Yankees' Derek Jeter, Rockies' Larry Walker Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

Derek Jeter

Former New York Yankee shortstop, Derek Jeter, and outfielder Larry Walker were both elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame Tuesday night, though their paths to glory could not have been more different.

Jeter, now the CEO of the Miami Marlins, received all but one first place vote in his first time on the ballot. Walker got 76.6% of the votes on his 10th and final try, making the grade by a mere 10 votes. Walker joins former Cubs' pitcher Ferguson Jenkins as the only other Canadian-born member of the Hall.

Jeter played every season of his 20-year career - from 1995 though 2014 - with the New York Yankees, during which the Bronx Bombers won five World Series, reaching the playoffs in all but four seasons. Jeter won various awards including Rookie of the Year (1995), All-Star game MVP, World Series MVP (2009), and five gold gloves.

During his run, Jeter had 3465 hits in 11195 at-bats for a .310 regular season average.Jeter socked 260 home runs, drove in 1311, and scored 1923 times. He swiped 358 bases and finished with an on-base percentage of .377.

For all his accomplishments, Jeter never won a batting title nor a regular season MVP award, finishing second in 2006, and third in the voting in both 1998 and 2009. His base hits total of 3465 is sixth all-time, trailing only Pete Rose, Ty Cobb, Hank Aaron, Stan Musial, and Tris Speaker.

Larry Walker

Walker, a five time All-Star, played 17 seasons starting in 1989, six of them with the Montreal Expos, nine full seasons with the Colorado Rockies, and part of 2004 with the St. Louis Cardinals, with whom he finished his career in 2005.

A prolific hitter, Walker had 2160 hits in 6907 at-bats for a lifetime .313 regular season batting average. He led the National League in batting three times, hitting .363 in 1998, .379 in 1999, and .350 in 2001. He earned the NL MVP award in a season in which he did not win the batting title. In 1997, he batted .366 and led the league with 49 home runs, 409 total bases, a .452 on-base percentage, .720 slugging, and 1.172 OPS.

Walker's post-season play was limited to just three seasons, two with the Cardinals (2004 and 2005) and one with the Rockies (1995). His best performance was in 2004, when the Cardinals were swept by the Red Sox. Walker batted .357 (5-for-14) with two doubles, two homers, and three RBI.

Induction to the Hall will be made official on July 26 at Cooperstown, NY along with catcher Ted Simmons and former players' association head Marvin Miller, who were voted in last month by the Hall's Modern Era Committee.

NLDS: Howie Kendrick's Grand Slam Advances Nationals; Cardinals Score 10 In First To Squash Braves

Players of the Day for Wednesday, October 9, 2019

National League

St. Louis Cardinals 13 Atlanta Braves 1

Scoring 10 runs in the first inning, the St. Louis Cardinals took all the air out of SunTrust Park in Atlanta, completely overwhelming the Braves in a game five win to advance to the NL Championship Series.

St. Louis sent 14 batters to the plate in the first, chasing Atlanta starter, Mike Foltynewicz after he threw just 1/3 of an inning. Foltynewicz pitched to nine batters, allowing three hits, walking three (one intentionally) and six earned runs. His relief, Max Fried, fared only marginally better, getting the final two outs of the inning only after surrendering four more runs.

The 10 runs were the most ever scored in a single inning by one team in major league history.

Cardinals' starter, Jack Flaherty, made sure the game remained one-sided, allowing the braves one run on four hits over six full innings. Flaherty was credited with the win, fanning eight.

Kendrick Slams Dodgers

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Washington Nationals 7 Los Angeles Dodgers 3, 10 innings

Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto hit back-to-back home runs to tie the game in the eighth inning, 3-3, and Howie Kendrick put an abrupt end to LA playoff dreams with a 10th-inning grand slam, sending the Washington Nationals to the NL Championship Series agains the St. Louis Cardinals.

Kendrick, who had struggled at the plate and in thefield during the series, put all of that behind him, golfing a low delivery from Joe Kelly over the wall in center field. Kelly had loaded the bases with no outs on a Rendon ground rule double and two walks.

Sean Doolittle retired the Dodgers in order in the bottom of the inning to seal the victory.

Washington's win sent the wild card Nationals to the Championship Series against St. Louis, who earned home field advantage by winning the Central division with a record better than Washington's.

Game one of the series begins Friday at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.


American League

There were no games in the American League on Wednesday. Tampa Bay plays at Houston on Thursday in game five of their divisional playoff series. The winner will advance to the AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees, who qualified by defeating Minnesota, three games to none.

Game time in Houston is 7:07 pm ET.

NLDS: Yaider Molina Keeps Cardinals Alive; ALDS: Charlie Morton Rescues Rays; Yankees sweep Twins, Move On

Players of the Day for Monday, October 7, 2019

American League

Morton dominates Astros

Tampa Bay Rays 10 Houston Astros 3

Charlie Morton struck out nine and gave up one run over five innings as the Rays took game three of their series against the Astros and avoided elimination in the division series.

Morton allowed just three hits. Jose Altuve's first inning solo homer was the only run scored off Morton, who needed just 93 pitches to notch the victory.

Lifted after the fifth inning, Morton left confidently with an 8-1 lead. The Rays belted four home runs, three of them off Houston starter, Zack Greinke, who was battered for six earned runs over 3 2/3 innings.

Houston leads the series, two games to one. Game four is Tuesday, in Tampa, at 7:07 pm ET.

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New York Yankees 5 Minnesota Twins 1

The New York Yankees are moving on, heading to the AL Championship Series after sweeping the Minnesota Twins three straight in the divisional round. New York's 5-1 win. New York awaits the winner of the Houston-Tampa Bay series.

National League

St. Louis Cardinals 5 Atlanta Braves 4, 10 innings

Molina delivers for Cards

Marcell Ozuna slugged a pair of solo homers, and Yadier Molina drove in the tying and winning runs as the Cardinals evened their series with the Braves at two games apiece.

With one out in the eighth and the Braves ahead, 4-3, Paul Goldschmidt doubled to left. After Ozuna struck out, Molina lifted a soft liner that glanced off first baseman Freddie Freeman's glove, scoring Goldschmidt with the tying run.

After the Braves failed to score in the top of the ninth and 10th innings, Kolton Wong led off the bottom of the 10th with a ground rule double off Atlanta hurler, Julio Teheran. After Goldschmidt was intentionally walked, Ozuna grounded into a fielder's choice, with Goldschmidt out at second. Wong moved to third.

On the first pitch he saw, Molina lifted a fly ball to deep left, which easily plated Wong with the winning run, setting off an on-field celebration by the Cardinals.

The St. Louis win means a deciding game five will be played in Atlanta on Wednesday. First pitch is slated for 5:02 pm ET.

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Washington Nationals 6 Los Angeles Dodgers 1

Max Scherzer delivered seven strong innings as the Nationals tied their best-of-five divisional series with the Dodgers at two games apiece, winning game four, in Washington. Scherzer allowed one earned run on four hits, fanning seven.

Ryan Zimmerman's three-run homer capped a four run fifth inning that propelled the Nats to the win, forcing game five Wednesday (8:37 pm ET) in Los Angeles.

George Springer Leads Astros to MLB-Best Record; Cardinals Snag NL Central Behind Jack Flaherty

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 29, 2019

American League

Spinger: 4-4, HR, 2 RBI

With all the playoff spots and home fields already set in the AL, only one of the five playoff squads came up with a win on the final day of the regular season.

Houston, led by George Springer's 4-for-4 effort, bombed the Angels, 8-5, finishing with the best record in the majors, at 107-55.

The Astros scored in each of the first four innings and coasted to the win. Springer singled to open the game and scored on Jose Altuve's double. In the second, Springer spanked his 39th home run of the year, a solo shot that put the Astros up, 3-0. In the fourth, Springer doubled in a run and later scored. He finished with a fifth-inning infield single and was lifted for a pinch runner.

Houston's 107 wins are a franchise record, topping last season's mark of 103. In 2017, the Astros captured the first World Series in franchise history, dating back to 1962, when they were established as a National League expansion team known as the Colt .45s.

The Astros will host the first two games of the best-of-five division series starting Friday, October 4, facing the winner of the wild card contest between the A's and the Rays, which is scheduled for Wednesday, October 2.

The Yankees host Minnesota in the other divisional series, also starting on Friday, October 4.

National League

Flaherty clinches for Cards

It took until the final day of the season, but the St. Louis Cardinals are champions of the NL Central, ripping the Cubs, 8-0, behind yet another sparkling performance by Jack Flaherty, who has been one of the best pitchers in either league over the second half of the season.

Flaherty blanked the Cubs on two hits over seven innings while his teammates feasted on Chicago pitching, slugging three home runs as they scored in each of the first four innings.

Going 7-2 in his last 15 starts, Flaherty gave up just 10 earned runs over 99 1/3 innings for an ERA of 0.71. Over that span, Flaherty fanned 124 and walked 23 batters. For the year, he finished with 213 strikeouts.

St. Louis captured the division by two games over Milwaukee, who ended the regular season with a 4-3 loss at Colorado.

The Cardinals will open the best-of-five divisional series at Atlanta on Thursday, October 3, while the Nationals and Brewers play a one-game wild card playoff Tuesday, the winner advancing to meet the Dodgers in the other divisional series, which opens in Los Angeles, also on Thursday.

Cardinals Down Cubs on Yaider Molina, Paul DeJong HRs; Marcus Semien Leads A's Past Rangers

Players of the Day for Saturday, September 21, 2019

Semien: 3-3, HR, 3BB

American League

The Oakland A's are serious about making the playoffs.

Winning their fourth straight and 15th in their last 18 games, the A's pounded the Rangers, 12-3, maintaining a two-game lead in the wild card race over Tampa Bay.

Oakland belted out 14 hits and worked nine walks against eight Texas hurlers. Leadoff hitter, Marcus Semien, led the assault, going 3-for-3 with two singles and a home run. He was on base six times, as he walked in his other three plate appearances.

Semien led off the A's first with a single and scored on Matt Olson's single to right. He also walked later in the inning as the A's piled seven runs on the visiting Rangers.

In the second, Semien walked, forcing in a run, then socked his 32nd homer of the year in the fifth inning, a solo shot that put the A's up 10-0. He scored twice and drove in two runs.

Over his last 15 games, as the A's have gone 12-3, Semien has been sensational, batting .371, with six homers and 15 RBI. He's driven in 90 runs this season and scored 119 runs. His totals for batting average, runs, home runs and RBI all all career highs for the seven-year veteran.

Tampa Bay kept pace with the A's winning, 5-4 over Boston. Cleveland dropped a game behind the Rays, losing, 9-4, to the visiting Phillies. Each of the three wild card contenders have seven games remaining.

National League

Molina's HR tied game.

Yadier Molina and Paul DeJong socked back-to-back 9th inning home runs off Chicago closer, Craig Kimbrel, and the Cardinals took their third straight over the Cubs at Wrigley Field with a 9-8 victory Saturday.

On the wrong end of an 8-7 score after eight innings, St. Louis struck quickly against Kimbrel and the Cubs. Molina led off the inning with his ninth homer of the season, tying the game. DeJong followed with his 28th, a towering 440-foot blast that stood up as the game-winner when Carlos Martinez got the final three outs in the bottom of the frame.

DeJong's HR won game.

The win left the Cubs stunned with their fifth straight defeat and third straight at the hands of the Cardinals. Chicago fell six games back in the NL Central, and are in danger of being eliminated not just from the division race, but from the wild card as well.

Washington, holder of the top wild card, kept a one-game lead over Milwaukee with a 10-4 win over the Marlins. The Brewers won their fifth straight, dropping the Pirates, 10-1. Chicago trails the Brewers in the wild card race by three games with seven left to play.

The Cardinals, winners of four straight, will be looking for a four-game sweep of the Cubs when the two meet in the series finale, Sunday, 2:20 pm ET.

On the verge of clinching a post-season spot after a three-year playoff absence, St. Louis plays three games in Arizona next week before returning home for a final, three-game series with the Cubs.

Masahiro Tanaka Hurls Yankees to AL East Crown; Matt Carpenter Homers, Leads Cards Past Cubs

Players of the Day for Thursday, September 19, 2019

American League

Tanaka pitches clincher

Through all the injuries, doubts, and player changes, the New York Yankees managed to overcome all of it and clinch the AL East with a little more than a week left in the regular season.

Masahiro Tanaka controlled the mound and the LA Angels while his teammates knocked out four homers en route to a 9-1, no-doubt victory, their 100th of the season.

Tanaka improved to 11-8, allowing four hits and one earned run over seven innings of work. He fanned six and did not walk any batters.

Tanaka needed to throw only 86 pitches for the win. The lone Angel run came off the bat of Kole Calhoun, who roped a leadoff homer in the fourth inning.

The Yankees are tied with Houston at 100 wins. The Dodgers, leading the National League, have 98.

New York hosts the Toronto Blue Jays in a three-game series beginning Friday.

National League

Carpenter wins it in 10th

If St. Louis wins the NL Central or takes one of the wild card slots, it will be in spite of its bullpen, not thanks to it.

The Cardinals squandered an excellent pitching performance by Jack Flaherty (again) and a 4-1 lead, but were bailed out by Matt Carpenter's 10th inning home run, defeating the Cubs, 5-4.

Flaherty worked eight innings, allowing one run on four hits, the lone Chicago run coming on an Anthony Rizzo solo home run in the third inning.

Carlos Martinez, the on-again, off-again closer for St. Louis, was charged with three runs in the bottom of the ninth, allowing the Cubs to tie the score.

Carpenter socked his 13th home run of the season into the left-center stands of Wrigley Field off Cubs' reliever, Craig Kimbrel. Giovanny Gallegos put down the Cubs in order in the bottom of the inning to seal the win, leaving the Cardinals with a three-game edge over Milwaukee in the Central division, with the Cubs four games out.

Milwaukee defeated the Padres Thursday, 5-1, and has won 12 of its last 14 games.

The St. Louis win opened a four-game series in Chicago. The Cubs and Cardinals go at it again on Saturday, with the series extending through Sunday and game four on Monday. The two NL Central rivals close out the season with three games in St. Louis next week.

Tommy Pham 5-for-6 in Rays Win at LA; Adam Wainwright Wins 4th Straight for Cardinals

Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Pham: 5-6, 3R, 2RBI, SB

American League

Austin Meadows socked a solo home run in extra innings, but Tommy Pham did everything for the Rays as Tampa Bay topped the LA Dodgers, 8-7, in 11 innings.

Meadows' homer put the Rays ahead in the top of the 11th inning, 7-6. Pham followed with a double, moved to third on a ground out and scored on Ji-Man Choi's sac fly. The run was crucial because the Dodgers scored in the bottom of the inning, but could not produce the second run, which would have tied the score again.

Pham went 5-for-6 in the game with a pair of doubles, three singles, a stolen base, three runs and two RBI. In the first inning, Pham got the Rays started, reaching on an error, moving to third on Brandon Lowe's base hit. He scored on Travis d'artaud's single.

In the third, Pham singled but was left stranded, but, in the fifth, he got the Rays even at 3-3 with a double that plated two runs. In the seventh, he reached on an infield single, only to be left on base again. With the Rays down, 6-4, in the top of the ninth, Pham singled again, stole second and scored on Choi's RBI single. The Rays tied the game on another sac fly by Choi.

On fire his last 15 games, Pham has gone 22-for-61 (.361) over that span with 10 RBI, 12 runs and seven stolen bases.

The result kept the Rays firmly in the playoff hunt. Tampa Bay holds a 1/2-game edge on Cleveland for the second wild card. Oakland is currently in the top spot, with a two-game lead over the Rays.

Managing to split two games with the Dodgers in LA, the Rays head home, opening a four-game series with the Red Sox on Friday. Oakland also has Thursday off, hosting three with the Rangers, starting Friday. The Indians, still hopeful, just four games behind the Twins in the AL Central, finishes up with Detroit on Thursday looking for the three-game sweep, then hosts three with the Phillies over the weekend.

National League

Wainwright wins 4th straight

Adam Wainwright out-dueled Washington's Max Scherzer and the St. Louis Cardinals improved their chances of reaching the post-season with a 5-1 win over the Nationals.

While Scherzer was shelled for five runs over 6 2/3 innings, Wainwright improved to 13-9, scattering eight hits over seven innings. The Nationals did manage to cross the plate in the seventh, but the run was unearned and the Cardinals responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame.

The usually shaky St. Louis bullpen was remarkably solid. Andrew Miller and Carlos Martinez combined to work the final six outs, with Miller allowing the only base hit.

Wainwright has been a bulwark for the Cardinals in September, winning all four of his starts while allowing just one earned run over 27 innings of work. The 38-year-old is a prime candidate for comeback player of the year. In 2018 he was 2-4 in just eight starts, limited due to injury.

The victory improved St. Louis' lead in the NL Central to three games over Milwaukee and Chicago, both losing on Wednesday. The Cubs were taken out in the 10th inning by the Reds, 3-2, while Milwaukee was stopped cold by San Diego's Dinelson Lamet, who fanned 14 in six innings, giving up three hits and one earned run in a 2-1 Padres victory.

Wednesday's results left the Nationals in the #1 wild card spot, 1 1/2 games up on the Cubs and Brewers. The Phillies and Mets were both winners, creeping closer, to within two games of the #2 spot.

Washington continues on the road, opening a three-game series in Miami Friday, while the Cardinals head to Chicago for a four-game series with the Cubs opening Thursday night. Milwaukee figures to benefit, hosting one more game with the Padres Thursday before welcoming in the Pirates for three games over the weekend.

Luis Arraez Leads Twins Win Over White Sox; Marcell Ozuna Powers Cardinals Past Nationals

Players of the Day for Monday, September 16, 2019

American League

Rookie Arraez has 100 hits

Minnesota rookie, Luis Arraez, collected his 100th major league hit on Monday, and it helped fuel a Twins win over the White Sox, 5-3.

Arraez, sporting a .350 batting average, led off the bottom of the first with an infield single, but was left stranded at third base. In the second, he singled again, moving runners to second and third. Both of those scored, but Arraez was left stranded again, this time on second base.

After lining out in the fourth inning, Arraez came up in the sixth with runners on second and third and delivered another single, plating both, completing the Twins' scoring. The 22-year-old second baseman from Venezuela has been on fire of late, going 23-for-54 (.426) over his last 15 games.

With Cleveland idle, the Twins increased their lead in the Central division to five games with just 12 to play.

The Twins have what looks to be an easy path to the division title. After two more home games against Chicago, the remainder of their schedule includes seven games against Kansas City and three versus Detroit, the two laggards of the division.

National League

Ozuna: 2-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI

With the Central division contenders all playing Monday, the St. Louis Cardinals maintained their lead over the Cubs and Brewers, with a 4-2 edge over the Washington Nationals.

Marcell Ozuna drove in all four St. Louis runs, with a first-inning, two-run homer off Washington starter, Stephen Strasburg, and a two-run double in the seventh that unknotted a 2-2 tie. Ozuna has 28 home runs and 86 RBI after missing the entire month of July due to injury. His hits were timely, snapping a 2-for-17 mini-slump.

Dakota Hudson picked up his 16th win against seven losses, allowing two runs on five hits over seven innings.

The win kept the Cardinals two games up on Chicago, 8-2 winners over Cincinnati, and three up on Milwaukee, as the Brewers topped the Padres, 6-1.

Also tightening was the wild card race. With Washington losing - they're 6-9 in September - their grip on the top wild card spot is only 1/2-game over the Cubs, with Milwaukee another game back.

The NL wild card race is looking like a four team affair, with the Cardinals, Nationals, Cubs and Brewers all vying for three spots - two wild cards and the Central division crown. The Mets, Phillies, and Diamondbacks have each begun to fade. They are five, five and 5 1/2-games behind the Cubs, respectively.

St. Louis hosts the Nationals in game two of their three-game series, Tuesday, 7:45 pm ET.

Cardinals Rip Brewers As Paul Goldschmidt Drives in 7; Gerrit Cole 17-5 After Houston Downs Royals

Players of the Day for Friday, September 13, 2019

American League

Cole's 292 Ks leads majors

Gerrit Cole notched his 17th win against five losses, blanking the Royals over seven innings as the Astros inched closer to the AL West crown with a 4-1 win in Kansas City.

Cole was cruising along until the Royals scored an unearned run in the eighth inning, but George Springer made the difference, socking a three-run homer in the top of the ninth. Roberto Osuna came on in the ninth to complete the task, earning his 33rd save with a scoreless inning of relief.

Cole won his 10th straight, fanning 11. It was the sixth straight start in which Cole hit double digits in strikeouts and the 18th time this season. He leads the majors with 292 strikeout victims.

Houston maintained its 7 1/2-game lead over Oakland, as the A's out-slugged Texas, 14-8. The Astros' magic number to clinch the division is seven.

Kansas City hosts the Astros in game two of the three-game series Saturday at 7:15 pm ET.

National League

Goldschmidt: 2 HR, 7 RBI

Late August, St. Louis took command of the NL Central division, winning nine of 10, bypassing the Cubs and Brewers as they vaulted into first place. Maintaining their lead since August 27, the Cards have cooled off a bit, going 10-6, but they solidified their hold on first place Friday with a 10-0 romp over Milwaukee, snapping the Brewers' seven-game winning streak.

Adam Wainwright hurled six scoreless innings and Paul Goldschmidt smashed two homers and drove in seven runs as the Cardinals opened their final series of the season with Milwaukee with a no-doubt-about-it conquest.

Wainwright (12-9) allowed just two hits and fanned seven, while Goldschmidt socked a third-inning grand slam and mashed a three-run homer in the sixth. Acquired from San Diego in the off-season, Goldschmidt has provided power to the middle of the St. Louis lineup. He has 31 homers and 89 RBI on the year.

The win left the Cardinals four in front of the Cubs in the division, dropping Milwaukee to five off the pace.

The Cardinals lead the season series with the Brewers, 10-7. They'll wrap it up Saturday and Sunday in in St. Louis.

Gerrit Cole, Jordan Alvarez Lead Houston to 22-1 Blowout of Mariners; Jack Flaherty Rolls, Cardinals Slash Pirates, 2-0

Players of the Day for Sunday, September 8, 2019

American League

Cole fans 15

Gerrit Cole allowed one hit and struck out 15, and the Houston Astros exploded for 22 hits in a 21-1 blowout of the Seattle Mariners.

Alvarez: 3 doubles, 6 RBI

Cole, 16-5, was perfect except for a second-inning solo homer by Shed Long. He did not walk anyone and threw 68 of 96 pitches for strikes, getting first pitch strikes on 18 of the 25 batters he faced. In his last 18 starts, he's 12-0, dating back to May 27. His strikeout total grew to 281, which leads the majors.

On the offensive side, Houston rang up 11 doubles, three of them by rookie Yordan Alvarez, who went 4-for-6 and drove in six runs. Alvarez is a big-time candidate for rookie of the year in the AL, batting .314 with 22 home runs and 70 RBI in just 258 at-bats.

Houston is 16-1 against the Mariners this season and have won 11 straight head-to-head. The season series closes out on September 24-25, with two games in Seattle.

Looking to wrap up their third straight LA West title, Houston holds a 9 1/2-game bulge on Oakland. The A's arrive in Houston Monday for a four-game series against the Astros. Game one starts at 8:10 pm ET.

National League

Flaherty blanks Pirates

Extending his scoreless streak to 18 innings, Cardinals' hurler, Jack Flaherty, delivered eight innings of shutout ball in a 2-0 St. Louis win at Pittsburgh, taking two of three from the Pirates in their final head-to-head series of the season.

Flaherty allowed five hits and one walk, hit a batter, and was picked off first base after a successful bunt advanced runners to second and third bases. He fanned 10 for the third time this season.

While his base-running might have been questionable, Flaherty's pitching was outstanding, a trait developing over his last eight starts, dating back to August first. Over that span, he's 6-1, with an ERA of 0.50, having worked 54 innings and given up just three earned runs. His scoreless streak dates back to August 28, when he finished a six-inning stint with a pair of goose eggs in a 4-1 loss to Milwaukee.

On September 3, he gave up one hit to the Giants over eight innings in a 1-0 St. Louis victory.

Combined with the Cubs' 8-5 loss at Milwaukee, the Cardinals have opened up a 4 1/2-game lead in the Central division, which, until a few weeks ago, had been a see-saw battle between St. Louis, Chicago, and the Brewers. Milwaukee is 6 1/2 back in the division and tied with the Phillies, two behind Chicago for the second wild card. Arizona is only 1 1/2 behind the Cubs.

Since August 18, the Cardinals are 17-5, while the Cubs and Brewers have not been able to keep pace. After a day off Monday, St. Louis opens a three-game series in Colorado with the Rockies.

Jack Flaherty Dominates Giants in 1-0 Cardinal Win; James Paxton Wins 7th Straight As Yanks Bomb Rangers, 10-1

Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 3, 2019

American League

Paxton has 7 straight wins

James Paxton struck out five of the first seven batters he faced and took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, eventually settling for a one-hit effort over seven innings as the Yankees took down the visiting Rangers, 10-1.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa broke up Paxton's no-hit effort with a two-out single in the fifth. Paxton walked one and fanned 12, throwing 66 of 95 pitches for strikes, improving to 12-6 in his first year with the Yankees. Paxton, who extended a personal winning streak to seven straight starts, was acquired from Seattle in the off-season.

The Yankees slugged five homers in support, two by catcher Gary Sanchez, who has 34, a career high.

Winning for the seventh time in their last nine games, the Yankees hold a 9 1/2 game lead over Tampa Bay in the AL East. The Rays split a twin bill with the Orioles.

Texas and New York wrap up their three-game series on Wednesday. Game time is 6:35 pm ET.

National League

Flaherty is 5-1 last 7 starts

St. Louis remains red hot and on top of the NL Central.

On Tuesday, Jack Flaherty took a no-hitter into the sixth inning to pick up his ninth win against seven losses as the Cardinals won for the 14th time in their last 17 games with a 1-0 win over the Giants.

Marcel Ozuna's sixth inning solo homer provided the difference as Flaherty dominated San Francisco batters, fanning eight and allowing one walk over eight innings.

Mike Yastrzemski singled with two outs in the sixth to ruin Flaherty's bid. Carlos Martinez worked a scoreless ninth - giving up a second single to Yastrzemski - to pick up his 18th save.

Flaherty has been exceptional since the start of August, going 5-1 in his last seven starts with an extraordinary ERA of 0.59 over that stretch. He's allowed just 20 hits and three earned runs over his last 46 innings.

Coupled with Chicago's 6-1 win over Seattle, St. Louis maintained a three-game edge over the Cubs in the Central division. Chicago continues to hold the #2 wild card spot, 3 1/2 games behind the Nationals and 2 1/2 up on the Phillies.

St. Louis hosts the Giants Wednesday at 7:45 pm ET in game three of their four-game series.

Elsewhere, the Mets certainly aren't helping themselves in their bid for the playoffs, blowing a six-run lead in the ninth inning to the Nationals, who walked off on Kurt Suzuki's three-run homer off reliever Edwin Diaz.

Philly, Arizona, and Milwaukee all kept pace in the wild card race with wins.

Yadier Molina Homers Twice, Cardinals Whip Brewers Again; Yordan Alvarez Powers Astros Past Rays

Players of the Day for Tuesday, August 27, 2019

American League

Alvarez: 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI

Houston continued to roll towards a third straight AL West championship, taking the first game of their series with Tampa Bay with a resounding, 15-1, conquest, on Tuesday.

Justin Verlander won his 16th game of the season against five losses, working 5 1/3 innings of shutout ball. Yordan Alvarez banged a pair of home runs, doubled, scored three times and drove in four runs.

Alvarez is Houston's rising-star rookie who has provided quite a boost to their already-loaded lineup. in 60 games, Alvarez is batting .329 with 21 home runs and 62 RBI.

After dropping five straight mid-month, the Astros have regained their winning edge, taking eight of their last nine games. They lead the division by nine games over the Athletics. Tampa Bay fell a game behind the A's in the wild card race. Cleveland leads, holding a 1/2-game advantage over Oakland.

Game two of the series is slated for an 8:10 pm start, Wednesday night in Houston.

National League

Molina: 3-3, 2HR, 3RBI

St. Louis won its sixth straight game Tuesday, taking another from the fading Milwaukee Brewers, 6-3.

Instrumental to their victory was catcher, Yadier Molina, with a pair of home runs and a double in three at-bats.

Molina, a nine-time all-star, ripped a solo homer in the fifth, smacked a two-run shot in the seventh, and doubled and scored in the ninth.

Missing from action most of July and half of August due to injury, Molina's return has coincided with the Cardinals' winning ways. Returning to the lineup on August 13, Molina is batting .308 since. The Cardinals have won 15 of 18 since August 9 and have surged to the lead in the NL Central, currently holding a three game advantage over the Cubs.

Milwaukee's season has suddenly gone south. The Brewers are 5-9 since August 11 and are 6 1/2 out in the division. Their chances of making the playoffs via the wild card are also in jeopardy. They are 3 1/2 behind the Cubs, who hold the second wild card, but the Phillies and Mets are ahead of them.

The Cardinals will be seeking to sweep the Brewers when they take the field for game three of the series, Wednesday, 2:10 pm ET.

Marcus Semien Drives in 7, A's Rout Royals; Cardinals Rip Brewers, 12-2, Marcell Ozuna Has 3 RBI

Players of the Day for Monday, August 26, 2019

Semien: 3B, HR, 7 RBI

American League

Embroiled in a heated wild card race with Cleveland and Tampa Bay, the Oakland A's tore up the lower-tier Kansas City Royals, banging out 22 hits in a 19-4 romp.

Shortstop and leadoff hitter, Marcus Semien, was outstanding at the plate, racking his a three-run homer in the fourth inning after clearing the bases in the second with a triple. For good measure, Semien grounded into a force play, driving in his seventh run of the game in the eighth inning.

The 28-year-old is having an exceptional season, averaging .273 while smacking 23 home runs with 69 RBI and 93 runs scored. He's on pace for career marks in all of those categories.

With the win, Oakland is one game behind Tampa Bay for the #1 wild card with Cleveland sandwiched in between, 1/2-game behind the Rays. The A's also trail Houston in the AL West by nine games, but, with 32 games remaining, there's scant hope of catching the defending division champs.

The Athletics should be able to rack up some wins this week, as they have three more games in Kansas City before heading to New York for a return engagement with the Yankees. The A's recently swept three games from the Yanks in Oakland.

National League

Ozuna's hot bat helps Cards

With a 12-2 win at NL Central rival Milwaukee, the St. Louis Cardinals won their fifth straight and eighth of their last nine.

St. Louis has gotten hot at the optimum point of the season and has wedged out a 2 1/2-game lead over the Cubs in the division. Their win over the Brewers sent Milwaukee back to five games off the pace and in danger of losing touch in not just the division, but the wild card as well. The Brewers trail the Cubs by 2 1/2 games for the second wild card.

The Cardinals' rise in the standings has coincided roughly with the return of Marcell Ozuna, who spent the entire month of July on the IL. After five losses from August 3rd through 7th, St. Louis has been binging on wins, going 14-3 through Monday's contest.

From the ninth through Mondays game, Ozuna has gone 22-for-61 (.360) with three homers and 14 RBI, including a 2-for-5 effort Monday, highlighted by a three-run double in the second inning which put the Cards up, 6-0.

Milwaukee has dropped three of its last four games against St. Louis, and the two match up again Tuesday at 7:40 pm ET in game two of the series in Milwaukee.

Cardinals' Dakota Hudson Sharp in Win Over Brewers; Tom Murphy Leads Seattle Past Rays, 9-3

Players of the Day for Monday, August 19, 2019

American League

Murphy: 3-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI

In their desperate chase of a wild card slot, the Tampa Bay Rays ran into a speed bump on Monday, as catcher Tom Murphy whacked a pair of home runs, leading the Seattle Mariners to a 9-3 romp.

Murphy socked his first homer in the opening frame, a three-run blast that set the tone for the night. He homered again in the fifth inning, this time with nobody on base, and singled to complete a 3-for-4 night with four RBI.

The Mariners are hopelessly out of the playoff race, but the loss was damaging to the Rays, who fell 1 1/2 behind Cleveland, currently in the #1 spot. The Rays are just one game to the good over the Oakland A's, so the pressure is on, since it's doubtful Tampa will catch the Yankees, who hold a 10-game edge in the East division.

Also looming dangerously is Boston, six games behind the Rays in both the division and wild card. Tampa has played well of late, winning 14 of their last 19.

Game two of the Rays' home series with Seattle is Tuesday, 7:10 pm ET.

National League

Hudson: No-hitter for 6 2/3

Dakota Hudson must have been gassed.

After throwing 114 pitches, he left the mound in St. Louis' 3-0 win over visiting Milwaukee without allowing a hit over 6 2/3 innings.

Giovanny Gallegos closed out the top of the seventh by inducing a ground ball to second by Ben Gamal. In the eighth, Gallegos gave up the only Brewer hit of the game. After Orlando Arcia walked to lead off the inning, Yasmani Grandal stroked a ground-rule double to right with two down.

Andrew Miller came to the rescue, getting Mike Moustakas to gourd out to second after intentionally walking Christian Yelich (good move).

Miller closed out the ninth, getting the Milwaukee batters in order.

Hudson (12-6, 3.63) walked four (Yelich twice) and didn't allow a runner past first. The 24-year-old has been vital to the Cardinals' keeping pace in the NL Central, chalking up six wins against two losses in his last nine starts. He's still a rookie, having gone 4-1 in 2018 in 27 1/3 innings. This year he's put in 134 innings and has struck out 104 batters.

The Cardinals - winners of eight of their last 10 - took sole possession of first place in the division, 1/2-game beyond the idle Cubs. Milwaukee has lost two straight and five of their last seven. They fell to three games back.

Game two of the series begins Tuesday, at 7:45 pm ET, in St. Louis.

Jack Flaherty Throws 7 Scoreless as Cards Stop Royals; Kyle Seager Rips 3 HRs, Mariners Whip Tigers

Players of the Day for Tuesday, August 13, 2019

American League

Seager: 3 HRs, 6 RBI

Kyle Seager crashed three home runs in Seattle's 11-6 Tuesday win at Detroit.

Seager connected with a solo shot in the fourth inning, a three-run rip in the sixth and a two-run dinger in the ninth, tally six RBI on the night.

Missing nearly all of the first two months of the season due to injury, Seager has 14 homers and 34 RBI in 64 games. The Mariners could have used his bat earlier, as they fell out of contention early, and are currently last in the AL West, a full 29 games out. Seattle is, at least, better than the Orioles and Tigers, the other two division trailers in the AL. Baltimore is 39-81, 40 1/2 off the East division pace. The Tigers, with the worst record in the majors, at 35-81, trail the Twins by 35 1/2 games in the Central.

The Twins lead the division by 1/2-game over Cleveland. The Twins were 7-5 winners at Milwaukee on Tuesday, while the Indians lost at home, 7-6, to the Red Sox.

The Mariners had lost eight of their last nine prior to Seager's performance. They continue their three-game series in Detroit on Wednesday, 7:10 pm ET.

National League

Flaherty: 7 scoreless

Nearly playing themselves out of contention last week with five straight losses, the Cardinals are back in the proper swing of things, winning their fourth straight with a 2-0 victory in Kansas City Tuesday.

Jack Flaherty was on the mound for St. Louis, tossing seven scoreless win for his second straight win and his third consecutive start without allowing a run, a scoreless streak that has now reached 23 innings, dating back to July 26, when the Cardinals topped Houston, 5-3, though Flaherty received no decision, allowing just three hits and two earned runs over six innings.

To say that Flaherty has been the best pitcher in the majors this month would bear some credence. He's given up a mere eight hits and four walks in 21 innings, with 26 strikeouts and a 0.57 WHIP. Opposing batters are operating at a .116 level against him.

St. Louis' win put them only a game back of the Cubs in the NL Central, as Chicago lost at Philadelphia, 4-2. They remained one game behind Washington in the wild card race. The Nationals have won three straight.

Looking to extend their winning ways, the Cardinals are at Kansas City again on Wednesday. Game time is 8:15 pm ET.

Grand Slam Heroes: Carlos Santana Drives Indians Past Twins; Lane Thomas Delivers for Cardinals

Players of the Day for Sunday, August 11, 2019

American League

Santana: Slam in 10th

Posting a 21-9 mark since the all star break, the Cleveland Indians tied the Minnesota Twins for first place in the AL Central with a 10-inning, 7-3 win in the conclusion of their series in Minneapolis.

Thanks to a Carlos Santana grand slam in the top of the 10th, the Indians took three of four from the Twins. Minnesota has been the division's top team since late April, but their advantage has steadily dwindled in the second half.

Santana's game-winning slam was his 25th home run of the year. Earlier, he had walked and scored in the first inning and singled in another run in the third.

The Indians head home to start a three-game series with Boston on Monday, while the Twins have Monday off, traveling to Milwaukee for two games with the Brewers, Tuesday and Wednesday.

National League

Thomas' Slam Lifts Cards

Getting some much needed help from rookie call-up, Lane Thomas, St. Louis completed a sweep of the Pirates, rallying to take their third straight with an 11-9 win Sunday at Busch Stadium.

Lane Thomas, who has spent most of the season at AAA Memphis, socked a bases-loaded homer in the seventh, giving the Cardinals a 9-8 lead. Dexter Fowler added a two-run shot in the eighth, padding the Cardinals' lead.

Earlier, Thomas had tripled in the fourth, plating Paul DeJong. His five RBI gave him 10 total, in just 22 major league at-bats. The rookie center fielder is batting .364.

The win boosted the Cardinals into second place in the Central division, as Milwaukee dropped a 1-0 decision to Texas. St. Louis is two games behind the Cubs in the division, with Milwaukee another 1/2-game back.

The Cardinals start a six-game road trip on Tuesday, playing two at Kansas City, prior to a four game set in Cincinnati.

Vlad Guerrero Jr. Bombs Orioles with 2 HRs; Cardinals in 1st as Jack Flaherty Blanks Cubs

Players of the Day for Thursday, August 1, 2019

Guerrero Jr.: 2HR, 4RBI

American League

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. smacked a pair of home runs and drove in four as the Blue Jays ripped the Orioles, 11-2, in the opening of their four-game series at Baltimore.

Vlad socked a two-run homer to dead center in the third inning to get Toronto's scoring started. After doubling in another run in the sixth, he mashed a 450-foot solo shot in the eighth, his 13th home run of the year.

Guerrero is batting .267 with 47 RBI, a solid rookie of the year candidate.

Games between the O's and Jays are inconsequential at this juncture, as both teams are hopelessly out of playoff contention.

Elsewhere in the AL East, however, Tampa Bay completed a three-game sweep of the Red Sox in Boston with a 9-4 win. The Rays won their fourth straight and sixth of their last seven. Tampa is seven games behind the Yankees in the division race and have taken over sole possession of the second wild card spot, just 1/2-game better than Oakland. Cleveland holds the first wild card, 1 1/2-games better than Tampa.

With the Red Sox heading to New York for a four-game weekend series with the Yankees beginning Friday, the Rays will be rooting for the team they just swept while they get a rare Friday off before two games against the Marlins, Saturday and Sunday.

National League

Flaherty: 7IP, 1H, 0R, 9K

St. Louis took over first place in the Central division with an 8-0 win over the Cubs.

Taking the series, two games to one, Cardinal starter, Jack Flaherty, showed the way to the top spot in the division, allowing one hit over seven dominating innings. Flaherty walked two and didn't give up a hit until Nick Castellanos laced a single with two out in the sixth.

Flaherty (5-6, 3.91) fanned nine and didn't allow any Cubs past first base. In his second full season, Flaherty is quickly becoming the Cardinals' stopper and most reliable starter.

The Cardinals now hold a one game lead in the division with the Cubs in second place. Milwaukee dropped a 5-3 decision at Oakland and is two games out. All three teams have solid playoff chances to win either the division or take a wild card spot.

Washington, Philadelphia, and Chicago are tied for the wild card lead at 57-51. Milwaukee is a game back, and the Mets, winners of seven straight, are making noise, just four off the wild card pace. In the West, Arizona and San Francisco are also contenting for the wild card, as the Dodgers have run away with the division, now leading by 16 games.

St. Louis has Friday off prior to two weekend games at Oakland.

Mookie Betts' 3 Homers Power Red Sox Past Yankees; Paul Goldschmidt Blasts Cardinals into 1st Place

Players of the Day for Friday, July 26, 2019

American League

Betts: 4-5, 3 HR, 5 RBI

In the first two games of their four-game set at Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox have made the New York Yankees look like also-rans, rather than the team leading the AL East.

After bombing them 19-3 on Thursday, the Red Sox came out swinging again, as Mookie Betts got the hit parade going with a leadoff homer. J.D. Martinez followed with a two-run blast, putting Boston up, 3-0, after one, en route to a 10-5 victory.

Betts homered in his second and third at-bats, stroking a solo shot in the third and a two-run rip in the fourth. All three of his home runs were over the Green Monster in left field. For good measure, Betts tattooed the wall in his fourth at-bat, driving in another run with a double in the sixth inning. He finished up 4-for-5 with five RBI and four runs.

Boston's hard-hitting lineup has taken the measure of New York's below-average starting pitching and depleted bullpen. They mangled Yankee starter, James Paxton, for nine hits and seven runs over four innings.

Despite giving up 10 hits, Boston's Andrew Cashner (10-5) took the win, limiting the Yanks to three runs over 6 2/3 innings.

New York has lost four of their last six games while the Red Sox have won four of their last five. The Yankees still lead Tampa Bay by 8 1/2 games, with Boston another 1/2-game back.

Game three of the series starts at 4:05 pm ET, Saturday.

Goldschmidt: 5 Games, 5 HR

National League

Paul Goldschmidt's eighth-inning, three-run homer turned the tables on Houston, leading St. Louis to their sixth straight win, 5-3 over the visiting Astros.

It was the fifth straight game in which Goldschmidt has gone yard, one game short of the club record shared by Matt Carpenter and Mark McGwire.

After Matt Wieters tied the score at 2-2 in the seventh and the Astros responded with a run in the top of the eighth, Goldschmidt provided the winning margin, sending St. Louis to first place in the NL Central, a position they have not held since May 7. Losing 3-2 to Milwaukee, the Cubs dropped into second place, one game back. Milwaukee is just two games off the pace.

The win was the sixth straight for St. Louis. They are 12-3 since the all-star break. During that period, Goldschmidt has batted .269, with seven dingers and 19 RBI.

St. Louis will have the opportunity to extend their streak and maintain sole possession of first place when they take on the Astros in game two of their three-game series. First pitch is slated for 7:15 pm ET, Saturday night.

Houston remained eight games ahead of Oakland in the AL West, as the A's were dropped by the Rangers, 5-2.

Cleveland's Shane Bieber Tosses One-Hitter at Jays; Paul DeJong Belts 3 HRs as Cardinals Top Pirates

Players of the Day for Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Bieber throws 1-hitter

American League

Shane Bieber took a no=hitter into the seventh inning and finished with a one-hit, complete game shutout in Cleveland's 4-0 win at Toronto.

Bieber gave up a ground rule double to Eric Sogard to open Toronto's seventh, but, other than plunking Lourdes Guriel Jr., set down the final batters without incident or hits, striking out four of the final eight Blue Jay batters.

Bieber issued just one walk, to Vlad Guerrero Jr., in the second inning. Guerrero was erased on a double play, after which Bieber set down the next 12 batters in order prior to Sogard spoiling the no-hit bid.

Throwing 68 of 102 pitches for strikes, Bieber fanned 10 and improved his record to 10-3 with a 3.44 ERA in 21 starts.

Cleveland's win, combined with Minnesota's 10-7 loss to the Yankees, boosted the Indians to within two games of the AL Central leader.

Winners of nine of their last 11, the Indians head to Kansas City on Thursday for a four-game series. First pitch for game one is slated for 8:10 pm ET.

DeJong socks 3 homers

National League

All of a sudden, the St. Louis Cardinals are contending for first place in the NL Central.

The Cardinals won their fourth straight and seventh in their last eight games with a 14-9 victory at Pittsburgh that included a nine-run second inning and three homers by shortstop, Paul DeJong.

Down 2-0 as they opened the second, DeJong knotted the score with a two-run homer and sparked a huge rally. Later in the frame, he doubled and scored as the Cardinals sent 13 batters to the plate.

DeJong socked another two-run homer in the fourth and homered again to lead off the eighth inning. He finished 4-for-4 with five RBI and four runs.

The win kept the Cardinals 1/2-game behind the Cubs in the division. Chicago was a 4-1 winner at San Francisco Wednesday. Milwaukee is also in the division mix, just two games out of first place.

St. Louis will be seeking a four-game sweep of the Pirates when they meet on field Thursday, at 12:35 pm ET.

Ivan Nova Throws Complete Game in 9-1 White Sox Win; Paul Goldschmidt Slam Leads Cards Past Pirates

Players of the Day for Monday, July 22, 2019

American League

Nova: 9 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 5 K

Pitching has changed with the times in the major leagues.

With the advent of pitch counts, closers, holders, and more recently, "openers," complete games have become rarities.

Bucking the trend on Monday night was White Sox hurler, Ivan Nova, who threw 112 pitches en route to a complete game, 9-1, win over the visiting Miami Marlins.

Nova (5-9, 5.49) allowed four hits, giving up the single run on a solo homer by Jorge Alfaro in the second inning. The 32-year-old hurler was helped by two double plays. He struck out five and did not allow a walk.

Nova, acquired by the Sox from the Pirates in the off-season, was able to relax on the mound as his teammates belted four home runs, building a sizable lead.

The complete game was Nova's first since 2017 and ninth of his career.

The White Sox (45-52) are 3-8 since the all-star break and host the Marlins in game two of their three-game series on Tuesday, at 8:10 pm ET.

Notes: The Minnesota Twins turned a triple play in the first inning of their 8-6 win over the Yankees. The win kept the Twins three games ahead of Cleveland - 7-3 winners at Toronto - in the AL Central.

National League

Goldschmidt: Grand Slam

Squeezing out a 10-inning, 6-5, win at Pittsburgh, St. Louis moved into second place in the NL Central, as the Milwaukee Brewers dropped a 6-5 decision to the Reds. With the Cubs losing, 5-4, at San Francisco, the Cardinals find themselves just 1 1/2 games off the division lead.

Paul Goldschmidt socked a grand slam in the 10th to put the Cardinals comfortably ahead, but the St. Louis bullpen, a sore spot all season, nearly gave the game away, giving up three runs before finally closing the book on the Pirates.

The slam was Goldschmidt's only hit of the game. It was his 19th home run of the season, to go with 48 RBI and a .248 average, numbers well short of what the Cardinals thought he would produce when they acquired him from Arizona in the off-season.

Despite Goldschmidt's struggles (he's currently mired in a deep slump, batting .174 over the past seven games), the Cardinals have kept pace in the most contentious division in the majors. St. Louis is also holding the second wild card spot, 1/2-game behind the Nationals and 1/2-game ahead of the Phillies.

Pittsburg hosts St. Louis in game two of their four-game series in the Steel City, Tuesday, at 7:05 pm ET.