Twins Win, Max Kepler Homers, Drives in 2; Corey Dickerson's 5 RBI Leads Phillies over Marlins

Players of the Day for Saturday, August 24, 2019

Kepler socks 35th HR

American League

Resisting the challenge from Cleveland, the Twin keep on winning, evening their series with the Tigers Saturday with a 9-5 victory.

Miguel Sano, Max Kepler, and Jake Cave all homered, with Kepler added a single and a double, driving in a pair of runs and scoring twice.

The win was Minnesota's sixth in their last nine games. The Indians, 4-2 winners over Kansas City, kept pace, 2 1/2 games back in the AL Central.

Kepler, who seems to be always on base, is batting just .256, but he's having an all-star season, smacking 35 home runs, driving in 86, and scoring 89 runs. He's tied for second in homers, eighth in runs, and tied for eighth in RBI. Not bad for a leadoff hitter.

Tied a game apiece, Minnesota and Detroit conclude their series in Minneapolis Sunday at 2:10 pm ET.

National League

Dickerson: 4-for-5, 5 RBI

With a 9-3 win at Miami, the Philadelphia Phillies moved past the Mets into third place in the NL East, and are 1 1/2 games behind the Cubs for the second wild card.

Leading the effort was Corey Dickerson, picked up from the Pirates at the trade deadline to provide some extra offense, which is exactly what he did Saturday, going 4-for-5 with two doubles and two singles, driving in five runs.

A lifetime .285 hitter, Dickerson is batting .292 with five doubles, three homers and 19 RBI in 17 games with the Phillies. That's a recipe for success with Andrew McCutchen on the 60-day IL, and Bryce Harper on three days of paternity leave.

Embroiled in a heated wild card race - they're 10 1/2 out in the division - the Phillies have won seven of their last 10 and will look to take two of three in Miami when they take the field Sunday at 1:10 pm ET.

Matt Chapman Delivers in A's 5th Straight Victory; Phillies' Bryce Harper Walks Off Dodgers for 9-8 Win

Players of the Day for Tuesday, July 16, 2019

American League

Chapman heats up for A's

Winners of five straight, the Oakland Athletics rode the arm of Daniel Mengden (7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER) and the white-hot bat of Matt Chapman to a 9-2 win over the visiting Mariners.

While Mangden was mowing down Seattle batters en route to a 5-1 mark, Chapman was lacing balls to left field and beyond, going 3-for-5 with a single, double and his 22nd home run, a two-run shot in the fifth inning that put the A's up 4-1. Immediately following Chapman's blast, Matt Olson ripped his 20th dinger and the rout was on.

Chapman accounted for five RBI, bringing his total to 59 on the season. In his last 15 games, Chapman is 20-for-57 (.351), with four homers and 16 RBI, helping the A's to within 4 1/2 games of West division-leader, Houston.

In just his third season, the 26-year-old is having the best of it, already closing in on career marks in home runs and RBI. He socked 24 long balls in 2018, driving in 68 runs in 145 games. His numbers this year are in just 93 games.

The A's look to complete the sweep in game three of the series, Wednesday, 3:37 pm ET.

National League

Harper: 3-5, HR, 5RBI

After signing a blockbuster long-term contract, Bryce Harper got off to a very slow start with his new team, the Phillies, this season, but as the weather has warmed up, so has Harper's bat.

In Tuesday's 9-8 victory over the Dodgers, Harper was the walk-off hero, doubling in a pair of runs with one out in the ninth to turn the score around and saddle LA closer, Kenley Jansen, with his fourth blown save.

Earlier, in the second inning, Harper smoked a three-run blast to put the Phillies up, 6-1, but the potent Dodger offense rallied to erase that lead, holding an 8-6 edge heading into the bottom of the ninth.

Prior to Harper's final shot, Scott Kingery singled home Andrew Knapp to close the gap to 8-7. Jansen gave up four hits, retiring only one batter.

For Harper, a six-time all-star, the five RBI upped his total to 67. His homer was #17 on the year. In his last 15 games, Harper is batting .315 with four homers and 13 RBI.

The win left Philly 8 1/2 off the pace in the AL East, led by the Atlanta Braves. Washington is currently in second place, 6 1/2 out. The Phils can write their own ticket in the division, as they have five games left with Washington and 10 against the Braves, seven of those at home.

The Phillies host the Dodgers in game three of the four-game set, Wednesday at 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.

Phillies' Aaron Nola Stops Nationals On Five Hits; David Price Blanks Indians In 7-0 Boston Win

Players of the Day for Thursday, August 23, 2018

American League

Price: 14-5

David Price needed just 101 pitches to blank the visiting Indians on three hits as the Red Sox earned a split in the four-game series with Cleveland. Price dueled with Cleveland starter, Adam Plutko. When the Sox scored five runs in the fifth inning, Price was able to relax and just mow down the opposition. He finished with seven strikeouts, no walks and his 14th win against a mere five losses as Boston won, 7-0.

The Red Sox lead the AL East by 9 1/2 over the Yankees and the Indians have no worries with a 12 game bulge over Minnesota in the Central division.

Boston heads to Tampa Bay on Friday for a weekend, three-game series with the Rays while the Indians continue their road trip with three games in Kansas City.

National League

Nola: 15-3

Trading away Daniel Murphy and Matt Adams earlier in the week, the Washington Nationals' front office signaled that they were throwing in the towel on the 2018 season. Despite the sentiment, the games still have to be played and the players are still going to put in their best efforts.

Such was the case as the Nats looked to sweep the Phillies, sending their ace, Max Scherzer, to the hill Thursday afternoon. Washington had won two straight and entered the game 7 1/2 off the pace being set by Atlanta in the NL East.

Scherzer pitched amazingly well, making just one mistake, giving up a seventh-inning, two-run home run to Odubel Herrera, one of just two hits allowed by Mad Max. Unfortunately, that one mistake was enough to produce a 2-0 win for the visiting Phillies, as Aaron Nola improved to 15-3 by blanking the Nationals over eight innings on five hits and one walk, fanning nine.

Nola won his third straight in as many starts, dropping his ERA to 2.13, tying him with Scherzer at second in the NL behind Jacob deGrom's 1.71. Nola is also second in the league in win. Scherzer leads with 16.

The Phillies ended a four game skid and head to Toronto for a three-game series with the Blue Jays, starting Friday.

Kyle Gibson Stops Red Sox In Minnesota Win; Hoskins, Franco, Williams 2 HR Each As Phillies Top Reds.

Players of the Day for Thursday, July 26, 2018

American League

As it turns out, the Boston Red Sox are human.

Kyle Gibson proved as much, limiting the BoSox to four hits and one run over eight innings in a 2-1 Minnesota win at Fenway Park.

Even with the loss, Boston holds the best record in the majors, at 71-33. They lead the Yankees by 4 1/2 games in the AL East.

National League

Nick Williams, Maikel Franco and Rhys Hoskins each homered twice as the Phillies won their third straight, downing the Reds, 7-3, in Cincinnati.

Carlos Santana started the seven home run barrage with a two-run belt in the first. All of the other homers were solo shots.

The win added to the Phillies' lead to 2 1/2 games in the NL East as Atlanta lost to the Dodgers, 8-2.

Hoskins' homers were his 19th and 20th and upped his RBI total to 67. Franco has 17 homers on the year, Williams, 14.

Game two of the four-game series is slated for a 7:10 pm EDT start on Friday.

Jake Arrieta Blanks Marlins, Phillies Extend Lead; Blue Jays Stop Boston Streak, Kevin Pillar 4-for-5

Players of the Day for Friday, July 13, 2018

Pillar: 4-5, 2 2B, 4 RBI

American League

Winners of nine straight, there seemed to be no way to stop the Red Sox.

Toronto figured it out on Friday, outscoring Boston, 13-7, in game two of their three game series at Fenway Park.

Justin Smoak stroked a pair of homers and Kevin Pillar piled up four hits in five at bats with two singles and a pair of doubles, driving in four runs as the Blue Jays rocked Rick Porcello and five Boston relievers for 14 hits.

Pillar broke out of a 4-for-31 slump with his best game of the season.

The win left Boston with a 3 1/2 game lead in the AL East, as the Yankees dropped a 6-5 decision in Cleveland.

Game two is scheduled for Saturday, at 1:05 pm EDT.

National League

Arrieta: 7 scoreless

Jake Arrieta tossed seven scoreless innings as the Philadelphia Phillies opened their three-game series in Miami with a 2-0 victory.

Combined with Atlanta's 2-1 loss to Arizona, the win put the Phillies 1 1/2 games on top in the NL East with just two games remaining before the annual all star break.

Arrieta (7-6) allowed three hits, three walks and struck out three. Relievers Victor Araon and Pat Neschek each pitched perfect frames in the eighth and ninth. Neshek lodges his first save of the year.

The Phillies have been on fire the past three weeks. Starting with a 3-0 win over the Yankees on June 27, they're 12-4, and have surged past the Braves into first place in their division.

Miami hosts the Phillies for game two of the series, Saturday, 4:10 pm EDT.

Albert Pujols Ties Griff As Angels Down Mariners; Jose Alfaro Leads Phillies Past O's

Players of the Day for Thursday, July 12, 2018

American League

Pujols: 630 HRs

Albert Pujols socked two home runs to tie Ken Griffey Jr. for sixth place on the career list with 630 lifetime as the Angels whacked the Mariners, 11-2, as the teams wrapped up a three-game series in Los Angeles.

Taking two of three at home, the Angels continue to hover just above .500 (48-46), but trail the first place Astros in the West by 13 games. Seattle suffered a setback by losing two of the three games, and trail Houston by three games.

Pujols started with a two-run homer in the first inning, putting the Angels up, 3-1. His sixth-inning solo shot boosted the Angels lead to 9-1.

A nine-time all star and three time winner of the N MVP award (2005, 2008, 2009), Pujols is still raking, with 16 home runs and 52 RBI this season. Lifetime, he has a .303 batting average and has 1970 RBI (seventh, all-time).

On Friday, the Mariners start a series against the Rockies in Denver. The Angels head across town for a three-game series with the Dodgers.

National League

Alfaro: 3-4, 2B, HR, 3RBI

With a 5-4 win at Baltimore, the Phillies took a 1/2 game lead over the idle Braves in the NL East.

Philadelphia took all four games in their season series with the Orioles, not surprising, since the O's are baseball's worst team, with a 26-68 record.

Catcher Jorge Alfaro provided key hits for the Phils. He singled and scored the first Philadelphia run in the opening inning, doubled in two runs in the fifth and smacked a solo homer in the sixth for a 5-0 lead.

The Phillies' relief staff nearly gave the game away, allowing a run in the sixth and three in the seventh before settling down and keeping the O's off the board over the last two innings.

Alfaro's home run was his sixth of the season, to go with 21 RBI.

On Friday, the Phillies head to Miami for a three game series. Game one is scheduled for a 7:10 pm EDT start.

Manny Machado Belts a Pair As Orioles Down Yankees; Phillies Take First Place On Maikel Franco's HR, 4 RBI

Players of the Day for Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Machado: 3-4, 2HR, 3RB

American League

Manny Machado took out some Baltimore frustration on New York pitchers, crashing a pair of home runs in the Orioles' 6-5 victory at Camden Yards.

Machado's solo shot in the fifth tied the game at three; his two-run bomb (444 feet) in the seventh tied the game again, knotting the score at 5-5.

Later, in the decisive ninth inning, Machado was intentionally walked to load the bases, setting up Jonathan Schoop for an RBI single that plated Caleb Joseph with the game-winner.

The subject of swirling trade rumors, Machado's homers were his 22nd and 23rd of the season and his three RBI upped his total to 63. The slugging third baseman is sixth in the AL in home runs and third in RBI.

The Yankees dropped 3 1/2 game behind the Red Sox in the AL East division. Boston has won eight straight.

The Orioles, already 37 1/2 games out, have taken two of three from the Yankees and will be looking to capture the series in game four, Wednesday, 7:05 pm EDT.

National League

Franco: 2-4, HR, 4RBI

With sole possession of first place in the NL East staring them in the face, the Philadelphia Phillies wasted little time getting out in front of the Mets en route to a 7-3 victory.

Maikel Franco swatted a three-run home in the first inning as the Phils batted around on Mets' starter Drew Gagnon. The Phillies continued to add to their lead until Franco put the game away in the sixth with an RBI single and a 7-1 lead.

Surprising nearly everyone, the Phillies have played consistently enough to surpass both Washington and Atlanta in the division. Atlanta lost to Toronto, 6-2, and is a game back, while the Nationals took a 5-1 win at Pittsburgh to hold third place, 5 1/2 out.

Franco, 25, is an integral part of the Philadelphia youth movement. In his third full season, he's batting .276 with 12 homers and 45 RBI.

The Phillies have take two straight at Citi Field and will be looking to sweep the Mets when they take the field at 7:10 pm EDT, Wednesday.

Brett Gardner Leads Yankees To Split At Baltimore; Philly's Aaron Nola One-Hits Mets, Plates 3 With Double

Players of the Day for Monday, July 9, 2018

American League

Gardner: 4-6, HR, 3 RBI

By anybody's standards, Brett Gardner had a heck of a day as the Yankees split a double header with the Orioles at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Sitting out most of game one, a 5-4 win for the Orioles, Gardner was 0-for-1 as a pinch-hitter, but made up for it in the nightcap, going 4-for-6 with a homer, double, a pair of singles, three runs and three RBI.

The Yankees romped to a 10-2 victory.

After singling and scoring in the first inning, Gardner's seventh homer of the season put the Yanks ahead, 3-0, in the fourth. His double in the seventh extended the Yankee lead to 7-0. Gardner came around to score on a bases-loaded throwing error and singled again in the ninth.

With Boston winning their seventh straight, 5-0, at Texas, the Yankees slipped to 2 1/2 games behind the AL East leaders.

The Yankees and Orioles play game three of their four-game set Tuesday at 7:05 pm EDT.

National League

Nola: 7IP, 1H, 0ER, 10K

With the Washington Nationals lurking 5 1/2 games behind, the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies are locked into a tie for first place in the NL East, both teams sporting identical 50-39 records.

The deadlock came about as a result of steady, heady play by both squads, the latest being Philly's 3-1 win over the flagging Mets (13 1/2 back) at New York's Citi Field.

Aaron Nola improved to 12-2 with his best outing of the season, a one-hit, seven inning shutout performance the that keyed the Philadelphia victory.

Nola became the first NL pitcher to win 12 games, one ahead of Washington's Max Scherzer and the Cubs' Jon Lester.

Not only did Nola completely stymie the Mets, he also delivered all three Philly runs with a bases-clearing double in the fifth inning. The lone hit off Nola was in the first, when Wilmer Flores singled with two out. After that, Nola set down 18 straight, walking Michael Conforto with two down in the seventh prior to finishing out the inning by fanning Dominic Smith for his 10th strikeout.

After going 12-11 with a 3.54 ERA last year, Nola has emerged as the Phillies' ace with his sixth straight win. His 2.27 ERA is second in the league, behind the Mets' Jacob DeGrom (1.79).

Atlanta was idle, but opens a series at home with the Blue Jays Tuesday. The Phillies and Mets tangle in game two, Tuesday at 7:10 pm EDT.

Phillies Tie Atlanta For 1st Place As Odubel Herrera Leads 17-5 Win; Evan Gattis Powers Houston Past White Sox

Players of the Day for Friday, July 6, 2018

American League

Gattis: 3-4, HR, 4 RBI

With an 11-4 win over the visiting White Sox, Houston extended their lead in the AL West to 2 1/2 over hard-charging Seattle, 7-1 losers to Colorado. Despite winning eight of their last 10, the Astros have had the Mariners breathing down their backs for the better part of the past two weeks. The Mariners recent record is 9-2, including Friday's loss.

Houston seems to have a different star every night, a trademark of the reigning world champs. In Friday's win, that star was Evan Gattis, who singled, doubled, and homered in four at-bats, driving in four runs. His big blow was his 18th homer, a 422-foot, eighth inning, three-run bomb that blew the game wide open.

Gattis has driven in 61 runs this season, tying him for third in the AL with Cleveland's Edwin Encarnacion.

With the physique of a power slugger at 6'4, 270, Gattis is well on his way to a career year after missing half of last season with injuries. He's already surpassed last season's numbers (12 HR, 55 RBI). He's heating up with the weather, already having socked three homers in July and driven in seven runs.

The Astros have taken the first two of their four-game series with Chicago. Game three is scheduled for 4:10 pm EDT on Saturday.

National League

Herrera: 2-for-6, HR, 4RBI

Wihtout a doubt, the team that's been the biggest positive surprise of 2018 has to be the Philadelphia Phillies.

After ending the 2017 season in last place, 31 games behind Washington in the NL East with a 66-96 mark, not much was expected from the youthful Phils this season, but they've thus far exceeded all expectations.

With a 17-5 win at Pittsburgh Friday night, the Phillies tied Atlanta for first place in the division, winning their fifth straight and eighth of their last nine outings.

While the Phillies have been tearing it up, Atlanta has dropped four in a row, including Friday's 5-4 defeat at Milwaukee.

The Phillies took it to six Pittsburgh pitchers, taking the first game from the slumping swashbucklers with 18 hits. Scott Kingery went 4-for-5, Ryan Hoskins was 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBI, and Odubel Herrera singled and homered in six at-bats with four RBI, the crucial blow his three-run dinger in the third inning that gave Philly a 5-1 lead.

Pittsburgh battled back to within 5-4, but the Phillies scored two in the sixth, seven in the seventh, and three more in the ninth inning to make it a complete blowout.

Herrera, who has been a solid contributor since 2015, is having a breakout season. With 15 homers, he's already equalled his person high mark from 2016 and his 51 RBI is just five short of his best, in 2017. And, he's done all this in just 83 games.

The Phillies will be looking to extend their winning streak when they play game two of their three-game series in Pittsburgh, Saturday at 4:05 pm EDT.

Phillies' Zach Eflin Blanks Yanks in 3-0 Win; Alex Bregman Walks Off Jays As Houston Wins

Players of the Day for Wednesday, June 27, 2018

American League

Alex Bregman socked a two-run, walk off homer in the bottom of the ninth as the Houston Astros recovered from a 5-0 deficit to defeat the visiting Toronto Blue Jays, 7-6.

Bregman: Walk-off 2R HR

After a disastrous first inning by starter Dallas Keuchel, in which the Houston ace allowed five runs, the Astros went on the offensive immediately, scoring three in the bottom of the frame. Keuchel lasted 5 1/3, allowing another run in the sixth, but Houston kept chipping away, though they still trailed, 6-5 entering the ninth.

Matt Kemp singled to open the ninth, but George Springer pooped out for the first out. Bregman, who had stroked a pair of doubles prior to his final at-bat, smacked an 0-2 pitch from Ryan Tepera deep into the left field stands for the win.

Bregman is batting .277 with 14 homers and 49 RBI.

The Astros took two of three from the Blue Jays and head to Tampa Bay Thursday for a four-game series with the Rays. Game one is scheduled for a 7:10 pm EDT first pitch.

National League

Eflin: 7IP, 4H, 0ER, W

Monday and Tuesday, the Yankees took two straight in Philadelphia, but Wednesday belonged to the Phillies, who avoided being swept on a brilliant pitching performance by Zach Eflin a three-run homer by Rhys Hoskins and a two-inning save from Seranthony Dominguez in the 3-0 whitewash.

Eflin (6-2) pitched his best game of the season, allowing four hits over seven innings, getting first strikes on 22 of the 26 batters he faced, striking out six and walking a pair. Only one Yankee - Miguel Andujar, in the second inning - reached second base as Eflin stymied the Bombers before Dominguez came in to slam the door shut with two perfect innings in relief, striking out three in the process.

Hoskins' homer - his 12th - came in the second off Yankee starter Luis Cessa (0-1), who lasted just three innings.

Eflin, who threw 67 of 92 pitches for strikes, completed his 10th start of the year, one less than in both all of 2016 and 2017, but the results are encouraging for Phillies' fans. In 2016, he was 3-5 with a 5.54 ERA. 2017 was a step back, as the 6'6", 24-year-old hurler went 1-5 with a 6.16 ERA. This season, the 6-2 record comes with a 3.02 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP and a 4-1 K-BB ratio.

The Phillies picked up a game on the Braves, as Atlanta lost, 6-5, to the Reds. They are three games back in second place. Philly hosts the Nationals for four games starting Thursday at 7:05 pm EDT. The Yankees get a day off before opening a three-game set with Boston at Yankee Stadium.

Matt Davidson Delivers Again For White Sox With 2 HRs; Odubel Herrera Socks A Pair As Phillies Top Braves

Players of the Day for Friday, April 27, 2018

Davidson: 2HR, 3RBI

American League

Matt Davidson was at it again, blasting a pair of home runs - including a two-run belt which plated the go-ahead runs in the 11th inning - as the White Sox took their second straight at Kansas City, 7-4.

The second-year slugger launched a 440-foot bases-empty bomb in the fourth inning, putting the Sox up, 3-2, and capped off the night with the game-winner.

Friday night marked the second straight game in which Davidson has gone yard twice, helping produce back-to-back wins for the White Sox. He's now tied for third in the AL with nine. LA's Mike Trout and Yankee Didi Gregorius lead the league with 10 apiece.

Game three of the series in Kansas City starts Saturday at 2:15 pm EDT.

National League

Prospects for a win didn't look very good for the Phillies after starting pitcher, Aaron Nola gave up three runs to Atlanta in the top of the first inning, but that was before Odubel Herrera got to the plate in the bottom of the frame.

Herrera: 2HR, 4RBI

With two aboard, Herrera unloaded off Atlanta hurler, Julio Teheran, restarting the game with his second home run of the season.

The Phillies, hosting the opener of a three-game series with the Braves, took the lead for good in the sixth, when Herrera socked his second of the game, a solo shot that led to the eventual 7-3 Philadelphia victory.

Herrera is off to an exceptional start to the season, batting .348, good for second in the NL. The youthful Phillies have been the biggest surprise of the season, riding Herrera's hot bat and the overall exuberance of the team and fans to a 16-9 mark, remaining 1/2-game behind the Mets in the NL East after NY topped San Diego, 5-1, later in the evening. The loss dropped the third place Braves 2 1/2 games off the pace.

Game two of the series is slated for a 6:05 pm EDT start.

Phillies Hammer Marlins, 20-1, As Maikel Franco Drives in 6; Xander Bogaerts Leads Red Sox To 7th Straight Win

Players of the Day for Saturday, April 7, 2018

American League

Bogaerts: GS, 6 RBI

After the Rays scored two runs in the top of the first, the Red Sox responded with four of their own, highlighted by Xander Bogaerts two-run double to take an early lead.

In the second, Bogaerts put another ball out of reach, mashing a grand slam to left-center, putting Boston up for good in their 10-3 rout at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox won their seventh straight after opening the regular season with a loss and lead the AL East by 2 1/2 games over the Yankees and Blue Jays.

Bogaerts tally of six RBI left him one shy of the AL lead, with 10. Toronto's Justin Smoak and the Yankees' Didi Gregorius each have driven in 11 runs.

For Tampa Bay, their losing streak equals Boston's winning skein as Tampa Bay won their home opener against Boston, but has lost every game since, including two at Yankee Stadium earlier in the week.

The Rays will try to stop the rampaging Red Sox on Sunday in the finale of their three-game series. Start time is 1:05 pm EDT.

National League

Franco: GS, 6 RBI

Vince Velazquez allowed four hits and one measly run over six innings and Jake Thompson blanked the visiting Marlins on one hit over the final three innings in Philadelphia's 20-1 smackdown of Miami.

With the Phillies' pitching more than adequate, Maikel Franco led a 20-hit assault against six Miami hurlers, socking a first-inning grand slam and a two-run double in the fourth to drive in six runs.

Philadelphia scored five runs in the first, four in the third and eight in the fourth, outdistancing their opponent early in the game.

For Franco, the home run was his second in as many games, the six RBI tying him for the league lead with Atlanta's Freddie Freeman and Pittsburgh's Gregory Polanco, each with 11.

The win was the second straight for Philly over the Marlins, and they will be looking for the series sweep Sunday afternoon, at 1:35 pm EDT.

Maikel Franco Homers, Drives in 4 For Phillies; Andrew Cashner Hurls Orioles to 5-2 Win Over Yankees

Players of the Day for Thursday, April 5, 2018

National League

The name Maikel Franco may not be a household word, but the 25-year-old third baseman is becoming pretty well known around Philadelphia and among National League pitchers for his power hitting prowess and obvious baseball talents.

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

In Thursday's 5-0 shutout over the visiting Marlins, Franco delivered all but one of the Phillies runs, singling in the first two in the first inning and knocking in the last two in the seventh with a two-run homer, his first of the year. In between, Franco tripled but was left stranded in the fifth.

While Franco was driving in runs, starting hurler, Nicholas Pivetta was mowing down Marlins, fanning nine in 5 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and no runs for his initial win of 2018.

Franco is in his fifth season with the Phillies, making an impact the last two, with a combined 49 homers and 164 RBI in 2016 and 2017.

The Phillies won for just the second time this season, against four losses, but for a team that was among the worst in the majors, the future looks brighter. They'll get a day off Friday and get back to action against the Marlins on Saturday at 6:05 pm EDT.

American League

Cashner: 6IP, 2H, 1R, 5K

There's been plenty written and spoken about the mighty lineup the Yankees have assembled this season, but Andrew Cashner managed to keep the "Baby Bombers" in check, earning his first win of the season as Baltimore scored five runs in the seventh for a 5-2 win in the first of a four game series at Yankee Stadium.

Cashner dueled with Yasahiro Tanaka for six full innings, finally giving up an opposite field solo home run to Aaron Judge in the sixth to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. After the O's put up a five-spot in the top of the seventh, manager Buck Schowalter went to his bullpen, as Cashner had thrown 100 pitches, allowed just two hits, walked three and struck out five.

Michael Givens allowed a run in the seventh, but Darren O'Day shut the door and Brad Brach worked a hitless ninth for his first save of the year.

Cashner is 1-1, adding a much-needed bit of depth to the Orioles' rotation. He's a veteran of eight seasons, with the Cubs, Padres, Marlins, and most recently, the Rangers, where he went 11-11 with a 3.40 ERA in 28 starts.

The Orioles won just their second game of the season, with four losses, while the Yankees dropped to 3-4. Both teams are trailing the 6-1 Red Sox.

Game two of the four-game series starts Friday at 7:05 pm EDT.

Whit Merrifield Homers Twice In Royals 6th Straight Win; Ben Lively Tosses Five Scoreless in Philly Victory

Players of the Day for Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Grapefruit League

Lively: 5IP, 3H, 0ER, 4K

In a game shortened to 6 1/2 innings, the Phillies eked out a 2-0 victory over the visiting Blue Jays thanks largely to five innings of shutout ball thrown by Ben Lively.

Lively spent the majority of his 2017 rookie season in the Phillies' bullpen, but is looking to become part of the starting rotation this season.

The effort on Tuesday was his fifth start of Spring, indicating that he's well on his way to making the starting roster come opening day.

Allowing just three hits, no walks, fanning four, Lively, a 6'4" right-hander, earned his first win, against one loss.

One of the youngest teams in the majors, the Phillies had a horrible season last year, finishing last in the NL East, at 66-96, a full 31 games behind the Nationals in the division.

Spring has seen a little improvement, as the Phillies are 10-15, but are seven games out, ahead of only Pittsburgh and the Mets.

Cactus League

Merrifield: 3-3, 2HR, 3RBI

Kansas City won its sixth straight game, but because the Cubs and Indians were idle and the first-place Brewers tied Colorado, 4-4, the Royals remained in fourth place, 2 1/2 games off the pace.

Playing at their Spring home in Surprise, Arizona, the Royals hammered the Giants, 10-1, with starter Ian Kennedy going four innings, allowing San Francisco's only run while second baseman Whit Merrifield supplied the power in the early innings.

Merrifield started with a single and scored in the first inning, then socked a solo homer in the second, following up with a two-run shot in the fourth.

Entering his third season in the pros, Merrifield is having a sensational Spring, batting .465 with four home runs and 11 RBI and three stolen bases.

In 2017, Merrifield proved himself to be a steady, every day player, batting .288 in 145 games with 19 home runs and 78 RBI. Noting his Spring stats, Merrifield could be on his way to an all-star appearance this summer.

Ryon Healy Homers Twice, Drives In 5 As A's Top Jays; Odubel Herrera Leads Phillies Over Braves

Players of the Day for Monday, June 5, 2017

Healy: 2HR, 5 RBI

American League

In Oakland, there isn't much to be happy about, such as the NFL Raiders being set to move to Las Vegas in 2020, and the area's baseball team, the Oakland A's, in last place in the AL West.

Whatever the mood in the second city by the bay, the baseball season is long, and only a third finished as of this date, so the A's trudge onward. Opening a three game series with the Toronto Blue Jays, the A's came up 5-3 winners with all of their runs driven in by second-year DH Ryon Healy.

Socking a pair of home runs off Toronto starter, A.J. Happ (0-4, 5.33), Healy offers some degree of hope in the future success of the A's, being that he's only 25 and has already equaled his home run total from last season (13) in fewer games (56 vs. 72) and will surpass his RBI total from 2016 shortly, as he drove in 37 last year and has driven in 33 this year.

Healy whacked a three-run shot in the second and followed up in his next at-bat with a two-run belt. Done and done. Oakland pitching did the rest, with starter Sean Manaea (5-3, 3.81) allowing two earned over six innings and a trio of A's relievers giving up just two hits and one run (Justin Smoak's 15th home run, a solo shot in the eighth) over the final three frames.

The A's host Toronto in game two of the series on Tuesday. Game time is 7:05 pm PT.

Herrera: 2 doubles, HR

National League

At 20-35, the Phillies have the worst record in the majors, but every now and then they upset another team by actually beating them. It's not that the Phillies are a bad team - though they might be - it's just that after trading away or releasing all of the good players that made them a contender in the 2000s, they've not made the effort to rebuild.

But, they do possibly have the nucleus of a future team in the two, three and four batters in their current lineup, Odubel Herrera, Aaron Altherr, and Tommy Joseph.

Each member of that trio socked home runs in Philly's 11-4 victory at Atlanta, were a combined 9-for-14 and combined to drive in eight of the Phillies' 11 runs.

Herrera had the best at-bats, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and a two-run homer, the round-tripper coming in a five-run fourth inning that put Philadelphia ahead, 9-0. Herrera, 25, had his two doubles prior to that, scoring both times, in the first and third innings.

Having been the starting center fielder for Philly the past two seasons, Herrera's position is pretty solid, with a .283 career batting average, 28 homers, 112 RBI and 45 steals. Altherr is a 26-year-old right fielder with a .295 average, nine home runs and 31 RBI. First baseman Tommy Jospeh, in his second year, is 25, and has 10 long balls and 28 RBI with a .245 average.

So, while the Phillies may not be going anywhere in particular this season, the future surrounding the middle of their batting order has a high degree of upside.

The win was in the opener of a four-game series in Atlanta. Game two is scheduled for Tuesday, 7:35 pm ET.

Colby Rasmus, Matt Andriese Deliver In 4-0 Rays Win; Tommy Joseph Saves Phillies In 2-1 Win Over Rockies

Players of the Day for Thursday, May 25, 2017

American League

After losing the first two games of their four-game series with the visiting Angels, Tampa Bay got back to .500 (25-25) and dropped the Angels to an even 25-25 by winning the third and fourth games, 5-2 on Wednesday and 4-0 on Thursday.

Andriese: Strong 8 innings

While starter, Matt Andriese, was holding LA at bay for eight scoreless innings, Colby Rasmus was knocking in all of Tampa's runs, singling in a pair in the first and doubling home the same two guys - Cory Dickerson and Evan Longoria - in the fifth.

For Andriese (5-1, 3.24), the game was likely his best of the year thus far, scattering six hits and a pair of walks, fanning five. Another comparable performance for the 27-year-old righty was May 4, when he blanked Miami on seven hits over seven innings, walking three, striking out eight, in a 5-1 Rays victory.

Rasmus: 4 RBI

Andriese has picked up wins in four of his last five starts, without a loss.

The Rays are now five games behind the Yankees in the AL East and head to Minnesota on Friday, looking to extend their win streak to three games when they met the first-place Twins in the first of three at 8:10 pm ET.

National League

The Phillies finally figured out how to beat the Rockies, though it took them four games to do so.

Philadephia ended a for-game winning streak by Colorado and avoided being swept at home by the Rockies with a 2-1, 11-inning victory Thursday.

Their method was to use seven pitchers (even though starter Vince Velazquez pitched well enough to win - but got no decision - allowing one run over five innings) and make sure second-year first baseman, Tommy Joseph, got to the plate often enough.

Joseph keys Philly win

Joseph went 2-for-5 and drove in both of the runs for the Phillies, homering in the seventh inning to tie the game and delivering the game-winner with a single that scored Michael Saunders from second with one out in the bottom of the 11th.

Joseph's home run was his seventh and the two RBI for the game gave him 22 on the year. He's batting .255.

The Phillies ended the day tied with Miami for last place in the NL East, both teams 11 1/2 behind runaway leader Washington. Despite the loss, Colorado maintained first place in the NL West, though their lead over the Diamondbacks was trimmed to one game.

Philly stays put, opening a three-game series with the Reds on Friday, while the Rockies return home after a successful road trip (8-2) to play the Cardinals in three games over the weekend.

Grand Slam Night: Ryan Rua Goes Yard For Rangers; Maikel Franco Clears Bases For Phillies

Players of the Day for Wednesday, April 26, 2017

American League

Rua's Slam Lifts Rangers

Blowing open the game with an eight-run eighth inning highlighted by Ryan Rua's grand slam, the Texas Rangers avoided being swept at home by the Minnesota, taking game three of their series by a score of 14-3.

Rua's belt was his second hit of the game, going 2-for-5 wiht four RBI. A part-time player, Rua only has 34 at-bats this season. The homer was his first of the year. He hit eight last season in 99 games with the Rangers.

The Rangers' win got them a game closer to AL West leader, Houston, losers to Cleveland Wednesday night, 7-6. After a slow, 5-10 start, the Rangers are 10-12 winning five of their last seven, 4 1/2 games back, but only 1/2 game out of second place in the division.

Texas will complete a ten-game home stand with a three-game series against the Angels starting Friday. Game one is slated for an 8:05 pm ET start.

National League

Maikel Franco Fuels Phils

Philadelphia took the first of a two-game series with the Marlins Wednesday night, topping Miami, the 7-4 win fueled by Maikel Franco's grand slam, a 407-foot blast that cleared the wall in center field, turning a 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 lead.

The Phillies padded their edge with a run in the sixth and two more in the eighth, tying Miami for second place in the NL East, four games behind Washington. All of Philadelphia's runs came via the long ball.

For Franco, it was his fourth homer of the season, boosting his RBI total to 20 for the season.

The Phillies have won five straight and will be looking to extend their streak when they host the Marlins Thursday afternoon at Citizen's Bank Park. Game time is 1:05 pm ET.

Kendall Graveman Shuts Down Rangers As A's Win; Howie Kendrick Stars As Phillies Pound Nats, 17-3

Players of the Day for Saturday, April 8, 2017

American League

Kendall Graveman

The Oakland A's aren't supposed to compete in the race for the AL West crown, but don't tell that to Oakland hurler Kendall Graveman, who held the Texas Rangers to one run on two hits over seven innings on the mound Saturday.

Graveman, in his third season as a starter, threw 85 pitches - 58 for strikes - as Oakland evened their three-game series with the Rangers at a game apiece with a 6-1 win.

Graveman walked one and fanned five, improving to 2-0 on the year. The only run allowed was on a solo homer by Mike Napoli in the seventh inning, after Graveman had set down 14 Rangers in a row. Once Graveman finished the inning and took a spot on the bench, Santiago Casilla and Ryan Madsen went to work, each throwing a perfect inning to close out the game.

The win got the A's to 3-3, while the Rangers dropped to 1-4. The two teams will complete the series on Sunday. Game time at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, is 3:05 pm ET.

National League

Howie Kendrick

Supposedly, the Washington Nationals have the best starting rotation in the league, maybe in all of baseball, but you couldn't tell by yesterday's mauling at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, as the Phillies hammered out 12 runs in the first inning en route to a 17-3 beat down of their NL East rivals.

Washington starter Jeremy Guthrie lasted just 2/3rds of an inning, allowing six hits, four walks and 10 runs. The main protagonist for the Phillies was left fielder Howie Kendrick, who socked a bases-loaded triple to highlight the opening inning.

The three-bagger was in Kendrick's second at-bat of the inning. He earlier singled and scored Philadelphia's second run. Coming up again in the seventh, Kendrick singled once more, driving in Cesar Hernandez, completing a 3-for-5 day with four RBI for the journeyman utility player.

A 12-year veteran, Kendrick spent nine seasons with the Angels and the last two with the Dodgers before being picked up by the Phillies in the off-season. In four games this year, he's batting .444 with 12 total bases.

Phillies Down Dodgers on Maikel Franco's Grand Slam; Indians' Carlos Carrasco Tosses One-Hitter, Gets No Decision

Players of the Day for Tuesday, August 4, 2015

American League

Carrasco: 1-hitter

Franco: Grand Slam

The season hasn't gone very well for the Cleveland Indians (picked by Sports Illustrated to win the American League pennant), but Tuesday night's 2-0, 12-inning win over the Angels was a bit of sweet redemption.

Starting pitcher, Carlos Carrasco, had a perfect game through the first two hitters in the fourth inning , prior to walking Mike Trout with two down in the frame. He escaped un-hit, but surrendered the no-hit bid via a lead-off single by David Murphy, who was thrown out trying to steal for the first out of the frame.

Carrasco got the next two in order and proceeded to mow down the remaining 12 Angels in the sixth through ninth for a one-hit shutout, but, the game was still tied, and went to extra innings.

Indians' third-baseman, Giovanni Urshela, belted a two-run homer in the top of the twelfth inning that proved to be the difference.

Even though he did not get a decision, Carrasco put up one of the best mound performances of the season, walking one and fanning seven on 100 pitches, 68 of which were strikes.

In 22 starts this season, Carrasco is 11-8, with a 3.76 ERA. Not bad, considering he's hurling for a last-place team.

The Angels and Indians play the rubber game of their three-game set Wednesday afternoon at 3:35 pm EDT in Anaheim.

National League

The Dodgers continue to cling to first place in the NL West, but it seems only a matter of time before the Giants (8-3 winners at Atlanta Tuesday) catch them and take control of the division.

LA continues to play sub-par ball, as witnessed in their 6-2 loss to the Phillies in the opener of a three-game series at Philadelphia.

The Dodgers actually outhit the Phillies, 11-10, but stranded 13 runners and were just 2-12 with runners in scoring position.

For their part, the Phillies, current basement residents of the NL East - though now only one game behind the Marlins - got a huge boost from third-baseman, Maikel Franco, who broke a 1-1 tie with a seventh-inning grand slam, his 12th home run of the season and first of his career.

A rookie who played in 16 games for the Phillies last season, Franco is batting .282 and has driven in 44 runs in 70 games.

He's been a bright spot in an otherwise dismal season for Philly fans.

The Dodgers and Phillies play game two of the series Tuesday night at 7:05 pm EDT.