Mark Reynolds' 2HRs, 10 RBI Power Nationals Over Miami, 18-4; Alex Bregman Leads Houston to 5th Straight Win

Players of the Day for Saturday, July 7, 2018

Bregman: 12-game streak

American League

With their 12-6 win over the White Sox, Houston has won five straight, increasing their lead over Seattle to 3 1/2 games in the AL West.

Alex Bregman extended his hitting streak to 12 games, going 3-for-5 with a single, double and his 17th home run of the season, scoring three times and driving in a pair.

As a result of going 21-for-49 (.429), Bregam's batting average has improved from .259 to .284 over the course of his streak, which includes six homers and 12 RBI.

The Astros are 8-4 during Bregman's hitting spree, which began on June 25.

Houston will be looking for a sweep of the visiting White Sox when their four-game series concludes, Sunday at 2:10 pm EDT.

National League

Reynolds: 5-5, 2HR 10RBI

In what could turn out to be the best single-game performance of the season, Washington infielder Mark Reynolds went 5-for-5 with two singles, a double and two home runs, driving in a whopping 10 runs and scoring three times as the Nationals buried the Marlins, 18-4.

Reynolds, who ended Friday's 3-2 win over Miami with a pinch-hit, walk-off homer in the ninth, began his assault with a two-run homer in the second inning and followed with an RBI double in the second, a two-run single in the fifth, a three-run homer in the sixth, and a single in the seventh inning which plated two more runs.

Max Scherzer got his first win since June 5th with an arguably poor performance, allowing four runs on seven hits over seven innings. Scherzer walked two and struck out just three, a season low. He also gave up three home runs.

Playing both first and third base during the rout, Reynolds has played in just 37 games this season, spending 10 games with Syracuse in the International League. He was signed as a free agent in April and called up mid-May. He has been used sparingly at first and third and as a pinch-hitter.

Despite having just 106 at-bats, Reynolds has socked 10 home runs. Saturday's effort nearly doubled his RBI total, to 24.

The Nationals remained five games behind co-NL East leaders, Philadelphia and Atlanta, both winners on Saturday.

Washington has won three straight over the visiting Marlins and will be looking to sweep the series and take their 15th straight over Miami when the teams assemble at Nationals Park, Sunday at 1:35 pm EDT.

Corey Kluber Fans 14 As Indians Sweep Blue Jays; Mark Reynolds Belts 2 HR In Colorado 13-3 Romp

Players of the Day for Sunday, July 23, 2017

American League

Following the all-star break, the Cleveland Indians played six straight games on the road and didn't look like the team that last season represented the American League in the World Series, losing five of six.

Kluber: 14 Ks

Since returning to the friendly shores of Lake Erie, however, the Indians have rolled to three straight wins, to the dismay of the Toronto Blue Jays, who were dismantled in the series by a combined score of 23-5.

Capping off the sweep was a dominating performance by Cleveland's ace, Corey Kluber, who allowed five hits an one lonely run in an 8-1 triumph at Progressive Field.

Kluber walked two and struck out a season-high 14 batters, getting each and every one of the Toronto position players at least once, including three whiffs by Jose Bautista.

Kluber is 8-3 with a 2.74 ERA and an incredible 0.96 WHIP. Opponents are batting .199 against him over the course of 16 starts. He's thrown two three-hit shutouts - both on the road - April 21 against the White Sox and June 19 in Baltimore.

Cleveland's victory keeps them 1 1/2 games ahead of Kansas City, which moved into second place in the AL Central with a 5-4 win over the White Sox while Minnesota dropped a 9-6 decision to Detroit.

The Indians welcome in Cincinnati Monday for a make-up game from May 25. After that they host the Angels for three games starting Tuesday.

National League

Reynolds: 2 HR

After the first of their three-game series in Colorado, the Pittsburgh Pirates appeared to be on their way to the top of the NL Central, going 7-1 since the all-star break. With two losses - including Sunday's 13-3 drubbing by the Rockies - the Pirates lost some of that momentum, dropping back under .500 (49-50), but find themselves still three games behind NL Central co-leaders, Chicago and Milwaukee.

The pressing issue for Pittsburgh is that they probably will have to win their division to make the playoffs, since the Rockies are leading for the first wild card at 58-42, with Arizona one game back. Pittsburgh is 7 1/2 off the wild card pace while the Rockies and Diamondbacks chase the runaway Dodgers, 10 1/2 ahead of Colorado.

Sunday was a showcase for Mark Reynolds, who parked a pair of home runs - his 20th and 21st - driving in three runs. He also singled, going 3-for-4 on the day.

Pittsburgh continues its nine-game road trip on Monday, heading to San Francisco for three games with the Giants. Colorado also hits the road. They start a three-game series in St. Louis on Monday.

A.J. Griffin Shuts Out Padres In 11-0 Texas Rout; Mark Reynolds Keeps Rockies In 1st, Beating Cubs

Players of the Day for Tuesday, May 9, 2017

American League

The Texas Rangers haven't been doing anything exceptionally well, but they may have gotten an emotional boost after Tuesday's 11-0 demolition of the Padres in San Diego.

Griffin: CG, 4-Hit Shutout

Ranger hitters scored 11 runs on just nine hits, thanks to seven walks by Padre pitchers. While the regulars in the lineup were scoring at will, starting pitcher, A.J. Griffin, improved to 4-0 with a complete game four-hit shutout, the first of each for the 29-year-old righty this season and his second (his first shutout was in 2013 with Oakland).

Griffin was on the mark throughout, throwing 71 of 104 pitches for strikes and getting first strikes on 23 of the 30 batters he faced. After getting out of the sixth inning with a double play, Griffin mowed down the final nine batters in order, finishing with four strikeouts while allowing one base on balls.

Griffin has been solid this season, with a 2.45 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP, fanning 27 while walking just six. Opposing hitter are batting a mere .183 against him in 29 1/3 innings.

The win marks the end of a nine-game road trip for the Rangers, in which they went 3-6. They remain in last place in the AL West, 8 1/2 games behind Houston, but return home Wednesday for two games against the Padres at 8:05 pm ET, starting an eight-game home stand.

National League

Reynolds: 12HR, 30RBI

After Monday's opener was rained out in Colorado, the Rockies took the first of a twi-night doubleheader over the troubled Cubs, 10-4, before dropping the nightcap, 8-1. In the first game, Mark Reynolds showed why Colorado is a team to watch in the NL West, which they lead by 1 1/2 over the LA Dodgers.

Reynolds completed the scoring for Colorado when he stroked his 12th home run of the season in the sixth inning after singling home runs in the third and fourth, finishing 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs. In the late game, Cubs' pitchers worked around Reynolds, walking him three times. Reynolds was 0-for-1.

A veteran of 11 seasons, Reynolds, 33, has found new life in the high air of Denver. Always a slugger, but generally with a low average, Reynolds hit a career-best .282 with Colorado last season and is belting at a .333 pace this season (39-for-117). He's tied for seventh in batting and is third in both homers (12) and RBI (30).

At 21-13, the Rockies have been steady, winning five of their last seven after the completion of Tuesday's doubleheader. The Cubs have not been sharp. Their win snapped a four-game losing streak and they are just 5-8 over their last 13 games.

With the series tied 1-1, the Cubs and Rockies will play the rubber game Wednesday at 3:10 pm ET at Coors Field in Denver.

Mark Reynolds Launches Three-run Homer in Cards' Win over O's; Paolo Orlando, Salvador Perez Pace 9-1 Royals

Players of the Day for Thursday, March 12, 2015

Mark Reynolds

Grapefruit League

Mark Reynolds clubbed a third-inning three-run homer off Orioles' starter Bud Norris, leading to the Cardinals' fifth win against three losses this Spring, an 8-2 home win over 3-8 Baltimore.

Reynolds adds some pop to the St. Louis lineup, but will likely be a backup to Matt Adams at first base and used as a pinch-hitter.

After eight years in the majors, Reynolds is a known quantity, a player who can provide power, but also one which does not hit well for average and strikes out often.

Perez: 3-3

Reynolds spent two years in Baltimore (2011-12), where he tallied 60 homers and 155 RBI. He played in 130 games with the Brewers last season, belting 22 homers but also fanning 122 times.

Orlando: 3 RBI

The shot was Reynolds' first of the training season and was his only at-bat of the game.

Cactus League

Kansas City has been absolutely tearing it up in Arizona, improving to 9-1 after doubling up the Indians, 10-5, on Thursday.

Salvador Perez went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a solo homer. Outfielder Paulo Orlando singled, tripled and drove in three runs as the Royals erased an early 3-0 deficit en route to the win.

While Perez will be the starting catcher for the Royals this season, Orlando has spent nine years in the minors but may get a few call-ups, as he is a reliable replacement. Last year at Omaha (AAA), Orlando batted .301 and drove in 63 runs.

An anchor for the pitching staff, Perez played in 138 games in 2013 and 150 last season.

Mark Reynolds Leads Brewers to Sweep of Reds; A's Remain Hot as Yoenis Cespedes Homers Twice

Players of the Day for Wednesday, July 23, 2014

American League

Cespedes: 2HR, 5RBI

The Oakland A's just keep rolling along, now two games ahead of the Angels in the torrid AL West, after knocking off Houston on Wednesday, 9-7. At 62-38, the A's have the best record in the majors, followed closely by those pesky Angels (60-40).

Yoenis Cespedes, back-to-back champion in the all-star home run derby, proved why he is the reigning strongman in the big leagues, belting two shots in the win - a three-run homer in the second inning and a two-run blast in the fourth, which put the A's up 7-0, prior to their pitching staff nearly giving the game away allowing seven runs over the final five innings, including a five-run Houston eighth.

Cespedes finished 2-for-5, with five RBI. He has 16 homers and 61 RBI on the season.

Reynolds: 2HR, 3RBI

The series tied at a game apiece, the teams will settle up Thursday at 6:35 pm PDT at the Coliseum in Oakland.

National League

Mark Reynolds touched off a pair of homers and added a single in four at-bats as the Brewers dropped the Reds, 5-1, as Milwaukee swept visiting Cincinnati, three straight.

Reynolds broke open a close game in the sixth inning with a two-run job, adding a solo shot in the eighth, giving him three RBI on the night.

The win pushed their lead in the Central to 2 1/2 games over the Cardinals, losers of three straight, and Pittsburgh, who has tied St. Louis for second with two consecutive wins over the Dodgers.

Adam Wainwright Goes 3-for-3, Blanks Brewers; Mark Reynolds Slams Sox in Cleveland Win

Players of the Day for Saturday, April 13, 2013

American League

Here come the Indians?

Reynolds: GS, 5 RBI

Seriously, the AL Central could go any way, but the likelihood is that there will be a winner and no wild card from one of baseball's most competitive divisions.

Cleveland (5-5) got to within 1/2 game of co-leaders, Detroit and Kansas City, when Mark Reynolds broke open a close game with a fifth inning grand slam off Chicago's Chris Sale, en route to a 9-4 victory.

In the third inning, Reynolds had given Cleveland a 3-2 lead when he drove in Nick Swisher with a single. He finished 2-for-5 with five big RBI.

Reynolds, traded from Baltimore to the Indians during the off-season, gives the Indians a regular starter at third base, and a solid bat in the lineup, though the number of strikeouts are a concern. Reynolds whiffed 159 times last season, his lowest number in five seasons. When he was with Arizona, he averaged over 200 strikeouts per season, but was always a solid run-producer.

So far this season, things are looking good. Reynolds has struck out eight times, but has five homers and 13 RBI.

National League

Wainwright: CG,
shutout, 12K, 3-3

St. Louis has started off 2013 in solid fashion, winning their fourth straight, to take a two-game lead over the Pirates and Reds after dusting the Brewers for the second straight game with an 8-0 win.

Adam Wainwright proved too tough for the Brewers, twirling the complete-game shutout for his second win of the season against one loss.

Wainwright was impressive both on the mound and at the plate. He allowed just four hits, did not issue a single walk and fanned 12, tying his career best. It was his fifth shutout and 12th career complete game.

When he wasn't tormenting Milwaukee batters, he was touching off rallies, going 3-for-3 - all singles - with two RBI, including two singles in St. Louis' seven-run sixth inning, which broke the game wide open. The Brewers have not scored against St. Louis in this series, losing 2-0 on Friday.

The Cards will go for the sweep of Milwaukee when the teams take the field Sunday at 2:15 pm EDT in St. Louis.

Adam Jones, Matt Wieters, Mark Reynolds Bomb Yanks, Baltimore Ties for AL East Lead; Kurt Suzuki Leads Nats to 5th Straight Win

Players of the Day for Thursday, September 6, 2012

American League

The Yankees are stumbling. The Orioles are soaring.

Since August 24, the O's have put together a 10-4 record. The Yankees have been not so hot, going 5-8 over the same period, right after being swept by the White Sox in a three-game series at Chicago.

Beginning a four-game series in Baltimore with a slim, one game lead in the AL East, the Yankees were trying desperately to hold off the charging Orioles and retain their edge, which back on July 18 was a ten game bulge.

It didn't happen. Before a sellout crowd at Camden Yards, on a night honoring hall of famer Cal Ripken Jr., the Orioles smashed six homers in a 10-6 win to tie the Yankees for first place in the division.

Adam Jones

Adam Jones, Matt Wieters and Mark Reynolds, who has been on a breathtaking tear of late, were the chief antagonists. Weiters got the Orioles on the board quickly, socking a three-run blast in the first inning as Baltimore put up a four-spot after Jones had singled home J.J. Hardy.

Mark Reynolds

In the sixth, Reynolds hit the first of two homers, putting the O's up, 6-1, but the Yanks rallied to tie the game with five runs in the top of the eighth.

Responding in the bottom of the frame, Jones belted a solo shot, Wieters singled and came home on Reynolds' two-run blast and Chris Davis completed the scoring with a solo bomb to right.

Reynolds has hit eight homers in his last seven games and driven in 16 runs as the O's have run down the Yanks.

Matt Wieters

Baltimore has taken three of the last four head-to-head with the Yankees, taking two of three last weekend in New York and there are three games at Camden Yards yet to play this weekend.

The Yankees are walking wounded. Mark Teixeira has been out of the lineup since August 27, nursing a sore left calf, though not on the disabled list. He could return this weekend. Starting pitchers Ivan Nova and Andy Pettitte are also currently out with injuries. Regular outfielder Brett Gardner was lost for the season since April, as was closer Mariano Rivera.

Alex Rodriguez returned to the lineup September 3rd after missing 45 games with a broken wrist. He's gone 4-for-16, but has only driven in one run.

Age and injuries are catching up to the Yankees, and the youthful Orioles - and Tampa Bay, just two games back - are taking full advantage.


National League

On Thursday, Atlanta took its second straight 1-0 game from Colorado, winning three of four in the series, but they can't make up any ground on the Nationals, as Washington took four straight from the Cubs, completing the series sweep with a 9-2 victory that left them up 7 1/2 up on the Braves in the NL East.

Kurt Suzuki

The Nats outscored the Cubs, 31-9, over the four games, getting a boost from catcher Kurt Suzuki in the finale. Suzuki went 3-for-5 with a three-run homer, two singles and scored twice.

It was the fifth straight win for Washington, which continues with the best record in the majors, at 85-52, 2 1/2 games better than Central division leader, Cincinnati. If the Nats and Reds finish in that order, the result could mean home field advantage should the top two teams meet in the NL Championship series.

The Nationals open a three-game series with the Marlins on Friday. 15-6 Stephen Strasburg has been penciled in as the starter for Washington, in what could be his final start of the season. The controversial plan to sit the young ace after 160 to 170 innings is on the cusp of completion. Strasburg enters Friday's contest having thrown 156 1/3 innings.

Nationals' management has maintained all along that Strasburg would be shut down for the season at some point whether the team was in a pennant race or not, but has not disclosed exactly when the star would see the mound for the last time.

There is speculation that the Nationals, with their commanding lead in the division, might hedge their position a bit, having Strasburg skip a start or two down the stretch, saving him for the post-season. Players, fans, broadcasters and other managers have been critical of the innings limit, but the Washington front office has been steadfast in their commitment to shut the hurler down at some point.

The situation could become a lot more interesting Friday night, especially if Strasburg goes six innings or more.

Mark Reynolds, Zach Britton Lead Orioles to First Place Tie with Yankees; Adam LaRoche, Jayson Werth Lead Storming Nationals

Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 4, 2012

American League

Trailing the Yankees by a game in the AL East, manager Buck Schowalter got his team fired up for their game in Toronto against the Blue Jays.

Zach Britton

Whatever the manager said to his troops, it certainly did the trick, or maybe there was a little bit of scoreboard watching, because shortly after the Rays took a 3-2 lead against the Yankees in Tampa, on Evan Longoria's two-run homer, the O's hitters went to work, banging out 18 hits in a 12-0 wipeout of the Blue Jays.

Mark Reynolds

While Zach Britton was blanking the Jays on four hits over seven innings, fanning eight, Mark Reynolds led the offensive assault, first with a three-run homer in the fifth which broke a tie at zero, and later delivering an RBI single and scoring in a five run eighth that padded the O's lead.

After Britton handed the ball over, Baltimore relievers, Kevin Gregg and Zach Phillips each worked a perfect inning of relief, closing out the scoreless mound work.

Red hot Reynolds finished 3-for-4 with four RBI and a pair of runs, helping the Orioles tie the Yankees for first place in the division, the first time the Orioles have had a share of the lead this late in the season since 1997.

Seeing the ball well, Reynolds has been banging it hard, going 8-for-19 over his last five games with five homers and 11 RBI. Reynolds hit 37 homers for the O's last season, but seems to be just hitting his best stride with 17 so far this year.

The Orioles will be looking for the sweep of the Blue Jays when they take the field Wednesday in Toronto. The Jays have not scored a single run off Baltimore pitching over the first two games. The Yankees will try to avoid being swept by the Rays, who are just 1 1/2 back after taking the first two games of their series in Tampa.

Baltimore heads to New York for a four game series with the Yankees beginning Thursday.


National League

Jayson Werth

Whether manager Davey Johnson shuts down Stephen Strasberg after a couple more starts or not, the Washington Nationals keep rolling right along, leading the Braves in the NL East by 7 1/2 games after bombing the Cubs, 11-5, Tuesday night.

Adam LaRoche

The Nats hammered seven Chicago hurlers for 19 hits, scoring in every inning except the third and fifth, not needing to bat in the bottom of the ninth.

From the leadoff spot, Jayson Werth went 4-for-5, scoring twice and driving in a run. Adam LaRoche homered twice (his 26th and 27th), drove in two runs and scored twice, adding a couple of singles in a 4-for-4 effort.

Washington has won three straight and will be seeking their third consecutive win over the visiting Cubs when they play the third of their four game series on Wednesday night. Nationals' fans can start the countdown to the NL East pennant: the magic number for Washington - which has the best record in baseball at 83-52 - is 20.

This post, and this day are dedicated to Nicholas Gagliano Sr., born this day in 1924 and passed on in July of 2009. He is the author's father.

Mark Reynolds 2 HR Lead O's over Yanks; Chase Headley Drives in 6, Padres Lose

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 2, 2012

American League

Yankee fans - and players and coaches - have been waiting all season for the Baltimore Orioles to fold up their tents and head for the bottom of the division, where they have been continual residents for the better part of the last fifteen years.

Reynolds: 2HR 4RBI

But, this year's version of the usual unloved losers is a different variety, with solid starting pitching, capable relief and a lineup that seldom goes slumping.

One of the great additions that has helped form the nucleus of the "new" Orioles, is third baseman Mark Reynolds, acquired in an off-season trade with the Diamondbacks following the 2011 campaign.

In Sunday's 8-3 win over the Yankees, Reynolds proved the catalyst for the Baltimore offense, socking a solo homer in the fifth to get Baltimore on the board, and pounding another ball into the left field stands in the sixth, with two aboard, putting the Orioles ahead to stay, at 5-3.

Reynolds also singled and scored in the eighth, when Baltimore plated three runs.

The Yanks leave Baltimore having lost two out of three, their lead trimmed to two games over the O's, and head to Tampa Bay - 3 1/2 back - for a three-game set. On Thursday, the Yankees welcome the Orioles to New York for a crucial four-game series that will go a long way toward determining the AL East champion and wild card standings.

National League

Chase Headley

The divisional races in the National League are taking on a runaway character at the start of September. The smallest lead is 4 1/2 games, the margin that San Francisco has over the Dodgers. In the East, Atlanta has been chasing Washington virtually all season, but can't seem to get much closer than their current 6 1/2 games.

In the Central, it's pretty much over, as the Reds hold a 9 1/2 game bulge over the Cardinals.

With all these big leads, there are a plethora of largely meaningless games, such as Colorado's 11-10 win over the Padres.

In one of the usual of baseball oddities, the Padres banged out 20 hits to the Rockies' 11, but still managed to lose. One cannot lay blame upon Chase Headley, one of the league's hottest hitters, who had a big day at the plate.

Headley cracked his 16th homer, added three and stole a base, scored once and drove in six runs. Headley's big game brought his RBI total to 89 on the year. In his last nine games, he's hit safely in eight, scored six runs and driven in 11.

Matt Wieters, Mark Reynolds Lead O's to Sweep of Pirates; Brandon Phillips Has 4 RBI in Reds' Win

Players of the Day for Thursday, June 14, 2012

American League

Baltimore completed their three-game home sweep of Pittsburgh with a 12-6 win over the Pirates.

The two teams combined for 26 hits, 16 of them belonging to the winning Orioles, who closed to within 1/2 game of idle AL East leader, New York.

Matt Wieters

The heart of Baltimore's lineup had the best of Pittsburgh's pitching staff, as Mark Reynolds and Matt Wieters each went 4-for-5.

Mark Reynolds

Reynolds had a single, a pair of doubles and a solo home run, scoring three runs and driving in two. Wieters singled twice and doubled twice, driving in five runs, including the first of four Baltimore's first inning runs.

After that, the game was mostly Baltimore's. The Orioles had a 10-0 lead before the Pirates finally got on the board with three runs in the fifth.

The Orioles embark upon a weekend road trip to Atlanta while the Pirates, now tied with St. Louis, three games behind the NL Central-leading Reds, head to Cleveland.


National League

With Pittsburgh dropping three straight, the Cincinnati Reds took full advantage, completing their sweep of the Indians with a 12-5 victory over Cleveland, Thursday.

Brandon Phillips

Brandon Phillips was key to the Reds' win, going 3-for-5 with a home run, a pair of singles and four RBI.

After Cleveland scored two runs in the top of the first, Joey Votto erased their lead with a three-run blast in the bottom half, his 15th of the season.

Phillips broke the game wide open after that, socking a solo homer in the third - his 8th - singling in two runs in the fourth and singling in another as the Reds put up a 5-spot in the fifth.

The win put the Reds three games ahead of Pittsburgh and St. Louis in the Central division.

INTERLEAGUE SCOREBOARD: The National League finally cut a bit into the AL's interleague lead, winning six of ten games on Thursday, leaving the tally for the season at 68-58 in favore of the American League.

Nelson Cruz Delivers for Rangers in 14th; Mark Reynolds Knocks Around Mets Pitching

Players of the Day for Monday, July 19, 2010 American League For 14 innings, the Tigers and Rangers - two teams with distinct possibilities for post-season play - battled over the first game of their three-game series in Detroit. 32 hits, 12 walks and five errors all culminated in one blast off the bat of Nelson Cruz, who delivered a two-run homer - his 12th of the year - in the top of the 14th, for an 8-6 Texas victory. Cruz had put the Rangers up 6-5 in the 7th inning with an RBI single, only to have the Tigers tie the game back up in the bottom of the 8th. He finished 3-for-6 with 4 RBI and also stole his 11th base of the season. The two contenders used a total of 13 pitchers in the marathon event, seven by the Rangers and six for the Tigers. The late-night finish put the Rangers five games ahead of the idle LA Angels in the AL West, while the Tigers dropped to 2 1/2 behind the sprinting White Sox, who hammered Seattle, 8-1. Minnesota fell to red-hot Cleveland (5 straight wins), 10-4, remaining tied with the Tigers in second place in the Central division. National League Poor Arizona. While the other four teams in the NL West are all above .500, the Diamondbacks have struggled down in last place, 20 games behind the division-leading Padres. Still, a few Arizona players are having excellent years, like Mark Reynolds. In Arizona's 13-2 defeat of the visiting Mets, the third baseman singled, tripled and homered, driving in four runs and scoring three times, as the Diamondbacks collected 18 hits off Mets' starter, Mike Pelfrey and four relievers. While the win did nothing for Arizona's prospects, the loss vy the Mets dropped them another 1/2 game behind idle NL East leader, Atlanta, now 5 1/2 clear of the second place New Yorkers, with Philadelphia another 1/2 game behind. In a development worth watching, Reynolds may become a prime trade candidate, especially in the case of the Reds, who might lose Scott Rolen shortly to the DL, as he took a cortisone shot in his right hamstring before the Monday's 7-2 win over the Nationals. The Reds' brain trust will decide within a few of days whether to put him on the 15-day DL or allow the All Star to play through whatever pain he might be suffering.

Cruz Feasts on Orioles; Reynolds Helps Diamondbacks Sweep Giants

Players of the Day for Thursday, May 20, 2010 American League Quickly establishing a reputation as a ferocious hitter, Texas outfielder, Nelson Cruz, has been feasting upon American League pitching all season long. After belting 33 homers and driving in 76 runs in 2009, Cruz is well on his way to surpassing those figures this season. Cruz got his fill of Oriole starter Brian Matusz, dining him for a first inning, three-run homer that put Texas up early en route to a 13-7 win over Baltimore. Matusz lasted only 2 1/3 innings - allowing 8 hits and 7 earned runs - but Cruz and the Rangers were just getting started. Texas batters eventually banged out 20 hits. Cruz had four of them. After his 8th homer of the season, Cruz raked three singles, drove in another run and scored two more times. He's batting .330 and has driven in 30 runs. The Rangers 4th straight win kept them in first place in the AL West, four games better than the A's and 4 1/2 ahead of the Angels. Baltimore remains mired in last place in the AL East, with the worst record in the majors, at 13-29. National League Mark Reynolds keyed a 5-run Arizona 5th inning with his 11th homer of the season, a two-run blast, that chased Giants' starter, Tim Lincecum, in the Diamondbacks' 8-7 win over San Francisco. Those runs proved to be not enough, as the Giants rallied back for five of their own in the top of the sixth, putting them ahead, 7-5. Arizona responded, tying the game when Reynolds doubled in a run and came home on Chris Young's double. Reynolds was again at the plate with runners on first and third in the bottom of the 8th, when Giants' reliever Jeremy Affeldt uncorked a wild pitch, sending Conor Jackson home with what proved to be the winning run. Even though Reynolds is batting just .221, he's tied for second in the league in home runs and his 33 RBI are enough for third place in that category. The win was Arizona's second straight over the Giants, but the D-Backs remain in last place in the NL West, 6 1/2 games behind the Padres.

Barlett, Crawford, Rays 1-2 Punch; Reynolds Having Career Year

Players of the Day for Monday, August 3, 2009 American League No two players better exemplify the importance of the 1 and 2 batters in a lineup more than Tampa Bay's Jason Bartlett (left) and Carl Crawford (right). Their enormous talents were on display in Monday's 10-4 Rays win over Kansas City. The pair started right off in Tampa's half of the first inning. Bartlett walked, Crawford singled and both advanced on Evan Longoria's ground out. The solid baserunning paid off when Carlos Pena drove them both home with a 2 RBI single. In the 2nd, with runners on first and second, Bartlett laid down a bunt to load the bases and Crawford delivered with a double plating two more. Before KC knew what was happening, the Rays were up 4-0. As the game progressed, the onslaught continued. Bartlett finished up 3-for-4 with a single, double and triple, 2 RBI and 2 runs. Crawford went 3-for-5 with 3 RBI a run and his league-leading 49th steal, 1 better than Boston's Jacoby Ellsbury. Bartlett and Crawford rank third and ninth in AL batting average, at .337 and .317, respectively. The Rays picked up a half game on the idle Yankees, whom they trail by 5 1/2 games. National League The Arizona Diamondbacks are hopelessly out of contention in the NL West, but the team has hopes that the remainder of this season will prepare then for better things in 2010. One of the reasons for optimism in the desert is the play of third baseman Mark Reynolds, who, in his third full season, is putting up numbers that identify him as a blossoming star. Reynolds mashed a pair of homers - a solo shot in the first and a two-run bomb in the second - to pace the D-Backs to a 6-0 lead, as they held off the Mets, 6-5. Dan Haren struggled through 7 innings to get his 11th win and Chad Qualls picked up his 20th save with a 1-2-3 9th. With his two home runs, Reynolds has put 32 out of ballparks, challenging St. Louis' Albert Pujols for the NL lead. Pujols has 34. Reynolds is also moving up the RBI ladder into a tie for 6th with Milwaukee's Ryan Braun, with 73 on the year. though he is well behind the leaders, Prince Fielder (93) and Pujols (92). NOTES: Milwaukee kept the National League competitive with a 6-5 win over the Dodgers Monday night in LA. Ryan Braun went 4-for-5, with a 3-run homer (his 22nd), as the Brewers remained tied with Houston in third place in the NL Central, 4 games behind the Cardinals and Cubs. With the Dodgers losing for the 7th time in their last 11 outings, the Rockies and Giants continue to entertain thoughts of running down the division leader. The Dodger lead was cut to 6 1/2 as the Rockies won their 4th straight, a 6-4 win at Cincinnati. San Fran dropped 1/2 game behind Colorado, losing, 4-3, at Houston.

Reynolds Lifts Arizona; Ibanez Slams 6 RBI in 7th

Players of the Day from Monday, August 4, 2008 American League The Twins had finally caught and passed the White Sox on Sunday to take a slender 1/2 game lead in the AL Central, and were comfortably leading the Mariners, 6-1, until Raul Ibanez and his Seattle teammates spoiled the party with a 10-run 7th inning that ended in an 11-6 Seattle win, sending Minnesota into a tie with the White Sox. Ibanez (16 HR, 73 RBI), probably the best player the Mariners haven't traded, started the scoring in the inning with a grand slam homer, and finished it with a 2-run double, cashing 6 RBI in just one inning - a remarkable feat. Notes: While the loss wasn't devastating to the Twins, the win was just the 43rd of the season for Seattle, against 68 losses. Seattle is 27 games behind the runaway leaders in the AL West, the Angels, and are just playing out a long, long string. With much of the league idle on Monday, the Rays, Red Sox and Yankees all suffered losses, keeping the standings intact from Sunday. The Angels beat the O's, 6-5, for their 70th win against just 42 losses and an 11 1/2 game lead over the Rangers in the West. National League Third baseman Mark Reynolds singled twice and hit his 16th home run in 5 at-bats, driving in a run with each hit as the Diamondbacks banged out 18 hits in a 1307 drubbing of the Pirates. Arizona improved its lead in the NL West to 1 1/2 games over the idle Dodgers, who begin a 3-game series at St. Louis on Tuesday. Notes: The Milwaukee Brewers are apparently going into September swoon mode a little early this year, dropping a 6-3 decision at Cincinnati for their 2nd straight loss and 7th in their last nine games. There was also a dugout incident involving Prince Fielder apparently shoving a teammate. Bad behavior on a struggling team. It sounds so familiar for Milwaukee. The Brewers are 5 behind the Cubs in the Central, after having dropped four straight to them to end the month of July and are just 1/2 game clear of the Cardinals as the wild card race comes into focus.

Reynolds Keeps D-Backs Winning; Barton Homers in A's 14-2 Romp

Players of the Day from Monday, April 28, 2008 American League Looking for Rookie of the Year candidates? Keep an eye on the A's Daric Barton who smacked his first home run of the season (he hit four in 18 games last year with the A's), went 3-for-6, drove in 3 runs and scored twice in the A's 14-2 rout of the Angels, boosting Oakland into sole possession of first place in the AL West one game ahead of the Angels. Usually batting third in the lineup, Barton has Mark Ellis hitting in front of him and the recently-acquired Frank Thomas behind him, so he's likely to be seeing plenty of RBI opportunities. Before his call-up last September, Barton hit .293 with nine home runs and 70 RBI in 136 games with the triple-A Sacramento River Cats. Notes: The A's and Angels will continue their battle for the AL West top spot as the 4-game series continues through Thursday. National League There are plenty of reasons why the Diamondbacks have the best record in the majors, but one of them surely has to be the hot start by third baseman Mark Reynolds. On Monday, Reynolds went 1-for-3 with a 2-run double in the 4th, helping Dan Haren to his 4th win as the Diamondbacks beat Houston 5-3. Reynolds, overshadowed last season by sensational rookies Ryan Braun and Troy Tulowitzki, hit .279 with 17 homers and 62 RBI in 111 games. This year, he's second in the NL with 24 RBI and tied for 5th in the league with 7 home runs. Notes: Dominant D-Backs. Arizona leads the NL West with a 19-7 record and has opened a 6 1/2 game lead. They are one of only two teams with less than 10 losses thus far, the other being the Cubs, at 16-9.

Guerrero, Angels Down Bombers; Reynolds Hot D-Back; Bonds Under Pressure

Friday's Peak Performers and Fabulous Flops American League Vladimir Guerrero (right) singled and doubled twice in 5 at-bats, scored twice and drove in 2 runs as the LA Angels opened an important 3-game series in NY by whipping the Yankees, 10-6, maintaining their 4-game lead over Oakland in the AL West. The Angels' Orlando Cabrera extended his hitting streak to 15 games, chasing Yankee Derek Jeter, whose 19-game streak is currently the longest in the majors. Jeter singled and scored in 4 at-bats while teammate Alex Rodriguez cracked his major league best 19th home run - a 2nd-inning solo shot off starter Jered Weaver. It's all about Boston - Despite what Yankees' owner George Steinbrenner may think, or hope, the Boston Red Sox continue to pull away in the AL East. On Friday, Daisuke Matsuzaka became the third AL pitcher to reach 7 wins, joining teammate Josh Beckett and the Angels' John Lackey. Dice-K wasn't great, allowing 5 earned runs off 7 hits and 3 walks, but the Sox put a 10-spot on the board, beating the host Rangers, 10-6. Boston, now 32-15, is 10 1/2 games to the good on New York. Other AL Scores Oakland 3 Baltimore 2 - D. Haren (W, 5-2) 7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER Cleveland 7 Detroit 4 - Indians take 1/2-game lead on Tigers in AL Cent. Minnesota 4 Toronto 3 Seattle 10 Kansas City 2 - I. Suzuki, 18-gm. hit streak Chicago White Sox 5 Tampa Bay 4 National League Mark Reynolds (right) smacked a pair of homers, tripled, singled twice, drove in 4 runs and scored 4 times in a 5-5 performance as the Arizona Diamondbacks slammed the reeling Houston Astros, 13-3, Friday night. Reynolds, called up recently from AAA Tuscon to replace injured Chad Tracy, is batting .459 in his first 10 games in the majors. The second of a 4-game set at Arizona went pretty much the same way as the first, won by the D-Backs, 9-1 on Thursday. Friday's loss was the Astros' sixth straight. Arizona remains 2 back of the Dodgers in the NL West. Rookie 3rd baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff extended his hitting streak to 8 games with his first major league grand slam in the Padres' 8-4 win over visiting Milwaukee - the first of a 3-game weekend series in San Diego. Kouzmanoff added a double giving him 13 hits in his last 25 at-bats (.520). The Padres remain a game behind the Dodgers in the contentious NL West, while the Brewers - despite losing their last 3 and 10 of their last 14 - maintain a 6-game bulge on the Cubs in the NL Central. What's wrong with Barry? In the first inning of Friday night's 5-3 Colorado win at San Francisco, Rockies' starter Jason Hirsh got himself into a real jam. Randy Winn, the Giants' leadoff hitter, singled and Hirsh then issued walks to Rich Aurilia and Ryan Klesko, loading the bases. Up to the plate strode Barry Bonds, ten homers shy of the all-time record. Hirsh couldn't walk him, nor could he reasonably pitch on the edges. He had to give Barry something hittable. He did, and Bonds grounded into a routine 4-6-3 double play. Winn scored, but the at-bat pointed up the latest baseball banter about the suddenly struggling "King of Swing", who hasn't homered since May 8 - a span of 13 games in which Bonds has played (he sat out games on May 15 and 23, incidentally, both one-sided Giants' wins) - his longest dinger drought of the season. So, what's wrong with Bonds? Could it be a sore hamstring? Or maybe, as Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle suggests, Bonds is being too passive at the plate and umpires aren't giving him the benefit of the doubt on close pitches. That's a reasonable argument, along with the theory that there isn't a pitcher in the majors who wants to give up another Barry bomb, and they aren't giving him good pitches to hit. But even the best pitchers make mistakes, often when trying to nibble at the corners, and Barry hasn't bashed any of those muffs lately. Over his last 13 games, Barry is just 5-36 (.139) with no RBI and 7 whiffs, mostly on called third strikes. It could be injury or simply a bad slump, but maybe, as Bonds approaches 43 years of age, Father Time is finally slowing him down. All those years Barry wasn't using any performance-enhancing drugs may finally be taking their toll. Of course, there is the pressure of the situation.

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Roughly the same percentage of people who believe Barry used juice also don't want him to reach Aaron's record 755 home run mark - about 70% - but Barry wants it badly and, after all, he is human and is likely to be pressing. But the pressure will not wane. As he gets closer, it's going to get harder - if he gets closer. It's a shame - just 10 home runs from immortality, yet a world away in reality. Fickle fate and his own super-inflated ego may prove to be Barry Bonds' worst enemies. Other NL Scores NY Mets 6 Florida 2 Pittsburgh 10 Cincinnati 4, 10 innings - Pirates score 8 in top 10th Washington 5, St. Louis 4 - LP: A. Reyes (0-8); Cards 5-8 last 13 gms. Philadelphia 8, Atlanta 3 - Phils' Ryan Howard back from DL (1-4, 2 RBI) LA Dodgers 9, Chicago Cubs 8 - J. Kent HR (8), 4 RBI