Pablo Sandoval Drives In 5 As Giants Top Cards; Nathan Eovaldi Keeps Tampa Bay Alive With 1-Hit Effort

Players of the Day for Sunday, July 8, 2018

Eovaldi: 7IP, 1H, 0ER, 9K

American League

Tampa Bay keeps experimenting with different pitching strategies, often using five or six relievers to get through a given game, but they may have found a hidden gem in Nathan Eovaldi, who tossed seven scoreless innings against the Mets for a solid, 9-0 win at New York's Citi Field.

Not only did Eovaldi lank the Mets, but he allowed just one hit, fanned nine and didn't allow any walks. Taking a perfect game into the seventh inning, Eovaldi's day was spoiled by Brandon Nimmo, who singled to lead off the frame after seeing 18 consecutive Mets fail against the 28-year-old right=hander.

Eovaldi avoided further damage, getting the next three batters in order. Andrew Kettridge finished up, allowing one hit over the final two innings.

The Rays improved to 45-44 with the win and keep hanging around the fringes of the wild card race, though they have a long way to go even think about playoffs.

Tampa took two of three from the Mets and return home to open a three-game series with Detroit, starting Monday at 7:10 pm EDT.

National League

Sandoval: 3-5, HR, 5 RBI

Pablo Sandoval socked a fifth-inning, three run homer, and added a two-run single in the sixth as the Giants smothered the visiting Cardinals, 13-8.

The Giants' third baseman came around to score in the five-run sixth as well as scoring again to secure the game in the ninth. Sandoval was 3-for-5 with three runs and five RBI.

The decision sent the Cardinals 7 1/2 back of Milwaukee in the NL Central, while the Giants were the only contender to win on the day. As Arizona, LA, and Colorado were each defeated, the Giants managed to move into a tie for third place in the division with the Rockies, 3 1/2 off Arizona's pace.

The portly Sandoval, who checks in at 268 pounds, is having a sub-par season, batting .257 with eight homers and 34 RBI, though those numbers have been achieved in just 191 at-bats.

San Francisco split the four=game series with St. Louis and will open a three-game set with the Cubs at home, starting Monday, 10:10 pm EDT.

Matt Holliday Powers Cards to Top in NL Central; Pablo Sandoval, Hunter Pence Rip in 15-5 Giants' Win; Clay Buchholz Goes Distance

Players of the Day for Sunday, August 31, 2014

American League

Buchholz: 3-hit ShO

Sadly, Clay Buchholz's 3-hit shutout of the Rays will not be remembered in the annals of great Boston performances, as the Red Sox have long since fallen out of contention, their 60-76 record leaving them 19 1/2 back and in last place in the AL East.

Buchholz did everything right in Boston's 3-0 victory, getting 23 first-pitch strikes on the 29 batters he faced, throwing 69 of 98 pitches for strikes, fanning six without walking a batter.

It hasn't been the best of season for either the Red Sox or Buchholz, who improved to just 6-8 while lowering his ERA to 5.40.

Buchholz allowed hits in the first, fourth and sixth inning, but, after Jose Molina singled, leading off the sixth, Buchholz mowed down the remaining Tampa hitters in order, getting the last 12 in a row, to finish with a flourish.

Elsewhere in the division, Baltimore extended their lead - the largest in the majors - to nine games over the Yankees with a 12-8 win over the Twins while the Bombers were losing to Toronto, 4-3. In case anyone wants to start counting, the Orioles' magic number to clinch the AL East outright is 19.

Hunter Pence

National League

Matt Holliday

It's getting crowded at the top in the NL Central, West and wild card races.

The Giants completed the three-game sweep of the Brewers with a 15-5 trouncing, pounding a parade of weary Milwaukee pitchers for 16 hits and five bases on balls, dropping the Brewers into a tie for first place in the Central division with the Cardinals, 9-2 winners over the Cubs.

Pablo Sandoval

Leading the Giants were Hunter Pence, who singled, doubled twice, tripled, drove in two runs and scored three times in five at-bats, and Pablo Sandoval, who went 3-for-3 with a single, triple and a two-run homer, driving in three. Both players scored three times in the rout, the Giants' sixth straight win, leaving them 2 1/2 games behind the Dodgers in the West but atop the wild card race, with a game edge over either the Brewers or Cardinals. Atlanta trails San Francisco by 2 1/2 in the wild card. Pittsburgh is three out.

In St. Louis, the Cardinals rode the bat of red-hot Matt Holliday, who singled, homered, doubled and drove in four runs in the Cardinals second straight win over the Cubs, splitting the series, two games apiece.

Holliday homered twice on Saturday, has four homers in his last five games and has nine RBI in just his last two games. He has 16 homers and 78 RBI on the season. He's hit safely in nine of his last ten games, going 13-for-40 (.325) with 16 RBI.

As the calendar turns to September, on Monday, all NL contenders oen three-game series. St. Louis stays home to host the Pirates, Milwaukee heads to Colorado, the Brewers go to Chicago to play the Cubs, while the Dodgers host NL East-leading Washington.

The Giants could end the day riding an eight-game win streak, as they will be finishing a game with the Rockies that was suspended with the score tied, 2-2, in the bottom of the sixth inning, from May 22, prior to their regularly-scheduled start. The additional game due the Giants could - in the case of a win - put additional pressure on the Dodgers and the teams battling for the wild card.

Angels Keep Pace in West on Garrett Richards' Shutout over Dodgers; Giants Gain Thanks to Pablo Sandoval's 3 RBI

Players of the Day for Monday, August 4, 2013

Richards: Shutout

American League

With a record of 67-44, second-best in the the majors, one would think the Angels a happy bunch.

Unfortunately, they play in the same division with the Oakland A's, who have the best record in the majors, and are a game to the good on their rivals to the south.

But, the Angels kept pace on Monday, getting a complete game shutout over the Dodgers from Garrett Richards, who gave up five hits, walked two and struck out nine in the Angels' 5-0 triumph. The A's survived in ten innings, with a 3-2 win over Tampa Bay.

Richards is having a superb season for the Angels, picking up his first major league shutout in his second complete game win. He's 12-4, with a 2.58 ERA and 152 strikeouts in 153 1/3 innings.

Continuing the four-game series on Tuesday, the Angels and Dodgers match up at 10:10 pm EDT at Dodger Stadium. On Wednesday and Thursday, the teams play at the Angels' home in Anaheim.

National League

Sandoval: 3-for-5

Interleague play being back in vogue, there was only one NL team that won on Monday, unsurprisingly, in a game featuring two teams from the senior circuit.

Pablo Sandoval made good use of five at bats, socking a pair of doubles and a single, driving in three runs for the Giants, including the game-winner, in their 4-3 victory over the Mets.

Sandoval, 2012 World Series MVP, stroked a double in the second inning to tie the game at two. After Hunter Pence scored on a wild pitch to tie the affair at three, Sandoval blooped a ground rule double down the left field line, scoring Gregor Blanco with the winning run in the top of the ninth. Santiago Castilla came on to get the Mets in order in the bottom of the ninth securing the win with his ninth save.

The Giants took three of four in New York, and, with the Dodgers losing to the Angels later in the day, crept to within 1 1/2 games of the NL West leaders.

Heading back in the direction the West coast, the Giants open a three-game series in Milwaukee starting Tuesday at 8:10 pm EDT.

David Ortiz Homers Twice, Gets 2000th Hit, as Boston Blasts Tigers, 20-4; Pablo Sandoval Homers Three Times as Giants Pound Padres

Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 4, 2013

American League

Ortiz: 2000 Hits

It was a night to remember in Boston, as the Red Sox murdered the Detroit Tigers with eight home runs in a 20-4 rout.

David Ortiz had two homers and a double, collecting his 2,000th hit with the RBI two-bagger in the sixth inning. Boston sent 11 players to the plate in the frame, breaking open a 5-4 game with eight runs. Will Middlebrooks accounted for four runs with a grand slam in the midst of the inning.

"Big Papi" Ortiz hit a solo homer in the fourth inning to tie the game at 4-all and homered again in the seventh inning with a man aboard, giving him four RBI for the game and 89 on the season, seventh in the AL.

The 20 runs were the most scored by any team in a game this season in the majors and the Red Sox did it on 19 hits and four walks. Boston's eight homers tied a franchise record.

The victory completed a 2-1 series win for the Red Sox over the Central division-leading Tigers. Despite losing their last two games, the Tigers still maintain a 6 1/2 game lead over Cleveland in the division. Boston kept Tampa Bay 5 1/2 back in the East and begin a four-game series in New York with the Yankees (8 1/2 back) on Thursday.

National League

Sandoval: 3HR, 6RBI

Completely out of playoff contention, the San Francisco Giants took out some of their frustrations on their neighbors down the coast, hammering the host San Diego Padres, 13-5.

Pablo Sandoval sent three balls over the walls at Petco Park, driving in six runs with a two-run homer in the fifth inning, a solo shot in the eighth and capped off his night with a three-run blast in the ninth. He also singled to go 4-for-6 with three runs and six RBI.

San Francisco's win avoided a sweep by the Padres in the three game series. San Diego had beaten the Giants, 4-1 on Mondya and 3-2 on Tuesday prior to the Giants' 17-hit outburst Wednesday night.

Today's Trivia: 1998 was the last time the National League hits leader totaled more hits than the leader in the American League (Alex Rodriguez, 213). Who was that NL hits leader? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: Actually, Pete Rose and Tony Gwynn each led the National League in hits seven times.

Scutaro Finishes Off Sweep of Tigers; Giants Win World Series, 4-0, Pablo Sandoval MVP

Players of the Day for Sunday, October 28, 2012

World Series

Scutaro: Game-winner

Game 4: San Francisco 4 Detroit 3, 10 innings - Marco Scutaro's two-out single in the top of the 10th inning scored Ryan Theriot from second base, breaking a 3-3 tie and sending the Giants to their second World Series championship in three years.

Sandoval: MVP

Theriot singled to lead off the inning, moved to second on Brandon Crawford's sacrifice bunt, and held his position as Phil Coke struck out Angel Pagan. Coke had come on in relief of Octavio Dotel in the ninth, fanning the side to force extra innings, but Scutaro and the Giants would not be denied, the scrappy second baseman singling to short center to drive in the game winner.

Pablo Sandoval, who was 1-for-5 in game four, finished with a .500 batting average (8-for-16) with three homers and four RBI, all of which came in game one, won by the Giants, 8-3.

The Tigers, one of the best-hitting teams in either league, were flat in the series, scoring only six runs. They were shut out by identical 2-0 scores in games two and three, and, as a team batted .159 (20-for-126) for the series, and, after their eight hits in game one, hit only .130 (12-for-92).

The Giants ended the post-season on a seven-game win streak, coming back from a 3-1 deficit in the NLCS to whip the Cardinals before sweeping the Tigers in the World Series.

Pablo Sandoval Blasts Three Homers as Giants Take Game One of World Series

Players of the Day for Wednesday, October 24, 2012

World Series: Game One

Giants 8 Tigers 3 - Pablo Sandoval got the Giants off to a 1-0 lead in the World Series, belting three home runs in his first three at-bats, eventually finishing 4-for-4 with four RBI.

Pablo Sandoval

Sandoval joins Reggie Jackson, Albert Pujols and Babe Ruth as the only players to hit three home runs in a single World Series game. Ruth did it twice, in 1926 and 1928.

With his solo home run in the first, Sandoval got the Giants on the board quickly, then added a two-run shot in the third inning and another bases-bare job in the fifth.

After his third ball left they yard, the Giants had built a 6-0 lead as Barry Zito was throwing up zeroes against the Tigers.

Detroit broke through for a run in the top of the sixth and added two more on Jhonny Peralta's home run in the ninth, but, by then, the Giants had already added two more runs, putting the game out of reach.

Zito was retired with two down in the sixth, giving way to Tim Lincecum, who struck out Peralta with runners on first and second, ending the threat.

Justin Verlander took the loss, yielding five runs on six hits over four innings. The first two Sandoval homers came against the Detroit starter.

Game two is Thursday at 8:07 pm EDT in San Francisco. Doug Fister goes to the mound for Detroit, facing the Giants' Madison Bumgarner.

Raul Ibanez Rallies Yankees; Chris Carpenter Shuts Down Nats; Seth Smith, Coco Crisp Down Tigers; Pablo Sandoval, Tim Lincecum Lift Giants

Players of the Day for Wednesday, October 10, 2012

American League

Raul Ibanez

ALDS: NY Yankees 3 Baltimore 2 - Raul Ibanez, pinch-hitting for Alex Rodriguez, slugged a ninth-inning solo homer to tie game three with the Baltimore Orioles and then ended the game with another solo homer to right field leading off the 12th.

Coco Crisp

The Yankees took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. Game four is slated to begin Thursday at 7:37 pm EDT in New York. Joe Saunders is scheduled to start for the Orioles against the Yankees' Phil Hughes.

ALDS: Oakland 4 Detroit 3 - The Oakland A's avoided elimination for the second straight night, coming from behind with three runs in the ninth inning to defeat the Tigers and tie the divisional series at two games apiece.

Seth Smith

The A's rocked Detroit closer, Jose Valverde, for four hits and three runs in just 2/3rds of an inning. With nobody out and runners on second and third, Seth Smith doubled into the right-center gap driving home both and tying the game. Two outs later, Coco Crisp delivered the game winner with a single to right field, scoring Smith from second.

Decisive game five commences at 9:37 pm EDT in Oakland.

Chris Carpenter

National League

NLDS: St. Louis 8 Washington 0 - St. Louis took a 2-1 lead in their divisional series with Washington, roughing up Nationals' starter, Edwin Jackson, and four relievers for 14 hits, including a three-run, second-inning homer by Cardinal shortstop Pete Kozma that put the Cardinals ahead, 4-0.

Chris Carpenter worked 5 2/3 innings on the mound, scattering seven hits without allowing a run. Carpenter walked two and struck out a pair, winning his 10th game against two losses in 16 post-season starts.

Game four goes off at 4:07 pm Thursday in Washington. The Cardinals can wrap up the series with a win. If necessary, game five will be played Friday in Washington.

Pablo Sandoval

Tim Lincecum

NLDS: San Francisco 8 Cincinnati 3 - Pablo Sandoval went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and three RBI to pace the Giants offensively while Tim Lincecum came out of the bullpen to toss 4 1/3 innings of relief, holding the Reds to one run on two hits, fanning six.

Lincecum ended a two-out threat in the fourth, striking out Ryan Ludwig with runners on first and second, and worked through the eighth inning wihtout allowing a walk, throwing 42 of 55 pitches for strikes.

The win evened the series at two games apiece with the deciding game five set for 1:07 pm EDT in Cincinnati. Matt Cain gets the start for the Giants, facing the Reds' Mat Latos, the winner advancing to the seven-game league championship series.

Adam Jones Homers in 11th for Orioles; Pablo Sandoval Leads Giants Closer to NL West Pennant

Players of the Day for Wednesday. September 18, 2012

American League

Adam Jones came through with a two-run homer in the top of the 11th inning, leading Baltimore to a 3-1 victory over Seattle.

Jones, who had earlier singled, drove his 30th home run of the season beyond left field, scoring Nate McLouth ahead of him.

Adam Jones

Seattle's Felix Hernandez and Baltimore's Joe Saunders locked into a pitcher's duel, both starters going eight innings, allowing one run apiece. Hernandez struck out eight, raising his total for theyear to 207, third best in the AL.

Baltimore's win left them 1/2 game behind the Yankees, who took both ends of a double-header over the Blue Jays.

In the wild card, the Orioles passed Oakland by 1/2 game as Detroit topped the A's, 6-2. Detroit is five back of the A's for the second wild card, slipping past Tampa Bay, another 1/2 game back, but the Tigers moved a game closer to Central division-leading Chicago. The White Sox were shut out in Kansas City, 3-0, their lead down to two games over the Tigers.

National League

San Francisco moved closer to wrapping up the NL West, banging out 14 hits in a 7-1 win over the Rockies.

Pablo Sandoval

Pablo Sandoval got the Giants off to a quick start with a three-run, first-inning homer, his ninth of the season. In the fifth, Sandoval singles, stole second and took third on the errant throw, scoring on Brandon Belt's double to right. It was his first steal of the season. Sandoval finished 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBI.

The Giants kept their lead over the Dodgers in the division at nine games, with 13 left to play for both teams, dropping their magic number to clinch at least a tie for the division to four.

San Francisco could clinch as early as this weekend.

Ryan Braun, Melky Cabrera, Pablo Sandoval Lead NL All Star Game Rout

Players of the Day for Tuesday, July 10, 2012


National League

It was all National League in this year's all star classic, as players from the senior circuit showed their American League rivals how to play the game in an 8-0 rout.

Ryan Braun

Melky Cabrera

Led by last season's NL MVP, Ryan Braun, who doubled, tripled scored a run and drove in one in three at-bats, and the unlikely heroics of Pablo Sandoval, the NL put up five big ones in the first inning and three more in the fourth to complete the scoring.

Melky Cabrera brought his .353 average to the game and showed why he'll be one of baseball's most sought-after free agents at the season's conclusion, singling and scoring the game's first run in the first and belting a two-run homer in the fourth to go 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.

Sandoval, not exactly fleet afoot, with only 12 triples in four-plus seasons in the majors, delivered the biggest blow for the National Leaguers, rapping a bases-loaded triple into the right field corner in the first, plating Braun, Carlos Beltran and teammate Buster Posey for a 4-0 NL lead. Sandoval, who got the starting nod at third base over obvious choice, David Wright, made the most of his opportunity, going 1-for-2 with three RBI. He also scored after his triple, sent home by Dan Uggla's scratch single.

Pablo Sandoval

National League pitchers - all 11 of them - did their part, holding AL batters to just six hits. Only the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw gave up more than one hit. Kershaw loaded the bases on singles by David Ortiz and Mike Napoli and a walk to Cleveland's Asdrubal Cabrera, but got Ian Kinsler on a fly ball to right to end the only serious scoring threat of the game by the AL.

All of the NL runs came off two pitchers, starter Justin Verlander, who was tagged for four hits, two walks and five earned in his first-inning starting role, and Texas hurler, Matt Harrison, who allowed four hits and three earned runs, working the fourth.

It was the third straight win for the National League, urged on by Chipper Jones' pre-game pep talk in which the future hall of famer told teammates he didn't want his last all star game to be a losing effort.

The win by the NL gives home field advantage to the National League entrant in this season's World Series, an edge which has worked out well for the NL, winning the 2010 and 2011 fall classics, as the Giants and Cardinals respectively captured the title.

Barry Zito, Pablo Sandoval Instrumental in 8-0 Rout of Dodgers; Jays' Colby Rasmus Continues Hot Streak

Players of the Day for Monday, June 25, 2012

American League

It was back to regular play on Monday, with interleague games ending for the two leagues Sunday.

Getting right into the swing of things were the Toronto Blue Jays, who wound up in last place in the AL East during the interleague session, going 7-8 against National League teams.

Red-hot Rasmus

Desperate to get back into the race, the Blue Jays opened a three-game series in Boston with a 9-6 victory, tying themselves with the Red Sox at 38-35, 6 1/2 games behind the division-leading Yankees.

Colby Rasmus, who came over to the Jays late last season from St. Louis, continued to provide a solid punch at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a home run (11), two singles, three RBI and a couple of runs. Rasmus got the Jays off to a fast start with a two-run shot in the first as Toronto put a four-spot on the board in the opening inning.

After Boston tied the game at five, the Blue Jays put them way with long balls. J.P. Arencibia launched a two-run blast in the sixth and Jose Bautista finished the job with his 24th homer of the season, taking sole possession of the league lead with a two-run blast that plated Rasmus, who was aboard after singling to lead off the inning.

Rasmus has been one of the hottest hitters in either league recently, hitting safely in eight of his last nine games, with a .410 average (16-for-39), five homers and 15 RBI.


National League

Zito: 7 scoreless

With interleague games out of the way, the Giants and Dodgers got right at it, opening a series that may go a long way toward determining dominance in the NL West.

Sandoval: 3-for-3

The Giants took early advantage, opening the three-game set with an 8-0 win at home to pull to within two games of the Dodgers in the division.

Barry Zito blanked the visitors on three hits over seven innings, allowing three walks and striking out four. With Zito determined on the mound, Pablo Sandoval led the offense with a 3-for-3 effort, two doubles, three RBI and a pair of runs.

Raising his average to .315, the svelte Sandoval doubled home a pair of runs in the Giants' four run first, knocked in another with a sac fly in the second that put the Giants up, 7-0, and scored the final run on Hector Sanchez's double in the fifth.

San Francisco pounded LA starter Nathan Eovaldi (0-4) for ten hits and all eight runs and can tie the Dodgers - who have led the division almost all season - for the top spot with a series sweep.

CORRECTION: Yesterday, Baseball on Deck put the final interleague tally at 140-110 in favor of the AL, but checking up with MLB, the actual total should be 142-110. Somewhere, we missed a couple of games, and regret the error.

Erick Aybar 4-for-4 in Angels Victory; Verlander Wins #24; Giants Win 8th Straight

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 18, 2011

American League

Disco-era hit, "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees might become the theme song for the LA Angels, as long as they and the Rangers continue competing for the AL West crown. And, if Boston keeps faltering and the Yankees do the Angels a favor by beating back the Rays (they play them six times over then next ten days), they might find themselves the lucky recipient of a wild card ticket to the post-season.

Aybar: 4-for-4

Avoiding being swept by the lowly Orioles, the Angels hammered Baltimore, 11-2, mostly on the strength of leadoff hitter Erick Aybar, who went 4-for-4 and scored five times.

Aybar doubled twice and swatted a pair of home runs, driving in four runs. After walking in the first inning and scoring on Bobby Abreu's double, Aybar broke a 1-1 tie in the third with a solo home run, and added a two-run shot in the 4th as the Angels scored four times to take control of the game. Aybar doubled and scored in the sixth inning, then drove home another run in the eighth with his second double and scored for the fifth time.

Rival Texas knocked off Seattle, 3-0, keeping the Angels 4 1/2 back in the division, but Tampa Bay beat the Red Sox, 8-5, tightening that race. The Rays trail Boston by just two games in the wild card standings, with the Angels four games out.

Verlander: 24-5

The Yankees dropped a 3-0 decision to the Blue Jays, keeping the Red Sox 4 1/2 back and the Rays 6 1/2 behind.

In the already-decided Central, Justin Verlander improved to 24-5, allowing three hits over eight innings in Detroit's 3-0 victory at Oakland. Verlander walked three and struck out six. The Tigers were the first MLB team to clinch a division, but continue to play hard, hoping to hold off the Rangers for the second best record in the league and home field advantage in the opening playoff round. The Tigers, 89-64, have a one game lead over Texas and trail the Yankees by three games for the best AL record.

National League

Sandoval: 4 RBI

Pablo Sandoval has gotten hot at the right time.

Just a few days since hitting for the cycle, Sandoval had another big game, going 3-for-4 with a triple, two home runs and four RBI as the Giants continued to pressure the Diamondbacks in the NL West, winning their eighth straight, a no-doubt, 12-5 win at Colorado, sweeping the four game series with the Rockies.

Sandoval has had four multi hit games in his last seven, going 14-for-29 (.483) over that span with four homers and 11 RBI.

San Francisco still trails Arizona by five games in the division with nine left to play, three of those between the two contenders. Arizona reduced their magic number to five with a 5-1 win over the Padres.

The Giants also have hopes in the wild card race, where they are four games behind Atlanta, 7-5 losers to the Mets on Sunday. The Cardinals remained in the wild card hunt, beating Philadelphia, 5-0, to creep to within 3 1/2 games of the Braves, though still trailing the Brewers by 6 1/2 in the Central division. Milwaukee completed a sweep at Cincinnati with an 8-1 win.

Pablo Sandoval Hits for Cycle; Rays Club Red Sox, 9-2, to Open 4-Game Series

Players of the Day for Thursday, September 15, 2011

American League

B.J. Upton

Tampa Bay headed into Boston for a four game series with the Red Sox on Thursday, intent on running down the wild card leaders as the weather turned autumn-like while the pennant races were becoming more heated. After one game, the Rays find themselves a little closer to their goal, having dusted the Sox, 9-2, to pull back to within three games.

B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria provided the bulk of the offensive production, each player going 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. Upton's 3rd inning single plated John Jaso with the Rays' first run and Longoria upped the Tampa lead to 4-0 with his 27th home run, a three-run job that put the Rays well in front and set the tone for the series.

Evan Longoria

Following Casey Kotchman's two-run homer in the 6th, Upton responded with one of his own in the 7th and Kotchman drove in his third run with a single later in the inning to complete the Rays' scoring onslaught. Kotchman was 2-for-4.

Casey Kotchman

The Rays now trail the idle Yankees by 7 1/2, with Boston within their sights, 4 1/2 back. New York 's magic number to clinch the division is 10.

Elsewhere, the Tigers gained a tie for the Central division even though their 12-game win streak ended in Oakland with a 6-1 loss to the A's. Texas beat Cleveland, 7-4, handing the Indians their third straight loss, while the White Sox lost at Kansas City, 7-2, their fifth consecutive defeat.

The Indians would have to win all of their remaining 15 games to tie the Tigers, though the Tigers would have to lose all 12 of the games left on their schedule. The best the White Sox could do is fall a game short.

With Texas winning and the Angles having the night off, the Rangers' lead in the West expanded to 3 1/2 games, though the way Texas has been going, the Angels probably have a better shot at the wild card. They are four back of Boston and one behind the Rays in that race.

National League

Seven games back with just a dozen left to play, the Giants have little hope of catching Arizona in the NL West, but at least Pablo Sandoval gave their fans something to cheer about, hitting for the cycle as San Francisco upended the Rockies, 8-5, in Denver.

Pablo Sandoval

Sandoval homered in the first, doubled in the second, singled in the fifth and legged out a triple in the sixth to become the second player this season to accomplish the batting rarity. Milwaukee catcher George Kottaras did it against Houston less than two weeks ago, on September 3. Sandoval was issued an intentional walk in the eighth.

The Giants have won five straight and hope to catch the Diamondbacks for the division title, though time is running short and the schedule is not kind. The win in Colorado was the start of a ten-game road show for the Giants, which will culminate with a three game series at Arizona next weekend. The Giants close out the regular season with three games against the Rockies in San Francisco.

In the NL East, the Phillies took two from Florida, 3-1 and 2-1, to improve their division lead over Atlanta to 12 games and cut their magic number down to just one. There was no action in the Central, as the Cardinals and Brewers both had the day off.

Coke, Tigers Shut Out Blue Jays; Sandoval leads Giants Past Dodgers

Players of the Day for Saturday, February 26, 2011

American League

Seven Detroit pitchers combined for a 4-0 shutout over the Toronto Blue Jays, all started by two innings of solid work by Phil Coke, who allowed one hit, struck out a batter and didn't issue any walks. The Blue Jays failed to record a hit after the fifth inning.

Primarily a reliever in two seasons with the Yankees and one (2010) with the Tigers, Coke is attempting to convert to a starting role this season.

National League

Pablo Sandoval singled home a run in the second inning and blasted a two-run homer in the 4th, leading the Giants to an 8-3 win over the LA Dodgers.

Sandoval was largely a disappointment for the Giants in 2010, hitting just 13 homers while maintaining a .268 batting average. Slimmed down, Sandoval is attempting to rectify the shortcomings of his 2010 season, which resulted in just three World Series at bats for the erstwhile slugger.

Teixeira Lead Yankees Past Blue Jays; Sandoval, Giants Hammer Reds

Players of the Day for Tuesday, August 24, 2010 American League At least the Yankees don't have to worry about the Toronto Blue Jays nipping at their heels. But they still have to beat them in order to keep in touch with Tampa Bay in the race for the AL East. The Blue Jays dropped an 11-5 decision and fell 12 1/2 games behind the Bombers, as Mark Teixeira and four of his teammates sent balls over the high walls of the Rogers Centre, temporarily turning the tables on the team that leads the majors in home runs. Teixeira managed to scratch out three additional singles, score twice and drive in two runs as the Yankees built up an 11-1 lead in the first six innings. the homer was Teixeira's 28th of the year, which leads the team. Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, Marcus Thames and Jorge Posada also homered. Posada, like Teixeira, collected four hits in the game. The win kept the Yankees tied with Tampa for the lead in the division. Boston is 6 games back. The Yankees and Rays play each seven times in September. New York has six games scheduled with Boston, including the final three games of the season at Fenway Park. National League Pablo Sandoval looks like he's starting to heat up and that could spell trouble for opposing pitchers. Just ask the Reds' hurlers who've been victimized by Sandoval's bat the past two nights. On Monday, Sandoval went 3-for-5 with 3 RBI in an 11-2 win. Tuesday night, he did it again, throwing in his 12th home run of the season for good measure, a solo shot in the 6th inning which completed the Giants' scoring in a 16-5 runaway. Sandoval drove in four runs and scored twice during the rout. San Francisco's second straight win kept them 5 1/2 behind the Padres in the division, but, coupled with losses by the Cardinals and Phillies, have them tied with Philadelphia for the wild card lead with the Cardinals a game behind. Cincinnati still leads St. Louis by 2 1/2 games in the Central.