SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 17: Harry Ford #17 of the Washington Nationals is congratulated by third base coach Victor Estevez #7 after Ford hit a two-run home run against the Athletics in the top of the fifth inning at Sutter Health Park on July 17, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hopefully the Nats did not get all of the runs out of their system in one night. After last night’s 23 run explosion, the Nats will look for a series win against the A’s tonight. As we saw last night, this is a hitter friendly yard and the A’s bullpen is also very hitter friendly.
With a righty on the mound, Blake Butera will make some tweaks. Luis Garcia Jr. will get his first start after the break. Dylan Crews is the only pure right handed hitter in the lineup, hitting 9th. Jose Tena, Keibert Ruiz and Jorbit Vivas will be in the lineup. Zack Littell will make his first start of the second half.
The A’s are also making a couple tweaks. Long time Met Jeff McNeil will be in the lineup in the 9 spot. Another veteran in Jonah Heim will be in the lineup, and he will be the DH. Otherwise, it is a lot of the same faces as last night. J.T. Ginn has had a breakout year and he is on the mound tonight.
The late night Nats are back this evening, with a 10:05 start. If you stayed up last night, you got to see a show. Hopefully that will be the case again in this one. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
Jul 7, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Athletics pitcher J.T. Ginn (35) pitches in the second inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Last night, the Athletics kicked off the second half the same way they finished the first half, suffering an embarrassing 23-4 defeat to kick off this three-game series against the Washington Nationals.
The team’s change at pitching coach did not provide an immediate boost, as several A’s pitchers combined to allow 18 runs in another disastrous performance at Sutter Health Park.According to OptaSTATS, during this 10-game skid, the A’s have made unwanted history, becoming the first MLB team to post an OPS that low (.575) while allowing an opponent OPS that high (1.019).
Tonight, the A’s can even this series and collect just their second win of the month. Before the game, the team made several roster moves following its latest humiliating loss.
Right-handed reliever Justin Sterner, who was one of two pitchers that allowed six runs yesterday, lands on the injured list with right knee chondromalacia, otherwise known as runners knee. If that was the cause of his recent struggles, hopefully his performance will improve once he returns from the injury.
The A’s recalled right-hander Geoff Hartlieb to take his place in the bullpen. First baseman Joey Meneses was designated for assignment to open a 40-man roster spot. The 34-year-old went 3-for-20 in nine games with the Athletics over the past few weeks. Now the club has five days to find a trade partner or place Meneses on waivers.
Speaking of trades, the A’s sent Aaron Civale, who had been designated for assignment a few days earlier, to the Chicago Cubs. The veteran pitcher returns to the team he finished the 2025 season with. In return, the “Green and Gold’ received minor-league pitcher Aiden Moffett, an undrafted free agent out of West Virginia. Moffett has struck out more than a batter per inning this season, but he has also issued 42 walks in just 22⅓ innings between the Arizona Complex League and Single-A.
The #Athletics have acquired Aiden Moffett from the Cubs for fellow right-hander Aaron Civale.
Moving to tonight’s game, A’s right-hander J.T. Ginn will make his 19th start of the season. The 27-year-old enters his first outing of the second half with a 7-6 record, a 3.67 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP and 93 strikeouts over 103 innings.
Ginn ended his breakout first half on a sour note. He exited his start in Detroit after four innings because of an illness. A few days later, he imploded in the A’s final game before the All-Star break against the Chicago White Sox, allowing six runs in the bottom of the first inning and erasing his team’s early 1–0 lead.
This evening, the Athletics desperately need a quality start from Ginn. He must keep the ball down in the zone, trust his sinker to generate ground-ball outs and avoid mistake pitches. That will not be easy, as the Nationals have scored the most runs in the majors, but Ginn has proven to be the one starter the A’s can consistently count on when he takes the mound.
He will face off against Nationals’ right-hander Zack Littell, who is 7-6 with a 4.90 ERA through 19 appearances, including 12 starts, in his first season in the nation’s capital. Yesterday, the A’s offense struggled against Cade Cavalli’s overpowering arsenal. Littell presents a different challenge. With just 57 strikeouts in 90 innings, he relies on keeping hitters off balance and generating weak contact rather than overpowering them. That approach has paid off recently, as the 30-year-old has pitched well over his last three appearances, though he has earned just one win during that stretch.
While the team’s pitching has received most of the criticism, its offense has also failed to meet expectations.
Catcher Shea Langeliers needs to carryover his All-Star Game performance into games that actually matter. With Henry Bolte on the bench after a tough game in the series-opener,Lawrence Butler shifts to center field. Donovan Walton gets a second straight start at second base, while Jonah Heim and Jeff McNeil make their first starts of the series.
One of the club’s top prospects, Tommy White, is out of the starting lineup after making his MLB debut and collecting his first hit last night. Given the A’s record and the absence of Nick Kurtz, it is surprising to see Tommy Tanks not playing, but hopefully McNeil will prove the doubters wrong.
Ginn will go up against this lineup for Blake Butera’s Nationals:
Francisco Alvarez's throwing error in the bottom of the fifth inning on a pickoff attempt moved Kyle Schwarber from first to third base, putting him in position to score on a single later in the frame. Then, in the sixth inning with Philadelphia up 6-1, Francisco Lindor's relay throw to third base went wild, allowing Bryce Harper to advance to second base easily and giving him his third straight game with an error.
Luckily, Lindor's mistake didn't add to the Phillies' lead, but it did continue the trend of poor defensive mistakes for the 2026 Mets as the star shortstop is already up to six errors in only 42 games this season. After the loss, he was asked if what interim manager Andy Green described as "sloppy play" is creating a mental block for the team across the board and took blame for his mistakes, saying his level of play needs to improve.
"I can't really speak about everybody else. From my point of view, he's right, it was sloppy. It's not to the level that I expect myself and it's not the level that people expect us to play here," Lindor said. "For me, defense, it's the most important thing and it's been not good, not good at all. I'm letting down the pitchers that have worked extremely hard.
"Thankfully, tonight, my error didn't lead to a run. However, it lead to high-leverage situations. Where it was just we could have pitched with someone on first and third. Overall, just got to get better. When it comes to mental mistakes, yeah, that was a mental mistake today. I got a little fast and tried to make something happen and I wasn't fully aligned to go to third base."
Lindor, who owns a career .980 fielding percentage and had made just 55 errors in his first five seasons with the Mets, said the team needs to be better about "turning the page" after a mistake and continue to support each other when they happen.
"You got to focus on what you have in front of you," Lindor said. "And as soon as you make that error, try to focus on turning the page and then expect the ball to be hit back to you. It's one of those where per game, it's happened a little too much. But with that being said, everybody is working... you just got to rely on each other and have the mentality of picking each other up."
He added: "We know each other, we're here for each other and we know nobody's going to make the mistakes. At the end of the day, everybody cares for each other here. As a defensive player, I want to get it done for the pitcher. And in the same thing, the pitchers want to help us when we mess up. And when we're on offense, we want to score for everybody to have the lead and help the pitchers be a little more comfortable. Everybody trusts each other here and we're playing for each other.
After missing 57 games, it was expected that Lindor would take some time to reacclimate at the plate, but not on defense. When asked if there has been a bit of an adjustment period for him defensively since returning on June 24, Lindor said that either way, he needs to get back to his "standard."
"I've never really thought about it, but there have been some plays that have gone a little fast," Lindor said. "I don't know if it's missing time or if it's just, I got to just get better. The way I view it, bottom line, I just got to get better.
"I don't know if it's a time thing, to me, that's not an excuse. I'm back on a major league field, I got to play like a major league player. I got to play to the standard that the New York Mets want and I got to play up to my standard as well."
Green and the team believe that Lindor can get back to that level this season, especially when they get "on the attack defensively." The 32-year-old noted that returning to full form is a "high mountain" he plans on climbing the rest of the season.
"He's a guy that we believe in, we'll continue to believe in," Green said. "He's got a long track record of being one of the absolute best shortstops in baseball. Have confidence that he will be that before this season is out."
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 18: Cam Sanders #73 and Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles react after a win against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on July 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles may or may not be a good team. But right now, they’re pulling off a heck of a lot of improbable wins.
The O’s stunned the Astros in Houston for a second straight game, somehow emerging with a 4-2, 11-inning victory to extend their season-best winning streak to six. It was a game the Birds seemingly had no business winning. Their offense was a no-show throughout regulation, squandering nearly every scoring opportunity, as the top five hitters in the lineup were a combined 0-for-19. The Birds faced certain doom in the bottom of the 10th when the Astros put the winning run on third base with nobody out. But Tyler O’Neill made a game-saving defensive play and later drove in the Orioles’ go-ahead run, and new reliever Cam Sanders locked it down with a perfect 11th for the save.
Let’s jump right ahead to the most unbelievable part of this ridiculous game, the Orioles’ Houdini act in the bottom of the 10th. The clubs were locked in a 2-2 tie and the Astros loaded the bases with nobody out against Andrew Kittredge. The O’s, for all intents and purposes, were screwed. Doomed. Destined for defeat. There’s no escaping this. The Astros didn’t even need a hit to win. A well-placed grounder or a deep fly ball. Or a walk, or a wild pitch, or a hundred other possibilities. The O’s had only two outfielders, with center fielder Leody Taveras coming in to give the Birds a five-man infield. Only a miracle would keep this game alive for the Orioles.
Apparently, folks, miracles do occur. Jose Altuve lofted a fly to center. Right fielder Tyler O’Neill had to range over to make the catch, and Nick Allen, the runner from third, tagged up and busted toward the plate. O’Neill fired the ball toward home with such force that he knocked himself off his feet. His throw sailed a bit up the third-base line, but catcher Samuel Basallo snagged it and made a great tag of Allen as he slid past. OUT! DOUBLE PLAY! Wow! I didn’t think O’Neill had any chance of cutting down the runner, especially with a somewhat off-line throw, but incredibly, it worked out.
The O’s weren’t done flashing great defense. Now with runners at second and third, the next batter, LaMonte Wade Jr., tried to catch the Orioles off guard with a bunt, laying it down the third-base line. This time it was Kittredge himself who dazzled defensively, racing over to barehand the ball and whipping a strong, accurate throw to first to just nip the runner. One false move — a bobble by Kittredge or an off-line throw — would’ve resulted in a hit and scored the winning run. Kudos to the veteran Kittredge for keeping his cool and making the play. The Orioles, amazingly, had escaped the jam unscathed and lived to play another inning.
The momentum back on their side, the O’s took the lead for good in the top of the 11th. With Gunnar Henderson on second base as the free runner, Taylor Ward drew a leadoff walk. Astros righty Enyel De Los Santos very nearly got out of it, striking out Pete Alonso and Samuel Basallo, but once again it was O’Neill who played the hero. On his slow grounder to second, Altuve was late to get to the ball, and O’Neill — hustling down the line at an uncharacteristically speedy 29.3 feet per second — beat the throw to first. Henderson, who never stopped running, scored all the way from second base with the go-ahead run. Taveras followed with an RBI single to add some insurance, making it 4-2.
With the Orioles having already used all their high-leverage relievers, Craig Albernaz turned to newcomer Cam Sanders to secure the save in the bottom of the 11th. Sanders had made a fantastic first impression the previous night in his O’s debut, escaping a bases-loaded jam and notching the win, and he was no less impressive this time around. He coolly retired all three batters he faced, including a game-ending strikeout of Dezenzo that clinchde an outstanding O’s win. In his first two games as an Oriole, Sanders has earned both his first major league win and his first major league save. Can’t get much better than that.
What a victory. Before the extra-inning heroics, it seemed like this game was destined to be another of those frustrating Orioles defeats in which they only have themselves to blame. Their offense, specifically, was a source of constant frustration in the first nine innings. They failed to take advantage of Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti, who was a control-challenged mess, walking four batters and plunking another over the course of his five innings.
For example: in the third inning, Arrighetti issued back-to-back walks, bringing up Gunnar Henderson. You would think Henderson might take a pitch or two from a guy who couldn’t find the strike zone. You would think! Instead, Gunnar hacked at the first pitch and popped out to short. (He went 0-for-5 in this game and is hitless in the series. If you thought the All-Star break might cure what’s ailed Gunnar, sad to say he seems more lost at the plate than ever.) Taylor Ward then flied out on a 3-0 pitch, ending the inning.
The frustration only mounted in the fourth. Again, Arrighetti got himself into immediate trouble with an Alonso walk and Basallo HBP. Dylan Beavers followed with a produtive at-bat, lashing a double down the right-field line. Alonso scored, Basallo moved to third, and the O’s were up 1-0 with runners at second and third and nobody out, on the verge of a big inning.
But the next three Orioles put up some pathetic at-bats. Colton Cowser and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, making his Orioles debut, were each retired on the first pitch, failing to score the runner. And Jackson Holliday completed the trifecta of ineptitude by striking out. Ouch. Even after Arrighetti left the game, the O’s biffed another rally in the sixth when Cowser grounded into a double play with two runners on. Remember those two weeks or so when it seemed like Colton had finally figured things out? Those were nice. Now he’s 5-for-44 in his last 18 games, looking hopeless again.
Still, Trevor Rogers nearly made the slim one-run lead hold up. Rogers wasn’t perfect, but he was able to pitch himself out of nearly every threat the Astros tried to put together. One came right off the bat in the bottom of the first, when the Astros had three hits but didn’t score, thanks to a double play and a strikeout.
Rogers dodged a jam again in the fifth. A pair of singles put two aboard for the dangerous Yordan Alvarez, the American League’s best hitter in, oh, basically every category. Rogers made a big pitch when he needed to, retiring Alvarez on a grounder up the middle. The 1-0 Orioles lead was still intact.
But the O’s couldn’t count on Rogers to be flawless forever, and in the bottom of the seventh, the branch snapped. After retiring the first batter, Rogers gave up back-to-back singles that put runners at the corners, ending his night at 99 pitches. For Rogers, it was his fifth straight start of one or fewer runs allowed, lowering his ERA to 4.28. He’s been fantastic since the start of June.
Sadly, he wasn’t rewarded with a win. The Astros’ Nick Allen laid down a perfect squeeze bunt against Rico Garcia that plated Zach Dezenzo from third, tying the score. The Orioles really should have scored a few more runs earlier, huh? Garcia at least got out of the inning without further damage, starting an impressive couple of innings by the bullpens. Yennier Cano and Tyler Wells each worked a perfect inning for the Orioles, while Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader did the same for the Astros, sending the 1-1 tie into extra innings.
Briefly, the O’s got the upper hand in the top of the 10th. An Encarnacion-Strand single moved the free runner, Taveras, to third base, and pinch-hitter Jeremiah Jackson laid down a squeeze bunt to bring him home. It was the Orioles’ first run since the fourth inning, giving them a 2-1 lead.
The lead slipped away in the bottom of the 10th against Kittredge, which began with an Allen bunt single and an Alvarez game-tying RBI double, followed by a Henderson error. That set up the aforementioned bases-loaded, no-out jam and the wondrous escape that followed. The Orioles were facing defeat right in the face. And they said, “Not today.”
Who is your Most Birdland Player, Camden Chatters? Is it Tyler O’Neill for his game-saving throw to the plate and his go-ahead single? Andrew Kittredge for escaping a jam (albeit one of his own making)? Trevor Rogers for another strong outing? Let us know in the comments.
HOUSTON (AP) — Right-hander Kyle Bradish and the Baltimore Orioles agreed Saturday to a $90 million, five-year contract for 2027-31.
Bradish has a $3.55 million salary this year after beating the team in arbitration. The new deal covers what would have been Bradish’s final two years of arbitration eligibility under the rules of the current labor contract.
The 29-year-old is 6-9 with a 3.61 ERA in 19 starts this year, his first full season back from Tommy John surgery in 2024. He finished fourth in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2023 after posting a 2.83 ERA over 30 starts. He has a 3.50 ERA in five major league seasons, all with the Orioles.
“Keeping players of Kyle’s caliber in an Orioles uniform is an important part of our long-term vision,” Orioles owner David Rubenstein said in a statement.
A fourth-round pick by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2018 amateur draft, Bradish was acquired with three other players in a trade on Dec. 4, 2019, that sent right-hander Dylan Bundy to the Angels.
Jul 18, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu (52) reacts to his two run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the seventh inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
I barely have the words to describe my excitement with this streak and my amazement with this team. I’m going to try.
Boy, these Red Sox are winning in every way possible. Yesterday with a starting gem and powerful offense in Game 1, then a bullpen game holding the line in Game 2. This afternoon’s bout did something different.
The beginning of this game was back-and-forth-two runs for the Rays, Sox snatch it right back; Sox grab one, Rays get one very soon thereafter. Jahmai Jones, welcome to Boston with a two-run shot in his first start as a member of the Sox! Wilyer Abreu torched one over the center field fence, 435 feet, and that was the last time the Sox would have the lead for a bit. Yeah, the top of the 4th is when starter Patrick Sandoval collased, just dishing meatballs and giving the Rays a two-run lead. In the top of the 7th, Jonny DeLuca’s solo shot snuck into the Monster seats and it felt like the air deflated out of the crowd; it looked like this was the end.
Not so fast.
Andruw Monasterio opened the bottom of the seventh with a double. Jarren Duran reached on a fielding error by Rays first baseman Ryan Vilade combined with Cole Sulser not actually touching first base—a gift, but this team knows what to do with gifts. Masataka Yoshida pinch hit and grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Monasterio. That’s one. Anthony Seigler strikes out, now there are two outs. Then Ceddanne Rafaela, down to two strikes, lined a double to make it a one-run ballgame.
The Rays went to Garrett Cleavinger. Whether the thinking was to get a lefty on lefty look against Abreu is a question for their dugout, just my hypothesis. Either way, it didn’t work. Full count. Fenway on its feet. Abreu demolished a two-run shot to the bullpen and both the crowd—and Abreu himself—completely lost it. 7-6. This is the type of frame that has defined this win streak. Don’t go down quietly.
Whitlock threw a clean eighth. Chapman walked two in the ninth—and made everyone in the ballpark chew their fingernails—then slammed the door for save number 21.
49-48. Twelve in a row. And for the first time since March, the Boston Red Sox are above .500. This was the first time all season the Red Sox have won a game being down three runs or more at some point—they were 0 and 34 before this. At some point you stop calling it a hot streak and just BELIEVE.
Studs
Wilyer Abreu (2-for-3, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB)
Four home runs in two games. The last Sox to have back-to-back multiple home run games was Mookie Betts in 2018. The solo shot in the third gave the Sox the lead. The two-run blast in the seventh won the game. Something has clicked for him over the last week that wasn’t completely there most of this season—harder contact, pulling the ball with authority, doing it against all types of pitching. The Sox need it to keep going. If you’re not watching Wilyer Abreu right now, you should be.
Jahmai Jones (1-for-1, HR, 2 RBI, 1 R)
Acquired this week for basically a bag of peanuts, pinch hit in Game 2 of yesterday’s doubleheader, and goes deep in his first start at Fenway Park. The two-run shot in the second off Seymour set the tone for the day, tying the game after going down 2-0 quickly. Walk into a clubhouse riding a 12-game win streak and maybe the nerves don’t hit the same way. Whatever the reason, Jones swung like he’d been there all summer. Well, for only one at-bat. T’is the life of a utility guy!
The line is quiet but the hit was enormous. Down two with two outs and two strikes in the seventh, Rafaela poked a double down the line to make it a one-run game and set up the Abreu moment. That’s not an easy spot. Cedd was not giving that at-bat away. Also he continues to define what it means to be a Gold Glove defending center fielder.
Duds
Patrick Sandoval (5.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)
Nine hits in five innings is a lot. He kept the Rays to five runs and struck out five, which is good enough to give his team a chance—and the offense did the rest—but that’s not the outing you draw up. Hopefully a one-off and not a sign that opposing lineups are starting to figure him out. The only good thing is he got long enough and the Sox pulled it back to where they didn’t need to use Brayan Bello!
Anthony Seigler (0-for-4, 3 K)
A golden sombrero on a day when the offense scraped together just six hits. Not the time. He did have an awesome reaction to Willy’s game-winning homer.
Play of the Game
Do I even have to explain it? Of course it’s Wilyer Abreu’s second homer.
The Rays continued their miserable play coming out of the break and extended their losing streak to four games with a 7-6 loss in Boston thanks to an all too familiar script of poor pitch execution and defensive miscues. The loss gave Boston its twelvth consecutive victory while reducing the division lead over the Yankees to two games.
There was hope early in this contest when the Rays scored two runs in the second thanks to a leadoff double by Ryan Vilade and a butcher boy single by Chandler Simpson that had the potential to knock out Willson Contreras who got this close to home plate before Simpson pulled back the bunt to swing away:
Nick Fortes would later drive in Simpson with a single of his own, but that lead would be short-lived as Rays pitching could not deliver a shut down inning. Every time the Rays have had a lead in this series until this moment, the Red Sox have come back to at least tie the game and the bottom of the second would be no different.
After a ten-pitch at bat to Andrew Monasterio which ended with an overturned strike three call, Jahmai Jones and his 23 OPS+ came in and deposited a hanging sweeper 407 feet to tie the game:
Seymour, coming into this game, had an OPS of .492 when ahead in the count, .644 when even in the count, and 1.156 when behind in the count. Those numbers got worse after this homer. Seymour would go on and retire Willson Contreras, who turns out, would be Seymour’s last batter of the game. Cash went to a quick hook with Seymour entrusting a well-rested A-pen to get 18 outs. The thought process could have been to go for the win here with the unfavorable matchup on Sunday. For three innings, the move looked like a stroke of genius as Kevin Kelly and Casey Legumina held the Red Sox to a single run over three innings. Fans were likely feeling pretty good with a 6-3 lead after a solo homer by Jonny DeLuca in the top of the 7th. Then, the bottom of the 7th inning happened.
The inning began with a legged out double by Andrew Monasterio, who took advantage of Simpson’s throwing arm and got into second because the throw was rushed, offline, and short of second base where an average throw nails him. Jarren Duran would then reach base because Ryan Vilade and Cole Sulser could not cleanly pull off a PFP play. Vilade’s lob was a little high, but Sulser still failed to touch the bag with either of his last two steps. Sulser nearly pitched his way out of it getting an RBI groundout from Masataka Yoshida and a fortunate strikeout of Anthony Siegler who swung through a misplace strike 3. Sulser’s night would be over after allowing a two-out double to Cedanne Rafaela, and Garret Cleavinger was brought into clean up the mess and face the red-hot Abreu.
Abreu has historically been terrible against lefties. Coming into 2026, he had hit .205 against them with a 62 wRC+ and two home runs in 145 plate appearances. Abreu has turned that around, and then some, in 2026 with a .345 average against lefties and a 162 wRC+ in 127 plate appearances and continued that success taking a full-count misplaced fastball into the bleachers for his second homer of the game and his second consecutive multi-homer game:
The Rays would mount a two-out rally in the 9th on back to back walks off Aroldis Chapman, but both runners would stay there and the club has now lost four consecutive contests while Boston simply cannot do anything wrong. Staff ace Sonny Gray takes the mound tomorrow as the Rays attempt to dig themselves out of a hole they’ve mostly constructed themselves with defensive and pitch execution issues.
This stretch of baseball coming out of the break has simply been about as unwatchable as this team has been in some time, and it could not come at the worst possible time.
Jul 18, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich (22) gets caught in a rundown by Miami Marlins catcher Joe Mack (80) during the seventh inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
On a day that started with so much bad news, Sal Frelick going on IL, Brandon Woodruff needing surgery, and Brice Turang getting scratched, the Brewers still continue to plug along and win ballgames as they secured an 8-6 win over the Miami Marlins.
Shane Drohan was excellent once more, completing 6 innings for this third consecutive start. Drohan ended up with a career-high in strikeouts with nine. He started the day with three punchouts in the 1st inning and also struck out the side in the 5th.
Drohan did have to work around a little trouble in the 2nd inning when the Marlins put on their best Milwaukee Brewers impression. They dropped in a medium-hit double, had two bunt singles, a hard hit single, a fielder’s choice and a sacrifice fly to put three runs on the board.
The Brewers had to scratch and claw their way back after that. It started in the bottom of the 2nd, which began with a Garrett Mitchell single. He ended up scoring on a sacrifice fly from Braden Shewmake. Milwaukee would then scratch another run across in the 3rd inning. Jackson Chourio led off the inning with a walk, then stole second base, before William Contreras ripped a double off the top of the wall to bring Chourio home.
That stolen base was just one of seven steals on the day for the Brewers.
“I’m glad to be on this side of it because when I was in Houston, we were worried about that, cause you run wild over here. High percentage, pick good times to run, and it puts a lot of pressure on defenses. So being on this side, it’s a lot more fun.” Braden Shewmake said.
Jackson Chourio stole two bases to get up to 10 steals on the year. Shewmake, Mitchell, Joey Ortiz, and Christian Yelich all had steals. Luis Lara also stole a base, the first of his young career. Lara had 24 stolen bases for Triple-A Nashville this year and had 40+ each of the past two seasons.
The Brewers were still down by a run heading into the 6th inning. Shewmake led off the inning with a 110.4 MPH double to right, which was followed by walks from Joey Ortiz and Christian Yelich. The bases were then loaded for Jackson Chourio, who immediately slapped a single to center to give the Brewers the lead.
A few batters later, Garrett Mitchell also delivered with a hustle double to bring home two more runs and the Brewers were up 6-3.
They’d get some insurance that turned out to be very crucial in the 7th when Christian Yelich drove an opposite field double that brought home two more runs to make it 8-3.
That would be much needed as Pat Murphy tried to squeeze a second inning out of Craig Yoho to get through the 9th without using another leverage arm. But Yoho put two runners on then gave up a three run blast to Griffin Conine and the game was within two.
“You want to preserve somebody that hasn’t pitched yet. You know Yoho’s down tomorrow anyways, right? Regardless. One inning today, eight pitches, and he’s going good. He’s not pitching tomorrow anyways, so why use another guy?” Pat Murphy said.
Murphy had to turn to Megill anyways, and Megill shut down the three batters he faced and the Brewers were able to secure an 8-6 win over the Marlins.
They have a chance to sweep the Marlins tomorrow with Robert Gasser on the mound. Eury Perez will be pitching for Miami.
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge will need another scan before a major ramp-up of activity while his fractured rib heals, and the New York Yankees moved their captain to the 60-day injured list Saturday.
Sidelined since May 31, Judge had a scan during the All-Star break that was reviewed by Dr. Gregory J. Pearl, chair of the department of vascular surgery at Baylor Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital in Texas.
“Obviously healing going on, which is good, but still not able to start any baseball activities or anything,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers was rained out and rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader Sunday.
“He needs to get to a point to where he’s asymptomatic to where you really start ramping up more upper body stuff,” Boone said.
Judge is hitting .248 with 17 homers and 38 RBIs but had just one homer in his last 18 games before going on the injured list.
“The good news is, you know the the pain is subsiding somewhat over the last couple weeks and changing from that sharp to more of that pull,” Boone said. “So hopefully he continues to improve there and then we can start upping things.”
Boone said how Judge feels will determine when he goes for another scan.
New York was 36-23 when the 34-year-old outfielder last played but is 18-20 since.
His move to the 60-day IL was procedural to open a 40-man roster spot for right-hander Bradley Hanner, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Hanner then was optioned back to the RailRiders.
A 30-year-old right-hander, Schmidt threw four-seamers, sinkers and cutters among 15 pitches to Anthony Volpe and Ali Sánchez. He did not throw sliders, sweepers or knuckle-curves.
“Not full game feeling with the butterflies and stuff like that, but close to it,” Schmidt said. “To be able to put your stuff on display and be able get back out there after a year is a good feeling.”
Schmidt had an internal brace in this operation. He had Tommy John surgery in May 2017, a month before the Yankees selected him with the 16th overall pick in the amateur draft.
“The first one, when you kind of start the bullpen phase, it feels a little yucky at times and you just have a lot more days where you’re like, ah, it doesn’t feel great,” he said. “It just feels a little more easier where it’s like I don’t have to reach back and have those days where you’re grinding a little bit.”
Schmidt is to throw batting practice again in four or five days. He may return this year as a reliever and is willing to be an opener or a bridge pitcher.
“I know that we have a little more limited time for me this year as far as ability to build up the pitch count,” he said. “Obviously I’m open to everything as long as I’m out there competing and being able to help the guys. ... I know I’ll be able to be back at some point in some facet this year.”
“He is a week into the running progression, been hitting,” Boone said. “Obviously had a setback, whenever, three, four weeks ago now, but he seems to be moving in a good direction so hopefully getting close.”
Stanton still hasn’t run the bases.
Max Fried to get another minor league rehab start
Left-hander Max Fried, out since May 14 because of a left elbow bone bruise, made his first rehab start Friday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre against Worcester, allowing two runs and five hits over three innings with three strikeouts and no walks.
“He looked really good. I watched his whole outing,” Boone said. “He felt really good. So 52 pitches, so another one in five days. We’ll up that and we’ll see what we’re at from there.”
George Lombard potentially an option
Shortstop prospect George Lombard Jr. went 2 for 3 with a home run and a walk for the RailRiders on Friday night in his return from the injured list. He hadn’t played for Scranton since June 16 because of sprained fingers on his left hand.
“Obviously it’s no secret how highly we think of George,” Boone said. “Had a good game last night, obviously, so he’s certainly more and more in his development pushing himself into the conversation.”
A 21-year-old son of a former major leaguer, Lombard is hitting .239 with five homers, 16 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 43 games at Triple-A.
“I want him to get going here coming off the injury and start stacking some days,” Boone said.
Davis Martin was good, but not quite good enough. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
When you have a game featuring one pitcher who was once a superstar but has been awful all year facing another who was a big star earlier in the season but hadn’t been for weeks, it could go either way — slugfest or pitchers’ duel.
Duel it was, and a good one. Fast one, too — the game started 40 minutes late due to a statue-unveiling ceremony by the Blue Jays but ended right when expected, because it only took two hours and seven minutes.
Turns out, extra rest over the All-Star break can pay off. At least for pitchers.
Davis Martin was terrific for the Sox, only needing 35 pitches to cruise through the first three innings, allowing just a broken-bat single to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The fourth wasn’t as smooth. With one out, Guerrero hit the ball as far as you can at Rogers Centre without getting to trot around the bases. George Springer then snuck a grounder under Colson Montgomery’s glove, Guerrero came in, and that was it for the scoring in the game. Martin went 5 2/3 innings and Sean Newcomb and Jordan Hicks were solid in relief, despite Newcomb giving up a double to the first batter he faced and putting men on second and third.
Good as Martin was, Shane Bieber was better, looking like his old self despite a horrendous start to the season. He went six innings on 80 pitches, giving up just three hits and two walks while striking out six. All three hits were doubles, two of them the opposite way by Munetaka Murakami and Braden Montgomery leading off innings. But the Sox went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, all through the first five innings.
Once the Blue Jays went to the pen, there was no problem about runners in scoring position, because there weren’t any. Andrew Benintendi drew a leadoff walk in the seventh, but that was followed by two Ks and a ground out. Chase Meidroth laid down a nifty leadoff bunt single in the eighth, but pinch-runner Luisangel Acuña was caught stealing.
Not only was the pitching really good on both sides, it was really efficient. The Sox only threw 108 pitches in eight innings, the Blue Jays 114 in nine.
The loss dropped the White Sox to 51-46 but left them still in first in the AL Central (at least for the moment) because the Guardians also lost the first game of a doubleheader to the Pirates. The series in Toronto ends tomorrow afternoon, with Sean Burke and Trey Yesavage doing the honors.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 18: An Arizona Diamondbacks fan watches the action during the eighth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field on July 18, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Brandon Pfaadt squared off against Dustin May and the St Louis Cardinals in this Saturday afternoon game, and a three-run frame for Arizona proved the difference maker, as the home team leveled the series.
Pfaadt pitched a 1-2-3 first, retiring the first three Cardinals in order, with Corbin Carroll making a great sliding catch to rob Ivan Herrera of a bloop single for the second out of the inning. In the bottom of the first inning, Ketel Marte led off with a walk, but Geraldo Perdomo hit into a double play, quickly erasing the lead runner. Corbin Carroll then struck out swinging for the third out, ending the first inning.
In the top of the second inning, Pfaadt got Jordan Walker and Lars Nootbar to ground out for the first two outs. Masyn Winn then lined a two-out single to left field, but Pfaadt struck out Nathan Church for the third out, stranding the runner at first. In the bottom half, Gabriel Moreno leadoff by lining a single into right field. Max Kepler popped out for the first out, but Nolan Arenado was able to reach on a groundball single, advancing Moreno to second. Tim Tawa struck out for the second out of the inning, but James McCann came through with another single to right, scoring Moreno to put the Diamondbacks up 1-0 over the Cardinals. Ryan Waldschmidt then struck out to end the inning.
In the top of the third inning, Pfaadt continued cruising through the Cardinals batting order. He’d get José Fermín to groundout for the first out, the strikeout Pedro Pagés for the second out, before getting JJ Wetherholt to groundout for the third out.
Arizona broke things open in the third, with some two-out offense. Ketel Marte lead of the bottom of the third inning with a single, Geraldo Perdomo followed with a walk to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Corbin Carroll unfortunately was unable to come through with a hit, instead grounding into a double play. Fortunately, that at least advanced Marte to third, who was then able to score on a wild pitch to make the score 2-0. A Gabriel Moreno single and Max Kepler walked to put runners on first and second for Nolan Arenado, who’d come through with a clutch two-run double (above), Kepler just beating the throw to put the Dbacks up 4-0. Tim Tawa then struck out to end the inning.
Pfaadt continued cruising through the Cardinals hitters, putting up a scoreless fourth inning while working around a one out single to Alec Burleson. In the bottom of the frame, Ryan Waldschmidt hit a one out double then scored on the Ketel Marte single that followed to put the Diamondbacks up 5-0. Corbin Carroll would draw a two-out walk later in the inning to put runners on first and second, but Gabi Moreno flew out to right to end the inning
In the top of the fifth, Pfaadt begin the inning by hitting Masyn Winn with a pitch. However, he’d set down the next three batters to once again get out of the inning without any real damage done. In the bottom of the fifth, Cardinals starting pitchee Dustin May finally had an easy innings, retiring all Kepler, Arenado, and Tawa in order.
However, Pfaadt started to run out of steam in the sixth. He gave up a leadoff single to JJ Wetherholt, and although Ivan Herrera popped out for the first out, the next batter, Alec Burleson, singled to put runners on first and second. A Jordan Walker single up the middle, scored Wetherholt to make the score 5-1, and a third consecutive single by Lars Nootbar, loaded the bases. That prompted Torey Lovullo to take Pfaadt out of the game and bring in reliever Ryan Thompson to face Masyn Winn. Winn then ground into a force out, erasing Nootbar at second, but scoring Burleson from third to make the score 5-2. He stole second base but Ryan Church popped out to end the inning.
The Cardinals also went to their bullpen in the home half of the sixth. Dustin May was replaced by RHP Gordon Graceffo, who’d strike out McCann and Waldschmidt, then get Marte to ground out for a 1-2-3 inning.
Ryan Thompson was relieved by Jonathan Loáisiga, who’d issue a leadoff walk in the seventh to José Fermín. Bryan Torres pinch hit for Pedro Pagés, but he’d line out to center for the first out of the inning. JJ Wetherholt singled to put runners on first and second. Ivan Herrera then struck out swinging for the second out of the inning. Brandynn Garcia relieved Loáisiga to face Alec Burleson, and ended the threat by getting the Cardinal to line out to right.
The D-backs offense continued to remain quiet. A two-out walk by Moreno in the bottom of the seventh inning, was the only baserunner off LHP Justin Bruihl, who relieved Graceffo. Otherwise, Perdomo lined out, Carroll ground out and Kepler flew out to short to end the inning. The eighth was no better: Matt Svanson relieved Bruihl and had an easy 1-2-3 inning, getting Arenado to lineout to left field, followed by a pair of groundouts to second by Tawa and McCann.
Fortunately, the Arizona bullpen was good enough. Kevin Ginkel relieved Garcia for the eighth, Jorge Barrosa replacing Waldschmidt defensively in center, and immediately was needed to catch a Jordan Walker fly ball for the first out. Lars Nootbar struck out for the second out, but Masyn Winn drew a two out walk to keep the inning going for Nathan Church. Church would nearly hit a double with deep fly ball to center, but the change on defense paid off, with Barrosa there to grab it for the third out (above).
Paul Sewald took over for Ginkel to close out the ninth inning, Ildemaro Vargas also coming into the game to take over from Tawa at first base. José Fermín struck out for the first inning after unsuccesfully challenging the pitch. Jimmy Crooks then blasted a 443 foot, 108 MPH exit velocity solo homer to right-center field, making the score 5-3. However, after giving up his usual run, Sewald settled down. JJ Wetherholt struck out for the second out, and Ivan Herrera lined out to Corbin Carroll in right field, ending the game, as the Diamondbacks beat the Cardinals 5-3.
Click for details at Fangraphs.com
Blinded Me With Science: Ketel Marte, +16% I Want Candy, Nolan Arenado, +16%
867-5309/Jenny: Corbin Carroll, -10%
Just shy of 200 comments in the GDT. Comment of the game to Snake_Bitten:
Same two teams tomorrow at Chase, with a 1:10 pm first pitch. Eduardo Rodriguez, after a successful appearance in the All-Star Game, will make his first start of the second half, so I’m hoping the D-backs can take the series.
DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 3: Logan Webb #62 of the San Francisco Giants pitches in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on July 3, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Time for more baseball! The San Francisco Giants play their second game out of the All-Star break, as it’s the middle contest of a three-game set against the Seattle Mariners.
It’s the ace Logan Webb on the mound for the Giants, as he makes his 17th start. Webb, who made the All-Star team for the third time in a row this year, is 5-7 on the season, with a 3.86 ERA, a 3.44 FIP, and 80 strikeouts to 26 walks in 100.1 innings. Webb has struggled in his last two starts, giving up 12 earned runs over 10 innings … which came immediately after winning National League Pitcher of the Month honors in June.
For the Mariners, it’s right-hander Bryan Woo who, like Webb, grew up in Northern California. The 26-year old Alameda High School grad, who was an All-Star last year, has made 18 starts this season and is 7-6 with a 4.23 ERA, a 3.05 FIP, and 102 strikeouts to 20 walks in 104.1 innings. He gave up three earned runs in five innings against the Miami Marlins in his final start before the break.
No, that headline is not wrong. Anthony Rizzo was at Wrigley Field Saturday, along with many of his 2016 World Series champion teammates, to dedicate Champions Gate at Gallagher Way (and BCB’s Sara Sanchez will have a full write-up tomorrow) and to be celebrated before Saturday’s game, which the Cubs won 6-2 over the Twins.
Then he went and sat in the right-field bleachers and for the second time (also last September), he got a home run ball hit right to him.
We can start there, since that happened in the bottom of the first inning after Matthew Boyd had a 1-2-3 top of the first. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki were routine outs.
And there was Busch’s home run, right in Rizzo’s hand… while he was holding his child in the other, cheered on by Ben Zobrist sitting right next to him.
That homer was matched by Minnesota’s Kody Clemens in the second for a 1-1 tie. Roger Clemens’ son has actually become a pretty productive MLB player as the Twins’ more-or-less regular second baseman.
The Cubs got the lead back in the second. With one out, Nico Hoerner singled and went to second on a walk drawn by Pedro Ramirez — on an ABS challenge [VIDEO].
Nice work there by Ramirez. Dansby Swanson hit into a force play, with Nico taking third.
After that, things got quiet for a few innings. Matthew Boyd completed six innings, allowing just two hits besides Clemens’ home run. He struck out four [VIDEO].
Caleb Thielbar threw the seventh and served up another home run ball to Clemens to make it 5-2.
The Cubs got that run right back in the bottom of the inning. Busch led off with a walk. Two outs later he went to second on Nico’s fourth hit of the afternoon.
Trent Thornton threw a scoreless eighth on just 10 pitches. The Cubs didn’t score in the bottom of the eighth, so Jacob Webb entered to protect a four-run lead.
That started to look a bit shaky when the first two Twins singled.
What appears to have happened there is that the runners held up to see if PCA would catch the ball. He’s about the only center fielder who could do that — almost anywhere else that falls for an RBI single. But when PCA blocked the ball and threw in, the Twins runners appeared to be confused and ran themselves into that 8-4-2-5-3 double play, one of the wildest ones you will ever see. Alert Cubs defense is what turned that. A bit faster and it might have even been a triple play.
Here’s more on Nico’s four-hit afternoon from BCB’s JohnW53:
Last night and today are the fourth time this season that Nico Hoerner has made a total of at least five hits in back-to-back games. The others were April 7-8 (five), April 14-15 (five) and April 15-17 (six). Hoerner played 75 games after April 17 and before last night.
…..
This was Hoerner’s 800th game as a Cub. If was his fifth game with four hits, but the first in which he was 4 for 4. He was 4 for 5 three times in 2023 and then on April 16, 2023.
Pete Crow-Armstrong was the only previous Cub with four hits in a game this season. He did it three times between May 30 and June 15, going 4 for 5 in the first two and 4 for 4 in the third.
One more note: After the game the Cubs announced they had acquired Aaron Civale from the A’s for minor league right-hander Aiden Moffett. The move makes the 40-man roster full. Civale had a 5.42 ERA in 16 games (15 starts) for the A’s and honestly I have no idea what the Cubs are going to do with him. No 26-man roster move has been announced yet.
The Phillies defeated the Mets today so the Cubs remain half a game ahead of them for the top wild card spot.
And the Brewers withstood a ninth-inning Marlins rally to beat them 8-6, so the Cubs remain six games out of first place in the NL Central.
The Cubs go for the series win Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field. Shōta Imanaga will start for the Cubs and Zebby Matthews goes for the Twins. Game time is again 1:20 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 18: Joc Pederson #3 of the Texas Rangers runs to home plate after hitting a solo home run in the first inning of a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 18, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers scored seven runs while the Atlanta Braves scored six runs.
The Rangers couldn’t let Eli White get away with it.
With MacKenzie Gore back to having one of those kind of days following stepping up for a heroic turn in the first half finale, it was former Ranger White that turned a 1-0 Rangers lead into a deficit with a two-run home run in the bottom of the second.
Before the second inning ended, it was 4-1 Braves and it seemed like they were well on their way to another blowout of the Rangers. Poor pitching has plagued Gore on the road this season and he tends to have innings that get away from him. That was the second inning today.
Luckily for Gore, the Rangers were in the mood for a battle as they rebounded to score two in the top of the fourth. It could have been more but the Braves were wise enough to know that to stop a Rangers rally, all you have to do is allow them to load the bases.
Texas packed the bags but that is exactly where the rally ended as a one-out, bases-loaded opportunity couldn’t plate the tying run. They nearly pulled it off but a left-hander was brought in to face Evan Carter and he popped out to shallow right field where White ran in to make a sliding catch and dash his old team’s hopes for a bigger inning.
Two pitches later, in the bottom of the third, the Braves went up 5-3 when Michael Harris II went deep for a solo shot off Gore. That sequence felt like a killer but the Rangers still weren’t dead yet.
Gore settled in a little which allowed the Rangers to enter the top of the sixth still down a couple runs. After Carter was victimized of a chance to tie the game earlier, he hit one where White couldn’t reach it for a two-run home run.
It was Carter’s first dinger since his first game of the month on July 2 and it tied the game 5-5. The Rangers would continue their rally, which included three straight two-out hits, to go up 7-5 with a four-run inning of their own.
The failures with the bases loaded would crop up again, however, as the Rangers had a one-out bases-loaded chance in the top of the seventh with an opportunity to put the game away. Instead, pinch hitter Justin Foscue went up 3-0, took a strike, and then grounded into an inning-ending double play.
In the next half inning, the Braves chipped away at Texas’ lack of extra insurance with a two-out rally against Tyler Alexander which scored a run to make it 7-6. With the potential tying run on second, Alexander was able to get White to line out to Carter to end the threat.
For the first time since late June, the Rangers had their high leverage one-two punch of Jakob Junis and All-Star Jacob Latz ready to tackle a situation such as a one-run game in the final innings. Junis allowed a two-out hit in the eighth in his first outing in July, which prompted Skip Schumaker to summon Latz for his patented four-out save, which he accomplished without incident.
Gore hasn’t enjoyed much success for months now, and the inexplicable inability to produce with the bases loaded remains an albatross dangling from Texas’ neck, but as it has been literally more often than not, the Rangers earned the ability to greet the win column again today.
Player of the Game: Joc Pederson led off the game with a solo home run but he also scored three of Texas’ seven runs, which is exactly what you want from your svelte leadoff hitter.
Up Next: The Rangers and Braves close out this series with a rubber match potentially featuring RHP Nathan Eovaldi for Texas against RHP Grant Holmes for Atlanta.
The Sunday finale afternoon first pitch from Truist Park is scheduled for 12:35 pm CDT and you can watch it via the Rangers Sports Network.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 18: Atlanta manager Walt Weiss (22) makes a pitching change during the MLB game between the Texas Rangers and the Atlanta Braves on July 18th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Braves came into Saturday looking for a series win behind Owen Murphy, facing MacKenzie Gore and the Rangers.
Murphy went up 1-2 on Joc Pederson to start the game, but gave up a solo homer to the Braves’ legend. Drake Baldwin led off the bottom of the frame with an opposite field single, but the Braves were unable to capitalize on the leadoff baserunner. Murphy walked two in the second, though one of those walks could have been a strikeout with a timely ABS challenge, but ultimately escaped the frame unscathed with a double-play. Dubon led off the second with a line drive single and Eli White capitalized with a big homer, giving Atlanta a 2-1 lead.
Austin followed White with a single, Bart walked, Baldwin brought home Austin with a single, and Ozzie brought home another run with a sac fly, as the Braves left the second with a solid 4-1 lead in support of the rookie starter.
A miscommunication between Dubon and Harris in the outfield (that seemed mostly Dubon’s fault) turned an easy out into a baserunner to lead off the third for Texas. Three line drive singles (and a pop-out) later and it was a 4-3 game with two runners on. Jake Burger snuck another single through to load the bases, and this was big trouble still with only one out. Murphy got a big strikeout for the second out and Walt Weiss took that opportunity to pull him for Dylan Dodd, who got a flyout to end the inning. It was an alright outing overall for Murphy, in my view. He certainly wasn’t spectacular, but got a bit unlucky in a few ways that likely shortened his outing. I’d give him another shot next turn of the rotation. Regardless, the game marched on at 4-3, Braves.
Michael Harris launched a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the third, pulling a run back for Atlanta.
Dylan Dodd and JR Ritchie did their job, maintaining the 5-3 lead into the sixth. Tyler Kinley took the ball in the sixth and allowed a very unlucky (.80 xBA) leadoff double that landed about 6 inches in front of a diving Mauricio Dubon’s glove. Evan Carter made the most of it, with a game-tying two run homer. Kinley got a flyout and walked the ninth hitter, before Weiss brought in Dylan Lee to face Pederson and the top of the Texas lineup. Lee got soft ground balls from Pederson and Langford, though Langford’s converted to an infield single, before a moderately hard single loaded the bases for Nimmo. Nimmo hit a dribbler through a hole in the infield for two runs, giving Texas a two-run lead. That is some exceptionally bad BABIP for the Braves’ bullpen.
Gore got the first two outs of the home sixth before hitting Bart and Jarvis consecutively to put two on with two outs for Baldwin, as the Rangers went to the bullpen. Drake lined out to end the threat. A walk, a swinging-bunt single and a hit batsman (with a sac bunt in between) loaded the bases for the Rangers in the seventh, with Danny Young on the mound, but a double-play ended the threat. Michael Harris singled with two outs in the seventh and Dubon brought him home with a double. Eli White had a chance to tie the game up by bringing Dubon around, but flied out to left-center, ending the frame with a 7-6 Rangers lead. Didier Fuentes got the eighth and after striking out Langford, got a soft chopper, fielded it bare-handed, but was unable to convert the out with Olson, on a play that was unclear who was truly at fault. Fuentes fanned Nimmo for the second out and got a nice running catch from Harris to end the inning.
Jim Jarvis singled with two outs in the eighth, but Drake Baldwin lined out to end the inning, leaving the Braves one more inning to try to tie or win the game. Raisel Iglesias got the call out of the pen for the ninth and did his job with a 1-2-3 frame. The offense was unable to do anything in the ninth, however, cementing a huge bummer of a loss.
Join us again tomorrow at 1:35 PM ET, as the Braves go for the series win.
