Oakland 3B Danny Valencia didn't homer, but his patience at the plate paid off for the A's. After falling behind in the count 0-2 in the 4th inning, Valencia walked to load the bases. Two of the baserunners ended up scoring in a 3-1 win over Texas. Despite a five-homer barrage on May 13 and May 15, Valencia did not earn A.L. "Player of the Week" honors.
Tigers 2B Ian Kinsler singled, doubled, and homered in a 10-8 win over Minnesota. Both the homer and the double came in Detroit's eight-run first inning, with the round-tripper coming on the Jordan Zimmerman's first pitch of the game. Kinsler is hitting .310 with eight HRs and 20 RBIs.
Toronto CF Kevin Pillar went hitless in a 13-2 loss to Tampa Bay. During Sunday's bench-clearing brawl involving Jose Bautista and the Rangers, Pillar was the first Blue Jay out of the dugout to defend him (see video and article).
Dodgers CF Joc Pederson walked twice and scored two runs in a 7-6 loss to the Angels. His mad dash to the warning track led to this catch on Sunday.
May 17, 1981: Montreal Expos starter Steve Ratzer makes his final MLB appearance (see bio)
May 17, 1977: Seattle Mariners C Skip Jutze hits the first grand slam in the expansion team's history (see bio)
May 17, 1975: Former major leaguer Richie Scheinblum becomes the first player in Japanese league history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game (see bio)
May 17, 1960: Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Larry Sherry homers and earns the win in a 6-4 victory over the Milwaukee Braves (see bio). Hank Aaron homered earlier off Dodgers starter Don Drysdale, but Sherry lures the slugger into a ground-ball double play
May 17, 1939: Batting cleanup, Philadelphia Phillies LF Morrie Arnovich goes 5-for-5 in a 7-3 win over Pittsburgh (see bio)
May 17, 1939: Broadcaster Bill Stern calls the first televised baseball game in history -- actually, the first televised sporting event of any kind: a varsity game between Princeton and Columbia