Renteria, Lincecum Finish Off Rangers; Giants Take World Series

Players of the Day for Monday, November 1, 2010

World Series Game Five: Giants 3, Rangers 1

Break out the confetti! The Giants are world champions!

Edgar Renteria (left) drove a seventh inning Cliff Lee offering just over the wall in left center field, and the Giants were on their way to clinching the World Series with a 3-1 win over Texas, beating the Rangers four games to one.

The homer by Renteria, his second of the World Series, came with two aboard and two outs in the top of the 7th. Lee and Tim Lincecum (right) had dueled in a scoreless tie up until that point.

In the bottom of the frame, Nelson Cruz got one back for the Rangers with a solo homer to left field. Lincecum walked the next batter, Ian Kinsler, but regained his composure and struck out David Murphy and Bengie Molina to end the inning. After setting down the Rangers in order in the 8th, Lincecum turned the ball over to Brian Wilson, who struck out Josh Hamilton, got Vlad Guerrero to ground harmlessly to short and then fanned Cruz for the final out and the first Giants' World Series championship since 1954.

Lincecum won games one and five, and Renteria had key homers in games two and five. In game two, which the Giants won 9-0, Renteria again broke a scoreless tie with the long ball, a solo shot in the 5th inning.

While Lincecum didn't pitch his best in game one, an 11-7 hit-fest, he was on the money in game five, allowing just the one run on three hits, waling two and striking out ten.

Renteria was named the MVP of the series. The Giants' shortstop, who had the game winning hit for the Marlins when they beat the Cleveland Indians in seven games in 1997, batted .412 for the series, going 7-for-17 with six RBI and two homers.

So ends another season of baseball and another season for Baseball On Deck's Players of the Day. We'll see you back here in about four and a half months, when the boys of summer start stretching in Florida and Arizona.

Enjoy the off-season. This one's been fun.

World Series: Cain Rains on Rangers, Renteria Rakes, Giants Take Game Two

Players of the Day for Thursday, October 28, 2010

World Series Game Two: Giants 9, Rangers 0

Edgar Renteria (left) creased a 5th=inning, letter-high fastball from Texas starter C.J. Wilson into the left field bleachers and Matt Cain (right) made it hold up, with 7 2/3 innings of 4-hit, shutout ball, sending the Giants off to Texas for game three with a 2-0 lead in the series.

The Rangers threatened in the top of the 6th when Michael Young and Josh Hamilton delivered back-to-back one-out singles, but Cain reared back and got both Nelson Cruz and Ian Kinsler to pop out, ending the inning.

Kinsler was part of the most unusual play of the evening, driving a ball to dead center field to lead off the 5th inning. The ball hit the top of the wall and bounded up and back into the waiting glove of Giant center fielder Andres Torres. Kinsler stood dumbfounded at second base as Torres relayed the ball back into the infield and was eventually stranded.

San Fran added another run in the 7th when Cody Ross walked leading off the inning, took second on Aubrey Huff's ground out to first and came home on Jose Uribe's flare to short right center.

In the top of the 8th, Cain walked Elvis Andrus with one out. Andrus stole second, but Cain retired Michael Young for the second out and Cain's final batter of the night. Javier Lopez threw one pitch, getting Josh Hamilton to lift a fly ball to center, ending the inning.

The Giants brooke the game fully open in the bottom of the 8th. Buster Posey singled with two outs off reliever Darren O'Day. Derek Holland relieved O'Day, walking the next three batters, Nick Schierholtz, Cody Ross and finally, Aubrey Huff, forcing home Posey from third. Mark Lowe relieved Holland and walked Jose Uribe, bringing home another run. Edgar Renteria then ended all doubts with a scratch single to left, scoring Schierholtz and Ross.

The Giants weren't done, though. Aaron Rowand drove a ball into deep center field, bringing around Ross and Renteria with a triple. Andres Torres got into the act, doubling down the left field line to bring home Rowand with the seventh run of the inning.

Cain picked up his second post-season win and first of the World Series. He has not allowed an earned run in the post-season, a span of 21 1/3 innings.

After a day off Friday, the series resumes at the Ballpark in Arlington, Texas on Saturday night. Game time is 6:57 pm ET.

Wells Crushes Two for Toronto; Renteria Goes 5-for-5

Players of the Day for Wednesday, April 7, 2010 American League The questions surrounding Vernon Wells' power stroke persisted through the 2009 season and into the Winter and Spring. Wells, considered a power hitter capable of knocking in 100 runs and putting 25 or more balls over various outfield walls, but last season he only hit 15 home runs and drove in a paltry 66, his lowest totals since becoming a full-time player in 2002. Maybe the needling from the press or the rumor mill got to Wells, because it appears he's recovered the power. In Toronto's 7-4 win at Texas Wednesday night, Wells broke a 3-3 tie with a 2-run blast in the 5th, then added an insurance run with his second homer of the night (and third of the season), a solo shot to left field. He also scored a run in the 4th, after being hit by a pitch, and another in the seventh, coming around the bases after a one-out walk. Wells crossed the plate 4 times on his 2-for-3 night, with 3 RBI. Two games into the season, Wells is batting .714.

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Here's a batting average you don't see very often: .727, but that's what Edgar Renteria is hitting after going 5-for-5 in San Francisco's 10-2 victory at Houston. Renteria's hits were all singles, but that's probably not bothering him, because the Giants are 3-0, in first place in the NL West and leave Houston with a sweep of their season-opening series. Renteria did score one run and drove in two. He's had 11 at-bats this season, banging out 8 hits in those trips to the plate - seven singles and one double. The Columbian-born shortstop is not unused to carrying a high batting average. In 15 seasons, he's finished four of them with an average over .300 and is a career .288 hitter.

Greinke 1-Hitter a Gem; Renteria Sends Giants Soaring with Slam

Players of the Day for Sunday, August 30, 2009 American League With most of the attention focused on divisional or wild card races, there wasn't much excitement generated by a matchup between the Royals and the Mariners. Kansas City fell into their usual position in last place months ago and Seattle is struggled to remain relevant. Little did the 30,286 fans in attendance realize that they were about to witness one of the outstanding pitching performances of the season by Royals' ace, Zack Greinke. In the bottom of the second, Greinke issued a walk and then gave up a single, but those were to be the last baserunners Seattle would have all day as the 26-year-old native Floridian set down the final 22 batters in order. The Royals scored all of their runs in the 5th inning for the 3-0 victory. Greinke, who struck out 15 in his prior start - a 6-2 win over Cleveland - fanned five and walked one, improving his record to 13-8, matching his carrer-high for wins in a season, set last year when he went 13-10. His record, considering that he is playing for a last-place team, plus his 2.32 ERA - tops in the AL - make his part of any Cy Young award discussion. National League When the Rockies and Giants hooked up Sunday at AT&T Park in San Francisco, all that mattered was the lead in the wild card standings. Heading into the final month of the season, the Giants and Rockies both wish to lay claim to a post-season berth. Matt Cain started for the Giants, but clearly did not have his best stuff, as, even though he struck out 8, he was dinged for 8 hits, 2 walks and 4 earned runs. Thus, heading into the bottom of the 7th, the Giants found themselves on the wrong end of a 5-2 score, but that all changed, as did the Giants' luck. Jose Uribe walked and went to second on Aaron Rowand's single. When Fred Lewis was hit by a pitch, it loaded the bases for Edgar Renteria with one out. What happened next may be the single most memorable moment of the season. Renteria drove a Rafael Betancourt offering high and deep over the left field wall, giving the Giants their first lead of the game at 6-5. Adding three more in the 8th, San Francisco went on to the 9-5 win, sweeping the three-game series and tying for the wild card lead with the Rockies. Renteria also singled and doubled in his 5 at-bats. His 5 RBI tied has career best. Both teams trail the Dodgers by 6 games in the NL West, though winning the division seems like an afterthought the way these two are pursuing the wild card. They've separated themselves from the rest of the contenders, leading Florida and Atlanta by 3 1/2 and the Cubs by 5 1/2. NOTES: In the NL, the rich got richer on Sunday, as all three division leaders - Philly, St. Louis and the Dodgers - all won while their closest pursuers were losing. For the Phillies, they were the ones beating back Atlanta, opening up an 8-game lead over the Braves and marlins in the East. The Dodgers won their second straight as the Rockies were losing their 5th in a row, and the Cardinals' Adam Wainwright became the first 16-game winner in the majors with a gutsy, 2-1 win over Washington. The Dodgers lead is now 6, while the Cardinals have the largest advantage in the majors, at 10 games. Quietly, the Twins have snuck into second place in the AL Central as the White Sox have lost 3 straight and 7 of their last 8. Minnesota is running out of time, however, as the Tigers are 4 1/2 ahead in the division. New York continues to cling to a 6-game lead in the East, while the Angels hold a 5-game bulge over Texas in the West. Boston has won three straight to command a 3 1/2 game lead in the widl card over the Rangers, and 5 1/2 better than the Rays.

Hamels Blanks Nats; Renteria Drives Five for Tigers

Players of the Day from Tuesday, May 20, 2008 American League The Detroit Tigers potentially have one of the best hitting teams in either league, especially considering that a batter in the #8 hole, Edgar Renteria can go 4-for-4 and drive in five runs on a given night. That's exactly what Renteria did in the Tigers' 12-8 win at Seattle on Tuesday, socking a home run and a triple to go with a pair of singles.

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Notes: Trouble is, the Tigers are still deep in a hole in the standings, 6 1/2 behind and in last place in the AL Central. They're even three games behind the 4th-place Royals, who have lost two straight. Detroit seems fine against fellow bottom-feeders like the Mariners, but a lack of solid starting pitching has doomed them against better squads. National League Cole Hamels didn't get a decision in Philadelphia's 1-0 squeaker over the Nationals, but he certainly deserved a W, working over Washington hitters for 7 innings, allowing just 4 hits and a pair of walks while blanking them with 11 strikeouts. The win went to reliever Tom Gordon (4-2) when the Phillies scored the game's only run in the top of the 9th inning. Hamels (5-3) has been very effective thus far in 2008, sporting an ERA of 2.61 and a 1.02 WHIP. Notes: Still feeling Chipper? Atlanta stood strong at home on Tuesday taking both ends of a double-header with the Mets, 6-1 and 6-2, sneaking past the New Yorkers into second place in the NL East. Chipper Jones, the hottest bat in the league, was held somewhat in check. He registered 3 hits in 8 at-bats in the two games, which actually made his league-leading batting average drop to .409.

Renteria, Cabrera Deliver; Webb Spins 4th Win

Players of the Day for Wednesday, April 16, 2008 American League The two major off-season additions to the Tigers' lineup, Miguel Cabrera (left) and Edgar Renteria (right) came up huge for Detroit last night as the Tigers crushed Cleveland, 13-2, for their third straight win, actually putting the two supposedly best teams in the division in a deadlock for last place at 5-10. The two newest Tigers, however, were impressive, each garnering 5 RBI. Cabrera was 4-for-6, scored twice and had a two-run homer in the second inning. Renteria went 3-for-5 with a run scored on his grand slam in the fifth and singled in another run in the 8th. Both homers were off losing pitcher C.C. Sabathia, who is 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA.

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Notes: As it should be? Last night's 15-9 win by the Yankees over Boston, set the AL East up like many believe it's supposed to be, with the Bombers and Beaners tied for first place at 9-7. Baltimore and Toronto are only 1/2 back, but the Rays have already fallen to the basement, 2 1/2 games off the pace. National League Arizona's Brandon Webb became the first 4-game winner in the majors as he stymied the San Francisco Giants on 3 hits in the Diamondbacks' 4-1 win. Webb threw 104 pitches, walked 3 and struck out 5 over 8 innings and also provided some offense, driving in the first two runs of the game with a single in the second inning. Webb, Arizona's ace, has gone at least 6 innings in each of his four starts has an ERA of 1.86 and a 0.79 WHIP. Notes: Pittsburgh's Nate McLouth extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a single in four at-bats in Wednesday's 8-1 loss to the Dodgers.

NL East a Real Race; Rockies on the Rise

Note: During interleague play, home teams are reported under their respective leagues. American League Atlanta 6 Cleveland 2 - Edgar Renteria (right) went 5 for 5 with a double, his 10th home run, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored, and John Smoltz won his 8th game against just 2 losses, limiting the Indians to 7 hits and 2 earned over 6 innings. Smoltz struck out seven and didn't walk a batter as the Braves closed to within 1 1/2 of the stumbling Mets. Philadelphia and Florida were also winners and trail New York by 2 and 5 1/2 respectively. Suddenly the NL East has turned into a pennant race. Cleveland maintained a slim 1-game lead over the Tigers, who also lost, at Philly. NY Yankees 11 NY Mets 8 - While the everyone else in the NL East except Washington was beating up on AL opponents, Tom Glavine and the Mets were being pounded up in the Bronx. Glavine, stuck on 295 wins for nearly a month, lost his 4th straight, allowing 7 runs on 8 hits and 3 walks over 4 innings. Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez both blasted 2-run homers off Glavine, for A-Rod, his MLB-best 26th. Rodriguez went 2-4 and scored 3 times while Jeter finished the game 4-5, with a pair of RBI and 2 scores. Both players also stole a base, as did Miguel Cairo. Jose Reyes swiped a pair, giving him 37, tops in the majors. The Yankees kept pace with Boston, 8 1/2 ahead. Boston 1 San Francisco 0 - Daisuke Matusaka pitched his best game of the season against the impotent San Francisco Giants, allowing just 3 hits and 3 walks over 7 innings, fanning 8. Manny Ramirez provided the only score with his 9th home run of the season in the 4th. Bonds watch is back on again. Barry Bonds went 0-3 and failed to homer for the 4th straight game. He has hit just 2 over his last 31 games, stretching back to May 8. Bonds needs 9 to break Hank Aaron's career mark of 755 and should average one per 10 games if he plans on breaking the mark this season. In 2006, Bonds hit 4 in June, 3 in July, 5 in August and 7 in September, so he has history on his side, though the time between Barry Bombs has lengthened as 2006 turned into 2007. He'll be 43 in July and time is gnawing away at his steroid-riddle body every day. St. Louis 15 Oakland 6 - The Cardinals put up 10 runs in the 5th inning, capped off by Chris Duncan's grand slam as St. Louis swamped the A's in Oakland. So Taguchi went 4-6, drove in 3 runs and scored a pair. The A's dropped another game further behind the Angels in the AL West, now 5 back as the Angels beat the Dodgers. Other AL Scores Toronto 7 Washington 3 Arizona 8 Baltimore 4 - O's 7 straight losses Florida 9 Kansas City 8 - M. Cabrera, 2 HR (16), 4 RBI (51); M. Olivo, 5-5 Milwaukee 5 Minnesota 2 - Brewers win 4th straight, lead NL Central by 6 1/2 National League San Diego 1 Chi Cubs 0 - Carlos Zambrano took a no-hitter into the 8th inning, but ended up on the losing side of the ledger, giving up a 9th inning homer to the Padres' Russell Branyan. The game was interrupted by a bench-clearing brawl which started when Padres' starter Chris Young plunked Derrek Lee and began throwing punches in the 4th inning. Lee and Young were ejected along with Jake Peavy and San Diego hitting coach Gerald Perry. The fight was a no-decision, but the Padres won the war and took over 1st place in the NL West by 1/2-game over the Dodgers and 1 ahead of Arizona. Colorado 10 Tampa Bay 5 - The Rockies won their 4th straight and 8th of their last 10, creeping to within 4 1/2 of the NL West lead. Right fielder Brad Hawpe set the tone in the first inning with his 11th home run - a grand slam. Hawpe later singled and scored an additional run for the Rockies. Philadelphia 6 Detroit 3 - Jamie Moyer improved to 6-5 and the Phillies gained on the Mets winning for the 4th time in their last five games. The Phillies trail NY by 2 games. LA Angels 3 LA Dodgers 0 - Jered Weaver blanked the Dodgers over 5 1/3 innings and the Angels' bullpen finished the job. Francisco Rodriguez (right) picked up his 22nd save, fanning all three batters faced in the 9th inning. The Angels lead the AL West by 5 games with a 43-26 record, second best in the majors (Boston, 43-24). Weaver improved to 6-3. The best in the West series' rubber game is this afternoon. Other NL Scores Chi White Sox 6 Pittsburgh 1 Houston 9 Seattle 4 Cincinnati 8 Texas 4 - K. Griffey Jr., 2 HR (16), 3 RBI (43) Interleague Scoreboard: Friday (6/8): AL 8, NL 6 Saturday (6/9): AL 10, NL 4 Sunday (6/10): AL 9, NL 5 Monday (6/11): AL 0, NL 2 Tuesday (6/12): AL: 8, NL: 6 Wednesday (6/13): AL: 6, NL: 8 Thursday (6/14): AL: 7, NL: 5 Friday (6/15): AL: 6, NL: 8 Saturday (6/16): AL: 5, NL: 9