AL and NL Wild Card Previews: Brewers at Nationals; Rays at A's

MLB Wild Card Previews

National League

NL Wild Card: Milwaukee Brewers at Washington Nationals, Tuesday, October 1, 8:00 pm ET.

Scherzer: Nationals' starter

The Milwaukee Brewers face the Washington Nationals in the NL Wild Card elimination game. The winner heads to Los Angeles to meet the Dodgers in a five-game divisional playoff series. The loser goes home.

Brandon Woodruff gets the start for Milwaukee. He's 11-3 with a 3.62 ERA this season, and started just 22 games for the Brewers. The good news is that he's the best pitcher the Brewers have. On the downside, they're very weak in the bullpen, though Woodruff - unless the Nats tee off on him - should be able to go six or seven innings.

Max Scherzer should bring his "A" game, at least that's what the Nationals hope he will do. With a mark of 11-7 on the regular season, this was not a typical year for Scherzer. His ERA is still strong, at 2.92, and his 243 strikeouts were third in the NL, despite starting only four games in July and August combined.

What's concerning about Scherzer is that he was 6-0 with a 1.00 ERA in June, but just 2-2 in September. His longest September outing was 6 2/3 innings in a loss to St. Louis in which he allowed seven hits and five earned runs. Scherzer's September ERA is a whopping 5.16.

While the Brewers were red hot in September, they cooled off just in time to let the Cardinals win the Central division by two games. They were 20-4 for the month before being swept in Colorado the final three games of the season.

The Nationals went through a rough, 4-8, patch at the start of September, but finished strong, going 8-0 in the final stretch, including a five-game sweep of the Phillies and finishing up with a three-game sweep of Cleveland, all of those wins coming at home.

There are mixed signals for both clubs. Washington has momentum Scherzer, and home field, while the Brewers have a losing record on the road, their top hurler and a potent offense. The Nationals are heavily favored, but this match-up appears to be a lot closer than the consensus considers.


American League

AL Wild Card: Tampa Bay Rays at Oakland Athletics, Wednesday, October 2, 8:00 pm ET.

Pham: Rays' sparkplug

While the A's have yet to name a starter as of this writing, the Rays are going with their ace, Charlie Morton, who had a sensational season, racking up a 16-6 record with a 3.03 ERA. In 33 starts, Morton has struck out 240 in 194 2/3 innings, fifth-best in the AL.

Morton has the ability to go fairly deep into games on a team that has a versatile pitching staff with multiple role players. The Rays' ability to mix and match may serve them well in a one-game scenario. Despite not being adorned with big bats or superstar players, Tampa does everything with team in mind, seldom makes mistakes and can capitalize on opponents' miscues.

The A's definitely have the upper hand when it comes to hitting and power. Though their team average was .249 compared to Tampa Bay's .254, they had more home runs (257-217), RBI (800-730) and runs (845-769). Seven different players for the A's had 20 or more home runs, led by Matt Chapman and Matt Olsen, each with 36.

Tampa Bay will look for offensive spark from Tommy Pham and Willy Adames. Austin Meadows is their power guy, with 33 homers and 89 RBI.

This looks to be a tight one. Whoever starts for the A's will be expected to go at least four innings. Both teams were subjected to a tight wild card race which used up most of their resources until the final two games of the season. Having an extra day of recovery will aid both pitching staffs. The loser goes home, while the winner of this game heads to Houston to play a best-of-five divisional series.

Randy Dobnak Pitches Twins Into Playoffs; Ryan Braun's Grand Slam Secures Playoff Berth for Brewers

Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 25, 2019

American League

Dobnack: 6IP, 1H, 0ER, 6K

The Twins are in.

Randy Dobnak tossed six innings of one-hit ball as Minnesota cruised to a 5-1 victory. Coupled with Cleveland's 8-3 loss to the White Sox, the Twins clinched the AL Central and will likely meet the Yankees in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Dobnak, as raw a rookie as there is, gave up a first inning unearned run on an error and a double, which turned out to be the only hit the Tigers would produce off the 24-year-old. Dobnak no-hit the Tigers over the next 5 1/3 innings, and did not issue any walks, fanning six. Having worked just 28.1 innings, Dobnak is 2-1 with a save and a 1.59 ERA in eight appearances, five of those starting assignments.

Clinching the division for the first time since 2010, the Twins are likely to finish with the third-best record among division winners, meaning they will open the best-of-five divisional series against the team with the second-best records, which is currently the Yankees, who have lost their last two to Tampa Bay, as the Rays continue to battle Cleveland and Oakland for two wild card spots.

With the Rays topping the Yankees, 4-0, and Oakland slipping by the Angels, 3-2, Cleveland's loss leaves them in a precarious position, 1 1/2 games behind the Rays for the second spot. Oakland holds the top position, but only by 1/2 game over the Rays. Tampa Bay has just three games left to play; Cleveland and Oakland each have four remaining.

National League

Braun: Grand Slam

Ryan Braun's first inning grand slam got the Brewers off to a big start, leading to a 9-2 romp over host Cincinnati, putting the Brewers into the playoffs for the second straight year.

Braun's belt was his 22nd of the year and was also his second grand slam in the past ten days. He socked a ninth-inning grand slam in a victory over St. Louis on September 15. Eric Thames also homered in the first inning, his 24th.

The rampaging Brewers won for the 17th time in its last 19 games and secured at least a wild card for the playoffs. Their victory, coupled with the Cardinals' 9-7 loss at Arizona, left them 1 1/2 games behind St. Louis in the Central division.

Seedings in the National League are still very up in the air. The Dodgers have the best record in the league and will host the wild card entrant in the divisional round. Atlanta, East division champs, will host the either the Cardinals or Brewers, depending on which team captures the division pennant. Washington has secured a wild card but holds a slim, one-game lead over Milwaukee, with each team having four games to play.

St. Louis has three games remaining, all against the Cubs in St. Louis, starting Friday.

Ryan Braun's Slam Lifts Brewers Over Cardinals; Josh Reddick 5-for-5 As Astros Sweep Royals

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 15, 2019

American League

Reddick: 5-5 HR 3R 3RBI

Houston completed a sweep of the Royals Sunday with a 12-3 win in Kansas City, tying the Yankees for the best record in the American League.

Josh Reddick went 5-for-5, including a home run, as the Astros dropped their magic number to clinch the division to FIVE.

Reddick stroked four singles and knocked his 13th home run, scored three times and drove in three runs.

Proving just how far afield the Astros are in the division and the league, they outscored the Royals 22-5 in the three-game series.

Houston has Monday off, resuming their run to the post-season on Tuesday, hosting two games with the Texas Rangers. The Astros will finalize their home schedule this weekend, possibly clinching the division when they play three games with the Angels.

National League

Braun's Slam Folds Cards

Ryan Braun's grand slam in the top of the ninth provided the game-winning runs as the Milwaukee Brewers topped the St. Louis Cardinals for the second straight game win a 7-6 victory.

Three walks loaded the bases for Braun, who appeared at the plate with two outs and the Brewers down, 4-3. On a 3-2 count from St. Louis reliever, Junior Fernandez, Braun deposited the offering into the left-center stands.

The Cardinals responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning on a Tommy Edman homer, but could not overcome the deficit. Relief pitching has been the Cardinals' Achilles heel all season. Now it threatens their lead in the NL Central, as the Cubs and Brewers are closing in on them.

Milwaukee trails by three games in the division; the Cubs are just two games behind St. Louis.

Braun's homer was his 20th. He has 66 RBI on the year.

The Brewers have been on fire of late, winning nine of their last 10. They took two of three in their series in St. Louis. On Monday, they head back to Milwaukee for their final home series of the season, hosting four games with the Padres followed by three with Pittsburgh.

St. Louis opens a three-game series at home against the Nationals, beginning Monday at 7:45 pm ET.

Ji-Man Choi Homers Twice, But Rays Fall At Texas; Mike Moustakas Celebrates Birthday With 2 HRs and Brewer Win

Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 11, 2019

American League

Choi: 2 HR, 4 RBI

Following a 10-9 loss to the Texas Rangers Thursday, Tampa Bay is clinking to the narrowest lead in the AL wild card contest.

With Cleveland and Oakland both posting wins, the Rays have a 1/2-game edge on the A's and a one-game lead over the Indians.

Despite Ji-Man Choi's perfect night at the plate - two homers and three walks - the Rays were unable to keep the Rangers off the scoreboard sufficiently well, taking their first loss since September 3rd. Choi socked a three-run homer in the first inning and racked a solo shot in the ninth that left the Rays a run short.

Regardless, the Rays will regroup and carry on. They've been in contention all season and have been especially poised the past two weeks, winning 11 of their last 13 games.

They complete their series in Texas Thursday before heading to Los Angeles for five games against the Angels.

National League

Moustakas: 2HR, 5 RBI

Nearing the end of August, the Milwaukee Brewers were left for dead in the NL Central and the wild card race. The Cardinals had surged to the division lead while Washington and Chicago seemed destined for wild cards.

Then things turned around. They took two of three from the Cubs in Chicago, split a pair in Houston and then took three of four from the Cubs and started what is now a six-game winning streak that has them tied with the Cubs for the second wild card.

Wednesday's 7-5 victory at Miami was Milwaukee's first game without 2018 league MVP, Christian Yelich, who is out for the season after fracturing his right kneecap by fouling a ball off of it in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Marlins.

It was also Mike Moustakas's 31st birthday, and he celebrated by smacking two home runs, powering the win. Moustakas connected with a three-run blast in the third inning, then sealed the deal with a two-run rip in the ninth, breaking a 5-all tie.

Going 3-for-4 with five RBI, Moustakas has 33 homers on the season and 81 RBI. The Brewers will be looking for a sweep of the Marlins Thursday, then it's off to St. Louis for three games with the division leaders.

With Washington holding the top spot in the wild card race by 3 1/2 games, Milwaukee has caught the Cubs for the second spot and they are both four games behind the Cardinals in the division.

The Phillies and Mets are both two games back for the second wild card; Arizona is 2 1/2 off that pace.

Brewers Bounce Back vs. Cubs On Christian Yellich HR; Brendan McKay Leads Rays Over Jays

Players of the Day for Friday, September 6, 2019

American League

McKay fanned 7 vs. Jays

There are no superstars on the Tampa Bay Rays. Most baseball fans would be hard-pressed to name three or four of their starting position players. As for pitchers, the Rays use them all, deploying a new approach, using an "opener" instead of a starter, who normally will pitch just one or two innings.

The strategy has worked so well for the Rays that other teams have adopted it, along with Tampa Bay's infield shifts. Most of the Rays' radical style has come from their upstart manager, Kevin Cash, who's guided the Rays since 2014 and has them in the top wild card position this season.

Tamps won for the eighth time in its last nine games, setting the tone with opening pitcher, Brendan McKay, who allow just one hit and fanned seven in 3 2/3 innings, en route to a 5-0 win over the visiting Blue Jays.

McKay has worked just 39 1/3 innings, but has struck out 48. Like most Tampa hurlers, the 23-year-old lefty is employed in a variety of situations.

Tampa Bay is a game up on Oakland in the wild card race, with Cleveland next, 1 1/2 out.

The Rays will look to take their third straight from Toronto on Saturday. The four-game series concludes Sunday.

National League

Yelich Socks 44th HR

Don't go sticking a fork in the Milwaukee Brewers just yet. They're not done.

Bouncing back with a 7-1 win over the Cubs after losing the first of their four-game series, 10-5, Milwaukee remained very much alive in the wild card chase, though time is running out on all teams, with three weeks and roughly 20-23 games remaining.

Zach Davies held the Cubs to one run over five innings, and Christian Yelich ripped his 44th home run of the season to power the victory.

Yelich's three-run homer in the third off Chicago starter, Cole Hamels, put the Brewers up, 3-1. They added another run in the frame and posted single runs in the fourth, seventh and eighth.

Yelich also singled twice, remaining within striking distance of the league lead in batting. At .326 - the exact average with which he took the NL batting title in 2018 - he's fourth, toiling Washington's Anthony Rendon, who leads with a .338 average. Yelich is tied with LA's Cody Bellinger in the home run race. Both are one behind Mets' rookie Pete Alonso, who has 45 blasts.

The Brewers are four games behind the Cubs in the race for the second wild card, and are tied with the Phillies and Mets, each with identical 72-68 records. Arizona, winners of 10 of their last 11, is in the best position, trailing the Cubs by 2 1/2 games.

Game three of the Cubs-Brewers series is slated for a 7:10 pm start, Saturday in Milwaukee.

Brewers Top Nats in 14, Christian Yelich Homers Twice; Rays Win In 13 Thanks to Ryan Yarbrough, Michael Brosseau

Players of the Day for Saturday, August 17, 2019

American League

Yarbrough: 6 1/3 scoreless

With fewer than 40 games left to play, Tampa Bay probably isn't going to catch the Yankees in the AL East, but they they do have their sights set on a wild card spot. The Rays are in the #2 spot, one game behind Cleveland, after their 1-0, 13-inning win over Detroit and some help from the Yankees, who dropped the Indians, 6-5, on Saturday.

Brosseau: game-winner

In a game which yielded fewer hits than innings, Ryan Yarbrough fanned 10 and allowed three hits over 6 1/3 innings, followed by a parade of five Tampa hurlers who didn't allow the Tigers another his for the next 6 2/3 innings.

Tiger starter, Jordan Zinmmerman, gave up just one hit in five innings, but his effort went for naught. In the bottom of the 13th, Michael Brosseau laced a drive to the warning track in the right-center gap that plated Eric Sogard with the game-winner.

Tampa Bay took the win after dropping a 2-0 decision in the series opener with the visiting Tigers. The teams will play the rubber game at 1:10 pm ET Sunday.

The Rays have won 13 of their last 17, and have just a 1/2-game advantage over the Oakland A's, who have taken down the Astros three straight, including Saturday's 8-4 victory. Oakland has drawn within 6 1/2 of the Astros in the West. Boston remains alive in the wild card, but are 6 1/2 games behind the Rays.

National League

Yelich: 5-6, 2 HR, 4 RBI

Locked into the fierce National League wild card struggle, the Brewers and Nationals played the second of a three-game series Saturday in Washington.

Following a relatively mundane, 2-1, win by the Nationals on Friday, game two was a baseball extravaganza, featuring 19 pitchers, 11 home runs, and 38 hits in a 14-inning, 14-13 Milwaukee win.

Eric Thames provided the winning blow, with a two-run homer in the top of the 14th inning. His only hit of the day was enough to hold off the Nationals in the final frame, in which Adam Eaton scored an unearned run, but that was all they would get off Brewer reliever, Junior Guerra, who picked up the win (7-4).

Ironically, the loss was saddled by Washington's Javy Guerra (1-1), who fanned five over three innings of work, but surrendered four hits and three earned runs. The two Guerra's are unrelated. Junior hails originally from Venezuela while Javy is Mexican.

While Thames' blast proved decisive, it was Christian Yelich who provided much of the opportunity. Yelich went 5-fot-6 with a pair of home runs, three singles, four RBI and three runs. He singled in two runs in the third and socked solo homers in the ninth and 13th innings.

His effort put him atop the NL batting leaders at .333 ad tied him with LA's Cody Bellinger with 41 home runs. His 89 RBI are close to the leaders. Currently, Freddie Freeman (Atlanta), Eduardo Escobar (Arizona) and Josh Bell (Pittsburgh) are tied for the lead at 98.

The game's result left the Nationals clinging to a 1 1/2-game edge in the wild card with the Cubs holding the second spot. Philadelphia and Milwaukee are a game behind Chicago, the Mets two back, the Giants 2 1/2 out.

With the series tied at a game apiece the Nat and Brewers will wrap it up Sunday at 1:35 pm ET.

NOTES: YES, HE DID IT AGAIN. Aristides Aquino homered again, his 11th in his first 17 games. Oddly enough, Aquino stuck out in his one 2018 at-bat, but has been sensational this season, batting .345 with 22 RBI.

Yankees' Mike Tauchman Belts a Pair In Baltimore; Christian Yelich Homers Twice as Brewers Top Pirates

Players of the Day for Monday, August 5, 2019

American League

Tauchman socks 2 HRs

After dusting off the Red Sox four straight in New York, the Yankees opened a three-game series down the road in Baltimore and did what they usually do when in Maryland, pummel the last place Orioles, winning with a barrage of home runs, 9-6.

Wracked with injuries, the Yankees have relied on call-ups from their AAA affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for healthy bodies. One such player is Mike Tauchman, an accomplished outfield who is also proving that he can handle a bat pretty well.

Tauchman belted two of the Yankees' five home runs, a solo shot in the sixth and a two-run blast in the ninth. Tauchman also singled, going 3-for-4 on the night.

As a frequent fill-in, Tauchman is batting .294 with nine homers and 34 RBI in 170 at-bats.

The victory was the sixth straight for the Yankees, who lead the AL East by nine games over Tampa Bay. The Orioles host game two of the series Tuesday night, 7:05 pm ET.

National League

Yelich: 39 HRs leads MLB

Christian Yelich bookended a pair of solo home runs - one in the first inning and another in the ninth - taking over the major league lead with 39, helping the Milwaukee Brewers to a 9-7 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.

Yelich also singled twice, boosting his batting average to .336, locking him into a battle with the Met's Jeff McNeil and LA's Cody Bellinger.

The win snapped a four game losing streak for Milwaukee, including being swept by the Cubs in Chicago over the weekend, leaving the Brewers four games out in the NL Central, behind the Cubs and the Cardinals, who are 2 1/2 off the pace.

While Milwaukee's recent woes haven't knocked them completely out of contention in the division, the Brewers now sit fourth in the wild card, two games behind the Nationals and Phillies, currently sharing the top spot.

Yelich, meanwhile, is backing up his 2018 NL MVP award with another outstanding season. In addition to his 39 homers, he's driven in 74 runs and has a solid shot at repeating as the league's batting champion.

Milwaukee will look to make it two straight in Pittsburgh when they face the Pirates, Tuesday, 7:05 pm ET.

National League Roundup: Mets, Padres On Top; Cardinals Win Five Straight, Tie Brewers in Central

National League

Yesterday, we took a quick look at the American League, so today it's the senior circuit in view after nearly two weeks of play.

Mets Hold Slim Lead in East

With their 6-3 win at Atlanta Thursday, the Mets leapfrogged over the idle Phillies into first place in what appears to be baseball's most contentious division. The only team likely to be out of it by August 1 or sooner is the Miami Marlins, though with the Braves, Mets, Nats, and Phillies all flawed to some extent, that's not exactly a surety.

New York is just 1/2 game to the good over the Phillies, who did themselves loads of good in the off-season, snatching up the biggest free agent prize in Bryce Harper among other pick-ups, including All-Star infielder Jean Segura. The deal sent first baseman Carlos Santana and shortstop J.P. Crawford to Seattle.

Segura was one of the top hitters in the AL last season, notching a .304 batting average. A sure-handed fielder, Segura fills a big hole in Philadelphia at short, though he's unlikely to add much power. He hit just 10 homers last season with 63 RBI. Look for him to up his runs total of 91 last season to over 100 if he's batting at or near the top of the lineup. He's batting .304 though 11 games and has crossed the plate 10 times.

Harper is off to a decent start, with four homers and 10 RBI to go with a .314 batting average. In his new surroundings, Harper may challenge for the batting title. He hit .330 with Washington in 2015 and is in a good spot in a hitter's ball park. Last year's .249 average will be overlooked if he produces as expected.

The Mets have as good a shot as any team to take the division if they get quality starts from the rest of the rotation and score runs for Jacob deGrom. The keys are the keep Noah Snydergaard healthy, get Steven Matz though six innings and get solid innings from middle relievers Robert Gsellman, Jeurys Familia, and Seth Lugo. Closer Edwin Diaz, with five saves already in the books, appears to have his role nailed down.

Washington still may have the best rotation in the division, but will miss Harper's bat. Atlanta, last season's division winner, will be in it as long as Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuña Jr. stay healthy. Their pitching matches up well anywhere they play.

Cards Catch Brewers With Five Straight Wins

After a 3-5 start, St. Louis has reeled off five straight wins, including Thursday's 11-7 rip over the visiting Dodgers. The Cardinals may not have much thunder in their lineup, but as long as they get good pitching, their youthful lineup seems capable of keeping them in games, especially if the old man behind the plate - 36-year-old Yadier Molina - continues to play like a future Hall of Fame inductee.

Paul DeJong, Kolten Wong, Harrison Bader, and Marcel Ozuna form the nucleus of the offense, and the pickup of Paul Goldstein from Arizona gives the Cards' long-ball potential. Goldstein is batting just .180, but he's already swatted six homers. He needs to be more consistent (and he likely will be) for the Cardinals to hang in over the long haul.

In Milwaukee, the Brewers - also at 8-5 with the Cards - will have every opportunity to defend their 2018 division title and move forward in the playoffs. With the remarkable Christian Yellich leading the charge, Milwaukee is likely to repeat, especially if the Cubs continue to flounder. At the moment, Chicago is tied with the Reds for last place at 4-8, 3 1/2 back of the Brew Crew and Cardinals.

San Diego Improved With Machado

The Padres couldn't get much worse than their 66-96 mark in 2018, so they pulled the trigger and landed Manny Machado in the off-season after Machado had bailed on the Orioles mid-season for a playoff shot with the Dodgers in 2018.

A post-season hero Machado is not. His lifetime .213 average in the playoffs and World Series included 16 games with the Dodgers, a .227 batting average, three homers and 12 RBI. Those numbers are unlikely to raise any eyebrows, save those of Machado's detractors. Over the course of a full season in San Diego, Manny is likely to be "the Man" in bordertown California.

Thus far, Manny's helped the Padres to first place in the West, their 9-5 mark a game better than LA's 8-6 record. With three homers, seven RBI and a .245 batting average, Machado is probably trying a little too hard to impress his new team and fans. If he shakes off the nerves, he's capable of 35 homers and 100 RBI for the next six years or so. He had 35 and 86 in 2015, 37 and 96 in 2016, 33 and 95 in 2017, and 37 and 107 splitting time between Baltimore and LA.

Obviously, Machado can't do everything for the Padres. He'll need help, especially from the pitching staff, which includes left-handed rookie, Nick Margevicius, who has shown promise in three starts, winning two of them, against one loss. in 16 innings, quick Nick has fanned 12 and sports an ERA of 1.69.

It's a long season, and while the Padres probably won't go worst to first, the contenders in the division are few and far between. The Giants haven't been able to figure it out for a few years and don't look very competitive in 2019. Ditto the Rockies. Arizona has a good mix of veterans and good pitching, but the Dodgers, should they play to their potential, may run away and hide in the West.

The Dodgers are just a game off the pace and that's without Clayton Kershaw, who started the season on the 10-day IL. He's slated to make his seasonal debut Friday night, agains the Brewers. LA opens a three-game series with Milwaukee and will host the Reds for three following the weekend. Cody Bellinger has been carrying the team, batting .411, with seven HRs and 19 RBI.

Other series of note this weekend are San Diego at Arizona and the Mets at Atlanta. Both series began on Thursday, with the Mets topping the Braves, 6-3, and the Padres nipping the D-Backs, 7-6.

Jesus Aguilar Delivers, Milwaukee Forces NLCS Game Seven

Players of the Day for Friday, October 19, 2018

National League

NL Championship Series Game six: Milwaukee Brewers 7 LA Dodgers 2

Aguilar: 3-for-4, 2R, 3RBI

With elimination staring them in their collective faces, the Milwaukee Brewers proved undaunted, getting a huge effort from one of the players that carried them through the regular season, Jesus Aguilar.

Largely frustrated by the Rockies and Dodger pitchers, Aguilar hadn't been much of a factor in any of Milwaukee's eight postseason games - 5-for-29 (.172) 2 HR, 3 RBI - until Friday night. Going 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI, Aguilar factored in five of the seven Brewers' runs.

After the Dodgers took a 1-0 lead on David Freese's first-inning home run, Aguilar responded in the bottom of the frame with a two-run double and later scored, as the Brewers plated four off Dodger starter, Hyun-Jin Ryu.

Nursing a 5-2 lead, Aguilar led off the seventh inning with his second double, moved to third on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch by Kenta Maeda. In the eighth, Aguilar singled in Lorenzo Cain with the Brewers' final run.

Aguilar had a excellent regular season, batting .274 with 35 homers and 108 RBI.

Milwaukee's win evened the series at three games apiece, bringing up game seven and a trip to the world series to face the AL champion Boston Red Sox. Game time is 8:09 pm ET in Milwaukee. The pitching match-up is the same as game three with Walker Buehler on the mound for Los Angeles against Milwaukee's Jhoulys Chacin. The Brewers won game three, 4-0, behind 5 1/3 inning of shutout ball by Chacin, who is unscored upon this postseason.

NLCS: Jhoulys Chacin Shuts Down Dodgers In 4-0 Milwaukee Win

Players of the Day for Monday, October 15, 2018

National League

NL Championship Series Game Three: Milwaukee Brewers 4 LA Dodgers 0

Chacin: 2nd playoff win

Jhoulys Chacin tossed 5 1/3 innings of shutout ball, lifting the Brewers to a two-games-to-one lead in the NL Championship series Monday night in Los Angeles.

Chacin, who has yet to be scored upon in the post-season, shut down the Dodgers on three hits, walking two and striking out six for his second playoff win this season. He worked five innings on October 5th, when the Brewers took game two of the divisional series versus Colorado, 4-0.

The Brewers scored single runs in the first and sixth innings, adding two more on Orlando Arcia's seventh inning home run.

The series resumes Tuesday in Los Angeles with game four scheduled to start at 9:09 pm ET.

American League

There were no AL games on Monday. Game three of the ALCS is on for Tuesday in Houston, 5:09 pm ET. The Astros and Red Sox are tied, one game apiece.

Brewers Take NLCS Game One Behind Stellar Relief Of Brandon Woodruff, Josh Hader

Players of the Day for Friday, October 12, 2018

National League

AL Championship Game 1: Milwaukee Brewers 6 LA Dodgers 5

Milwaukee extended their winning streak to 12, taking game one of the NL Championship Series over the visiting LA Dodgers, 6-5.

Brandon Woodruff

The Brewers' hot bats got the better of Dodger starter, Clayton Kershaw, scoring five runs in the first four innings off the three-time Cy Young award winner.

Kershaw did not record an out in the fourth, allowing five runs on six hits over three-plus innings. Milwaukee starter, Gio Gonzalez, was lifted after just two innings, allowing one run, but relievers Brandon Woodruff and Josh Hader blanked the Dodgers through the seventh.

Woodruff was the first to get to Kershaw, socking a solo homer to lead off the third inning. The Brewers soared another run in the frame and sent Kershaw packing when Domingo Santana singled in two more runs with no outs in the fourth.

Josh Hader

Santana scored on Ryan Braun's single later in the inning, the run credited against Kershaw. Jesus Aguilar's solo homer in the seventh inning completed Milwaukee's scoring.

Woodruff, besides homering in his first post-season at-bat, didn't allow a hit or walk in his two innings of work, fanning four, picking up the win. Hader worked three hitless innings, also without walking a batter, striking out four.

The Dodgers struck for three runs in the eighth and one in the ninth, but eventually fell short. After giving up a run, Corey Knebel ended the game by striking out Justin Turner with Chris Taylor stranded at third.

Game two is 4:09 pm ET at Milwaukee's Miller Park.

American League

There were no games scheduled for Friday in the AL. The Championship series between the Astros and Red Sox opens Saturday night, 8:09 pm ET, at Boston's Fenway Park.

Ronald Acuna Jr., Freddie Freeman Lead Braves Past Dodgers; Jesus Aguilar Helps Brewers Eliminate Rockies

Players of the Day for Sunday, October 7, 2018

National League

Milwaukee 6  Colorado 0

Jesus Aguilar

Milwaukee eliminated the Rockies with a shutout victory Sunday, as Wade Miley and five relief pitchers combined to blank the Rockies on four hits. Miley worked 4 2/3 innings, allowing three hits, and the Brewer bullpen took care of the rest.

Jesus Aguilar socked a fourth-inning solo home run to give he Brewers a 2-0 lead. Orlando Arcia and Keon Broxton belted back-to-back solo shots in the ninth inning to seal the deal.

Acuna Jr.: Grand Slam

Red hot late season, the Brewers won eight straight to close out the regular season, capturing the Central division and achieving the best record in the National League. Their sweep of the Rockies left their winning streak at 11. They will host the winner of the Dodgers-Braves series in the NL Championship.

---

Freddie Freeman

Atlanta 6  LA Dodgers 5

Staving off elimination, the Atlanta Braves won a close one at home, as Ronald Acuna Jr. smacked a second inning grand slam and Freddie Freeman unknotted a 5-5 tie in the sixth with a solo shot.

Atlanta's win left the Dodgers up two games to one, with game four scheduled for Monday in Atlanta. First pitch is slated for 4:30 pm ET.


American League

There were no games in the American League on Sunday.

Houston will be looking to eliminate the Indians in game three of their best-of-five divisional series, Monday, 1:30 pm, in Cleveland.

With the series tied, 1-1, Boston is at New York for game three between the Red Sox and Yankees, Monday at 7:40 pm ET.

Christian Yelich Leads Brewers Over Rockies; Max Muncy's 3-Run Homer Enough For Dodgers' Win Over Braves

Players of the Day for Thursday, October 4, 2018

National League

Yelich stars again

Milwaukee's 3-2 win over Colorado took 10 innings but when Mike Moustakas singled home the game winner, guess who scored the winning run?

Who else? It was none other than Christian Yelich skipping home run Milwaukee's third run after he had walked to open the inning, took second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on Curtis Granderson's fielder's choice.

Not only did Yelich reach base safely four of the five times he appeared at the plate, he was also responsible for the Brewers' first two runs, socking a third-inning, two-run homer which, until the ninth inning, had held up.

The Rockies plated a pair of runs in the ninth inning to tie the game, but Yelich and Moustakas made sure their hard work didn't go for naught.

The win gives the Brewers a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series, with game two slated for Friday, 4:15 pm ET.

Muncy: 3-run homer

---

In Los Angeles, the Dodgers grabbed game one from the visiting Braves, 6-0.

Max Muncy's three-run homer in the second inning provided more than enough runs for LA, as Hyun-Jin Ryu worked seven scoreless innings, giving up just four hits, fanning eight Braves.

Muncy had 35 homers and 79 RBI during the regular season. Braves hurlers couldn't deal with the second year first baseman, walking him the other three times he appeared at the dish.

Game two is Friday, 9:37 pm ET.

American League

There were no games in the American League on Thursday. The two division series open on Friday with Cleveland at Houston at 2:05 pm ET and the Yankees at Boston at 7:32 pm ET.

Orlando Arcia 4-for-4 As Brewers Dump Cubs; Walker Buehler Blanks Rockies, Dodgers Win West

Players of the Day for Monday, October 1, 2017

Arcia: 4-for-4, 2 runs

National League

The Milwaukee Brewers completed their run-down of the Cubs in the NL Central, winning their eighth straight game to capture the division title with a 3-1 tie-breaker win at Chicago Monday.

Orlando Arcia stroked four singles in four at-bats and scored two of Milwaukee's runs in the division-clincher. Arcia came home on Christian Yelich's single in the third to open the game's scoring and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth after Chicago's Anthony Rizzo had tied it at 1-all in the fifth. Lorenzo Cain delivered Arcia, and also scored an insurance run in the eighth on a Ryan Braun single.

Josh Bader worked a two-inning save, putting the Cubs down in order in the eighth and surrendering a two-out single to Jose Baez in the ninth. Rizzo flied out to right field to end the game.

---

Buehler: 6 2/3 scoreless

Rookie hurler, Walker Buehler, took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, and gave up just one hit, blanking the Rockies over 6 2/3 innings as the Dodgers wrapped up the NL West with a 5-2 victory over Colorado in the single-game tie-breaker.

Charlie Blackmon broke up the no-hit bid with a single through the infield with one out in the sixth.

Thanks to two-run homers by Cody Bollinger and Max Muncy in the fourth and fifth innings and another run in the sixth, Buehler worked into the seventh with a five-run lead, getting two outs before walking Carlos Gonzalez. He was lifted for reliever, Pedro Baez, who walked Ian Desmond but finished the frame by getting Matt Holliday to pop out to short, ending the threat.

Buehler struck out three and walked three throwing 93 pitches, 59 of which went for strikes.

The Rockies finally did hit the scoreboard in the top of the ninth, on back-to-back home runs by Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story off Dodger closer Kenley Jansen, but the Dodger pitcher regrouped and finished the job, making the Dodgers the NL West champion for the sixth straight season.

The Cubs will host the Rockies in the NL wild card game Tuesday at 8:00 pm EDT, while the Brewers, thanks to their late-season surge, will have home field advantage throughout their NL playoff run. Milwaukee will host the winner of the wild card game in one of the two division series, while the the Dodgers will host the Atlanta Braves in the other. The Atlanta-LA series begins Thursday.

American League

There were no games in the American League on Monday. The AL wild card game is Wednesday, October 3, at Yankee Stadium in New York City with the Yankees playing the Oakland A's.

Christian Yelich Leads Brewers Over Cards, Closes Gap On Cubs; Gary Sanchez Powers Yankees Past Rays

Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 25, 2018

American League

Sanchez: 2-for-4, HR, 4RBI

Yankees' catcher, Gary Sanchez, broke out of a mammoth slump with a three-run homer and an RBI single as the Yankees improved their chances of hosting the AL wild card game with a 9-2 victory at Tampa Bay.

Sanchez capped a seven-run third inning uprising by the Yankees with his 17th home run, then singled home Giancarlo Stanton in the fifth.

Entering the game, Sanchez was 1-for-27 over his last eight games, his average dropping to a pathetic .180.

The win moved the Yankees 2 1/2 games better than the A's in the wild card race. Oakland lost, 10-8, in 11 innings at Seattle on Chris Herrmann's two-run, walk-off homer.

The Yankees have five games left to play, Oakland, four. New York needs any combination of two wins or two Oakland losses to wrap up the top wild card and home field for the single elimination playoff game.

The Yankees - winners of four of their last five - play game three of their four-game set at Tampa Wednesday at 7:10 pm. Oakland wraps up its series in Seattle on Wednesday.

National League

Yelich: 3B, HR, 6 RBI

With the regular season expiring on Sunday, there were some big changes in National League division and wild card races, most of them centered on Milwaukee's 12-4 thrashing of the Cardinals in St. Louis.

Christian Yelich - in search of his first batting title - banged out two big hits for the Brewers and drove in a career-high six runs. In the fourth inning, Yellich's bases-loaded triple blew open the game, putting the Brewers up by a 6-0 score. The Brewers added one in the fifth and two in the eight before Yelich struck again in the ninth, this time clearing the wall in center field with his 33rd home run, a three-run shot, putting him among the leaders with 33 homers and 104 RBI.

The way Yelich has been going in September, the batting title may not be all he's going to get. A trip to the playoffs is a virtual lock and an MVP award could be in his bright future. Yelich leads the league in batting with a .321 average, his 33 homers are three behind leader Matt Carpenter, with a logjam of players in the mix. Four have 34 homers, and five - including Yelich - have 33. His 104 RBI is good for fourth, behind Chicago's Javier Baez's 110. Jesus Aguilar and Nolan Arenado each have 105.

The September numbers for Yelich are off the charts. He's batting .346 (28-for-81) with seven homers and a whopping 28 RBI.

Milwaukee (91-67) now leads Colorado by 3 1/2 games for the top wild card. St. Louis (87-71) dropped a half-game behind Colorado for the second NL wild card after the Rockies routed Philadelphia 10-3. Better yet for the Brewers was Pittsburgh's 6-0 win at Chicago. Chris Archer blanked the Cubs for six innings and a pair of relievers finished them off. That left the Brewers 1/2 game behind the Cubs in the division race with four games to play. The Cubs (91-66) have five games remaining.

After taking the first two in St. Louis, Milwaukee will be looking for the series sweep when they take the field in St. Louis, Wednesday, 7:00 pm EDT.

In the West, Colorado is now in the second wild card spot, 1/2 game ahead of the Cardinals, but also trail the Dodgers by a mere 1/2-game in the division race. LA dropped a 4-3 decision at Arizona.

Luke Voit Paces Yankees Over Red Sox; Jesus Aguilar Homers, Drives In 4 As Brewers Triumph

Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 19, 2018

American League

Voit: 4-for-4, 2HR, 3RBI

Their magic number at one, the Boston Red Sox would like to wrap up and claim the AL East title. The Yankees continue to play the denier.

With their second straight win over the Sox, the Yankees kept the Red Sox from celebrating at hallowed Yankee Stadium, taking down Boston, 10-1, as Luke Voit launched a pair of homers to lead New York.

Voit's dingers both came off Boston starter David Price, who was chased after allowing four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings. Luis Severino picked up the win, improving to 18-8. Voit also singled twice, scored four runs ad drove in three.

Having scant hope of catching the Red Sox in the division - they Yanks still trail Boston by 9 1/2 games - the Yankees continue to win and hold onto the top wild card spot, ensuring that the single-elimination game will be played on their home turf. Oakland continued the chase in earnest, topping the Angels, 10-0. The A's are 2 1/2 behind the Yankees.

The Yankees and Red Sox wrap up their series on Thursday. Game time is 7:05 pm EDT.

National League

Aguilar: HR, 4 RBI

With the Cubs losing, 9-0, at Arizona, the Milwaukee Brewers pulled to within 2 1/2 games of the NL Central leaders with a 7-0 blanking of the Reds.

Jesus Aguilar continued his torrid pace with his 33rd home run and four RBI. Aguilar reached on an infield single in the first inning, plating Christian Yelich, then belted a three-run homer in the fourth as Milwaukee pulled away. Gio Gonzalez tossed six innings of shutout ball, earning his eighth win against 11 losses.

Aguilar is tied for fourth in home runs league-wide and is second in RBI, at 103, trailing the Cubs' Javier Baez, who leads with 107.

The Brewers also improved their wild card chances, opening a three-game lead on the Cardinals, 7-3 losers at Atlanta.

While the Brewers won't play the Cubs again, they will face the Cardinals next week in St. Louis. Milwaukee heads off to Pittsburgh for a three-game series beginning Friday, then takes three in St. Louis Monday through Wednesday. They close out their season at home, hosting three games with Detroit.

Christian Yelich Hits For Cycle Again Vs. Reds; Daniel Vogelbach's Pinch-Hit Grand Slam Carries Mariners Past Astros

Players of the Day for Monday, September 17, 2018

American League

Vogelbach slams Astros

At 6'0", 250 pounds, 25-year-old Daniel Vogelbach can put a charge into a baseball.

On Monday, the rookie first baseman unleashed a shot that sent Houston fans home unhappy, launching an eighth-inning grand slam that eviscerated the Astros' 1-0 lead and kept Seattle's slim post-season hopes alive with a 4-1 victory at Houston.

Vogelbach, a call-up a various points this season, socked his second homer in as many nights. On Sunday, he crushed a two-run shot in Seattle's loss to the Angels. On the year, he has four home runs and 13 RBI in 72 at-bats. In 84 games with triple-A Tacoma this season, Vogelbach mashed 20 homers with 60 RBI.

The rookie's rocket shot - a lifting liner to right-center - probably won't matter in the wild card race. The Mariners fell apart in late August and early September when they lost 12 of 19 games. They trail the Athletics by seven games for the second wild card but have only 12 games remaining. The A's were idle Monday.

Seattle continues its three-game series with the Astros on Tuesday. Game time is 8:10 pm EDT.

National League

Yelich: 2nd cycle of season

Every baseball season has its own special moments. In the ongoing series between the Reds and Brewers, fans have the opportunity to see the batting title disputed in real time as the two leading hitters, Cincinnati's Scooter Gennett and Milwaukee's Christian Yelich, ply their trades in each at bat.

In Monday's 8-0 Milwaukee whitewash, the drama was palpable. While the Brewers ran up the score, Yelich thrived at the plate while Gennett saw his lead whittled away as the night progressed.

While Gennett finished the game 1-for-3, Yellich had a monumental night at the plate, going 4-for-4, hitting for the cycle, driving in four runs. Yelich, who has been in the hunt for the batting title since the all star break, singled in the first inning, doubled in the third, socked a two-run homer in the fifth, and capped off his night with a two-run triple in the sixth.

Having already completed the cycle and the game in hand, Hernan Perez pinch-hit for Yelich in the eighth.

Yelich's cycle was the second time he's done it in three weeks, both times against the Reds. He went 6-for-6 in a 13-12 comeback victory on Aug. 29 at Cincinnati, making him the fifth player to turn the trick twice in one season -- and first in Brewers history. He's also the only player in major league history to hit for the cycle twice in one season against the same team.

Yellich still has his work cut out for him as concerns the batting title. Gennett still leads, but by the narrowest of margins. His average is .318182 (175-for-550), compared to Yelich's .317757 (170-for-535).

After finishing July with a 15-game hitting streak, Yellich has carried a big bat through August and into September, batting .307 in August and .321 so far this month. On the season, he has 31 homers and 93 RBI, making him a prime candidate for MVP honors.

Milwaukee's win kept them firmly in the cat bird's seat, 2 1/2 games behind the Cubs in the NL Central, but also leading the wild card by three games over the Cardinals and 3 1/2 over the Rockies. The series with the Reds continues Tuesday and Wednesday in Milwaukee with the post-season and the batting title on the line.

Christian Yelich Leads Brewers In Chase of Cubs; Mike Trout 5-for-5 As Angels Whip White Sox

Players of the Day for Saturday, September 8, 2018

American League

Trout: 5-for-5, 2HR, 5RBI

Even though the Angels are out of contention for the post-season, Mike Trout is still putting up some impressive numbers.

Trout went 5-for-5 with two home runs, five RBI and three runs as the Angels defeated the White Sox, 12-3. Trout's homer was his 33rd of the season. He is batting .316 with 68 RBI. The LA outfielder is fourth in the AL in batting and tied for sixth in home runs with Giancarlo Stanton and Francisco Lindor.

Elsewhere, the west division leader, Houston, won their seventh straight, knocking off Boston at Fenway Park for the second straight game, 5-3. The Astros can't seem to shake off the A's, who have won three straight and are 3 1/2 back in the division. The Yankees were also winners on Saturday, defeating the Mariners in Seattle, 4-2. New York is 7 1/2 behind the Red Sox in the AL East and holds the top spot in the wild card race, 3 1/2 better than the A's.

Houston wraps up it's series in Boston, and the Yanks will be looking to sweep the Mariners Sunday.

National League

Yelich: .316, 28HR, 86RBI

Much like the famous line from the movie, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," the Chicago Cubs may be looking over their shoulders at the Milwaukee Brewers, asking, "who are those guys?"

After dropping two games to the Washington Nationals, the Cubs' lead in the NL Central has dwindled to 2 1/2 games after Christian Yelich and the Brewers defeated the Giants, 4-3.

Who is Christian Yelich? He's the Brewers' 26-year-old left fielder who just happens to be second in the league in batting at .316 (behind Cincinnati's Scooter Gennett, .317), with 28 homers (tied for 11th with teammate Travis Shaw) and 86 RBI (tied for 9th with Philadelphia's Ryhs Hoskins).

Yellich and Shaw both homered in the Milwaukee win, backing 5 2/3 shutout innings by starting pitcher, Gio Gonzalez (8-11). It was Gonzalez's first start for the Brewers after his separation from the Washington Nationals.

The Brewers have taken two straight at home from the Giants and will be looking for the series sweep when they take the field Sunday at

Stephen Piscotty Drives In Five As A's Drop Mariners; Milwaukee Retakes Second Place As Christian Yelich Socks Grand Slam

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 2, 2018

American League

Piscotty: 2 HR, 5 RBI

Stephen Piscotty smacked a pair of home runs, propelling the Oakland A's to an 8-2 victory over the visiting Seattle Mariners.

The win earned a 2-2 split between the AL West rivals and helped the A's keep pace with the Astros, 4-2 winners over the Angels Sunday. Oakland trails Houston by 2 1/2 games. Seattle is eight games back. With the Yankees losing 11-7 to Detroit, Oakland picked up a game in the wild card chase. They are 4 1/2 behind the Yankees, in the second wild card spot.

Piscotty got the A's on the board in the fifth, tying the game with a solo shot. A sac fly in the sixth made the score 5-1 and his three-run belt in the eighth finished off Oakliand's scoring. Piscotty's five RBI upped his season total to 64. The homers were numbers 20 and 21 for the A's right fielder.

Oakland remains home on Monday, welcoming in the Yankees for a three game series which may impact the wild card race significantly. Game one is scheduled for a 4:00 pm EDT start.


National League

Yelich: Grand Slam

Just five days after hitting for the cycle, Milwaukee's Christian Yelich helped the Brewers retake second place from St. Louis with a grand slam in a 9-4 victory at Washigton.

Yelich got to the plate with the bases full in the fifth inning, after the Brewers had already plated three runs in the frame on Keon Broxton's three-run blast.

Yelich's .316 batting average is second best in the National League behind Cincinnati's Scooter Gennett's .319. The Brewer's outfielder has 27 home runs and 81 RBI on the year. The grand slam was the first of his career.

Milwaukee's win boosted the team past the Cardinals in the NL Central, five games behind the Cubs. Milwaukee also took over the top wild card slot as St. Louis lost to the Reds in 10 innings, 6-4.

The Brewers head home Monday for the first of three critical games with the Cubs. Game time is 2:10 pm EDT.

Christian Yelich Hits For Cycle In Wild Brewers Win; Ryan LaMarre Leads White Sox Past Yankees

Players of the Day for Wednesday, August 29, 2018

LaMarre: 3-for-4, HR, 4RBI

American League

The Yankees schedule the past three weeks couldn't have been much easier, but somehow the Chicago White Sox nearly swept them, taking two of three at Yankees Stadium with Wednesday's 4-1 victory.

While Reynaldo Lopez (5-9) was holding the Yanks to one run on five hits over seven innings, Ryan LaMarre was taking care of business at the plate, driving in all four Chicago runs.

LaMarre doubled twice and homered in four at-bats. In 16 games with the White Sox he's batting .364 with two homers and seven RBI.

The 26-year-old had already played for Cincinnati, Boston, Oakland and Minnesota over four years before joining the White Sox mid-season.

Chicago is hopelessly out of contention, but the Yankees dropped back to 7 1/2 games behind Boston in the AL East. With both Oakland and Seattle losing, New York still has a comfortable, 4 1/2-game bulge over the A's in the wild card race. Seattle is 10 games back.

The Yankees host four games with Detroit beginning Thursday.

National League

Yelich hits for cycle

The 11,777 fans who went out to see game two of the three-game series between the Reds and Brewers at Great American Ball Park certainly got their money's worth for the price of admission.

After a 27-minute rain delay to start the game, they witnessed a 10-inning, 13-12 win by the Brewers featuring a combined total of 36 hits, scoring in every inning except the third and ninth, and Christian Yelich going 6-for-6 while hitting for the cycle.

The Brewers won it when Jesus Aguilar socked a solo homer in the top of the 10th and Erik Kratz singled home Hernan Perez. They needed both runs because Brandon Dixon hit a solo home run in the bottom of the inning.

Yelich did everything besides throw batting practice. In the first inning, he singled and scored. In the second, he legged out an infield single. His two-run homer in the fifth gave the Brewers a short-lived 4-3 lead. Yelich doubled in the sixth and tripled in the seventh inning, driving in Lorenzo Cain, to complete the cycle. In the ninth, he got his sixth hit, another infield single, finishing with three RBI and two runs. He also played both left and right field.

Yelich, 26, came to Milwaukee from Miami following the 2017 season. He's leading the National League with a .319 batting average, to go with 26 home runs, 75 RBI and 14 stolen bases.

Milwaukee's win moved them to within five games of the Cubs in the central division. St. Louis is 4 1/2 back in second place and also holds the top wild card slot.

The Brewers will look to take the series when they meet up with the Reds on Thursday. Game time is 12:35 pm EDT.