Bama in the Big Leagues: Alex Avila Ignites Seven-Run Rally in Big Cubs Win

For 18 teams in Major League Baseball, the 2017 season will come to an end in a matter of two weeks. The other 12 teams have either clinched or are fighting to secure a postseason bid.

While the Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros and Washington Nationals have already punched their tickets to the playoffs, squads like the Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are scratching and clawing their way toward division titles.

While the Cleveland Indians have captured the attention of baseball in the month of September, the Chicago Cubs have put together a six-game winning streak including sweeps of the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals.

A former Alabama star aided the Cubs in a big win Friday afternoon from Wrigley Field. With the St. Louis Cardinals ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Avila lined an RBI single to center to tie the game at 2-2 and ignite a seven-run rally en route to an 8-2 Cubs victory.

In other Alabama related news, Jimmy Nelson will undergo shoulder surgery and will officially miss the rest of the season. Nelson is the second former Crimson Tide player that will miss the rest of the season.

Josh Rutledge had hip surgery at the end of August and will sit out the rest of the year for Boston.

Check out how some of Alabama’s other players fared including a solid week for David Robertson with the New York Yankees.

Alex Avila - Catcher (Chicago Cubs)

2017:

106 games, .269 avg. 14 HR, 49 RBI, 40 runs, 1 triple, 13 doubles, 57 BB, 115 K, 3 errors, .388 OBP

Last Week:

Sep. 11: Off Day

Sep. 12 vs. New York Mets: Did not play

Sep. 13 vs. New York Mets: Did not play

Sep. 14 vs. New York Mets: 0-2, 1 run, 1 BB, 1 K

Sep. 15 vs. St. Louis: 1-2, 1 RBI, 1 run, 1 K

Sep. 16 vs. St. Louis: Did not play

Sep. 17 vs. St. Louis: 1-3, 2 K

This Week:

Sep. 18: Off Day

Sep. 19-20 at Tampa Bay

Sep. 21-24 at Milwaukee

Tommy Hunter - RHP (Tampa Bay Rays)

2017:

57 appearances, 3-5, 1 save, 2.29 ERA, 55 IP, 38 hits, 15 runs (14 earned), 12 BB, 58 K, 6 HR allowed, 2 errors

Last Week:

Sep. 11 vs. New York Yankees: Did not play

Sep. 12 vs. New York Yankees: Win, 1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 BB, 2 K

Sep. 13 vs. New York Yankees: Did not play

Sep. 14: Off Day

Sep. 15 vs. Boston: 1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 BB, 1 K

Sep. 16 vs. Boston: Did not play

Sep. 17 vs. Boston: 1 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 BB, 0 K

This Week:

Sep. 18: Off Day

Sep. 19-20 vs. Chicago Cubs

Sep. 21-24 at Baltimore

Wade LeBlanc - LHP (Pittsburgh Pirates)

2017:

49 appearances, 5-2, 1 save, 4.52 ERA, 67.2 IP, 64 hits, 35 runs (34 earned), 17 BB, 53 K, 10 HR allowed

Last Week:

Sep. 11 at Milwaukee: Did not play

Sep. 12 at Milwaukee: Did not play

Sep. 13 at Milwaukee: 1.1 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 BB, 2 K

Sep. 14: Off Day

Sep. 15 at Cincinnati: Did not play

Sep. 16 at Cincinnati: Did not play

Sep. 17 at Cincinnati: Did not play

This Week:

Sep. 18-20 vs. Milwaukee

Sep. 21: Off Day

Sep. 22-24 vs. St. Louis

Adam Morgan - LHP (Philadelphia Phillies)

2017:

32 appearances, 3-2, 3.96 ERA, 50 IP, 48 hits, 22 runs (22 earned), 16 BB, 57 K, 9 HR allowed

Last Week:

Sep. 11: Off Day

Sep. 12 vs. Miami: 1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 BB, 0 K

Sep. 13 vs. Miami: 1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 BB, 1 K

Sep. 14 vs. Miami:

Sep. 15 vs. Oakland: Did not play

Sep. 16 vs. Oakland: Did not play

Sep. 17 vs. Oakland: 1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 BB, 1 K

This Week:

Sep. 18-21 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Sep. 22-24 at Atlanta

Jimmy Nelson - RHP (Milwaukee Brewers)

Out for the season (Shoulder surgery)

2017:

29 appearances (29 starts), 12-6, 3.49 ERA, 175.1 IP, 171 hits, 75 runs (68 earned), 48 BB, 199 K, 16 HR allowed, 2 errors

Last Week:

Sep. 11 vs. Pittsburgh: Did not play

Sep. 12 vs. Pittsburgh: Did not play

Sep. 13 vs. Pittsburgh: Did not play

Sep. 14: Off Day

Sep. 15 at Miami: Did not play

Sep. 16 at Miami: Did not play

Sep. 17 at Miami: Did not play

This Week:

Sep. 18-20 at Pittsburgh

Sep. 21-24: vs. Chicago Cubs

David Robertson - RHP (New York Yankees)

2017:

54 appearances, 8-2, 14 saves, 2.07 ERA, 61 IP, 35 hits, 14 runs (14 earned), 20 BB, 84 K, 6 HR allowed,1 error

Last Week:

Sep. 11 at Tampa Bay: Win, 2.2 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 BB, 4 K

Sep. 12 at Tampa Bay: Did not play

Sep. 13 at Tampa Bay: Did not play

Sep. 14 vs. Baltimore: Did not play

Sep. 15 vs. Baltimore: 1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 BB, 0 K

Sep. 16 vs. Baltimore: Did not play

Sep. 17 vs. Baltimore: Did not play

This Week:

Sep. 18-20 vs. Minnesota

Sep. 21: Off Day

Sep. 22-24 at Toronto

Josh Rutledge - Third Base (Boston Red Sox)

Out for the season (Hip surgery)

2017:

37 games, .224 avg. 0 HR, 9 RBI, 10 runs, 1 triple, 2 doubles, 13 doubles, 9 BB, 31 K, 1 SB, 4 errors, .297 OBP

Last Week:

Sep. 11: Off Day

Sep. 12 vs. Oakland: Did not play

Sep. 13 vs. Oakland: Did not play

Sep. 14 vs. Oakland: Did not play

Sep. 15 at Tampa Bay: Did not play

Sep. 16 at Tampa Bay: Did not play

Sep. 17 at Tampa Bay: Did not play

This Week:

Sep. 18-20 at Baltimore

Sep. 21: Off Day

Sep. 22-24 at Cincinnati