Cavan Biggio Hits for Cycle in Blue Jays' Win; Marlins' Miguel Rojas Drives In 6; Wild Card Updates

Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 1, 2019

American League

It must be in the genes.

Biggio hits for cycle

On Tuesday night, in an otherwise meaningless game, the Toronto Blue Jays knocked off the Baltimore Orioles, 8-5. While the two teams have only next season to look forward to, rookie Cavan Biggio made the most of it, hitting for the cycle, driving in four runs.

Biggio, son of Hall of Famer, Craig Biggio, began putting together the historic night in the third inning, with a two-run homer that gave Toronto a 3-2 lead. After singling in the sixth inning, he doubled, stole third and scored on a sac fly to tie the game at 4-all in the eighth. Finally, in the ninth, after Justin Smoak put the Blue Jays up, 5-4, Biggio legged out a triple that plated two more runs and came home to score on a Baltimore error.

Biggio's father, Craig, hit for the cycle in 2002. Cavan's cycle was the first ever in the 27-year history of Baltimore's Camden Yards. Batting a mere .230, Biggio has 14 homers and 42 RBI in 313 at-bats. He's also swiped 10 bases and scored 58 runs.

In the wild card race, the Oakland A's have taken the initiative, winning their last seven of eight, with a 2-1 gut-check win over the Royals. The win left them two games up on Tampa Bay, 7-5 losers to the Dodgers in LA.

The Indians are 1/2-game behind Tampa, but have 11 games left, as opposed to just 10 for the Rays and A's.

Already in a good spot, the A's have the lightest schedule remaining, hosting one more game with the Royals, then three with Texas. They finish on the road, playing two with the Angels, then four at Seattle.

Cleveland finishes up its home schedule with two more against Detroit, then three with the Phillies. On the road the final six games, they visit the White Sox for three and end in Washington against the Nationals.

The Rays have a tough week ahead. After one more in LA, they return home for four games with Boston and two against the Yankees. Their season ends with three in Toronto.

National League

In a game that more than likely knocked the Diamondbacks completely out of playoff contention, the Miami Marlins put a 12-6 hurting on Arizona, with Miguel Rojas driving in six runs, fueling the effort.

Rojas: 4-for-6, 6 RBI

Rojas doubled three times and singled in six at-bats. In the third inning, he stroked a double to left center, driving in the first run of the game, then, after grounding out in the fourth, he came to the plate with the bases loaded and cleared them with a double to left field. He singled in two more in the seventh. For good measure, he doubled again in the ninth, but was left stranded as he was after each of his four hits.

For the Diamondbacks, the loss was their eighth in the last 10 games, sending them 5 1/2 behind the Cubs and Brewers, who are tied for the second wild card. With just 10 games remaining, Arizona would have to leapfrog the Phillies, Mets and either the Cubs or Brewers to take a wild card and that's unlikely.

The Brewers appear to be in the best position for either a wild card or the NL Central crown. Their 3-1 win over San Diego Tuesday was their 11th win in their last 12 games. With the Cubs dropping a 4-2 decision to the Reds, the Brewers and Cubs are two games behind St. Louis in the division, after the Cardinals lost, 6-2, to the Nationals.

Washington has a 1 1/2-game lead in the first wild card position and finishes up their three-game series with the Cardinals Wednesday afternoon in St. Louis. Max Scherzer goes to the mound for the Nets, with Adam Wainwright going up the hill for St. Louis.

The Cardinals and Cubs have the toughest roads to the playoffs, playing each other seven times in the closing days. Milwaukee has two more home games with the Padres, then three at home against the Pirates. They finish the season on the road, with three games each in Cincinnati and Colorado.

Washington has the most exotic down-the-stretch schedule after finishing up in St. Louis. They have Thursday off and play three over the weekend in Miami. Then they return home for an eight-game home stand, playing the Phillies five times before ending the regular season hosting Cleveland for three games. The Phillies are still on the fringe of the playoff picture, but the Indians are likely to still be in the AL wild card race until those final games.

Xander Bogaerts Slams Royals In Boston Win; Brian Anderson Leads Marlins Past Phillies

Players of the Day for Monday, April 30, 2018

American League

Returning to the friendly confines of Fenway Park on Monday, the Red Sox opened their three-game series against the Royals in typical Boston fashion, banging out 13 hits in a 10-6 victory, highlighted by Xander Bogaerts' third inning grand slam.

Bogaerts: Grand Slam

The Royals thought they were looking good after scoring three runs in the first inning, but the Sox took little time getting to starter Jason Hammels. After Mitch Moreland socked a solo homer in the second inning and walked with the bases-loaded in the third, Bogaerts unloaded, with a tape-measure, 430-foot blast over the Green Monster in left field.

That put the Red Sox up 6-3, and, for all intents and purposes, sealed the victory early in the affair.

Bogaerts added a couple of singles, finishing 3-for-5 with four RBI. He's batting a brisk .412 in 51 at-bats, his playing time limited to just 12 games this season due to an early injury that set him down for three weeks.

In his third game back from the DL, Bogaerts is 7-for-13 (.518) and the Red Sox have won their last two games, leaving them three in front of the Yankees in the LA East, after Houston downed the Bombers, who had won nine straight, 2-1, Monday night.

Game two of the series starts Tuesday at 7:10 pm EDT.

National League

Anderson: 3-4, HR, 4 RBI

Off to their best start in many years, the high-flying Phillies would have figured to do well on a trip to Miami, engaging the lowly Marlins in a three-game series which began on Monday.

The Phillies had taken two of three from the Marlins in Philadelphia earlier in the season, one of them a humiliating 20-1 rout, but Monday's outcome would be different, as Brian Anderson led the Marlins to an 8-4 decision.

A rookie right fielder, Anderson singled, doubled and homered in four at-bats, driving in four runs and scoring twice.

In the third inning, Anderson laced a double to right center, breaking a 2-2 tie by driving in a pair of runners. He would score later in the inning on a ground out by Miguel Rojas.

By the end of the fourth inning, the Phillies had closed to gap to 6-4, but Anderson's wo-run homer in the seventh put the game out of reach as relievers Tayron Guerrero and Brad Ziegler held the Phillies hitless and scoreless over the final two innings.

The win was the 10th of the season for Miami, the Phillies loss dropping them two games behind the Mets, who are leading the NL East. The Braves hold second place, 1 1/2 out.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Tuesday, 7:10 pm EDT.

Yasmani Grandal's Grand Slam Boosts Dodgers; Brian Anderson Leads Marlins to 7-5 Win Over Yankees

Players of the Day for Sunday, March 11, 2018

Grapefruit League

Anderson: 2-2, 3R-HR, 3R

Giancarlo Stanton may have been sitting in the other dugout, but the Miami Marlins certainly didn't miss him as they belted the first-place Yankees in a 7-5 win.

Stanton, who was traded from Miami to the Yanks after socking 49 home runs for the Marlins in 2017, remained on the bench for the duration, never getting to the plate against his old mates.

With the slugger sidelined (manager's decision) rookie prospect Brian Anderson made his presence known, walking and scoring in the second inning as the Marlins took a 2-0 lead, then belting a three-run homer in the third to put Miami up 5-0.

Anderson added a double in the fifth and scored again, on Cameron Maybin's home run, completing the scoring for the Marlins, finishing a fine day with a 2-for-2 effort with three runs and three RBI. The Yankees tried to keep pace with homers by Didi Gregorious and Aaron Judge, but could not complete the comeback as Maimi reliever, Sandy Alcantara, shut them down in the eighth and ninth.

New York fell off the lead in the Grapefruit League as Houston took over first place by 1/2 game. Miami is an additional 1/2 game back, in third, with a 10-5 mark.

Cactus League

Grandal: 3-for-3, GS, 5 RBI

At Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, a pair of NL West foes squared off on Sunday at the Spring home of the Colorado Rockies, with the Dodgers visiting and looking to move up in the Cactus League standings.

It didn't take long for LA to establish its dominance, scoring five runs in the second inning, three in the third and completing the scoring with five more in the fourth, when catcher Yasmani Grandal belted a grand slam, leading to a 13-7 Dodger victory.

Grandal, who has been the regular Dodger backstop since 2015 and has proven to possess considerable power, socking 27 homers in 2016 and 22 last season.

Grandal added a pair of singles in three at-bats and scored three runs. His second-inning RBI single, in addition to his third homer of the Spring, gave him five on the day. It was Grandal's best showing thus far. He's batting a mere .222, with eight RBI in 27 at-bats.

The Dodgers improved to 10-7, tied with Cleveland for third place, two games behind the Cubs. Milwaukee is 1 1/2 games back with a 10-6 record. The Rockies haven't had much luck thus far, the loss dropping them to 6-10, ahead of just Cincinnati and Texas.

Giancarlo Stanton Belts 2 HR In Miami Win; Carlos Correa, Houston Bomb Boston, 12-2

Players of the Day for Thursday, September 28, 2017

American League

Correa lashes Red Sox

In what very well could be a preview of the ALDS, Houston smashed Boston, 12-2, in the opener of a four-game series at Fenway Park.

The Astros trail Cleveland by one game in the race for the league's best record. The team with the best mark in the regular season has home field advantage throughout the playoffs and will face the wild card team in the opening round of the playoffs. As it stands, Houston would host Boston in a best of five divisional series, so the spanking taken by the Red Sox should prove a warning to the Boston faithful.

With the Yankees losing to the Rays, 9-6, Boston's magic number was reduced to one, the Yankees missing a golden opportunity to close the gap on the Red Sox, who lead the AL East by three games. With three games remaining, a Boston win or a Yankee loss would secure the division title.

Carlos Correa led the Astros' 17-hit assault on seven Boston pitchers with four of his own, scoring three times and driving in three with a pair of singles, a double and a two-run homer - his 24th - in four at-bats.

Correa, who was the 2015 Rookie of the Year and an all star in 2017, is batting .315 with 84 RBI.

Boston hosts Houston Friday at 7:10 pm ET in game two of their season-ending series.

National League

Stanton: 59 HR, 129 RBI

Back home in Miami, Giancarlo Stanton was back in his best groove, swatting a pair of home runs in the Marlins' 7-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

Stanton, chasing Babe Ruth and Roger Maris, has already surpassed all non-steroid-era National Leaguers in the category of most home runs in a single season. His homers on Thursday were his 58th and 59th.

Stanton socked a solo shot in the fourth and followed up with a two-run dinger in the eighth inning. He also singled and scored three times. His total of 129 RBI has him tied with Colorado's Nolan Arenado for the National League and major league lead. Nelson Cruz leads the AL with 117.

Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs for the Yankees in 1927, a record that lasted 34 years, until another Yankee, Roger Maris broke the record with 61 in 1961. It is worth noting when Ruth set the mark, the regular season consisted of 154 games. When Maris did it, teams played 162.

Stanton will have three more chances to hit even more baseballs into the far reaches of Marlins Stadium. Miami hosts the Braves for the final three games of the season. Friday's game is scheduled for 7:10 pm ET.

Eduardo Rodriguez Hurls Red Sox Closer To Playoffs; Miami's Giancarlo Stanton Racks HR #57

Players of the Day for Saturday, September 23, 2017

American League

Rodriguez: 7 2/3 IP, 0 ER

Boston's 5-0 win at Cincinnati was their fifth consecutive win, keeping them four games ahead of the Yankees in the race for the AL East title, the only division yet to be decided in the American League.

The Red Sox got a terrific performance from starting pitcher, Eduardo Rodriguez (6-6, 3.91), who blanked the Reds for 7 2/3 innings on three hits, all singles.

Rodriguez, who didn't give up a base hit until Joey Votto singled with one out in the fourth, walked two and struck out six.

With one more road game, Sunday, 1:10 pm ET at Cincinnati, Boston returns home to Fenway Park for the final week of the regular season, starting Monday with three games against Toronto, followed by four with Houston.

As both they and the Yankees have eight games left, Boston's magic number to capture the division is five.

National League

With every passing at-bat, Giancarlo Stanton's quest to tie or break Roger Maris' non-steroid-era record of 61 home runs in a season becomes more of a dramatic quest for the 27-year-old slugger.

Stanton: 57 HR, 125 RBI

Stanton has exceeded all expectations despite his Marlins falling out of contention for the post-season early in September. On Saturday, in Miami's 12-6 win at Arizona, Stanton launched number 57, a solo shot in the fourth inning. Earlier, Stanton delivered a third-inning double, driving in tow runs. In the ninth, he grounded into a fielder's choice, sending home the Marlins' final run.

Tallying four RBI on the day, Stanton continues to chase Colorado's Nolan Arenado for the NL RBI lead. Arenado has 126, Stanton closed to within one, at 125.

Miami's win kept the Diamondbacks from clinching a playoff spot, though that is nearly a certainty. With eight games left, Arizona leads Colorado by six games as the first wild card, making their magic number to clinch that coveted spot, three.

Stanton should have ample opportunity to add to his home run and RBI totals. After closing out the series in Arizona Sunday (4:10 pm ET), the Marlins play three in the thin air of Colorado, then return home for the final four games of the season, with Atlanta.

Mookie Betts Helps Red Sox Overcome Orioles, 10-8; Miami's Giancarlo Stanton Socks 55th Home Run

Players of the Day for Monday, September 18, 2017

American League

Betts: 93 RBI

The two main wild card contenders - the Yankees and the Minnesota Twins - were embroiled in battle resulting in a 2-1 win for New York, the Boston Red Sox held their edge in the AL East over the Yanks with a 11-inning, 10-8 victory at Baltimore over the Orioles.

Baltimore built a 5-0 lead, roughing up Boston starter, Doug Fister, for five runs on four hits and five walks in the first two innings. In the band-box that is Camden Yards, no lead is safe, especially when the game is only two innings old and the opponent is the Red Sox. 19 pitchers would eventually go to the mound - 10 for the Sox; nine for Baltimore - before this event was over, ended by rookie Andrew Benintendi's 11th-inning single that plated the winning runs.

Prior to that climactic conclusion, however, Mookie Betts provided four of the comeback runs for the Red Sox. In the fourth, Betts singled home the first Boston run, then, capping a six-run fifth inning that put the Red Sox up 7-6, Betts delivered a bases-loaded double that sent three teammates across home plate.

Both teams would score more, getting eventually to an 8-8 game in the seventh inning and proceeding to extra frames.

Betts' four RBI gave him 94 on the year, along with 22 homers and a .263 average.

The win kept Boston three games up on the Yankees in the division and they'll try to keep that edge or advance it when they play game two of the three-game series at Baltimore, Tuesday at 7:05 pm ET

National League

Stanton: 55 Home Runs

With many teams having Monday off, the only really meaningful game of the day was Milwaukee's 3-0 win over Pittsburgh, keeping the Brewers within shouting distance of the Cubs in the NL Central and the Rockies in the wild card race. Milwaukee trails the Cubs by 3 1/2 and the Rockies by two games.

In Miami, Giancarlo Stanton was the center of attention as he continued his assault on stadium dimensions with his 55th home run of the year, a massive, 455-foot blast to center that scored three runs.

The homer put the Marlins ahead, 5-1, in the fourth. The Mets had no answers as the game turned into a 13-1 rout for the Marlins.

Stanton singled in another run in the fifth inning, improving his RBI total to 117 on the season, second in the NL to the 125 of Colorado's Nolan Arenado. The Miami slugger also scored three times, upping his run total to 115, second to another Colorado player, Charlie Blackmon, who leads the majors with 131.

Both the Mets and Marlins have been eliminated from playoff contention. They play game two of the series Tuesday, 7:10 pm ET.

Miami's Giancarlo Stanton Ties MLB HR Record; Baltimore Wins 6th Straight On Dylan Bundy's One-Hitter

Players of the Day for Tuesday, August 29, 2017

American League

Bundy: 1-hit shutout

Baltimore's pitching has not been anywhere near the best this season - a 4.80 team ERA, 14th of 15 AL teams - but Dylan Bundy has been the most consistent, as he demonstrated with a one-hit, 4-0 shutout over Seattle Tuesday night at Camden Yards.

Bundy allowed a bunt single by Kyle Saeger in the fourth inning, but other than two walks (both in the third inning), a hit batsman (Robinson Cano, 9th inning) and a pair of throwing errors by shortstop Tim Beckham (1st and 8th innings), the Mariners could not solve the 24-year-old right-hander.

The win was Baltimore's sixth straight and Bundy's 13th win against eight losses, his first career shutout and complete game and moved the Orioles to within 1 1/2 games of the Minnesota Twins, holders of the second wild card spot. With Boston winning and the Yankees rained out, the Orioles remained eight games behind the Red Sox, but picked up 1/2 game on the Yankees, trailing them by four in the AL East. The Yankees also hold the top wild card spot with a 2 1/2 game edge on the Twins.

Baltimore will be seeking its seventh straight and a sweep of the Mariners when their series concludes Wednesday at 3:05 pm ET.

National League

Stanton: 18 HRs in August

Miami has lost two straight at Washington, losing to the Nationals 8-3 on Tuesday, but that hasn't stopped Giancarlo Stanton from setting records.

Stanton launched his 51st home run of the season and 18th in August, shattering the National League record jointly held by Sammy Sosa and Willie Mays (17) and tying the major league mark held by Rudy York of Detroit in 1937. No player has ever hit 19 home runs in any month except Sammy Sosa, who socked 20 in June of 1998.

Sosa's MLB record is tarnished by being made amidst the steroid era. He, Mark McGwire, and Barry Bonds set records for home runs in various categories, McGwire hitting 70 in one season, Bonds becoming the all-time home run champion, with 762. Despite putting up outstanding numbers and being eligible for years, none of that trio and other suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs have been admitted to the Hall of Fame. Sosa and Bonds played their final seasons in 2007, McGwire retired in 2001.

Players become ineligible for election to the Hall of Fame if he is listed on fewer than 5% of the ballots or fail to receive listing on the required 75% of all ballots for ten years of eligibility, which begins five years following retirement. McGwire was eliminated in 2016. Bonds and Sosa are still eligible, but have not made the grade.

Noting the above reference to the steroid era, it should be within the powers of major league baseball to nullify - or at least asterisk - all of the records set by players from that period. If that were the case, Stanton - rightfully so - would be recognized as the all-time NL leader for home runs in any month, and tied with York for the MLB record.

There are still two games remaining in August for Stanton and the Marlins, so it is not beyond consideration that the preeminent slugger in game today could sock a few more.

Game three of the series is scheduled for 4:05 pm ET at Nationals Park in Washington, DC.

Giancarlo Stanton Ties HR Record As Marlins Win 4th Straight; Indians Shutout Sweep Royals With Yan Gomes Slam

Players of the Day for Sunday, August 27, 2017

American League

Gomes: Grand Slam

What was supposed to be a showdown series in Cleveland with the Royals turned into a laugher for the Indians as they swept Kansas City with three straight shutouts, culminating in a complete 12-0 humiliation of the now-wild-card-hopefuls.

After blanking the Royals in back-to-back 4-0 wins, the Indians sent starter Carlos Carrasco (13-6) to the mound, backing him with three runs in the first inning and nine in the second. Carrasco worked seven innings of shutout ball without a walk, allowing six hits and fanning eight. Craig Breslow and Zach McAllister each put in an inning of shutout ball, to complete the three-game whitewash.

In the second inning, he Indians got a two-run homer from Francisco Lindor, followed by Carlos Santana's three-run blast, capped off by a grand slam by catcher Yan Gomes. It was Gomes' ninth homer run of the season. The four RBI gave hm 44 on the year. Gomes had singled to lead off the inning and scored on Lindor's home run. He finished 2-for-4.

The win was Cleveland's fourth straight and improved their lead in the AL Central to 6 1/2 games over the Twins. Kansas City suffered its fourth straight loss and hasn't scored a run in 34 straight innings. They trail the Indians by nine games and fell behind the Orioles in the wild card standings. Baltimore swept three games from the Red Sox in Boston over the weekend and have won four straight. Baltimore trails Minnesota by two games for the second wild card spot. Kansas City fell to 2 1/2 back.

Fresh off the sweep, Cleveland heads to New York on Monday, opening a three game series with the Yankees, who took two of three from Seattle and are just 2 1/2 back of Boston in the AL East. The Yankees have a 3 1/2 game lead in the first wild card slot.

The Royals will try to score some runs when they open a three game series Monday in Kansas City with the Rays.

National League

Stanton: Ties HR Record

With four games still on tap for the month, Giancarlo Stanton socked his 17th home run of August, joining Willie Mays and Sammy Sosa for the National League record for most HRs ever in the month. The major league record is held by Rudy York, who hit 18 for Detroit in 1937.

In three at-bats, Stanton singled, doubled and launched his 50th home run of the season, a two-run rocket shot to center field which broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth, propelling the Marlins to their fourth straight victory, winning 6-2 and completing a three-game sweep of the visiting Padres.

The record for most home runs in any month is 20. That mark is also held by Sammy Sosa, who smashed 20 for the Cubs in June of 1998. If anybody in today's baseball is capable of socking three homers in four games, it would be Stanton, who has 50 on the year and has far outpaced the opposition. Cody Bellinger is stuck on 34 in the National League, second behind Stanton. Aaron Judge leads the AL with 37. Stanton added three RBI in the game, giving him 108 and tying him with Colorado's Nolan Arenado for the major league lead.

Somewhat overshadowed by Stanton's record home run month is Miami's meteoric rise in the standings. The Marlins have won 13 of their last 16, cut Washington's lead in the NL East down to 12 games, and, while they are unlikely to catch the Nationals, they have become a contender in the wild card race, now 4 1/2 behind the Rockies for the second wild card spot and six back of Arizona, which holds the top position.

Miami heads to Washington Monday to begin a three-game series with the Nationals. Stanton and the Marlins hope to extend their winning ways.

Yonder Alonso's Pinch-Hit Homer Lifts Mariners Past Yanks; Giancarlo Stanton's 2 HRs Boost Marlins

Players of the Day for Friday, August 25, 2017

American League

As August is about to turn into September, teams are beginning to grind out the remaining schedule, some with no hope for the playoffs, others hoping to hold onto their advantages and still others needing to win as often as possible to reach the promised land of October.

Alonso: Pinch-hit HR

Two such teams met at Yankee Stadium Friday as the Yankees hosted the Mariners in the opener of a three game series. New York entered the game in second place in the AL East, 4 1/2 behind Boston, and with a 3 1/2 game lead over Minnesota as the top wild card.

Seattle started the night hopelessly mired behind the Astros in the AL West, 12 1/2 out, but contentious in the wild card, 1/2 game behind the Twins for the #2 wild card. At the conclusion of an 11-inning ordeal, it was the Mariners on top of a 2-1 score thanks to some timely situational pitching and a solo home run from Yonder Alonso, who sat out almost the whole game but was ready when called upon as a pinch hitter.

Alonso, picked up buy Seattle from Oakland, made his mark in his 15th game in a Mariner uniform, taking Yankee reliever Aroldis Chapman deep (a 413-foot shot to center) for the lead in the 11th. Closer Edwin Diaz walked one in the bottom of the 11th but secured the win with his 30th save.

On the year, Alonso is batting .272 with 24 home runs and 57 RBI. Since joining the Mariners, he's batting .302, with two home runs and nine RBI, none bigger than Friday's blast.

The win came in the opener of a three-game series, and reduced New York's margin in the wild card to just 2 1/2 over the Twins, 6-1 winners at Toronto. The Yanks remain 4 1/2 behind Boston as the Orioles hammered the Red Sox, 16-3 at Fenway Park.

Grinding its way to another win, Seattle stayed 1/2 back of the Twins, but their position is improving as they've won seven of their last nine. They'll look to get in even better position when they take the field against the Yankees in game two, Saturday at 1:05 pm ET.

National League

Giancarlo Stanton is having a memorable August. Maybe a monumental August would be closer to the truth as he mashed two more home runs in Miami's 8-6 win over visiting San Diego.

Stanton: 2 HR, 5 RBI

Stanton was 3-for-3 and drove in five runs. He and Mercer Ozuna, who hit his 30th homer with two aboard in the seventh, accounted for all of Miami's scoring. Stanton and Dee Gordon were on base when Ozuna launched what would be the game-winner.

Wasting no time in his assault at the record books, Stanton socked his first home run in the first inning with Gordon on base, then followed up with a solo belt in the third. With the bases loaded in the fourth, Stanton drove a double to left, plating two more for a 5-2 Miami lead.

The Padres rallied for four runs in the sixth to take a 6-5 lead, but it proved not to be lasting, when Ozone delivered an inning later.

Even if Stanton suddenly stopped hitting home runs, he'd be the long ball champ for the National League, at least. He has 49 homers, followed by Cody Bellinger's 34. The Yankee rookie, Aaron Judge, leads the AL with 37. With his latest home run barrage, Stanton now is within one of the NL record for homers in August, 17, shared by Sammy Sosa and the immortal Willie Mays. With six games remaining in the month for Miami, he's on the precipice of adding his name to the record books.

The two homers marked the ninth time this season that Stanton has hit two in one game. He's hit 23 home runs since the All Star break, is batting .364 in August and is within three of RBI leader, Nolan Arenado. Stanton's at 105; Arenado has 108.

Beisdes the incredible feats by Stanton, the Marlins have become the hottest item in the majors, winning 11 of their last 14, pulling to within 4 1/2 of the second wild card spot, currently in possession of the Colorado Rockies.

The Marlins will try to get even closer when they take the field in game two, Saturday night at Marlins Park. Game time is 7:05 pm ET.

Yandy Diaz Leads Cleveland Rout Of Red Sox; Giancarlo Stanton, J.T. Realmuto Power Marlins Past Phils

Players of the Day for Thursday, August 24, 2017

Diaz: 4-4, 2 2B, 3B, 4R

American League

With the Yankees and Tigers brawling in Detroit and the Twins losing again in Chicago - dropping three of five to the White Sox - the Indians took the opportunity to rough up Boston's ace, Chris Sale, taking the finale of their four-game series in Cleveland, 13-6.

Sale suffered one of his most-forgettable outings of the season, lasting just three innings, allowing seven hits, three walks and seven runs (six earned). The Indians leapt to a 7-1 lead after three, and didn't let up, stroking 11 more hits against four Boston relievers.

Yandy Diaz led the assault, going 4-for-4, scoring four times with two RBI on a single, two doubles and a triple.

Diaz, the starting DH, was called up, for the third time this season, on August 22nd. The four hits bumped his average from .186 to .230 in 74 at-bats.

The series ended in a 2-2 tie, as Boston heads home for a three-game series with the Orioles beginning Friday, while the Indians, having improved their lead in the division to 5 1/2 over the Twins, hosts third place Kansas City (six back) for three games over the weekend. With the Yankees and Red Sox both on the losing end Thursday, the Red Sox lead remains at 4 1/2 games in the East division.

National League

Stanton: 47 HR, 100 RBI

Giancarlo Stanton socked his major league best 47th home run, became the third player to reach 100 RBI this season, and J.T. Realmuto ripped an inside-the-park homer as Miami overcame a five-run deficit, outlasting Philadelphia, 9-8.

Realmuto: HR, 3 RBI

Stanton 47th home run put him 10 ahead of Aaron Judge, who leads the American League, and even further in front of LA's Cody Bellinger, who is in second place in the NL home run category with 34. Stanton joins Colorado's Nolan Arenado (108) and Seattle's Nelson Cruz (100) in the 100-RBI club this season.

Stanton is batting .345 in August, with 14 home runs and 27 RBI. He has seven more games to attempt to tie or surpass the National League record of 17 home runs in the month of August, held jointly by Willie Mays and Sammy Sosa.

Entering the fifth inning, the Marlins trailed the homesteading Phillies, 8-3, but scored two on an A.J. Ellis homer, added another in the sixth on Christian Yellis' solo shot, and tallied two more in the seventh on Realmuto's inside-the-park belt. Realmuto finished the Miami scoring with a sac fly in the eighth, breaking the 8-8 tie.

Miami took the series three games to one, reached .500 (63-63) and are now a clear threat for the wild card. The Marlins have picked it up recently, going 13-8 in August and 10-3 over their last 13, taking series from Colorado, San Francisco, the Mets and Phillies. They are 5 1/2 out of the second wild card, but Arizona is currently in the top spot, a mere 1/2 game ahead of the Rockies. Milwaukee is 3 1/2 back of Colorado and St. Louis five out.

Miami heads home for a quick three-game set with San Diego, starting Friday.

Red Sox Even Up With Yankees On Andrew Benintendi's 2 HR; Giancarlo Stanton Homers Again For Miami; St. Louis Streak at 8

Players of the Day for Saturday, August 12, 2017

American League

After blowing a 3-0 lead Friday night and eventually losing, 5-4, to the Yankees in the opener of their three-game series in New York, the Boston Red Sox came back to even things up with a 10-5 shellacking of the Yankees on Saturday.

Benintendi: 2 HR, 6 RBI

Boston scored all of its runs in the third and fifth innings, scoring five times in each. Both bursts were highlighted by three-run homers from Andrew Benintendi, both home runs and all six RBI credited against Yankee starter (and supposed new "ace" according to radio announcer John Sterling) Luis Severino.

In what was likely his worst outing of the season, Severino lasted only 4 1/3 innings, allowing all 10 runs (eight earned) on eight hits and two walks. Benintendi's homers were his 15th and 16th of the season, to go with 65 RBI and a .280 batting average.

Thus, the Red Sox recovered their 4 1/2 game lead in the AL East with the rubber game in New York Sunday at 8:00 pm ET, broadcast nationally on ESPN.

The Yankees still appear to be Boston's only challenger, but they are also holding a slim, 2 1/2 game lead in the wild card race over the Angles, but the Rays, Royals, Mariners, Twins, and Orioles are all within 4 1/2 of the Yanks, making for what looks to be a spirited run to the playoffs the remainder of the season.

National League

Stanton: 41 HR leads MLB

Giancarlo Stanton is having an August that may end up in the record books.

In Miami's 4-3 win over the Rockies at Marlins Park, Stanton, singled, doubled, scored his major league-leading 41st home run and drove in three of the Marlins four runs. It was Stanton's third straight game with a home run and eight time he's homered in his last nine.

The slugger's August stats are already imposing: a .366 batting average (15-for-41), eight homers, and 16 RBI. With August not even half done, Stanton could be challenging the record for most home runs in any month (Sammy Sosa, Chicago, 20, June, 1998) or most home runs in August (also held by Sammy Sosa, 17, 2001, with Willie Mays, 1965).

Miami continues to make progress tow being competitive in the wild card race though they are still 9 1/2 back, but beating the Rockies two straight has produced a tie between Colorado and Arizona for the top wild card slot.

The Marlins will be looking for a sweep of the series Sunday afternoon. Game time is 1:10 pm in Miami.

Streaking: Suddenly becoming the hottest team in baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals won their eighth straight on Saturday, besting the Braves, 6-5, in St. Louis.

Coupled with Chicago's 6-2 loss at Arizona, St. Louis is now tied for first place in the NL Central with the Cubs, though they are by no means clear of the rest of the division. Milwaukee is a mere two games out; Pittsburgh, three back. Only the Reds are out of it, 12 games behind.

2-Hit Effort By Carlos Carrasco Leads Indians Over Rays; Giancarlo Stanton Belts 40th HR In Miami Win

Players of the Day for Friday, August 11, 2017

American League

Cleveland's Carlos Carrasco took a no-hitter into the seventh inning helping the Indians to a 5-0 victory at Tampa Bay.

Carrasco: 8 IP, 2 H, 0 ER

Carrasco's bid for the record books was shattered when Logan Morrison singled with two down in the seventh. Carrasco finished with eight innings of shutout ball, allowing two hits and a pair of walks, striking out 10.

Perfect through four innings, Carrasco issued walks in the fifth and seventh, improving to 11-5 off the effort.

Tyler Olson worked the ninth for Cleveland to close out the shutout, the Indians maintaining their 3 1/2 game lead over the Twins in the AL Central. Minnesota has won six straight, including Friday's 9-4 win at Detroit.

The Indians evened their series with the Rays at a game apiece and will be looking to go one up when they play game three of four, Saturday, at Tropicana Field. Game time is 6:10 pm ET.

National League

Stanton: 40 HR Leads MLB

Giancarlo Stanton socked his major league-leading 40th home run as the Miami Marlins took the first of three from the visiting Rockies, 6-3.

Stanton's sixth inning solo blast measured 433 feet and got the Marlins to within a run of the Rockies, who were leading 3-1 entering the bottom of the frame. Miami eventually tied the game in the inning adding three more runs in the eighth to secure the victory.

Stanton has outpaced all contenders for the home run title, leading the National League by seven over the Dodgers' Cody Bellinger. In the AL, Aaron Judge has 35 to lead the league, with Kansas City's Mike Moustakas right behind, at 34.

Stanton's 86 RBI is sixth-best in the NL. Colorado's Nolan Arenado leads with 100. Arenado reached the century mark with his 26th home run, a two-run blast in the third inning.

Desperate to stay in the hunt for the wild card, the Marlins are 9 1/2 behind Arizona for the second spot, but trail the Nationals in the NL East by 14 1/2 games. Colorado is the leader in the wild card race and will look to keep it that way when they take the field in Miami, Saturday at 7:10 pm ET.

Twins Win, 5-2, As Ervin Santana Tosses 5th Complete Game; Vance Worley, Dee Gordon Lead Marlins Past Nats

Players of the Day for Wednesday, August 2, 2017

American League

There were not many runs scored on Wednesday, with 12 of 28 teams on MLB fields scoring two or fewer runs and six of those teams not scoring at all.

Santana's 5 CGs Leads MLB

Of all these low-scoring games, in only one did a starting pitcher go the entire distance, that being Minnesota's Ervin Santana, in the Twins' 5-2 victory at San Diego.

The complete game was Santana's fifth of the season, which is three more than any other pitcher in the league. While there are probably a couple dozen starters who could pitch a full nine innings, the nature of baseball in the age of numbers, studies, and career protection, few do. Santana is a throwback to the 60s, when complete games were the norm rather than the oddity.

In the win over the Padres, Santana allowed four hits and two runs, both of them coming off the bat of Jose Pirela, who socked a two-run homer in the fourth inning. That didn't faze Santana, who set down the first ten batters faced in order before surrendering a single prior to Pirela's homer.

After that, it was lights out for the Padres, able to muster only two hits and a walk the rest of the way. Santana finished with nine strikeouts on 110 pitches, 82 of which were strikes. At 12-7 with a 3.28 ERA, Santana is one of the leading causes for Minnesota's success this season. They've cooled off since the break (6-11), and trail Cleveland in the AL Central by six games.

Worley: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER

The Twins head to home Thursday for the opener of a four-game series with the Rangers. Game one starts at 8:10 pm ET.

National League

Even though the Washington Nationals lead the NL East by 12 games, the division race is far from over, according to the Miami Marlins.

Miami took the final two games of their three-game series with the visiting Nationals, winning the finale, 7-0, as Vance Worley made the most of his spot start, flinging seven innings of shutout ball on two hits for the win and leadoff hitter Dee Gordon went 3-for-4 with two singles, a triple, two stolen bases, three runs and an RBI.

Gordon: 3-4, 3 R, 2 SB

On Tuesday, the Marlins erased a 6-0 win to take the game, 7-6. Washington starter, Max Scherzer, went just one inning, but also homered in his only at-bat, belting a three-run shot. Scherzer didn't take the mound for the second inning, complaining of stiffness in his neck. He expects to make his next start and is set to see a chiropractor this week. Stephen Strasburg is already on the DL and the Nationals cannot afford to lose Scherzer as well for any extended period.

In Wednesday's series finale, Worley allowed a first-inning single to Howie Kendrick, but got out of the frame on a double play. After that, he allowed just one more hit and didn't give up any walks. No Washington batter reached second base with Worley on the mound.

Meanwhile, Gordon was running wild. He walked and scored in the first inning, singled and stole second in the third, tripled and scored in the fifth, singled in a run in the sixth, stole second and scored again.

Gordon is batting an even .300, has scored 71 runs, tied for fifth in the NL, and his 40 steals is second league-wide to Cincinnati's Billy Hamilton (44). Worley is 1-2 with a 5.31 ERA in 14 appearances, six of them starts.

The Marlins head to Atlanta for a three-game series with the Braves starting Friday. On Monday, they'll open a four-game series in Washington. The Nationals open a three-game series with the Cubs in Chicago on Friday.

Eric Hosmer 5-6, Grand Slam As Royals Win 8th Straight; Marcell Ozuna, Marlins Bury Rangers, 22-10

Players of the Day for Wednesday, July 26, 2017

American League

Kansas City won its eighth straight game, a 16-2 thrashing of the Tigers, in which six Detroit hurlers allowed a total of 22 hits, though all but three of them were singles. Essentially, the Royals were all over the bases the whole game. Only in the sixth inning did Kansas City go down in order.

Hosmer: 5-6, Grand Slam

Slugging Eric Hosmer accounted himself well in the bloodbath, going 5-for-6, scoring five times and driving in six, thanks to having one of those three extra base hits, a grand slam in the seventh. The Royals scored nine times in the inning, Hosmer's blast making the score 13-1.

The rest of Hosmer's other hits were singles, raising his average from .310 to .319 during the course of the game. He's batting a robust .368 in July, part of the reason the Royals are fast on the heels of division-leading Cleveland, a mere 1 1/2 game out, despite the Indians winning six straight, including Wednesday's 10-4 mashing of the Angels. Hosmer has 16 home runs and 59 RBI.

Kansas City didn't come roaring out of the all-star break, losing four of their first five games, but they've gotten red hot of late, taking the final two games of an earlier four-game series with the Tigers on their way to consecutive sweeps over the White Sox and now the Tigers, in Detroit.

After a day off Thursday, the Royals head east on Friday, playing back-to-back three-game series in Boston and Baltimore.

National League

It was a tough night for You Darvish and the Texas Rangers - maybe even tougher for the 26,471 fans in Arlington - as the Miami Marlins took the rubber game of their three-game series by the football-ish score of 22-10.

The Rangers used six pitchers, though starter Darvish got the worst of it, allowing 10 runs on nine hits over 3 2/3 innings. Miami had the same number of hits as runs, 14 of them going for extra bases, including four homers.

Ozuna: 3-5, 4 R, 5 RBI

Marcell Ozuna didn't have a home run, but he did double twice and triple in five at-bats, scored four times and drove in five runs, giving him 77 RBI on the season, third in the National League.

Ozuna, batting .315 with 23 home runs and 77 RBI is putting up MVP-like numbers, despite playing on the same team as Giancarlo Stanton, who did hit a home run, his 33rd, which leads the majors.

Unfortunately, the Marlins have little pitching to go with their awesome lineup of mashers. While Miami hits .268 as a team, third in the NL, their pitchers have a combined ERA of 4.72, 11th of 15 teams in the NL.

That's landed them at 46-53, 14 games behind the Nationals in the NL East, with the Braves and Mets between them and the division leader.

The Marlins return home Thursday, where they will host Cincinnati for four games. Texas gets a day off before hosting a three-game series with Baltimore Friday. The Rangers recently swept the Orioles four straight at Camaden Yards.

Mookie Betts Drives In 8 As Boston Routs Blue Jays, 15-1; Marcell Ozuna's Two Homers Power Marlins

Players of the Day for Sunday, July 2, 2017

Betts: 8 RBI

American League

On a day which saw a good number of one-side games, Boston's 15-1 trouncing of Toronto was the most uneven.

After scoring one run in each of the first two innings, the Red Sox tacked on three in the fourth, and two more in the sixth before exploding for eight runs in the seventh. Boston banged out 21 hits to Toronto's five, swamping Jays' starter Joe Biagini (2-7) for 10 hits and seven runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Much of the carnage was created by leadoff hitter Mookie Betts, who drove in eight runs total. Betts singled in a lone run in the second inning, then hit homers in consecutive at-bats in the fourth and sixth, the first a three-run bomb, the second with one aboard.

In the seventh, Betts singled in two more as the Red Sox sent 11 men to the plate.

Betts's homers were his 14th and 15th, helping up his RBI total to 51 on the year. He joins Nelson Cruz of Seattle as the only active players to have two eight-RBI games. Betts drove in eight last season against the Diamondbacks.

The win put Boston three games up on the Yankees in the AL East, as Houston thumped the Baby Bombers, 8-1. Winners of four straight, the Red Sox concluded their series in Toronto with a three-game sweep and head to Texas for three games with the Rangers, starting Monday.

National League

Ozuna: 2 HR, 4 RBI

Milwaukee continues to hold first place in the NL Central, but only by two games over the Cubs after the Marlins avoided being swept with a 10-3 win at the Brewers' home, Miller Park.

The Brewers took the three-game series, 2-1, but the Marlins exacted some revenge in the finale as Marcell Ozuna socked a pair of home runs and added a single for a 3-for-6 game with four RBI.

Ozuna belted a three-run homer in the third inning and added a solo shot in the eighth, giving him 22 on the year with 59 RBI, tied for seventh in the league with Milwaukee's Travis Shaw and Cincinnati's Joey Votto. Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt and Jake Lamb lead with 66 and 65, respectively.

Having a career year with a .316 batting average, Ozuna needs one more home run to match his previous season-high. He hit 23 in both 2014 and 2016.

Landed in fourth place in the NL East, Miami still trails Washington by 11 games. The Marlins continue their road trip with four games in St. Louis, beginning Monday. Also on Monday, Milwaukee welcomes in the Baltimore Orioles for a three-game set.

Ervin Santana Goes Distance As Twins Blank Giants, 4-0; Tyler Moore Belts A Pair In Marlins Win At Pittsburgh

Santana: 4-hit CG Shutout

Players of the Day for Friday, June 9, 2017

American League

A primary reason the Minnesota Twins are in first place in the AL Central division is the continued excellence of ace starter, Ervin Santana, who notched his eighth win against three losses Friday as the Twins whipped the Giants, 4-0.

The win was in the opener of a three-game weekend series in San Francisco. Santana was brilliant, hurling his third complete game shutout of the season, allowing just four hits and needing a mere 91 to tame the San Francisco lineup.

Striking out five and walking one, Santana set down 13 of the first 14 batters he faced and set down the final eight in order.

With an ERA of 2.20, Santana is a solid prospect to be a one of the starters chosen for next month's all-star game. The most glaring statistic in his repertoire is the .154 batting average he allows opposing batters. In 90 innings, Santana has given up just 47 hits.

Moore: 2 HR, 4 RBI

Minnesota's victory kept them 1 1/2 games ahead of Cleveland, 7-3 victors over the White Sox on Friday.

Game two of the series at AT&T Park is Saturday, 1:05 pm PT.

National League

Giancarlo Stanton hit his 16th home run of the season and Tyler Moore put a pair of balls in the stands as the Miami Marlins out-slugged Pittsburgh, 12-7.

After delivering a sac fly in the second inning to get the Marlins on the board, Moore belted a two run homer in the third and launched a solo shot in the seventh as Miami built an insurmountable lead. The Pirates made the score more respectable by scoring a run in the eighth and two in the ninth.

Moore also singled, finishing 3-for-4 with four RBI.

Moore, who missed half of April and the first nine days of May, has just recently found his best groove, going 7-for-12 in his last three games, raising his batting average from .175 to .269.

The win was the third straight for the Marlins, who are 11 games behind Washington in the NL East. Pittsburgh hosts Miami in game three of their four-game set Saturday, 4:05 pm ET.

Edinson Volquez Throws No Hitter For Miami Over Arizona; Angels' Albert Pujols Swats 600th Home Run

Players of the Day for Saturday, June 3, 2017

Pujols joins 600 club

American League

Albert Pujols reached one of the great milestones in all of sports, swatting his 600th home run on Saturday in an Angels' 7-2 victory over Minnesota.

Not only was the homer the stuff of legend, but it happened to be the ultimate in long balls, a fourth-inning grand slam that broke the game wide open for the Angels.

As the ninth player to hit 600 homers, Pujols joins some of baseball's greatest hitters in the hallowed 600 club, including Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714), and Willie Mays (660).

A major leaguer since 2001, Pujols is also approaching some other strong career marks in his sixth season with the Angels after playing his first 11 in St. Louis. He has 1859 RBI and 2876 hits. Pujols is currently 13th all-time in RBI, but not for long. His next run driven in will tie him with Mel Ott in 12th. Considering that the 37-year-old will play at least another season, he has a legitimate chance of becoming the fifth player in MLB history to amass 200 RBI.

Third among active players in hits (Adrian Beltre, 2950; Ichiro Suzuki, 3042), Pujols is tied with Mel Ott at #43 all-time, and on the move. 300 hits - a level reached by just 30 players - is also well within his reach.

The win left the Angels in second place in the West, 12 1/2 behind the Astros, who have spurted away again, winning their ninth straight on Saturday in a 6-5 win at Texas. Minnesota, despite the loss, remains in first place in the Central division, a game to the good on Cleveland. LA hosts the Twins Sunday at 3:37 pm ET in the series finale. Minnesota leads, two games to one.

National League

Volquez hurls no-hitter

Tossing the first no-hitter of 2017, Edinson Volquez surprised the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 3-0 win for the Miami Marlins.

Played before a crowd of 21,548 at Marlins Stadium in Miami, Volquez entered the contest with a 2-7 record, not exactly a stellar grade for a major league starter.

But, as the game unfolded, Volquez was displaying the kind of stuff he had when he was a top hurler in 2008 when he went 17-6 for Cincinnati.

It wasn't until the fifth inning that the Diamondbacks even had a baserunner. Volquez walked Jake Lamb, but was aided by a double play, as he was in the eighth, when he issued his only other walk, to Chris Hermann.

Thus,Volquez faced the minimum 27 batter, fanning the final three in the ninth to complete the gem, striking out 10 and needing just 98 pitches (65 for strikes).

In support, the Marlins scored a run in the fourth inning and added two more in the eighth, improving to 23-31 while dropping the Diamondbacks 1 1/2 games behind the Dodgers in the West, at 34-24.

The two teams will complete the four game series Sunday at 1:10 pm ET. Miami leads the series, two games to one.

Wei-Yin Chen No-Hits Seattle Over Seven; Miguel Gonzalez, White Sox End Yankee Streak At Eight

Players of the Day for Tuesday, April 18, 2017

American League

The streak is over.

Miguel Gonzalez

Miguel Gonzalez and the Chicago White Sox ended the longest winning streak in the majors this season - eight straight - with a decisive, 4-1 win over the New York Yankees at the Yankee stronghold in the Bronx.

Regarded as one of the best young teams in the majors, the "Baby Bombers" started the season 1-4 before embarking on the streak, which included three-game sweeps of visiting Tampa Bay and St. Louis. All bu the first win were at Yankee Stadium.

A six-year veteran, Gonzalez was just short of magnificent in earning his second win of the season for the 7-6 White Sox, taking a three-hit shutout into the ninth inning before surrendering a single to pinch-hitter Chase Headley and walking Brett Gardner to put runners on first and second with out out. He was lifted for reliever David Robertson, who walked in the only run scored by the Yankees before getting out of the jam, leaving the bases full of Yankees at the end. The run, however, was credited against Gonzalez, who has thrown only one complete game shutout in his major league career.

Gonzalez was a model of efficiency, throwing just 88 pitches, fanning four and issuing the lone walk in the ninth. Gonzalez has an ERA of 2.84 after 19 innings of work.

Chen: No hits over 7

The win tied the series at a game apiece, with the result leaving Chicago a game back of Detroit in the AL Central and the Yankees tied with Baltimore and Boston for first place in the East. The rubber game is set for a 7:05 pm ET start on Wednesday.

National League

Full of surprising starts by teams like Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Arizona and Colorado, the Miami Marlins are making waves of their own in the East division, holding onto second place, just 1/2 game behind Washington after they topped the Seattle Mariners, 5-0, Tuesday night.

Their 8-6 record was put on a high note by starting pitcher Wei-Yin Chen, who not only blanked the Mariners for seven innings, but didn't allow a single hit before being lifted after throwing 100 pitches.

Chen set down every batter he faced with the exception of two walks he issued in the fourth and seventh innings, though neither base-runner proved a problem. He also plunked Nelson Cruz in the seventh, but managed to get the final two outs of the inning without further incident.

A pair of relievers came in to finish up for the Marlins. Kyle Barraclaugh surrendered the only Mariner hit of the game in the ninth. Chen got the win. He is 2-0.

The series is tied, 1-1, with the finale Wednesday at 12:40 pm PT in Seattle.

Hisashi Iwakuma Throws No-Hitter over O's for Mariners; J.T. Realmuto Slams Red Sox in Marlins Rout

Players of the Day for Wednesday, August 12, 2015

American League

Realmuto: Slam, 6RBI

Iwakuma: No-Hitter

The Orioles are fading fast in the AL East, while the Blue Jays suddenly have erased what once was an 8-game Yankee division lead.

On Wednesday, the Orioles were struck a serious blow as Hisashi Iwakuma tossed a no-hitter in the final game of the series in Seattle, with the Mariners taking a 2-1 series edge with the 3-0 victory.

Iwakuma (4-2) was perfect through the first three innings, but walked Manny Machado leading off the fourth inning to end the perfect game bid. He also issued a pass to Chris Davis with two outs, but got Jimmy Paredes on strikes to end the inning.

Iwakuma didn't allow another baserunner until the eighth inning when Jonathan Schoop led off with a base on balls, but Iwakuma once more was up to the task, getting another strikeout - one of seven on the night - before inducing an inning-ending double play.

The Orioles' ninth was as uneventful as the previous eight innings, the O's going down in order as Iwakuma completed the no-hitter.

The win was the first complete game, shutout and no-hitter for the fourth year pro out of Tokyo, Japan. Iwakuma threw 116 pitches, 77 of them for strikes.

While the loss sent the O's five games back of the Jays in the AL East, the win was perhaps less important to the Mariners, who are 54-61, trailing the Astros by eight games in the West.

National League

J.T. Realmuto led a 17-hit assault on Boston pitching, as the Marlins dumped the Red Sox, 14-6, completing a sweep of the two-game series in Miami.

A rookie with the Marlins, Realmuto stroked a sixth inning grand slam, capping a 10-run outburst by Miami. It was his seventh homer of the season. He also singled and tripled, driving in six runs total, in five at-bats.

In 87 games, Realmuto has 35 RBI and is batting .255.