Apr 12, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Geraldo Perdomo (2) breaks his bat against the Philadelphia Phillies in the third inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
After a mostly ugly series at San Francisco, a return home to play the Arizona Diamondbacks should have helped get the Phillies back on track. But the ugly play largely continued against Arizona, and a slew of self-imposed mistakes caused the Phillies to lose the game – and the series – on Sunday by a score of 4-3.
The game had a strange vibe from the start when Andrew Painter was scratched from the start by a migraine. Zach Pop got the start in his place, and gave up one run in two innings, partly due to a throwing error by Brandon Marsh.
The Phillies’ offense didn’t do much early on in the game against veteran righthander Zac Gallen. Bryce Harper hit into a double play in the first, and Rafael Marchan flew out with two on, two out in the second. In the fourth, Harper led off with a single but was thrown out at second on an ill-advised attempt to make it a double.
The Phillies got a lift when Painter’s headache cleared up and he was able to enter the game in the third inning. He gave them five strong innings, giving up just one run in five innings. And that one run was partly due to Adolis Garcia playing a single into a double, and Trea Turner unable to catch up to a blooper past the infield.
The Phillies have done this “fun” bit this series where they only score in one inning of each game. And apparently, they chose the sixth on Sunday. Justin Crawford led off with a double, and then Turner hit a shot to right that replay showed just cleared the fence for a two-run home run.
When Marsh’s ensuing single gave the Phillies runners at the corners with nobody out, and it looked like they were on the verge of a big inning.
In came reliever Jonathan Loaisiga, and that pitching change served to kill the Phillies’ momentum. With the infield in, Harper went on contact on Brandon Marsh’s ground ball to second base (why?) and was easily cut down. Garcia then popped up, and then Alec Bohm lined out to end the threat.
The Phillies called upon Jose Alvarado for the eighth. Most of the focus has been on how bad some of the Phillies’ hitters have been, but Alvarado has been pretty shaky in his own right. He gave up a leadoff single, and after a strong play by Marchan got the runner for a fielder’s choice at second, a stolen base and single by Jose Fernandez tied the game up.
Jonathan Bowlan relieved Alvarado and was not any better. He walked the first batter he faced and then surrendered a go-ahead single to Adrian Del Castillo.
The Phillies looked like they might respond by actually scoring in a second inning of the game. Harper led off the eighth with a walk, and Marsh singled to put runners on the corners with nobody out. But Diamondbacks reliever Kevin Ginkel overpowered Stott for a strikeout, and then the Phillies showed exactly what it looks like when a team is playing poorly.
Marsh attempted to steal second and didn’t seem to realize that Garcia (0-10 in the series) had popped the ball up. He was easily doubled off first base to end the threat.
That probably didn’t matter because Alec Bohm was the next batter, and I’m not sure if he could hit the ball off a tee at the moment. (Hitless in his last 17 at bats.) He struck out to start the ninth, Marchan followed with a pop up, and Justin Crawford ended things with an ABS-reviewed strike three on the very edge of the zone.
The Phillies are clearly not playing well right now. Maybe they’re all trying too hard, or maybe this is just one of those “we can’t get out of our own way” funks that teams go through during a long season. The homestand will continue on Monday against the Cubs, and hopefully the Phillies will get their act together and start playing winning baseball.
Apr 12, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Gary Sanchez (99) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run during the seventh inning against the Washington Nationals at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers found themselves on the wrong side of a few late-inning rallies by the Nationals on Sunday afternoon, as Washington put up six runs against Milwaukee’s bullpen to pick up a sweep and extend the Brewer losing streak to five.
Brandon Woodruff started the afternoon out looking fantastic, setting the top of the Washington lineup down in order with a pair of strikeouts. Brice Turang started the bottom of the inning with a single, but would be wiped out on a force out from Christian Yelich, who just beat out the throw to first upon review. The lead baserunner would go for naught, though, as Garrett Mitchell followed with a three-pitch strikeout to end the inning.
Both teams then traded 1-2-3 innings until Turang slugged a two-out homer into Milwaukee’s bullpen in the bottom of the third to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead after three.
James Wood responded right away in the top of the fourth, hitting a solo shot of his own for the Nationals’ first hit and first run. The Nats wouldn’t stop there, though as Luis García Jr. reached on a fielding error by Jake Bauers at first before moving to third on a Daylen Lile double and scoring on a CJ Abrams sac fly, putting Washington up 2-1.
The Brewers knotted it back up in the bottom of the inning with another solo shot, this time from Jake Bauers. Woodruff worked around a single and a walk in the fifth to keep the game even at 2-2, and Turang would give Milwaukee the lead right back in the bottom of the inning with his second solo homer of the day, this time to right-center.
Two batters later, though, Gary Sánchez entered as a pinch-hitter for Yelich in an unexpected move. He would pop up, and it was reported by Sophia Minnaert just an inning later that Yelich exited with left hamstring tightness. We’ll keep you posted as we learn more, but hopefully it was just a precautionary move.
After the two teams traded scoreless half-innings in the sixth, things quickly went awry when Abner Uribe took over for Woodruff in the seventh.
Jacob Young started things off with a double into the gap, and after a misplay by Mitchell off the wall, Young coasted into third. Uribe was able to get the next hitter to pop out, but pinch-hitter José Tena got a single through the pulled-in infield to tie it up at 3-3 with still just one out.
Uribe got the next batter, Nasim Nuñez, to line out, and Pat Murphy opted to replace Uribe with lefty Angel Zerpa with the lefty Wood at the plate. After a wild pitch moved Tena up to second, Wood would reach on a walk. Another pinch-hitter, Curtis Mead, entered to face Zerpa, and he dumped a single into center to score the go-ahead run and put runners at the corners with two outs.
Now at 4-3, the Nationals looked to extend the lead with a delayed steal of home, as Mead took off for second and Wood went home on the throw. The throw home was late, but home plate umpire Carlos Torres inexplicably called Wood out. Upon review, it was very clear that Wood beat the throw, and the call was overturned to give Washington a 5-3 lead. Brady House followed with another RBI single to make it 6-3 before the inning was all said and done, and Milwaukee’s offense would have to dig itself out of a hole in the final three frames.
Ken Waldichuk, who had already pitched a scoreless sixth, came back out and got two quick outs. During Turang’s plate appearance, however, Waldichuk fell into a 2-0 hole and, on the second ball, he came up grimacing and clenching his throwing arm. Not a good sign.
Waldichuk was immediately removed, and his replacement, Cole Henry, proceeded to walk Turang, walk Contreras, and fall into another 2-0 hole against Sánchez, the second ball of which was overturned upon a Sánchez-initated review. The next pitch, a cutter near the bottom of the zone, promptly found a home in the left-field bleachers as Sánchez gave the Crew some life and tied the game at 6-6.
PJ Poulin took over for Henry and gave up a single to Mitchell before retiring Bauers to end the inning. It was a long, high-scoring inning, as the Nationals put up four runs before Milwaukee’s three runs to tie it — brand-new ballgame with just two innings left in regulation.
Zerpa remained in for the eighth, but he continued to struggle, giving up back-to-back singles to Abrams and Young to put runners at the corners with one out. Jorbit Vivas followed with a sac bunt that moved Young to second but didn’t score Abrams from third, as Zerpa was pulled in favor of Aaron Ashby.
Ashby got Keibert Ruiz into a 1-1 count before Ruiz was able to fight off a pitch below the zone for a single up the middle, scoring both runners and allowing Ruiz to move to second on the throw. Ashby was able to set the next two hitters down, but the damage was done with Washington now ahead 8-6.
The Brewers went down in order in the bottom of the inning, and Jake Woodford worked around a pair of singles in the ninth to keep the deficit at two.
Former Brewer Gus Varland came on for his first career save opportunity with the Nats up by two, and he made quick work of Joey Ortiz, Turang, and Contreras with a strikeout, groundout, and flyout, respectively, locking up the game and series sweep for Washington.
Woodruff got a quality start with six innings of work, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk while striking out six. Uribe and Zerpa both got roughed up, as Uribe allowed two runs and Zerpa gave up four. Ashby and Woodford both had scoreless afternoons for the bullpen.
Offensively, the Brewers once again got all of their runs via the long ball, with Turang slugging a pair of solo shots, Bauers adding a solo homer, and Sánchez hitting the big game-tying three-run shot that gave Milwaukee some late life. Turang led the squad with three hits and a walk today, while Bauers was the only other player with multiple hits.
It was another rough series for the Brewers after they lost two of three in Boston to begin the week, and they’re now in the midst of a five-game skid. They’ll get another off day on Monday to try to shake off the boogeyman before welcoming the reigning AL Champion Toronto Blue Jays to town for three games beginning on Tuesday night. First pitch in that one is set for 6:40 p.m., with Jacob Misiorowski slated to face Kevin Gausman.
BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 12: Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates with Pete Alonso #25 bases after hitting a two run home run against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 12, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A stellar start by Cade Povich, supported by key contributions at the plate from the previously slumping Pete Alonso and Samuel Basallo, led the Orioles to a 6-2 win at Camden Yards on Sunday afternoon. They have now won five of six and are tied for first place in the AL East.
This was the peak version of Povich. The lefty pounded the strike zone, mixed pitches, and limited damage. That combination allowed him to put together one of the best outings of his big league career. Over 6.2 innings, Povich allowed just one run on five hits, no walks, and five strikeouts. Not a bad way to celebrate your 26th birthday.
That one run came in the fifth inning. Casey Schmitt opened the frame with a single, moved to second on a ground out, and then eventually scored on a two-out single. But credit to Povich for keeping things right there. He got Jerar Encarnacion to fly out and conclude the inning. That’s all they would manage against the starter.
Most would have expected O’s manager Craig Albernaz to pull Povich after that. He had gone through the order twice, was in the position to get a win, and he was exiting on a relative high. Instead, Albernaz stuck with him through the sixth inning. Then, he let him start the seventh, and even stayed with him after a lead-off single. Povich rewarded him with a double play before a double from Heliot Ramos pushed Albernaz to finally make a change. He went with Anthony Nunez, who made quick work of Daniel Susace to wrap up the inning.
This felt like a significant performance from Povich. There is pressure on him to perform and become the preferred rotation understudy, in front of guys like Brandon Young, Albert Suárez, or even Trey Gibson this year. There is more work to be done before the lefty can actually cement himself into that role, but his first 12.1 innings of the year are good steps in that direction.
What helped Albernaz make the decision to stick with Povich as long as he did was an Orioles offense that felt more threatening today.
The scoring for the O’s started early. After Pete Alonso worked a two-out walk in the bottom of the first inning, Samuel Basallo gave the good guys a 2-0 lead with a line drive home run to left-center field, his second long ball of the season.
It took until the fifth inning for the Baltimore bats to come back alive. Gunnar Henderson got the two-out rally going with a single into right field. Taylor Ward did the same, scooting Henderson over to third base in the process. Then it was Alonso that broke his cold streak, yanking a two-bagger down the third base line to drive in both runners and make it 4-1 Orioles.
They added on to that lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Leody Taveras set the table with an inning-opening double to right field. He then sprinted home on a Coby Mayo flare into shallow center, giving the Birds a 5-1 advantage.
The Orioles’ final run of the day came home in the seventh inning. Back-to-back singles from Ward and Alonso got the inning going. A one-out walk for the newly promoted Johnathan Rodríguez loaded the bases. Following a strikeout by Taveras, Colton Cowser knocked in Ward with a bouncer that got past the pitcher and became an infield hit.
This was a complete performance from the Orioles lineup. They collected 11 hits, walked five times, and struck out seven times. All but one starter had a hit. Key contributions from Alonso and Basallo in the middle of the lineup made a world of difference. That duo was responsible for four of the six RBI on the day.
Because Povich tossed 6.2 big innings, the bullpen only had to record seven outs. Nunez got the first one, and then Tyler Wells handled the final six. Wells did give up a solo homer to Casey Schmitt, who had three of San Francisco’s seven hits, but the reliever was otherwise fine. Most crucially, the Orioles didn’t have to use any of Rico Garcia, Grant Wolfram, or Ryan Helsley, who seem to be becoming the squad’s high-leverage arms of the moment. That’s important during this stretch without an off day.
The American League is a jumble of mediocre teams right now, and the Orioles are included. Their win today, paired with a Yankees loss to the Rays, means that those three are tied for first in the East at 8-7. Not bad for a team that seemed to be falling apart in Pittsburgh last weekend. Baseball is funny like that.
The O’s will welcome the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Yard for a three-game set beginning on Monday. First pitch is set for 6:35, though we do not yet know who will be throwing that pitch for the O’s. Speculation suggests that it will be Dean Kremer. We shall see.
Most Birdland Player – April 12, 2026
Leave a comment down below with your vote for the “Most Birdland Player” in the Orioles 6-2 win. You can pick whomever you would like, but here are a few worthy nominees:
Cade Povich (win, 6.2 innings, one run, five hits, no walks, five strikeouts)
Pete Alonso (2-for-4, double, two RBI, walk, breaking out of his slump)
Samuel Basallo (1-for-3, two-run homer, walk, breaking out of HIS slump)
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - APRIL 12: Jordan Walker #18 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits a solo home run against the Boston Red Sox in the second inning at Busch Stadium on April 12, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jordan Walker continued his torrid start to the 2026 season, but Andre Pallante had a disappointing start while Brayan Bello was impressive as the Boston Red Sox clobbered the St. Louis Cardinals 9-3 Sunday afternoon.
The Red Sox didn’t wait long to get on the board as former Cardinal Willson Contreras hit a two-run homer to deep right-center field making it 2-0 Red Sox.
The Red Sox would add to their lead in the 2nd inning as Trevor Story singled followed by Mayer. One out later, Rafaela was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Story would score on a groundout by Roman Anthony making it 3-0.
Jordan Walker would get the Cardinals on the board in the bottom of the 3rd inning when he waited on a pitch and drove it to deep left centerfield for his 7th home run of the season. Jordan Walker has accounted for 31.3% of the runs produced by the Cardinals this season.
Andre Pallante allowed the Red Sox to load the bases in the top of the 4th inning which set the stage for Duran to double in everyone scoring Durbin, Wong and Rafaela making it 6-1 Red Sox. Willson Contreras stayed hot singling in Duran to make it 7-1 Red Sox. Pallante was able to finish 5 innings, but gave up 10 hits and 7 earned runs with 1 walk and 2 strikeouts. Brayan Bello, on the other hand, impressed going 6 2/3 innings only giving up 2 earned runs on 6 hits.
The Cardinals would show signs of life in the bottom of the 6th inning when Ivan Herrera walked, Alec Burleson singled to right followed by and laser single by Jordan Walker into centerfield. Herrera would score on a sacrifice fly by Nolan Gorman to deep right-center making it 7-2 Red Sox.
Alec Burleson would add one more tally in the bottom of the 8th inning when he hit a no-doubt home run to deep center field making it 7-3 Red Sox.
Trevor Story added a two-run RBI single in the 9th inning off reliever Jared Shuster making it 9-3 Red Sox which ended up being the final score.
Sunday’s loss brings the Cardinals to 8-7 on the season. According to MLB.com, Matthew Liberatore will start Monday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians at Busch Stadium. Game time is 6:45pm central time.
Apr 11, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Martin Perez (33) throws against the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
News out of the Atlanta Braves clubhouse this afternoon is that starting pitcher Martin Pérez has been designated for assignment and left-handed reliever Dylan Dodd has been recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett.
Pérez, who the team brought in as a minor league free agent, didn’t make the Opening Day roster but was brought-up to the big leagues shortly-there-after and has appeared in three games – starting twice, including last night’s loss to the Guardians.
Dodd, who had minor league options remaining, was a it of an odd-man out for the Opening Day roster. He will give the team another left-handed option in the bullpen.
Pérez, a 16-year veteran, could get claimed given his effectiveness with Atlanta – 14.1 innings pitched with a 0.907 WHIP, despite only striking out six batters. If he does make it through waivers, the Braves would likley try to stash him with the Stripers as depth.
Dodd pitched in 28 games out of Atlanta’s bullpen last season.
Because of scheduled off-days, the Braves don’t need a fifth starter for another 10 days, at which time they will need to make a move given they currently only have four starters. Along with Pérez, if he stays in the organization, it is possible starter Spencer Strider may be activated from the IL by that time.
Didier Fuentes, who was excellent in his lone appearance with Atlanta earlier this year, could be another option.
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 12: Tristan Gray #4 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates at the plate with Matt Wallner #38 after hitting a three-run home run in the second inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on April 12, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the game thread intro indicated today, the Minnesota Twins historically do not fare well against the previous year’s American League champions. Fortunately, they were able to flip the script this afternoon against veteran starter Max Scherzer and take the rubber match in Toronto against the Blue Jays.
Twins SP Taj Bradley was extremely shaky in the first inning—unable to find his command and leaving numerous pitches in the fat part of the plate. Fortunately, a successful challenge from his C Victor Caratini and a DP turned behind him let him hop off the mound only surrendering one Blue Jays run (a Daulton Varsho single scoring Ernie Clement).
The offense put traffic on the base paths (Josh Bell BB, Matt Wallner HBP) immediately in T2, then Tristan Gray allowed them to jog home after crushing a 396-foot dong off Scherzer!! For some fun context, Gray was 12 years old when Scherzer was debuting in MLB.
Kody Clemens was also 12 years of age when Mad Max hit the scene—and he also homered off the old man in T3! Not content to only let the unexpected young guys contribute, a Wallner RBI single and a Caratini sac fly chased Scherzer to the showers before he could complete the third inning.
Max’s replacement Joe Mantiply fared similarly—plunking Gray and then seeing Brooks Lee crank a 2-run double down the LF line. Add all this up and the visitors finished T3 up 8-1 over the defending champs!
Bradley wasn’t sharp this afternoon—not locating his breaking pitches anywhere near the strike zone. But staked to the large early lead, he generated enough swings and misses (7 K) to toss five innings of one-run ball.
A great moment in B6: with his parents cheering (and crying) from the Rogers Centre seats, Andrew Morris made his Twins debut. He’d cover three innings and allow one run.
Justin Topa would close it out for Minnesota.
Your Final: Minnesota Twins 8, Toronto Blue Jays 2
After sweeping the Detroit Tigers at Target Field earlier in the week, the Twins take two-of-three from the Blue Jays and are a Cleveland Guardians loss away from an early share of first place in the AL Central!
Zach’s Zealot
Of all the folks I would have never expected to do the infamous Morgan Wallen concert walk-out (he played U.S. Bank Stadium this weekend), Joe Mauer topped that list (hahaha).
Zach’s Zombie
James Outman: 0-4, 2 K, yet to collect a hit on the ‘26 season
Apr 12, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) gestures after hitting a solo home run in the third inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Yesterday’s loss—the Mets’ fourth in a row—sucked. No doubt about it. But we could at least comfort ourselves with the knowledge that the bats momentarily came alive, hitting three homers after falling behind early in the game. “Maybe,” we told ourselves with all the optimism that April carries, “this will be the turning point for the bats.”
Well, maybe that turning point is still to come, but it sure as hell didn’t happen today. Instead, the Mets squandered two very strong pitching performances and were held scoreless by the Athletics pitching staff, getting just four measly singles in the process. In a homestand filled with lackluster offense, today’s 1-0 loss to give the Athletics the series sweep might well have been the worst of them all.
Freddy Peralta took the mound for his fourth start as a Met, and his new team desperately needed him to be the stopper they acquired him to be. We saw some of the same inefficiency issues that are fairly commonplace for Peralta early on today, as a lengthy second inning in which he gave up a leadoff single and a two-out walk quickly ballooned his pitch count. He managed to get out of that inning unscathed, but the Athletics got on the board in the following inning when reigning Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz deposited an 0-2 curveball into the right field stands for a solo shot, giving them the 1-0 lead that they would hold for the rest of the afternoon.
Another laborious inning followed in the fourth, when a one-out walk and a double by Jeff McNeil (who has feasted on his former team this weekend) put runners on second and third with one out. The Mets were once again able to escape the damage, however—with the assistance of Carson Benge, who made a sparkling diving catch in center field with two outs to end the frame and save two runs. And to his credit, Peralta ultimately managed to bounce back from his early struggles and have one of his better outings of the season. He made it through six innings for the first time as a Met (and finished strong, with his final inning being his first 1-2-3 frame of the afternoon). He surrendered just the one run, walking three but striking out six. All things considered, the Mets would have happily signed up for this outing coming into the day.
But alas, the offense did not support him. Aaron Civale took the mound for the Athletics, and the Mets had no answer for him all afternoon. Following two singles in the first inning (one of which was erased on a strike him out, throw him out double play), Civale subsequently held the Amazins without a baserunner for the next four innings. They were finally able to get a real threat going in the sixth inning, when Civale surrendered singles to Luis Torrens and Lindor to put runners on first and second with one out. After inducing a fielder’s choice groundout to Jorge Polanco, Athletics manager Mark Kotsay went to his bullpen and brought in lefty Hogan Harris with Jared Young on-deck. Carlos Mendoza chose to respond by sending Mark Vientos to pinch-hit (despite his recent struggles following some BABIP-fueled success in the early goings of the season), and Vientos rewarded his manager for his faith by meagerly flying out to right field to end the threat and keep the Mets scoreless.
Sean Manaea took the mound after Peralta exited, and here we reach another of the silver linings from today, as it was probably the best outing of the season for the veteran lefty. He tossed three innings and retired every single batter he faced—four via strikeout—to keep the Mets in the game. But just like with Peralta before him, the offense did nothing to back up the pitching performance which gave them a chance. A combination of Harris, Scott Barlow, Elvis Alvarado, and Joel Kuhnel shut the Mets out for the final three innings of the afternoon, with just one runner reaching base (on a two-out walk in the eighth). For his part, Kuhnel required just four pitches to earn the save in the bottom of the ninth inning, as Polanco, Vientos, and Bo Bichette all weakly grounded out in their at-bats. Not exactly showing a lot of fight at the end there.
The Mets thus end the homestand at 7-9, and now they have to venture into Los Angeles to face the Dodgers. Not exactly a comforting thought right about now. We could tell you that it’s still early (and well, it is) and that Juan Soto will be back before too long, but you probably don’t want to hear it. At least many of us will be asleep for the 10:10 start times the next three days.
Big Mets winner: Freddy Peralta, +17% WPA Big Mets loser: Jorge Polanco, -25% WPA Mets pitchers: +31% WPA Mets hitters: -81% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Luis Torrens leadoff single in the sixth, +6.5% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Nick Kurtz solo homer in the third, -12.3% WPA
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - APRIL 12: Taylor Walls #6 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates scoring with Junior Caminero #13 as Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees reacts in the background during the second inning of a baseball game at Tropicana Field on April 12, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Over the last several seasons, the Yankees have attempted a teambuilding approach that is less reliant on pure power and more resilient against the kinds of teams which have given them fits: speedy teams that put the ball in play and cover ground in the field. A team like, say, the Tampa Bay Rays. And yet despite their greatest efforts, every season has at least a few series where Tampa crushes their souls by simply getting runners on, over, and in — while doing just enough to keep the Yankee offense at bay. They continued their futility in close games with a 5-4 loss to cap off a weekend from hell at Tropicana Field. The Yankees have lost five consecutive games, nearly eradicating their 8-2 start and destroying their early lead in the AL East.
After the Yankees built and squandered early leads the previous two nights, I suppose they were thinking differently this time around. The top of the order went down easily against Drew Rasmussen, then back-to-back singles off Cam Schlittler set the table for a Yandy Diaz RBI groundout to immediately put the Rays ahead. A leadoff double in reply from Jazz Chisholm Jr. was wasted when Randal Grichuk and J.C. Escarra, who had a combined zero hits entering action, both failed to scratch one across.
Tampa didn’t see what was so hard about it. Cedric Mullins led off the home second with a triple, then sprinted home on a Richie Palacios grounder. Annoyingly, the Yankees had pulled the infield in to cut down Mullins at the plate, but José Caballero failed to handle the transfer cleanly, allowing the former Oriole to score without a play.
The torment continued. Eternal pest Taylor Walls slapped a single, then stole second, continuing a theme of the Rays running roughshod on New York all series. That meant all Chandler Simpson had to do was flip a ball to the opposite field, scoring Walls ahead of Cody Bellinger’s throw. As ever, the Rays’ offense was agile, maneuverable, and at its best with opportunities to score baserunners. The Yankee offense continued sleepwalking, waiting for a perfect pitch that never came.
The top of the fourth was a perfect example of their malaise. Ben Rice and Aaron Judge worked full counts against Rasmussen, only to both go down looking on the payoff delivery. Rice even volunteered an extremely ill-advised challenge in a vain attempt to earn a walk, burning the Yankees’ first ABS review and giving them no margin for error the rest of the way. If we weighed this team on the sliding scale between aggression and passivity, the scale would be tilted all the way to the right.
Chisholm’s double was the Yankees’ only hit until a home run from — who else — Ben Rice finally got the Yankees on the board. Well, that’s what I would say, but following a review, the home run was reverted to a double. Thankfully, the loud sound off Rice’s bat finally woke the Yanks up. After Judge walked, Cody Bellinger plated the run which was promised with a base hit to left. A productive out from Jazz put the tying run in scoring position.
Kevin Cash made the call to relieve righty Cole Sulser with lefty Kevin Kelly, at which point Aaron Boone responded by pinch-hitting Giancarlo Stanton in Grichuk’s spot. While he didn’t bring the thunder, his grounder to second was sufficient to score Judge and bring the Yanks back within one. Austin Wells drew in for Escarra and nearly tied the game with another opposite field knock, but Simpson, the villain du jour, tracked it down to retire the side. He immediately led off the following half-inning with a triple. Junior Caminero followed with a sac fly. It really is as simple as that.
You’ll never believe what happened in the eighth. The Rays got a runner on, advanced him into scoring position, then scored him on a bunt single… sorry, what? You’re telling me that’s exactly what you expected? You’re telling me that you could not have pictured a more typical possible occurrence in a Yankees-Rays game? Well… fair enough. But you deserve to know it happened. The scoreboard read 5-2 after Brent Headrick finally got himself out with a double play.
That insurance run loomed large in the ninth, when Aaron Judge took his frustrations out on a Mason Englert fastball. Judge’s fourth home run of the season snuck over the right field wall — just about exactly where Rice’s non-homer landed, except beyond the fence. There was even a runner on base when he did it, but because of that Caminero sac fly, the Yankees still trailed 5-4.
Jazz was robbed of a hit by second baseman Ben Williamson to bring the Bombers down to their final out. Then Amed Rosario, bless his heart, doubled to center to give the Yankees a pulse. That was where the fun ended. Another of this team’s consistent killers, the bottom of the order, came home to roost yet again. Ryan McMahon took a mighty hack at the first pitch. The ball trickled easily to second base, and the Yankees lost. No wonder.
Tomorrow, the Yankees return to the Bronx to host the Angels. Will leaving the house of horrors known as Tropicana Field break them out of this funk? The Yanks will give the ball to Will Warren against veteran lefty Yusei Kikuchi. First pitch is due for 7:05 pm on YES.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 12: Nick Kurtz #16 of the Athletics celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the New York Mets during the third inning at Citi Field on April 12, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caean Couto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Athletics defeated the Mets 1-0, completing a sweep of New York’s national league team for the first time in franchise history.
Having won the first two games of their series against the New York Mets, the Athletics sent right-hander Aaron Civale to the mound with a series sweep on their minds. On the other side, the Mets countered with their prized offseason pitching acquisition Freddy Peralta, hoping to snap their four-game losing streak and avoid being swept.
Both pitchers threw scoreless first innings. Civale allowed two hits, but no runs. The A’s turned a nifty strike them out, throw them out double play and then Civale struck out the Mets third baseman Bo Bichette to strand a runner on second base.
In the second inning, the A’s had their first scoring chance of the game. They made Peralta throw a lot of pitches and got runners on third and second with two outs, only for center fielder Denzel Clarke to strikeout to end the inning.
The next inning, the A’s broke the deadlock. First baseman Nick Kurtz hit his first home run of the year, a solo shot to right field. Cue the elephant mask! Churn that butter!
Since he hit 36 homers last year, A’s fans probably did not expect the reigning American League Rookie of the Year’s first home run to not come until the 15th game of the season. With the A’s returning to the hitters paradise that is West Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park tomorrow, today will likely not be the only game in which Kurtz hits a home run this week.
Civale kept the Mets off the board in the bottom of the third, recording a nine-pitch shutdown inning. Then, the A’s attempted to increase their lead in the fourth against Peralta. Third baseman Max Muncy walked and second baseman Jeff McNeil doubled, putting runners on second and third with only one out.
The Mets pitcher escaped the jam unscathed in large part thanks to his center fielder Carson Benge, who made a sensational diving catch to rob A’s center fielder Denzel Clarke of a two-RBI base hit. That outstanding defensive play ensured the visitors remained hitless with runners in scoring position in this matchup.
Peralta kept the Mets close, pitching six innings of one-run ball. His counterpart Civale continued to work efficiently and effectively, protecting the A’s slim lead. He kept the Mets off the board the first five innings, only throwing 61 pitches. The Mets lineup is missing its anchor, injured superstar Juan Soto, yet the team still has stars Francisco Lindor and Bo Bichette leading the way offensively.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Athletics manager Mark Kotsay removed Civale for left-handed reliever Hogan Harris with two Mets on base and two outs. At 75 pitches thrown with only four hits allowed and zero runs, the A’s starter likely had enough left in the tank to attempt to get the last out. Nevertheless, Kotsay’s risky move worked as Harris got New York’s pinch hitter Mark Vientos to hit an inning-ending fly out.
The game turned into a battle of the bullpens. In the bottom of the seventh, former A’s player Marcus Semien hit a deep fly ball to left field off A’s reliever Scott Barlow. It fortunately stayed in the park and left fielder Tyler Soderstrom made the catch. Speaking of former A’s, left-hander Sean Manaea accumulated four strikeouts over three scoreless innings in relief.
The A’s lack of offense after the fourth inning did not come back to bite them. Lawrence Butler made a nice sliding catch in right field to rob a potential double in the eighth inning and then Joel Kuhnel retired the Mets in order in the ninth to earn his second save with the Athletics.
Going 5-1 in New York City means the tied for first place 8-7 A’s can enjoy a happy flight back to Sacramento. Tomorrow, the team begins its second home series of the season against the Texas Rangers. It should be a great pitching matchup as Luis Severino will be opposed by Nathan Eovaldi. Look for the team to build on its road success as the A’s aim to cement themselves as a squad to be taken seriously this campaign.
The Mets were swept at home by the Athletics after being shut out, 1-0, on Sunday afternoon at Citi Field.
Here are the takeaways...
-- After Saturday's slugfest, the two teams were locked in a pitcher's duel in this one as Freddy Peralta and Aaron Civale went toe-to-toe against each other in a low-scoring affair. Peralta allowed the only run between the two when Nick Kurtz took him deep for a solo shot in the third inning for the reigning AL ROTY's first home run of the season and his first hit in the series.
That would end up being Peralta's only blemish of the afternoon as he turned in his best start as a Met by going six innings and allowing four hits, three walks and striking out six on 100 pitches (64 strikes). The right-hander completed six innings for the first time this season, helped out by a 12-pitch sixth which was his first 1-2-3 inning of the day, and got better as the game went on. He lowered his season ERA to 3.86.
-- Peralta pitched well enough for the win but he exited with New York trailing 1-0 thanks to Civale getting the best of the Mets hitters. After allowing two hits in the first inning, Civale retired 13 batters in a row before Luis Torrens' eight-pitch leadoff single in the sixth inning. Prior to that at-bat, Civale was cruising and had thrown 61 pitches through five innings.
Suddenly, though, New York was threatening after Francisco Lindor got his second hit of the game to put runners at first and second with one out. After Jorge Polanco grounded into a force out, the A's turned to their bullpen and brought in left-hander Hogan Harris for the lefty Jared Young. The Mets countered with pinch-hitter Mark Vientos, who was 0-for-15 on the homestand, and he flied out to end the inning.
-- As he's done all season, Sean Manaea entered the game following Peralta's departure and pitched multiple innings in a piggyback-type situation. The left-hander was dominant in his three innings of work, retiring every batter he faced and striking out four. He needed just 41 pitches (33 strikes) to do it and gave his team a chance, leaving it in the hands of New York's offense to scratch out some runs in the bottom of the ninth.
Instead, the Mets made three quick outs on the ground and were swept by the A's, ending a 1-5 homestand in which they lost the last five games in a row.
-- Carson Benge, playing center field for just the third time this year, showed off his glove in the top of the fourth inning on a terrific diving catch on a blooper headed into no-man's land that would've resulted in two runs scoring. On a similar ball hit in the first inning, Benge broke in, stutter-stepped and was unable to come up with it on the dive attempt.
-- Lindor went 2-for-3 at the plate to extend his hitting streak to four games and had half of the Mets' hits. His first hit came leading off the first inning, but he was erased on the next batter trying to steal second on a strike him out, throw him out double play.
Game MVP: Sean Manaea
Manaea pitched wonderfully and is forcing the Mets to make a decision in the starting rotation with other pitchers not pitching great.
The Mets head out to Los Angeles to begin a three-game series against the Dodgers on Monday night as part of a six-game road trip. First pitch is set for 10:10 p.m. on SNY.
LHP David Peterson (0-2, 6.14 ERA) will go for New York while the Dodgers have yet to announce a starter.
Apr 12, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) walks off the field after pitching against the New York Yankees in the third inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
I know this has been said a dozen different ways by people much more eloquent than myself, but my goodness is it ever nice to see games played at the Trop again. Haters gonna hate, but that place is special, and it’s so nice to see games under the dome again.
The Rays were wrapping up their weekend series against the Yankees, with Drew Rasmussen on the mound. A belated congrats to Drew and his family in welcoming his second child, which was why he missed his last start. Congrats to Drew and Stevie! Rasmssen was facing off against Cam Schlittler for the Yankees. Schlittler has had a strong start to the young season, so the Rays would need to get to him early.
Rasmussen got things started with a nice 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first. Into the home half, the Rays wasted no time putting pressure on their foes as Chandler Simpson hit a leadoff single. Junior Caminero singled right behind him, sending the speedy Simpson from first to third. With one out, Yandy Diaz grounded out, but it was enough for Simpson to make it home and score the first run of the game. They’d need to settle for just the one run, but it was a good start.
The Yankees made their first effort to get something going in the second with a one-out double from Jazz Chisholm Jr. But two outs quickly followed to leave the runner stranded and the Yanks scoreless. In the home half, the Rays weren’t willing to rest on just one run. Cedric Mullins got a leadoff triple. A Richie Palacios groundout scored Mullins.
Taylor Walls then singled, and right after that, he stole second. With two outs in the inning, Simpson came up and singled, bringing Walls home. Then, Simpson being Simpson, he stole second. No additional runs scored, but the Rays were up 3-0 at the end of the inning.
Rasmussen continued to deal against the Yankees, getting them three-up and three-down in the top of the third. In the home half, with one out, Yandy Diaz took a walk. After another out, Mullins hit a long fly that went right to the warning track but ended up just being the final out of the inning.
The Yankees started the fourth by losing an ABS challenge. Three outs in a row put the Yankees right back in their dugout. However, in the home half, it was much the same story for the Rays, going down in order.
In the fifth, Rasmussen showed no signs of slowing down against the Yankees, getting them out in order. He had some help this inning with a truly magnificent catch by Palacios for the second out of the inning.
In the home half, Caminero got a one-out single. Then, with two outs, Diaz singled. But with two on, the Rays weren’t able to convert the baserunners.
Things just continued to motor along for Rasmussen as he once against made short work of the Yankees in the top of the sixth. Old friend Ryan Yarbrough was in for the Yankees in the bottom of the inning. Fun story, several years ago the Rays did an audio pronunciation guide for player names, where everyone had to say their own name. This helps broadcasters properly pronounce everyone’s names. Anyway, I’m not sure Ryan understood what he was being asked to do, because in his recording he said, “Ryan Yarbrough?” with a very audible question at the end. So for the rest of time he will forever be Ryan Yarbrough? to me. He gave up a two-out single to Taylor Walls, but the Rays couldn’t make anything work with that.
Drew Rasmussen’s day was done with a final line of 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K on 76 pitches. Really nice outing from Drew, nice to see him get some real run support and fielding support behind it. Cole Sulser came on for the Rays in relief and unfortunately gave up a leadoff home run to Ben Rice. Kevin Cash then came out and argued that because the ball didn’t cross over the yellow poles it went into the outfield padding. The home run was overturned sending Rice back to second base on the new ground rule double. Aaron Judge walked. Cody Bellinger then singled, bringing that Rice run back in again. All with no outs, begging the question if it’s too late to bring Rasmussen back out. A groundout moved both baserunners into scoring position. This, of course, was when the Yankees decided to bring in Giacarlo Stanton and Kevin Cash made a quick move to pull the struggling Sulser. Kevin Kelly came out next, and while Stanton grounded out, he did get Judge home. A sharp lineout to left then ended the inning, but the score had gotten a lot closer than I think anyone would like it to be.
Chandler Simpson got the home half of the seventh going with a triple, chasing Ryan Yarbrough from the game. Camilo Doval was the next reliver out of the Yankees’ pen. Caminero hit a sac fly into left to bring Simpson home. They weren’t able to get any additional runs, but they were happy to get at least one back.
Ryan McMahon singled to start the top of the eighth. Jose Caballero then grounded into a double play. The Yankees couldn’t manage to get anyone else on base. In the home half, Brent Headrick was the next reliever out. He gave up a leadoff single to Jake Fraley. A sac bunt from Mullins did exactly what it was meant to, getting Fraley to second. A pinch-hitting Ben Williamson came on, singling, and getting Fraley over to third. Walls then came up to put down the second bunt of the inning, it was ruled a fielder’s choice as Fraley got home and everyone else was safe on base. A double play then ended the inning, but the Rays had regained their three-run lead.
Turns out they’d really need that buffer. Mason Englert was the next reliever up for the Rays. Ben Rice singled, followed by an Aaron Judge home run, and suddenly it was back to being a one-run game. Chisholm then hit a ball right down the first base line that Williamson hustled to get over to and got to first in time for the out. With two outs Amed Rosario hit a double out to center that should have been caught by Mullins but it went right over his head, literally. I am now reminded, as well, that while it’s nice to play games at the Trop, playing against the Yankees at the Trop is the worst because of the crowd noise. Austin Wells was intentionally walked to put two on. The gambit paid off as McMahon grounded out to end the inning and the Rays held onto their lead, just barely, to sweep the series.
The Yankees dropped their fifth straight game, falling to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday by a score of 5-4.
Here are the key takeaways…
-- Aaron Judge has been mired in an early-season slump, but he made things very interesting in the ninth inning. With the Rays up 5-2, Judge worked a full count and then demolished a two-run homer to right-center, sending one 415 feet to make it a one-run game. Later. with two outs, Jose Caballero lined one just over the reach of Cedric Mullins in center for a double, putting the tying run in scoring position with two outs.
After an intentional walk to Austin Wells, the Rays went after Ryan McMahon, who grounded out on one pitch to end the game and continue his early-season woes.
-- Cam Schlittler allowed singles to the first two batters he faced, and a Yandy Diaz groundout gave Rays an early 1-0 lead.Mullins then led off the second with a triple, and even with infield in, Mullins scored on groundout to shortstop. Chandler Simpson added anRBI single later in the inning, and the Rays were putting pressure on Schlittler early, up 3-0 after two. The Rays had five hits against Schlittler in the first two innings.
Schlittler settled in after the bumpy start, but ended up going just 5.0 innings (85 pitches), allowing three earned runs on seven hits, striking out eight and walking one.
-- It was another tough day at the office for the Yankees’ bats, at least in the early going. Rays starter Drew Rasmussen allowed just one hit, a Jazz Chisholm Jr. double, through his first five innings of work, striking out five to that point.
Following the Chisholm double, Rasmussen retired 14 Yankees in a row, as he ended up going 6.0 innings while allowing just one hit. He struck out seven and didn't walk a batter.
-- But the tide started to change in the seventh. After Ben Rice appeared to hit a solo home run, replay showed it was actually a ground-rule double as the ball got stuck in the top of the wall. But the Yankees capitalized with a Cody Bellinger RBI single to make it a 3-1 game. Later in the inning, with runners at second and third and one out, pinch-hitter Giancarlo Stanton drove in another run with an RBI groundout, butWells left a runner stranded at third base with two-away, which would have been the tying run.
The next half inning, Chandler Simpson led off with a triple and came in to score on a Junior Caminero sac fly, and just like that, a potential tie game became a two-run Rays lead. The Rays added another run in the eighth, and that ultimately proved to be the winning run.
The Yankees head back to the Bronx for a seven-game homestand, playing the first of four games against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night at 7:05 p.m.
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 03: New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) jokes with Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) during the MLB game between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 3, 2025 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Dodgers continue their homestand with a three-game series against the New York Mets beginning Monday night at Dodger Stadium.
Justin Wrobleski makes his third appearance of the season and second start, after earning the win last Monday in Toronto by allowing one run in five innings against the Blue Jays.
Left-hander David Peterson goes for the Mets, who have lost their last five straight games.
Apr 12, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle (7) celebrates after he hits a home run in the fifth inning against the Miami Marlins at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Coming off a sweep in Minnesota, the Detroit Tigers needed to right the ship with some home cooking. They successfully did so, riding three home runs, including rookie Kevin McGonigle’s first, and a strong start from Tarik Skubal, to sweep the Marlins out of Comerica Park. The Tigers record is now back to 7-9, but there’s still some hole left to dig out of for the kitties.
We had a duel of aces lined up as 2022 NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara took on the two-time defending American League Cy Young winner. The game opened with Skubal facing outfielder Austin Slater, who was in camp with the Tigers this spring. Skubal quickly fell behind 3-0, but bounced back and eventually made a nice stab on a solid ground ball back up the middle, flipping to Torkelson at first. A fly out, and then a strikeout of Jacob Marsee quickly wrapped up the top of the first.
Kevin McGonigle flew out swinging first pitch to open the bottom half. Gleyber Torres struck out, though the Marlins did burn a challenge in the process. Ground ball singles from Colt Keith and Riley Greene followed, and then Dillon Dingler stepped in the box with two outs. Alcantara landed a sinker and a slider away from strikes to get ahead, but the Tigers’ catcher fouled off a changeup and then got a second one tailing in on his hands. He turned on it and smashed a three-run homer to left field. 3-0 Tigers. Kerry Carpenter grounded out, and we were on to the second.
Skubal got ahead 0-1 with the help of a successful Dingler challenge, and Otto Lopez grounded out sharply back to the Tigers’ pitcher for the first out of the second inning. Skubal’s fielding was tested early and on point. He then blew away Otto Lopez with a 98 mph heater inside, and carved up Connor Norby with a changeup to end the top of the second.
Alcantara settled into his game, getting Torkelson to ground out, and Zach McKinstry to fly out the opposite way. Javy Báez, playing center field in this one, battled Alcantara to a full count as the right-hander dialed up 98-99 mph, but eventually chased a breaking ball to strike out. On to the third.
Xavier Edwards lined out to Báez to open the inning, and Skubal punched out Deyvison de los Santos for his fourth strikeout of the contest. Javier Sanoja grounded out to McGonigle to send it to the bottom of the third.
McGonigle did McGonigle things to open the Tigers’ half, lining a 2-2 fastball sharply to right field for a single. A grounder from Torres forced McGonigle, but Edwards threw wildly to first, allowing Torres to reach base. Colt Keith flew out to right center field, and that brought up Riley Greene with two outs. Torres reached second on a poor block by the Marlins’ catcher, but Greene whiffed at a sweeper for strike three.
Skubal opened the fourth with four straight balls to Slater to put the leadoff hitter on, with Slater challenging the fourth pitch of the AB and winning. Ramirez worked a full count after a foul pop fly to left evaded McGonigle, but he flew out to Báez jogging into the left center field gap. Marsee grounded to Torres, and the Tigers turned a slick 4-6-3 double play to end the Marlins half of the fourth. Skubal was at 50 pitches, and in good shape to go deep in this one. His command varied from great to just average early on, but as usual the stuff was ridiculous.
Dillon Dingler grounded out sharply, but Kerry Carpenter worked from behind in the count as Alcantara sprayed it a bit, mixing in five different pitches. Carpenter eventually walked, but Torkelson got a meaty cutter up in the zone and lifted a lazy fly ball to left for the second out. McKinstry flew out to center to end the inning.
Skubal got a quick pair of fly outs to open the fifth, but ahead of Norby 1-2, he drilled the Marlins’ first baseman with a 98.3 mph heater, and that didn’t feel great, mostly for Norby. Xavier Edwards grounded out to McGonigle to end the inning. The Marlins had yet to record a hit in this one.
Báez banged a sharp grounder off Alcantara’s glove to start the Tigers’ half, but it went right to Edwards. At that point, McGonigle stepped in, got himself a first pitch heater down the middle and he crushed it at 108.8 mph off the bat to right field for the first home run of his major league career. There will be many, many more, but it had to feel good to get number one. The kid is on fire and his teammates were as fired up as he was as he bounced back to the Tigers’ dugout. 4-0 Tigers.
Torres grounded out, and Keith made a bid to deep left center field, but Marsee hauled it in, and we were on to the sixth.
Skubal punched out de los Santos to start the sixth, and then Sanoja flew out sharply to center field. Skubal had continued to deny access to first base other than Norby, but Austin Slater fought off a heater on his hands and blooped a single into shallow center field to snuff thoughts of a no-hit bid. The Tigers’ ace was less than thrilled, but had a wry smile for his spring teammate at first base. And then he carved up Ramirez for his sixth strikeout to strand Slater.
Riley Greene ripped a sharp single through the right side of the infield to start the bottom half. Dingler hit another ball hard, but flew out to Slater on the warning track in right field. If Dingler starts hitting opposite field homers everyone is going to be in real trouble against him.
Kerry Carpenter fell behind 0-2, but fought off a pitch away and took a changeup away before Alcantara floated a sweeper down and in. Kerry kept a short stroke and golfed that thing to right field for his fourth home run of the season. Masters tribute homer. 6-0 Tigers.
Torkelson singled to left in the wake of Carpenter’s blast, and Alcantara’s day was about over. McKinstry followed by lining Alcantara’s 89th pitch for a single to right center field, and the Tigers were in business again. The Marlins still didn’t even have their bullpen working, which was bizarre, so they held a mound meeting to let Alcantara regroup and get someone warm. They were way too late, as Báez stayed red hot and smoked a fastball to right center field for an RBI single, scoring Torkelson. McKinstry went first to third, and Báez took advantage of the relay to reach second base on the play. 7-0 Tigers.
Alcantara wanted nothing to do with McGonigle again, and quickly walked him to load the bases with one out. Torres grounded a ball to third, and Sanoja came home to cut down McKinstry at the plate. That left it to Keith. Alcantara was at 98 pitches, and it was wild to see the Marlins leave their ace in to take this beating. Ramirez wasted the Marlins last challenge on a first pitch ball to Keith, but they eventually got him to pop out down the third base line to end the parade of Tigers’ baserunners.
Marsee finally got something going for the Marlins when he dumped a fly ball into the right field corner and hooved it around to third with a triple. Lopez lifted a sacrifice fly to Carpenter, and it was 7-1 Tigers.
Skubal was looking a little upset with himself, and tried to settle in, but he ended up walking Heriberto Hernandez. The second walk of the outing brought Chris Fetter out to chill his ace out. The Tigers’ bullpen started getting Kyle Finnegan warm, and Skubal took a few deep breaths as Fetter departed back to the dugout.
After a lengthy battle with Norby, Skubal got the whiff on a good changeup, and that was the end of his day. The crowd roared for Skubal as he left the field, and the Tigers’ ace clapped his glove in appreciation of the home fans in return. 6.2 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 7 K on the day for Skubal.
Edwards flicked a soft single off of Finnegan, but Liam Hicks, former Tigers’ farmhand, pinch-hit for Ramirez. Finnegan got him to ground out to end the inning.
Right-hander Tyler Phillips took over for the Marlins in the bottom of the seventh. Riley Greene challenged a fastball low and won, drawing a walk to start the Tigers’ half. Dingler flew out to center field for the first out. Carpenter grounded into a force of Greene at second, and Torkelson struck out to send us to the eighth.
Finnegan got Sanoja to fly out to start the eighth, but Slater reached on a grounder that pulled McKinstry into foul territory. He made a nice play on it, but Torkelson couldn’t handle the one-hopped throw. It didn’t matter, as Ramirez grounded into an inning ending 5-4-3 double play. McKinstry and Báez lined out in the bottom of the eighth, but McGonigle was enjoying the day too much, and smoked a fastball to right field for another single. The more he takes the junk ball approach and draws a ton of walks, the more they’re going to have to throw him some fastballs, and he is hammering just about every fastball over the plate that he sees.
Torres flicked a line drive single to right field, and McGonigle went first to third on the knock. A wild pitch, really another poor block, to Colt Keith scored McGonigle to make it 8-1. Keith worked a full count, but eventually struck out on a bounced curveball to send us to the ninth.
Right-hander Connor Seabold got the call in the non-save situation. He gave up a one out solo shot to Otto Lopez that made it an 8-2 game, but bounced back to get Hernandez on strikes. Connor Norby kept the game alive with a soft single into left, but Edwards flew out to Greene in left to end it.
With this outing, Skubal is the fourth Tigers starter in a row to throw at least 5.2 IP and allow no more than one run. It is the team's longest such streak in a single season since doing it five games in a row from July 30 – Aug. 4, 2013. https://t.co/XfPjLHRg63
Good win, good series, and much needed for the Tigers here in the early going. They’ll welcome in the Royals for three starting with a great southpaw matchup as Framber Valdez takes on Cole Ragans on Tuesday night.
With three more hits today, McGonigle is now hitting .322/.412/.508 with a 169 wRC+ and has reached base twice in 11 of his first 16 major league games. With Keith, Dingler, and Báez also red hot, the Tigers’ offense is shaping up very well as Greene and Carpenter have broken out of their early funks.
BYB would like to send our condolences to the family and friends of former manager and three-time All-Star, Phil Garner.
The Tigers mourn the passing of former manager Phil Garner and share our condolences with his family and loved ones.
Garner, a 3x All-Star and World Series Champion during his 16-year playing career, went on to a successful 15-year big league managerial career including 2000-02… pic.twitter.com/gbXSAvnAx8
CHICAGO, IL - CIRCA 1985: Phil Garner #3 of the Houston Astros bats against the Chicago Cubs during an Major League Baseball game circa 1985 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. Garner played for the Astros from 1981-87. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Astros released the following statement on former player and manager Phil Garner, who passed away yesterday after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 76 years old:
“Phil Garner had a tremendous impact on the Houston Astros as both a player and manager. On the field, he spent seven seasons with the Astros (1981-87) and was a part of two postseason teams (1981, 1986). As a manager, he led the Astros to their first World Series appearance in 2005, famously rallying that club from a 15-30 start to earn a postseason berth, and, ultimately, the National League pennant. In his four seasons as manager (2004-07), the Astros were 272-252 (.524) with two postseason berths (2004-05). In 2004, his Astros fell just one win shy of reaching the World Series. As a player, Phil earned the nickname “Scrap Iron” due to his hard-nosed style of play. Off the field, he was an extremely popular figure around baseball, known for his wit and engaging personality. Everyone loved “Garr.”
From Astros Owner and Chairman Jim Crane:
“On behalf of the Astros, Whitney and I send our heartfelt condolences to Phil’s wife, Carol, their children and to his many friends, fans and admirers. Phil Garner’s contributions to the Houston Astros, the city of Houston and to the game of baseball will not be forgotten.”
Prior to becoming a manager, Garner played 16 seasons (1973-88) as an infielder in the Major Leagues with Oakland (1973-76), Pittsburgh (1977-81), Houston (1981-87), Los Angeles (1987) and San Francisco (1988). A three-time All-Star, he played in 1,860 games in his career with 109 HR and 225 stolen bases. He was a key member of the 1979 World Champion Pirates team, hitting .500 (12×24) in the World Series and .417 (5×12) in the NLCS with a HR.
In addition to his tenure as Astros skipper, Garner also served as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers (1992-99) and Detroit Tigers (2000-02).
