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SPORTS Tuesday 3 OcTOber 2017
Home runs, strikeouts hit highs; no hurler wins more than 18

By RONALD BLUM used and how good the
AP Baseball Writer bullpens are,” San Diego
NEW YORK (AP) — In a sea- pitcher Clayton Richard
son of record-high home said. “They’re so special-
runs and strikeouts along ized and the numbers are
with record-low complete so detailed that managers
games, there were some are able to match up ear-
constants in Major League lier in the game.”
Baseball: Houston’s Jose Boston’s Chris Sale led
Altuve and a Colorado pitchers with 308 strikeouts,
Rockies player won batting the first to reach 300 since
titles. Arizona’s Randy Johnson
There were 6,105 home and Curt Schilling in 2002.
runs hit in the season that Washington’s Max Scherzer
ended Sunday, topping topped the NL for the sec-
the 5,963 in 2000 at the ond straight year at 268.
height of the Steroids Era. In an era when analytical
Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton departments tell managers
hit 59, the most in the ma- not to give away outs, sac-
jors since Barry Bonds set rifice bunts dropped to 925,
the record with 73 in 2001 down from 1,025 last year
and Sammy Sosa hit 64. and the fewest since 806 in Boston Red Sox’s Chris Sale pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Toronto
Drug testing with penalties 1900, when there were just Blue Jays in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017.
began three years later. eight teams. Kansas City’s Associated Press
Aaron Judge of the New Whit Merrifield’s 34 sto-
Stanton led the major
York Yankees led the AL len bases were the fewest leagues with 132 RBIs, and Number of replays,
with 52, breaking the rook- for an AL leader since Luis
ie record of 49 set by Oak- Aparicio of the Chicago Seattle’s Nelson Cruz was overturned calls drop
land’s Mark McGwire in White Sox had 31 in 1961. first in the AL with 119.
1987. There were 117 play- Miami’s Dee Gordon led Kluber led the major in Major Leagues B
ers with 20 or more, up from the NL with 60. leagues in ERA at 2.25, and
111 last year, and 41 with at The average runs per team Kershaw at 2.31 was lowest NEW YORK (AP) — The dence to overturn it (28.7
least 30, up from 38. per game rose from 4.48 to in the NL for the fifth time number of replays in Major percent). In addition, 11
Along with the round-trip- 4.65, the highest since 2008. and first since 2014. League Baseball dropped reviews were used for rules
pers came quick returns to It had dropped to 4.28 in Tampa Bay’s Alex Colome this year along with the checks and five for record-
the dugout. Strikeouts set a 2014, its lowest since 1992. led the major leagues with percentage of overturned ing keeping.
record for the 10th straight Batting titles were decided 47 saves, and Colorado’s calls. In 2016, 757 of 1,502 reviews
season at 40,104, topping long before the final day, Greg Holland and the There were 660 overturned led to overturned calls (50.4
last year’s 38,982. with Altuve leading the Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen calls among 1,395 video re- percent). There were 347
Four pitchers tied for the major leagues at .346 to shared the NL lead with views (47.31 percent), the confirmed (23.1 percent)
MLB lead with 18 wins — win for the AL for the sec- 41 — the fewest for an NL commissioner’s office said and 384 in which the call
the fewest ever to top the ond straight season and leader since 1999. Sunday. stood (25.6 percent) plus
majors in a non-shortened third time in four years. At 104-58, the Los Angeles The total included 318 re- nine for rules checks and
season and just the fourth “A little more special,” Al- Dodgers had the best re- plays that confirmed the five for record keeping.
year with no 20-game win- tuve said. “This is the first cord in the major leagues call on the field (22.8 per- The percentage of over-
ners, after 1871, 2006 and time I won a batting title for the first time since 1974. cent) and 401 in which turned calls was 48.9 in 2015
2009. The Dodgers’ Clay- and the team is going to Cleveland (102-60) and the call stood because and 47.29 in 2014, when ex-
ton Kershaw, Cleveland’s the playoffs.” Houston (101-61) com- there was not enough evi- panded replay began.q
Carlos Carrasco and Corey Charlie Blackmon led the bined with the Dodgers
Kluber, and Kansas City’s NL at .331, the second for MLB’s sixth season with
Jason Vargas tied for the straight Colorado player three 100-win teams, the
high. to win and the 10th in 20 first since 2003.
“You make 32 starts and years. He was toasted in Minnesota won the second
you’re on a really good the clubhouse by manager AL wild card at 85-77 and
team and you’re pitching Bud Black. became the first team to
OK, you’ve got a chance.” “Really cool,” Blackmon make the playoffs follow-
Kershaw said. said. “I’m not a big stand- ing a 100-loss season. The
With managers going to up-in-front-of-everybody Twins were 59-103 last year.
the bullpen earlier and kind of guy, but any time San Diego’s Luis Perdomo
more often, complete you can get such a collec- became the first pitcher
games dropped to 59 and tion of great men to pause to hit four triples in a sea-
set a record low for the and take a moment it’s son since Robin Roberts in
third straight season, down pretty special.” 1955.q
from 83 last year and 104 Helped by the thin air at AP Baseball Writer Janie
in 2015. There were 302 as Coors Field, other Rockies McCauley, AP Sports Writ-
recently as 1998. Among batting champions in the ers Jimmy Golen and Pat
those complete games last two decades include Graham, and AP freelance
were 27 individual shutouts, Larry Walker (1998, ‘99, ‘01), writer Brent New contribut-
the fewest since 25 in 1878, Todd Helton (‘00), Matt Hol- ed to this report.
when there were just six liday (‘07), Carlos Gonzalez ___
teams. (‘10), Michael Cuddyer More AP baseball: https://
“I think it’s reflective of (‘13), Justin Morneau (‘14) apnews.com/tag/MLB-
how bullpens are being and DJ LeMahieu (‘16). baseball