Category: Baseball

Iowa right-hander Connor Noland came off the injured list. Iowa Right-hander Yacksel Ríos went on the temporarily inactive list.

Knoxville first baseman Edgar Alvarez came off the restricted list.

Right-hander Luis Rujano was sent to the rookie ball ACL Cubs from Double-A Knoxville.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs got blasted by Indianapolis (Pirates), 14-5.

Connor Noland came off the injured list and pitched the first four innings. He allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits. Noland struck out six and walked one.

Zac Leigh relieved Noland to start the fifth inning and only managed to retire one batter. Leigh took the loss after giving up five runs on one hit and four walks over one-third of an inning. The one hit was a three-run home run. Leigh did not have a strikeout.

Gavin Hollowell is making a case for a major-league call up with another perfect inning in the seventh, striking out two. Hollowell has a 1.23 ERA and hasn’t given up an earned run since May 7.

DH Chas McCormick went 2 for 5 with two RBI.

Left fielder Ben Cowles was 2 for 5 and scored once.

RBI single for McCormick.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies swept a doubleheader from the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), 7-5 and 7-5.

Starter Jake Knapp pitched 2.2 innings and gave up one run on three hits. He walked one and struck out two.

Dawson Netz pitched the final 3.1 innings and got the win, giving up only one run on a solo home run. He allowed two hits total. Netz struck out two and walked one.

DH Ethan Hearn clubbed a solo home run in the second inning, his third on the year. Hearn went 1 for 4.

In the third inning, catcher Owen Ayers cracked a two-run home run, his seventh. Ayers was also 1 for 4.

First baseman Edgar Alvarez hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning, his fifth home run this year. Alvaraez went 1 for 3.

Finally, third baseman Jefferson Rojas hit his sixth home run with the bases empty in the seventh. Rojas went 1 for 4.

Second baseman Alex Madera was 2 for 3 with an RBI double in the third. He scored on Ayers’ home run.

Shortstop Hayden Cantrelle was 2 for 3 and scored one run.

Tyler Schlaffer started game two and allowed just one run on two hits. Schlaffer walked three and struck out six.

The Smokies went into the bottom of the seventh with a 7-1 lead, but Jackson Kirkpatrick had trouble getting anyone out. He gave up four runs on two hits and three walks over just a third of an inning. So Marino Santy was summoned from the pen with one out, two on and the tying run at the plate. He walked the first batter he faced to load the bases and then a run came home on a ground out by former Smokie Pablo Aliendo. Then Santy got a strikeout to end the game and collect the save.

Left fielder Carter Trice hit a solo home run in the second inning, his eighth on the year. Trice went 1 for 3 with the home run and a sacrifice fly for two total RBI.

Right fielder Alex Ramírez connected with the bases empty in the fifth, his fourth on the year. Ramírez went 2 for 4 with a double and the home run. He scored twice.

Center fielder Andy Garriola was 3 for 4 with a double. He scored one run and drove in one.

Shortstop Hayden Cantrelle was 2 for 3.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs cracked open the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 7-0.

Koen Moreno got the start and went four innings. He allowed just two hits. Moreno walked four and struck out four.

Eli Jerzembeck pitched the next two innings and got the win because Moreno didn’t pitch five innings. Jerzembeck gave up no hits, but he walked two and struck out two.

Mason McGwire made his High-A debut in this game and was impressive in collecting a three-inning save. He allowed just one baserunner, a two-out single in the seventh. McGwire struck out six.

For the second-straight game, first baseman Drew Bowser hit a grand slam. This one came in the sixth inning. It was Bowser’s third overall home run this year. Bowser went 1 for 4.

Third baseman Matt Halbach was 1 for 1 with two walks and a hit by pitch. Halbach scored twice and his single in the third drove in a run.

Center fielder Josiah Hartshorn was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Here’s an RBI double by Jose Escobar and an RBI single by Justin Stransky. Escobar was 1 for 4 and Stransky went 1 for 3 with a walk.

Bowser’s grand slam.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans grounded the Wilson Warbirds (Brewers), 7-5.

Noah Edders started and gave up four runs on five hits over 3.1 innings. Edders walked two, hit one batter and struck out three.

Riely Hunsaker allowed the game to stay close, giving up just one run on three hits over 4.1 innings. Hunsaker walked two and struck out three. He also hit a batter.

Braylon Myers threw the final 1.1 innings, allowed no runs and got the win after the Pelicans took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the eighth. Myers gave up just one hit. He struck out one and walked no one.

Left fielder Geuri Lubo hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to give the Pelicans the lead for the first time. It was Lubo’s second home run of the year. Lubo went 2 for 4 with a double and the home run.

Third baseman Yahil Melendez clubbed a two-run home run in the fifth to tie the game up 4-4. It was Melendez’s first home run of the year. Melendez finished 1 for 4.

Center fielder Alexey Lumpuy went 2 for 4 with two steals. He scored on a wild pitch in the third inning.

The Melendez home run.

ACL Cubs

Beat the Diamondbacks, 4-0.

After nearly two months, Fernando Tatis Jr. is finally on the board with his first home run of the season.

In the fifth inning of the Padres’ 9-4 loss to the Nationals, Tatis blasted a towering 451-foot solo homer to left field at Nationals Park to break his harrowing streak without a home run that dated back to last season.

Before Saturday’s game, the Padres outfielder had not gone deep in 240 plate appearances, which was the longest home run drought in the MLB.

“I just knew right away,” Tatis told reporters following the game, according to The Associated Press. “About f–king time.”

Upon hitting the homer, Tatis flipped his bat and got a warm welcome from his teammates as he rounded third base.

“It was very exciting for everybody,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “He’s been carrying that burden. The team has been carrying that burden.”

The last time Tatis had hit a home run was a game against Arizona on Sept. 27.

“Bet you he’ll sleep a little better tonight, knowing that he has a little ‘one’ on his numbers. He has a lot in his career, but it’s different,” San Diego shortstop Xander Bogaerts said. “Everyone knows what the deal is here.

“Everyone knows he has zero, so I think getting that kind of pressure off his back is nice.”

Despite Tatis’ blast, the Padres gave up six runs to Washington in the seventh for their 25th loss of the season.

“There’s no off days over here, man,” Tatis said. “This game will find a way how to still punish you.”

Tatis’ numbers have taken a significant hit so far this season because of his home run drought.

Despite holding a .268 batting average going into Saturday’s game, the three-time All-Star was slugging just .307 across 55 games played.

The Saturday night matchup between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs was supposed to be electric. What it turned out to be was…odd. The St. Louis Cardinals got a solid start out of Kyle Leahy, yet he wouldn’t make it out of the 5th inning and the Cardinals offense was nearly mute squandering what chances they had losing to the Chicago Cubs 6-1 Saturday night. It pains me to admit this, but Pete Crow-Armstrong had a lot to do with it.

Kyle Leahy gave the St. Louis Cardinals 4 1/3 innings allowing 6 hits with 4 strikeouts. He didn’t face any real drama until the top of the 2nd inning when Alex Bregman hit a ball that was initially called a home run, but the umpire review showed it ducked just to the left of the foul pole. Bregman did end up flaring a single to right field, but it didn’t lead to any runs.

The St. Louis offense didn’t awaken until JJ Wetherholt singled to center in the bottom of the 4th inning. He advanced to 2nd on an excuse me groundout by Iván Herrera and then scored the first run of the game when Alec Burleson cracked a single to right field giving the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.

That lead wouldn’t last long as the dreaded 5th inning rolled around which has been the nemesis of the St. Louis Cardinals pitching staff several times this season. Kyle Leahy would serve up a ball right down the middle that Pete Crow-Armstrong turned into a laser shot double to right. He then advanced to third on a Nico Hoerner groundout and then scored on a single by Michael Busch tying the game 1-1. Ryan Fernandez would come in to get the final outs of the 5th inning which he would do despite throwing a wild pitch in the process.

Ryan Fernandez would not be so fortunate in the top of the 6th inning. After making a good fielding play on a dribbler in front of the mound from Amaya, Ryan would fire the ball past Alec Burleson into right field. He would then walk Dansby Swanson before Manager Oli Marmol removed him for Justin Bruihl to face Pete Crow-Armstrong who he would hit with the first pitch to load the bases. Nico Hoerner then singled to right scoring Amaya giving the Cubs their first lead of game at 2-1. Michael Busch then hit a sacrifice fly to deep right field scoring Swanson upping the Cubs lead to 3-1.

The Cardinals would threaten in the bottom of the 6th when Victor Scott II drew a walk on a full count that was confirmed by a failed Cubs ABS challenge. The Fox announcer then made a big deal about JJ Wetherholt having never hit into a double play in his Cardinals career so far. Spoiler Alert: JJ didn’t hit into one this time either as he instead smoked a single into center field. Unfortunately, Iván Herrera would fulfill the prophecy of the Fox dude and hit into a double play grounding a ball to Alex Bregman who would step on third base and fire the ball across the diamond to first to end the inning.

The low point of the night (or best moment ever if you’re somehow a Cubs person) was Pete Crow-Armstrong responding to the “Tarps Off” crowds chants of “OVERRATED” by crushing a home run off of Gordon Graceffo right into the middle of their seats making it 4-1 Cubs in the top of the 8th inning. Well played, Armstrong, but we still despise you.

The Chicago Cubs would make a late innings comeback by St. Louis less likely as Ian Happ doubled to start the top of the 9th inning. Suzuki would then reach on an error from Nolan Gorman. After Ballesteros grounded out, Amaya would be given first base on catcher’s interference by Jimmy Crook. Matt Pushard did not help himself as he bounced a ball off of the backstop scoring Happ from third and making it 5-1 Cubs. Pushard would follow that up with a walk to Dansby Swanson and then…wait for it…another hit by Pete Crow-Armstrong who singled in Suzuki giving Chicago all the runs they’d need as it was 6-1. Believe it or not, it could have been worse. Masyn Winn made an incredible play on a ground ball up the middle that ricocheted off of JJ Wetherholt as he stepped on second and used his rifle arm on a throw to first for a double play.

To add insult to injury, the Cardinals made ridiculous decisions in the bottom of the 9th inning. Wait, there was just one ridiculous decision and it was made by Ivan Herrera. JJ Wetherholt led off the inning with a single. He was one of the few bright spots as JJ went 3 for 4 on the night. Ivan would reach on a fielder’s choice narrowly avoiding hitting into a double play, but would try to advance to third base on a single by Alec Burleson, but would be thrown out trying. Never make the first or second out of an inning at third base they say (for a good reason). Jordan Walker would make the last out of the game driving a ball deep into the left-center field gap, but it was caught by (you guessed it) Pete Crow-Armstrong.

The St. Louis Cardinals will try to rebound and win the series Sunday night when Matthew Liberatore takes the mound for another national broadcast. Jordan Wicks will get the start for the Chicago Cubs. First pitch is set for 6:20pm central time as the game will be watchable on NBC/Peacock.

The Dodgers finish off their homestand on Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound coming off a pair of seven-inning gems. He’s pitched at least six innings in nine of his 10 starts, averaging 6.4 innings per start this season.

Rookie Andrew Painter takes the ball for the Phillies, with a 5.40 ERA and 4.36 xERA through his first 10 major league games, including nine starts. He’s allowed five total runs in 16 1/3 innings over his last three starts.

The Dodgers are 10-5 during day games this season, including 5-3 on Sundays, though they’ve dropped two of their three Sunday home games.

Sunday game info

• Teams: Dodgers vs. Phillies
• Ballpark: Dodger Stadium
• Time: 1:10 p.m.
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Tobias Myers departed as a reliever, but could return to the Mets as a starter.

The right-hander, who was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse after Friday’s game — allowing the Mets to add a fresh bullpen arm — will be lengthened out over the next two weeks, according to manager Carlos Mendoza, giving the team additional flexibility on his usage.

Myers will follow a “scripted” program in the minors that allows him to stretch out for length should the Mets decide to insert him into the starting rotation.

“Once these 15 days are up, then we will make that decision,” Mendoza said before the Mets’ 6-1 victory over the Marlins. “He could either go and continue to get stretched out or just back to the role we have been using him. He’s very versatile and an important part of our team.”

Myers allowed two runs in one inning of work Friday, boosting his ERA to 4.05. He has filled various roles for the club, including opener, long reliever and high-leverage arm.

“Not an easy decision, given how important he’s been for the team,” Mendoza said of Myers’ demotion. “We told him, ‘Hey, you are going to be back here soon,’ and he understood, but obviously he’s not happy about it.”

Left-hander Cionel Perez was selected to the Mets’ roster.

He pitched a perfect sixth inning in his Mets debut.

Bobby Valentine and Lee Mazzilli were inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame during a pregame ceremony.

Those in attendance included former Mets managers Joe Torre and Willie Randolph, general managers Joe McIlvaine and Steve Phillips, and team Hall of Famers Mike Piazza, Al Leiter, John Franco, Howard Johnson, Edgardo Alfonzo and Mookie Wilson.

Hall of Fame hockey executive Lou Lamoriello, who as baseball coach at Providence College recruited Valentine to play in the Cape Cod League, also attended.

Jorge Polanco, who is continuing his rehab at Double-A Binghamton, could potentially rejoin the Mets for their series next weekend in San Diego.

The veteran infielder has been on the injured list since April 15, rehabbing a wrist contusion and Achilles bursitis.

The Mets are 8-3 in their last 11 home games.

Overall, they are 14-15 at Citi Field this season.

The Dodgers and Phillies are back at it, this time on SportsNet LA.

Saturday game info

• Teams: Dodgers vs. Phillies
• Ballpark: Dodger Stadium
• Time: 7:10 p.m.
• TV: SportsNet LA, MLB Network (out of market)
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

With two veteran serviceable but uninspiring pitchers on the mound in the Great American Ballpark, this had the looks of a high-scoring affair on paper.

Six batters were all it took to get through the first inning, as Martin Perez walked the only baserunner and got a double-play to erase him. The Braves struck first in the second, as Ozzie Albie doubled and came around to score after a Dubon walk and a Yaz single. Dubon was caught with a big lead at third on a throw-down by Stephenson at catcher, but the throw was low and bounced off the bag. Dubon came home and the throw from Suarez beat him there, as he was called out. He appeared to have eluded the tag on replay and the Braves challenged, but the call stood due to lack of clear and convincing evidence, though it feels like a call that would have been “confirmed” as safe if Dubon had been originally called safe. Not a great MLB replay challenge system moment, but the Braves had a 1-0 lead going into the bottom of the second inning.

Perez walked Steer with one out in the second and then gave up a homer to JJ Bleday, as the Reds took the 2-1 lead. Ronald Acuna brought us level in the third with an opposite field homer of his own, as this was starting to look like the slugfest we expected.

The scoring resumed in the fifth, as Jorge Mateo jumped on a Singer breaking ball for a big solo homer to give the Braves a 1-run lead. Still with two outs in the fifth, Ronald, Harris, and Olson walked to load the bases for Ozzie. Ozzie flied out to extinguish the threat.

Tyler Kinley took over for Perez in the sixth and worked a quick 1-2-3 frame with a strikeout, as he has bounced back from a rough patch. Matt Olson gave Atlanta a big insurance run for a 4-2 lead with another solo homer in the seventh. The Death Star that is the back of the Braves’ bullpen was brought in and Lee and Suarez did their part with a scoreless 7th and 8th inning. Just to make sure we knew he is fully back and in peak form, Ronald Acuna launched another homer in the ninth, giving Raisel Iglesias a third run’s worth of cushion as he goes for another save. Raisel did his part and worked a 1-2-3 inning, securing a 5-2 victory on the night, a series win in Cincy, and a chance for a sweep on Sunday.

Join us tomorrow as the Braves go for that sweep with Spencer Strider on the mound at 1:40 PM ET.

Here we are again.

For the sixth time this season, the Mariners will look to break above .500 after a wild walk-off win on Friday in front of a crowd of over 44,000. Bryan Woo will look to keep rolling from his last pair of starts, while the Diamondbacks will be running out right-hander Ryne Nelson.

Lineups:

Mitch Garver is behind the plate for Seattle tonight despite the righty, continuing the fairy even job share with Jhonny Pereda while Cal Raleigh continues to work back from his oblique injury. Cole Young is once again in the six-hole above Dominic Canzone, and it’s very plausible that this is for splitting up the platoon bats. Despite Nolan Arenado suffering a gnarly-looking hit by pitch in the ninth inning in last night’s contest, he’s back at the hot corner for the Snakes. (UPDATE: Arenado has been scratched. José Fernández will play third and bat eighth in his stead, while Gabriel Moreno will hit cleanup with Adrian Del Castillo behind him hitting fifth. The rest of Arizona’s lineup remains unchanged.)

Game Info:

First Pitch: 7:10pm PDT

TV: Mariners.TV

Radio: Ol’ reliable

The ebbs and flows of a long, long baseball season can totally change your mood in a matter of days. Just six days ago, the Yankees had lost three consecutive games against division rivals and had fallen to 5.5 games back of the first-place Rays. Six days later, they have a chance to pull within a half-game after winning five in a row and Tampa dropping their fifth game in six days this afternoon against the Angels.

Ryan Weathers will take the bump, looking to secure the series victory in West Sacramento in his 11th start of 2026. It’s been a terrific start to the season for the former Marlin, posting a 3.14 ERA (131 ERA+) and 3.45 FIP in 57.1 innings with 65 strikeouts. He’s coming off a strong seven innings against the Rays at Yankee Stadium, and will look to replicate the eight innings of one-run ball he put up against this potent offense in early April.

Toeing the slab for the (Sacramento) A’s is J.T. Ginn, the one-time Mets prospect who you might remember from his near-no-hitter against the Angels earlier this month that resulted in a heartbreaking walk-off defeat. Despite a nightmare start last time out, he’s still pitching to a 3.19 ERA (141 ERA+) and 4.18 FIP in 12 appearances (nine starts) across 53.2 innings with 48 strikeouts. He’s faced the Yankees once before, throwing five innings of one-run ball back in 2024.

The peripherals are fairly pedestrian all around on Ginn, but he’s been well above-average at preventing hard contact in the air and keeping the ball on the ground. He has a five-pitch mix, led by his sinker, which he throws 54 percent of the time against right-handed hitters. It’s a much more even split from the left side, which he’s struggled with more, tossing his cutter, changeup, slider, and four-seamer all at least 14 percent of the time.

Trent Grisham, who’s been heating up of late, will lead off again, followed by Ben Rice, Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. Paul Goldschmidt will get another start at first base, batting sixth, while Ryan McMahon, Austin Wells, and Anthony Volpe round out the lineup. Keep in mind that Amed Rosario is unavailable after being put on paternity leave.

It’s more of the same for the A’s. Colby Thomas leads off in front of Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, Brent Rooker, and Tyler Soderstrom. Henry Bolte and Zack Gelof get another start, while Darell Hernaiz and Alika Williams round out the bunch in the middle infield.

How to watch

Location: Sutter Health Park — West Sacramento, CA

First pitch: 10:05 pm ET

TV broadcast: YES, NBCSCA

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY), Talk 650 KSTE, KVMX 92.1/105.5, A’s Cast (ATH)

Online stream: MLB.tv (out-of-market only), Gotham Sports App

For updates, follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

We’re now two months into ABS, and it has largely become part and parcel of the landscape. We’ve now got enough data to see some interesting trends. For example, this confirms what we suspected: that catchers (and pitchers, though those are a tiny fraction – no AZ pitcher has yet challenged) are better at it than hitters. 58 percent of fielding team challenges have been successful, but for batters, the number drops to 47 percent. The D-backs reflect this too, but have actually been better on defense, where they’re challenging successfully at an impressive 65% rate. But it’s been a while: Arizona haven’t put in a successful defensive claim since May 21, losing their last three in a row.

At the dish, Arizona have gone 19-21, a 48% rate that’s basically right in line with league average. The hitter most likely to be tapping his helmet for the D-backs is perhaps unsurprising: it’s catcher Gabriel Moreno, who has challenged seven pitches. However, he’s not quite as good there as when wearing the mask, having gone 4-3. And three of the four were called strikes which actually were out of the zone by more than two inches, including the most egregious overturned strike yet of 2026 for an Arizona hitter, more than three inches out. Corbin Carroll has only challenged twice, but has won both of them.

On the other hand, D-backs have challenged and lost five pitches which were inside the strike zone by more than two inches. The worst one there was this challenge by Lourdes Gurriel, which was again, over three inches from being a ball. Considering Gurriel wasn’t even facing the plate when the ball reached the catcher… Yeah. What’s interesting is, overall, the ratio of challenges has remained fairly static at around four percent since the beginning of the season. I might have expected either umpires to get more used to calling the “right” zone, or players to get better at challenges. Perhaps those two things cancel each other out!

Mets DH/1B Jorge Polanco's rehab assignment continued on Saturday night for Double-A Binghamton as he nears his return to the majors.

After serving as DH in his first two games in the minors, Polanco got the start at first base and played three innings in the field.

Offensively, Polanco went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts a night after hitting a three-run homer.

He is expected to mostly DH when he returns to the Mets, which the team said is likely to happen during their upcoming road trip. 

They are hopeful that Polanco will rejoin them in San Diego when they face the Padres for a three-game series starting on Friday, June 5, according to the New York Post's Mike Puma. Puma notes that Polanco won't be joining the Mets for their series against the Mariners in Seattle that begins on Monday.

Overall, Polanco has played parts of three games during his rehab assignment, going 2-for-5 with a home run, three RBI, two walks, and three strikeouts. He last played in the majors on April 14 due to Achilles bursitis and a wrist issue.

A failed automated ball-strike (ABS) challenge from Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe somehow led to the umpires giving him the boot.

During the fourth inning of Pittsburgh’s 10-9 win over the Twins on Saturday in Pittsburgh, Lowe attempted to challenge a called strike from home plate umpire Alex Tosi.

Despite Lowe tapping his helmet to signal for an ABS review on a pitch that appeared to be below the zone, Tosi did not allow it, making it a 1-2 count rather than 2-1, if it had been a successful challenge.

Lowe then became frustrated at the fact that Tosi refused to give him the challenge, prompting Pirates manager Don Kelly to emerge from the dugout and exchange words with the umpire.

“I did the challenge right away,” Lowe could be heard saying over the SportsNet Pittsburgh broadcast.

The at-bat then resumed, with Lowe later flying out to left field after working a full count, screaming in anger while spiking his bat into the ground.

As Lowe rounded first base and headed back to the dugout, however, first base umpire John Baker threw out the two-time All-Star.

Pittsburgh first base coach Tarrik Brock had to hold Lowe back while arguing the umpire’s decision, with Kelly also coming back out from the dugout.

“There’s no way you eject a player for that,” announcer Joe Block said during the broadcast.

Second-year utility player Tyler Callihan entered the game in place of Lowe.

The ejection marks the first in Lowe’s nine-year career in the big leagues, according to MLB.com.

Lowe, who spent eight seasons with the Rays before being traded to the Pirates in a three-team deal this past offseason, has shown to be one of Pittsburgh’s top hitters this season.

Headed into Saturday’s game, Lowe, 31, has posted a slash line of .260/.349/.540 with 14 home runs and 36 RBIs through 52 games.

Don’t let the scoreline fool you. For eight innings, this was the same old Red Sox team, struggling to string together any semblance of offense behind yet another solid start from Sonny Gray.

But lest we despair too much, let’s note that Guardians starter Parker Messick is no slouch on the mound, having entered today’s game with the seventh-best bWAR amongst all pitchers. The Sox didn’t exactly do damage against him, but they made him work, putting two runners on base in three of his five innings.

Getting Messick out of the game early was the most important thing the lineup did, as they proceeded to score eight of their nine runs against Cleveland’s bullpen, including sixth in the ninth, as Guards’ skipper Stephen Vogt more or less waived the white flag.

Three Studs

Sonny Gray: When the sox win a ballgame, it’s usually because the starting pitcher did his job. Sonny Gray continues to be the steadying force in Boston’s rotation, throwing six relatively clean innings and striking out seven. Three walks drove his pitch count up a little higher than you’d like, but there’s nothing really to complain about in this outing.

Connor Wong: Is Connor Wong really going to go two whole seasons without hitting a homer? Is that even possible in 2026? When you see what happened to him today, you wonder. Wong — along with everyone else in the ballpark — thought he’d broken his drought in the sixth inning, only for replay review to downgrade his knock to a double. But it was the double that would give the Sox a lead they would not relinquish, and he would get another RBI in the Sox’ big ninth inning outburst.

Caleb Durbin: Yes, Jarren Duran hit a three-run bomb in this game. But the game was already on ice at that point, so get that front-running shit out of here! (Plus he also struck out three times…) Instead, let’s give some much needed glory to our beefy, slumpy, third baseman, who started the scoring with a sac fly and then added an insurance RBI on a double in the eighth.

Three Duds

You know what? I’m in a generous mood, so let’s skip duds tonight and let everyone go home early.

Play of the Game

Poor little Connor!

Christian Scott and Hayden Senger shared stops along the Mets minor-league pathway, so perhaps it’s only appropriate that they shared two important career “firsts” on Saturday, too, when Scott earned an elusive first victory and Senger smashed his first big league homer. 

“I think it’s a really cool thing,” Senger said following the Mets’ 6-1 victory over the Marlins on Saturday at Citi Field. “I kind of thought we would do it together. I just kind of had a feeling.” 

“Coming up through all the levels, so you want to see him get that moment and the smile on his face as he was running the bases and the dugout was awesome,” added Scott.

Judging by something else Scott said, the two were showered with food and beverages by teammates afterward, too, a messy baseball tradition for such firsts. “I won’t be able to get peanut butter out of my hair for a couple weeks,” Scott said, “but it was awesome.”

It was a giddy end to a nice day of celebration for the organization – before the game, the Mets inducted Bobby Valentine and Lee Mazzilli into the club’s Hall of Fame. But, particularly with Scott’s performance, there are some this-year applications that could really boost a team looking for ways to come out of a poor start to the season. 

Scott only delivered five innings of mound work after the Marlins forced his pitch count skyward, but his stuff was tantalizing. He allowed just one run and five hits. His sweeper was really good – he got five swings-and-misses on 16 cuts at it – and he matched his career-high of eight strikeouts. He was helped by two terrific catches, one by A.J. Ewing and one by Carson Benge, too.

As the Mets seek answers, Scott might be a big one. He is now an important part of a rotation in flux, a key pitcher they look to for stability. 

“If we can get that version, which I’m pretty confident we will, that’s another factor for us to turn this thing around, right there,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s too talented. He’s got electric stuff and he’s going to continue to help us.”

“His stuff is very swing and miss and when he's in the zone and he's locating that heater at the top, it's pretty tough to hit,” added Senger.

Scott, who missed all of last season while recovering from elbow surgery, has allowed four or fewer runs in each of his first 16 career starts. He’s the first pitcher in club history to own such a streak. The Mets were gaga over his potential before he got hurt and now he’s getting them back into that kind of mood. 

Maybe their mood overall is changing, too, though that might be premature. The Mets have won three straight, but there is a long way to go for them to flush their terrible start. They are 25-33 and, their last two games notwithstanding, have troubles on offense. 

But maybe a couple of fun firsts are a palate cleanser of sorts. Senger, 29, is Luis Torrens’ backup, at least until Francisco Alvarez returns, and he’s been trying to add power to his resume in Triple-A. He had hit six home runs in his first 22 games at Syracuse. 

The one Saturday, not surprisingly, felt “maybe a little better than the ones in Triple-A,” Senger admitted. “Probably one of the best feelings I’ve had.” 

He got the ball back as a keepsake. “Thanks to the clubbies,” he said. Clubhouse workers exchanged some Mets memorabilia for the milestone ball, Senger said. “Thanks to the fan, too,” Senger added. He said he’ll try to find a good spot for the ball at home. 

Mendoza said he did not realize it was Scott’s first career win, “because of how well he pitched for us in 2024.” Scott’s first nine starts in the majors were promising, though winless. 

Now, Mendoza is thinking, “First of many,” after Saturday. 

Mendoza also praised the righty for how he moved through the slog of a year-plus of rehabbing. “You feel like you’re on an island by yourself, you know, down in Florida,” the manager said. “It can be a lonely place at times and frustrating at times as well. You’ve got to give him credit and all the medical people and the trainers.” 

Scott admitted he never thought it’d take this long to get his first win – he debuted on May 4, 2024. “Hopefully, it doesn’t take as long to get the second one,” he quipped.

After the game, the Mets’ posted on social media a nice clip of Senger and Scott sharing an embrace in the tunnel from the dugout to the clubhouse. It was a good win for a team that needs to start stacking them, but it was a nice personal moment for two players, too. 

“I knew that was his first win, so I just congratulated him and he congratulated me,” Senger said. “And that was it. 

"And we’re both very happy for each other.” 

Takeaways as Edmundo Sosa's second chance lifts Phillies over Dodgers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

LOS ANGELES — For most of Saturday night, the Phillies’ lineup had few answers in Chavez Ravine.

Another Dodgers starter was in complete control. Cruise control. Barely breaking a sweat.

On Friday, Dodgers lefty Justin Wrobleski spun seven innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts. All nine came on the fastball. At one point, he had retired 10 in a row.

There were no excuses Saturday.

They were facing a righty.

After Alec Bohm led off the fourth with a homer, Roki Sasaki retired the next 13 batters he faced. The Phillies managed little against him and had already wasted one major scoring chance by the time the Dodgers handed the game to the bullpen.

That is where the night changed.

Edmundo Sosa had already come up empty in one of the Phillies’ biggest spots of the game. Two innings later, he came up again against another Dodgers lefty.

This time, against Tanner Scott, he did not miss.

Sosa launched a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning, lifting the Phillies to a 4-3 win over the Dodgers and flipping a bat and a night that had looked like another quiet offensive showing at Dodger Stadium.

For most of the night, the Phillies were again being held down by a Dodgers starter.

This time, they got to the bullpen.

SOSA’S SECOND SHOT

The night had already put Sosa in the middle of the game.

With the bases loaded in the sixth inning, interim manager Don Mattingly went to Sosa to pinch-hit for Brandon Marsh against Dodgers lefty Alex Vesia.

Mattingly said it was simple.

“Just liked the matchup, honestly,” Mattingly said. “I felt like that was a spot we needed to try to score there.”

Sosa was 2-for-5 in his career against Vesia. Marsh was 1-for-6.

Marsh has been solid against southpaws. He has gotten more chances to face lefties since Mattingly took over and entered Saturday slashing .333/.375/.524 with an .899 OPS in 21 at-bats against them.

Sosa, who has been the Phillies’ go-to option against lefties over the past several years, has not had the same success this season. He entered with a .642 OPS against left-handers.

It did not work there.

Sosa saw four pitches, all out of the zone, from Vesia. Swinging strike. Ball. Swinging strike. Swinging strike.

Bohm grounded out to end the inning.

It was a fitting sequence for the way the Phillies’ offense had looked for most of the night. They had the Dodgers on the ropes. They came away with nothing.

Marsh, who has been one of the Phillies’ best hitters this season, understood the move.

“Of course, I want the at-bat,” Marsh said. “I want to be in there and I want to come through for the guys, but it just wasn’t my night. It was Sosa’s night.”

That showed up in the eighth.

After Bryce Harper lined a two-out, two-strike RBI single to cut the deficit to one, Sosa came up against Scott. He stayed on a pitch and drove it out to left, watching it for a beat before starting his trip around the bases.

“I just tried to stay aggressive with my approach,” Sosa said. “I trusted my swing. I’ve been trusting my swing. I’ve been feeling really good lately.”

He knew it was gone.

“As soon as I connected it,” Sosa said. “I just tried to put my head down and talk to myself a little, enjoy the moment. When these things happen, you have to take your time and enjoy these things.”

Mattingly was glad Sosa got another chance.

“You feel good for him because he’s been scuffling a little bit,” Mattingly said. “But still, you’ve got to trust your guys, what they can do and what they’re capable of.”

For Marsh, that was the best part.

“When that ball came off the bat, my whole body got chills,” Marsh said. “We all pull for each other in here. We’re all one big family, and we’re all going for each other and fighting for each other out there. For Sosa to have that moment is huge.”

HIGH-HEAT BOHM

Bohm’s swing was the first offensive breakthrough.

Even throughout the Phillies third baseman’s struggles, the underlying metrics still offered some positives. He was not expanding the strike zone. He was not swinging and missing much. He was still making contact at a high rate.

The surface numbers told a different story against fastballs, and that has been a key reason his production was down. Entering Saturday, Bohm was hitting just .185 against heaters.

Go one step further, though, and there was a more encouraging split.

Against fastballs — four-seamers, two-seamers, sinkers and cutters — at 97 mph or above, Bohm was batting .333 on 50 pitches seen. That would be a career high. His .417 batting average on balls in play against those pitches was tied with his career mark.

That showed up in the fourth inning.

Bohm got a 98.9 mph four-seamer from Sasaki, middle-up and even out of the 6-foot-5 strike zone. He stayed on top of it and drove it out to right-center for the game’s first run.

His sixth homer of the season was another exclamation point on a much better month of May.

His awakening has at least given the Phillies’ right-handed hitting group some light. Trea Turner has been having better at-bats and using the pull side more. They are going to need more production from J.T. Realmuto, Adolis García and Sosa when he gets the opportunity.

Sosa gave them exactly that late Saturday.

HOW IT STAYED CLOSE…

Before Sosa’s swing, the Phillies had to keep the game within reach.

Jesús Luzardo gave them 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball, and he did it without his cleanest night.

“I thought Zeus did a nice job getting out of a little trouble there,” Mattingly said. “I thought he threw the ball really good.”

The biggest early defensive play came from García.

After Luzardo opened the bottom of the third with his third strikeout, Mookie Betts lined a double. The next batter, Kyle Tucker, dropped the head of the bat on a Luzardo changeup with an 0-2 count and sent a sinking liner toward right field.

It had a hit written all over it.

García had other plans.

He ranged from his spot in right field, broke into a full sprint at more than 27 feet per second and made a diving catch.

It saved a run. With Tucker’s long strides, if that ball gets past García, it could have been more than a single. Maybe a triple. Instead, there were two outs, and Luzardo struck out Will Smith to end the inning.

For everything García has not given the Phillies offensively, his defense in right field has continued to show up.

… AND THEN DIDN’T?

The strangest sequence came later.

In the bottom of the seventh, Orion Kerkering made his first appearance at Dodger Stadium since the throwing error that ended the Phillies’ season last October.

Kerkering got Ohtani and Freddie Freeman, then gave up a double to Andy Pages and a single to Betts. Pages came home from second, and García’s throw beat him. J.T. Realmuto missed the tag, and Pages was called safe.

Then came the confusion.

Replay showed Pages missed the plate. The Phillies challenged the tag play, but because they did not first appeal that Pages missed home, the call stood.

“If we would have known that he missed it, it was just basically a quick challenge right away,” Mattingly said. “J.T. thought he got him. Our guys thought he got him. If we would have known he missed the plate, then we would have had to appeal it first.”

The long delay left plenty for the Phillies, and the umpires, to sort through.

“I think they’ve [Major League Baseball] just got to do a better job,” Kerkering said, “between replay, between figuring out when to call the right time for appeal and then challenge it.”

It did not end up deciding the game, because the Phillies finally got the swing they needed.

They did not solve Sasaki. They did not build much early. They still have offensive questions and still need more consistent pressure from the lineup.

But they stayed close long enough to get the game to the bullpen.

Then Sosa changed it.

“It’s a team game,” Marsh said. “It took all of us tonight.”