Brandon Nimmo 5-for-5 As Mets Bury Orioles; Tyler White, Evan Gattis Lead Houston Over Rockies

Players of the Day for Wednesday, August 15, 2018

American League

Evan Gattis

While Seattle was slowing down the A's with a 2-0 win, the Houston Astros snapped out of their five-game losing streak, taking down Colorado, 12-1, in Houston.

Tyler White

Tyler White and Evan Gattis each homered twice for the Astros. White socked a pair of two-run blasts, one in the fifth and another in the seventh. Gattis had two solo shots, belting one in the third inning and the second in the fifth. He also singled, going 3-for-4 for the game.

The win left Houston clinging to a two game lead in the AL West over the A's. While Seattle's win over Oakland may give the Astros some needed breathing room, they have to also be aware of the Mariners, now 4 1/2 off the pace.

Houston gets a day off Thursday as they prepare for a nine-game road trip. They open Friday in Oakland with the first of a three-game series. After that they head to Seattle and Anaheim to play three apiece with the Mariners and Angels.

National League

Nimmo: 5-for-5, 3R, 3RBI

On average, the Mets score just over four runs per game. Only San Deigo and Miami score less in the National League, so their 16-5 romp at Baltimore was out of the ordinary, to say the least.

The 19-hit outburst started with Brandon Nimmo's first of five hits, leading off the game with a single and scoring on Wilmer Flores' sacrifice fly. Nimmo would later double, triple, and single twice more, going 5-for-5 with three runs and three RBI, helping send Baltimore to its 85th loss of the season.

Nimmo, 25, is in his third year with the Mets, and has had nine hits in his last three games, batting .750 (9-for-12) with three doubles, two triples, and a home run.

The Mets have won three of their last four and five of their last seven but are still hopelessly out of the race, 16 1/2 games behind the Braves in the NL East.

They open a five-game series in Philadelphia on Thursday with a doubleheader. Game one starts at 4:05 pm EDT.

Houston Hammers Toronto, 16-7, Tyler White 2 HR, 5 RBI; Yu Darvish, Dodgers Tame Mets, 6-0

Players of the Day for Friday, August 4, 2017

American League

White: 4-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI

As August began, the Blue Jays remained in last place in the AL East, and, starting a three-game series in Houston on Friday, this could be the series that ultimately defines Toronto's season, because Houston is heading to the post-season and, more than likely, the Blue Jays are not.

After game one, it became evident that the two teams on the field were not of the same caliber. While the Blue Jays have some solid hitters, Houston has more of them. In terms of pitching, it was no contest, as the Astros battered six Toronto hurlers for 18 hits and 7 walks in a 16-7 runaway.

Five different Astros had multiple hits and there were 10 extra base hits by Houston, including five home runs. Two of those home runs - in addition to a single and a double - were provided by first baseman, Tyler White, a player who's only been in eight games this season.

White was 4-for-5 with five RBI and three runs. His two homers were the first of the season for the 26-year-old, who spent most of 2017 in AAA with the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League, where he hit .299 with 19 homers and 69 RBI in 91 games.

Called up the last week of July, White was not going very well (4-for-20, no home runs, 3 RBI) until hitting his groove on Friday. In Houston's nine-run fourth inning, he doubled and singled, drove in two runs and scored once. His two-run blast came in the sixth and White added a solo shot in the eighth to complete the rout.

Thanks largely to Toronto pitching, Houston snapped a three-game losing streak but still leads the AL West by 15 games. Game two of the series is Saturday, 7:10 pm ET.

National League

Darvish: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER

With Clayton Kershaw on the mend, the Dodgers went out and got themselves a little insurance prior to the trading deadline, and it appears that their choice of plucking Yu Darvish from the Texas Rangers was a solid one.

In his first start in a Dodger uniform, Darvish was sparkling, allowing three hits over seven scoreless innings, as the Dodgers took game of of their three-game series in New York, 6-0 over the struggling Mets.

After giving up a single and a walk in the opening inning, Davish settled down, allowing harmless singles in the third and fifth innings, and putting down the last eight batters he faced in order. He struck out 10 and the first inning free pass was the only walk he issued. With a six-run lead and Darvish at 99 pitches, the bullpen took over in the eighth. Josh Fields and Luis Avilan each tossed a scoreless inning.

6-9 with the Rangers this year, Darvish looks like a keeper for LA, winning his first start and keeping the Dodgers 14 games in front of the Diamondbacks in the NL West. LA is 77-32, which is easily the best record in the majors.

Game two of the series at Citi Field begins Saturday at 4:05 pm.