Pedro Alvarez Slams Yanks In 14th For Baltimore Win; Pirates Gash Reds, Colin Moran 4-for-5 In 13-4 Rout

Players of the Day for Friday, April 6, 2018

American League

Alvarez slam sinks Yanks

At chilly Yankee Stadium, Pedro Alvarez sat through the first nine innings of Baltimore's game with the Yankees, finally called upon to pinch hit in a 3-3 tie with two out and a man aboard in the 10th.

Alvarez came through with a single, but was left stranded as the game continued deep into the night. After walking in the 12th and again being left on base, Alvarez got another shot when he arrived at the plate with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the 14th.

This time, he got his pitch, and delivered it to the weary fans above the right-center field wall, clearing the bases with a grand slam, leading the Orioles to their second straight victory in New York, a 7-3 win that ended after 1:00 am in the Eastern time zone.

The blast was just Alvarez's second home run since 2016. After spending most of last season with Baltimore's AAA affiliate, Norfolk, in the International League, Alvarez has already equalled his production with the Orioles from 2017, when he hit one home run and drove in four runs in 14 games.

The five hour, 20-minute game featured 14 pitchers. Baltimore closer, Brad Brach, sealed the win, putting the Yankees down order in the bottom of the 14th.

It's a quick turn-around for both teams, with game three of the four-game series slated for a 1:05 pm EDT start in the Bronx.

National League

Moran: 4-for-5, 3 R, 3 RBI

This season was supposed to be one of rebuilding for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the construction appears to be proceeding ahead of schedule, because there are the Pirates atop the NL Central at 6-1, 1 1/2-games ahead of second place Milwaukee.

Pittsburgh's most recent exploit was the dismantling of visiting Cincinnati on Friday, as the Pirates banged out 15 hits to steamroll the Reds, 14-3.

Leading the hit parade was rookie third baseman, Colin Moran, who went 4-for-5 with three RBI and three runs, boosting his batting average to a solid .318.

Moran got the Pirates started with an RBI double in the second inning, then plated a pair with a bases-loaded single in the fourth, adding two more singles and scoring in the sixth and seventh.

Acquired by the Pirates from Houston in the off-season, Moran is 7-for-22 with a home run and eight RBI in six games this season. At 6'4", 205 pounds, Moran has the potential to be a solid power hitter and steady fielder at third base for some time.

Meanwhile, the Pirates are cruising along early in the season and host the Reds in game three of their four-game series at 7:05 pm EDT Saturday, seeking their third straight over their Central division rival.

Brett Lawrie Launches Pair of Homers to Keep A's in First Place; Pirates All Over Phillies in 18-4 Rout, Pedro Alvarez Slams

Players of the Day for Monday, March 30, 2015

Grapefruit League

Pedro Alvarez

In their eventual 18-4 win over the Phillies, the Pirates put on a slugging display, banging out six home runs, but, prior to the bottom of the fifth, the slugging nearly came to the style done with fists instead of bats.

Down 6-0 at the time, tensions were rising in the Philadelphia dugout, and both benches cleared before order was restored. No punches were thrown, but Phillies first base coach Juan Samuel and Pirates third base coach Rick Sofield were ejected.

Matters just got worse for the Phillies, as the Pirates exploded for 12 more runs. Pedro Alvarez smacked a pair of home runs - one of them a grand slam - and drove in six runs.

In 13 exhibition games, Alvarez is batting .325 with four homers and 15 RBI.

The Pirates improved to 14-10 with the win, drawing to within one game of the Grapefruit League-leading Mets. Pittsburgh is tied for second place with the Blue Jays.

Cactus League

Brett Lawrie

Just in case nobody noticed, it's beginning to look like some teams are actually serious about winning the race in the Cactus League.

The top three teams - the A's, Dodgers and Royals - were all in action on Monday, each producing a win to keep the competitive juices flowing.

The Dodgers topped the Diamondbacks, 4-2; Kansas City roughed up the Rangers, 11-7, with Mike Moustakas hitting a grand slam, and the first-place A's pummeled the Rockies, 11-2, helped along by two homers from Brett Lawrie.

Lawrie delivered a solo shot in the fifth inning, followed by a three-run blast in the sixth.

Penciled in to be the A's starting third baseman this season, Lawrie was picked up from Toronto, where he had played all of his major league career, beginning in 2011.

The Athletics have a one-game edge over the Dodgers and lead the Royals by 1 1/2.

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Kennys Vargas Drives in Five as Twins Spilt Double Bill with Tigers; Pirates Win Third Straight as Pedro Alvarez Socks Two Homers

Players of the Day for Saturday, August 23, 2014

American League

Vargas: 5 RBI

It was quite a day for hitters in Minneapolis, where the Twins and Tigers split a day/night double-header, the hometowners taking the opener by a 12-4 score before falling to the visiting Tigers in the nightcap, 8-6.

What it wasn't a good day for was being a pitcher on either team, as the two squads accounted for a total of 52 hits - 24 in the first game, 28 in the second.

Rookie first baseman, Kennys Vargas, playing in just his 21st and 22nd games since being called up from AA New Britain August 1st, had a nice game in the opener, going 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a sac fly. His bases-clearing two-bagger in the seventh inning completed the scoring for the Twins.

While the Twins have been out of contention for some time, the split didn't particularly help the Tigers, as both the Royals and Mariners were winners on Saturday, leaving the Tigers three games behind Kansas City in the Central division and a game short of Seattle in the wild card race. Even the Yankees - with their 5-3 win over the White Sox - picked up 1/2 game on the Tigers in the wild card, now trailing them by just 2 1/2 games.

The Tigers haven't fared well at all against the last-place Twins, losing the opener of their four-game series, 20-6 Friday night. They wrap up their visit Sunday at 2:10 pm EDT.

National League

Alvarez: 2HR, 4RBI

The Central divisin continues to be the hottest race in the majors, especially since the Pirates have taken two straight from front-running Milwaukee.

After an 8-3 victory Friday, the Pirates doubled their fun with a 10-2 triumph at Miller Park in Milwaukee as Pedro Alvarez led a 12-hit assault with a pair of home runs, both off Milwaukee ace, Wily Peralta, who lasted just five innings and took the loss (15-8).

Alvarez unloaded for his 16th in the fourth inning with a three-run shot, then followed up the next inning with a solo blast right after Russell Martin connected for a three-run jolt.

Coming off a rough patch in mid-month in which they lost seven in a row, the Pirates have rebounded with three straight wins and will be looking for the sweep when they complete their series in Milwaukee Sunday afternoon at 2:10 EDT.

Four games behind the Brewers in the Central, they have helped the Cardinals, who now trail Milwaukee by just 1/2 game. The Pirates are still in the wild card hunt, trailing the Giants by 1 1/2 games and Atlanta by 1/2.

Yoenis Cespedes Drives A's Past Jays, 9-4; Pedro Alvarez, Andrew McCutchen Push Pirates to within 1/2 Game of 1st in NL Central

Players of the Day for Monday, July 29, 2013

American League

Yoenis Cespedes

It's no fluke that the Oakland A's are leading the AL West by six games over the Rangers, with the rest of the division fading fast in Oakland's rear-view mirror.

Yoenis Cespedes, he of the All Star Home Run Derby 2013 championship, belted an eighth-inning solo homer to cement Oakland's 9-4 win over the visiting Blue Jays.

Sporting a batting average that is flirting with the Mendoza line at .236, Cespedes has been picking it up of late, going 3-for-5 in the A's victory, with a triple, the homer, and a single, scoring twice while driving in three.

Cespedes is batting a more-robust .333 over his last ten games, with eight RBI during that span, giving him an even 50 on the season. Not by coincidence, the A's are 7-3 in their last ten, while the Rangers have dropped seven of their last ten games.

The win opened a three-game series with the Jays, which continues Tuesday night at 10:05 pm EDT.

National League

Andrew McCutchen

It's tough being on top. Just ask the St. Louis Cardinals.

Pedro Alvarez

Fresh off being swept by the Braves in a three-game series, the Cardinals headed to Pittsburgh to open a five-game series with the second place Pirates, who have been breathing down the back of St. Louis for most of the season.

Pittsburgh pulled to within 1/2 game of St. Louis in the Central division with a 9-2 win, powered by two of the Pirates' biggest stars, Pedro Alvarez and Andrew McCutchen.

McCutchen got things started in a hurry for Pittsburgh, singling in the game's first run in the first inning, followed, later in the frame by Alvarez with a three-run homer, as the Pirates build a 4-0 lead off St. Louis starter, Jake Westbrook.

McCutchen singled and scored again in the seventh, the game getting out of hand, as Francisco Liriano (11-4) stifled the Cards on four hits and one earned run over seven, fanning eight.

Today's Trivia: Joe Medwick set the NL mark for doubles in a season with 64 in 1936. Since then only one player has been close, with 59 two-baggers in a season. Who was it and what year was it? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: Lance Berkman led the NL in doubles in 2001, with 55, and tied for the lead with Nate McLouth, both with 46, in 2006.

Max Scherzer Fans 12 in 5-0 Detroit Victory; Pedro Alvarez Leads Pirates with 6 RBI

Players of the Day for Sunday, June 17, 2012

American League

Scherzer: 8IP 0ER 12K

Talk about two teams going in opposite directions: The Detroit Tigers won for the sixth time in their last eight outings, topping the Colorado Rockies, 5-0, as Max Scherzer (6-4) scattered seven hits over eight innings and fanned 12 without walking a batter, sending Colorado to their 10th loss in the last 11 games.

Scherzer threw 89 of 122 pitches for strikes and was pulled after eight full innings, having given it his all, setting down 10 of the last 11 batters he faced. Brayan Villarreal mopped up with a perfect ninth inning to preserve the win.

Scherzer's strikeout total reached an even 100, three behind teammate Justin Verlander, who leads the league.

The Tigers picked up a game on both AL Central leader Chicago and second place Cleveland and are just three games off the pace, with the Indians 1 1/2 ahead.

Both teams get a day off on Monday. Colorado heads to Philadelphia for a three game series starting Tuesday, while the Tigers continue their home stand with three against St. Louis.


National League

Pittsburgh continues to hang tough in the NL Central, taking two of three at Cleveland with a 9-5 victory over the Indians on Sunday.

Alvarez: 2HR, 6RBI

The Pirates took over sole possession of second place in the division, four back of Cincinnati, winners of six straight. St. Louis dropped to five behind, losing to Kansas City, 5-3, in 10 innings.

Pittsburgh got the bulk of their offense from third baseman Pedro Alvarez, who socked a pair of three-run homers and added a double to go 3-for-4 with six RBI.

Cleveland remained 1 1/2 behind the White Sox in the AL Central. It won't get any easier for the Indians as they host a three-game series with the Reds, starting Monday.

The Pirates return home for a six game home stand beginning Tuesday, with three against the Twins, followed by a weekend series with the Tigers.