Monday 10/4/2004: New York (N)'s Matsui wins Player of the Week award
The American's best player of the week was Toronto's Mitch Meluskey, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. Mitch was on fire, hitting .500 with 2 HR and 8 RBI. He has hit 12 taters while batting .295 this season. His 149 hits and 78 walks add up to a .388 on-base percentage. Kazuo Matsui from New York (N) wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the National. He had an on base percentage of .577 and hit .542, while driving in 10 runs. Kazuo has gone 174 for 592 (.294) this season, hitting 29 homeruns and driving in 104 runs. He has scored 102 runs on his own.
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Sunday 10/3/2004: Florida's Willis severely injured, out for season
FLORIDA - Florida's left-hander Dontrelle Willis will not pitch again this year, suffering a serious injury in the game against Philadelphia on Sunday. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Torn Back Muscle. Opposing players hit .240 against Dontrelle this season. While posting an ERA of 3.38 he went 8-12 in 34 starts, fanning 173 and walking 68 hitters.
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Sunday 10/3/2004: Gary Sheffield homers three times against Toronto
TORONTO - New York (A)'s designated hitter Gary Sheffield showed the world why he is one of the most amazing sluggers in a 12-10 win over Toronto. He almost knockes the cover off the ball, resulting in three homeruns. His 1st shot, off Miguel Batista in the 1st inning, was a GRAND SLAM and cleared the fence in left field. His 2nd blast, a two-run homerun off Miguel Batista in the 3rd inning, landed an estimated 454 feet from home plate. The game was tied, 6-6, after the blast. Number 3 in the 9th inning, a shot estimated at 344 feet, cleared the wall in right field. Overall he finished 4 for 5, scoring FOUR runs with 8 RBI. On 9/19/2004, Cliff Floyd was the last player to hit 3 dingers in a single game. The final score of the game was 12-10.
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Sunday 10/3/2004: New York (A)'s Jeter out for 8-9 weeks
NEW YORK (A) - Toronto's Miguel Batista drilled New York (A)'s shortstop Derek Jeter in the 1st inning. He was slow getting up and had to leave the game. Derek Jeter will miss at least 8-9 weeks. Fractured Skull was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. Jeter has hit 24 bombs this year while batting .309. He adds 33 doubles, along with 124 runs scored.
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Friday 10/1/2004: Matt Morris (LAN) will miss 8 weeks
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles' ace Matt Morris suffered a severe injury on Friday and will be out for at least 8 weeks. In the 6th of the game against San Francisco he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Morris was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Broken Elbow. Matt has a record of 16-11 this season, with an ERA of 3.82. In 221.1 Innings he was able to strike out 158 batters. Matt has pitched one shutout and one complete game. He's 7th in the National in wins!
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Friday 10/1/2004: Pitcher of the Month award winners announced
It's the 1st time that the American Pitcher of the Month award goes to Minnesota's pitcher Carlos Silva. His ERA of just 1.14 helped him to a 4-1 record in September. He worked 39.1 innings, striking out 13 hitters while walking 15. Carlos pitched a shutout as well. Opposing players hit .291 against Carlos this season. While posting an ERA of 4.42 he went 15-12 in 32 starts, fanning 70 and walking 94 hitters. Carlos has pitched one shutout and 2 complete games. The best month of September in the National certainly had San Francisco's right-hander Jason Schmidt, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. He struck out 35 hitters in his 5 starts, putting together a record of 3-0 while pitching 35 innings. His ERA in September was 0.46. Jason has a record of 16-10 this season, with an ERA of 2.83. In 232.1 Innings he was able to strike out 220 batters. Jason has pitched 2 shutouts and 2 complete games.
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Friday 10/1/2004: Wells (TOR) and Hoorelbeke (LAN) win monthly award
It's the 1st time that the American Batter of the Month award goes to Toronto's centerfielder Vernon Wells. Vernon pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .404 with 13 and 28 RBI while slugging .894. Wells has walked 52 times this year and posts a .351 OBP. While batting .294, 175 for 596, he has driven in 111 runs. The Batter of the Month award in the National goes to Los Angeles' Jesse Hoorelbeke this time, as the first baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Hoorelbeke helped his team with an average of .354 and 26 RBI in 96 at bats. Hoorelbeke has hit 40 bombs this year while batting .298. He adds 17 doubles, along with 101 runs scored. He's 10th in the National in RBIs and 6th in homeruns!
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Monday 9/27/2004: Wells (TOR) and Griffey jr. (CIN) win P.O.W. award
The Player of the Week award in the American goes to Toronto's Vernon Wells this time, as the centerfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Vernon went 13 for 29 (.448), while hitting 4 HR and collecting 8 RBI. Wells has walked 51 times this year and posts a .356 OBP. While batting .299, 175 for 585, he has driven in 110 runs. The National Player of the Week award goes to Ken Griffey jr., Cincinnati's starting centerfielder. Ken was on fire, hitting .500 with 6 HR and 10 RBI.
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Sunday 9/26/2004: Jeremy Griffiths blanks Tampa Bay with a 1-hitter
TAMPA BAY - Jeremy Griffiths had some fun again. Tampa Bay hitters did not. Toronto's right-hander gave up just one hit in his 3rd shutout of the season. He now has 3 career shutouts in 41 games started. 'I hit the corners with all of my pitches. That helped a lot!' Griffiths (10-9) struck out 7 and walked none, throwing 66 of 104 pitches for strikes. The hitting star for Toronto was rightfielder Noah Hall, he collected 3 hits in 5 trips to the plate, stroking a double, and driving in 3 runs. Toronto improved its record to 85-70, scoring 6 runs on 13 hits.
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Friday 9/24/2004: Roy Halladay pitches 1-hit shutout against Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE - Great days are rare. But not for Houston's right-hander Roy Halladay. Milwaukee found out the hard way that he is among the leagues top pitchers, getting just one hit. It's his 4th shutout this season, and the 9th time he has done it in his career. 'I really like to play baseball, and I love the way I was able to play it today.' Halladay (20-8) showed excellent control, walking nobody and fanning 8. Orlando Cabrera helped Halladay at the plate, he collected 3 hits in 6 trips to the plate, blasting a homerun, hitting a double, scoring two runs. Houston improved its record to 92-62, scoring 8 runs on 15 hits.
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Friday 9/24/2004: John Wasdin turns in great performance against Seattle
TEXAS - Texas' right-hander John Wasdin will never forget this day. The 32-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Seattle on Friday. Wasdin (17-8) struck out 8 and walked 3, throwing 71 of 110 pitches for strikes. 'Well, the ball went where I wanted it. I was able to hit the corners with all of my pitches.' Texas' third baseman Mark Teixeira finished 3 for 5, blasting a homerun, stroking a double, scoring twice and collecting 2 RBI. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Wasdin. The final score of the game was 8-0.
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Tuesday 9/21/2004: Chicago (N)'s Farnsworth severely injured
CHICAGO (N) - When it rains, it pours. Chicago (N)'s right-hander Kyle Farnsworth will not pitch for at least 5 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Pittsburgh where he left the field in the 8th inning. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Torn Bicep Muscle. Kyle has a record of 5-1 this season, with an ERA of 4.41. In 83.2 Innings he was able to strike out 87 batters.
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Monday 9/20/2004: Nixon and Payton win Player of the Week award
The American Player of the Week award goes to Trot Nixon, Boston's starting rightfielder. He hit .560 with 11 RBI and slugged 1.200 in 25 at bats. He now has homered in 3 consecutive games as well! His season features a batting average of .284 (137 hits in 483 AB), 28 doubles, 4 triples and 31 homeruns. Nixon collected 94 RBI and 102 runs as well. It's the 1st time that the National Player of the Week award goes to San Diego's centerfielder Jay Payton. He hit .481 with 9 RBI and slugged 1.111 in 27 at bats. Payton has walked 52 times this year and posts a .383 OBP. While batting .319, 166 for 521, he has driven in 85 runs. He's 10th in the National in batting!
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Sunday 9/19/2004: New York (N)'s Cliff Floyd goes deep three times
PITTSBURGH - Hitting a homerun is fine, but hitting three of them in one game is something special. New York (N)'s leftfielder Cliff Floyd accomplished that feat in a 9-7 win over Pittsburgh. His 1st blast, a solo homerun off Kip Wells in the 4th inning, landed an estimated 359 feet from home plate. It tied the ballgame at 1. A 453 foot drive to right-center marked his 2nd bomb, a two-run homerun off Kip Wells in the 5th inning. His 3rd shot, off Brian Meadows in the 6th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left-center. Overall he finished with 3 hits in 4 AB, scoring three runs and driving in 4 runs.
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Saturday 9/18/2004: Chicago (N)'s Sammy Sosa crushes homerun #600
CINCINNATI - Chicago (N)'s rightfielder Sammy Sosa made baseball history today, collecting his 600th career homerun! He hit number 600 in the 9th inning, a shot estimated at 394 feet which cleared the wall in left-center. Along with his 600 homeruns, Sammy collected 2250 hits and 1589 RBI in 15 seasons. Sammy has managed to hit 30+ homeruns in a season 11 times, and he topped 40 homeruns 8 times. 'My firends always told me that I will do it one day. I never believed it. Good that I was wrong!' It's no secret that he will one day be in the Hall of Fame!
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Friday 9/17/2004: San Diego's Cruz jr. out for 4-5 weeks
SAN DIEGO - San Diego's season has taken a hit after one of their best players, rightfielder Jose Cruz jr., injured himself while rounding a base. He is likely to miss 4-5 weeks. Cruz jr. was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Pulled Achilles Tendon. His season numbers are: .262 AVG, 126 hits, 26 doubles, 2 triples and 24 homeruns, along with 80 RBI and 74 runs scored.
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Friday 9/17/2004: Juan Gonzalez stars with 2000th career hit
ST. LOUIS - St. Louis' rightfielder Juan Gonzalez joined some elite company today, collecting his 2000th career hit! Along with his 2000 hits, Juan collected 443 homeruns and 1452 RBI in 15 seasons. 'Wow. That is all I can say now. I'm thrilled.' With one out in the 1st inning, Juan drilled a single, causing a standing ovation from the crowd.
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Wednesday 9/15/2004: Andy Pettitte (HOU) will miss 6 weeks
HOUSTON - When it rains, it pours. Houston's left-hander Andy Pettitte will not pitch for at least 6 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against St. Louis where he left the field in the 1st inning. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Inflamed Rotator Cuff Muscle. Opposing players hit .264 against Andy this season. While posting an ERA of 3.59 he went 12-6 in 29 starts, fanning 119 and walking 46 hitters. Andy has pitched one shutout and 3 complete games.
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Wednesday 9/15/2004: Nick Johnson (MON) will miss 10 weeks
MONTREAL - Montreal's Nick Johnson suffered a serious injury Wednesday in a game against Florida. Johnson fell down while running the bases and couldn't get up without help. He will miss probably 10 weeks. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Ruptured Medial Collateral Ligament. Nick has gone 117 for 446 (.262) this season, hitting 14 longballs and driving in 59 runs. He has scored 82 runs on his own.
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Tuesday 9/14/2004: New York (N)'s Todd Zeile gets milestone hit
NEW YORK (N) - New York (N)'s Todd Zeile showed a smile on his face after he got his 2000th career hit against Atlanta on Tuesday. In 15 years of big league action so far, Todd has compiled a batting average of .264, along with 245 homeruns and 1106 RBI. 'It's hard to believe that I did it. I want to thank my family, my friends and my teammates!' His hit in the 7th inning was a single off Curt Schilling.
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Monday 9/13/2004: Helton (TEX) and Mackowiak (PIT) win P.O.W. award
Todd Helton from Texas wins his 2nd Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the American. Todd was on fire, hitting .500 with 4 HR and 12 RBI. Pittsburgh's leftfielder Rob Mackowiak had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National Player of the Week. He hit .440 with 7 RBI and slugged .960 in 25 at bats. His season numbers are: .277 AVG, 125 hits, 29 doubles, 3 triples and 15 taters, along with 71 RBI and 71 runs scored.
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Saturday 9/11/2004: New York (N)'s Karim Garcia goes deep three times
NEW YORK (N) - Karim Garcia was in a groove, and the results spoke for themselves. He powered New York (N) to a 8-4 win over Philadelphia by homering three times. His 1st blast, a two-run homerun off Paul Abbott in the 1st inning, landed an estimated 405 feet from home plate. Number 2 in the 4th inning, a shot estimated at 435 feet, cleared the wall in center field. A pitch from Geoff Geary in the 8th inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 420 feet from home plate in left-center. Overall he went 3 for 4, scoring FOUR times and collecting 4 RBI. So far this season he is batting .289 with 34 homers and 92 RBI.
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Friday 9/10/2004: St. Louis' Waechter out for 8 weeks
ST. LOUIS - When it rains, it pours. St. Louis' ace Doug Waechter will not pitch for at least 8 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Los Angeles where he left the field in the 6th inning. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Torn Tricep Muscle which will require surgery. This season Waechter compiled an ERA of 4.95, going 4-9 in 20 starts. He fanned 90 while giving up 113 hits in 107.1 innings.
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Wednesday 9/8/2004: Albert Pujols socks five hits for Arizona
LOS ANGELES - Albert Pujols hits 'em where they ain't. Los Angeles certainly agrees as Arizona's leftfielder unloaded five hits, adding to his reputation of being one of the best pure hitters in the game. Number 1 in the 1st inning, a shot estimated at 411 feet, cleared the wall in center field. Number 3 in the 4th inning accounted for a double. A pitch from Paul Shuey in the 7th inning left his bat for a double. He collected singles in the 2nd inning (one RBI) and in the 5th inning . Albert did drive in 3 while scoring 2 runs on his own. He now has a total of 154 hits this season, accounting for a .303 batting average. Arizona scored 9 runs on 15 hits.
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Wednesday 9/8/2004: Sammy Sosa parks three against Montreal
CHICAGO (N) - Sammy Sosa beat Montreal, but he did it without mercy, playing like a one man wrecking crew. Chicago (N)'s rightfielder slugged three homeruns, once again proving that he is among the elite sluggers. A pitch from Tomokazu Ohka in the 1st inning left his bat for a two-run homerun, landing 381 feet from home plate in left-center. It tied the ballgame at 2. Number 2 in the 4th inning, a shot estimated at 431 feet, cleared the wall in center field. His 3rd shot, a solo homerun off Bobby Seay in the 9th inning, cleared the fence in left field. That one even won the game for his team! Overall he got 3 hits in 5 AB, scoring three times with 4 RBI. His homerun total this year is 57, along with 131 RBI. It's pretty obvious that he will enter the Hall of Fame some day! On 9/1/2004, Chipper Jones was the last player to hit 3 dingers in a single game. Chicago (N) improved its record to 66-74, scoring 9 runs on 7 hits.
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Wednesday 9/8/2004: Minnesota's Torii Hunter ropes five hits
BALTIMORE - Torii Hunter punished Baltimore's pitching today, collecting five hits in 5 AB. That definitely helped Minnesota, they won the game 7 to 1. A double off Matt Riley in the 3rd inning accounted for his 2nd hit. In the 5th inning he unloaded a two-run homerun off Matt Riley. His 4th hit, a two-run homerun off John Parrish in the 8th inning, cleared the fence in left field. He had singles in the 1st inning (two RBIs) and in the 9th inning . Torii did drive in 6 while scoring 2 runs on his own. He is hitting .291 this season, with 24 HR and 87 RBI.
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Monday 9/6/2004: Laforest and Jones win Player of the Week award
Pete Laforest wins his 1st Player of the Week award. American pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Pete pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .400 with 2 HR and 10 RBI while slugging .800. Laforest has hit 17 homeruns this year while batting .234. He adds 26 doubles, along with 51 runs scored. The Player of the Week award in the American goes to Tampa Bay's Chipper Jones this time, as the third baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. He hit .542 with 7 RBI and slugged 1.083 in 24 at bats. While compiling an on base percentage of .430, Chipper hit .335 and slugged .583. He has collected 90 runs batted in this year. He's 2nd in the American in batting!
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Wednesday 9/1/2004: Atlanta's Chipper Jones goes deep three times
PHILADELPHIA - Atlanta beat Philadelphia 3-1, but that was not the real story of the game. Chipper Jones was, as he went deep three times. In the 2nd inning he unloaded a solo homerun off Paul Abbott. His 2nd blast, a solo homerun off Paul Abbott in the 4th inning, landed an estimated 447 feet from home plate. A pitch from Billy Wagner in the 9th inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 440 feet from home plate in left field. Chipper finished with 3 hits in 4 AB, with three runs scored and driving in 3 runs. On 8/18/2004, Reggie Sanders was the last player to hit 3 dingers in a single game.
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Wednesday 9/1/2004: Boston's Martinez earns Pitcher of the Month award
It's the 2nd time that the American Pitcher of the Month award goes to Boston's pitcher Pedro Martinez. He struck out 58 hitters in his 6 starts, putting together a record of 4-0 while pitching 58 innings. His ERA in August was 1.71. Pedro also fired a shutout. In 32 starts this year Pedro struck out 263 batters in 238.2 innings of work. His ERA is 2.68, his record 19-8. Pedro has pitched 2 shutouts and 7 complete games. He's 1st in the American in ERA and 1st in wins! Winner of this months National Pitcher of the Month award is New York (N)'s Jae weong Seo. His record of 2-0 in 3 was among the leagues best this month. In 20 innings of work he allowed just 15 hits while striking out 12, compiling an ERA of just 0.90. Opposing players hit .275 against Jae weong this season. While posting an ERA of 4.00 he went 9-6 in 25 starts, fanning 76 and walking 20 hitters.
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Wednesday 9/1/2004: Garciaparra (BOS) and Thome (PHI) win monthly award
It's the 2nd time that the American Batter of the Month award goes to Boston's shortstop Nomar Garciaparra. Nomar was on fire, hitting .450 with 5 homeruns and 30 RBI. Garciaparra has walked 29 times this year and posts a .403 OBP. While batting .363, 183 for 504, he has driven in 115 runs. He's 1st in the American in batting and 1st in RBI! Philadelphia's first baseman Jim Thome had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National Batter of the Month. Jim was on fire, hitting .369 with 11 homeruns and 25 RBI. Jim is hitting .334 this year, with 139 hits in 416 at bats. He has driven in 114 runs, slugging .764. He's 2nd in the National in batting, 2nd in homeruns and 3rd in RBI!
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Tuesday 8/31/2004: Damian Moss pitches 2-hit shutout against Baltimore
TAMPA BAY - Damian Moss had an unexpectedly great performance against Baltimore on Tuesday, pitching a 2-hitter for his 1st shutout of the season. Moss (9-6) struck out 7 and walked 1, throwing 67 of 108 pitches for strikes. 'I really like to play baseball, and I love the way I was able to play it today.' Tampa Bay's catcher Pete Laforest stroked 2 hits in 4 AB, stroking a double, scoring 2 runs. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Moss. Tampa Bay improved its record to 50-82, scoring 9 runs on 14 hits.
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Monday 8/30/2004: Player of the Week honors go to Rodriguez and Martinez
The Player of the Week award in the American goes to New York (A)'s Alex Rodriguez this time, as the third baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Alex went 13 for 28 (.464), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 12 RBI. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 12 games. The National's best player of the week was San Diego's Tino Martinez, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. He hit .520 with 9 RBI and slugged .880 in 25 at bats.
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Sunday 8/29/2004: New York (A)'s Vazquez severely injured
NEW YORK (A) - When it rains, it pours. New York (A)'s ace Javier Vazquez will not pitch for at least 5 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Toronto where he left the field in the 5th inning. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Herniated Disc Back. This season Vazquez compiled an ERA of 3.65, going 14-9 in 30 starts. He fanned 185 while giving up 191 hits in 202.1 innings. Javier has pitched one shutout and 4 complete games. He's 9th in the American in ERA and 6th in wins!
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Sunday 8/29/2004: Tim Wakefield (BOS) will miss 8 weeks
BOSTON - When it rains, it pours. Boston's right-hander Tim Wakefield will not pitch for at least 8 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Detroit where he left the field in the 2nd inning. Torn Bicep Muscle was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. His ERA of 4.48 helped him to a 2-3 record this year. He struck out 59 and walked 34 in 78.1 innings. Tim has pitched one shutout and one complete game.
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Saturday 8/28/2004: Randy Winn hits for the cycle against Kansas City
SEATTLE - Randy Winn is a pretty good hitter, but his 4 hit performance seemed to surprise even himself considering that the hits added up to the cycle, one of the most difficult things to accomplish in baseball. His 1st hit was a double off Eric Thompson in the 1st inning. A single in the 2nd off Eric Thompson accounted for his 2nd hit. A pitch from Eric Thompson in the 5th inning left his bat for a triple. Number 4 in the 7th inning, a shot estimated at 346 feet, cleared the wall in left field. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Randy did drive in 2 while scoring 3 runs on his own. He now has a total of 147 hits this season, accounting for a .292 batting average. 6 players in league history have so far hit for the cycle, including Randy. On 8/8/2004, Mike Cameron was the last player to hit for the cycle.
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Monday 8/23/2004: Montreal's Fernandez wins Player of the Week award
The Player of the Week award in the American goes to Texas' Reggie Sanders this time, as the rightfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Reggie was on fire, hitting .455 with 4 HR and 9 RBI. His season features a batting average of .255 (87 hits in 341 AB), 16 doubles, 2 triples and 23 bombs. Sanders collected 67 RBI and 53 runs as well. The Player of the Week award in the National goes to Montreal's Jared Fernandez this time, as the pitcher displayed the best pitching perfomance in his league. Fernandez was overpowering all week long, going 2-0 with an ERA of 2.40. Along the way he struck out 5 in 15 innings. He hurled a shutout as well. In 20 starts this year Jared struck out 63 batters in 139 innings of work. His ERA is 3.56, his record 11-8. Jared has pitched one shutout and 4 complete games.
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Wednesday 8/18/2004: Reggie Sanders found the stroke, smashes three homers
TEXAS - Reggie Sandersdoesn't try and think about the fact that retirement is looming. He powered Texas to a 6-1 win over Cleveland by homering three times. A pitch from C.c. Sabathia in the 2nd inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 415 feet from home plate in center field. Number 2 in the 3rd inning, a shot estimated at 421 feet, cleared the wall in center field. His 3rd shot, a solo homerun off Matt Miller in the 5th inning, cleared the fence in left-center. Reggie finished 4 for 4, with three runs scored with 4 RBI.
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Wednesday 8/18/2004: Boston's David Ortiz clears fence three times
BOSTON - David Ortiz powered Boston to a 14-8 win over Toronto. He did it in style by homering three times. His 1st blast, a three-run homerun off Pat Hentgen in the 3rd inning, landed an estimated 379 feet from home plate. A 464 foot drive to right-center marked his 2nd bomb, a solo homerun off Josue Matos in the 5th inning. His 3rd shot, a solo homerun off Talley Haines in the 7th inning, cleared the fence in left-center. David finished with 4 hits in 5 AB, doubling once, scoring three runs with 5 RBI. So far this season he is batting .323 with 24 homers and 83 RBI. On 7/4/2004, Jim Thome was the last player to hit 3 dingers in a single game.
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Monday 8/16/2004: Garciaparra and Drew win Player of the Week award
Nomar Garciaparra wins his 3rd Player of the Week award. American pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Nomar pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .538 with 3 HR and 14 RBI while slugging 1.154. His season numbers are: .350 AVG, 158 hits, 45 doubles, 6 triples and 21 homeruns, along with 102 RBI and 92 runs scored. He's 3rd in the American in batting and 2nd in RBI! Atlanta's rightfielder J.D. Drew had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National Player of the Week. He had an on base percentage of .704 and hit .619, while driving in 7 runs. Drew has walked 66 times this year and posts a .387 OBP. While batting .285, 117 for 411, he has driven in 66 runs.
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Saturday 8/14/2004: Ben Howard pitches 1-hit shutout against Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE - Florida's right-hander Ben Howard will never forget this day. The 25-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 1-hitter, against Milwaukee on Saturday. Howard (3-9) fanned 5 and walked 1, throwing 101 pitches. 'Things like that happen. You take the mound and everything works. My velocity was pretty good today and I guess it showed.' Mike Lowell helped Howard at the plate, he went 3 for 5, and driving in 2 runs. The final score of the game was 9-0.
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Saturday 8/14/2004: Ivan Rodriguez has 2000th career hits
TEXAS - Ivan Rodriguez got a standing ovation from 29455 fans in Texas, who witnessed his 2000th career hit. He hit a single in the 1st off Brady Raggio for number 2000. In 13 years of big league action so far, Ivan has compiled a batting average of .305, along with 247 homeruns and 978 RBI. 'Baseball is a great game, and adding something to it's history is smething I've always wanted. What a great day!'
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Thursday 8/12/2004: Brandon Lyon shuts out Florida on one hit
FLORIDA - St. Louis' right-hander Brandon Lyon will never forget this day. The 25-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 1-hitter, against Florida on Thursday. Lyon (5-2) was overpowering, fanning 10 while walking 2, throwing 111 pitches. 'Giving my team a chance to win is the most important thing for me. I was able to do it today.' Juan Gonzalez helped Lyon at the plate, he went 3 for 5, hitting a homerun. The final score of the game was 6-0.
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Monday 8/9/2004: Varitek (BOS) and Cameron (NYN) win P.O.W. award
Jason Varitek from Boston wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the American. He hit .520 with 11 RBI and slugged .880 in 25 at bats. Jason has gone 110 for 342 (.322) this season, hitting 9 homeruns and driving in 65 runs. He has scored 62 runs on his own. The National Player of the Week award goes to Mike Cameron, New York (N)'s starting centerfielder. In 26 at bats he hit .423 with 4 HR and 9 RBI. He now has homered in 4 consecutive games as well!
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Sunday 8/8/2004: Mike Cameron punishes St. Louis with four hits, cycle
ST. LOUIS - Mike Cameron hits 'em where they ain't. St. Louis certainly agrees as New York (N)'s centerfielder unloaded four hits and hitting for the cycle. A two-run double off Jason Ryan in the 3rd inning accounted for his 1st hit. A single in the 5th off Jason Ryan accounted for his 2nd hit. In the 6th inning he unloaded a RBI triple off Julian Tavarez. Number 4 in the 8th inning, a shot estimated at 385 feet, cleared the wall in left-center. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Mike did drive in 4 while scoring 2 runs on his own. He now has a total of 96 hits this season, accounting for a .248 batting average. 5 players in league history have so far hit for the cycle, including Mike. On 6/20/2004, Luis Matos was the last player to hit for the cycle.
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Saturday 8/7/2004: San Diego's Peavy out for 6-7 weeks
SAN DIEGO - San Diego's right-hander Jake Peavy suffered a severe injury on Saturday and will be out for at least 6-7 weeks. In the 4th of the game against Pittsburgh he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After being taken to a local hospital, Peavy was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Strained Tricep Muscle. Jake has a record of 5-2 this season, with an ERA of 3.02. In 86.1 Innings he was able to strike out 73 batters. He has one complete game and one shutout.
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Saturday 8/7/2004: Ken Griffey jr. stars with 500th career homerun
COLORADO - Cincinnati's centerfielder Ken Griffey jr. was in good mood after the game against Colorado, and he had every reason as he made baseball history while collecting his 500th career homerun. Along with his 500 homeruns, Ken collected 2167 hits and 1441 RBI in 15 seasons. Ken has managed to hit 30+ homeruns in a season 7 times, and he topped 40 homeruns 7 times. 'You dream about that as a kid, but when you reach such a milestone it's hard to believe. Fantastic.' In the 9th inning he unloaded his 500th blast off Steve Reed. It's no secret that he will one day be in the Hall of Fame!
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Thursday 8/5/2004: Minnesota's Nathan severely injured
MINNESOTA - Minnesota's right-hander Joe Nathan suffered a severe injury on Thursday and will be out for at least 5 weeks. In the 9th of the game against Anaheim he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Herniated Disc Back. His ERA of 2.93 helped him to a 7-4 record this year. He struck out 91 and walked 25 in 70.2 innings.
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Wednesday 8/4/2004: Arizona's Klesko out for 5 weeks
ARIZONA - Arizona's Ryan Klesko suffered a serious injury Wednesday in a game against Florida. Klesko fell down while running the bases and couldn't get up without help. He will miss probably 5 weeks. After being taken to a local hospital, Klesko was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Strained Posterior Cruciate Ligament. Ryan has gone 92 for 350 (.263) this season, hitting 15 longballs and driving in 52 runs. He has scored 47 runs on his own.
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Tuesday 8/3/2004: Robby Hammock socks five hits for Houston
HOUSTON - Robby Hammock is among the best pure hitters in the game, but his 5 hit performance seemed to surprise even himself. A 358 foot drive to left field marked his 1st hit, a solo homerun off Paul Byrd in the 2nd inning. In the 4th inning he unloaded a three-run homerun off Paul Byrd. He collected singles in the 5th inning (one RBI) , in the 7th inning (one RBI) and in the 8th inning (one RBI). Robby scored 2 runs, and he collected 7 RBI as well! This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 92 hits in 288 at bats, resulting in a .319 batting average. Houston scored 9 runs on 13 hits.
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Monday 8/2/2004: Jason Varitek socks five hits for Boston
TAMPA BAY - 'Wow, five hits in one game is something special, isn't it?' said Boston's catcher Jason Varitek after the 19-6 win over Tampa Bay. His 1st hit, a three-run homerun off Colby Lewis in the 2nd inning, cleared the fence in center field. His 2nd hit, off Brady Raggio in the 4th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in center field. His 3rd hit was a RBI double off John Halama in the 5th inning. His 4th hit was a RBI double off Sun-woo Kim in the 6th inning. He had a single in the 7th. Jason did drive in 6 while scoring 4 runs on his own. This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 102 hits in 323 at bats, resulting in a .316 batting average.
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Monday 8/2/2004: Helton and Bonds win Player of the Week award
Todd Helton from Texas wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the American. Todd went 11 for 24 (.458), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 11 RBI. Helton has hit 27 homeruns this year while batting .341. He adds 25 doubles, along with 77 runs scored. He's 5th in the American in batting, 3rd in homeruns and 5th in RBI! The National's best player of the week was San Francisco's Barry Bonds, who wins the award for the 2nd time in his career. In 20 at bats he hit .550 with 5 HR and 10 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 7 game hitting streak right now. He has hit 44 homeruns while batting .324 this season. His 109 hits and 90 walks add up to a .467 on-base percentage. He's 5th in the National in batting, 1st in homeruns and 3rd in RBI!
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Sunday 8/1/2004: Pitcher of the Month award winners announced
Texas' pitcher Roy Oswalt is the American winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in July. His record of 5-0 in 6 was among the leagues best this month. In 42.2 innings of work he allowed just 34 hits while striking out 35, compiling an ERA of just 2.11. Opposing players hit .256 against Roy this season. While posting an ERA of 3.53 he went 11-4 in 21 starts, fanning 115 and walking 30 hitters. Tom Glavine pitched like a legend in July, and the National named him Pitcher of the Month for his extraordinary performance. His record of 5-0 in 6 was among the leagues best this month. In 39.2 innings of work he allowed just 27 hits while striking out 24, compiling an ERA of just 1.59. His ERA of 3.67 helped him to a 12-4 record this year. He struck out 63 and walked 42 in 120 innings. He's 4th in the National in wins!
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Sunday 8/1/2004: Batter of the Month award winners announced
The American's best player of the month was Texas' Todd Helton, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. He had an on base percentage of .545 and hit .452, while driving in 31 runs. While compiling an on base percentage of .473, Todd hit .342 and slugged .664. He has collected 81 runs batted in this year. He's 4th in the American in batting, 3rd in homeruns and 5th in RBI! The National Batter of the Month award goes to Jim Thome, Philadelphia's starting first baseman. Jim went 28 for 81 (.346), while hitting 13 HR and collecting 23 RBI. His season features a batting average of .325 (108 hits in 332 AB), 18 doubles, one triple and 41 homeruns. Thome collected 89 RBI and 93 runs as well. He's 3rd in the National in batting, 3rd in homeruns and 3rd in RBI!
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Wednesday 7/28/2004: Barry Bonds slams 700th homerun
SAN DIEGO - San Francisco's Barry Bonds showed a smile on his face after he belted his 700th career homerun against San Diego on Wednesday. Perhaps his best year so far was 2001 where he hit .328 with 73 homeruns and 137 RBI. Barry hit 30+ homeruns in a season 14 times, hitting 40 bombs 8 times. 'Good things happen when you put the bat on the ball.' In the 1st inning he unloaded his 700th blast off Adam Eaton. The Hall of Fame already has reserved a place for this great player.
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Wednesday 7/28/2004: Miguel Cabrera collects five hits against Philadelphia
FLORIDA - Miguel Cabrera hits 'em where they ain't. Philadelphia certainly agrees as Florida's rightfielder unloaded five hits, adding to his reputation of being one of the best pure hitters in the game. His 1st hit, a solo homerun off Brett Myers in the 1st inning, cleared the fence in left-center. A pitch from Rheal Cormier in the 9th inning left his bat for a RBI triple. It tied the ballgame at 6. He had singles in the 3rd inning , in the 5th and in the 11th (one RBI). Miguel scored one run, and he collected 3 RBI as well! His 5 hit performance increases his batting average to .287. Florida improved its record to 40-62, scoring 7 runs on 13 hits.
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Monday 7/26/2004: Milwaukee's Ford out for 8-9 weeks
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee is without its ace Ben Ford for at least 8-9 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Aramis Ramirez in a game against Chicago (N). His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Torn Bicep Muscle. His ERA of 4.03 helped him to a 7-6 record this year. He struck out 113 and walked 42 in 147.1 innings.
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Monday 7/26/2004: Chicago (A)'s Ordonez wins Player of the Week award
It's the 1st time that the American Player of the Week award goes to Chicago (A)'s rightfielder Magglio Ordonez. In 27 at bats he hit .481 with 3 HR and 10 RBI. It's the 1st time that the National Player of the Week award goes to St. Louis' first baseman Richie Sexson. In 29 at bats he hit .483 with 4 HR and 13 RBI. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 7 games. While compiling an on base percentage of .373, Richie hit .300 and slugged .581. He has collected 52 runs batted in this year.
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Sunday 7/25/2004: Jarrod Washburn (ANA) will miss 5-6 weeks
ANAHEIM - Anaheim is without its southpaw Jarrod Washburn for at least 5-6 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Dan Wilson in a game against Seattle. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. Strained Rotator Cuff Muscle was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. This season Washburn compiled an ERA of 4.39, going 8-9 in 22 starts. He fanned 103 while giving up 134 hits in 139.1 innings.
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Monday 7/19/2004: Minnesota's Radke severely injured
MINNESOTA - Minnesota's right-hander Brad Radke suffered a severe injury on Monday and will be out for at least 7 weeks. In the 6th of the game against Detroit he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Radke was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Bone Chips Elbow. His ERA of 4.91 helped him to a 9-9 record this year. He struck out 71 and walked 20 in 143 innings. He has 6 complete games and one shutout.
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Monday 7/19/2004: Player of the Week honors go to Garciaparra and Sosa
The American Player of the Week award goes to Nomar Garciaparra, Boston's starting shortstop. Nomar went 12 for 23 (.522), while hitting 0 HR and collecting 2 RBI. The National Player of the Week award goes to Sammy Sosa, Chicago (N)'s starting rightfielder. In 16 at bats he hit .438 with 2 HR and 7 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 10 game hitting streak right now. Sosa has hit 36 bombs this year while batting .304. He adds 14 doubles, along with 67 runs scored. He's 1st in the National in RBIs and 2nd in homeruns!
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Friday 7/16/2004: David Ortiz drills 5 hits
ANAHEIM - David Ortiz saw the ball really well, leading Boston to a 14-1 win over Anaheim. His five hits thrilled his teammates and coaches, and David seemed happy as well after the game. A two-run double off Bartolo Colon in the 3rd inning accounted for his 1st hit. His 2nd hit was a RBI double off Kevin Gregg in the 4th inning. In the 6th inning he belted a double off Kevin Gregg. A pitch from Matt Hensley in the 7th inning left his bat for a two-run triple. He had a single in the 9th. David scored 3 runs, and he collected 5 RBI as well! He's having a very good season so far, batting .322.
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Monday 7/12/2004: Player of the Week honors go to Giambi and Rivera
New York (A)'s first baseman Jason Giambi had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the American Player of the Week. Giambi helped his team with an average of .579 and 8 RBI in 19 at bats. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 7 game hitting streak right now. The National Player of the Week award goes to Juan Rivera, Montreal's starting leftfielder. Juan went 11 for 25 (.440), while hitting 2 HR and collecting 5 RBI. This year Rivera drove in 60 and scored 46 runs while batting .283 with 15 homeruns.
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Friday 7/9/2004: Jake Peavy shuts out Colorado on 2 hits
SAN DIEGO - San Diego's right-hander Jake Peavy will never forget this day. The 23-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Colorado on Friday. Peavy (5-1) struck out 6 and issued 1 BB, throwing 64 of 104 pitches for strikes. 'They took some ugly cuts at my breaking stuff, so I kept throwing it. Fortunately they were not able to adjust in time.' The hitting star for San Diego was leftfielder Kerry Robinson, he stroked 3 hits in 3 AB. The final score of the game was 3-0.
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Thursday 7/8/2004: Seattle has no chance in a NO-HITTER by Miguel Batista
TORONTO - Seattle's bats were sleeping, and Toronto's Miguel Batista gave them no chance at all to wake up. He was untouchable in firing a no-hitter in his 19th game started this season. Batista (7-8) did not have perfect control, walking 6. He struck out 2. 'My catcher called a very good game. I have to give credit to him. He was the main reason I accomplished this feat.' The hitting star for Toronto was second baseman Jason Maxwell, he finished with 1 hit in 2 AB. The final score of the game was 3-0.
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Tuesday 7/6/2004: Oakland's Soriano severely injured
OAKLAND - Oakland's second baseman Alfonso Soriano will miss about 5-6 weeks after he hurt himself badly in the 8th inning of the game between Oakland and Boston. He fielded a ball off the bat of Johnny Damon, threw a bullet to first and immediately signaled that he's not OK. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Torn Bicep Muscle which will require surgery. Soriano has hit 17 longballs this year while batting .284. He adds 14 doubles, along with 55 runs scored.
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Monday 7/5/2004: Philadelphia's Thome wins Player of the Week award
The American Player of the Week award goes to Ivan Rodriguez, Texas' starting catcher. Ivan was on fire, hitting .448 with 3 HR and 9 RBI. Philadelphia's first baseman Jim Thome had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National Player of the Week. He hit .500 with 9 RBI and slugged 1.389 in 18 at bats. Jim has gone 86 for 259 (.332) this season, hitting 32 longballs and driving in 73 runs. He has scored 77 runs on his own. He's 4th in the National in batting, 1st in homeruns and 2nd in RBI!
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Sunday 7/4/2004: Jim Thome knocks lights out with three homeruns
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia's first baseman Jim Thome flexed his muscles and displayed his tremendous power, homering three times in a 7-5 win over Baltimore. A 356 foot drive to right field marked his 1st bomb, a three-run homerun off Rodrigo Lopez in the 1st inning. Number 2 in the 3rd inning, a shot estimated at 362 feet, cleared the wall in right field. His 3rd shot, off Rick Bauer in the 5th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in center field. Jim got 3 hits in 4 AB, scoring three runs and driving in 6 runs. In 5477 career at bats, he has hit 413 homeruns and collected 1131 RBI. The induction into the Hall of Fame is almost a sure thing for him now! Philadelphia scored 7 runs on 10 hits.
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Sunday 7/4/2004: Vladimir Guerrero found the stroke, smashes three homers
ANAHEIM - Anaheim beat Los Angeles 4-3, but that was not the real story of the game. Vladimir Guerrero was, as he went deep three times. His 1st shot, off Hideo Nomo in the 4th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left-center. In the 6th inning he unloaded a solo homerun off Hideo Nomo. That one tied it at 3 runs apiece. His 3rd shot, a solo homerun off Hideo Nomo in the 8th inning, cleared the fence in left field. Overall he got 3 hits in 4 AB, scoring three times and driving in 3 runs. So far this season he is batting .293 with 22 homers and 63 RBI. On 5/14/2004, Morgan Ensberg was the last player to hit 3 dingers in a single game.
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Thursday 7/1/2004: New York (A)'s Vazquez earns Pitcher of the Month award
It's the 2nd time that the American Pitcher of the Month award goes to New York (A)'s pitcher Javier Vazquez. He went 5-0 in June and finished the month with an ERA of 1.16. He struck out 49 in 46.2 innings. In 18 starts this year Javier struck out 134 batters in 138.2 innings of work. His ERA is 2.34, his record 10-4. He has 4 complete games and one shutout. He's 1st in the American in ERA and 2nd in wins! Pittsburgh's pitcher Mark Corey is the National winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in June. His ERA of just 0.81 helped him to a 1-0 record in June. He worked 22.1 innings, striking out 16 hitters while walking 7. His ERA of 1.59 helped him to a 1-1 record this year. He struck out 37 and walked 18 in 51 innings.
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Thursday 7/1/2004: Batter of the Month award winners announced
The American's best player of the month was Anaheim's Garret Anderson, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. Garret was on fire, hitting .430 with 7 homeruns and 26 RBI. Garret is hitting .321 this year, with 102 hits in 318 at bats. He has driven in 43 runs, slugging .465. Jim Thome of Philadelphia wins his 1st Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the National. He had an on base percentage of .473 and hit .333, while driving in 30 runs. Jim has gone 80 for 251 (.319) this season, hitting 28 longballs and driving in 66 runs. He has scored 70 runs on his own. He's 3rd in the National in RBIs and 3rd in homeruns!
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Wednesday 6/30/2004: David Wells (SDN) will miss 7 weeks
SAN DIEGO - San Diego is without its ace David Wells for at least 7 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Danny Bautista in a game against Arizona. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. Wells was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Pulled Bicep Muscle. His ERA of 4.01 helped him to a 9-3 record this year. He struck out 42 and walked 18 in 112.1 innings. He's 3rd in the National in wins!
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Wednesday 6/30/2004: Ivan Rodriguez collects five hits against Seattle
SEATTLE - Ivan Rodriguez saw the ball really well, leading Texas to a 10-1 win over Seattle. His five hits thrilled his teammates and coaches, and Ivan seemed happy as well after the game. In the 4th inning he unloaded a two-run homerun off Jamie Moyer. Number 4 in the 6th inning, a shot estimated at 420 feet, cleared the wall in right-center. He collected singles in the 1st , in the 2nd and in the 8th . Ivan did drive in 4 while scoring 2 runs on his own. This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 84 hits in 262 at bats, resulting in a .321 batting average.
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Monday 6/28/2004: 6-hit performance by Toronto's Aubrey Huff
TAMPA BAY - Aubrey Huff led Toronto to a 10-2 win over Tampa Bay by squeezing six hits out of his bat. Number 3 in the 4th inning accounted for a double. A two-run triple off Trever Miller in the 9th inning, accounted for his 6th hit. He had singles in the 1st inning , in the 3rd inning , in the 6th and in the 7th . Aubrey did drive in 2 while scoring 2 runs on his own. He is hitting .308 this season, with 13 HR and 48 RBI.
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Monday 6/28/2004: Berroa (KCA) and Reyes (NYN) win P.O.W. award
The American Player of the Week award goes to Angel Berroa, Kansas City's starting shortstop. In 28 at bats he hit .500 with 3 HR and 7 RBI. The National's best player of the week was New York (N)'s Jose Reyes, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. He hit .522 with 7 RBI and slugged 1.043 in 23 at bats. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 10 games. While compiling an on base percentage of .377, Jose hit .332 and slugged .466. He has collected 28 runs batted in this year. He's 4th in the National in batting!
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Thursday 6/24/2004: Eric Dubose out for 10 weeks
BALTIMORE - Baltimore's pitcher Eric Dubose was part of a scary incident that saw the left-hander being hit by a line drive in the 5th inning of the game between Baltimore and New York (A). Team trainers immediately rushed onto the field after the frightening scene. Dubose will miss about 10 weeks. Baltimore wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Dubose had suffered a Broken Skull. In 17 starts this year Eric struck out 52 batters in 96 innings of work. His ERA is 3.84, his record 7-6.
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Tuesday 6/22/2004: Atlanta's Johnson severely injured
ATLANTA - Atlanta is without its ace Randy Johnson for at least 6 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Alex Gonzalez in a game against Florida. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being taken to a local hospital, Johnson was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Ruptured Bicep Tendon. His ERA of 3.83 helped him to a 7-4 record this year. He struck out 128 and walked 42 in 101 innings.
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Monday 6/21/2004: Philadelphia's Wooten wins Player of the Week award
Garret Anderson wins his 2nd Player of the Week award. American pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Anderson helped his team with an average of .533 and 7 RBI in 30 at bats. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 8 games. The Player of the Week award in the National goes to Philadelphia's Shawn Wooten this time, as the first baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Shawn went 9 for 16 (.563), while hitting 2 HR and collecting 6 RBI.
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Sunday 6/20/2004: Baltimore's Luis Matos hits for the cycle
COLORADO - Luis Matos is a pretty good hitter, but his 4 hit performance seemed to surprise even himself considering that the hits added up to the cycle, one of the most difficult things to accomplish in baseball. A single in the 1st off Dennis Stark accounted for his 1st hit. Number 2 in the 3rd inning accounted for a double. Number 3 in the 5th inning, a shot estimated at 365 feet, cleared the wall in right field. A pitch from Shawn Chacon in the 6th inning left his bat for a RBI triple. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Luis did drive in 3 while scoring 2 runs on his own. His 4 hit performance increases his batting average to .286. He becomes the 4th player in league history collect at least a single, double, triple and a homerun in a single game. On 5/19/2004, Dmitri Young was the last player to hit for the cycle.
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Saturday 6/19/2004: Kenny Lofton has 2000th career hits
LOS ANGELES - New York (A)'s centerfielder Kenny Lofton was in good mood after the game against Los Angeles, and he had every reason as he made some history while collecting his 2000th career hit. His hit in the 5th inning was a single off Wilson Alvarez. In 13 years of big league action so far, Kenny has compiled a batting average of .297, along with 118 homeruns and 682 RBI. 'I'm out of words. I'll probably realize it tomorrow, but for now I'm done.'
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Wednesday 6/16/2004: Chicago (A)'s Loaiza severely injured, out for season
CHICAGO (A) - Chicago (A)'s ace Esteban Loaiza will not pitch again this year, suffering a serious injury in the game against Florida on Wednesday. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Torn Rotator Cuff Muscle which will require surgery. In 15 starts this year Esteban struck out 53 batters in 98.1 innings of work. His ERA is 3.48, his record 7-3. He's 6th in the American in wins!
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Monday 6/14/2004: Philadelphia's Thome wins Player of the Week award
The Player of the Week award in the American goes to New York (A)'s Gary Sheffield this time, as the rightfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Sheffield helped his team with an average of .370 and 13 RBI in 27 at bats. It's the 1st time that the National Player of the Week award goes to Philadelphia's first baseman Jim Thome. He hit .524 with 13 RBI and slugged 1.048 in 21 at bats. His season features a batting average of .328 (66 hits in 201 AB), 13 doubles, one triple and 20 homeruns. Thome collected 51 RBI and 58 runs as well. He's 3rd in the National in RBIs and 4th in homeruns!
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Sunday 6/13/2004: Milwaukee's Sheets out for 5 weeks
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee's right-hander Ben Sheets suffered a severe injury on Sunday and will be out for at least 5 weeks. In the 4th of the game against Houston he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Strained Rotator Cuff Muscle. Surgery will be performed next week. Opposing players hit .237 against Ben this season. While posting an ERA of 3.76 he went 5-4 in 14 starts, fanning 60 and walking 27 hitters. He has one complete game and one shutout.
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Saturday 6/12/2004: Chicago (A)'s Ordonez severely injured
CHICAGO (A) - Being hit with a pitch is no fun at all. Especially when you get injured. Chicago (A)'s rightfielder Magglio Ordonez will miss about 4-5 weeks after being hit by Randy Johnson in the 1st inning of the game between Chicago (A) and Atlanta. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Fractured Jaw which will require surgery. Magglio has gone 54 for 214 (.252) this season, hitting 11 bombs and driving in 32 runs. He has scored 37 runs on his own.
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Monday 6/7/2004: Anderson and Gonzalez win Player of the Week award
Garret Anderson from Anaheim wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the American. Garret went 14 for 26 (.538), while hitting 2 HR and collecting 13 RBI. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Anderson has hit for a .291 average this season. He has 17 extra base hits along with 93 total bases, resulting in a .404 slugging percentage. Chicago (N)'s shortstop Alex Gonzalez had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National Player of the Week. In 21 at bats he hit .524 with 3 HR and 9 RBI.
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Sunday 6/6/2004: Kyle Lohse (MIN) will miss 7 weeks
MINNESOTA - Minnesota's right-hander Kyle Lohse suffered a severe injury on Sunday and will be out for at least 7 weeks. In the 6th of the game against Detroit he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Lohse was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Bone Chips Shoulder. His ERA of 4.35 helped him to a 5-3 record this year. He struck out 47 and walked 28 in 78.2 innings.
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Saturday 6/5/2004: Jason Schmidt quiets Colorado bats with shutout
COLORADO - San Francisco's right-hander Jason Schmidt is clearly one of the best pitchers in the game. Colorado found out the hard way, getting just 2 hits. Schmidt 1st shutout this season was a masterpiece, as he was almost untouchable. He has now hurled 6th shutouts in his career. Schmidt (5-6) fanned 7 and walked 4, throwing 115 pitches. 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Marquis Grissom provided San Francisco with the offense Schmidt needed as he collected 2 hits in 5 trips to the plate, homering once, with 4 RBI. The final score of the game was 13-0.
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Tuesday 6/1/2004: Martinez (BOS) and Walker (SFN) win monthly pitcher award
Pedro Martinez pitched like a legend in May, and the American named him Pitcher of the Month for his extraordinary performance. His ERA of just 2.26 helped him to a 6-1 record in May. He worked 55.2 innings, striking out 59 hitters while walking 9. This season Martinez compiled an ERA of 2.45, going 10-3 in 13 starts. He fanned 113 while giving up 69 hits in 103 innings. He's 1st in the American in ERA and 1st in wins! The best month of May in the National certainly had San Francisco's right-hander Tyler Walker, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. He struck out 28 hitters in his 6 starts, putting together a record of 5-0 while pitching 28 innings. His ERA in May was 2.13. Tyler pitched a shutout as well. Opposing players hit .246 against Tyler this season. While posting an ERA of 3.88 he went 5-3 in 10 starts, fanning 40 and walking 26 hitters. Tyler has pitched one shutout and one complete game.
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Tuesday 6/1/2004: Garciaparra (BOS) and Sosa (CHN) win monthly award
Nomar Garciaparra of Boston wins his 1st Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the American. Nomar went 40 for 101 (.396), while hitting 7 HR and collecting 29 RBI. His season numbers are: .352 AVG, 70 hits, 20 doubles, 3 triples and 7 bombs, along with 43 RBI and 34 runs scored. He's 4th in the American in batting and 2nd in RBI! It's the 1st time that the National Batter of the Month award goes to Chicago (N)'s rightfielder Sammy Sosa. He hit .316 with 32 RBI and slugged .847 in 98 at bats. While compiling an on base percentage of .429, Sammy hit .319 and slugged .769. He has collected 54 runs batted in this year. He's 1st in the National in RBIs and 1st in homeruns!
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Monday 5/31/2004: Luis Gonzalez has 2000th career hits
CHICAGO (N) - Luis Gonzalez got a standing ovation from 23816 fans in Chicago (N), who witnessed his 2000th career hit. His hit in the 3rd inning was a double off Roy Halladay. Along with his 2000 hits, Luis collected 284 homeruns and 1148 RBI in 14 seasons. 'I'm out of words. I'll probably realize it tomorrow, but for now I'm done.'
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Monday 5/31/2004: Guerrero and Berkman win Player of the Week award
The American's best player of the week was Anaheim's Vladimir Guerrero, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. He had an on base percentage of .556 and hit .500, while driving in 7 runs. The National Player of the Week award goes to Lance Berkman, Houston's starting leftfielder. He had an on base percentage of .607 and hit .500, while driving in 11 runs. Lance managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week. He now has homered in 6 consecutive games as well! Lance has gone 49 for 169 (.290) this season, hitting 17 taters and driving in 39 runs. He has scored 46 runs on his own. He's 9th in the National in RBIs and 2nd in homeruns!
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Saturday 5/29/2004: San Diego's Sweeney out for 4-5 weeks
SAN DIEGO - San Diego is without its right-hander Brian Sweeney for at least 4-5 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Wes Obermueller in a game against Milwaukee. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being taken to a local hospital, Sweeney was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Inflamed Rotator Cuff Muscle. This season Sweeney compiled an ERA of 3.42, going 3-4 in 8 starts. He fanned 32 while giving up 44 hits in 47.1 innings.
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Monday 5/24/2004: Montreal's Sledge wins Player of the Week award
Minnesota's third baseman Corey Koskie had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the American Player of the Week. Koskie helped his team with an average of .483 and 6 RBI in 29 at bats. Corey is hitting .327 this year, with 52 hits in 159 at bats. He has driven in 26 runs, slugging .522. He's 10th in the American in batting! The National's best player of the week was Montreal's Terrmel Sledge, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. He had an on base percentage of .645 and hit .607, while driving in 7 runs.
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Wednesday 5/19/2004: Dmitri Young hits for the cycle against Oakland
OAKLAND - Detroit's designated hitter Dmitri Young accomplished a difficult feat in a game against Oakland, hitting for the cycle to improve his career batting average to .294! A single in the 1st off Justin Duchscherer accounted for his 1st hit. In the 3rd inning he belted a RBI double off Justin Duchscherer. His 3rd hit, a solo homerun off Justin Duchscherer in the 6th inning, landed an estimated 358 feet from home plate. A pitch from Justin Duchscherer in the 7th inning left his bat for a triple. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Dmitri scored one run, and he collected 2 RBI as well! His 4 hit performance increases his batting average to .262. 3 players in league history have so far hit for the cycle, including Dmitri. Larry Bigbie was the last player to hit for the cycle, doing it 4/18/2004.
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Wednesday 5/19/2004: Boston's Nomar Garciaparra pounds five hits
TAMPA BAY - 'Wow, five hits in one game is something special, isn't it?' said Boston's shortstop Nomar Garciaparra after the 17-2 win over Tampa Bay. His 2nd hit, off Jeremi Gonzalez in the 4th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left-center. A 421 foot drive to center field marked his 5th hit, a two-run homerun off Trever Miller in the 9th inning. He collected singles in the 2nd inning (one RBI) , in the 5th inning and in the 8th (one RBI). Nomar did drive in 5 while scoring 3 runs on his own. He's having a very good season so far, batting .356.
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Monday 5/17/2004: Giles (OAK) and Bonds (SFN) win P.O.W. award
Brian Giles from Oakland wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the American. He had an on base percentage of .600 and hit .520, while driving in 8 runs. Brian is hitting .321 this year, with 44 hits in 137 at bats. He has driven in 30 runs, slugging .642. He's 6th in the American in RBIs and 6th in homeruns! The National's best player of the week was San Francisco's Barry Bonds, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. He had an on base percentage of .536 and hit .480, while driving in 11 runs. Bonds has walked 13 times this year and posts a .432 OBP. While batting .364, 43 for 118, he has driven in 24 runs. He's 4th in the National in batting!
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Sunday 5/16/2004: New York (A)'s Bernie Williams gets milestone hit
NEW YORK (A) - New York (A)'s players had every reason to congratulate Bernie Williams, who reached a milestone today, collecting his 2000th career hit! He hit a single in the 4th off Matt Thornton for number 2000. His best year so far was 1998 where he hit .339 with 26 homeruns and 97 RBI. 'Wow. That is all I can say now. I'm thrilled.'
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Friday 5/14/2004: Morgan Ensberg on fire, crushes three
HOUSTON - Morgan Ensberg powered Houston to a 9-7 win over New York (N). He did it in style by homering three times. A 346 foot drive to right field marked his 1st bomb, a two-run homerun off Steve Trachsel in the 2nd inning. In the 6th inning he unloaded a two-run homerun off Steve Trachsel. That one tied it at 6 runs apiece. A pitch from Matt Ginter in the 8th inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 325 feet from home plate in left field. Morgan finished 3 for 3, scoring three runs and driving in 5 runs. His homerun total this year is 7, along with 27 RBI.
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Monday 5/10/2004: Garciaparra (BOS) and Pujols (STL) win P.O.W. award
The American Player of the Week award goes to Nomar Garciaparra, Boston's starting shortstop. He had an on base percentage of .500 and hit .481, while driving in 8 runs. The National Player of the Week award goes to Albert Pujols, St. Louis' starting first baseman. In 23 at bats he hit .435 with 4 HR and 9 RBI. Pujols has hit 11 homeruns this year while batting .323. He adds 10 doubles, along with 31 runs scored. He's 4th in the National in RBIs and 5th in homeruns!
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Monday 5/3/2004: Boston's Nomar Garciaparra goes deep three times
CLEVELAND - Boston beat Cleveland 12-7, but that was not the real story of the game. Nomar Garciaparra was, as he went deep three times. In the 6th inning he unloaded a solo homerun off Jason Davis. Number 2 in the 8th inning, a shot estimated at 410 feet, cleared the wall in left-center. It tied the ballgame at 6. A 443 foot drive to center field marked his 3rd bomb, a solo homerun off David Riske in the 10th inning. Nomar collected 3 hits in 5 trips to the plate, scoring three runs and driving in 3 runs.
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Monday 5/3/2004: Cleveland's Omar Vizquel gets milestone hit
CLEVELAND - Cleveland's shortstop Omar Vizquel was in good mood after the game against Boston, and he had every reason as he made some history while collecting his 2000th career hit. With one out in the 6th inning, Omar drilled a single, causing a standing ovation from the crowd. Along with his 2000 hits, Omar collected 61 homeruns and 667 RBI in 15 seasons. 'I still remember my first hit. But the one today is something special. I'll definitely keep that ball!'
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Monday 5/3/2004: Crespo and Sosa win Player of the Week award
Cesar Crespo from Boston wins his 2nd Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the American. Cesar was on fire, hitting .600 with 2 HR and 6 RBI. The National's best player of the week was Chicago (N)'s Sammy Sosa, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. In 19 at bats he hit .526 with 4 HR and 9 RBI.
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Sunday 5/2/2004: Brad Penny blanks San Francisco with a 2-hitter
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's hitters looked uncomfortable, and Florida's Brad Penny didn't help them. The right-hander fired his 1st shutout of the season, a 2-hitter. The bid for a no-hitter was broken up when Damon Minor doubled with no outs in the 5th inning. 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Penny (2-1) struck out 6 and walked none, throwing 65 of 101 pitches for strikes. Florida's third baseman Lenny Harris finished with 2 hits in 4 AB, with 2 RBI. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Penny. The final score of the game was 8-0.
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Saturday 5/1/2004: Vazquez (NYA) and Beltran (MON) win monthly pitcher award
Javier Vazquez couldn't have pitched much better than he did in April, and the American thought so as well, naming the right-hander Pitcher of the Month. His ERA of just 1.75 helped him to a 4-1 record in April. He worked 46.1 innings, striking out 49 hitters while walking 9. Javier pitched a shutout as well. Montreal's pitcher Rigo Beltran is the National winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in April. He went 4-0 in April and finished the month with an ERA of 2.45. He struck out 28 in 33 innings.
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Saturday 5/1/2004: Boston's Ortiz earns Batter of the Month award
The American's best player of the month was Boston's David Ortiz, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. David went 34 for 101 (.337), while hitting 10 HR and collecting 30 RBI. It's the 1st time that the National Batter of the Month award goes to St. Louis' centerfielder Jim Edmonds. In 84 at bats he hit .357 with 10 HR and 23 RBI.
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Monday 4/26/2004: Los Angeles' Morris wins Player of the Week award
Javy Lopez from Baltimore wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the American. Javy pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .474 with 4 HR and 10 RBI while slugging 1.158. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 7 game hitting streak right now. Lopez has walked 7 times this year and posts a .360 OBP. While batting .273, 18 for 66, he has driven in 16 runs. Matt Morris of Los Angeles wins his 1st Player of the Week award for dominating National's hitters the entire week. He was in a zone all week, compiling an ERA of 1.06 while going 2-0. He hurled a shutout as well.
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Sunday 4/25/2004: Philadelphia's Cormier out for 5 weeks
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia is without its southpaw Rheal Cormier for at least 5 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Andy Fox in a game against Montreal. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Spasms Back. In 0 starts this year Rheal struck out 4 batters in 7.1 innings of work. His ERA is 1.23, his record 0-0.
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Sunday 4/25/2004: Ivan Rodriguez punishes Seattle with three dingers
TEXAS - Hitting homeruns is one of the most difficult things in sports. To hit three of them in one game is almost sensational. Texas' catcher Ivan Rodriguez accomplished that feat in a 22-8 win over Seattle. His 1st blast, a three-run homerun off Freddy Garcia in the 1st inning, landed an estimated 370 feet from home plate. His 2nd shot, a three-run homerun off Freddy Garcia in the 2nd inning, cleared the fence in center field. His 3rd shot, off Shigetoshi Hasegawa in the 6th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left-center. Overall he went 5 for 6, with FIVE runs scored with 10 RBI. So far this season he is batting .357 with 6 homers and 23 RBI. On 4/22/2004, Shawn Green was the last player to hit 3 dingers in a single game. Texas improved its record to 10-10, scoring 22 runs on 25 hits.
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Saturday 4/24/2004: Adam Eaton out for 5 weeks
SAN DIEGO - When it rains, it pours. San Diego's right-hander Adam Eaton will not pitch for at least 5 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Arizona where he left the field in the 4th inning. After being taken to a local hospital, Eaton was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Ruptured Tricep Tendon. In 4 starts this year Adam struck out 19 batters in 22 innings of work. His ERA is 3.68, his record 1-1.
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Friday 4/23/2004: Toronto's Durocher out for 7-8 weeks
TORONTO - Toronto is without its right-hander Jayson Durocher for at least 7-8 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to David Segui in a game against Baltimore. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Strained Elbow Ligament. Surgery will be performed next week.
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Thursday 4/22/2004: Los Angeles' Shawn Green unloads three times
COLORADO - Shawn Green was in a groove, and the results spoke for themselves. He powered Los Angeles to a 10-8 win over Colorado by homering three times. His 1st blast, a solo homerun off Jason Jennings in the 1st inning, landed an estimated 425 feet from home plate. His 2nd shot, off Jason Jennings in the 3rd inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in center field. A 406 foot drive to right-center marked his 3rd bomb, a solo homerun off Allan Simpson in the 9th inning. Overall he stroked 3 hits in 4 AB, with three runs scored with 3 RBI. So far this season he is batting .237 with 4 homers and 9 RBI.
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Thursday 4/22/2004: Minnesota's Nathan out for 6 weeks
MINNESOTA - Minnesota's right-hander Joe Nathan suffered a severe injury on Thursday and will be out for at least 6 weeks. In the 9th of the game against Detroit he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle. Surgery will be performed next week. This season Nathan compiled an ERA of 0.93, going 1-0 in 0 starts. He fanned 19 while giving up 9 hits in 9.2 innings.
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Monday 4/19/2004: Bigbie (BAL) and Rivera (MON) win P.O.W. award
The Player of the Week award in the American goes to Baltimore's Larry Bigbie this time, as the leftfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Bigbie helped his team with an average of .480 and 10 RBI in 25 at bats. This year Bigbie drove in 15 and scored 9 runs while batting .375 with 2 longballs. He's 5th in the American in batting and 3rd in RBI! Juan Rivera wins his 1st Player of the Week award. National pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Juan was on fire, hitting .421 with 4 HR and 10 RBI. Juan is hitting .250 this year, with 11 hits in 44 at bats. He has driven in 12 runs, slugging .591.
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Sunday 4/18/2004: Larry Bigbie stars with cycle against Toronto
TORONTO - Larry Bigbie is a pretty good hitter, but his 4 hit performance seemed to surprise even himself considering that the hits added up to the cycle, one of the most difficult things to accomplish in baseball. A single in the 3rd off Miguel Batista accounted for his 1st hit. A 384 foot drive to left field marked his 2nd hit, a three-run homerun off Miguel Batista in the 6th inning. A pitch from Terry Adams in the 8th inning left his bat for a RBI triple. A RBI double off Justin Speier in the 9th inning accounted for his 4th hit. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Larry did drive in 5 while scoring 2 runs on his own. This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 18 hits in 48 at bats, resulting in a .375 batting average. He becomes the 2nd player in league history collect at least a single, double, triple and a homerun in a single game. On 4/9/2004, Jason Phillips was the last player to hit for the cycle.
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Monday 4/12/2004: Larry Walker stars with 2000th career hit
COLORADO - Colorado's Larry Walker showed a smile on his face after he got his 2000th career hit against Arizona on Monday. His best year so far was 1997 where he hit .366 with 49 homeruns and 130 RBI. 'Good things happen when you put the bat on the ball.' He hit a two run homerun in the 8th off Mike Koplove for number 2000.
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Monday 4/12/2004: Milwaukee's Hall wins Player of the Week award
Cesar Crespo wins his 1st Player of the Week award. American pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. He had an on base percentage of .464 and hit .464, while driving in 10 runs. Cesar managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week. His season features a batting average of .419 (13 hits in 31 AB), 4 doubles, one triple and 2 longballs. Crespo collected 10 RBI and 10 runs as well. He's 5th in the American in batting and 2nd in RBI! Bill Hall from Milwaukee wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the National. He had an on base percentage of .481 and hit .520, while driving in 11 runs.
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Sunday 4/11/2004: Javier Vazquez dominates Chicago (A), gives up just one hit
NEW YORK (A) - Great days are rare. But not for New York (A)'s right-hander Javier Vazquez. Chicago (A) found out the hard way that he is among the leagues top pitchers, getting just one hit. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 7th time he has done it in his career. 'I had my stuff going. Everything I tried worked. What a day!' Vazquez (3-0) was overpowering, fanning 10 while walking none, throwing 101 pitches. Gary Sheffield provided New York (A) with the offense Vazquez needed as he got 2 hits in 3 AB, blasting a homerun, scoring 2 runs and collecting 2 RBI. New York (A) improved its record to 6-2, scoring 5 runs on 8 hits.
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Saturday 4/10/2004: Tino Martinez parks three against San Francisco
SAN DIEGO - Tino Martinez powered San Diego to a 13-4 win over San Francisco. He did it in style by homering three times, and showed the crowd of 29897 that old men can still play the ballgame. A pitch from Jason Schmidt in the 1st inning left his bat for a three-run homerun, landing 408 feet from home plate in right-center. A 363 foot drive to right field marked his 2nd bomb, a three-run homerun off Dustin Hermanson in the 2nd inning. His 3rd shot, a three-run homerun off Jim Brower in the 8th inning, cleared the fence in center field. Tino stroked 3 hits in 5 AB, scoring three runs with 9 RBI. In 6361 career at bats, he has hit 303 homeruns and collected 1156 RBI. It's pretty obvious that he will enter the Hall of Fame some day!
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Friday 4/9/2004: Jason Phillips ropes five hits, completes cycle
MONTREAL - New York (N)'s first baseman Jason Phillips once again displayed his tremendous ability to make contact with that little white ball. He tore up Montreal's pitching staff with a 5 hit performance on Friday. A 410 foot drive to left-center marked his 1st hit, a solo homerun off Tony Armas jr. in the 4th inning. A single in the 6th off Tony Armas jr. accounted for his 2nd hit. A single in the 7th off Pat Mahomes accounted for his 3rd hit. His 4th hit was a double off Brad Lidge in the 8th inning. Hit number 5 followed in the 9th inning, a three-run triple. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Jason scored 4 runs, and he collected 5 RBI as well! This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 6 hits in 12 at bats, resulting in a .500 batting average. 1 players in league history have so far hit for the cycle, including Jason.
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Thursday 4/8/2004: Juan Cruz out for 4 weeks
ATLANTA - Atlanta is without its right-hander Juan Cruz for at least 4 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Kazuo Matsui in a game against New York (N). His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. Cruz was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Pulled Bicep Muscle.
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Wednesday 4/7/2004: Byung-hyun Kim out for 6 weeks
BOSTON - When it rains, it pours. Boston's right-hander Byung-hyun Kim will not pitch for at least 6 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Baltimore where he left the field in the 4th inning. Ruptured Elbow Ligament was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials.
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