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

Davis: 2 HR, 4 RBI

Players of the Day for Sunday, July 29, 2018

American League

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

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

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

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

National League

Newcomb just misses
no-hitter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Players of the Day for Tuesday, July 18, 2017

American League

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

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

Davis: 2HR, Slam, 6RBI

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

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

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

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

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

National League

Wacha throws first shutout

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chris Davis Homer Ends O's-Tigers Marathon In 13th; Charlie Blackmon Leads Rockies; Greg Holland Posts 17th Save

Davis Socks Game-Winner

Players of the Day for Tuesday, May 16, 2017

American League

Baltimore gave up a 7-1 lead, fell behind and tied the game with Detroit at 8-8 on a Mark Trumbo home run, scored three runs in the top of the 12th only to give up the same number to the Tigers in the bottom half.

Finally, Chris Davis ended the marathon in the 13th inning with a two-run homer and Richard Blier - the O's seventh pitcher - closed out the Tigers in the bottom of the frame for a 13-11 win, snapping a four-game losing streak.

Davis had homered earlier, in the 12th, putting the Orioles up 9-8, though the lead was not to last. The Baltimore slugger finished 3-for-5 with three runs and four RBI, raising his batting average to a respectable .266.

Detroit also used seven pitchers. Between the two squads, their pitchers threw 497 pitches. The game lasted well into the night, lasting 5:19.

The win left the Orioles 1/2 game behind the Yankees in the AL East, who earlier had won at Kansas City, 7-1. Detroit trails Minnesota by two games in the Central division.

Blackmon: .319 BA

That was just game one of the three-game series. The teams get back on the diamond Wednesday, 7:10 pm ET at Comerica Park.

National League

Before the Giants topped the Dodgers, 2-1, in San Francisco, the Rockies were doing their thing in Minnesota, whipping the Twins, 7-3, padding their lead in te NL West to 2 1/2 games over Arizona, dropping the Dodgers into third place, three games off the pace.

Holland: 17 Saves

Colorado got a dose of offense from leadoff hitter, Charlie Blackmon, who went 3-for-5, scored a run and socked his ninth home run of the season, a sixth-inning, two-run shot that put the game away as the Rockies broke a 3-3 tie with four runs in the frame. The Rockies' leadoff hitter is batting .319 and has 30 RBI.

Later, Greg Holland came in and threw four pitches, the last of which induced a Brian Dozier pop-up to second ending the game. Holland recorded his 17th save, which leads the majors by a bunch. In the NL Seung-Hwan Oh of St. Louis and Fenando Rodnay of Arizona each have 10. Boston's Craig Kimbrel leads the AL with 12.

Holland has been somewhat unhittable this season, posting a 1.04 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP in 17 1/3 innings. In 18 appearances, he's allowed nine hits and two earned runs, not allowing a hit in 12 of those outings. He's walked five and struck out 23.

The Rockies and Twins meet in game two Wednesday night at 8:10 pm ET. Both teams are in first place in their respective divisions, though Minnesota's edge over Cleveland is only 1/2 game.

Chris Davis' Grand Slam Lifts O's over A's in 10; Madison Bumgarner Solid as Giants Keep Pressure on Dodgers

Players of the Day for Wednesday, August 5, 2015

American League

Bumgarner: 12-6

Davis: Grand Slam in 10th

With time beginning to be a "front-of-mind" factor in all major league races, the Baltimore Orioles - and quite a few others - have to be thinking about making a move right about now.

The O's in particular, are just out of the wold card race, two behind the Angels and one game back of fellow AL East club, Toronto, but, the Orioles have to be thinking more about catching the Yankees and taking down the division crown, as they did last season.

With that in mind, Baltimore got a boost from their big slugger, Chris Davis, defeating the A's, 7-3, in 10 innings and taking two of three on the road.

Davis scored the tying run in the sixth, when he scored from second on a single by J.J. Hardy, and then delivered the decisive blow in the 10th, a grand slam, putting the O's up by the final score.

Following Daivs' blast (his 28 homer of the season, to go with 79 RBI, 3rd in the AL), Zach Britton - who came on in relief with two down in the eighth - put down the Athletics in order in the bottom of the tenth, sealing an important victory for Baltimore.

The Yankees feel to Boston, 2-1, on Wednesday, while the Blue Jays outlasted Minnesota, 9-7, putting the Yankee lead over Toronto at 4 1/2, and 5 1/2 ahead of the Orioles.

Baltimore gets a day off Thursday, traveling to Anaheim, where they open a three-game weekend series with the Angels on Friday.

National League

The Giants continue to keep the pressure on the Dodgers in the NL West, where they trail their southern cousins by two games after Madison Bumgarner improved to 12-6 with a 6-1 triumph over the home-standing Atlanta Braves.

Bumganer didn't give up a run until the seventh, but it was all the Braves would get. Manager Bruce Bochy pulled his starter after the run scored with one down in the eighth inning, calling on deliver Hunter Strickland after Eury Perez reached on an infield single. Strickland walked one but completed the inning without any damage. Santiago Casilla mopped up with a hitless ninth inning for the win.

Bumgarner is having his usual solid season for the Giants. He threw 116 pitches, allowed seven hits and struck out nine, giving him 148 on the year, fifth in the National League. His ERA is 3.28 with a 1.10 WHIP.

The Giants took two of three on the road from Atlanta and head to Chicago, where they open a four-game series with the Cubs on Thursday. The Dodgers whipped the Phillies, 4-3, on Wednesday and finish up their series on Thursday.

Jimmy Paredes, Chris Davis pace Orioles in 16-4 rout of Phillies; Brandon Morrow gets Win with 4 Scoreless for Padres

Players of the Day for Monday, March 16, 2015

Grapefruit League

Jimmy Paredes

Chris Davis

Manny Machado missed the latter half of the 2014 season, but he's rehabbed and ready for the 2015 campaign.

Should the Orioles' third-baseman take a day off, as he did Monday in the O's 16-4 rout of the Phillies, Jimmy Paredes appears eager and ready to fill in.

In three at-bats, Paredes doubled, homered and delivered a sac fly, scored three times and drove in five runs at the Phillies' home in Clearwater, Florida.

The Orioles banged out five home runs and 21 hits in all. Adding to the barrage was Chris Davis, who had his fill, going 3-for-4 with a single, double, home run (his second) and four RBI.

After three years with the Astros and splitting last season between the Royals and O's, Paredes will likely be riding the bench or playing in the minors.

The win was just the fourth for the slugging Orioles. They have dropped 11. The loss dropped the Philles back to an 8-6 mark.

Cactus League

Brandon Morrow

Just when the Cubs were getting it rolling, with four straight wins, along comes Brandon Morrow to spoil the party with four shutout inning in the Padres' 7-0 whitewash over visiting Chicago.

In his third appearance of the Spring and second start, Morrow was sharp for his new team, allowing just three hits without issuing a walk, striking out two. Morrow threw 48 pitches, 36 of which were strikes.

Traded to the Padres from Toronto after last season, Morrow should fit right into the starting rotation. A major leaguer since 2007, Morrow, who spent his first three seasons with the Mariners, moves from the AL to the NL, a decision made by more than just a few hurlers who can relish the thought of a soft spot in opposing lineups, having dealt with the DH for their entire career.

Morrow will enter the 2015 season with a 42-43 lifetime mark and a 4.28 ERA.

Jon Lester was on the mound as starter for the Cubs and was treated rudely, allowing six runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings.

The Padres are 7-6 in Spring games. The Cubs retreated to 5-9.

Kyle Schwarber Connects for Grand Slam, but Cubs Lose to Giants; Chris Davis Helps Orioles Clobber Blue Jays

Players of the Day for Thursday, March 5, 2015

Grapefruit League

Chris Davis

Eight Baltimore pitchers combined for a four-hit shutout and Chris Davis smashed a gargantuan three-run homer as the Orioles topped the Blue Jays, 5-0, at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida.

The result left both teams with identical 1-2 records. The homer by Davis was his first of Spring and was knocked out of the park in the third inning. Second baseman, Jonathan Schoop added a two-run blast in the seventh.

Davis, sidelined part of last season due to a suspension for amphetamine use, had 26 homers and 72 RBI in 2014, but batted just .196 in 127 games.

Cactus League

Kyle Schwarber: Birthday Slam

The Giants may have won their first game of Spring in three tries, whipping the Cubs, 8-6, but the victory was costly in more ways than one.

Starter Ryan Vogelsong was roughed up, allowing a second-inning grand slam to Kyle Schwarber, and right fielder, Hunter Pence, will be sidelined for six to eight weeks after being hit by a pitch in the sixth inning, and breaking his left forearm.

The pitch was thrown by Corey Black, and Pence made his way to first base before being removed for a pinch-runner.

Kyle Schwarber, the Cubs first pick of last June's draft, connected on a second-inning, Vogelsong 1-2 pitch and sent the ball over the right field fence in his first at-bat against a major league hurler. The round-tripper was a nice self-administered present for Schwarber on his 22nd birthday.

The game was Chicago's first of Spring.

Chris Davis Grand Slam Sends O's to 9-1 Win over Twins; Buster Posey 5-for-5 in Giants' 13-2 Rout of Brewers

Players of the Day for Friday, August 29, 2014

American League

Davis: Grand Slam

Baltimore's Chris Davis isn't having the kind of season he had in 2013, when he led the league in home runs (53) and RBI (138), but he's been picking his game up lately and the Orioles are happy to see that.

Davis has hit three homers and driven in seven runs in his last five games, four of which came in Friday's 9-1 mauling of the Twins, the opener of a four-game series at Camden Yards.

With the bases full in the fourth and the O's already up, 1-0, Davis unloaded on Minnesota starter, Trevor May, launching a 415-foot bomb over the right field wall. It was Davis' 24th homer of the season and upped his RBI count to 67 on the season.

Filling in at third base frequently since Many Machado's injury, Davis has helped the Orioles remain in first place in the East, where they currently hold a seven-game edge over the Yankees, who beat Toronto, 6-3, Friday, but are looking more and more like a possible wild card, rather than contenders for the division title.

Game two of the series in Baltimore is Saturday, at 7:05 pm EDT.

National League

Posey: 5-for-5

The meeting between the Giants and Brewers in San Francisco this weekend had more than enough intrigue, but the tenseness was dispelled early by Buster Posey and the San Francisco batters, who hammered Milwaukee starter, Wily Peralta, and scored all of their runs in the first five innings of a 13-2 rout.

Peralta lasted only three innings, giving up the first six runs on nine hits and a pair of walks. The Giants weren't exactly hospitable to the next Brewer hurler either, hammering Marco Estrada for seven more runs over the next two innings.

Buster Posey went 5-for-5 with four singles and a triple, scoring three times and driving in three before heading for the bench after six innings. As a team, the Giants were 19-for-42. Angel Pagan and Hunter Pence each collected three hits. Joe Panik went 4-for-6.

Recently, Posey's been on fire, hitting safely in eight of his last nine games, with multiple hits in six of them. Over that span, he's 20-for-40, with four homers and 13 RBI. Winners of four straight and seven of their last ten, the Giants have moved past St. Louis to claim the #1 wild card position, as the Cardinals fell to the Cubs, 7-2, Friday, their third straight loss.

The NL wild card race is still incredibly tight. St. Louis is 1/2 game behind the Giants, Atlanta, 1/2 back and the Pirates are just two games off the pace.

Game two of the Brewers-Giants three-game series is slated for a 6:05 pm PDT start, Saturday in San Francisco.

Homer Bailey Shuts Down Brewers as Reds Roll, 9-1; Chris Davis Belts #45, Goes 4-for-5 in Oriole Victory

Players of the Day for Sunday, August 18, 2013

American League

Chris Davis

It wasn't until just after midnight Sunday that the Boston Red Sox fell to the Yankees, 9-6, but earlier in the day, the Orioles had topped the Rockies, 7-2, the net result a full game pick-up in the standings for Baltimore, still in third place, 4 1/2 games behind front-running Boston.

Chris Davis had another MVP-like game, going 4-for-5 with two singles, a double, his 45th home run of the season, three runs and two RBI, staying five ahead of Detroit Miguel Cabrera in home runs and five behind him in RBI, at 115.

The Orioles wrapped up their home series, winning two games to one, and prepare for their crucial series with second place Tampa, starting Monday at 7:05 pm EDT in Baltimore.

National League

Homer Bailey

Cincinnati is making some serious noise in the NL Central division, winning nine of their last 12 to pull to within 2 1/2 games of division leading Pittsburgh, their latest triumph a 9-1 stomping of the Brewers to complete their four-game series in Milwaukee with a 2-2 split.

Reds' starter, Homer Bailey, was in top form, allowing three hits over eight innings of work, walking one and striking out eight, the Brewers only run coming on a solo homer in the fifth off the bat of left fielder Khris Davis.

The win was the third straight for Bailey, from four starts, throwing 82 of 118 pitches for strikes, improving his record to 8-10.

Heading back home, the Reds open a four game series with Arizona starting Monday night at 7:10 pm EDT.

Today's Trivia: Who lead their league in strikeouts more times, Randy Johnson or Roger Clemens? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: Babe Ruth set the mark for most total bases in a season at 457 in 1921.

Orioles' Chris Davis Ties pre-All Star AL HR record with 37th; Yadier Molina Leads Cardinals and NL in Batting

Players of the Day for Sunday, July 14, 2013

American League

Chris Davis

If not for Detroit's Miguel Cabrera, Baltimore's Chris Davis would be mentioned singularly in talk of triple crown possibilities. Even still, Davis is having a season unlike any other, one that could be record-breaking.

Davis cracked his 37th home run of the season and drove in four runs in the Orioles' 7-4 victory over the Blue Jays, the final game for both teams prior to the All Star break, giving Baltimore a 2-1 edge in the series and leaving them solidly in third place in the AL East, 4 1/2 behind Boston and two games back of second-place Tampa Bay.

Launching #37 to the opposite field in the third inning, Davis gave the Orioles a 6-0 lead. He already had driven in two runs with a double in the bottom of the first, as Baltimore built a 4-0 advantage, shelling Toronto starter, Josh Johnson, who ended up working six innings and allowing all seven runs.

Davis tied Reggie Jackson for the American League record for home runs by the All Star break. Jackson hit 37 dingers by mid-July in 1969. Only two other players have ever hit so many before the summer classic. Barry Bonds hit 39 homers pre All Star game in 2001. Mark McGwire belted 37 in 1998. Both were National Leaguers suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs.

With four RBI on Sunday, Davis totaled 93, the seventh-highest total in major league history prior to the All Star break, though he is still two behind Cabrera, who has 95, tying him with Josh Hamilton for fifth place all-time, who had that many in 2008.

National League

Yadier Molina

St. Louis' Yadier Molina is having himself a Hall of Fame season, leading the National League in batting at a .341 clip, after going 4-for-6 in the Cardinals' 10-6 hammering of the Cubs at Wrigley Field Sunday night. The Cards dealt out 21 hits.

After the Cubs tied the game at six with a pair of runs in the eighth inning, Molina put the finishing touch on the win with a three-run homer for the final score. Prior to hitting his seventh long ball of the season, Molina had singled three times, driven in a run and scored twice.

The win put St. Louis back into sole possession of first place in the NL Central, a position they've held most of the year, after the Pirates lost a 4-2 decision to the Mets.

At the break, Molina and teammate Allen Craig are 1-2 in batting, Craig checking in at .333. Leadoff hitter Matt Carpenter is not far back at .321, sixth-best in the league.

Molina will be the starting catcher for the National League in the 2013 All Star game, Tuesday night at New York's Citi Field.

Today's Trivia: Who played in more All Star games, Reggie Jackson or Johnny Bench? (answer Wednesday)

Yesterday's Answer: George Foster led the NL in RBI in 1976, 1977 and 1978.

Chris Davis' Two Homers Powers Orioles over Yankees; Matt Adams, Adam Wainwright Lead Cardinals past A's, 7-1

Players of the Day for Saturday, June 29, 2013

American League

Chris Davis

In their 11-3 rout of the visiting New York Yankees, the Baltimore Orioles hammered out 15 hits, nine of them against start David Phelps, who gave up nine earned runs in 2 1/3 innings on the mound.

Chris Davis had but two of those hits, but they were both home runs: a three-run bomb in the first inning and a two-run jolt in the sixth. Those gave Davis 30 on the year, well ahead of his closest pursuer, which just happens to be last season's triple crown and MVP award winner, Detroit's Miguel Cabrera, who has 24.

Davis also closed the gap in RBI, where Cabrera leads, 81-79. The two power-pushers are also 1-2 in batting, though Cabrera's lead is substantial, at .375, to Davis' .333.

The victory was Baltimore's second straight over the Yankees at Camden Yard and helped close the gap on first place Boston, the AL East leader by 2 1/2 games over the O's. New York fell to 5 1/2 back in third place.

The series concludes at 8:00 pm EDT on Sunday, the game nationally-televised by ESPN.

National League

Matt Adams

Rookie first baseman, Matt Adams, struck a pair of homers and drove in four runs in support of Adam Wainwright's five-hit complete game pitching as the Cardinals tamed the Oakland A's, 7-1.

Adams belted a three-run shot in the sixth inning, upping St. Louis' lead from 3-0 to 6-0, then added a solo job in the eighth for the Cardinals' last run. Adams also scored the first St. louis run of the game when he scooted home of David Descalso's sac fly in the fifth.

Wainwright: 11-5

Oakland didn't score off Wainwright (11-5) until the eighth inning. Rebounding from two straight losses, Wainwright walked two and struck out eight for his fourth complete game of the season, tops in the National League. Wainwright also lowered his ERA to 2.22, tied for fourth in the league with Arizona's Patrick Corbin.

The win kept St. Louis a game behind the Central division-leading Pirates, 2-1 winners over Milwaukee on Saturday.

The Cards and A's will settle their differences in the rubber game of the three-game series, Sunday at 1:05 pm PDT in Oakland.

Today's Trivia: The longest winning streak by a major league pitcher is 24, spanning two seasons. Who accomplished this amazing feat? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: The record of 16 straight wins in a season by an AL pitcher is a four way tie between Smokey Joe Wood of Boston, and Walter Johnson of Washington AL, both in 1912, Lefty Grove of Philadelphia in 1931, and Schoolboy Rowe of the Tigers in 1934.

Chris Davis, Orioles Bash Tigers, 13-3; Hanley Ramirez Goes 6-for-8 as Dodgers Split Double-Dip vs. Yankees

Players of the Day for Wednesday, June 19, 2013

American League

Baltimore took two of three from the Tigers - in Detroit - with a 13-3 mashing of the AL champions Wednesday night with a 17-hit assault that left the Tigers a bit beaten and bruised, but still in first place in the Central division, 3 1/2 games up on the Cleveland Indians.

Chris Davis

The Orioles moved closer to the top of the AL East, now trailing Boston by 1 1/2 games, after the Red Sox dropped a 6-2 decision to visiting Tampa Bay. Tighter than ever, the five teams in the AL East are now separated by just 7 1/2 games, as the Blue Jays won their eighth straight and are only a game under .500, at 34-35.

Every starter in the Baltimore lineup had at least one hit in the Detroit rout, six players coming up with two or more. Chris Davis, quickly becoming regarded as one of the most-feared power hitters in the game, went 3-for-5, with a pair of homers - his MLB-leading 25th and 26th - and a double, driving in five runs to up his total to 66, just five behind Miguel Cabrera, who was 2-for-4 for Detroit, but didn't drive home any runs.

Baltimore gets a day off Thursday before heading to Toronto to see if they can cool down the Blue Jays in a three-game series which starts Friday at the Rogers Center. The Tigers remain home to host the Red Sox in a four game series, starting Thursday night at 7:08 pm EDT.

National League

Hanley Ramirez

The Dodgers and Yankees were rained out on Wednesday, resulting in a Thursday double-dip at Yankee Stadium, which apparently was just fine with Dodger shortstop Hanley Ramirez.

Although the teams split the two-game series, the Yankees winning the first game, 6-4, with the Dodgers coming back for a 6-0 triumph in the second game, Ramirez stole the slow by going 6-for-8 over the course of the double-header.

Ramirez, who started the year out on the DL, has played in just 15 games this season. He was 4-for-4 in the day game, belting his second home run to go with a double and two singles and two RBI. In the nightcap, he was 2-for-4 with another two RBI, as the Dodgers rode the arm of Chris Capuano, another Dodger just off the DL, who blanked the Yankees on three hits over six innings.

The Dodgers will surely benefit with some of their regulars now getting healthy, as they continue to languish in last place in the NL West, though they are only eight games back.

New York, another team missing various stars to injury, picked up 1/2 game on the Red Sox and remain in third place in the AL East, 3 1/2 games back. The win in the opener was just their second in their last eight games.

Today's Trivia: In what year did the American League adopt the Designated Hitter (DH) rule? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: In 1968, Bob Gibson, of the St. Louis Cardinals, recorded the ERA of 1.123, the lowest for a starting pitcher since 1914 and the fourth-lowest ever recorded. Nobody has come close since.

Dioner Navarro's Three Homers, Six RBI Lifts Cubs; Chris Davis Powers Orioles Past Washington

Players of the Day for Wednesday, May 29, 2013

American League

Ryan Zimmerman clubbed three home runs and drove in four, but the Nationals still dropped a 9-6 decision to the Orioles.

Davis' 19 HR leads MLB

That result was largely due to the 4-for-4 effort from Baltimore's Chris Davis, who hammered his 18th and 19th home runs of the season, stroked a pair of singles, drove in three runs, scored three times and led the Orioles to the comeback win.

Davis lifted a solo shot in the fourth inning after singling and scoring in the second, but by the seventh, the O's found themselves staring at a 6-3 deficit. Baltimore rallied for six runs in the bottom of the inning, capped by Davis' two-run homer, cementing his major league homer run lead (Miguel Cabrera is second with 15) while lifting his RBI total to an even 50, second in the AL behind Cabrera's 59. Davis is also second in the league with a .359 batting average, chasing - you guessed it - Miguel Cabrera, who leads the majors, at .368.

Baltimore's win compressed an already-tight AL East race. Boston and the Yankees both lost on Thursday, while Tampa Bay joined the Orioles in the win column. The Red Sox lead is one over the Yankees. Baltimore is 2 1/2 back with the Rays three out.

The interleague series between the Nationals and Orioles concludes Thursday at 7:05 pm EDT at Camden Yards.



National League

Navarro: 3HR, 6RBI

In Chicago, Dioner Navarro had an even better time of it, smashing three out of Wrigley Field, with six RBI, as the Cubs took their second in a row and third straight overall from the cross-town rival White Sox, 9-3, proving that all three-home-run games are not created equal.

Life just kept getting better for Navarro on his epic day. After socking a solo homer in the first, the Cubs' catcher hit a two-run job in the fourth, followed by a three-run blast in the seventh inning. Adding to his effort, Navarro walked and scored one of his four runs in the sixth.

Navarro's outburst doubled his home run production for the season and nearly doubled his RBI total. He has driven in 13 runs, but he's been to the plate just 53 times in 2013.

The Cubs' mini-winning streak has gotten out of last place, by two games over the Brewers, who have lost five in a row. However, the Cobs are still 13 1/2 games behind Central division leading St. Louis.

The home-and-home series finishes at Wrigley on Thursday, as the Cubs host the White Sox for a 2:20 pm EDT start.

Today's Trivia: Who holds the major league record for extra-base hits in a season?

Yesterday's Answer: The New York Mets won the NL pennant in 1973.

Chris Davis Does It Again, Grand Slam Leads Oriole Victory; Todd Frazier, Zack Cozart Lead 15-0 Reds' Rout of Nats

Players of the Day for Friday, April 5, 2013

American League

Davis leads majors
in BA, HR, RBI

Welcoming in the Minnesota Twins for a three-game series, the Baltimore Orioles weren't exactly the most hospitable hosts, hammering five Twins' pitchers for 14 hits and nine earned runs in a 9-5, home-opening victory.

Five of those runs were delivered off the bat of Chris Davis, who singled and was stranded in the fourth inning, drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and socked a grand slam home run in the bottom of the eighth, unknotting a 5-5 tie in a big way.

With the slam, Davis has homered in all four Baltimore games this season, tying him for the major league lead with Seattle's Michael Morse. His 2-for-5 night actually lowered his MLB-leading batting average from .636 to .600, and the five RBI gave him 16 on the season in just four games. The next-closest to him is Tampa Bay's Ben Zobrist, with seven.

The Orioles won their second straight to remain tied with Boston atop the AL East at 3-1.

NOTABLE: Detroit's Prince Fielder belted his first two home runs of the season in the Tigers' 8-3 win over the Yankees, driving in five with a three-run and a two-run shot.

National League

Todd Frazier

Fresh off a sweep of the Miami Marlins, the Washington Nationals hit the road for Cincinnati, but after being whipped 15-0 by the Reds, probably feel like they should have stayed home.

Zack Cozart

Cincinnati roughed up starter, Dan Haren, for nine hits and six earned runs over four innings, and didn't let up on the parade of three Washington relievers, amassing 19 hits.

The two main catalysts came out of the six and seven spots in the order. Todd Frazier and Zack Cozart each went yard twice; Frazier was 4-for-5 with a pair of singles, a solo shot and a two-run bomb, driving in four runs and scoring three times. Cozart went 2-for-5 with a solo belt and a three-run donk and drove in another run with a sac fly for five RBI in the game.

Washington mustered only two hits in six innings off Reds' starter Homer Bailey, and had just five over nine long innings.

The win was the Reds' third straight after losing on opening day. They are a game up on the Cubs in the NL Central. Washington dropped into a 3-1 tie with the Braves for the NL East lead.

Cliff Lee Blanks Braves for First Philly Win; Chris Davis Powers Orioles Past Rays

Players of the Day for Thursday, April 4, 2013

American League

Chris Davis

Baltimore's Chris Davis is off to one heck of a start, homering in each of Baltimore's three games this season, and batting a sharp .636 (7-for-11) with 11 RBI, leading the league in both categories. Seattle's Michael Morse has banged four homers to lead the majors. Six of Davis' seven hits have been for extra bases. (three doubles)

Davis launched his third of the season in the second inning off Tampa Bay starter Roberto Hernandez, staking the O's to a 2-0 lead. After the Rays tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth, Davis delivered again, stroking a double to the left-center gap, driving in two more. He finished up a very productive night at 2-for-3 with four RBI as the Orioles took two of three at Tampa Bay, winning by a 6-3 score.

That result left the Orioles tied with the Red Sox in the AL East, at 2-1, after Boston dropped a 4-2 decision in New York.

National League

Cliff Lee

After dropping their first two games of the season in Atlanta, the Phillies needed to get on track with a win, calling on one of their dependable aces, Cliff Lee, to get the job done.

Lee didn't disappoint, throwing eight full innings of shutout ball at the Braves in the windy, misty environment of Turner field, striking out eight to notch his first victory of the year and put a "W" on the the Phillies' ledger, in a 2-0 win.

Lee threw 78 of 106 pitches for strikes and did not walk a batter.

Jonathan Papelbon struck out two in the ninth to record the save, his first.

Even with the win, Philly finds itself already two games out in the NL East, as the Nationals completed a sweep of the Marlins with a 6-1 win. The Miami run was the only one allowed in three games at Washington. The Nats are 3-0.

Chris Davis 4-for-4 in Oriole Loss to Rays; Gio Gonzalez Homers for Nats, Blanks Marlins

Players of the Day for Wednesday, April 3, 2013

American League

Chris Davis did everything he could to deliver an Oriole victory, but, the Baltimore pitching staff could not contain Tampa Bay hitters, as the Rays won in the ninth inning, 8-7.

Davis: 4-4, HR 4RBI

Davis went 4-for-4, starting things off with a three-run, first-inning homer, then adding two doubles and a single, driving in four total and scoring twice. The O's exchanged lead with the Rays until tying the game at 7-7 in the ninth, before Matt Joyce led of the bottom of the inning with a game-winning, walk-off homer for the win.

The homer was Davis' second in as many games. His seventh-inning, three-run blast in Tuesday's opener for both teams propelled the Orioles to a 7-4 victory.

The O's and Rays meet again on Thursday in the rubber game of the the three game series. Game time is 3:10 pm EDT at Tropicana Field.

National League

Gio Gonzalez

Miami may have made wholesale changes to their roster during the off-season, but, against the Washington Nationals, they have proven impotent, being shut out for the second straight game as Gio Gonzalez stymied them over six scoreless innings and three relievers finished the job in a 3-0 shutout.

The Marlins were blanked by Stephen Strasburg and the relief staff on Monday; both teams took a day off Tuesday.

Gonzalez surrendered two hits and two walks without yielding a run, fanning five. He also belted a solo homer in the fifth inning to break a scoreless tie with Marlin starter Kevin Slowey.

The Nats are 2-0 and tied with Atlanta and the Mets atop the NL East. Miami, along with the Phillies, are 0-2.

Miami will again attempt to score off the Nats' pitching staff Thursday at 4:05 pm. Jordan Zimmermann goes to the mound for Washington.

Tigers Go a Game Up on White Sox; Chris Davis Leads 7-HR Baltimore Attack; Matt Kemp Keeps Dodgers' Hopes Alive

Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 26, 2012

American League

Baltimore continues to press on in pursuit of the Yankees, downing Toronto, 12-2, to remain 1 1/2 games behind in the AL East.

Davis: 2HR 5RBI

The Orioles banged out 12 hits, seven of which were of the home run variety. Manny Machado and Chris Davis each belted a pair, with Davis driving in five runs on a three-run fifth inning blast and a two-run job in the seventh.

Trailing Toronto, 2-1, entering the bottom of the fifth inning, the Orioles put up a five spot to break the game open and added two runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.

The win earned a split in the four game series, while the Yankees knocked off the Twins, 8-2, taking two of three.

With six games remaining, the Orioles host Boston for three games beginning Friday, then close out the season with three in Tampa with the Rays. New York begins a four game series in Toronto on Thursday and finishes up at home with three games against the Red Sox.

Detroit finally passed up the White Sox and took control of first place in the AL Central with a 5-4 victory over Kansas City while Chicago was losing to the Indians, 6-4.

In the West, Oakland took its second straight over the suddenly-struggling Rangers and have clawed to within three games of the lead. Right behind them, five back, are the Angels, winners of five straight.

Texas has one game remaining with the A's, on Thursday, then begins a critical stretch of three home games against the Angels before ending the season with a three-game series in Oakland. With seven games left, all against their two closest pursuers, there is a chance that the Rangers could miss the playoffs entirely after leading the division for nearly the full season.

Baltimore and Oakland currently hold the wild card spots, but the Angels would have to catch and pass the Rangers for such a situation to develop. It's getting very interesting as baseball heads down the home stretch.

National League

There were four shutouts in the national League on Wednesday, though none of them resulted in complete games. San Francisco, Atlanta, Houston and the Mets each were winners, blanking their opponents, though the only significant games were Atlanta's 3-0 win over Miami and Houston's 2-0 victory over the Cardinals.

Kemp: 4-5 HR 4RBI

Atlanta's win kept them four games behind the Nationals in the NL East, while the Cardinals' loss kept hopes alive for Milwaukee and the Dodgers, chasing St. Louis for the final wild card spot.

Both Los Angeles and the Brewers have slim hopes of reaching the post-season, still 4 1/2 behind the Cardinals. LA got a huge effort from Matt Kemp, who went 4-for-5 with four RBI and two runs, stroking his 20th home run of the season, doubling and singling twice in LA's 8-2 win over San Diego.

The Dodgers evened their series with the Padres at a game apiece and will play the rubber game Thursday night in San Diego. St. Louis needs any combination of four wins or four losses by either the Brewers or Dodgers to clinch the final playoff spot.

Andre Either Goes 4-for-4 in Dodger Win; Chris Davis Belts 3 HR for Orioles; Texas' Adrian Beltre Hits for Cycle

Players of the Day for Friday, August 24, 2012

American League

Beltre Hits for Cycle

Hitting for the cycle is a rarity. Not quite so unusual is belting three home runs in one game, but Adrian Beltre managed to cram both of those feats into a span of just three days, and, on the night Beltre hit for the cycle, the Orioles' Chris Davis homered in three consecutive at-bats.

Davis: 3 HR

After hitting three homers on Wednesday, Beltre continued his hot streak Friday with a 4-for-4 effort which included a first inning triple, a second inning double, a fifth inning home run and a single, to complete the cycle, in the eighth. Texas pounded Minnesota, 8-0, Beltre's cycle overshadowing a fine pitching performance by 15-4 Matt Harrison, who allowed just two hits over eight innings, fanning five and walking two.

Riding a five-game hitting streak, Beltre has 13 hits in his last 22 at-bats, a .591 clip. The Rangers maintained a six game lead over the A's in the West with the victory.

In Baltimore, the Orioles downed Toronto, 6-4, behind Davis' three homers - solo shots in the second and fourth innings, and a two-run knock that put the O's ahead, 5-1. Davis was 3-for-4 with four RBI and the Orioles remained tied with Oakland for the second wild card spot, 1 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay.


National League

Ethier: 4-for-4

With rumors of a blockbuster trade between the Dodgers and Red Sox circulating, Andre Ethier went about his business as a professional, going 4-for-4 with a three-run, first inning homer followed by three straight singles, driving in four runs and scoring three times in LA's 11-4 victory over visiting Miami.

The win allowed the Dodgers to keep pace in the NL West, three games behind the Giants, winners of five straight.

The proposed deal between LA and Boston centered on first baseman Adrian Gonzalez heading to the Dodgers. The players have been known for days, but the trade has to be approved by Major League Baseball before it is finalized. Sources say that approval should come Saturday.

According to the LA Times:

The Red Sox would also send pitcher Josh Beckett, outfielder Carl Crawford and infielder Nick Punto in the deal, while L.A. would give up James Loney, pitchers Rubby De La Rosa and Allen Webster as well as minor leaguers Jerry Sands and Ivan De Jesus Jr.

Chris Davis, Nick Markakis Lead 11-5 Rout of Yankees; A.J. Burnett Tosses 1-Hitter for Pirates; Neil Walker Drives in Five

Players of the Day for Tuesday, July 31, 2012

American League

Chris Davis

After the Yankees scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning, the Baltimore Orioles were a dejected bunch. After all, Yankee starter, Ivan Nova, had set down the first three O's in order and the New York batters had given him a comfortable, working lead.

All of that changed as the Orioles sent 10 men to the plate in the top of the second and put up 7-spot on Nova, highlighted by a grand slam off the bat of DH Chris Davis that turned a 5-3 deficit into a 7-5 Baltimore lead.

Nick Markakis

Davis' 18th home run of the season was a high bomb to left center that bounced off the top of the wall and into the Yankee bullpen. It was the only hit by Davis on the night, but certainly a big one.

Nick Markakis went 3-for-5, scored twice and drove in the final two Baltimore runs with his 11th homer, an 8th-inning shot that all but sealed the win for the O's, sending the Yankees to their fourth straight loss as the Orioles prevailed, 11-5.

Baltimore has taken the first two games of the series and will be looking to sweep Wednesday afternoon (1:05 pm EDT) at Yankee Stadium. The Orioles are in second place, 5 1/2 games back. Baltimore has won three straight and are 10-9 since the all star break. The Yankees are just 8-10 since the break.


National League

Burnett: 1-hitter

Neil Walker hit a first inning grand slam and A.J. Burnett took a no-hitter all the way to two outs in the eighth inning as the Pirates beat the Cubs, 5-0, keeping pace with the streaking Reds - 15-3 since the all star break - in the NL Central.

Walker: GS, 5RBI

Burnett didn't give up a base hit until pinch hitter Adrian Cardenas singled with a man aboard in the eighth. As he improved to 13-3, Burnett allowed just two walks and a hit batsman before surrendering the lone hit for the Cubs. He struck out David DeJesus to end the eighth and retired the three batters in order in the ninth for his first complete game of the season and first shutout since 2006, when he was a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Throwing 73 of 108 pitches for strikes, Burnett fanned eight, upping his strikeout total for the season to 102 while lowering his ERA to 3.27.

Walker drove in all of Pittsburgh's runs, adding a sac fly in the seventh. He has 55 RBI on the year.

The win left the Pirates three games back of the Reds in the division. They conclude their series in Chicago with the rubber game Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley field.

After a day off Thursday, the Pirates head to Cincinnati for what promises to be a hotly-contested, three-game weekend series with the Reds.

Starling Marte Homers for Pirates on First Major League Pitch; Chris Davis Leads Orioles Past Rays

Players of the Day for Thursday, July 26, 2012

American League

The chase continues in the AL East, with everyone looking up at the Yankees and their 7 1/2 game lead over the Orioles, who helped themselves out a bit with a 6-2 win over the Rays that avoided the series sweep and kept them alone in second place.

Chris Davis

Chris Davis carried the big bat for the O's in their win, as he socked a bases-loaded double in the fifth inning, breaking open what was a scoreless tie until Adam Jones knocked in a pair earlier in the inning.

Davis' two-bagger upped the lead to 5-0 and he added a solo homer in the seventh - his 16th of the year - as insurance.

With the Yanks cruising along with the biggest lead in the majors, teams like Baltimore and Tampa Bay may be eyeing the wild card race a bit more intently, but that race is very jumbled at present, with seven teams all within four games of each other, the current leader being the LA Angels.

In coming weeks, the situation may change, with one or two teams breaking away, or, the race could just remain tight until the final weeks of the season.


National League

If the Pittsburgh Pirates are going to stay in the NL Central race or vie for a wild card spot - they currently lead the Braves by two games in that department - it's widely accepted that they need a little help on the offensive side.

Starling Marte

That help may have arrived with the addition of Starling Marte, who took the first pitch he saw as a major leaguer deep into the stands beyond left-center field.

Batting in the leadoff spot, Marte gave the Pirates a quick 1-0 lead that promptly grew to 3-0 after Andrew McCutchen singled and Garrett Jones brought him around with his 15th long ball of the season.

Pittsburgh won the game, 5-3, with A.J. Burnett (12-3) picking up the win. Marte singled later in the game to go 2-for-4 in his major league debut.

The win - the first in a four-game series - put the Pirates two games behind the idle Reds in the Central. Houston, mired in one of their typically disappointing seasons, has dropped 23 of their last 25 games, their current losing streak now standing at 10.

Lucas Duda, David Wright Even Series with Rockies; Chris Davis Leads O's into AL East First Place

Players of the Day for Saturday, April 28, 2012

American League

Manager Buck Schowalter has his young Orioles just about where he wants them: tied for first place in the AL East with Tampa Bay. While the Rays were losing to Texas, 7-2, on Saturday, the O's were taking batting practice against the A's, banging out 14 hits in a 10-1 win at Camden Yards.

Chris Davis

The Orioles struck early, scoring five times in the second inning, adding a single run in the third, three in the fifth and another run in the seventh on Chris Davis' fourth home run of the season.

Davis had already inflicted some pain on the A's staff, driving in a run in the second and two more in the fifth with a pair of singles. His homer capped a 3-for-4 outing with four RBI and two touches of home plate.

Coming to the Orioles by way of the Rangers, Davis is getting regular playing time at first base, David is making the most of it, batting .313 with four homers and 11 RBI.

The O's and A's wrap up their three-game set with the rubber game Sunday afternoon in Baltimore.


National League

After being pounded, 18-9, by the Rockies on Friday, the Mets got their share of revenge, evening the series at a game apiece with a 7-5 win in Colorado.

David Wright

Lucas Duda

With the two through five hitters going a combined 11-for-18, the Mets knocked out 13 hits. Lucas Duda snapped a 4-4 tie in the fifth inning with a two-run single after David Wright had knotted the score with an RBI single. Wright and Duda accounted for six of the Mets' seven RBI.

Wright went 3-for-4, with a double and two singles, drove in three runs and scored twice, raising his team best batting average to a robust .385. Duda socked his fourth homer of the year in the second inning - a two-run shot that got the Mets on the board. He went 2-for-4 with four RBI.

The Mets and Rockies will complete their three-game series Sunday afternoon at Coors Field.