Alex Rodriguez Sets Grand Slam Record, Yankees Win; Boston Clinches AL East; Jordan Zimmermann's 2-Hit Shutout Leads Nationals

Players of the Day for Friday, September 20, 2013

American League

A-Rod: Slam King

Alex Rodriguez stroked a seventh-inning grand slam to right field, leading the Yankees to a 5-1 win in the opener of their three-game home series with the San Francisco Giants.

It was the 24th grand slam for Rodriguez, breaking a tie with Lou Gehrig for the all-time career lead. Rodriguez had tied Gehrig last season, and had been on the disabled list most of this year but took the opportunity to break a 1-1 tie off reliever George Kontos to set the new record.

With the win, the Yankees kept pace with the Rays and Indians the two leaders for the AL wild card spots. Tampa Bay, currently in the #1 position, topped Baltimore, 6-5, in 18 innings, while the Indians jumped past San Francisco into the #2 spot with a 2-1 win in a rain-shortened, seven-inning game in Houston. Texas lost to Kansas City, 2-1.

Boston Clinched the AL East with a 6-3 win over the Blue Jays.

AL Wild Card Standings (through 9/20)

Team	GB
Tampa Bay	+1/2
Cleveland	--
Texas	-1/2
Baltimore	-2 1/2
Kansas City	-2 1/2
NY Yankees	-3

National League

Jordan Zimmerman became the National League's first 19-game winner, hurling a 2-hit shutout over the visiting Miami Marlins, as the Nationals cruised to an 8-0 victory.

Jordan Zimmermann

Zimmerman improved to 19-8, holding the Marlins hitless over the first 6 2/3 innings. A single by Donovan Solano in the sixth and a two-out single in the ninth by Chris Coughlan were the only base hits off the 6'6" righty, who fanned five straight near the beginning of the game, getting the final two batters in the second and striking out the side in the third inning.

It was Zimmermann's second shutout of the season, fourth complete game, and fourth straight win. He has not lost a start in the month of September and will likely be going for his 20th win the middle of next week.

In the wild card card race, the Reds beat the Pirates, 6-5 in ten innings, tying Pittsburgh for the wold card lead and for second place in the NL Central, two games behind the Cardinals. The Reds and Pirates, regardless of the outcome of games in their head-to-head series this weekend, will likely be the two wild card teams in the playoffs. They currently hold a five-game lead over the Nationals, with eight games left in the regular season.

Today's Trivia: The lowest batting average to ever lead the AL in average was .301. Who did it and why was winning it vitally important? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: the two players with the lowest batting averages to win the AL batting title since 1990 were Boston's Bill Mueller, who hit .326 in 2003 and Minnesota's Joe Mauer, who led the AL with a .328 average in 2008.

Jordan Zimmermann Wins 10th as Nats Drop Rockies; Kyle Seager's Big Night Spoiled as Angels Tip Mariners, 10-9

Players of the Day for Thursday, June 20, 2013

American League

Kyle Seager

Kyle Seager may have had his best game as a major leaguer, but it went for naught as the Angels scored twice in the bottom of the eighth inning to overtake the Mariners, 10-9, and finish off their four-game series in Anahiem, winning three games to one.

Seager, a third-year pro out of Charlotte, NC, socked a home run, two doubles and a single in five at-bats, drove in three runs and scored three times, but Seattle pitchers could not take advantage of his effort, giving up 17 hits to the relentless Angels, who evened their home record at 20 wins and 20 losses.

Having a solid season as the regular third baseman, Seager has nine homers and 33 RBI to go with a .287 batting average.

The loss dropped the Mariners 10 1/2 back of the A's, who lead the AL West by a game over the Rangers. The Angels are nine out, with hopes of catching the two front-runners as the season wears on.

National League

Jordan Zimmermann

Jordan Zimmermann came up big, and the Nationals got some much-needed help in the standings from the Mets, as Washington dropped Colorado, 6-1, and the Braves lost for the third time in five games to the Mets, 4-3.

Tying Cardinal hurlers Lance Lynn and Adam Wainright for the league lead with his 10th win, Zimmermann blanked the Rockies - losers of four straight - through seven innings, giving up an unearned run in the eighth. Rafael Soriano pitched a perfect ninth in relief.

Zimmermann gave up six hits, fanned nine and allowed just one walk. The Washington hurler lowered his ERA to 2.26, fifth-best in the NL. He's stuck out 76 and walked just 15 batters in 107 2/3 innings, a K-BB ratio of better than 5-1.

David Wright belted a pair of homers to lead the Mets, helping the Nats pull to within six games of the runaway Braves in the NL East.

Colorado fell three off the pace set by Arizona in the NL West. They lost three straight in Toronto and will try to get back on track Friday in game two of the four-game series in Washington, Friday, at 7:05 pm EDT.

Today's Trivia: Who won his first AL batting title in 1983, and then won four straight from 1985-1988? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: The Designated Hitter rule was first used in the American League in 1973.

Mike Napoli, Clay Buchholz Throttle Blue Jays in 10-1 Win; Jordan Zimmermann Blanks Braves on Two Hits

Players of the Day for Wednesday, May 1, 2013

American League

Mike Napoli

When the season opened, a lot of people were hyping the Toronto Blue Jays as the new power team in the AL East, but, the pundits and prognosticators may have been sleeping on the Red Sox. With a versatile lineup and a capable pitching staff, Boston has risen to the top of the heap in the division, with a two-game lead over the Yankees, while the Blue Jays have fallen to the bottom, 9 1/2 games back after Boston throttled them, 10-1, to even their three-game series at a game apiece.

Clay Buchholz

The addition of slugging catcher/DH/first baseman, Mike Napoli, has been a godsend for the Sox. Napoli was 3-for-4 with a double, a pair of homers, four RBI and three runs in the Boston victory. Napoli's homers - his fifth and sixth of the season - were of the epic variety, at 467 and 472 feet, fueling the Boston offense in the rout. His four ribbies gave him the major league lead, at 31, two better than Detroit's Miguel Cabrera.

While the regulars in the lineup were racking up 15 hits off the Toronto staff, Boston starter, Clay Buchholz becamse the first pitcher in the majors to win six games (6-0), holding the Blue Jays to two hits over seven full innings of scoreless ball, walking three and striking out eight.

The 19-8 Red Sox hold the best record in either league. Their series at Toronto finishes up on Thursday, at 7:07 pm EDT.

National League

Jordan Zimmermann

In the first two games of their four-game home series against the Washington Nationals, the Braves came away winners both times, but the Nats turned the tables on them Wednesday night in a game which produced only five hits between the two teams.

Atlanta's Paul Maholm and Washington starter Jordan Zimmermann were locked in early on, but a two run homer by Ian Desmond in the fourth inning produced the only runs of the game, as Zimmermann held the Braves to two hits over eight innings, getting his fifth win against one loss, tying him for the NL lead in victories with St. Louis' Lance Lynn, a 4-2 winner over Cincinnati.

Zimmermann gave up a two-out single to Justin Upton in the first and a one-out double to Maholm in the third. After that it was lights out for the Braves, as Zimmermann set down the next 17 straight, striking out the side in the fifth. He finished with a season high eight Ks and did not issue any walks in the 2-0 victory.

The eight scoreless innings dropped Zimmermann's ERA to 1.64, fourth in the NL.

Rafael Soriano set the Braves down in order in the ninth for his eighth save.

The Nationals will try to even the score in the series and close the 3 1/2 game gap in the standings with the Braves in the series finale, Thursday night at 7:10 pm EDT.

Anibal Sanchez Fans 17 as Tigers Rout Braves, 10-0; Jordan Zimmermann Hurls One-Hitter in Nats' 1-0 Win over Reds

Players of the Day for Friday, April 26, 2013

American League

Sanchez: 17 Ks

The Atlanta Braves opened their three-game series in Detroit with the best record in baseball, at 15-6. After nine innings of domination by the Tigers, they learned a lesson in humility from the AL champions in a 10-0 defeat.

Anibal Sanchez worked over the Atlanta lineup, fanning a career-high 17, breaking the franchise record of 16 set by Mickey Lolich in 1968. Sanchez allowed five hits and walked one over eight innings of sensational pitching, getting Freddie Freeman and Dan Uggla four times each on strikes. He fanned at least two in every inning except the fourth, when he got Freeman looking to open the inning and got the other two outs via a double play.

Sanchez improved to 3-1, the eight innings of shutout ball lowering his ERA to 1.34. His 41 strikeouts are third in the AL behind Yu Darvish (49) and Boston's Ryan Dempster (43).

The Tigers got a big effort from Manny Tuiasosopo, who singled in two runs in the third inning and socked a three-run homer in the fourth.

Atlanta will try to even the series at 1:10 pm EDT at Comerica Park. Sunday's series finale will be ESPN's featured Sunday night game at 8:00 pm EDT.

National League

Zimmermann: 1-hitter

With the Braves being pounded in Detroit, the Washington Nationals took the opportunity to pick up another game in the NL East with a 1-0 win over the Reds in the second game of their four-game series.

Washington starter Jordan Zimmermann came within a whisker of tossing the first no-hitter of the season, going the distance for his fourth win against just one loss. Zimmerman allowed just one hit - a leadoff single by Xavier Paul in the third inning. Only two other Reds' batters reached base. Todd Frazier reached on an error in the fifth and Corky Miller walked in the eighth.

Zimmermann needed just 91 pitches for his second complete game of the season and his first career shutout. He fanned four, got 11 batters on ground outs and 12 via fly balls.

The Nationals now trail Atlanta by 3 1/2 games in the division. The Mets, 4-0 losers to Philadelphia, are 4 1/2 out.

Washington has a 2-0 lead in the series, which concludes over the weekend with day games at Nationals Park, Saturday and Sunday.

NOTABLE: Sanchez and Zimmermann weren't the only pitchers hitting their marks Friday night. Baltimore's Wei-Yin Chen gave up just two hits over eight scoreless innings in the O's 3-0 win at Oakland. Phialdelphia's Kyle Kendrick threw a complete game three-hitter in the Phillies' 4-0 victory over the Mets.

Ryan Zimmerman, Jordan Zimmermann Lead Nats; Adam Jones Goes 4-for-4 for Baltimore, J.P. Arencibia's Grand Slam Spoils Nightcap for O's

Players of the Day for Monday, September 24, 2011

American League

Adam Jones

Splitting a double header with the Blue Jays at Camden Yards, Baltimore lost a little ground on the Yankees in the AL East race, but actually picked up 1/2 game over the A's, as Oakland lost to Texas, 5-4.

Arencibia: GS 5RBI

Adam Jones was 4-for-4 in the opener, won by Baltimore, 4-1, socking his 32nd home run, a furth-inning, two-run blast that gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead. Jones' three other hits were all singles. In the sixth inning he singled and scored Baltimore's final run of the game.

In the nightcap, Jones went 2-for-5, but failed to drive in any runs or score. He is enjoying his finest season as a pro, batting .292 with 81 RBI. Jones finished 2011 with 25 homers and 83 RBI.

Toronto's 9-5 win in the second game was courtesy of J.P. Arencibia, going 3-for-3 with five RBI on a pair of singles, a sac fly and a seventh inning grand slam that increased Toronto's 5-4 lead to 9-4.

The Yankees topped Minnesota, 6-3, increasing their lead in the division to 1 1/2 games over the O's.

Baltimore and Toronto meet again on Tuesday night with the Yanks playing at Minnesota.

National League

Washington has already qualified for the playoffs, but needs any combination of five wins or five Atlanta losses to secure the NL East, which they currently lead by five games.

Jordan Zimmermann

Ryan Zimmerman

In the meantime, they are seeking home field advantage with the best record in baseball, a game better than the Reds, and playing wild card spoiler with a 12-2 win over Milwaukee.

Ryan Zimmerman provided enough offense - going 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs - for starter Jordan Zimmermann, who improved to 12-8, allowing one run on four hits, two walks and seven Ks over 6 2/3 innings. The pitcher went 2-for-3 at the dish, driving in a run and scoring once in support of his cause. Ryan Zimmerman belted a three-run homer in the fourth inning as the Nationals put up a six-spot.

Milwaukee's loss dropped the Brewers into a tie with Los Angeles, 3 1/2 games behind the Cardinals for the second wild card. St. Louis bettered Houston, 6-1, behind Lance Lynn's seven innings on the mound. Lynn gave up one run on five hits and two walks, fanning nine as he improved to 17-7.

The Cardinals have eight games left on their regular season schedule. Their closest pursuers, LA and Milwaukee, each have nine remaining.

Jordan Zimmermann Fans 11 in Nats' Win; Billy Butler Leads KC Past Baltimore

Players of the Day for Thursday, August 8, 2011

American League

Billy Butler

Kansas City finds itself in its usual late-season position: last place in the AL Central, even after their 8-2 win at Baltimore.

Despite their 48-63 record - the worst in the American League - a few players are having solid seasons, like Billy Butler, who went 3-for-4 with a single, double and his 23rd home run in Thursday's victory, the third straight for the Royals.

Butler crossed home plate three times and drove in three runs for the Royals, giving him 72 on the season. The first baseman/DH is knocking in runs at a pace that should surpass his career high of 95 from last season.

The KC win was the first of a four game series at Camden Yards, the O's loss dropping them 5 1/2 games behind the Yankees and just 1/2 game ahead of third place Tampa Bay.


National League

Jordan Zimmermann

Part of one of baseball's best starting rotations, Jordan Zimmermann seldom gets the attention or respect he deserves.

In Washington's 5-0 blanking of Houston, Zimmermann worked six innings, gave up three hits, didn't issue any walks and fanned 11, giving him 110 strikeouts on the year.

It was his sixth win in his last nine starts and the eighth time he's allowed one or fewer runs in his last nine turns on the mound, each of them at least six innings.

Zimmermann's 2.35 ERA is second in the NL among starters behind San Francisco's Ryan Vogelsong's 2.27.

The Nationals' win was their sixth straight, completing a four game sweep of Houston, leaving them 4 1/2 in front of Atlanta, who had the night off.

Washington has played the Astros eight times, coming away with wins in seven of those games. The Nationals take to the road for their next six games, starting with three in Arizona followed by a three game series with NL West leader, San Francisco.

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.