BOSTON (AP) — Cam Schlittler limited the team he rooted for growing up to four hits over eight innings, and the New York Yankees rallied twice to beat the Boston Red Sox 4-2 on Thursday night for a three-game sweep and a season-high six-game winning streak.
With his family cheering on at Fenway Park, Schlittler (3-1) allowed two runs — one earned — while striking out five, walking one and lowering his ERA to 1.77.
It was the longest outing in 20 regular-season starts for the 25-year-old right-hander from Weymouth, who pitched eight shutout innings to beat the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium in last year’s AL Wild Card Series.
David Bedner tossed a perfect ninth for his seventh save in eight chances, dropping the last-place Red Sox (9-16) seven games back of New York with their fifth loss in six games. Boston scored three runs in the series.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. tied the score 1-1 for the AL-best Yankees (16-9) with a fifth-inning homer off rookie Payton Tolle. Chisholm’s first home run of the season was the shortest of his big league career, a 333-foot shot around the Pesky Pole in right.
Marcelo Mayer’s RBI double following shortstop José Caballero’s second-inning throwing error and Carlos Narváez’s fifth-inning homer twice provided leads for the Red Sox.
After New York loaded the bases in the seventh off Danny Coulombe (0-1) on three singles, Cody Bellinger put the Yankees ahead with a two-run single off former Yankee Greg Weissert for just his fifth hit in 31 at-bats as a pinch-hitter. The Yankees had not had a go-ahead pinch hit while trailing at Fenway since Elston Howard on April 23, 1967.
Aaron Judge followed with an RBI single.
Tolle, called up from Triple-A Worcester and making his first major league appearance this season, struck out a career-high 11 — including his first five batters. He allowed one run, three hits and one walk in six innings.
New York faced a left-handed starter for the fifth straight game for the first time since April 21-25, 2016.
The Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton struck out a season-high four times.
Boston’s Roman Anthony was sidelined for the second straight game with back tightness.
Up next
Yankees: RHP Will Warren (2-0, 2.49) starts Friday at Houston, which goes with RHP Lance McCullers (1-1, 6.20).
Red Sox: RHP Bryan Bello (1-2, 6.75) takes the mound Friday at Baltimore, which starts RHP Brandon Young (1-0, 0.00).
Apr 23, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) is congratulated after hitting a home run against the Boston Red Sox in the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images
For six innings, it looked like the Yankees might have finally run out of timely hits in Boston. I will not lie and say I did not put my broom back in the closet. The missed opportunities felt all too similar to the frustrating Tampa series. They stranded runners, watched Red Sox rookie Payton Tolle pitch out of repeated trouble, and trailed entering the seventh inning.
Then the same formula that carried the first two games of the series showed up again: enough pitching and timely hitting. Cody Bellinger delivered the biggest swing off the bench, Aaron Judge added insurance, and the Yankees stormed back for a 4-2 win to complete their first three-game sweep at Fenway Park since September 2021.
Cam Schlittler was not overpowering in his homecoming start, but the Walpole native gave the Yankees exactly what they needed. Boston scratched across an early run on Marcelo Mayer’s RBI double in the second, and then former farmhand Carlos Narváez pushed the Red Sox back ahead with a solo homer in the fifth.
Schlittler limited the damage and kept the game close long enough for the lineup to respond. For a young starter pitching in front of family and friends near his hometown, it was another composed outing in an increasingly impressive opening month. Saying opening month for Schlittler almost feels ridiculous at this point, because he already carries himself like a four-year veteran.
The right-hander worked efficiently throughout the night, showing the poise that has quickly earned trust inside the Yankees’ clubhouse. He changed speeds, got ahead in counts, and never let the atmosphere or the moment speed him up. That type of maturity is difficult to fake, especially in Fenway Park against a rival.
The Yankees had chances well before their breakthrough. They loaded the bases in the fourth inning, only for Tolle to escape with strikeouts of Giancarlo Stanton and Trent Grisham and a popup from Randal Grichuk. On another night, that sequence could have defined the game. However, these Yankees seem to be finding some swagger and confidence in each other.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. opened the fifth inning by launching a solo homer to right field, tying the game at one and injecting life into an offense that had missed multiple earlier opportunities. The first home run of the year for Jazz snuck around the Pesky Pole and, perhaps, can jumpstart him back into his old pesky self.
The winning rally arrived in the seventh. Grisham singled and Chisholm followed with a base hit before José Caballero loaded the bases. After Austin Wells struck out, Aaron Boone called on Bellinger as a pinch-hitter. Belli delivered, ripping a two-run single to left that scored Grisham and Chisholm to put New York ahead 3-2.
Judge followed immediately with an RBI single to right that plated Caballero. A misplay in the outfield allowed Judge to take second, and just like that, a tense one-run deficit had become a two-run Yankees lead.
Boston threatened to respond in the bottom half, but Trevor Story bounced into a momentum-killing double play started by Caballero. Schlittler’s final line was outstanding: eight innings, one earned run, four hits, one walk, and five strikeouts — the first time the Yankees have had consecutive outings of at least eight frames since May 2022. He was not overpowering, but he once again looked in complete control and outdueled a young Boston lefty. At this point, Cam may not own the city of Boston, but he certainly lives there rent free.
Schlittler handed the ball over to closer David Bednar for the final frame. Bednar closed the door one, two, three. It earned Bednar his seventh save on the year and dropped his ERA down to 3.38.
A series sweep at Fenway is rare, but the Yankees leave Boston atop the American League East, carrying a six-game winning streak and plenty of momentum into their next test against the Astros. Friday night’s opener in Houston is set for 8:10 p.m. EDT, with Will Warren scheduled to face Lance McCullers Jr.
BOSTON — Coming into Thursday night, the game was all about Cam Schlittler, but the hometown kid nearly got overshadowed by the Red Sox’ own hard-throwing young gun.
Until Payton Tolle left the game, when the Yankees pounced and Schlittler kept dominating.
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Cody Bellinger delivered the clutch hit — a pinch-hit, go-ahead, two-run single in the seventh inning — to make sure Schlittler’s strong night did not go to waste as the Yankees finished a sweep of the Red Sox with their sixth straight win, 4-2, at a sold-out Fenway Park.
Schlittler lacked the same swing-and-miss stuff Thursday that he showcased against the Red Sox in his AL wild-card series clincher last October — the showdown that sparked the social-media harassment toward him and his family, which continued through this rematch — but provided another memorable night nonetheless. The Walpole, Mass., native tossed a career-high eight innings while allowing just two runs (only one earned) and four hits while striking out five.
“He has that F-you attitude, like Carlos [Rodón] and Gerrit [Cole] that everybody loves and everybody adores when you’re playing behind him,” said Jazz Chisholm Jr., who hit his first home run of the year to tie the game 1-1 in the fifth. “So I think it’s pretty cool to see him go out there and do his thing, especially in his home city.”
Cam Schlittler, who allowed just two runs over eight innings, throws a pitch in the first inning of the Yankees’ 4-2 win over the Red Sox on April 23, 2026 at Fenway Park. Jason Szenes / New York Post
The 25-year-old right-hander, who did not garner as much outward hostility from the crowd of 36,565 as expected, still rose to the occasion in what manager Aaron Boone described as “an ace-like performance” against the team he grew up rooting for.
In doing so, Schlittler became the latest Yankees starter to mow down an opponent, which has fueled their six-game winning streak.
“I didn’t think the emotions were too high,” Schlittler said. “It was a fun experience to come here, growing up around here, and being able to go throw. Great experience and just glad the boys got the sweep.”
David Bednar finished the win with a 1-2-3 ninth, completing a series in which the Red Sox (9-16) mustered just three runs and 13 hits.
Cody Bellinger rips a go-ahead two-run single in the seventh inning of the Yankees’ win over the Red Sox. Jason Szenes for New York Post
“Wins are precious any time of year, especially within the division,” Boone said. “I know the Red Sox are scuffling a little bit to start the season right now, but we know they have a really good club and we know they’re going to get it going. So any time you can get wins against them, especially here, you take it.”
After Tolle exited with a 2-1 lead following six innings of one-run ball in which he struck out 11 — including punching out the first five batters — the Yankees (16-9) quickly took advantage, using a three-run seventh inning against the Red Sox bullpen to flip the game.
Trent Grisham, Chisholm and José Caballero strung consecutive one-out singles together to load the bases. Then with two outs, and righty reliever Greg Weissert entering the game, Bellinger pinch-hit for Amed Rosario and lined a two-run single the other way for the 3-2 lead.
Aaron Judge rips an RBI single in the seventh inning of the Yankees’ win over the Red Sox. Jason Szenes for New York Post
Aaron Judge came up next and tacked on an insurance run with a single of his own, showing some extra emotion as he pumped his arms up and down toward the dugout.
And while Schlittler insisted it was “just another game,” it was clear his teammates wanted to make sure he came away with the win.
“Cam was doing Cam things,” Bellinger said. “He’s such a young kid. This rivalry is different when you wear these two uniforms. He’s just done a tremendous job pitching and handling everything that comes with it.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr. belts a solo homer, his first of the season, in the fifth inning of the Yankees’ win over the Red Sox. Jason Szenes for New York Post
Boston’s two runs came on a Marcelo Mayer double in the second inning — extended by a Rosario throwing error — and Carlos Narváez’s solo shot in the fifth, the first home run Schlittler allowed this season.
But he buckled down from there, making sure his homecoming ended with what mattered most.
“At the end of the day, I’m a competitor and I have a job to do,” Schlittler said. “Whether we’re in Boston or somewhere else, it doesn’t add more heat to that. I got to limit the distractions and go out there and do my job and help the team, put them in a spot to win the game.”
Apr 23, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (68) slides into San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames (2) trying to make the double play with second baseman Luis Arraez (1) during the sixth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
The series was already in hand. LA had just scored one run over the past 18 innings. Shohei Ohtani’s on-base streak snapped. Aftershocks from Patrick Bailey’s game-winning, three-run shot on Wednesday night were still reverberating around Oracle. San Francisco’s previous wins gave them a commanding two game advantage over LA over 2,597 head-to-head match-ups. So yeah…there was a certain level of sympathy being felt amongst the orange-and-black community in Thursday’s finale. Pity is a good word too. It’d be impolite to not give your guests something for their troubles. LA fans had journeyed so far, trekking up the cement cow-chute of I-5 (savvier Californians prefer the free-flowing, lettuce chute of Highway 101) — and for what? Dalton Rushing content? For Shohei Ohtani to go hitless and not win as a pitcher in the same game? And isn’t it weird that he’s a two-way player once every six days and he gets all the attention, yet Luis Arraez scoops short hops at second and hits singles every damn day?
So a parting gift for our forlorn brothers and their clown prince, Tyler Glasnow. Ultimate goof, certified knucklehead — the Giants bats graciously blessed him. A 3-0 shutout for a 3-0 shutout. The cup of compassion overfloweth.
I jest, of course. Not about Glasnow being a knucklehead, he will always and forever be one thanks to this clip.
I jest about the Giants having any semblance of control over the outcome of Thursday’s game because hot dang Glasnow was dominant today. No generosity needed — he took everything that he wanted over 8 scoreless innings, while allowing just one single, striking out 9 and facing the minimum of 24 hitters. He racked up chase and whiffs and legless contact, stealing strikes with his fastball and spinning hitters with his curveball, working them north, south, and right down the equator. He gave hitters a ladder for them to climb, and they asked “How high?” He threw shovels at them and told them to dig.
Believe it or not, this was Glasnow toning down his breaking ball usage. The “off-script” approach might help explain some of his effectiveness. His sinker usage over his previous starts sat at 18%, he bumped it up to 45% Thursday afternoon. He dropped his four-seam reliance from 37% to 12%, and his curveball (including knuckle curve) from 30% to 22%. Fastballs accounted for 15 of his 23 called strikes (especially at the top of the zone). While hitters inched up to the plate, anxious about the big hook or slider, Glasnow’s fastballs caught them off guard. In a friendly 3-1 hitter’s count, he served up a 96 MPH sinker right down the middle and Willy Adames threw his bat at the ball, popping it up in foul ground, as if it snuck up and bit him.
Perhaps a visual would be the most effective. This pool noodle wave at a curveball to end the 6th pretty much sums up the experience.
Is it best to have no idea, close your eyes, and swing? Or have no idea, close your eyes, and take because you have no idea what is about to be thrown at you?
It wasn’t that Webb pitched poorly — he logged his second consecutive quality start and third of the year, allowing 3 earned over 7 IP — he just got left in the dust by Glasnow. That’s how life works sometimes. Webb knows that, and he knows he pitched well and kept the offense in the game, but there will always be something grating about being hung with the loss, with having to wear, as the inimitable Smash Mouth would say, “the shape of an ‘L’ on your forehead.”
I get the sense too that Webb still isn’t completely stoked about how 2026 is going. Maybe that’s why he’s a professional athlete. He’ll never be fully satisfied, even after a solid outing with a lot of good in it. The obvious one: he kept the Dodgers in the park and held them to just three runs. He helped extend Ohtani’s not-on-base streak to two games with a pair of strikeouts and a pair of ground outs (including a DP). He slayed that beast, much like he did with Aaron Judge in the season opener, but lacked a needed edge against others.
In the 2nd, Webb had Dalton Rushing — the rivalry’s newest troll — in a 1-2 hole with two outs and a runner on second. The pitch he threw wasn’t by no means a mistake in terms of location, it was just a mistake in the sense Rushing saw it coming. He was looking down, got something waaayyy down, and scraped a change-up off the plate and deposited it into center field for LA’s first run, and lead, of the series. Webb could tip his cap, or he could think about predictability, about pitching backwards, or like Glasnow did, “off-script.” Would it have been better to go to another elevated cutter, perhaps a four-seamer (a pitch he fanned Ohtani on in the 3rd)?
Then in the 4th, Webb got a little lazy with location. Both Kyle Tucker and Max Muncy punched back-to-back doubles on first-pitch offerings left right out over the plate. And with two outs and a runner on second, Hyseong Kim ambushed another first pitch for another RBI.
Webb played into the Dodger’s attack a little bit there, and some less than ideal defensive work behind him didn’t help either. On Max Muncy’s double, Kyle Tucker after a terrible read on the ball ended up stopping at third base. A lucky break, except for the fact that the relay throw from Drew Gilbert in center to Adames at short was bobbled, allowing Tucker to break for the plate and score anyway. Not the worst infield infraction that Webb has had to pitch through, but this one sure doesn’t help in restoring the trust between pitcher and his defense.
A bad break, or bad bounce, came on Kim’s single to Heliot Ramos in right. Even with Muncy’s two out jump from second, Ramos’s relay was on target and looked like it’d arrive on time — until it lost all its energy on its first hop. Instead of the ball skipping off the infield grass, it kicked up, slowing it down enough for Muncy to score LA’s third run.
Not that it really mattered in the end. Winning was never the intention anyway. The Giants are just too gentlemanly to sweep a visiting team, even if it is the Dooogers.
Apr 23, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle (70) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees in the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images
The Boston Red Sox have left us collectively feeling like we’re living with a diabetic.
If you want some juice, you gotta go elsewhere.
Payton Tolle, however, knew we were missing out and brought his own on Thursday, putting together a stupendous performance during his season debut against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park — so if you were more focused on the local hockey club’s playoff game, the drama involving your football team’s head coach, or the world’s biggest job fair, you missed out.
Until you didn’t…
Danny Coulombe and Greg Weissert combined to ruin the entire thing, giving up the lead in the seventh inning in a 4-2 loss that completed the series sweep for New York.
Tolle finished with 11 strikeouts in six innings of work, but perhaps the most impressive part of the start was allowing zero runs after loading the bases with no outs in the fourth inning — eventually sitting down Giancarlo Stanton (strikeout), Randal Grichuk (popout), and Trent Grisham (strikeout).
The bases were loaded with no outs for the #Yankees
Carlos Narváez: I’ll always respect dudes who play well against their former team. Narváez sent one over that big wall in left field, marking his first home run of the season.
DUDS
Danny Coulombe: HOW DARE YOU, SIR!?
Coulombe was tasked with protecting a one-run lead in the seventh inning, but instead loaded the bases before being yanked in favor of Greg Weissert.
Greg Weissert: Weissert didn’t fare much better, giving up back-to-back hits that plated three runs that were ultimately credited to Coulombe.
LOOKSMAXXING/MOGGING OF THE GAME
Jarren Duran tried to steal this award when he almost lost his cool after colliding with Caleb Durbin.
Tolle would not be denied, however, as he looked like a man on top of the world after his first inning strikeout of Aaron Judge. It’s rare that you see that much beef on the diamond, but we’re talking about the size of a weaning calf between these two.
Quiz: Which hands belong to whom? | (Getty Images)
After both teams combined to score 34 runs in the first two games of the series, the rubber match turned into a pitchers’ duel between Davis Martin and Michael Soroka. At least it was until the ninth.
Arizona scored off Martin in the first on a Ketel Marte single and an Adrian Del Castillo double. After that, though, he didn’t allow another runner past first, thanks in part to a fourth-inning play from Munetaka Murakami that showed he’s more than just a slugger.
Davis ended up going 6 1/3 innings, giving up six hits and just one walk while striking out seven. He was matched most of the way by Soroka, who gave up four straight singles to Andrew Benintendi, Murakami, Miguel Vargas, and Colson Montgomery, most of them off curve balls that hung in the middle of the plate, but otherwise kept the Sox off the board.
Soroka gave up one more hit than Martin and had one fewer K, but the key difference is that he threw a lot more pitches per inning and lasted only five frames.
Both bullpens performed well, at least until one didn’t. Grant Taylor relieved Martin with one out and Nolan Arenado on first in the seventh. He gave up a double to Alek Thomas that missed a home run by about a foot, but bounced back with a strikeout and a scoreless eighth.
The Sox had a runner in scoring position in the eighth on Montgomery’s third single of the day (one a lucky pop-up, the others solid), a fielder’s choice, and a stolen base by pinch runner Derek Hill, but that was part of their 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
However, in the ninth, tied 1-1, the Diamondbacks went to their closer, Paul Sewald, who came into the game with a 1.93 ERA. Sewald had only issued one walk all season, but he had no idea where the ball was going this time. He walked Chase Meidroth (2-for-3) on four pitches, one on a challenge, the others not even close. Tristan Peters moved him over with a sacrifice, then he issued another free pass to pinch-hitter Edgar Quero with the balls all completely non-competitive (as Stoney would say). Behind in the count to Andrew Benintendi, he finally tried to steal a strike, and left a 92 mph fastball so middle-middle it might as well have been a game under 1870s rules, where a batter got to instruct the pitcher where to throw it. Benintendi showed his appreciation.
Balls don’t usually carry well in Arizona when the dome is shut, as it was today, but that 104.5 mph shot went 410 feet.
Will Venable handed a three-run lead to Seranthony Domínguez, who managed not to blow the save, getting two strikeouts in a clean ninth.
Only downer — the three consecutive-game homer streaks of Murakami, Montgomery, and Vargas all ended, so Mune will have to settle for tying the team and MLB rookie streak record at five.
The win ended a 4-2 western road trip and raised the Sox record to 10-15. Next, they head home to open a series with the Nationals tomorrow night.
The Boston Red Sox have been one of MLB’s worst teams so far in 2026, and there are no indications that will change any time soon.
Boston is now 9-16 on the season after getting swept by the New York Yankees in its three-game series at Fenway Park. That’s the third-worst record in MLB, behind only the Philadelphia Phillies (8-17) and Kansas City Royals (8-17).
The lifeless Red Sox offense totaled only three runs and 13 hits in the series. They remain tied for last in the league with 14 homers, only three more than Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has hit by himself this season.
None of this is a surprise to those who criticized Craig Breslow and the Red Sox front office for their offseason approach.
After failing to re-sign Alex Bregman, the Red Sox redirected those resources toward Ranger Suarez. Breslow emphasized “run prevention” as the team’s identity entering 2026, a strategy that was easy to buy into given what appeared to be one of the league’s strongest rotations.
Through 25 games, that approach has backfired.
The rotation ranks 25th in MLB with a 4.88 ERA. Garrett Crochet, last year’s American League Cy Young runner-up, has seen his ERA balloon to 7.88 after allowing 15 earned runs over his last two starts. Sonny Gray landed on the 15-day injured list following an up-and-down start, while Brayan Bello has struggled mightily after an encouraging 2025. Suarez has begun to settle in after a rough opening stretch, but that’s hardly been enough to stabilize the group.
This roster wasn’t built to win without an elite rotation. Leaning on pitching as a strength is one thing; depending on it to carry you for 162 games is another.
Boston’s lineup has left little to no margin for error for its starting pitchers. This was predictable. Too much pressure was put on 21-year-old Roman Anthony to carry the offense, and he’s hitting .225 with just one homer in 22 games.
No one has hit well outside of Wilyer Abreu and Willson Contreras. Jarren Duran, Trevor Story, Caleb Durbin, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Andruw Monasterio are each hitting below the Mendoza line (.200), with Marcelo Mayer (.203) just barely above the threshold.
There’s a fair share of blame pie to go around. Manager Alex Cora deserves a large slice, as do hitting coach Pete Fatse and pitching coach Andrew Bailey. But looking at the issues that consistently plague this Red Sox team, it’s obvious Breslow’s roster-building is the biggest problem.
The most glaring mistake? Failing to solve the outfield logjam. Five players — Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Masataka Yoshida, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu — are competing for four lineup spots. That has forced Anthony, Duran, and Yoshida to split time as the designated hitter, and although he’s only played in nine games, Yoshida has been the best hitter of the three.
Breslow also should have added at least one slugger to the lineup after essentially replacing Bregman’s bat with Contreras’. With a painful lack of power, the Red Sox have relied on small ball to put runs on the board. As a result, they rank 26th in MLB with 92 runs scored and dead last in slugging percentage at .331.
Sox catcher Carlos Narvaez, whose homer was one of the club’s only highlights in the series vs. New York, voiced his frustrations after Thursday’s loss.
“We’ve been saying, ‘I know it’s early,’ but we cannot have that mentality,” he said, per Ian Browne of MLB.com. “It’s time to go. We got to flush it. Of course, it doesn’t feel right, but we got to flush it. We got six important games on the road. We cannot be stuck in the mindset like, OK yeah, we gotta be better. No, of course we know we gotta be better.”
Boston must play with a sense of urgency when it visits Baltimore (12-13) for a three-game series starting Friday night. If that series is anything like the last three games vs. New York, we may be calling this a lost season before the calendar flips to May.
Apr 23, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago White Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi (23) hits a three run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the ninth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
The Dbacks were not able to complete what would’ve been their 5th straight series win on Thursday as they lost to the Chicago White Sox on a 3 run home run in the top of the 9th inning.
After the offensive explosion that happened last night at Chase Field with the 6 home runs, today was very much the opposite type of game. Michael Soroka pitched well today and did a great job quieting the red hot White Sox offense. Soroka was able to go 5 innings and only allowing 1 run, however due to a few particularly long innings with base traffic wasn’t able to pitch into the 6th inning. He was able to notch 6 Ks today generating 13 swing and misses. Soroka’s slurve was especially sharp today generating a 29% whiff rate. Definitely one of the best pitches on this team for sure.
The Diamondbacks bullpen was good for the most part this afternoon as Ginkel, Morillo, and Loasiga combined for 3.1 innings of 0 ER with 4 Ks. However the strange trend with non-save opportunity Paul Sewald reared its ugly head again today as he came in in the 9th, walked 2 batters, and then gave up the go ahead 3 run home run on a fastball that literally could not have been more center cut. I mean when Paul Sewald misses, he misses really really bad. The ball may as well have been on a tee and that simply cannot happen with the game on the line.
Im inclined to just chalk this one up as Sewald maybe just isn’t as locked in in non save opportunities as he is in save opportunities, however I just don’t know how much I buy that. You should always be locked in entering a major league baseball game and there is NEVER a good time to throw pitches middle middle like that. Sewald owns a 27.00 ERA in tie game situations so far this season after allowing his 5th ER in just 1.2 innings of tie game action so far this season. And I feel like the majority of those runs came on center cut fastballs middle middle.
Certainly this was a series you wanted to win if you were the Dbacks, however I also think the White Sox played some pretty good baseball over the past couple of days especially on offense and the series essentially came down to 1 mistake in the heart of the zone.
The other argument here as to why the Dbacks lost this game which is valid is that the offense was only able to piece together 1 run. Especially considering they scored 11 runs in the game last night. Carroll went 0-4 and the rest of the offense was only able to scatter hits here and there while only drawing 1 walk. Pretty tough to win a major league game with offensive performances like that.
The Dbacks will look to get back to winning series in Mexico City on Saturday when they take on the red-hot San Diego Padres in a quick 2 game series. I think it will be fun to see the energy that Mexico City brings to the ball park as well as how the ball plays at almost 2,000 feet ABOVE Coors Field elevation.
Apr 6, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob Degrom (48) throws the ball during the game between the Rangers and the Mariners at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 22: Spencer Horwitz #2 of the Pittsburgh Pirates scores on a double hits by Tommy Pham during the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at PNC Park on June 22, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pitching Matchup: Bubba Chandler (1-1, 3.15 ERA) vs. TBA
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road today in the Lone Star State against the Texas Rangers looking to grab a win.
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Apr 23, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies left fielder Mickey Moniak (22) hits a solo home run in the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
After a complete victory against the San Diego Padres last night, the Colorado Rockies entered this afternoon’s game with the chance for a series win. Things were going great for the most part… until they weren’t.
Multiple injuries occurred early in the game, but the Rockies persevered and carried a three-run lead into the top of the ninth inning. Unfortunately, a spectacular blow-up in said ninth inning led to the Rockies losing the game by two and dropping the series to the Padres.
Injuries may test the Rockies’ depth
The Rockies had two players depart the game early due to injury this afternoon. Most notably, right-handed pitcher and today’s starter Ryan Feltner was pulled after just two innings. Feltner threw 40 pitches and allowed two earned runs on two hits and a walk—including a double—in the second inning. Felter was later announced to have right triceps tightness. Manager Warren Schaeffer mentioned after the game that the triceps tightness caused numbness in his fingers.
The Rockies are already relying on multiple pitchers for bulk-innings work, including Chase Dollander, Antonio Senzatela, and Tanner Gordon. Left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland is currently on the 15-day injured list with left shoulder soreness and is eligible to return on April 28th against the Cincinnati Reds.
Infielder Willi Castro also left today’s game with an injury. He went 0-for-1 with a walk and a strikeout before being pulled from the lineup with right knee soreness. He was replaced in the lineup by Tyler Freeman.
Castro has appeared in 21 of the Rockies 26 games so far this season at multiple positions.
A strong effort by the bullpen collapsed
With Feltner leaving the game after just two innings, the Rockies’ bullpen had the herculean task of getting the team through the game with three games to go until their next day off.
Zach Agnos, who is being stretched into more of a long-relief role, performed admirably in three innings of work. While he did give up two earned runs, they weren’t back-breaking. He gave up just one run each in the fourth and fifth innings, one of which was a home run. Agnos had solid command, walking just one batter with three strikeouts.
Seth Halvorsen, freshly recalled from the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes with Jimmy Herget going on the paternity list, made his first big league appearance of the season in the sixth inning. The power arm struck out two batters—though he did issue a walk—in a scoreless inning of work.
Halvorsen gave way to Juan Mejia, who struck out three batters in 1.2 innings but did allow an earned run on three hit and a walk. Victor Vodnik was called in to end the eighth inning and earn a four-out save.
Then it all fell apart.
Vodnik entered the top of the ninth inning with a three-run lead. That lead evaporated almost instantly as Vodnik walked the leadoff batter and allowed three straight singles without recording an out as the Padres pulled within one run.
Then Sheets happened.
Gavin Sheets clobbered a three-run home run on the first pitch he saw—a slider middle-middle—to put the Padres ahead by two. Vondik struck out the next batter but the damage was done. Brennan Bernardino entered the game and quickly finished the inning.
Strong days at the plate from multiple Rockies players should have had this game end in a win for the home team. Edouard Julien went 2-for-5 from the leadoff spot, hitting his first triple in a Rockies uniform for his 200th career hit as he continues a strong April, and TJ Rumfield hit two doubles with a walk in his own 2-for-4 afternoon. Meanwhile, Troy Johnston continues to be an excellent addition to the Rockies roster. The off-season waiver claim went 3-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs.
The main superstar of the game was Mickey Moniak. Moniak continued to be so fine with a four-hit afternoon that included two home runs. He had two RBIs and scored three times himself.
Normally eight runs would be enough, but things get weird when the Padres come to town. After Vodnik’s collapse, the Rockies had the unenviable task of facing Mason Miller with a two-run deficit.
With one out, Troy Johnston hit a single to show Miller was mortal. However, the hope wouldn’t last.
Ezequiel Tovar swung wildly at a slider in the dirt before watching a slider down the middle for a called strike two. He then grounded into a game and series-ending double play.
Tovar finished the game 0-for-5 and though he didn’t strike out today, he is hitting just .204 on the season.
Coming Up Next
The Rockies are off to Flushing for three games against the New York Mets. The Mets look vulnerable after finally managing to snap a 12-game losing streak yesterday. It could provide the Rockies with a chance to have their first strong series on the road. Michael Lorenzen will start for the Rockies against Mets righty Freddy Peralta. First pitch is scheduled for 5:10 PM MDT.
On Thursday, Logan Webb made sure the rivalry left a mark on LA’s catcher, who stirred up controversy earlier in the series when cameras appeared to show him saying ‘F— him’ while San Francisco outfielder Jung Hoo Lee sat at home plate, injured, after being thrown out.
Whether it was well-placed retribution or merely a wild pitch, Rushing, 25, will have a baseball-sized bruise on his midsection to remember the latest series in the 136-year-old rivalry.
Dalton Rushing already left his mark on the Giants-Dodgers rivalry. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectWhether it was well-placed retribution or merely a wild pitch, Rushing, 25, will have a baseball-sized bruise on his midsection to remember the latest series in the 136-year-old rivalry. Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
Trailing 3-0 in the sixth inning, Webb squared up Rushing with a 93 mph fastball to the ribs. The 1-0 offering was so far inside the left-handed batter’s box that Rushing’s attempt to jump out of the way kept him in the path of the pitch. Judging by his reaction, it didn’t feel good.
After wearing the pitch for a few moments, Rushing angrily flipped his bat as he took his base.
Great job by Logan Webb sending a message to Dalton Rushing while trailing by 3 runs pic.twitter.com/KLck2IVKaB
Despite the circumstances, there was no sign that Webb intended to do anything more than brush Rushing back off the plate. Giants catcher Patrick Bailey set up high and inside but was forced to quickly adjust his target after the pitch left Webb’s hand.
Rushing, for his part, said the moment in Tuesday’s series opener that went viral was misinterpreted. Lee left the game after the play but was back in the lineup the next day. Nevertheless, Lee told reporters that Rushing reached out through teammate Hyesong Kim, who is friends with Lee, to smooth over any misunderstandings.
Still, only 63 games into his career, Rushing has shown a knack for generating headlines for more than his seven home runs in 29 at-bats to begin this season. Before the Dodgers arrived in San Francisco, Rushing suggested the Rockies might have been up to something “a little fishy” because the Rockies were having so much first-pitch success in the 9-6 loss.
Under new manager Tony Vitello, the Giants haven’t shied away from controversy, either. Reliever Erik Miller was caught on camera directing his own four-letter words toward the Reds after finishing a win that included a benches-clearing incident.
The Dodgers have dominated the Giants on the field in recent years.
But maybe this is the kind of new blood the rivalry needs.
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CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 18:Dean Kremer #64 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Saturday, April 18, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Sean Finucane/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Even on their off day, the Orioles managed to find a way to put a player on the injured list. The team placed starting pitcher Dean Kremer on the 15-day injured list with an announced right quad strain. As a corresponding move, pitcher Brandon Young was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk.
Kremer was the guy on turn to start tomorrow’s game against the Red Sox, so that’s wiped right out by this injury. Young is now set to start the game instead. The roster maneuvering is neat enough. The 27-year-old Young was no good in 12 starts a year ago, though he made a nice first 2026 impression with a five-inning spot start against the White Sox back on April 6. Young allowed two hits while keeping Chicago off the board in that game.
Since this move was announced on the off day, there was not an immediate media availability to give an indication of how severe the team believes the injury to be and how long Kremer might be out. The move is retroactive to April 20. Kremer can be brought back 15 days after that.
This is assuming that Kremer is healthy and ready to go. There was no indication that he might be hurt when he delivered a delightful mid-game interview on MASN earlier in the week. It’s more tough luck for a guy who was shuffled to the minors to begin this season and didn’t get recalled even when Zach Eflin went down with a torn UCL. Kremer only got to make two starts before his own trip to the injured list. He allowed five earned runs in 11 innings, a 4.09 ERA. That is almost perfectly in line with the full season ERAs from 2023, 2024, and 2025.
There are a number of injured Orioles about whom we could get updates from manager Craig Albernaz on Friday. The team certainly knows what was on Jackson Holliday’s wrist MRI by now. There could be updates on any of the relievers Keegan Akin, Dietrich Enns, and Andrew Kittredge. There might be an update or even news regarding Tyler O’Neill’s progression in returning from a concussion.
With Young arriving to replace Kremer, the Orioles also set their remaining starters for the weekend. Trevor Rogers is set to pitch on Saturday, with Kyle Bradish pitching on Sunday. The team has used the off day Thursday to give those guys an extra day of rest. If they had wanted to, they could have skipped Kremer’s turn and had Rogers and Bradish pitch on regular rest on Friday and Saturday.
Apr 22, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Juan Soto (22) is tagged out at second base by Minnesota Twins shortstop Brooks Lee (22) after being picked off first base during the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
First Pitch (CT):6:10 PM TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App Know Yo’ Foe: Amazin’ Avenue
The Mets were able to break their cursed 12-game losing streak yesterday, but the Twins still have a chance to take the series and put the Mets right back where they were at the start of this series: last place. Ace Joe Ryan is on the mound for Minnesota while New York will counter with Christian Scott, making his season debut.
Scott missed all of 2025 and most of 2024 with a torn UCL, but was a top 100 prospect prior to 2024. Prior to his injury, Scott’s sweeper was among the best in the minor leagues, but after missing nearly two calendar years, no one really knows how his pitches will play against MLB competition. Tommy John surgery isn’t the career killer it once was, but it typically still takes some time to get a feel for your pitches after returning. We’ll see if the Twins can capitalize tonight.
A few notable lineup changes:
Matt Wallner is out of the lineup vs a righty for the second time in the past four games. Austin Martin gets the start in his place.
Francisco Lindor was placed on the IL after leaving last night’s game with calf tightness. A big blow after just getting Juan Soto off the IL yesterday.
Not exactly the way you’d want to win a game, but wins are wins. The Cubs blew leads of 6-2 and 7-6, but walked off the Phillies 8-7 in the 10th inning on Dansby Swanson’s bases-loaded hit. The Cubs have now won nine consecutive games and, at 16-9, are tied for first place in the NL Central with the Reds, who were idle Thursday.
Unfortunately, this good news is tempered by yet another pitching injury. Caleb Thielbar left the game after allowing a leadoff homer to Adolis Garcia in the ninth. Here’s the Thielbar news:
Thielbar left with left hamstring tightness, accd to Counsell.
So that’s probably an IL stint and who do the Cubs have left that they can call on? I’d guess Ben Brown will close games now, but the Cubs have to find someone to replace Thielbar on the active roster.
Anyway, that’s a topic for tomorrow. Let’s rewind to the beginning of this wild game, played on a gorgeous spring afternoon at Wrigley Field.
The Phillies took a 1-0 lead in the second on a solo homer by Brandon Marsh. The Cubs got that run back in the bottom of the inning. Carson Kelly led off with a double and took third on a single by Michael Busch.
That’s all the Cubs got in that inning, after they loaded the bases on singles by Matt Shaw and Miguel Amaya. Nico Hoerner hit into a force play at the plate and Alex Bregman popped up.
Leaving baserunners was going to be a Cubs theme again in this game.
The Cubs took the lead in the third. With one out, Seiya Suzuki and Kelly singled.
The Cubs got two more baserunners after the homer, singles by Swanson and Shaw, but stranded both runners. The Phillies got to within 4-2 in the fourth on a single by Bryce Harper, who advanced to second on a ground out and scored on a single by Marsh.
Ian Happ with his 7th home run of the season and 2nd to reach Waveland !! Was shorted on distance with the 429 estimation … Would have passed the yellow building on the fly at 450ft if not intercepted by my glove 😉 Cubs lead Phillies 5-2 in the 5th at Wrigley Field. pic.twitter.com/V5jdeS0azi
I put a check mark on my scorecard whenever there’s a really good defensive play. My cards this week have check marks all over them. Today, I made six of them for Cubs defensive plays.
The Cubs made it 6-2 in the sixth. Happ hit an infield single with one out and went to second on a single by Suzuki. Kelly was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
That lead looked pretty safe with Cabrera cruising. He allowed just three hits and two runs through six, and unfortunately, one bad defensive play led to a pair of Phillies runs in the seventh. With one out, Marsh homered for the second time to make it 6-3. A single by Bryson Stott and double by Alec Bohm put runners on second and third. Then Bregman made an uncharacteristic throwing error, allowing a run to score. and another one crossed the plate on a sac fly to make it 6-5, the last two runs unearned.
Cabrera had a nice game against a tough opponent, and the Cubs really teed off on Cristopher Sánchez, iwth 12 hits and two home runs off him, and six runs charged to Sánchez, the most he’s allowed in a game since last August.
The Cubs still led by a run when Hoby Milner entered to throw the eighth. Milner’s been very good, but not this time. He issued a one-out walk to Harper, who was forced at second. But then Milner walked Marsh, and Jacob Webb entered the game. Webb gave up an RBI single to pinch-hitter Edmundo Sosa, tying the game, then gave up the third walk of the inning, loading the bases.
Webb struck out Justin Crawford to preserve the tie at 6-6.
You could tell something was wrong right away, possibly Thielbar landed wrong. As noted above, it’s “hamstring tightness,” which you do not want to get worse. I suppose we’ll get an update later today or tomorrow.
Martin then walked Kyle Schwarber, but got the next three hitters, including a strikeout of Marsh, to end the inning.
The Cubs got a one-out double by Moisés Ballesteros in the ninth (his second double of the game, man, that guy can hit!). He went to third on a ground out. The Phillies intentionally passed Bregman, but Happ flied to right to send the game to extras.
Javier Assad, playing whatever role the Cubs now need him to, entered to throw the 10th. He retired the Phillies 1-2-3 on only seven pitches, giving the Cubs a walkoff chance.
Happ was the placed runner. Suzuki was intentionally passed, the Phillies hoping Kelly would hit into a double play. Instead, he blooped a single to center, loading the bases with nobody out.
History was made with this walk-off win, per BCB’s JohnW53:
According to my extensive research, including checking contemporary newspapers of all games that the Cubs won by four or fewer runs before 1901, this was the Cubs’ 1,000th regular-season walk-off win since 1876, first year of the National League.
It was their 959th at home. They had 41 on the road back when the home team did not always bat first.
This was No. 902 of the Modern Era and No. 797 at Wrigley Field.
Not the way you’d have drawn it up, but a win is a win. Still, going 5-for-18 with RISP and leaving 17 runners on base isn’t going to win you too many games. Fortunately, the Cubs pulled this one out — and have won nine in a row with a whole bunch of leverage relievers injured. Hopefully, whatever’s up with Thielbar won’t be too serious.
The Cubs will head west for a tough road trip to Los Angeles and San Diego. The Dodgers just lost two of three to the Giants, so they’ll likely not be in such a great mood when the series opener happens at Dodger Stadium on Friday. Jameson Taillon will start for the Cubs and Emmet Sheehan goes for L.A. Game time Friday is 9:15 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Apple TV (how to watch).
