Brian McCann Leads Yankees over Twins, 8-7; Arizona Opens Series in Pittsburgh With Jeremy Hellickson Win

Players of the Day for Monday, August 17, 2015

American League

Jeremy Hellickson

McCann: 3-5, HR, 5RBI

In the opener of a three-game series, the Yankees won a thriller Monday in New York, defeating the visiting Twins, 8-7, in 10 innings.

Catcher Brian McCann was a one-man wrecking crew, going 3-for-5 with five RBI, including a three-run homer in the first inning and a double in the 10th that put runners at second and third with nobody out and set the stage for an intentional walk to Carlos Beltran and the winning run scoring on a Chase Headley ground out.

The win kept the Yankees in first place in the AL East, improving their lead to one game over second place Toronto. Third place belongs to the Orioles, who are four games back after completing a four-game sweep of the Oakland A's with a 4-2 win.

Game two of the series between the Yanks and Twins is slated for Tuesday at 7:05 pm EDT at Yankee Stadium.

National League

Continuing to hang onto hopes of making the post-season, the Arizona Diamondbacks opened an important series at Pittsburgh with a 4-1 triumph over the Pirates.

Starting pitcher, Jeremy Hellickson, made the grade both from the mound and at the plate, improving to 9-8 on the year by holding Pittsburgh to three hits and one earned run over 5 1/3 innings and driving in a run with a third-inning single.

Arizona's win left them 8 1/2 games behind the Dodgers in the West and 9 1/2 behind the Cubs for the second wild card slot. Holding onto the first wild card spot, Pittsburgh saw their edge over the idle Cubs (winners of nine of their last ten games) diminish to just two games

Arizona faces Pittsburgh in game two of the three-game series Tuesday at 7:05 pm EDT.

Brian McCann Leads Braves over Giants; On a Tear, Evan Longoria Powers Rays past Jays

Players of the Day for Thursday, May 9, 2013

American League

Evan Longoria

With Boston and Baltimore losing, and the Yankees finishing up a three-game series in Colorado with a victory, there's suddenly a three-way tie for first place in the AL East. While the focus will surely be on these three contenders, lurking 4 1/2 games back are the Tampa Bay Rays, who earned a 2-2 split with last place Toronto, beating the Blue Jays, 5-4, in 10 innings.

Evan Longoria has been a force with which to reckon of late, batting a robust .411 over his last eight games. In Thursday's win, Longoria went 3-for-5, with two doubles, an RBI and two runs, the last score being the game-winner, as he trotted home from third base on a bases-loaded walk to Luke Scott issued by Toronto reliever, Brad Lincoln, with two down in the bottom of the 10th.

Longoria got the Rays scoring started with a first inning RBI double, later scoring on Matt Joyce's single to put the Rays up, 2-0.

The Rays begin hosting a three-game series with San Diego on Friday. After that, they welcome in the Red Sox Tuesday through Thursday of next week.

National League

Brian McCann

In San Francisco, the Giants and Braves opened a four-game series between respective division leaders, but the result left the home team in a tie for first place in the West as the Braves took a 6-3 decision.

Catcher Brian McCann, starting in just his third game of the year, went 3-for-5, with his first homer of the season and three RBI.

His tw-run homer in the second inning put the Braves up, 2-1; in the fifth, McCann beat out an infield hit, scoring Freddie Freeman from third to increase the Braves' lead to 5-3.

McCann, who started the season on the disabled list while rehabbing after surgery to his left shoulder, solidifies the already-deep Atlanta lineup with a proven run-producer. He's hit at least 21 homers in six of his seven full seasons with the Braves and has driven in at least 67 runs each season, with a high of 94 in 2009.

A six-time all-star, McCann has five hits in 13 at-bats (.308).

The Braves held their two-game edge in the East over Washington with the win, while the Giants fell into a tie with Arizona, winners of four straight, in the West.

Today's Trivia: Among active players, which pitcher is the career win leader? (answer tomorrow)

Lew Ford, J.J. Hardy Pace Orioles; Atlanta Wins 4th Straight on Brian McCann's 4 RBI

Players of the Day for Saturday, September 8, 2012

American League

The huge weekend series between the Orioles and Yankees has taken on epic proportions, as the New Yorkers try desperately to stave off the late-season charge of Baltimore.

Lew Ford

After the O's tied New York for the AL East lead on Thursday, the Yankees forged a one-game edge with an 8-5 win on Friday.

Saturday's game went to the Orioles, by a 5-4 score as J.J. Hardy and Lew Ford both homered and went 2-for-4 with two RBI, as the O;s turned back Yankee ace, C.C. Sabathia.

Ford was in to replace Nick Markakis, who left in the fifth inning with a broken thumb after being hit by a Sabathia pitch. He is expected to miss six weeks.

The win put the O's and Yanks back into a flat-footed tie for first place in the division. The fourth and final game of the series is slated for Saturday afternoon at 1:35 pm at Camden Yards in Baltimore.

Brian McCann

National League

Atlanta continues to win, and, with their 11-3 victory over the Mets at Citi Field in New York, hold a 5 1/2 game lead over St. Louis for the #1 wild card spot.

Catcher Brian McCann, a key cog in the Atlanta machinery, went 4-for-5 with a home run, double, two singles, three runs and four RBI to pace the Braves.

The homer, a two-run, fifth inning blast, was McCann's 18th on the year.

Winners of four straight, the Braes will be looking for the sweep of their three game series with the Mets, sunday afternoon.

Yankees Set MLB Record with Three Slams; McCann Homers Twice for Red-Hot Braves

Players of the Day for Thursday, August 25, 2011

American League

The New York Yankees are the stuff of legends. The Bambino, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle are the names associated with baseball's most prolific and storied franchise.

Robinson Cano

Curtis Granderson

Add three more names to the list: Russell Martin, Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson, each of whom rocked grand slam home runs in the Yankees' most recent slaughter, a 22-9 blowout over the Oakland A's.

Over the first few innings, few in the stands or watching on TV would have suspected that history was about to be made. Rich Harden was on the mound for Oakland, and by the third inning the A's had raced out to a 7-1 lead.

But then Martin slashed a solo homer to right, just over the scoreboard and into the first rwo of patrons, giving the Yanks some hope.

In the 5th, Cano blasted his granny, cutting the A's lead to 7-6. Then, in the 6th, Martin delivered again, this time with the bases chucked. Two inning, two grand slams, a 10-7 lead for the aptly-nicknamed Bombers.

Exploding for six runs in the 7th, the Yankees put the game away without the aid of any homers. Cano, Martin and Granderson each added an RBI.

Russell Martin

After Brett Gardner singled in a run in the 8th, the bases were loaded for Granderson, and history was made, when he bopped his 36th of the season into the right-center stands, the third grand slam of the day for the Yankees, a major league record. Andruw Jones obliged with a solo shot, a fitting tribute to the Yankees' largesse.

Martin finished the day with a stat line that read: 5-for-5, three runs, six RBI, two homers, including a grand slam, a double and two singles. Dano went 2-for-5, with five RBI, and Granderson took over the major lead RBI lead with 103, going 2-for-4, knocking in five and scoring four times.

Despite the enormous win, the Yankees didn't gain any ground on the Red Sox, who flummoxed the Rangers, 6-0, and maintained their one-game edge in the division.

National League

These days, most National League teams just don't measure up well against the Atlanta Braves, who finished their four-game set with the Cubs by taking three of four, including Thursday's 8-1 triumph.

McCann: 2 HR, 4 RBI

The Braves dispatched Cubs' starter Matt Garza in five innings, getting eight hits and six runs (three earned) against the Chicago hurler. Atlanta catcher Brian McCann did most of the damage, giving the Braves the lead with a 3-run homer in the opening inning. He added a solo shot (his 22nd) in the 7th inning.

Atlanta cut down idle Philly's lead in the NL East to six games, and increase their wild card bulge to 9 1/2 over the Giants and 10 1/2 over the Cardinals, both losers on Thursday.

The Braves have been so hot, it's hard to imagine them not catching the Phillies. They're 14-4 since August 7, as the Phillies have gone 9-6 over the same span.

Raburn Swats a Pair for Tigers; McCann's Shot Saves Braves

Players of the Day for Sunday, August 29, 2010 American League Both the Tigers and Blue Jays have dropped out of their respective division races and neither team has much chance of making it into the playoffs as a wild card, but the players soldier on, looking to win as many games as possible down the stretch. Completing a four-game series in Toronto with a split, thanks to a 10-4 win on Sunday, the Tigers can look forward to having a nice, young outfield in coming years. Rookie Austin Jackson looks like a keeper in center, and fellow first-year man Brennan Boesch was hot earlier and just needs more seasoning. Complementing them is Ryan Raburn, currently on a seven-game hitting streak which reached a crescendo Sunday when he belted a pair of homer runs and drove in four. Batting .414 (12-for-29) over that seven game span, Raburn's homers were his 9th and 10th. He's upped his RBI total to 44 in just 260 at-bats. The Tigers are 10 games behind Minnesota in the division. Toronto dropped back to 11 1/2 off the pace in the AL East. National League Atlanta keeps finding new ways to win, their most recent being scoring six runs in the final two innings to take out the Marlins, 7-6. Lulling Florida into a false sense of security by scoring just a single run in the first inning and nothing thereafter, the Braves cam to life against the Marlins' bullpen, scoring three runs in the 8th and three more in the ninth, concluding with a two-run homer by Matt Diaz and a solo game-winner by catcher Brian McCann. McCann went 3-for-4 on the night and only drove in the one run, though it was the most important run of the night. His solo blast gave the Braves a 2-1 split of their three-game series with the Marlins and kept them two games ahead of the Phillies, who have won the division three straight years. Atlanta will host the Mets next and won't see the pursuing Phillies until late September, when they play them three times in Philly, September 20, 21 and 22, and host them for the final three games of the season, October 1, 2 and 3. Stay tuned. This one could go down to the wire.

Atlanta's Brain McCann Gives NL First Win in 13 Years

Players of the Day for Tuesday, July 13, 2010 ALL STAR GAME When Atlanta catcher Brian McCann stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and his National League team down 1-0 in the 7th inning, there was no thought of pinch-hitting for the all star reserve by manager Charlie Manuel. McCann was one of just two catchers on the team, and the fan selection, Yadier Molina, was already done for the night as McCann replaced him in the 5th, flying out to right field in his first at-bat. Now, with a chance to end the National League's lengthy losing streak to the American League - they hadn't won since 1996 - McCann was either going to be the man of the hour or just another footnote in the annals of National League frustration. There were two outs. The inning would either be extended or ended on his at-bat. Scott Rolen and Matt Holliday had already singled in the inning, and, after a walk to Chicago's Marlon Byrd, there was no place to put McCann for reliever Matt Thornton, on the mound in relief of Phil Hughes. On a 0-1 count, McCann got a pitch he could handle, about waist high, and drilled it down the right field line, clearing the bases, with Byrd motoring all the way from first base with the third run. All of a sudden, there was hope, and maybe a smattering of joy in National League cities around the country, as McCann came through with the most important hit - a two-out double - in over a decade. That McCann was even in the game to begin with was something of a fluke. There simply aren't that many good catchers in either league. Starter Molina's stats were barely better than McCann's, who entered the game batting .267, with 10 homers and 37 RBI, but his 3-RBI double earned him MVP honors and a warm place in the heart of many a National League fan. With the 3-1 victory, the eventual National League champion will have home field advantage in this year's World Series.

Lackey On Fire for Angels; McCann Keeps Braves' Hopes Alive

Players of the Day for Thursday, September 11, 2009 American League By just about any account, it looks as though the California Angels are going to win the AL West division, again. The Angels have won the division title four of the last five years (2nd in 2006) and are seeking their third straight. What the Angels continually demonstrate is a solid balance of great fielding, good hitting and often exceptional pitching, and the latter was what they got Thursday night as John Lackey shut down the Mariners on five hits for a complete game, 3-0 shutout. The win put the Angels' magic number at 19, 5 games ahead of the Texas Rangers. Lackey walked one batter and struck out 7, including getting Seattle's leadoff hitter, Ichiro Suzuki, twice. That's a rare accomplishment, as Ichiro, one of the best contact hitters in either league, has struck out only 60 times in 553 at-bats this year. Lackey improved to 10-7 with his second straight 9-inning performance. In his last start, on September 5, he allowed 6 hits and one earned run against the Royals, but did not receive a decision as the Angels won, 3-1, in 11 innings. The start prior to that, he gave up 5 hits and no earned runs in 8 innings in a 9-1 Angels win over Oakland. That's one earned run in his last 26 innings, or an ERA of 0.35. National League The Atlanta Braves continue their quest for the post-season, and even though it appears that they will simply run out of time, they carry on tenaciously. In their latest win, a 9-7 victory over Roy Oswalt and the Houston Astros, catcher Brian McCann delivered clutch hitting by going 4-for-5, driving in a pair of runs and scoring twice, including a ground-rule RBI double in the 2nd and a run-scoring single in the 5th, which completed the Braves' scoring. Oswalt (8-6), lasted only two innings against the Atlanta assault, giving up 10 hits and six earned. McCann is batting .277, with 18 home runs and 77 RBI, an integral part of the Atlanta offense, in addition to handling the fine Braves' pitching staff. The win kept Atlanta's wild card dreams alive, as they trail the Rockies by 8 1/2 games. At 72-68, the Braves will likely have a winning season, but they are also just as likely to be eliminated from post-season competition by the end of next week.

Thome's 7 RBI Lifts Sox; McCann Gets Braves Back to .500

Players of the Day for Friday, July 17, 2009 American League The designated hitter (DH) rule has extended the careers of many a slugger, but maybe none more significantly than that of Jim Thome, who came back to the American League after three years in Philadelphia in 2006. Since then, Thome has aided the White Sox cause with 127 home runs and 352 RBI. On Friday, Thome delighted the partisan Chicago crowd with a pair of bombs - numbers 15 and 16 on the season - and 7 RBI, bringing his season total to 57, not bad for a guy who turns 39 next month. In Chicago's 12-8 win over the Orioles, Thome provided the key runs, first, with a 3-run shot in the 5th inning, putting the Sox ahead 6-3, and then again in the 6th, after Baltimore had scored two runs in the top of the inning, Thome blasted his 9th career grand slam, putting the game away at 10-5. Thome is almost certainly a future Hall of Famer. His 557 home runs rank him at #12 all time, and his RBI total of 1545 are enough to qualify him for immortality at Cooperstown. And he hasn't even mentioned retirement yet. National League While the Mets struggled to get two hits off Atlanta starter Jair Jurrjens and three relievers, Brian McCann and the Braves' regulars were mashing out 14 hits in an 11-0 rout of the stumbling New Yorkers. McCann singled, doubled and knocked his 9th home run of the season, driving in four runs and scoring three times. The win got the Braves back to the .500 mark, at 45-45, though they tied for second place with the Marlins, both six games behind the surging Phillies, who have won 7 straight. The loss dropped the Mets even further behind, 8 1/2 games out. With the Phillies threatening to run away with the division title, the Braves find themselves in second place in the wild card race as well, 4 1/2 behind surprising San Francisco. NOTES: Out of the mid-season break, the Phillies, Dodgers and Cardinals have the upper hand in their respective divisions. While the streaking Phillies may make the East a laugher, the Cardinals lead three teams - the Astros, Cubs and Brewers - by 3 games. The Reds are still a factor, though they have fallen to 5 1/2 behind and the Pirates have assumed a stranglehold on last place, 9 1/2 out. In the West, LA hasn't really been playing the best baseball, having lost 3 of their last four and two straight, but their 6 1/2 game cushion is still comfortable enough. The American League, which claimed home field advantage again with their All-Star win on Tuesday, may prove to be a bit more contentious. Boston leads the Yankees by 3 games in the East with the Rays lurking just 6 1/2 out. Detroit has held sway in the Central most of the season, but their lead - 2 1/2 over the white Sox and 3 ahead of Minnesota - will be challenged. The West is shaping up to be a battle down the stretch, though the Angels have recently assumed control and lead the Rangers by 2 games. The dark horse Mariners continue to hang on, 4 games back. A replay of last year's Philly-Tampa World Series looks very much in doubt, though the defending champions from Philadelphia have emerged, along with the Dodgers, as the team to beat. Those two are rock-solid. The Cardinals, along with all of the other teams in the Central division hunt, appear to be second-tier at best. With the trade deadline approaching, a key trade or late-season injury could change the fate of any of the contenders.

McCann Leads Sweep of Blue Jays; McCarthy's First Shutout Keeps Rangers on Top

Players of the Day for Sunday, May 24, 2009 American League The Texas Rangers retained their 3-game lead in the AL West, getting everything they could out of starter Brandon McCarthy, who threw 124 pitches his his first complete game, 5-0 shutout over Houston. McCarthy scattered nine hits, including 4 from Miguel Tejada, and issued just one walk, pitching out of jams repeatedly. He struck out six, twice ended an inning with runners on second and third bases, and only got the side out in order in the 4th and 8th, improving his record to 4-2. National League The Toronto Blue Jays said goodbye to first place in the AL East Sunday, losing their sixth straight as the Atlanta Braves completed a three-game sweep with a 10-2 win at Turner Field. The Braves won the first two games by one-run margins, but left no doubt in the finale, as Brian McCann led the attack with a pair of homers and four RBI. McCann smacked a solo shot in the first inning, two outs after leadoff hitter Kelly Johnson left the yard, giving the Braves a 2-0 lead. Toronto battled back to tie the game, but the Braves responded with a 7-run 7th, highlighted by McCann's 3-run blast. McCann also singled, finishing 3-for-4, boosting his batting average to .303. NOTES: The Red Sox took over first place in the AL East with a 12-5 thumping of the Mets. They lead the blue Jays by 1/2 game. San Diego won their ninth straight, topping the Cubs - who have lost 7 in a row - 7-2. Only in the NL West can you win nine in a row and just make it to the .500 mark. That's where the Padres reside, at 22-22, in second place, 7 1/2 behind the runaway Dodgers.