Kendrys Morales Sparks Royals 15-7 Win over Tigers; Ryan Zimmerman Drives in Four for Nationals

Players of the Day for Thursday, September 3, 2015

American League

Zimmerman: 3-3, 4 RBI

Morales: 4-5, 4 RBI

Despite 14 hits and seven runs, the Detroit Tigers lost badly to the Kansas City Royals, who dominated their AL Central foes with a 15-7 triumph.

The Royals totaled 20 hits, led by Kendrys Morales' four hits in five at-bats. Kansas city took the three-game series, two games to one.

Morales singled thrice and doubled, driving in four runs and scoring three.

In his first season with the Royals, Morales, always a solid run producer, has 98 RBI on the season, second in the AL. He's batting .293 with 17 home runs.

With the AL's best record (82-51), the Royals have a 13-game lead over second place Minnesota in the division and can begin counting down toward their second straight playoff appearance, this time with the division crown in hand. Their magic number for clinching outright is 17.

Detroit has seen better days. After finishing atop the Al Central for four straight seasons, the Tigers have slumped to last place in the division, 21 games out.

Kansas City opens a three-game series with the visiting White Sox Friday.

National League

In Washington's 15-1 trouncing of the Atlanta Braves, Bryce Harper recorded a baseball's odyssey, scoring four times without a hit or even an official at-bat.

Harper walked all four times he appeared at the plate and managed to come around to touch home plate every time. In addition, he was credited with an RBI in the second inning, when he walked with the bases loaded, scoring starter Jordan Zimmermann.

Meanwhile, Ryan Zimmerman went 3-for-3 with two doubles, driving in four runs and scoring twice.

With the Mets idle, the Nationals closed to within six games of first place with their second straight win. With Atlanta in town for three more games this weekend, the Nats have an opportunity to gather momentum for a showdown with the Mets when the New Yorkers visit Washington for a three-game set beginning Monday.

Atlanta is 54-80 and has lost nine straight.

Stephen Drew Leads Yankee Rout in Boston; Clayton Kershaw Goes the Distance as LA Completes Sweep of Giants

Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 2, 2015

American League

Despite winning 10 of their last 12 games, the Toronto Blue Jays can't shake loose from the Yankees, who continue to dog the Jays, just 1 1/2 back after defeating the Bston Red Sox, 15-8, Wednesday afternoon.

Stephen Drew

Kershaw: CG, 1 ER

The Yankees have won five of their last six and took two of three in Boston.

Banging out 15 hits, the Yankees took control of the game early, scoring eight times in the second inning. Stephen Drew, who's been on a serious hot streak (9-for-12, with two doubles, two homers and seven RBI in his last four games), was 3-for-4 with a double and a three-run homer.

The Yankees open a 10-game homestead with three games against the Rays on Friday, followed by three with the Orioles and then host the Blue Jays in what could amount to the most important series for both clubs this season.

Toronto hosts Baltimore for three games beginning Friday, then heads to Boston for three before landing in New York next weekend.

National League

The LA Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants with their second straight 2-1 win Wednesday night in Los Angeles, sending the Giants hopes for the post-season into free fall.

The Giants had entered the series 3 1/2 games behind the NL West-leading Dodgers, but the three straight losses - and their fifth straight overall - have the Giants trailing by 6 1/2 after

Clayton Kershaw allowed five hits and just one run in a complete game victory, his 12th win against six losses. Kelley Tomlinson scored on Angel Pagan's single in the sixth for the lone Giant run.

Kershaw walked one and struck out a season-high 15, throwing 95 of 132 pitches for strikes.

While the Dodgers have a secure lead in the division with just 30 games left on the schedule, the Giants have imploded and have also fallen 6 1/2 games behind the pace of the Chicago Cubs for the second wild card spot.

San Francisco opens a four-game series at Colorado Thursday. The Dodgers embark on a ten-game road trip, beginning with four in San Diego starting Thursday.

J.P. Arencibia Lifts Rays Past Orioles with 6 RBI; Zack Greinke 15-3 after 2-1 Dodger Victory over Giants

Players of the Day for Tuesday, September 1, 2015

American League

Greinke: 15-3, 1.59 ERA

Arencibia: 3-4, 6 RBI

Prior to beginning their series at Baltimore, the Tampa Bay Rays had lost five of six, but managed to take the final game of a three-game set against Kansas City, 3-2, to take over sole possession of third place in the AL East from the flailing Orioles.

Winning the first two games of their series this week (6-3, Monday and 11-2 Tuesday night) they've opened a three-game lead on the O's and are now at .500 (66-66) with a shot at the playoffs.

Tuesday's pounding was led by a player who was in the minors a week ago, but has proven in the past that he can do real damage at the plate, J.P. Arencibia, who singled twice and stroked a two-run homer in the seventh inning, driving in six runs.

By the time Arencibia and the the Rays were done ripping four Baltimore hurlers - they got another run in the 8th off Oliver Drake - the score was 11-0. The Orioles only response was a two-run homer off the bat of Chris Davis in the ninth.

Arencibia has played just six games in the majors this season, all with the Rays. His big production on Tuesday has his average at .385 with seven RBI. The homer was his first.

Tampa will be looking to sweep the Orioles - losers of six straight - at Camden Yards Wednesday night. Game time is 7:05 pm EDT. The Rays are 3 1/2 games behind Texas for the second wild card spot.

National League

The showdown between the two leaders of the NL West - the Giants and Dodgers - has thus far gone the way of the home team, as Zack Greinke out-dueled San Fran's Madison Bumgarner for a 2-1 LA win, their second straight in the three-game series.

Both pitchers were solid. Bumgarner lasted seven innings, allowing two runs on eight hits. That was all the support Greinke needed, shutting out the Giants on two hits over seven innings, until running into trouble in the eighth, allowing three straight singles and the only run the Giants would get on the night.

Luis Avilan came out of the Dodger bullpen to take up the cause and put down the Giants' uprising by getting the final two outs of the inning. Kelley Jansen worked a perfect ninth for his 28th save of the season.

Greinke walked one and struck out five, lowering his major-league-best ERA to a minuscule 1.59. Greinke picked up the win and is now 15-3. Bumgarner (16-7) took the loss. Grinch has lost just once in his last 15 starts, pricking up 11 wins over that span, which dates back to May 22.

Looking for the three-game sweep over their Northern California rivals, the Dodgers host the Giants Wednesday at 7:10 pm PDT.

NOTES: Edwin Encarnacion went 0-for-2 with a walk and a sac fly, ending his career-high hitting streak - and the longest hitting streak in the majors this season - at 26 games in Toronto's 5-3 win over Cleveland.

Jose Altuve Swipes 35th Base, Leads Houston over Seattle; Adrian Gonzalez Hero in Dodgers Win over Giants

Players of the Day for Monday, August 31, 2015

American League

Altuve: 35 SB leads AL

Gonzalez: Game winner!

Not to belabor the point with a poor pun, but the stolen base race in the American League is a complete runaway, as Jose Altuve of the Astros swiped his 35th base in Houston's 8-3 win over the visiting Mariners.

Altuve, who went 3-for-5 and scored twice also raised his batting average to .316, tying him for fourth in the league with Prince Fielder of the Rangers. Only 12 players are batting over .300 in the AL this season.

With a lead of nine in a season in which stealing a base has become something of a novelty, Altuve should have no problems keeping his legs and lead well ahead of the remainder of the league's speedsters. Second in the AL is Kansas City's Lorenzo Cain, with 26 steals, followed by Oakland's Billy Burns, who has 25. It's doubtful either will even get to Altuve's current level, much less catch him as he's on pace for over 40 thefts.

Houston's victory in the opener of their three-game series with Seattle, boosted their lead in the West to four games over the Texas Rangers, who lost to San Diego, 7-0. Also falling further off the pace were the Angels, who lost their fourth straight - dropping an 11-5 decision at Oakland - and are 7 1/2 back.

Game two of the series with Seattle is Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park in Houston, beginning at 8:10 pm EDT.

National League

Adrian Gonzalez had just two hits in seven official at-bats in Monday's 5-4, 14-inning LA win over the Giants, but they made the difference as the two NL Californian teams faced off in the first of a three-game series in Los Angeles.

Whacking his 25th home run of the year in the sixth inning, Gonzalez's two-run shot evened the score at 3-all, but his big blow came in the bottom of the 14th, deep into the night, singling in the game-winner with the bases loaded and nobody.

A.J. Ellis trotted home as Gonzalez stroked a single to left, helping the Dodgers get a little more breathing room in their quest for the NL West pennant, dropping second-place San Francisco 4 1/2 games back.

The three RBI for Gonzalez gave him 78 on the season, tying him with Chicago's Anthony Rizzo for 7th in the league.

The Giants will try to get even with their rivals to the South when the series resumes, Tuesday at 7:10 pm PDT.