Hisashi Iwakuma Throws No-Hitter over O's for Mariners; J.T. Realmuto Slams Red Sox in Marlins Rout

Players of the Day for Wednesday, August 12, 2015

American League

Realmuto: Slam, 6RBI

Iwakuma: No-Hitter

The Orioles are fading fast in the AL East, while the Blue Jays suddenly have erased what once was an 8-game Yankee division lead.

On Wednesday, the Orioles were struck a serious blow as Hisashi Iwakuma tossed a no-hitter in the final game of the series in Seattle, with the Mariners taking a 2-1 series edge with the 3-0 victory.

Iwakuma (4-2) was perfect through the first three innings, but walked Manny Machado leading off the fourth inning to end the perfect game bid. He also issued a pass to Chris Davis with two outs, but got Jimmy Paredes on strikes to end the inning.

Iwakuma didn't allow another baserunner until the eighth inning when Jonathan Schoop led off with a base on balls, but Iwakuma once more was up to the task, getting another strikeout - one of seven on the night - before inducing an inning-ending double play.

The Orioles' ninth was as uneventful as the previous eight innings, the O's going down in order as Iwakuma completed the no-hitter.

The win was the first complete game, shutout and no-hitter for the fourth year pro out of Tokyo, Japan. Iwakuma threw 116 pitches, 77 of them for strikes.

While the loss sent the O's five games back of the Jays in the AL East, the win was perhaps less important to the Mariners, who are 54-61, trailing the Astros by eight games in the West.

National League

J.T. Realmuto led a 17-hit assault on Boston pitching, as the Marlins dumped the Red Sox, 14-6, completing a sweep of the two-game series in Miami.

A rookie with the Marlins, Realmuto stroked a sixth inning grand slam, capping a 10-run outburst by Miami. It was his seventh homer of the season. He also singled and tripled, driving in six runs total, in five at-bats.

In 87 games, Realmuto has 35 RBI and is batting .255.

Hisashi Iwakuma Blanks Phillies over 8 for Mariners; Justin Upton Powers Braves Past Pirates, 11-3

Players of the Day for Monday, August 18, 2014

American League

Iwakuma: 11 Ks

Almost imperceptibly, the Seattle Mariners have remained in the wild card race, currently tied with Detroit for the second spot for the post-season.

Seattle topped the Phillies, 5-2, Monday, to keep pace with the Tigers, as Detroit slipped by Tampa Bay, 8-6, in 11 innings.

Hisashi Iwakuma turned in an impressive eight innings of shutout ball for the Mariners, improving to 12-6 on the year with his seventh win over his last 10 starts. Iwakuma struck out a season-high 11 Phillies, allowing four hits without surrendering a walk.

Lifted at the end of the eighth inning after throwing 74 of 96 pitches for strikes, Iwakuma had to sit through a painful ninth inning as two Seattle relievers combined to allow two Philly runs before Fernando Rodney came on to get the final out, picking up his 36th save.

Iwakuma is having a solid season for the contentious Mariners, with a 2.57 ERA and 120 Ks.

The rubber game of the three-game series is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, at 1:05 pm EDT, in Philadelphia.

National League

Upton: 80 RBI

By winning eight straight - beating Arizona, 8-1, Monday night - the Washington Nationals may be leaving no questions about the NL East, but the second-place Braves have proven game, winning five in a row, including Monday's 11-3 slaughter of fading Pittsburgh.

Atlanta is six games out in the division, but their two straight wins over the Pirates have put them into sole possession of the second wild card spot, a game up on the Giants, two games better than the Pirates and 2 1/2 over Miami.

Justin Upton provided nearly half of the Atlanta runs, banging a three-run home run in the third inning - his 24th - and following up with a two-run single in the fifth, as part of a five-run inning that all but sealed the game.

Upton's five RBI gave him 80 on the season, to go with a .287 batting average.

Meanwhile, the Pirates have lost seven in a row. A team that just a few days ago was challenging for the Central division title, now appears to be headed for the golf links come October.

Atlanta will be seeking the sweep when their series at Pittsburgh concludes Tuesday, at 7:05 EDT.