Carlos Zambrano Tosses 3-Hit Shutout; Rookie Brandon Snyder Drives in Six in Ranger Rout

Players of the Day for Monday, May 7, 2012

American League

One thing the Texas Rangers always seem to have in ample supply are players with extreme offensive skills, so it came as no big surprise when rookie third baseman Brandon Snyder broke out the wood against the Baltimore Orioles in the opener of the four-game series at Camden Yards.

Snyder: HR, 6 RBI

Snyder, who gets limited playing time, since third base is normally the province of Adrian Beltre, took advantage of Beltre being the DH for a night, going 3-for-5 with a three-run homer and a pair of run-producing singles as the Rangers bombed Baltimore, 14-3.

Snyder got the Rangers started, driving in a pair of runs in the second inning, added the three-run blast in the sixth and contributed another RBI single and scored as the Rangers piled on seven runs in the top of the ninth.

Having been to the plate just 14 times this season prior to Monday's game, upped his average to .421 against the team that traded him to the Rangers after last season.

The Rangers lead the AL West by four games over the A's; Baltimore's loss dropped them into a tie for first place in the East, with Tampa Bay.


National League

Despite a new stadium and a number of high-profile, off-season acquisitions, the Miami Marlins haven't exactly started off like a house afire, but the rest of the NL East has somewhat let them into the race; the Marlins are 3 1/2 games back of the division-leading Nationals.

Zambrano: 3-hit SO

One of those acquisitions was the feisty Carlos Zambrano, longtime Cubs starter and frequent headline-grabber. The kind of guy who needs to keep his emotions under control, Zambrano can be very effective, such as he was Monday night, holding the punchless Houston Astros to three hits in a 4-0 Miami road win.

Aided by three double plays, no Houston player reached second base, despite Zambrano plunking a couple of Astro batters and issuing one walk. Zambrano (1-2, 1.98 ERA) fanned a season-high nine, hurling his 10th career complete game and fifth shutout.

If Zambrano can stay healthy and away from confrontations with teammates, coaches and fans, he could be a key to the Marlins' success as the season progresses, though they'll have to pick it up against teams in their division. The Marlins are just 1-7 against NL East foes.

Robinson Cano Slams KC; Tyler Greene Belts a Pair in Cardinal Victory

Players of the Day for Sunday, May 6, 2012

American League

Robinson Cano

The Yankees left Kansas City with a 2-2 split in their four-game series, but with some hope that their slumbering bats have finally awakened.

Nick Swisher was back in the lineup after a short absence, hitting his seventh homer of the year and Alex Rodriguez delivered a three-run job, but Robinson Cano had the big blast, socking a grand slam in the second inning off KC starter Luke Hochevar, as the Yankees put up a six-spot in the second inning and turned the game into a rout, prevailing by a 10-4 score.

Cano's homer was just his second of the season. His 2-for-5 effort raised his batting average to .261.

New York is still hovering just above the .500 mark - at 14-12 - but they are still in fourth place in the division, four games behind the Baltimore Orioles.

Baltimore took 17 innings to defeat Boston on Sunday, but finally won, 9-6, on Adam Jones' three-run homer in the top of the frame. With Tampa Bay losing to Oakland, the O's were catapulted into first place, 1/2 game ahead of the Rays.


National League

Tyler Greene

Despite dropping two of three to Houston, the St. Louis Cardinals remained in first place in the NL Central with an 8-1 smack-down of the Astros, avoiding the sweep.

St. Louis got solid mound work from Adam Wainwright (7 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 7 K), but it was the bat of the usually light-hitting second baseman Tyler Greene that turned the tables on the Astros.

entering the contest, Greene was batting an even .200, with one homer and four RBI on the season, but he belted a pair of wall-clearers and a double, driving in four runs from the bottom of the lineup to power the Cardinals to victory. Greene was 3-for-3 and scored three runs.

It was the first multi-homer game of Greene's major league career. He's hit only 8 homers in 359 major league at-bats, all with St. Louis.

Felix Hernandez One-Hits Twins over 8; Chipper Jones Drives in Five in Braves' Comeback Win

Players of the Day for Saturday, May 5, 2012

American League

With a roster full of solid young talent, the Seattle Mariners are someday going to look back on the 2012 campaign as a building season. They currently are in third place in the AL West, trailing the Rangers by seven games.

Felix Hernandez

One of the stalwarts on Seattle's retooled pitching staff remains Felix Hernandez, the 2010 AL Sy Young award winner, had electric stuff working for him as he shackled the Twins on one hit over eight innings in a 7-0 Seattle triumph.

With the mariners not scoring until the bottom of the sixth, Hernandez had to be on top of his game and was, setting down the first nine batters he faced until Denard Span got the only Minnesota hit of the game, a single to open the fourth inning.

Hernandez got the next two outs, though Span advanced to third base. After walking the bases loaded with his only two walks of the game, Hernandez induced an inning-ending fly to left from Chris Parmalee, ending the bases-full threat.

It was no contest after that, as Hernadez bulldozed through the next four innings retiring the final 13 batters he faced in order, before turning the ball over to reliever Steve Delabar to mop up in the ninth.

Finishing with nine strikeouts, Hernandez improved to 3-1, taking over the AL lead in whiffed batters with 51.


National League

Chipper Jones has already announced his retirement at the end of the 2012 season, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's taking a season-long, lazy victory lap.

Chipper Jones

Long a mainstay of the Braves' offense, the 40-year-old remains an exceptionally dangerous hitter, as was proven Saturday when he helped Atlanta come back from a 6-0 deficit and defeat the Rockies, 13-9.

Colorado scored four runs in the first inning and two more in the second before the Braves got started. After scoring a single run in the third, Jones doubled home a run in the top of the fifth as Atlanta put two ore on the board.

In the sixth, Jones singled in a pair as the Braves added five more runs to tie the game at eight, he drove in two more with another single as the Braves put up four more runs to take the lead for good. Overall, Jones went 3-for-6, drove in five runs and scored once, the win helping Atlanta keep pace in the NL East, where they trail the Nationals by 1 1/2 games.

It was the second straight win over the Rockies in Colorado, the Braves seeking the series sweep Sunday afternoon.

Eric Hinske's Homer Gives Braves 9-8 win; David Price, B.J. Upton Lead Rays to Sixth Straight

Players of the Day for Friday, May 4, 2012

American League

Price: 5-1

Fans in New York and Boston my not want to face the facts, but the Yankees and Red Sox are struggling to keep pace in the rugged AL East. They are last and second last, 4 1/2 and 7 games behind, respectively, the Tampa Bay Rays, who won their sixth straight, taking a 7-2 victory over Oakland in the opener of their three-game series at Tropicana Field.

BJ Upton

Tampa Bay fell behind early, as the A's scored a run in the first, but the Rays got three runs in the third and four in the second to back the pitching of starter David Price, who worked eight full innings, allowing only the single run in the first, allowing three hits while fanning a season-high 12 batters. Price surrendered only one walk, getting his league-best fifth win (tied with teammate James Shields - 5-0) against one loss.

B.J. Upton was the driving force for the offense, doubling twice in four at-bats, driving in two and scoring a pair of runs. Batting .350, Upton has been stinging the ball, getting 11 hits in his last 26 at-bats, raising his average by 136 points.

The Rays winning streak includes two at Texas and a sweep of the Mariners on their current home stand. They lead the Orioles by 1 1/2 and Toronto by 3 games. The O's have won three straight and Toronto is currently riding a four game winning streak.


National League

There are only three teams with winning road records in the National League: Arizona, St. Louis and Atlanta.

Eric Hinske

The Braves improved to 8-6 on away games, winning 9-8 in 11 innings at Colorado to remain 1 1/2 games back of Washington in the NL East.

Colorado took an early lead with five runs in the first inning, but the Braves battled back, took the lead twice only to see the Rockies tie the game with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.

Neither team scored in the final three innings, or in the 10th, but Eric Hinske blasted a two-run homer in the top of the 11th to put Atlanta up 9-7. The Rockies responded again in the bottom of the frame, but this time came up short, scoring just one run, as closer Craig Kimbrel struggled to earn his ninth save.

Hinske's homer was one of four hits for the Atlanta outfielder, in six at-bats. In addition to his game-winner, Hinske singled twice and doubled, finishing with three RBI for the game while raising his batting average to .412.

The Braves have two more games at Colorado this weekend.