MLB Notebook: Game 2 a huge hit for Puig

Deuces were wild for Yasiel Puig on Tuesday.

Playing in his second career game, Puig homered twice, and the Dodgers defeated the Padres, 9-7. Puig became the only Dodgers player since 1916 to have a multihomer game so early in his Major League career. Before him, the fewest games experienced had been by Charlie Gilbert, who homered twice in his third career game on April 23, 1940. Gilbert hit three more home runs in his six-year career.

Since 1916, Puig is the 16th player to have a multihomer game within his first two games. Manny Machado -- in his second career game -- had been the most recent to do it, when he hit a pair on Aug. 10, 2012. Among this group of 16, Puig -- at the age of 22 years and 179 days -- was the sixth youngest. Machado, at 20 years and 35 days old, was the youngest of the group.

For the 16 players since 1916 to have hit two home runs in either their first or second career game, most of the positions on the ballfield have decent representation. There are three catchers and -- with Puig added to the list -- three right fielders among the collection of names. In the infield, two first basemen and two third basemen have done it, and one second baseman and one shortstop have gotten into the fun. There are two left fielders on the list of 16, and even two designated hitters.

This leaves center field as the only position other than pitcher not represented. Gilbert was the first center fielder to make an appearance, having homered twice as the Dodgers' leadoff hitter in his third career game.

Puig was also batting leadoff Tuesday. Of the 16 players since 1916 to have a multihomer game in their first or second career game, he is the only one to do it from the leadoff spot. There are three No. 2 hitters, a pair of number No. 3 hitters, a trio of No. 5 hitters, a quartet of No. 6 hitters, a pair of No. 8 hitters, and one No. 9 hitter.

Puig had singled twice in his Major League debut, and thus he's the 168th player since 1916 to have multihit games in each of his first two contests. Puig is one of seven Dodgers players on this list, joining Johnny Frederick, Carl Furillo, Dick Gray, Larry Miller, Dutch Schliebner and Preston Ward.

Puig drove in five runs Tuesday to join Spider Jorgensen as the only Dodgers players since 1916 to have a five-RBI game within their first two contests. Jorgensen drove in six runs in his second game, on April 17, 1947 (Jorgensen had made his debut on the same day as Jackie Robinson, starting that contest at third base). Puig, who also doubled in his multihomer game, joined Jorgensen as the only Dodgers players since '16 to have three extra-base hits in a game within their first two contests. Jorgensen doubled twice and homered in his breakout performance.

Mayberry comes up big in clutch
The Phillies defeated the Marlins, 7-3, with John Mayberry Jr. hitting a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 11th. Mayberry had pushed the game into the 11th, hitting a game-tying solo shot in the bottom of the 10th.

The only other game in the past 60 seasons in which the Phillies hit a game-tying home run in extra innings and then followed up with another home run to win the contest came on June 21, 2003, when Jim Thome tied the game with a solo homer in the bottom of the 12th, and Todd Pratt won the game with a two-run homer.

Before Mayberry, the most recent player to hit a game-tying, extra-inning home run and then a game-ending home run was the Orioles' Mike Young, on May 28, 1987. Young tied the contest with a solo shot in the 10th, and then hit a two-run homer in the 12th to give the Orioles an 8-7 victory.

For the Phillies, Mayberry's slam was the first to come in the 11th inning or later since Dale Murphy hit an 11th-inning game-ender on Aug. 6, 1991.

Anibal continues to dominate
Anibal Sanchez fanned nine in seven innings, allowed one run, and improved to 6-5 as the Tigers defeated the Rays, 10-1.

Sanchez entered this season with a career mark of 7.59 K's per nine and a strikeout percentage of 19.6. In 2013, his rate stands at 11.31 and his percentage rests at 31.2.

With Sanchez and the Detroit bullpen combining for 10 K's in the win, the Tigers upped their season total to 558 strikeouts in 56 games. When the 2003 Cubs set a still-standing MLB record with 1,404 K's, they had 501 through 56 games.

Carpenter gets on, one way or another
Cardinals leadoff hitter Matt Carpenter reached base safely five times in his team's 7-6 loss to the D-backs. He collected two hits and was hit by a pitch three times, becoming the only player since 1916 to have a game with at least two hits while also being hit by three pitches.

Carpenter was the second Cardinals leadoff hitter this season to have a multihit game and be hit by a pitch at least twice in the same contest, following Jon Jay on May 5. Before this year, no Cardinals leadoff hitter had achieved this kind of line since Curt Flood on Aug. 2, 1962.

Boston unload heavy lumber
The Red Sox set season highs for hits (19) and runs in a 17-5 victory over the Rangers.

Among the 19 hits were eight doubles, a triple, and four home runs. The 13 extra-base hits were the most for any club since the Indians had that many in a 22-4 win over the Yankees on April 18, 2009.

The extra-base hits were the most for the Red Sox since July 29, 1990, when they also had 13 in a 13-3 win over the Tigers. And they are the most for Boston at Fenway since June 8, 1950, when the club set a still-standing MLB record with 17. That day, the Red Sox collected nine doubles, a triple and seven home runs in a 29-4 win against the St. Louis Browns.

Tulo's RBIs come in pairs
Troy Tulowitzki hit a two-run home run and the Rockies defeated the Reds, 5-4, in 10 innings.

Tulowitzki has 14 games with multiple RBIs this season, tying him with Cincinnati's Brandon Phillips and Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt (who also had two RBIs on Tuesday) for the most in the National League. Among Major League shortstops, Tulowitzki's 14 are the most, with Baltimore's J.J. Hardy ranking second with nine.