MLB Photos of the Week

SI Staff | Oct 2, 2006

MLB Photos of the Week /

MLB Photos of the Week

Twins first baseman Justin Morneau pours champagne over catcher Joe Mauer after the Twins clinched a playoff berth with an 8-1 win over the Royals on Sept. 25. Mauer became the first AL catcher ever to win the batting title, and Minnesota finished the season one game ahead of the Tigers to win the AL Central.

The Yankees' Jorge Posada beats the throw to Devil Rays first baseman Greg Norton for an infield single in the first inning at Tropicana Field on Sept. 25. Posada was the Yankees' seventh batter to reach base in a six-run first, leading to a 16-1 win over the Devil Rays.

The Athletics celebrate after clinching the AL West title with a 12-3 win over the Mariners on Sept. 26. After a rough start, riddled with injuries, the A's went 70-40 in their final 110 games to take the division.

The Giants' Fred Lewis dives into home plate ahead of the throw to Diamondbacks catcher Chris Snyder to tie the score in the eighth inning on Sept. 26. The Giants went on to win the game 4-2.

Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez (left) was relieved by manager Willie Randolph in the third inning on Sept. 27 after allowing seven runs to the Braves in a 13-1 loss for the Mets. This would be Pedro's last appearance for the Mets in 2006, and likely for most of 2007, as he will undergo surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder.

Indians left fielder Shin-Soo Choo mishandles a ball hit by the White Sox's Scott Podsednik, resulting in an error in the seventh inning of a rain-shortened 2-1 win for the White Sox on Sept. 27.

The Dodgers' Delwyn Young collides with Rockies catcher J.D. Closser; Young was called out on the play in the seventh inning on Sept. 27. The Dodgers won 6-4, and scored 36 runs over three games at Coors Field to sweep their series with the Rockies.

Orioles pitcher Daniel Cabrera got within two outs of a no-hitter against the Yankees on Sept. 28 when Robinson Cano singled to left field in the bottom of the ninth for the Yankees' only hit of the game. The Orioles won 7-1, with the Yankees' only run coming from two Baltimore errors in the seventh.

Blue Jays second baseman Aaron Hill throws to first base for a double play as the Tigers' Ramon Santiago slides to take him out of the play in the eighth inning of an 8-6 win for the Blue Jays on Sept. 28.

The Padres celebrate clinching a playoff spot after a 3-1 victory over the Diamondbacks on Saturday. After defeating the D-Backs on Sunday as well the Padres captured their second consecutive NL West title, beating the Dodgers in a tiebreaker with the better head-to-head record this season.

Astros pitchers Roger Clemens (left) and Andy Pettitte finished the season with solid outings, but on top of the Astros' being unable to clinch a playoff berth, both pitchers have been accused of using performance-enhancing drugs by retired pitcher Jason Grimsley, their former teammate with the Yankees.

Dodgers rookie James Loney (second from left) celebrates with teammates in the locker room after clinching a playoff spot with a 4-2 win over the Giants on Saturday. Only two days earlier Loney had hit two home runs, including a grand slam, and had a total of nine RBIs in a 19-11 victory over the Rockies, tying the Dodgers' franchise record for most RBIs in a game, set by Gil Hodges for Brooklyn in 1950.

Astros rookie Luke Scott sits dejected, alone in the dugout after a 3-1 loss to the Braves on Sunday, eliminating any chance of a playoff berth for Houston. Scott put up excellent numbers at the plate for the Astros after being called up in mid-July but hit only 4 for 29 last week.

The Cardinals' Albert Pujols (left) and manager Tony La Russa salute the fans after clinching the NL Central title on Sunday, despite losing 5-3 to the Brewers.

Published Oct 2, 2006

SI STAFF