Stephen Strasberg, Michael Taylor Help Nationals Tie NLDS With Cubs; Didi Gregorius Powers Yankees Into ALCS

Players of the Day for Wednesday, October 11, 2017

American League

Gregorius: 2 HR, 3 RBI

Almost anything can happen in a five-game series, and, for the Cleveland Indians, what happened in the ALDS with the Yankees will not be soon forgotten.

For the second time in the series, the Yankees - or, rather shortstop Didi Gregorius - got to Cleveland ace and likely Cy Young award winner, Cory Kluber, taking deciding game five by a 5-2 score.

Gregorius got the Yankees started with a solo homer in the first inning, and victimized Kluber again in the third, swatting his second home run of the game, this time with Brett Gardner camped out at first base.

Meanwhile, Yankee starter, C.C. Sabathia was mowing down Indians, retiring the first nine straight before getting bounced on four consecutive hits and two runs in the fifth. Sabathia went 4 1/3 innings, fanning nine. Kluber also had a high strikeout total, whiffing six in his 3 2/3 innings.

Gregorius singled later in the game but was left stranded. The Yankees added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth, completing the comeback from being down two games to none by winning two straight at Yankee Stadium and advancing to the league championship series with Houston by downing Cleveland at Progressive Field.

The ALCS with the Astros begins Saturday in Houston. First pitch is slated for 4:08 pm.

National League

Strasberg: 7 IP, 0 ER, 12 K

The Washington Nationals have battled back from a 2-0 deficit to even the NLDS with the Cubs at two games apiece, getting a gem from flu-stricken Stephen Strasberg and a late grand slam by Michael Taylor for a 5-0 win at Chicago.

Taylor: Grand Slam

Strasberg blanked the Cubs on three hits over seven innings, striking out 12 and walking two. His teammates were able to muster a single run in the third inning, but the capable hurler made it hold up. In the top of the eighth, the Nationals loaded the bases, setting up Taylor for the big whack, putting the game out of reach.

After Taylor's slam, Strasberg turned the ball over to reliever Ryan Madsen, who worked a scoreless eighth inning. Sean Doolittle mopped up with a perfect ninth.

Game five is scheduled for Thursday night, 8:08 pm ET. The winner will open the league championship series on Friday in Los Angeles with the Dodgers.

Marcus Semian, A's End Houston Win Streak at 7; Michael Taylor Slams As Nats Down Phils, 11-10

Players of the Day for Friday, September 8, 2017

American League

Semien: Grand Slam

Spoiler alert: If the Houston Astros don't finish the regular season with the best record in the American League, it will be due to one of a variety of factors. One, the Cleveland Indians won their 16th straight, downing the Orioles on Friday, 5-0; two, the Houston bullpen hasn't been effective nearly all season; three, Marcus Semien and the last place Oakland A's are letting off some steam.

All of these came into play Friday night in Oakland, as the A's rallied past the Astros for a 9-8 win. Houston's Josh Reddick did his best to get the win for the Astros, going 3-for-3 with two doubles and a homer, driving in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth, putting Houston up, 8-7.

In the bottom half of the inning, Houston closer, Ken Giles, who had registered saves in six of the last eight Houston wins, couldn't get anybody out, giving up a leadoff home run to rookie Boog Powell (no relation to the legendary Baltimore slugger), a single to Semien, a walk to Matt Joyce, and a single by Jed Lowrie which sent Semian home with the game-winner.

Earlier, in the sixth, Semien tied the score at seven when Luke Gregerson served up a gopher ball with the bases full for a grand slam. For Semian, it was his sixth home run of the season and his first since August 16th. Semien spent nearly three months on the DL earlier in the season, but returned in mid-July as the A's regular shortstop and leadoff hitter.

Houston's loss ended a seven-game winning streak, but left them just 1 1/2 ahead of Cleveland for the best record in the league. Winning the division is not a problem for Houston; they lead the Angels by 14 1/2 games.

Game two of the four-game series in Oakland commences Saturday at 1:05 pm PT.

National League

Taylor: 4-5, Slam, 5 RBI

The path to the post-season is speckled with oddities and single-game heroes. On the verge of clinching the NL East division crown, the Washington Nationals can add the name of Michael Taylor to the hero list.

Taylor drove in five runs in the Nationals' 11-10 victory over Philadelphia, going 4-for-5 with two singles, a triple and a grand slam, scoring twice. Taylor's homer came in the third inning with the Nationals down 3-2. After his 15th home run of the season, Washington would not trail again, though the Phillies didn't lack for trying, scoring three times in each of the seventh and ninth innings, both on three-run homers. Taylor tripled in Washington's final run in the bottom of the eighth.

The win put the Nationals a game closer to clinching. With a 19-game lead over Miami and 21 games to play, their magic number is down to three. With the largest lead of any division leader, Washington is likely to be the first to clinch, possibly as early as Sunday.

Winners of five straight, the Nationals will look to extend their streak Saturday at 7:05 pm ET in Washington, DC.

Oakland's Matt Olson Belts 2 HR, A's Down ChiSox, 10-2; Trea Turner, Michael Taylor Lead Nats' 18-3 Rout Of Reds

Players of the Day for Saturday, June 25, 2017



American League

Olson: 2HR, 4RBI

With a record of 33-42, and already 17 1/2 games behind division-leading Houston in the AL West, the Oakland A's may be thinking about the future, as in, next season.

One of their top prospects is 23-year-old right fielder, Matt Olson, who seemed to be rounding into major league form this season season with AAA Nashville in the Pacific Coast League.

In 58 games with the Sounds, Olson is batting .271 with 17 home runs and 43 RBI and has been up and down with the A's a few times this season.

In Chicago to play the White Sox, rookie Olson had a breakout game, socking his first two home runs, accounting for four RBI. Olson started and finished the scoring for the A's in their 10-2 romp, hitting his first two-run homer in the opening frame, then finishing off the Sox with another two-run blast in the seventh.

The win was only Oakland's 11th, against 25 road losses and dropped the White Sox to 15-14 at home. Oakland will be seeking the sweep of the three-game series on Sunday, when the teams meet at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, 2:10 pm ET.

Turner: 5-for-5, 4R, 2RBI

National League

What happens when the Washington Nationals run into a team with a weak and/or depleted pitching staff.

Maybe Washington's 18-3 win at Cincinnati can provide a suitable explanation.

The Nationals teed off on Reds' starter, Homer Bailey, who was making his first major league start of the year after Tommy John surgery in May 2015 and was limited to eight starts in 2016. Bailey lasted just 1 2/3 innings, giving up six hits, three walks and eight runs, all earned.

Taylor: 4-5, 2HR, 3RBI

Neither were the visiting Nationals particularly kind to the Cincinnati relief staff. They pounded three relievers for 13 more hits and 10 more runs in the blowout.

The Reds have the worst ERA in the NL, at the astonishing level of 5.27.

At the top of Washington's batting order, Trea Turner lashed five singles in five at-bats, scoring four times and driving in a pair, while #8 hitter, Michael Taylor, delivered the bigger blows, going 4-for-5 with a double and two home runs, driving in three, also scoring four times.

The win kept the Nationals nine games ahead of the rapidly-improving Atlanta Braves, winners of four straight and eight of their last 10.

Washington will be seeking a sweep of the the three-game series at Great American Ball Park on Sunday, 1:35 pm ET.