Showing posts with label Albert Pujols. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Albert Pujols. Show all posts
Friday, May 10, 2019
Albert Pujols Notches Career 2000 RBI In Style
According to most reports you'll read, on Thursday afternoon, Los Angeles Angels star Albert Pujols became the third player in MLB history to record 2,000 career RBI.
With a third inning, no-doubter solo homer off a 2-0 pitch from Tigers' lefty Ryan Carpenter, Pujols reached the meritorious figure. The blast came in the top of the inning of Thursday's game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. The Angels won the game in a 13-0 romp. Pujols finished 1-for-4.
But, is Pujols just the third player to reach the heralded 2,000 mark in RBI? Or is he the fifth?
According to the very reliable stats at baseball-reference, he's numero cinco (five, for English speakers). The all-time leader is the venerable Hank Aaron, with 2297. The Sultan of Swat, the Bambino, Babe Ruth comes in at number two, with 2214, the numbers compiled by a number of researchers including baseball writer Ernie Lanigan. Runs Batted In (RBI) wasn't made an official statistic until 1920.
It's odd that Ruth isn't considered among the leaders, especially since the bulk of his 22 playing years (1914-1935) were after the stat became official. Incidentally, all of the years from 1920 forward were with the Yankees. The prior six seasons with the Red Sox, Ruth was just getting warmed up. He knocked in 224 runs with the Sox, 113 in his final season in Boston, 2019.
At number three is another player who did a ton of work at Yankee Stadium, Alex Rodriguez, who ended his 22-year career with 2086 RBI.
Number four is credited to the great Cap Anson, who played 27 years in the National Association and National League with the Rockford Forest Citys (NA, 1871), Philadelphia Athletics (NA, 1872-1875) and 22 seasons with the Chicago Cubs of the National League (1876-1897).
This is where it gets a little sketchy, since record-keeping just a decade or three after the Civil War were not quite what they are in the modern age.
The controversy over who has how many RBI is likely to never end, particularly since Ruth and Anson are both members of the Hall of Fame. That puts their reputations in lofty, revered spaces that purists will defend with honor and determination. According to this article on Yahoo Sports, the official MLB stats are now property of Elias Sports Bureau, and they list Babe Ruth at 1,992 RBI, significantly lower than the 2214 he's credited with on baseball-reference.com.
Alex Rodriguez is a solid lock on gaining entry to the Hall when he becomes eligible in 2021, and Pujols will be a first-ballot lock five years after he finishes his career, whenever that is.
Pujols is in his 19th season, having spent the first 11 with the St. Louis Cardinals and the past eight with his current team the LA Angels.
Friday, July 13, 2018
Albert Pujols Ties Griff As Angels Down Mariners; Jose Alfaro Leads Phillies Past O's
Players of the Day for Thursday, July 12, 2018
American League
Albert Pujols socked two home runs to tie Ken Griffey Jr. for sixth place on the career list with 630 lifetime as the Angels whacked the Mariners, 11-2, as the teams wrapped up a three-game series in Los Angeles.
Taking two of three at home, the Angels continue to hover just above .500 (48-46), but trail the first place Astros in the West by 13 games. Seattle suffered a setback by losing two of the three games, and trail Houston by three games.
Pujols started with a two-run homer in the first inning, putting the Angels up, 3-1. His sixth-inning solo shot boosted the Angels lead to 9-1.
A nine-time all star and three time winner of the N MVP award (2005, 2008, 2009), Pujols is still raking, with 16 home runs and 52 RBI this season. Lifetime, he has a .303 batting average and has 1970 RBI (seventh, all-time).
On Friday, the Mariners start a series against the Rockies in Denver. The Angels head across town for a three-game series with the Dodgers.
National League
With a 5-4 win at Baltimore, the Phillies took a 1/2 game lead over the idle Braves in the NL East.
Philadelphia took all four games in their season series with the Orioles, not surprising, since the O's are baseball's worst team, with a 26-68 record.
Catcher Jorge Alfaro provided key hits for the Phils. He singled and scored the first Philadelphia run in the opening inning, doubled in two runs in the fifth and smacked a solo homer in the sixth for a 5-0 lead.
The Phillies' relief staff nearly gave the game away, allowing a run in the sixth and three in the seventh before settling down and keeping the O's off the board over the last two innings.
Alfaro's home run was his sixth of the season, to go with 21 RBI.
On Friday, the Phillies head to Miami for a three game series. Game one is scheduled for a 7:10 pm EDT start.
American League
 |
| Pujols: 630 HRs |
Albert Pujols socked two home runs to tie Ken Griffey Jr. for sixth place on the career list with 630 lifetime as the Angels whacked the Mariners, 11-2, as the teams wrapped up a three-game series in Los Angeles.
Taking two of three at home, the Angels continue to hover just above .500 (48-46), but trail the first place Astros in the West by 13 games. Seattle suffered a setback by losing two of the three games, and trail Houston by three games.
Pujols started with a two-run homer in the first inning, putting the Angels up, 3-1. His sixth-inning solo shot boosted the Angels lead to 9-1.
A nine-time all star and three time winner of the N MVP award (2005, 2008, 2009), Pujols is still raking, with 16 home runs and 52 RBI this season. Lifetime, he has a .303 batting average and has 1970 RBI (seventh, all-time).
On Friday, the Mariners start a series against the Rockies in Denver. The Angels head across town for a three-game series with the Dodgers.
National League
 |
| Alfaro: 3-4, 2B, HR, 3RBI |
With a 5-4 win at Baltimore, the Phillies took a 1/2 game lead over the idle Braves in the NL East.
Philadelphia took all four games in their season series with the Orioles, not surprising, since the O's are baseball's worst team, with a 26-68 record.
Catcher Jorge Alfaro provided key hits for the Phils. He singled and scored the first Philadelphia run in the opening inning, doubled in two runs in the fifth and smacked a solo homer in the sixth for a 5-0 lead.
The Phillies' relief staff nearly gave the game away, allowing a run in the sixth and three in the seventh before settling down and keeping the O's off the board over the last two innings.
Alfaro's home run was his sixth of the season, to go with 21 RBI.
On Friday, the Phillies head to Miami for a three game series. Game one is scheduled for a 7:10 pm EDT start.
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Mike Trout, Albert Pujols Power Angels Past A's; Nats' Stephen Strasberg Shuts Out Marlins
Players of the Day for Wednesday, August 30, 2017
American League
With the Yankees getting swept three straight by Cleveland, dropping both ends of a Yankee Stadium doubleheader Wednesday, the AL wild card race has suddenly become a life-and-death affair for eight teams, all within five games of each other.
New York's lead as the top wild card has slipped to a single game over the Twins, but even they are not safe, despite winning three straight. The Angels are one game back and the Orioles won their seventh straight to end the day 1 1/2 behind the Twins and 2 1/2 behind the Yankees. The other teams in contention are Texas, Tampa Bay, Seattle, and Kansas City.
In LA, capped by Cliff Pennington's grand slam, the Angels rallied for five runs in the seventh inning, overtaking the A's for a 10-8 victory and a three-game sweep.
Albert Pujols socked a pair of home runs, scored three runs and drove in four. Mike Trout went 4-for-4, scored four runs, and drove in one with a first inning solo homer, his 27th. Pujols banged out numbers 20 and 21, tying Jim Thome for seventh place on the career HR list, at 612. At 37, Pujols has played 17 seasons. The six players ahead of him on the career list all played 22 seasons, except for Hank Aaron (755), who played 23. The LA slugger has an outside chance of catching Barry Bonds (762) for the all-time lead, but almost certainly will make the 700 club if he remains in good health.
With the sweep behind them, the Angels get a day off Thursday and begin a nine-game road trip Friday, starting with three games in Texas with the Rangers.
National League
The Miami Marlins were red hot entering their three-game series with at NL East leader, Washington. After being swept, including Wednesday's 4-0 shutout courtesy of Stephen Strasberg, they couldn't get out of town soon enough.
Strasberg, who hurled the complete game shutout (first of the season), was largely untouchable, except for T.J. Realmuto, who had three of the six hits off the National's hurler, a single, double and triple. Strasberg threw 78 of 110 pitches for strikes, fanning eight and walking one.
The shutout left the Marlins tied with the Cardinals, 5 1/2 games back of Colorado for the second wild card spot, but Milwaukee is ahead of them, three games down to the Rockies. Arizona holds a three-game lead in the top position.
Sweeping the series also virtually ended any hope in the NL East, expanding the Nationals' lead to 15 games over Miami, with 30 remaining.
The Marlins head back to Miami for a three-game series starting Friday with the Phillies. Washington opens a four-game series with another contending team, the Brewers, in Milwaukee, Thursday night.
 |
| Trout: 4-for-4, HR, 4 R |
With the Yankees getting swept three straight by Cleveland, dropping both ends of a Yankee Stadium doubleheader Wednesday, the AL wild card race has suddenly become a life-and-death affair for eight teams, all within five games of each other.
New York's lead as the top wild card has slipped to a single game over the Twins, but even they are not safe, despite winning three straight. The Angels are one game back and the Orioles won their seventh straight to end the day 1 1/2 behind the Twins and 2 1/2 behind the Yankees. The other teams in contention are Texas, Tampa Bay, Seattle, and Kansas City.
In LA, capped by Cliff Pennington's grand slam, the Angels rallied for five runs in the seventh inning, overtaking the A's for a 10-8 victory and a three-game sweep.
 |
| Pujols: 2 HR, 4 RBI |
With the sweep behind them, the Angels get a day off Thursday and begin a nine-game road trip Friday, starting with three games in Texas with the Rangers.
National League
The Miami Marlins were red hot entering their three-game series with at NL East leader, Washington. After being swept, including Wednesday's 4-0 shutout courtesy of Stephen Strasberg, they couldn't get out of town soon enough.
 |
| Strasberg Shuts Out Miami |
The shutout left the Marlins tied with the Cardinals, 5 1/2 games back of Colorado for the second wild card spot, but Milwaukee is ahead of them, three games down to the Rockies. Arizona holds a three-game lead in the top position.
Sweeping the series also virtually ended any hope in the NL East, expanding the Nationals' lead to 15 games over Miami, with 30 remaining.
The Marlins head back to Miami for a three-game series starting Friday with the Phillies. Washington opens a four-game series with another contending team, the Brewers, in Milwaukee, Thursday night.
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Edinson Volquez Throws No Hitter For Miami Over Arizona; Angels' Albert Pujols Swats 600th Home Run
Players of the Day for Saturday, June 3, 2017
American League
Albert Pujols reached one of the great milestones in all of sports, swatting his 600th home run on Saturday in an Angels' 7-2 victory over Minnesota.
Not only was the homer the stuff of legend, but it happened to be the ultimate in long balls, a fourth-inning grand slam that broke the game wide open for the Angels.
As the ninth player to hit 600 homers, Pujols joins some of baseball's greatest hitters in the hallowed 600 club, including Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714), and Willie Mays (660).
A major leaguer since 2001, Pujols is also approaching some other strong career marks in his sixth season with the Angels after playing his first 11 in St. Louis. He has 1859 RBI and 2876 hits. Pujols is currently 13th all-time in RBI, but not for long. His next run driven in will tie him with Mel Ott in 12th. Considering that the 37-year-old will play at least another season, he has a legitimate chance of becoming the fifth player in MLB history to amass 200 RBI.
Third among active players in hits (Adrian Beltre, 2950; Ichiro Suzuki, 3042), Pujols is tied with Mel Ott at #43 all-time, and on the move. 300 hits - a level reached by just 30 players - is also well within his reach.
The win left the Angels in second place in the West, 12 1/2 behind the Astros, who have spurted away again, winning their ninth straight on Saturday in a 6-5 win at Texas. Minnesota, despite the loss, remains in first place in the Central division, a game to the good on Cleveland. LA hosts the Twins Sunday at 3:37 pm ET in the series finale. Minnesota leads, two games to one.
National League
Tossing the first no-hitter of 2017, Edinson Volquez surprised the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 3-0 win for the Miami Marlins.
Played before a crowd of 21,548 at Marlins Stadium in Miami, Volquez entered the contest with a 2-7 record, not exactly a stellar grade for a major league starter.
But, as the game unfolded, Volquez was displaying the kind of stuff he had when he was a top hurler in 2008 when he went 17-6 for Cincinnati.
It wasn't until the fifth inning that the Diamondbacks even had a baserunner. Volquez walked Jake Lamb, but was aided by a double play, as he was in the eighth, when he issued his only other walk, to Chris Hermann.
Thus,Volquez faced the minimum 27 batter, fanning the final three in the ninth to complete the gem, striking out 10 and needing just 98 pitches (65 for strikes).
In support, the Marlins scored a run in the fourth inning and added two more in the eighth, improving to 23-31 while dropping the Diamondbacks 1 1/2 games behind the Dodgers in the West, at 34-24.
The two teams will complete the four game series Sunday at 1:10 pm ET. Miami leads the series, two games to one.
 |
| Pujols joins 600 club |
Albert Pujols reached one of the great milestones in all of sports, swatting his 600th home run on Saturday in an Angels' 7-2 victory over Minnesota.
Not only was the homer the stuff of legend, but it happened to be the ultimate in long balls, a fourth-inning grand slam that broke the game wide open for the Angels.
As the ninth player to hit 600 homers, Pujols joins some of baseball's greatest hitters in the hallowed 600 club, including Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714), and Willie Mays (660).
A major leaguer since 2001, Pujols is also approaching some other strong career marks in his sixth season with the Angels after playing his first 11 in St. Louis. He has 1859 RBI and 2876 hits. Pujols is currently 13th all-time in RBI, but not for long. His next run driven in will tie him with Mel Ott in 12th. Considering that the 37-year-old will play at least another season, he has a legitimate chance of becoming the fifth player in MLB history to amass 200 RBI.
Third among active players in hits (Adrian Beltre, 2950; Ichiro Suzuki, 3042), Pujols is tied with Mel Ott at #43 all-time, and on the move. 300 hits - a level reached by just 30 players - is also well within his reach.
The win left the Angels in second place in the West, 12 1/2 behind the Astros, who have spurted away again, winning their ninth straight on Saturday in a 6-5 win at Texas. Minnesota, despite the loss, remains in first place in the Central division, a game to the good on Cleveland. LA hosts the Twins Sunday at 3:37 pm ET in the series finale. Minnesota leads, two games to one.
National League
 |
| Volquez hurls no-hitter |
Played before a crowd of 21,548 at Marlins Stadium in Miami, Volquez entered the contest with a 2-7 record, not exactly a stellar grade for a major league starter.
But, as the game unfolded, Volquez was displaying the kind of stuff he had when he was a top hurler in 2008 when he went 17-6 for Cincinnati.
It wasn't until the fifth inning that the Diamondbacks even had a baserunner. Volquez walked Jake Lamb, but was aided by a double play, as he was in the eighth, when he issued his only other walk, to Chris Hermann.
Thus,Volquez faced the minimum 27 batter, fanning the final three in the ninth to complete the gem, striking out 10 and needing just 98 pitches (65 for strikes).
In support, the Marlins scored a run in the fourth inning and added two more in the eighth, improving to 23-31 while dropping the Diamondbacks 1 1/2 games behind the Dodgers in the West, at 34-24.
The two teams will complete the four game series Sunday at 1:10 pm ET. Miami leads the series, two games to one.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Travis Ishikawa Powers Giants Past Royals; Albert Pujols Goes Yard Three Times as Angels Sweep Red Sox
Players of the Day for Monday, July 20, 2015
American League
Albert Pujols took over the AL home run lead from teammate Mike Trout on Monday, socking three homers as the Angels swept a double-header from visiting Boston, slaughtering the Red Sox, 11-1 in the first game and completing the four-game series sweep with a 7-3 win in the nightcap.
Pujols whacked a solo shot in the second inning of the first game, when the Angels piled up seven runs routing starter Eduardo Rodriguez, who was tabled for all of the runs and lasted only 1 2/3 innings.
In the second game, Pujols sent two balls out of the yard - a solo homer and a two-run shot - securing a two-game lead over idle Houston in the AL West. Pujols has 29 homers on the season, already surpassing last year's total of 28.
Pujols was a combined 4-for-7 in the two games, driving in four runs. He has 60 RBI on the season, good for fifth place in the AL, behind Kansas City's Kendrys Morales (65).
The Angels have won five straight since the All-Star break. Trout was named MVP of the All-Star Game, won by the American League, 6-3.
Pujols passed Mike Schmidt (548) on the all-time home run list with 549 dingers.
National League
The Pittsburgh Pirated continued their relentless pursuit of NL-Central-leading St. Louis, with a 10-7 road win at Kansas City.
Pittsburgh trails the Cardinals by four games in the division race, but has the second-best record in the league. Their mark of 55-38 has them 5 1/2 games up on the Giants in the Wild Card standings.
The Pirates got a big boost from the bat of Travis Ishikawa, a .174 hitter who delivered four RBI with a home run and pair of doubles in five at-bats.
Ishikawa dd his damage early, with a two-run double in the second inning and a two-run homer in the fifth.
The Pirates face the Royals again on Tuesday night at 8:10 pm ET in the second of their three-game set.
American League
 |
| Pujols' 3 HR passes Mike Schmidt |
Pujols whacked a solo shot in the second inning of the first game, when the Angels piled up seven runs routing starter Eduardo Rodriguez, who was tabled for all of the runs and lasted only 1 2/3 innings.
In the second game, Pujols sent two balls out of the yard - a solo homer and a two-run shot - securing a two-game lead over idle Houston in the AL West. Pujols has 29 homers on the season, already surpassing last year's total of 28.
Pujols was a combined 4-for-7 in the two games, driving in four runs. He has 60 RBI on the season, good for fifth place in the AL, behind Kansas City's Kendrys Morales (65).
The Angels have won five straight since the All-Star break. Trout was named MVP of the All-Star Game, won by the American League, 6-3.
Pujols passed Mike Schmidt (548) on the all-time home run list with 549 dingers.
National League
 |
| Ishikawa: 4 RBI |
Pittsburgh trails the Cardinals by four games in the division race, but has the second-best record in the league. Their mark of 55-38 has them 5 1/2 games up on the Giants in the Wild Card standings.
The Pirates got a big boost from the bat of Travis Ishikawa, a .174 hitter who delivered four RBI with a home run and pair of doubles in five at-bats.
Ishikawa dd his damage early, with a two-run double in the second inning and a two-run homer in the fifth.
The Pirates face the Royals again on Tuesday night at 8:10 pm ET in the second of their three-game set.
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Albert Pujols, Andrew Heaney Lead Angels over Dodgers; Jason Marquis Hurls Reds past Blue Jays in Montreal
Players of the Day for Friday, April 3, 2015
Grapefruit League
Despite indications to the contrary, there are still baseball fans in Montreal - at least 46,314 of them, not to put too fine a spin on it. That's how many turned out to see the Reds defeat the Blue Jays, 2-0, inside climate-controlled Olympic Stadium.
Mark Buehrle and Jason Marquis put on a fine pitching duel to start the game. Buehrle allowed three hits over four innings, but Marquis was truly masterful, allowing no runs on one hit over a five-inning span, striking out three.
Marquis, who missed all of last season due to injury, appears fully repaired. He's thrown 31 innings of exhibition ball this Spring, allowing 22 hits and 10 earned runs, posting a respectable ERA of 2.80. He'll be in the Reds' starting rotation when the regular season opens this coming week.
While the two teams combined for just 10 hits, fans were appreciative, many sporting gear bearing the insignia of the Montreal Expos, the team that was moved from Canada in 2004 to become the Washington Nationals.
Skip Schumaker doubled in the game's only runs in the eighth inning.
Cactus League
David Freese smacked a two-run homer in the second and Albert Pujols added a sixth-inning grand slam, the two long balls more than enough to support the 5 1/3 innings of no-hit ball from Angels starter, Andrew Heaney, who got the win in LA's 6-0 whitewash of the Dodgers.
Heaney walked three, but struck out just as many, getting his first win of the exhibition season. He was surely trying to impress the team's coaches, as the fifth spot in the rotation has yet to be filled, and he's one of a few players getting a look.
Heaney went 0-3 for the Marlins last season, making five starts, but his performance was less-than-impressive, putting up an ERA of 5.83.
Until Friday, his stats this Spring were also poor. He finishes up with a record of 1-2 and a 7.03 ERA. The Angels may not use a fifth starter until sometime later in the month.
For Pujols, the slam was his fifth homer of Spring. He has 19 RBI in 20 games.
Last season, his third in an Angel uniform, Pujols hit .272 with 28 HR and 105 RBI.
Grapefruit League
 |
| Jason Marquis |
Mark Buehrle and Jason Marquis put on a fine pitching duel to start the game. Buehrle allowed three hits over four innings, but Marquis was truly masterful, allowing no runs on one hit over a five-inning span, striking out three.
Marquis, who missed all of last season due to injury, appears fully repaired. He's thrown 31 innings of exhibition ball this Spring, allowing 22 hits and 10 earned runs, posting a respectable ERA of 2.80. He'll be in the Reds' starting rotation when the regular season opens this coming week.
While the two teams combined for just 10 hits, fans were appreciative, many sporting gear bearing the insignia of the Montreal Expos, the team that was moved from Canada in 2004 to become the Washington Nationals.
Skip Schumaker doubled in the game's only runs in the eighth inning.
 |
| Pujols: Slam |
Cactus League
 |
| Heaney: No Hits |
Heaney walked three, but struck out just as many, getting his first win of the exhibition season. He was surely trying to impress the team's coaches, as the fifth spot in the rotation has yet to be filled, and he's one of a few players getting a look.
Heaney went 0-3 for the Marlins last season, making five starts, but his performance was less-than-impressive, putting up an ERA of 5.83.
Until Friday, his stats this Spring were also poor. He finishes up with a record of 1-2 and a 7.03 ERA. The Angels may not use a fifth starter until sometime later in the month.
For Pujols, the slam was his fifth homer of Spring. He has 19 RBI in 20 games.
Last season, his third in an Angel uniform, Pujols hit .272 with 28 HR and 105 RBI.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Albert Pujols Reaches Hits, Runs, Milestones, Buries Twins, 8-5; Francisco Liriano Leads Pirates in Wild Card Hunt
Players of the Day for Saturday, September 6, 2014
American League
Streaking toward the AL West title, including Saturday's 8-5 win at Minnesota, the LA Angels have gone 18-6 since August 12, and hold a six-game lead over second place Oakland in the division, along with the best record in the majors, at 86-55.
While LA's pitching has been top-shelf through the recent run, their hitters have certainly done their part, especially slugging Albert Pujols, who marked two milestones on Saturday in his sure-thing, future hall of fame career.
Pujols was 3-for-5 in the game, including a solo homer in the third inning (25) and a tie-breaking, two-run double in the ninth, which led to the Angels' victory. When he touched home plate after his third-inning belt to left field, Pujols recorded his 1500th run as a major league; and, with his double in the ninth, he reached the 2500-hit mark, fifth among active players (soon to be fourth, when Derek Jeter retires at the end of the season).
The Angels scored an additional run when Pujols was driven in by Howie Kendrick, who went 4-for-5 and drove in three runs. Pujols also scored in the eighth, on a Hendrick triple.
In addition to the huge runs and hits totals, Pujols, a veteran of 14 major league seasons - 11 with St. Louis, three with the Angels - has 517 home runs and 1585 RBI.
The Angels will be seeking a sweep of their four-game series in Minnesota on Sunday, at 2:10 pm EDT.
National League
Hanging on at the fringes of the wild card race, the Pittsburgh Pirates got a much-needed boost from starter Francisco Liriano in Saturday's 5-0 whitewash of the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Liriano fanned nine, walked two and allowed just three hits in his six-inning stint, leaving the game with a 2-0 lead after completing six innings when he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the top of the seventh.
Pittsburgh added three more runs after Liriano's departure, recording their second straight win over the Cubs and leaving themselves just 1/2 game behind Atlanta and Milwaukee, who share the position for the second wild card in the National League. The Giants have a solid grip n the first wild card spot, with a four-game edge on both the Braves and Brewers.
The Pirates will be looking for their third straight win and a sweep when they meet the Cubs on Sunday. Game time is 2:20 pm EDT.
American League
Streaking toward the AL West title, including Saturday's 8-5 win at Minnesota, the LA Angels have gone 18-6 since August 12, and hold a six-game lead over second place Oakland in the division, along with the best record in the majors, at 86-55.
 |
| Albert Pujols |
Pujols was 3-for-5 in the game, including a solo homer in the third inning (25) and a tie-breaking, two-run double in the ninth, which led to the Angels' victory. When he touched home plate after his third-inning belt to left field, Pujols recorded his 1500th run as a major league; and, with his double in the ninth, he reached the 2500-hit mark, fifth among active players (soon to be fourth, when Derek Jeter retires at the end of the season).
The Angels scored an additional run when Pujols was driven in by Howie Kendrick, who went 4-for-5 and drove in three runs. Pujols also scored in the eighth, on a Hendrick triple.
In addition to the huge runs and hits totals, Pujols, a veteran of 14 major league seasons - 11 with St. Louis, three with the Angels - has 517 home runs and 1585 RBI.
 |
| Francisco Liriano |
National League
Hanging on at the fringes of the wild card race, the Pittsburgh Pirates got a much-needed boost from starter Francisco Liriano in Saturday's 5-0 whitewash of the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Liriano fanned nine, walked two and allowed just three hits in his six-inning stint, leaving the game with a 2-0 lead after completing six innings when he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the top of the seventh.
Pittsburgh added three more runs after Liriano's departure, recording their second straight win over the Cubs and leaving themselves just 1/2 game behind Atlanta and Milwaukee, who share the position for the second wild card in the National League. The Giants have a solid grip n the first wild card spot, with a four-game edge on both the Braves and Brewers.
The Pirates will be looking for their third straight win and a sweep when they meet the Cubs on Sunday. Game time is 2:20 pm EDT.
Friday, August 1, 2014
Pujols Brings Home Game-Winner in 13th as Angels Top O's, 1-0; Ben Revere Collects Four Hits in Phillies' Win
Players of the Day for Thursday, July 31, 2014
National League
For a last place team, the Phillies (48-61, 11 1/2 GB) are actually pretty good on the road, where they've gone 26-28 after opening the first of a four-game series in Washington with a 10-4 win over the Nationals.
Savaging five Nats' pitchers - including starter Gio Gonzalez, who lasted just 3 2/3 - for 17 hits, the Phillies scored in chunks, plating five in the fourth, two in the sixth and three in the eighth. Leadoff batter Ben Revere led the hit parade with four singles in six at-bats, driving in one run and scoring a pair, plus stealing his 30th base of the season. He's been caught just four times.
Revere is having a solid season at the top of the order, batting .306 (5th in the NL), though he's scored just 48 runs. The Phillies haven't exactly been a model of efficiency driving in runs; they are tied for ninth in the NL, with 404.
Grady Sizemore had the Phillies' only hit for extra bases, a fourth-inning double that brought home two runs.
Game two of the series begins Friday at 7:05 pm EDT.
American League
Finishing up their three-game series, the Angels and Orioles kept the fans at Camden Yard up late, as Albert Pujols drove in Kole Calhoun in the top of the 13th for the game's only run, as the Angels salvaged a 1-0, 13-inning victory.
Baltimore took the series, two games to one, but the result of the series finale had an impact on the standings in both the AL East and West divisions. LA improved to two games behind the idle Athletics, while the O's lead shrank to 1 1/2 games as the Blue Jays won their sixth straight, a 6-5 victory in Houston.
Pujols went 2-for-6 on the night and grounded into a pair of double plays, but came up aces when the game was on the line. His RBI was his 67th of the season.
The Orioles remain home to host a three-game series with the Mariners over the weekend, while the Angels continue their road trip, heading to Tampa Bay for three games with the Rays. Both series begin on Friday.
National League
 |
| Ben Revere |
Savaging five Nats' pitchers - including starter Gio Gonzalez, who lasted just 3 2/3 - for 17 hits, the Phillies scored in chunks, plating five in the fourth, two in the sixth and three in the eighth. Leadoff batter Ben Revere led the hit parade with four singles in six at-bats, driving in one run and scoring a pair, plus stealing his 30th base of the season. He's been caught just four times.
Revere is having a solid season at the top of the order, batting .306 (5th in the NL), though he's scored just 48 runs. The Phillies haven't exactly been a model of efficiency driving in runs; they are tied for ninth in the NL, with 404.
Grady Sizemore had the Phillies' only hit for extra bases, a fourth-inning double that brought home two runs.
Game two of the series begins Friday at 7:05 pm EDT.
American League
 |
| Albert Pujols |
Baltimore took the series, two games to one, but the result of the series finale had an impact on the standings in both the AL East and West divisions. LA improved to two games behind the idle Athletics, while the O's lead shrank to 1 1/2 games as the Blue Jays won their sixth straight, a 6-5 victory in Houston.
Pujols went 2-for-6 on the night and grounded into a pair of double plays, but came up aces when the game was on the line. His RBI was his 67th of the season.
The Orioles remain home to host a three-game series with the Mariners over the weekend, while the Angels continue their road trip, heading to Tampa Bay for three games with the Rays. Both series begin on Friday.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Albert Pujols Jacks a Pair in Angels' Win over Rangers; Clayton Kershaw Blanks Pirates over 7 for 2nd Win
Players of the Day for Saturday, April 6, 2013
American League
Getting through the middle of the Angels' lineup promises to be a daunting task for opposing pitchers this season. With Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton and Mark Trumbo all aiming to clear the fences, it's going to be nearly impossible to pitch around the power trio.
Texas starter, Matt Harrison, found out the hard way, giving up four first inning runs in LA's 8-4 romp.
Pujols got the Angels going with a two-run blast, the first of his two homers on the day. After a walk to Hamilton, Trumbo socked another two-run poke, staking winning pitcher, Tommy Hanson, to an early lead.
In the sixth inning, Pujols went long again, with a solo shot, his second of the game and of the year. The other three times Pujols appeared at the plate, the Angels though best to just walk him.
Off to a slow start, Pujols is batting just .188 with five RBI. The Angels, who have yet to play a home game, are 2-3, 1 1/2 games behind the Oakland A's, winners of four straight.
National League
Clayton Kershaw is taking no prisoners in 2013. Winning his second of the season without a loss, Kershaw humbled the Priates for seven solid innings, allowing just two harmless singles - both by Pirate leadoff hitter Starling Marte - fanning nine with one walk in the Dodgers' 1-0 victory.
It was the second time this season Kershaw has gone up the bump and returned without allowing a run. In the Dodgers' season opener, Kershaw twirled a four-hit, complete game shutout over the Giants.
In that win, Kershaw struck out nine and didn't issue any walks.
The stats for the LA lefty are impressive. Two wins, 16 innings, six hits, 16 Ks and one walk. Plus the 0.00 ERA and tiny 0.44 WHIP. Opposing hitters have managed a mere .118 average.
American League
 |
| Pujols: 2HR, 3RBI |
Texas starter, Matt Harrison, found out the hard way, giving up four first inning runs in LA's 8-4 romp.
Pujols got the Angels going with a two-run blast, the first of his two homers on the day. After a walk to Hamilton, Trumbo socked another two-run poke, staking winning pitcher, Tommy Hanson, to an early lead.
In the sixth inning, Pujols went long again, with a solo shot, his second of the game and of the year. The other three times Pujols appeared at the plate, the Angels though best to just walk him.
Off to a slow start, Pujols is batting just .188 with five RBI. The Angels, who have yet to play a home game, are 2-3, 1 1/2 games behind the Oakland A's, winners of four straight.
National League
 |
| Kershaw: 7 scoreless |
It was the second time this season Kershaw has gone up the bump and returned without allowing a run. In the Dodgers' season opener, Kershaw twirled a four-hit, complete game shutout over the Giants.
In that win, Kershaw struck out nine and didn't issue any walks.
The stats for the LA lefty are impressive. Two wins, 16 innings, six hits, 16 Ks and one walk. Plus the 0.00 ERA and tiny 0.44 WHIP. Opposing hitters have managed a mere .118 average.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Ryan Zimmerman's Two Homers Give Nats Split with Braves; Bobby Wilson, Albert Pujols Lead Angels Pat Texas
Players of the Day for Sunday, July 22, 2012
American League
In order to pick up some ground on NL West leader Texas, the LA Angels needed to take at least two out of three as they hosted the Rangers over the weekend.
After Jered Weaver delivered a 6-1 win in the first game, the Rangers came back to even the series with a 9-2 victory on Saturday, setting up Sunday night's rubber game.
Catcher Bobby Wilson and Albert Pujols combined to drive in five runs as the Angels pulle to within five games in the division with a 7-4 triumph.
Pujols was 2-for-5 with a first inning, RBI double and his 18th home run, a seventh inning, two run blast that put the Angels ahead for good, at 6-2. Wilson had previously homered in the inning, socking a solo shot, his first homer of the season. He also singled in a run in the second and doubled and scored in the eighth, scoring the Angels' last run in a 3-for-4 effort.
As the Angels continue their pursuit of the Rangers, the win also gave them a 1/2 game lead over Baltimore in the wild card standings.
National League
Having led the NL East for most of the season, the Washington Nationals were feeling the heat as they dropped the first two games of their home series with Atlanta, the Braves drawing to within 1 1/2 games as of Friday night.
The Nats fought back with a 5-2 win on Saturday and evened the four-game series with a 9-2 thumping Sunday afternoon. pushing their lead back to a more comfortable 3 1/2 games.
Ryan Zimmerman, who's really been heating up of late, extended his hitting streak to six straight with a two-run homer and a pair of singles in five at-bats, driving in three runs and crossing the plate three times to lead the Nationals.
Zimmerman was 9-for-17 through the four game series with the Braves, boosting his batting average from .259 to .274. With four homers in his last five games, he's hit 14, with 50 RBI in just 53 games this season.
American League
In order to pick up some ground on NL West leader Texas, the LA Angels needed to take at least two out of three as they hosted the Rangers over the weekend.
 |
| Albert Pujols |
 |
| Bobby Wilson |
Pujols was 2-for-5 with a first inning, RBI double and his 18th home run, a seventh inning, two run blast that put the Angels ahead for good, at 6-2. Wilson had previously homered in the inning, socking a solo shot, his first homer of the season. He also singled in a run in the second and doubled and scored in the eighth, scoring the Angels' last run in a 3-for-4 effort.
As the Angels continue their pursuit of the Rangers, the win also gave them a 1/2 game lead over Baltimore in the wild card standings.
National League
 |
| Ryan Zimmerman |
The Nats fought back with a 5-2 win on Saturday and evened the four-game series with a 9-2 thumping Sunday afternoon. pushing their lead back to a more comfortable 3 1/2 games.
Ryan Zimmerman, who's really been heating up of late, extended his hitting streak to six straight with a two-run homer and a pair of singles in five at-bats, driving in three runs and crossing the plate three times to lead the Nationals.
Zimmerman was 9-for-17 through the four game series with the Braves, boosting his batting average from .259 to .274. With four homers in his last five games, he's hit 14, with 50 RBI in just 53 games this season.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Mike Trout, Albert Pujols Lead 13-0 Rout of Tigers; Buster Posey Drives in 5 as Giants Pad NL West Lead
Players of the Day for Tuesday, July 17, 2012
American League
Winning the second game of their four game series at Detroit, the LA Angels banged out 18 hits, including four home runs, for a lopsided, 13-0 win, evening the series at a game apiece.
Rookie Mike Trout continues to blaze away, going 4-for-6, including his 13th home run of the year, a second inning, two-run blast. Trout's .355 batting average easily leads the league (Joe Mauer is second at .333), and his three runs scored upped his total to 64, puttin him in fourth place behind a trio of players with 65.
Albert Pujols chipped in with his 16th home run, a solo shot, scored three times and had two RBI, going 3-for-4 in the game.
The Angels continue to chase the Rangers, though it seems every time LA wins, so does Texas, whose lead in the AL West is still 5 1/2 games following their 6-1 win at Oakland.
National League
Outside of Tim Lincecum's problems (he's 3-10 with a 5.93 ERA), everything is going just swimmingly in San Francisco.
The Giants opened a three-game set in Atlanta on Tuesday and quickly cooled off the ret-hot Braves, who had won eight straight, with a 9-0 victory.
While Barry Zito was moving down the Braves, allowing just three hits over seven innings, Buster Posey was busy clearing the bases, going 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a single, driving in five runs.
Posey doubled home the game's first run in the opening inning, drove in another with a single in the third, then busted loose with a bases-loaded double in the fourth inning, driving in three more, as the Giants broke the game open with six runs.
Posey is having a solid season, batting .302 with 52 RBI.
The win was the Giants' fourth straight. At the same time, the Dodgers have lost four in a row and now trail San Francisco by three games in the NL West.
The Braves and Giants will have at each other in the second game of the series, Wednesday night at 7:10 pm EDT.
American League
 |
| Trout's .355 leads AL |
 |
| Albert Pujols |
Albert Pujols chipped in with his 16th home run, a solo shot, scored three times and had two RBI, going 3-for-4 in the game.
The Angels continue to chase the Rangers, though it seems every time LA wins, so does Texas, whose lead in the AL West is still 5 1/2 games following their 6-1 win at Oakland.
Outside of Tim Lincecum's problems (he's 3-10 with a 5.93 ERA), everything is going just swimmingly in San Francisco.
 |
| Posey: 3-5 5 RBI |
While Barry Zito was moving down the Braves, allowing just three hits over seven innings, Buster Posey was busy clearing the bases, going 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a single, driving in five runs.
Posey doubled home the game's first run in the opening inning, drove in another with a single in the third, then busted loose with a bases-loaded double in the fourth inning, driving in three more, as the Giants broke the game open with six runs.
Posey is having a solid season, batting .302 with 52 RBI.
The win was the Giants' fourth straight. At the same time, the Dodgers have lost four in a row and now trail San Francisco by three games in the NL West.
The Braves and Giants will have at each other in the second game of the series, Wednesday night at 7:10 pm EDT.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Melky Cabrera Leads Giants to 14-7 Win at Miami; Albert Pujols, Dan Haren Star in 3-0 LA Win
Players of the Day for Thursday, May 24, 2012
American League
If the LA Angels are going to get hot and back into the race in the AL West, this weekend would be a great opportunity to do so.
The Angels climbed out of last place in the division, taking the first of a four-game series at Seattle with a 3-0 win, highlighted by Dan Haren's four-hit complete game shutout and a 3-for-4 performance by slugger Albert Pujols, who socked his fifth home run of the season to stake Haren to a 2-0, first inning lead and later, singled, stole second and scored on Kendry Morales' single to left field in the sixth.
While Pujols was supplying the bulk of the offense, Haren needed little cushion to pick up his second win against five losses, striking out 14 Mariners without issuing a walk. After a first inning leadoff single, Haren didn't allow another hit until the sixth inning, setting down 15 in a row. He also finished strong, fanning the first two batters in the ninth, before getting the final out on a routine grounder to second.
LA moved 1/2 game ahead of the Mariners and are incredibly only 6 1/2 games behind Texas and 1 1/2 behind second place Oakland in the division. After an 8-15 start to the season, the Angels are 13-10 in May and have won three straight.
National League
The Giants have a solid grip on second place in the NL West after they opened a four game series in Miami with a 14-7 victory over the Marlins. While they are still 6 1/2 games behind division-leading Los Angeles, they are four games clear of Arizona, with Colorado and San Diego well back.
Melky Cabrera spearheaded the 15-hit Giant assault, scoring three times with a single and two doubles in four at-bats, driving in four runs.
Cabrera has been a bright spot in the usually moribund Giants' lineup, leading the majors with 67 hits while carrying a .362 batting average, third best in the NL. Derek Jeter of the Yankees leads the AL with 64 hits.
After batting .305 with the Royals in 2011, Cabrera joined the Giants for the 2012 campaign.
American League
If the LA Angels are going to get hot and back into the race in the AL West, this weekend would be a great opportunity to do so.
 |
| Albert Pujols |
 |
| Dan Haren |
While Pujols was supplying the bulk of the offense, Haren needed little cushion to pick up his second win against five losses, striking out 14 Mariners without issuing a walk. After a first inning leadoff single, Haren didn't allow another hit until the sixth inning, setting down 15 in a row. He also finished strong, fanning the first two batters in the ninth, before getting the final out on a routine grounder to second.
LA moved 1/2 game ahead of the Mariners and are incredibly only 6 1/2 games behind Texas and 1 1/2 behind second place Oakland in the division. After an 8-15 start to the season, the Angels are 13-10 in May and have won three straight.
National League
 |
| Melky Cabrera |
Melky Cabrera spearheaded the 15-hit Giant assault, scoring three times with a single and two doubles in four at-bats, driving in four runs.
Cabrera has been a bright spot in the usually moribund Giants' lineup, leading the majors with 67 hits while carrying a .362 batting average, third best in the NL. Derek Jeter of the Yankees leads the AL with 64 hits.
After batting .305 with the Royals in 2011, Cabrera joined the Giants for the 2012 campaign.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Cody Ross Bolsters Boston Attack; Albert Pujols, Torii Hunter Lead Angels
Players of the Day for Friday, March 30, 2012
Grapefruit League
Boston's off-season acquisition of outfielder Cody Ross is looking like one of the shrewder moves moves of the winter, as the lefty hitter has displayed nice power to all fields and should have a fun time in tiny Fenway once the regular season begins.
Ross cracked a pair of two-run homers - his fifth and sixth of the spring - and drove in four runs to help the Red Sox overcome the Twins, 9-7, on Friday, improving to 13-11 as exhibition baseball winds down.
If Ross can carry his spring training form into the regular season - he's batting .366 and has driven in 15 runs - the Red Sox should have one of the more formidable offenses in the AL.
Cactus League
The Angels are starting to look like the offensive juggernaut they envisioned when they signed Albert Pujols this past winter.
Pujols went 2-for-3 and socked his fifth home run to help the Angels overcome Arizona, 9-2, improving their exhibition record to 17-10, good for second place in the Cactus League behind the Oakland A's.
Torii Hunter continued his torrid spring with a double and two singles in three at-bats. Hunter is batting .347 and looks forward to his fifth year with the Angels after an illustrious career as the center fielder for the Minnesota Twins.
The Angles open the regular season with a three-game home stand against Kansas City, beginning on April 6.
Grapefruit League
 |
| Cody Ross |
Ross cracked a pair of two-run homers - his fifth and sixth of the spring - and drove in four runs to help the Red Sox overcome the Twins, 9-7, on Friday, improving to 13-11 as exhibition baseball winds down.
If Ross can carry his spring training form into the regular season - he's batting .366 and has driven in 15 runs - the Red Sox should have one of the more formidable offenses in the AL.
 |
| Albert Pujols |
The Angels are starting to look like the offensive juggernaut they envisioned when they signed Albert Pujols this past winter.
 |
| Torii Hunter |
Torii Hunter continued his torrid spring with a double and two singles in three at-bats. Hunter is batting .347 and looks forward to his fifth year with the Angels after an illustrious career as the center fielder for the Minnesota Twins.
The Angles open the regular season with a three-game home stand against Kansas City, beginning on April 6.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Albert Pujols, Eric Hosmer Star in 11-8 Shoot-out; Brian Dinkelman Lead Twins over Pirates
Players of the Day for Thursday, March 29, 2012
Grapefruit League
Because of last season's injuries to stars Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer, a last-place finish in the AL Central and off-season trades - particularly that of Michael Cuddyer, which sent the OF/DH to Colorado - the general perception around the Minnesota clubhouse is that there is open competition for a lot of positions.
That's why any number of minor leaguers are getting extended looks, like utility infielder-outfielder Brian Dinkelman, who spent most of last season in AAA Rochester (NY), but batted a respectable .301 with the big club in a 23-game look-see.
Coaches got an eyeful in Minnesota's 11-4 rout of the Pirates, as Dinkelman was stationed in left field and went 3-for-4 at the plate, with a pair of singles and his first homer of the spring. Dinkelman drove in four runs and scored twice as the Twins pounded five Pittsburgh hurlers for 15 hits.
Even with all the moving parts, Minnesota is having a pretty good exhibition season. They are 16-12 in Grapefruit League play and are 11-4 on the road.
Cactus League
In Thursday's slug-fest special, the LA Angels and Kansas City Royals combined for 32 hits, including 14 extra base hits, of which six cleared the fences and the bases.
At the end of it all, the Angels, which had 20 of the base knocks, came out on top, 11-8, with Albert Pujols going 4-for-4, with a double, three singles, four RBI and a run scored. The three-time NL MVP is batting .388 with four home runs and 14 RBI this spring, after signing onto a monster deal with LA in the off-season.
For the Royals, Eric Hosmer continues to impress. The second-year pro socked his fifth homer of the spring, along with a single and double in a 3-for-4 effort with three RBI and a pair of runs.
Hosmer is having an all-star kind of exhibition season, batting .418 with five long balls and 23 RBI. As a rookie with the Royals in 2011, Hosmer belted 19 home runs and drove in 78 runs while batting a solid .293 in 128 games.
Grapefruit League
Because of last season's injuries to stars Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer, a last-place finish in the AL Central and off-season trades - particularly that of Michael Cuddyer, which sent the OF/DH to Colorado - the general perception around the Minnesota clubhouse is that there is open competition for a lot of positions.
 |
| Brian Dinkelman |
Coaches got an eyeful in Minnesota's 11-4 rout of the Pirates, as Dinkelman was stationed in left field and went 3-for-4 at the plate, with a pair of singles and his first homer of the spring. Dinkelman drove in four runs and scored twice as the Twins pounded five Pittsburgh hurlers for 15 hits.
Even with all the moving parts, Minnesota is having a pretty good exhibition season. They are 16-12 in Grapefruit League play and are 11-4 on the road.
 |
| Albert Pujols |
In Thursday's slug-fest special, the LA Angels and Kansas City Royals combined for 32 hits, including 14 extra base hits, of which six cleared the fences and the bases.
 |
| Eric Hosmer |
For the Royals, Eric Hosmer continues to impress. The second-year pro socked his fifth homer of the spring, along with a single and double in a 3-for-4 effort with three RBI and a pair of runs.
Hosmer is having an all-star kind of exhibition season, batting .418 with five long balls and 23 RBI. As a rookie with the Royals in 2011, Hosmer belted 19 home runs and drove in 78 runs while batting a solid .293 in 128 games.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Edwin Encarnacion Homers Twice in Blue Jay Win; Albert Pujols, Howard Kendrick Combine for 7 RBI in Angel Loss
Players of the Day for Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Grapefruit League
Edwin Encarnacion hit two home runs in Toronto's 7-5 win over the NY Yankees and may have put one of New York's starters out of the rotation for a while. Encarnacion was at the plate when Yankee starter Fredddy Garcia opened the fourth inning, smacking a sharp comebacker that hit Garcia on his pitching hand. Encarnacion was credited with a single, but Garcia left the mound and the game. X-rays were negative, but, according to reports, the hand swelled up significantly.
Back at the ballpark, Encarnacion scored on JP Arencibia's two run homer and an inning later, in the fifth, he belted a three run banger, to go with the solo shot he had off Garcia in the second.
For Encarnacion, it was an excellent day at the plate; 3-for-3, two homers, four RBI and three runs. For Garcia and the Yanks, not so much.
Cactus League
The LA Angels lost another Spring exhibition game on Wednesday, losing to the White Sox, 9-7, but the XXX paying customers at Chicago's Glendale, Arizona pre-season home got a glimpse of Albert Pujols' awesome power.
Pujols socked a three-run homer and a solo shot in his two official at-bats, his first two of the Spring in his seventh game with the Angels. His run-producing, and that of Howie Kendrick, who went 3-for-3 with a homer, two singles and three RBI, accounted for all of the Angels' runs, but it wasn't enough as the Sox scored none runs on 10 hits and sent starter Ervin Santana to an early shower with a line drive that struck the hurler on his right shoulder in the second inning.
Santana was considered day-to-day with a bruised shoulder.
Pujols, who took the free agency route from St. Louis to LA after last year's world series triumph by St. Louis, is expected to provide an extra boost at the plate for the Angels. The slugger, entering his 12th year in the bigs, may make a run at 500 homers and 500 doubles. He will open the regular season with 455 doubles and 445 home runs.
As for Kendrick, his Spring performance is in line with his usual consistent play. In 2010, he hit .285 with 18 long balls, 63 RBI and 86 runs in 140 games.
Grapefruit League
 |
| Edwin Encarnacion |
Back at the ballpark, Encarnacion scored on JP Arencibia's two run homer and an inning later, in the fifth, he belted a three run banger, to go with the solo shot he had off Garcia in the second.
For Encarnacion, it was an excellent day at the plate; 3-for-3, two homers, four RBI and three runs. For Garcia and the Yanks, not so much.
Cactus League
The LA Angels lost another Spring exhibition game on Wednesday, losing to the White Sox, 9-7, but the XXX paying customers at Chicago's Glendale, Arizona pre-season home got a glimpse of Albert Pujols' awesome power.
 |
| Pujols: 2 HR, 4 RBI |
 |
| Kendrick: 3-3 HR 3RBI |
Pujols, who took the free agency route from St. Louis to LA after last year's world series triumph by St. Louis, is expected to provide an extra boost at the plate for the Angels. The slugger, entering his 12th year in the bigs, may make a run at 500 homers and 500 doubles. He will open the regular season with 455 doubles and 445 home runs.
As for Kendrick, his Spring performance is in line with his usual consistent play. In 2010, he hit .285 with 18 long balls, 63 RBI and 86 runs in 140 games.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Albert Pujols Socks Three Homers as Cardinals Take Game Three, 16-7, Lead World Series, Two Games to One
Players of the Day for Saturday, October 22, 2011
Cardinals 16 Rangers 7
The promised offensive fireworks that fans were awaiting finally showed up in game three of the World Series.
Texas batters belted out 13 hits, but the more efficient Cardinals had fifteen, and scored sixteen runs as Albert Pujols had a record-setting night in St. Louis' 16-7, game three victory over the Rangers.
On Allen Craig's first inning solo home run, the Cardinals led 1-0,, entering the fourth inning, when the hits began coming faster than a Texas tornado. Pujols led off the inning with a single, his first hit of the series, but was forced out at second on a controversial play that opened the floodgates for the Cardinals.
Matt Holliday was ruled safe at first on Ian Kinsler's errant throw that pulled Texas first baseman Mike Napoli off the bag. Replays showed that Napoli applied a deft swipe tag to Holliday before he reached the base. The Cardinals loaded the bases with one out after a single by Lance Berkman, a David Freese double that plated Holliday, and an intentional walk to Yadier Molina. Jon Jay sent a two-hopper to Napoli, who threw wide of home plate, allowing both Berkman and Freese home, and Ryan Theriot added a run when he singled to left, getting Molina easily to the plate for a 5-0 Cardinal lead.
The Rangers fought back in the bottom of the inning with three runs of their own, a solo shot by Michael Young and a two-run bomb by Nelson Cruz. St. Lous led, 5-3.
In the fifth, Pujols again led off with a single and came around to score on Freese's bases-loaded ground out. Molina drove in two more with a double down the right field line making the score 8-3, but the Rangers again scored three in their at-bat, making the score 8-6, which was as close as the Rangers would get because Pujols, with two singles already in the books, was about to set off on a record-setting night.
Pujols socked a three-run homer in the sixth, far into the left field seats, hammered a two-run homer in the seventh and added a ninth inning solo shot to complete the scoring for St. Louis, joining Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson as the only players to ever hit three home runs in a single World Series game. His 14 total bases set a major league mark as the Cardinal slugger finished with five hits in six at-bats, three home runs, six RBI and four runs. His four hits over four consecutive innings - 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th - set another record. His five hits and six RBI in a single World Series game also tied records. It was an incredible display of power hitting, truly an historic event. The 16 Cardinal runs set a franchise record, no mean feat for a team which is looking to win its 11th World Series.
With a two games to one lead in hand, the Cardinals take on the Rangers again on Sunday night, with Edwin Jackson facing the Rangers' Derek Holland, who last won on October 1 when the Rangers beat Tampa Bay in the divisional series, 8-6. Since then, Holland has started three more games, but hasn't lasted longer than 4 innings and change, his playoff ERA at 5.27. Jackson also has a playoff win - October 5 - and two no decisions, he too being bounced early in his last two starts. Jackson's ERA has ballooned to 5.84 during the playoffs. Game time in Texas is 8:05 pm EDT.
Cardinals 16 Rangers 7
The promised offensive fireworks that fans were awaiting finally showed up in game three of the World Series.
Texas batters belted out 13 hits, but the more efficient Cardinals had fifteen, and scored sixteen runs as Albert Pujols had a record-setting night in St. Louis' 16-7, game three victory over the Rangers.
 |
| Pujols: 5-for-6, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 4 Runs. |
Matt Holliday was ruled safe at first on Ian Kinsler's errant throw that pulled Texas first baseman Mike Napoli off the bag. Replays showed that Napoli applied a deft swipe tag to Holliday before he reached the base. The Cardinals loaded the bases with one out after a single by Lance Berkman, a David Freese double that plated Holliday, and an intentional walk to Yadier Molina. Jon Jay sent a two-hopper to Napoli, who threw wide of home plate, allowing both Berkman and Freese home, and Ryan Theriot added a run when he singled to left, getting Molina easily to the plate for a 5-0 Cardinal lead.
The Rangers fought back in the bottom of the inning with three runs of their own, a solo shot by Michael Young and a two-run bomb by Nelson Cruz. St. Lous led, 5-3.
In the fifth, Pujols again led off with a single and came around to score on Freese's bases-loaded ground out. Molina drove in two more with a double down the right field line making the score 8-3, but the Rangers again scored three in their at-bat, making the score 8-6, which was as close as the Rangers would get because Pujols, with two singles already in the books, was about to set off on a record-setting night.
Pujols socked a three-run homer in the sixth, far into the left field seats, hammered a two-run homer in the seventh and added a ninth inning solo shot to complete the scoring for St. Louis, joining Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson as the only players to ever hit three home runs in a single World Series game. His 14 total bases set a major league mark as the Cardinal slugger finished with five hits in six at-bats, three home runs, six RBI and four runs. His four hits over four consecutive innings - 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th - set another record. His five hits and six RBI in a single World Series game also tied records. It was an incredible display of power hitting, truly an historic event. The 16 Cardinal runs set a franchise record, no mean feat for a team which is looking to win its 11th World Series.
With a two games to one lead in hand, the Cardinals take on the Rangers again on Sunday night, with Edwin Jackson facing the Rangers' Derek Holland, who last won on October 1 when the Rangers beat Tampa Bay in the divisional series, 8-6. Since then, Holland has started three more games, but hasn't lasted longer than 4 innings and change, his playoff ERA at 5.27. Jackson also has a playoff win - October 5 - and two no decisions, he too being bounced early in his last two starts. Jackson's ERA has ballooned to 5.84 during the playoffs. Game time in Texas is 8:05 pm EDT.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Cruz, Napoli Give Rangers 3-1 Lead over Tigers; Cardinals Take 2-1 Edge in NLCS
Players of the Day for Wednesday, October 12, 2011
American League
Rangers 7 Tigers 3, 11 innings
After winning game three and waiting out a rain delay that turned an afternoon affair into an evening interlude, the Detroit Tigers fell behind three games to one in the ALCS, as Mike Napoli and Nelson Cruz provided the winning margin in the top of the 11th inning.
Napoli's single to center scored Josh Hamilton from second base to put the Rangers up 4-3, and Cruz followed with his 4th home run of the series, a three-run shot that pretty much put the game away. All four 11th inning runs came off reliever Jose Valverde, who was used in hope to keep the score tied. Valverde's streak of consecutive saves - 49 in the regular season and three more in the playoffs - remains intact as the inning was not a save situation.
Both Napoli and Cruz made plays in the field that helped keep the game tied. After Brandon Inge tied the game at 3-3 with a solo homer in the 7th, Cruz threw Miguel Cabrera out at the plate in the bottom of the 8th. Napoli's strong arm got Austin Jackson trying to steal second base in the bottom of the 10th, keeping Detroit's speediest runner out of scoring position.
With a 3-1 lead in the series, the Rangers will try to end it Thursday afternoon in Detroit, though they'll have to beat the best in the American League to do so. Justin Verlander, who notched the pitching triple crown with 24 wins, a 2.40 ERA and 250 strikeouts, takes the ball for the start of game five. Verlander is 1-1 in two post-season starts and will be opposed by Ranger starter C.J. Wilson, who was 16-7 with a 2.94 ERA during the regular season. First pitch is slated for 4:19 pm EDT.
National League
Cardinals 4 Brewers 3
The St. Louis Cardinals took a two games to one lead in the National League Championship Series, scoring all of their runs in the first inning off Milwaukee starter, Yovani Galardo.
Albert Pujols set a major league mark with his fifth consecutive extra-base hit on his ground rule double in the first inning, scoring Jon Jay with the Cardinals' second run. Pujols scored on Yadier Molina's ground out into a double play, but David Freese, who went 3-for-4, followed with a double to right field, sending home Matt Holliday with what would prove to be the game-winner. Pujols would single later and draw two walks, going 2-for-2, to improve his series average to a stunning .636 with four doubles a home run and six RBI.
Milwaukee battled back against St. Louis ace, Chris Carpenter, with two runs in the 2nd inning and another in the 3rd, but that was all they could muster of Carpenter - who lasted five inning for the win - and four Cardinal relievers, who put together a string of zeroes in the final four innings, blanking the Brewers without giving up a hit nor walking a batter.
Game four is Thursday night in St. Louis, with Randy Wolf on the mound for the Brewers against the Cardinals' Kyle Lohse. Game time is 8:05 pm EDT.
American League
Rangers 7 Tigers 3, 11 innings
 |
| Mike Napoli |
 |
| Nelson Cruz |
Both Napoli and Cruz made plays in the field that helped keep the game tied. After Brandon Inge tied the game at 3-3 with a solo homer in the 7th, Cruz threw Miguel Cabrera out at the plate in the bottom of the 8th. Napoli's strong arm got Austin Jackson trying to steal second base in the bottom of the 10th, keeping Detroit's speediest runner out of scoring position.
With a 3-1 lead in the series, the Rangers will try to end it Thursday afternoon in Detroit, though they'll have to beat the best in the American League to do so. Justin Verlander, who notched the pitching triple crown with 24 wins, a 2.40 ERA and 250 strikeouts, takes the ball for the start of game five. Verlander is 1-1 in two post-season starts and will be opposed by Ranger starter C.J. Wilson, who was 16-7 with a 2.94 ERA during the regular season. First pitch is slated for 4:19 pm EDT.
National League
Cardinals 4 Brewers 3
 |
| Pujols: 636 AVG. |
 |
| David Freese |
Milwaukee battled back against St. Louis ace, Chris Carpenter, with two runs in the 2nd inning and another in the 3rd, but that was all they could muster of Carpenter - who lasted five inning for the win - and four Cardinal relievers, who put together a string of zeroes in the final four innings, blanking the Brewers without giving up a hit nor walking a batter.
Game four is Thursday night in St. Louis, with Randy Wolf on the mound for the Brewers against the Cardinals' Kyle Lohse. Game time is 8:05 pm EDT.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Nelson Cruz Walks Off Tigers with Grand Slam; Albert Pujols Sets Extra Base Mark in 12-3 Cardinal Win
Players of the Day for Monday, October 10, 2011
American League
Rangers 7 Tigers 3, 11 innings
After a day of rain and 11 innings of game two in the AL Championship Series, Nelson Cruz left no doubt, snapping a 3-3 tie with his second home run of the game and third of the series, a no-out grand slam into the left field seats off Detroit reliever, Ryan Perry.
Cruz's home run was the fourth straight hit off Perry, who failed to retire a batter as he started the 11th frame. Leading off the 7th inning, Cruz went deep to tie the game, sending Tiger starter Max Scherzer to the showers and setting the stage for the dramatic finish four innings later.
Texas now has a commanding, 2-0, lead in the series which heads to Detroit on Tuesday. Due to the washout Sunday, the normal travel day has become a game day, with Colby Lewis going to the mound for the Rangers to face Tiger hurler, Doug Fister. Game three's first pitch is scheduled for 8:05 pm EDT.
National League
Cardinals 12 Brewers 3
Albert Pujols wasted little time showing the Milwaukee Brewers that the Cardinals were not going to go down easy. Albert the Great, baseball's most prolific power hitter, sent a first inning offering from Brewer starter Shaun Marcum into the left field stands for a 2-0 Cardinal lead that would not be relinquished.
With the lead in hand and the Cardinals intent on tying the series at one game apiece, Pujols let his bat do all the talking, collecting, in 5 at-bats, three doubles to go with his homer, five RBI and the pleasure of setting his foot on home plate three times. His four extra-base hits set an MLB playoff record.
In the third inning, Pujols slammed a double over the head of Milwaukee center fielder Nyjer Morgan, who had earlier tweeted about the Cardinal strong man, calling him "Alberta." Morgan crashed into the wall as Edwin Jackson and Jon Jay scored on Pujols' smash hit.
The Cardinals greeted Brewer reliever Maroo Estrada with a pair of doubles, one by Jay to lead off the 5th inning, followed immediately by Pujols' second double of the game.
Pujols finished his extra-base barrage with one out in the 7th, lashing a ground rule double to right field and scoring on Matt Holiday's single. The rest of the Cardinals joined in the assault, scoring four runs in the inning. David Freese knocked a solo home run in the top of the 9th inning to complete the Cardinal scoring and send the series back to St. Louis on Wednesday, tied 1-1.
Game three's pitching match-up has the two staff aces going up the mound. Yovani Gallardo gets the start for Milwaukee, while Chris Carpenter will open the game for St. Louis at 8:05 pm EDT.
American League
Rangers 7 Tigers 3, 11 innings
After a day of rain and 11 innings of game two in the AL Championship Series, Nelson Cruz left no doubt, snapping a 3-3 tie with his second home run of the game and third of the series, a no-out grand slam into the left field seats off Detroit reliever, Ryan Perry.
 |
| Nelson Cruz |
Texas now has a commanding, 2-0, lead in the series which heads to Detroit on Tuesday. Due to the washout Sunday, the normal travel day has become a game day, with Colby Lewis going to the mound for the Rangers to face Tiger hurler, Doug Fister. Game three's first pitch is scheduled for 8:05 pm EDT.
National League
Cardinals 12 Brewers 3
Albert Pujols wasted little time showing the Milwaukee Brewers that the Cardinals were not going to go down easy. Albert the Great, baseball's most prolific power hitter, sent a first inning offering from Brewer starter Shaun Marcum into the left field stands for a 2-0 Cardinal lead that would not be relinquished.
 |
| "King" Albert |
In the third inning, Pujols slammed a double over the head of Milwaukee center fielder Nyjer Morgan, who had earlier tweeted about the Cardinal strong man, calling him "Alberta." Morgan crashed into the wall as Edwin Jackson and Jon Jay scored on Pujols' smash hit.
The Cardinals greeted Brewer reliever Maroo Estrada with a pair of doubles, one by Jay to lead off the 5th inning, followed immediately by Pujols' second double of the game.
Pujols finished his extra-base barrage with one out in the 7th, lashing a ground rule double to right field and scoring on Matt Holiday's single. The rest of the Cardinals joined in the assault, scoring four runs in the inning. David Freese knocked a solo home run in the top of the 9th inning to complete the Cardinal scoring and send the series back to St. Louis on Wednesday, tied 1-1.
Game three's pitching match-up has the two staff aces going up the mound. Yovani Gallardo gets the start for Milwaukee, while Chris Carpenter will open the game for St. Louis at 8:05 pm EDT.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Robert Andino Ruins Red Sox in 7-5 Oriole Win; Kershaw Wins 20th; Pujols, Berkman, Theriot Keep Cards Close
Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 20, 2011
American League
Some things just aren't meant to be. Others are. For the Boston Red Sox, reaching the playoffs by winning the AL wild card seems to be a quest doomed to failure as they lost for the sixth time in eight games, this one another late inning bullpen meltdown against the bottom-feeding Baltimore Orioles, who defeated the Red Sox, 7-5, even as Boston's closest pursuer, Tampa Bay, was losing to the Yankees, 5-0.
For Baltimore's Robert Andino, until this year a part-time utility infielder since 2004, his moment to shine was Tuesday night in Boston. After singling and scoring Baltimore's first run in the third inning, Andino singled and was stranded in the 4th inning and flied out to end the 6th. But, in the 8th inning, the scrappy second baseman approached the plate with the bases full of his teammates and Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon on the mound. Andino delivered a game-changing, two-out double to right field, plating all three runs and putting the O's up by two runs. Andino promptly stole third, but was stranded there when J.J. Hardy popped out to end the inning.
Orioles' relievers put down the Red Sox calmly in the 8th and 9th, securing the win, keeping Boston just two games ahead of Tampa Bay in the wild card race. The Orioles and Red Sox square off again on Wednesday to complete the series, then, after a day off Thursday, the Sox head down to the Bronx for a three game series with the Yankees before returning to Baltimore for the final three game series of the regular season.
The Yankee win over Tampa Bay was doubly good, as they increased their lead in the AL East to six games over Boston and eight over the Rays. Their magic number dropped to three as rookie sensation Ivan Nova improved to 16-4 with 7 2/3 innings of shutout ball, giving up six hits, walking three and striking out three. Curtis Granderson increased his major league best RBI total to 119 with four RBI, three of them coming on a bases-loaded double in the second inning. The Yankees host the Rays in a double-header Wednesday.
In the West, Texas won its third straight, 7-2, at Oakland, while the second place Angels kept pace, outslugging Toronto, 10-6. The Rangers lead the Angles by five games with eight games left for both teams, who meet in the final three game series for both teams, at Anaheim, September 26-28. The Rangers' magic number is four.
National League
LA's Clayton Kershaw joined Arizona's Ian Kennedy as the NL's second 20 game winner with a 2-1 win over the Giants, halting San Fran's winning streak at eight and keeping the Giants 5 1/2 games behind the Diamondbacks in the desperate NL West race.
Kershaw scattered six hits over 7 1/3 innings, the only run coming with one out in the 7th on a home run by the Giants' Chris Stewart. Kershaw battled Tim Lincecum, who took the loss, falling to 13-13 on the year. After allowing Stewart's home run, reliever Kenley Jansen came on and struck out the next two batters to end the 8th inning and Javy Guerra closed out the game with a perfect ninth inning.
Kershaw now is tied for the NL lead with 20 wins and also leads the league in strikeouts (242) and ERA (2.27), the same as Detroit hurler, Justin Verlander, in the AL who leads all three categories with 24 wins, 244 Ks and a 2.29 ERA. The dual pitching triple crowns would be a first if they hold up for the remainder of the season. There have been 19 pitching triple crowns in the majors and seventeen of those pitchers have reached the Hall of Fame. Grover Cleveland Alexander, Walter Johnston and Sandy Koufax each accomplished the feat three times, but never have two pitchers done it in the same season in opposing leagues.
The loss by the Giants kept them in the chase for the NL West title, though time and games are dwindling fast. The Diamondbacks lost to Pittsburgh, 5-3, keeping the magic number at three. San Francisco plays three games at Arizona this weekend, beginning Friday.
In the wild card race, the Atlanta Braves held onto their slim 2 1/2 game lead with a 4-0 shutout over the Marlins, but the St. Louis Cardinals are not going away, as they opened a three-game home series with the Mets with an 11-6 victory. Alberrt Pujols went 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI (97) and scored the tying run in the 7th inning on Ryan Theriot's pinch-hit, bases-loaded ground rule double. Lance Berkman - 2-for-5, 1 run, 2 RBI - came home right behind Pujols, putting the Cardinals up 7-6. The Cards eventually scored six times in the frame, sealing the win.
Milwaukee kept cruising toward the NL Central crown with a 5-1 win over the Cubs. The Brewers lead St. Louis by 5 1/2 games, their magic number just three.
American League
Some things just aren't meant to be. Others are. For the Boston Red Sox, reaching the playoffs by winning the AL wild card seems to be a quest doomed to failure as they lost for the sixth time in eight games, this one another late inning bullpen meltdown against the bottom-feeding Baltimore Orioles, who defeated the Red Sox, 7-5, even as Boston's closest pursuer, Tampa Bay, was losing to the Yankees, 5-0.
 |
| Robert Andino |
 |
| Nova: 16-4 |
 |
| Granderson: 119 RBI |
In the West, Texas won its third straight, 7-2, at Oakland, while the second place Angels kept pace, outslugging Toronto, 10-6. The Rangers lead the Angles by five games with eight games left for both teams, who meet in the final three game series for both teams, at Anaheim, September 26-28. The Rangers' magic number is four.
National League
 |
| Kershaw: 20 Wins |
 |
| Lance Berkman |
Kershaw now is tied for the NL lead with 20 wins and also leads the league in strikeouts (242) and ERA (2.27), the same as Detroit hurler, Justin Verlander, in the AL who leads all three categories with 24 wins, 244 Ks and a 2.29 ERA. The dual pitching triple crowns would be a first if they hold up for the remainder of the season. There have been 19 pitching triple crowns in the majors and seventeen of those pitchers have reached the Hall of Fame. Grover Cleveland Alexander, Walter Johnston and Sandy Koufax each accomplished the feat three times, but never have two pitchers done it in the same season in opposing leagues.
 |
| Ryan Theriot |
 |
| Albert Pujols |
In the wild card race, the Atlanta Braves held onto their slim 2 1/2 game lead with a 4-0 shutout over the Marlins, but the St. Louis Cardinals are not going away, as they opened a three-game home series with the Mets with an 11-6 victory. Alberrt Pujols went 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI (97) and scored the tying run in the 7th inning on Ryan Theriot's pinch-hit, bases-loaded ground rule double. Lance Berkman - 2-for-5, 1 run, 2 RBI - came home right behind Pujols, putting the Cardinals up 7-6. The Cards eventually scored six times in the frame, sealing the win.
Milwaukee kept cruising toward the NL Central crown with a 5-1 win over the Cubs. The Brewers lead St. Louis by 5 1/2 games, their magic number just three.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)