Victor Caratini's 2 HRs Lift Cubs Over Mets; Mike Clevinger 10-2 After 2-0 Win at Detroit

Players of the Day for Thursday, August 29, 2019

American League

Clevinger: 8 scoreless

If good starting pitching is essential down the stretch and into the playoffs, then the Cleveland Indians appear to be in great shape. The Indians' staff is so deep they had the luxury of letting Trevor Bauer go to Cincinnati at the trade deadline.

One reason for such confidence is hard-throwing right-hander, Mike Clevinger, who busted the Tigers Thursday with eight scoreless innings in a 2-0 Cleveland win.

Francisco Lindor accounted for all of Cleveland's runs with a third inning solo homer and a seventh-inning sacrifice fly while Clevinger shut down the Tigers on four hits, striking out 10 with no walks.

Brad Hand worked a hitless ninth for his 33rd save of the season, second best in the AL. Yankee Aroldis Chapman leads the league with 36 saves.

Clevinger improved to 10-2 on the year, with a stellar 2.72 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 86 innings. Due to various aliments, Clevinger had only four starts through June, and a 1-2 record. Since then, he's 9-0 in 11 starts.

The win left the Indians 3 1/2 back of Minnesota in the Central division, but 1 1/2 ahead of Oakland and 2 1/2 up on Tampa Bay in the wild card race. Winners of five of their last six the Indians swept Detroit and head to Tampa Bay Friday for a three-game series with the Rays.

National League

Caratini's 2HRs sink Mets

What you don't know can hurt you.

Just ask Jacob deGrom, who knows most - if not all - of the Cubs' hitters tendencies pretty well. What they like, what they don't, what to throw in certain counts are all part of DeGrom's masterful repertoire.

What he didn't know was how exactly to pitch to Cubs' catcher, Victor Caratini. Though, on the other hand, maybe Caratini figured out how to hit off deGrom.

The two last met on June 23rd, a 5-3 Chicago win, and the result was pretty much a draw. deGrom stuck out Caratini in his first at-bat, but surrendered a single the second time around. So much for a short learning curve.

In Thursday's 4-1 Chicago victory, it was Caratini who had the upper hand, driving in all of the Cubs' runs with a pair of home runs off the Mets' starter.

Caratini launched a solo shot in the second inning, tying the game at 1-1. In the top of the seventh, after Chicago starter, Jon Lester, had held the Mets to one run over six frames, Caratini removed all doubt with a three-run blast. That sent deGrom to the showers and the Mets to their sixth straight loss and a three-game sweep by the visiting Cubs. Three Chicago relievers held the Mets hitless over the final three innings. Caratini was 7-for-12 (.583) in the Cubs' three wins over the Mets.

The result sent the Mets to the back of the wild card pack, five games behind Chicago, as the Cubs have wrested control of the second wild card position and find themselves a mere 1 1/2 games behind St. Louis in the Central division race.

On Friday, the Mets head off on a dangerous road trip, with three games each in Philadelphia and Washington. Both teams are ahead of them in the division and wild card. The Cubs return home for a three-game series with central division rival, Milwaukee.

Cleveland Rips Yankees, 19-5, as Jose Ramirez, Greg Allen Star; Mets Pound Braves Behind Amed Rosario, Pete Alonso

Players of the Day for Thursday, August 15, 2019

American League

Greg Allen

Jose Ramirez uncorked a first-inning grand slam, added a two run blast in the second, and Greg Allen went 4-for-5, scored four times and drove in four as the Indians pummeled the Yankees, 19-5, in New York.

Jose Ramirez

The two Ramirez homers gave him 19 on the year, 11 of which he's hit in his last 30 games. Allen singled twice, doubled and socked his fourth home run of the season.

The game was the opener of a four-game series at Yankee Stadium. Cleveland's visit to the Big Apple also include a trio of game against the Mets, next Tuesday through Thursday.

Putting the game away in the opening frame, the Indians scored seven runs in the first inning and added more as the hit parade carried forward. Cleveland eventually rocked five Yankee pitchers for 24 hits.

Cleveland remained 1/2-game behind Minnesota in the Central division, as the Twins punched out a win at Texas, 13-6. The Yankees dropped a half game on second place Tampa Bay, idle on Thursday.

Game two is Friday, 7:05 pm ET.

National League

Amed Rosario

Staying alive in the wild card race - and on the fringes in the division - the NY Mets managed to avoid being swept by the East-leading Braves, knocking around Atlanta ace, Julio Teheran for six runs in the first two innings en route to a 10-8 road win.

Pete Alonso

The Mets banged out 23 hits, five each by Amed Rosario and rookie phenom Pete Alonso.

Batting in the leadoff spot, Rosario went 5-for-6, with three singles, a double and a triple, scoring four times, driving in one. Alonso was an unstoppable 5-for-5, with four singles, a first-inning, three-run homer, and six RBI.

Alonso's home run was his 39th, which tied him with Milwaukee's Chistian Yelich, one behind NL leader, Cody Bellinger, who smoked #40 in the Dodgers' 13-7 loss at Miami. Alonso is also in the league's top ten in RBI, with 91. Rosario has been recently getting it done as the Met spark plug. In his last 30 games, Rosario is batting .366 (45-for-123) with three homers and 21 runs.

The Mets are in fourth place, nine games behind the Braves in the AL East, but are just two games out of the second wild card spot, currently claimed by the Cubs. Washington holds the top wild card, 1 1/2 ahead of Chicago.

The Mets will complete a six-game road trip with three in Kansas City over the weekend. Friday's game is 8:15 pm ET.

Grand Slam Heroes: Carlos Santana Drives Indians Past Twins; Lane Thomas Delivers for Cardinals

Players of the Day for Sunday, August 11, 2019

American League

Santana: Slam in 10th

Posting a 21-9 mark since the all star break, the Cleveland Indians tied the Minnesota Twins for first place in the AL Central with a 10-inning, 7-3 win in the conclusion of their series in Minneapolis.

Thanks to a Carlos Santana grand slam in the top of the 10th, the Indians took three of four from the Twins. Minnesota has been the division's top team since late April, but their advantage has steadily dwindled in the second half.

Santana's game-winning slam was his 25th home run of the year. Earlier, he had walked and scored in the first inning and singled in another run in the third.

The Indians head home to start a three-game series with Boston on Monday, while the Twins have Monday off, traveling to Milwaukee for two games with the Brewers, Tuesday and Wednesday.

National League

Thomas' Slam Lifts Cards

Getting some much needed help from rookie call-up, Lane Thomas, St. Louis completed a sweep of the Pirates, rallying to take their third straight with an 11-9 win Sunday at Busch Stadium.

Lane Thomas, who has spent most of the season at AAA Memphis, socked a bases-loaded homer in the seventh, giving the Cardinals a 9-8 lead. Dexter Fowler added a two-run shot in the eighth, padding the Cardinals' lead.

Earlier, Thomas had tripled in the fourth, plating Paul DeJong. His five RBI gave him 10 total, in just 22 major league at-bats. The rookie center fielder is batting .364.

The win boosted the Cardinals into second place in the Central division, as Milwaukee dropped a 1-0 decision to Texas. St. Louis is two games behind the Cubs in the division, with Milwaukee another 1/2-game back.

The Cardinals start a six-game road trip on Tuesday, playing two at Kansas City, prior to a four game set in Cincinnati.

Shane Bieber Goes Distance As Indians Keep Pace; Dodgers Rally Past Padres On Max Muncy's 4-for-5 Effort

Players of the Day for Sunday, August 4, 2019

American League

Bieber: Complete game W

The best race in the AL is clearly in the Central division, where the Minnesota Twins are clinging to a three-game lead over the streaking Cleveland Indians.

Over the weekend, the two front-runners each swept their series on home turf. The Twins took three from Kansas City while the Indians were busy taking down the visiting Angles, winning by scores of 7-3, 7-2, and Sunday, 6-2.

It's obvious that the Indians are getting timely hitting and quality pitching. Sunday's conquest was engineered from the mound by Shane Bieber, who went the distance, allowing two runs on five hits, with no walks and eight strikeouts.

Bieber improved to 11-4, and has been one of the top throwers in the league since before the all-star break. In his last seven starts, the 24-year-old righty is 5-1 with a 2.38 ERA, allowing 34 hits and 14 earned runs in 53 innings. During that span he's averaging more than seven innings per start and is a big reason the Indians are well paving a way to the post-season, whether they catch the Twins or not.

Cleveland leads the wild card race by two games over Tampa Bay and three over the Oakland A's.

Next up for the Indians are three games with the Rangers, starting Monday, after which they head to Minnesota for a crucial four-game series with the Twins, beginning Thursday.

National League

Muncy: 4-5, HR, 3R, 3RBI

Why are the Dodgers running away with the NL West?

Cody Bellinger? Clayton Kershaw?

How about Max Muncy?

Muncy's 4-for-5 effort in Sunday's comeback 11-10 win over the Padres was further evidence that he has been the unsung hero of 2019 for Los Angeles.

Not only did Muncy sock his 27th home run of the season with a second inning solo shot that got the Dodgers on the board, but he added a pair of doubles and a single, scored three times, drove in three runs, the last two in the bottom of the ninth, when he doubled home the game-tying and winning runs.

The Dodgers rallied from deficits of 6-3 and 10-7 to take the third of their four-game home series against San Diego, sending the Padres reeling into last place in the division, 21 1/2 games off the pace.

The scrappy 28-year-old infielder is on track to better his outstanding 2018 campaign in which he batted .263 with 35 home runs and 79 RBI. This season, he's batting .265 with 27 long balls and 74 ribbies and the Dodgers are looking to clinch the division by mid-September, if not sooner.

LA is clearly the class of the National League. Their 74-40 record is the best in the majors and far ahead of the pack in the NL. Atlanta has the second-best mark, at 66-47.

With San Diego put away, the Dodgers host St. Louis for three games beginning Monday at 7:10 pm PT.

Josh Donaldson Saves Braves With 10th-Inning Homer; Cleveland Downs Houston, 10-4, on Roberto Perez HRs

Players of the Day for Wednesday, July 31, 2019

American League

Perez: 2 HR, 4 RBI

After dropping the series opener, 2-0, to Justin Verlander, Cleveland roughed up AL West leader, Houston, with a 10-4 win on Thursday.

Catcher Roberto Perez socked a pair of home runs to lead the Indians. He touched off a three-run bomb in the second inning to get Cleveland on the board and followed up with a solo shot in the sixth.

Carlos Santana and Jason Kipnis each added three-run homers as Cleveland pulled away for their 13th win in their last 17 games.

Perez is having a breakout year with the Tribe, batting .242 with 18 home runs and 44 RBI.

With Minnesota winning, the Indians remained three games behind the Twins in the AL Central. Houston continues to lead Oakland by eight games in the West. The A's lost, 4-2 to Milwaukee.

Tied at a game apiece, Cleveland hosts the series finale Thursday, 7:10 pm ET.

NOTES: Houston may have lost a game, but they won in free agency. With the trade deadline hours away, the Astros picked up starting pitcher, Zack Greinke from Arizona. In the most stunning trade of the mid-season, the Astros got Greinke for four minor league players. Houston also grabbed starter Aaron Sanchez and reliever Joe Biagini from Toronto and snagged catcher, Martin Maldonado, from the Cubs.

The 2009 AL Cy Young award winner, Greinke was 10-4, with a 2.90 ERA in 23 starts with Arizona this season.

Donaldson's HR wins game

National League

Josh Donaldson belted a 10th-inning solo home run to dead center, boosting the Atlanta Braves to a 5-4 win at Washington, taking two of three from the Nationals.

Poor relief pitching was once again at issue for Atlanta Wednesday afternoon, as the Braves' bullpen blew a 4-1 lead, allowing Washington to tie things up at 4-4 with a run in the eighth and two in the ninth.

Atlanta was bailed out by a bases-loaded double play with none out in the bottom of the ninth that scored the game-tying run, but also set up reliever Sean Newcomb to strike out Brian Dozier, ending the threat.

Donaldson was 0-for-4 prior to his heroic smash. Josh Tomlin worked into and out of trouble in the bottom of the 10th, allowing a one out single and walk before retiring the final two batters.

Donaldson, acquired from Cleveland in the off-season, has been a steady performer for the Braves, batting .259 with 25 home runs and 66 RBI in 62 games.

The result left Atlanta with a 6 1/2 game lead over the Nationals and a seven game bulge on the Phillies in the NL East.

The Braves return home Thursday to open a four-game series with the Reds. Game one is slated for a 7:20 pm ET start.

Dodger Rookie Will Smith Rips Nats With 6 RBI; Indians Top Royals, 9-1, on Jason Kipnis Grand Slam

Players of the Day for Saturday, July 27, 2017

American League

Kipnis: Grand Slam

Oscar Mercado went 4-for-5, Jose Ramirez socked his 100th career home run, Jason Kipnis whacked a first-inning grand slam and Mike Clevinger (5-2) scattered eight hits over seven innings as the Indians routed the Royals, 9-1, in Kansas City Saturday.

The Kipnis slam off Royals' starter, Glenn Sparkman, ignited Cleveland's offense. Following the four runs in the first and one in the second, Ramirez sent Sparkman to the showers in the fifth with a three-run blast.

Cleveland's steady second baseman, Kipnis is batting .248 with eight home runs and 42 RBI in 83 game.

Coupled with Minnesota's 5-1 loss to the White Sox in Chicago, the Indians closed to within one game of the Twins, who hold a tenuous lead in the AL Central.

The Indians have been red hot since the all-star break. They dropped a pair of home games to Minnesota on July 12 and 13, but have gone 12-2 since, currently riding a four-game winning streak.

Cleveland will be looking to sweep the Royals in game four of their series, Sunday, at 2:15 pm ET. An Indians win and a Minnesota loss would produce a tie atop the Central division.

National League

Smith: 6 RBI Rookie

With a double-digit lead in the NL West, the Dodgers appear to be on cruise control for their seventh straight divisional title. LA has taken the conference crown every year since 2013. The last time the Dodgers missed the playoffs was 2012, when they finished with a record of 86-76, eight games behind the Giants.

So, what exactly do the Dodgers need, given the best record in the majors (69-37) their 15 1/2-game bulge over Arizona and San Francisco?

Another slugger might fill the bill, particularly a raw rookie like Will Smith, who drove in six runs in Saturday's 9-3 beatdown of the Washington Nationals with a home run, single, double and a sac fly.

Smith, who was called up from Oklahoma City for brief stints in May and June, has only 29 at-bats with the Dodgers, but, he's made the most of them, batting .345 with four homers and 12 RBI.

Those impressive numbers should not come as a surprise. The 24-year-old has been tearing up the Pacific Coast League this season, with 20 home runs and 54 RBI in 61 games.

In the win at Washington, Smith socked a solo shot in the third, drove in another run with a sac fly in the fourth, doubled in another run in the sixth, and put the game out of reach with a three-run double in the seventh.

A catcher by trade, Smith may be seeing more playing time as the Dodgers adjust their roster for the post-season.

Sunday will conclude the three-game series in the nation's capitol, with LA sending out Walker Buehler (9-1, 3.23) against Stephen Strasburg (13-4, 3.37) at 1:35 pm ET. The Dodgers are seeking the sweep.

NOTES: Paul Goldschmidt tied the franchise record by homering in his sixth straight game, though it was not nearly enough, as St. Louis fell to Houston, 8-2. He shares the mark with Mark McGuire and Matt Carpenter.

Cleveland's Shane Bieber Tosses One-Hitter at Jays; Paul DeJong Belts 3 HRs as Cardinals Top Pirates

Players of the Day for Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Bieber throws 1-hitter

American League

Shane Bieber took a no=hitter into the seventh inning and finished with a one-hit, complete game shutout in Cleveland's 4-0 win at Toronto.

Bieber gave up a ground rule double to Eric Sogard to open Toronto's seventh, but, other than plunking Lourdes Guriel Jr., set down the final batters without incident or hits, striking out four of the final eight Blue Jay batters.

Bieber issued just one walk, to Vlad Guerrero Jr., in the second inning. Guerrero was erased on a double play, after which Bieber set down the next 12 batters in order prior to Sogard spoiling the no-hit bid.

Throwing 68 of 102 pitches for strikes, Bieber fanned 10 and improved his record to 10-3 with a 3.44 ERA in 21 starts.

Cleveland's win, combined with Minnesota's 10-7 loss to the Yankees, boosted the Indians to within two games of the AL Central leader.

Winners of nine of their last 11, the Indians head to Kansas City on Thursday for a four-game series. First pitch for game one is slated for 8:10 pm ET.

DeJong socks 3 homers

National League

All of a sudden, the St. Louis Cardinals are contending for first place in the NL Central.

The Cardinals won their fourth straight and seventh in their last eight games with a 14-9 victory at Pittsburgh that included a nine-run second inning and three homers by shortstop, Paul DeJong.

Down 2-0 as they opened the second, DeJong knotted the score with a two-run homer and sparked a huge rally. Later in the frame, he doubled and scored as the Cardinals sent 13 batters to the plate.

DeJong socked another two-run homer in the fourth and homered again to lead off the eighth inning. He finished 4-for-4 with five RBI and four runs.

The win kept the Cardinals 1/2-game behind the Cubs in the division. Chicago was a 4-1 winner at San Francisco Wednesday. Milwaukee is also in the division mix, just two games out of first place.

St. Louis will be seeking a four-game sweep of the Pirates when they meet on field Thursday, at 12:35 pm ET.

Oscar Mercado 5-for-5 as Indians Win 6th Straight; Paul DeJong Rallies Cardinals Past Reds, 12-11

Players of the Day for Friday, July 19, 2019

Mercado: 5-for-5

American League

With a 10-5 win over visiting Kansas City, the Cleveland Indians gained another game on Central division-leading Minnesota, as the Twins dropped a 5-3 decision to Oakland Friday night.

Their sixth straight win left the Indians a mere three games off the pace, keyed by rookie center fielder, Oscar Mercado's 5-for-5 effort.

Mercado stroked four singles and a double, scored twice and drove in a pair of runs. In 51 games, the fleet 24-year-old, who hails from Tampa, Florida, is batting a brisk .299 with seven homers, 25 RBI, 35 runs and eight stolen bases. Over his last seven games, Mercado has blazed a .455 average with three homers and eight RBI.

Batting second in the order, behind perennial all-star, Francisco Lindor, Mercado has added speed, power, defense and consistency to the Indian offense.

The win came in the opener of a three-game series with the Royals. Game two is Saturday, 7:10 pm ET.

DeJong: 2-4, HR, 4 RBI

National League

No matter if the score is 1-0 or 19-6, a win is a win in baseball and that's all the St. Louis Cardinals needed Friday night to stay relevant in the wild card and Central division races.

Chalking up a 12-11 win over the Reds in the second of a four-game set at Cincinnati, the Cardinals erased an early 7-0 deficit with 10 runs in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh. A sore spot all season, the Cardinal bullpen nearly gave it all back, allowing the Reds two runs in each of the eighth and ninth innings.

In the middle of the fray was St. Louis shortstop, Paul DeJong, who doubled, drove in two, and scored in the sixth, then stroked a two-run homer (his 15th) in the seventh.

DeJong has been steady this season, batting .254 with 15 homers and 44 RBI. St. Louis is 6-2 since the all-star break, keeping them close in the Central division. Their win moved them past Milwaukee (a 10-7 loser at Arizona), into second place, 2 1/2 back of the Cubs. They are tied with the Phillies for the second wild card spot, a game behind the Nationals.

Game three of the series starts at 7:10 pm ET, Saturday in Cincinnati.

Corey Kluber Notches 20th Win As Indians Down White Sox; Jon Gray Hurls Rockies To Victory

Players of the Day for Monday, September 24, 2018

Kluber: 20-7, 2.83 ERA

American League

Corey Kluber became the second 20-game winner in the majors, hurling seven scoreless innings at the Chicago White Sox in a 4-0 Cleveland road win. Tampa Bay's Blake Snell leads all starters with 21 wins.

Just in time for the post-season, Kluber displayed his winning form, allowing four hits while fanning 11 and walking one.

Cleveland's win didn't change anything concerning the playoffs, as they are locked in with the lowest win percentage of any division winner. Thus, they will likely face the #2 seed in the playoffs, at this juncture, looking like Houston.

The Astros won, 5-3, at Toronto, maintaining their 4 1/2 game lead over the A's in the West division. Oakland topped Seattle, 7-3, while the Yankees beat Tampa Bay, 4-1, so there was no change in any of the standings. The Yankees continue to lead Oakland by 1 1/2 in the wild card race. Houston needs just two more wins or Oakland losses to wrap up the division.

National League

Gray: Seven solid

While Colorado hitters were piling on the runs - five in the third inning and three more in the fourth - Jon Gray was keeping the Phillies off the basepaths and off the scoreboard.

Gray turned in one of his best performances of the season, allowing one run on four hits over seven complete innings. Improving to 12-8, Gray struck out seven, walked three, and was done after throwing 105 pitches. His work and the Rockies' onslaught at the plate produced a 10-1 victory in the first of three against the visiting Phillies.

In his fourth year in the majors - all with the Rockies - Gray has compiled a record of 32-24 and may be looking forward to some post-season play as the Rockies picked up a game on St. Louis in the wild card chase. They now trail St. Louis by 1/2-game for the second spot as the Cards dropped a 6-4 decision to the Brewers.

Colorado also trails the Dodgers by 1 1/2 in the West division. Los Angeles has five games left, matching their magic number, while the Rockies have six games remaining on the schedule.

The Rockies play game two of their series with the Phillies at 8:40 pm on Tuesday. Colorado has won four straight; the Phillies are losers of five in a row.

Yasiel Puig's 3 HR Put Dodgers Back In First Place; Yonder Alonso, Jose Ramirez Power Indians To Clinch AL Central

Players of the Day for Saturday, September 15, 2018

Jose Ramirez

American League

The Cleveland Indians clinched the AL Central division outright, doing it in style with a 15-0 blowout of the visiting Detroit Tigers.

Jose Ramirez and Yonder Alonso each had three hits, three scores and two RBI in the rout.

Yonder Alonso

Ramirez, singled, doubled and tripled in four at-bats. Alonso got to the place officially six times, delivering a pair of singles and his 23rd home run of the year.

Mike Clevinger was outstanding on the Cleveland mound, allowing one hit over six innings.

Cleveland is the first team in the majors to clinch a division title and they did it with 14 games left in the regular season.

The Tigers and Indians tangle again in Cleveland, Sunday, 1:10 pm EDT.

National League

Puig: 3 HR, 7 RBI

There was some outstanding work at the plate by the Dodgers in LA's 17-4 hammering of the Cardinals in St. Louis Saturday.

Max Muncy drove in four runs, Cody Bellinger had three hits, one of them a home run, and drove in six, but Yasiel Puig did them all better, smashing three homers and driving in seven runs.

Puig, who was sidelined to open the season and again in mid-July with minor injuries, began his assault on the St. Louis bleachers with a bases empty, 423 bomb to center in the fourth inning, then cracked a three-run homer to left in the fifth, followed by another three-run blast in the eighth.

Puig hit two dingers in the Dodgers' win over St. Louis Monday and is hitting a cool .407 for the month of September. He has 21 homers and 58 RBI on the season.

The third straight win at St. Louis pushed the Dodgers into first place in the NL West, as Colorado dropped its second straight at San Francisco, 3-0. The result also put the Rockies back into the wild card race, now 1/2-game to the good over St. Louis for the second spot.

LA will be looking for a four-game sweep of the Cardinals when the teams hit the field on Sunday, 8:00 pm as the featured game on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.

Francisco Lindor 4-for-5 As Indians Whip Blue Jays; Nick Markakis Helps Atlanta Overcome Arizona

Players of the Day for Thursday, September 6, 2018

American League

Lindor: 4-5, 2HR, 4RBI

The only game in the American League was Cleveland's 9-4 win at Toronto.

Francisco Lindor set the tone early, leading off the game with his 32nd home run of the season. In the third, he stroked another solo shot for a 2-0 Cleveland lead. The Blue Jays eventually took the lead, 4-3, but Lindor's two-run single in the fifth had the Indians back on top.

In the ninth, Lindor singled again - his fourth hit of the game - and scored on Jason Kipnis' three-run homer.

Lindor, 24, is already in his fourth full season in the majors and is about to set new career marks. In 2017 he batted .273 with 33 homers and 89 RBI. This year he's at .289 with 33 HRs and 84 RBI. In 2016 and again in 2017, Lindor scored 99 runs. He already has crossed home plate 117 times this season, tops in the majors.

The Indians extended their major-league-best lead in the AL Central to 16 1/2 games over the Twins. Their magic number to clinch the division is 8.

Game two of the four-game series in Toronto is scheduled for Friday at 7:00 pm EDT.

National League

Markakis: 4-5, 2 RBI

There were only three games played in the National League Thursday. The Cubs outlasted the Nationals, 6-4, in 10 innings, the Padres downed the Reds, 6-2, and the Braves blew a 4-0 lead only to come back for the win in 10 innings, defeating the Diamondbacks, 7-6, on a wild pitch by Yoshihisa Hirano.

Dansby Swanson scampered home with the winning run in the top of the 10th. Reliever Brad Brach worked a hitless bottom of the frame, earning his first save for Atlanta.

Nick Markakis earns the star for Player of the Day, going 4-for-5 with two RBI, boosting his batting average to .309. He is tied for fourth in batting in the NL with Milwaukee's Lorenzo Cain.

Atlanta's win snapped a three-game skid, keeping them in first place in the NL East by 3 1/2 over the Phillies.

The Braves and Diamondbacks resume the four-game series with game two in Phoenix, Friday, 9:40 pm EDT.

Cardinals Rip Nationals On Yadier Molina's Grand Slam; Yandy Diaz Leads Indians Over Royals

Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 4, 2018

American League

Diaz: 3B, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R

Yandy Diaz singled, tripled and homered in four at-bats, driving in a pair of runs and scoring three times as the Indians broke Kansas City's five-game winning streak with a 9-3 no-doubter.

The Indians also ended a three-game skid of their own, though with a the largest lead in the majors at 15 games in the AL Central division, nobody was particularly concerned.

Diaz, who didn't get an official at-bat this season until July 22, is batting .333 with one homer and 11 RBI in 21 games.

Mike Clevenger struck out 10 while holding the Royals to one run on three hits over six innings. Clevenger improved to 11-7.

The Indians and Royals close out the series in Cleveland Wednesday, 1:10 pm EDT. Cleveland's magic number to clinch the division is 10.

National League

Molina: Grand Slam

After dropping a 4-3 decision in 10 innings on Labor Day, the St. Louis Cardinals let their bats do the talking to the Nationals in game two of their three-game series in Washington, DC.

Cardinal batters stroked five homers in the 11-8 slugfest, three of them coming in the sixth inning, when Marcel Ozuna and Paul DeJong smacked back-to-back solo shots, followed by Patrick Wisdom's 426-foot moon shot. Ozuna also belted a solo dinger in the first inning.

In the ninth, Yadier Molina closed out the Cardinals' scoring, unloading a grand slam. Washington came back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the frame, as the Cards used seven pitchers.

Molina's slam was his 17th homer of the season, to go with 61 RBI and a .273 batting average.

While the Cardinals were taking down the Nats, Milwaukee was taking their second straight over the Cubs, reducing Chicago's lead in the Central division to three games. St. Louis lurks in third place, 4 1/2 out.

The rubber game of the series is scheduled for a 7:05 pm EDT start, Wednesday night.

Cardinals Dump Reds, 12-5, Behind Paul DeJong's 5 RBI; Cleveland's Cory Kluber Blanks Rays For 17th Win

Players of the Day for Friday, August 31, 2018

American League

Kluber: 7 IP, 0 ER, 8 K

Joining New York's Luis Severino as the only 17-game winners in the majors, Cory Kluber outdeuled Tampa Bay's Tyler Glasnow, blanking the Rays on two hits over seven innings as the Indians took the first of three by a 3-0 score.

Kluber and Glasnow traded goose-eggs for six innings, but the Tribe broke through in the bottom of the seventh on Edgar Encarnacion's 29th homer of the season, a 404-foot solo shot.

His job done, Kluber, who fanned eight, relaxed on the bench as Cody Allen and Brad Hand turned in hitless eighth and ninth innings, respectively. Hand picked up his seventh save for the Indians since coming over from San Diego in late July. Hand has 31 saves on the season, 24 of them with the Padres. In August, Hand was terrific, appearing in 12 games, saving six, with 19 strikeouts in 12.1 innings and a 1.46 ERA.

The win kept Cleveland's lead - the largest in the majors - at 14 games over the Twins. Minnesota dropped Texas on Friday, 10-7.

Game two of the Rays at Cleveland is Saturday, 7:10 pm EDT.

National League

DeJong: 2-for-5, HR, 5 RBI

The best quality baseball in the majors is being played in the National League Central division, where the Cubs, Cardinals and Brewers each have very good prospects to make the post-season.

Over their past ten games, the Cubs and Cardinals both were 8-2, while the Brewers went 7-3. Currently, the Cubs lead the division by 3 1/2 over St. Louis and four games over Milwaukee. The Cardinals hold the top wild card position by 1/2-game over the Brewers, who themselves are 2 1/2 clear of the Dodgers and three better than the Phillies and Rockies.

On Friday, the Cardinals opened a three-game series with the Reds in St. Louis with a definitive, 12-5 victory. After the Reds scored a pair of runs in the first inning, the Cards answered with four in the second and three more in the third. When Cincinnati closed the gap with three eighth inning runs, the Cardinals again responded with five in the bottom half of the inning.

Providing sufficient pop at the plate was St. Louis shortstop, Paul DeJong, with a three-run homer (14) in the third and a two-run single in the eighth. DeJong, currently in his second season, was 2-for-5 with a career-high five RBI and two runs.

The Cardinals gained a game on the Cubs, as Chicago dropped a 2-1, 10-inning decision at Philadelphia. 28-13 since July 19, St. Louis hosts the Reds Saturday, 7:15 pm EDT.

Matt Carpenter Ties St. Louis Record in 12-4 Win At Colorado; Jason Kipnis Powers Indians

Players of the Day for Sunday, August 26, 2018

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

American League

The biggest lead in any of MLB's six divisions belongs to the Cleveland Indians. Their 13 1/2 game bulge has blown away the AL Central as no other team in the division is even close to .500. Second place Minnesota is 61-69.

On Sunday, the Indians stopped a four-game losing streak, topping the Royals in Kansas City, 12-5.

Jason Kipnis went 4-for-5 with two singles, a double, his 12th home run, four RBI and three runs. For good measure, Kinips stole third base in the seventh inning after doubling in Melky Cabrera, who scored four times in the game.

The Indians will be looking to pad their lead when they return home on Tuesday. Upcoming are three three-game series against the Twins, Rays, and Royals.

Carpenter: 4 doubles

National League

Another St. Louis win. Another record-tying performance by Matt Carpenter.

Cardinals' leadoff hitter had his best strokes Sunday in St. Louis' smashing, 12-4, win at Colorado, roping four doubles in five at-bats.

Carpenter's four two-baggers tied a St. Louis record held by Joe "Ducky" Medwick, set on Aug. 4, 1937. Carpenter drove n a pair of runs and scored twice. He led off the game with a double and scored on a Tyler O'Neill home run. Later in the frame, he doubled in a run. Another two-bagger in the third plated another Cardinal run, as St. Louis swamped Rockies' hurlers, scoring six in the first inning and four in the third.

With a 25-12 record since the all star break, St. Louis has surged into the playoff picture, taking over the top spot in the wild card race while gaining second place in the NL Central behind the streaky Cubs.

The Cubs have won five in a row and lead St. Louis by four games and 4 1/2 over Milwaukee. Colorado's loss dropped them a game behind Arizona in the West division.

On Tuesday, the Cardinals head back to St. Louis for a six-game home stand, with three games each against the Pirates and Reds.

Corey Kluber Silences Angels in 3-0 Cleveland Shutout; Nick Ahmed Drives Diamondbacks Past Giants

Players of the Day for Saturday, August 4, 2018

American League

Practically without notice, the Cleveland Indians have consistently held the largest advantage of any of the division leaders across the American and National leagues.

Kluber: 3-hit shutout

Cleveland's nine game edge over Minnesota in the AL Central was bolstered by the three-hit shutout tossed by Corey Kluber in a 3-0 win over the visiting LA Angels.

Struggling 16 games off the pace in the AL West, Angel hitters mostly flailed away without success at Kluber's offerings as the Indian ace tied Rick Porcello and Luis Severino as 14-game winners in the American League. Kluber is 14-6. He threw 68 of 94 pitches for strikes and finished his seventh career shutout with seven strikeouts.

Despite the lowest winning percentage of any division leader (.550, 60-49) the Indians have been on cruise control since mid-May. No other team in their division has a winning record.

Having split the first two games, the Angels and Indians will close out the series, Sunday in Cleveland, at 1:10 pm EDT.

National League

Ahmed: 3-3, 2 HR, 4 RBI

Arizona whipped the Giants, 9-3, taking control of the NL West by a game over the Dodgers, when LA was smothered by Houston, 14-0.

Driving the offense was Nick Ahmed, who went 3-for-3 with a single and a pair of home runs. Ahmed plated Steven Souza, Jr. with his single in the opening inning, socked a two-run homer in the fifth inning and launched a solo shot in the eighth, driving in four runs and scoring three.

Ahmed's homers were his 13th and 14th of the season. He has 57 RBI and a .247 batting average.

The Diamondbacks lost the opener of the four-game series with San Francisco, but have bounced back to take the last two straight.

Arizona will be looking to close out the series on a winning note when they host the Giants in game four, Sunday, 4:00 pm EDT.

Jose Ramirez Powers Cleveland Past Reds; Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies Tighten NL West With 19-2 Win Over Arizona

Players of the Day for Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Ramirez: 2 HR, 5 RBI

American League

With Cincinnati (last place in the NL Central) taking two straight in Cleveland (first place in the AL Central), the series finale proved to be more in line with the standings as the Indians pummeled the Reds, 19-4.

Cleveland, in no danger of being caught any time soon, given their 8 1/2 game bulge in the division, let their efficient hitters loose, banging out 19 hits - including four home runs - as they scored in three of the first four innings.

Jose Ramirez started the parade around the bases with a two-run homer in the first inning, and followed up with a three-run blast in his next at-bat, as the Indians piled on nine third inning runs. Six runs in the fourth inning was more than enough for Cleveland starter, Carlos Carrasco, who notched his 10th win against five losses with five innings of work, allowing one run on five hits.

Ramirez, who will be the starting AL third baseman in next week's all star game, is already approaching his career highs from 2017, when he belted 29 homers and drove in 83 runs. The two blasts in Wednesday's slaughter have him at 27 on the year, with 65 RBI. He's second in AL home runs and tied for second (with Seattle's Mitch Haniger) in RBI.

The Indians open a four game series with the incoming Yankees on Thursday. Game time is 7:10 pm EDT.

National League

Gonzalez: 2 HR, 6 RBI

In his first two at-bats in Colorado's 19-2 romp over Arizona, Carlos Gonzalez grounded into fielder's choices, each time arriving at first safely and driving in a run.

Next time up, in the third inning, Gonzalez ripped a solo shot out of the park, though it hardly mattered, the Rockies already up by an 11-1 score. Adding to Arizona's pain, Gonzalez parked another in the fourth, this time with two men aboard, giving him six RBI on the night.

Gonzalez has 10 home runs, 38 RBI, and a .275 batting average.

The result tightened the already contentious NL West race, as the Dodgers, Giants and Rockies all won on Wednesday. LA trails the Diamondbacks by just 1/2 game. San Francisco is three out; Colorado 3 1/2 back.

It's going to get more interesting as the Diamondbacks wrap up their visit to Colorado, Thursday at 3:10 pm EDT.

Matt Kemp Leads Dodger Rout Of Pirates; Francisco Lindor's 2 HR, 7 RBI Leads Indians

Players of the Day for Monday, July 2, 2018

American League

Lindor 2HR, GS, 7RBI

While LeBron James may have abandoned Ohio for the West coast, the Cleveland Indians are running away with the AL Central. Their 9 1/2 game lead over second place Detroit is easily the biggest edge in the majors. Atlanta 3 1/2 game margin over Philadelphia in the NL East, comes in a distant second.

Maintaining their lead as the Tigers won 3-2 in Toronto, Cleveland got a monster game from leadoff hitter Francisco Lindor in their 9-3 win at Kansas City.

The two-time all star socked a grand slam in the fourth inning, following up with a three-run dinger in the sixth for a two homer, seven RBI night at the plate.

Last season, Lindor sizzled, batting .273 with 33 homers and 89. This year looks to be even better. Lindor has 23 home runs, has driven in 55 runs and is batting a solid .298.

Cleveland has won 10 of their last 14. Game two of the series will start Tuesday at 8:15 pm EDT.

National League

Kemp: 5-5, HR, 4R, 4RBI

Struggling to stay competitive in the NL Central, the oars were out of the water on the Pittsburgh Pirates' ship in the opener of a three-game series at Los Angeles.

While Dodger starter Alex Wood held the Pirates to one run over the first six innings, his teammates were battering the Pittsburgh pitching staff, scoring at will in a 17-1 romp.

Matt Kemp tied a career best with five hits in as many at-bats, ripping three singles a double and his 15th home run of the season, driving in four, scoring four times.

Kemp struggled through three years in San Diego and Atlanta, but was traded back to the Dodgers after the 2017 season and seems to be flourishing in the LA sun. He's batting .323 (4th in the NL) with 15 homers and 55 RBI (6th) and is one of the main reasons the Dodgers are challenging for the lead in the NL West.

Coupled with Arizona's 6-3 loss to St. Louis, Monday's win left the Dodgers 1 1/2 games behind the Diamondbacks.

The Pirates, however, have been heading in the opposite direction, losing eight of their last 12, facing nine games off the pace in the Central division.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Tuesday at 7:10 pm PDT.

Edwin Encarnacion's 3 HR, 6 RBI Leads Indians Over Texas; Nolan Arenado, Rockies Rout Cubs, 11-2

Players of the Day for Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Encarnacion: 3HR, 6RBI

American League

There were plenty of game performances in the AL on Wednesday, including a complete game shutout by Luis Severino (5-1, 2.11), who allowed five hits and struck out 10 in the Yankees' 4-0 win over the Astros, all of the New York runs accounted for by Giancarlo Stanton, who socked a solo homer, a two-run homer and drove in the other Yankee run with a double.

In Boston, Mookie Betts ripped three solo home runs, helping the Red Sox take down Kansas City, 5-4.

While those performances certainly were considered POTD material, they fell short of Edwin Encarnacion's three home run, six RBI game in Cleveland's 12-4 rout of the Rangers.

Encarnacion victimized Texas starter, Matt Moore, with a three run blast in the opening frame, followed by a two-run dinger in the second inning. With a 9-1 lead after two innings and Corey Kluber throwing for the Indians, the final result was never in doubt. Kluber improved to 5-1 and Encarnacion capped off his big game with a solo home run in the eighth, a tape-measure shot of 425 feet. He has nine homers but just 16 RBI on the season.

The win gave Cleveland a 2-1 split in the series, dropping the 12-20 Rangers deeper into the AL West cellar. At 16-13, Cleveland is the only team in the Central division with a better-than-.500 record. They lead the Tigers by three games and remain home to open a weekend series with Toronto, starting at 1:10 pm EDT.

National League

Arenado: 2HR, 5RBI

Arizona leads the NL West by five games after taking a 2-1 loss to the Dodgers in LA as the Rockies topped the Cubs for the second straight day, their 11-2 road win resulting in a 2-1 series win.

Chicago sent Yu Darvish to the mound on Wednesday, but the Chicago ace didn't last long, as the Rockies put up four runs in the first three innings, and sent the 0-3 hurler to the showers with one out in the fifth after he allowed solo homers to Trevor Story and Chris Iannetta.

Colorado began to build its lead on Nolan Arenado's two-run bomb in the first inning, but Arenado was hardly finished. He added a double and a three-run home run in the eighth, going 3-for-5 with five RBI.

The up-and-down Rockies, now 17-15, likely have the most potent offense in the division, if no the entire league. Consider that Arenado, who would have been the 2017 MVP if not for Giancarlo Stanton's banner season, has seven homers and 19 RBI, is only tied for second on the team in RBI, with leadoff hitter Charlie Blackmon. Story leads the team with 20, all of this despite the league's second-worst batting average (.226). Arenado is batting a brisk .320.

If Arenado (.309, 37, 130 in 2017) continues to lead, expect his teammates to follow. Colorado should be in the heat of the NL West race for the duration. The team gets a day off Thursday prior to opening a series with the Mets in New York on Friday.

Jose Ramirez Socks Two HRs As Cleveland Dumps Baltimore; Johnny Cueto Hurls Giants Past Angels

Players of the Day for Sunday, April 22, 2018

American League

Ramirez: 2 HR 3 RBI

With the Twins losing three straight and Cleveland triumphant in their last two, the Indians are back where they feel most comfortable, in first place in the AL Central division.

In Sunday's 7-3 win at Baltimore, Manny Machado smashed two solo homers off Cleveland starter, Cory Kluber, but Cleveland third baseman, Jose Ramirez, also socked a pair, as Cleveland pieced together the win and a 1 1/2-game lead over Minnesota in the division.

Ramirez had a solo shot in the third, and provided some breathing room with a two run homer in the ninth. The score was 4-3 before Ramirez struck.

The two homers gave Ramirez seven on the season, but his .236 batting average has limited him to just 12 RBI. Last season, he whacked 29 homers and drove in 83 runs, batting .318.

If Ramirez is beginning to heat up, the rest of the division - and the league - should be on notice.

Having taken two of three in Baltimore, the Indians and Orioles will complete their four-game series on Monday at 7:05 pm EDT.

Cueto: 6 IP, 2 H 0 ER, 7 K

National League

San Francisco hasn't gotten off to the best of starts (9-12), but the team took a collective step in the right direction, winning two of three against the Angels in LA, their first series win of the season.

Sunday's 4-2 victory was the product of starter Johnny Cueto, who held the Angels scoreless over six innings as the Giants forged a 3-0 edge.

Victimized by his own team's lack of hitting and porous bullpen work, Cueto's 0.35 ERA is tops in the majors, but Sunday's win was just his second of the season.

In his first 2018 start, on March 30, Cueto one-hit the Dodgers for seven innings, but he didn't get a decision in the 1-0 win as the Giants scored after he had departed. On April 17, his seven-inning, two hit, 11 strikeout performance was wasted as Arizona's Patrick Corbin matched him with a one-hitter and the Diamondbacks scored the only run of the game in the eighth inning.

Johnny was luckier on Sunday, as his teammates backed him with three runs in the third and one in the fifth inning. The bullpen nearly gave it away, surrendering two runs in the eighth.

Striking out seven, Cueto threw 64 of 98 pitches for strikes and got first pitch strikes on 18 of the 23 batters he faced. The two hits he allowed were singles and he walked a pair.

The Giants head home Monday to meet up with the Washington Nationals. Game time is 7:15 pm PDT.

Francisco Lindor Leads Cleveland To 5th Straight Win; Jose Martinez Drives In Six As Cards Drub Reds, 13-4

Players of the Day for Thursday, April 12, 2018

American League

Lindor: 2-4, HR, 3R, 3RBI

Winning their fifth straight, he Cleveland Indians completed a four-game home sweep of the Detroit Tigers with a 9-3 laugher over their AL Central opponents.

Francisco Lindor socked his initial home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning to get the Indians started, then doubled in a pair of runs before scoring on Jose Ramirez's two-run homer, putting Cleveland up 6-0.

In the fourth, Lindor was hit by a Michael Fulmer pitch, loading the bases, eventually scoring the last of Cleveland's runs.

Fulmer didn't get an out in the fourth, and was responsible for eight earned runs, officially over three innings.

Instrumental to Cleveland's success the past few seasons, Lindor belted 33 home runs and drove in 89 runs last season, mostly from the leadoff position in the Indians' lineup.

The Indians remain tied with Minnesota for the division lead, 3 1/2 ahead of the Tigers and White Sox. Toronto comes to visit for a three game series starting Friday at 7:10 pm EDT.

National League

Opening a four-game series in Cincinnati, the St. Louis Cardinals got off to a flying start with a 13-4 romp over the Reds, highlighted by a six-RBI effort by second-year star, Jose Martinez.

Martinez: 4-6, HR, 6RBI

Marinez singled in the first to put get the Cards on the board, drew a bases-loaded walk in the fifth to tie the score at 4-4, socked a solo homer in the seventh and doubled in both the eighth and ninth innings, driving in two in the eight and one more in the ninth.

Batting .364 with three home runs and 14 RBI (second in the majors behind Pitssburgh's Gregory Polanco, 15), Martinez is proving that he's a major leaguer for the long run.

Making a bid for rookie of the year in first full season, Martinez batted .309 with 14 home runs and 46 RBI in 109 games for the Cardinals in 2017.

St. Louis, along with the rest of the division is chasing Pittsburgh in the NL Central. St. Louis is 3 1/2 back, the Cubs three behind and Milwaukee in second place, 2 1/2 behind the Pirates. Cincinnati is off to a horrific start, seven games out with a 2-10 record.

Game two of the series is Friday at 6:40 pm EDT at the Great American Ball Park.