommy Edman homer, but could not overcome the deficit. Relief pitching has been the Cardinals' Achilles heel all season. Now it threatens their lead in the NL Central, as the Cubs and Brewers are closing in on them.

Milwaukee trails by three games in the division; the Cubs are just two games behind St. Louis.

Braun's homer was his 20th. He has 66 RBI on the year.

The Brewers have been on fire of late, winning nine of their last 10. They took two of three in their series in St. Louis. On Monday, they head back to Milwaukee for their final home series of the season, hosting four games with the Padres followed by three with Pittsburgh.

St. Louis opens a three-game series at home against the Nationals, beginning Monday at 7:45 pm ET.

Kris Bryant Drives in 4, Cubs Pound Pirates; Brett Gardner Delivers for Yankees in Blue Jay Blowout

Players of the Day for Saturday, September 14, 2019

American League

Gardner: 2 HR, 5 RBI

Closing in on 100 wins, the Yankees (98-52) reduced their magic number to four with a blowout, 13-3, win over the Blue Jays in Toronto.

The Yankees amassed 19 hits, three of them by Brett Gardner, who doubled and went yard twice, driving in five runs for the AL East division leaders. Gardner got the Yankees on the board with a double in the second inning, followed up with a solo homer in the fourth and put the game out of reach with a three-run homer in the fifth. He totaled five RBI on the day.

Gardner, 36, has a career-high 25 home runs this season. He's driven in 66 runs, scored 79 and has 10 stolen bases.

The Yankees close out their series in Toronto on Sunday, starting at 1:07 pm ET, before returning home for their final home stand of the year, hosting three games each with the Angels and Blue Jays, starting Tuesday.

National League

Bryant: 3-3, HR, 4 RBI

With a commanding 14-1 win over Pittsburgh Saturday, the Cubs not only maintained their hold on the second wild card, but picked up a game on Central division-leading St. Louis, as the Cardinals were defeated by Milwaukee, 5-2.

Kris Bryant went 3-for-3 in the Chicago rampage, singling in a run in the second inning, whacking a two-run homer in the fourth, and taking one for the team when he was hit by a pitch in the fifth, with the bases loaded, accounting for his fourth RBI of the day.

Bryant is quietly having a solid season, batting .285 with 29 home runs and 73 RBI. He's picked up the pace as the Cubs are serious about making the playoffs, batting .391 with three homers and nine RBI in his last seven games.

Saturday's results left the Cubs 1 1/2 behind Washington in the wild card, holding second by a game over the Brewers, three over the Mets, and 3 1/2 over the Phillies. More importantly, Chicago pulled to within three games of the Cardinals in the division. The Cubs and Cardinals play each other seven more times in the final two weeks of the season.

Chicago, winners of three straight, finish their series in Pittsburgh Sunday.

Cardinals Rip Brewers As Paul Goldschmidt Drives in 7; Gerrit Cole 17-5 After Houston Downs Royals

Players of the Day for Friday, September 13, 2019

American League

Cole's 292 Ks leads majors

Gerrit Cole notched his 17th win against five losses, blanking the Royals over seven innings as the Astros inched closer to the AL West crown with a 4-1 win in Kansas City.

Cole was cruising along until the Royals scored an unearned run in the eighth inning, but George Springer made the difference, socking a three-run homer in the top of the ninth. Roberto Osuna came on in the ninth to complete the task, earning his 33rd save with a scoreless inning of relief.

Cole won his 10th straight, fanning 11. It was the sixth straight start in which Cole hit double digits in strikeouts and the 18th time this season. He leads the majors with 292 strikeout victims.

Houston maintained its 7 1/2-game lead over Oakland, as the A's out-slugged Texas, 14-8. The Astros' magic number to clinch the division is seven.

Kansas City hosts the Astros in game two of the three-game series Saturday at 7:15 pm ET.

National League

Goldschmidt: 2 HR, 7 RBI

Late August, St. Louis took command of the NL Central division, winning nine of 10, bypassing the Cubs and Brewers as they vaulted into first place. Maintaining their lead since August 27, the Cards have cooled off a bit, going 10-6, but they solidified their hold on first place Friday with a 10-0 romp over Milwaukee, snapping the Brewers' seven-game winning streak.

Adam Wainwright hurled six scoreless innings and Paul Goldschmidt smashed two homers and drove in seven runs as the Cardinals opened their final series of the season with Milwaukee with a no-doubt-about-it conquest.

Wainwright (12-9) allowed just two hits and fanned seven, while Goldschmidt socked a third-inning grand slam and mashed a three-run homer in the sixth. Acquired from San Diego in the off-season, Goldschmidt has provided power to the middle of the St. Louis lineup. He has 31 homers and 89 RBI on the year.

The win left the Cardinals four in front of the Cubs in the division, dropping Milwaukee to five off the pace.

The Cardinals lead the season series with the Brewers, 10-7. They'll wrap it up Saturday and Sunday in in St. Louis.

Mets Pummel Arizona; Juan Lagares, 2HR, 6 RBI; Luke Voit Leads Yankees Over Detroit

Players of the Day for Thursday, September 12, 2019

Voit: 3-5, HR, 3R, 3 RBI

American League

Rained out on Wednesday, the Yankees played two in Detroit on Thursday with the worst team in the majors.

As expected, New York captured both ends of the double dip, winning the first game, 10-4, then taking the nightcap, 6-4.

Luke Voit had himself a nice day at the plate, especially in game one, where he singled, doubled and hit a two-run homer run in the first inning, scoring three times and driving in three. In the second game, he went 1-for-3 and scored a run.

Voit has 20 homers and 58 RBI on the year.

Detroit is now 43-102, 3 1/2 games worse than the Orioles, each at the bottom of their respective divisions.

The Yankees improved to 97-51, the best record in the majors and two games better than Houston, which currently gives the Yanks home field advantage for the duration of their playoff run. With 14 games left on the schedule and a 10-game edge on Tampa Bay, the Yankees magic number to clinch the AL East is FIVE.

The Yankees head to Toronto Friday for a three-game weekend series with the Blue Jays.

National League

Lagares: 2 HR, 6 RBI

Making their way into the heart of the NL wild card race, the New York Mets completed a sweep of the visiting Diamondbacks, taking four straight from the team that until recently, had been the hottest in the majors.

Arizona had won 11 of their last 13, losing the series finale in Cincinnati before heading to New York. With the Mets' 11-1 win Thursday, New York handed Arizona its fifth straight loss and passed them in the wild card standings.

Juan Lagares led a barrage of six home runs with two of his own: a grand slam in the third inning and a two-run homer in the fifth, totaling six RBI for the game. The Mets outscored Arizona, 26-4, in the four games, winning 9-0 on Wednesday.

The win kept the Mets tied with the Phillies, two games behind Chicago and Milwaukee, who are tied for the second wild card spot. Washington continues to lead in the #1 position, 3 1/2 up. Arizona is another 1 1/2 behind the Mets and Philly. Other than Arizona, all five of the wild card contenders won on Thursday.

Arizona heads home to meet the Reds starting Friday; the Mets host the Dodgers in a three-game weekend series.

Ji-Man Choi Homers Twice, But Rays Fall At Texas; Mike Moustakas Celebrates Birthday With 2 HRs and Brewer Win

Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 11, 2019

American League

Choi: 2 HR, 4 RBI

Following a 10-9 loss to the Texas Rangers Thursday, Tampa Bay is clinking to the narrowest lead in the AL wild card contest.

With Cleveland and Oakland both posting wins, the Rays have a 1/2-game edge on the A's and a one-game lead over the Indians.

Despite Ji-Man Choi's perfect night at the plate - two homers and three walks - the Rays were unable to keep the Rangers off the scoreboard sufficiently well, taking their first loss since September 3rd. Choi socked a three-run homer in the first inning and racked a solo shot in the ninth that left the Rays a run short.

Regardless, the Rays will regroup and carry on. They've been in contention all season and have been especially poised the past two weeks, winning 11 of their last 13 games.

They complete their series in Texas Thursday before heading to Los Angeles for five games against the Angels.

National League

Moustakas: 2HR, 5 RBI

Nearing the end of August, the Milwaukee Brewers were left for dead in the NL Central and the wild card race. The Cardinals had surged to the division lead while Washington and Chicago seemed destined for wild cards.

Then things turned around. They took two of three from the Cubs in Chicago, split a pair in Houston and then took three of four from the Cubs and started what is now a six-game winning streak that has them tied with the Cubs for the second wild card.

Wednesday's 7-5 victory at Miami was Milwaukee's first game without 2018 league MVP, Christian Yelich, who is out for the season after fracturing his right kneecap by fouling a ball off of it in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Marlins.

It was also Mike Moustakas's 31st birthday, and he celebrated by smacking two home runs, powering the win. Moustakas connected with a three-run blast in the third inning, then sealed the deal with a two-run rip in the ninth, breaking a 5-all tie.

Going 3-for-4 with five RBI, Moustakas has 33 homers on the season and 81 RBI. The Brewers will be looking for a sweep of the Marlins Thursday, then it's off to St. Louis for three games with the division leaders.

With Washington holding the top spot in the wild card race by 3 1/2 games, Milwaukee has caught the Cubs for the second spot and they are both four games behind the Cardinals in the division.

The Phillies and Mets are both two games back for the second wild card; Arizona is 2 1/2 off that pace.

Dodgers Clinch NL West Behind Walker Buehler, Corey Seager; A's Rip Astros, 21-7, Sean Murphy, Matt Olson 2HR Each

Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Olson: 2 HR, 4 RBI

American League

After being hammered, 15-0, in the opener of their four-game series at Houston, the Oakland A's did some mashing of their own, socking six homers in a 21-7 payback over the Astros in game two.

Ripping a total of 25 hits, the A's scored in every inning except the seventh and eighth, putting up seven in the first and six more in the fourth.

Murphy: 2 HR, 4 RBI

Sean Murphy and Matt Olson each sent two into the stands. After singling in a run in the opening frame, Murphy launched a two-run job in the fourth and a solo shot in the sixth. Olson's homers - his 30th and 31st - were each of the two-run variety, one each in the third and fourth innings.

Murphy has been in the majors only enough to amass 14 at-bats, but he has three homers to his credit and six RBI with a .357 batting average.

Trailing the Astros now by 9 1/2 games, the A's will try to go one up on Houston in the series on Wednesday. Game time at Minute Maid Park is 8:10 pm ET.

National League

Buehler: 7IP, 4H, 0ER, 11K

Walker Buehler kept the Orioles scoreless over seven innings and Corey Seager knocked two balls out of Camden Yards as the LA Dodgers defeated Baltimore, 7-3, clinching the NL West in the unlikeliest of locations.

Buehler (13-3, 3.14), the second year phenom, held the O's to four hits, notching his third win in as many starts. He fanned 11, walked none, and no Baltimore base runner got past second. Buehler struck out the side in the third inning and upped his overall total to 201, becoming the eighth National League hurler to record 200 or more strikeouts this season. Jacob deGrom leads the league with 231.

Seager: 2 HR, 5 RBI

Seager's two homers resulted in five early runs. The Dodger shortstop belted a three-run shot in the first, and followed up with a two-run dinger in the third inning. He has 16 on the year to go with 74 RBI. Seager has three homers in his last two games.

The result landed the Dodgers the NL West crown, with an 18 1/2 game lead on second place Arizona. The September 10 division clinch was the earliest of any team in the majors since the 1998 Yankees nabbed the AL East on September 9. The Indians clinched the AL Central on September 8, 1995, the first year of the wild card.

Elsewhere, the six teams vying for the two wild card spots stack up this way after Tuesday's games:

Washington +2 1/2
Chicago ---
Milwaukee -1
Philadelphia -2
Arizona -2 1/2
New York Mets -3