J.J. Hardy Sends O's to Game Five; Justin Verlander Puts Tigers into ALCS; Jayson Werth Stuns Cards; Buster Posey Slams as Giants Advance

Players of the Day for Thursday, October 11, 2012

American League

J.J. Hardy

ALDS: Baltimore 2 NY Yankees 1, 13 innings - 16 pitchers were used in the marathon extra inning game four between the two AL East entrants in the post-season sweepstakes, but the Yankees' David Phelps was victimized by J.J. Hardy, who stroked a double to deep left field, scoring Manny Machado from second base with the eventual game-winner in the top of the 13th.

Machado doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on Nate McLouth's ground out to second. With the outfield drawn in, Hardy launched a perfect, down-the-middle offering from Phelps, Machado trotting home easily. Jim Johnson worked a perfect bottom of the 13th for his second save of the series.

To settle the series, game five is scheduled for 5:07 pm EDT at Yankee Stadium. C.C. Sabathia goes up the bump for New York, against the Orioles' Jason Hammel.

Verlander: 9IP 4H CG

ALDS: Detroit 6 Oakland 0 - The Tigers took game five of their divisional series with the A's, as Justin Verlander proved once again that he is the ultimate big-game pitcher in the majors.

Verlander improved to 5-3 in the post-season, hurling a four-hit, 11-strikeout gem, advancing the Tigers past the A's and into the Championship Series against either the Yankees or Orioles. The 2011 Cy Young award winner walked one and didn't allow a base runner past second, going the distance for his first post-season shutout in ten starts.

The Tigers won the first two games of the series in Detroit, then dropped two in Oakland before calling on their ace to finish off the A's.

National League

Posey Slams for SF

NLDS: San Francisco 6 cincinnati 4 - Buster Posey socked a grand slam as the Giants erupted for six runs in the fifth inning off Cincy starter Mat Latos, advancing the Giants to the NL championship series to face either St. Louis or Washington.

It was Posey's second home run of the post-season, and likely the biggest shot of his career. Matt Cain took the win and the Giants used five relievers to hold down the Reds, who lost three straight after winning the first two in San Francisco. Sergio Romo allowed a ninth-inning run, but managed to pick up his second save of the series.

Jayson Werth

NLDS: Washington 2 St. Louis 1 - Jayson Werth's leadoff home run in the bottom of the ninth broke a 1-1 tie and sent the divisional series to a deciding game five, to be played Friday night in the nation's capitol.

Werth homered off Lance Lynn, staving off elimination for the Nationals and tying the series at two games apiece.

Washington scored a run in the second and the Cardinals responded with a single run in the top of the third, but that was all the two starters, St. Louis' Kyle Lohse and Washington's Ross Detwiler would allow. Lohse went seven full innings; Detwiler worked six.

Adam Wainwright gets the game five start for St. Louis against the Nationals' Gio Gonzalez. Game time is 8:37 pm EDT.

J.J. Hardy Leads Orioles over Rays, Tie for First with Yankees; Jimmy Rollins Has Phillies Back in Wild Card Race

Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 11, 2011

American League

Tying the Yankees once again for first place in the AL East, the Baltimore Orioles opened their three game home series with Tampa Bay with a resounding 9-2 victory while the Yankees were losing to the Red Sox, 4-3.

J.J. Hardy

Tampa Bay remained two games off the pace, though now they are chasing both the Yanks and O's.

Shortstop J.J. Hardy provided the bulk of the offense for the Orioles, going 4-for-5 with a pair of homers, a double, single, three runs and five RBI.

Hardy's first homer - a two-run shot to left in the third inning - snapped a 1-1 tie, In the fifth, Hardy doubled and scored on Matt Wieters two-run double, then singled in a run in the sixth and finally capped off his night with another two-run homer in the eighth, his 21 of the year.

Baltimore hosts Tampa Bay in the second game of the series Wednesday night and ifnish up with a day game on Friday.

National League

Forgotten after a horrible first half due to injuries to key players, the Philadelphia Phillies have been on a tear and are now threatening to become a key player in the NL wild card race over the final 20 games of the regular season.

Jimmy Rollins

Winning 14 of their last 18 and six in a row, Philadelphia has climbed to within four games of St. Louis, the current holder of the second wild card.

Jimmy Rollins singled and homered in three at-bats, scoring three times, driving in the same number as the http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=320911122, in the second game of their three-game set in Philly.

With the Phillies winning and the Cardinals, Dodgers and Pirates all suffering losses, Philly and the Milwaukee Brewers have both reached the .500 level (71-71).

Atlanta has a 5 1/2 game bulge over St. Louis and are virtually assured of the #1 wild card, but the scramble for the second slot is ongoing and getting crowded. St. Louis leads the Dodgers by one game, Pittsburgh, losers of five straight, is two out with the Phillies and Brewers four behind. Arizona is still in it, five games back after topping the Dodgers, 1-0. Arizona's Ian Kennedy allowed four hits and struck out six over 7 1/3 innings.

Lew Ford, J.J. Hardy Pace Orioles; Atlanta Wins 4th Straight on Brian McCann's 4 RBI

Players of the Day for Saturday, September 8, 2012

American League

The huge weekend series between the Orioles and Yankees has taken on epic proportions, as the New Yorkers try desperately to stave off the late-season charge of Baltimore.

Lew Ford

After the O's tied New York for the AL East lead on Thursday, the Yankees forged a one-game edge with an 8-5 win on Friday.

Saturday's game went to the Orioles, by a 5-4 score as J.J. Hardy and Lew Ford both homered and went 2-for-4 with two RBI, as the O;s turned back Yankee ace, C.C. Sabathia.

Ford was in to replace Nick Markakis, who left in the fifth inning with a broken thumb after being hit by a Sabathia pitch. He is expected to miss six weeks.

The win put the O's and Yanks back into a flat-footed tie for first place in the division. The fourth and final game of the series is slated for Saturday afternoon at 1:35 pm at Camden Yards in Baltimore.

Brian McCann

National League

Atlanta continues to win, and, with their 11-3 victory over the Mets at Citi Field in New York, hold a 5 1/2 game lead over St. Louis for the #1 wild card spot.

Catcher Brian McCann, a key cog in the Atlanta machinery, went 4-for-5 with a home run, double, two singles, three runs and four RBI to pace the Braves.

The homer, a two-run, fifth inning blast, was McCann's 18th on the year.

Winners of four straight, the Braes will be looking for the sweep of their three game series with the Mets, sunday afternoon.

Dodgers Seal Deal; Brewers Get One Back

Players of the Day from Saturday, October 4, 2008 Milwaukee 4 Philadelphia 1 J.J. Hardy went 3-for-4, drove in a key run in the 1st inning and scored another in the 7th as the Brewers avoided elimination with a 4-1 win over the Phillies. The Phillies still lead the series 2 games to 1, with game 4 set for Sunday at 1:07 pm ET in Milwaukee. While Hardy was scorching the ball, the Phillies' bats were mostly silent, as Milwaukee pitchers scattered 9 hits, though closer Salomon Torres ran into some trouble in the 9th, allowing three hits in the innings, though the Phillies were unable to push across a run. LA Dodgers 3 Chicago Cubs 1 The LA Dodgers knocked the Chicago Cubs out of the playoffs and advanced to the NLCS as starter Hiroki Kuroda shut out Chicago over 6 1/3 innings to lead LA past Chicago, 3-1, completing a sweep over the team that hasn't won the World Series since 1908. Kuroda scattered 6 hits and a pair of walks while fanning 4. Otherwise, it was an infielder's delight as Kuroda got 13 of 15 outs on ground balls. The Dodgers struck in the first inning for two runs - all that they'd need - when James Loney doubled home Manny Ramirez and Russell Martin. Martin was also responsible for the other LA run, doubling home Rafael Furcal in the 5th. After dominating the NL with the best record in the league, the Cubs fell completely apart against the Dodgers' surge, being outscored in the three games by a combined score of 20-6. Notes: The American League playoffs continue today, with the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox both looking to sweep. The Rays lead the White Sox, 2-0. Game 3 is scheduled to begin at 4:07 pm ET in Chicago. The Red Sox can knock out the Angels in their game 3, beginning at 7:07 pm ET at Fenway Park.