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.

Cardinals Get Big Effort From Adam Wainwright; Randal Grichuck Rallies Blue Jays Past Yankees

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 16, 2018

Grichuck: game-winning 2B

American League

Randal Grichuck doubled home Kevin Pillar in the eighth inning, giving the Blue Jays the lead in a 3-2 win over the Yankees Sunday in New York.

The Yankees, who had scored two runs in the first inning on an Andrew McCutchen homer and a sac fly by Didi Gregorious, failed to score the remainder of the game, despite numerous opportunities. Blue Jay pitching was just good enough to hold them off.

Thomas Pannone, who earning the win, worked seven innings, allowing just two hits and one walk after the shaky first frame.

While Toronto has been eliminated long ago from post-season opportunity, the Yankees are trying to hold onto the first wild card, but have been unsteady of late, losing four of five as the Oakland A's bear down on them.

The A's dropped a 5-4 decision at Tampa Bay Sunday, leaving them 1 1/2 back of New York, at the second wild card.

The Yankees will have to do better if they seek to play the single elimination game at home. They open a three-game series with Boston on Tuesday and then have three against the Orioles. Their final seven games are on the road, with four at Tampa Bay and three at Boston. Oakland may have an easier route. On Tuesday they start a three-game home series with the Angels and then host the Twins for three. They close out the regular season with three at Seattle and three in LA against the Angels.

Oakland is seven games clear of the Rays, so it's likely that the Yankees and Athletics will vie for the two wild card spots. The A's trail Houston by 4 1/2 in the AL West.

National League

Wainwright: 6IP, 0ER, 9K

As the final two weeks of the regular season commence, St. Louis starter, Adam Wainwright, may have come off the disabled list and rediscovered his good stuff just in time for the stretch run.

After dropping three straight at home to the Dodgers, Wainwright tossed six innings of shutout ball, leading the Cardinals to a 5-0 win over Los Angeles Sunday night.

Wainwright, on the shelf since mid-May with inflammation in his throwing elbow, returned from the DL Septmerber 10, but his first start was not encouraging, as he allowed four runs on seven hits over five innings in a loss to the Pirates.

On Sunday, Wainwright, 37, appeared to have found his best stride, fanning nine Dodgers over six innings while limiting them to just two hits. While he walked three, he gave the Cardinals enough solid innings to establish a 3-0 lead, allowing the bullpen to match up and shut down LA the rest of the way.

The win left the Dodgers and Cardinals in a dead heat for the second wild card slot. With the Rockies winning, 3-2, at San Francisco, the Dodgers stand 1/2 game behind in the NL West. St. Louis still has a shot at the NL Central flag, but they're 5 1/2 behind the Cubs, with Milwaukee, current holder of the top wild card position, trailing Chicago by just 2 1/2.

St Louis has a hard path to the playoffs. On Monday, they open a three-game series at Atlanta. The Braves are cruising to the NL East pennant, leading the Phillies by 6 1/2 games. The Cardinals return home after that, with a pair of three-game series against the Giants and Brewers, followed by three at Chicago to close out the season.

Los Angeles has an easier schedule, starting with three-game series at home against the Rockies and then San Diego. They finish on the road, playing three at Arizona and three at San Francisco.

Only one of the two can take a wild card spot unless Milwaukee stumbles badly in the final two weeks.

Yankees Paste Blue Jays, 12-2, Aaron Hicks Plates 6; Adam Wainwright Paces Cards Win Over Dodgers

Players of the Day for Thursday, June 1, 2017

American League

Hicks: 3 doubles, 6 RBI

The first place New York Yankees opened a four game series in Toronto in style, routing the Blue Jays, 12-2.

Highlighting the offensive explosion was Aaron Hicks, who belted three doubles and a single, driving in six runs and scoring twice.

Hicks began his barrage in the first inning, stroking a bases-clearing double to the gap in right-center, driving in three runs to put the Yanks up, 4-0. In the seventh, Hicks doubled in another run and scored, and doubled again in the ninth, plating two and scoring again. Hicks also singled in the third inning, but was stranded, one of the four innings in which the Baby Bombers didn't score.

Batting .317 with eight home runs, 30 RBI and seven steals, Hicks has managed to fit into a crowded starting outfield, largely replacing Jacoby Ellsbury. Hicks has improved vastly from last year when he batted .217. He's already tied his home run total from 2015 and is one behind the 31 RBI from last season.

With the win, the Yankees improved their lead in the AL East to three games over Boston, 7-5 losers at Baltimore. They also slowed the progress of the Blue Jays, which had crept to within 5 1/2 games prior to Thursday's defeat.

Game two of the series is slated for a Friday 7:07 pm ET start at the Rogers Center.

National League

Wainwright: Power stroke

Adam Wainwright may not have been at his best on the mound in St. Louis' 2-0 victory over the visiting Dodgers, but he made sure of his sixth win against three losses with a second inning two-run home run and made it stand up.

Wainwright needed 101 pitches to get through six innings, but he throttled the power-packed Dodger lineup on four hits, walking two, striking out six.

Hitting for power is no fluke for Wainwright, now in his 12th year as a pro, all with the Cardinals. Thursday's belt was his second of the season, and he hit two fingers last year and has 10 in his career.

Last season might have been his best at the plate, driving in 18 runs, though batting just .210.

The St. Louis win finalized the four-game series with LA at two games apiece. The Dodgers took the first two, but St. Louis won the final two, leaving the Dodgers 1/2 game behind Arizona and Colorado in the NL West and the Cardinals 1 1/2 behind Milwaukee in the Central. Three games back are the Cubs, losers of six straight.

St. Louis heads to Chicago for a three-game series starting Friday. The Dodgers are at Milwaukee this weekend for three games.

Adam Wainwright Tunes Up in Cardinals' Win over Braves; Zack Greinke, Adrian Gonzalez Lead Dodgers in Cactus League

Players of the Day for Saturday, March 21, 2015

Grapefruit League

Wainwright: 4IP 0R

There's a reason Cardinals' ace starter Adam Wainwright has won numerous awards and his team has been in the playoffs and won the World Series during his tenure: he's "money."

Wainwright continued tuning up for the regular season with four scoreless innings in the Cards' 1-0 win over the Braves. Though he did not get the win, and, maybe wasn't exactly as sharp as he'd like to be at this point - allowing four hits and a walk - Wainwright threw through the situations in which pitchers are paid to perform: with men on base, and came up aces. Wainwright fanned three.

Greinke: 6Ks

The Braves got just one more hit off three St. Louis relievers, and the Cardinals scored in the bottom of the ninth for the win, when Dean Anna drove in pinch-runner Charlie Tilson with none out, putting them at 8-7 and dropping the raves to 7-12 in Grapefruit League play. Kevin Siegrist pitched the ninth inning and received the win.

Cactus League

Gonzalez: 2 HR

The Dodgers have surged to the top echelon of the Cactus League standings and Saturday's 11-3 win over the Rangers shows they're just about ready for opening day.

Zack Greinke proved he will be an integral part of the Dodger pitching rotation, going four solid innings, allowing no runs on three hits and a walk, striking out six.

Adian Gonzalez had his sweet swing in a groove, belting out a pair of solo homers helping LA to an early lead.

Sure to be a big provider of runs for the Dodgers this year, Gonzalez comes off a 2104 campaign in which he knocked out 27 homers (6th in NL) and drove in 116 runs, the top-run-producer in the National League.

Bird Is the Word: Orioles, Cardinals Cruising as Nelson Cruz, Adam Wainwright Dominate

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 7, 2014

American League

Look in any recent dictionary and under the word "streaky," you're likely to find a photo of one Nelson Cruz, the standout DH and left fielder for the Baltimore Orioles.

Cruz:
7 RBI, Streaky

With a history of huge games and runs of brilliance, Cruz fortified his image on Sunday, driving in all of the Orioles runs in a 7-5, 11-inning victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Baltimore's win avoided the indignity of being swept in Tampa's air-conditioned Tropicana Field; Cruz's mastery of the art of hitting assuring that the Orioles would improve upon their lead in the AL East, as the Yankees - on Derek Jeter Day, no less - dropped a 2-0 decision to the Kansas City Royals. Baltimore's lead is back to 9 1/2 games, their magic number reduced to 12.

Cruz provided the power to boost the O's with a 4-for-5 effort, including a two-run homer in the sixth inning, a bases-loaded double in the ninth, which gave the Orioles a 5-4 lead (only to see Tampa tie it in the bottom of the frame) and another two-run homer in the 11th, which proved to be game-winning. The two home runs increased Cruz's major league leading figure to 39, the seven RBI giving him 101 on the season, leaving him one behind league leader, Mike Trout, and one head of Detroit's Miguel Cabrera.

Including Sunday's performance, Cruz has five home runs and 13 RBI in his last eight games. Over that span, he's 12-for-31, for a .387 average.

Wainwright: 17-9

Streaky.

National League

Adam Wainwright threw his fourth complete game of the season, improving his record to 17-9 in a 9-1 win over fading Milwaukee.

The win put the Cardinals in a commanding position in the NL Central, with a 4 1/2 game lead over the Pirates, dropping the Brewers into third place, 1/2 game behind Pittsburgh. Pleased with the Cardinals' win, the Pirates socked four homers in their 10-4 victory of the Cubs, putting them in sole possession of the second wild card spot, 1/2 game to the good over both Atlanta and Milwaukee.

Wainwright allowed only a ninth-inning run, spoiling what could have been his third shoutout of the season, instead setting for the single run and complete game, dropping his ERA to 2.62, fourth-best amongst NL starters.

Striking out three and issuing just one walk, Wainwright threw 71 of 100 pitches for strikes and got first-pitch strikes on 22 of the 32 batters he faced. The Cardinals turned three double plays, one of which was started by Wainwright.

His 17 wins tied Wainwright with Johnny Cueto, Clayton Kershaw and Madison Bumgarner for the NL and major league lead.

Adam Wainwright Goes Distance as Cardinals Move Past Pirates, 6-1, onto NLCS

Players of the Day for Wednesday, October 9, 2013

American League

There were no AL games on Wednesday. Game five of the ALDS between Oakland and Detroit begins Thursday at 8:07 pm EDT in Oakland.

National League

When it came down to the deciding game, the Cardinals went to their ace while the Pirates went with a rookie.

Guess what happened.

David Freese socked a second-inning, two-run homer off Pittsburgh starter, Gerrit Cole, and St. Louis' Adam Wainwright made it stand up with a complete-game win as the Cardinals cruised into the NL championship series with a 6-1 victory in game five.

Adam Wainwright

Cole pitched well, allowing two runs on three hits, striking out five, but not as well as Wainwright, who gave up eight hits but allowed only one run, that coming in the seventh, when Justin Morneau scored from second on a ball hit by Pedro Alvarez that went off the first base bag and was snagged by Cardinal shortstop, Matt Carpenter. A double play - one of three turned by the St. Louis infield - ended the inning with the next batter.

Wainwright walked one and fanned six. He was consistently around the plate with a dazzling assortment of off-speed curve balls and sliders, and the occasional fast ball, throwing 74 of 107 pitches for strikes. The lean, 6'7" right-hander also won game one of the series, a 7-1 victory for St. Louis. In that outing, Wainwright allowed one run on three hits over seven innings. Wednesday's effort was his first post-season complete game and his fourth playoff win without a loss.

First-baseman, Matt Adams, filling in for the injured Allen Craig, smashed a mammoth two-run homer in the eighth, adding to the St. Louis lead. Matt Holliday went 2-for-4 and was on base for both Cardinal homers.

A leading Cy Young candidate, Wainwright finished the regular season with 19 wins, tied with Washington's Jordan Zimmermann for the most in the National League. Hs 219 Ks were third-most in the league and his 2.94 ERA, seventh.

The Cardinals will host the LA Dodgers in game one of the best-of-seven NL championship series, beginning Friday.

Today's Trivia: True or false: Including the National Association (1871-1875) there have been more than 300,000 home runs hit in the entire history of major league baseball. (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: The St. Louis Cardinals have won 10 World Series, the most by any National League franchise.

Adam Wainwright, Clayton Kershaw Lead Cardinals, Dodgers to Game One Wins in NLDS

Players of the Day for Thursday, October 3, 2013

American League

There were no American league games on Thursday.

AL Divisional Series begin on Friday, as the Tampa Bay Rays play at Boston, 3:07 pm EDT, and the Oakland A's host the Detroit Tigers at 9:37 pm EDT

National League

Adam Wainwright

Adam Wainwright remained unbeaten in the post-season, limiting the Pirates to three hits and one run over seven innings while his teammates piled on multiple runs for a 9-1 victory in game one of the NLDS.

Wainwright cruised through the Pittsburgh lineup, the only hiccup a fifth-inning, leadoff homer by Pedro Alvarez after the Cardinals had plated seven runs in the third inning. A 19-game winner - tied with Washington's Jordan Zimmermann for the most in the NL - Wainwright fanned nine and walked one, throwing 71 of 105 pitches for strikes. It was Wainwright's walk, leading off the third inning, that got the Cardinals started, scoring the first St. Louis run when Carlos Beltran belted a three-run homer.

Wainwright is 3-0 with a 2.27 ERA in post-season play.

Pittsburgh starter, A.J. Burnett, didn't record an out in the third inning, officially giving up seven earned runs on six hits and four walks.

Game two of the best-of-five series continues Friday at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Game time is 1:07 pm EDT.

Clayton Kershaw

In the other divisional series, Clayton Kershaw allowed three hits and one run to the Atlanta Braves over seven innings, as the visiting LA Dodgers took game one of the NLDS by a 5-1 score.

Kershaw, who led the majors with a 1.83 ERA and 232 strikeouts, fanned 12 while walking three on a night in which he clearly did not have his best stuff, needing 124 pitches to get through the seven frames.

Adrian Gonzalez touched off a two-run homer in the second inning to provide an early cushion for Los Angeles. The Dodgers takced on two more in the third and single runs in the fourth and sixth innings.

Game two of the series is slated for a 6:07 pm EDT start in Atlanta.

Today's Trivia: The World Champion New York Yankees of 1977 fielded three players that had previously won rookie of the year honors. Who were they?

Yesterday's Answer: Five LA Dodger rookies captured consecutive rookie of the year awards from 1992-1996. They were Eric Karros (1992), Mike Piazza (1993), Raul Mondesi (1993), Hideo Nomo (1994), and Todd Hollandsworth (1995)

Desmond Jennings Gets Redemption in 12th as Rays Top Rangers; Adam Wainwright Stars at the Plate in St. Louis Victory

Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 18, 2013

American League

After misjudging a line shot off the bat of Leonys Martin resulting in a two-run second-inning triple, all Tampa Bay center fielder Desmond Jennings wanted was a chance for redemption.

Jennings delivers
game-winner for Rays

It took ten more innings, but finally, in the bottom of the 12th, Jennings delivered the eventual game-winner, a two-out single to right field that plated pinch-runner, Sam Fuld, for a 4-3 Tampa Bay victory.

The win for the Rays was their second of three in the four-game series with Texas, leaving the Rangers a game behind the Rays in the wild card race, but still clinging to a 1/2 game edge over Cleveland for the second spot.

Jennings finished 3-for-5, with another single and a double, but was left stranded on both occasions. The Rays had tied the game at 2-2 when Sean Rodriguez socked a two-run homer off Texas starter, Derek Holland, and the game remained at that score until the 11th, when each team scored a run in their half of the inning.

With Baltimore, New York winning and Kansas City beating Cleveland, 7-2, the AL wild card situation became even tighter, with all six contending teams within 3 1/2 games of each other, the five vying for the final wild card all within 2 1/2.

The Rangers and Rays wrap up the series Thursday night, 7:10 pm EDT at Tropicana Field in Tampa.

AL Wild Card Standings (through 9/18)

Team	GB
Tampa Bay	+1
Texas	--
Cleveland	-1/2
Baltimore	-1
NY Yankees	-2 1/2
Kansas City	-2 1/2

National League

Adam Wainwright wasn't pitching as well as he normally does, so he let his bat do the talking as he led the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

The Cardinal starter improved to 17-9 with a stellar plate performance, going 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI and a run scored. In 7 2/3 innings of work on the mound, Wainright surrendered three runs on 10 hits, walking one and getting eight Rockies on strikeouts, throwing an incredibly-high 89 of 112 pitches for strikes.

Wainwright:
3-3, 2RBI

Wainwright's better contributions were at the plate and on the bases, however. After giving the Rockies a 2-0 lead in a shaky first inning, Wainwright doubled in the Cardinals' first run and then tied the game, scoring on Matt Carpenter's single to right.

In the fourth, Wainwright gave his team the lead at 3-2, singling home Yadier Molina. Molina singled in another run for the Cardinals in the fifth, before Wainwright allowed the last of the Rockies' runs in the sixth for the 4-3 final.

The St. Louis win pushed them to a two-game lead over the Pirates, losers of three straight, in the NL Central. Cincinnati defeated Houston, 6-5, in 13 innings, and are 2 1/2 games behind St. Louis. All three teams are virtually assured of reaching the playoffs, though the Cardinals find themselves in the enviable position of leading the division. The Pirates and Reds, should they continue on to capture the two NL wild card positions, would have to play each other in a one-game playoff.

St. Louis leads the series at Colorado, two games to one and wraps up on Thursday afternoon at 3:10 pm EDT at Coors Field in Denver.

Today's Trivia: Now the Washington Nationals, the Montreal Expos were a NL franchise from 1969 to 2004. During that span, the team produced two NL batting champions, one in 1982, the other in 1986. Who were these Montreal batsmen? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: Bill Madlock won back-to-back NL batting titles in 1975 and '76, then went to the Pirates, winning two more titles in 1981 and 1983.

Adam Lind Belts Two Homers, Drives in six in Blue Jays' Romp; Adam Wainwright Stops Pirates with Seven Scoreless for Cardinals

Players of the Day for Saturday, September 7, 2013

American League

Lind: 2HR, 6RBI

Toronto can only play out the string this season, but the Blue Jays took their second straight over the equally-awful Twins, as Adam Lind socked a pair of three-run homers, powering an 11-2 victory.

Lind's 18th dinger on the season came in the opening inning, his 19th in the ninth.

Meanwhile, Boston reduced its magic number to 12, though winning the AL East is pretty much a foregone conclusion for the Red Sox after pounding the Yankees, 12-9, their third straight over their historic rivals. Tampa Bay, losers of three straight, already has 64 losses, compared to 57 for the Red Sox.

The Rays are also in danger of losing their grip on the second wild card, as Baltimore and Cleveland are now just one game back. The Yankees remain 2 1/2 behind. Texas has a three-game lead on Tampa Bay and is currently in line for the first wild card. The Rangers trail Oakland by 1 1/2 in the West.

National League

Adam Wainwright

St. Louis regained first place in the NL Central, whipping the Pirates for the second straight day, 5-0. The Cardinals got a super pitching performance from their ace, Adam Wainwright, who surrendered just two hits over seven scoreless innings, improving his record to 16-9.

Wainwright walked two and struck out eight, throwing 68 of an even 100 pitches for strikes.

Both of the Pirate hits were by Andrew McCutchen, who singled in the first and doubled in the fourth inning, but McCutchen's double would be the last base hit for the Pirates off the St. Louis starter. After walking Justin Morneau, Wainwright induced a double play from Marlin Byrd and then struck out Pedro Alvarez to end the threat, the shut down Pittsburgh in order in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, striking out the side in his last inning of work.

The win gave St. Louis a 1/2 game lead in the division. The Pirates will try to avoid the sweep Sunday afternoon at 2:15 pm EDT in Busch Stadium.

Today's Trivia: Not including this season, which National League team has won 100 games or more six times since 1993? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: Don Drysdale threw 49 shutouts to 46 for Roger Clemens.

Chris Davis' Two Homers Powers Orioles over Yankees; Matt Adams, Adam Wainwright Lead Cardinals past A's, 7-1

Players of the Day for Saturday, June 29, 2013

American League

Chris Davis

In their 11-3 rout of the visiting New York Yankees, the Baltimore Orioles hammered out 15 hits, nine of them against start David Phelps, who gave up nine earned runs in 2 1/3 innings on the mound.

Chris Davis had but two of those hits, but they were both home runs: a three-run bomb in the first inning and a two-run jolt in the sixth. Those gave Davis 30 on the year, well ahead of his closest pursuer, which just happens to be last season's triple crown and MVP award winner, Detroit's Miguel Cabrera, who has 24.

Davis also closed the gap in RBI, where Cabrera leads, 81-79. The two power-pushers are also 1-2 in batting, though Cabrera's lead is substantial, at .375, to Davis' .333.

The victory was Baltimore's second straight over the Yankees at Camden Yard and helped close the gap on first place Boston, the AL East leader by 2 1/2 games over the O's. New York fell to 5 1/2 back in third place.

The series concludes at 8:00 pm EDT on Sunday, the game nationally-televised by ESPN.

National League

Matt Adams

Rookie first baseman, Matt Adams, struck a pair of homers and drove in four runs in support of Adam Wainwright's five-hit complete game pitching as the Cardinals tamed the Oakland A's, 7-1.

Adams belted a three-run shot in the sixth inning, upping St. Louis' lead from 3-0 to 6-0, then added a solo job in the eighth for the Cardinals' last run. Adams also scored the first St. louis run of the game when he scooted home of David Descalso's sac fly in the fifth.

Wainwright: 11-5

Oakland didn't score off Wainwright (11-5) until the eighth inning. Rebounding from two straight losses, Wainwright walked two and struck out eight for his fourth complete game of the season, tops in the National League. Wainwright also lowered his ERA to 2.22, tied for fourth in the league with Arizona's Patrick Corbin.

The win kept St. Louis a game behind the Central division-leading Pirates, 2-1 winners over Milwaukee on Saturday.

The Cards and A's will settle their differences in the rubber game of the three-game series, Sunday at 1:05 pm PDT in Oakland.

Today's Trivia: The longest winning streak by a major league pitcher is 24, spanning two seasons. Who accomplished this amazing feat? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: The record of 16 straight wins in a season by an AL pitcher is a four way tie between Smokey Joe Wood of Boston, and Walter Johnson of Washington AL, both in 1912, Lefty Grove of Philadelphia in 1931, and Schoolboy Rowe of the Tigers in 1934.

Adam Wainwright Hurls 2-Hit Shutout over Rockies; Adam Lind's 9th Inning Home Run Downs Red Sox

Players of the Day for Saturday, May 11, 2013

American League

Boston's claim to at least a portion of first place in the AL East is over, ended when the Yankees beat Kansas City, 3-2, and Boston lost to the Blue Jays by the same score on Saturday.

Adam Lind

The Red Sox were defeated for the seventh time in their last nine games as Adam Lind broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the ninth with his second home run of the season, a solo shot to center that ended the Blue Jays' three-game losing streak.

Lind, who went 3-for-4, also singled and scored in the fourth inning, driven home by Colby Rasmus.

The Jays led 2-0 until the eighth, when Boston struck for a pair of runs, but, Lind's homer negated the Red Sox comeback.

The Yankees took a one game lead in the division with their win at KC. Mariano Rivera tied Baltimore's Jim Johnson for the AL saves lead, with his 14th. Baltimore, which was also tied for first at the start of the day, dropped an 8-4 decision to the Twins.

Boston hosts Toronto in the rubber game of their three-game series at 1:35 pm EDT.

National League

Adam Wainwright

After rookie Colby Miller blanked the Rockies on one hit Friday, Cardinal ace Adam Wainwright took the mound for St. Louis on Saturday and dusted the Rockies on two hits for a 3-0 win.

Wainwright was perfect through four innings, and took a no-hitter into the eighth inning after walking Todd Helton with one out in the fifth. Nolan Arenado spoiled the no-hit bid with a one-out single in the eighth. Dexter Fowler has the only other hit off Wainwright, a two-out single in the ninth inning.

It was the Cardinals' third straight win, keeping them three games clear of Cincinnati in the NL Central.

Wainwright issued just one walk while striking out seven as he improved to 5-2 on the year. He has fanned 55 in 58 2/3 innings, fifth-best in the NL, the shutout lowering his ERA to 2.30, the ninth lowest in the league.

The Rockies have been blanked twice straight in St. Louis and will try to put a run on the board Sunday afternoon at 2:15 pm EDT when they meet the Cardinals to wrap up the three-game series.

Today's Trivia: Who lead the major leagues in strikeouts in 2012?

Answer to yesterday's question: Bob Gibson, of the St. Louis Cardinals, threw 13 shutouts in 1968.

Adam Wainwright Goes 3-for-3, Blanks Brewers; Mark Reynolds Slams Sox in Cleveland Win

Players of the Day for Saturday, April 13, 2013

American League

Here come the Indians?

Reynolds: GS, 5 RBI

Seriously, the AL Central could go any way, but the likelihood is that there will be a winner and no wild card from one of baseball's most competitive divisions.

Cleveland (5-5) got to within 1/2 game of co-leaders, Detroit and Kansas City, when Mark Reynolds broke open a close game with a fifth inning grand slam off Chicago's Chris Sale, en route to a 9-4 victory.

In the third inning, Reynolds had given Cleveland a 3-2 lead when he drove in Nick Swisher with a single. He finished 2-for-5 with five big RBI.

Reynolds, traded from Baltimore to the Indians during the off-season, gives the Indians a regular starter at third base, and a solid bat in the lineup, though the number of strikeouts are a concern. Reynolds whiffed 159 times last season, his lowest number in five seasons. When he was with Arizona, he averaged over 200 strikeouts per season, but was always a solid run-producer.

So far this season, things are looking good. Reynolds has struck out eight times, but has five homers and 13 RBI.

National League

Wainwright: CG,
shutout, 12K, 3-3

St. Louis has started off 2013 in solid fashion, winning their fourth straight, to take a two-game lead over the Pirates and Reds after dusting the Brewers for the second straight game with an 8-0 win.

Adam Wainwright proved too tough for the Brewers, twirling the complete-game shutout for his second win of the season against one loss.

Wainwright was impressive both on the mound and at the plate. He allowed just four hits, did not issue a single walk and fanned 12, tying his career best. It was his fifth shutout and 12th career complete game.

When he wasn't tormenting Milwaukee batters, he was touching off rallies, going 3-for-3 - all singles - with two RBI, including two singles in St. Louis' seven-run sixth inning, which broke the game wide open. The Brewers have not scored against St. Louis in this series, losing 2-0 on Friday.

The Cards will go for the sweep of Milwaukee when the teams take the field Sunday at 2:15 pm EDT in St. Louis.

Adam Wainwright Goes Six in Cardinal Win; Jordan Danks, Dayan Viciedo Power 15-3 White Sox Victory

Players of the Day for Friday, March 15, 2013

Grapefruit League

Adam Wainwright

While it appears that the Cardinals won't have Chris Carpenter for the 2013 season, they can pin their pitching hopes on veteran hurler Adam Wainwright, who improved to 3-1 with his longest outing of the Spring in a 5-1 win over the Nationals.

Wainwright got the win by going six solid innings, giving up three hits and a walk while fanning two, not giving up the nationals' only run of the game until his final inning of work, by which time the Cards had established a comfortable lead.

In 2009, Wainwright led the league in starts (34), innings (233) and wins (19), and is expected to give the Cardinals plenty of innings this season.

10-8 St. Louis moved into a tie for fourth with Boston in the Grapefruit standings while the Nats dropped to 9-9.

National League

Viciedo: GS, 6 RBI

Judging by the 15-3 beatdown it would appear that the White Sox are the team to beat in Chicago this year, as they topped the crosstown rival Cubs for the second time in exhibition play.

Danks: 3-4, 5 RBI

The Sox hammered out 15 hits - eight of them for extra bases. Left fielder, Dayan Viciedo, nicknamed "the Tank," socked an opposite field grand slam in the fourth inning and drove in two more with a double to give him a game-high six RBI.

Fellow outfielder Jordan Danks also doubled and homered, and added a single in four at-bats, driving in five runs in the rout. Danks has spent the majority of the past three years with Charlotte in the International Leauge (AAA), while Viciedo - also a product of the White Sox farm system - smashed 25 homers and drove in 83 runs for Chicago in 147 games last season.

The 9-7 White Sox have outscored opponents by 26 runs this Spring and are looking to challenge the Tigers in the AL Central throughout the regular season.

Adam Wainwright Goes 4 2/3 Scoreless for Cardinals; KC Wins Again, Johnny Giavotella goes 3-for-4

Players of the Day for Saturday, March 9, 2013

Grapefruit League

Adam Wainwright

If the St. Louis Cardinals are going to contend in the NL Central this season, they'll need their full complement of starting pitchers and that includes one Adam Wainwright, the 2010 All-Star who missed all of 2011 due to injury and surgery and came back in 2012 healed, but not as overpowering, posting a 14-13 mark with a 3.94 ERA.

In a positive sign for the lanky right=hander, Wainwright tossed 4 2/3 shutout innings in his longest outing of the exhibition season thus far, allowing three hits while fanning six as the Cardinals topped the Marlins, 2-0.

Wainwright was sharp, walking just one to run his record to 2-1, getting help from Pete Kozma, who drove in both St. Louis runs with a fourth-inning double.

The Cardinals improved to 8-5, good for third place in Grapefruit standings, while the Marlins fell to 5-7.

Cactus League

Johnny Giavotella

After suffering their first loss of the Spring on Thursday (a 12-2 loss to Seattle) and having a pair of split-squad games rained out on Thursday, the Kansas City Royals got back to their winning ways with a 13-2 smashing of the world champion San Francisco Giants.

The Royals padded their stats with 20 hits off seven San francisco hurlers, seven players had multiple-hit outings. One of those was backup second baseman Johnny Giavotella, who cracked three singles in four at-bats, scored once and drove in four runs.

Johnny G. played 53 games for the Royals in 2012, but hit just .238. He's battling with Chris Getz for the starting spot at second, and is batting .318 thus far with seven hits and seven RBI.

Kansas City continues to lead the Cactus League standings with a 12-1 record. The Giants are just 4-7.

Max Scherzer, Jhonny Peralta Complete Tigers' Sweep of Yankees, Advance to World Series;

Players of the Day for Thursday, October 18, 2012

American League

ALCS: Detroit 8 NY Yankees 1 - Detroit completed the four-game sweep of the collapsing Yankees to advance to the World Series with a lopsided win over New York's ace, C.C. Sabathia.

Jhonny Peralta

The Tigers hammered Sabathia for 11 hits and five earned runs (six total), chasing the starter after just 3 2/3 innings, the final blow being Jhonny Peralta's two-run homer in the fourth, which put the Tigers up, 6-0. Miguel Cabrera earlier tagged Sabathia for his own two-run shot as the Tigers plated four in the frame.

Max Scherzer

Peralta socked another home run of the solo variety in the eighth, leading the Tigers to victory with three RBI and two runs.

While his teammates were bashing New York hurlers, Max Scherzer was setting down the suddenly-impotent Yankees with alacrity, taking a no-hit bid into the sixth inning, fanning ten while allowing just two hits, two walks and one earned run over a 5 2/3 inning stint. A trio of Detroit relievers mopped up, holding the Yanks hitless over the final 3 1/3 innings, an embarrassing end for the proud franchise, and an exhilarating triumph in Tiger-town.

Detroit advances to the World Series, awaiting the National League entry. The series will begin at a National League site - since the NL won the all star game - on Wednesday, October 24.

National League

Jon Jay

NLCS: St. Louis 8 San Francisco 3 - Leadoff hitter Jon Jay went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI to lead a 12-hit Cardinal attack and starter Adam Wainwright stymied the Giants on four hits over seven innings to lead St. Louis to a commanding, 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Adam Wainwright

The Cardinals roughed up Giants' starter, Tim Lincecum, tagging him for four runs off six hits and three bases on balls over 4 2/3 innings.

Jay opened the scoring in the first, scoring on Matt Holliday's single up the middle after leading off the game with a scratch single, followed by a walk to the Cards' #2 hitter, Matt Carpenter, who came home on Allen Craig's sac fly.

The Giants cut the lead to 2-1 in the second inning on a solo homer by Hunter Pence, but Wainwright held the lead until the Cardinals let loose with two runs in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, putting the game out of reach. After Pence's homer, Wainwright set down 10 of the next 11 hitters and was in full control, striking out five without allowing any walks, throwing 70 of 96 pitches for strikes.

Jay doubled home a pair of runs in the sixth, Wainwright worked through the seventh, giving up the ball to Fernando Salas, who allowed the Giants two meaningless ninth inning runs on a Pablo Sandoval two-run homer.

Game five is Friday, at 8:07 pm EDT in St. Louis. The Cardinals can wrap up the NL championship with a win and earn some time off prior to Wednesday's start of the World Series. Barry Zito goes for the Giants, against St. Louis starter, Lance Lynn.

Kevin Youkilis' Grand Slam Downs Yankees; Adam Wainwright Blanks Astros for 7-0 St. Louis Win

Players of the Day for Tuesday, August 21, 2012

American League

When the Red Sox traded Kevin Youkilis to the White Sox earlier this season, the Yankees were pleased to see a long-time nemesis traded out of their division.

However, as a part of their trip to the Windy City, Youkilis reminded New Yorkers that he remains a Yankee killer no matter where he's playing, smacking a grand slam in the fifth inning to provide the winning margin in Chicago's 7-3 triumph.

The opposite-field smash off starter Ivan Nova broke a 2-2 tie and was the only hit of the night for Youkilis. It was his 15th homer of the season, the 11th as a member of the White Sox, in 46 games with his new team.

Youkilis: Grand Slam

With the Yankees losing their second straight in Chicago, the AL East tightened a little more into a three-way race. Though Tampa Bay lost, 1-0, in 10 innings, to Kansas City, the Orioles dumped Texas, 5-3, and now find themselves just one game behind the Rays and five short of the division-leading Yanks.

The White Sox kept their two-game lead over Detroit - 5-3 winners over Toronto - in the Central, while the A's took a 4-1 decision over Minnesota to creep to within five games of Texas in the West. The wild card, led by the Rays and O's, has the A's 1 1/2 back, Detroit 2 1/2 out and the fading Angels five behind.

The White Sox will be looking for a sweep when they tangle with the Yankees at 8:05 pm EDT on Wednesday.

National League

Wainwright: 7-0 W

As long as the Cardinals keep trotting Adam Wainwright out to the mound every five days they're likely to stay in the wild card race until the very end, posing a significant danger to the rest of the National League teams who have visions of a World Series October.

The Cardinals got red hot in September last year, qualifying for the playoffs on the final day of the regular season, and are 3 1/2 behind Atlanta in the overall wild card race, but just 1/2 game behind Pittsburgh for the second slot after Wainwright tossed a complete game, 7-0, shutout against the Astros.

It was Wainwright's third complete game and second shutout of the season. As he improved to 12-10 on the year, Wainwright needed only 104 pitches for the win, allowing five hits, striking out a season-high 12 while issuing just one walk.

In his last six starts, Wainwright has earned the victory in five, and has four straight wins, helping to keep the Cardinals in the thick of the wild card race.

With the opening game win in their three game series with visiting Houston, the Cards seek to sweep the NL's weakest team. Houston has lost five straight.

Following the series with Houston, the Cards embark on their toughest road trip of the season, a ten-game stretch with three in Cincinnati, three in Pittsburgh and four games at Washington, taking them into September.

C.J. Wilson One-Hits A's over 8; Adam Wainwright Keeps Cards in NL Central Lead

Players of the Day for Tuesday, May 22, 2012

American League

C.J. Wilson

C.J. Wilson took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, surrendering a one-out single to Cliff Pennington for the A's only hit of the game, as the Angels topped Oakland, 5-0.

Wilson pitched though the eighth, fanning seven with a pair of walks, for his fifth win against four losses, an excellent record, considering the Angles have been mired in last place in the Al West almost the entire season.

After throwing 125 pitches - 75 strikes and 50 balls - Wilson was relieved in the ninth by Ernesto Frieri, who set down the A's in order in the ninth.

Albert Pujols, who is beginning to heat up, drove in the Angels' fist run with a sac fly in the first as LA staked Wilson to a 3-0 lead, and socked his fourth home run of the season in the third inning.

Along with Pujols, Wilson was one of the Angels key acquisitions in the off-season, coming to LA after seven seasons with the Texas Rangers.


National League

A mere 1/2 game separates the Central division front-running Cardinals from the hard-charging Cincinnati Reds as the Cardinals survived a sweep in LA with two consecutive wins over the Padres while the Reds have put together a four game win streak.

Adam Wainwright

Keeping the Cards in first place was largely the result of a sterling performance by Adam Wainwright, who tossed a 4-hit, 4-0, shutout against the Padres Tuesday night in St. Louis.

With the Reds slipping by Atlanta, 4-3, the Cardinals rode Wainwright's arm to victory, and will go for the sweep of the NL West last place Padres Wednesday night.

Wainwright, who has had more than his fair share of rough outings this season, put it all together for his first complete game shutout of the year. Returning from a year off due to injuries, Wainwright is just 3-5 thus far, though his mound work may be turning a corner. He struck out nine - getting each of the Padres' position players on strikes at least once - and issued only one walk.

Thames Delivers for Yankees; Wainwright, Rasmus Lead Cards Back to First Place

Players of the Day for Wednesday, August 11, 2010 American League Marcus Thames must feel like the forgotten man. Seldom having had the opportunity to play full time - either with the Tigers or his current team, the Yankees - Thames doesn't make any noise about playing time; he just goes out and does his job. While the Yankees made moves to acquire Austin Kearns and Lance Berkman recently and amid talk that the Yanks are looking for yet another bat in their lineup, Thames quietly rode the bench and got his chance Wednesday night, replacing Mark Teixeira in the 3rd spot in the lineup while the regular first baseman was with his wife as she gave birth to the couples third child. Thames took the DH spot, while Berkman played first, and the slugging righty made the most of the opportunity, going 3-for-5 with a home run, two runs and two RBI, including the go-ahead RBI single in the 9th that won the game, 7-6. Having an excellent year at the plate despite getting only 114 at-bats this season, Thames upped his average to .321. The Yankees only need to look at Thames' stats from the two years he had the most playing time - both with Detroit. In 2006 he hit 26 homers and drove in 60 runs in 110 games. In 2008, he had 26 jacks and 56 RBI in 103 games. The win kept the Yankees 1 1/2 ahead of Tampa Bay and 5 up on the charging Red Sox, who have won three straight. National League St. Louis completed their sweep of the Reds in dominating fashion, taking over sole possession of first place in the NL Central, as Adam Wainwright (left) and Colby Rasmus (right) led them to a 6-1 win at Cincinnati. Wainwright was locked into a scoreless pitcher's duel with Brandon Arroyo when Rasmus provided a winning blast - a grand slam dead-center jack that put the Cards up 4-0. Rasmus also singled and scored the last of the Cardinal runs while Wainwright dominated the Reds, allowing just two hits over seven full innings without a walk, getting 14 of his 21 outs on ground balls. He struck out 4, improving his record to 17-6, tying Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez for the most wins in the majors. The win completed the three game sweep which brought the Cardinals from two games down in the standings to one game ahead of the Reds and in command of the division which they have dominated the past decade.

Cliff Lee Drops A's; Wainwright Shuts Out Marlins on Two Hits

Players of the Day for Friday, August 6, 2010 American League When the Texas Rangers snatched up Cliff Lee from the Mariners a month ago, there was nobody who thought the move might backfire on the AL West leaders. Even when he bombed in his Texas debut - a 6-1 complete game loss to the lowly Orioles - there was nary a negative word and no skeptics to be found. That's because the Rangers did make the right move. Since his nine-inning debacle against the O's, Lee has taken the mound five more times, chewed up 42 1/3 innings, allowed 10 runs (for a 2.13 ERA), struck out 35, collecting two wins and a loss in the process. The Rangers have won three of the five games he started, including Friday's 5-1 win over the A's. Oakland has moved into second place past the sliding Angels, but they're still not making up ground on the Rangers. Lee snuffed out their post-season hopes on seven hits over eight innings, fanning eight, to take the first of the three-game series in Oakland and drop the A's 9 1/2 back. With Lee cementing an already-solid staff, the race for the AL West flag appears to be over. If Oakland can't win both of the remaining games in this series, they'll allow the Rangers to get out of town with either a 9 1/2 or 10 1/2 game lead, and, with just over 50 games left on the schedule, would have to hope for a pretty complete collapse in Texas. It's not going to happen. Crown the Rangers kings of the West. National League There are those who believe Ubaldo Jimenez is the best pitcher in the National League, but this season's Cy Young award is probably going to belong to the Cardinals' Adam Wainwright. After blowing away the Florida Marlins, 7-0, for his 5th complete game and second shutout this season, Wainwright's record stands at 16-6, as he appears to be well on his way to his first 20-win season (19-8 in 2009). Wainwright shut down the Marlins on two hits and three walks, while striking out seven, getting 11 more outs on grounders and seven on fly balls. The win kept the Cardinals a 1/2-game behind the Reds, who continue to paralyze the NL Central. As far as post-season awards are concerned, Wainwright has the credentials in all the important categories. His 2.07 is second among starters, the 1.00 WHIP is also second (by .01 to Matt Latos of the Padres), He's third in strikeouts with 154 and his 16 wins are just one behind Colorado's Jimenez. Only Philadelphia's Roy Halladay has more innings, shutouts or complete games. Wainwright's keeping good company and he's kept the Cardinals in the hunt all season.

Wainwright, Holliday Lead Cards; AL Pitchers Dominate NL, Colby Lewis Tops

Players of the Day for Saturday, June 19, 2010 American League Saturday was full of exceptional pitching performances by AL hurlers as they dominated their NL foes. In Chicago, Jered Weaver tossed seven shutout innings, allowing only two hits, no walks, while fanning 11 in a 12-0 Angels' rout. Jake Peavy returned to the kind of form that earned him the 2007 NL Cy Young award, going the distance for the first time this season with his first shutout since 2005, a 1-0 nail-biter at Washington. Peavy allowed just three hits and walked two while striking out seven. Jesse Litsch bounced back from a horrid performance in his first start (2 1/3 innings, 9 hits, 7 runs in a 10-3 loss to Colorado), with a solid seven shutout innings in the Blue Jays' 3-0 win over Matt Cain and the Giants. Seattle's Felix Hernandez shut down the Reds, 5-1, allowing five hits and one walk in his complete game win, fanning 9 batters. But the best of the bunch was turned in by the Rangers' Colby Lewis, a journeyman starter who didn't have any major league playing time in all of 2008 or 2009, but has posted a 7-4 record in 14 starts this season. The 31-year-old Lewis pitched what was probably the best game of his career - which dates back to 2002 - with a complete game 5-1 win over the Houston Astros. Lewis didn't allow a walk, yielded only two hits, struck out nine, giving up the only run of the game in the bottom of the 7th, when Michael Bourne doubled, moved to third on a fly out, and scored on a wild pitch. Lewis needed only 102 pitches to go the distance, throwing 72 strikes. He induced 12 batters to ground out as the Rangers won their 7th straight and continue to lead the Angels (winners of 3 straight) by 2 1/2 games in the AL West. National League With all of the AL pitchers throwing peas at National Leaguers, a couple of Cardinals picked up the slack for the senior circuit. Adam Wainwright (left) improved to 10-4 with eight innings of stellar work, yielding just five hits and no earned runs in the Cardinals' 4-3 victory over Oakland. All but one of the St. Louis runs were provided by Matt Holliday (right), who doubled in a run in the 5th inning and smacked a two-run homer - his 8th of the year - in the 7th inning, providing the winning margin. St. Louis expanded their thin NL Central advantage over Cincinnati to 1 1/2 games with the win.