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This weekend marked Pride parades in a number of cities, with the biggest one being in San Francisco. Hope those players from the Giants had a chance to take in some of the festivities that mean so much to residents of the city and the LGBTQI+ community. Not sure it will change any minds, but it might make some think twice before taking actions that offend others.
Today’s Headlines
Red Sox Sweep 4 From Yankees With Wild Finish
While some other rivalries have raised their level to challenge the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox for MLB supremacy, the old farts showed that they can still produce a banger like they did Sunday. Jarren Duran was the unlikely hero, capping a three-run bottom of the 10th inning with an RBI single that propelled the Red Sox to a 5-4 victory over the Yankees, completing a four-game sweep of their AL East rival. Red Sox right-handed starter Sonny Gray had been the story much of the game. He took a no-hitter into the eighth, where it was broken up by Amed Rosario’s clean one-out ground single to center. The 7.1-inning no-hit bid was the longest of Gray’s career. Gray left the game, having struck out nine, including the 2,000th of his career.
It was in the ninth where things started to get wacky. José Caballero, who had singled and stolen a base off Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman, scored from second on Ben Rice’s flyout to right field. Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu, a two-time Gold Glove winner, threw wildly into the infield, which allowed Caballero to score and Anthony Volpe, who had walked, to take third. Pinch-hitter Paul Goldschmidt then hit a grounder to shortstop that brought in Volpe. In the top of the 10th, Rosario singled to right, where Abreu misplayed it for his second error of the game and automatic runner Max Schuemann scored with Rosario taking second. After a bunt, Austin Wells‘ check-swing grounder up the third-base line scored Rosario to put the Yankees up 4-2. But the Red Sox didn’t roll over. Anthony Seigler had a leadoff single to score automatic runner Caleb Durbin, then pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida doubled pinch-runner Andruw Monasterio to third. Tsung-Che Cheng hit a sacrifice fly to plate Monasterio and tie it 4-4, with Yoshida taking third. The slumping Duran came to the plate. He entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning and with a .198 batting average. But he lined a 1-1 pitched into right field to bring in Yoshida for the walk-off winner.
Caminero Continues To Flex For Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are surging because Junior Caminero is surging. Caminero homered for the fourth straight game with the longest shot of his career as the Rays won their fifth consecutive with a 5-1 triumph over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Caminero hit a solo shot in the first inning, a 463-foot blast that was his 22nd of the season. He has six homers in that four-game run to power the Rays back into first place in the AL East. Right-handed starter Drew Rasmussen threw six shutout innings, allowing three hits and struck out five for the Rays. The series sweep was the Rays’ eighth of the season.
Dodgers Continue Red-Hot Play
In case you haven’t noticed, the Los Angeles Dodgers are looking pretty dangerous as they pursue a third straight World Series championship. While they are running a six-man rotation, their offense continues to capitalize on opportunities. That was the situation in the last two games of the Dodgers’ series against the San Diego Padres. After scoring nine sixth-inning runs following an error in Saturday’s victory, they benefited on three walks and a hit batter in the fifth inning to score three runs en route to a 4-2 victory. Mookie Betts followed a tiebreaking bases-loaded walk with a two-run single as the Dodgers, who have MLB’s best record, extended their NL West lead to 10 games over the second-place Padres with their ninth win in 12 games. Their lead is almost twice as big as the next-closest division leader (the Milwaukee Brewers are up 5½ games in the NL Central).
Another Newcomer Helps Cubs Win In 10
The Chicago Cubs have had plenty of challenges this week. Not only did they have a game questionably postponed at home prompting a doubleheader, they placed two starters and a reliever on the injured list. But they overcame all of that and capped the week with a 4-3 10-inning victory over the NL Central-leading Brewers. One of the heroes of the game was right-hander Bryse Wilson, who was picked up off the scrap heap and pitched 4⅓ shutout innings in a bullpen game in the series finale. After tying the game in the seventh 1-1, the Cubs scored three times in the top of the 10th on two walks, a hit batter and a two-run single by Seiya Suzuki. The Brewers rallied for two runs in the bottom of the 10th and still had the bases loaded with no outs, but the Cubs ended it with a flyout and a double play.
Guardians’ Rare Rally Steals A Victory
When you have a record of 2-33 when trailing after seven innings, there is a sense of inevitability when you are behind entering the final two innings of a game. The the two markers in the win column exist for a reason. And in the series finale against the Seattle Mariners, the Cleveland Guardians added a third notch to that count, coming up with five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to get a 6-5 win. Trailing 4-1, Daniel Schneemann got things going with an RBI single, then Chase DeLauter, just activated off the injured list, had a two-run single and Rhys Hoskins lined a two-run tiebreaking double in which DeLauter scored after the ball wasn’t corralled by the catcher for a 6-4 lead. The Mariners came back to put a threat up in the ninth and scored on a throwing error by rookie second baseman Travis Bazzana that would have ended the game. But a groundout to short secured the Guardians’ victory.
Jensen’s Hit Streak A Royals Cheer
There hasn’t been a lot for Kansas City Royals fans to cheer about this season. With expectations of getting back to the playoffs after missing last season, the Royals have the worst record in the AL at 35-50. But backup catcher Carter Jensen is providing a little hope. Jensen had three hits as he extended his hitting streak to 19 games in the Royals’ 5-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox, the surprise co-leaders of the AL Central. That broke the Royals’ rookie record for a hitting streak that was previously held by teammate Maikel Garcia from the 2023 season. It is also the longest by a rookie catcher since Buster Posey’s 21-gamer for the San Francisco Giants in 2010. Jensen had an RBI single in the first-inning, then a go-ahead run-scoring single in the fourth that put the Royals on top for good at 5-4.
By The Numbers
2 Luis García Jr. of the Washington Nationals hit a pair of two homers and drove in five runs in a 6-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.
4 Texas Rangers pinch-runner Jarred Kelenic scored from second base on a wild pitch in the ninth inning to snap a tie in a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, completing a four-game sweep.
10 Minnesota Twins rookie left-hander Connor Prielipp struck out 10 over six innings in a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Ryan Kreidler’s go-ahead solo homer in the seventh.
Best Moments From Yesterday
That’s 30 Schwarbombs
MLB home run leader Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies launched No. 30 in a 5-4 victory over the New York Mets. It made him the fastest Phillies player to reach 30 homers in a season, doing it in the team’s 84th game.
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suárez was removed from Sunday’s game after being hit on his left hand by a pitch in the sixth inning. X-rays were negative, but more imaging was planned for today.
⚾ Detroit Tigers right-handed starter Jack Flaherty was activated off the 15-day injured list and left-hander Enmanuel De Jesus was optioned to Triple-A.
⚾ The Texas Rangers got one outfielder back just as they lost another. Wyatt Langford (strained left hamstring) was put on the 10-day IL and Evan Carter (strained right oblique) was activated from the 10-day IL.
⚾ Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman came off the seven-day concussion list and outfielder Dylan Beavers (strained right oblique) is off the 10-day IL. Infielder Jeremiah Jackson was optioned to Triple-A and catcher Sam Huff was designated for assignment.
⚾ Cleveland Guardians center fielder Chase DeLauter (right rib cage fracture) was activated from the 10-day IL and outfielder Petey Halpin was optioned to Triple-A.
⚾ San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos (strained right quad) was activated from the 10-day IL and infielder Buddy Kennedy has been designated for assignment. Kennedy was then traded to the Seattle Mariners for cash considerations.
⚾ Boston Red Sox infielder Romy Gonzalez (left shoulder surgery) was activated from the 60-day IL and catcher Mickey Gasper was sent to Triple-A. Outfielder Roman Anthony (sprained right wrist) was transferred from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL.
Articles You Should Read
“He cares about people”: How Dodgers’ Roberts got on the cusp of 1,000 wins — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times
Padres pitchers know there’s little logical, linear about Tommy John recovery — Annie Heilbrunn, San Diego Union-Tribune
Diaz has been most consistent, most valuable for Rays — Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times
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