Reynaldo Lopez 1-Hits Indians in 7-1 White Sox Win; Kyle Schwarber, Wilson Contreras Lead Cubs

Players of the Day for Thursday, September 5, 2019

American League

Lopez 1-Hits Indians

In late July and early August, the Cleveland Indians began to look like the team that had won the AL Central three straight years.

From July 14 through August 12, the Indians went 22-7 and had closed the gap between themselves and first place Minnesota to a game or two. Since then, including Thursday's pathetic effort in a 7-1 loss to the White Sox, the Indians are sadly, 9-13, have fallen well off the pace in the division - 6 1/2 back - and have dropped to a game behind Oakland for the second wild card spot.

While Cleveland may be singing an early swan song, take nothing away from Reynaldo Lopez, who pitched a complete game one-hitter over the would-be-contending Indians.

The only hit Cleveland managed off Lopez was a second inning double by Kevin Plawecki, scoring Jake Bauers, who reached on a walk, from first.

After walking three batters over the first 3 2/3 innings, Lopez was pure perfection, setting down the final 16 batters in order. Throwing 109 pitches, Lopez fanned 11.

Like his team, Lopez has had his share of ups and downs this season, posting a 9-12 record over 29 starts, but the White Sox are looking ahead to next season, blessed with a wealth of young talent that may be ready to break out and challenge in the division. At 62-78, the White Sox aren't going anywhere this season. However, for whatever it's worth, they're 9-7 head-to-head against Cleveland this season.

The Sox split their four-game series in Cleveland and head home to take on the Angels in a three-game series starting Friday. The Indians start a critical three-game series in Minnesota with the Twins.

National League

Contreras: 4-5, 2 2B, HR

Is it too early to call it quits on the Milwaukee Brewers?

With Thursday's 10-5 loss to the visiting Cubs, Milwaukee has lost six of its last 10, and now trail the Cubs by five games for the second wild card and are 7 1/2 behind the Cardinals in the division.

Schwarber: Grand Slam

Kyle Schwarber belted a sixth-inning grand slam and Willson Contreras went 4-for-5 with two doubles and a solo homer, driving in two, scoring twice.

The Cubs won their third straight and seven of their last nine in the opener of a four-game series in Milwaukee.

Chicago is in a good spot, 2 1/2 behind St. Louis in the division and two games behind Washington in the wild card hunt. Their lead over Arizona is 2 1/2, and they're three games up on the Phillies.

As for the Brewers, the next three games could determine their playoff fate. If they can somehow regain momentum and take two of three or all three games with the Cubs, they'd be right back in the race. But, if they continue to play sluggishly and their pitching disappoints, as it has most of the season, the Brewers may just be done.

Game two between the Cubs and Brewers is set for 8:10 pm ET in Milwaukee.

Lucas Giolito Tosses 3-0 Shutout for White Sox; Nick Castellanos 4-5 in Cubs' 12-11 Win over Giants

Players of the Day for Wednesday, August 21, 2019

American League

Giolito: 3-hit shutout

An up-and-coming star for the White Sox, Lucas Giolito improved to 14-6 with a complete-game, 3-0, three-hit shutout of the Minnesota Twins Wednesday.

Giolito threw 82 of 114 pitches for strikes, fanning 12 without any walks. He allowed a bunt single by Jorge Polanco in the first inning, a single by Nelson Cruz in the fourth and a Jonathan Schoop double in the eighth. Finishing strong, Giolito struck out four of the last five batters he faced, all swinging.

In 25 starts this season, the 6'6", 25-year-old has a 3.20 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP, and 194 strikeouts in 151 2/3 innings. He ranks sixth in the AL in ERA, is tied for third in wins, and seventh in strikeouts.

The Sox are 57-69, out of the playoff picture, trailing the Twins by 19 1/2 games in the AL Central. Minnesota is clinging to a three game lead over Cleveland. Minnesota got some help from the Mets, who've defeated the Indians two straight, including Wednesday's 4-3 win in 10 innings.

The Indians wrap up their series with the Mets on Thursday. The Twins dropped two of three to the White Sox, have Thursday off, and open a three-game series Friday at home against the Tigers, who have the worst record in baseball, 38-86.

Castellanos: 4-5, HR, 3RBI

National League

Kris Bryant socked a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 12-11 victory over the visiting Giants. Nick Castellanos was occupying second base when Bryant lifted his drive to left, scoring the game-tying run.

Castellanos went 4-for-5 on the night, with three singles, a home run, his 19th of the season, and three RBI. Picked up at the trade deadline from the Tigers, Castellanos has been a catalyst for the Cubs, batting .392 with eight homers and 12 RBI in 19 games.

The win moved the Cubs back into first place in the frenetic NL Central, taking a 1/2-game lead on the Cardinals, 5-3 losers to Milwaukee Wednesday. The Cubs, Cardinals and Brewers have taken turns at first place all season long, though none of them have proven able to hold it for long.

The Brewers are now 3 1/2 out and they have four more losses than the Cards and Cubs, but they still have 35 games left to play and plenty of time to make up ground.

Chicago has won four straight and can wrap up a three-game sweep of the Giants with a win Thursday. Game time is 2:20 pm ET. After that, the Cubs have a hellacious schedule, beginning with three games against the Nationals at Wrigley Field. They fly to New York for three with the Mets after that. They have seven games with the Brewers over consecutive weekends, sandwiched around two games in Chicago with the Seattle Mariners.

The Cubs also have to deal with the Cardinals in the final two weeks of the season, playing them seven times.

Mike Yastrzemski's 3 HR Lead Giants Over Arizona; James McCann Slams, White Sox Top Angels

Players of the Day for Friday, August 16, 2019

American League

McCann Slams Again

Lately, James McCann is having quite a bit of success with the bases loaded. For the second time in three games, McCann uncorked a grand slam, breaking open a one-run game with his seventh-inning round-tripper in Chicago's 7-2 victory over the Angels at Anaheim.

Just two days ago, on the 14th, McCann buried the Astros with an eighth-inning slam, leading the White Sox to a 13-9 win.

McCann, who has five career grand slams, has 14 home runs this season. The win put the White Sox into third place in the AL Central, though neither they nor the Angels have any hop of making the post-season this year.

In more meaningful games on Friday, the Yankees recovered from Thursday's 19-5 drubbing to take game two of their four-game series with the Indians, 3-2. The Yanks upped their lead in the East to 10 1/2 games, as Tampa Bay dropped a 2-0 decision to the Tigers. Cleveland's loss left them 1 1/2 out in the AL Central. Minnesota slipped by Texas, 4-3.

In Oakland, the Athletics won their second straight over the Astros, with a 3-2, walk-off win in 13 innings when Robbie Grossman singled home Corban Joseph with the game winner. That left the A's 7 1/2 games behind Houston in the division, but just 1/2-game behind Tampa Bay for the second wild card.

National League

In San Francisco's 10-9, 11-inning win at Arizona, the two teams combined for 12 home runs, six by each team, four of them smacked in extra innings. After Kevin Pillar had put the Giants ahead, 9-7, with a two-run homer in the top of the 10th, the Diamondbacks responded with solo shots from Wilmer Flores and Nick Ahmed.

Yastrzemski: 3HR, 4RBI

Leading off the 11th against Arizona reliever Yoan Lopez, Mike Yastrzemski sent a towering fly out to center field, eventually landing over the wall, 438 feet away, his third home run of the game. Giants' relievers, Burch Smith and Trevor Gott combined to close out the Diamondbacks in the final frame.

Yastrzemski's two other homers came in the third and seventh innings, a solo shot and two-run rake, in the desert air.

The grandson of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, the rookie is having a solid season, socking 16 homers with 45 RBI with a .272 batting average in 239 at-bats. His three-homer game matched his grandpa, who did it once in his 23-year career with the Boston Red Sox. The elder Yaz is 79 and was entered into the Hall of Fame in 1989.

The win put the Giants into second place in the NL West, though they trail the Dodgers by a seemingly-insurmountable 19 1/2 games. They are, however, just 2 1/2 back of the Cubs and Phillies for the second wild card spot. Washington continues to hold the top wild card, with a 2 1/2-game lead.

The 12 home runs were the second most by two teams in major league history. The Diamondbacks and Phillies hold the record of 13, set on June 10 this season at Citizens Bank Park.

San Fran has taken the first two of the four-game series in Arizona. Games three and four are Saturday and Sunday.

Elsewhere, St. Louis ripped the Reds, 13-4, taking sole possession of first place in the NL Central. The Cardinals lead the Cubs - losers of four straight - by one game and Milwaukee by two.

In that game, rookie slugger, Aristides Aquino, became the first player in major league history to hit 10 home runs in his first 16 games. Aquino socked a two-run shot in the sixth inning.

Clayton Kershaw Near Perfect in 9-1 Dodger Win; James McCann Slam Lifts White Sox Over Astros

Players of the Day for Wednesday, August 14, 2019

American League

McCann: Grand Slam

Along the way to what should be their fourth straight NL West title, the Houston Astros are likely to find a few bumps in the road, such as what happened late in the game on Thursday in a 13-9 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

With the score knotted at nine and the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, James McCann launched a drive off an 0-2 pitch that rose and carried out over the fence and into the bullpen in left field.

McCann's grand slam was more than enough to secure the win for the home-standing Sox. Alex Colome slammed the door shut on the Astros in the ninth with a 1-2-3 inning.

McCann also singled and scored in the third inning, going 2-for-4 with two runs and four RBI.

The White Sox took two of three in the series against Houston, who lost a game on their lead over Oakland in the division. The Astros lead the West by 9 1/2, and open a four-game series in Oakland on Thursday.

The road to the playoffs may just get a little bumpier.

National League

Kershaw: 7IP, 2H, 0ER, 10K

For the rest of the National League and teams looking forward to the playoffs, the good news is that Dodgers' ace, Clayton Kershaw, doesn't pitch every day.

The bad news is that when he does, he's sharp as a razor and nearly impossible to defeat.

In Wednesday's 9-1 win at Miami, Kershaw shut down the Marlins on two hits over seven innings without allowing a run.

That wasn't the half of it. Kershaw fanned the first seven batters he faced, didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning, issued no walks and no Marlin made it safely past first base. He finished with 10 strikeouts. It was total domination, start to finish, by the 31-year-old, three-time Cy Young award winner (2011, 2013, 2014).

Kershaw (12-2, 2,41) hasn't lost a decision since June 29. In seven starts since then, he's 5-0, with a 1.40 ERA and 59 strikeouts over 45 innings.

LA has won four straight and nine of their last ten games. They lead the NL West division by a stunning 19 1/2 games. Ostensibly, Kershaw will be watching from the bullpen on Thursday when they wrap up their three-game series in Miami. Game time is 3:05 pm ET.

Ivan Nova Throws Complete Game in 9-1 White Sox Win; Paul Goldschmidt Slam Leads Cards Past Pirates

Players of the Day for Monday, July 22, 2019

American League

Nova: 9 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 5 K

Pitching has changed with the times in the major leagues.

With the advent of pitch counts, closers, holders, and more recently, "openers," complete games have become rarities.

Bucking the trend on Monday night was White Sox hurler, Ivan Nova, who threw 112 pitches en route to a complete game, 9-1, win over the visiting Miami Marlins.

Nova (5-9, 5.49) allowed four hits, giving up the single run on a solo homer by Jorge Alfaro in the second inning. The 32-year-old hurler was helped by two double plays. He struck out five and did not allow a walk.

Nova, acquired by the Sox from the Pirates in the off-season, was able to relax on the mound as his teammates belted four home runs, building a sizable lead.

The complete game was Nova's first since 2017 and ninth of his career.

The White Sox (45-52) are 3-8 since the all-star break and host the Marlins in game two of their three-game series on Tuesday, at 8:10 pm ET.

Notes: The Minnesota Twins turned a triple play in the first inning of their 8-6 win over the Yankees. The win kept the Twins three games ahead of Cleveland - 7-3 winners at Toronto - in the AL Central.

National League

Goldschmidt: Grand Slam

Squeezing out a 10-inning, 6-5, win at Pittsburgh, St. Louis moved into second place in the NL Central, as the Milwaukee Brewers dropped a 6-5 decision to the Reds. With the Cubs losing, 5-4, at San Francisco, the Cardinals find themselves just 1 1/2 games off the division lead.

Paul Goldschmidt socked a grand slam in the 10th to put the Cardinals comfortably ahead, but the St. Louis bullpen, a sore spot all season, nearly gave the game away, giving up three runs before finally closing the book on the Pirates.

The slam was Goldschmidt's only hit of the game. It was his 19th home run of the season, to go with 48 RBI and a .248 average, numbers well short of what the Cardinals thought he would produce when they acquired him from Arizona in the off-season.

Despite Goldschmidt's struggles (he's currently mired in a deep slump, batting .174 over the past seven games), the Cardinals have kept pace in the most contentious division in the majors. St. Louis is also holding the second wild card spot, 1/2-game behind the Nationals and 1/2-game ahead of the Phillies.

Pittsburg hosts St. Louis in game two of their four-game series in the Steel City, Tuesday, at 7:05 pm ET.

Christian Yelich Hits For Cycle In Wild Brewers Win; Ryan LaMarre Leads White Sox Past Yankees

Players of the Day for Wednesday, August 29, 2018

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

American League

The Yankees schedule the past three weeks couldn't have been much easier, but somehow the Chicago White Sox nearly swept them, taking two of three at Yankees Stadium with Wednesday's 4-1 victory.

While Reynaldo Lopez (5-9) was holding the Yanks to one run on five hits over seven innings, Ryan LaMarre was taking care of business at the plate, driving in all four Chicago runs.

LaMarre doubled twice and homered in four at-bats. In 16 games with the White Sox he's batting .364 with two homers and seven RBI.

The 26-year-old had already played for Cincinnati, Boston, Oakland and Minnesota over four years before joining the White Sox mid-season.

Chicago is hopelessly out of contention, but the Yankees dropped back to 7 1/2 games behind Boston in the AL East. With both Oakland and Seattle losing, New York still has a comfortable, 4 1/2-game bulge over the A's in the wild card race. Seattle is 10 games back.

The Yankees host four games with Detroit beginning Thursday.

National League

Yelich hits for cycle

The 11,777 fans who went out to see game two of the three-game series between the Reds and Brewers at Great American Ball Park certainly got their money's worth for the price of admission.

After a 27-minute rain delay to start the game, they witnessed a 10-inning, 13-12 win by the Brewers featuring a combined total of 36 hits, scoring in every inning except the third and ninth, and Christian Yelich going 6-for-6 while hitting for the cycle.

The Brewers won it when Jesus Aguilar socked a solo homer in the top of the 10th and Erik Kratz singled home Hernan Perez. They needed both runs because Brandon Dixon hit a solo home run in the bottom of the inning.

Yelich did everything besides throw batting practice. In the first inning, he singled and scored. In the second, he legged out an infield single. His two-run homer in the fifth gave the Brewers a short-lived 4-3 lead. Yelich doubled in the sixth and tripled in the seventh inning, driving in Lorenzo Cain, to complete the cycle. In the ninth, he got his sixth hit, another infield single, finishing with three RBI and two runs. He also played both left and right field.

Yelich, 26, came to Milwaukee from Miami following the 2017 season. He's leading the National League with a .319 batting average, to go with 26 home runs, 75 RBI and 14 stolen bases.

Milwaukee's win moved them to within five games of the Cubs in the central division. St. Louis is 4 1/2 back in second place and also holds the top wild card slot.

The Brewers will look to take the series when they meet up with the Reds on Thursday. Game time is 12:35 pm EDT.

Keon Broxton Lifts Brewers Over Dodgers; Dylan Covey Blanks Mariners In White Sox Win

Players of the Day for Saturday, July 21, 2018

Dylan Covey

American League

Dylan Covey blanked the Mariners for 8 1/3 innings; Joakim Soria got the final two batters in the ninth to finish off a 5-0 White Sox whitewash in Seattle.

Striking out five in his outing against the Mariners, Covey threw 105 pitches, allowing two hits and two walks, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning. Dee Gordon's single with one out in the sixth broke up the no-hit bid, but Seattle failed to break through.

Covey, 26, took some great strides forward in his brief major league career. Last season, he was 0-7, with a 7.71 ERA. This year, in 12 starts, he's 4-5 with a 4.95 ERA.

The win was just the 15th road victory for Chicago, while the Mariners saw their hold on the second wild card spot slipping away with the loss. Oakland topped San Francisco, 5-4, in 11 innings, and are just three games behind Seattle.

The series wraps up Sunday at 4:10 pm EDT.

National League

Keon Broxton

Both the NL West and Central division races became more compressed on Saturday, as the Rockies took over second place in the West from the Diamondbacks with a 6-5 win at Arizona, while the Dodgers dropped a 4-2 decision at Milwaukee.

Those results left the Dodgers with a one-game lead over Colorado with Arizona another 1/2-game back.

In the Central, Milwaukee's win left them 2 1/2 behind the Cubs, as the Brewers snapped a seven-game losing streak.

Milwaukee's win was courtesy of outfielder Keon Broxton, who has played in just 20 games this season.

Facing Claton Kershaw, Broxton, 28, got the Brewers on the board in the second inning with a ground out that scored Ryan Braun from third, then put Milwaukee ahead by two in the sixth with a triple to right center that plated Manny Pina and sent Kershaw to the showers.

Milwaukee hosts the Dodgers in the rubber game of their three game series, Sunday at 2:10 pm EDT.

Yoan Moncada Powers White Sox Past A's; Enrique Hernandez Homers Twice For Dodgers

Players of the Day for Sunday, June 24, 2018

American League

While the Chicago White Sox probably aren't going to challenge in the AL Central - they're currently 26-51 and 17 1/2 games behind the Indians in the division - with more than half the season remaining, they still have plenty of time to make adjustments and improvements and groom their young players for the future.

Moncada: 2B, HR, 6RBI

One such player is second baseman Yoan Moncada, a 23-year-old, second year player from Cuba who showed off some of his potential in Chicago's 10-3 rout of the Athletics Sunday at home.

Trailing 2-0 in the fifth inning, the Sox loaded the bases for Moncada and the youngster responded by lacing a double, clearing the bases and putting the White Sox ahead, 3-2. It was a lead the Sox would not relinquish, scoring two more in the frame before adding five more in the sixth.

After Daniel Palka and Yolmer Sanchez socked solo homers in the White Sox sixth, Moncada put the game away with a three-run homer, tallying a personal-best six RBI for the game.

Moncada is batting only .228, but he has 10 homers and 32 RBI in 69 games. Chicago's win was just their second in the last 11 games, but they managed a split with the A's, each taking two games in the four-game series.

The White Sox have a day off Monday, prior to host a three-game series against Minnesota starting Tuesday.

National League

Hernandez: 2HR, 3R, 2RBI

In a wild one, the Dodgers smacked seven home runs in their 8-7, 11-inning win over the Mets at New York's Citi Field, the bleacher barrage begun by leadoff hitter Enrique Hernandez, who took a 2-0 pitch from Mets' starter Jerry Blevins into the left field stands.

All of the Dodger homers were solo shots, including two by Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner's game-winner with two outs in the 11th. Hernandez added a second blast in the sixth, tying the game at 4-4, and he also scored the only Dodger run of the game that wasn't via the long ball, scooting home on Matt Kemp's double play ground out in the eighth.

Dodger pitching couldn't protect a 7-4, eighth inning lead, eventually winning it in extra frames.

Hernandez finished 3-for-6 with three runs and two RBI. He's currently batting .232, with 12 homers and 25 RBI.

The Dodgers, who swept the series in New York and handed the Mets their sixth straight loss, kept pace with Arizona, maintaining second place in the NL West, where they trail the Diamondbacks by 2 1/2 games.

Heading back home to LA, the Dodgers open a four-game series with the Cubs on Monday.

Matt Davidson Delivers Again For White Sox With 2 HRs; Odubel Herrera Socks A Pair As Phillies Top Braves

Players of the Day for Friday, April 27, 2018

Davidson: 2HR, 3RBI

American League

Matt Davidson was at it again, blasting a pair of home runs - including a two-run belt which plated the go-ahead runs in the 11th inning - as the White Sox took their second straight at Kansas City, 7-4.

The second-year slugger launched a 440-foot bases-empty bomb in the fourth inning, putting the Sox up, 3-2, and capped off the night with the game-winner.

Friday night marked the second straight game in which Davidson has gone yard twice, helping produce back-to-back wins for the White Sox. He's now tied for third in the AL with nine. LA's Mike Trout and Yankee Didi Gregorius lead the league with 10 apiece.

Game three of the series in Kansas City starts Saturday at 2:15 pm EDT.

National League

Prospects for a win didn't look very good for the Phillies after starting pitcher, Aaron Nola gave up three runs to Atlanta in the top of the first inning, but that was before Odubel Herrera got to the plate in the bottom of the frame.

Herrera: 2HR, 4RBI

With two aboard, Herrera unloaded off Atlanta hurler, Julio Teheran, restarting the game with his second home run of the season.

The Phillies, hosting the opener of a three-game series with the Braves, took the lead for good in the sixth, when Herrera socked his second of the game, a solo shot that led to the eventual 7-3 Philadelphia victory.

Herrera is off to an exceptional start to the season, batting .348, good for second in the NL. The youthful Phillies have been the biggest surprise of the season, riding Herrera's hot bat and the overall exuberance of the team and fans to a 16-9 mark, remaining 1/2-game behind the Mets in the NL East after NY topped San Diego, 5-1, later in the evening. The loss dropped the third place Braves 2 1/2 games off the pace.

Game two of the series is slated for a 6:05 pm EDT start.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Goes Yard In Atlanta Win; Matt Davidson Socks A Pair of HRs For White Sox

Players of the Day for Thursday, April 26, 2018

Davidson: 2HR, 3RBI

American League

At 6-16, the White Sox aren't likely to make much of an impact this season, but they have a keeper in Matt Davidson, who cranked out a pair of homers in Chicago's 6-3 win at Kansas City.

Davidson ripped a solo shot in the fourth inning and sent Royals' starter Jacob Junis to the showers with his second blast, a two-run rip that traveled some 450 feet. The first home run was a line shot to the left field corner off a fastball, but Junis didn't fool Davidson with a hanging slider in the sixth. Davidson got full extension and parked it.

The two long balls gave Davidson seven on the season, with 15 RBI. In 2017, his first season in the majors, Davidson had 26 home runs and 68 RBI in 118 games.

The win kept the White Sox out of last place, dropping the Royals 1 1/2 games behind them. The game was just the first of a five-game series in Kansas City, with game two slated for a first pitch at 8:15 pm EDT.

National League

Freddie Freeman laced three doubles in four at-bats, Ozzie Albies socked his eighth home run of the season, and highly-touted rookie, Ronald Acuna Jr., unleashed an upper-deck blast to center and doubled home the go-ahead run as the Atlanta Braves scalped the Cincinnati Reds, 7-4.

Acuna Jr.: 3-4, HR, 2B, 3RBI

Freeman and Albies have been instrumental to Atlanta's success this season. Albies is tied for the league lead in hone runs, and is second - with 10 - in doubles to Freeman's 11. Freeman's .326 batting average is tied for fifth in the NL.

Adding Acuna to the mix is only going to inflict more pain on opposing hitters. With just two games under his belt, Acuna is unproven, but his abilities are hard to deny. Moving from A to AAA last season, the 20-year-old phenom batted a combined .325, socked 21 homers, 31 doubles, drove in 82 runs and swiped 44 bases.

Since his call-up, Acuna is 4-for-9 (.444), including Thursday's 3-for-4, 2RBI effort.

The win gave the Braves a 2-2 split in Cincinnati. At 7:05 pm EDT Friday, the Braves open a series in Philadelphia. The Phillies trail the Mets in the NL East by 1/2-game. Atlanta is 1 1/2 back, so this weekend should lead to some changes in the division standings.

Jose Abreu's Two HRs Lead White Sox Past Mariners; Carlos Asuaje Leads Padres 13-5 Victory Over Rockies

Players of the Day for Monday, April 23, 2018

American League

Abreu: 4-for-5, 2HR, 3RBI

Proving once again that baseball offers a game that anyone can win, the two worst teams in the majors both broke losing streaks on Monday, as the White Sox downed the Mariners, 10-4, and the Reds took out their frustrations i a 10-4 win over Atlanta. The Sox broke a seven-game losing skein; the Reds had lost five straight.

Helping set the tone in Chicago was Jose Abreu, who singled and scored in the first inning as the White Sox put five on the board. In the second inning, Abreu belted his fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot to left.

In the fourth, Abreu singled but was left stranded, but took matters into his own hands again in the sixth with his second homer, a 422-foot bang to left. He finished 4-for-5 with three runs and three RBI.

The win left the White Sox at 5-14 on the year, 1/2-game better than Kansas City (5-15) in the division.

One fo the few white Sox players having a fair year thus far, Abreu is batting .308 with six homers and 12 RBI. He's hit 25 or more home runs and driven in at least 100 runs in each of his four prior seasons with the White Sox.

Asuaje: 2-for-5, HR 4RBI

Game two of the series is slated for a 5:10 pm EDT start in Chicago.

National League

San Diego is another last place team that came up a winner on Monday, registering a 13-5 score at Colorado.

With a run already tallied in the first, Carlos Asuaje put the Padres up 4-0 over the Rockies with a three-run blast that traveled 400 feet into the right field stands.

Colorado battled back to take a 5-4 lead in the third inning, but, after a three scoreless innings, the Padres responded by pounding the Rockies with a nine-run seventh inning, including an RBI single and run scored by Asuaje, who finished 2-for-5 with four RBI.

The win didn't life San Diego out of last place, but their 9-15 record leaves them just 3 1/2 out of second place in the division. Colorado is 4 1/2 behind Arizona, trailing the Dodgers - four back - by just 1/2 game.

The NL West rivals meet agin on Tuesday. Game time is 8:40 pm EDT.

Jake Lamb Leads Diamondbacks With 4 RBI; Matt Davidson's 3 HRs Lift White Sox Over Royals

Players of the Day for Thursday, March 29, 2018

Davidson: 3HR, 5 RBI

American League

OK, OK, Giancarlo Stanton belted two homers in his first game as a New York Yankee, leading to a 6-1 victory over Toronto, but, in Kansas City, Matt Davidson was raising some heads as he hammered three balls out of Kauffman Stadium, leading the White Sox to a 14-7 rout of the Royals.

After banging out solo shots in the fourth and fifth innings, walking and scoring in the seventh, Davidson delivered the coup de grace in the eighth with a three-run shot which completed the White Sox scoring, finishing his day at 3-for-5 with five RBI and four runs.

No stranger to the long ball, Davidson rocked 26 homers as a rookie in 2017, and is certain to provide plenty of power to the middle of Chicago's lineup this season.

The win put the Sox all alone in first place in the AL Central, as the Indians and Twins were losers on opening day and Detroit's home opener against the Pirates was rained out.

After a day off Friday, the three-game series in Kansas City resumes on Saturday at 7:15 pm EDT.

National League

Lamb: 2-for-4, 4 RBI

It was opening day throughout the National League, and fans could not be happier than those in Arizona, where the Diamondbacks rolled the visiting Rockies, 8-2.

With four RBI on the day, Jake Lamb delivered half of the Arizona runs with a two-run double in the first inning, followed by a single in the sixth. The Diamondbacks took advantage of some Colorado wildness, taking six walks in addition to their 12 hits.

Jamb, who batted fourth behind Paul Goldschmidt, was certain to see plenty of good pitches and came through with runners on base.

Coming off his best year as a pro, Lamb, beginning his fourth full season, is looking to improve on his impressive numbers from 2017, in which he batted .248 with 30 homers and 105 RBI, seventh-most in the National League.

The win put the D'Backs on top of the NL West with the Giants, who downed the Dodgers, 1-0. San Diego fell 2-1 in 12 innings, their home opener spoiled by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Game two of the three-game series is slated for Friday at 9:40 pm EDT.

Mookie Betts 2 HR Lead Red Sox; Eddy Alvarez Shines As White Sox Paste Brewers, 16-1

Players of the Day for Sunday, March 25, 2018

Grapefruit League

Betts: 2-2, 2 HR, 3 RBI

Boston took over first place in the Grapefruit League on Saturday and continued their hold of a 1/2-game lead over Houston with a 6-1 triumph over the Twins on Sunday.

Mookie Betts led off the game with a solo homer, walked and scored in the second inning, then added a two-run belt in the fourth, going 2-for-2 with three RBI and three runs in Boston's win.

Betts, who batted .264 with 24 home runs and 102 RBI in 2017, is having a strong Spring, batting .340 with three home runs and eight RBI.

Cactus League

Losing a bit of their grip on first place, the Milwaukee Brewers were blasted by the White Sox, 16-1, as Chicago knocked out 19 hits against a parade of 10 Brewer hurlers.

The home-standing Sox scored multiple runs in five separate innings, building a 10-0 lead before Milwaukee scored its only run of the game in the sixth.

Non-roster player, Eddy Alvarez, stroked a two-run homer in the fourth inning and singled in four at-bats, driving in four runs on the day.

The Brewers lead in the Cactus League fell to just one game over the Indians and Cubs. The White Sox are 16-12, 2 1/2 games off the pace.

White Sox Top Yankees, 4-3 On Jose Abreu 2 RBI; Trea Turner's 4 SB Ties Nats' Record In 6-1 Win

Players of the Day for Tuesday, June 27, 2017

American League

Abreu: Game-winner

Boston took over first place in the AL East with a 9-2 win over Minnesota, coupled with the Yankees losing at Chicago to the White Sox, 4-3, on Jose Abreu's two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth off New York reliever Dellin Betances.

It was Abreu's second hit of the game, in five at-bats, and his first since his third inning double gave the White Sox a 1-0 lead. The Yankees seemed to have the game in hand when they scored three times in the top of the eighth, but the Sox returned the favor with a run in the bottom of the frame, setting up Abreu's heroics.

Having a solid, if unspectacular season, Abreu is batting .299 with 13 home runs and 51 RBI. He is on pace for his fourth straight season with more than 100 RBI, which he's accomplished every year he's been a major leaguer.

Trailing in the AL Central, the White Sox aren't exactly done for the season as they trial Cleveland by seven games. The division is competitive and unpredictable, and Chicago has a young team, making them dangerous.

The four-game series - now tied at a game apiece - continues Wednesday with game three at 8:10 pm ET.

National League

Turner: 4 SB, Leads NL

Pitchers in the National League would be wise to keep a close eye on Washington's leadoff hitter, Trea Turner, who tied a team mark - Expos and Nationals - with four stolen bases in the Nationals' 6-1 win over the Cubs.

In the first inning, Turner singled, stole second and third and scored on Brian Goodwin's infield single to tie the game at one. While Max Scherzer was holding the Cubs to one run through six innings, Turner was terrorizing Cubs' starter Jake Arrieta and catcher Miguel Montero.

In the third, Turner walked and again swiped second and third, scoring when Daniel Murphy was ruled safe on a throwing error by Chicago second baseman Tommy La Stella. The run put the Nationals up 2-1. Scherzer took care of matters after that, picking up his ninth win against five losses, allowing just two hits, fanning six. After a La Stella double in the third inning, Scherzer set down 10 straight before retiring.

Turner finished the game with 32 stolen bases, catapulting him into the NL lead, past Cincinnati's Billy Hamilton (31) and Miami's Dee Gordon (29). Turner's been caught just five times this season and has scored 51 times, tied with teammate Murphy, sixth in the National League.

The win kept Washington 8 1/2 games ahead of Atlanta in the East division, while the Cubs remained a game behind Milwaukee in the Central.

With the series tied 1-1, game three of the four-game set is slated for Wednesday night, 7:05 pm ET at Nationals Park.

Melky Cabrera Delivers 5 RBI As White Sox Thump Blue Jays; Alex Wood Stifles Reds In 3-1 Dodger Win

Players of the Day for Friday, June 16, 2017

American League

After one of the worst starts to a season at 6-17, the Toronto Blue Jays gave gotten better, but still can't seem to find the degree of consistency necessary to put themselves into contention in the AL East.

Cabrera: 2B, HR, 5 RBI

Entering Friday night's home game against the White Sox, the 32-33 Jays had the chance to reach .500, a level they have not attained all season. They began June at 26-27, but after Friday's 11-4 drubbing by the Sox, they're 6-7 on the month.

Chicago, which was 13-10 at the end of April, is similarly under .500, at 30-36, the win was their 15th on the road against 24 road losses.

Melky Cabrera made certain of the Blue Jays demise, socking a double and a home run for five RBI, scoring three times in four at-bats. Cabrera walked and scored in the first, doubled in a pair of runs and scored again in the second, and belted a three-run homer in the fifth to complete the scoring for the White Sox. Cabrera is batting .280 with seven homers and 40 RBI.

Toronto starter, Joe Biagini, was treated with particular rudeness, allowing seven runs on eight hits, pulled when he failed to retire a batter in the second inning.

The two teams will renew rivalries in the second of the three-game series, Saturday, 1:07 pm ET at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.

National League

Wood: 7-0, 1.90 ERA

A 26-year-old left-hander who played college ball at Georgia, Alex Wood isn't exactly a household name yet, but he's gaining notoriety by performing with excellence this season, racking up his seventh win without a loss in a 3-1 Dodger win at Cincinnati.

Wood worked eight innings, allowing four hits and one run, striking out five without walking a batter. The only run allowed was an eighth-inning solo homer by Reds' catcher Devin Mesoraco, coming after Wood had singled in the Dodgers' third run in the top of the frame.

Throwing 69 of 89 pitches for strikes, Wood got out of a few jams thanks to excellent play by the Dodger infield, including shortstop Corey Seager gunning down Eugenio Suarez at the plate in the second inning.

Kenley Jansen worked the ninth for his 15th save.

In 12 starts this season, Wood has given up just 42 hits in 61 2/3 innings, with 72 strikeouts against 15 walks. His ERA is a phenomenal 1.90, having surrendered a mere 15 runs and only two home runs all season.

The victory left the Dodgers in second place in the NL West, tied with Arizona a game behind Colorado. The loss was Cincinnati's seventh straight. The Reds have fallen to last place in the NL Central and will try to end their slide in game two of the series, Saturday at 4:10 pm ET.

Avisail Garcia Drives In Six In White Sox Rout Of Seattle; David Peralta 4-for-5 In 9-1 Arizona Win

Players of the Day for Saturday, May 20, 2017

American League

After evening their four-game series in Seattle at a game apiece with Friday night's 2-1, 10-inning win, the Chicago White Sox stepped up their game with a 16-1 blowout win over the fading Mariners, losers of seven of the last 10.

Garcia: 2 HR, 6 RBI

Heading the frontal assault on Seattle pitching was Avisail Garcia, who was 4-for-5, with two doubles and two home runs, driving in six and scoring three times.

Garcia's homers - numbers seven and eight - came early in the game off Seattle starter, Antonio Gallardo, who lasted a mere 3 2/3 innings, allowing 10 runs on nine hits and two walks. Garcia smashed a three-run homer in the first inning, adding a solo shot in the third.

In the fourth, Garcia doubled in two more, and in the seventh, he doubled again and scored.

Garcia's .357 batting average leads the National League. His six RBI are second in the NL behind Seattle's Nelson Cruz.

Peralta: 4-for-5

Chicago is mired in the Central division battle, 3 1/2 games behind the Twins, with the Indians and Detroit sandwiched in between. The series concludes Sunday at 4:10 pm ET.

National League

Arizona's David Peralta stroked four singles in five at-bats, scored three times and boosted his batting average to .315 as the Diamondbacks picked up a game on Colorado with a 9-1 win over San Diego.

Arizona has won five straight and stand alone in second place, one game behind the Rockies in the contested NL West. They've taken the first two games in San Diego and will be seeking the sweep of the Padres when the two teams square off in the series finale, Sunday at 4:40 pm ET.

Matt Davidson, Miguel Gonzalez Boost White Sox; Eric Thames Continues Home Run Barrage For Brewers

Players of the Day for Monday, April 24, 2017

American League

Rookie slugger Davidson

Matt Davidson hasn't had many at-bats this season (38), but he's making people stand up and take notice.

In an eight-run sixth inning, Davidson had two hits and three RBI. The White Sox DH set a career high with three hits and tied his single-game best with four RBI. Davidson started the scoring in the big inning with an RBI double and ended it with a two run single. Earlier, he launched a solo shot in the second, his fourth home run of the season, to give Milwauke a short-lived 1-0 lead. He's batting a solid .368 with 14 RBI after yesterday's show.

The decisive inning in the White Sox's 12-1 rout of Kansas City was Chicago's highest-scoring inning in five years.

Gonzalez: 3-0

Starter Miguel Gonzalez had more than enough support to get to 3-0. He threw eight innings of two-hit ball, giving up a sole unearned run in the third, on a booted ground ball by third baseman, Todd Frazier.

Gonzalez was cruising, at one point setting down 12 straight Royal would-be hitters. He struck out five and issued one walk.

The Sox evened their record at 9-9 and are just a game behind AL Central co-leaders, Detroit and Cleveland. Chicago hosts the Royals for game two of their three-game series at 8:10 pm ET Tuesday night.

National League

Eric Thames is absolutely crushing it this season for the Brewers.

Thames: 10 HRs leads majors

Thames socked a pair of home runs, improving upon his major league lead in the dinger category. Thames has ten. Nobody else has more than seven. He's batting .373 and has 17 RBI since returning from a two year stint in Korea where he had 105 homers in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Previously, the slugger played two seasons (2011, 2012) in the majors, with Toronto and Settle.

While the Brewers were piling up 10 runs over the first four innings, Thames was doing his part with a solo shot in the first and a two-run blast in the second as the Brewers went on to whip the Reds, 11-7, in the first game of their three-game set in Milwaukee.

The two squads will be back at it again Tuesday night for game two of the series. Game time is 8:40 pm ET.

Wei-Yin Chen No-Hits Seattle Over Seven; Miguel Gonzalez, White Sox End Yankee Streak At Eight

Players of the Day for Tuesday, April 18, 2017

American League

The streak is over.

Miguel Gonzalez

Miguel Gonzalez and the Chicago White Sox ended the longest winning streak in the majors this season - eight straight - with a decisive, 4-1 win over the New York Yankees at the Yankee stronghold in the Bronx.

Regarded as one of the best young teams in the majors, the "Baby Bombers" started the season 1-4 before embarking on the streak, which included three-game sweeps of visiting Tampa Bay and St. Louis. All bu the first win were at Yankee Stadium.

A six-year veteran, Gonzalez was just short of magnificent in earning his second win of the season for the 7-6 White Sox, taking a three-hit shutout into the ninth inning before surrendering a single to pinch-hitter Chase Headley and walking Brett Gardner to put runners on first and second with out out. He was lifted for reliever David Robertson, who walked in the only run scored by the Yankees before getting out of the jam, leaving the bases full of Yankees at the end. The run, however, was credited against Gonzalez, who has thrown only one complete game shutout in his major league career.

Gonzalez was a model of efficiency, throwing just 88 pitches, fanning four and issuing the lone walk in the ninth. Gonzalez has an ERA of 2.84 after 19 innings of work.

Chen: No hits over 7

The win tied the series at a game apiece, with the result leaving Chicago a game back of Detroit in the AL Central and the Yankees tied with Baltimore and Boston for first place in the East. The rubber game is set for a 7:05 pm ET start on Wednesday.

National League

Full of surprising starts by teams like Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Arizona and Colorado, the Miami Marlins are making waves of their own in the East division, holding onto second place, just 1/2 game behind Washington after they topped the Seattle Mariners, 5-0, Tuesday night.

Their 8-6 record was put on a high note by starting pitcher Wei-Yin Chen, who not only blanked the Mariners for seven innings, but didn't allow a single hit before being lifted after throwing 100 pitches.

Chen set down every batter he faced with the exception of two walks he issued in the fourth and seventh innings, though neither base-runner proved a problem. He also plunked Nelson Cruz in the seventh, but managed to get the final two outs of the inning without further incident.

A pair of relievers came in to finish up for the Marlins. Kyle Barraclaugh surrendered the only Mariner hit of the game in the ninth. Chen got the win. He is 2-0.

The series is tied, 1-1, with the finale Wednesday at 12:40 pm PT in Seattle.

Jeff Samardzija 1-Hits Tigers as White Sox Sweep Twin Bill; Starling Marte, Jordy Mercer Keep Pirates in NL Hunt

Players of the Day for Monday, September 21, 2015

Samardzija: Near-perfect

American League


A leadoff single by Victor Martinez in the fifth inning was the only offense the Tigers could muster off Jeff Samardzija (10-13) as the Chicago White Sox took the measure of Detroit in a 2-0 win.

Samardzija's one-hitter - his second complete game shutout of the season - came in the opener of a split double-header, Chicago prevailing in the nightcap, 3-2, sending the Tigers deeper into the basement of the AL Central, three games behind the Sox and 18 1/2 back of the division-leading Royals.

Around the plate all game long, Samaardzija needed just 88 pitches for the win, throwing 60 for strikes, walking none and fanning six.

Jordy Mercer

Starling Marte

The Tigers will try to get a win over their Central division foes in the third of the four-game series, Tuesday at 7:08 pm EDT.

National League

With a 9-3 win at Colorado, the Pittsburgh Pirates held their position, four game behind the Cardinals in the NL Central and two games ahead of Chicago in the wild card race.

Starling Marte and Jordy Mercer each went 4-for-5 with two runs and two RBI, Mercer doubling twice with two singles. Marte had a solo homer, double and two singles.

Pittsburgh's win was their third straight and the opener in a four-game series with the Rockies. Both the Cardinals and Cubs were winners Monday, keeping the order in the NL the same as the previous day, only with one less game remaining in the regular season.

St. Louis has already been assured a playoff spot. The Pirates and Cubs will likely secure a place in the post-season this week, though the exact order of finish will determine participants and home field for the wild card playoff game and division winner.

Pittsburgh hopes to continue their win streak when they meet the Rockies on Tuesday for the second of their four-game set. Game time is 8:40 pm EDT.

Lyle Overbay Delivers for Brewers; Jose Abreu Routing Rookie-of-the-Year Competition

Players of the Day for Friday, August 15, 2014

American League

Jose Abreu

Might as well just etch Jose Abreu's name on the rookie of the year trophy; even if he hit a serious slump now, what he's done already would likely outpace the competition.

Abreu, a .304 hitter, took sole possession of the major league lead in RBI on Friday, driving in three runs with three singles in an 11-5 White Sox victory over Toronto.

Seemingly destined to become a leading run-producer for many years, Abreu was 2-for-2 with runners in scoring position, driving in the first Chicago run in the first and singling home two more in the fifth. He also came around to score in each of those innings.

With 89 RBI, he leads Detroit's Miguel Cabrera by three. Giancarlo Stanton, the NL leader, has 84. Abreu is also in a three way tie with the same two aforementioned players in home runs. Each has 31 on the year.

With the White Sox out of contention for the post-season, Abreu will get to display his talents without pressure. The Sox did help the Orioles - 2-1 losers to Cleveland - maintain their 7 1/2 game lead over the Blue Jays in the East division.

ame two of the three game series between Toronto and Chicago is set for a 7:10 pm EDT start, Saturday in the Windy City.

As for Abreu, rookie of the year may not be the only award he receives in 2004. He's being mentioned as a serious candidate for MVP in the AL.

Lyle Overbay

National League

An NL Central phenomena, the Milwaukee Brewers continue to find ways to win ball games, maintaining their slim lead in the division.

On Friday, the Brewers got an eighth-inning, pinch-hit, bases loaded double from Lyle Overbay that unknotted a 2-2 tie, leading to a 6-3 victory over the home-standing Dodgers in the opener of a three-game series of division leaders.

Overbay, a 12-year veteran of both leagues, cleared the bases with his two-bagger off Dodger reliever, Jamey Wright. Overbay has played for six different teams; this is his second go-round with the Brewers. He last played with them in 2004 and 2005.

The win maintained Milwaukee's 2 1/2 game lead in the Central over the Cardinals, who took a 4-2 decision from San Diego.

The Dodgers host the Brewers in game two of the series, Saturday at 9:10 pm EDT.