MLB Photos of the Week

MLB Photos of the Week

Al Tielemans/SI

Ryan Howard hammered a homer in his first three at-bats in the first game of a doubleheader against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Sunday. Howard leads the majors with 52 taters, the most ever by a second-year player in major league history.

Scott Rovak/US Presswire

Albert Pujols blasts the second of his three home runs against the Pirates at Busch Stadium on Sunday. The St. Louis slugger, who also homered three times against the Reds on April 16, had five RBIs in the Cards' 6-3 win over Pittsburgh.

AP

Barry Bonds blasts a solo home run, the 729th of his career, in the eighth inning of the Giants' 7-4 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sunday. The suddenly sizzliing Bonds has nailed five homers in his last 11 games while raising his average to .263 from .241 at the start of August.

Chuck Solomon/SI

Slump? What slump? Alex Rodriguez raked two homers and drove in five runs as the Yankees trounced the Twins 10-1 at Yankee Stadium on Sunday. A-Rod has now reached 30 homers and 100 RBIs for the ninth straight season, the longest streak since Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx did it in 12 consecutive years (1929-1940).

David E. Klutho/SI

Alex Rodriguez steals second base ahead of the throw to Tigers shortstop Neifi Perez in the third inning of the Yankees' 6-4 win at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 31. A-Rod broke out of a hideous slump by going 9-for-24 with five homers and 11 RBIs during New York's homestand last week.

AP

Ryan Zimmerman of the Nationals dives for the plate as catcher Chris Coste lunges for the tag in the sixth inning at RFK Stadium on Aug. 30. Zimmerman was out on the relay throw home from left field and the Phillies beat the Nats, 5-1.

AP

Centerfielder Carlos Beltran of the Mets lies on the ground in pain after crashing into the fence while making a game-saving catch on a drive hit by Lance Berkman of the Astros with two runners on and New York up by two in the bottom of the ninth inning at Minute Maid Park on Saturday. The Mets held on to win, 4-2.

AP

Royally hot: Mark Redman allowed just one run in seven innings as the Royals wrung out the White Sox 7-3 at Kauffman Stadium on Sunday. Kansas City's All-Star left-hander had tossed a complete game shutout in his previous start in Minnesota on August 29.

AP

Milton Bradley of the A's shatters his bat while hitting an RBI single off Adam Loewen of the Orioles in the sixth inning at McAfee Coliseum on Saturday. Oakland lost, 6-5, but it was their only defeat last week. The smokin' A's were 21-6 in August.

AP

Pudge Rodriguez upends Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick, who successfully turns a double play in the eighth inning at Detroit's Comerica Park on Friday. The Tigers won, 9-0, but have dropped eight of their last 11 games.

AP

Rockin' the Rockie: David Wright of the Mets rips a grand slam off Josh Fogg of the Rockies in the first inning of New York's 11-3 win at Coors Field on Aug. 30. The torrid Wright raked last week, hitting .522 with 15 RBIs.

John W. McDonough/SI

David Wells started his first game for the Padres and beat the Reds 2-1 at PETCO Park on Sunday. San Diego acquired Wells from Boston on Aug. 31 to take Mike Thompson's spot in the rotation and give them a seasoned arm for the stretch run.

AP

Ronnie Belliard of the Cardinals beats the throw to Marlins catcher Miguel Olivo and scores in the third inning at Busch Stadium on Aug 30. The Cards won the game, 13-6, and remained perched atop the NL Central. The Marlins continued to battle in a tight race for the NL Wild Card.

AP

Kevin Millwood of the Rangers delivers to Grady Sizemore of the Indians in the first inning at Ameriquest Field on Sunday. Millwood allowed one run on two hits while striking out 10, earnimg his 14th win as Texas tripped Cleveland, 5-2.

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

Curt Schilling of the Red Sox tips his cap to the crowd at Oakland's McAfee Coliseum after recording his 3000th career strikeout on August 30. Schilling's milestone K came in the first inning against the A's Nick Swisher, making the Red Sox righthander the 14th pitcher in the major league history to reach 3000 strikeouts.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Scott Olsen of the Marlins blocks the plate and tags out Bill Hall of the Brewers, who tried to score on a wild pitch in the seventh inning at Miller Park on Sunday. Olsen allowed just one hit in seven shutout innings, earning his 12th victory of the season and third in a row as the Fish swept the Brewers with a 10-3 win.

AP

Esteban Loaiza deepened Boston's hole in the A.L. East by throwing seven scoreless innings in Oakland's 9-0 win over the Red Sox at McAfee Coliseum on August 28. Loiaza has won five of his last six starts and allowed just two runs in his last 36 innings.

John Iacono/SI

Fans reach over the rail along the third base line in a failed attempt to grab a foul ball during the game between the Yankees and Tigers at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 31.