Matt Chapman Delivers in A's 5th Straight Victory; Phillies' Bryce Harper Walks Off Dodgers for 9-8 Win

Players of the Day for Tuesday, July 16, 2019

American League

Chapman heats up for A's

Winners of five straight, the Oakland Athletics rode the arm of Daniel Mengden (7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER) and the white-hot bat of Matt Chapman to a 9-2 win over the visiting Mariners.

While Mangden was mowing down Seattle batters en route to a 5-1 mark, Chapman was lacing balls to left field and beyond, going 3-for-5 with a single, double and his 22nd home run, a two-run shot in the fifth inning that put the A's up 4-1. Immediately following Chapman's blast, Matt Olson ripped his 20th dinger and the rout was on.

Chapman accounted for five RBI, bringing his total to 59 on the season. In his last 15 games, Chapman is 20-for-57 (.351), with four homers and 16 RBI, helping the A's to within 4 1/2 games of West division-leader, Houston.

In just his third season, the 26-year-old is having the best of it, already closing in on career marks in home runs and RBI. He socked 24 long balls in 2018, driving in 68 runs in 145 games. His numbers this year are in just 93 games.

The A's look to complete the sweep in game three of the series, Wednesday, 3:37 pm ET.

National League

Harper: 3-5, HR, 5RBI

After signing a blockbuster long-term contract, Bryce Harper got off to a very slow start with his new team, the Phillies, this season, but as the weather has warmed up, so has Harper's bat.

In Tuesday's 9-8 victory over the Dodgers, Harper was the walk-off hero, doubling in a pair of runs with one out in the ninth to turn the score around and saddle LA closer, Kenley Jansen, with his fourth blown save.

Earlier, in the second inning, Harper smoked a three-run blast to put the Phillies up, 6-1, but the potent Dodger offense rallied to erase that lead, holding an 8-6 edge heading into the bottom of the ninth.

Prior to Harper's final shot, Scott Kingery singled home Andrew Knapp to close the gap to 8-7. Jansen gave up four hits, retiring only one batter.

For Harper, a six-time all-star, the five RBI upped his total to 67. His homer was #17 on the year. In his last 15 games, Harper is batting .315 with four homers and 13 RBI.

The win left Philly 8 1/2 off the pace in the AL East, led by the Atlanta Braves. Washington is currently in second place, 6 1/2 out. The Phils can write their own ticket in the division, as they have five games left with Washington and 10 against the Braves, seven of those at home.

The Phillies host the Dodgers in game three of the four-game set, Wednesday at 7:05 pm ET.

National League Roundup: Mets, Padres On Top; Cardinals Win Five Straight, Tie Brewers in Central

National League

Yesterday, we took a quick look at the American League, so today it's the senior circuit in view after nearly two weeks of play.

Mets Hold Slim Lead in East

With their 6-3 win at Atlanta Thursday, the Mets leapfrogged over the idle Phillies into first place in what appears to be baseball's most contentious division. The only team likely to be out of it by August 1 or sooner is the Miami Marlins, though with the Braves, Mets, Nats, and Phillies all flawed to some extent, that's not exactly a surety.

New York is just 1/2 game to the good over the Phillies, who did themselves loads of good in the off-season, snatching up the biggest free agent prize in Bryce Harper among other pick-ups, including All-Star infielder Jean Segura. The deal sent first baseman Carlos Santana and shortstop J.P. Crawford to Seattle.

Segura was one of the top hitters in the AL last season, notching a .304 batting average. A sure-handed fielder, Segura fills a big hole in Philadelphia at short, though he's unlikely to add much power. He hit just 10 homers last season with 63 RBI. Look for him to up his runs total of 91 last season to over 100 if he's batting at or near the top of the lineup. He's batting .304 though 11 games and has crossed the plate 10 times.

Harper is off to a decent start, with four homers and 10 RBI to go with a .314 batting average. In his new surroundings, Harper may challenge for the batting title. He hit .330 with Washington in 2015 and is in a good spot in a hitter's ball park. Last year's .249 average will be overlooked if he produces as expected.

The Mets have as good a shot as any team to take the division if they get quality starts from the rest of the rotation and score runs for Jacob deGrom. The keys are the keep Noah Snydergaard healthy, get Steven Matz though six innings and get solid innings from middle relievers Robert Gsellman, Jeurys Familia, and Seth Lugo. Closer Edwin Diaz, with five saves already in the books, appears to have his role nailed down.

Washington still may have the best rotation in the division, but will miss Harper's bat. Atlanta, last season's division winner, will be in it as long as Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuña Jr. stay healthy. Their pitching matches up well anywhere they play.

Cards Catch Brewers With Five Straight Wins

After a 3-5 start, St. Louis has reeled off five straight wins, including Thursday's 11-7 rip over the visiting Dodgers. The Cardinals may not have much thunder in their lineup, but as long as they get good pitching, their youthful lineup seems capable of keeping them in games, especially if the old man behind the plate - 36-year-old Yadier Molina - continues to play like a future Hall of Fame inductee.

Paul DeJong, Kolten Wong, Harrison Bader, and Marcel Ozuna form the nucleus of the offense, and the pickup of Paul Goldstein from Arizona gives the Cards' long-ball potential. Goldstein is batting just .180, but he's already swatted six homers. He needs to be more consistent (and he likely will be) for the Cardinals to hang in over the long haul.

In Milwaukee, the Brewers - also at 8-5 with the Cards - will have every opportunity to defend their 2018 division title and move forward in the playoffs. With the remarkable Christian Yellich leading the charge, Milwaukee is likely to repeat, especially if the Cubs continue to flounder. At the moment, Chicago is tied with the Reds for last place at 4-8, 3 1/2 back of the Brew Crew and Cardinals.

San Diego Improved With Machado

The Padres couldn't get much worse than their 66-96 mark in 2018, so they pulled the trigger and landed Manny Machado in the off-season after Machado had bailed on the Orioles mid-season for a playoff shot with the Dodgers in 2018.

A post-season hero Machado is not. His lifetime .213 average in the playoffs and World Series included 16 games with the Dodgers, a .227 batting average, three homers and 12 RBI. Those numbers are unlikely to raise any eyebrows, save those of Machado's detractors. Over the course of a full season in San Diego, Manny is likely to be "the Man" in bordertown California.

Thus far, Manny's helped the Padres to first place in the West, their 9-5 mark a game better than LA's 8-6 record. With three homers, seven RBI and a .245 batting average, Machado is probably trying a little too hard to impress his new team and fans. If he shakes off the nerves, he's capable of 35 homers and 100 RBI for the next six years or so. He had 35 and 86 in 2015, 37 and 96 in 2016, 33 and 95 in 2017, and 37 and 107 splitting time between Baltimore and LA.

Obviously, Machado can't do everything for the Padres. He'll need help, especially from the pitching staff, which includes left-handed rookie, Nick Margevicius, who has shown promise in three starts, winning two of them, against one loss. in 16 innings, quick Nick has fanned 12 and sports an ERA of 1.69.

It's a long season, and while the Padres probably won't go worst to first, the contenders in the division are few and far between. The Giants haven't been able to figure it out for a few years and don't look very competitive in 2019. Ditto the Rockies. Arizona has a good mix of veterans and good pitching, but the Dodgers, should they play to their potential, may run away and hide in the West.

The Dodgers are just a game off the pace and that's without Clayton Kershaw, who started the season on the 10-day IL. He's slated to make his seasonal debut Friday night, agains the Brewers. LA opens a three-game series with Milwaukee and will host the Reds for three following the weekend. Cody Bellinger has been carrying the team, batting .411, with seven HRs and 19 RBI.

Other series of note this weekend are San Diego at Arizona and the Mets at Atlanta. Both series began on Thursday, with the Mets topping the Braves, 6-3, and the Padres nipping the D-Backs, 7-6.

Mike Clevinger, Indians Blank Angels, 6-0; Bryce Harper Homers, Walks 4 Times As Nats Romp Braves

Players of the Day for Monday, April 2, 2018

American League

Clevinger: 5 1/3 scoreless

Edwin Encarnacion clubbed an inside-the-park home run in the second inning and it was all Mike Clevinger and four Cleveland relievers needed to down the home-standing Angels, 6-0, in the opener of a three-game series.

Clevinger worked 5 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing four hits, walking two, and fanning five for his first win of the season.

Last year, Clevinger proved a stable starter in the Indian rotation, goin 12-6 with a 3.11 ERA in 27 appearances, 21 of them starts. He struck out 137 batters in 121 1/3 innings in 2017.

The Indians evened their record at 2-2, trailing the White Sox in the AL Central by 1/2 game. Game two of the series is scheduled for Tuesday night, at 7:00 pm PDT.

National League

Harper: HR, 4BB, 3R, 3RBI

It's well-known that Washington's Bryce Harper is a dangerous hitter, but what many pitchers around the majors are learning is that pitching around him isn't a very good option.

Harper walked four times in the Nationals' 8-1 rout at Atlanta, scoring three times, including one saunter to the plate after hitting a second-inning three-run homer, his third home run of the new season.

Harper walked and scored in the first and fifth innings as the Nationals built a huge lead for starting pitcher, Tanner Roark, who earned the win by allowing four hits and one earned run over seven innings. The National League MVP in 2015, Harper is batting a very solid .417 through four games.

The Nationals have gotten off to a fast start, winning their first four games. They lead the Mets by 1 1/2 games in the NL East and will be looking for their fifth straight when they take on the Braves on Tuesday. Game time is 7:35 pm EDT.

NLDS: Ryan Zimmerman, Bryce Harper HRs Power Nationals' Comeback Win Over Cubs

Players of the Day for Saturday, October 7, 2017

National League

The two most prominent features of baseball this season have been home runs and strikeouts, so it may be fitting that in Saturday's game two of the NLDS between the Cubs and Nationals, all of the runs were scored via the long ball, including the tying and winning runs.

Harper: 2-run HR

Washington rallied for five runs in the eighth inning to defeat the Cubs, 6-3, evening the series at a game apiece.

Jon Lester, the Chicago starter, put in a strong performance, limiting the Nats to one run on just two hits over six innings, but, the Cubs' relief staff could not hold the lead as the game entered the latter stages.

In the eighth, Bryce Harper tied the game at 3-3 with a two-run homer to right and later in the same inning, Ryan Zimmerman belted the game-changing three-run shot into the left field stands.

Zimmerman: 3-run HR

The victimized relievers were Carl Edwards, Jr., who allowed two hits, a walk and was credited with giving up three earned runs, retiring only one batter in the inning. Mike Montgomery came on with one out and allowed two more hits, including Zimmerman's blast.

Harper, who missed half of August and almost all of September due to injury, still managed a solid season, batting .319 with 29 homers and 87 RBI. Zimmerman, who has played all 13 years of his major league career with the Nationals, is almost a no-doubter for NL Comeback Player of the Year, swatting 36 home runs and driving in 108 runs with a .303 batting average during the regular season. In 2016, he hit .218 with 15 HRs and 46 RBI.

The teams get a day off Sunday, resuming the series Monday in Chicago.

Los Angeles took a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five divisional series with an 8-5 victory over the visiting Diamondbacks.

Yasiel Puigled the Dodgers, going 3-for-4, driving in a pair of runs. Logan Forsythe was 3-for-5, scoring three times with an RBI.

The series shifts to Arizona on Monday. First pitch is slated for 7:08 pm ET.

American League

There were no games in the American League on Saturday, but Sunday's games are do-or-die for the two teams from the AL East, Boston and New York. Both the Red sox and Yankees are down two-games-to-none and face elimination as they return to their home fields.

Boston hosts the Astros at 2:38 pm ET in game three. Brad Peacock starts for the Astros. Doug Fister goes to the mound for Boston. The Yankees welcome the Cleveland Indians to Yankee Stadium at 7:38 pm ET. Masahiro Tanaka will try to keep the Yankee hopes alive, facing Cleveland hurler, Carlos Carrasco.

Bryce Harper's 2 HR Lead Nationals Over Brewers; Steve Pearce, Kendrys Morales Power Blue Jays

Morales: 2 HR, 2 RBI

Players of the Day for Thursday, July 27, 2017

American League

Kendrys Morales slugged a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game; an inning later, Steve Pearce rocked a walk-off grand slam as the Blue Jays came from behind to defeat the Oakland A's, 8-4.

Pearce: walk-off Slam

Morales, who also homered in the fifth, was walked immediately ahead of Pearce in the 10th. He has 20 homers on the year. Pearce's blast was his ninth.

The Blue Jays swept the series with the visiting A's, leaving them just 1/2 game behind the Orioles in last place in the AL East. The Jays have been in last place all season, but still have hope of winning the division, since they are only 7 1/2 games behind first place Boston.

Toronto has a slew of games left against teams in the division, including nine each with the Yankees and Red Sox, the two leaders in the division.

Hosting the Angels for three games starting Friday, Toronto hopes to extend their four-game winning streak.

National League

Max Scherzer was on the mound again for the Washington Nationals, and that meant trouble for the visiting Brewers in the rubber game of the three-game series.

Harper: 2HR, 4 RBI

While Scherzer was at his usual high level of efficiency, allowing one run on three hits over six innings, the major issue for Milwaukee came when he was on the bench and the Washington regulars were batting.

The Nationals banged out a total of 19 hits, scoring all of their runs in the first four innings in a 15-2 drubbing of the Brewers.

Of those 19 hits, 11 went for extra bases, including six home runs, two each by Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman. Zimmerman hit his 21st and 22nd, Harper's were his 26th and 27th, a two run shot in the first to open Washington's scoring spree, a solo belt in the third. Harper also ripped a double, driving in another run, in the fourth.

The Nationals' superstar - 2012 rookie of the year, 2015 NL MVP - is having another sensational season, with his team gliding toward the post-season, the win putting them 13 in front of the Braves in the NL East.

Harper is batting .338 and has 79 RBI. He's third in National League average, HR and RBI.

The Brewers fell 1 1/2 games behind the Cubs in the NL Central and head home to face the division leaders in a three-game series starting Friday. Washington hosts the Rockies for three over the weekend.

Sonny Gray's 6 Innings Of Shutout Ball Lead A's Over Indians; Gio Gonzalez, Bryce Harper Lead Nats Past Reds

Players of the Day for Friday, July 14, 2017

American League

Friday saw the the major leagues finally back in action after the extended, four-day, all-star break and the activity was much the same as prior to the mid-summer classic.

Sonny Gray: 6 scoreless

All but one of the six division leaders were winners on the day, the except being the Cleveland Indians, who were stopped cold in Oakland by A's starter, Sonny Gray who improved to 5-4 in a 5-0 whitewash.

Gray did not go the distance, throwing exactly 100 pitches over six full innings of work. The 27-year-old right-hander issued one walk in the opening inning, and only got into a little trouble in the third, when he allowed the only two hits - both singles - the Indians would get off him.

With the score already 4-0 in favor of the A's, Gray took a seat and turned the ball over to the bullpen. Ryan Madsen, Sean Dolittle, and Santiago Casilla each tossed an inning in relief, allowing just two hits over the final three innings, fanning six while not allowing any walks.

The A's stand at 40-50, well out of the runaway race in the AL West. Cleveland remained in first place in the Central, 2 1/2 to the good over Minnesota, 10-5 losers at Houston.

Game two of the three-game series is slated for 6:00 pm PT, Saturday in Oakland.

National League

Gonzalez: 8 1/3 scoreless

Leading the NL East, the Washington Nationals finished the first half of the season on a high note, winning for the fifth time in seven games with a 10-5 victory over their closest pursuer, Atlanta, on Sunday.

Apparently, the four-day all-star break didn't hurt, as the Nationals opened the second half with a 5-0 shutout at Cincinnati.

Harper: 2 HR, 3 RBI

The Reds were stymied for 8 1/3 innings by Gio Gonzalez, who had his best outing of the season, giving up four hits and a pair of walks, striking out six. Improving to 8-4, Gonzalez is having a whale of a season, despite a lack of hitting support when he's on the mound. Six times this season, he's allowed one earned run or less and either took the loss or received no decision. Gonzalez has the third-best ERA in the NL, 2.66, and a 1.19 WHIP (11th).

On Friday, he had Bryce Harper to thank, as the all-star right fielder socked a pair of home runs (21, 22) scored three times and drove in three. Harper is tied with Joey Votto and Paul Goldschmidt with 68 RBI, third in the league behind Marcell Ozuna and Nolan Arenado, each with 70.

The Nationals retained their 9 1/2 game lead over Atlanta while the Reds dropped further behind in the NL Central, in last place, 10 1/2 games behind Milwaukee.

Game two of the four-game series is Saturday, 7:10 pm ET in Cincinnati.

Jose Bautista Homers For 4th Straight Blue Jay Win; Bryce Harper's Walk-Off HR Keys Nationals Win

Players of the Day for Saturday, May 13, 2017

Bautista is heating up

American League

Toronto is beginning to find their groove, winning their fourth straight by taking down the visiting Mariners, 7-2, thanks to Jose Bautista's three-run homer.

Bautista came to the plate in the seventh with the score tied and two aboard for the Blue Jays, and promptly delivered his fifth home run of the season 438 feet away into the stands past center field.

The blow broke a 2-2 tie, propelling the Jays to their third straight over the Mariners. They will be looking for the series sweep when the two teams meet on Sunday, 1:07 pn ET at the Rogers Centre.

The fact that the Jays are winning and Bautista - a six-time all-star who led the AL in home runs in 2010 and 2011 - is heating up is no coincidence. His bat is essential to Toronto's attack, especially since trading Edwin Encarnacion in the off-season and extended injuries to Josh Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki. Bautista has homered in three of his last four games, driving in eight runs.

Harper: Walk-Off HR

Off to a very slow start with just 17 RBI and a .185 batting average, "Joey Bats" may be finding his best stroke as the Jays struggle to get out of last place in the AL East, where they trail the Yankees and Orioles by seven games.

National League

Bryce Harper only had one hit in Washington's 6-4 win over the Phillies Saturday at Nationals Park, but it was a decisive one, a two-run, walk-off blast with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

The home run was Harper's 11th on the season, to go with 31 RBI, tying him for third in the NL with Colorado's Mark Reynolds. Teammate Ryan Zimmerman leads the league with 36 RBI and also leads in batting (.397) and homers (13, tied with Milwaukee's Eric Thames).

The win was the first over the Phillies in their three-game series. With Friday night's game rained out, the teams will finish up with a double-headed on Sunday, the first game at 1:35 and the second starting at 7:05 pm ET.

Bryce Harper Powers Nationals Over Atlanta; Mitch Haniger Leads Seattle Past Miami

Players of the Day for Wednesday, April 19, 2017

American League

Haniger: Hot Rookie

As the Houston Astros attempt to reach escape velocity and zoom away from the rest of the AL West, the four chasing teams are doing what they can to keep pace and somehow catch the 10-5 leaders.

Seattle's gotten off tho a rocky start at 7-9, but they got a boost from rookie outfielder, Mitch Haniger, who supplied most of the gusto in a 10-5 Seattle victory over Miami.

The winning effort gave Seattle the series, two games to one, as they prepare to embark on a ten-game road trip, taking them to Oakland, Detroit, and Cleveland.

Haniger, who has been batting in the #2 spot for most of the season, was 3-for-4 with a double and two singles, scoring three times and driving in four runs. His two-run single in the second put Seattle up 3-2, and his fourth-inning, two-run double put the Mariners ahead for good.

The 26-year-old California native is having a solid season thus far, batting .323 with four home runs and 15 RBI.

The Mariners open an important four-game series at division rival Oakland on Thursday. Game time is 7:05 pm PT.

Harper: GS, 5RBI

National League

This is what most people were expecting from the Washington Nationals, favorites to win the NL East.

Washington assumed a 1 1/2 game lead in the division over Miami and the NY Mets on the strength of a 14-4 tour de force at Atlanta Wednesday night.

The Nationals banged out 20 hits against Atlanta starter Julio Teheran and four relief pitchers, a fifth of those hits off the bat of superstar Bryce Harper, who, in four at-bats, socked a grand slam, a solo homer, singled, doubled, scored three times and drove in five runs.

Harper, the 2012 Rookie of the Year and 2015 league MVP, is off to a blazing start to the 2017 season, batting .404 with six homers and 18 RBI. He's fourth in batting and second in both home runs and RBI.

Winners of three straight, Washington will be looking to complete a sweep of the Braves on Thursday before opening a serious series on Friday in New York with the Mets, considered by many to be the Nationals' primary contender in the division.

Game time Thursday in Atlanta is 7:25 pm ET.

Baltimore's Trey Mancini Strikes Twice Again; Bryce Harper Walks Offs Phillies in Nats' 6-4 Win

Players of the Day for Sunday, April 16, 2017

American League

Mancini: 2HR, 4RBI

With their 11-4 win at Toronto, the Baltimore Orioles maintained their tenuous hold on first place in the AL East, 1/2 game ahead of the surging Yankees - winners of seven straight - and 1 1/2 clear of Boston.

Taking the series three games to one, the power-laden Orioles banged out 15 hits in the Sunday finale, led by Trey Mancini, who went 3-for-5 with four RBI and two runs on the strength of a pair of home runs, a three-run belt in the sixth and a solo shot in the eighth.

The Orioles scored five runs in each of the frames in which Mancini homered. It was the second time this season that the rookie has rocked the opponent with a dinger duo. He last did it against the Red Sox on April 12, resulting in a 12-5 Baltimore victory.

Mancini has four homers and nine RBI on the year, and is sporting a solid .364 batting average. MLB may want to check Mancini's seemingly-magical bats. He loaned them to teammates Craig Gentry and Manny Machado and both of them also went deep.

Harper slugs Game-Winner

Baltimore gets a day off Monday before heading to Cincinnati to open a three-game series on Tuesday, completing a nine-game road trip. The O's are 4-2 away from Camden Yards this season.

National League

As the Mets were losing to Miami, 4-2, the Washington Nationals took the initiative, topping the Phillies, 6-4, on Bryce Harper's three-run, walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth.

Washington's victory tied them with the Marlins for first place in the NL East, with the Mets dropping 1/2 game behind.

Harper's heroics happened after the Phillies had scored the go-ahead run in the top of the inning, making the score 4-3, but Joacuin Benoit could not keep the Nationals off the bases in the bottom of the frame, walking Chris Heisey with one away, then allowing a single to right by Adam Eaton. After Anthony Rendon lined out to right, the stage was set for Harper, who delivered a crushing, 419-foot blast over the wall in center field.

It was Harper's second home run of the season, boosting his RBI total to 13, second in the NL behind Miami's Marcell Ozuna with 18.

On Tuesday, Washington will embark on a ten-game road trip, with stops in stops in Atlanta, New York (Mets) and Cincinnati.

Mark Buerhle Ends Blue Jay Skid with 2-Hit Shutout; Bryce Harper's Walk-Off Homer Sends Nationals to 9-7 Win over Pirates

Players of the Day for Thursday, July 25, 2013

American League

For the Blue Jays, it's been a season of frustration.

A team laden with talent, picked by many to contend in the AL East, Toronto is instead dead last in the division, with time in the 2013 campaign running short.

Mark Buehrle

Mark Buehrle ended the Blue Jays' seven-game losing streak with a two-hit, complete game shutout in a 4-0 win over the Houston Astros.

Buehrle (6-7) needed only 108 pitches to go the distance for his ninth career shutout and 29th complete game, though the nine-inning blanking was the first of this season in both categories.

Walking two while striking out nine, Buehrle didn't allow a hit until there were two outs in the fifth inning, fanning five of the first seven batters he faced.

Nursing a 1-0 lead, Buehrle gave up his second hit of the game in the top of the seventh, a one out double by J.D. Martinez, but that was all he would allow. After the Blue Jays plated three runs in the bottom of the seventh, Buehrle set down the Astros in order over the final two innings for the win.

The game was the first of a four-game set in Toronto. Game two is slated for 7:07 pm EDT at the Rogers Centre.

National League

Bryce Harper

A series which may be of great impact to both teams closed Thursday in Washington, as the Nationals avoided a four-game sweep at the hands of the Pirates with a 9-7 win.

With the Mets dropping the first-place Braves and the Cardinals topping the Phillies, 3-1, Washington re-gained a tie for second place in the NL East with Philadelphia, losers of five straight, while the Pirates fell 2 1/2 behind St. Louis in the Central. The nats and Phils trail Atlanta by egiht games.

Bryce Harper led a 14-hit Washington attack, going 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBI in a game that was always in doubt despite Washington taking a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Harper scored the first Washington run on an error off a sacrifice bunt, after he reached base by being hit by an A.J. Burnett pitch to open the game.

Washington eventually tacked on three more runs in the inning, posting an imposing lead, but the Pirates battled back to tie the game at 7-all in the ninth. After doubling in the sixth and singling and scoring in the eighth, Harper collected his third hit of the game with two down in the bottom of the ninth, launching two-run homer to center for the walk-off victory.

It was Harper's 14th home run of the season, but he's driven in only 31 runs and scored just 42 times, having played in just 64 of a possible 102 games.

Today's Trivia: Brett's 1976 batting title interrupted a string of batting titles by Minnesota's Rod Carew. If Carew had won the batting title that season, how many in a row would he have had?

Yesterday's Answer: George Brett won the 1976 AL batting title, hitting .333 for the Kansas City Royals.

Mike Trout, Garrett Richards Boost Angels over Tigers; Byrce Harper's Two Homers Give Nationals a 7-6 Win over Mets

Players of the Day for Saturday, April 20, 2013

American League

Trout: GS, 4 RBI

Richards: 8 Ks

Despite their slow start, the LA Angels are letting AL champion, Detroit, know that they're serious about competing for the pennant, winning the second straight in their three-game series, by a blowout, 10-0 score.

Detroit starter, Rick Porcello, didn't get out of the first inning as the Angles sent 13 batters to the plate, scoring nine runs. Mike Trout led the opening-inning barrage with a single and a grand slam homer that sent Porcello to a very early shower.

With the huge lead, LA's Garrett Richards was able to relax, tying up the Tigers on two hits over seven scoreless innings, striking out a season-high eight without surrendering a walk. A part-time starter, Richards recorded his first win of the season, without a loss.

The Angels are just 6-10, but will go for the sweep when they host the Tigers in the series finale, Sunday at 3:35 pm ET. Detroit remained tied for first place in the Central with Kansas City.

National League

Harper: 2HR 3RBI

Bryce Harper stroked a two-run homer in the third inning and his eighth inning solo blast broke a 6-all tie, leading the Nationals to a 7-6 victory against the home-standing NY Mets.

Harper, last year's rookie of the year in the NL, was 3-for-3 with three runs and three RBI, his pair of homers giving him seven on the season. Apparently not affected by any kind of sophomore slump, Harper is batting .371 with 14 RBI.

The Nationals evened their series in New York after a 7-1 loss, Friday. The two will meet for the rubber game at 1:10 pm Sunday at Citi Field.

The result left 10-7 Washington just three games behind the Braves, who have lost two straight to the Pirates. New York is 4 1/2 out, at 8-8.

STREAKERS: Despite the recent turmoil in Beantown, the Red Sox have maintained their composure, putting together a seven-game winning streak to lead the AL East with a 12-4 record (best in the AL), two up on the Yankees in the division. In the NL West, the Rockies have surprised everybody with an eight-game streak of their own, taking a 2 1/2 game lead over San Francisco after slipping by the Diamondbacks, 4-3, on Saturday.

Bryce Harper Leads Nationals in Sweep of White Sox; Detroit Pounds Blue Jays, 11-1, Behind Torii Hunter

Players of the Day for Thursday, April 11, 2013

American League

Torii Hunter

Twice in his four at-bats, Torii Hunter came to the plate with runners in scoring position and both times he delivered solid singles, driving in three runs and scoring twice as the Tigers mauled the Blue Jays, 11-1.

Hunter, batting a brisk .405, was 2-for-4; teammate Prince Fielder also had two hits and drove in four runs, supporting the eight innings of work by Doug Fister (2-0), who allowed one earned run while scattering eight hits.

A regular starter since 1999, Hunter arrived in Detroit during the off-season after five seasons with the Angels.

Oddly enough, the Tigers, last season's AL champs, are chasing the Kansas City Royals, winners of four straight. Detroit trails KC by a game in the Central division.

National League

Bryce Harper

As a rookie last season, Bryce Harper turned plenty of heads, winning the NL rookie of the year award batting. 270 with 22 homers, 57 RBI, 18 steals and 98 runs..

He doesn't seem to be suffering from much of a sophomore slump, batting .417 with eight RBI, two of which he produced in Thursday's interleague, 7-4 win over the visiting White Sox.

Harper was on base four of the five times he went to the plate, going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and two walks, scoring twice. The Nationals have won three straight, sweeping the Sox, but find themselves a game back of the Braves in the NL East, who have put together a six-game winning streak.

The Braves and Nationals open a three-game series in Washington beginning Friday at 7:05 pm EDT.

Rocking Rookies: Mike Trout, Bryce Harper Lead Angels, Nationals to Fourth Straight Wins

Players of the Day for Monday, June 11, 2012

American League

Mike Trout

With a 3-2 road win over the Dodgers, the LA Angels inched still closer to Texas in the race for the AL West division title, drawing to within 2 1/2 games of the idle Rangers with their fourth straight win.

Rookie Mike Trout, who is well on his way to vying for rookie of the year honors now that he's become the Angels' regular leadoff hitter and center fielder, led the Angels with a 2-for-4 effort, including a solo home run in the fourth inning and a run-scoring single in the sixth.

With the score tied in the top of the ninth, Trout worked a one-out walk, stole second and scored the game-winning run on a single to left center by Albert Pujols. Trout had stolen third base back in the sixth inning, and with the ninth inning swipe upped his total for the season to 15, tying him with Cleveland's Jason Kipnis for the league lead.

Trout, who is batting .354 through 40 games, doesn't have enough plate appearances to qualify among the league leaders, though he's close.


National League

Bryce Harper

Speaking of rookies, there's a pretty good one in Washington by the name of Bryce Harper, who helped the Nationals to their fourth straight victory, a 6-3 win at Toronto.

Harper singled three times in four at-bats, stole his fourth base of the year, scored twice and drove in a run as the Nats increased their lead over Atlanta to three games in the NL East. Atlanta fell at home, 3-0, to the Yankees.

Harper has played in 39 games thus far and has compiled a batting average of .295 with six home runs and 18 RBI. Listed on the roster as a left fielder, Harper can play any outfield position. In Monday's contest he patrolled both center and right field.

Washington's win came in the opener of a three game series in Toronto, which continues with a night game on Tuesday and a day game Wednesday.