Giancarlo Stanton Ties HR Record As Marlins Win 4th Straight; Indians Shutout Sweep Royals With Yan Gomes Slam

Players of the Day for Sunday, August 27, 2017

American League

Gomes: Grand Slam

What was supposed to be a showdown series in Cleveland with the Royals turned into a laugher for the Indians as they swept Kansas City with three straight shutouts, culminating in a complete 12-0 humiliation of the now-wild-card-hopefuls.

After blanking the Royals in back-to-back 4-0 wins, the Indians sent starter Carlos Carrasco (13-6) to the mound, backing him with three runs in the first inning and nine in the second. Carrasco worked seven innings of shutout ball without a walk, allowing six hits and fanning eight. Craig Breslow and Zach McAllister each put in an inning of shutout ball, to complete the three-game whitewash.

In the second inning, he Indians got a two-run homer from Francisco Lindor, followed by Carlos Santana's three-run blast, capped off by a grand slam by catcher Yan Gomes. It was Gomes' ninth homer run of the season. The four RBI gave hm 44 on the year. Gomes had singled to lead off the inning and scored on Lindor's home run. He finished 2-for-4.

The win was Cleveland's fourth straight and improved their lead in the AL Central to 6 1/2 games over the Twins. Kansas City suffered its fourth straight loss and hasn't scored a run in 34 straight innings. They trail the Indians by nine games and fell behind the Orioles in the wild card standings. Baltimore swept three games from the Red Sox in Boston over the weekend and have won four straight. Baltimore trails Minnesota by two games for the second wild card spot. Kansas City fell to 2 1/2 back.

Fresh off the sweep, Cleveland heads to New York on Monday, opening a three game series with the Yankees, who took two of three from Seattle and are just 2 1/2 back of Boston in the AL East. The Yankees have a 3 1/2 game lead in the first wild card slot.

The Royals will try to score some runs when they open a three game series Monday in Kansas City with the Rays.

National League

Stanton: Ties HR Record

With four games still on tap for the month, Giancarlo Stanton socked his 17th home run of August, joining Willie Mays and Sammy Sosa for the National League record for most HRs ever in the month. The major league record is held by Rudy York, who hit 18 for Detroit in 1937.

In three at-bats, Stanton singled, doubled and launched his 50th home run of the season, a two-run rocket shot to center field which broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth, propelling the Marlins to their fourth straight victory, winning 6-2 and completing a three-game sweep of the visiting Padres.

The record for most home runs in any month is 20. That mark is also held by Sammy Sosa, who smashed 20 for the Cubs in June of 1998. If anybody in today's baseball is capable of socking three homers in four games, it would be Stanton, who has 50 on the year and has far outpaced the opposition. Cody Bellinger is stuck on 34 in the National League, second behind Stanton. Aaron Judge leads the AL with 37. Stanton added three RBI in the game, giving him 108 and tying him with Colorado's Nolan Arenado for the major league lead.

Somewhat overshadowed by Stanton's record home run month is Miami's meteoric rise in the standings. The Marlins have won 13 of their last 16, cut Washington's lead in the NL East down to 12 games, and, while they are unlikely to catch the Nationals, they have become a contender in the wild card race, now 4 1/2 behind the Rockies for the second wild card spot and six back of Arizona, which holds the top position.

Miami heads to Washington Monday to begin a three-game series with the Nationals. Stanton and the Marlins hope to extend their winning ways.

Yan Gomes Leads Indians To Sweep Of Astros; Cubs Pound Brewers As Kris Bryant Smacks Two Home Runs

Players of the Day for Sunday, May 21, 2017

American League

While the Twins were splitting a doubleheader with they Royals on Sunday, the Cleveland Indians executed a hit job on the Astros, completing the three-game sweep in Houston with an 8-6 victory, tying Minnesota for first place in the AL Central.

Gomes: HR, 5 RBI

Doing all their scoring early - two in the second and three each in the third and fourth innings - the Indians were led by catcher Yan Gomes, who lashed a run-scoring double in the second, whacked a three-run homer in the third and was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, giving him five RBI on the day.

After the game was seemingly out of reach at 8-1 in the fourth, Houston finally got started in the home half, with a two-run Jose Altuve home run. Houston scored all of its runs on homers, by Carlos Beltran, Marwin Gonzolez and Alex Bergman.

Houston's three straight losses left them still with a comfortable cushion in the AL West, 5 1/2 ahead of the Rnagers, winners of 11 of their last 12.

The Astros remain home this week, hosting the Tigers for four games and then welcoming in the Orioles for a three-game weekend series. Cleveland begins a four-game home and home series with the Reds starting Monday in Cincinnati.

Bryant: 2 HR, 4 Runs

National League

After losing to the Brewers on Friday night, 6-4, having the second game of the series rained out Saturday, the Chicago Cubs came out swinging Sunday at Wrigley Field, belting out 15 hits in a 13-6 romp over Milwaukee.

Scoring in every inning but the second, the Cubs swamped starter Chase Anderson for six runs in four innings. Every Cubs' position player had at least one hit. Third baseman and 2016 NL MVP Kris Bryant had three, a single and two solo homers - his ninth and 10th - driving in two runs and scoring four times.

Bryant's sluggish start is one of the reasons the Cubs haven't taken hold of the division lead thus far, but the 25-year-old is beginning to hit mid-season form, batting .303 with 10 home runs and 22 RBI.

Sunday's results leave the Brewers on top in the division, with the Cardinals in second place, 1 1/2 back and the Cubs two out.

Chicago will host the Giants for four games starting Monday. 25-19 Milwaukee heads home Tuesday, with two games against the Blue Jays followed by a four-game series with the Diamondbacks.

Cleveland Wins 5th Straight on Yan Gomes' Walk-Off Homer; Patrick Corbin Goes Distance for 1st Place Diamondbacks

Players of the Day for Monday, May 20, 2013

American League

Yan Gomes

Having surged to the lead in the AL Central by winning 12 of their last 15 games and their last five straight, the Cleveland Indians completed a four-game sweep of Seattle with a thrilling, 10-8 victory in 10 innings, capped by Yan Gomes' walk-off, three-run homer in the bottom of the final frame.

A rookie catcher who played 43 games with Toronto in 2012, Gomes elevated his game with two homers (his third and fourth), the first of which was a solo shot in the second inning when the Indians plated four to take an early lead. He also singled, going 3-for-5 on the night.

The Mariners trailed most of the way, but tied the game in the eighth and took a brief lead in the ninth on Endy Chavez's solo homer before Cleveland scored a single run to send it to extra innings.

Seattle re-took the advantage when Justin Smoak belted a 422-foot solo shot with two down in the top of the tenth to lead 8-7.

Batting out of the nine-hole, Gomes appeared at the plate with two aboard and nobody out in the 10th, taking an offering from Seattle reliever, Charlie Furbush, over the wall in left field.

Seattle remained nine game behind the Rangers in the West, while the Indians increased their lead to 2 1/2 games over idle Detroit.

National League

Patrick Corbin

Despite the fact that the season is only 1/4 of the way through, the battle in the NL West has intensified, with three teams within 2 1/2 games of each other and San Diego lurking just 4 1/2 out.

While the Giants were trashing Washington, 8-0, Arizona opened a big, three-game series at Colorado with a 5-1 win in which the Diamondbacks banged out 16 hits, each of the position players getting at least one hit.

The fact that his teammates left 10 runners in scoring position didn't seem to bother starting pitcher Patrick Corbin, who cruised to his seventh win without a loss with his first major league complete game, allowing just three hits, fanning 10 while walking one.

The lone run came in the eighth, after the Diamondbacks had already put up their five runs.

Corbin tied Washington's Jordan Zimmermann for the NL lead in wins, is second in ERA, at 1.44, and upped his strikeout total to 51 with a career-high in the game.

Arizona's win left them a game to the good on the Giants and 2 1/2 ahead of the Rockies. Game two of the series is Tuesday at 8:40 pm EDT.

Today's Trivia: Miguel Cabrera's .389 batting average was the highest in the majors since 1994, when the major leagues were led with a .394 average. Who accomplished this hitting marvel?

Yesterday's Answer: The two teammates who had 200 or more hits in 2009 were Derek Jeter (212) and Robinson Cano (204) of the NY Yankees.