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.”
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.
Jun 16, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II (23) bats against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Atlanta Braves skipper Walt Weiss provided a cautiously optimistic update on Michael Harris II on Friday. Weiss told reporters that Harris is feeling better and continuing to receive treatment for the back injury that sidelined him earlier this week.
Michael Harris II will continue to get treatment and could be available off the bench tonight. #Braves have not ruled out an IL stint if there's no improvement in the short-term.
However, Weiss also acknowledged that an injured list stint remains a possibility if Harris does not show enough improvement over the next few days. While Harris was available off the bench Friday, the Braves did not need to call on him as they secured the win.
For now, both Harris and the Braves are hoping continued treatment will allow him to avoid the injured list and return to the lineup soon.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 07: Gage Jump #79 of the Athletics throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning of a spring training game at Las Vegas Ballpark on March 07, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Angels defeated the Athletics 3-0. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Two full years have not even passed, yet, since Gage Jump was drafted by the Athletics in the 2nd round of the 2024 MLB Draft. To have made it to the big leagues and completed five consecutive scheduled starts in the A’s rotation in such a short amount of time is impressive. To be dominating professional hitters the way that he has in those starts is extraordinary.
Jump delivered his best performance so far last night, completely shutting down the Los Angeles Angels. He pitched 7.0 innings and struck out 7, only allowing a single hit. The 7 Ks are the most he’s had in any MLB start, so far, while the 1 hit is the fewest.
Southpaw Gage Jump faced only right-handed batters in his 5th big league start … and threw a gem anyway 💎
His debut against the Seattle Mariners back on May 26 was his only “bad” start, giving up 4 runs on 9 hits. But, still, he battled his way through 5.0 innings instead of getting yanked early. Since then, he’s been on a heater. In his next four starts, he’s only allowed 4 runs on 12 hits in 25.1 IP. That’s absurd for a pitcher as young as him.
All in all, Jump’s numbers look comparable to the top pitchers in the sport. Yes, it’s a small sample size, but the continued improvement through each of his starts is promising. Take a look at his stats, as a whole.
Former #LSU pitcher Gage Jump is straight MOWING people down in the big leagues.
In 5 starts, he’s now 3-1 with: 2.37 ERA 30.1 IP 21 H 8 RA 26 K 8 BB .200 BA against .99 WHIP
Those numbers for a guy who’s been in the Show for less than a month is straight SILLY. https://t.co/dVUWaTl2mc
Tiger fans have seen this story before, though. After pitching for the UCLA Bruins in his freshman year, he missed his sophomore season with Tommy John surgery. He then transferred to LSU and as he was steadily built up by Jay Johnson and Nate Yeskie coming back from the injury, he got better and better throughout that 2024 season. By the end of the year, he was considered one of the best aces in the SEC, due to these numbers:
6-2 record / 3.47 ERA / 83.0 IP / 101 K / 22 BB / 1.060 WHIP / .218 BA against
Simply put, Gage Jump is a stud. He’s also not done improving. He was sitting in the low-to-mid 90s with his fastball velocity just two years ago in Alex Box. He’s touched 99 mph already as a pro. The lefty and his funky delivery aren’t going anywhere any time soon. The Athletics have themselves a good one.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 19: Matt Festa #52 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts after a three run home run by Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros in the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Daikin Park on June 19, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guards would get off to a quick start with 2 of the first 3 hitters getting singles, but Bazzana and Rocchio would be stranded after back to back strikeouts by Hoskins and Schneemann. In the bottom half of the inning, the Astros would get on the board first. After the first 2 hitters were out, Christian Walker would draw a walk and come around to score on a throwing error by Khalil Watson in RF after Isaac Paredes singled. Bibee was able to strike out Altuve to end the inning and keep the score at 1-0.
After an uneventful 2nd inning, the Guards would tie the game on doubles by Bazzana and Rocchio and then take the lead on a 2 run homer by Rhys Hoskins. Houston would get 1 back in the bottom half of the 3rd on a solo shot by Jeremy Peña, making it a 3-2 game.
The score would remain 3-2 until the bottom half of the 6th inning. After issuing a leadoff walk to Yordan Alvarez and getting Walker to line out (on a nice jumping catch by Watson in right-center field), a ground ball single to RF by Paredes would spell the end of the night for Tanner Bibee. Matt Festa came on in relief and gave up the go ahead 3 run home run to Jose Altuve.
The Astros would tack on 2 more in the 7th on Jeremy Peña’s second home run of the game and a 2 out RBI double by Altuve off Daniel Espino. Erik Sabrowski would make his return in the 8th. He would only retire one batter and give up 2 runs. The 2nd run was surrendered by Shawn Armstrong, who came on in relief for Sabrowski. Armstrong would get out of the inning, only surrendering the one hit that scored the second run.
The Guardians offense could not muster any more runs, and 9-3 was the final score.
The Guards will look to even the series in Houston Saturday night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:15pm Eastern time. It will be Joey Cantillo on the mound for the Guards, taking on Spencer Arrighetti for the Astros.
Jun 19, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins pinch hitter Esteury Ruiz is congratulated by manager Clayton McCullough (86) after scoring against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
Landen Roupp last bagged a win on April 26th, when he allowed 3 runs over 7.2 innings against Friday’s opponent, the Miami Marlins.
When Roupp walked off the mound that night in late April, he felt satisfied. He had pitched into the 8th, authored his fourth quality start in the season’s first six games, whittled his ERA down to 2.55, his WHIP sub – 1.00, and set his team up for a win. The Giants did win that game, their fifth in six Roupp starts.
But in the intervening weeks something changed. Roupp climbed the hill eight different times and in various ways left it prematurely, frustrated, gassed, bogged-down, alienated. Only once during that stretch did he pitch through the 6th inning and earn a quality start. His ERA ballooned past 4.00.
As we all know after a feast comes a famine. Neither lasts forever — but one tends to end abruptly and the other lingers. On this Friday night in June, Roupp walked off the mound in Miami with 18 outs recorded for the first time in a month. It felt different, maybe not quite like a “feast,” but hinting at earlier days. Six complete, over the hump, with just one walk given, quickly erased on a double play to end his evening. After leaning on his signature curveball early, Roupp upped his change-up usage each time through the order with the off-speed fetching four of his seven total strikeouts. He surrendered 2 runs, both RBIs delivered by the bat of Owen Caissie.
It could’ve been worse, but the right-hander mitigated the damage and managed traffic with some gritty pitching. With a runner, or runners threatening from scoring position, Miami went just 1-for-8, including four K’s.
All that — and the Giants are now…0-9 with Roupp at the helm.
The drought continues. Roupp exited the game with a 3-2 lead. Every time Miami notched a run off of him, San Francisco’s offense had a response. They erased two deficits before nosing ahead in the 6th. Daniel Susac missed a grand slam by a couple of feet, settling for a sac fly in the 2nd. Soon after Caissie’s RBI double reclaimed their lead in the 5th, Rafael Devers led off the next frame with a 407 footer to the second deck in right-center.
Jung Hoo Lee piled on with a double, his second hit of the night, and scored on Casey Schmitt’s flipped single to right for the Giants’ first lead of the night.
The lead lasted for an inning. Not long for this world the moment Tony Vitello dipped into the Giants’ rainbow relief corps and pulled out Sam Hentges. In an 0-2 count, the Bible-thumping Hentges thumped pinch hitter Esteury Ruiz with a fastball to start the inning, defying the first of the Bullpen Commandments:Thou shalt not walk the leadoff batter. A transgression that proved consequential. Before Hentges could even record an out, Ruiz had rounded the bases on a bunt single and roller into right. Two pitches later Caissie collected his third RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly that proved to be the fatal coup.
A hit by pitch, a couple of singles, a sac fly shut San Francisco up for good. They had no response. Right when the pitching faltered, the offense went silent and cold. Three Miami relievers tag-teamed to retire the last 10 Giant hitters in order.
DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 19: Antonio Senzatela #49 and Hunter Goodman #15 of the Colorado Rockies celebrate the win after the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field on June 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies needed to win a winnable game. They made it harder than it needed to be, but they still got there.
The Rockies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 on Friday night at Coors Field, improving to 29-47 while Pittsburgh fell to 38-38. Kyle Freeland gave Colorado seven brilliant innings, reached 1,000 career strikeouts, and then watched the game nearly slip away in the eighth. The Rockies answered with two outs in the bottom half, and Antonio Senzatela escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the top of the ninth.
Senzatela got the win, improving to 7-0 with a 2.23 ERA.
Mason Montgomery took the loss for Pittsburgh, falling to 2-2 with a 4.71 ERA.
Freeland gives the Rockies a winnable game
Freeland was brilliant before the eighth changed the final line. He finished with 7.1 innings, four hits, two earned runs, no walks and eight strikeouts, with his ERA moving to 7.36. The two runs came after Freeland had worked seven scoreless innings, retired 15 straight Pirates and reached 1,000 career strikeouts.
Freeland threw 81 pitches, 57 for strikes, and leaned on his knuckle curve more than any other pitch. He threw it 26 times, ahead of his four-seam fastball at 25 and his cutter at 17. The knuckle curve produced three strikeouts, including the milestone pitch to Marcell Ozuna in the seventh.
Freeland’s first real test came in the second, when Brandon Lowe doubled sharply to right field. The ball left the bat at 107.5 mph and traveled 389 feet, the hardest contact against Freeland until the eighth. It was loud, but it stayed isolated. Freeland answered by striking out Endy Rodríguez on a foul tip and getting Esmerlyn Valdez to fly out to center field.
Jared Triolo singled and stole second in the third, but Freeland stranded him when Nick Gonzales flew out to Cole Carrigg. From there, Freeland controlled the middle of the game. He retired 15 straight from Triolo’s single through the end of the seventh, needed just 63 pitches to get through six innings, and came back out for the seventh still in control.
After Ryan O’Hearn flew out to Jake McCarthy in foul territory, Freeland ran the count full against Ozuna before finishing him with an 84.4 mph knuckle curve for career strikeout No. 1,000.
No. 1,001 came much faster. After a brief acknowledgment from the crowd, Freeland struck out Lowe on three pitches, going four-seamer, knuckle curve and cutter to close seven scoreless innings.
Rockies do enough against Chandler
The Rockies applied pressure, but Bubba Chandler never unraveled. He finished with six innings, six hits, two runs, two walks, one strikeout and two hit batters on 74 pitches. His ERA moved to 4.62.
Chandler leaned on premium velocity, throwing 35 four-seam fastballs that averaged 99 mph and 15 sinkers that averaged 98.3 mph. His hardest pitch was a 100.6 mph fastball, which came on his only strikeout of the night. Sterlin Thompson challenged the previous strike call through ABS, had it confirmed, then chased the next pitch above the zone.
Most of Chandler’s night did not look like that. The Rockies put 21 balls in play against him and did not strike out until Thompson’s plate appearance in the sixth. They did not turn that into a big offensive night, but they kept Chandler’s velocity from taking over the game.
Colorado’s first run came in the third. Thompson was hit by a pitch to open the inning, and Ezequiel Tovar followed with a bunt single in front of Rodríguez. Kyle Karros then grounded to Triolo, who cut down Thompson at third, but Tovar moved to second and Karros reached first.
After McCarthy lined out, Willi Castro fell behind 0-2, fouled off a 99.6 mph fastball, then stayed on an 87.7 mph curveball and lined it 104.2 mph to right field.
Tovar scored from second, Karros moved to third, and the Rockies led 1-0.
TJ Rumfield added the second run in the fourth, driving his 11th home run of the season to right field. The 427-foot solo shot left the bat at 101.3 mph and pushed the lead to 2-0. Rumfield had already singled in the second, but Tyler Freeman erased that inning with a double play.
The Rockies had chances to do more. Tovar opened the fifth with his second hit, but Karros grounded into Colorado’s second double play. McCarthy followed with his 12th double, Castro walked, and Hunter Goodman hit a 105.7 mph line drive to center field, but Billy Cook was there to end the inning.
Chandler gave Colorado another opening in the sixth when he hit Freeman, Freeman’s 11th hit-by-pitch of the season, and walked Carrigg. Thompson’s strikeout and Tovar’s groundout ended that chance.
Yohan Ramírez replaced Chandler to start the bottom of the seventh and retired Karros, McCarthy and Castro in order.
The eighth gets away, then Fulford answers
The eighth changed the game.
Rodríguez grounded out to open the inning, but Valdez followed with a double, a 110.7 mph line drive to center off a 91.5 mph four-seam fastball. Triolo then doubled to right, scoring Valdez and cutting the Rockies’ lead to 2-1. That ended Freeland’s night.
Jaden Hill entered with Triolo at second and Bryan Reynolds pinch-hitting for Cook. Hill threw six sinkers in a 10-pitch appearance, but Reynolds singled through the middle to score Triolo and tie the game at 2-2.
The Rockies briefly slowed the inning when Jake Mangum, running for Reynolds, was thrown out trying to steal second after Colorado challenged the initial safe call, with Goodman’s throw and Tovar’s tag giving them the second out.
Hill still had to finish the inning. He hit Spencer Horwitz with a pitch, and Gonzales followed with a triple to right field that scored Horwitz and gave the Pirates a 3-2 lead. Hill got O’Hearn to fly out to center, but the inning had flipped.
Hill’s line was 0.2 innings, two hits, one earned run, no walks and no strikeouts, with his ERA moving to 5.19. The inherited runner charged to Freeland scored, making Freeland’s final line look less clean than the first seven innings felt.
Colorado answered with two outs in the bottom half.
Goodman flew out against Ramírez to open the inning, and Mason Montgomery replaced Ramírez after an injury delay. Rumfield grounded out softly, leaving the Rockies one out from taking a deficit into the ninth.
Freeman kept the inning alive with a single to right, and Carrigg followed with a single to left. Braxton Fulford then pinch-hit for Thompson and worked the count in his favor. After seeing three fastballs and a curveball, Fulford got a 97.5 mph fastball from Montgomery and lined it to center field. The ball left the bat at 109.5 mph and traveled 302 feet, scoring Freeman and Carrigg for a 4-3 Rockies lead.
Tovar struck out to end the inning, but Fulford’s third double of the season gave Colorado the lead back.
Senzatela survives the ninth
Senzatela came on for the ninth with a one-run lead and immediately had to work through traffic.
Ozuna opened the inning with a single to right, and Henry Davis entered as a pinch-runner. Lowe then reached on a fielder’s choice when Tovar could not handle a sharp grounder, with the error moving Davis to third. Senzatela walked Rodríguez, loading the bases with nobody out.
Senzatela got the first out himself, striking out Tyler Callihan with a 96.7 mph four-seam fastball and keeping the tying run at third.
Then the Rockies got the ground ball they needed. Triolo hit it to Tovar, who flipped to Castro at second. Castro stayed on the bag, pivoted and threw to first, and Rumfield secured the final out. The play went to review, but the call was upheld.
The Rockies had turned a bases-loaded, no-out jam into a game-ending double play. It was not clean, but it was enough.
Final notes
The Rockies finished with four runs, nine hits and one error. The Pirates had three runs, seven hits and no errors.
Colorado struck out only twice as a team, a notable number against Chandler’s velocity-heavy mix. The Rockies went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and had two two-out RBI, one from Castro in the third and two from Fulford in the eighth. They left seven runners on base.
They found a way to win the winnable game.
Up next
The Rockies continue the series against the Pirates on Saturday night at Coors Field, with first pitch set for 7:10 p.m. MDT.
It will be a tough follow-up assignment for Colorado. Pittsburgh is scheduled to start Paul Skenes, who enters at 6-6 with a 2.85 ERA and 99 strikeouts. The Rockies will counter with Tomoyuki Sugano, who is 7-4 with a 4.54 ERA and 41 strikeouts.
After finding a way through Friday’s late-game mess, the Rockies get one of the league’s toughest arms next.
NBA champion Knicks guard Josh Hart has fully embraced the Cam Schlittler hype train.
Following a dominant start that saw the Yankees right-hander reach new heights on Friday night at the Stadium, Hart took to social media with an endorsement for Schlittler winning the most prestigious pitching award in baseball.
“Schlitty is the Cy Young winner hands down,” Hart wrote on X.
The post from Hart arrives as Schlittler struck out a career-high 13 hitters in six scoreless innings as the Yankees defeated the Reds 5-0.
Cam Schlittler pitched six scoreless innings and struck out 13 batters in the Yankees’ 5-0 win over the Reds on June 19, 2026 at the Stadium. Getty Images
Schlittler continues to emerge as one of baseball’s biggest breakout stars, a continuation of what Yankees fans saw brewing last year.
The 25-year-old right-hander has developed into one of the best young pitchers in baseball.
He arrived for his June 19 start with a league-best WAR at 3.8, as well as an American League-best ERA at 1.82, which dropped to 1.71 following his latest effort.
In Schlittler’s first 16 starts this season, he has 109 strikeouts across 95 innings pitched.
Hart’s endorsement comes during what has been a memorable week for the Knicks star.
Josh Hart gets a key to the city from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was wearing his jersey during the Knicks’ championship parade. NBAE via Getty Images
After helping deliver New York its first NBA championship since 1973, Hart on Thursday participated in a massive ticker-tape parade through Manhattan that drew millions of fans.
Hart was a key contributor throughout the championship season and really has been his entire Knicks tenure since arriving in New York via trade during the 2022-23 season.
Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart are all smiles after throwing out the first pitch in the Yankees’ win over the White Sox on June 17, 2026 at the Stadium. NBAE via Getty Images
Known for his rebounding, tenacity and two-way versatility, the veteran wing averaged 10.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game in the playoffs.
His all-around play helped New York complete a dominant playoff run that ended with a Finals victory over San Antonio.
The celebration tour continued this week when Hart and Finals MVP Jalen Brunson threw out ceremonial first pitches at Yankee Stadium before a game against the White Sox.
To no surprise, the showing was met with raucous ovation from Yankees fans, many of whom have likely also been celebrating the Knicks’ championship team.
The Yankees, as they chase their 28th World Series title, sit at 46-28 and three games up in the AL East.
