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Ray solidifies himself as second Giants ace in win vs. Nationals originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• BOX SCORE

What’s better than one staff ace? Two.

That’s a luxury the Giants had at times last season, but have not had for an entire campaign since 2022.

The one-two punch of homegrown ace Logan Webb and two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell was lethal throughout the second half of the 2024 MLB season after the latter’s very rocky start to the year, but what veteran left-handed pitcher Robbie Ray (7-0, 2.56 ERA, 63 1/3 IP, 69 K), a Cy Young winner himself, is giving San Francisco early on this season, feels reminiscent of the elite left/righty tandem Webb had with now-New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón three years ago and Kevin Gausman during the franchise-best 107-win 2021 season.

Ray (W, 6 IP, 3 H, ER, 0 BB, 7 K) was excellent again in San Francisco’s 3-2 series-clinching win over the Washington Nationals on Sunday at Nationals Park as the Giants improved to 10-1 in games he starts this season.

Melvin breaks down Ray's impressive outing in the win today 🔽 pic.twitter.com/XYKu9lexBU

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 25, 2025

“It’s great, and that’s what veteran guys do,” Melvin said postgame when asked about having innings-eaters Webb and Ray atop the rotation. “They’re used to going out there and doing that, they’re inspired to do it, it’s all they think about. Wins and losses are important to them, and typically when it’s important to you, you’re out there for a little bit longer.

“So to this point, both have been so good and Robbie’s sitting here 7-0 with a 2.56 [ERA] and didn’t walk anybody. And it’s important with a team like [the Nationals] that runs.”

While pitcher wins, even if they do hold less significance in today’s game, still might mean something to some veteran arms around the league, it’s the team victories that are the most important for Ray.

Ray on what worked well today against the Nats' lefty-heavy lineup pic.twitter.com/WeYbJHrSKb

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 25, 2025

“I’m feeling really good. For me, it’s just going out one game at a time and giving my team a chance every time out,” Ray told reporters postgame. “I think that’s my goal, just keeping us in the ballgame. But it definitely feels good to be able to do that this consistently. Just looking to keep it rolling.”

Ray’s outing on Sunday was the eighth time in the last nine games that a Giants starter surrendered two or fewer runs on the mound. Ray was asked after the game if San Francisco’s rotation is feeding off one another’s success.

“Yeah, absolutely,” Ray said. “One guy goes six, seven innings, you want to do the same. I think the energy, the focus, the intent, it’s infectious and I think we’re just building off of each other. We’re just trying to go out there and do what we’re supposed to do as starting pitchers, and that’s set the tone.”

And set the tone they have.

The Giants’ struggling offense, however, hasn’t always capitalized.

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If the Mets requested anything from David Peterson ahead of Saturday's primetime meeting with the Dodgers, much-needed length had to be atop their wish list. The bullpen was simply taxed in Friday's marathon loss that featured a 98-minute rain delay and demanded 13 innings. There were a whopping 151 pitches thrown between eight Mets relievers.

Of course, this clear message didn't need to be conveyed to Peterson. The left-hander understood his assignment, and much to the Mets' delight, he complied by striking out seven across a season-high 7.2 innings in a feel-good 5-2 win at Citi Field.

While the biggest moment of the game arrived in the fourth inning, when Juan Soto delivered a loud tiebreaking two-run double, Peterson was the unsung hero. He spared an exhausted bullpen that happily put its feet up. He held a vaunted Dodgers lineup in check with effective use of his off-speed pitches. He provided that length the Mets sought.

"That's a good team over there, they're always competitive," Peterson said after the win. "They bring their A-game. To be on the same page with Luis [Torrens] like we were and have the execution like we did was really nice... I tried to give these guys everything I had and go as deep as I could... When you're playing a team with the talent they have, the competitive nature they bring, it obviously heightens your game. It heightens your senses."

Perhaps the main takeaway from Peterson's outing was how he made one of the game's greatest hitters look undeniably human. He struck out Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani three times, and that third and final takedown in the eighth inning marked the end to his welcomed night. He also got the best of veteran stars Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, who went a combined 1-for-8.

Peterson was by no means untouchable -- he allowed two runs on five hits and two walks, and threw 59 of his 99 total pitches for strikes. But the 29-year-old navigated early trouble, collected himself, and kept the Dodgers off the board from the second inning on. He called Ohtani "just another hitter" after the game, only because he treats each opponent in the box with the same level of respect.

If length from Peterson was the Mets' top request, him handing the ball off to Edwin Diaz was listed right below it. The star closer did his job, too, recording a four-out save and improving to 11-for-11 in save opportunities.

"That’s a big boy’s performance there," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of Peterson's effort. "For him to go back out for the eighth and keeping the game there and giving us a chance to win a baseball game, that was pretty impressive. I thought the way he used all his pitches -- the sinker was really good. The changeup, the slider, the way he mixed. Groundballs when needed. That was pretty impressive there."

Peterson, who lowered his season ERA to 2.79 (10 starts), became the Mets' second rotation member to throw seven-plus innings in a game this season. He's also logged four straight quality starts (six total), and his innings (58.0) and strikeout (54) marks rank first and second, respectively, among Mets pitchers.

The Mets never needed the kind of validation about Juan Soto that a big night like Saturday might bring, though maybe a few of their more angsty fans did. The team believed its superstar slugger was always going to be okay, and way more than that. Whatever his transition to being a Met has been, it’ll ultimately be manageable.

It’s certainly easy to believe it all when the ball is screaming off Soto’s bat the way it was in the Mets’ 5-2 victory over the Dodgers at Citi Field. While left-hander David Peterson was the pitching star, Soto delivered a key two-run double that gave New York the lead for good, part of a hard-hit-fest that evened the must-see series with Los Angeles. Soto smacked four balls with an exit velocity of at least 102 mph.

Was the tiebreaking double his True Met Moment (trademark pending)? Who knows. Maybe he doesn’t even need one. Soto may not be off to the kind of start that prompts odes in his first year as a Met, but perhaps he’s getting there.

“That was awesome,” said Peterson (3-2), who allowed two runs in 7.2 innings, the longest start by a Met this season. “[Soto] works his butt off and I think for him to be able to get that [double] should only give him confidence... I think every guy on this team believes in who he is as a player.”

Soto, who finished 2-for-5, snapped a 0-for-10 skid with a third-inning single. The double ended a streak of 11 consecutive games without an extra-base hit, the second-longest such streak in his brilliant career. He’s now reached base multiple times in a game 30 times, fourth-most in MLB this season. No wonder he has a .370 on-base percentage and a .792 OPS.

In the first inning, Soto mashed a 396-foot out to deep center, run down by Tommy Edman. On a hot summer night, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza opined, that ball “is way out.” Not, however, when it’s 61 degrees at first pitch in late May.

“This guy has been very unlucky,” Mendoza said. “I feel like every time there’s runners on base, there’s a 110, 115 [mph exit velocity] at somebody. It was good to see him finally get the results... We wanted it. He wanted it. And it’s just good to see.”

There was a vigorous ovation for Soto afterward. That was nice, considering all the speculation and discourse that has swirled around the $765-million star since he’s moved from the Bronx to Queens.

Some have concentrated so hard on theories about whether he misses his Yankees mates or is mad at where he’s hitting in the Mets' lineup, that they’ve forgotten he’s a 26-year-old who changed companies amid mammoth expectations. Plenty of other stars -- Francisco Lindor among them -- have struggled in their first year in a new gig.

But dealing with those sorts of worries is what the money’s for, as Don Draper might’ve told Soto.

For his part, Soto says, “I don’t listen to any of that." A reference to the outside cacophony about the start to his Mets career. “I’m focused on what I’m doing here.” 

He ranks 13th in both average exit velocity and hard-hit percentage. If some of his hard liners have ended in opposing gloves, “I just call it baseball,” Soto said. “Just gotta live with it… You just gotta keep moving forward, no matter what.”

He did acknowledge that his double, which came against Dodger starter Tony Gonsolin with the bases loaded, felt good. Especially when he saw it hit the base of the wall in right-center.

“You see one landing, it always feels good,” Soto said.

Entering the night, Soto was one of the worst qualified hitters in baseball with runners in scoring position. He still is, afterward, though the double obviously helped. There’s plenty of time left in the season, too.

The Mets believe his numbers will change and, eventually, soar. And the conversation about their new star will be very different as the season goes on.

“I know the player,” Mendoza said. “I know how he handles adversity. Look, there’s a big-time track record there. So for us to worry about him? Not really. I mean, he’s too good and we know sooner rather than later, the results are going to be there. He keeps hitting the ball hard. He's Juan Soto."

Phillies make massive plays in 9th, 10th and 11th to extend streak with crazy win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Even after receiving their shortest start in nearly two weeks on a night when they knew they’d be without their top two relievers, the Phillies found a way again, tying the A’s in the ninth inning, throwing the would-be walk-off run out at the plate in the bottom of the 10th and extending their winning streak to nine games with a wild 9-6 win in 11 innings.

Kyle Schwarber delivered the game-winning hit, a two-run double down the right-field line with one out in the 11th. A’s first baseman Logan Davidson obstructed his path to second base and Schwarber alertly hustled all the way to third, immediately motioning to umpire Bill Miller, who awarded him third base. Schwarber then chugged his way home and clapped his hands hard in celebration after barely beating CJ Alexander’s throw home from right field.

“It was electric,” said Max Kepler, who obliterated a 101.4 mph from A’s closer Mason Miller to tie the game in the top of the ninth.

It only reached the 11th because of Brandon Marsh’s outfield assist after the A’s loaded the bases with nobody out in the 10th. Brent Rooker hit a ball to medium center field and Marsh played it perfectly, camping under it with momentum toward the plate to nail Davidson. It was a rough big-league debut for Davidson, who suffered the trifecta of being thrown out at the plate, interfering with Schwarber on the basepaths and making the final out of the game within the span of 45 minutes.

“The suspense was building up,” Marsh said when asked if the flyball to him seemed to move in slow motion.

Neither Kepler nor Marsh were in the lineup to begin the game. The A’s started lefty Jeffrey Springs so the Phillies countered with Weston Wilson and Johan Rojas. Kepler and Marsh pinch-hit for them in the seventh inning and both reached base before their later heroics.

“I told Marsh specifically that we have an opportunity here to turn this baseball game around and we did,” Kepler said. “Kinda right before we went into the game, just like, here we go, let’s make a change here. He did it on defense with a nasty throw. Everyone contributed from every angle.”

The Phillies are 34-19, three games ahead of the Mets in the NL East and a game better than the Tigers for the best record in MLB.

They had to pull out all the stops becase they were without Jordan Romano and Matt Strahm, who both pitched Thursday and Friday. Manager Rob Thomson hadn’t used a reliever three days in a row since September 20-22, 2023 (Jeff Hoffman and Craig Kimbrel) but did so with Orion Kerkering on Saturday against the A’s. The difference was that Kerkering had thrown only one pitch Thursday and four on Friday whereas Romano and Strahm had full workloads.

Thomson used six relievers after pulling starter Cristopher Sanchez, who didn’t have command, with two outs in the fifth. The bullpen combined to allow two earned runs over 6⅓ innings, a terrific job given the circumstances.

The save went to Max Lazar, the last man in the bullpen who had never before appeared in a high-leverage situation in the major leagues. The 25-year-old right-hander began last season at Double A, pitched well enough to earn brief call-ups to the majors in August and September and was recalled again Monday when the Phillies optioned Mick Abel back to Triple A.

Lazar was the last man left in the ‘pen Saturday night and did his job with a scoreless 11th inning. The save was the first of his big-league career.

“The three-run lead definitely helped,” Lazar said. “Just trying to follow the guys in front of me. I knew we had some guys down so other guys had to step up. It was a back-and-forth game so just trying to stay locked in every moment.”

These nine straight wins for the Phillies have come against the Pirates, Rockies and A’s. The Pirates and Rockies have been the worst two offenses in baseball and the A’s have lost 11 consecutive games. But you play who’s on your schedule that day and the Phillies have had help from everyone on the roster to put this run together.

“Most people probably thought we were done in the ninth with Miller coming in,” Thomson said. “So many things happened in extra innings, it’s just hard to explain.”

It’s a short turnaround to Sunday afternoon when the Phillies go for their 10th straight win, third straight sweep and an undefeated road trip.

Mets pitching prospect Blade Tidwell has been great since returning to Triple-A Syracuse after his major league debut in St. Louis earlier this month, and Saturday's performance was no different.

Tidwell threw 85 pitches (57 strikes) across 6.2 innings in the first game of a doubleheader against Rochester (Nationals' affiliate) on Saturday. The young right-hander was one out away from pitching the complete seven innings, but made one mistake.

Pitching against Andrew Pinckney with a 3-0 lead, Tidwell threw a 3-2 slider that was running in on the right-hander, but Pinckney launched it 381 feet for a three-run shot. Tidwell was done after that longball, leaving the game tied.

In all, Tidwell allowed three runs on five hits, one walk and two strikeouts.

In three starts since returning to Triple-A, Tidwell has allowed four runs across 15 innings.

Ronny Mauricio continued his hot hitting with Syracuse, going 1-for-3 with an RBI and two strikeouts in the first game of the doubleheader. He started at third base but did not play in the nightcap.

Mauricio extended his hitting streak to four games, collecting eight hits in that span.

Drew Gilbert, however, played both games. He went 0-for-2 with a walk, run and an RBI on a sac fly in the first game. He then went hitless in five at-bats in Game 2, but did score a run.

Dom Hamel did not start Game 2 of the doubleheader but did come on in long relief, throwing 52 pitches (33 strikes) across three shutout innings. Hamel did not allow a hit, but walked two while striking out two.

The 26-year-old continued his recent streak of dominant pitching with Syracuse. Including Saturday's outing, Hamel has allowed just one run over his last 6.2 innings (three appearances). In eight Triple-A appearances (five starts), he's pitched to a 4.01 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP.

David Peterson threw the most innings in a game by a Mets starter so far this season and his teammates delivered several big hits with runners in scoring position -- including a key blow by Juan Soto -- in a 5-2 win over the Dodgers on Saturday night at Citi Field.

The victory evened up the NLCS rematch, with the teams set for a rubber game in primetime on Sunday night. The Mets are now 31-21 overall, including an MLB-best 18-6 at home.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Peterson is just the second Mets starter to throw at least seven innings in a game this season. The first was Kodai Senga, who threw seven shutout frames against the Athletics in Sacramento back on April 13. Peterson was particularly rough on the Dodgers’ brand-name hitters. He struck out the mighty Shohei Ohtani three times and got him on a flyout in his other at-bat.

Freddie Freeman was also 0-for-3 against Peterson, and Mookie Betts went 1-for-3 against the lefty. Freeman and Ohtani entered the game ranked first and second in the National League in both OPS and slugging percentage. Freeman also held the NL lead in batting average and on-base percentage. When Peterson came out of the game after fanning Ohtani for the second out of the eighth inning, most of the 41,332 fans in the stands stood up and gave him a loud ovation. He waved his glove toward the crowd as he neared the dugout.

-- Down 2-1 in the fourth, the Mets took the lead, scoring three runs, and Soto had a tie-breaking two-run double. Luis Torrens led off the inning with a single and, two outs later, Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin walked both Brett Baty and Francisco Lindor on four pitches, loading the bases.

Starling Marte checked his swing and hit a soft grounder toward the middle, but the Dodgers couldn't turn it into an out and a run scored. Soto followed with a 108.3 mph drive to the base of the right-center field wall, knocking in two runs. The inning ended when Marte was thrown out trying to score on Soto’s double.

-- Mets manager Carlos Mendoza called on Edwin Díaz for a four-out save, and the closer caught Betts looking at strike three to end the eighth. In the ninth, he struck out Teoscar Hernández and Freeman, and got Andy Pages to ground out. Díaz is now 11-for-11 in save opportunities this season.

-- The Mets were 4-for-11 with runners in scoring position, a refreshing change. They've struggled with runners in scoring position this season, though they had the 10th-most at-bats with RISP entering Saturday, indicating that they’ve been creating traffic on the basepaths.

But they entered play ranked 29th in MLB in batting average with RISP (.213), behind only the 16-35 White Sox. The Mets had been especially spotty lately, going 10-for-66 (.152) over their previous seven games.

-- The Dodgers took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, thanks to soft contact against Peterson and, perhaps, a missed call by umpires. With one out, Pages flared a single in front of Soto in right and then Tommy Edman was hit by a pitch. Kiké Hernández hit a single up the middle to score Pages and send Edman to third. Dalton Rushing followed by hitting a ball into the ground that hit him in the shin and bounced into fair territory.

By rule, it could’ve been declared a foul ball by umpires, but it wasn't called. Torrens sprang from behind the plate to field the ball and threw to first for the second out, but Edman scampered home. The play wasn't reviewable, so Rushing got an RBI and the Dodgers had their second run.

-- The Mets scored their first run of the game in the second, and with two outs. Jared Young, starting at designated hitter after being called up from Triple-A Syracuse, was hit by a pitch and Tyrone Taylor singled to left. Baty, whose offense has really picked up, then delivered an RBI single to right. In the eighth, Baty -- batting ninth in the order -- smacked an RBI double to push the Mets' lead to 5-2.

-- Apart from the key double, Soto smashed a deep drive to center in his first at-bat that traveled 396 feet and was clocked at 102.5 mph off the bat. According to MLB’s Statcast, the drive had an expected batting average of .790, but it was caught by Edman. In Soto’s second at-bat, he thought he had checked his swing on a 3-1 pitch and walked. But his cut was ruled a swing. He followed with a ground-ball single up the middle that was clocked at 102.2 mph. In the seventh inning, Soto flew out to left. In the eighth, he grounded out with the bases loaded.

Game MVP: David Peterson

Peterson, who gave up two runs and five hits across 7.2 innings, struck out seven and walked two. A night after the Mets used eight relievers in a messy and dramatic 13-inning loss, the left-hander was masterful in giving them crucial length. He induced four double-play grounders, which helped him get deep into the game. He threw 99 pitches (59 strikes) and lowered his season ERA to 2.79.

Highlights

Brett Baty with an RBI single to put the Mets on the board!

(via @Mets) pic.twitter.com/Zf7N0pDt1B

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 24, 2025

Two-run double for Juan Soto gives the Mets the lead! 🔥

(via @Mets) pic.twitter.com/maexTFopu6

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 25, 2025

Brett Baty again! An RBI double adds to the Mets lead!

Baty is 3 for 3 on the day with 2 RBI’s 🔥

(via @Mets) pic.twitter.com/TlWDVGcz91

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 25, 2025

What's next

The Mets (31-21) will play the rubber game of their series against the Dodgers on Sunday night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m.

Kodai Senga (4-3, 1.43 ERA) is slated to take the mound opposite Landon Knack (2-1, 6.17 ERA).

It had been more than two weeks since Juan Soto, the only man in baseball with a richer contract than Shohei Ohtani, had recorded an extra-base hit for the New York Mets.

In the bottom of the fourth inning Saturday night at Citi Field, however, Dodgers pitcher Tony Gonsolin provided him the perfect opportunity to get back on track.

After a solid opening three innings for Gonsolin, who was making an all-important start for the Dodgers a night after their 13-inning marathon victory in the series opener, the right-hander had made a mess for himself in the fourth.

With two outs, he issued back-to-back four-pitch walks to load the bases. The Dodgers’ early one-run lead then disappeared when Starling Marte reached on a half-swing infield single.

Read more:Teoscar Hernández and Dodgers defeat Mets in 13 innings, but pitching issues loom large

That brought up Soto, who had underperformed through much of his first two months in Queens after signing a $765-million mega-contract with the Mets. Gonsolin got ahead 1-and-2 in the count, before narrowly missing with a slider. He tried to come back with his trademark splitter. But Soto was all over it, crushing a two-run double that proved to be the decisive blow in New York’s 5-2 victory over the Dodgers.

“At the outset, I was pretty optimistic, getting a 2-0 lead,” manager Dave Roberts said. “And then there was that [fourth inning] where he sort of lost command, had two outs and the back-to-back walks. ... And obviously the big hit from Soto with two outs. He just couldn't kind of limit damage right there.”

In what likely will be a preview of what’s to come for the Dodgers (32-20) over a grueling portion of their schedule in the next month, the team’s fate Saturday was almost entirely reliant upon the performance of their starter.

On Friday night, their already overworked bullpen had been gassed again by their extra-inning gantlet. And though they won that game, and freshened up their pitching staff by calling up Bobby Miller on Saturday for some extra length, Roberts had his hands tied as Gonsolin started to lose command.

Over his first three innings against the Mets (31-21), Gonsolin had been fine, giving up one run in a two-out rally in the second by skirting more danger in the third by dialing up an inning-ending double-play with runners on the corners.

The fourth was a different story.

Luis Torrens led with a single. Tyrone Taylor clobbered a fly ball that seemed like a no-doubter off the bat before dying in a stiff breeze at the left-field warning track. Then, Gonsolin became erratic, throwing eight consecutive balls to Brett Baty and Francisco Lindor to load the bases for the heart of the Mets' order.

“Very upset with the walks,” Gonsolin said. “Don't walk those guys, potentially that inning looks a lot different. Just need to attack guys."

Read more:'It’s reimagining team travel.' Why the Dodgers are using two planes on road trips this year

Maybe on a night the Dodgers' bullpen was fresh, Roberts could have considered summoning a lefty to face Soto once Gonsolin began floundering. But after using seven of his eight relievers the previous night, he had no choice but to leave Gonsolin in as the four-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger came to the plate.

Five pitches later, Soto changed the game — sending Citi Field into euphoria with his go-ahead double that banged high off the wall in right center, the inning only ending when Marte was thrown out at home trying to score from first as the trail runner.

“Thought I executed a slider really well there,” Gonsolin said of a two-strike offering that Soto didn’t bite on. “He's got a really good eye. Barely missed.

“Then yeah, the splitter, thought it was a solid one, just elevated it. And he didn’t miss it.”

Gonsolin did return to the mound and completed the fifth, saving at least one inning that otherwise would have fallen upon the Dodgers’ bullpen. Miller also contributed two innings at the end, giving up one run in the eighth and getting out of a bases-loaded jam.

But on the other side, Mets starter David Peterson had no trouble going deep, using sharp command with his sinker, seven strikeouts and three double plays to get through 7 ⅔ innings of two-run ball.

“There wasn’t much offensive energy tonight, as far as how we were swinging, the at-bats we were taking,” Roberts said. “So to try to chase and use leverage guys in a down game, it just didn’t make any sense for me.”

So goes things for the Dodgers right now; ever mindful of their MLB-leading bullpen workload, and needing better production from their starters than what Gonsolin provided.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

It didn't take long for the Yankees to shrug off Friday's humiliating loss to the historically awful Rockies. They corrected those wrongs by resembling the far superior team less than 24 hours later.

Those who visited Coors Field with hopes of witnessing a two-game winning streak from one of the worst clubs ever assembled in MLB's modern era were disappointed. Reality set back in on Saturday, as the Yankees produced a mammoth 10-run inning en route to a 13-1 drubbing of the lowly Rockies.

With the score knotted at 1-1 entering the fifth, New York proceeded to send 14 batters to the plate, and the offensive eruption featured seven hits, three walks, and one error. Ironically, the monstrous rally ended with a strikeout of Aaron Judge, who drew first blood just 10 pitches into the game with his 18th home run of the season.

Each player in the Yankees' lineup registered a hit, and the trio of Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, and DJ LeMahieu logged three knocks apiece. New York totalled a season-high 21 hits, and the fifth-inning barrage also marked the Yankees' first season with multiple 10-run frames since 2009.

"It just started to snowball. We had a few games here where the offense had been held down," Yankees manager Aaron Boonetold reporters after the win. "To have a breakout inning like that was really good to see. Just a lot of really outstanding at-bats that inning. Today was just a really good example of a snowball inning... Coming off four or five days where we hadn't scored a bunch, to break out like that, was nice."

Pitching to the Max

While only one-third of the season is in the books, Max Fried has been earning every penny of the record-breaking contract he signed in free agency this past offseason. The veteran lefty once again resembled an ace, completing 7.1 innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts and two pickoffs. He also lowered his season ERA to a league-best 1.29 and threw an economical 83 pitches.

Fried also made some history of his own. According to MLB.com's Sarah Langs, the southpaw's laudable ERA is the lowest by a Yankee in his first 11 starts of a season since earned runs became an official stat, back in 1913. The immense pressure to lead New York's rotation with Gerrit Cole sidelined for all of 2025 hasn't fazed Fried. The pinstripes clearly aren't too heavy for him.

"The elements are different [at Coors Field]. It's more about making pitches and making sure you're executing those pitches," Fried explained. "Because the ones that hang and are left over the plate really can beat you. It's really about making sure you're staying on top of it... We're in a good position to win games, that's all I can really control. Everything else is nice, but for me, when I take the ball, I really just want us to win. That's been my main goal."

Langs also noted that Fried -- who now owns an AL-best seven wins -- has the fourth-lowest ERA for a pitcher through their first 11 starts with a new franchise over the last 30 seasons. His next challenge will come against the reigning champion Dodgers at Chavez Ravine next weekend.

Striking Gold against lefties

Goldschmidt's placement atop the Yankees' lineup on Saturday was calculated and predictable. Entering the game, the veteran first baseman had a stellar .538 average with nine extra-base hits against left-handers this season (48 plate appearances), and the Rockies' starter was -- surprise! -- southpaw Kyle Freeland.

In the leadoff spot, Goldschmidt went 3-for-4 with an RBI single, two runs scored, and a walk. His season average now sits at .344 -- third-best in the majors -- and a change of scenery has undoubtedly rejuvenated the 37-year-old slugger.

"I know the last couple games we hadn't scored that much. I feel like yesterday we had a lot of chances," Goldschmidt said. "Same thing today, those first few innings, we had a bunch of people on base and then some double plays. So I think the mindset is, just continue to have good at-bats and know there could be a big inning or a lot of small innings. Fortunate to get all of those runs there."

The Yankees' offense erupted for 13 runs and a season-high 21 hits, thanks to a 10-run fifth inning, in their 13-1 rout of the Rockies in Colorado on Saturday afternoon.

Saturday marked the second time the Yankees have produced a 10-plus run inning this season (May 6). It's also the first time that's happened multiple times in one season since 2009.

Here are the takeaways...

-After homering in his first game at Coors Field, Aaron Judge gave the Denver crowd an encore with a solo shot in the first inning. Judge went the other way, 405 feet off of Kyle Freeland for his 18th homer of the season.

Aside from the Judge blast, the Yankees' offense just couldn't get much going, leaving runners on base and grounding into double plays. But that changed in the fifth. Austin Wells hit a leadoff single, which was followed by Oswald Peraza's double that scored the Yankees' catcher. Trent Grisham then hit a chopper at the plate and Freeland made a poor throw that got by the first baseman, which allowed Peraza to score.

Cody Bellinger drove in the third run of the inning with a sacrifice fly after Judge was intentionally walked to load the bases. Anthony Volpe singled up the middle that hit second base and bounced off the second baseman's glove. Jasson Dominguez hit a sacrifice fly that scored Judge, Wells doubled to score two, Paul Goldschmidt hit an RBI single and Grisham capped off the 10-run inning with a two-run double.

After 10 runs on seven hits, three walks, and one error, the inning mercifully ended on a Judge strikeout. The Yanks sent up 14 batters in the fifth.

-After scoring just two runs on five hits in Friday's loss, the Yankees' offense came to play. Every starter registered at least one hit, with Goldschmidt, Bellinger, Volpe and DJ LeMahieu picking up three knocks apiece. Even J.C. Escarra and Pablo Reyes picked up hits in mop-up duty.

Bellinger got the series opener off after his 15-game hitting streak was snapped on Thursday. Back in the lineup, the veteran outfielder hit a double in his first at-bat and finished 2-for-4. Judge went 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout and his season batting average dipped to .395.

-The run support was more than enough for Max Fried. The southpaw got through the Rockies' lineup with relative ease, scattering six hits and a walk while allowing just one run. Fried was very economical, throwing just 77 pitches entering the eighth inning. After a strikeout on six pitches to start the inning, manager Aaron Boone pulled his ace.

Fried allowed just one run on six hits and one walk across 7.1 innings (83 pitches/57 strikes), while striking out seven. An impressive line, considering he was pitching at Coors Field and the number of long innings he had to sit on the bench for. He's lowered his MLB-low ERA to 1.29.

He also picked off two runners at first base, increasing his AL lead to six pickoffs this season.

-Ian Hamilton, who allowed eight runs over his last six appearances, was brought in to finish the game. The right-hander allowed two hits and struck out three batters over the 1.2 innings.

Game MVP: Max Fried

The entire Yankees offense could have been the MVP. But Fried not only mowed down the Rockies and got the team their first win in the series, he gave the bullpen a breather.

Highlights

Aaron Judge gets the Yankees on the board with his 18th homer of the year!

(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/biQoWlky6n

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 24, 2025

A Peraza RBI double brings in Wells and the Yankees retake the lead! pic.twitter.com/HYuxO3x0Qj

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 24, 2025

Yankees are piling it on in the 5th inning 🔥

Seven runs including this 2-RBI double from Austin Wells!
pic.twitter.com/5ey5DU4qUH

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 24, 2025

Every Yankees starter now has a hit today against the Rockies 👏 pic.twitter.com/p4NHM1W7Je

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 24, 2025

What's next

The Yankees finish off their three-game set at Coors Field on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 3:10 p.m.

RHP Will Warren (3-2, 4.05 ERA) gets the start for New York, and will be opposed by the Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (1-8, 6.34 ERA).

In his first outing in the Mets organization since signing a two-year deal in the offseason, Frankie Montas pitched 1.1 innings for Single-A Brooklyn on Saturday afternoon.

Rehabbing from a right lat strain he suffered in spring training, the right-hander allowed two earned runs on two hits and two walks while striking out one for the Cyclones. He threw 37 pitches (20 strikes) while on a 30-35 pitch count, the team announced on Friday.

Both of the runs allowed came in the first inning.

Montas walked the leadoff hitter (who stole second and third), but had a strikeout and flyout to put himself in position to get out of the inning. Instead, the 32-year-old gave up a single and a triple to put Brooklyn in an early 2-0 hole. A groundout put an end to the frame.

After walking the leadoff man again in the second, Montas got a groundout that ended his outing.

Nola's recovery from ankle sprain taking a bit longer than expected originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Aaron Nola’s right ankle sprain is not healing as quickly as the Phillies originally anticipated and it does not sound like he will throw a bullpen session this weekend at Sutter Health Park.

The team hoped to get Nola back on the mound for a ‘pen session before one of the games against the Athletics but Nola is still sore. Manager Rob Thomson said in Colorado earlier in the week that Nola was still experiencing tenderness when putting on his shoe.

“No bullpen today. He was still a little sore today. It’s day by day. We’ll see if he’s OK tomorrow,” Thomson said before the second of a three-game series.

Asked if Nola’s recovery was taking longer than he initially expected, Thomson said, “Originally, yeah. I thought by this weekend he’d be throwing a bullpen but he still feels it in there. There’s no sense in pushing it.”

Combine that with the fact that the mounds at the minor-league stadium the A’s are calling home from 2025-27 have been described as substandard by pitchers and it makes even less sense to push it. Zack Wheeler called the mound on the field and in the bullpen “terrible” after pitching 6⅔ scoreless innings Friday night and Jordan Romano also looked uncomfortable.

Nola (1-7, 6.16 ERA) was placed on the 15-day injured list on May 16 with the ankle sprain. He suffered the injury a week earlier and pitched through it for two starts before the Phillies shelved him. This stint on the injured list is his first in more than seven years.

Sosa day to day

Edmundo Sosa hurt his left wrist on a swing late in Friday’s win and was removed in the ninth inning for Bryson Stott. Sosa would have started Saturday vs. lefty Jeffrey Springs if not for the injury. Instead, Stott was in the lineup against a southpaw for the first time since April 8.

“I was planning on play Sosa,” Thomson said. “My intention was to try not to upset the apple cart here. But his wrist is bothering him a little bit.”

Sosa is 14-for-35 this season against lefties, hitting .400. Stott is 7-for-30 (.233).

“Stotty will play (Sunday) against the right-hander and then we’re off Monday,” Thomson said. “Hopefully we don’t need (Sosa) and he gets three days off.”