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Man falls from 21-foot Clemente Wall at PNC Park during Pirates game

MLB: Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh Pirates

Apr 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) is visibly shaken as Pittsburgh Pirates medical personnel (not pictured) cart a fan who fell from the stands to the field to an ambulance as the Pirates batted against the Chicago Cubs during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Charles LeClaire/Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH — A man fell from the 21-foot-high Clemente Wall in right field at PNC Park during Wednesday night’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs.

Right after Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run double in the seventh inning to put the Pirates ahead 4-3, players began waving frantically for medical personnel and pointing to the man, who had fallen onto the warning track.

The fan was tended to for approximately five minutes by members of both the Pirates and Cubs training staffs as well as PNC personnel before being removed from the field on a cart.

The team issued a statement shortly after the game ended saying the man was transported to Allegheny General Hospital. No further details were given.

Pittsburgh Public Safety, which includes Pittsburgh Police and EMS, posted on X late Wednesday night that the man was in critical condition and that police were investigating.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton and Cubs manager Craig Counsell both alerted the umpire crew of the situation immediately after the play.

“Even though it’s 350 feet away or whatever it is, I mean the fact of how it went down and then laying motionless while the play is going on, I mean Craig saw it, I saw it. We both got out there,” Shelton said. “I think the umpires saw it because of the way it kicked. It’s extremely unfortunate. That’s an understatement.”

Players from both teams could be seen praying and McCutchen held a cross that hung from his neck while the fan was taken off the field.

“Truly hate what happened tonight,” McCutchen posted on X late Wednesday night. “Cant help but think about that guy, his family and friends. I pray tonight for him. Let us think about his loved ones and hug our families a little tighter tonight. I hope he pulls thru. May God Bless you all. Good night.”

The game was paused for several minutes while the man was tended to but there was no official stoppage in play.

“I didn’t see anything happen, but I saw (Counsell’s) face when he came out on the field, and I could tell that it was a very scary moment,” Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “All we could do was just pray for a good, strong recovery for him and his family. I have never been part of something like that before and I hope I am never part of something like that again.

“It’s a humble reminder of the gratitude we should all have to play this game. Folks obviously come out to support us, and they are a big reason why we are able to do what we do. It’s obviously tough. At a time like that, you want (the fans) to know you love them.”

Fans have died from steep falls at baseball stadiums in the past.

In 2015, Atlanta Braves season ticket holder Gregory K. Murrey flipped over guard rails from the upper deck at Turner Field. That was four years after Shannon Stone, a firefighter attending a game with his 6-year-old son, fell about 20 feet after reaching out for a foul ball tossed into the stands at the Texas Rangers’ former stadium.

Both incidents prompted scrutiny over the height of guard rails at stadiums. The Rangers raised theirs, while the Braves settled a lawsuit with Murrey’s family.

A spectator at a 2022 NFL game at Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium died following a fall on an escalator.

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Mets Notes: Ryne Stanek's bad luck, team undecided on next move after losing left-handed relievers

The Mets fell to the Diamondbacks, 4-3, on Wednesday night at Citi Field. After the game, manager Carlos Mendoza and some of the players spoke about the game and other topics...

Ryne Stanek's bad luck

Stanek has been great since joining the Mets last season, but he's gone through a rough stretch of late.

Over his last three appearances, including Wednesday, he's allowed five runs on seven hits and one walk, giving up the lead in all three games, including twice in the ninth inning in save situations against the Washington Nationals over the weekend. But Wednesday was a different animal for Stanek.

Coming in with one out in the seventh inning, he got his first batter out on a ground ball, but then he allowed a single hit 85.3 mph, before a broken-bat double (73.9 mph) and a two-run single by Geraldo Perdomo, hit 80.9 mph, gave Arizona the lead.

“Not being able to put hitters away, he gets ahead. Honestly, the ball is not bouncing his way. It’s like when hitters are in the middle of a slump," Mendoza said of Stanek after the game. "Today, he got a groundball to third base, a groundball that somehow got through, a broken bat, soft single. It’s tough luck right now. Stuff is good, he just has to continue to fight through it."

Stanek echoed his manager's thoughts and is ready to just move forward.

"It doesn’t feel good. The last three times have not gone well results-wise. I can’t look at one pitch that I didn’t execute and the results were bad," Stanek said. "Expected numbers on these balls are pretty good in my favor. Such is life. It sucks, it doesn’t feel good, no one’s going to feel bad for me, the job is to go execute. And hopefully, the next time they hit the balls at people instead."

Before these last three games, Stanek's ERA was at a minuscule 0.96 and has now ballooned to 5.06.

Apr 26, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Mets pitcher A.J. Minter (33) throws to the Washington Nationals during the eighth inning at Nationals Park.
Apr 26, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Mets pitcher A.J. Minter (33) throws to the Washington Nationals during the eighth inning at Nationals Park. / Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Moving forward without left-handed relievers?

Aside from Wednesday's loss, the big Mets news comes from a duo of injured relievers. A.J. Minter continues to weigh his options after suffering a serious lat strain and now Danny Young is on the IL with a left elbow sprain that could result in Tommy John surgery.

Entering Wednesday's game, the Mets were without a left-handed reliever, and that may not change any time soon. Mendoza was asked how the team will look to navigate not having a southpaw in the bullpen moving forward.

"We got some righties there that can get lefties out," Mendoza explained. "Whether it’s [Jose] Butto, [Huascar] Brazoban, Reed Garrett, for sure, [Max] Kranick has been doing a really good job. We feel good with our options, now we have to decide what our next move is. We like our righties’ ability to get left-handed hitters out."

Mets can't come up with big hit

Probably the biggest takeaway from Wednesday's loss was the Mets' inability to hit with runners in scoring position. They left 13 runners on base and were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

Despite that, the Mets had a chance to win the game late. They loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth inning down by just one run, but could not come up with that clutch knock.

On the flip side, the Diamondbacks had limited chances with runners in scoring position but capitalized, going 1-for-5 and manufacturing runs late on sac flies.

"There’s a lot of different parts of the game you could look back on [as a reason we lost]," Mendoza said. "Not getting the big hit and they got the big hit, especially with two outs. We created some chances and couldn’t come through. You can make a case for that. We created a lot of traffic and we just came up short."

For the season, the Mets are hitting .224 with RISP (25th in MLB). Their RISP OPS is .731 (15th).

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Rockies get to celebrate a win after losing 16 of 17, including eight in a row

DENVER — The Colorado Rockies got to shake hands after a game for only the second time in three weeks, and they celebrated after a rookie outpitched the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner.

“You guys can probably hear it now. We’re in pretty good spirits,” Chase Dollander said after Wednesday’s 2-1 win over the Atlanta Braves stopped an eight-game losing streak. “I would never say we were down in the locker room. Obviously, losing’s not fun, but at the same time, we know that we’re capable of winning and we can put a winning product on the field, so that’s exactly what we did today.”

Colorado had lost 16 of its previous 17 games. At 5-25, the Rockies avoided becoming just the second MLB team since 1901 to lose at least 26 of its first 30 games of the season.

Only the 1988 Baltimore Orioles, who went on to go 54-107, had a worse 30-game start.

“There’s frustration, sure. Guys are angry,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “These guys are professional baseball players who want to win games and want to do well and it just hasn’t happened as a group, right? We just don’t have enough guys playing well. For us to get going, we have 26 players, they all have to do a little better, maybe not all 26, but we need a higher majority of the guys to perform and right now, we only have a few guys.”

Brenton Doyle hit a tiebreaking home run in the third inning. Ryan McMahon went 0 for 3 and extended his hitless streak to a team record 0 for 34, one more than Desi Relaford in 2005. McMahon has two hits in his past 58 at-bats.

“We have to as a group and more players have to do a little bit more on the field,” Black said.

Doyle’s home run ended a skid of 20 consecutive at-bats without a hit.

“Everyone in here is a competitor, so losing definitely hurts,” Doyle said. “But we know we have to celebrate the wins. That’s what we’re going to do today.”

Dollander, the Rockies’ No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 amateur draft, got his second big league win in his fifth major league start by limiting the Braves to one run and two hits in 5 2/3 innings as part of a three-hitter.

He left because of a cracked fingernail on the middle finger of his throwing hand.

“This is a great confidence-builder for him, going up against Chris Sale, a Cy Young Award winner, and he basically outdueled him,” Black said. “What a great feat today for him.”

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Mets' bats can't produce big hit late in frustrating 4-3 loss to Diamondbacks

The Mets saw their home winning streak end at eight games, as they frustratingly fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks, 4-3, on Wednesday night at Citi Field.

Here are the takeaways...

-- New York employed a bullpen game, with Huascar Brazobán serving as the opener for a second time this season. The right-hander resembled his efficient self, striking out three with one walk allowed across two scoreless frames (26 pitches). It was quite an impressive April for Brazobán, who owns a sharp 1.40 ERA through 12 appearances.

-- It didn't take long for the Mets to disrupt the rhythm of D-backs ace Corbin Burnes, but their first-inning threat didn't yield any runs. A one-out, bases-loaded jam set up by a Francisco Lindor double and a pair of walks was all for naught, as Burnes escaped trouble by striking out Starling Marte and getting Jeff McNeil to ground out. Lindor is now hitting a league-best .483 leading off the first.

-- Just when it looked like Burnes had regained composure after his shaky first, Mark Vientos punished him in the third with a two-out solo home run to left, giving the Mets a 1-0 lead. The third baseman's fourth blast of the season traveled 371 feet. Vientos had another chance to inflict damage on Burnes in the fifth with two runners on, but he grounded into an inning-ending double play.

-- The Mets had their chances to make Burnes pay for mistakes, but the veteran right-hander ultimately limited the damage to just the Vientos homer across six innings. He didn't have his ace stuff -- he walked five batters for the first time since 2022 -- but the quality start was earned due to New York leaving seven runners on during those frames.

-- Brandon Waddell was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to pitch specifically in bulk relief, and his first taste of the majors since 2021 was undoubtedly sweet. The 30-year-old righty logged 4.1 shutout innings with four strikeouts and retired the last eight batters he faced. Waddell's debut with the Mets ended with a standing ovation from the crowd, but the cheering in the seventh inning didn't last.

-- The positive vibes from Waddell's performance were quickly squashed by Ryne Stanek, as he allowed Arizona's bottom-three hitters to produce a two-out, three-single rally for a pair of runs. There's now a pattern of trouble with Stanek, who's relinquished the lead in each of his last three appearances.

-- New York had an opportunity to knot the score in the seventh, as Tyrone Taylor led off the inning with a single and a steal of second that was initially ruled a caught-stealing and required a replay challenge. But the big hit never arrived -- D-backs reliever Jalen Beeks worked out of the jam by inducing a popout, flyout, and strikeout from the top of the Mets' order.

-- Brandon Nimmo, who drove in a mammoth nine runs on Monday but missed Tuesday's game due to illness, was called upon to pinch-hit in the eighth with two outs and a runner on first. The move didn't pay off, as he grounded out to third. Chris Devenski, in his second inning of work, allowed a leadoff walk, a double, and a pair of sac flies that resulted in two more runs for Arizona in the top of the ninth.

-- New York finally showed signs of life in the bottom frame, trailing by three against D-backs closer Justin Martinez. The rally began with a solo homer from Taylor, and after Lindor and Juan Soto worked walks, Arizona opted to pull Martinez for Ryan Thompson. More chaos ensued when Pete Alonso was plunked by a pitch and Jesse Winker drove in a run with a groundout to first, cutting the Mets' deficit to one. But the hopes of a win disappeared when Francisco Alvarez grounded out to third with two outs and the bases juiced.

-- The Mets left a whopping 13 runners on base, and went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. In spite of these ugly numbers, the offense nearly pulled off an unexpected win.

Game MVP: Geraldo Perdomo

Perdomo entered as a pinch-hitter in the seventh, and he won the battle against Stanek by driving in two with a single to left. He then produced a sac fly in the ninth, bumping his RBI total to three in the series.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets (21-10) will wrap up their brief homestand against the Diamondbacks on Thursday afternoon, with a matinee scheduled for 1:10 p.m..

Kodai Senga (3-1, 1.26 ERA) is slated to take the mound, opposite Zac Gallen (1-4, 5.57 ERA).

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Carlos Carrasco's rocky second inning sinks Yankees in 5-4 loss to Orioles

Carlos Carrasco allowed four second-inning runs, and that was enough for the Orioles to hold off the Yankees, 5-4, on Wednesday night in Baltimore.

Here are the takeaways....

-The Yankees got out to an early lead once again, thanks to the longball. Aaron Judge took Cade Povich deep on a hanging sweeper, launching it 426 feet into deep center field. Judge extended his on-base streak to 27 games.

He would drive in another run with an RBI single in the seventh to cut the Orioles' lead to 5-4. Judge finished 3-for-3 with a walk.

-Paul Goldschmidt would get in on the home run barrage in Baltimore, launching his second long ball -- a solo shot -- of the season in the fifth. It was the first baseman's first homer since March 29.

Unfortunately, the Yankees' lineup just couldn't get traffic on the bases or come through when they needed to. Their best chance came in the sixth with runners at the corners with one out. Pablo Reyes and Jasson Dominguez struck out to end the threat.

-Carrasco was tasked with keeping the Orioles' hitters down with an early lead, but just couldn't. Ryan Mountcastle turned on a slider that had too much plate that tied the game at 2-2 in the second. Two batters later, Ramon Urias took Carrasco deep to give the Orioles the lead. Carrasco would allow another run in the second after two-out hits from Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman.

Carrasco would settle down, but in the fourth, he could only get one out. Tim Hill came in to get the final two outs of the inning.

Carrasco pitched just 3.1 innings (66 pitches/40 strikes), allowing four runs on eight hits, no walks, while striking out five.

-The Yankees' bullpen did their job, keeping the game close. Hill allowed a run -- aided by an Anthony Volpe error -- in his one inning of work, while Fernando Cruz continued to dominate, striking out four in his 1.2 innings.

Devin Williams made his second appearance since losing his closer's role. After getting the Orioles in order on Monday, Williams allowed a walk but got through his one inning of work unscathed. Mark Leiter Jr. worked in and out of trouble in the eighth to give the Yankees one last shot in the ninth, down 5-4.

However, the Yankees would go down in order to closer Felix Bautista, not allowing Judge to get one final at-bat.

-In the fourth, Heston Kjerstad stole second base but Austin Wells' throw was high. Reyes jumped and batted the ball down but landed on Kjerstad's head. Kjerstad took offense to Reyes and started jawing, causing both benches to clear. Cooler heads would prevail, but it harkens back to last season when Kjerstad was hit in the head with a pitch that caused the benches to clear.

-Dominguez started, hitting right-handed against the southpaw. He had some bad luck in his first at-bat, lining a ball into left field that Ramon Laureano caught diving to rob Dominguez of a hit (xBA .530). In his second at-bat, he smoked a pitch 103.9 mph off the bat but right at the third baseman for a forceout. His third and fourth at-bats resulted in strikeouts, and he finished the night 0-for-4.

-With Jazz Chisholm Jr. out of the lineup with his "flank" sprain, manager Aaron Boone switched up his lineup, having Reyes start at second and Oswald Peraza at third. Ben Rice hit leanup against the left-hander Povich and Volpe was moved up to the No. 5 hole.

Reyes finished 0-for-2 with a walk, while Peraza went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run. Volpe went 1-for-3 with a walk, while Rice went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.

Game MVP: Orioles bullpen

Baltimore used six pitchers to get the final 13 outs, allowing just one run.

Highlights

What's next

After an off day on Thursday, the Yankees return home to host the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Max Fried (5-0, 1.19 ERA) will take the mound while the Rays have yet to name a starter.

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Suarez set for 2025 big-league debut against Diamondbacks

Suarez set for 2025 big-league debut against Diamondbacks  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Ranger Suarez has a big-league green light. 

Following a bullpen session Wednesday ahead of the Phillies’ 7-2 win over the Nationals, Suarez was formally cleared to make his 2025 major league debut. 

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Suarez will pitch Sunday vs. the Diamondbacks at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies will open the series Friday with Jesus Luzardo on the hill and start Aaron Nola on Saturday. 

Suarez was brilliant to begin 2024 and named an All-Star. He went 9-0 with a 1.36 ERA over his first 10 starts, but back trouble popped up and Suarez struggled in the second half. The 29-year-old lefty had a 6.54 ERA over his final 11 outings.

In mid-March, Suarez was sidelined by lower back stiffness. He made four rehab starts — two for Single A Clearwater, two for Triple A Lehigh Valley — and threw 16 2/3 total innings. Suarez allowed just two runs, struck out 24 hitters and walked five. 

Thomson said Tuesday the Phillies are discussing the possibility of turning to a six-man rotation. Taijuan Walker will get his sixth start of the season on Thursday against Washington. Entering that game, he sits at 1-2 with a 2.78 ERA in Suarez’s absence. 

Cristopher Sanchez started Wednesday’s victory, returning from a left forearm issue. He tossed five innings, conceded two runs and watched the Phillies’ bullpen handle the rest. 

“Looked a little rusty,” Thomson said of Sanchez. “It’s been a week since he’s pitched. The command was off a little bit, but the stuff was really good. The changeup looked normal, the slider looked normal, the fastball velocity was good. I’m pleased with it.”

Sanchez said he felt “great” and expressed no lingering concern about his forearm. 

“That’s what I was looking forward to today, feeling like my best self, as I always do,” he said. “And just go out and compete.” 

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Shaikin: The Dodgers are good, and old. Should they try NBA-style load management?

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 30, 2025: Los Angeles Dodgers third base Max Muncy (13) reacts as he runs the bases after hitting a solo homer to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the second inning against the Miami Marlins at Dodgers Stadium on April 30, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Third baseman Max Muncy, reacting after hitting a homer in the second inning, is among a group of key position players for the Dodgers who are the oldest in MLB. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

With the Lakers, Clippers and Kings all one loss from summer vacation, the sporting eyes of Los Angeles turn to the Dodgers.

If you’ve been busy watching the NBA and NHL playoffs, let us catch you up on the Dodgers. After a start so good that folks giddily wondered if the Dodgers could win every game, and after a couple of runs so bad that the Dodgers twice fell into third place in the National League West, the opening month is over and the verdict is in: The Dodgers are who we thought they are.

They are in first place, in the toughest division in the major leagues. They have 21 victories, the most by any Dodgers team at the end of April since their streak of annual postseason appearances started in 2013. They are on pace to win 110 games, and their odds of making the playoffs stand at 98.3%, according to Baseball Prospectus.

There are 29 major league teams that start the season hoping to advance to the playoffs, and then there are the Dodgers, who start planning for October in March. For all the angst about the Dodgers’ injured pitchers, well, that is all part of the plan.

Read more:Tony Gonsolin shines in his first game since 2023 as Dodgers win fifth straight

The Dodgers awoke Wednesday with 13 pitchers on the injured list, the most of any major league team, matching the combined total of the rest of the NL West. They have 32 pitchers under control: on the active roster, on a minor league option, on the injured list, or on two-way status (Shohei Ohtani, who is expected to resume pitching later this season).

They do not try to find five starting pitchers and ride them all season. They do try to end up with five healthy and effective starters for the postseason, and they try to maximize their chances to do that by collecting as many pitchers as they can, with the support of an ownership group willing to pay players to rehabilitate.

No one pitched more innings last season than Gavin Stone, at 140. In 2013, Clayton Kershaw pitched 259 innings, including the postseason.

However, as the Dodgers have become acutely aware of managing the workloads of their starting pitchers, they have not prioritized managing the workloads of their key position players.

The Dodgers have the oldest group of position players in the majors, and the sustained success means extra weeks on the schedule every year.

Over the past five years, Mookie Betts has 205 postseason at-bats and Freddie Freeman 175. Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees has 119 and, among NL West rivals, Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks has 66 and Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres has 48.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the team has discussed that issue, but mostly in regard to catching. Will Smith had 105 at-bats last April and 76 this April; backup Austin Barnes had 21 at-bats last April and 32 this April (and he is batting .250 this April, 27 points above his career average).

Among other position players, Roberts said, “I don’t know if that tax of playing an extra month is necessarily a disadvantage for the following season.”

The Dodgers’ renowned research and development department has not done a deep dive into that question, according to president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.

“So much of our focus is on pitching,” Friedman said, “and, after a long season, what the offseason program looks like, what the ramp-up looks like, what the season looks like. I don’t worry about it that much on the position player front.”

While “load management” is established in the NBA lexicon, Roberts said he is less concerned in baseball because the postseason features more off days than the regular season, including nearly a week off after the regular season if your team is one of the top two seeds in each league.

“They’re actually more antsy and rested than we would actually like,” Roberts said. “It’s a tricky one.

“To give Freddie Freeman off days to say that you’re managing his workload, I think it just makes some people feel better that they’ll be ready for the postseason. There’s no correlation. And it’s not an exact science.”

Read more:Matt Sauer saves the Dodgers' bullpen in rout of Marlins

Freeman said the Dodgers do manage his workload, but not always with days off. On Tuesday night, with the Dodgers enjoying a big lead, Freeman was removed after six innings.

“They do such a good job of load management here,” said the 35-year-old Freeman, “and I’m reluctantly to starting to get on board with it as I get older.

“I ingrained in myself that I get paid to do a job and I do my job. It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around, ‘You’re not doing your job today.’ ”

On Wednesday, Freeman homered, singled and drove in two runs. The Dodgers again ran up the lead, and again they removed him after six innings.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Mets place Danny Young on IL with left elbow sprain, Tommy John surgery 'on the table'

In less than a week, the Mets' bullpen has lost a pair of lefty relievers to injuries.

While the status of A.J. Minter's recent lat strain remains unclear and ominous, the team shared additional disconcerting news on Wednesday afternoon by placing Danny Young on the 15-day injured list with an elbow sprain.

Hours later, following the Mets' loss to the Diamondbacks, manager Carlos Mendoza said that Young had been dealing with a forearm issue for a few weeks, and an MRI on Wednesday morning showed the ligament sprain. When asked about the severity of the injury, Mendoza noted that Tommy John surgery "is on the table."

Young addressed the injury after the game, revealing that second opinions will soon be conducted and admitting that he doesn't "really know much" about the sprain. In the meantime, he's taking a day-to-day approach and not assuming the worst. The issue stemmed from irregular recoveries from recent outings.

"I usually bounce back fine, something was just kind of abnormal for me," Young said. "We're just going to sit around and see what we get back from other doctors... That's about as bad a timing as you can get, huh? It's unfortunate. [Minter] goes down, I obviously want to pick up that slack. It's just the situation we're in now."

The roster move was retroactive to April 27, a day after Young made his last appearance. It wasn't the strongest month for the 31-year-old, as he logged a 4.32 ERA across 8.1 innings (10 games) with 13 strikeouts. His most recent performance was productive, though -- he worked around a walk by striking out three in one inning against the Nationals.

Young's stint as the lone southpaw in the bullpen was brief, and after lefty Brandon Waddell completed 4.1 innings of bulk relief on Wednesday night, the Mets may only have right-handed relievers at their disposal for the foreseeable future.

In a corresponding move, the Mets recalled righty Chris Devenski from Triple-A Syracuse and transferred lefty Brooks Raley to the 60-day injured list.

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Tony Gonsolin shines in his first game since 2023 as Dodgers win fifth straight

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tony Gonsolin (26) throws during in the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
Pitcher Tony Gonsolin threw six innings in his first game with the Dodgers since August 2023, striking out nine. (Wally Skalij / Associated Press)

The Dodgers repeatedly have proved they cast a wide net when constructing a starting rotation, seemingly with no financial constraints. Japan, South Korea, Latin America, via trades or free-agent signings, they'll go anywhere and do anything to ensure that each game they can hand the ball to a seasoned, well-compensated pitcher.

Yet inexplicably, the best-laid plans continually fail, and they are forced to hand said ball to unproven rookies. Witness Tuesday with Jack Dreyer and Matt Sauer adding their names to a fleetingly familiar group that includes Bobby Miller, Landon Knack, Justin Wrobleski and Ben Casparius.

Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, huge signings the last two offseasons, are on the injured list. The Dodgers already have used 22 pitchers with the calendar lipping into May. Granted, that includes comedic stints by position players Miguel Rojas and Kiké Hernández, but that only proves how empty the cupboard can get.

Read more:Matt Sauer saves the Dodgers' bullpen in rout of Marlins

How refreshing it was Wednesday to turn to a homegrown solution, albeit one who has endured his own litany of injuries. Tony Gonsolin, a 2016 Dodgers draft pick out of St. Mary's College, pitched for the first time since August 2023 and shone in a 12-7 win over the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium, their fifth victory in a row.

Gonsolin, fully recovered from 2023 Tommy John surgery and a sprained ankle in March, mostly sailed through six innings, striking out nine while walking none, throwing 58 strikes in 77 pitches. The only batter he couldn't fool was left-handed Kyle Stowers, who crushed a two-run homer in the fourth, a run-scoring double in the sixth and a single. Stowers added another homer off Yoendrys Gomez in the ninth inning.

To everyone else, Gonsolin was masterful. His four-seam fastball sat at 94 mph, his slider at 88, and the bottom dropped out of his his devastating splitter a lot like it did in 2022 when Gonsolin went 16-1 with a 2.14 earned-run average, started the All-Star Game and achieved fame for his love of cats.

Dodger Stadium organist Dieter Ruehle has a long memory, playing a "meow" sound effect after each strikeout Wednesday. Gonsolin displayed his uncanny ability to finish with a W next to his name in the box score, the victory improving his lifetime record to a sparkling 35-11.

"It feels good to be back on the mound for sure," he said. "Just to go out there and do my job and have fun. I thought I had a lot of fun today. I think that was the ultimate goal."

He thoroughly enjoyed watching his teammates put crooked numbers on the scoreboard.

"Just knowing that they're gonna go out there and put together quality at-bats and score runs," he said. "And it's gonna be really hard to keep this offense down."

Manager Dave Roberts was understandably thrilled to get a healthy Gonsolin on the mound.

"He has a different brain," Roberts said. "I think he’s just very confident in who he is now as a person, as a ballplayer, the moment isn’t gonna get too big for him. It wasn’t like this first outing in however long. He just took it in stride and really looked good today.

"There was no let-up. He pitched fantastic."

Gonsolin and another homegrown starter the Dodgers grabbed in the 2016 draft, Dustin May, should be key rotation pieces during a brutal stretch of 19 games in 20 days that begins Friday with a 10-game trip to Atlanta, Miami and Arizona. May has gone at least five innings in each of his five starts, getting roughed up in only one while posting a 3.95 ERA.

Read more:Tommy Edman delivers a walk-off sigh of relief in Dodgers' win over Marlins

Coming off an 18-hit barrage in a win over Miami on Tuesday, the Dodgers cooled only slightly, settling for 17 in the series finale. Yet they found solace early when slumping Max Muncy hit his first home run on the last day of April to give them a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

"I've still got to clean some things up and be better in certain situations," Muncy said. "It's a work in progress. We keep rewatching my at-bats and rewatching my swings and the back body has been good, it's just getting the ball to go forward."

Forward, ho, the Dodgers adding three runs in the third and four in the sixth with Mookie Betts driving in four on a single and a triple. Freddie Freeman followed Betts' triple in the sixth with his fifth home run. Muncy tripled in the seventh on a charitably scored fly ball to right field that Stowers misplayed, and scored on a single by Hernández.

The onslaught continued in the eighth with the Dodgers tacking on three more runs highlighted by a triple from Shohei Ohtani, doubles by Rojas and Teoscar Hernández and a single by Kiké Hernández. The Marlins scored four in the ninth against Gómez but it couldn't take away from the optimism the Dodgers took with them on their flight to Atlanta.

"It was a real good, feel-good victory," Roberts said.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Marlins rookie outfielder Griffin Conine has season-ending shoulder surgery

LOS ANGELES — Miami Marlins rookie outfielder Griffin Conine will miss the rest of the season following surgery on his left shoulder.

Conine jammed his shoulder into the ground on a head-first slide into second in an 11-10 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies last Saturday. The 27-year left the game and was placed on the 60-day injured list the following day.

An MRI Monday confirmed a dislocated shoulder, which was repaired Tuesday in Los Angeles by Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

Through 20 games, Conine was batting .281 with a .790 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, one home run, seven doubles and seven RBIs. He made his big league debut last August and hit .268 with a .777 OPS, three homers and 12 RBIs in 30 games.

“Yeah, Griffin was playing so well, and a key cog for us, an important piece,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said on Wednesday. “Surgery was successful, and everything should be on track for Griffin to get through his rehab and be a full-go come spring training.”

Conine’s father, Jeff, played on the Marlins’ World Series champions in 1997 and 2003 and is known as Mr. Marlin.

Javier Sanoja, Kyle Stowers, Eric Wagaman and Ronny Simon have started in left field in Conine’s absence.

“I think we’ll continue to rotate guys through there,” McCullough said. “It’s nice to have some versatile pieces that can go out there and play. You can start the game in one setup, and depending how the game goes, guys can come in.”

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Cubs-Pirates game delayed after fan falls onto field from bleachers

Cubs-Pirates game delayed after fan falls onto field from bleachers originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Wednesday’s game between the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates was temporarily halted after a fan fell 21 feet to the field from the bleachers.

In the moments after Andrew McCutchen put the Pirates ahead on an RBI double in the seventh inning, play was halted and trainers from both teams rushed onto the field after a fan fell from the top of the wall and landed on the warning track of the stadium.

The incident occurred in the right field bleachers at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park, with those seats perched on a 21-foot-high wall over the playing surface.

Video of the horrifying fall quickly began circulating on social media, with the broadcasts for the game declining to show the medical response to the incident.

After a short time, the fan was immobilized on a bodyboard and was carted off the field, and players from both teams knelt in stunned silence.

The Pirates released a statement after the incident:

 “Tonight, during the seventh inning of the game at PNC Park, an adult male fell from the right field bleachers onto the field of play. Pittsburgh EMS, as well as the Pirates and Cubs athletic training teams and other PNC Park personnel reacted and responded immediately and administered care. He was transported to Allegheny General Hospital. No further information is available at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.”

A statement from Pittsburgh Public Safety confirmed the city’s Violent Crimes Unit was investigating the incident, adding that the man was hospitalized in critical condition.

Play was ultimately resumed, with the Pirates holding on for a 4-3 victory.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said he and the team are thinking about the man’s family, calling the incident “obviously scary.” He was seen on the broadcast pointing out the man to umpires, who immediately halted the game, but Counsell told media he did not see the fan fall.

“We didn’t know what we saw,” he said after the game. “All we saw was somebody laying on the warning track, and you know that’s not good. I hope the gentleman’s OK. Thinking about his family and him right now.”

Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson reacted to the incident after the game.

“I didn’t see anything happen, but I saw (Counsell’s) face when he came out on the field, and I could tell that it was a very scary moment,” Swanson said. “All we could do was just pray for a good, strong recovery for him and his family. I have never been part of something like that before and I hope I am never part of something like that again.

“It’s a humble reminder of the gratitude we should all have to play this game. Folks obviously come out to support us, and they are a big reason why we are able to do what we do. It’s obviously tough. At a time like that, you want (the fans) to know you love them.”

We will update this story with details as they become available.

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Cubs-Pirates game delayed after fan falls onto field from bleachers

Cubs-Pirates game delayed after fan falls onto field from bleachers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Wednesday’s game between the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates was temporarily halted after a fan fell 21 feet to the field from the bleachers.

In the moments after Andrew McCutchen put the Pirates ahead on an RBI double in the seventh inning, play was halted and trainers from both teams rushed onto the field after a fan fell from the top of the wall and landed on the warning track of the stadium.

The incident occurred in the right field bleachers at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park, with those seats perched on a 21-foot-high wall over the playing surface.

Video of the horrifying fall quickly began circulating on social media, with the broadcasts for the game declining to show the medical response to the incident.

After a short time, the fan was immobilized on a bodyboard and was carted off the field, and players from both teams knelt in stunned silence.

The Pirates released a statement after the incident:

 “Tonight, during the seventh inning of the game at PNC Park, an adult male fell from the right field bleachers onto the field of play. Pittsburgh EMS, as well as the Pirates and Cubs athletic training teams and other PNC Park personnel reacted and responded immediately and administered care. He was transported to Allegheny General Hospital. No further information is available at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.”

A statement from Pittsburgh Public Safety confirmed the city’s Violent Crimes Unit was investigating the incident, adding that the man was hospitalized in critical condition.

Play was ultimately resumed, with the Pirates holding on for a 4-3 victory.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said he and the team are thinking about the man’s family, calling the incident “obviously scary.” He was seen on the broadcast pointing out the man to umpires, who immediately halted the game, but Counsell told media he did not see the fan fall.

“We didn’t know what we saw,” he said after the game. “All we saw was somebody laying on the warning track, and you know that’s not good. I hope the gentleman’s OK. Thinking about his family and him right now.”

Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson reacted to the incident after the game.

“I didn’t see anything happen, but I saw (Counsell’s) face when he came out on the field, and I could tell that it was a very scary moment,” Swanson said. “All we could do was just pray for a good, strong recovery for him and his family. I have never been part of something like that before and I hope I am never part of something like that again.

“It’s a humble reminder of the gratitude we should all have to play this game. Folks obviously come out to support us, and they are a big reason why we are able to do what we do. It’s obviously tough. At a time like that, you want (the fans) to know you love them.”

We will update this story with details as they become available.

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Phillies' winning streak hits 4 with much smoother night vs. Nationals

Phillies' winning streak hits 4 with much smoother night vs. Nationals originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Routine wins work just fine, too. 

The Phillies followed up a series-opening rollercoaster by earning a far less stressful victory Wednesday night vs. the Nationals. 

A 7-2 win at Citizens Bank Park was the Phillies’ fourth in a row. They’re 17-13 overall. 

Cristopher Sanchez won his first start since exiting early last Tuesday against the Mets because of left forearm tightness. He threw 87 pitches over five innings and gave up five hits and two runs. Sanchez struck out six batters and walked three. 

Kyle Schwarber lifted Sanchez to a quick lead by bashing a first-inning home run for the second straight night. He punished Jake Irvin’s 0-2 curveball and trotted home with Bryson Stott and Trea Turner. 

Sanchez maintained the advantage and didn’t show anything worrisome on the velocity front; the lefty’s sinker was right on his season average of 95.7 mph. The Nationals took 11 swings at Sanchez’s changeup and whiffed on seven. 

He never shifted into true cruise control, in part because of uneven command. Sanchez walked two Nats and plunked CJ Abrams in the third inning. Nathaniel Lowe’s two-out RBI double cut Washington’s deficit to 3-1. Nick Castellanos’ path was a tad twisting, but he extinguished the threat with a jumping catch of Josh Bell’s fly ball to the right-field wall. 

The Phillies tacked on a run apiece in the fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth innings. Max Kepler and J.T. Realmuto both ripped dingers.

Every player in the lineup reached base besides Edmundo Sosa, who started at third instead of Alec Bohm. Sosa had been 4 for 9 in his career against Irvin before Wednesday. 

“Trying to get Sosa a few more consistent at-bats,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said pregame. “He’s had good numbers against Irvin. (Bohm) will be back in tomorrow.”

The Phillies’ bullpen fared very well. The trio of Jose Ruiz, Tanner Banks and Carlos Hernandez allowed zero base runners and locked down the win without any unwanted fireworks.

“I thought it was a complete game today,” Thomson said. “I thought we played well in all facets. We didn’t strikeout. I didn’t think we got out of the zone. We controlled it on both sides of the ball, for the most part. Stole a couple bases. Hit three home runs. … Sanchy was good, bullpen was excellent. Those three guys were really, really good. And the defense was solid. That was a really good game and now we’ve got to do it again.”

Rehab updates 

Brandon Marsh’s rehab stint seems to be back on track after the 27-year-old outfielder’s right hamstring cramp Sunday.

Marsh is scheduled to play for Triple A Lehigh Valley on Thursday and Friday against the Rochester Red Wings, and “then we’ll see where we’re at,” Thomson said. 

After the game, Thomson announced that Ranger Suarez needs no further rehab. He’s set for his season debut Sunday vs. the Diamondbacks.

The Phils plan to start Taijuan Walker in the series finale Thursday vs. the Nats. Jesus Luzardo and Aaron Nola will be their two starters in the Arizona series.

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Phillies' winning streak hits 4 with much smoother night vs. Nationals

Phillies' winning streak hits 4 with much smoother night vs. Nationals originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Routine wins work just fine, too. 

The Phillies followed up a series-opening rollercoaster by earning a far less stressful victory Wednesday night vs. the Nationals. 

A 7-2 win at Citizens Bank Park was the Phillies’ fourth in a row. They’re 17-13 overall. 

Cristopher Sanchez won his first start since exiting early last Tuesday against the Mets because of left forearm tightness. He threw 87 pitches over five innings and gave up five hits and two runs. Sanchez struck out six batters and walked three. 

Kyle Schwarber lifted Sanchez to a quick lead by bashing a first-inning home run for the second straight night. He punished Jake Irvin’s 0-2 curveball and trotted home with Bryson Stott and Trea Turner. 

Sanchez maintained the advantage and didn’t show anything worrisome on the velocity front; the lefty’s sinker was right on his season average of 95.7 mph. The Nationals took 11 swings at Sanchez’s changeup and whiffed on seven. 

He never shifted into true cruise control, in part because of uneven command. Sanchez walked two Nats and plunked CJ Abrams in the third inning. Nathaniel Lowe’s two-out RBI double cut Washington’s deficit to 3-1. Nick Castellanos’ path was a tad twisting, but he extinguished the threat with a jumping catch of Josh Bell’s fly ball to the right-field wall. 

The Phillies tacked on a run apiece in the fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth innings. Max Kepler and J.T. Realmuto both ripped dingers.

Every player in the lineup reached base besides Edmundo Sosa, who started at third instead of Alec Bohm. Sosa had been 4 for 9 in his career against Irvin before Wednesday. 

“Trying to get Sosa a few more consistent at-bats,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said pregame. “He’s had good numbers against Irvin. (Bohm) will be back in tomorrow.”

The Phillies’ bullpen fared very well. The trio of Jose Ruiz, Tanner Banks and Carlos Hernandez allowed zero base runners and locked down the win without any unwanted fireworks.

“I thought it was a complete game today,” Thomson said. “I thought we played well in all facets. We didn’t strikeout. I didn’t think we got out of the zone. We controlled it on both sides of the ball, for the most part. Stole a couple bases. Hit three home runs. … Sanchy was good, bullpen was excellent. Those three guys were really, really good. And the defense was solid. That was a really good game and now we’ve got to do it again.”

Rehab updates 

Brandon Marsh’s rehab stint seems to be back on track after the 27-year-old outfielder’s right hamstring cramp Sunday.

Marsh is scheduled to play for Triple A Lehigh Valley on Thursday and Friday against the Rochester Red Wings, and “then we’ll see where we’re at,” Thomson said. 

After the game, Thomson announced that Ranger Suarez needs no further rehab. He’s set for his season debut Sunday vs. the Diamondbacks.

The Phils plan to start Taijuan Walker in the series finale Thursday vs. the Nats. Jesus Luzardo and Aaron Nola will be their first two starters in the Arizona series.

Posted on

Phillies' winning streak hits 4 with much smoother night vs. Nationals

Phillies' winning streak hits 4 with much smoother night vs. Nationals originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Routine wins work just fine, too. 

The Phillies followed up a series-opening rollercoaster by earning a far less stressful victory Wednesday night vs. the Nationals. 

A 7-2 win at Citizens Bank Park was the Phillies’ fourth in a row. They’re 17-13 overall. 

Cristopher Sanchez won his first start since exiting early last Tuesday against the Mets because of left forearm tightness. He threw 87 pitches over five innings and gave up five hits and two runs. Sanchez struck out six batters and walked three. 

Kyle Schwarber lifted Sanchez to a quick lead by bashing a first-inning home run for the second straight night. He punished Jake Irvin’s 0-2 curveball and trotted home with Bryson Stott and Trea Turner. 

Sanchez maintained the advantage and didn’t show anything worrisome on the velocity front; the lefty’s sinker was right on his season average of 95.7 mph. The Nationals took 11 swings at Sanchez’s changeup and whiffed on seven. 

He never shifted into true cruise control, in part because of uneven command. Sanchez walked two Nats and plunked CJ Abrams in the third inning. Nathaniel Lowe’s two-out RBI double cut Washington’s deficit to 3-1. Nick Castellanos’ path was a tad twisting, but he extinguished the threat with a jumping catch of Josh Bell’s fly ball to the right-field wall. 

The Phillies tacked on a run apiece in the fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth innings. Max Kepler and J.T. Realmuto both ripped dingers.

Every player in the lineup reached base besides Edmundo Sosa, who started at third instead of Alec Bohm. Sosa had been 4 for 9 in his career against Irvin before Wednesday. 

“Trying to get Sosa a few more consistent at-bats,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said pregame. “He’s had good numbers against Irvin. (Bohm) will be back in tomorrow.”

The Phillies’ bullpen fared very well. The trio of Jose Ruiz, Tanner Banks and Carlos Hernandez allowed zero base runners and locked down the win without any unwanted fireworks.

Rehab updates 

Brandon Marsh’s rehab stint seems to be back on track after the 27-year-old outfielder’s right hamstring cramp Sunday.

Marsh is scheduled to play for Triple A Lehigh Valley on Thursday and Friday against the Rochester Red Wings, and “then we’ll see where we’re at,” Thomson said. 

Thomson had no pregame news on whether Ranger Suarez is ready to enter the Phillies’ rotation or will make another rehab start, though he expected more info soon. Suarez threw a bullpen session Wednesday. Taijuan Walker will start the series finale Thursday and the Phils’ rotation for their weekend series vs. the Diamondbacks remains TBD.