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Labor Day saw rosters expand and a lot of afternoon baseball, especially for a Monday. But there was plenty of drama and a lot of runs scored on the first day of September, including in a couple of heavyweight battles.
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Today’s Headlines
Phils Erase Early Deficit, Beat Brewers Late
While all the runs were a bit much, the competitive nature on display for a holiday afternoon game between the top two teams in the NL would be a sight to see for seven games of the NL Championship Series. Brandon Marsh hit a go-ahead single in the top of the ninth inning and Harrison Bader added an RBI single as the Philadelphia Phillies opened a three-game series by rallying past the Milwaukee Brewers 10-8. The Phillies, who became the third MLB team to reach 80 wins this season, retained their six-game lead in the NL East over the second-place New York Mets, who also won 10-8, this over the Detroit Tigers. The Phillies also pulled within 4½ games of the Brewers, who have MLB’s best record at 85-54, in the race for the No. 1 seed in the NL. The Brewers need just one win in the final two games of the series to earn the tiebreaker. The Brewers saw their NL Central lead over the second-place Chicago Cubs trimmed to 5½ games as the Cubs walked off Atlanta 7-6. The Brewers built an early 4-0 lead on home runs by Brice Turang and rookie Caleb Durbin, but the Phillies scored twice in the top of the eighth to grab an 8-6 advantage. The Brewers tied it in the bottom of the eighth on rookie Isaac Collins‘ two-run single. But Abner Uribe, filling in as as closer for the injured Trevor Megill, was unable to keep the Phillies off the board in the ninth. Brewers right-handed reliever Shelby Miller, acquired at the trade deadline, left the game in the eighth inning after hearing something pop in his right elbow. The game also ended a stretch of 19 games in 18 days for the Brewers, who have a rare day off today in the middle of this series with the Phillies.
Soto’s Slam Sparks Mets
Right fielder Juan Soto might not be having the type of season New York Mets fans envisioned when he signed a record 15-year, $765 million deal in the offseason. But if the rest of his September goes the way the first day of the month did, it won’t matter. Soto hit a grand slam as part of a six-RBI day as the Mets turned back the Detroit Tigers 10-8. The Tigers have the AL’s best record at 80-59 and still lead the AL Central by nine games over the Kansas City Royals, who were off Monday. Soto hit his grand slam in the fourth inning to put the Mets ahead 6-3, then added a two-run triple and scored in the sixth inning for a 9-6 Mets lead. It was Soto’s 36 homer of the season.
Cubs Rally For Walk-off Win
The Chicago Cubs used a bunt and a single to come up with a big win. The bunt came in the form of slumping Pete Crow-Armstrong laying one down with two outs and two strikes against him for a single to spark a two-run rally in the sixth inning. The single came from Carson Kelly, who drove in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Cubs rallied from an early 6-2 deficit to win 7-6 over Atlanta. Kelly’s single also came with two outs and brought in Seiya Suzuki from third base. Kelly forced extra innings when he tied the game with a two-run homer in the eighth inning.
Reds Walk Off Jays, Rookie Gets First Hit
The Cincinnati Reds are in definite need of some inspiration this September. After a five-game losing streak at the end of August all but put the Reds out of contention, rookie Sal Stewart is hoping to provide an emotional lift. Stewart singled to left in his first MLB plate appearance and Noelvi Marte singled home the tying and winning runs in the bottom of the ninth as the Reds edged the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4. The AL East-leading Jays saw their advantage over second place go down to 2½ games. The idle New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, who won 6-4 over the Cleveland Guardians, are tied for second. The Reds had a 2-1 lead entering the ninth inning, but the Jays scored three runs — Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s tying single, Bo Bichette’s go-ahead homer and Daulton Varsho’s insurance blast — to grab a 4-2 advantage. The Reds rallied in the bottom of the ninth off a troubled Jays bullpen as TJ Friedl had a replay-assisted RBI double and Marte followed with his game-winning two-run single to left. Stewart, an infielder who started at first base, got his first MLB hit on a single to left in the bottom of the second and came around to score for a 2-0 Reds lead.
Late Rangers Rally Is 6th Straight Win
Are the Texas Rangers this year’s Detroit Tigers? Already without their All-Star shortstop and second baseman, the Rangers lost another former All-Star, only to see his replacement come through with the decisive hit. Alejandro Osuna, who replaced an injured Adolis García, had a go-ahead two-run single in the top of the 10th inning as the Rangers had a rare late rally to earn a 7-5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was the sixth straight win for the Rangers, who pulled within 1½ games of the AL West rival Seattle Mariners, who lost 10-2 to the Tampa Bay Rays. Osuna came into the game as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the ninth after Garcia came up gimpy after reaching first on a fielder’s choice in the top half. Garcia scored on Jake Burger’s triple to pull the Rangers within 5-4 and Burger scored on Cody Freeman’s two-out, two-strike single. It was just the second time in 34 games this season the Rangers won when trailing in the ninth inning. Runners were on second and third with two outs when Osuna rocketed a grounder off reliever Juan Burgos that ricocheted toward the first-base dugout. With one run already in, first baseman Tyler Locklear scrambled and threw home to try and nail Ezequiel Duran, who was trying to score from second. The throw was in time, but the tag was applied late, as determined by a replay review. That gave the Rangers a 7-5 advantage.
By The Numbers
⚾ Rafael Devers, Willy Adames and rookie Drew Gilbert hit home runs as the San Francisco Giants pounded the Colorado Rockies 8-2. The Giants have hit a home run in an MLB season-high 15 straight games.
⚾ Chicago White Sox rookie Colson Montgomery homered in a 6-5 win over the Minnesota Twins. Montgomery has homered in all four games against the Twins this season, hitting 10-for-18 with nine RBIs and five runs scored.
⚾ Left-hander Andrew Alvarez became the second Washington Nationals starter to win his MLB debut, allowing just one hit over five scoreless innings of a 2-0 win over the Miami Marlins.
Best Moments From Yesterday
A Pesky Call
The nooks and crannies of Fenway Park provide a lot of theatrics. The Pesky Pole is one of them. Trevor Story hit a drive that Cleveland Guardians right fielder Jhonkensy Noel deflected off the pole, then into the stands off a fan in the Red Sox’s win. Initially ruled a foul ball, Story stood on second base during a replay review that gave him his 23rd homer of the season.
Randy Returns
Randy Arozarena deserved a return to Tropicana Field as he faced his old team, the Tampa Bay Rays, for the first time in Florida since he was traded away. Instead, he settled for a warm ovation at Steinbrenner Field.
Garcia Wins In Return
Houston Astros right-handed starter Luis García Jr. had to wait a long time to pitch in an MLB game again. Garcia had Tommy John surgery in 2023 after exiting a May 1 game more than 28 months ago. He came back with a bang as Garcia struck out six over six innings in an 8-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels.
Injuries and Other Moves
There was a lot of player movement with Monday being the day teams could add up to two players to their roster, a pitcher and/or a position player. To check out the full list of official moves, visit the MLB transactions page.
⚾ San Diego Padres reliever Jason Adam left the game against the Baltimore Orioles in the top of the seventh inning due to a ruptured quadriceps tendon. He was injured trying to spin around to make a play on Gunnar Henderson’s grounder up the middle. Adam is out for the rest of the season, with his start to next season in doubt. Typical recovery is six to nine months. Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill was activated from the 10-day injured list following his sprained left ankle.
⚾ Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim was claimed by Atlanta off waivers from the Rays. That saves the Rays about $2 million this season. Kim signed a two-year, $29 million contract with the Rays last offseason, with a $16 million player option for 2026.
⚾ The Brewers activated shortstop Joey Ortiz from the 10-day injured list. Ortiz missed minimal time with a strained left hamstring.
⚾ Miami Marlins right-handed starter Edward Cabrera went on the 15-day IL with a sprained right elbow.
⚾ Catcher Harry Ford, ranked as the No. 6 prospect in the Mariners’ system and No. 88 in baseball, was called up to make his MLB debut.
⚾ Left-handed starter Andrew Heaney, released by the Pittsburgh Pirates, signed a minor-league contract with the Dodgers. The move reportedly came Sunday, which means Heaney is eligible for postseason play.
⚾ Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. left the game with a potential right knee injury while trying to avoid a teammate making a catch.
Articles You Should Read
Can Raleigh beat Judge for AL MVP? It depends — Jake Mintz, Yahoo Sports
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