Miles Mikolas Fans 8 In Cardinals' Win; Tim Beckham Homers Twice, Orioles Dump Yankees

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 23, 2018

American League

Beckham: 2 HR, 3 RBI

Tim Beckham, power hitter. Who knew?

After the Yankees scored three first-inning runs, the Orioles looked to be on their way to their 111th loss of the season, but as Mike Wright Jr. and four Baltimore relievers held the Yankees scoreless for the final eight innings, Beckham got the O's even with a solo shot in the second inning and a two-run dinger in the sixth.

After Renato Nunez put the Orioles ahead with a solo homer of his own in the sixth, D.J. Stewart, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter, delivered the final two runs with a sixth-inning sac fly and an eighth-inning RBI single for the 6-3 win.

While the game didn't mean much to the Orioles, it could have been big for New York, which remains locked into a wild card struggle with the Oakland A's, leading by 1 1/2 games. The A's dropped a 5-1 decision to the Twins on Sunday, so the Yankees could have expanded their lead, but didn't.

The Yankees and A's are certain to play in the single-elimination wild card game. All that remains to be determined is where the game will be played. New York found out that shortstop Didi Gregorious will not be available for that game, suffering torn cartilage in his right wrist when he scored the winning run in Saturday's 3-2, 11-inning win.

The Yankees head to Tampa Monday for a four game series with the Rays and close out the season this coming weekend at Boston, where they will play three with the Red Sox. The A's also finish on the road, with three at Seattle and three in LA with the Angels.

The wild card game is Wednesday, October 3.

Mikolas: 17-4, 2.94 ERA

National League

With the Cardinals clinging to a slim, 1 1/2-game edge over Colorado for the final wild card spot, Miles Mikolas has come through down the stretch to keep St. Louis' playoff hopes alive and well.

Mikolas won his fourth straight September start, holding the visiting Giants to two hits and one earned run over seven innings as his teammates wrecked Giants' pitching for a 9-2 victory. Mikolas contributed a fourth-inning RBI single to further his the cause.

Mikolas (17-4) fanned eight and didn't walk any batters, throwing 72 of 96 pitches for strikes. His 17 wins are tied for the NL lead with Jon Lester and Max Scherzer and his quality numbers - 140 strikeouts, 29 walks, a 2.88 ERA and 1.09 WHIP - make him a potential choice for the Cy Young award.

More importantly, the win was the sixth in their last seven for the Cardinals, keeping their margin over the Rockies at 1 1/2-games. Colorado scored a 2-0 win over Arizona Sunday.

The Cardinals will have to earn their way into the playoffs if they intend to make it. They close out the season this week with three home games against the Brewers, current holders of the top wild card, followed by three games at the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs, who hold a 2 1/2-game edge on Milwaukee. The Cubs are 2 1/2 up on Milwaukee, 4 1/2 over the Cards.

St. Louis opens their series with the Brewers on Monday.

Mark Trumbo Leads Orioles Over Texas; Nolan Arenado's Solo Shot Wins In 11th For Rockies

Players of the Day for Sunday, August 5, 2018

Trumbo: 2 HR, 5 RBI

American League

Baltimore (34-78) has the worst record in the majors, but the games have to be played and the players need to stay sharp and try to win as often as possible. The Orioles, however, haven't won much, and on Sunday, they were looking at being swept four straight by the Texas Rangers in Arlington.

Mark Trumbo prevented the sweep, going 3-for-5 with a single and a pair of timely home runs resulting in a 9-6 Baltimore triumph.

In the first, Trumbo got the Orioles on the board with a run-scoring single, but Baltimore could not maintain the lead, eventually falling behind, 5-4, in the second inning. Trumbo put the O's ahead with a two-run blast in the third and another in the seventh, his 15th, sealing the victory.

The Orioles are baseball's biggest disappointment, and they continue to be. Since the all-star break, they've won six and lost nine.

National League

Arenado saves Rockies

Colorado snapped a five-game losing streak and avoided a sweep by the Brewers in Milwaukee with an 11-inning, 5-4 victory on Sunday.

The Rockies built a 4-1 lead heading into the ninth, but the Brewers erased it with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Nolan Arenado single-handedly bailed out the bullpen with his 29th home run, belting a screamer to left in the top of the 11th inning.

Arenado had a pair of singles prior to his heroic, extra-inning feat, going 3-for-5 on the day with two runs and one RBI, upping his RBI total to 91 on the year. Arenado is tied with St. Louis' Matt Carpenter for the league lead in home runs, and he's third in the NL in RBI.

The Rockies ended Sunday two games behind the Diamondbacks and Dodgers, which are tied for the lead in the NL West. A win by Milwaukee would have tied them with the Cubs, atop the NL Central. The loss left them a game behind Chicago.

Colorado opens a seven-game homestead on Monday, beginning with three against the Pirates before the Dodgers come to town for four.

Sean Newcomb Just Misses No-Hitter In Atlanta Win; Baltimore Sweeps White Sox As Chris Davis Homers Twice

Davis: 2 HR, 4 RBI

Players of the Day for Sunday, July 29, 2018

American League

Baltimore completed their sweep of the White Sox at Camden Yards with an 11-5 victory Sunday.

Chris Davis got the rout started with a two-run homer in the first inning and capped off Baltimore's scoring with another two-run belt in the eighth.

Davis, like many of the Oriole position players, has struggled this season. His two homers were just numbers 12 and 13. Davis, who mashed 47 home runs in 2015, has struck out 120 times in 325 at-bats and is batting .159.

The Orioles have Monday off and start a series with the Yankees in New York on Tuesday.

National League

Newcomb just misses
no-hitter

Atlanta's Sean Newcomb had a no-hit bid foiled with two outs in the ninth inning by Chris Taylor, who stroked a clean single to left off a 2-2 count, Newcomb's 134th pitch.

With the score 4-0 in favor of the Braves, Newcomb was relieved by Dan Winkler, who promptly gave up a single to Manny Machado, scoring Taylor, who had reached second on defensive indifference. Winkler did get Matt Kemp for the final out, and even though Newcomb did not reach the record books, his effort was spectacular, resulting in a 4-1 Atlanta victory.

The Atlanta lefty was perfect though five innings, allowing just one walk, that to Yasiel Puig, leading off the sixth. Although he only had first-pitch strikes on nine of the 28 batters he faced, Puig's walk was the only one, and Newcomb fanned eight, improving to 10-5 on the season, with a 3.23 ERA.

In his first full season as a starter, Newcomb has improved vastly from the 4-9, 4.32 ERA he posted in 100 innings in 2017.

Atlanta's win pushed them to within 1 1/2 games of the lead in the NL East, as Philadelphia dropped a 4-0 decision at Cincinnati. The Dodgers had taken the first three of the four-game series in Atlanta, and still leads the NL West by 1/2 game over Arizona.

Atlanta opens a three-game series with the Marlins on Monday, while the Dodgers return home to face the Brewers.

Marcell Ozuna's Grand Slam Lifts Cardinals Over Cubs; Joey Rickard Drives In 5 As Orioles Dump Rays

Players of the Day for Saturday, July 28, 2018

American League

Rickard: 3-4, HR, 5 RBI

The Orioles seem to be recovering from the trauma suffered by trading Manny Machado to the LA Dodgers.

Dropping four straight coming out of the all star break and the transfer of Machado to the West coast, Baltimore has taken three of the last four and two straight over the retooling Rays.

Baltimore's 11-2 victory over Tampa Bay was spearheaded by Joey Rickard, who doubled twice and socked a solo home run, driving in five runs, scoring three.

Rickard, who figures to be getting some more playing time in Baltimore's reshuffled lineup, mashed his sixth homer of the season in the third inning, cleared the bases with a fourth-inning double and ripped another RBI double in the sixth.

Still holding the distinction of having the worst record in the majors, the Orioles will be eyeing a sweep of the Rays Sunday at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Game time is 1:05 pm EDT.

National League

Ozuna: Grand Slam

Marcell Ozuna's first inning grand slam propelled St. Louis to a 6-2 win over the Chicago Cubs.

Ozuna's blast came off Chicago starter, Jose Quintana, who lasted just three innings after giving up all six Cardinal runs in the opening frame.

The home run was Ozuna's 11th of the year and the four RBI upped his total for the season to 55. The 27-year-old's numbers are well short of last season's total when Ozuna batted .312 with 37 homers and 124 RBI for Miami.

Exiting the all star break by losing five of eight, the Cardinals have taken two straight from the Cubs and reduced the Chicago lead in the NL Central to just 1/2 game over Milwaukee. Pittsburgh is in third place, seven games out. The Cardinals, follow, eight games off the pace.

St Louis will be seeking a sweep of the three-game series when the teams take the field Sunday, at 8:00 pm ET. The contest is the ESPN national broadcast of Sunday Night Baseball.

Adam Jones Powers Orioles to 15-5 Win Over Rays; Max Scherzer Overpowers Marlins in 9-1 Washington Victory

Players of the Day for Friday, July 27, 2018

American League

Adam Jones

As the July 31 trade deadline approaches, there are still plenty of rumors afoot concerning players who may or may not be on the move.

One whom has stoked a significant amount of speculation is Baltimore's Adam Jones, especially since teammate Manny Machado was sent to the Dodgers a week ago, prompting the idea that the Orioles could be in the midst of a major restructuring.

Making sure that scouts and general managers fully appreciate his value, Jones sent a message in Baltimore's 15-5 romp over the visiting Rays on Friday, going 3-for-5 with two singles, a three-run home run and four RBI.

Jones, 32, has 11 homers and 42 RBI this season. Though the numbers are not impressive in and of themselves, they are fair, considering Baltimore's MLB-worst record of 30-74. Jones is currently on a seven-game hitting streak in which he has driven in nine runs, although the Orioles have not benefitted much in the way of wins during the stretch.

The Rays will try to even the series when the two tangle again at Camden Yards, Saturday, at 7:05 pm EDT.

Max Scherzer

National League

If the Washington Nationals are going to make a second-half run at the NL East pennant, they'll need starting pitcher, Max Scherzer, to be on his best game.

The two-time Cy Young award winner (2016, 2017) gave every indication that he'll be solid down the stretch as he notched his league-leading 14th win with a stellar performance in a 9-1 Washington win at Miami.

Scherzer went eight innings, allowing three hits and one walk while fanning 11. The sole run scored by Miami was unearned, in the seventh inning.

Not only is Scherzer leading the NL in wins, he's leading the NL with 200 strikeouts and is second in ERA, at 2.30.

Barring injury, Max is almost certainly going to lead the National League in strikeouts. Jacob DeGrom has the second-most, with 159.

The Nationals ended the evening six games out of first place in the division as the Phillies and Braves (2 1/2 off the pace) both lost.

Washington will be looking for their fourth straight win when they take the field against the Marlins, Saturday, at 7:05 pm EDT.

Manny Machado Belts a Pair As Orioles Down Yankees; Phillies Take First Place On Maikel Franco's HR, 4 RBI

Players of the Day for Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Machado: 3-4, 2HR, 3RB

American League

Manny Machado took out some Baltimore frustration on New York pitchers, crashing a pair of home runs in the Orioles' 6-5 victory at Camden Yards.

Machado's solo shot in the fifth tied the game at three; his two-run bomb (444 feet) in the seventh tied the game again, knotting the score at 5-5.

Later, in the decisive ninth inning, Machado was intentionally walked to load the bases, setting up Jonathan Schoop for an RBI single that plated Caleb Joseph with the game-winner.

The subject of swirling trade rumors, Machado's homers were his 22nd and 23rd of the season and his three RBI upped his total to 63. The slugging third baseman is sixth in the AL in home runs and third in RBI.

The Yankees dropped 3 1/2 game behind the Red Sox in the AL East division. Boston has won eight straight.

The Orioles, already 37 1/2 games out, have taken two of three from the Yankees and will be looking to capture the series in game four, Wednesday, 7:05 pm EDT.

National League

Franco: 2-4, HR, 4RBI

With sole possession of first place in the NL East staring them in the face, the Philadelphia Phillies wasted little time getting out in front of the Mets en route to a 7-3 victory.

Maikel Franco swatted a three-run home in the first inning as the Phils batted around on Mets' starter Drew Gagnon. The Phillies continued to add to their lead until Franco put the game away in the sixth with an RBI single and a 7-1 lead.

Surprising nearly everyone, the Phillies have played consistently enough to surpass both Washington and Atlanta in the division. Atlanta lost to Toronto, 6-2, and is a game back, while the Nationals took a 5-1 win at Pittsburgh to hold third place, 5 1/2 out.

Franco, 25, is an integral part of the Philadelphia youth movement. In his third full season, he's batting .276 with 12 homers and 45 RBI.

The Phillies have take two straight at Citi Field and will be looking to sweep the Mets when they take the field at 7:10 pm EDT, Wednesday.

Pedro Alvarez Slams Yanks In 14th For Baltimore Win; Pirates Gash Reds, Colin Moran 4-for-5 In 13-4 Rout

Players of the Day for Friday, April 6, 2018

American League

Alvarez slam sinks Yanks

At chilly Yankee Stadium, Pedro Alvarez sat through the first nine innings of Baltimore's game with the Yankees, finally called upon to pinch hit in a 3-3 tie with two out and a man aboard in the 10th.

Alvarez came through with a single, but was left stranded as the game continued deep into the night. After walking in the 12th and again being left on base, Alvarez got another shot when he arrived at the plate with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the 14th.

This time, he got his pitch, and delivered it to the weary fans above the right-center field wall, clearing the bases with a grand slam, leading the Orioles to their second straight victory in New York, a 7-3 win that ended after 1:00 am in the Eastern time zone.

The blast was just Alvarez's second home run since 2016. After spending most of last season with Baltimore's AAA affiliate, Norfolk, in the International League, Alvarez has already equalled his production with the Orioles from 2017, when he hit one home run and drove in four runs in 14 games.

The five hour, 20-minute game featured 14 pitchers. Baltimore closer, Brad Brach, sealed the win, putting the Yankees down order in the bottom of the 14th.

It's a quick turn-around for both teams, with game three of the four-game series slated for a 1:05 pm EDT start in the Bronx.

National League

Moran: 4-for-5, 3 R, 3 RBI

This season was supposed to be one of rebuilding for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the construction appears to be proceeding ahead of schedule, because there are the Pirates atop the NL Central at 6-1, 1 1/2-games ahead of second place Milwaukee.

Pittsburgh's most recent exploit was the dismantling of visiting Cincinnati on Friday, as the Pirates banged out 15 hits to steamroll the Reds, 14-3.

Leading the hit parade was rookie third baseman, Colin Moran, who went 4-for-5 with three RBI and three runs, boosting his batting average to a solid .318.

Moran got the Pirates started with an RBI double in the second inning, then plated a pair with a bases-loaded single in the fourth, adding two more singles and scoring in the sixth and seventh.

Acquired by the Pirates from Houston in the off-season, Moran is 7-for-22 with a home run and eight RBI in six games this season. At 6'4", 205 pounds, Moran has the potential to be a solid power hitter and steady fielder at third base for some time.

Meanwhile, the Pirates are cruising along early in the season and host the Reds in game three of their four-game series at 7:05 pm EDT Saturday, seeking their third straight over their Central division rival.

Maikel Franco Homers, Drives in 4 For Phillies; Andrew Cashner Hurls Orioles to 5-2 Win Over Yankees

Players of the Day for Thursday, April 5, 2018

National League

The name Maikel Franco may not be a household word, but the 25-year-old third baseman is becoming pretty well known around Philadelphia and among National League pitchers for his power hitting prowess and obvious baseball talents.

Franco: 3-for-4, HR, 4RBI

In Thursday's 5-0 shutout over the visiting Marlins, Franco delivered all but one of the Phillies runs, singling in the first two in the first inning and knocking in the last two in the seventh with a two-run homer, his first of the year. In between, Franco tripled but was left stranded in the fifth.

While Franco was driving in runs, starting hurler, Nicholas Pivetta was mowing down Marlins, fanning nine in 5 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and no runs for his initial win of 2018.

Franco is in his fifth season with the Phillies, making an impact the last two, with a combined 49 homers and 164 RBI in 2016 and 2017.

The Phillies won for just the second time this season, against four losses, but for a team that was among the worst in the majors, the future looks brighter. They'll get a day off Friday and get back to action against the Marlins on Saturday at 6:05 pm EDT.

American League

Cashner: 6IP, 2H, 1R, 5K

There's been plenty written and spoken about the mighty lineup the Yankees have assembled this season, but Andrew Cashner managed to keep the "Baby Bombers" in check, earning his first win of the season as Baltimore scored five runs in the seventh for a 5-2 win in the first of a four game series at Yankee Stadium.

Cashner dueled with Yasahiro Tanaka for six full innings, finally giving up an opposite field solo home run to Aaron Judge in the sixth to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. After the O's put up a five-spot in the top of the seventh, manager Buck Schowalter went to his bullpen, as Cashner had thrown 100 pitches, allowed just two hits, walked three and struck out five.

Michael Givens allowed a run in the seventh, but Darren O'Day shut the door and Brad Brach worked a hitless ninth for his first save of the year.

Cashner is 1-1, adding a much-needed bit of depth to the Orioles' rotation. He's a veteran of eight seasons, with the Cubs, Padres, Marlins, and most recently, the Rangers, where he went 11-11 with a 3.40 ERA in 28 starts.

The Orioles won just their second game of the season, with four losses, while the Yankees dropped to 3-4. Both teams are trailing the 6-1 Red Sox.

Game two of the four-game series starts Friday at 7:05 pm EDT.

Dylan Bundy Stifles Pirates in 7-5 Baltimore Win; Jakob Junis Perfect as Royals Down Padres

Players of the Day for Monday, March 12, 2018

Grapefruit League

Bundy: 5IP, 1ER, 5K

Inconsistent pitching plagued the Baltimore Orioles all of last season, as they fell off the pace in the AL East late in the season, eventually fading to last place, 18 games behind the division-winning Red Sox.

The O's are still looking to fill out their rotation, but they have their ace in Dylan Bundy, who turned in a solid five innings to get his first win of the Spring in a 7-5 victory over the Pirates.

Bundy scattered seven hits and allowed just one run over five full innings, striking out five without walking a batter. Bundy gave up the sole run in the first, but the Orioles rallied for five runs in the fourth inning, adding another in the fifth and two more in the eighth

to secure the victory.

Going 13-9 for a last-place team in 2017, Bundy has the tools and credentials to make him Baltimore's ace heading into the new season. Keven Gausman could also be considered the #1 starter for Baltimore, as he threw more innings than Bundy (186-169), but he was just 11-12.

Junis: 4 IP, 0 H, 7K

Cactus League

After a very successful debut in 2017, Kansas City hurler, Jakob Junis got in a quality outing, leading the Royals to a 4-0 whitewash of the San Diego Padres.

Junis tossed four perfect innings, fanning seven, to earn his first win of the Spring season. The Royals got a solo homer in the second from all-star catcher Salvador Perez and a three-run double off the bat of Michael Saunders in the third, which proved to be more than enough for Junis and a quartet of relievers who allowed just two hits over the final five innings.

As a rookie last season, Junis started 16 games, compiling a 9-3 record with a 4.20 ERA, certainly good enough to keep his spot in the rotation with the expectation of better things to come from the 6'2" right-hander.

The Royals have had an up-and-down preseason, winning eight against nine losses in the Cactus League. They are currently four games behind the league-leading Cubs with a slew of teams in front of them.

Manny Machado Walks Off Yanks In Baltimore Win; Jose Martinez Powers Cardinals Over Padres

Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 5, 2017

American League

Baltimore third baseman, Manny Machado, kept Oriole hopes alive with a two-out, bottom of the ninth two-run homer, defeating the New York Yankees, 7-6, at Camden Yards.

Machado walks off Yanks

Machado's blast capped a multi-inning, five run comeback after the Yankees scored six runs in the third inning to lead 6-1. The Orioles countered with home runs, the first, a solo shot by Machado in the bottom of the third, followed by another solo belt by Jonathan School in the fifth and Mark Trumbo's two-run blast in the sixth.

Meanwhile, the Baltimore relief corps kept the Yankees off the scoreboard for the final six innings, setting up Machado's dramatic finale.

Machado has been on a tear of late, batting .341 with 12 homers and 35 RBI in August. So far in September he's at .381, with two homers and three RBI. After a slow start, Machado is approaching the league leaders. He has 32 home runs and 91 RBI.

The victory moved the Orioles to within one game of the second wild card, now held by the LA Angels, who took over from Minnesota and lead the Twins by 1/2 game. The Angels outlasted the A's, 8-7, in 10 innings, while the Twins lost, 2-1, at Tampa Bay. The Yankees still are in the top wild card position, with a 2 1/2 game lead over the Angels.

Game three of the series in Baltimore is slated for a 7:05 start on Wednesday.

National League

Martinez: hot rookie

With their third straight win, the St. Louis Cardinals continue to creep upward in the wild card standings, their 8-4 victory at San Diego Tuesday has them three games behind Colorado for the second wild card spot, with Milwaukee squeezed in between, 2 1/2 out.

Rookie first baseman, Jose Martinez, was once again the catalyst, going 3-for-3 with a double, two home runs and three RBI. Martinez socked a two-run homer in the first inning, doubled and scored in the third and pounded a solo shot in the seventh for good measure.

Hitting his best stride when it counts most, Martinez has a seven game hitting streak going and is batting a sizzling .563 (9-for-16) in September with three home runs and six RBI. On the season, the 6'6" Martinez has a .310 batting average, 13 home runs and 34 RBI in just 203 at bats.

St. Louis will seek to extend their winning ways in game three of the four-game series in San Diego, Wednesday at 7:10 pm PT.

STREAKING: The Cleveland Indians extended their winning streak to 13 straight Tuesday with a 9-4 win over the White Sox. It's the longest streak in the majors this year and has the Indians up 11 games in the AL Central. In the West, Houston has won six straight.

Arizona won its 12th straight, topping the Dodgers, 3-1. First place Los Angeles has lost five straight but still leads the NL West by a cool 11 1/2 games.

Miami's Giancarlo Stanton Ties MLB HR Record; Baltimore Wins 6th Straight On Dylan Bundy's One-Hitter

Players of the Day for Tuesday, August 29, 2017

American League

Bundy: 1-hit shutout

Baltimore's pitching has not been anywhere near the best this season - a 4.80 team ERA, 14th of 15 AL teams - but Dylan Bundy has been the most consistent, as he demonstrated with a one-hit, 4-0 shutout over Seattle Tuesday night at Camden Yards.

Bundy allowed a bunt single by Kyle Saeger in the fourth inning, but other than two walks (both in the third inning), a hit batsman (Robinson Cano, 9th inning) and a pair of throwing errors by shortstop Tim Beckham (1st and 8th innings), the Mariners could not solve the 24-year-old right-hander.

The win was Baltimore's sixth straight and Bundy's 13th win against eight losses, his first career shutout and complete game and moved the Orioles to within 1 1/2 games of the Minnesota Twins, holders of the second wild card spot. With Boston winning and the Yankees rained out, the Orioles remained eight games behind the Red Sox, but picked up 1/2 game on the Yankees, trailing them by four in the AL East. The Yankees also hold the top wild card spot with a 2 1/2 game edge on the Twins.

Baltimore will be seeking its seventh straight and a sweep of the Mariners when their series concludes Wednesday at 3:05 pm ET.

National League

Stanton: 18 HRs in August

Miami has lost two straight at Washington, losing to the Nationals 8-3 on Tuesday, but that hasn't stopped Giancarlo Stanton from setting records.

Stanton launched his 51st home run of the season and 18th in August, shattering the National League record jointly held by Sammy Sosa and Willie Mays (17) and tying the major league mark held by Rudy York of Detroit in 1937. No player has ever hit 19 home runs in any month except Sammy Sosa, who socked 20 in June of 1998.

Sosa's MLB record is tarnished by being made amidst the steroid era. He, Mark McGwire, and Barry Bonds set records for home runs in various categories, McGwire hitting 70 in one season, Bonds becoming the all-time home run champion, with 762. Despite putting up outstanding numbers and being eligible for years, none of that trio and other suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs have been admitted to the Hall of Fame. Sosa and Bonds played their final seasons in 2007, McGwire retired in 2001.

Players become ineligible for election to the Hall of Fame if he is listed on fewer than 5% of the ballots or fail to receive listing on the required 75% of all ballots for ten years of eligibility, which begins five years following retirement. McGwire was eliminated in 2016. Bonds and Sosa are still eligible, but have not made the grade.

Noting the above reference to the steroid era, it should be within the powers of major league baseball to nullify - or at least asterisk - all of the records set by players from that period. If that were the case, Stanton - rightfully so - would be recognized as the all-time NL leader for home runs in any month, and tied with York for the MLB record.

There are still two games remaining in August for Stanton and the Marlins, so it is not beyond consideration that the preeminent slugger in game today could sock a few more.

Game three of the series is scheduled for 4:05 pm ET at Nationals Park in Washington, DC.

Curtis Granderson, Yasiel Puig Power Dodgers Past Pirates; Adam Jones 2 HRs Lead Orioles

Players of the Day for Monday, August 21, 2017

Jones: 2 HR, 3 R, 2 RBI

American League

Adam Jones lifted a pair of home runs out of Camden Yards as the Orioles got back on the winning track with a 7-3 victory over the Oakland A's in the first of three.

Jones added two singles, going 4-for-4 on the night. His first homer was a solo blast in the fourth inning, breaking a 1-1 tie. The second came back-to-back with Jonathan Schoop's three-run belt, another solo shot in the fifth as the Orioles scored four runs.

Jones' homers were his 23rd and 24th of the year. He has 63 RBI and is batting .281. The Orioles are 3 1/2 games behind Minnesota for the second wild card spot, but the field is loaded, with eight teams vying for that single spot. The Yankees continue to hold the first wild card by 2 1/2 games.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Tuesday at 7:05 pm ET.

Granderson: Grand Slam

National League

The Dodgers picked up Curtis Granderson from the Mets last week, and the veteran outfielder is apparently enjoying the cross-county move, socking a pair of home runs in his first three games in Dodger blue, the latest a grand slam in LA's 12-inning, 6-5 win at Pittsburgh.

Granderson's fifth inning slam put the Dodgers up, 5-3, but the Pirates - still fighting for contention in either the NL Central or the wild card race - came back to tie the game with two runs in the eighth.

Puig's HR won game

Neither team could come up with a run until the 12th inning, when Yasiel Puig launched his 22nd home run of the season, a solo shot that proved to be the game-winner. Ross Stripling, the eighth Dodger pitcher, gave up a hit and a walk in the bottom of the inning, but managed to keep the Pirates off the scoreboard, earning his second save.

The win left the Dodgers 20 1/2 games up on Colorado in the NL West with the best record in the majors, an amazing 88-35 (.715). At their current pace, the Dodgers would end the season at 116-46 and would clinch the division sometime around September 10.

Pittsburgh fell seven games behind Chicago in the NL Central and 8 games out of the second wild card.

The four-game series resumes Tuesday at 7:05 pm ET with game two.

Manny Machado Grand Slam Lifts O's Over Angels; Chris Taylor Leads Dodgers To 5th Straight

Players of the Day for Friday, August 18, 2017

American League

Machado: 3HR, GS, 7RBI

Baltimore remained a serious contender in the wild card hunt with a wild, 9-7 win over the LA Angels on Manny Machado's dramatic, walk-off grand slam, his third home run of the game.

Machado socked a two-run homer in the third inning, adding a solo shot in the fifth, but his power display still wasn't enough, as the Orioles went scoreless in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, trailing the Angels at Camden Yards, 7-5.

In the ninth, Angel reliever Yusmeiro Petit got one out, but left with runners aboard first and second for Kenyan Middleton. After allowing a single by Tim Beckham to land the bases, Machado continued his mashing, sending the ball deep into the center field stands to the cheers of the partisan Baltimore crowd.

Machado, who drove in seven of Baltimore's nine runs, has been on a tear in August. Riding a six-game hitting streak, the Oriole third baseman is batting .360 for the month, with eight home runs and 28 RBI. He has 26 home runs and 81 RBI after a slow start.

The win put the Orioles two games behind the Angels, who are currently tied with the Twins for the second wild card. The Yankees lead the wild card standings by 3 1/2 games.

Baltimore can do itself more good in games two and three of their series with the Angels. Game two is scheduled for Saturday night, a 7:05 pm ET start.

Taylor: 4-for-5, 2 RBI

National League

Just in case the LA Dodgers need extra hitters in their already power-laden lineup, the team that's leading the NL West by a shocking 19 games activated slugger Adrian Gonzalez for the disabled list on Friday, where he's been since June 11.

In his first at-bat in his first game back, Gonzalez lashed a double and scored for LA on Chris Taylor's second inning double as part of a four-run rally that put the Dodgers on a path to an 8-5 win over the homesteading Tigers.

While Gonzalez went hitless the rest of the game, Taylor, batting from the leadoff spot, Taylor would produce three more hits, going 4-for-5 with two doubles and a pair of singles, two RBI, a run and his 14th stolen base of the season.

In his first full season with the Dodgers (traded from Seattle last season), Taylor has become the go-to utility fill-in, playing left and center field, shortstop, second, and third base at various times this year. On Friday, Taylor was at short for the fifth time this season. On the year, he's batting .310, with 17 home runs, 58 RBI and 69 runs.

The Dodgers, winners of five straight, play game two of the three-game series in Detroit Saturday at 4:05 pm ET.

Cardinals Win 6th Straight On Dexter Fowler Grand Slam; Trey Mancini Homers Twice As Orioles Down A's 7-2

Players of the Day for Thursday, August 10, 2017

American League

After making an errant throw in the first inning which led to an Oakland score, Baltimore first baseman, Trey Mancini, would eventually make up for his miscue, backing starting pitcher Wade Miley with a pair of solo homers in a 7-2 Baltimore win at Oakland.

Trey Mancini: 2 HR

While Miley was shutting out the A's on three hits over seven inning after the first-inning unearned run, Mancini was banging balls out of the park, each of his homers a part of a back-to-back set-up. In the fourth, Adam Jones sent one out to break a 1-1 tie (his 21st), with Mancini increasing the lead with his first bomb of the night. Again, in the sixth, Mancini went yard with his 20th, ahead of Mark Trumbo's solo blast (18th).

A pleasant surprise for the O's, Mancini is batting .296 and has driven in 60 runs.

The Oriole win kept them 8 1/2 behind Boston in the AL East. Boston won its eighth straight while the Yankees lost, 4-0, at Toronto, widening the Red Sox lead to 4 1/2 over New York.

Boston and the Yankees will play each other six times in the next ten days, starting with a trio of games in New York over the weekend. The schedule opens up possibilities for the Orioles or Rays, who are seven games back, to make up some ground or improve their position in the wild card race.

Baltimore plays the second game of the four-game series in Oakland, Friday, at 7:05 PT.

National League

Fowler: Grand Slam, 5RBI

Acquired by the Cardinals from the Cubs during the off-season, Dexter Fowler has provided some pop and solid play in center field for St. Louis, despite a couple of stints on the DL this season.

Since coming off the DL for the second time, Fowler has played in four games, going a combined 6-for-13 (.462), capped by his grand slam in the Cardinals' 8-6 victory over Kansas City, the second straight win for St. Louis over the visiting Royals. Fowler's bases-loaded bash in the seventh inning, unknotted a 3-3 tie. An inning earlier, Fowler doubled in the first run for St. Louis, as the Cardinals erased a 3-0 KC lead.

Finishing 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and five RBI, Fowler led the surging Cardinals to their sixth straight triumph, overtaking Milwaukee, losers of five straight, for second place in the NL Central, one game behind the Cubs.

With what may be the best pitching staff in the division, the Cardinals may be able to do themselves more good when they open a three game series with Atlanta at Busch Stadium Friday. Adam Wainwright (11-5) goes to the mound for St. Louis, facing Atlanta's Mike Foltynewicz (10-6). Game time is 8:15 pm ET.

Trevor Williams Allows One Hit In Pittsburgh Victory; Manny Machado's Grand Slam Fuels Orioles

Players of the Day for Monday, August 7, 2017

American League

Machado: Grand Slam

Manny Machado broke a 2-2 tie with a two-out, seventh-inning grand slam, leading the Baltimore Orioles to a 6-2 victory over the LA Angels.

The decisive home run was Machado's only hit of the night, but it was his third home run and 10th RBI over the past four games. Opening their three-game series in LA with a win continues Baltimore's solid second half run. The Orioles have won eight of their last ten and improved to .500 (56-56) with the victory.

LA's Mike Trout delivered his 1,000th career hit with a double down the left field line in the fourth inning and later scored on a sac fly. Two innings later, he homered on his birthday for the fourth time in his six big league seasons, accounting for the Angles' only runs of the game.

Game two of the series is set for a 7:07 pm PT start on Tuesday.

National League

Williams: 7 IP, 1 H, 0 ER

With almost no hope of making the playoffs via the wild card, the Pittsburgh Pirates continue to hang close in the NL Central, where they are in fourth place, though just 4 1/2 games behind division leader, Chicago.

Following a rough patch of eight losses in ten games, the Pirates have won four of their last five, including the first of two against the visiting Tigers, a 3-0 victory on Monday.

Rookie hurler Trevor Williams delivered seven shutout innings, surrendering only a third inning single by James McCann and a pair of inconsequential walks for the win. Other than McCann, who eventually made his way to third base, no other Detroit batter advanced past first base.

Williams(5-4) fanned five, throwing 107 pitches.

Pittsburgh and Detroit will finish off their interleague meeting Tuesday, 7:05 pm ET at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Manny Machado 4-5, HR, 5 RBI in 12-3 Oriole Win; Hyun-Jin Ryu Throws 1-Hit Ball For 7, Dodgers Win 4th Straight

Players of the Day for Sunday, August 6, 2017

American League

Widely regarded as the most balanced division in the majors, four of the five teams in the AL East posted wins on Sunday, the lone loser, last place Toronto, in a 7-6 defeat by Houston.

Machado: 4-5, HR, 5 RBI

That left the standings unchanged for the top four teams. The Red Sox lead the Yankees by three games, the Rays by 5 1/2 and Baltimore by 7 1/2. Despite Baltimore handing the visiting Tigers a 12-3 defeat at Camden Yards, the Orioles failed to gain any ground, but they are just 2 1/2 out of the second wild card slot, so, with their powerful lineup and many divisional games upcoming, they bear watching.

Manny Machado spearheaded the Baltimore offense, going 4-for-5 with two singles, a double, a two-run homer, and five RBI.

After a horrible first half, Machado has apparently fixed whatever was wrong with his swing. He hit .327 in July, raising his average from .217 to .246, and thus far in August he's batting .423 (11-for-26) with three home runs and eight RBI. Sunday's four-hit barrage was his third multiple-hit game of the month.

Baltimore will have to improve on its 55-56 record down the stretch if the Orioles are to reach the playoffs. Upcoming is a ten-game road trip to the West coast, playing the Angels, A's and Mariners beginning Monday. If Baltimore can be successful on the road - they're 20-33 thus far - they may have a future in October.

National League

Ryu: 7 IP, 1 H, 0ER

No team appears capable of slowing down the inexorable march to the playoffs by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Leading the NL West by a whopping 15 1/2 games, LA won its fourth straight, defeating the NY Mets at Citi Field in New York, 8-0, as Hyun-Jin Ryu tossed seven complete innings of one-hit ball in the Dodgers' 8-0 whitewash.

Ryu, who improved to 4-5, was impressive, striking out the first three batters he faced and setting down the first six before Travis d'Arnaud singled to open the third inning. The hit didn't matter, as Ryu breezed through eh remainder of the inning, putting away the last 15 batters he faced in order.

Ryu struck out eight and did not allow a walk. Tony Cingrani and Kenley Jansen each pitched an inning in relief, neither allowing a Mets hit.

The Dodgers continue to outpace the entire league. Since the all-star break they are an astonishing 18-3, and they ride their winning streak into Arizona to play a three-game series with the Diamondbacks beginning Tuesday.

Kevin Gausman Blanks Rangers In 4-0 Baltimore Win; Zack Greinke 13-4 After 7-1 Arizona Win

Players of the Day for Saturday, July 29, 2017

American League

Gausman: 8 2/3, 7 H, 0 ER

While the Yankees and Red Sox were winning to stay 1-2 in the AL East, Kevin Gausman was doing his best to keep the Orioles relevant, scattering seven hits over 8 2/3 innings in a 4-0 Baltimore road victory.

New York won its sixth straight, topping Tampa Bay, 6-5, while Boston outlasted Kansas City, 9-8, ending the Royals nine game winning streak.

The Yankees took over first place in the division on Friday and remain 1/2 game ahead of the Red Sox. Baltimore is a surprising 7 1/2 back, considering how poorly the Orioles have played through much of the past two months. 7-8 since the all-star break, Baltimore is 22-30 for June and July, but still have a chance to catch the leaders with a slew of games still to be played between division opponents.

Gausman improved to 8-7 with his near-complete game, but was pulled with tow down in the ninth as his pitch count soared to 118 while walking two and allowing a base hit in the final inning. Zach Britton came out of the bullpen to nail down the final out, earning his seventh save.

Fanning eight and walking three, Gausman was solid through the middle of the game, allowing a single with two outs in the fifth before setting down ten straight Texas hitters.

Tied a game apiece, the Orioles and Rangers conclude their three-game series Sunday at 3:05 pm ET.

National League

Greinke shuffles Cards

Zack Greinke gave up three hits and a run in the first inning, but settled down after that, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 7-1 thumping of the Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

After the unsettling opening frame, Grienke set down nine straight Cardinals from the second through fourth innings before allowing one more hit and his only walk of the game in the fifth. He was bailed out of that by a double play and cruised through the sixth and seventh, setting down another six straight before departing with a 4-1 lead.

Jake Barrett and Silvino Bracho each pitched an inning of relief after the Diamondbacks tacked on three more runs in the top of the eighth.

Greinke fanned one and threw 63 of 98 pitches for strikes, improving to 13-4 on the year with a 2.84 ERA. Arizona remained in second place in the NL West, a game ahead of the Rockies but 13 back of the streaking Dodgers, winners of seven straight.

The Cardinals fell 4 1/2 off the NL Central pace, led by the Cubs, who topped Milwaukee, 2-1, in 11 innings, improving their lead over the Brewers to 1 1/2 games.

Arizona has won two of three in St. Louis. The series concludes Sunday, with game time set for 2:15 pm ET.

Michael Wacha Tosses Complete Game, 5-0 Cardinal Win; Chris Davis Socks Two HRs In 12-1 Baltimore Romp

Players of the Day for Tuesday, July 18, 2017

American League

In Baltimore, Shin Soo Choo led off game with a solo home run for Texas, but, as it turns out, that would be the only run the Rangers would score, as Baltimore amassed 16 hits and routed the AL West visitors, 12-1.

Chris Davis scorched a two-run homer in the middle of Baltimore's six run first, and belted a grand slam in the fourth to account for half of Baltimore's runs.

Davis: 2HR, Slam, 6RBI

Davis' homers were numbers 15 and 16, unusually low totals for the Oriole slugger, because he missed over a month - from June 12 to July 14 - on the DL. This was his fifth game back and first multi-hit game since June 6.

During his absence, the Orioles went into an extended tailspin, going 11-15 into the all-star break. Having Davis back is a plus, but it didn't seem to matter as the O's dropped three straight to the Cubs coming out of the break, though they've now taken two straight from Texas.

Dylan Bundy threw exactly 100 pitches, working six innings for the win. He's 9-8 on the year.

Having Davis back in the lineup regularly should be a boost to Baltimore's fortunes, though their pitching staff seems to be at the root of their problems. They trail the Red Sox by eight games in the AL East, where Tampa Bay is in second place, two games out and New York is 3 1/2 off Boston's lead.

The Orioles will try to make it three straight at Camden Yards when they meet the Rangers Wednesday night, 7:05 pm ET.

National League

Wacha throws first shutout

With the Dodgers winning their 10th straight with a 1-0 Clayton Kershaw gem Tuesday and the Nationals taking their sixth straight, LA and Washington lead their respective divisions by 10 1/2 and 11 1/2 games, leaving the Central as the only real race in the National League.

Milwaukee still leads the division by 2 1/2 over the Cubs, but they've dropped three straight while Chicago has won five in a row, the Cardinals two straight and the Pirates, given up for dead back in May, are on a three-game win streak and only five games off the pace.

St. Louis reached to within 4 1/2 games of the Brewers with a second straight win at Citi Field, topping the Mets, 5-0, on Michael Wacha's three-hit, complete game shutout.

The victory was a milestone for Wacha, his first complete game and first shutout of his five year major league career.

Wacha walked one and struck out eight. After allowing a two-out single to Yoenis Cespedes in the first, Wacha didn't give up another hit until Michael Conforto's one-out, sixth inning double. Conforto also singled to lead off the ninth, eventually reaching third base on a wild pitch and a Cespedes ground out, but Wacha ended the drama by striking out Jay Bruce to end the game.

The win was the fourth straight in as many starts for Wacha, who improved to 7-3, dropping his ERA to 3.71. In three July starts, the 6'6" hurler is 3-0 with a 0.87 ERA.

St. Louis will try to make it three straight against the Mets when the teams take the field Wednesday at 7:00 pm ET.

Ubaldo Jimenez Stops Jays In 2-0 Baltimore Victory; Clayton Kershaw 12-2 After Dodgers Down Angels

Players of the Day for Thursday, June 29, 2017

American League

Jimenez: 2-hits Blue Jays

Having fallen from first place to last from May through June, the Baltimore Orioles were on the verge of falling out of the AL East race in early fashion. Their pitching had fallen completely apart, with starters routinely being pounded and relievers unable to hold leads.

Recently, though, the O's have shown signs of life... and better pitching. They've taken their last two series - both on the road - over Tampa Bay and Toronto, culminating Thursday night with a dominating two-hit performance by Ubaldo Jimenez in a 2-0 victory at Toronto.

Jimenez, who went 19-5 for Colorado in 2010 and was considered one of baseball's brightest young stars, has had only two winning seasons since - 13-9 with Cleveland in 2013, and 12-10 with the Orioles in 2015. This season, his stats imploded. He entered the game with the Blue Jays with a 7.26 ERA and a 2-3 record.

For whatever reason, Jimenez turned in his best performance of the season, seemingly in the nick of time for the Orioles and possibly his career. All the Blue Jays could muster were a pair of doubles and a fifth-inning walk to Troy Tulowitzski over eight innings. Jimenez notched a season-high with strikeouts, throwing 71 of 98 pitches for strikes.

Brad Brach allowed a hit in the ninth, but secured the win with his 15th save, leaving the Orioles 5 1/2 off the pace in the division, the Blue Jays two games further back.

Baltimore heads home for a three-game series with Tampa Bay on Friday. Toronto remains home, hosting the Red Sox for three games, also beginning Friday.

National League

Clayton Kershaw improved to 12-2 as the LA Dodgers scored a 6-2 win against crosstown rival Angels, splitting the home-and-home, four-game series two games apiece.

Kershaw: 12-2, 2.32 ERA

As he has been for nearly the entire season, Kershaw was somewhat untouchable, allowing three hits, walking two, striking out 12. The run allowed in the fourth inning, which briefly tied the game, was unearned and scored on a fielder's choice.

The Dodgers took the lead for good in the fifth, on solo homers by Yasiel Puig and Chase Utley, and put it away, with their ace, Kershaw on the bump, on Joc Pederson's three-run blast in the sixth inning.

Kershaw set down the side in order in the seventh, turning the ball over to the Dodger bullpen. Luis Avilan was roughed up for a run, but Brandon Morrow got two outs in the eighth, setting up Kenley Jansen for his 18th save, going 1 1/3 innings without allowing a hit.

Kershaw has three more wins than his closest pursuers, which includes Max Scherzer, Antonio Senzatella, Stephen Strasburg, and Zack Greinke, all with nine. His 135 strikeouts is second to Scherzer's 151, and his 2.32 ERA is also second to Scherzer (2.06). The win was Kershaw's eighth straight and fifth straight in June. He hasn't lost a game since a 4-3 loss to the Giants on May 1st.

With the win, the Dodgers opened a 2 1/2 game lead on Arizona, 10-4 losers to St. Louis, in the NL West. The Dodgers head down the coast to play the Padres in a three-game series beginning Friday.

Corey Seager Blasts 3 HRs As Dodgers Bury Mets, 12-0; Manny Machado Homers Twice As O's Drop Tribe

Players of the Day for Tuesday, June 20, 2017

American League

Don't count the Baltimore Orioles out just yet. There's still plenty of games to be played, the Yankees have surrendered first place to the Red Sox by losing seven straight, and the O's have one of the most potent lineups in either league, as evidenced by the eruption off Manny Machado's bat in Baltimore's 6-5 victory over Cleveland.

Machado: 2 HR, 4 RBI

Like the Orioles - 13-25 since May 9 - Machado himself has been in something of a funk, batting just .227, including Tuesday's 4-for-4 effort. His solo homer in the first inning was his 14th and his 15th - a three-run shot - tied the game at 5-5 in the sixth. Machado also scored what turned out to be the game-winner in the seventh, doubling to lead off the inning and scoring on Adam Jones' double down the first base line.

His four RBI gave him 34 on the season, so, if the all star third baseman gets on a roll, he can challenge last season's 37 home runs and 96 RBI.

Tying the series at a game apiece, the Indians saw their lead in the AL Central chopped to 1 1/2 over Minnesota, while the Orioles find themselves at .500 (35-35), 4 1/2 back of Boston in the East.

Game three of the four-game, Camden Yards series is scheduled for Wednesday, at 7:05 pm ET.

Seager: 3 HR, 6 RBI

National League

Another day, another Dodger hero.

While Cody Bellinger hit his league-leading 22nd home run, Corey Seager smacked three out of the park as the Dodgers won their fifth straight, whipping the Mets, 12-0.

Seager socked a two-run homer in the first inning, a solo shot in the fourth, and a three-run belt in the sixth as the Dodgers completely outclassed the fading Mets. For good measure, the LA shortstop added his 19th double, going 4-for-5 with six RBI.

Seager is batting .293 with 12 homers and 38 RBI. The Dodgers are 27-10 at home.

The win didn't matter in the standings for the Dodgers as the first place Rockies won their sixth straight, a 4-3 win at Arizona. The good news for LA is that they are only 1/2 game behind Colorado in the NL West, with the Diamondbacks now two games off the pace.

Leading the series at Dodger Stadium two games to none, Los Angeles will try to extend their winning streak to six on Wednesday, when they host the Mets in game three at 7:00 pm PT.