Toronto Bashes Royals, 11-8, for Game Three ALCS Victory as Troy Tulowitzki Hoemrs

Players of the Day for Monday, October 19, 2015

American League

Tulowitzki: 3-run Homer

A little home cooking was just what the Toronto Blue Jays needed to notch their first win of the ALCS, topping the Royals Monday night at the Rogers Centre, 11-8.

While the score suggests that the game was close, Kansas City only cut into the Toronto lead in the ninth, scoring four runs before being retired for the night.

The key blow of the game was struck by Toronto shortstop, Troy Tulowitzki, whose third inning homer increased the Blue Jay lead from 3-2 to 6-2. The Jays tacked on three more runs in the frame, knocking out Royuals' starter, Johnny Cueto, who lasted just two innings officially, not getting any outs before being lifted in the third, allowing eight runs on six hits and four bases on balls.

Ryan Goins and Josh Donaldson also homered for the Jays. Donaldson hit a two-run shot in the third; Goins smacked a solo homer in the fifth inning.

The win leaves the Royals with a two-games-to-one lead in the best-of-seven series. Game four is scheduled for a first pitch at 4:07 pm EDT, Tuesday in Toronto.

National League

There were no NL games on Monday. The NLCS continues with game three in Chicago with the Cubs hosting the Mets at 8:07 pm EDT. New York holds a 2-0 edge n the series.

Blue Jays Stave Off Elimination as Troy Tulowizki Belts 3-Run Homer

Players of the Day for Sunday, October 11, 2015

American League

Tulo's 3-run HR lifts Jays

Troy Tulowitzki's three-run homer propelled the Blue Jays to a 5-1 win in game three of their AL divisional series with the Texas Rangers, avoiding elimination after Texas had taken games one and two in Toronto.

Tulowitzki, who had been sidelined since mid-August after the Jays acquired him prior to the trade deadline, had gone hitless in the first two games of the series (0-for-10) before his 2-for-4 effort Sunday. The Jays' shortstop also recorded an RBI when he drew a bases-loaded walk in the fourth inning.

Josh Donaldson socked a solo homer in the third to get the Jays on the board. Tulowitzki's blast came in the sixth, in support of 6 1/3 strong innings from Marco Estrada, Toronto's starter, who allowed one run on five hits, fanning four.

Texas leads the series, two games to one. Game four is scheduled for Monday, at 4:00 pm EDT.

In Houston, the Astros defeated the Royals to put Kansas City on the brink of elimination, winning by a 4-2 score. Chris Carter went 3-for-3 with a solo homer. Game four is Monday at 1:00 pm EDT.

National League

There were no NL games Sunday. Both NLDS - Dodgers at Mets, Cardinals at Chicago - resume Monday with game three in each series. Both are tied one game apiece.

Yasiel Puig Rallies Dodgers; Troy Tulowitzki Finds New Home Atop Blue Jays' Lineup

Players of the Day for Wednesday, July 29, 2015

American League

Yasiel Puig

Troy Tulowitzki

In the AL East, everybody's chasing the Yankees.

Following Wednesday's results, which included a 5-2 loss by New York to the Rangers, the Orioles are in second place, six games back; Toronto is third, seven behind, and the Rays are 7 1/2 out.

Toronto made a roster move just prior to the trade deadline (Friday at 4:00 pm EDT), picking up Troy Tulowitzki from the floundering Rockies.

In his first game with the Blue Jays, Tulo appears to have found a new home - batting leadoff for the Jays, going 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a two-run homer. Toronto topped the Phillies, 8-2 and get Thursday off before hosting a three-game weekend series with the Royals.

It's an important series for both teams, as the Royals will be starting a new player - Johnny Cueto - who arrived via Cincinnati and is expected to bolster an already solid Kansas City rotation.

National League

The tightest race in the majors is currently the one between the LA Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, where the Giants trail their southern neighbors by a mere 1/2 game, after Jake Peavy led the Giants to a 5-0 win over Milwaukee and the Dodgers held onto first place with a come-from-behind, 10-7, win over the visiting Oakland Athletics.

The A's had taken a 6-3 lead in the top of the seventh with a four-run outburst, but the resilient Dodgers came back with five runs in the bottom of the frame, keyed by Yasiel Puig's run-scoring single. Puig earlier put the Dodgers on the board with a two-run homer (his 7th) in the fourth inning.

Puig, who is batting .254 with 25 RBI, has been rumored to be available for a trade by the Dodgers. Thus far there have been no takers.

Both the giants and Dodgers have Thursday off, but resume play on Friday, the Giants traveling to Texas for a weekend series, while the Dodger host the Angels.

Carlos Gonzalez, Troy Tulowitzki Blast Reds; R.A. Dickey Hurls 8 1/3 Shutout Innings as Jays Top Giants

Players of the Day for Wednesday, June 5, 2013

American League

R.A. Dickey

Toronto is still nine games under .500, dead last in the AL East, 10 1/2 games out, but on Wednesday they got a boost from knuckle-baller R.A. Dickey, who blanked the Giants on two hits over 8 1/3 innings in a 4-0 Blue Jay win.

At 5-7, Dickey's had his troubles moving from the National to the American League (he pitched for the Mets until this season), so maybe interleague play suits his style, but whatever the case, San Francisco hitters couldn't get good wood on his knuckler except for a couple of harmless singles, one by Pedro Sandoval in the fourth, the other by Gregor Blanco with one out in the ninth. Dickey followed Blanco's hit by walking Marco Scutaro, which got him the hook from manager John Gibbons. Casey Janssen came on for the final two outs, earning his 12th save of the year.

Dickey walked two and struck out five, splitting the two-game series a game apiece. The Toronto hurler also help his own cause, driving in the Blue Jays' first run with a double in the fifth inning as Toronto scored all of their runs in the frame.

The Jays and Giants part company on Thursday, the Giants going to Phoenix for a three-game series with NL West leader, Arizona, while the Blue Jays head back home for a three-game set with the Texas Rangers, starting Friday.

The Giants dropped three games behind the Diamondbacks in the NL West. The loss to Toronto was their sixth in their last nine games.

National League

Tulo: 5-5, 2 HR

In a battle of divisional contenders, the rubber match of the three-game series between the Reds and the Rockies turned into a Colorado home-run derby as the Rockies banged out 20 hits and socked six homers in a 12-4 romp.

The Reds took the opener at home, 3-0, on Monday, but the Rockies came back with a 5-4 decision on Tuesday. Wednesday's finale started out well for the Reds, who had a 4-1 lead after the first inning, though that proved to be all they'd score of Jon Garland and a pair of relievers, while the Rockies hammered five Cincinnati pitchers, scoring multiple runs in the third, fourth, seventh and eighth innings.

Gonzalez: 3HR, 6RBI

Troy Tulowitzki went 5-for-5 with a pair of long-balls, a two run homer in the third and a solo shot in the eighth. While Tulo had an exceptional day at the plate, he was overshadowed by Carlos Gonzalez, who blasted three out of Great American Ball Park, driving in six runs with a solo shot, a two-run job and a three-run belt, giving him 17 homers on the season, second in the NL behind Domonic Brown, who smashed his 18th in the Phillies' 6-1 win over Miami. Tulowitzki is third in the league with 15.

The result left the Reds still very much in the hunt in the NL East, trailing the Cardinals by 2 1/2 games, while the Rockies leave Cincinnati with a 2-1 series win, also 2 1/2 games behind the West, where the Diamondbacks lead.

Today's Trivia:: Who led the majors in doubles for three straight seasons, 1984 though 1986? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: The Yankees' Derek Jeter is the current active leader in plate appearances with 11,895 trips.

Alex Rodriguez Chasing History with Two HRs in Yankees Win; Troy Tulowitzki Leads Rockies Past Marlins

Players of the Day for Wednesday, May 23, 2012

American League

Alex Rodriguez

The race in the AL East continues to be the one to watch, with all five teams playing at least .500 baseball and the last place Red Sox only 5 1/2 out after beating front-running Baltimore, 6-5, Wednesday.

In New York, the Yankees also picked up a game on the Orioles with an 8-3 win over Kansas City, taking two of three from the visiting Royals. The Yanks are 4 1/2 back, in fourth place.

Andy Pettitte improved to 2-1 off of seven solid innings, allowing two earned while striking out eight, while Alex Rodriguez produced his first multiple home run game of the season by belting a pair, helping stake Pettitte to a 5-0 lead after three innings.

A-Rod launched his sixth of the season with a man aboard in the bottom of the first inning, following up with a solo shot in the third, his seventh homer. He was 2-for-4 with three RBI, giving him 18 ribbies thus far into the season.

Though Rodriguez's seasonal numbers aren't all that dramatic, he is chasing a few historic marks. He stands at 636 homers, 24 shy of tying Willie Mays for fourth all-time. Now 10th all-time in RBI with 1911, he will soon surpass some of baseball's great run producers. Just ahead are Eddie Murray (1917), Jimmie Foxx (1922), Ty Cobb (1938), Stan Musial (1951), Lou Gehrig (1995) and Barry Bonds (1996). Rodriguez would have to tally 107 RBI this season to become only the fourth player in baseball history to drive in 2000 runs, joining Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth and Cap Anson, some pretty elite company.


National League

Troy Tulowitzki

After downing the Marlins, 8-4, the Colorado Rockies are still only 16-27 and 13 1/2 games out in the NL West, but that doesn't mean they're not hitting. On the contrary, their pitching staff is last in the league with a horrific 5.12 ERA, a number which does not imply a lot of wins.

In Wednesday's win the Rockies were a marvel of efficiency, scoring eight runs on the same number of hits, staving off a sweep in Miami. Troy Tulowitzki doubled and cracked a three-run homer off Marlin starter Carlos Zambrano in four at-bats, to help power the Rockies.

Colorado, as a team, is batting .250, which is right in the middle of the NL team stats, but they are above average in most of the other offensive categories. Their 209 runs is third-best in the league and they are also third in home runs (46) and RBI (202), with a .419 team slugging percentage, second, behind St. Louis, which leads the league at .457.

A little pitching and the Rockies could become dangerous.

Verlander Keeps Tigers Charging; Tulowitzki Brings Rockies Back vs. Dodgers

Players of the Day for Thursday, June 9, 2011

American League

Verlander is 7-3

The Detroit Tigers are red hot and on the verge of running down Cleveland in the AL Central, and, with Seattle in town for the start of a four-game set, Detroit had its ace, Justin Verlander, on the mound to open the series.

Coming through with another huge performance, Verlander limited the Mariners to five hits, one walk and a solitary run over eight stellar innings. The only run came in the 5th, and put Seattle up temporarily, 1-0, but the Tigers plated four in the bottom half of the frame, capped by Brennan Boesch's two-run jack, and held on the 4-1 triumph.

Verlander was at his usual best, fanning ten Mariners, including catcher Miguel Olivo three times. Closer Jose Valverde got Olivo for a fourth time leading off the 9th, en route to his 16th save.

The Tigers crept to within one game of the idle division-leading Indians as Verlander improved his record to 7-3 with a 3.04 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP. While the Tigers entertain the Mariners over the weekend, Cleveland visits New York for a four game series with the Yankees.

National League

Troy Tulowitzki

Timing isn't everything, but it sure helps, as in the case of Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki, who delivered key hits in Colorado's come-from-behind, 9-7 win over the slumping LA Dodgers.

Tulowitzki got the the plate with the bases loaded in both the 6th and 7th innings and each time drove in two runs. In the 6th, with the Dodgers leading, 4-0, he doubled home a pair of baserunners, and in the 7th, after the Dodgers had scored three more times, Tulowitzki had the key hit in a five-run uprising, singling home two more runs to tie the game at seven.

Both times, Tulowitzki ended up stranded at third base, but his four RBI had a huge impact on the win. He leads the Rockies with 40 RBI.

The Dodgers dropped their second straight, are 3-5 for the month of June and have dropped into a last-place tie with San Diego, 6 1/2 games out of first. The Rockies won their second straight and are 4 1/2 behind the Giants in the NL West. The Rockies' win was the first in a four-game home series with the Dodgers.

JETER 3000 WATCH: Derek Jeter got to within ten hits of the magic 3000 mark, and he also scored a run, drove in one and stole a base, but there was no celebrating in the Yankee clubhouse, as they lost their third straight to Boston, by an 8-3 score. By being swept at home, the Yankees gave up the lead in the AL East and now trail the Red Sox by two games. New York will try to get itself right on its current home stand - which has started terribly - when they host Cleveland for four games beginning Friday and then welcome in the Texas Rangers for a three-game set.

Yankee fans would like to see Jeter get his 3000th hit at the stadium, and getting ten hits in seven games is certainly well within the captain's power, but getting some wins might be more on his mind than stroking singles at this point.

Rays Alone in 1st on Hellickson Shutout; Tulowitzki Leads Rockies Back to First Place

Players of the Day for Friday, May 13, 2011

American League

Jeremy Hellickson

Both the Baltimore and Tampa Bay bullpens got a game's worth of rest on Friday as Tampa's Jeremy Hellickson and Baltimore's Jeremy Guthrie locked into a heated pitching duel, eventually won by Hellickson and the Rays, 3-0.

The Rays, who surged into sole possession of first place on Thursday after they dropped Cleveland, 7-4, while the Yankees were hammered by Kansas City, 11-5, took a two-game lead in the division as Boston sent the Yanks to their third straight loss, 5-4.

Both Guthrie and Hellickson went the full route for their teams, but Hellickson proved better, giving up four hits and a walk while fanning three.

A rookie, having thrown just 38 innings in 2010, Hellickson recorded his first complete game shutout and boosted his career record to 8-2 and is 4-2 this season.

With a 2.98 ERA and 1.21 WHIP, Hellickson rounds out a very capable Tampa Bay starting rotation. Tampa Bay has the second-lowest ERA in the American League, at 3.16

National League

The National League West division is shaping up into what may be one of the best three-way pennant races in years.

Troy Tulowitzki

After giving up their dominance in the division on Thursday, Colorado re-tied the Giants for first place with a 12-7 win over San Diego while the Giants took an 11-4 beating from the Cubs on Friday. Los Angeles, meanwhile, snuck to within 2 1/2 games of the leaders with a 4-3 win over Arizona.

The Rockies' bats did the talking in their win over the Padres, banging out 16 hits against four San Diego hurlers. The Rockies scored in six of their eight innings at the plate.

Troy Tulowitzki singled home two runs in the first inning and added his 10th home run of the season in the 4th, a solo shot to left field. Tulowitzki finished 3-for-5 with three RBI, two runs and a stolen base, his third of the season.

Sam Fuld Misses Cycle by a Single; Tulowitzki an RBI Machine for Flying Rockies

Players of the Day for Monday, April 11, 2011

American League

Sam Fuld

Should Sam Fuld have stopped at first base?

After all, his Tampa Bay Rays were killing the Red Sox.

When he hit that 9th inning shot to left, the Rays were already ahead, 14-4, and Casey Kotchman was heading home with run #15 for the Rays. Fuld already had a double, triple and home run to his credit; stopping at first would have given him the cycle.

On to second base he ran. Rookie mistake. Call it the cycle, plus one. But there was no doubting the outcome of the game as Fuld and teammates absolutely battered Daisuke Matsuzaka for eight hits and seven runs over the first two innings. They weren't very kind to Tim Wakefield, either, pounding the aging knucklehaller for five more runs on seven hits.

Dennis Wheeler finished the game by allowing four more runs in the ninth. The only Red Sox pitcher to escape the barrage was Alfredo Aviles, ironically, a Yankee transplant, who went 2 2/3rds without allowing a hit. Tampa Bay won the laugher, 16-4, whacking Boston for 20 hits.

But Fuld, the rookie left fielder and leadoff hitter had a night to remember, scoring three times, driving in three runs and going 4-for-6. The cycle, plus one.

National League

Troy Tulowitzki

So far this season, Troy Tulowitzki is only batting at a .250 clip, but he's getting his hits when they count.

Tulowitzki has just 8 hits in 32 at-bats, but his nine RBI are good enough to tie him for fifth place in the National League. He added RBI 7, 8 and 9 in Colorado's 7-6 win over the Mets, going 2-for-4 with a run-producing single and a 2-run homer which completed the Rockies' scoring in the 8th inning.

The homer was his second of the season, helping the Rockies to one of their best starts in franchise history. Their 7-2 record matches their best 9-game start to a season, and they lead the NL West by 1 1/2 games.

Tulowitzki is a career .290 hitter. Last season he battled injuries but still put up a .315 average in 122 games. Expect the hits to keep on coming.

Team Report: Colorado Rockies

The outlook for Colorado is upbeat after falling just short of reaching the playoffs in 2010, finishing in third place behind San Francisco and a collapsing San Diego squad, nine games out with a record of 83-79.

That positive finish above .500 portends good things to come in 2011, especially if their off-season moves prove to be correct and the top of the lineup -  CF Dexter Fowler and LF Seth Smith perform up to their abilities.

Tulowitzki

With MVP candidate Carlos Gonzalez (RF) batting behind them, every time one of the 1-2 hitters reaches base creates the potential for a big inning. Another element which will almost certainly help the Rockies would be a full season from #4 hitter, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, the do-it-all guy in Colorado.

The infield is also counting on relative newcomers 2B Jose Lopez and 3B Ian Stewart, of whom big things have been expected but really haven't panned out. Todd Helton returns for another season at first base, and catcher Chris Ianetta will be the regular receiver.

Jimenez

A bonus in the NL West, the Rockies have the ability to score runs. Of the five teams in the division, they and the Dodgers have the most potentially potent offenses, but the Rockies need another stud start to go with Ubaldo Jimenez, who had a great first half, but tailed off in the latter part of the year.

At issue is the relative quality of the four starters behind Ubaldo, which includes the only lefty, Jorge De La Rosa, then Jhoulys Chacin, Aaron Cook and Jason Hammel. None of these starters are overly impressive, so they're likely be asked to just provide five or six solid innings, allow the regulars to do their thing with the bats and leave the rest to an amply-supplied bullpen. This is one of the most well-stocked units in the league, especially after picking up Matt Lindstrom from Houston to go with Rafael Betancourt, Matt Belisle, and lefties Matt Reynolds and Franklin Morales. Should that group deliver the Rockies to the ninth with a lead, the capable hand and arm of Huston Street will be on hand to close out the game.

That's the plan, and if the Rockies stick to it, they could have quite a bit of success in the again suspect NL West. Winning the division is more dependent on how well the Giants defend their World Series title, but the Rockies, along with the Dodgers, should make for an interesting wild card race.

Texas Clinches on Cantu HR; Tulowitzki Saves Season for Rockies

Players of the Day for Saturday, September 25, 2010

American League

Acquired from Florida on July 30, Jorge Cantu has played only 25 games for the Texas Rangers, but on Saturday, with his first home run in a Texas uniform, he sent the Rangers into the post-season with a 4-3 win over the Oakland A's.

Cantu, playing first base, wnet 3-for-4 at the plate, his 6th inning single driving home a run that put the Rangers up, 2-1. After Texas scored another in the 7th, the A's tied the game in the bottom of the inning. Cantu's 8th-inning, solo blast to center field, off A's reliever Michael Wuertz, provided the winning run, clinching the AL West division for the Rangers.

National League

Colorado's been playing catch-up all season, but after losing five straight this week, it seemed like the magic was gone and the Rockies would spend October watching the playoffs and World Series from their homes on TV.

Down, 9-6, in the 6th inning to the Giants, all appearances suggested the season was about to be over for Colorado, but they manufactured a run in the bottom of the inning and then Troy Tulowitzki put the team - and the season - on his back.

In the 8th, Tulo creamed a double to right, plating two runs to tie the game at 9-9, and then doubled home Carlos Gonzalez with the game-winner in the bottom of the 10th, sending the Giants back to their hotel rooms unhappy and in second place with a 10-inning, 10-9 loss. The Rockies remained in third, four games behind the Padres, but still alive, the losing streak over, with hope for tomorrow and the remainder of the season.

Tulowitzki, having a September to remember, crashed his 27th home run in the fifth inning. He finished the game 4-for-5, with five RBI, putting his total for the month at 40, with 15 homers. His 40 RBI in one month set a new Rockies' record.

The Rockies will look to make their move in the final week of the season with one more against the Giants on Sunday, then three at home against the Dodgers before hitting the road for four games at St. Louis. They'll need either the Giants or Padres to falter in order to reach either the wild card or win the NL West.

PENNANT NOTES: San Diego held off Cincinnati, 4-3, denying the Reds the NL Central for at least another day, and vaulting themselves back into first place in the contentious NL West. They lead the Giants by 1/2 game and Colorado by four. The Reds still have a 6 1/2 game lead over the Cardinals, and a magic number of two.

In the East, the Mets' snapped the Phillies' 11-game win streak with a 5-2 win and Atlanta won, dropping Philadelphia's lead back to six. Their magic number stands at two.

Suddenly without a pitching staff, the Yankees lost their second straight to the Red Sox and 4th overall, falling 1 1/2 games behind the Rays, 9-1 winners over Seattle. The 7-3 Boston win kept faint Red Sox hopes alive. They play one more in New York on Sunday before heading to Chicago for a four-game series with the White Sox. Then they return to Fenway Park to close out the regular season with a weekend three-game series with the Yankees.

Boston trails New York by 5 1/2 for the wild card and needs to keep winning in order to make the final weekend series meaningful. The Sox didn't do themselves any favors losing 2 of 3 to both the Blue Jays and Orioles last week, but they seem to have found new life against the Yankees. In Saturday's win, Jon Lester picked up his 19th win with seven shutout innings. The Red Sox out-clubbed the Yankees in the series opener, 10-8.

Sabathia Wins 20th; Tulowitzki on a Tear

Players of the Day for Saturday, September 18, 2010 American League C.C. Sabathia became the first pitcher to notch 20 wins this season, and his doing so kept the NY Yankees in first place. At 9-5, just a little better than ordinary on the road in 2010, Sabathia got plenty of support from his teammates, as the Yanks drubbed the Orioles, 11-3, at Camden Yards. Giving up single runs in the 2nd, 3rd and 5th innings, Sabathia went seven innings, allowing seven hits while striking out four. It was a good enough effort for win #20, the first time Sabathia, who has been one of the most dominant pitchers in either league the past six years, has won 20 games in a season. The big righty is a stunning 11-1 at Yankee Stadium, where he has been nearly untouchable over the past year and a half. Tampa Bay topped the Angels in 10 innings for a 4-3 win, remaining 1/2 game behind New York in the AL East. The two teams will meet for the final time during the regular season when they open a four-game series on Monday. Sabathia is expected to start the final game of the set, Thursday night at Yankee Stadium. National League Troy Tulowitzki is playing an entirely different brand of baseball than everyone else this September and the Rockies are challenging for the top spot in the NL West because of it. The Rockies won again on Saturday, pounding the Dodgers, 12-2, as Tulowitzki collected three more hits over five at-bats, banging out a double and two more home runs, his 4th and 5th of the last three games and numbers 13 and 14 for the month of September. He scored three times and drove in four more runs. Melvin Mora added to the onslaught with a grand slam. Consider Tulowitzki's numbers for the month of September. He's batting .371 (26-for-70) with 14 homers, 37 RBI (13 in just his last three games). More than half of his hits have been home runs. In fact, only seven of his hits have been singles, as he's hit four doubles and triple over that span. Due to his torrid pace at the plate, the Rockies have clambered back into the divisional and wild card races. They trail the Padres by 1 game, with San Francisco sandwiched in between, 1/2 game out. The Rockies are also 2 1/2 behind the Braves in the wild card. PENNANT NOTES: The Al Central and West divisions are pretty much finished. Minnesota won again, while the White Sox lost their fifth straight, putting the Twins 10 up with 14 games to play. Their magic number is five. Texas also won, while the A's lost, dropping their magic number to 5, with a 10-game lead. In the NL East, both the Phillies and Braves were winners, keeping the East at a 3-game bulge for Philly. The Reds upped their lead to seven games over the Cardinals. While they hammered Houston 11-1, St. Louis was losing to the Padres, 8-4.

Johnson Belts Yankees; Tampa Back on Top; Tulowitzki Has 7 RBI in Rockies Win

Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 15, 2010 American League Concluding their three-game series in Tampa, the Rays and Yankees set out to determine which of them would be the AL East leader heading into the final two weeks of the season. In a see-saw battle that had the Yankees ahead twice - 1-0 and 3-2) - the final outcome was determined not by any veteran player with pennant race experience, but a free-swinging DH who had played in just 25 games this season and wasn't even in the majors all of 2009. Dan Johnson answered the Yankee leads both times with a pair of two run homers, providing all of Tampa Bay's runs as the Rays took temporary possession of the top divisional spot in a 4-3 thriller. The Yankees scored quickly, getting Derek Jeter home on a Robbie Cano single in the first. The lead would last until the 5th inning, when Johnson stepped to the plate with Evan Longoria aboard and deposited Phil Hughes' offering into the right field seats. After Curtis Granderson put the Yankees back on top in the 7th, 3-2, with a two-run shot of his own, Johnson did it again, crushing another ball deep to right field. Tampa's bullpen managed the rest of the game, with Rafael Soriano picking up his 43rd save of the season. The two teams won't get much rest before meeting again. They begin a four-game series in New York on Tuesday, the 21st. Each of the three games in this series was decided by a single run, so there's likely to be more drama next week as the Yankees attempt to re-take the lead. National League Colorado just keeps coming after NL West leader San Diego. Finishing up their three-game series, the Rockies took the final two games, including Wednesday's 9-6 triumph, a tour de force by Troy Tulowitzki. The Padres hardly knew what hit them before Tulowitzki tied his own career high with seven RBI. The Rockies' star shortstop singled home a run in the first inning, then cracked a three-run homer in the 3rd and another in the 4th, putting the Rockies up 9-2. The Padres' Adrian Gonzalez tried to bring the Padres back with two homers and five RBI of his own, but it proved to be not enough, as Colorado crawled to within 2 1/2 of the division leaders. Later in the evening, the Giants took a 2-1 decision over the Dodgers, closing their gap to just 1/2 game behind San Diego. PENNANT NOTES: Roy Halladay won his NL-best 19th game as Phillies' batters broke out for a 10-5 win over the Marlins, their 4th straight win. With Atlanta losing their second in a row to the lowly Nationals, 4-2, Philadelphia nw appears to be in control of the NL East with a 3-game lead and just 15 games remaining. The Reds won and the Cardinals lost, sending St. Louis 8 games behind Cincy in the NL Central. The Cards have played their way out of contention for either the division or the wild card, dropped 7 1/2 behind Atlanta. Minnesota continued to put an exclamation point on their season, whipping the White Sox again, by a 9-3 score. The Twins now hold a commanding eight game lead in the AL Central and conclude their three-game set at Chicago on Thursday. Texas pushed its magic number down to 8, beating Detroit, 11-7, while the A's were losing, 6-3, in Kansas City. Texas has assumed their largest lead of the season, at 10 games in front.

Rays Win Despite Two Bautista Homers; Tulowitzki, Rockies Win 9th Straight

Players of the Day for Friday, September 10, 2010 American League Against most teams, a seven-run lead is usually safe, but the Toronto Blue Jays are not like most teams, as Tampa Bay found out Friday night. The Blue Jays rallied from an 8-1 deficit on the strength of four long balls, two by AL home run leader Jose Bautista, whose second two-run blast of the contest tied the game in the bottom of the 7th inning. Bautista hit his 45th in the 5th inning after Adam Lind belted a two-run job in the 4th. Catcher John Buck sent a solo shot out in the 7th before Bautista crushed #46. The Jays lead the majors in home runs and continue to play solid baseball. They are, however, stuck in the wrong division, trailing the Yankees by 15 games with both Tampa Bay and Boston also in front of them. Despite the power display by the Blue Jays, Tampa Bay came back to win the game as even Longoria scored the winning run in the top of the 9th, when Yunel Escobar threw wildly to first base, attempting to complete a double play. Longoria had advanced from second to third on the play, and scooted home when the ball sailed into foul ground for the 9-8 victory. Hours later, the Yankees would lose to the Rangers, 6-5, in 16 innings, to lead the Rays by 1 1/2 in the AL East. The Rays are virtually assured of reaching the playoffs for the second time in three years as they hold a 7 1/2 game lead over Boston and Chicago in the wild card race. Toronto added to their home run total, which now stands at 222. With 141 games already in the books, they still need to hit two per game, on average, the rest of the way to tie the 1997 Seattle Mariners for the major league record of 264 home runs by a team in one season. National League Making up for lost time, Troy Tulowitzki has been hammering baseballs all over National League parks. The Colorado shortstop spent the latter half of June and most of July on the DL, but since returning to full health, he's raised his batting average from .306 to .327, challenging teammate Carlos Gonzalez for the batting title. The rest of the Rockies couldn't be happier, as they've won eight straight and now trail the co-leaders in the NL West - San Diego and San Francisco - by just 2 1/2 games. The Giants finally caught the Padres, beating them for the second straight game. The Giants used six pitchers to complete a 1-0 shutout and tie up the division. While those two battled, Tulowitzki was leading the Rockies, going 3-for-3, with a pair of home runs, one of the traditional variety and another an inside-the-park kind. His other hit was a run-producing double. He finished with three RBI and scored four times as the Rockies trampled the Diamondbacks, 13-4. "Tulo" has hit safely in nine of his last ten games, going 16-36 (.444) with 8 home runs and 17 RBI. Gonzalez went hitless for the second straight game following a 16-game hitting streak that led him to the league's batting lead. He was up to .340, but has since fallen to .335. PENNANT NOTES: In the AL Central, the Twins lost and the White Sox won, to Minnesota's lead is back to an even five games. Texas beat the Yankees, lowering their magic number to clinch to AL West to 15. The Phillies and Braves each won, so Philadelphia remains one game in front in the NL East. St. Louis lost to Atlanta while the Reds beat Pittsburgh, 4-3, so Cincinnati's lead in the Central is back up to six games. While the Rays or Yankees will almost surely be the AL wild card, the NL is a bit more complicated. St. Louis looks like the odd team out, as they will probably have to catch the Reds to reach the post-season at all. They trail the Braves - currently the wild card leader - by 6 1/2 games, but San Francisco and San Diego are both a game behind the Braves, with Colorado 3 1/2 back.

Tulowitzki Goes Deep; 3-0 Bergesen Blanks Yanks

Players of the Day for Thursday, March 25, 2010 American League After their 2009 last-place finish in the AL East, the Baltimore Orioles would like to show some improvement, and one of the ways they plan on doing so is with better starting pitching, so they have to be pleased with the progress of 24-year-old Brad Bergesen, who picked up win #3 in an 8-0 shellacking of the NY Yankees on Thursday. Bergesen shut down the Yankees on 3 hits over 5 2/3 innings, walking two and fanning a pair. It was his longest stint of the Spring and easily his best outing. He had previously allowed 6 earning runs over 8 2/3 innings. In 2009, he went 7-5 with a 3.43 ERA in 19 starts with the O's. National League If there's a player who epitomizes the mindset of the Colorado Rockies, it's shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. Notable for slow starts and strong finishes, Tulo is the kind of player who can light a fire under an entire organization with his gritty determination and gutsy, never-say-die attitude. The Rockies have treated their fans to some of the best September drama in the league over the past few years, but, if Tulowitzki's Spring is any indication, NL West teams better be ready for a battle right from opening day. Tulowitzki banged his 3rd home run of exhibition season - a three-run blast - as part of a 7-run Rockies outburst in Thursday's 10-6 win over Cincinnati. He also singled in four at-bats, raisng his batting average to a healthy .353. In 2009, Tulowitzki pounded 32 homers and 92 RBI, most of it after the all star break. The way he's going this Spring, opposing pitchers may be tired of seeing him at the plate by June. MLB Preview: Houston Astros Since 2004, when they picked up, then let go of Carlos Beltran, the Houston Astros haven't done much in terms of post-season excitement. The following season, they won the NL wild card and advanced to the World Series, only tobe humbled by the White Sox in a four-game sweep. Since then, Houston's seasons have ended around the last days of September with the end of the regular season. Following a 74-88 finish in 2009, the Astros have reason for optimism in what is shaping up as a competitive division. It all begins with a starting rotation that has the opportunity to be excellent. Roy Oswalt, Wandy Rodríguez, Brett Myers, Bud Norris and Brian Moehler are likely to make up a starting five that looks solid against the rest of the league. Oswalt, coming off an unusual season in which he started 30 games but only went 8-6, looks to improve on his career marks of 137-70 with a 3.23 ERA. By his third or fourth start, he'll reach a milestone - 1500 strikeouts, but more importantly, he should continue as one of the most consistent performers in the majors. Rodriguez comes off a 14-12 season with a 3.02 ERA. With any kind of run support, Rodriguez could have won 18 or more. Mohler is still seeking to reclaim lost form, Myers arrives from Philly, and Norris could be a surprise, coming off a August-September rookie stint in 2009 that produced 6 wins and 3 losses. The Astros bullpen could also produce some positives. With Alberto Arias out with a shoulder injury, righties Sammy Gervacio, Casey Daigle and Wilton Lopez are competing for open spots. Matt Lindstrom looks to be the closer, after converting 15 of 17 opportunities into saves for Florida last season. Pitching ought to be a mainstay for Houston, because the bats aren't all that special. Left fielder Carlos Lee and first baseman Lance Berkman are true power hitters, though right fielder Hunter Pence has surprised many with 25 dingers in each of the past two seasons. Center field belongs to budding superstar Michael Bourne, who had a banner year in '09, swiping 61 bases and scoring 97 runs. After those four, though, there's quite a production fall-off. Second baseman Kazuo Matsui, shortstop Tommy Manzella, third baseman Pedro Feliz (from Philly), and catcher Humberto Quintero will provide better defense than offense. Like most teams in the NL Central, the Astros are far from a finished product, but they should be improved, especially if Arias comes back healthy and youngsters Pence and Bourne continue to improve. Pegged at 75-1 to win the fall classic seems a pretty fair price for a team that could reach the playoffs, and, with a trade or two, could try for the franchise's first championship.

Tulowitzki Hits for Cycle; Ellis 5-for-5 in A's Win

Players of the Day for Monday, August 10, 2009 American League Neither the A's nor the O's are going anywhere after September, but the players play on, through the dog days of August which are sometimes the hardest on veteran hitters. Apparently, the time of year doesn't matter to Oakland's Mark Ellis, who, despite batting in the #8 hole for the A's, produced a 5-for-5 night at the plate and drove in 4 runs with a double and 4 singles. The A's topped the Orioles, 9-1, for their second straight win and with a win Tuesday against the Orioles, will even their mark against the AL East to 20-20, somewhat of a feat for a last-place club. Ellis, a journeyman second baseman who has played every game of his 7-year major league career with the A's, has played in only 56 games this season, but is getting into a solid groove at the dish, having raised his batting average from .205 on July 19, to his current .270. Ellis has 12 RBI so far this month. National League Taking over sole possession of second place in the NL West, 5 1/2 behind the LA Dodgers, the Colorado Rockies bludgeoned the Chicago Cubs, 11-5, as Troy Tulowitzki went 5-for-5 at the plate and hit for the cycle, driving in 7 runs and scoring twice in the process. Tulowitzki got started early, cranking out a 2-run homer in the first inning, to give Colorado a lead they would never relinquish. The Rockies' shortstop then singled home a pair of runs in the second, doubled in another in the 4th, tripled and scored in the 7th and singled in two more in the 8th. With the Giants losing to the Dodgers, 4-2, the Rockies slipped by San Fran and appear poised to make a run at the Dodgers. If they fail to catch LA., they still have good prospects of making the post season, currently leading the wild card race by one game over the Giants and 3 games over both the Cubs and Marlins. Tulowitzki upped his batting average 10 points, from .266 to .276, and improved his slugging percentage to .530, 13th in the NL. NOTES: That big lead the Phillies used to have in the NL East has pretty much disappeared, since the Marlins continue to win, posting their 4th straight W with an 8-6 victory at Houston. Meanwhile, the Cardinals seem to be putting it all together at the right time, having won four straight as well, and opening up a 3 game lead over the Cubs. The Cards got a 4-1 win over the Reds, as Kyle Lohse (5-7) rebounded from a poor prior start to go 6 innings, allowing just 4 hits and 1 run without giving up a walk. In the AL, the Yankees had their 7-game win streak snapped in a 5-4 loss to Toronto, and Boston won for the first time in 7 games, topping the Tigers, 6-5. The White Sox continue to stumble along in second place in the Central, 3 games out, failing to take advantage of Detroit's loss, dropping a 6-4 decision at Seattle. Perhaps Alex Rios, whom the Sox acquired over the waiver wire on Monday, can give Chicago a boost. The Angels won, increasing their lead in the West to 4 games over the idle Rangers.

Schilling Takes No-Hitter into 9th; Tulowitzki Stars for Rockies

American League Boston 1 Oakland 0 - Curt Schilling (right) came within one out of his first no-hitter, surrendering a 2-out, 9th inning single to Shannon Stewart to come oh-so-close. Schilling calmly retired the next batter, Mark Ellis, to finish with a 1-hitter, ending Boston's 4-game losing streak. Schilling was just two batters from a perfect game, as he didn't walk anyone, and, other than Stewart, the only Oakland player to make it to first base was Dan Johnson, who reached on shortstop Julio Lugo's fielding error with two outs in the 5th. Schilling opened the game by retiring the first 14 batters and ended by putting down 12 straight before Stewart's spoiler. Staked to an early lead on David Ortiz' solo homer in the first inning, Schilling made the game's only run stand up, throwing 100 pitches to improve to 6-2. Cleveland 8 Kansas City 3 - The Indians remained 2 1/2 in front of Detroit in the AL Central as Fausto Carmona won his 7th straight, working 7 innings against the Royals. Carmona (7-1) allowed 7 hits, 1 walk and a single earned run, striking out 5. NY Yankees 10 Chicago White Sox 3 - Alex Rodriguez smoked a grand slam home run - his major league-leading 22nd - regaining the RBI lead at 56, helping the Yankees to their third straight over the White Sox. The Yankees opened the 4-game series in Chicago with a loss on Monday, but stormed back in their desperate chase of 1st-place Boston. They still trail the Red Sox by 10 1/2. Other AL Scores Detroit 11 Texas 4 - G. Sheffield, HR (16), Tigers take 2 of 3 at Texas Tampa Bay 5 Toronto 3 National League San Diego 6 LA Dodgers 5 - The Padres finally took sole possession of 1st place in the NL West, but it didn't come easy, scoring 5 times in the bottom of the ninth to steal a win from the Dodgers, completing a three-game sweep. With their 8th win in the last 10, the Padres shook loose from equally hot Arizona, who lost in extra innings to the Giants. Reliever Jonathan Broxton could not close out the Padres, as he retired only one batter in the 9th, giving up 4 hits and two walks, the second one forcing in the winning run. The Padres sent their ace, Jake Peavy, to the mound on Thursday, but LA touched him for 6 hits and 4 earned runs over 6 2/3. It was Peavy's second straight start without a decision. He remains at 7-1. San Francisco 5 Arizona 4, 11 innings - Omar Vizquel singled home Pedro Feliz with the winning run in the 11th as the Giants avoided the sweep at Arizona and knocked the Diamondbacks out of first place. The Giants had Barry Bonds back in the lineup on Thursday but he failed to homer for his 9th straight game and remains 9 homers short of Hank Aaron's lifetime mark of 755. Bonds has hit just one home run since May 8. The Giants are in last place in the NL West, 8 back. Colorado 7 Houston 6 - Rookie Troy Tulowitzki (right) knocked a two run homer, doubled and singled in the game winner in the bottom of the 9th as the Rockies took 2 of 3 from the visiting Astros. In 4 at-bats, Tulowitzki scored twice and drove in 3 runs. Matt Holliday went 4-5 and leads the NL with a .361 batting average. Philadelphia 6 NY Mets 3, 10 innings - The Phillies completed their 3-game sweep of the Mets, pulling to within 5 games of first place in the NL East. Philly also closed the gap on 2nd-place Atlanta to 1 1/2 games as the Braves lost to the Cubs, 2-1. Other NL Scores Pittsburgh 3 Washington 2 Chicago Cubs 2 Atlanta 1 - R. Hill (W, 5-4), 8 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 11 K Cincinnati 5 St. Louis 1 - A. Dunn, HR (15); K. Griffey Jr., HR (13)