Players of the Day for Sunday, August 18, 2019
American League
Rafael Devers became the first player in the majors to knock in 100 runs this season, going 4-for-5 with four RBI in Boston's 13-7 romp over the Orioles.
Devers has been "el Fuego" of late, riding an eight-game hitting streak in which he's batting a robust .540 (20-for-37) with four home runs and 14 RBI. That streak includes an August 13, 6-for-6 effort in a 7-6 win at Cleveland which started Boston's current five-game winning streak.
Devers singled, doubled twice, and socked his 27th home run as the Red Sox completed a three-game sweep of the visiting Orioles. He has 101 RBI and is third in the batting stats, at .332.
Boston remained 6 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay for the second wild card spot, as the Rays defeated Detroit, 5-4. While the odds that the Red Sox will reach the playoffs are slim, they do play at Tampa Bay four more times and have a favorable schedule coming up. After hosting two games against the contending Phillies Tuesday and Wednesday, they embark on an eight-game road trip, with three in San Diego, two at Colorado, and three in Anaheim against the Angels. All of those teams have sub-.500 records.
National League
There's little doubt who the NL rookie of the year is going to be. The Mets' Pete Alonso has been having an incredible first year, providing a power punch in the middle of New York's lineup.
On Sunday, Alonso watched a milestone, setting a new National League record for home runs by a rookie with his 40th dinger as the Mets punched out the Royals, 11-5, tying Philadelphia and Milwaukee in the wild card standings.
Alonso, home run was an add-on solo shot in the ninth, but he contributed earlier, walking and scoring in the first inning on Michal Conforto's three=run homer, singling in the sixth, doubling in a run and scoring in the Mets' six=-run seventh.
His two RBI have Alonso at 95, closing in on the leaders, three of which are tied at 98 (Freddie Freeman, Eduardo Escobar, and Josh Bell). He's batting .271.
The previous rookie HR record was held by Cody Bellinger, who socked 39 for the Dodgers in 2017 and was named rookie of the year. Alonso is just one homer short of the Mets' franchise record, held jointly by Carolos Beltran and Todd Hundley. Mark McGuire's MLB record of 49, set with the Oakland Athletics in 1987, may be too much to ask of the 24-year-old slugger.
24-10 since the all-star break, the Mets are the success story of the second half. They've gotten themselves into the wild card hunt, just two games behind the Cubs and/or Cardinals, who are the holders of the second spot but are tied for the lead in the NL Central.
Their work cut out for them with a brutal schedule ahead - a nine-game home stand with three games each against the Indians, Braves, and Cubs - the Mets open on Tuesday with a 7:10 pm ET game against Cleveland.
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| Devers first to 100 RBI |
Rafael Devers became the first player in the majors to knock in 100 runs this season, going 4-for-5 with four RBI in Boston's 13-7 romp over the Orioles.
Devers has been "el Fuego" of late, riding an eight-game hitting streak in which he's batting a robust .540 (20-for-37) with four home runs and 14 RBI. That streak includes an August 13, 6-for-6 effort in a 7-6 win at Cleveland which started Boston's current five-game winning streak.
Devers singled, doubled twice, and socked his 27th home run as the Red Sox completed a three-game sweep of the visiting Orioles. He has 101 RBI and is third in the batting stats, at .332.
Boston remained 6 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay for the second wild card spot, as the Rays defeated Detroit, 5-4. While the odds that the Red Sox will reach the playoffs are slim, they do play at Tampa Bay four more times and have a favorable schedule coming up. After hosting two games against the contending Phillies Tuesday and Wednesday, they embark on an eight-game road trip, with three in San Diego, two at Colorado, and three in Anaheim against the Angels. All of those teams have sub-.500 records.
National League
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| Alonso sets rookie mark |
On Sunday, Alonso watched a milestone, setting a new National League record for home runs by a rookie with his 40th dinger as the Mets punched out the Royals, 11-5, tying Philadelphia and Milwaukee in the wild card standings.
Alonso, home run was an add-on solo shot in the ninth, but he contributed earlier, walking and scoring in the first inning on Michal Conforto's three=run homer, singling in the sixth, doubling in a run and scoring in the Mets' six=-run seventh.
His two RBI have Alonso at 95, closing in on the leaders, three of which are tied at 98 (Freddie Freeman, Eduardo Escobar, and Josh Bell). He's batting .271.
The previous rookie HR record was held by Cody Bellinger, who socked 39 for the Dodgers in 2017 and was named rookie of the year. Alonso is just one homer short of the Mets' franchise record, held jointly by Carolos Beltran and Todd Hundley. Mark McGuire's MLB record of 49, set with the Oakland Athletics in 1987, may be too much to ask of the 24-year-old slugger.
24-10 since the all-star break, the Mets are the success story of the second half. They've gotten themselves into the wild card hunt, just two games behind the Cubs and/or Cardinals, who are the holders of the second spot but are tied for the lead in the NL Central.
Their work cut out for them with a brutal schedule ahead - a nine-game home stand with three games each against the Indians, Braves, and Cubs - the Mets open on Tuesday with a 7:10 pm ET game against Cleveland.
