Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 18, 2019
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
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.
 |
| Pham: 5-6, 3R, 2RBI, SB |
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 |
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment