The Red Sox had more hits than the Blue Jays, more walks than the Blue Jays, more than double the opportunities with runners in scoring position than the Blue Jays, and yet lost an uncompetitive 6-1 snoozefest to the Blue Jays.

Despite numerous chances to take an early lead against Dylan Cease, who was struggling to find the strike zone throughout his unimpressive 108 pitch outing that lasted just five innings, Boston managed to score zero runs before he left the mound. That’s of course because the 2026 Red Sox are running an absolute masterclass on how to lose baseball games. In fact, losing might be the only thing they’re truly great at.

Tonight’s special twist was a 1-12 effort with runners in scoring position (and the one didn’t even leave the infield) that came attached with 13 men left on base. Their only run came on a Jarren Duran solo homer, which is worth mentioning because it also came on the only one of Duran’s five plate appearance where there wasn’t anybody on base. Great timing as always from this offense!

It’s not just that this team stinks, it’s that they’re consistently less then the sum of their parts. They don’t know how to pick each other up, string competitive at bats together, get clutch hits when trailing late in games, or do anything remotely competent for more than one or two days in row. Most every halfway decent stat line is emptier than it looks, and the team is on pace to lose more games at Fenway Park than any Red Sox team in history!

Before the game tonight, Craig Breslow said they’re not giving up on the season and that their focus is still more on trying to win games each night. Well, teams that are trying to urgently win games to save their season generally aren’t allowing a washed up Masataka Yoshida to remain on their roster, much less bat leadoff. They’re also not using Mickey Gasper — a career sub .200 hitter with just two home runs in 227 plate appearances — to pinch hit as the tying run in the eighth inning.

The product is just so embarrassing and underwhelming, and it’s almost impossible to believe it’s gotten this bad before we’ve even hit the summer solstice.

Three Studs

Jarren Duran: Went 2-5, scored and produced the only Red Sox run with his eighth inning solo blast, and he also had the only Red Sox hit with a runner in scoring position, even if it was a lucky infield knock.

Connor Wong: Was on base all three times going 2-2 with a walk before getting pinch hit for in favor of Mickey Gasper in the eighth inning. If I’m Wong, I’m not at all pleased about getting called back there.

Greg Weissert: Score one for Over The Monster’s own Jacob Roy, who wrote about Weissert starting to show signs of life earlier today. Tonight he was the only Red Sox pitcher to not allow a run.

Five Duds

Willson Contreras: Horrible game for the usually productive Contreras. 0-4 with four strikeouts. Probably not a mystery the team felt extra dead tonight with his bat going silent.

Masataka Yoshida: Went 1-5 at DH from the leadoff spot and continues to hit weak ground balls almost exclusively. Provides zero spark at the top of the lineup.

Caleb Durbin: It was an unlucky 0-4 at he didn’t strike out and got bit by two strong catches in centerfield, but an 0-4 night is an 0-4 night, especially when you’re batting .190 on the season.

Chad Tracy: In general, I’m willing to give Chad Tracy a pretty long rope with the mess he’s inherited, but he can’t be pinch hitting Mickey Gasper there in the eighth inning. He needs to be batting less often in high leverage situations late in games, not more.

Payton Tolle: Unfortunately that’s two clunkers in a row for him. It probably wouldn’t have mattered anyway tonight with this sorry excuse for an offense, but the Red Sox are now 3-10 in his 13 career starts.

Play of the game:

Every single Red Sox at bat with runners in scoring position, but I’ll spare you the long conveyor belt of gory videos.

Catcher Owen Ayers was named Southern League Player of the Week.

Outfielder Josiah Hartshorn was named Midwest League Player of the Week.

The Cubs acquired right-hander Yosver Zulueta from the Mariners for cash. Zulueta joined Triple-A Iowa.

Right-handers Ryan Jensen and Zac Leigh were demoted from Triple-A Iowa to rookie ball ACL Cubs. That’s (I assume) a technical move that allows them to work in the Cubs pitch lab in Mesa.

Right-hander Vince Reilly joins Iowa from Double-A Knoxville.

Iowa shortstop Scott Kingery went on the temporarily inactive list.

Right-hander Emilio Ramos went from the ACL Cubs to Low-A Myrtle Beach.

I don’t normally mention Monday’s ACL Cubs game, but right-hander Jaxon Wiggins threw the first two innings in that game in a rehab assignment.

Everyone won except Knoxville, who was the one team that needed to win.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs beat Indianapolis (Pirates), 13-7.

Another rough start for Jordan Wicks, who got tagged for six runs on nine hits over three innings. He struck out four and walked no one.

Tyler Beede pitched the next two innings, didn’t allow a run, and got the win. He didn’t allow a hit, but he did walk one while striking out three.

Left fielder Kevin Alcántara hit a solo home run off of José Urquidy in the third inning. It was The Jaguar’s 16th home run this season. Alcántara was a perfect 3 for 3 with a double, the home run and two walks. He also stole a base. Alcántara scored three times and had two runs batted in.

DH Christian Bethancourt hit his sixth home run of the year with a man on in the fourth inning. Bethancourt was 3 for 4 with a two-run double and the home run. He had the four RBI.

Center fielder Brett Bateman was 2 for 5 with a steal. He scored twice.

Second baseman James Triantos went 2 for 5 with a stolen base and one run scored.

First baseman Jonathon Long was 2 for 5 wth an RBI double in the fifth. He scored twice.

DH Chas McCormick was 2 for 4 with a walk. McCormick scored twice and drove in one run.

An RBI double for Bethencourt.

The blast by The Jaguar went 432 feet.

Bethancourt’s home run.

An RBI double for Long.

An RBI double for BJ Murray. Murray was 1 for 4 with a walk.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies were extinguished by the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), 5-3. The loss moves Knoxville and Chattanooga into a first-place tie in the division.

Connor Schultz started and took the loss after allowing three runs on six hits over 4.2 innings. Two of the three runs were unearned. Schultz struck out six and walked just one.

Right fielder Alex Ramírez connected for a solo home run in the sixth inning. It was his eighth on the year. Ramírez was 1 for 3 with two walks.

Third baseman Jefferson Rojas was 2 for 4 with a double and he scored one run.

Catcher Ariel Armas had a two-run single in the sixth. He went 1 for 4.

DH Owen Ayers was 0 for 3 with a walk and one run scored. This snapped his streak of ten-straight games with at least two hits.

A great throw from Armas.

The Ramírez home run.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs cracked the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 4-3.

Starter Kevin Valdez gave up three runs, all in the bottom of the second, over four innings. Valdez surrendered four hits and walked two. He struck out five.

Ft. Wayne did not have a hit after the second inning. Ben Johnson pitched the fifth, sixth and seventh innings and only allowed one baserunner, a hit batter in the seventh. That runner was promptly thrown out trying to steal. Johnson struck out one and got the win.

Grayson Moore entered the game with a man on third and two outs in the eighth. He got a strikeout to end that threat and retired all four batters he faced for the save. He struck out three of them.

Third baseman Matt Halbach went 3 for 4 with two doubles and a solo home run in the sixth inning. It was Halbach’s fifth home run of the season. Halbach scored three times.

DH Miguel Useche was 2 for 4 with an RBI groundout and an RBI single in the top of the eighth that put South Bend up 4-3.

Left fielder Jose Escobar was 2 for 4 with a double.

Second baseman Alex Madera went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI single in the second inning.

Halbach’s home run.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans egged the Delmarva Shorebirds (Orioles), 12-4.

Braylon Myers pitched the first four innings without allowing a run. He surrendered three hits. He walked one and struck out two.

Daniel Avitia pitched the next three innings, gave up four runs and got the win because Myers didn’t pitch five innings. Avitia allowed the four runs on three hits and three walks. That includes a three-run home run. Avitia struck out two.

Center fielder Alexey Lumpuy was 2 for 5 with an RBI double.

Catcher Logan Poteet went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He scored three times.

First baseman Michael Carico was also 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. Carico also scored three times.

Right fielder Eli Lovich was 2 for 5 with two runs scored.

Third baseman Yahil Melendez went 1 for 2 with a double and three walks. Melendez scored two runs and had two RBI.

RBI double for Yahil Melendez.

RBI double for Lumpuy was almost a carbon copy.

ACL Cubs

Beat the Athletics, 9-6.

Brody McCullough pitched his first game since May of 2024. He gave up two runs over two innings, but the important thing was that he pitched.

Kodai Senga’s return to the mound for the Mets on Tuesday night was less than stellar after he allowed four earned runs in the first inning, but the right-hander did enough in the final three innings of his outing to earn himself another start.

“Pretty sure he will,” manager Carlos Mendoza said about Senga making his next scheduled start.

Still, neither the skipper nor the right-hander was thrilled with how Senga threw the ball against the Cincinnati Reds in a 5-3 loss and he’ll need to be much better in the future than he was in his first start in nearly two months following a lengthy IL stint.

“First time back out there on a big league mound in a little while, just wasn’t able to gather it all together in the beginning,” Senga said through an interpreter.

The biggest problem in Senga’s start was his command as he walked four while trying to establish his forkball which wasn’t great on Tuesday. 

And while he admits his forkball wasn’t as sharp as he wanted it to be, he also thinks the Reds were making a conscious effort to not swing at anything down in the zone, even when he threw some good forkballs.

“Some of those forkballs weren’t in the zone to start off with, they were ball to ball so that’s not gonna work very well. But even with the good ones too, I could tell that they weren’t swinging at anything down below the zone, they’re not chasing,” he said.

After that, Senga switched over to his slider, sinker and sweeper which played better against the Reds hitters.

The results proved that the change in approach worked as he didn’t allow a hit in the final three innings, although he did walk two more, while striking out five on the night. Nevertheless, the damage was already done after the four-run first inning.

“Obviously the first three batters of the game, not ideal,” Mendoza said. “Not what you want to see right away… I thought he found that sweeper, the slider, but they got him there early on.”

“Because those last three innings were effective, the first inning is frustrating,” Senga added.

In all, Senga went four innings and allowed four earned runs on two hits and four walks while striking out five on 82 pitches (46 strikes). His ERA stayed put at 9.00, and even though it wasn’t his best performance, it’s one he will work upon as he looks to get his season and career back on track.

“As long as I’m able to prepare the way I should prepare between outings I should be able to go out there and be effective and that’s the goal,” Senga said.

After Monday’s crushing loss that saw that Colorado Rockies bullpen allowing the Chicago Cubs a walk-off win, the Rockies were hoping to even the score on Tuesday.

And that they did in a Game 2 win that saw the Rockies defeating the Cubs 5-2.

It was the kind of baseball manager Warren Schaeffer has been touting, and tonight, all the pieces worked, allowing the Rockies to end a 10-game losing streak at Wrigley Field.

“The bullpen was fantastic tonight,” Schaeffer said, pointing to their much-improved performance.

The Rockies take walks, get hits, score runs

Picking up where he left off yesterday, Pete Crow-Armstrong led off the Cubs part of the first with a home run, putting the Rockies in an early 1-0 hole.

Things did not improve for the Rockies in the second inning when Matt Shaw scored on a wild pitch, and the Cubs took a 2-0 lead while Ryan Feltner’s pitch count ballooned to 50.

In the third inning, however, Feltner settled in and retired the Cubs in order on 14 pitches.

The Rockies came alive in the fourth inning. They got their first hit of the evening on a Jake McCarthy lead-off single that was followed by an RBI double from Willi Castro. After just two pitches, the Rockies were on the board and down by one run.

And then TJ Rumfield gave the Rockies a 3-2 lead with a two-run bomb, his tenth of the season.

After the game, Rumfield described the moment as “special,” especially given that it took place as Wrigley Field.

“He’s been Mr. Consistency all year,” Schaeffer said, “no ups and downs like you expect from a rookie.”

The Rockies kicked off the fifth innings with back-to-back walks issued to Brett Sullivan and Ezequiel Tovar. However, after striking out Edouard Julien to get the first out of the inning, the Cubs training staff visited the field and removed starter Edward Cabrera from the game due to cramping in his right hand.

He finished the evening with 4.1 IP, allowing five runs (earned) on three hits. Cabrera walked two and struck out three, throwing 67 pitches.

And then old friend Ryan Rolison entered the game. He immediately surrendered a hit to McCarthy, and the bases were loaded. A wild pitch scored Sullivan, and the Rockies followed that with a Willi Castro fielder’s choice that brought home Tovar.

When the fifth inning ended, the Rockies had a 5-2 lead.

However, Rolison would get his revenge in the sixth as he struck out the side.

With Phil Maton in relief, the Rockies managed to load the bases with two outs in the seventh. As Rumfield stood in the on-deck circle surveying the landscape, Cubs manager Craig Counsell went to RHP Trent Thornton. However, Happ tracked down Rumfield’s fly ball, and the Rockies were done for the inning.

The Cubs had runners on base during the seventh after Brennan Bernadino got two quick outs, but a ground ball to Tovar ended the inning.

Actually, please take a moment to appreciate this gorgeous Cole Carrigg gem for the second out in the seventh.

“That was a great play,” Schaeffer laughed after the game.

In the eighth inning saw the Rockies back on the base paths. Both Troy Johnston and Carrigg walked, and although Johnston got thrown out trying to steal second, Carrigg was successful, notching his first MLB stolen base. However, Sullivan flew out to right field, sending the Rockies to the dugout.

Old friend Gavin Hollowell (now with a new arm angle) came in to pitch the ninth for the Cubs, but the Rockies did not score.

Jaden Hill came in to close.

The final numbers for the Rockies were five runs (four earned) on six hits. They walked six times and had eight Ks. They were 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Also of note, the Rockies had one stolen base (Carrigg) and two caught-stealing (Johnston and Tyler Freeman).

Feltner settles in

Ryan Feltner’s talent is undeniable. The question is which version will show up for any given game.

While last week against the Cubs, Feltner was hot out of the gate before losing steam, in this game, he struggled through the first two innings, allowing two runs on four hits before settling in during the third. However, the relief was short-lived as he struggled through the fourth before finally getting Alex Bregman to strike out looking to end the inning.

Still, he was back out to start the fourth inning and got two outs before surrendering a hit to Ian Happ at which point Warren Schaefer went to the bullpen.

Feltner’s final line was 4.2 IP, allowing two runs (both earned) on six hits. He walked three and struck out seven on a career-high 104 pitches.

He currently has a 5.05 ERA.

After the game, Schaeffer said of Feltner’s performance, “Very good. Gusty,” adding, “He gave us a chance to win.”

The bullpen does something

After the Rockies utilized six relievers in the Monday game, the pressure was on an overworked bullpen to deliver.

And they did.

Blas Castaño went for the third out in the fifth inning with one on base and quickly ended the inning. He was successful in the sixth as well and finished the night going 1.1 IP, allowing no hits and striking out one on 16 pitches. His ERA is 3.92.

This was his first MLB win.

The seventh inning went to Brennan Bernadino. Although he had some traffic due to a walk and a hit, he finished the inning without allowing a run, going. 1.0 IP on 16 pitches.

The Rockies went with Victor Vodnik in the eighth, who was coming off a tough Monday-night showing that saw him unable to get three outs. However, tonight saw him back on track with a quick 1-2-3 inning on nine pitches.

Jaden Hill closed out the game, getting three outs on 12 pitches. It was his first MLB save.

It was a good night to be a Rockies reliever.

Up next

Tomorrow, the Rockies will look to take their second series against the Cubs when Sean Sullivan (0.00 ERA) will face Javier Assad (3.99 ERA). If the Rockies get the win, they will have won four of their past six series since May 29.

First pitch is at 6:05 pm though there may be some weather issues, so stay tuned.

See you then.

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The hopes of an improbable run from the loser’s bracket to the College World Series finals took a final blow for the Texas Longhorns on Tuesday at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha in a 2-0 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs.

Defined by the long ball all season, the Bulldogs scratched runs over the plate in the fifth and seventh innings by playing small ball and coming through an RBI double to score the first run and a sacrifice fly to short left field for the second, winning despite striking out 17 times.

Texas got almost nothing going in the batter’s box, recording just four hits and drawing three walks to strand seven runners on base. Only one of those hits came from a leadoff batter and none came with a runner on base — the Horns crashed into the offseason by going 0-for-8 with runners on and 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

For the second straight game against Georgia in Omaha, the moment seemed too big for the Texas hitters.

The poor hitting wasted superlative performances on the mound from redshirt senior left-hander Luke Harrison and freshman right-hander Sam Cozart. Harrison set his career high with 11 strikeouts to close out his career in burnt orange and white, allowing one run on two hits and four walks in 5.2 innings. Cozart struck out six in 3.1 innings, giving up one run on three hits.

Harrison was sensational through the first four innings, striking out 10 batters and looking in complete control with his fastball reaching into the mid-90s, a rarity throughout his career. The control only faltered slightly in the fifth, when Georgia drew a full-count walk and opted to play small ball, also a rarity for the Dawgs — the sacrifice bunt put down was only the second this season, but paid off when the runner was advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a double to left to put UGA up 1-0.

The pressure on the Texas starter increased in the sixth when Georgia loaded the bases with two outs on a four-pitch walk after a full-count walk and a bloop single, prompting Schlossnagle to make the call to the bullpen for freshman right-hander Sam Cozart, his first appearance in the College World Series.

Squaring twice once again, Kolby Branch took a fastball inside and a big breaker for a strike before swinging and missing against Cozart’s best fastball. Ahead 1-2, Cozart dotted the inside corner with a 95-mph heater to leave the bases loaded and keep the Horns in the game.

Against Georgia starter Dylan Vigue, who has struggled to work deep into games this year, Texas put runners on first and second with one out in the first after junior catcher Carson Tinney singled up the middle and freshman left fielder Anthony Pack Jr. drew a walk, bringing up sophomore shortstop Adrian Rodriguez, perhaps the hottest hitter in college baseball.

Behind early, Rodriguez fought off several pitches before flying out to center field, advancing Tinney to third. After Pack stole second without a throw, junior designated hitter Ethan Mendoza couldn’t come through as Vigue worked ahead again and struck out Mendoza on four pitches.

Like Joey Volchko did on Saturday against Texas, Vigue used a devastating slider that typically had glove-side run and often made the Longhorns chase out of the zone with no chance to get the barrel to the baseball.

The early pressure on Vigue prompted to Georgia bullpen to get moving in the first, but after that, Vigue comfortably worked out a two-out single in the second, struck out the side in the third, and retired Texas in order in the fourth before departing after issuing a leadoff walk in the fifth.

Right-hander Justin Byrd came on for Vigue and also featured his own slider, striking out the first batter he faced, fielding his position on a sacrifice bunt, and getting Texas junior right fielder Aiden Robbins out on two pitches on a foul ball to third base.

In the sixth, Byrd gave up a two-out single to Rodriguez, who advanced to second on an error by the right fielder, but Mendoza was unable to come through, hitting a line drive to right field that failed to trouble Ryan Black after his error.

Georgia manufactured a run in the seventh without much solid contact — a blooper to center was initially in the glove of redshirt senior Dariyan Pendergrass and initially ruled a catch, but came out as he rolled and was ruled a hit, a weak single through the right side beat the shift, and a collision between Rodriguez and Pack on a popup in short left field delayed the throw by Rodriguez to the plate, which was too slow to get Black at the plate despite a good throw by the Texas shortstop.

A four-pitch walk by Cozart extended the inning, but a blooper to second found the glove of redshirt senior Temo Becerra to send the Horns to the plate down 2-0.

Up first, Becerra got a good pitch to hit, but didn’t find the barrel on a fly ball to left, the Georgia first baseman made a nice play on a sharp grounder by junior first baseman Ashton Larson, and junior third baseman Casey Borba hit a routine grounder to shortstop on the first pitch he saw.

Cozart settled in during the eighth, working backwards to strike out the first two batters looking on fastballs and third swinging.

Pinch hitting for Pendergrass, redshirt senior Josh Livingston laced a line drive to right field to lead off the eighth, but Black was playing deep and made the play easily. Down 1-2 after swinging and missing at the first two pitches, Robbins recorded his second hit of the College World Series on a single up the middle, but Tinney took an 0-2 fastball over the plate for a strikeout. More discerning, Pack drew a five-pitch walk to bring Rodriguez to the plate, but he chased a breaking ball low and rolled it over to the Georgia first baseman to end the inning.

Black opened the ninth with a leadoff single on a 0-2 breaking ball from Cozart, who helped himself out by catching a popup bunt in front of the plate, struck out Daniel Jackson on a cutter with glove-side movement, and got a long flyout to left caught by Pack with defensive replacement Maddox Monsour barreling down on him from center.

In the ninth, the Horns went quietly into the offseason against Byrd, who notched his sixth win of the season after putting Texas down in order without much trouble.

As he walked off in the 6th inning, the applause from the Houston faithful was beyond telling.    The Astros had their ace back after 10 long weeks.   Hunter Brown would be joined on this night by a returning Yainer Diaz.    In combination they’d provide a glimmer of future promise to a club whose season frequently feels like it’s hanging on by a thread.     

92 pitches later, Brown’s final line would read: 7 k’s, 3 BB, 3 scattered hits and a run allowed over 5 2/3’s.     

Brown’s third start of the season would take a while to get fully into gear.     Kevin McGonigle would start things off with a single, representing the first of multiple base runners in the opening frame.   Fortunately, a relay throw from Jeremy Pena would strike down Dillion Dingler at home plate.    However, the next inning, the Tigers would draw first blood when Hao-Yu Lee singled home Spencer Torkelson who led off things with a walk.    

The Astros would finally get on the board in the bottom of the 5th.    Raynel Delgado would score on a passed ball to Issac Paredes.      Delgado would go one step further, saving the best for last in the home half of the 8th inning, driving in a pair of RBI’s.   Jeremy Pena would also get in on the action, bringing in Joey Loperfido with an insurance run making the final score 4-2.   A week ago, Delgado was playing for Triple-A Durham, but on Tuesday night he played hero at Daikin. 

The 8th inning would see the Tigers play small ball.    Hao-Yu Lee would continue his hot hand, notching a double.  He’d eventually advance around the basepaths and then come home on a sacrifice fly by Dillon Dingler.    Bryan King allowed the run, but thanks to Delgado and company, it evaporated quickly.     King would earn the victory.    Josh Hader would come on to close the door in the 9th, notching his 3rd save.        

Framber Valdez would return to Houston and only allow one unearned run.    Across 6 innings, he’d register 6 strikeouts along with 6 hits, allowing 3 walks.    

For the Astros, the “soft spot” of the schedule (which in earnest started a week ago in Anaheim) has borne mixed fruit.    Now standing at 4-4 in recent contests against the Angels, Royals and Tigers, the Astros are 34-41 and still 7 games under .500.    

The Astros will close out the rubber series with Detroit tomorrow with a 1:10 CDT against righthander Casey Mize who’s returning after a 3-week stint on the IL.   Peter Lambert will take the mound for Houston.    Lambert hasn’t dropped an official loss since May 17th verses Texas.    

Buffalo Bisons 9, Charlotte Knights 5
Another night, more pitching troubles for Charlotte (38-32). At least Kyle Teel showed up with some fireworks, launching a two-run shot in his first rehab at-bat and finishing 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. That early jolt? Gone in a flash, as Noah Schultz walked his first batter and promptly served up a two-run homer. Schultz fanned four but couldn’t find the zone, walking three in just 1 1/3 innings. Jordan Hicks, also rehabbing, took the baton in the fourth and promptly handed the game over, walking two before coughing up a three-run bomb. The Knights made a little noise in the sixth — homers from Michael Turner and Nolan Jones trimmed it to 6-5, but Buffalo stomped out any hope with three runs right after. Only Peyton Pallette escaped unscathed, spinning 1 1/3 hitless innings with three punchouts.

Birmingham Barons — Pensacola Blue Wahoos (postponed)

Greensboro Grasshoppers 4, Winston-Salem Dash 1
The Dash had their chances but could not cash in on them. The Grasshoppers struck first with a run in the third, but Winston-Salem answered in the bottom of the fourth when Kaleb Freeman launched a solo homer to tie the game. Greensboro took the lead right back, 3-1, in the sixth on a walk and a pair of doubles, then tacked on an insurance run in the eighth. Liam Paddack turned in a solid start for the Dash, allowing one run on four hits over four innings while striking out four and walking two. Winston-Salem managed just five hits on the night and went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

Fayetteville Woodpeckers 6, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 3
The Cannon Ballers (32-32) let an early lead slip away, and they never got the key knock they needed. Kannapolis struck first with two runs in the third, as Matthew Boughton doubled home Efren Teran before Derek Cerda followed with an RBI single. But any hopes of a crooked number fizzled as the Ballers managed to run themselves into two outs on the bases. Fayetteville answered immediately, launching two two-run homers in the bottom half to jump ahead 4-2. Kannapolis scratched across a run in the fourth using a single, a walk, a stolen base, and a ground out to cut the deficit to one, but the Woodpeckers added solo runs in the fifth and sixth innings to pull away. The Ballers had their chances — plenty of them — but went a disappointing 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

ACL Brewers 8, ACL Sox 0 (7 innings)
The ACL White Sox (10-23) turned in another forgettable performance while managing just three hits and one walk. They never mounted much of a threat, going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. The lone offensive highlight came in the third inning when Marcelo Ácala ripped a two-out double, but the Sox were unable to capitalize. Two rehab appearances also failed to provide much encouragement. Wikelman González surrendered two runs on one hit and a walk over one inning, while Christian Oppor allowed three runs on two hits and three walks across 1 2/3 innings, though he did strike out four.

DSL White Sox 7, DSL Miami 6
After taking a beating on Monday, the DSL White Sox (4-8) bounced back with a victory over Miami thanks to a big night from Sebastian Romero. Miami jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but the Sox answered in the third when Romero laced a two-run triple, and Orlando Patiño followed with an RBI single to knot the game. The Marlins reclaimed the lead with two tallies in the fourth, only for the Sox to respond with a three-run fifth fueled by a string of singles and a pair of walks. Romero delivered the knockout blow in the sixth, ripping his second RBI triple of the game to provide the eventual winning run. The 17-year-old Venezuelan continues to terrorize DSL pitching with a .382/.476/.853 slash line, five homers, and 1.329 OPS.

ACL Reds 12, ACL White Sox 1 (June 15)
The ACL White Sox got thumped, 12-1, by the Reds in a game that refused to die. ACL games are typically seven innings, but this one dragged through nine, as if anyone needed more of this. Through seven, the Sox managed three baserunners, two wiped out by a double play, all on two singles and a walk. Not a soul made it past first. The lone run finally limped home in the eighth, assisted by a throwing error, two wild pitches, and a double. Four hits, that’s all. Six pitchers took their lumps, and only two escaped without a run on their tab. Jeremy Gonzalez was the bright spot, spinning two scoreless to close it out, two hits, one K.

DSL Yankees 11, DSL White Sox 1 (June 15/7 innings)
The DSL White Sox had their chances early, but a second-inning meltdown and a bunch of stranded runners sealed the loss. The Sox looked set to get on the board in the first. Hector Hernandez doubled, took third on a wild pitch, and Romero got plunked and moved up on another wild one. It was second and third with one out, but unfortunately, Ronald Cardoza struck out. However, another hit-by-pitch packed the sacks. Then Orlando Patiño grounded out, and the threat was over. That set the tone as the Sox went a sad 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Their only run came in the seventh, long after the game was toast. Nestor Perez and Hector Paulino walked, Felix Lebron popped out, and Sebastian Romero finally got a run home with a single. Too little, way too late.

Rockies 5, Cubs 2

Leverage index and box score

Graphics via FanGraphs.

Crazy Castro: Willi Castro, +0.15 WPA

Cold-brera: Edward Cabrera, -0.20 WPA 

Game thread comments of the day

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This was a low-scoring game until the eighth inning saw the Astros blow things open and ultimately win the game 4-2.

The Tigers’ starting pitcher for tonight’s game should feel right at home taking the mound in the former Minute Maid Park. Framber Valdez spent his first eight years in the majors with the Houston Astros, and returned tonight in his Tigers’ uniform, facing off against his old club. The Astros, meanwhile, were counting on Hunter Brown as they would attempt to tie up the series after the Tigers’ Monday night win. Detroit would be working without Colt Keith, though, whose hitting heroics helped them win last night, but was a late scratch for Tuesday’s game.

The Tigers kicked things off with a single from Kevin McGonigle. He was quickly eliminated, however, in a force out off the bat of Dillon Dingler. With two outs, Riley Greene singled, but Dingler got caught making a play for home, and the Tigers were done in the first, though they put in a valiant effort. In the home half, Christian Walker got a two-out single, followed by a double from a former Tiger, Isaac Paredes, deep into the corner in left. A Jose Altuve flyout ended the inning, though.

Spencer Torkelson took a leadoff walk in the second. Two outs followed, but Torkelson moved his way up to third, so when Hao-Yu Lee singled, Tork was able to come home easily, putting the Tigers on the board first. Lee was subsequently caught stealing to end the inning.

Yainer Diaz walked to start the home half, but three outs followed, getting the Tigers out of a potential jam.

The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the top of the third. In the home half, Jeremy Pena started with a leadoff double. Yordan Alvarez then singled. But Valdez righted the ship after a rough start to the inning, and got the next three outs in order.

It was another 1-2-3 for the Tigers in the fourth, which isn’t going to serve them well. As we’ve seen time and time again with this team, the lead needs to be bigger than one run, especially as the game gets turned over to the bullpen. Valdez did his part, getting the Astros out three-up, three-down in the home half.

Wenceel Perez walked to start the fifth, but three outs quickly followed. In the home half, Raynel Delgado singled, and then with two outs was advanced to third. Christian Walker then lived up to his name with a walk. A rare and brutally timed passed ball by Dingler allowed Delgado to score, tying up the game. Paredes walked. Then Dingler got a bit of good karma back as he challenged a ball call that was overturned for the third strike and final out of the inning. But the game was now tied 1-1.

The Tigers continued to struggle in the sixth. Carpenter got a two-out walk, and that was enough to chase Brown from the game, but reliever Steven Okert came in to get the final out of the inning on the first batter he faced. In the bottom of the inning Cam Smith got a one-out single, but Valdez got out of the jam, leaving the game still tied 1-1 through six. Valdez got the shake when he got back to the dugout, so his day was done with a final line of 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K on 92 pitches.

Enyel De Los Santos was the new Astros reliever for the seventh. He came in and got through the Tigers in short order. Keider Montero was the first reliever out of the Tigers’ pen. Pena got a leadoff single, but Montero got the next three outs in order.

Bryan King came in from the Astros’ pen and Lee got a leadoff double against him. A Matt Vierling (pinch-hitting) groundout moved Lee to third, and a Dingler sac fly was able to bring him home. I think that probably makes Dingler even for the passed ball earlier. The Tigers would have to settle for the one run, but the game was no longer tied.

Yanier Diaz got a one-out single in the bottom of the eighth. Cam Smith then reached on a fielder’s choice, but a fielding error from McGonigle allowed both baserunners to remain safely on. That was it for Montero, though, who was replaced by Will Vest with two on and only one out. Joey Loperfido walked to load the bases. Delgado then hit a liner right between every player on the infield and scored two runs. The Tigers were able to turn a double play to end the inning, but it was close enough at first for Houston to challenge. They won the challenge, so instead of ending the inning, the Astros scored another run and stayed in play. A.J. Hinch went back to the bullpen. Drew Sommers came in and got the final out of the inning but the damage had certainly been done.

Josh Hader was the next reliever for the Astros. Riley Greene singled, then Torkelson was out as Paredes nabbed a ball headed for the dugout. Two more outs followed and the Tigers were unable to stage a comeback. The series would come down to the afternoon rubber match on Wednesday afternoon.

Final: Astros 4, Tigers 2

CINCINNATI — Kodai Senga really needed a mulligan on his first inning back with the Mets. It turns out that do-overs aren’t allowed. 

The beleaguered right-hander had an ugly opening frame Tuesday in his return to a major league mound and followed with three improved innings, but by then it was too late. 

Senga’s clunker, coupled with a mediocre offensive showing, sank the Mets in their 5-3 loss to the Reds. The Mets lost their second straight and now just hope to avoid a series sweep. 

Thrust into the rotation after Christian Scott was placed on the injured list with a right hip impingement, Senga allowed two homers for four runs in the first inning. Overall, he surrendered four runs on two hits and four walks with five strikeouts over four innings. 

“My first time out there on a big-league mound in a little while, I just couldn’t gather it all together in that big inning,” Senga said through his interpreter. 

It was the kind of performance the Mets have received all too often from Senga, who was returning from a back injury that kept him on the injured list for six weeks. 

“As long as I can prepare the way I should prepare between outings, I should be able to be effective,” said Senga, who is expected to remain in the rotation. 

Manager Carlos Mendoza was ejected in the seventh inning for arguing with plate umpire Carlos Torres’ strike zone. The Mets were out of ABS challenges after losing both by the second inning. 

Senga walked Blake Dunn and JJ Bleday in succession to begin his night before Sal Stewart blasted a 2-1 sinker over the left field fence for a three-run homer. Senga got two outs in the inning — one on A.J. Ewing’s diving catch that robbed Nathaniel Lowe — before Spencer Steer homered to bury the Mets in a 4-0 hole. 

“The first three batters of the game, not ideal what you want to see right away,” Mendoza said. “A couple of walks and then the three-run homer … [Senga] found his sweeper and the slider, but they got him early on there.” 

Bo Bichette’s RBI single in the third sliced the Reds’ lead to 4-1. Brett Baty was hit by a pitch leading off and Francisco Alvarez singled with one out before the sizzling Bichette delivered for his 41st RBI this season. Bichette began the day on a 10-for-21 (.476) tear. But after a walk to Juan Soto that loaded the bases, Jared Young was retired to kill the Mets rally. 

The Mets loaded the bases against Brady Singer in the fourth with two outs — Ewing and Alvarez both walked with another Baty plunking sandwiched in between — before Carson Benge was retired. 

In the fifth, Bichette delivered a leadoff single but Young grounded into an inning-ending double play after Soto struck out. A night earlier the Mets loaded the bases three times without scoring. 

“Eventually we’ll get the big hit; it’s frustrating,” Mendoza said. “You continue to get traffic, you continue to put guys on, somebody will break through.” 

Stewart’s RBI single in the fifth against Cionel Pérez widened the Mets deficit to 5-1. Edwin Arroyo doubled leading off and Dunn singled before Stewart’s hit. 

Mark Vientos smashed a pinch-hit two-run homer in the sixth that pulled the Mets to within 5-3. Marcus Semien singled in the inning and reached second on Steer’s error in right field before Vientos went deep with two outs. 

The Mets had their best chance to tie in the eighth, following walks to Semien and Baty to begin the inning, but Vientos and Alvarez struck out before Benge was retired. 

After winning two of three games against the MLB-best Braves at Citi Field, the Mets have again lost momentum. 

“Throughout the year when we get the quality [starting pitching], those guys are going to give us a chance: the offense and the bullpen,” Mendoza said. “But we need to be better. We need more from them. We expect more from them and they know that.” 

Trevor Larnach got this game going with a bang, specifically a solo homer deep to right field on the second pitch from Rangers starter Kumar Rocker. Next, Byron Buxton singled, stole 2nd, and was brought home later by a Josh Bell 2-out RBI single to put the Twins up 2-0.

With Zebby Matthews going strong, the Twins tacked on 3 more runs in the 3rd. All of those came on a 3-run homer from Kody Clemens, just over the painted line on the right field wall. That homer continues Kody’s stretch of being hot at the plate, he’s slugging over .600 in his last 15 games, with 5 homers.

In the top of the 4th, the Twins broke the game wide open, scoring 5 times. Alex Jackson doubled, then, with 1-out, Buxton hit a deep fly to right that Brandon Nimmo failed to catch. Cal Quantrill came in for Rocker, intentionally walked Clemens, then allowed a 2-run single to Royce Lewis. Josh Bell followed with a liner down the right field line for a double that scored 2 thanks to another error by Nimmo. Bell would later score on a Luke Keaschall single to give the Twins a 10-0 lead.

The Rangers would score just single runs in the 4th and 5th against Zebby, who did a good job of limiting the damage. His most effective pitch tonight was the slider, generating 2 of his 4 strikeouts and a 45% whiff rate. Zebby would toss 7 innings of 2-run baseball, much more than good enough tonight.

Travis Adams struck out the side in the bottom of the 8th. In the top of the 9th the Rangers went to catcher Kyle Higashioka as a pitcher. Keaschall doubled, then scored on Jackson’s double. Then a Larnach single followed by Kyler Fedko’s first career RBI, a sacrifice fly, made it 12-2. Fedko is still searching for his first hit. That gave the Twins 17 hits on the night, a season high for the team.

Cody Laweryson tossed a shutout 9th inning, giving us our 12-2 final.

Studs:

Trevor Larnach: 4-6, 2 R, HR, RBI

Kody Clemens: 2-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB

Josh Bell: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB

Luke Keaschall: 2-4, 2B, RBI, BB

Alex Jackson: 3-5, 2 R, 2 2B

Brooks Lee: 2-5, 2B

Zebby Matthews: 7.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 4 K

Duds:

NO DUDS TWINS WIN!