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Sure, the NFL was back in full swing Sunday. But that in no way compares to pennant race baseball. Key homers, big-time pitching performances and comebacks had impacts in division and wild-card races. Let’s take a spin around the majors.
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Today’s Headlines
Dodgers Finally Snap Losing Skid At 5
After one of the most remarkable losses in MLB history, the Los Angeles Dodgers needed a jump-start to end their five-game losing streak. Enter Shohei Ohtani. The two-way superstar hit the second pitch of the game for the first of his two home runs as the Dodgers avoided a three-game sweep by the last-place Baltimore Orioles with a 5-2 victory. The defending World Series champion Dodgers retained their one-game lead in the NL West over the San Diego Padres, who beat the Colorado Rockies 8-1. Ohtani, who has won back-to-back MVPs and has three overall, now has 48 homers and tied the franchise record with his 12th leadoff homer, matching Mookie Betts‘ mark from 2023. Betts also homered Sunday to support veteran left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who won his sixth straight decision by striking out a season-high eight over 5⅔ innings. The Orioles were the only team Kershaw had not faced in his 18 seasons. Ohtani’s solo homers in the first and third innings accounted for the Dodgers’ first two runs, and Betts followed Ohtani’s blast in the third with his 16th homer of the season for a 3-0 lead. After being within one out of a no-hitter and a 3-0 victory Saturday before losing 4-3, the Dodgers turned to rookie left-hander Jack Dreyer to preserve a three-run lead in the ninth inning Sunday. Dreyer only allowed a two-out single in picking up his third save of the season. The Orioles lost right-handed starter Tomoyuki Sugano, who took a comebacker off his right foot. X-rays were negative.
Yankees Pull Within 2 Of Jays In East
It wasn’t a sweep, but it was the next best thing. Ben Rice hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and Cody Bellinger drove in the go-ahead run to support left-hander Max Fried as the New York Yankees edged the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3. By taking two of the final three regular-season games between the two clubs, the second-place Yankees pulled within two games of the AL East-leading Blue Jays with three weeks left. New York also holds the No. 1 AL wild card, 1½ ahead of the Boston Red Sox, who kept pace with a 7-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Rice opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with his three-run blast off Jays right-hander Max Scherzer, his 23rd homer of the season. But the Jays scored twice in the second and tied it in the third on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s RBI double. But Bellinger put the Yankees back on top with a double to center that scored Aaron Judge, who had walked and stolen second. Fried shut the door from there, finishing with seven innings and three runs allowed on six hits and a walk with four strikeouts. The Yankees and Jays each play another AL division leader in their next series, with New York hosting the Detroit Tigers (Central) and the Jays traveling to the Houston Astros (West).
Raleigh Hits No. 53 As Mariners Roll
If a team was ever in need of a laugher this weekend, it was the Seattle Mariners. So now that they have had two in a row, maybe the Mariners are ready to show they belong in the AL postseason field. Cal Raleigh hit his MLB-leading 53rd homer, and Eugenio Suárez went deep twice to reach 45 as the Mariners crushed Atlanta 18-2. The Mariners scored their most runs and hits (20) since 2012. Seattle lost six of their first seven games of this nine-game road trip before bouncing back with 10-2 and 18-2 triumphs. Combined with the third-place Texas Rangers‘ 4-2 win over the first-place Astros, the second-place Mariners are 2.5 games behind the Astros in the AL West and 1.5 games up on the Rangers and two on the Kansas City Royals for the final AL wild-card spot. The Mariners took advantage of right-hander Spencer Strider being scratched from his scheduled start to pounce on emergency starter Joey Wentz, who gave up eight runs in 2.1 innings, including seven of the Mariners’ eight runs in the third inning.
Phillies Lose Turner, Then To Marlins
Injuries can play a huge role in a playoff chase. Losing your starting shortstop, who is also the league’s top hitter, can be doubly painful. Trea Turner left the Philadelphia Phillies‘ 5-4 loss to the Miami Marlins with a strained right hamstring. Turner, who will have the injury evaluated further today, said he could have continued but didn’t want to do further damage. Otto Lopez hit a pair of homers for the Marlins, including a three-run shot in the bottom of the first. Losing the game didn’t really damage the Phillies, who remained atop the NL East by seven games over the second-place New York Mets, who lost to the Cincinnati Reds 3-2. The Phillies and Mets open their final series — a four-game set — against each other today at Citizens Bank Park. Turner had hit his 15th homer, a solo shot, in the sixth inning before he was injured in the seventh inning trying to beat out a grounder to short. Turner leads the NL with a .305 batting average. With the Marlins clinging to a 4-3 lead, Lopez hit his 14th homer of the season in the bottom of the seventh to make it 5-3.
Greene Outshines Sproat As Reds Stay Alive
In a battle between a young ace and a prospect making his MLB debut, both turned in outings to remember. But in the end, the team with the veteran came up with a huge win. Right-hander Hunter Greene matched his season high with 12 strikeouts to overcome a stellar first start by right-hander Brandon Sproat as the Cincinnati Reds turned back the New York Mets 3-2. That pulled the Reds into a tie with the San Francisco Giants, four games behind the Mets for the third and final NL wild card. Austin Hays had a sacrifice fly and an RBI single, while Elly De La Cruz doubled home the go-ahead run as part of a two-run sixth inning for the Reds. Greene went seven innings while posting a dozen strikeouts for the third time this season, allowing just one hit — Brett Baty’s third-inning solo homer. Sproat didn’t allow a hit to any of the first 19 hitters he faced in his first MLB start, although he did walk four. De La Cruz’s sixth-inning double foiled his no-hit bid. Sproat struck out seven and finished by allowing three hits.
Misiorowski Marvelous In Brewers’ Sweep
The key to the good version of Milwaukee Brewers rookie right-hander Jacob Misiorowski is how he navigates his way through trouble. Misiorowski quickly overcame walks to the first two batters he faced to turn in a standout seven innings in the Brewers’ 10-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates to complete a three-game sweep. The Brewers, who had their magic number for clinching a playoff spot drop to four and improved their MLB-best record to 89-55, increased their lead in the NL Central to 7.5 games over the second-place Chicago Cubs, who lost to the Washington Nationals 6-3. Andrew Vaughn matched his career high with four hits, and Jake Bauers finished a big weekend with two more RBIs for the Brewers, who ruined the first MLB start of Pirates rookie right-hander Bubba Chandler, one of the top prospects in all of baseball, who was excellent in three relief appearances with a save and two wins. But Bauers highlighted a four-run first inning with a two-run double, then Brice Turang capped a four-run third inning with a two-run single for a 9-1 lead. Misiorowski went seven innings, the longest of his 12 MLB starts, allowing one run on three hits and three walks with eight strikeouts. He retired the last 11 he faced, including hitting 100 mph five times in his final inning.
Rangers Close Gap, Rally Past Astros
After being pounded 11-0 the night before, the Texas Rangers were in a must-win situation if they were still going to make a run at an AL playoff spot. Josh Jung doubled home the go-ahead run, and Jake Burger followed with a two-run homer as the Rangers beat the Houston Astros 4-2 to take the rubber game of the three-game series. That pulled the third-place Rangers with four games of the first-place Astros in the AL West and kept them 1.5 behind the second-place Mariners, who also hold the third AL wild card. This weekend began a tough two weeks for the Rangers, who face the Brewers and Mets this week before their final regular-season matchup against the Astros next week. Left-hander Patrick Corbin stymied the Astros, allowing one run on three hits while striking out five over 5.2 innings.
By The Numbers
⚾ In an 8-1 setback to the Padres, the Rockies tied the club record for losses in a season at 103. They are 40-103 with 19 games left this season. They need two losses to surpass last year’s Chicago White Sox, who had the most losses in MLB history in the modern era (since 1901).
⚾ Jo Adell continued his career year by hitting his 35th homer of the season in the Los Angeles Angels‘ 4-3 win over the Athletics. Adell has hit 10 homers and has a .347 average in his last 20 games.
⚾ Alex Cora recorded his 600th victory as manager of the Red Sox in Boston’s 7-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Time With The Kids
The off-field time in the communities by MLB players doesn’t get a lot of recognition, but all 30 teams visited kids with cancer as part of Childhood Cancer Awareness Day. Players, coaches, managers, and even mascots spent time with donated gaming units playing with kids in all 30 cities.
Ring The Bell
Josh Bell of the Nationals hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the ninth inning vs. the Cubs.
Four!
Three strikeouts in an inning is the coup de grâce for any pitcher, but in particular a closer. So when you get a chance at a four, you go for it. Enter Aroldis Chapman of the Red Sox, who notched four to close out the D’backs.
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Cubs right-handed closer Daniel Palencia left the game in the ninth inning due to shoulder tightness. The injury could potentially end Palencia’s season, a huge blow for the Cubs as they enter the postseason. The Cubs are the No. 1 NL wild-card team and a virtual playoff lock.
⚾ Atlanta claimed right-handed reliever Alexis Díaz off waivers from the Dodgers.
⚾ Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers was placed on the seven-day concussion list.
⚾ In a move that took a week to be noticed, the Cubs signed speedy outfielder Billy Hamilton to a minor-league contract. The signing apparently took place Aug. 31, which would make Hamilton eligible to play for the Cubs in the postseason.
Articles You Should Read
Chapman still dominating at age 37 — John Marshall, Associated Press
America is drinking less — and so are ballplayers — Jake Mintz, Yahoo Sports
Final act with Nats allowed Johnson’s career to come full circle — Mark Zuckerman, MASN Sports
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
