World Series: Houston Takes Game Three Behind Jose Altuve, Michael Brantley

Players of the Day for Friday, October 25, 2019

World Series, Game 3

Houston Astros 4 Washington Nationals 1

Brantley: 2-4, 2 RBI

Houston displayed some teamwork on Friday night, taking game three of the World Series, 4-1, as Jose Altuve and Michael Brantley teamed up to produce two of Houston's runs.

Altuve: 2-5, 2 doubles, 2R

In the third inning, Altuve doubled down the left field line and took third base as Washington left fielder, Juan Soto, mishandled the ball in the corner. The next batter, Brantley, singled off of the Nationals' starter, Anibal Sanchez, sending Altuve to the plate for a 2-0 Houston lead.

In the fifth inning, the duo struck again, Altuve lacing a double to left and scoring on Brantley's single to right field.

Houston starter, Zack Greinke, allowed seven hits, but limited the Nationals to a lone fourth inning run. Five relievers followed, culminating in Roberto Osuna, who picked up the save by pitching the ninth.

Houston's win got them back in the swing of things after dropping the first two games at home. The Nationals lead, two games to one, with game four scheduled for an 8:07 pm ET start on Saturday. Sunday's game five will also begin at 8:07 pm ET at Nationals Park in Washington, DC.

Michael Wacha Throws One-Hitter in St. Louis Win; Michael Brantley, Jason Giambi Lead Wild Win for Indians

Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 24, 2013

American League

Jason Giambi

Heading into the ninth inning with a 3-2 lead over the White Sox, the Cleveland Indians appeared to be on their way to a fifth straight win, retaining their one-game edge over Texas in the wild card race. They would call on closer Chris Perez and eventually win the game, but the way in which they did so was not what they had in mind.

Perez allowed solo homers to Dayan Viciedo and Alejandro De Aza, blowing the lead and the save, putting the White Sox up 4-3, the Indians coming to bat with one more chance to tie or win the game in the bottom of the ninth.

Michael Brantley

With one out, Michael Brantley, who had kept the Indians in the game with a single, a homer and two RBI, singled to right, representing the tying run. After Mike Aviles struck out, Jason Giambi was called upon to pinch hit with two down and the game - and possibly the season - on the line.

Though seldom used, the 42-year-old slugger with 437 career home runs came through with a booming blast to right field which plated the tying and winning runs, sending the home crowd into delerium with the walk-off, 5-4 victory.

The win kept the Indians a game ahead of the Rangers, who themselves were 3-2 winners over Houston, with five games left to play. In New York, the Rays eliminated the Orioles by topping the Yankees, 7-0, Baltimore falling to Toronto, 3-2 in 10 innings. Kansas City lost to Seattle, 4-0, putting them four games behind Cleveland; the Yankees, five out and all but finished for the year.

AL Wild Card Standings (through 9/24)

Team	GB
Tampa Bay	+1
Cleveland	--
Texas	-1
Kansas City	-4
NY Yankees	-5

National League

Michael Wacha

The St. Louis Cardinals maintained their two-game lead on the Pirates in the Central division thanks to the outstanding gem of a pitching performance turned in by rookie hurler Michael Wacha, who came within one out of throwing a no-hitter in just his ninth major league start.

Wacha got down to the final out against the visiting Nationals, but Ryan Zimmerman provided the spoiler, lashing a ground ball up the middle for a single, the only hit against Wacha on the night. With just a two-run lead, Wacha was pulled in favor of Trevor Rosenthal, who got the final out of the game by inducing a ground ball to first by Jason Werth, preserving the win for Wacha and a 2-0 St. Louis victory, reducing the Cardinals' magic number to three for the NL Central title.

Wacha walked two and fanned nine over his 8 2/3 innings on the mound, throwing 112 pitches, 77 for strikes. He is 3-1 since being called up August 10, getting his first major league win in June before being sent back to AAA Memphis in the Pacific Coast League.

The Cardinals have one more game remaining with the Nats, at 1:45 pm EDT in St. Louis before closing out the regular season with three games at home with the Cubs.

Pittsburgh remained two games back of the Cardinals with an 8-2 win at Chicago; the Reds fell to the Mets, 4-2, and are three games out.

Today's Trivia: Who led the NL in strikeouts more times, Don Drysdale, Sandy Koufax or Steve Carlton? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: Cardinal hurler, Dizzy Dean, led the NL in Ks from 1932-1935.

Michael Brantley's Two Homers Power Cleveland Past Detroit; Patrick Corbin Hurls Diamondbacks to 6-1 Win over Rockies

Players of the Day for Sunday, July 7, 2013

American League

Michael Brantley

When Miguel Cabrera homered in the first inning, it looked like the Tigers might be on their way to taking the third straight from the home-standing - and second place - Indians, but Michael Brantley was having none of it.

Brantley doubled in a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to put Cleveland up 2-1 and proceeded to smash a pair of homers, leading to the Indians' 9-6 victory.

Brantley's solo shot in the sixth made it 6-1, but the Tigers came back, eventually tying the game at 6-all when Torii Hunter smacked a three-run home run in the eighth. Again, Brantley came to the rescue, driving a two-run smash into the right field stands, putting the Indians ahead for good, going 3-for-5 with five RBI.

The win got the Indians back to within 2 1/2 of the division-leading Tigers. The finale of the four-game set will be played Monday night at 7:05 pm EDT inside Progressive Field.

National League

Just a week ago, the NL West was a tightly-packed, five team scramble.

No more. The Arizona Diamondbacks won their fifth straight, completing a three-game sweep of the Rockies, with a 6-1 victory, establishing a commanding 4 1/2 game lead in the division.

Patrick Corbin

Patrick Corbin worked eight sensational innings, allowing one run on just three hits, the Rockies only getting on the board in the eighth inning off Jonathan Herrera's one-out, solo homer.

Corbin (10-1) fanned 10 and threw 67 of 97 pitches for strikes, recording his first win since June 2nd. He had gone five straight games without a decision, then lost to the Mets on July 2nd, his first defeat of the year.

With a 2.40 ERA, Corbin joins Paul Goldschmidt as Diamondback representatives in the All-Star Game, July 16.

Today's Trivia: From 1991 to 2000, one pitcher led or tied for the NL lead in wins five times. Who was this ace? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: As a rookie with Philadelphia in 1883, John Coleman went 12-48, giving up 772 hits and 291 runs in 538 1/3 innings, setting the professional standard for pitching futility.

Michael Brantley's 4 RBI Drive Indians Past Orioles, 5-2; Dodgers Down Giants, 3-1, on Yasiel Puig's 2 RBI

Players of the Day for Monday, June 24, 2013

American League

Michael Brantley

In one of just two AL games played Monday, the Cleveland Indians got four RBI from Michael Brantley, sending the Orioles to their fourth straight loss, as the Tribe won the opener of a four-game series at Camden Yards, 5-2.

Down, 2-1 in the sixth, Brantley put the Indians in front with a two-run single and then padded the lead with a two-run homer in the eighth. Ubaldo Jiminez (6-4) took the win, allowing eight Oriole hits and two runs over 5 1/3 innings. Cleveland used a parade of four relievers over the final 3 2/3 innings to hold down Batlimore bats.

Brantley's homer was his fifth of the season and helped the second-place Indians pick up 1/2 game on the idle Tigers, who lead the AL Central by 3 1/2 games. Baltimore fell into a tie for second with the Yankees in the AL East, 2 1/2 games behind Boston.

The series resumes Tuesday at 7:05 pm EDT.

National League

Yasiel Puig

The classic West coast rivalry opened for a three game series in Los Angeles, where the Dodgers took a 3-1 decision over the invading Giants.

As has been the case for much of the last month, Yasiel Puig - who appears headed for the NL rookie of the year award - was the difference-maker, going 3-for-4 with a first-inning homer and two RBI, enough to support the one-run pitching of Hyun-Jin Ryu, who allowed eight hits and walked four over 6 2/3 innings, but received no decision.

Puig's single in the eighth inning drove in Nick Punto, breaking a 1-1 tie. Hanley Ramirez knocked in Mark Ellis with an insurance run later in the frame.

Puig, who began his major league career on June 2, played in his 20th game. He has hit safely in 17, going 34-for-77 (.447) with seven home runs, 14 RBI and 12 multiple-hit games.

Even with Puig and the recently-returned Ramirez, the Dodgers remain stuck in last place in the NL West. Monday's victory left them eight games off the pace being set by the Arizona Diamondbacks. San Francisco dropped into fourth-place in the division 3 1/2 off the lead, with the Padres and Rockies a half game ahead of them.

The second of the three-game set begins Tuesday at 7:10 pm PDT.

Today's Trivia: What was the highest batting average ever recorded by a rookie?

Yesterday's Answer: Sandy Koufax won the Cy Young Award in 1963, 1965 and 1966.