Worldwide Sports News

Lots of movement over the weekend.

Iowa left-hander Josh Fleming was released.

Iowa right-hander Tyler Santana was activated off the Development List.

Left-hander Ethan Flanagan was promoted to Double-A Knoxville from High-A South Bend.

Outfielder Ethan Conrad was promoted to South Bend from Low-A Myrtle Beach.

Right-hander Luke Alwood was promoted to South Bend from Myrtle Beach.

Right-hander Edwardo Melendez was also promoted to South Bend from Myrtle Beach.

South Bend first baseman Michael Carico was placed on the Development List.

Right-hander Ariston Veasey was promoted to Myrtle Beach from the ACL Cubs (Mesa).

Right-hander John Alkire II was promoted to Myrtle Beach from Mesa.

Right-hander Jhon Cabral was promoted to Myrtle Beach from Mesa.

Myrtle Beach right-handers Daniel Avitia and David Bracho were placed on the Development List.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs laid an egg against the Toledo MudHens (Tigers), 9-2.

Braxton Garrett started this game and took the loss. Garrett gave up five runs on six hits over just four innings. The one positive is that Garrett struck out five and waked just one.

Shelby Miller pitched the bottom of the seventh inning in a rehab appearance and allowed one run on a home run by Max Burt. But then he retired the next three batters, striking out one.

DH Chas McCormick hit a solo home run in the eighth inning, his 11th on the season. McCormick was a perfect 2 for 2 with two walks. He drove in both Iowa runs.

McCormick’s home run.

Knoxville Smokies

The Smokies scored nine runs in the top of the first inning, but the game was suspended by rain after one batter in the second inning. They’ll finish this one tomorrow followed by seven-inning nightcap.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs calmed the West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers), 5-1.

Jostin Florentino gave up just one hit over five innings, but unfortunately it was a home run to the second batter of the game. But Florentino finished with one run on one hit over five innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

The Whitecaps did not have another hit after that first inning home run. Brayden Spears pitched the next two innings and got the win. He did walk one while striking out four.

Adam Stone struck out the side in order in the eighth inning. Then Yoendris Gonzalez finished off the one-hitter by pitching the ninth. He walked a batter with two outs, but allowed no other baserunners. He struck out two.

Left fielder Kade Snell led off the bottom of the second inning with a solo home run, his eighth on the year. Snell went 2 for 4 with a double and the home run.

South Bend took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth inning when center fielder Josiah Hartshorn hit a two-run home run, his 19th this year and 14th with South Bend. Hartshorn also had an RBI single in the eighth, giving up three total RBI on the night. He was 2 for 4.

Snell’s home run.

Hartshorn’s blast was opposite field.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were poked by the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Astros), 10-7.

Starter Kevin Camacho didn’t make it out of the second inning. Camacho finished the night having allowed three runs on four hits over 1.1 innings. Camacho walked three and struck out two.

Julio Valdez gave up four runs in the top of the sixth inning and took the loss. Valdez’s final line was four runs on four hits over 2.2 innings. He walked one and struck out one.

Third baseman Corey Nunez was 2 for 5 with a double and one run scored.

Second baseman Juan Cabada stayed hot, going 2 for 3 with three RBI.

Center fielder Caden Sorrell was 2 for 4 with a steal and one run scored.

Left fielder Derik Alcantara went 2 for 4. He scored twice.

Here are the Birds scoring four runs in the fourth inning.

Full highlights.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker has taken a step in the right direction.

Tucker recorded a hit against the Colorado Rockies in Denver on Tuesday, Aug. 18. It was an RBI double that helped snap an 0-for-26 hitless streak.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts removed Tucker from the lineup against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 15.

Roberts cited Tucker feeling frustrated about some of his recent home performances.  He did return for another game against the Brewers and has remained present during the series against the Rockies.

"I don't think he even realized (his frustration) until recently, when I think people brought it to light, but the fact is that the splits are stark (between home and road),” Roberts told reporters on Aug. 15.

Tucker went 1-for-4 in the game, scoring a run and driving in another in the Dodgers' 7-6 victory.

Kyle for the lead! pic.twitter.com/2qE8MnQvts

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 19, 2026

Tucker signed a four-year deal worth $240 million as a free agent this past offseason.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dodgers' Kyle Tucker snaps hitless streak

Brewers 22, Mariners 0

This Tornado Loves You: Brendan Donovan, .00 WPA no one, none of you are without sin

This Tornado Does Not: Bryce Miller, -.19 WPA

Game thread comment of the day:

The Athletics’ blew another late lead on Tuesday night in Kansas City, allowing three runs in the bottom of the ninth to let an easy win slip right through their fingers. This one hurt.

Facing Kansas City left-hander Daniel Lynch IV tonight, the A’s got to work right away against the reliever-turned-starter. Zack Gelof drew a one-out walk to spark the first-inning rally and was immediately followed by a Jeff McNeil single and another walk to Jonah Heim. That loaded the bases and brought up rookie infielder Tommy White. A productive out would have been fine but the A’s ideally needed a hit, and White delivered with a base knock to left field to drive home one:

McNeil got a bit greedy behind Gelof trying to score and was gunned down at the plate. That took the air out of the rally and the A’s would ultimately only come away with one. Felt like they left some meat on the bone there.

That one run was enough for the Athletics’ pitching early. Righty Jack Perkins was initially slated to start but a late change saw left-hander Brady Basso get the ball for the first couple frames. He had a clean 1-2-3 bottom of the first then allowed one harmless single in the second. Pressing his luck, Mark Kotsay sent Basso back out for the third and Basso allowed another hit but also got one more out before getting pulled for Perkins.

Perkins was just as effective as Basso. He finished the third inning and would end up pitching through the sixth inning. He’d only allow two base runners in his work tonight, looking sharper as the game went on. He ended his night on a massive high, striking out the side in the sixth including an inning-ending punchout of Royals star Bobby Witt Jr.

• Jack Perkins: 3 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 53 pitches

A much better performance from him tonight. The opener strategy worked to perfection and that’s got to be the strategy next time his turn comes up. Fingers crossed he can use tonight’s quality outing and build on it over the final few weeks of the season. He’s “lined up” to pitch next in Houston against the Astros.

Back to the offense, things went quite for a few innings after that quick first inning run, with just one drawn walk between the second and fifth frames. It wasn’t until the top of the sixth did the A’s finally get those much-needed insurance runs. Henry Bolte smacked a leadoff single for the A’s third hit of the night, Gelof drew his second walk, and then it was McNeil coming through again with an RBI hit to make it 2-0 A’s:

The A’s would add on another run in the frame thanks to a bases-loaded walk to Max Muncy. That made it 3-0 A’s and with the way the pitching was rolling it felt like the A’s could finally enjoy the final frames of a win.

One of the newest members of the bullpen Drew Rom replaced Perkins for the seventh. The left-hander only faced three batters with two of them collecting doubles to make it 3-1. No cruising for the A’s tonight after all. Kotsay immediately came and got him, asking Luis Medina to put out the fire. Medina did just that, coming through by getting two groundball outs to escape the jam. Still a two-run lead and six outs to go.

Medina stayed in for a quick bottom of the eighth and got two outs but also put two on with free passes. That brought out Hogan Harris for an extended save chance. First he ended the Royals’ threat by getting the final out of the eighth, then it was time for the ninth.

Things did not go as planned. The Royals were able to load the bases with one out thanks to a catcher’s interference, a single and a walk. Then a two-run RBI single tied this game and then Bobby Witt Jr. walked it off for the Royals. A’s lose.

A disgusting end to this game. The A’s were three outs away from their 50th win and instead allowed three runs. Unacceptable and tough to think about. Need to flush this one as fast as possible.

It hasn’t been announced yet but tomorrow’s game lines up for a Gage Jump start. If the 23-year-old makes his scheduled appearance it’ll be his 16th of the year. He’s coming off a decent outing against the Rangers when he pitched into the sixth and allowed three runs, but only collected one punchout compared to four walks. He’ll try to clean things up tomorrow against a weaker KC lineup.

The Royals, like the Athletics, haven’t announced their starting pitcher yet but if they stick with the regular rotation it’ll be veteran right-hander Seth Lugo making his 26th start. He’s been serviceable as a back-end type of pitcher for the past couple of years but at 36 he’s beginning to slow down. The righty will bring a 4.58 ERA into tomorrow night’s contest.

The Mets didn't have enough offense to keep up on Tuesday night, falling to the San Diego Padres, 5-2.

New York's four-game winning streak came to an end with the loss.

Here are the takeaways...

-- It didn't take long for New York to go down 1-0 as Fernando Tatis Jr. launched a no-doubt, first-pitch home run off rookie Zac Thornton. Tatis then showed his defensive skills in the second inning, robbing Francisco Lindor of a grand slam for the third out. 

The star's big night continued in the top of the fifth inning, blasting a two-run homer off Thornton to make it a 3-0 game.

-- Besides the two home runs, Thornton had a solid outing over 5.0 IP and a career-high 99 pitches (69 strikes). Interim manager Andy Green kept Thornton in the game after the second homer and he powered through to strike out three straight Padres. Overall, Thornton struck out seven and allowed the three runs on six hits and a walk.

-- Bo Bichette recorded the team's only two hits through three innings, doubling twice against LHP Robbie Ray. Their only other baserunners came from three walks, including two on challenged calls, in the second inning before Lindor's near grand slam.

-- New York finally got to Ray in the bottom of the fifth inning as Luis Torrens went deep to dead center, cutting the San Diego lead to 3-1. It's Torrens' second straight game with a homer and fifth home run in his last seven games.

-- RHP Jack Weisenburger got through the sixth inning without a problem, but walked two in the seventh and was replaced by LHP Jefry Yan with one out. Yan let up an RBI single to Ty France that extended the Padres' lead to 4-1, and then prevented further damage by striking out Jackson Merrill and getting Xander Bogaerts to ground into a forceout. 

-- Luis Robert Jr. brought the Mets within two on a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth, trailing 4-2. Christopher Morel, playing in his first game with the Mets, singled with two outs and Marcus Semien kept the rally alive by drawing a walk. A.J. Ewing had a chance to tie things up, but went down swinging against lefty Adrian Morejon. 

-- Dedniel Núñez let up a solo home run to Manny Machado in the top of the ninth inning as San Diego extended their lead to 5-2. 

Game MVP: Fernando Tatis Jr.

Simply put, it was the Tatis game. The star accounted for three of San Diego's runs and took four runs away from New York.

Highlights

Luis Torrens is HOT 🔥

A solo homer gets the Mets on the board pic.twitter.com/EffoIwp96o

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 19, 2026

Solo shot for Luis Robert Jr.! pic.twitter.com/DOTqZdShDs

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 19, 2026

What's next

The Mets and Padres wrap up their series on Wednesday afternoon at 1:10 p.m. on SNY.

Robert Stock (0-2, 6.57 ERA) makes his fourth start, going up against Michael King (8-8, 3.41 ERA).

The Twins jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the 1st thanks to Josh Bell’s 17th homer of the year. That came with Ryan Jeffers on base to put them up 2-0.

Over the following four innings Tyler Mahle and Zebby Matthews traded zeros. A couple double plays grounded into by the Twins stifled rallies, and Zebby scattered a few hits and a walk. In the top of the 6th, Drake Baldwin hit a solo homer to left to finally put the Braves on the board. Two outs later, Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies hit back to back singles. That prompted Derek Shelton to turn to Kody Funderburk out of the bullpen, who got Lane Thomas to strike out to end the threat.

It was around this time in the game that a bat appeared in the sky, and I like to think it sparked something for the Twins. In the bottom of the 8th, a couple of singles put Ryan Jeffers at the plate with 2 on and 1 out. He promptly lined a ball into the gap in right center, scoring Kaelen Culpepper and Byron Buxton to make it a 4-1 game.

Funderburk was followed by Andrew Morris and A.J. Minter in the 6th and 7th innings, who both threw shutout innings. In the top of the 9th, Yoendrys Gomez allowed a double but no runs for the save, as the Twins take game two of this series, clinching a series win. They’ll try for a sweep tomorrow with Taj Bradley on the mound.

Studs:

Josh Bell: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, HR

Ryan Jeffers: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2 2B

Zebby Matthews: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, HR

Duds:

NO DUDS TWIMS WIM!

Shohei Ohtani hit his 30th home run of the season to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 3-1 lead in the top of the third inning in a 7-6 win against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday, Aug. 18, in Denver.

Ohtani sent the ball into the Dodgers' bullpen for a two-run blast, breaking a 1-1 tie.

Shohei with homer No. 30! pic.twitter.com/BIAfBptrIF

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 19, 2026

He also extended a now-22-game hit streak at Coors Field. He's hit 10 home runs with 26 RBIs during that streak.

The 30-homer milestone adds to his case in the National League MVP race with Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs. Crow-Armstrong hit two home runs on Monday to reach 30 home runs on the season.

NL MVP odds: How do Shohei Ohtani and Pete Crow-Armstrong compare?

When will Shohei Ohtani pitch?

Ohtani also took a step forward Tuesday in his attempt to get back on the mound for the Dodgers this season. The two-way star threw another bullpen session on Tuesday, according to Jack Harris of the California Post.

Ohtani threw 35 pitches. There's a chance that he may begin facing live hitters during batting practice soon.

He hasn’t pitched in an MLB game since July 3, unable to take the mound due to knee inflammation.

The Dodgers are hopeful he can return to the rotation in September and be ready for a postseason run.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani hits 30th home run, throws another bullpen session

In the midst of a slump, especially at the plate, the Braves were hoping that Tyler Mahle could delicer another strong start to help the Braves tie up the series in Minneapolis.

There were 5 batted balls over 100 MPH across both teams in the first inning, but two of the three against Mahle produced two runs, on a loud Jeffers double and a mammoth Bell homer. After that, Mahle generally struggled to miss bats, but didn’t give up much loud contact and was extremely efficient, needing only 76 pitches to complete 6.2 innings, keeping the Twins at just the 2 runs with a little help from Dylan Dodd to strand a batter in the seventh. Only 3 strikeouts and 8 whiffs are well off of Mahle’s previous two outings, but

The offense was characteristically quiet with very few baserunners until a Drake Baldwin homer broke the shutout in the sixth.

Harris and Albies singled with two outs in the frame as well, but the Braves were unable to tie up the game, as the Twins went to their bullpen. The offense had nothing going in the seventh or eighth and Dylan Dodd gave way to Didier Fuentes in the eighth with a runner on first. Didier left a couple of pitches over the heart of the plate and the Twins took them for a single and a double, tacking on a big two insurance runs for a 4-1 lead heading into the ninth. Michael Harris led off the ninth with a double, but the Braves were unable to do anything else in the inning.

This continues a string of games during which the offense has generally not been good enough. Other than Matt Olson, none of their hitters are performing particularly up to their standards at the moment and the team is just not playing well. They built quite a cushion early in the season, but this next stretch of games is one that could turn that around quickly if they don’t step it up. Join us tomorrow at 1:40 PM ET, as the Braves look to salvage this series in the first of four consecutive day games.

Another so-so Zach Wheeler outing was salvaged by the continued August heat wave of Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott as the Philadelphia Phillies (69-58) won their fifth straight game by a score of 6-4 against the Miami Marlins (64-63).

Wheeler gave up two runs across five innings, striking out seven but issuing four walks as 41 of his 98 pitches were called balls.

Bohm and Stott accounted for a combined three runs scored, three hits and four RBI, aided by a pair of walks issued to Bryce Harper and a trio of hits by Luis Arraez to set the table.

The new corner infield tandem’s torrid month included stellar play in the field to go along with the team-carrying offensive production, punctuated by an inning-ending unassisted double play by Bohm to end a threat in the seventh.

The Phillies were down 3-1 against the Marlins’ bullpen assemblage going into the bottom of the sixth and they came out the other end up 5-3 after sending nine men to the plate.

Kyle Schwarber tacked on an insurance run in the eighth on an RBI single, after narrowly missing a three-run home run that would have blown things open in the sixth that appeared to just miss the right field foul pole.

Alex McFarlane and Orion Kerkering both allowed a run in relief of Wheeler. Brooks Raley shut the door for his fist save of the season. Justin Crawford had a pair of hits in the nine hole.

Pending the results of the late games, the Phillies sit 5.5 out of the division lead and 1.5 games up on the Padres for the final wild card spot with 35 games to play.

Phils go for the sweep tomorrow night as Aaron Nola faces off against Sandy Alcantara.

It was a good-looking Shane Baz that greeted New York tonight. Not only did the O’s starter make a big first impression, striking out three Yankees in the first inning (and on three different pitches!—curveball, heater, changeup), he also pinched into the seventh and struck out a season-high ten batters.

Alas, as my colleague Paul Folkemer put it in his preview of this series, through no fault of his own, Baz has been something of a bad-luck charm for this Orioles offense, and tonight, it was like that again. In total, the Birds managed just four hits (all but one singles). They scored just once, on a Coby Mayo solo homer (his second four-bagger in two nights), instead going 0-for-6 as a team with runners in scoring position, with seven men left on.

There’s probably blame to be allotted for the bad hitting, but let’s start with cheers for the good pitching. The box score says Shane Baz gave us 6 1/3 innings and three earned runs, but this is largely due to a Josh Walker stumble in the seventh. I’ll be darned if Baz didn’t look much better than that. So let’s give him his deserved kudos.

Baz whiffed the first three Yankees hitters he saw, plus two more in the second. It was a ruthless beginning. Four of his first five outs were by K. The fastball was zippy, the sinker was running, and the knuckle curve was unhittable.

For six innings, Baz made just one mistake, a hung changeup to leadoff man Trent Grisham, who somehow was well out front of the offspeed pitch, put a weird swing on it, and still managed to send it to the flag court. Baseball is full of random things like that, but seeing how the two starters looked it was a real surprise, truthfully, that the Yankees had struck first.

Lefty Carlos Rodón is a three-time All Star and has finished in the top six of the Cy Young voting three times. But he’s dealt with elbow soreness all year, and this was his first start back since June 28. Tonight, his command was off, as you might expect. Yet his changing of speeds kept the Orioles off-balanced over a short stint of just four innings, and the Orioles, who posted just two hits off him, didn’t take advantage of his slight wildness.

The only Oriole who seemed to like hitting Rodón tonight was Coby Mayo, the young slugger who’s kind of come into his own in the back half of the season. In the first inning, with Tyler O’Neill aboard and two outs, Mayo put a charge into one, but it only traveled 382 feet to deep center, not 468 into the second deck like the other day.

Jumping ahead to the bottom of the third, Mayo got a chance to do it again, and this time, he broke through. It was looking at this point like Rodón was heating up, starting to land the sinker against right-handers. But he threw one that didn’t sink to Mayo, who is OPS’ing 1.053 against lefties this year. Mayo launched it into the left-field corner, and from behind home plate Pat Sajak and Cal Ripken Jr. exchanged a celebratory handshake (cool, if random).

It was unfortunate that that was all the Birds could do against Rodón, a great pitcher who didn’t have his best stuff working tonight. Ultimately, yet another great Baz outing got wasted again.

Baz skated through four, already up to eight strikeouts. He had a bit of trouble in the fifth—Leody Taveras’ running grab in center staved off a leadoff double or something, and he put on two runners with a single and a walk. But then the Yankees’ catcher, Wells, popped out to Mayo, who looked happy to be starting at first base today. Baz threw Trent Grisham a curveball, but the Yankees’ centerfielder skied it to an easygoing Christian Franklin out in left. Baz was through five with just two hits and eight strikeouts allowed.

The O’s right-hander rolled through the sixth with two easy ground balls, plus his ninth strikeout. But then came the seventh, and a flawed end to his night. After 90-odd pitches, it looked a little like Baz was tiring, and two Yankees rookies made him pay: Spencer Jones singled on a hanging knuckle curve, one of the few Baz offerings that did (hang). Then, with one out, George Lombard Jr. singled the other way, and O’s skipper Craig Albernaz came out to give a pissed-off Baz the hook. Baz agreed, however, and Oriole Park got up to give him a deserved standing O.

Albernaz called on lefty Josh Walker (2.81 ERA, 13 SO in 16 IP) to clean up the mess. Alas, dear reader, he wouldn’t clean up the mess. Facing pinch-hitting righty Paul Goldschmidt, the Mark Hamill-esque Walker missed with a couple of balls inside, and the Yankees had the bases loaded, with one out. It was a stressful, crackling moment. It nearly worked out. Walker retired pinch hitter Amed Rosario on strikes: two outs. He went to 2-2 against leadoff hitter Trent Grisham, but alas, Walker left a sinker down the middle, and Grisham singled home two runs. It was now 3-1 New York, and now you know, these were the winning runs. Baz, sitting in the dugout, looked like he was trying not to be sick. Getting worse before he got better, Walker hit a batter, and fell down 3-0 to Heliot Ramos. But he got himself out of the inning with three straight fastballs. Ramos went down swinging, and the Yankees had left the bases loaded.

It would have been great if any of this had mattered. The O’s still needed two runs to get back in the game, and regrettably, those never came. New York brought in a lefty, Brent Headrick, to pitch the eighth, and the O’s wasted their best scoring chance in a while. They put the first two hitters on: Leody Taveras singled, and Christian Franklin, playing in just his 13th major league game, worked an excellent ten-pitch walk. But I’m sorry to say, there’d be no more runs: a pinch-hitting Jeremiah Jackson struck out. Holliday flew out. And Pete Alonso hit one on the screws, but into the glove of the Yankees’ right fielder.

Like I said, the O’s went 0-for-6 with RISP tonight. They looked particularly useless against sinkerballers, which includes Paul Blackburn and David Bednar, both righties, who pitched risk-free eighth and ninth innings for New York.

One of those games. As of now, the Orioles playoff hopes are far from dashed, but on nights like these you really have to squint to see a dangerous lineup.

The Cleveland Guardians welcomed the San Francisco Giants into town with game one of a three game series. Foster Griffin had a quality start for Cleveland, going a full six innings of one run ball. He gave up five hits and two walks, but struck out six. The sole run was a solo home run given up in the top of the second.

Matt Festa came in with a sizable lead. He threw 1.1 innings of one hit ball, striking out three. Tim Herrin finished the eighth and started the ninth, striking out two. Craig Yoho got some work, closing out the game and trying to get the last two batters of the game. Yoho got the first out, but the next pinch hitter slapped a double along the right field line. Yoho got the strike out, to book it on the Giants.

The offense came alive against the Giants, as they well should. Eight runs scored on twelve hits. José Ramírez went 3-for-5 with two runs. Jo Adell stole the show and went 3-for-4 with a run and six RBI. Angel Genao had a great night too, going 2-for-3 with a double and a single. While he did go 0-for-4, it is worth noting that Travis Bazzana had a hard hit ball, a 103.9 mph line out to center. One can only hope that as José starts heating up again that the rookie second baseman is soon to follow.

Adell’s first run came in the bottom of the first. Steven Kwan drew a lead off walk and José hit a single to left to put two runners on. Adell fouled a ball of his leg then came back in the next pitch to absolutely demolish the baseball. Adell hit a three run home run 111.9 mph and 455 ft into the bleachers.

In the bottom of the second, with two outs, the trio at the top of the order gave the Giants pain again. Kwan singled to right and José doubled to left. With both runners in scoring position, Jo Adell singled to center to score Kwan. The center fielder didn’t get the ball in cleanly, allowing José to score too.

Brayan Rocchio and Steven Kwan lead off the bottom of the fourth with a single and walk. Adell came up to bat again and singled on a grounder to left to score Rocchio. Kwan advanced to third and Adell to second on a fielding error by the left fielder. Angel Martínez grounded out for the second out of the inning, but it allowed Kwan to score from third. In the bottom of the seventh, Angel Martínez hit a double to center followed by a single by Rhys Hoskins. Angel Genao drew a walk to load them up with no outs. It was looking like the Guardians curse was going to rear its ugly head again, but an untimely error by the first baseman allowed Patrick Bailey to reach on a forceout that would have been an inning ending double play. With the final out not recorded at first, Angel Martínez scored the final run of the night.

The two teams will face off again tomorrow night at 6:40PM EDT with Parker Messick taking the mound for Cleveland. The Giants, at the time of writing, do not have a starting pitcher named. Everything is pointing to Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson making his major league debut against his former organization. Tugboat was part of the trade with San Francisco for Patrick Bailey and reached Double-A Akron before being traded.

Blue Jays 10 Rays 5

A win at Tropicana. I always think I’m more likely to find a $20 bill on the ground than to see the Jays win at that House of Horrors.

The Jays, very democratically, scored two runs in each of five innings:

• In the first: With two out, Alejandro Kirk doubled. A ‘hustle double’, just safe at second on ball hit into the right field corner. George Springer singled him home. A0nd Jesús Sánchez doubled him home. I wonder if we have ever scored in the first in St. Petersburg before?
• In the third: Nathan Lukes led off with a walk. And Kirk homered (two at bats and six total bases).
• In the fourth: Ernie Clements started this one with a single. An out later, Brett Bateman singled (and then stole second, his first MLB steal). After another out, Kirk singled home Clement (seven total bases). And a wild pitch scored Bateman.
• In the fifth: Kazuma Okamoto homered (#25 of the season, setting a new Jays rookie record, sorry Eric Hinske). An out late, Clement singled. Josh Smite put down a sac bunt (up 7-3 and we can’t let the guy SWING THE BAT??). Bateman singled home Clement.
• In the seventh: One out, Clement singled and Smith homered (see, let the man swing, good things happen).

We had 17 hits (let me double check, maybe that’s for the season, nope, tonight 17 hits). Kirk, Springer and Clement had three each. Bateman and Smith had two each. Every starter had at least one hit. Kirk’s average is up to .279. In a season where he broke a thumb, that’s very impressive.

On the pitching side, José Soriano looked terrific for three innings, then gave up three in the fourth (but we already had six). He ended up going 5.2, with the three runs against. Another out and it would be a Quality Start.

Mason Fluharty got the last out of the sixth.

Matt Waldron gave up two runs in his two innings.

Spencer Miles pitched a clean ninth.

Smith made a very nice play at third, I was a bit worried about his glove at third, but he looked good.

Jays of the Day: Kirk (0.16), Springer (0.11) and Soriano (0.09).

No one gets the Other Award.

Tomorrow, we have another 6:40 start. Max Scherzer (1-5, 6.59, but on a nice run of good starts) vs. Drew Rasmussen (12-5, 2.78).

The Rays lost another blowout tonight, one in their starter could not complete four innings and the subsequent relievers didn’t offer much relief.

Nick Martinez….I don’t know, I love the guy for so many reasons, but after his amazing first couple of months, it seems like every three, maybe even two outings is a clunker. The only good news is that best I can recall he’s never had two clunkers in a row, so I look forward to him pitching 7 strong innings five days from now.

Tonight he put the Rays behind 4-0 early on, a homer, some doubles, yada yada yada

The Rays tried their “let’s hit a bunch of singles and see what happens” approach and what happened was little, ergo the bases loaded one out third inning that ended with a double play.

And as often happens, after the Blue Jays retired the Rays without letting them score, they came back the next inning and yada yada yada 6-0.

The Rays did manage to cut that lead in half in the bottom of the fourth. Again it was single, single, single, single with a wild pitch in the mix to score three runs. Can someone please hit a double? Please?

But then Steven Matz, who had replaced the struggling Martinez the previous inning, returned for inning two against the Blue Jays and yada yada yada 8-3 Blue Jays. Bottom of the fifth inning Rays again had an opportunity but it was single, single, double play. No runs home.

Seventh inning: Jesse Scholtens back from the IL. He pitched a scoreless sixth but in the seventh, yada yada yada Blue Jays up, 10-3.

The Rays did get another two runs in the eighth inning — again, a bunch of singles and a couple of sac flies, to make the score 10-5.

Now when your team gives up ten runs you naturally look at the pitching, and there was nothing to be proud of tonight. BUT. The Rays had 13 hits. Every single hit was a single. This happened the last time they had a bad stretch as well — it wasn’t that they weren’t hitting at all, but that no one was hitting for power. So yes I want to see a better pitching performance (looking at you, stopped Drew Rasmussen), but could someone please hit a ball out of the park?