Yankees Closer To Hosting Wild Card As Giancarlo Stanton Belts Two HRs; Cubs' Jon Lester Blanks Pirates Over Six

Players of the Day for Thursday, September 27, 2018

American League

Stanton smacks a pair of HRs

The New York Yankees took another step closer to hosting the single-elimination wild card game against the Oakland Athletics with a 12-1 rout of Tampa Bay, taking three of four at Tropicana Field from the Rays.

Giancarlo Stanton could not be kept off the base paths. The Yankee outfielder, acquired in the off-season from Miami, walked twice and scored three times, twice on solo homers, his 36th and 37th of the season.

Stanton, who's numbers haven't been quite up to his usual eye-popping figures, is still having a very solid season, batting .262 with 97 RBI. Last season, Stanton had 59 homers and 132 RBI with the Marlins.

The win left the Yankees two games up on the idle A's, with three left to play. The Yankees need any combination of two wins or two A's losses to wrap up the top wild card spot. That may be hard to come by, as the Yankees open a season-ending three-game series at Boston, while the A's wrap things up with three games in LA with the Angels.

National League

Lester: 6 scoreless

The Cubs got a big effort at an opportune time from starter Jon Lester, who blanked the Pirates for six innings in the finale of their four-game series, leading to a 3-0 Chicago win at wrigley Field.

After the Pirates took the first two games of the series, the red-hot Brewers began breathing down Chicago's neck, closing to within a half game of the division leaders. Taking the third and fourth game of the series, the Cubs improved their lead to one game over the Brewers, who were idle on Thursday.

Lester improved to 18-6 on the year, pitching in and out of trouble most of his six innings. Lester walked four, struck out three, but allowed only three hits. Pittsburgh threatened, with runners on base in each of the first four innings, but failed to get anybody across home plate. Lester finished up by putting the side down in order in the fifth and sixth.

Starting Friday, the Cubs host the Cardinals for three games to end the season. St. Louis trails the Dodgers by one game for the second wild card spot. Milwaukee has already clinched the top wild card spot and will host the single game unless they get some help from St. Louis and nip the Cubs for the division title.

The same condition exists in the West, where the Dodgers trail the Rockies by one game. All teams have three games left. The Rockies host the Nationals, the Dodgers are at San Francisco, while the Brewers host the Detroit Tigers to close out the regular season.

Jon Lester Throws Complete Game Shutout for A's; Hyun-Jin Ryu Leads Dodgers over Angels, 7-0

Players of the Day for Thursday, August 7, 2013

American League

Jon Lester

Just a few weeks ago, in what has been referred to as the blockbuster trade of the season, Oakland acquired lefty Jon Lester from the Red Sox in exchange for, among other players and cash, outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.

That deal has already begun to benefit the A's, who took a three-game lead in the AL West over the Angels as Lester tossed a 3-0 shutout of the Twins Thursday in Oakland.

The win was Lester's second straight for the Athletics in as many starts. This past Saturday, he went 6 2/3 innings for his new team in an 8-3 win over Kansas City. Thursday's effort was his first complete game and shutout of the season.

Lester allowed three hits and walked two while striking out eight would-be Twins hitters. He threw 83 of 122 pitches for strikes, improving to 12-7 on the year.

Game two of the four-game series is set for a 7:05 pm PDT start Friday.

Hyun-Jin Ryu

National League

Finishing off their four-game home-and-home series with the Angels with a 7-0 victory, the Dodgers opened their largest lead of the season in the NL West Thursday, going 3 1/2 up on the flailing Giants, who lost, 3-1, at Milwaukee.

Hyun-Jin Ryu kept the Angels in check, hurling seven scoreless innings, allowing two hits and a walk. Ryu struck out four and got 12 outs on ground balls.

The win was the fourth in Ryu's last five starts, putting his record at 13-5, among the leaders in the National League. The Cardinals' Adam Wainwright and Milwakee's Wily Peralta each have 14 wins.

It was the third straight win for the Dodgers, who took three of four from the Angels. The Dodgers head for Milwaukee to open a three-game series with the Central division-leading Brewers on Friday. Game time is 8:10 pm EDT.

Jon Lester's 7 2/3 Shutout Innings Sends Series Back to Boston; Red Sox Lead, 3-2

Players of the Day for Monday, October 28, 2013

World Series Game Five

Jon Lester

Boston's Jon Lester was rock-solid in Game One - an 8-1 Red Sox Rout - and turned in another shining performance in Game Five of the 2013 World Series, to put St. Louis in a hole, three games to two, and send the series back to Boston.

Lester subdued St. Louis bats for 7 2/3 innings Monday night, yielding only a fourth-inning, Matt Holliday home run which tied the game at 1-1, but his teammates came back with a pair of scores off Cardinal starter, Adam Wainwright, in the seventh, producing a 3-1 win for the Red Sox.

Lester allowed four hits, struck out seven and issued no walks, many St. Louis batters completely off-balance against the post-season master, who scored his second World Series win this season and is 4-1 with a 1.56 ERA during the playoffs in 2013.

With the 3-2 lead in games, the series heads back to Boston for game six on Wednesday and, if necessary, game seven, Thursday night.

First pitch is slated for 8:07 pm EDT. John Lackey gets the nod for Boston; Michael Wacha goes to the mound for St. Louis.

Today's Trivia: The record for career shutouts by a pitcher in the World Series is four. Who holds claim to that mark? (answer Thursday)

Yesterday's Answer: Mickey Mantle holds the all-time World Series career total bases record, 123.

Jon Lester, Mike Napoli, David Ortiz Lead Red Sox 8-1 Rout of Cardinals in World Series Game One

Players of the Day for Wednesday, October 23, 2013

David Ortiz

World Series Game One

It was obvious right away which team was ready for the World Series and which was not.

After Jon Lester retired the Cardinals in the top of the first, yielding only a single to Matt Holliday, Boston roughed up Cardinal starter, Adam Wainwright, with some help from an error by shortstop Pete Kozma.

Jon Lester

Walking the first batter he face, Jacoby Ellsbury, Wainwright looked jittery and nervous. After he got Shane Victorino on a sharp liner to left, Dustin Pedroia laced a single up the middle, then David Ortiz grounded into what appeared to be a tailor-made double play, but Kozma never handled the toss from second baseman Matt Carpenter, loading the bases.

Then came the biggest blow of the game, as Mike Napoli cleared the bases with a booming double that went to the wall in left center.

Mike Napoli

It was 3-0 Boston, and it didn't get any better for the visitors after that.

The Sox scored two more in the second inning, Pedroia singling in a run and Ortiz plating another with a sac fly.

Lester mowed through the St. Louis order, eventually working 7 2/3 innings, allowing five hits with a walk and eight strikeouts. Wainwright took the loss, lasting five innings, giving up five runs (three earned) on six hits and a walk.

Ortiz smashed a two run homer in the eighth, giving him and Napoli three RBI apiece. Boston finished the scoring with a sac fly run from Xavier Bogaerts which got Daniel Nava home from third base.

Holliday supplied the only Cardinal run with a solo homer in the ninth, the Red Sox running off to a 8-1 win.

Not only did the Cardinals lose the game, they may have lost their most capable hitter, Carlos Beltran, who slammed into the wall in right field, robbing Ortiz of a grand slam in the second inning. He finished the frame in the outfield but did not return after going to the bench, and then into the clubhouse, replaced by Jon Jay.

Beltran received X-rays to his ribs, which came back negative. He is day-to-day with bruised ribs and doubtful for game two, which starts Thursday night, at 8:07 pm EDT at Fenway Park in Boston.

Today's Trivia: Who is the all-time career leader in post-season RBI? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: Kenny Lofton is the all-time post-season stolen base leader, with 34, one better than Ricky Henderson.

Jon Lester Out-Duels Tigers' Max Scherzer in 2-1 Red Sox Win; Homer Bailey Hurls Reds to 1-0 Victory over Cardinals

Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 3, 2013

American League

Jon Lester

In what appears to be a playoff preview, the Red Sox evened their series with the Tigers at a game apiece as Jon Lester out-dueled Max Scherzer for a 2-1 win.

Winning for the third time in his last four starts, Lester, 13-8, scattered eight hits over seven innings, allowing the Tigers only run to score in the second inning.

The Red Sox came back with two runs off Scherzer, who was seeking his 20th win, in the fifth, when Will Middlebrooks singled with two outs, bringing home Jonny Gomes and Stephen Drew.

Lester fanned nine and didn't walk a batter. Both starters threw 111 pitches.

The win kept he Red Sox 5 1/2 in front of Tampa Bay in the East, with the best record in the AL at 83-57. The Tigers have a 7 1/2 game bulge in the Central over second place Cleveland.

Game three of the series is scheduled for 7:00 pm EDT, Wednesday at Fenway Park.

National League

Homer Bailey

Homer Bailey allowed just two hits - both by St. Louis leadoff hitter, Matt Carpenter - over seven innings, sending the Reds to their second straight victory over St. Louis, in game two of their four-game series, by a 1-0 score.

Bailey started out the game in rough fashion, opening up the game by giving up a single to Carpenter and walking Carlos Beltran. After fanning Matt Holliday, he induced a double play to end the inning. In the second, Bailey plunked Jon Jay with one out in the second and gave up Carpenter's second single with one down in the third, but he was perfect after that, setting down the next 14 batters in order before turning the ball game over to the Reds' relievers.

Bailey fanned eight and issued just the one walk to Beltran in the first inning, improving to 10-10 on the year. Only he and San Francisco's Tim Lincecum have thrown no-hitters this season, both coming in July. Bailey shut down the Giants, 3-0, on July 2nd, inspiring Lincecum to do the same to the Padres on July 13.

The loss dropped the Cardinals two games behind the Pirates in the NL Central, while the Reds remained 3 1/2 back. Pittsburgh guaranteed itself a winning season with their 81st win, a 4-3 victory at Milwaukee. The Pirates last winning season was 1992.

The Reds host the Cardinals in game three of the series at 7:10 pm EDT on Wednesday night.

Today's Trivia: Who led the National League in hits more times, Pete Rose or Tony Gwynn? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: Pete Rose became the all-time hits leader in 1985.

Jon Lester Tosses One-Hitter for Boston; Yankees' Lyle Overbay Drives in Five; St. Louis Rookie Shelby Miller Hurls Cards to One-Hit Win

Players of the Day for Friday, May 10, 2013

American League

Lester: 1-hitter

The battle for the AL East has intensified to a point that the three teams tied for the division lead - Yankees, Red Sox and Orioles - all produced victories Friday, two of those games featuring individual performances worth of player of the day recognition.

Overbay: HR, 5RBI

Maicer Izturis was the only Toronto hitter to touch up Boston starter, Jon Lester, his fourth-inning, no-doubt double breaking up the Red Sox lefty's bid for a perfect game. Lester (5-0) struck out five, didn't walk any and threw 79 of 118 pitches for the complete game, 5-0 shutout.

The Yankees, in the midst of a Midwest swing, kept pace by bludgeoning the Royals, 11-6, their third straight win. The Bombers cranked out 16 hits, four of them coming off the bat of first baseman Lyle Overbay, who was 4-for-5 with a homer, two doubles, a single and five RBI.

Baltimore remained in the three-way tie by defeating the Twins in 10 innings, 9-6, getting RBI singles from Manny Machado, Nick Markakis and Adam Jones in the top of the extra frame. Jim Johnson gave up a hit in the bottom of the inning, but still recorded his league-leading 14th save.

All three series continue on Saturday.

National League

Shelby Miller

St. Louis starter, Shelby Miller, didn't get off to a very auspicious start in the Cardinals' 3-0 win over the Rockies, giving up a scratch single to leadoff hitter, Eric Young Jr. - who then stole second base - but Miller was unfazed, getting Dexter Fowler on a pop fly, and then striking out Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki, both looking at called third strikes.

As it was, Young's single would be the only hit of the night for Colorado, as Miller set down 27 straight, registering the second one-hitter of the day.

The hard-throwing rookie hurler fanned a career-high 13 without allowing a walk, getting Tulowitzki three times and striking out both Colorado pinch hitters sent to the plate in the sixth and ninth innings. Miller improved to 5-2, lowering his ERA to 1.58 with his magnificent outing.

St. Louis, winners of eight of their last 10, retained their three-game Central division lead over Cincinnati with the win.

The Rockies will attempt to put more bats on balls in game two of the three-game series, Saturday at 2:15 pm EDT.

Today's Trivia: In 1964, Dean Chance threw 11 shutouts for the LA Angels. Four years later, which pitcher topped him, with 13 shutouts in 1968, a total which nobody since has come close to matching?

Answer to yesterday's question: 41-year-old Andy Pettitte is the active player wins leader with 248.

Scott Feldman, Michael Young Lead Rangers past Reds; Jon Lester Tosses Seven Scoreless for Red Sox

Players of the Day for Monday, March 26, 2012

Grapefruit League

Lester: 7IP 2H 10K

The Boston Red Sox got their Grapefruit League record above the .500 mark (11-10) with a 6-0 blanking of the Phillies, though most around the clubhouse were probably more impressed with the work of starter Jon Lester, who, at 2-1, with a 3.50 ERA appears to be about as ready for the regular season as any pitcher in either league.

Lester breezed through seven innings of scoreless ball, displaying pinpoint control as he allowed just two hits while fanning 10 without walking a batter.

Pivotal to Boston's chances of winning the AL East and beyond, Lester's performance in the regular season - and especially against long-time rival New York - will have great bearing on the Red Sox season. In 2011, Lester went 15-9 with a 3.47 ERA, capping six straight seasons without a losing record. Lester's career record is a remarkable 76-34, among the best winning percentages of any major leaguer.

Cactus League

Despite playing this spring in Arizona, a climate very similar to their home games in Arlington, Texas, the reigning AL champion Texas Rangers aren't looking very much like world beaters as they won for just the sixth time against 16 losses, defeating Cincinnati, 12-2, at the Rangers' spring home in Surprise, AZ.

Scott Feldman

Springtime victories are hardly the concern, however, as players hone their skills for the regular season that is now just a week away, and the Rangers have a number of bright spots heading down the Cactus League stretch.

Young: .441 BA

Starting pitcher Scott Feldman shut out the Reds on three hits over six innings, nabbing his first W of the exhibition season, striking out nine Reds' batters and walking none. Feldman threw 54 of 79 pitches for strikes. Feldman started just two games for the Rangers in 2011, but appears to have regained the stuff that made him a rising star when he went 17-8 in 2009.

Michael Young, one of the most consistent hitters of the past decade, rapped out three singles in three at-bats and scored three times. Young is having a solid spring, batting .441. Young hit .338 in 2011, third best in the AL, his best showing since winning the AL batting title with a .331 average in 2005.

Boston Hammers Toronto, 14-0; Beltran Gets Giants to Within Six of Arizona

Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 6, 2011

American League

Jon Lester

David Ortiz

There were three outright slaughters in the AL on Tuesday, two by division leaders. Texas got a complete game, five-hit shutout from C.J. Wilson in their 8-0 win over Tampa Bay. Combined with the Angels' 2-1 loss to Seattle, that put the Rangers up 3 1/2 games in the West.

Detroit bombed Cleveland 10-1, sending the Indians back to third place 1/2 game behind the White Sox - 3-0 winners over Minnesota - who trail the Tigers by eight games in a division that was once close and now looks like a runaway for Detroit.

But the biggest blowout was Boston's 14-0 beating of Toronto. Jon Lester limited the Bue Jays to three hits and a walk over seven innings, striking out 11 in the process for his 15th win against six losses. Lester's mound work would have been good enough, but it was overshadowed by the explosive Boston batters, who hammered out 20 hits, 11 of them for extra bases.

Marco Scutaro

Adrian Gonzalez

Adrian Gonzalez was 3-for-5 with a double, three runs and two RBI, giving him 105 on the year, good for second in the AL, tied with the Yankees' Robinson Cano and four behind another Yankee, Curtis Granderson. David Ortiz had four hits in six at-bats, two of them doubles. He also scored three runs and drove in a pair.

However, it wasn't a big guy who led the way for the Beantown Bombers. Shortstop Marco Scutaro went 4-for-5 with three doubles and a single, scored two runs and drove in four. Batting behind Ortiz, Scutaro had one of his best games as a major leaguer.

The win by Boston didn't help them catch up on the Yankees, who continued to lead the AL East by 2 1/2 games with a 5-3 win over Baltimore. Catching the Yankees may not be a top priority for the Red Sox, however. Getting ready for the post-season might be, as they lead the wild card standings by a cool 8 1/2 games over the Angels.

National League

Carlos Beltran

San Francisco's move to get Carlos Beltran at the trading deadline may prove to be one of the best deals of the season, though it might be a little too late as the Giants try to chase down NL West leader Arizona.

Beltran was an essential element in the Giants' 6-4 win over San Diego Tuesday night, bringing them to within six games of the Diamondbacks, who dropped an 8-3 decision to the Rockies when Colorado exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the 8th inning.

Beltran went 3-for-4 with three key RBI. In the third inning, he singled home a run to put the Giants up 3-2, then, after the Padres tied the score at 3-all, he doubled in another run in the 5th inning. He walked to lead off the 8th inning and scored, adding a ground-out RBI in the 9th to seal the victory.

With 20 games left in the season, time is not on the Giants' side, though they will get one more crack at the D'Backs when they face them in Arizona on September 23, 24 and 25, in the penultimate series of the season. The Giants have an equal number of home and road dates remaining, though they have to face the Rockies seven times, including in their final three game series at home.

Youkilis, Lester Lead Boston Rout of Toronto; Jordan Zimmerman Ks 10; Jeter Within 7 of 3000

Players of the Day for Sunday, June 11, 2011

American League

Kevin Youkilis

Francisco Liriano flirted with a no-hitter in Minnesota, eventually surrendering two hits and a run in the 8th in a 6-1 Minnesota win, their third in four games against the Rangers, but Keven Youkilis was a model of efficiency, driving in a run with each hit he had in Boston's 14-1 rout of Toronto.

Jon Lester

The Boston third baseman went 3-for-4, with an RBI single in the 3rd, walked and scored in the 5th, doubled in another run and scored in the 6th and belted a two-run homer in the 9th. That's a single, double, home run, three runs scored and four RBI, a manager's dream, even a fantasy manager's dream.

While "Youk" and the Sox were pounding the Blue Jays for the third straight day, starter John Lester was in his own little world, limiting the Jays to two hits - one of them a 4th inning Jose Bautista solo home run (21) - over eight innings, fanning eight, to go to 9-2 on the season.

The Red Sox maintained their two-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East with the three-game sweep of the Blue Jays, outscoring them by a combined score of 35-6.

National League

Jordan Zimmermann

Jordan Zimmermann might be the best 4-6 pitcher in the major leagues, and on Sunday, he might have pitched his best game of the season, but came away with nothing to show for it, despite the Nationals winning, 2-0.

Zimmermann worked seven scoreless inning for the Nats, allowing just four hits, walking one and striking out 10. Todd Coffey pitched a scoreless 8th inning and the Nationals pushed across two runs in the top of the 9th to give him the win. Drew Storen pitched the 9th for has 15th save.

For Zimmermann, nothing, except for extending a very nice string of games. In his last eight starts, he's gone at least six innings each time on the mound and allowed two or fewer runs in all but one of those starts. For that, three wins, but a seasonal ERA of 3.10 and a 1.08 WHIP.

If only the Nationals could score some runs...

JETER 3000 WATCH: The Yankees took their third straight from the Indians, by a 9-1 score, and Jeter added two more hits to his total, a couple of RBI singles, bringing his career total to 2993, seven hits shy of the haloed mark. The Yanks are home again against Cleveland on Monday, before taking on the Rangers for three games to complete the homestand. The rabid NY fans are hopeful that their favorite son can get hot in time to reach 3000 before the team hits the road.

Guillen Grand Slam Boosts Giants; Lester Keeps Red Sox in Hunt

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 19, 2010 American League Seven games out with just two weeks left to play, the Boston Red Sox figure to still have a chance at either the AL East pennant or the wild card. The schedule says they have a shot, and the Sox are certain to make the best of it. On Sunday, Boston got past the Blue Jays - a thorn in their collective sides - on the arm of their best pitcher, Jon Lester, who tossed seven innings of shutout ball in a 6-0 Boston win. Lester allowed four hits, walked four and stuck out four, earning his 18th win against eight losses. Both the Yankees and Rays lost, giving the Red Sox a leg up as they prepare for the Orioles, who come into Boston for three games beginning Monday. After a day off Thursday, Boston heads to New York for a weekend three-game series with the Yankees, then on to Chicago for four with the White Sox before returning to Fenway to close out the season with three more against the Yankees. If either the Yankees or Tampa falter this week - Tampa plays four games in New York beginning Monday - the Red Sox will find themselves in the thick of it come October. National League When the Giants went looking for more hitting before the August 1 trade deadline, they didn't find much, but afterwards, they picked up Jose Guillen from the Royals, figuring that if he got healthy, he could provide some spark down the stretch. On Sunday, their gambit paid off in spades, as Guillen smacked a first-inning grand slam and drove in two more with a single in the fifth, sending the Giants to a 9-2 win over Milwaukee and back into first place in the NL West, a spot they've shared alternately with the Padres for much of the past week. Guillen hasn't been carting as robust a bat as they'd like, but he is showing signs of getting into a groove at the right time. His six RBI upped his seasonal total to 77, to go with his 19 homers. San Francisco is looking at a favorable schedule over the final two weeks of the season. They have each of the next two Mondays off, allowing them to adjust their rotation as they see fit. They travel, for three games each in Chicago and then Colorado, before returning home for their final six games - three against Arizona and three with San Diego. If all goes well, with the best pitching staff in the division, and some hitting from Guillen and others, the pennant is theirs for the taking. PENNANT NOTES: While the Giants were victorious, the Padres and Rockies both lost, though it only gives the Giants a slender 1/2 game lead. Colorado has dropped 1 1/2 games back. The Central is still in play. The Reds lost and the Cards won, so Cincinnati's lead is down to 6 games. In the East, both the Braves and Phillies won, making it appear that even if Atlanta can't catch the Phillies, who have a three game lead after winning their 7th straight, they would still be the wild card. Currently, Atlanta's lead is 2 1/2 games over the Padres. The Yankees and Rays both lost, so New York retains a 1/2 game lead in the AL East as the two open a critical four-game set in New York on Monday. Even though both Minnesota and Texas lost on Sunday, it's only a matter of time before they both clinch their respective divisions. The Twins' magic number is four. For the Rangers, six.

Lester, Martinez Keep Red Sox in Hunt; Bruce Blasts Three Homers for Reds

Players of the Day for Friday, August 27, 2010 American League Injuries have piled up for the Boston Red Sox, but that hasn't kept them from winning and staying in the Al East race. Jacoby Ellesberry, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis all have gone down and probably are lost for the season. On top of that, their ace, Josh Beckett, hasn't been himself, with a 4-3 record and a 6.50 ERA. A couple of guys who've managed to remain healthy have been carrying the team of late, and in Friday's 3-1 win at Tampa Bay, Victor Martinez (left) and Jon Lester (right) got the better of the Rays and crept to within 4 1/2 games of co-leading Tampa and New York. Lester (14-8) tossed seven innings of 2-hit ball, striking out 10 while walking five. The only run the Rays were able to produce was unearned. Lester has produced wins in three of his last four starts. Martinez got in a couple of good swings, going 3-for-4 with two solo homers, giving the Red Sox just enough offense to get the win. Having missed some time himself this season, Martinez is heating up, batting .385 (9-for-24) and driving in seven runs over his last six games. National League Manager Dusty Baker has tried a lot of different players in the leadoff spot since Orlando Cabrera was sidelined earlier this month, but his latest maneuver proved to be a stroke of genius. Baker put outfielder Jay Bruce at the top of the lineup card in Friday's contest with the Cubs, as the Reds sought to expand their lead over the Cardinals in the NL Central. Bruce was an unlikely fit for the leadoff spot. In his three-year major league career, he's only swiped 12 bases and been thrown out 13 times. So, since Bruce probably wasn't going to be a basepath threat, he took it upon himself to just hit the ball over the fences - three times - pounding three homers into the right field stands at the Great American Ball Park. His first was a solo shot in the 3rd, followed by a three-run blast in the 5th and another solo jack in the 7th, which proved to be more than enough for Johnny Cueto to record his 12th win against 4 losses as the Reds cruised to a 7-1 win. With the Cardinals winning 4-2 over Washington, Cincinnati didn't increase its lead, but remained a relatively comfortable four games ahead of the redbirds.

Clippard Holds for Nats; Hunter Dusts Indians; Lester Fans 11 for BoSox

Players of the Day for Wednesday, April 28, 2010 American League Two players turned in outstanding AL performances Wednesday night, both instrumental to their team's victory. In Toronto, the Boston Red Sox completed their three-game sweep of the Blue Jays, as Jon Lester (left) picked up his first win of the season. After allowing a leadoff walk to start the game and a leadoff double in the second inning, Lester settled in and set down the next 14 straight batters and 18 of 19 before retiring after 7 full innings. It was Lester's longest outing of the season and by far his best. In four previous starts he had allowed 25 hits and 15 earned runs over 21 2/3 innings. Lester was in complete control, allowing only the 2nd inning double by Vernon Wells and a pair of walks to leadoff hitter, Mike McCoy, while fanning 11. The Red Sox managed to score a couple of runs for the 2-0 win, moving past the Blue Jays into 3rd place in the AL East. The 11-11 Sox are 5 1/2 games behind the division-leading Rays and trail 2nd place New York by 3 games. Torii Hunter (right) made sure the Angels kept the heat on the A's in the AL West, as he drove in 3 runs and scored the game-winner as LA topped Cleveland, 4-3. Hunter, who was 3-for-4 for the game, tied the score with his 2nd home run of the year, a 3-run shot in the 6th. He doubled to lead off the bottom of the 9th for the Angels, and advanced to third after an intentional walk to Hideki Matsui and a double play. Another intentional walk to Juan Rivera set the stage for Howie Kendrick, who, with the Cleveland infield playing back, laid down a perfect bunt which sent Hunter homeward with the game-winner. The Angels are now just 1/2 game behind the A's, who have led the division most of the season. National League You won't see him doing endorsements for major brands, and you probably won't hear his named mentioned by many sportscasters, but Washington reliever Tyler Clippard may be the best set-up man and long reliever in the business. Clippard came on in the 8th inning of Washington's 3-2 win over the Cubs, holding Chicago scoreless despite allowing a hit and a walk. Matt Capps came on in the 9th to record his league-leading 10th save of the season for the surprising Nationals, who are 12-10 and just a game behind the Mets in the NL East. Clippard's numbers have been mind-blowing so far in 2010. He's appeared in 11 games, working 16 2/3 innings. He's allowed just one earned run on 7 hits overall, striking out 20 while walking 7. He hasn't allowed a run in his last 7 appearances, a span of 9 1/3 innings. Hitters are batting just .132 against him. Amazingly, his 0.54 ERA is better than his impressive 0.84 WHIP. With Clippard (3-0, 5 Holds) and Capps at the back end of the Nationals' bullpen, if they're ahead after 7 innings, it's usually game over.

Sanchez Tosses No-Hitter for Giants; Lester Tames Royals on 4 Hits

Players of the Day for Friday, July 10, 2009 American League It wasn't a no-hitter, but Boston's Jon Lester turned in a stellar pitching performance in Boston's 1-0 win over Kansas City Friday night. Lester allowed four hits over 8 scoreless innings, walking 2 while striking out 8. It was the third straight win for Lester. Over his last four starts, he's allowed just 4 earned runs in 27 1/3 innings, boosting his record to 8-6. Lester is among the league leaders in strikeouts with 131. The win was critical, as it pushed the Red Sox back on top in the AL East, one game to the good over the Yankees, who had their 3-game win streak ended in a 10-6 loss at the LA Angels. National League On a staff filled out with the likes of Barry Zito and Tim Lincecum, the thought of Jonathan Sanchez tossing the season's first no-hitter seemed to be somewhat of a stretch. But that's what happened on a nearly perfect night for baseball by the Bay, as the 6'2" lefty from Mayaguez, Puerto Rico came within an error of a perfect game. Sanchez (3-8) put down the first 22 San Diego batters in order, until third baseman Jose Uribe mishandled a grounder with one out in the eighth. It was the only Giants' miscue of the night. An inning later, Aaron Rowand saved the no-hitter with a leaping grab in center field. Sanchez didn't walk a batter, struck out 11, got an equal number on fly balls and the other 5 outs on grounders. He threw 110 pitches, 77 of which were strikes. While he was mowing down Padres, his teammates gave him plenty of support in the 8-0 win. Pedro Sandoval cranked out a 3-run homer in the 5th inning and leadoff hitter Rowand went 3-for-5 with 3 RBI. The win kept the Giants 7 games behind the NL West leading Dodgers, who were busy beating Milwaukee, 12-8, in 10 innings.

Lester Leads Red Sox over O's, 4-0; Lights Out Lincecum

Players of the Day for Monday, June 29, 2009 American League If the Red Sox keep getting the kind of starting pitching they have been of late, there won't be a pennant race in the AL East. Boston could wrap up the division by mid-September. On Monday, the latest Boston pitcher to throw lights out was Jon Lester, who set down the Orioles on five hits over seven innings in a 4-0 Boston dusting. Lester (7-6) struck out 8 while getting 7 more outs on ground balls and 6 via the fly. He did not walk a batter and never allowed a base runner past second. To say he was in command would be an understatement. The O's never had any offensive threat all night against Lester's array of out pitches. The win put the Red Sox 3 1/2 ahead of the idle Yankees, winners of 5 straight and 5 games better than the Rays, who have won 6 in a row. Toronto has tailed off into 4th place with 3 straight losses. National League If you're looking for Cy Young candidates in the National League, you'd better take a serious look at Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants, because this 29-year-old is looking to surpass the stats he put up in 2008, when he won the award. On Monday night in St. Louis, Lincecum (8-2) tossed his second complete game shutout of the season in a 10-0 waltz past the Cardinals, and the numbers were mind-blowing: 2 hits, no walks, 8 Ks. The only hits were Rick Ankiel's 5th inning single and Albert Pujols' double in the 7th. Lincecum put down the first 14 and last 8 batters in order, using just 95 pitches, 60 of which went for strikes. With the season approaching the midpoint, Lincecum is on pace for a repeat of 2008. Last year he went 18-5 with a 2.62 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 265 strikeouts in 33 starts. So far in 2009, he's had 16 starts, is 8-2 with a 2.37 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 132 Ks. While the Cardinals were being shut out, Milwaukee was cruising past the Mets, 10-6, and into first place in the NL Central by one game over St. Louis.

Lester 2-Hits Rangers; Stewart, Rockies Bomb Cardinals

Players of the Day for Saturday, June 6, 2009 American League Jon Lester took a perfect game into the seventh inning, and finished with a 2-hitter, both hits by Texas' Michael Young, as the Red Sox corralled the Rangers, 8-1, wresting control of the AL East from the Yankees, who lost to Tampa Bay, 9-7. Lester (5-5) set down the first 19 batters he faced before Young's double in the seventh, and Young had the only other hit, a single in the ninth which moved Elvis Andrus to third. Andruw Jones' sacrifice fly plated Andrus for the only Ranger run. Lester struck out 11 and walked two. The Red Sox lead the yankees by 1/2 game. National League Colorado pounded the punchless Cardinals, 10-1, as third-year infielder Ian Stewart belted a pair of home runs and drove in five for the Rockies. Stewart knocked a three-run homer in the 4th and a two-run shot in the fifth, lifting the last-place Rockies to their third straight win and second in a row over the Cardinals. The two teams are slated for a pair of day games - Sunday and Monday - to complete the four-game series in St. Louis. Stewart's home runs were his 10th and 11th of the season, surpassing his 2008 total (10). His five ribbies upped his total to 32. The loss dropped the Cards 2 games back of Milwaukee in the NL Central. It was the fifth loss in seven games for St. Louis. NOTES: Aaron Rowand extended his hitting streak to 16 games - the longest current streak in the majors - with a pair of singles in San Fran's 5-4 loss to Florida. Rowand began hitting when switched into the leadoff role and has raised his batting average from .246 to .305 during the stint.

Johnson Gets Win #296; Lester's 7 Shutout Innings Lift BoSox

Players of the Day for Sunday, April 19, 2009 American League Jon Lester (1-2) earned his first win of 2009, hurling 7 shutout innings at the Baltimore Orioles, leading to a 2-1 Boston win. The win was Boston's 4th straight, evening their record at 6-6, in the upside-down AL East, where the Blue Jays are in first and the reigning AL champion Tampa Bay Rays are last. Lester was in complete control during his outing, allowing four hits, two walks and striking out 9. The lefty was a bright spot for the Red Sox last season with a 16-6 record, a 3.21 ERA and two complete game shutouts, one of which was a no-hitter. National League Randy Johnson picked up his 296th career win with a 7-inning 1-hit performance over his former team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Johnson, who will turn 46 on September 10, is seeking the magical 300-win plateau, got just enough support from his San Francisco teammates in a 2-0 triumph. The 8th and 9th innings were worked - in perfect order, not allowing a baserunner - by 36-year-old Bob Howry and 27-year-old Brian Wilson (no, not the Beach Boy), who earned his second save of the season. Johnson, who walked 2 and struck out 7, allowed only a 6th inning double by Augie Ojeda.

Lester Blanks Rays, Red Sox Close; Lincecum Stymies Diamondbacks

Players of the Day from Monday, September 8, 2008 American League Jon Lester already has two complete game shutouts this season, and he almost had a third Monday, stopping the Tampa Bay Rays over 7 2/3 innings for a 3-0 Red Sox win. When he ran into some trouble in the 8th, Jonathan Papelbon came on to put the Rays away and pick up his 36th save. Lester (14-6) allowed 6 hits, two walks and fanned 9 as the Red Sox closed to within 1/2 game of the Rays and the AL East lead. Tampa Bay has lost 4 straight and is in danger of surrendering the division to the Sox. In the Central, Chicago and Toronto were rained out and the Twins were idle, so the White Sox still lead Minnesota by 2 1/2 games. Notes: The Angels moved to within 2 games of clinching the AL West with a 12-1 thumping of the now-dead Yankees. The Angles could clinch today or tomorrow, a fitting conclusion if they do it at home against New York, a team they've owned all season. National League Maybe nobody really wants to win the NL West, or maybe the talent pool is just spread so thin, no team has an outright advantage. On Monday, both of the leaders - LA and Arizona - were taken down by teams at the bottom of the division. While the Dodgers were being shut out 4-0, Tim Lincecum was cruising to his 16th win against just 3 losses as the Giants bettered the Diamondbacks, 6-2, leaving the standings unchanged, with the Dodgers up by 1 1/2 games. Lincecum is having a Cy Young-worthy season. Working 8 1/3 innings against Arizona, he allowed 7 hits and one earned run, walking 2 and striking out 9. That effort lowered his ERA to a league-leading 2.60 and boosted his strikeout total to 216, also best in the NL. Maybe Arizona's Brandon Webb isn't the only Cy Young candidate out there.

Lester Blanks Yanks; Hamels Stops Braves

Players of the Day from Thursday, July 3, 2008 American League The Red Sox struggled with Tampa Bay, dropping all three games of their series with the Rays, but they had little trouble ending their overall five-game skid as Jon Lester twirled a five-hit shutout to drop the Yankees, 7-0. Lester (8-5) threw 102 pitches, walking 2 while striking out 8. He stifled the heart of the Yankee batting order, limiting the first six hitters in the lineup to one hit in 20 at-bats. With the Rays idle, Boston picked up 1/2 game and trail by 3. The Yankees are 8 out of first, but have a chance to close the gap with three more games against Boston at Yankee Stadium this weekend. Notes: The Oakland A's dropped two of three to the Angels this week, but they opened their four-game set in Chicago with a key 3-2 win, ending the White Sox's 8-game winning streak. While the A's trail the Angels by 5 games in the West, Chicago remains in control of the Central, two games up on Minnesota, with the Tigers lurking, 6 games off the pace. National League Philadelphia may be the most balanced team in the National League and that's a key to their 2 1/2 game lead over Florida in the NL East. One large part of that balance resides in the left arm of Cole Hamels, who shut down the Atlanta Braves on Thursday for a 4-1 Philly win. Hamels (9-5) was working on a shutout until the Braves finally broke through for a run with two outs in the ninth. Tom Gordon came on to nail down the final out. Hamels gave up five hits and one earned run, striking out 7 while walking a pair. Notes: Hamels is third in the NL strikeout race, with 110, behind Edinson Volquez (113) and Tim Lincecum (122), who added 8 to his total on Thursday in an 8-3 win over the Cubs. Expect to see all three of these whiff masters on the mound for the Nationals in the July 15 All Star game.

Lester No-Hits Royals; Ludick On Fast Track for Cards

Players of the Day from Monday, May 19, 2008 American League Last year at this time, Jon Lester was recovering from Lymphoma cancer and working to get back to the Red Sox. Twenty-two regular season starts later - with a World Series clinching win thrown in for good measure - Lester came all the way back and then some, no-hitting Kansas City for a 7-0 Boston triumph and a personal victory for one of baseball's truly great guys. Lester walked just two batters while striking out nine in a yeoman performance, throwing 130 pitches. Lester was perfect much of the game, setting down 20 straight batters from the 2nd through the 8th innings. Our hat's off to Jon Lester, who's proven to be not only a survivor, but a champion.

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Notes: Lester's win improved his record to 3-2. He's been no-decisioned in 6 of 11 starts this season. Flashing back to reality, the Red Sox win - their 4th straight - was necessary to keep them in first place as the Tampa Bay Rays beat Oakland, 7-6, in 13 innings, and are lurking just a game back. National League Ryan Ludwick is having a career year, helping the St. Louis Cardinals stay challenge in the NL Central. in Monday's 8-2 win at San Diego, Ludwick cracked his 12th home run (a two-run, first inning job) in the first inning, singled and scored in the 5th and doubled home another run in the 6th.

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After missing all of 2006 and finding his way in a career-high 120 games in 2007 - batting .267 with 14 homers and 52 RBI - Ludwick has become a reliable cleanup hitter behind Albert Pujols, batting .350 with 12 homers and 32 RBI, all top 10 numbers. His .772 slugging percentage is second in the league behind Houston's Lance Berkman. Notes: While the Cardinals won their third straight, the Padres continued their season from hell with their third consecutive loss. At 16-30, they have the worst record in the majors, along with the lowest batting average, .235 and lowest RBI total, 145.

Lester's 1-Hitter tops Jays; Zimmerman Leads Nats over Braves

Players of the Day from Tuesday, April 29, 2008 American League The Boston Red Sox went into Tuesday's game riding a five-game losing streak and to break out, they knew they'd have to beat Toronto's Roy Halladay, who was seeking his 4th straight complete game. Technically, Halladay got his complete game, but it wasn't the way he wanted it as Boston starter Jon Lester hurled 8 innings of 1-hit ball and Kevin Youkilis knocked home David Ortiz from second with two out in the bottom of the 9th for the game's only run in Boston's 1-0 triumph over the Blue Jays. Lester walked four and stuck out six, surrendering only a 3rd inning double to Toronto's Scott Rolen. Of the remaining out, Lester got 15 on ground balls and just 3 on flies, but didn't get the decision. He remained at 1-2 as Jonathon Papelbon came on to work a perfect ninth for his first win of the season without a loss. Notes: Halladay has pitched four straight complete games but has lost 3 straight. Boston's win kept them tied with the O's for first place in the AL East. Tampa Bay dropped a game off the pace, losing 7-4 to Baltimore. National League Ryan Zimmerman cracked his third homer of the season and broke a 2-2 tie with a 2-run double in the 7th inning as the Nationals topped the Braves, 6-3, in Washington.