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For the second day in a row, I came across an article where a prominent MLB player and his family were subjected to death threats. The latest one involved a newborn child. Legal gambling now being so widespread and access through social media to players and their family members has led to this current problem. Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Tanner Scott’s wife felt the brunt of the latest onslaught of inexcusable behavior, with at least one targeting their newborn son. A day before, an article involving San Francisco Giants third baseman receiving similar threats. There needs to be stiffer penalties for those creeps who are keyboard warriors to made bad decisions and feel the need to blame their issues on someone else.
Today’s Headlines
Second Straight Walk-Off Win Extends Mariners’ Streak to 7
Maybe there was a bit of a postseason hangover, maybe it was something else. But the Seattle Mariners look to finally be getting into gear. Cole Young’s looped a one-out single to shallow left field to score Randy Arozarena from third base in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Mariners a 3-2 victory over the New York Mets, extending their winning streak to seven games. It was the second straight walk-off victory for the Mariners, with three of their last four coming by one run. Right-handed starter Emerson Hancock was really good for the Mariners, limiting the Mets to just two solo homers over six innings, walking none and striking out seven. The Mariners got a couple of solo homers of their own, with Josh Naylor’s seventh-inning blast tying the game 2-2. Naylor would leave the game with back spasms.
deGrom Finally Reaches 100 Victories
Wins have lost a lot of their luster, mainly as a way to judge pitchers, which is fair. But that doesn’t mean reaching a milestone win total should be dismissed. Texas Rangers right-handed starter Jacob deGrom, whose career has been derailed by injuries, finally notched the 100th victory of his career in a 2-1 triumph over the St. Louis Cardinals. He had four seasons in the first six of his career with double-digit win totals, but then just one in his next six with an assortment of injuries. That came last year when he posted 12. He has now added four more this year, with the latest one featuring eight strikeouts over five shutout innings by the two-time NL Cy Young Award winner. Ezequiel Duran drove in the first run of the game with an RBI double, the second of his three hits, and Joc Pederson had a run-scoring single in the fifth to make it 2-0.
E-Rod’s Pitching, Three Homers Power D’backs Past Dodgers
There is still plenty of time for the Arizona Diamondbacks to make sure no one forgets about them in the NL West. Behind six strong innings from left-handed starter Eduardo Rodriguez and rookie Tommy Troy’s first MLB home run as part of a late power barrage, the D’backs knocked off the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-1 to open a four-game series. Rodriguez went six innings and gave up just one run on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts for his 100th career victory. But the D’backs were held scoreless for the first five innings before Troy launched his first big-league big fly, a solo shot in the sixth to tie it. Nolan Arenado followed with a seventh-inning solo shot and Ketel Marte a two-run blast in the eighth.
Tigers Bash 3 Straight Homers, Open June With Win
Perhaps it is just as simple as flipping to a new page in the calendar. After a miserable May, the Detroit Tigers began June with a bang. Or, more appropriately, a bang-bang-bang. Dillon Dingler, Kerry Carpenter and Riley Greene slammed back-to-back-to-back home runs as the Tigers held off the Tampa Bay Rays 10-9. Dingler hit another long ball and Hao-Yu Lee also went deep for the Tigers. The three consecutive homers came in a four-run third innings as the Tigers claimed a 6-0 lead, then had to watch as the Rays score four runs in the eighth inning to pull within 10-9. Dingler finished 4-for-5 with four RBIs and four runs scored, while Greene went 3-for-4 and drove in three.
Alcantara Overcomes Rough Start To Rescue Marlins
After watching ace right-hander Sandy Alcantara give up three runs in the first three innings on the road against the Washington Nationals, the Miami Marlins were on the brink of a worst-case scenario. With a gassed bullpen, the Marlins couldn’t afford another short start. Luckily, vintage Alcantara kicked in and went seven innings, with the offense providing a pair of three-run outbursts for a 7-1 victory. Alcantara survived allowing seven hits because he didn’t walk anyone and punched out five. Heriberto Hernández hit a tying two-run homer in the sixth, then Connor Norby doubled home the go-ahead run before Liam Hicks and Kyle Stowers hit ninth-inning homers to provide the final margin.
Reds Lose De La Cruz To Injured List
For the first time in his career, Cincinnati Reds superstar shortstop Elly De La Cruz has gone on the injured list. De La Cruz sustained a strained right hamstring in Sunday’s game while running to first, with the Reds placing him on the 10-day IL Monday. The injury ends De La Cruz’s consecutive-games streak at 276, the third-longest active streak. Shortstop Edwin Arroyo, the Reds’ No. 3 prospect and No. 100 in baseball by MLB Pipeline, was called up and made his MLB debut by going 1-for-4 in the Reds’ 9-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals.
By The Numbers
2 Tristan Gray of the Minnesota Twins hit his second grand slam of the season (and his career) in a 9-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
21 Brice Turang snapped an 0-for-21 skid with two extra-base hits as the Milwaukee Brewers cruised to a 16-2 win over the San Francisco Giants. Turang also walked twice, reaching base in all four of his plate appearances.
23 The Colorado Rockies rallied for a 9-8 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, their 23rd win of the season. The Rockies didn’t earn their 23rd victory last year until after the All-Star break.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Routing 3-6-3-6 Double Play
How does a first baseman get two assists and the shortstop get two putouts on a double play without a rundown being involved? Chicago White Sox Jacob Gonzalez and shortstop Colson Montgomery show you how, courtesy of the grounder by Kody Clemens of the Minnesota Twins. It was the first such play since 1972.
Pablo Magic
Once Pablo Sanchez finally took his seat, the Brewers started scoring runs — 16 unanswered runs, to be exact. The Crew might want to think about giving Pablo season tickets.
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Texas Rangers right-handed reliever Chris Martin was placed on the 15-day IL with a right shoulder impingement in a series of moves.
Articles You Should Read
Union says proposed salary cap would mean pay cut for players, “eradication” of amateur bonuses — Evan Drellich, The Athletic
Are the Red Sox better off now than when Breslow was hired? Here’s a closer look — Tim Healey, Boston Globe
Is the despised piggyback actually carrying the surging Mariners? — Matt Calkins, Seattle Times
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
