Jake Adams, Corey Julks Power Astros; Albert Almora Jr. Leads Cubs Past Mariners

Players of the Day for Monday, February 24, 2020

Grapefruit League

Either the Houston Astros have found a new, undetectable way of stealing signs or they've got a couple of heavy-handed rookies on their 2020 roster.

Jake Adams socked a ninth-inning, three-run homer in his only official at-bat after walking with the bases loaded in the seventh inning as the Houston Astros dropped the Detroit Tigers like a sack of flour Monday, in an 11-1 blowout.

Prior to Adams blowing up the scoreboard, Corey Julks ripped a seventh-inning grand slam, scoring Adams and two more of his new teammates. Julks finished 2-for-3. Like Adams, he drove in four runs.

Almora Jr. 3-3, HR, 4RBI

Cactus League

After a sub-par year in 2019, Cubs' shortstop Albert Almora, Jr. is showing signs that it was a one-off and 2020 will be much improved as he fights for the starting center field position with the Cubs in Florida.

Almora singled twice and homered in three at-bats, driving in four runs and scoring twice as the Cubs outlasted the Mariners, 16-12.

Last season, Almora hit just .232, well off his .286 from 2018 and the .298 average he posted in 2017.

The Cubs improved to 2-1 in Grapefruit League standings, while the Mariners dropped their second straight in as many tries.

5,265 fans attended the game in Peoria, Arizona.

Bats and Balls All the Rage as Spring Training Games Get Underway

Spring Training has been underway for a month now, and the first games in the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues were played over the weekend.

It's time for baseball to re-emerge from the cold, snow and dreariness of winter, as players twist and turn their bodies into shape for the long, demanding season ahead.

Overhanging the upcoming regular season a little more than a month away are the scandals stemming from creative sign-stealing in the 2017 regular season, playoffs and World Series and 2018 regular season by the Houston Astros. Their victory over National league rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the 2017 World Series has been tainted by what amounts to a combination of high-tech and low-tech method of informing batters of incoming fast balls, the easiest to hit for professional hitters.

The World Series title will not be vacated by MLB, but the damage has been done. Astros' general manager Jeff Luhnow and field manager A. J. Hinch have been suspended for the entire 2020 season for failing to prevent the rules violations. Boston Red Sox manager Joey Cora was released by the team in January when it was alleged that he was the mastermind behind the scheme. Recently hired by the Mets as their 2020 manager, Carlos Beltran - a player for the Astros in 2017 - was also released in January after his name came up in the MLB report.

Stealing signs is as old as the game itself. It's part of the nomenclature of the sport, as getting an edge in any sporting event, by whatever means, can often result in the difference between winning and losing, and being a superstar as opposed to an ordinary player. While cheating is universally frowned upon from a moral perspective, there's always a few rotten apples in the barrel who will go to extraordinary lengths to secure an advantage.

By the time the regular season rolls out, the sign-stealing scandal will be back page news, overtaken by the timelessness of opening day, pitchers with wild arms, rookies with big smiles, batters with adjustments to their swings, and a fresh slate of 162 games ahead for everybody.

With Spring games now underway, it's time again to pick up the bats and balls and head to the field, where the glory of America's game will add another chapter to its rich, enduring history.

Baseball on Deck will begin its usual coverage of players of the day on Tuesday, February 25 with highlights from the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues.

World Series Game Seven: Howie Kendrick Lifts Nationals to World Series Title Over Houston

Players of the Day for Wednesday, October 30, 2019

World Series Game Seven

Washington Nationals 6 Houston Astros 2

Kendrick's 2-run homer
gave Washington the lead.

America's pastime has a new champion.

50 years in the making, the Washington Nationals captured the first World Series in franchise history, coming from behind for a 6-2 game seven victory at Houston.

In an historic series that saw the road team win every game, the Nationals teed off on the Astros' relief staff, scoring all of their runs in the final three innings.

Zack Greinke had kept the Nationals at bay for the first six innings - blanking them on one hit - but, when Anthony Rendon cut the lead to 2-1 with his second series home run, and Greinke followed by walking the next batter, Juan Soto, manager AJ Hinch opted for the usually-reliable right arm of Will Harris.

On Harris' second pitch, 36-year-old Howie Kendrick connected, launching a curving fly to left that eventually banged off the foul pole screen for a two-run homer. Just like that, in the blink of an eye, the Nationals had taken the lead and the momentum of game seven would never swing back to the home team.

In the eighth, Soto singled home Adam Eaton, and Eaton drove in a pair of runs in the top of the ninth to put the game away. While the Nationals were pulling away, the Astros were flailing fruitlessly at pitches from Patrick Corbin, who came on in the sixth in relief of Max Scherzer, delivering three scoreless innings on two hits, fanning three. Daniel Hudson struck out two in a perfect ninth to finish the job and bring the first title to Washington since the franchise was formed as the Montreal Expos in 1969.

Strasburg: MVP award

Moving from Montreal to Washington in 2005, the Nationals had come close before but never reached the World Series. In their first appearance, they made good, despite taking seven games to do so.

The last time a team based in the nation's capitol won a World Series was 1924, when the Washington Senators defeated John McGraw's New York Giants, four games to three.

Stephen Strasburg, who won two games in the series, was awarded Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors.

And so, another baseball season ends. After all the balls and strikes, hits, runs, errors, balks, homers and strikeouts, the final two teams battled through seven games, eventually deciding the champion by that slim a margin. Kudos to the Houston Astros, who led the majors with 107 wins, but the trophy goes to the Nationals, the team that never gave up, never quit, and eventually earned the game's ultimate reward.

Baseball takes a break for the winter, but it returns on February 22, when these same two teams - who share a practice facility in West Palm Beach, Florida - play an exhibition game.

Until then, rest up and get ready. The boys of summer will be back before you know it.

World Series Game Five: Houston Storms to 3-2 Series Edge Behind Gerrit Cole's Seven Innings

Players of the Day for Sunday, October 27, 2019

World Series, Game 5

Cole fans 9 in Gave Five

Houston Astros 7 Washington Nationals 1

Bouncing back from his first loss since May 22, Gerrit Cole worked seven powerful innings to earn the win in game five of the World Series, as the Astros won their third straight over the Nationals, 7-1.

In game one, Cole took the loss, allowing five runs on eight hits and a walk as the Nationals won, 5-4. It was a different result for game five, as Cole dominated, striking out nine while allowing three hits. Washington didn't score until the seventh inning, when Juan Soto launched a home run to center with one out.

Cole had command of all his pitches, throwing 71 of 110 for strikes. After escaping a one-out, first and third situation in the second inning via a double play, Cole did not allow a Washington hit until Soto's seventh inning homer. Cole put down the Nationals in order in the first, third, fifth and sixth innings.

Cole was 20-5 during the regular season and is 4-1 in the 2019 post-season with a 1.72 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings.

Houston's offense was powered by home runs. Yordan Alvarez, who was 3-for-3 on the night, started the long-ball barrage with a two-run liner to center in the second inning off Washington starter, Joe Ross. Carlos Correa followed with the second two-run belt off Ross with a blast to right in the fourth.

After Yuri Guriel knocked in George Springer from third with a single in the eighth, Springer whacked the third two-run rip for Houston in the ninth, completing the scoring.

Houston, after losing games one and two at home, has responded with three straight wins at Nationals Park, outscoring the home team in those three games, 19-1, and has rebounded to a 3-2 lead in the series.

When play resumes Tuesday night in Houston (8:07 pm ET), the Astros will be looking to win their second World Series in three years; the Nationals will be facing elimination or forcing a game seven, also, if necessary, at Houston.

Justin Verlander is expected to take the mound for the Astros in game six. The Nationals will start Stephen Strasberg.

World Series: Houston Takes Game Three Behind Jose Altuve, Michael Brantley

Players of the Day for Friday, October 25, 2019

World Series, Game 3

Houston Astros 4 Washington Nationals 1

Brantley: 2-4, 2 RBI

Houston displayed some teamwork on Friday night, taking game three of the World Series, 4-1, as Jose Altuve and Michael Brantley teamed up to produce two of Houston's runs.

Altuve: 2-5, 2 doubles, 2R

In the third inning, Altuve doubled down the left field line and took third base as Washington left fielder, Juan Soto, mishandled the ball in the corner. The next batter, Brantley, singled off of the Nationals' starter, Anibal Sanchez, sending Altuve to the plate for a 2-0 Houston lead.

In the fifth inning, the duo struck again, Altuve lacing a double to left and scoring on Brantley's single to right field.

Houston starter, Zack Greinke, allowed seven hits, but limited the Nationals to a lone fourth inning run. Five relievers followed, culminating in Roberto Osuna, who picked up the save by pitching the ninth.

Houston's win got them back in the swing of things after dropping the first two games at home. The Nationals lead, two games to one, with game four scheduled for an 8:07 pm ET start on Saturday. Sunday's game five will also begin at 8:07 pm ET at Nationals Park in Washington, DC.

Jose Altuve Sends Astros Back to World Series with Walk-Off Homer, Defeating Yankees

Players of the Day for Saturday, October 19, 2019

American League

Altuve: ALCS MVP

Houston Astros 6 New York Yankees 4

After a year's absence, Houston is heading back to the World Series.

With two down in the bottom of the ninth, Jose Altuve launched a home run over center field, snapping a 4-4 tie for the walk-off win.

George Springer was aboard for the ride, having worked out a walk from Aroldis Chapman ahead of Altuve's at-bat.

Chapman, who had just earned his first save in Friday's 4-1 Yankee win, was saddled with the loss.

Altuve, the 2017 AL MVP, was at his best in game six, doubling and scoring the Astros' first run on Yuri Guriel's three-run, first inning homer. Opening the sixth inning with a walk, Altuve went to third on Michael Branley's single and scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Alex Bregman.

Houston maintained the lead until New York tied it in the top of the ninth on DJ LeMaheiu's two-run homer, but the Yankee's hopes came crashing down in the bottom of the frame.

Altuve was 3-for-4 on the night, with three runs and two RBI. For the series, he batted .348 (8-for-23) with two home runs, three RBI and six runs, earning AL Championship Series MVP.

Having achieved the best regular season record in the majors, Houston will have home field advantage for the World Series against the Washington Nationals. The Nationals earned their spot in the fall classic by sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS. Games one and two will be in Houston, with games three, four, and five (in needed) in Washington. If the series is extended, games six and seven will be played back in Houston.

The series begins Tuesday, October 22, at 8:08 pm ET. All games will be televised nationally by Fox.

ALCS: George Springer, Carlos Correa Lead Astros to 8-3 Game Four Win over Yankees

Players of the Day for Thursday, October 17, 2019

American League

Houston Astros 8 New York Yankees 3

Carlos Correa

George Springer and Carlos Correa each knocked three-run homers and that was enough to squash the Yankees in game four of the AL Championship Series.

George Springer

Springer unloaded off Yankee starter, Masahiro Tanaka in the third. Correa's three-run bomb was launched off reliever Chad Green. It was Correa's second homer of the series; Springer's was his first.

The result was the Astros with a 3-1 edge in the series, leaving the Yankees on the verge of elimination and the Astros poised to head to their second World Series in the past three years. Houston was the best team in baseball in 2017, defeating the LA Dodgers, four games to three.

The Washington Nationals await the winner of the AL series after sweeping the Cardinals four straight in the NLCS.

Game five is Friday at Yankee Stadium, 7:08 pm ET.

ALCS: Carlos Correa Blasts Walk-Off 11th-Inning Homer As Houston Evens Series With Yankees

Players of the Day for Sunday, October 13, 2019

Correa: Walk-Off HR

American League

Houston Astros 3 New York Yankees 2, 11 innings

After dropping the opening game of the ALCS at home, the Astros needed a big effort and they got it from shortstop Carlos Correa.

Correa got Houston on the board in the second inning, belting a double that plated Alex Bregman with the game's first score.

Aaron Judge socked a two-run homer for the Yankees in the fourth, countered by George Springer's solo mash in the fifth, tying the game at two-all. Correa was also brilliant in the field, fielding a deflected ground ball and throwing out DJ LeMaheiu at the plate in the top of the sixth.

The game remained tied through the ninth and into extra innings, but Correa ended it with a leadoff homer in the 11th that sailed into the right field stands, evening the series at a game apiece.

Monday is a travel day for the teams, back to New York for games three, four, and five. Game three is Tuesday at 4:08 pm ET.

National League

There were no National League games on Sunday. The NLCS resumes Monday, as Washington hosts St. Louis in game three at 8:05 pm ET. The Nationals lead the series, two games to none.

ALDS: Gerrit Cole Pitches Astros In ALCS To Meet Yankees

Players of the Day for Thursday, October 10, 2019

American League

Houston Astros 6 Tampa Bay Rays 1

Cole Wins Game Five

In the decisive game five of the AL Divisional Series, Houston starter, Gerrit Cole, was brilliant, allowing two hits and one run over eight innings of dazzling mound mastery, as the Houston Astros defeated Tampa Bay, moving on to the Championship Series against the NY Yankees.

Cole, fanned 10 and walked two, throwing 74 of 107 pitches for strikes before being lifted after eight innings.

Houston jumped out to a four run lead in the bottom of the first and Cole dominated the Rays to maintain the lead. Solo homers by Michael Brantley and Jose Altuve in the eighth increased the margin to seal the win.

Cole previously won game two of the series, shutting out the Rays on four hits, striking out 15, in 7 2/3 innings, for a 3-1 Houston victory. Cole, the leading Cy Young award candidate, was 20-5 with a 2.50 ERA and 326 strikeouts during the regular season.

The home team won all five games in the series, Houston taking a 2-0 lead before Tampa countered with two wins at Tropicana Field.

The championship series begins Saturday in Houston, the Astros earning home field by winning 107 games during the regular season to the Yankees 103. Houston will host games one and two. Games three, four, and five (if necessary) will be at Yankees Stadium in New York. If needed, games six and seven would be played at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

National League

There were no National League games on Thursday. The St. Louis Cardinals host the Washington Nationals in game one of their best-of-seven Championship Series, Friday, 8:08 pm ET.

ALDS: Didi Gregorius Slams Twins in Yankee Romp; Gerrit Cole Fans 15 in Houston Victory

Players of the Day for Saturday, October 5, 2019

Gregorious socks slam

American League

NY Yankees 8 Minnesota Twins 2

Didi Gregorius socked a third inning grand slam as the Yankees erupted for seven runs in the frame and never looked back, taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

Masahiro Tanaka struck out seven over five innings of work, earning the win. Tanaka allowed three hits and one earned run.

With the win, New York is one game away from sweeping the Twins, champions of the AL Central division. The series resumes Monday in Minnesota.

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Houston Astros 3 Tampa Bay Rays 1

Cole: 15 Ks

Gerrit Cole fanned 15, dominating the Tampa Bay Rays over 7 2/3 innings, leading the Astros to their second straight post-season victory.

Cole gave up four hits, blanking Tampa until he was lifted with two down in the eighth inning after allowing a Kevin Kiermaier double and a walk to Willy Adames. Roberto Osuna struck out Yandy Diaz to end the threat.

Alex Bregman ripped a solo homer leading off the fourth to give Houston a 1-0 lead. RBI singles by Martin Maldonado in the seventh and Carlos Correa in the eighth padded the Astros' lead.

The Rays loaded the bases after scoring a run in the top of the ninth, but Will Harris struck out Travis d'Arnaud and got Kiermaier on a ground out to first.

The teams travel to Tampa Bay on Sunday, the series resuming Monday. Houston can move on to the AL Championship Series with a win.


National League

There were no National League games on Saturday. NLDS continues Sunday. St. Louis hosts Atlanta at 4:05 pm ET; Washington hosts the LA Dodgers at 7:45 pm ET. Both series are tied 1-1.

ALDS: Verlander Leads Astros, LeMahieu Powers Yanks; NLDS: Foltynewicz Hurls Braves to Win, Strasberg Solid for Dodgers

Players of the Day for Friday, October 4, 2019

American League

LeMaheiu powers Yanks

The New York Yankees opened their best-of-five divisional series against Minnesota at home with a bang, most of the noise provided by leadoff hitter DJ LeMahieu, who was 3-for-5 with two runs and four RBI in the Yankees' 10-4 triumph.

With his team down 2-0 in the third, LeMahieu, who was second in batting in the AL regular season with a .327 average, singled, and scored on Edwin Encarnacion's double. The Yankees would tally twice more in the frame and never look back. LeMahieu socked a solo home run in the sixth inning and ripped a bases-loaded double in the seventh, plating all three and completing the Yankees' scoring.

Game two of the series is Saturday at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

Verlander wins Game 1

---

Justin Verlander got the ball for game one of the Astros' divisional series against the Rays and he did with it what he's been known for throughout his career, blanking Tampa Bay on one hit over seven innings in a dominant performance, fueling a 6-2 Houston win.

Verlander didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning, and struck out the side in the seventh to complete his day's work. He fanned eight and walked three. Verlander led the majors with a 21-6 record over the regular season. He and teammate Gerrit Cole are leading candidates for the AL Cy Young award.

The series picks up with game two in Houston on Saturday.

Foltynewicz leads Braves

National League

Atlanta tied its division series with St. Louis via a strong pitching performance from Mike Foltynewicz in a 3-0 game two victory.

The Braves scored a run in the bottom of the first and added two more on Adam Duvall's two-run pinch hit homer in the seventh.

Tied 1-1, the best-of-five series resumes Sunday in St. Louis.

Strasburg fans 10

---

Evening their series in Los Angeles at a game apiece, Stephen Strasburg out-pitched LA starter, Clayton Kershaw, hurling the Washington Nationals to a 4-2 win over the Dodgers.

Strasberg allowed just one earned run on three hits over six innings, fanning 10. The Nationals scratched out a run in the first inning and two in the second off Kershaw, who was lifted in the sixth inning.

The Dodgers and Nationals resume their series in Washington on Sunday.

George Springer Leads Astros to MLB-Best Record; Cardinals Snag NL Central Behind Jack Flaherty

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 29, 2019

American League

Spinger: 4-4, HR, 2 RBI

With all the playoff spots and home fields already set in the AL, only one of the five playoff squads came up with a win on the final day of the regular season.

Houston, led by George Springer's 4-for-4 effort, bombed the Angels, 8-5, finishing with the best record in the majors, at 107-55.

The Astros scored in each of the first four innings and coasted to the win. Springer singled to open the game and scored on Jose Altuve's double. In the second, Springer spanked his 39th home run of the year, a solo shot that put the Astros up, 3-0. In the fourth, Springer doubled in a run and later scored. He finished with a fifth-inning infield single and was lifted for a pinch runner.

Houston's 107 wins are a franchise record, topping last season's mark of 103. In 2017, the Astros captured the first World Series in franchise history, dating back to 1962, when they were established as a National League expansion team known as the Colt .45s.

The Astros will host the first two games of the best-of-five division series starting Friday, October 4, facing the winner of the wild card contest between the A's and the Rays, which is scheduled for Wednesday, October 2.

The Yankees host Minnesota in the other divisional series, also starting on Friday, October 4.

National League

Flaherty clinches for Cards

It took until the final day of the season, but the St. Louis Cardinals are champions of the NL Central, ripping the Cubs, 8-0, behind yet another sparkling performance by Jack Flaherty, who has been one of the best pitchers in either league over the second half of the season.

Flaherty blanked the Cubs on two hits over seven innings while his teammates feasted on Chicago pitching, slugging three home runs as they scored in each of the first four innings.

Going 7-2 in his last 15 starts, Flaherty gave up just 10 earned runs over 99 1/3 innings for an ERA of 0.71. Over that span, Flaherty fanned 124 and walked 23 batters. For the year, he finished with 213 strikeouts.

St. Louis captured the division by two games over Milwaukee, who ended the regular season with a 4-3 loss at Colorado.

The Cardinals will open the best-of-five divisional series at Atlanta on Thursday, October 3, while the Nationals and Brewers play a one-game wild card playoff Tuesday, the winner advancing to meet the Dodgers in the other divisional series, which opens in Los Angeles, also on Thursday.

Houston's Gerrit Cole Wins 15th Straight Decision; Trea Turner Leads Nationals to Two Wins Over Phillies

Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 24, 2019

American League

Cole: 15 straight wins

Winning his 15th straight decision, Houston's Gerrit Cole blanked the Seattle Mariners on two hits over seven innings, striking out 14 in a 3-0 Houston win.

Cole (19-5, 2.52) didn't issue any walks and threw 101 pitches in what should be his final start of the season. Houston would likely use him as the starter in the playoff opener next week. Cole leads the majors in strikeouts with 316, and hasn't been on the wrong end of a decision since May 22. He's 4-0 in five September starts.

The win put the Astros up 1 1/2 games over the Yankees for the best record in the American League. Houston is 103-54; the Yankees - 2-1 losers at Tampa Bay Tuesday - are 102-56.

Houston has won eight of its last nine. After closing out their series in Seattle Wednesday, the Astros finish the regular season with four games against the Angels in Anaheim. The Yankees also finish on the road. They have one more game in Tampa on Wednesday, Thursday off, and close out at Texas over the weekend.

In the wild card race, Oakland lost to the Angels, 3-2, while Cleveland slaughtered the White Sox, 11-0. The A's lead Tampa Bay by 1/2 game and Cleveland by one.

National League

Turner powers Nationals

Taking both ends of a double-header from the visiting Phillies, the Washington Nationals increased their lead in the NL wild card to one full game over the hard-charging Milwaukee Brewers.

Leadoff batter, Trea Turner, did it all for the Nationals, going 3-for-4 in the opener with a single and two doubles, scoring twice in the 4-1 win, and slugging a sixth-inning grand slam to lead Washington to a 6-5 victory in the nightcap.

Turner is having a solid season, batting .298 with 18 home runs, 55 RBI, 94 runs, and 34 stolen bases. He's stepped it up for the stretch run, batting a robust .406 with four homers, eight RBI and 10 runs in his last seven games.

Washington's taken three straight from the Phillies in their five-game series, but the damage has already been done, the National;s eliminating Philadelphia and their $200 million payroll from the playoffs. The Nats and Brewers each have five games remaining, the intrigue being whether the Brewers can catch the Cardinals in the NL Central, where they trail St. Louis by 2 1/2 games. St. Louis, a 3-2 loser in 19 innings at Arizona, has just four games left, three of them this weekend against the reeling Cubs, losers of seven straight.

Milwaukee has won five straight and is 16-2 since September 6. On Tuesday, they topped Cincinnati, 4-2, and will finish on the road, with two more against the Reds and three in Colorado over the weekend.

George Springer's 3 HRs Bring AL West Crown to Houston; Cody Bellinger Slams Rockies in Dodger Win

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 22, 2019

American League

Springer: 3 HR, 4 RBI

George Springer cracked a trio of home runs, leading the Houston Astros to a 13-5 victory over the LA Angels, securing the AL West pennant for the third consecutive season.

Springer led off the bottom half of the first inning with a solo homer, spanked a two-run shot in the second, and belted another solo shot in the fourth, giving him 38 homers on the year. Springer's four RBI upped his total to 94.

The Astros cruised to the win, their 102nd against 54 losses, clinching the division in their final home game of the regular season. They also hold a 1/2-game edge on the Yankees for the best record in the league and home field advantage through the playoffs.

Houston will finish on the road, with two games in Seattle and four in Anaheim against the Angels.

The Al wild card race tightened up, as Oakland and Tampa Bay both lost, as Cleveland downed the Phillies, 10-1. The A's hold a two-game edge on both the Rays and Indians. All three have six games left in the regular season.

National League

Bellinger: Grand Slam

With a 7-4 win over the visiting Rockies, the LA Dodgers won their 100th game of the season and need just two more wins - or Atlanta losses - to secure home field for the duration of their playoff run.

After starting pitcher, Hyun-Jin Ryu, tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth with a solo shot, the Dodgers loaded the bases for slugger Cody Bellinger, who promptly unloaded them with a grand slam, his 46th home run of the season.

Bellinger is third in home runs league-wide, trailing the Mets' Pete Alonso (50) and the Reds' Eugenio Suarez (48). His 114 RBI ranks seventh among NL hitters.

In other NL happenings, the St. Louis Cardinals secured a post-season berth after sweeping the Cubs in a four-game series in Chicago, winning Sunday's finale, 3-2. By sweeping the Cubs, the Cardinals eliminated Chicago from the NL Central race, which is now down to St. Louis and Milwaukee. The Cardinals lead the Brewers by three games with six games remaining.

Washington dropped a 5-3 decision at Miami, leaving them tied with the Brewers for the top wild card spot. The Cubs are four games back. The Phillies, Mets, and Diamondbacks are nearing elimination.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Powers Braves to NL East Title; Carlos Correa Belts a Pair in Houston Win

Players of the Day for Friday, September 20, 2019

Correa: 2 HR, 3 RBI

American League

Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Carlos Correa each socked fist inning home runs and the Braves inched closer to their third straight AL West pennant with a 6-4 win over the LA Angels.

After his two-run shot in the first, Correa connected again in the third inning with a solo shot to left center. The pair of homers give him 21 on the year, along with 59 RBI in a season in which he's been out of action due to injuries twice for extended periods.

Correa missed all of June and most of July and has just returned - this was his second game back - from another month off due to a sore back. In all, he's missed nearly half the season, sitting out 80 games.

Key to Houston's success in winning the World Series in 2017, the 24-year-old shortstop and 2015 AL Rookie of the Year provides slick fielding and a potent bat to the middle of the Astros' lineup.

With their magic number at one, all Houston needs to do to clinch the division is win Saturday against the visiting Angels or have Oakland lose Saturday's game against the Texas Rangers. Houston has won six straight.

The Astros cracked 100 wins for the third straight year. In 2017, they won 101 games, and 103 in 2018. This year's squad appears to be the most potent of recent vintages. The are 101-53 and are 1 1/2 games up on the Yankees for the best AL record.

Oakland is eight game behind the Astros in the West, but holds a two-game edge on both Tampa Bay and Cleveland in the wild card race. All three have eight games left to play.

National League

Acuna Jr.: 2-2, 3 R, 2 RBI

Mike Foltynewicz threw eight innings of shutout ball and Ronald Acuna Jr. stroked his 41st home run of the year, leading the Braves to a 6-0 win over San Francisco and their second straight NL East pennant.

Fans and players alike exploded exuberantly when Acuna made the final out on a short fly ball to center. The second-year player was on base all night, going 2-for-2 with a pair of walks, a double and his home run. Acuna, who scored three times, surpassed the 100-RBI threshold with his two-run poke in the fifth inning. He has 101 on the year.

Voted NL Rookie of the Year in 2018 when he batted .293, hit 26 homers, drove in 64 runs, scored 78 times, and swiped 16 bases in 111 games, Acuna verified the voters' choice this season, batting .281, with 41 homers, 101 RBI, 126 runs and 37 steals. He can still add to his totals, as the Braves still have seven games left in the regular season.

Winning the NL East with a 92-70 mark in 2018, eight games better than the Washington Nationals, the Braves are even more potent this season with a 95-60 mark and a 9 1/2 game edge on the Nats. Already assured of the second-best record in the league, they have an outside chance of catching the Dodgers for the best record should they stumble in the final week. LA has a 4 1/2 game lead, at 99-55 and clinched the West division on September 9.

Atlanta has two more home games with San Francisco, Saturday and Sunday, before finishing up the regular season on the road with two in Kansas City and three in New York against the Mets.

In the wild card race, St. Louis defeated the Cubs in Chicago for the second straight day, winning, 2-1, while Milwaukee won for the 13th time in their last 15 tries, whipping the Pirates, 10-1. With Washington taking down Miami 6-4, the Brewers have taken over the second wild card, a game behind the Nationals, with the Cubs now trailing the Brewers by two games.

St. Louis continues to lead the NL Central by three games over Milwaukee. Chicago has fallen to five back.

Ryan Braun's Slam Lifts Brewers Over Cardinals; Josh Reddick 5-for-5 As Astros Sweep Royals

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 15, 2019

American League

Reddick: 5-5 HR 3R 3RBI

Houston completed a sweep of the Royals Sunday with a 12-3 win in Kansas City, tying the Yankees for the best record in the American League.

Josh Reddick went 5-for-5, including a home run, as the Astros dropped their magic number to clinch the division to FIVE.

Reddick stroked four singles and knocked his 13th home run, scored three times and drove in three runs.

Proving just how far afield the Astros are in the division and the league, they outscored the Royals 22-5 in the three-game series.

Houston has Monday off, resuming their run to the post-season on Tuesday, hosting two games with the Texas Rangers. The Astros will finalize their home schedule this weekend, possibly clinching the division when they play three games with the Angels.

National League

Braun's Slam Folds Cards

Ryan Braun's grand slam in the top of the ninth provided the game-winning runs as the Milwaukee Brewers topped the St. Louis Cardinals for the second straight game win a 7-6 victory.

Three walks loaded the bases for Braun, who appeared at the plate with two outs and the Brewers down, 4-3. On a 3-2 count from St. Louis reliever, Junior Fernandez, Braun deposited the offering into the left-center stands.

The Cardinals responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning on a Tommy Edman homer, but could not overcome the deficit. Relief pitching has been the Cardinals' Achilles heel all season. Now it threatens their lead in the NL Central, as the Cubs and Brewers are closing in on them.

Milwaukee trails by three games in the division; the Cubs are just two games behind St. Louis.

Braun's homer was his 20th. He has 66 RBI on the year.

The Brewers have been on fire of late, winning nine of their last 10. They took two of three in their series in St. Louis. On Monday, they head back to Milwaukee for their final home series of the season, hosting four games with the Padres followed by three with Pittsburgh.

St. Louis opens a three-game series at home against the Nationals, beginning Monday at 7:45 pm ET.

Cardinals Rip Brewers As Paul Goldschmidt Drives in 7; Gerrit Cole 17-5 After Houston Downs Royals

Players of the Day for Friday, September 13, 2019

American League

Cole's 292 Ks leads majors

Gerrit Cole notched his 17th win against five losses, blanking the Royals over seven innings as the Astros inched closer to the AL West crown with a 4-1 win in Kansas City.

Cole was cruising along until the Royals scored an unearned run in the eighth inning, but George Springer made the difference, socking a three-run homer in the top of the ninth. Roberto Osuna came on in the ninth to complete the task, earning his 33rd save with a scoreless inning of relief.

Cole won his 10th straight, fanning 11. It was the sixth straight start in which Cole hit double digits in strikeouts and the 18th time this season. He leads the majors with 292 strikeout victims.

Houston maintained its 7 1/2-game lead over Oakland, as the A's out-slugged Texas, 14-8. The Astros' magic number to clinch the division is seven.

Kansas City hosts the Astros in game two of the three-game series Saturday at 7:15 pm ET.

National League

Goldschmidt: 2 HR, 7 RBI

Late August, St. Louis took command of the NL Central division, winning nine of 10, bypassing the Cubs and Brewers as they vaulted into first place. Maintaining their lead since August 27, the Cards have cooled off a bit, going 10-6, but they solidified their hold on first place Friday with a 10-0 romp over Milwaukee, snapping the Brewers' seven-game winning streak.

Adam Wainwright hurled six scoreless innings and Paul Goldschmidt smashed two homers and drove in seven runs as the Cardinals opened their final series of the season with Milwaukee with a no-doubt-about-it conquest.

Wainwright (12-9) allowed just two hits and fanned seven, while Goldschmidt socked a third-inning grand slam and mashed a three-run homer in the sixth. Acquired from San Diego in the off-season, Goldschmidt has provided power to the middle of the St. Louis lineup. He has 31 homers and 89 RBI on the year.

The win left the Cardinals four in front of the Cubs in the division, dropping Milwaukee to five off the pace.

The Cardinals lead the season series with the Brewers, 10-7. They'll wrap it up Saturday and Sunday in in St. Louis.

Jacob deGrom, Pete Alonso Lead Mets Past D'Backs; Robinson Chirinos Leads Astros in 15-0 Win Over A's

Players of the Day for Monday, September 9, 2019

American League

Chirinos: 2 HR, 6 RBI

On Sunday, the Astros hammered the Mariners, 21-1 and on Monday, opened a four-game series with the A's, in Houston, so, OK, maybe the score would be a little closer.

It was, but not by much. Houston clobbered Oakland, 15-0, putting themselves that much closer to the AL West pennant and showing the wild card contender what they might be dealing with should they reach the playoffs.

The Astros belted seven home runs, all but one coming in the first two innings, as Houston built an 11-0 lead. Zack Grienke, the Houston starter, was the beneficiary of the big advantage, tossing six innings of shutout ball to go 5-1 in an Astros uniform.

Robinson Chirinos and Yordan Alvarez each socked two home runs. While Alvarez was banging out solo shots, Chirinos was doing it with men aboard, mashing a two-run homer in the first and a three-run rip in the seventh. His single in the second innings plated another run, giving him six RBI for the game.

The win left Houston with a 10 1/2 game lead over the A's and a magic number of seven to clinch the division for the third straight season. Game two is set for 8:10 pm ET, Tuesday, in Houston.

deGrom: 7IP, 3H, 1ER, 10K

National League

With three weeks left in the regular season, the wild card race in the National League is shaping up for excitement.

In New York, two contenders for the second and final wild card spot took to the field as the Mets opened a huge four-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Jacob deGrom was at his best for New York, tossing seven innings of three-hit ball, allowing in one run in the Mets' 3-1 victory, pulling them closer to the pack and to Arizona. Striking out 10, deGrom surrendered Arizona's only run in the fifth inning, when Wilmer Flores went deep for his eighth home run of the year.

Alonso's 47 HRs lead NL

Seth Lugo also came up big, fanning four in a hitless six-out save spanning the final two innings.

Aiding the cause was rookie sensation Pete Alonso, who cranked out a pair of solo homers. Alonso leads the league in home runs, with 47 and is fifth in RBI at 109. No rookie has led the National League in home runs since Ralph Kiner socked 23 for Pittsburgh in 1946. Only five players have led their league in home runs in their rookie season, the most recent being Aaron Judge, who hit 52 for the Yankees in 2017.

The Mets gained to within four games of the Cubs for the second wild card, but they have plenty of competition. The Brewers are two games back, the Diamondbacks, 2 1/2, the Phillies, three out. Washington leads all, two games up on Chicago.

The Mets host Arizona Tuesday in game two of the series at Citi Field, starting at 7:10 pm ET.

Gerrit Cole, Jordan Alvarez Lead Houston to 22-1 Blowout of Mariners; Jack Flaherty Rolls, Cardinals Slash Pirates, 2-0

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 8, 2019

American League

Cole fans 15

Gerrit Cole allowed one hit and struck out 15, and the Houston Astros exploded for 22 hits in a 21-1 blowout of the Seattle Mariners.

Alvarez: 3 doubles, 6 RBI

Cole, 16-5, was perfect except for a second-inning solo homer by Shed Long. He did not walk anyone and threw 68 of 96 pitches for strikes, getting first pitch strikes on 18 of the 25 batters he faced. In his last 18 starts, he's 12-0, dating back to May 27. His strikeout total grew to 281, which leads the majors.

On the offensive side, Houston rang up 11 doubles, three of them by rookie Yordan Alvarez, who went 4-for-6 and drove in six runs. Alvarez is a big-time candidate for rookie of the year in the AL, batting .314 with 22 home runs and 70 RBI in just 258 at-bats.

Houston is 16-1 against the Mariners this season and have won 11 straight head-to-head. The season series closes out on September 24-25, with two games in Seattle.

Looking to wrap up their third straight LA West title, Houston holds a 9 1/2-game bulge on Oakland. The A's arrive in Houston Monday for a four-game series against the Astros. Game one starts at 8:10 pm ET.

National League

Flaherty blanks Pirates

Extending his scoreless streak to 18 innings, Cardinals' hurler, Jack Flaherty, delivered eight innings of shutout ball in a 2-0 St. Louis win at Pittsburgh, taking two of three from the Pirates in their final head-to-head series of the season.

Flaherty allowed five hits and one walk, hit a batter, and was picked off first base after a successful bunt advanced runners to second and third bases. He fanned 10 for the third time this season.

While his base-running might have been questionable, Flaherty's pitching was outstanding, a trait developing over his last eight starts, dating back to August first. Over that span, he's 6-1, with an ERA of 0.50, having worked 54 innings and given up just three earned runs. His scoreless streak dates back to August 28, when he finished a six-inning stint with a pair of goose eggs in a 4-1 loss to Milwaukee.

On September 3, he gave up one hit to the Giants over eight innings in a 1-0 St. Louis victory.

Combined with the Cubs' 8-5 loss at Milwaukee, the Cardinals have opened up a 4 1/2-game lead in the Central division, which, until a few weeks ago, had been a see-saw battle between St. Louis, Chicago, and the Brewers. Milwaukee is 6 1/2 back in the division and tied with the Phillies, two behind Chicago for the second wild card. Arizona is only 1 1/2 behind the Cubs.

Since August 18, the Cardinals are 17-5, while the Cubs and Brewers have not been able to keep pace. After a day off Monday, St. Louis opens a three-game series in Colorado with the Rockies.

Freddie Freeman's 2 HR Leads Braves to 4th Straight; Justin Verlander Tosses No-Hitter In 2-0 Win

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 1, 2019

Verlander: 3rd no-hitter

American League

It was only a matter of time before Justin Verlander would throw another no-hitter. On Sunday, time was up.

Verlander blanked the Blue Jays at the Rogers Center in Toronto, fanning 14 for the third no-hitter of his impressive in a 2-0 Houston victory.

After walking Cavan Biggio with one out in the first inning, Verlander set down the next 26 Blue Jays in order, getting the win when third baseman Abraham Toro scorched a two-out, two-run homer in the visitor's half of the ninth. Verlander calmly set down the final three Toronto batters before the Astros broke out in celebration.

Throwing a season-high 120 pitches, Verlander joined the Yankees' Domingo Herman with 17 wins, tops in the majors. He also leads the majors in strikeouts (257) and innings (193). His 2.56 ERA leads the AL.

Verlander joins an elite group with at least three no-hitters, including Nolan Ryan (7) and Sandy Koufax (4). Cy Young, Bob Feller and 1880s-era Larry Corcoran threw three each.

Having already won an MVP and Cy Young award in 2011 as a member of the Detroit Tigers, Verlander is the favorite for this season's Cy Young.

Houston won for the 11th time in its last 14 games, taking a 10-game lead over Oakland in the AL West, as the A's have dropped two straight to the Yankees.

The Astros head to Milwaukee on Monday, opening a two-game series with the Brewers at 4:00 pm ET.

National League

Freeman tearing up NL

Freddie Freeman cracked a pair of home runs and drove in all of Atlanta's runs as the Braves took another step toward their second straight NL East pennant with a 5-3 win over the White Sox.

Backing six innings of mound work by Julio Teheran (9-8, 3.38), Freeman socked a two-run homer in the opening inning, then broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth with another two-run jack. In the eighth, the league's leading RBI guy drove in another with a single.

Freeman leads the majors in RBI with 114. His 38 home runs and a .301 batting average are also among the league's best. With Freeman having what looks like an MVP season, the Braves continue winning, taking their fourth straight while sweeping three from the visiting White Sox. Atlanta has held off a surge by the Washington Nationals by winning 12 of its last 14 games.

The Braves will spend Labor Day hosting the Toronto Blue Jays. Game one of their two-game series starts at 1:20 pm ET.