Ogando Leads Rangers to 12th Straight Win; Betancourt Homers Twice in Brewers Victory

Players of the Day for Tuesday, July 19, 2011

American League

Last year, the Texas Rangers made their first ever trip to the World Series. By the way they're going right now, it looks like they want to go back and maybe win it all this season.

Alexi Ogando

Rookie starter Alexi Ogando tossed eight innings of scoreless ball at the home-standing, second place Angels as the Rangers won their 12th straight, whipping LA by a 7-0 score.

Ogando (10-4) came within one inning of his second career shutout, but was lifted after eight innings due to a high pitch count (116). He allowed just four hits, walked three and struck out five, including Bobby Abreu three times.

While the Rangers are threatening to make a joke out of the pennant race in the AL East, the Angles have dropped four of their last five since the all star break and are currently five games behind the Rangers.

The Rangers' win was the first of a three-game series in LA, a crucial test for both teams which proceeds Wednesday and Thursday in Anaheim.

National League

Yunieski Betancourt

Pittsburgh shut out the Reds for the second straight day, 1-0, and remain atop the NL Central. The Reds have fallen five games back. St. Louis dropped a 4-2 decision to the Mets and now trail the Pirates by 1 1/2, but the Milwaukee Brewers kept the pressure on with an 11-3 win over Arizona, remaining 1/2 game back.


The Brewers belted out 14 hits, nine of them from the 6, 7, and 8 hitters in the lineup, but shortstop Yunieski Betancourt, batting seventh, went 3-for-5, smashed a pair of home runs, scored three times and drove in four of Milwaukee's runs.

Betancourt came over to the Brewers from Kansas City in the off-season and has solidified a shaky infield with his steady glove, though on Tuesday he did his damage at the plate.

Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart also homered for the Brewers, who have split the first two games of a four game set at Arizona.

Cantu Slays Mets; Betancourt Drives Mariners Past White Sox

Players of the Day for Tuesday, April 28, 2009 American League After dropping the first half of their double-header at Chicago, 2-1, the Mariners took revenge on the White Sox with a 9-1 triumph in the nightcap as shortstop Yunieski Betancourt took matters into his own hands from his #8 slot in the lineup, going 4-for-5, with 3 singles and a three-run homer, a stolen base and 5 RBI. The Mariners banged out 19 hits in the slaughter, with Russell Branyan going 5-for-5 with two doubles and three singles. Betancourt's power surge was not all that unusual, as he averages 8 home runs per season. National League The Florida Marlins snapped their seven-game losing streak with a 7-4 victory over the NY Mets who conitnue to chase them in the NL East standings. The Mets are still 3 games behind, Atlanta trails Florida by 2, and the Phillies are just 1/2-game back. Jorge Cantu unloaded a pair of homers - a two-run blast in the 4th and a 3-run shot in the 7th inning which broke a 4-4 tie and decided the game in favor of the Marlins. Cantu, who also singled and walked, finished 3-for-3, with 2 runs and 5 RBI. He has 5 homers and 17 RBI on the year to go with a .357 batting average. Last year, Cantu knocked 29 homers and collected 95 RBI. NOTES: The Cubs' Carlos Zambrano took personal delight in his team's 11-3 win at Arizona on Tuesday. The starter not only worked 7 quality innings, allowing 3 runs on 8 hits, he also singled, doubled, homered, scored three times and drove in a pair of runs in support of his own cause.