Manuel Margot Dives In Five As Padres Swamp Brewers; Rougned Odor Powers Rangers Over Seattle

Players of the Day for Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Odor: 2B, HR, 4 RBI

American League

The Texas Rangers roughed up Felix Hernandez and the visiting Seattle Mariners, taking the second game of their three-game series, 11-4, Tuesday night.

Hernandez was pounded for eight hits and seven runs over six innings, a large portion of the damage done by Rougned Odor, who doubled in two runs in the third inning and socked a two-run homer in the sixth, prompting Hernandez's exit.

The last-place Rangers handed the Mariners their sixth loss in their last eight games, dropping them 7 1/2 games behind Houston in the AL West. The Mariners gave up second place to the A's last week, and are in danger of dropping out of not just the division race, but the wild card hunt as well.

The Yankees hold the top wild card spot, with Oakland four games back. Seattle is two games behind the A's.

After Seattle took the first game of the series, 4-3, in 12 innings, Monday, Texas tied it with Tuesday's victory and will look for another win as the series concludes Wednesday afternoon, 2:05 pm EDT.

National League

Taking a little of the steam out of Milwaukee's post-season hopes, the San Diego Padres scored in every inning from the third through ninth, carving up the Brewers for an 11-5 win.

Margot: 3-5, 3B, HR, 5RBI

Second year center fielder, Manuel Margot, led the San Diego assault from his customary leadoff spot, going 3-for-5 with five RBI. Margot singled in two runs in the third to get the Padres on the board. In the fifth inning, he socked a solo homer, then, in the sixth, his sacrifice fly scored Franmil Reyes to make the score 5-5.

In the ninth, Margot tripled and scored on an error to complete the rout.

The win was just the fifth by San Diego since the all star break, but their second straight. On Sunday, they downed the Cubs, 10-6, but remain mired in last place in the NL West, 18 1/2 games off the pace.

The loss sent the Brewers down by 2 1/2 to the Cubs in the NL Central but still 1 1/2 better than Arizona in the wild card race.

Game two of the series in Milwaukee starts Wednesday, at 8:10 pm EDT.

Grand Slam By Scooter Gennett Lifts Reds; Rougned Odor 2 HR Lead Ranger Rout Of White Sox

Players of the Day for Saturday, August 19, 2017

Odor: 2 HR, 5 RBI

American League

Rougned Odor led a 20-hit assault by the Texas Rangers, as they hammered the visiting White Sox, 17-7, in the third of their four-game series.

Odor belted two home runs, giving him 26 on the year, and drove in five runs in the rout. The first of his two blasts capped a six-run third inning outburst by the Rangers and erased a 5-1 deficit. Odor's three-run homer came after the Rangers had already plated three in the inning.

Odor also homered in the fourth, a solo shot that added to the Texas lead, but, the real insult came in the seventh, when he walked with the bases full, giving him his fifth RBI of the game, upping his season total to 58.

The win put the Rangers at .500, with a 61-61 mark, and left them 1 1/2 games behind the Twins and Angels, presently co-owners of the second wild card spot. The Yankees have a good grip on they top wild card, with a 3 1/2 game lead.

The Rangers conclude their series with Chicago at 3:05 pm ET on Sunday.

National League

Gennett Slams Braves

Not probable as a playoff team this season, the Cincinnati Reds (53-71) will be in the midst of the teams trying to make it to October via either the NL Central title or the wild card route.

To that end, Saturday's 11-8 defeat of the Braves in Atlanta may be of instruction to teams that will be facing the power-laden Reds in the days and weeks ahead.

The Reds were taking it to the Braves pretty well, leading, 7-2, after Scooter Gennett knocked in Joey Votto on a sac fly.

Atlanta would not go easily, however, scoring two runs in the bottom of the inning to close the gap. In the ninth, Gennett again was at the plate with a runner on third - and ones on first and second as well - when he uncorked his 21st home run of the season, a grand slam that put the Braves up comfortably, 11-4.

Atlanta would score four more in their final at-bat and put the tying run at the plate. Cincinnati reliever, Michael Lorenzen, slammed the door shut to close out the game.

Gennett is one of the reasons other teams should beware when facing the Reds. He's having the best season of his five year major league career, driving in 75 runs with a .292 batting average, surpassing his seasonal home run and RBI numbers in fewer games than in any of his previous years, all of which, prior to this year, were with the Brewers.

The victory gave the Reds a 2-0 lead in the series, which concludes Sunday at 1:35 pm ET. Atlanta has taken a severe blow to what slim playoff hope they may have had, falling 12 games out of the second spot over the past two games.