Nate McLouth's Grand Slam Boosts Orioles over Mariners; Miami's Jose Fernandez, Logan Morrison End Cleveland's Eight Game Win Streak

Players of the Day for Friday, August 2, 2013

American League

Chris Davis hits lots of home runs. Nate McLouth, not so many, but it was McLouth's grand slam that lifted the Orioles to an 11-8 victory over the visiting Seattle Mariners.

McLouth: Grand Slam

McLouth unleashed his bases-loaded belt to right-center in the sixth inning, after the Mariners had scored two runs to cut Baltimore's lead to one run, 7-6. Davis hit his 40th earlier in the game, a solo shot in the third inning. Ryan Flaherty added a solo homer in the fourth.

McLouth also singled and scored in the first inning on Adam Jones' double, setting the tone for the game. Seattle never led, though they did hit four homers and cut the lead to one run on two separate occasions.

The win boosted Baltimore's hopes in the AL East, where Tampa Bay and Boston suffered losses on Friday. The Orioles trial the Red Sox by 4 1/2 games. Tampa Bay is one game out.

Seattle will try to even the score with the O's Saturday night at 7:05 pm EDT.

National League

Fernandez: 14 Ks

Somebody had to put a stop to Cleveland's eight-game winning streak. It just so happened the the players turned out to be on the worst team in the National League.

Morrison: 4-5, 4RBI

Rookie phenom, Jose Fernandez, shut out the Indians over eight innings and Logan Morrison drove in four runs to lead the Miami Marlins to a 10-0 triumph.

Fernandez (8-5) allowed just three hits over his eight innings of work, setting a career mark with 14 strikeouts. He didn't walk a batter, but didn't finish the game because of a high pitch count (108). Still, Fernandez is making a case for rookie of the year honors. He is fifth in the league in ERA, at 2.54 and his 138 Ks are the ninth-most in the league and he's gaining quickly. Over his last three starts - all wins - he's fanned 35 batters in 23 innings.

Logan Morrison provided more than enough firepower for Fernandez, going 4-for-5 with two singles, a double and a triple, two runs and four RBI. Morrison has only played in 37 games for the marlins this season, but is making his case to be their full-time first baseman.

Cleveland's loss was a gift for the Tigers, who won their sixth straight and lead the Indians by three games in the AL Central. Kansas City also saw their nine game win streak go by the boards, losing to the Mets, 4-2, in 11 innings. KC is 7 1/2 back.

The Marlins are 43-65, at the bottom of the NL East. They'll try to make it two straight against the Indians Saturday, at 7:10 pm EDT in game two of their three-game series in Miami.

Today's Trivia: Who holds the MLB record for fewest hits per nine innings for a single season (5.261)? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: Roger Clemens - then with the Houston Astros - allowed 6.43 hits per nine innings to lead the NL in 2005.

Miguel Cabrera Powers Tigers over Houston in 17-2 Rout; Jose Fernandez One-Hits Phillies over Seven in Marlins' Victory

Players of the Day for Saturday, May 4, 2013

American League

The Detroit Tigers continued to hold first place in the AL Central, though only by 1/2 game over the Royals, who kept pace with a 2-0, complete-game shutout by Jeremy Guthrie (4-0).

Cabrera 4-4, 2HR 6RBI

Detroit went the offensive route, banging out 21 hits and scoring in every inning except the third, to pummel the Astros, 17-2.

Seven of the nine regulars in the Detroit lineup had two or more hits, including Torii Hunter and Miguel Cabrera, each with four.

Cabrera had his best day at the plate this season, going 4-for-4 with a pair of homers (his fifth and sixth) and two singles, driving in six of the Tigers' runs, scoring three times. Cabrera got things started with an RBI single in the first, then popped a two-run homer in the second, a bases-loaded walk in the third, a solo homer in the fourth and another RBI single in the seventh inning.

4-0 Max Scherzer cruised to the win, allowing three hits and a run in eight innings with eight Ks.

Cabrera, who took home the AL MVP award last season while posting a triple crown, leads the league in batting (.390) and RBI, with 36. His six homers are three off the pace of four players - Edwin Encarnacion, Michael Morse, Mark Reynolds and Chris Davis.

Winners of three straight, the Tigers go for the four-game sweep of the 8-23 Astros, Sunday at 4:10 pm EDT.

As the Tigers and Royals continue to contend for the division lead, they are being closely followed by the Indians, winners of six straight, just three games out.

National League

Fernandez: 7IP, 1H, 0ER

There haven't been many South Beach smiles for the 9-22 Marlins, but Saturday's seven-inning, one-hit performance by rookie hurler Jose Fernandez provided some promise for the future.

The Marlins took the game, 2-0, as Fernandez stymied the Phillies throughout, fanning nine while surrendering one walk for his first win as a major leaguer against two losses.

The only hit off the rookie was by Freddy Galvis, a one-out single in the first inning. Fernandez then mowed down the next 20 batters in order, before surrendering a walk to Galvis to lead off the seventh before striking out the next three batters - Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Delmon Young - all swinging.

Relievers Mike Dunn and Steve Cishek each turning in perfect innings in the eighth and ninth, Cishek earning his fourth save of the season.

The win was the Marlins' first in three games of their four-game series in Philadelphia. They'll attempt to get a split when the series concludes at 2:35 pm EDT Sunday.