The 2026 NHL Entry Draft has the chance to shape the future of the Vancouver Canucks. With 10 selections, including third overall, Vancouver will be adding plenty of depth to their prospect pool. Below is a list of all completed draft target articles.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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The offseason got a jolt, though at the expense of an already uninspiring July 1, when the top blueline UFA was taken off the market via a sign-and-trade.
It’s not a riveting post-Cup June just yet, but a trade every other day isn’t a bad clip as we march steadily toward the draft.
Islanders News
Bryan Trottier reflects on getting his own postal stamp. [Isles]
Special episode of Weird Islanders…a conversation with Josh Ho-Sang himself! Good dude. [LHH]
(Yester)day in Isles History: The Ryan Pulock block. [Isles]
Elsewhere
Take Darren Raddysh off your offseason, redundant-consonant list, as the Leafs have jumped the line with a sign-and-trade for the top free agent, sending a 5th to the Lightning and inking him to a massive eight-year deal after the 30-year-old’s breakout season. [Sportsnet | NHL]
Rumors and such: Does Bowen Byram want to leave Buffalo for a #1 role? Is Pavel Zacha available? Jordan Kyrou on the market to anyone who might bother? [Sportsnet | Athletic]
Jonathan Toews retires, for real this time. [NHL | Sportsnet]
Ron Francis returns to Pittsburgh in an advisory role. [Sportsnet | NHL]
The Bruins will retire Patrice Bergeron’s #37, which is just as well because that’s a terribly ugly number that shouldn’t be in general circulation anyway. [NHL]
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 18: Penguins right wing Rickard Rakell (67) takes a shot on goal during the Pittsburgh Penguins versus Washington Capitals National Hockey League game on January 18, 2025 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Whether or not any trade has been close to completion, Rickard Rakell’s name has often been in the chatter as an offseason trade possibility. That’s again this case on TSN, where Rakell comes in as a highlighted player around the league.
6. Rickard Rakell, Pittsburgh – LW
Rakell, 33, had 24 goals and 48 points in 60 games with the Penguins last season. He added a goal and four points in six playoff games as the Penguins fell in the first round to the Flyers.
The 6-foot-1 winger is entering the fifth season of a six-year, $30 million contract that carries an annual cap hit of $5 million.
The Penguins have been patient about holding onto Rakell, who is quite the asset on the ice. After producing 70 points in 2024-25, Rakell performed well again in 2025-26. He’s versatile enough to play all three forward positions, including an extended stint at center this past season. Add in a team-friendly cap hit and that’s a valuable player to have around.
Yet the questions still swirl, which could have something to do with team makeup as well. Pittsburgh re-signed 40-year old Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby turns 39 over the summer and Bryan Rust celebrated his 34th birthday last month. Add in Rakell, and that’s a mighty old nucleus of a top-six forward group.
The Pens don’t have a ton of other options, Egor Chinakhov has established himself, Tommy Novak is hanging around but prospects like Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen did not make tangible strides towards being plug-and-play in a huge NHL role next season.
That makes the idea of moving Rakell an alluring one, especially if the team’s initial outlook for 2026-27 didn’t include Malkin coming back. Moving on from Rakell now for younger assets and trying to target bringing in another forward (either directly in that transaction or by finding one elsewhere) could make sense in a team-building perspective.
The fallback of simply hanging onto a good player is a nice path to take too. Rakell is a player that is still going to help next season, if it comes to that.
Former Kraken defenseman and two-time Stanley Cup winner Justin Schultz will make his wa back to Seattle, the team announced Thursday, to take on a role in player development. The 35-year-old announced his retirement in 2024. At the time, he was playing for the Swiss National League.
Schultz's career spanned 12 NHL seasons with 745 regular season games. He hoisted the Stanley Cup twice, in 2016 and 2017, with the Pittsburgh Penguins. His success with the Penguins may have played a part in giving him this new opportunity: both GM Jason Botterill and newly-announced Assistant GM Patrik Allvin were part of the Penguins organization at that time.
Speaking on his new role, Schultz said that player development is "something that I've always wanted to do." Adding that "I loved my time in Seattle. I’m excited to get to work with these prospects. They're all obviously great players; they've been drafted or signed. I want to help in whatever way I can with what they need to get better. I've played a lot of games, won some Stanley Cups, I am hoping to relay some positive things to them.
Director of Player Development Cory Murphy is also excited to have Schultz join his team, calling him a "great fit within our [player development] group...He's familiar with the organization and the people; he's lived [the NHL player life] for a long time and had success doing it. That's something he's going to bring, the consistency of pro habits, what's needed on a daily basis to be an NHL player and to stay in the NHL. Not just to make it, but to stay there. That's something we pride ourselves on, looking to develop these prospects to make the NHL and have the tools for a longer NHL career.”
Kraken Development Camp will take place the last week of June, following the draft. The public are invited to view camp on June 30th, July 1st, and July 2nd. See the Kraken Community Iceplex website for times and details.
New York, N.Y.: Crowds of fans of the New York Knicks attend a championship ticker-tape parade celebrating the team's NBA Finals victory in New York on June 18, 2026. (Photo by Alejandra Villa Loarca/Newsday RM via Getty Images) | Newsday via Getty Images
If you’re still on cloud nine, that’s alright.
The Knicks won the NBA championship for the first time in 53 years.
It’s fair to say we’re due at least 53 days of floating around the Earth without giving nothing else any care.
"The further we get away from it, the more real it becomes."
“First of all, I got to go get paid, man. That’s God willing. I want to be in this for a long time. I love this life. I love the NBA life. It feeds my family, and you know, it puts me in rooms where I could never be at.”
On potentially taking less money to stay with the Knicks:
“I got to see what makes sense for everybody. I truly do feel like if it’s a great opportunity to stay home, I stay home.”
One of Leon Rose’s Good Luck Charms on this Knicks Championship Run?
A piece of slate from the City of David in Ancient Jerusalem.
Gifted to him by the Philadelphia Eagles GM, Howie Roseman. Also a Jewish exec who won a Championship. pic.twitter.com/iL6maczhTl
On the gift from Howie Roseman before one of the Finals wins:
“I want to share this with everbody. Howie Roseman, general manager of the Philadelphia Eagles came tonight with his boys and he gave me this gift which is a piece of slate from the city of David in ancient Jerusalem that he got when he was there and he either got it, or it was given to him in 2024. He took it to the Super Bowl and won the super bowl and he gave it to me for good luck tonight before the game. Un-friggen-believable.”
Josh Hart "Can you sit here & admit you were wrong?
“You see that reaction (after they won the WCF and beat OKC) because they think they gon’ win it. They think it’s over.
“And then you look at the reaction after we beat Cleveland, and it was tough to celebrate, because, like, we got four more, right? Obviously, winning the Eastern Conference is an amazing accomplishment, but we all look at that like, this is just a step, this isn’t the destination. And the reaction after Game 4 in Cleveland shows that.”
On Becky Hammon’s comments about Jalen Brunson:
“I’m not naming names: I’m still waiting for somebody… to say they was wrong about someone who led our team to a championship…I know they have media availability so we’ll be waiting for that apology.”
“I think for me it’s imperative to make the defense have to shift and make them have to continuously think. It’s not only, as you know, the game is already physically tiring, but if you add the mental component as well and have them thinking the whole game, it makes them even more tired and allows for more opportunities for us to get better looks.”
On ball movement and passing:
“I think what you can do when you do move the ball and allow the IQ to flow and the ball to flow is you allow great shots to happen, especially when you’re touching the paint or having movement on the offense and allowing the defense to make a mistake, instead of us having to make a tough shot or a great shot. I’ve always loved passing, and it’s always one of my greatest joys is getting my teammates an assist and allowing them to see them succeed. It’s truly, for me, better than hitting a great shot, because when you make a shot, only one person is happy, but when you get an assist, two people are happy. I think that’s a recipe for success, when everyone is really feeling good about themselves.”
James Dolan is booed loudly by the watch party at Radio City.
Then he apologizes for mismanaging the Knicks for two decades, and the crowd cheers.
— THE GARDEN IS ROCKING (@MSG_Rocking) June 14, 2026
James Dolan
On admitting being wrong during the dark Knicks times:
“Did I make mistakes? Of course I did. Did I trust people that maybe I shouldn’t have trusted? You go into it as a new owner and if you’re dumb enough, you think you actually know what you’re doing. Believe me, you don’t. And all along, you have everybody whispering in your ear: Do this, do that. You have you guys, the press, telling us where we’re going wrong at every step. And, you can start to feel like a pinball.”
On learning over 25 years at the helm of the Knicks organization:
“The thing is, is to learn. Right? That might be the thing I feel best about is, I felt, I feel, that now after 25 freaking years of doing this, I might actually have learned something.”
On Tom Thibodeau’s run in New York and his firing:
“We loved Thibs, we really did, I held him in high regard. It would not surprise me at all, by the way, if Thibs comes back and coaches a championship team because I think you could still win that way. Thibs was kind of old style. Right? Like Red Holzman, right, everything comes through me, and I’ll guide us through. He’s very good at that, but that sort of obviated the need for all these other people. Mike Brown had a different view. He had a different approach. And you look at our team, in the Finals. Everyone was healthy.”
stephen a smith loudly booed at ‘the roommates show’ with jalen brunson & josh hart pic.twitter.com/MXMlBZdnid
On being wrong about the Knicks and Jalen Brunson:
“I’m a grown a** man. I was beyond grown. I apologized to this brother on national television. I’m apologizing to you. I’m apologizing to the entire Knicks organization. Let me be very, very clear — I have never been more happy to be wrong in my life. Let me be very, very clear — I came out of the womb a Knicks fan. I’m 58-years-old. The last time the New York Knicks won a title before last Saturday, I was four.
“In his own way, (Brunson) reminds me of this every time. It’s automatic… national television, I owe this man an apology. I am grateful for what you have done for this city, what y’all have done for this city, and you won’t be hearing any more doubts from me, my brother.”
The Knicks could keep their core together for the next 3-5 years IF Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart are willing to take a pay cut, per @WindhorstESPN
KAT is eligible for a 4-year, $272M extension.
"If Karl Towns is willing to take a little bit of a haircut, you know, $7-10… pic.twitter.com/ugpU6Bx1L6
On Karl-Anthony Towns’ taking a paycut being the key to the Knicks’ contending window:
“In all honesty, that’s the biggest question of the Knicks offseason. So Karl [Anthony] Towns is under contract for next season. He’ll be back. He’ll be the starting center. He’ll be there on ring night. The way he was used in this postseason, it’s hard to not see him as with this team for the majority of the rest of his career.
“But he is in position to get a contract extension that’s going to approach $70 million a year on average. And he has earned it. He has shown that he is an elite center in this league, a championship player. But the Knicks are not going to be able to afford that type of player. They’d re-sign him. But I don’t know if they’d be able to keep the team together.”
On how Jalen Brunson’s sacrifice could impact KAT’s and the Knicks’ future:
“I don’t expect anybody in the history of the NBA to do what Jalen Brunson did. If Karl Towns is willing to take a little bit of a haircut, you know, $7-10 million over the course of multiple seasons and Josh Hart is also extension eligible this summer, if both of them are willing to take a little bit of a haircut, you could see this core staying together for three, four, five years.”
J. R. Smith responds to a fan saying these New York Knicks could beat the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers . He says We’d beat them, put me and Shump on Jalen Brunson and who on the Knicks is guarding LeBron James and the little guy people say he doesn’t like, number 2 (Kyrie Irving) pic.twitter.com/420iwZwyAr
— joebuddenclips/fanpage (@Thechat101) June 19, 2026
J.R. Smith
On his wild spending throughout his NBA career:
“The first thing that comes to mind? How much money I wasted. Half the shit I bought in the last 10 years, I barely use. Even the watches, buying all these fancy-ass watches and shit, I don’t wear them. I don’t go anywhere to wear them! Why did I spend all of this money on this stuff that I don’t really use? I had seven cars at one point when we were in Cleveland. I’m like, ‘Why did I have seven cars?’”
Agent Bernie Lee doesn't think players taking pay cuts a la Brunson is such a great idea.
If your reaction is "well, he's an agent, of course he's going to say that," I still recommend you read the article.
On players being compared to Brunson’s contract sacrifice:
“I’ve talked to a couple of different players that could be Supermax this year or next year — they’re starting to feel a little pressure from team owners by saying, ‘Yo, Jalen Brunson left 113 million dollars on the table. What are you going to do?’”
Marc Berman covered the Knicks for 23 years. He watched them win the championship at a sports bar in Florida https://t.co/XLvPuKei5g
On being glad he retired before the Knicks won it all:
“Part of me was saying, ‘Oh, I’m glad I retired, I would be panicking.’ I was shaking in the final couple of minutes, just thinking about the enormity of having to write it. And I didn’t have to write it.”
On James Dolan:
“Listen, I wasn’t a big fan of James. He was a pretty good guitar player, but he made a lot of silly mistakes and his media policies were always baffling to me. And I wonder now that they finally have a championship if he’ll open up a little more with the media.”
On New York’s reaction to the Knicks championship:
“You see it in the streets. I mean, everyone is just in almost disbelief. I think it’s surreal to them. I think the next day it finally hit them, but it’s something that they thought may not have ever happened in their lifetime. It’s 53 years, and the team seems to always have gotten a bad break. And every single break went their way since mid-April. I think they’re just joyous, and I think there’s a sense of relief.”
“It takes a championship to bring this caliber of happiness and love together.”
“I think if you said ‘tabloid reporter,’ his picture might be in the dictionary. He kind of embodied all of that. He knew what they wanted at the New York Post. I mean, the Daily News is the same way.
“He’d be lying in wait. Then he’d look at the guy for a second, pause, kind of close his eyes. It very much was like Peter Falk playing Columbo: ‘Doctor, just one more thing.’”
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 14: Manager Tony Vitello #23 of the San Francisco Giants walks back to the dugout during the game against the Chicago Cubs at Oracle Park on June 14, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants are embroiled in a scandal completely of their own making. And it just keeps getting worse.
The San Francisco Chronicle published a piece on Friday that confirms what I said in my opinion post on Thursday. The players were not forced to wear the Pride hats that members of the team defaced on Pride Night. Nor did they do so out of any semblance of a feeling of being discriminated against.
No, no. It was an entirely unforced error. And one that they had, apparently, spent weeks planning. Per the Chronicle’s reporting. And what’s worse is that manager Tony Vitello apparently knew about it the whole time and even helped the players navigate how they would perform their very optional protest.
You know, the protest of the thing they weren’t being forced to participate in. The one that they chose to make a “personal” stand on to display their own homophobia, rather than just opting out of wearing the hats and moving on with their lives.
And then, you know, complaining about not being able to move on with their lives because they were being forced to face the consequences of their own actions. I guess we should all just accept that they hate us and let them move on. But I’m not interested in doing that.
So yes, they spent weeks planning this protest without ever once, seemingly, even taking a single moment to ponder how that would play out among the fanbase that supports them. Really shortsighted work on their part.
But what gets me is that Tony Vitello reportedly knew the whole time. Not only did he know, he helped them plan it. You know, the person who should have known better. The person who should have advised against it. The person who most assuredly either informed the ownership group, or neglected to do so which would be even worse.
Which means that we can safely assume that the ownership group was aware of the planned protest and through their lack of actions allowed it to proceed.
Firing Tony Vitello would be the absolute least that the Giants organization could do to make amends at this point. He is so very clearly in over his head on a human level, that it almost doesn’t even matter how poorly he is doing on a baseball level. And he is also failing at that.
So yes, Vitello should absolutely be the first firing from this shameful ordeal. But he should not be the last, and if they do fire him we should not accept his scapegoating as enough.
Because the rot starts well above him.
As I said on Thursday, it’s time to clean house and Vitello would only be the first move in that. But it would be a meaningful one.
Jun 19, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) celebrates after a double during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Dalton Rushing walked it off with a clutch ninth-inning RBI base hit for the Dodgers (49-27), securing a 6-5 comeback victory over the Orioles (35-42) Friday night at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers offense stranded 12 base runners on the night, squandering many scoring opportunities against Baltimore pitching. Rushing channeled all With two outs, Dalton Rushing hit a clutch two-run single to right field, bringing in Alex Call and Ryan Ward to cap off a wild, three-run ninth inning rally
Sasaki looked to turn the page on his last start against the White Sox when he stepped back in a series-opening 8-2 loss to the White Sox at Rate Field. Sasaki was cruising until the sixth inning when Baltimore scored three runs to tie the game.
Taylor Ward tested the arm of Andy Pages to start the game in dramatic fashion. Taylor tried to extend a base hit into two bases, but Pages had something to say about that. Pages came up with his seventh outfield assist of the season after throwing out Taylor at second.
Roki was touching the corners with a fastball touching 99-101 mph and his nasty splitter in the first.
The Dodgers were without Shohei Ohtani in the lineup, but the lineup sans Ohtani did a good job to get on the board in the first against the rookie Gibson. Kyle Tucker led off with a walk, and a Mookie Betts double put two into scoring position with two outs for Max Muncy.
Muncy singled to right field to cash in both runners and make it 2-0 early. Tommy Edman kept the first inning alive with his first hit of the season, an opposite field single.
Dino Ebel was feeling froggy in the home half of the second. He sent Alex Freeland home on a Pages double to left field. Freeland’s swimmingly good slide home was one we won’t forget soon. The call at the plate was safe. Baltimore challenged and lost. 3-0 Dodgers.
The Dodgers loaded the bases against Gibson in the third with nobody out. Betts had a nice at-bat, won a challenge on a ball, and dumped a single to lead off the frame. Muncy drew his patented walk, and Edman singled for his second hit of the game.
Gibson reared back to strike out Ryan Ward, Dalton Rushing, and Freeland to strand the bases loaded. This would be a key inning and wasted scoring opportunity.
The Orioles finally got to Roki after 5 2/3 innings and back-to-back home runs in the sixth. A two-run home run by Gunnar Henderson in the sixth made it 3-2. Pete Alonso also got a hold of one for a solo home run to tie the game up 3-3 and chase Sasaki.
The Dodgers got another man on base in the bottom of the sixth with a Tucker single. Andrew Kittredge and Freeman battled in a 11-pitch full-count at-bat for the final out of the inning. Freeman sent one for a ride, but Leody Taveras made a great catch crashing into the wall to retire the side and preserve the tie.
The Orioles plated another two runs in the top of the seventh, five straight runs, to put them ahead 5-3. Will Klein and the Dodgers got into a jam in the top of the seventh, Back-to-back base hits for the Orioles and a walk loaded the bases with one out. Jeremiah Jackson singled in two to give Baltimore the lead.
The Dodgers stranded another runner in the bottom of the seventh and one in the eighth.
Betts got the Dodgers back within one run with his eighth home run of the season, a solo homer against closer Ryan Helsley with one out in the ninth. It was a three-hit game for Betts.
Muncy drew a walk even though Helsey got a break on a challenged foul ball call. Edman faced his fellow former Cardinal Helsey, but he popped it out to Alonso in foul ground for the second out.
Ward walked to put pinch-runner Alex Call into scoring position for Rushing. Rushing had a rough night up to that point, chasing high cheese and striking out three times. He came up clutch in the ninth with a RBI single to right. A throwing error by right fielder Tyler O’Neill allowed the winning run with Ward to come in for the 6-5 walk-off win.
The series continues on Saturday night at (7:10 p.m.; SportsNet LA, MLB Network), with Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7-4, 2.52 ERA, 0.840 WHIP) on the mound for the Dodgers. Trevor Rogers (3-7, 5.86 ERA, 1.45 WHIP) starts for Baltimore.
Jun 19, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners outfielder Connor Joe (9) misses a pop fly by Boston Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer (11) in the eighth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
In front of a sell-out crowd of 45,775 on fireworks night on a day the stands were packed with Red Sox and World Cup fans alike, the Mariners fizzled out, dropping the opening game against Boston in dismal fashion. By the ninth inning, a loud “let’s go Red Sox” chant had erupted, with the only joy for Mariners fans a garbage-time Julio Rodríguez two-run shot.
Every piggyback game feels like two games, but the contrast tonight was especially stark. In the Bryce Miller game, the story was: one ambush home run and a lot of good pitching between; in the Luis Castillo-led part of the piggyback, the story was: one bad and BABIP-fueled bad inning, one also-not-great-inning and some decent pitching between. But the part of the story that was consistent throughout the game was the Mariners offense once again failing to do much against a left-handed starter, and failing to capitalize on opportunities when they had them.
Bryce Miller had a clean first and was one out away from a clean second when Caleb Durbin ambushed a first-pitch fastball at the top of the zone and yanked it over the wall in left field just enough to clear the fence – a home run at just 13 MLB parks including T-Mobile and Fenway. Maybe that shook Miller’s confidence somewhat, because he then struggled to put away Marcelo Mayer, getting into a ten-pitch battle that ended with Mayer staring at a fastball on the plate for a called strike three.
Miller didn’t have a clean inning after the first, but he was able to face the minimum in both the third and fourth thanks to a well-timed double play, getting Mickey Gaspar, who has both the name and countenance of a 1900s circus strongman, to tap into an inning-ending double play on the splitter. In the fourth, he got an assist from Cal Raleigh (welcome back Cal) throwing out Wilyer Abreu trying to steal after Abreu had jumped on a first-pitch fastball for a ground ball single. Miller’s fifth inning was a cherry on top of a strong day, with two strikeouts and a weak groundout from Meyer, who’d given him the tough at-bat earlier. Miller doubled up on the curveball to Jarren Duran after Duran flinched after the pitch for his sixth strikeout of the day, and then went split-sweeper to Durbin, who had homered off him earlier, for his seventh strikeout.
“Everything felt good,” said Miller postgame, noting that he didn’t even have a chance to get to all his pitches because he was seeing so much success on the four-seamer. “I didn’t even throw a cutter today, so we still had that in the back pocket, and I think I threw one sinker…it’s never easy coming out of a one run game, especially when – I felt like I was rolling. But it was. You know. It was the plan going into it, so not really much that I can say to change anybody’s mind…when there’s a pre-set plan, there’s not really much arguing you can do.”
At least Miller was able to avenge himself against Durbin and Meyer, but unfortunately, that’s where the moral victory part of the day ends, leaving just the less-fun defeat part. Left-handed pitching has been the bête noire for the Mariners this season, and Ranger Suarez is a particularly good lefty, so the Mariners were already facing an uphill climb, but four strikeouts in the first two innings – with two of those coming from righties in Cal and Julio – isn’t exactly a recipe for success. The Mariners didn’t have a baserunner until the fourth, with Cal working a walk off Suarez in his second time facing him, declining this time to chase after the curveball, but Julio wasn’t able to make a similar adjustment, getting punched out looking on the sinker, and then Josh Naylor battled heroically for eight pitches but wound up popping out softly.
On as the second part of the piggyback, Luis Castillo had a strong first inning of work but a BABIP-fueled meltdown inning in the seventh. Ceddane Rafaela doubled off a fastball up in the zone to lead off the inning, giving the Red Sox a roughly 70% chance to increase their lead. What they’d wind up doing is putting the game out of reach. Some of it was Castillo’s fault: he lost the handle on a slider, allowing Rafaela to score from third to make it 2-0, but if you like Increased Velo Castillo – he was touching 97-98 on his fastball – you also have to be prepared for that increased velo on the slider, like this 90 mph one that Castillo said “surprised” him.
If Castillo had been able to cap the damage there, that would have been one thing, but things quickly got worse with four straight singles – two hard-hit on pitches that caught way too much plate, and then a pair of bad-luck more weakly hit ones off the slider that found holes. A sac fly on another slider brought in the fifth run of the inning and all of a sudden the Mariners were looking at a 5-0 deficit in a game where they were being no-hit.
“One of those things where sometimes things just don’t go your way,” said Castillo postgame through translator Freddy Lllanos.
After the blowup in the top of the inning, the Mariners attempted to answer back, finally knocking Suarez out of the game in the seventh. Cal walked again facing Suarez, but Julio went after a cutter for an easy flyout for the first out. That left it to the lefty Naylor, who finally, finally broke up the no-hitter with a ringing double to right-center.
After Josh Naylor’s no-hitter-breaking double, Dominic Canzone grounded out for the second out of the inning, but Cole Young was able to work a walk. A moment of appreciation for Cole Young: facing a tough lefty, he swung at strikes only, didn’t expand and chase the curveball or cutter, and overall did his best. If the Mariners want to leftyproof their lineup, Cole Young having at-bats like this will go a long way towards doing it. With the Mariners threatening, the Red Sox opted to bring in righty Justin Slaten, meaning Dan Wilson could free J.P. Crawford from the bench to try to come up with a clutch two-out RBI. Sadly Crawford couldn’t come up with any of his signature two-out magic, striking out and stranding the bases loaded.
The Red Sox were able to get one more run off Castillo with another set of two-out back-to-back doubles in the ninth, but by that point the game was pretty well out of hand for the Mariners. Julio Rodríguez provided the lone offensive highlight, hitting a garbage-time homer (with Cal aboard with his third walk of the day, the Red Sox pitching had zero interest in pitching to Cal Raleigh in this game from either side of the plate) off Tommy Kahnle, last seen being bullied by the Mariners in the ALDS. No no-hitter and no shutout goals achieved, then, but the more elusive “win back to back games” goal remains out of reach for these frustratingly inconsistent 2026 Mariners.
Dalton Rushing, center, celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk-off single in a 6-5 comeback win over the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Dalton Rushing was frustrated. He just chased a slider in the dirt — again. And this time, the game was on the line. The Dodgers were down to their last out. He was down to his last strike.
So he took a moment, took a breath, and looked to the Dodgers dugout.
The first person he spotted was Mookie Betts, who had just cut the Orioles’ lead to a run with a solo homer. Betts was locked in with Rushing, brimming with confidence, cheering him on.
“For a guy like that, a guy that’s lived in that moment, he’s succeeded in that moment, he’s failed in that moment, he knows what it feels like, it’s pretty special,” Rushing recounted.
Rushing’s eyes traveled along the railing, noting his teammates all on the top step, all relying on him.
He dug into the box, expecting the slider that Baltimore’s Ryan Helsley threw next — it was high, for a ball. Then Rushing got a fastball he could drive. And he did not miss.
The next moments in the Dodgers’ 6-5 walk-off win Friday were chaos.
Rushing lined a tying single into right field, giving Alex Call time to score from second. Call slid across the plate as the throw from Orioles right fielder Tyler O’Neill took for a long hop to catcher Samuel Basallo.
Basallo misjudged it, taking an unhurried shuffle up the line, before the ball glanced off his glove and rolled toward the Dodgers dugout.
Third base coach Dino Ebel waved home Ryan Ward, who scored standing up.
Manager Dave Roberts, who looked down at his card when the throw was in the air, was already thinking through extra innings when the crowd erupted again. He heard field coordinator Bob Geren shouting something like, “The run counts.”
The Dodgers (49-27) ran onto the field and swarmed Rushing, who had just reached second. They jumped and yelled as the Dodgers Stadium lights flashed around them.
“It was good to get Freddie [Freeman] a night off for being the guy in the middle for a change, you know?” Rushing said with a grin. “No, it’s a great feeling, and I think it honestly just feels great that we won that baseball game.”
For several innings, it looked like they wouldn’t.
Dalton Rushing celebrates after hitting a run-scoring single in the ninth to help lift the Dodgers to a 6-5 walk-off win over the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers had jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, on a two-run single from Max Muncy in the first inning and an RBI double from Andy Pages in the second. Then their scoring dried up.
Rushing was having as frustrating of a night as anyone, with a line out and three strikeouts.
His first strikeout was part of a brutal sequence. The Dodgers loaded the bases with no outs in the third. Then Ward, Rushing and Alex Freeland, all went down swinging.
Rushing struck out on a slider in the dirt. And Orioles starter Trey Gibson got him to bite on the same putaway pitch in the fifth.
Rushing’s reactions steadily grew more animated, on the field and in the dugout.
Mookie Betts celebrates as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run in the ninth inning Friday against the Orioles. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)Alex Freeland signals safe after sliding past Baltimore catcher Samuel Basallo to score on a double by Andy Pages in the second inning Friday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“He plays with a fire under his ass,” Freeland said. “He gets after it. He expects nothing but the best for himself day in and day out, and that comes with it.”
Said Roberts: “After he ... vents, he does a good job of collecting himself to get back into the next play, the next at-bat, catching.”
On Friday, he was catching Roki Sasaki, who faced just one batter over the minimum through five innings. But during the third time through the order, the Orioles finally figured him out and hit back-to-back home runs.
With two outs and a runner on, Sasaki yanked a splitter to the inside edge of the strike zone to Gunnar Henderson, who lifted it over the wall in right field. Pete Alonso then homered to left-center field on an inside fastball about belt high to tie the score.
“I thought he threw the baseball really well,” Roberts said. “I liked the way he competed. The fastball command was good. He was fantastic tonight.”
The Orioles (35-42) pulled ahead against the Dodgers bullpen. Will Klein surrendered a seventh-inning single to Jackson that sent two baserunners, including one inherited from Dodgers left-hander Jack Dreyer, across the plate.
Kyle Hurt and Blake Treinen threw clean eighth and ninth innings.
Finally, in the bottom of the ninth, Betts ended the Dodgers’ scoring drought. Then Muncy — later replaced by the pinch-running Call — and Ward drew walks.
With two outs, Rushing stepped up to the plate, fell behind in the count 0-2 and reset.
“I look in the dugout, and all those guys care about is that next pitch, and the next pitch after that, and the next pitch after that,” Rushing said. “They just want you to win one pitch at a time.”
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They are happy, clap-clap, clap-clap-clap. I am tired, z-z, z-z-z. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Both starter Connor Prielipp and reliever Travis Adams were doing alright… until they weren’t. Some bad defense didn’t help, either! Inning-by-inning notes:
1: Oops Byron. We still love you, but oops. He hits one to left and admires it for a sec; it hits the wall and THEN Bux turns on the speed. He’s thrown out at second.
The Dbacks have their City Connect jerseys on (or their normal alternates, I do not know), and they’re a dark purplish-blue. They look like something that would glow under a black light. They manage a walk and an infield hit, but Connor Prielipp gets the ground ball third out. This time.
2: Weird. Starter Michael Soroka has to leave; something in his leg is bothering him. Hopefully it’s not the same stuff he had trouble with in 2020-2022.
RHP Taylor Clarke in; he’s part of a Very Good Dbacks bullpen. Well-struck balls by Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee end up in fantastic catches by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Corbin Carroll (no relation to former Twin Jamie). Victor Caratini hit a solo shot, though! Not the guy you’d expect! We’ll take it.
A nice little seven-pitch inning for Connor! We’ll take it. Twins 1-0
3: RHP sidearmer Ryan Thompson in. Luke Keaschall singles off him, and advances on a FC. Buxton takes a ꓘ, and then a Klobberin’ Kody Klemens grounder takes a really sprightly hop and jumps past 3B Nolan Arenado’s glove. It’s ruled an error, which I don’t think is correct, but in any case Keaschall doubles the mighty lead.
LuJames Groover has a great baseball name, and he grooves one about four inches short of a homer; he pulls in at 2B. Prielipp gets the next out, then walks Geraldo Perdomo to but Corbin Carroll up with two on; not what you want. He singles to left, one run scores. Then Prielipp induces the GIDP; good Connor, good boy! Lakes over Snakes 2-1
4: RHP Drey Jameson in. Why am I listing their names? I don’t know who they are and neither do you. I suppose it’s habit. Anyhoo he walks Brooks Lee with one out. Then Caratini. (Really, you don’t need to walk Caratini.) Tristan Gray hits one that’s guaranteed to be a DP, but it smacks the bag at second and bounces over the fielder’s head; Lee scores. Then Keaschall hits into the second chance DP, but still, not the worst LOBsters the Twins have done lately.
Nolan Arenado with the one-out single. Gets the next guy, and then Jordan Lawlar singles; runners at 1st and 3rd. Then an easy flyout to Buxton, so still Twinkers 3-1
5: Back-to-back singles for Larnach and Buxton. Clemens flies out, Josh Bell strikes out, and Royce Lewis has an “excuse me” swing that lofts nicely into a glove. THAT’s the LOBsters we’re used to!
Third time through the lineup for Prielipp. He walks the first guy, gets the second, and Carroll doubles the runner to third. Lee, playing in, boots a grounder and the runner scores. Then Gurriel Jr. hits one to short and if it was played well, it might have been a DP; it’s not played well, and Carroll scores.
Arenado singles, and Prielipp balks both runners into scoring position. Guess what? They both score. The “third time through the lineup” thing didn’t go so well! Arizoners 5-3
6: RHP Jonathan Loáisiga in; his name is not pronounced like pasta. Twins down 1-2-3.
Prielipp still in? OK, whatever, have a nice day. He strikes out the #9 Groover, but not the #1 Ketel Marte. Long gone dong. Then a strikeout and flyout, but still it’s the Grand Canyon State 6-3
7: Lefty Aramis Garcia in; he walks the leadoff Keaschall, and Austin Martin DB-5 pinch hits for Trevor Larnach. Martin strikes out on three pitches and now you’ve lost one of your better hitters for the rest of the game. The highlight of this inning is when Buxton hits it to second and Keaschall does some silly dancing with 2B Marte.
Travis “who?” Adams pitching for the Twins. A one-out hit by Gurriel Jr., a eight pitch strikeout of Arenado, strikeout of Ildemaro Vargas (no relation to onetime “next David Ortiz” Kennys).
8: RHP Kevin Ginkel, who has a 2.60 ERA so far this season, gives up back-to-back jacks. One to Josh Bell, one to Royce Lewis. A one-out Caratini walk, and he’s replaced with pinch-running rookie Kyler Fedko. Fedko runs as Tristan Gray strikes out; he gets a terrible jump and isn’t close to making it.
Adams makes a very nice barehanded play on a bunt-for-hit attempt and JUST misses getting the runner by half a step. Then an infield single, then a Marte strikeout. Perdomo walks; Carroll up with the bases loaded. From some reason Adams stays in.
On Adams’s 42nd pitch of the relief stint, Carroll hits a triple. More great pitching management, Derek baby! Cody Laweryson gets the last two outs but it’s Rattlers 9-5
9: Paul Sewald puts the team out of their misery 1-2-3, Twins lose.
Studs: Sure, will give Caratini one. Why not? Bell and Lewis, all the dingers.
Duds: half Prielipp/Adams, half Shelton for leaving both in too long. Infield defense (again).
COTG goes to gintzer for sharing tales of his grumpy Gus basketball coach. Thanks to everyone who joined in; a late start plus Apple TV is a deadly combination!
Tomorrow’s game is at 9:10, and features their Zac Gallen against our own Taj Bradley. Catch y’all next time!
Jun 19, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll slides into third base in the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Game Summary
The Arizona Diamondbacks have a superstar. Ketel Marte is fantastic, as he showcased with the satellite he launched into orbit on his home run, but Corbin Carroll is a true superstar. Apple TV’s broadcast put Carroll in the center of the show tonight with the pregame promos and in-game interviews, and Carroll didn’t disappoint. Corbin finished the day a home run short of the cycle (or an inch short of being a double short of the cycle IYKYK), was on base 4 times, and made a great catch on defense.
To top it all off, he’s the most humble and team-first man on the diamond. When asked about Ketel Marte, he gushes over how talented a player he is. When asked about Torey as he records the final out in the inning, he doesn’t give a short, robotic answer to send the interviewers away. Instead he gives several sentences on his Skipper’s importance to him and the club before letting the overlords cut to commercial. Finally, when asked about himself and how much winning a Gold Glove would mean to him, he says it would mean a lot to Dave McKay for all the work that he put into Corbin. Corbin Carroll is a man every single person who is a fan of this organization can be proud of and it’s rare to have a player like that.
Now, stepping off my soap box, there was a game played tonight that the Diamondbacks didn’t always look like they were going to win. In fact, it looked like it might be one of those games where it just wasn’t their night. Michael Soroka left after 1 inning due to “posterior left hip discomfort”, whatever that may be. Then the Diamondbacks allowed 2 runs on rather freak plays: an error by Arenado (gasp!) and an inning-ending double play turned into RBI single thanks to the ball hitting second base and using it as a launch pad (d’oh!). After all that, the Serpientes found themselves in a familiar place: behind their opponent.
As they have all season now, though, the Snakes held tough and battled back. The bullpen was heroic, cobbling together 8 innings of about as good a ball as you can pitch besides the Stinkel appearance. No one really looked to have their A-game, but each man limited damage to little or nil (did you know the World Cup was happening?) and the defense did their job. The offense, for it’s part, took advantage of some shoddy Twins defense to get ahead. Still, it was Marte’s solo homer that was the difference in the game going into the bottom of the 8th, but the Snakes loaded the bases for Corbin and let him do the rest. Corbin tripled home 3 runs to give Sewald some breathing room in the 9th. Carroll is now 5/6 with the bases loaded this year and has 15 RBI! Only Luis Garcia Jr of the Nationals has more RBI with the bases loaded than Carroll and he’s had twice the ABs in those situations!
Great team win tonight. We took advantage of a less talented and struggling team tonight when several things just didn’t go our way. We’ll need to keep stacking those this weekend before we run the gauntlet heading into the All-Star break. Oh, that reminds me: go vote for Corbin!
Win Probability and Box Score
Outside the Box Score
Lourdes Gurriel made an early impact defensively when he threw out Byron Buxton trying to hustle to second for a double. Buxton crushed the pitch off the left field wall but Gurriel played the carom perfectly and threw into second where Ketel had plenty of time to set up and apply the tag to Buxton who was in his home run trot out the batter’s box. Lourdes is too young to bang into the wall and make the catch like the young kids have been doing, but his way was just as effective.
Gabi’s single in the first was of the infield variety. The Minnesota shortstop made an excellent play to range up the middle and stop the ball from rolling into centerfield, but he couldn’t get up and make the throw in time.
Michael Soroka left the game before the beginning of the second inning after looking gimpy on his push off leg during his warm up tosses. Not great on any day, but especially not the same day that we put Ryne Nelson on IL with a likely longterm injury.
Lourdes and Corbin picked up Taylor Clarke who was called in on short notice with their defense on the first two plays of the second inning. Lourdes made a sliding catch in shallow left (probably could have let Gerry make the catch ranging back from short but it all worked out) and then Corbin made an outstanding sliding catch in right-center. Unfortunately there was no defense that could save the next batted ball when Victor Caratini blasted the pitch 430 feet into the right field bleachers.
Arenado’s been top shelf defensively this season, but he made a rare mistake on a tough but makable backhand chopper down the third base line which allowed a run to score with 2 outs in the third.
Corbin got our first RBI of the game when he served a cue shot through the hole between third and short. Wasn’t pretty, but was effective. Plus, more left on left goodness for Corbin!
Drey Jameson was a little wobbly in the 4th but he dialed up what looked to be an inning ending double play ball, but the ball skipped off second base and shot way over Domo’s head into center field allowing a run to score. Too bad that run gets scored against Drey.
Corbin Carroll mashed double off the top of the wall in right-center field and everyone, and by everyone I mean me, the announcers and the stadium operations crew, thought it was homer. As the relay throw came in to the plate to keep Domo from scoring, the stadium lights went into the Home Run Sequence. Alas, it was just the least well lit double of the night instead of a game-tying homer.
The Twins infield defense failed their pitcher leading to the D-backs tying the game in the 5th. First, with runners at second and third, Gabi chopped a ball to third that the defender botched resulting in Domo scoring and runners at the corners with still only one out. Then Lourdes hit a tailor-made double play ball to shortstop that the defender made an awful flip to second, forcing the second baseman to stretch out to record the out and not be able to turn two, allowing Corbin to score from third. Pitcher couldn’t blame the defense for the next 2 runs scoring in the 5th, though, as he balked 2 runners into scoring position who then scored on a hot shot single from Ildemaro.
Ketel Marte’s homer in the 6th inning was a ceiling scraping moonshot into the home bullpen (into Brandyn Garcia’s glove between warm up tosses as a matter of fact). The 40* launch angle was the highest launch angle for a homer by the Diamondbacks this year.
Gabi Moreno nabbed another would-be base stealer to complete a strike-em-out-throw-em-out with a nice assist from Perdomo. First, the Twins’ hitter just watched a fastball go by down Main Street for Strike 3 which was a nice, then Gabi short-hopped his throw to the wrong side of the bag. Thankfully, Domo was able to cleanly grab the hop and, since the throw reached Domo so early he had time to reach back to the sliding baserunner and apply the tag.
Jordan Lawlar was pulled for a pinch runner in the bottom of the 8th after beating out a bunt single. He didn’t show any signs of distress during the replays of the run and he practically sprinted off the field so I’m hopeful that there is no real injury here. Hopeful.
Comment of the Game
The GameDay Thread was a little lighter than typical Friday night games, especially a Friday night win, but I suspect the AppleTV broadcast had at least something to do with that. The game reached a final tally of 187 comments at time of publishing. COTG tonight goes to Webb Gemz for his note on the Twins defense:
Coming Up
The Diamondbacks face the Twins for the second game of this 3-game set tomorrow evening with a 7:10pm first pitch Arizona time. Righthander Taj Bradley (5-3, 4.14 ERA) will take the mound for the Twin Cities and Zac Gallen (3-5, 5.35 ERA) takes the ball for the good guys. Gallen needs to soak up some innings tomorrow to give the bullpen a chance after they covered for Soroka’s injury today. I’m not sure that’s a great thing.
Jun 19, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Ranger Suárez (55) delivers in the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
Well, I guess I’ll eat crow for doubting this game, at least.
Few highlights in this one:
This team went 3-for-6 with RISP and only left two men on base with 10 hits! How about that!
Ceddanne Rafaela is on one, I really wonder if his bat is finally catching up to his defensive abilities, because this doesn’t feel like a mere streak. To kick off the seven inning, four run rally, he lined a double off of Luis Castillo, advanced on a sac fly and then made a beautiful read on Cal Raleigh getting crossed up by Castillo to scamper home. In the grand scheme of things, it was one of six runs scored but when it’s a 1-0 game and you come home like that, it can feel like a backbreaker to the opppsition.
I think all four Red Sox challenges were successful tonight: three ball/strike asks by Narváez, and a ball/strike ask from Marcelo which was overturned by 0.2 inches, leading to more Red Sox runs. Don’t ask me if the Red Sox have been more successful since they really started practicing challenging better—maybe worth a deep dive soon.
The four game losing streak is OVAH! Huzzah! With the World Cup providing so much entertainment the last week, it’s good to see the Red Sox bring the punch too. Only sad the Scots couldn’t see a win at Fenway in person, but I’ll take this one tonight.
Studs
Ranger Suárez (6.2 IP, 1 H, 3 BB, 5 K, 0 ER)
One of these days, Ranger Suárez is going to do more than the incredible. What a piece of work this game was for Ranger; multiple frames 10 pitches and under, he was just mowing batters down left, right, and center. He started to overthrow a little bit late but for the most part, his fastball, curveball, changeup and slider were all beyond on point.
Caleb Durbin (3-f0r-4, 1 HR)
…where did this Caleb Durbin come from and how do we keep him? He’s getting his hands through the zone better and it’s leading to much more solid contact. He was only a triple away from the cycle! Four homers in the last seven games is also no laughing matter.
The only player with no hits to not do anything contributive to this one. Carlos Narváez gets a pass for his multiple successful ABS challenges and a sacrifice fly.
Play of the Game
I have to give it to Suárez’s outing, it actually made the Red Sox interesting to watch!
Jun 19, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Boston Red Sox infielder Caleb Durbin (5) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run in the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
Red Sox 6, Mariners 2
Piggy Back: Bryce Miller, .11 WPA
Broken Back: Luis Castillo, -.21 WPA
Saving Me From Recapping a No-Hitter Back: Josh Naylor, .88888888888888 kWPA
Game thread comment of the day:
This one goes in the file on my computer labeled “so true bestie”
Discussion question: If you were to make a Dan Wilson soundboard like those ones dogs “talk” through, what would the buttons say?
Knoxville Smokies catcher Ariel Armas (7) hits the ball during a Minor League baseball game between the Knoxville Smokies and Birmingham Barons at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tenn., on June 2, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/ News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Starter Vince Velazquez gave the I-Cubs three innings and gave Indianapolis three runs on six hits. Velazquez walked three more and struck out four.
Andrew Wantz threw the next four innings, surrendered three runs on four hits, and got the win. Wantz struck out three, hit one batter and walked one.
Vince Reilly was summoned from the bullpen with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the ninth. The first batter he faced hit an RBI single, but the second one struck out and Reilly got the save.
In the fourth inning, first baseman Jonathon Long hit a grand slam, his sixth home run on the year. Long went 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.
DH BJ Murray added on two more runs with his eighth home run of the year n the fifth. Murray went 3 for 5 with a double, the home run and a walk. Murray scored three times.
Catcher Christian Bethancourt was 3 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. He scored two runs and drove in one.
Shortstop Owen Miller went 2 for 6 with an RBI double in the fifth inning. He scored on Murray’s home run.
Center fielder Brett Bateman was 2 for 6. He scored one run and had one RBI.
Left fielder Chas McCormick went 2 for 3 with a walk and a hit by pitch.
Second baseman Ben Cowles was 2 for 5.
Everyone in the lineup for Iowa had at least one hit and reached base twice.
RBI single for Bateman gives him a ten-game hit streak.
Brett Bateman extends his hitting streak to ten games and makes it a one run game! pic.twitter.com/xkKHnkTeAG
Three Knoxville pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout. Jace Beck got the start and allowed two runs over five innings. But what really stands out is that Beck struck out a career-hight ten and walked just one. He did hit one batter.
Yenrri Rojas pitched the next two innings and retired all six batters he faced. He struck out one of them and got the win.
Tyler Ras was on the mound for the final two innings and got the save. He allowed a leadoff double in the ninth, but no other baserunners. Ras struck out two.
The Smokies scored both runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on back-to-back singles by left fielder Carter Trice and catcher Ariel Armas. Both players were 1 for 3.
South Bend starter Koen Moreno put the Cubs down early when he gave up five runs in the first inning. One of the runs was an inside-the-park home run. However, four of the five runs Moreno allowed were unearned and he stayed in the game afterwards and gave the Cubs five innings. The final line on Moreno was five runs, one earned, on five hits over five innings. Moreno walked two and struck out two.
Jackson Brockett entered the game with the bases loaded and just one out in the sixth inning. He stranded all three runners and went on to pitch 4.1 innings of relief without allowing a run. He gave up two hits, walked no one and struck out three.
Ethan Bell did not allow a run or a hit over the final 2.1 innings and got the win, stranding the automatic runner in both the tenth and the eleventh. Bell walked three, one intentionally, and struck out four.
DH Ty Southisene singled home automatic runner Alex Madera in the top of the eleventh with what turned out to be the winning run. Southisene went 2 for 5 with a walk and three total RBI.
Center fielder Kane Kepley was 2 for 4 with a double, two walks and a stolen base. Kepley scored twice.
Shortstop Angel Cepeda came off the injured list and in his first game for South Bend since April, went 2 for 5 with a double and a walk.
First baseman Josiah Hartshorn was 1 for 4 with an RBI double, a walk and a sacrifice fly. Hartshorn scored one run and had the two runs batted in.
Kaleb Wing started this game and allowed one run on three hits over 2.2 innings. Wing walked four and struck out three.
Sam Mettert got tagged for four runs in the bottom of the eighth and took the loss. However, all four runs were unearned after two Pelicans errors. Mettert’s final line was four runs, all unearned, on three hits over two innings of relief. Mettert struck out two and walked no one.
Catcher Logan Poteet hit a solo home run in the eighth inning. It was his 11th on the season. Poteet was 2 for 3 with a double, the home run and two walks.
Right fielder Alexey Lumpuy went 3 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. He drove home two.
Center fielder Darlyn De Leon was 2 for 4 with a triple and one run scored. He also stole one base.
