Longoria Forces Game Five; Phillies Complete Sweep; Giants Take 2-1 Edge

Players of the Day for Saturday, October 10, 2010

American League

Ardent fans of the Tampa Bay Rays knew they would not go down without a fight, even after dropping the first two games of the best-of-five ALDS to the Rangers, and so, with Evan Longoria going 3-for-4 and powering a two-run homer in Sunday's 5-2 triumph at Texas, it's on to a decisive Game Five, Tuesday, back at Tropicana Field in Tampa.

The Rays jumped on Texas starter, Tommy Hunter, early, when Carlos Pena tripled and scored on an Ian Kinsler error. In the 4th, Hunter was knocked out on two earned runs. Again it was Pena, doubling in Longoria, who had himself doubled to lead off the inning. Pena later scored on B.J. Upton's double.

Hunter finished the inning, but was replaced by Derek Holland in the fifth, who sandwiched two outs around a Ben Zobrist single before giving up Longoria's homer, his first of the series.

Tampa's Wade Davis held the Rangers scoreless through five, but surrendered two runs without getting anybody out in the 6th. However, the Tampa Bay bullpen made certain that was all the Rangers would get, allowing one hit and no runs getting the final 12 outs.

Game Five is set for Tuesday at 8:07 ET. Starters are a rematch of Game One: Cliff Lee for the Rangers vs. David Price of the Rays. The winner will host the Yankees in the best-of-seven league championship series, slated to begin Friday, October 15.

National League

The Phillies are headed back to the NL Championship Series for the third straight season, hoping to make their third consecutive World Series appearance.

After knocking off the Reds in three straight, Philly looks to be the team to beat as their trio of starters - Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels - are easily the best three starters of any team remaining.

On Sunday, Hamels dusted off the Reds with a 5-hit, complete game shutout that finished off the sweep with a 2-0 win.

Hamels wasn't as good as Halladay, who pitched a series-opening no-hitter, but he came close, allowing five hits and no walks while whiffing nine Reds batters, including Scott Rolen three times.

The Phils got their two runs on an unearned run in the second inning and a 5th inning solo homer by Chase Utley off Reds' starter Johnny Cueto, who pitched well in defeat.

Hamels threw 119 pitches, but will have plenty of time to rest up for his next start, which is certain to be at least a week from Sunday, as the NLCS will begin in Philadelphia on Saturday, October 16, against either the Braves or Giants.

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The San Francisco Giants took a two-games-to-one lead over the Atlanta Braves in the best-of-five National League Division Series Sunday, topping the Braves, 3-2, on a game marred by three costly errors by Atlanta second baseman Brooks Conrad.

Eric Hinske's two-run homer in the 8th, Aubrey Huff getting the only RBI by a Giant in the 9th to tie the game and Conrad's final foul-up to allow the winning run overshadowed a stellar pitching performance by the Giants' Jonathan Sanchez.

Sanchez held the Braves scoreless for 7 1/3 innings, when he was lifted for reliever Sergio Romo after allowing just his second hit of the game, a one-out single to Alex Gonzalez. Romo proceeded to nearly lose the game, giving up a two-run shot to pinch-hitter Hinske.

Sanchez worked a no-hitter into the 6th, when Brian McAnn singled, but finished with no decision, despite allowing just one run on two hits and a walk, striking out 11 Braves in the process.

Conrad, forced into duty due to season-ending injuries to both Chipper Jones and Martin Prado, bobbled a grounder in the first, dropped a pop-up in the fifth and eventually let the winning run score by allowing a Buster Posey ground ball through his legs with two out in the 9th inning.

The Braves, one out away from taking a 2-1 lead in the series, now find themselves facing elimination with a roster decimated by injuries. Besides Prado and Jones being long gone, closer Billy Wagner is also kaput, after he suffered a strained left oblique in Saturday's 5-4 win. Wagner has been taken off the playoff roster, so, if the Braves win the series, he will not be eligible for the best-of-seven series against Philly, though he would be eligible to return if the Braves reach the World Series, though that's a scenario in serious doubt.

Wagner had already stated that this season would be his last, joining manager Bobby Cox in retirement at the end of this season, which, for the Braves, could be Monday night, when they host the Giants in Game 4 of the series at 7:37 pm ET, facing elimination.

Pena, Baldelli Lead Rays into Playoffs as AL East Champs; Sanchez, Giants Take NL West

Players of the Day for Sunday, October 3, 2010

American League



With one down in the top of the 12th, pinch-hitter Rocco Baldelli (left) singled, stole second and scored the game winner when Kelly Shoppach grounded a ball through the legs of third baseman Wilson Betemit for a 3-2 win over Kansas City.

The AL East Pennant already assured, the Rays fought back in the 9th inning, when Carlos Pena (right), struggling with a batting average around .200 almost all season, doubled in two runs to tie the game in the 9th.

Hearing that the Yankees had lost to Boston before their at-bat in the 9th, thus making the Rays AL East champs by virtue of beating the Yankees head-to-head, Tampa went out and won a game that didn't matter, for the sake of ending the season with a win.

Tampa, with the best record in the AL, heads back to Tampa, where they will take on the Texas Rangers in a best-of-five series. The wild card Yankees play at Minnesota, also beginning Wednesday.

National League


Jonathan Sanchez (13-9) pitched five innings of shutout ball, singled and scored the game's first run, as the Giants topped the Padres in the winner-take-the-West season finale, 3-0. Brian Wilson pitched a perfect ninth for his 48th save of the season, edging out Heath Bell, who could only sit and watch as the Padres' season ended. Bell had saved each of the previous two games of the series - both Padres' wins over the Giants to tie Wilson in saves and force the showdown in the season's final game.

It was the culmination of a slow collapse which began in late August for the Padres, who went from leading the NL West by seven games to missing the playoffs entirely in the course of just over a month. San Francisco never gave up, knowing they had enough talent on their pitching staff that they could reach the post-season with less than an explosive offensive team.

The Giants captured the West for the first time since 2003 and will open a best-of-five series with the wild card  Braves on Thursday at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Tim Lincecum is expected to start for the Giants.

In order to keep on playing, no matter what the Padres did, the Braves knew they had to win and they seemed to be on a glide path to the post-season when their bullpen allowed a 6th inning 8-2 lead shrink to 8-7 by the middle of the 8th. Philadelphia rallied for two runs in the 7th and three more in the 8th.

Billy Wagner pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for the Braves, and despite allowing a run on two hits and a walk, he got the last four outs by strikeout, as the Braves won, 8-7, and hours later- when the Giants beat San Diego - learned that they would be the wild card team.

Philadelphia will host Central-division champion Cincinnati in a similar best-of-five series.

Pena, Baldelli Lead Rays into Playoffs as AL East Champs; Sanchez, Giants Take NL West

Players of the Day for Sunday, October 3, 2010

American League



With one down in the top of the 12th, pinch-hitter Rocco Baldelli (left) singled, stole second and scored the game winner when Kelly Shoppach grounded a ball through the legs of third baseman Wilson Betemit for a 3-2 win over Kansas City.

The AL East Pennant already assured, the Rays fought back in the 9th inning, when Carlos Pena (right), struggling with a batting average around .200 almost all season, doubled in two runs to tie the game in the 9th.

Hearing that the Yankees had lost to Boston before their at-bat in the 9th, thus making the Rays AL East champs by virtue of beating the Yankees head-to-head, Tampa went out and won a game that didn't matter, for the sake of ending the season with a win.

Tampa, with the best record in the AL, heads back to Tampa, where they will take on the Texas Rangers in a best-of-five series. The wild card Yankees play at Minnesota, also beginning Wednesday.

National League


Jonathan Sanchez (13-9) pitched five innings of shutout ball, singled and scored the game's first run, as the Giants topped the Padres in the winner-take-the-West season finale, 3-0. Brian Wilson pitched a perfect ninth for his 48th save of the season, edging out Heath Bell, who could only sit and watch as the Padres' season ended. Bell had saved each of the previous two games of the series - both Padres' wins over the Giants to tie Wilson in saves and force the showdown in the season's final game.

It was the culmination of a slow collapse which began in late August for the Padres, who went from leading the NL West by seven games to missing the playoffs entirely in the course of just over a month. San Francisco never gave up, knowing they had enough talent on their pitching staff that they could reach the post-season with less than an explosive offensive team.

The Giants captured the West for the first time since 2003 and will open a best-of-five series with the wild card  Braves on Thursday at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Tim Lincecum is expected to start for the Giants.

In order to keep on playing, no matter what the Padres did, the Braves knew they had to win and they seemed to be on a glide path to the post-season when their bullpen allowed a 6th inning 8-2 lead shrink to 8-7 by the middle of the 8th. Philadelphia rallied for two runs in the 7th and three more in the 8th.

Billy Wagner pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for the Braves, and despite allowing a run on two hits and a walk, he got the last four outs by strikeout, as the Braves won, 8-7, and hours later- when the Giants beat San Diego - learned that they would be the wild card team.

Philadelphia will host Central-division champion Cincinnati in a similar best-of-five series.

Vizquel Still Getting It Done; Sanchez Sharp for SF

Players of the Day for Saturday, April 3, 2010 American League In a career that has spanned 4 decades, Omar Vizquel has seen his share of winners and losers, but one thing's for sure, this guy falls in the former category. Now with the White Sox - just his 5th team as he enters his 22nd season - Vizquel isn't going to be in the lineup every night, but when he is, the Sox can rest assured that his defense will be sound and his at-bats mostly productive. Vizquel, batting leadoff, provided the spark for Chicago's 12-4 battering of Atlanta Saturday, going 4-for-5 - three singles and a double - with 3 RBI, 3 runs and a stolen base. Not bad for a 42-year-old. The Venezuelan, who set the standard for other quality shortstops from his country, is a career .276 hitter (2704-for-9922) with 389 steals. Cooperstown awaits his bat, glove and shoes. National League The Giants are scaring everybody in the NL West with their starting rotation. Already well-known are Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Barry Zito, but if Jonathan Sanchez keeps throwing like he did this Spring, they will be tough to keep from the top of the division. Sanchez completed his final work of the pre-season with a 4-inning, 1-hit effort against the crosstown A's, setting up his teammates to bludgeon their way to a 10-6 win. The Giants had 12 hits, 3 of which were homers, and the A's scored just one run before piling on 5 in the bottom of the 9th. By that time, however, Sanchez was already showered, his 3-1 record in the books, along with his Springtime ERA of 3.62. MLB Preview: Los Angeles Dodgers Seeking their 3rd straight NL West crown and 4th post-season appearance in the past five years, the LA Dodgers return virtually intact from last season, and have all the elements to finally get to the World Series. They will face challenges in the division from San Francisco and Colorado, even possibly Arizona, and may have to again deal with the Phillies, who are looking to make 2010 their third straight World Series appearance. For the Dodgers to succeed, they'll have to get quality starts from a somewhat suspect starting rotation headed by Vicente Padilla, who was 4-0 down the stretch last season after being acquired from Texas where he had an 8-6 record. Padilla always was considered to have good stuff, but didn't live up to expectations in Philly, though he did have a winning record in Texas. Behind him are Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda and Charlie Haeger. Of the bunch, Billingsley is probably the best, a fire-thrower with a lifetime 47-30 record and a 3.55 ERA. Kershaw was 8-8 last year, but the Dodgers think his upside is huge. Kuroda was a sensation as a rookie, then succumbed to injuries last season, He's only a .500 pitcher, at 17-17. Again, the Dodgers expect him to be fully recovered and a solid starter. Haeger is a rookie. There are plenty of unknowns in the LA starting rotation. The bullpen is a different story. Jonathan Broxton emerged as a superior closer last season, notching 36 saves in 42 opportunities. He will be set up by righty Ramon Troncoso and lefty George Sherrill, both of whom have credentials as closers themselves. In the outfield, Manny Ramirez returns after a disappointing season in which he was suspended 50 games for violating MLB's prohibited substances clause, though he should be the main power hitter in the lineup. Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier have both emerged as stars in their own right. The outfield trio could put up 100 homers and 300 RBI combined. Second base now belongs to Blake DeWitt, who was solid in 2008, but spent most of 2009 in the minors. At first, James Loney has strung together three solid seasons. Though he isn't notable for his power, he has driven in 90 runs in each of the last three seasons. Veterans Rafael Furcal and Casey Blake man short and third, respectively. Furcal has great range in the field and speed. He will be leading off. Blake adds more power to the mix. He's capable of hitting in any spot in the lineup, though 6th seems to be the likely place for him. Catching will be another rookie, A.J. Ellis, who apparently has impress manager Joe Torre enough to fill those shoes, though he will need some seasoning. Nothing's for sure about the Dodgers except that they are a good hitting team, which should come in handy if the pitching doesn't come through as expected. They still have plenty of hunger for World Series rings and are listed at 9-1 in the future book to win it all.

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.