What felt like a never-ending losing streak for the Athletics finally has ended, and in historic fashion nonetheless.
The A’s came into Saturday’s game against the Washington Nationals having lost 10 straight, and fresh off an embarrassing 23-4 loss on Friday. Fueled by 6 1/3 hitless innings from starting pitcher J.T. Ginn, the Athletics’ offense woke up in a big way.
The A’s went on to win 15-1 and pulled off a feat that MLB’s Sarah Lang revealed hasn’t occurred since 1895.
The A’s allowed 23 runs yesterday They scored 15 today
That’s the most runs allowed in the game prior to scoring 15+ since the 1895 Phillies lost 24-6 and then won 15-2 in consecutive games May 20-21
The seventh inning proved to be the loudest of the night for the Athletics, as they put up six more runs thanks to huge hits from Jeff McNeil and Shea Langeliers, who knocked in three runs with a double to right.
The 14-run victory not only showed that the offense has plenty of juice despite their recent struggles, but OptaSTAS also revealed it was the largest victory since 1955 by a team ending a losing streak of 10 or more games.
The 14-run win for the A's tonight is the largest victory by any MLB team to snap a 10+ game losing streak since May 24, 1955, when the Pirates snapped their 11-game skid by the same 15-1 score.
Lang also shared that the Athletics’ offensive explosion marked the fourth-largest increase in run differential in MLB history, while also marking the most in nearly 30 years.
Largest increase in run differential from one game to the next all-time:
+42: 1887 Phillies -28 to +14 +34: 2000 Yankees -13 to +21 +34: 1897 Chicago Colts (now Cubs) -5 to +29 +33: 2026 A’s -19 to +14
The two teams will face off again on Sunday for the series finale, giving the A’s a chance to secure their first series win since June 12-14 when they beat the Colorado Rockies.
Sunday’s rubber match will be at 1:05 P.T. and will feature a pitchers’ duel between NL All-Star Foster Griffin (10-2) and Jacob Lopez (4-3).
No, that headline is not wrong. Anthony Rizzo was at Wrigley Field Saturday, along with many of his 2016 World Series champion teammates, to dedicate Champions Gate at Gallagher Way (and BCB’s Sara Sanchez will have a full write-up tomorrow) and to be celebrated before Saturday’s game, which the Cubs won 6-2 over the Twins.
Then he went and sat in the right-field bleachers and for the second time (also last September), he got a home run ball hit right to him.
We can start there, since that happened in the bottom of the first inning after Matthew Boyd had a 1-2-3 top of the first. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki were routine outs.
And there was Busch’s home run, right in Rizzo’s hand… while he was holding his child in the other, cheered on by Ben Zobrist sitting right next to him.
That homer was matched by Minnesota’s Kody Clemens in the second for a 1-1 tie. Roger Clemens’ son has actually become a pretty productive MLB player as the Twins’ more-or-less regular second baseman.
The Cubs got the lead back in the second. With one out, Nico Hoerner singled and went to second on a walk drawn by Pedro Ramirez — on an ABS challenge [VIDEO].
Nice work there by Ramirez. Dansby Swanson hit into a force play, with Nico taking third.
After that, things got quiet for a few innings. Matthew Boyd completed six innings, allowing just two hits besides Clemens’ home run. He struck out four [VIDEO].
Caleb Thielbar threw the seventh and served up another home run ball to Clemens to make it 5-2.
The Cubs got that run right back in the bottom of the inning. Busch led off with a walk. Two outs later he went to second on Nico’s fourth hit of the afternoon.
Trent Thornton threw a scoreless eighth on just 10 pitches. The Cubs didn’t score in the bottom of the eighth, so Jacob Webb entered to protect a four-run lead.
That started to look a bit shaky when the first two Twins singled.
What appears to have happened there is that the runners held up to see if PCA would catch the ball. He’s about the only center fielder who could do that — almost anywhere else that falls for an RBI single. But when PCA blocked the ball and threw in, the Twins runners appeared to be confused and ran themselves into that 8-4-2-5-3 double play, one of the wildest ones you will ever see. Alert Cubs defense is what turned that. A bit faster and it might have even been a triple play.
Here’s more on Nico’s four-hit afternoon from BCB’s JohnW53:
Last night and today are the fourth time this season that Nico Hoerner has made a total of at least five hits in back-to-back games. The others were April 7-8 (five), April 14-15 (five) and April 15-17 (six). Hoerner played 75 games after April 17 and before last night.
…..
This was Hoerner’s 800th game as a Cub. If was his fifth game with four hits, but the first in which he was 4 for 4. He was 4 for 5 three times in 2023 and then on April 16, 2023.
Pete Crow-Armstrong was the only previous Cub with four hits in a game this season. He did it three times between May 30 and June 15, going 4 for 5 in the first two and 4 for 4 in the third.
One more note: After the game the Cubs announced they had acquired Aaron Civale from the A’s for minor league right-hander Aiden Moffett. The move makes the 40-man roster full. Civale had a 5.42 ERA in 16 games (15 starts) for the A’s and honestly I have no idea what the Cubs are going to do with him. No 26-man roster move has been announced yet.
The Phillies defeated the Mets today so the Cubs remain half a game ahead of them for the top wild card spot.
And the Brewers withstood a ninth-inning Marlins rally to beat them 8-6, so the Cubs remain six games out of first place in the NL Central.
The Cubs go for the series win Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field. Shōta Imanaga will start for the Cubs and Zebby Matthews goes for the Twins. Game time is again 1:20 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 18: Joc Pederson #3 of the Texas Rangers runs to home plate after hitting a solo home run in the first inning of a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 18, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers scored seven runs while the Atlanta Braves scored six runs.
The Rangers couldn’t let Eli White get away with it.
With MacKenzie Gore back to having one of those kind of days following stepping up for a heroic turn in the first half finale, it was former Ranger White that turned a 1-0 Rangers lead into a deficit with a two-run home run in the bottom of the second.
Before the second inning ended, it was 4-1 Braves and it seemed like they were well on their way to another blowout of the Rangers. Poor pitching has plagued Gore on the road this season and he tends to have innings that get away from him. That was the second inning today.
Luckily for Gore, the Rangers were in the mood for a battle as they rebounded to score two in the top of the fourth. It could have been more but the Braves were wise enough to know that to stop a Rangers rally, all you have to do is allow them to load the bases.
Texas packed the bags but that is exactly where the rally ended as a one-out, bases-loaded opportunity couldn’t plate the tying run. They nearly pulled it off but a left-hander was brought in to face Evan Carter and he popped out to shallow right field where White ran in to make a sliding catch and dash his old team’s hopes for a bigger inning.
Two pitches later, in the bottom of the third, the Braves went up 5-3 when Michael Harris II went deep for a solo shot off Gore. That sequence felt like a killer but the Rangers still weren’t dead yet.
Gore settled in a little which allowed the Rangers to enter the top of the sixth still down a couple runs. After Carter was victimized of a chance to tie the game earlier, he hit one where White couldn’t reach it for a two-run home run.
It was Carter’s first dinger since his first game of the month on July 2 and it tied the game 5-5. The Rangers would continue their rally, which included three straight two-out hits, to go up 7-5 with a four-run inning of their own.
The failures with the bases loaded would crop up again, however, as the Rangers had a one-out bases-loaded chance in the top of the seventh with an opportunity to put the game away. Instead, pinch hitter Justin Foscue went up 3-0, took a strike, and then grounded into an inning-ending double play.
In the next half inning, the Braves chipped away at Texas’ lack of extra insurance with a two-out rally against Tyler Alexander which scored a run to make it 7-6. With the potential tying run on second, Alexander was able to get White to line out to Carter to end the threat.
For the first time since late June, the Rangers had their high leverage one-two punch of Jakob Junis and All-Star Jacob Latz ready to tackle a situation such as a one-run game in the final innings. Junis allowed a two-out hit in the eighth in his first outing in July, which prompted Skip Schumaker to summon Latz for his patented four-out save, which he accomplished without incident.
Gore hasn’t enjoyed much success for months now, and the inexplicable inability to produce with the bases loaded remains an albatross dangling from Texas’ neck, but as it has been literally more often than not, the Rangers earned the ability to greet the win column again today.
Player of the Game: Joc Pederson led off the game with a solo home run but he also scored three of Texas’ seven runs, which is exactly what you want from your svelte leadoff hitter.
Up Next: The Rangers and Braves close out this series with a rubber match potentially featuring RHP Nathan Eovaldi for Texas against RHP Grant Holmes for Atlanta.
The Sunday finale afternoon first pitch from Truist Park is scheduled for 12:35 pm CDT and you can watch it via the Rangers Sports Network.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 18: Atlanta manager Walt Weiss (22) makes a pitching change during the MLB game between the Texas Rangers and the Atlanta Braves on July 18th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Braves came into Saturday looking for a series win behind Owen Murphy, facing MacKenzie Gore and the Rangers.
Murphy went up 1-2 on Joc Pederson to start the game, but gave up a solo homer to the Braves’ legend. Drake Baldwin led off the bottom of the frame with an opposite field single, but the Braves were unable to capitalize on the leadoff baserunner. Murphy walked two in the second, though one of those walks could have been a strikeout with a timely ABS challenge, but ultimately escaped the frame unscathed with a double-play. Dubon led off the second with a line drive single and Eli White capitalized with a big homer, giving Atlanta a 2-1 lead.
Austin followed White with a single, Bart walked, Baldwin brought home Austin with a single, and Ozzie brought home another run with a sac fly, as the Braves left the second with a solid 4-1 lead in support of the rookie starter.
A miscommunication between Dubon and Harris in the outfield (that seemed mostly Dubon’s fault) turned an easy out into a baserunner to lead off the third for Texas. Three line drive singles (and a pop-out) later and it was a 4-3 game with two runners on. Jake Burger snuck another single through to load the bases, and this was big trouble still with only one out. Murphy got a big strikeout for the second out and Walt Weiss took that opportunity to pull him for Dylan Dodd, who got a flyout to end the inning. It was an alright outing overall for Murphy, in my view. He certainly wasn’t spectacular, but got a bit unlucky in a few ways that likely shortened his outing. I’d give him another shot next turn of the rotation. Regardless, the game marched on at 4-3, Braves.
Michael Harris launched a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the third, pulling a run back for Atlanta.
Dylan Dodd and JR Ritchie did their job, maintaining the 5-3 lead into the sixth. Tyler Kinley took the ball in the sixth and allowed a very unlucky (.80 xBA) leadoff double that landed about 6 inches in front of a diving Mauricio Dubon’s glove. Evan Carter made the most of it, with a game-tying two run homer. Kinley got a flyout and walked the ninth hitter, before Weiss brought in Dylan Lee to face Pederson and the top of the Texas lineup. Lee got soft ground balls from Pederson and Langford, though Langford’s converted to an infield single, before a moderately hard single loaded the bases for Nimmo. Nimmo hit a dribbler through a hole in the infield for two runs, giving Texas a two-run lead. That is some exceptionally bad BABIP for the Braves’ bullpen.
Gore got the first two outs of the home sixth before hitting Bart and Jarvis consecutively to put two on with two outs for Baldwin, as the Rangers went to the bullpen. Drake lined out to end the threat. A walk, a swinging-bunt single and a hit batsman (with a sac bunt in between) loaded the bases for the Rangers in the seventh, with Danny Young on the mound, but a double-play ended the threat. Michael Harris singled with two outs in the seventh and Dubon brought him home with a double. Eli White had a chance to tie the game up by bringing Dubon around, but flied out to left-center, ending the frame with a 7-6 Rangers lead. Didier Fuentes got the eighth and after striking out Langford, got a soft chopper, fielded it bare-handed, but was unable to convert the out with Olson, on a play that was unclear who was truly at fault. Fuentes fanned Nimmo for the second out and got a nice running catch from Harris to end the inning.
Jim Jarvis singled with two outs in the eighth, but Drake Baldwin lined out to end the inning, leaving the Braves one more inning to try to tie or win the game. Raisel Iglesias got the call out of the pen for the ninth and did his job with a 1-2-3 frame. The offense was unable to do anything in the ninth, however, cementing a huge bummer of a loss.
Join us again tomorrow at 1:35 PM ET, as the Braves go for the series win.
Sean Manaea was very hittable over his short start, and Kodai Senga behind him didn’t exactly inspire confidence.
Both pitchers are available heading to the trade deadline. Proceed at your own risk if you are a team needing a back-of-the-rotation arm. Maybe better yet: Don’t proceed.
The Mets’ uninspiring afternoon — with the game’s start time moved up an hour because of weather concerns — ended with a 6-1 loss to the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
The game unfortunately resumed following a 48-minute rain delay in the seventh inning.
Sean Manaea reacts after allowing a home run during the Mets’ July 18 loss. Imagn Images
Manaea and Senga combined to allow all six runs before the rain delay and didn’t receive more than a morsel of support from the lineup, which produced only three hits.
The Mets fell 17 games below .500 to match their season worst.
The Mets already traded one struggling pitcher, sending David Peterson to the Cubs last month for first baseman Cole Mathis, but that Manaea and Senga are still owed significant dollars may leave the Mets stuck with them.
Manaea is just beyond the halfway point of a three-year, $75 million contract.
Senga, who owns an 8.85 ERA, is still owed roughly $20 million through next season.
Teams interested in starting pitching can pursue Freddy Peralta, another underperformer, albeit one who is earning only $8 million this season and is headed toward free agency.
Manaea, who owns a 4.74 ERA, surrendered four earned runs on seven hits and two walks with seven strikeouts over 4 ²/₃ innings.
It was the third time in his past five starts that he failed to pitch beyond five innings.
Interim manager Andy Green cited the uncomfortable, humid conditions, but Manaea offered no excuses.
Kodai Senga throws a pitch during the Mets’ July 18 loss to the Phillies. Imagn Images
“It was hot, it was muggy, it was all those things,” Manaea said. “But at the end of the day I have just got to go out there and perform. We’re all performing in the same thing.”
Over 1 ¹/₃ innings, Senga allowed six base runners — three hits and three walks — with two earned runs.
Any thoughts that he can thrive as a reliever have dissipated with two shaky appearances in his last three. Senga was bounced from the starting rotation last month.
Kyle Schwarber hits a home run during the Phillies’ July 18 win against the Mets. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
On this day, the right-hander hit 99 mph with his fastball, but that didn’t translate into success.
“His stuff is good,” Green said. “There are better outcomes needed, and he’s aware of that. He wants that and we want that from him. But when you watch his stuff come out of his hand, it’s really good.”
Kyle Schwarber continued his rampage against the Mets with a two-run homer against Manaea in the first inning that produced the game’s first scoring.
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Schwarber — who had a three-homer game during the Mets visit last month — leads MLB with 33 homers.
Tyrone Taylor’s second-inning blast pulled the Mets to within 2-1.
The homer was the seventh this season for Taylor, who continues to produce against left-handed pitching — he began the day with a respectable .741 OPS against lefties.
Trea Turner cleared the left field fence leading off the fifth against Manaea, widening the Mets deficit to 3-1.
Turner jumped on a sinker that caught too much of the plate and launched it for his 12th homer this season.
Francisco Alvarez’s two-base throwing error on an errant pickoff attempt at first base helped the Phillies take a 4-1 lead on Alec Bohm’s RBI single later in the inning.
Manaea walked Schwarber after Turner’s homer, setting up the run.
Senga left an 0-2 forkball over the plate in the sixth that Bryce Harper smacked for a two-run single that gave the Phillies a 6-1 lead.
Senga allowed a leadoff triple to Bryson Stott in the frame before walking Turner and Schwarber to load the bases.
The Mets’ misery included three errors, one of which Francisco Lindor committed on a throw, continuing a season of defensive lapses for the perennial Gold Glove contender at shortstop.
“It’s not to the level I expect myself and not to the level that people expect us here,” Lindor said of his defense. “For me defense is the most important thing, and it’s been not good at all.”
WASHINGTON - JUNE 4: Randy Johnson #51 of the San Francisco Giants pitches and wins his 300th game, which was played against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, June 4, 2009. The Giants won the game 5-1. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/MLB via Getty Images) | MLB via Getty Images
If you were hoping for more offense out of the Mariners, this may not be the game for you. After recording as many hits as errors last night on their way to their ninth shutout of the season, tonight they’ll have to face San Francisco’s ace, Logan Webb. The Mariners haven’t faced Webb since 2023, when he struck out 11 while allowing just two runs over 6.2 innings. Even for Webb, that’s a good line.
His counterpart that day is also his counterpart today, Bryan Woo. He wasn’t so bad that day either, striking out seven and allowing just two runs over six innings. Woo’s looking to get his second half off to a good start after having some uncharacteristic fits and starts through the team’s first 98 games. Woo’s suffered some blowups this year, allowing five or more runs five times. But he’s also pitched four games where he hasn’t allowed any, going a full seven in three of those. The Bryan Woo we know and love is still in there somewhere.
Lineups
The big news of the day is that Julio Rodríguez is back. He was activated this morning off the concussion IL, where he’d been since taking an errant throw off the back of the head on July 2. To make room for Julio, Miles Mastrobuoni was DFA’d again. Julio will DH tonight as he eases his way back. According to Dan Wilson, he may tomorrow or the next day as well—it’ll all depend on how well he recovers each day. While Víctor Robles has been covering centerfield in Julio’s absence, he’ll be on the bench tonight and Luke Raley will man center. That poor grass. Dominic Canzone will also play the field for the first time since tweaking his hamstring trying to leg out a single on June 21st.
Pretty standard lineup for the Giants, except it’ll be backup catcher Daniel Susac instead of Drew Cavanaugh. Here’s a fun fact: Jung Ho Lee has a career .316 wOBA, but against the Mariners, it’s .516.
Game Info
First Pitch: 5:08 PDT TV: FOX, with Aaron Goldsmith and Eric Karros Radio: Old Reliable Ceremonial First Pitch: Joel Piñeiro, winning pitcher of 2001’s 116th win
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 18: Sean Manaea #59 of the New York Mets reacts after hitting Bryce Harper #3 with a pitch in the first inning during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 18, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets fell to the Phillies by a final score of 6-1 during a rainy game in Philly.
The start time moved up an hour due the forecast, and whether or not the change threw the Mets off is hard to say since they normally play terrible without any help from outside forces. They immediately got down 2-0 when Sean Manaea walked the first batter he faced and then gave up a home run to Kyle Schwarber one batter later. It was not a great start for Manaea who would end up not completing five innings when all was said and done and it had nothing to do with the weather.
As for the offense only Tyrone Taylor was able to get to Jesús Luzardo. He took him deep in the second to make it 2-1. The rest of the offense did not put up much of fight and it made no difference once Luzardo was out of the game. It was just another run of the mill pathetic performance by this 2026 team.
The team completely fell apart in the fifth inning. Manaea gave up a lead off home run to Trea Turner and then walked Kyle Scwarber. Schwarber ended up on third on an errant pick off attempt by Francisco Alvarez that went into right field, and then he came around to score on a single by Alec Bohm. That made it 4-1 Phillies and Manaea exited later in the inning with two outs. Kodai Senga came in relief and walked J.T. Realmuto but ended the inning with a strikeout of Derek Hill.
Before the break manager Andy Green said they would try Senga as a one inning reliever but they pushed their luck bringing him in again the following inning, and wouldn’t you know it the game was 6-1 before an out was recorded. Despite another Francisco Lindor error in the inning, somehow the team escaped without further damage but it was enough. The game was now completely out of reach but let’s all be honest it really ended in the first with Schwarber’s home run.
With the impeding rain only the Phillies played with any urgency but Tyrone Taylor at least helped his trade value. A rain delay extended this mockery of baseball but they were able to resume and finish the game, not that it helped the Mets much. Unfortunately the weather should be clear tomorrow so the Mets will be forced to play the finale in Philadelphia.
Big Mets winner: Tyrone Taylor, +10% WPA Big Mets loser: Sean Manaea, -18% WPA Mets pitchers: -21% WPA Mets hitters: -29% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Tyrone Taylor’s solo home run in second, +9.3% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Kyle Schwarber home run in first, -14.8% WPA
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 17: Lane Thomas #15 of the Kansas City Royals is congratulated after hitting a home run against the San Diego Padres by teammate Salvador Perez #13 of the Kansas City Royals during the second inning at Kauffman Stadium on July 17, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Reed Hoffmann/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Four batters into the game, the Royals had all the runs they would need as they cruised to a 6-1 victory over the San Diego Padres. That gives them a series victory and gives them a chance at a sweep in their first series since the All-Star Break.
Randy Dobnak got the spot start in this one. It was his first start in more than five years, since May of 2021. He wasn’t exactly dominant, walking 4 and striking out only 3 in 4.1 innings of work, but the only run he allowed was a Fernando Tatis Jr. homer in the top of the third. While he’s not someone I’d want to leave in the rotation were victories still of the utmost importance for this team, I really don’t hate the idea of leaving him in there when Stephen Kolek returns next week and moving Luinder Avila into the bullpen to try and close some games out.
For the second straight game, Lane Thomas hit a no-doubt home run in his first at-bat. This time, however, he did it in the first inning with a runner on after Carter Jensen led off the game with a single.
In the bottom of the third, after that Tatis dinger, the Royals answered when Carter Jensen got a lead-off walk. This time, it was Jac Caglianone’s turn to drive him in, smoking an opposite-field double to get the run back and extend his hitting streak to nine games.
The Royals got their fourth run in the bottom of the fourth when Isaac Collins drove home Michael Massey with a single to center. They got their final two runs when Salvador Perez pulled within two of George Brett’s franchise record by depositing one off the top of the second wall in center field following a Vinnie Pasquantino single.
The Padres had runners on all day, but the bullpen got key double plays when Steven Cruz relieved Dobnak in the fifth inning with runners at first and second with one out, when Daniel Lynch IV got in trouble in the sixth inning with runners at first and third with one out, and in the ninth when Eli Morgan was trying to finish off the game. Beck Way pitched a clean eighth with a pair of strikeouts in there, as well, further cementing his place in the hierarchy of the current iteration of the bullpen.
The Padres haven’t been as good as they had hoped they would be this year, though they’ve got nothing on how disappointing the Royals have been. Still, KC will have a chance to sweep the brown and gold tomorrow afternoon. Germán Márquez (5.18 ERA) will go up against Noah Cameron (4.89 ERA) at 1:10 p.m. Central.
Jul 18, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) hits a two-run double against the St. Louis Cardinals in the third inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals first game after the All-Star break was encouraging as they won a tight back-and-forth game Friday night in Arizona. The word for their Saturday afternoon game against the Diamondbacks would be “concerning” as the Cardinals played flat uninspired baseball for the first half of the game and Dustin May was not sharp. Former Cardinal Nolan Arenado would play a major role in Saturday’s outcome, too. The Cardinals would eventually attempt a rally, but it would be too little, too late.
The St. Louis Cardinals offense seemed to be rolling over Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfaat sinkers for the first few innings weakly grounding out and not mounting any kind of real threat for the first half of the game. Arizona, on the other hand, were scored nearly every inning for the first few innings of the game starting in the bottom of the 2nd inning when Moreno singled followed two batters later by Nolan Arenado singling. Gabriel Moreno then connected on a two-out single scoring Moreno giving the Diamondbacks an early 1-0 lead.
Arizona continued to chip away at Dustin May pitches in the bottom of the 3rd inning as Marte led off with a single. May then walked Perdomo before getting Corbin Carroll to ground into a double play moving Marte up to third. Dustin would then throw a wild pitch that could have been ruled a passed ball on Pedro Pagés allowing Marte to score giving Arizona a 2-0 lead. Moreno would follow up that with a single followed by a Dustin May walk to Kepler. Nolan Arenado would make the Cardinals pay for their sloppy play as he ripped a double into the left field corner scoring both runners and doubling the Diamondbacks lead to 4-0 through 3 innings.
Through the first 4 innings, the St. Louis Cardinals only had 2 hits while Arizona kept adding to their lead. In the bottom of the 5th inning, Ryan Waldschmidt crushed a 97 mph Dustin May four-seam fastball to centerfield for a double. Ketel Marte singled in Waldschmidt making it 5-0 Arizona through 4 innings.
Dustin May would leave the game after finishing 5 innings allowing 8 hits, 5 earned runs while striking out 6 and walking 4. This is not the outing Dustin May wanted I’m sure and the same can be said for President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom who will likely listen to offers for May around the upcoming trade deadline.
St. Louis would FINALLY get their bats off of their shoulders and string together some hits in the top of the 6th inning. JJ Wetherholt smacked a single up the middle to lead off the Cardinals 6th. After Herrera popped out, Alec Burleson singled giving the Cardinals a runner in scoring position for the first time Saturday. Jordan Walker avoided bad swing decisions of the past showing how far he’s come as he patiently connected on a single up the middle scoring JJ and giving the Cardinals some life making it 5-1 Diamondbacks. Lars Nootbaar followed up Walker’s single with one of his own to load the bases for St. Louis bringing up Masyn Winn as the potential tying run. All Masyn could manage was a weak groundout to short, but he avoided the double play which allowed Burleson to score and cutting into the Arizona lead a little more as the Cardinals drew closer at 5-2. That’s unfortunately all St. Louis could manage to score from that rally as Nathan Church popped out with runners on 2nd and 3rd to end the inning.
The Cardinals would threaten again in the top of the 7th inning when José Fermín drew a walk. Bryan Torres then lined out to center before JJ Wetherholt hit an excuse me single off the end of the bat past Nolan Arenado at 3rd for his second hit of the game. Iván Herrera was unable to drive them in as he struck out and the scoring opportunity would unfortunately amount to nothing as Alec Burleson lined out to right field for the final out of the St. Louis 7th.
The Cardinals last hurrah would be in the top of the 9th as José Fermín led off the inning against Diamondbacks reliever Sewald. He struck out after the ABS challenge proved his demise. Oli Marmol sent up Jimmy Crooks as a pinch-hitter and he destroyed a 91 mph four-seam fastball launching it 443 feet deep into the right-center field stands reducing the Diamondbacks lead to 5-3. JJ Wetherholt struck out after the Crooks blast which left Iván Herrera as the last hope of St. Louis. His lineout to Corbin Carroll in right ended the game for the Cardinals.
The St. Louis Cardinals will wrap up their stay in the desert Sunday afternoon as they play a matinee game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Andre Pallante gets his first post-All Star break start for the Cardinals while the Diamondbacks will send Eduardo Rodriguez to the mound. First pitch is set for 3:10pm central time at Chase Park while the TV broadcast will be available through Cardinals.tv.
Jul 18, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo (44) throws a pitch against the New York Mets in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Sing, O Muse. Sing to me of a baseball player with the mightiest of bats. Many hurlers did he face, with pitches that moved as swiftly as Hermes, and sent them all to dread Hades, where they in great multitudes begged for Charon’s passage. Sing to me of brave Kyle Schwarber, and his noble Phillies, and of the loathed Mets, who besieged verdant Citizens Bank Park, and whom at last were bested, fleeing from rain-soaked battle in defeat.
(I saw the Odyssey today, and the game time being moved up left me without enough time to get it out of my system. I apologize in advance.)
Jesús Luzardo got off to a quick start, putting Francisco Lindor down on strikes and Juan Soto down on a single pitch pop out, but slowed down with consecutive two-out walks. Carson Benge grounded out on a 2-3 play, and the top of the first was over.
Trea Turner led off for the home club, facing off against Sean Manaea, and he made it to first on a shallow chopper that Bo Bichette couldn’t corral in time. What happened next, like the trials and travails of Odysseus, has been spoken of and celebrated countless times, yet never loses its ability to excite: Kyle Schwarber sent a pitch soaring into the second deck, giving the Phillies a 2-0 lead. Manaea hit Bryce Harper, and his teammates compounded the mistake by bobbling a sure double play ball from Alec Bohm, getting only one out; they didn’t surrender any more runs, but the Mets looked thoroughly out of sorts.
They looked somewhat less out of sorts in the top of the second, as Tyrone Taylor sent a solo shot to right. They looked a little out of sorts again in the bottom of the second, as Carson Benge bobbled the pickup of a liner from J.T. Realmuto, allowing him to reach second. They were not, unfortunately, out of sorts enough to surrender any runs.
The Phillies put two on with no outs in the bottom fourth via Edmundo Sosa single and Brandon Marsh walk. A fly out from from Realmuto advanced Sosa to third, but Derek Hill struck out after a protracted battle, and Bryson Stott struck out too, and the Phillies appeared to be as stuck on two runs as Odysseus was stuck on Calypso’s island.
But Athena, bright-eyed Athena, conveyed her vision to Trea Turner, who swung his mighty bat in the bottom fifth, sending a sinker over the fence, whereupon its shade quickly settled into the fields of Asphodel. Schwarber walked, then dashed to third when a pickoff attempt from Francisco Alvarez went sailing on a route that Odysseus himself would refer to as rather off-target. Bohm scored him on a liner to left, and the Phillies were feasting like Penelope’s suitors. Manaea was pulled after a Sosa single and a Marsh K, with Kodai Senga his replacement. Senga loaded the bases with a walk, bringing Hill to the plate, though he struck out.
Orion Kerkering took over for the six, ending a very good day for Luzardo (5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K). Orion, befitting his mythological namesake, hunted down a trio of Metropolitans without issue. Senga would not have nearly so neat of a sixth: Swift-footed Stott led off with a triple, his blazing speed easily beating the throw. Even more swift-footed Turner (look, I’m not Homer, I’m not that creative with the epithets) walked, then stole second. Schwarber walked too, and the bases were loaded with none away. Harper swatted a liner to right to score two, and an error on a fly out not long after advanced Schwarber to third. The Mets, perhaps having eaten of the lotus flower, had forgotten how to field.
José Alvarado took over for the seventh, and navigated it without major incident; there was a close play at first that was ruled an out and then overturned, and the runner advanced to second on a wild pitch, but no further. Senga was clearly not at his best, but was tasked with another inning of work anyway. He allowed a single to Realmuto, and then Zeus sent the rains, forcing a delay.
When the game restarted, 10 years later (perhaps less, poetic license), the seventh was wrapped up without incident. The top of the eighth was taken by Chase Shugart, who faced the top of the Mets lineup, and made those fearsome hitters look helpless.
Having pleased the gods, or at least his manager, with that performance, he was also asked to handle the ninth. He hit Francisco Alvarez on the and with a pitch, but as Alvarez had swung, he did not receive the honor of taking first. Instead, he grounded out. Next was a strikeout, and then a quick 2-3 putout, and the game was over.
The Phillies are 55-44. They’ll conclude the series against the Mets tomorrow at 1:35.
The Mets couldn't get their offense going, and the pitching and defense weren't up to snuff in a 6-1 loss to the Phillies on Saturday afternoon.
New York made three errors, matching their hit total, and multiple defensive miscues, while the combination of Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga just couldn't keep the Phillies off the board.
Here are the takeaways....
-The start time for Saturday's game was pushed up due to impending weather, and both teams seemed off, especially in the field. Trea Turner made his 14th error of the season, and Carson Benge booted a ball he tried to pick up in right field. Marcus Semien, first start since being activated off the IL, botched a transfer on a double play ball and there was also a play where Francisco Lindor nearly tripped over himself as he was ranging to his left on a throw to first. Eric Wagaman saved Lindor from an error by keeping a toe on the bag.
Even Phillies starter Jesus Luzardo seemed uncomfortable at times on the mound, stopping to pace and, as the SNY broadcast pointed out, it looked like he was "pitching mad." But the southpaw made it through five innings, allowing just one run on two hits and two walks, striking out seven.
-Manaea had a tough start to the second half of his season. After Turner reached with a leadoff infield single, Kyle Schwarber launched his MLB-leading 33rd home run of the season into the second deck in right field.
The Mets southpaw pitched through trouble in multiple innings -- some not of his own making -- but Manaea was not efficient enough. He had thrown 73 pitches through four innings and that affected his ability to give New York length. In the fifth, Turner led off with a solo shot, his second in the series, to put the Phillies up 3-1.
Francisco Alvarez made a two-base throwing error, trying to pick off Schwarber at first base. Alec Bohm brought Schwarber home to give the Phillies a 4-1 lead. But after allowing a couple of more base runners, Manaea's day was done after 4.2 innings. Manaea allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven. His ERA rose to 4.74.
-Tyrone Taylor, starting in left field with Juan Soto DHing after the slugger exited Thursday's game with calf soreness, got the Mets scoring going with a 406-foot solo shot in the second inning. But that was all the offense the Mets would receive. They had just three hits total -- Taylor picking up two of them -- and their futility with RISP continued.
Mets entered Saturday 1-for-30 (.033) with RISP in their last four games, and on Saturday, they went 0-for-3 with five left on base.
-Senga wrapped up the fifth for Manaea, but it wasn't too easy. He walked J.T. Realmuto, the first batter he faced, on eight pitches to load the bases. He bounced back to strike out Derek Hill on five pitches.
Senga's second inning of work did not go as well. The right-hander allowed two runs on two hits and two walks in the sixth to put the game out of reach at 6-1. Senga came out for the seventh and after allowing a single to Realmuto, the heavens opened and the rain started to come down hard. The game was halted due to a delay, but resumed about 45 minutes later.
Senga finished, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks across 1.1 innings. He also struck out two batters and now has an 8.85 ERA.
Game MVP: The Phillies
Philadelphia pitched well and hit well in an overall dominant win.
Highlights
Keith: "Tyrone, his power has been upgraded this year"
DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 18: Mickey Moniak #22, Cole Carrigg #16, and TJ Rumfield #7 of the Colorado Rockies celebrate after the win against the Cincinnati Reds at Coors Field on July 18, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When things are cool for the Rockies, they’re ice cold. But when things go well, they go great. Today was, thankfully, the latter. Multiple key defensive plays, resilient pitching across the board, and several batters with multi-hit games came through for a dominant win.
After a less-than-ideal Friday night, the Rockies bounced back in winning fashion. With a dominant start from Tomoyuki Sugano, the Rockies pitching and defense were able to pave the way for their offense to overwhelm Cincinnati’s Rhett Lowder in a 10-3 win where just about everything went right for the Rockies, including the ability to capitalize on the Reds’ mistakes.
Sugano sailing and Reds reeling
The Rockies got the exact start they needed on both sides of the ball. Between Sugano hitting an early groove and making quick work of the Reds’ lineup early, finding a way to get runners on and bring them home, and capitalizing on Cincinnati’s miscues, the Rockies found themselves up 6-0 by the end of the second inning.
Sugano needed just seven pitches to get through the first inning. He got Elly de la Cruz (coming off of a four hit night) to ground out on the first pitch of the ballgame, Jake McCarthy ran down a deep line drive from Sal Stewart, and Sugano fanned JJ Bleday to sit down the side. He carried that momentum into the next inning, going 1-2-3 again on 10 pitches with another strikeout.
The Rockies got an early two-run lead in the first inning. Jake McCarthy notched a leadoff double with an assist from the Colorado sunshine, after a seemingly harmless flyball plopped between center field and second base with the fielders losing it in the July sun. He tagged up and moved to third on a Mickey Moniak fly out before scoring on a Cole Carrigg double. TJ Rumfield got Carrigg the rest of the way home with an RBI single.
The Rockies added four more runs in the bottom of the second, stringing together an almost never-ending series of base knocks, with all runs coming on two outs. Brett Sullivan tripled between the first and second outs and then was scored on a perfect bunt from McCarthy.
That was followed by a parade of singles from Moniak, Carrigg, Rumfield, and Willi Castro. There were lots of RBI to go around. When it was all said and done, the Rockies led 6-0. By the bottom of the inning, Cincinnati had the bullpen getting loose with Lowder nearing 40 pitches.
An early shower for Lowder
Sugano finally sustained some damage in the third inning. He’s been vulnerable to home runs this season; luckily, the vast majority of those have been solo shots. Jose Trevino added another one to the list to make it a 6-1 game. As he typically does, however, Sugano responded and limited things there.
Lowder couldn’t say the same. The Reds let him go into the third, but he didn’t last long. Edouard Julien kicked the inning off with a double. An Ezequiel Tovar single put runners on the corners. That would be the end of Lowder’s day. He was replaced by Colorado’s own Julian Garcia, hailing from Fort Collins and playing his college ball at Metro State.
Garcia got McCarthy to ground out, but the play scored Julien. Moniak nabbed another single, bringing home another of Lowder’s baserunners to make it an 8-1 Rockies lead.
After yo-yoing between the Reds bullpen and rotation to make today’s start, Lowder finished with a whopping 11 hits and all eight runs earned in just 2.1 innings of work. The defense behind him didn’t do him any favors, but it was a struggle of a day for Lowder. His ERA on the season jumps up to 5.75.
Carrigg continues to shine
After coming in with a pinch-hit single on Friday night, Carrigg returned to the starting lineup Saturday. With a great day at the plate topped off with some wonderful defensive plays out in center field, Carrigg continues to be a bright spot in the lineup since his call up to the majors.
Carrigg made some pivotal catches, showing tremendous range and running down a few well hit balls. Especially of note was a sliding catch to end the fourth inning on a ball hit to left center.
At the plate, Carrigg drove in the first run of the game and finished his day with two hits, one RBI, three runs, and a walk. In the sixth, he managed an impressive at-bat, battling back from being down two strikes to draw that walk, which would turn into another run thanks to a Rumfield homer blasted to the second deck to put the game at 10-2.
Goin’ up, up, up, another “Golden” performance from Sugano
As he’s done so many times this season, Sugano delivered a gem. This one wasn’t just good for his first game back from the injured list. It was good, period.
As mentioned earlier, he continued his susceptibility to giving up solo home runs. He gave up two today, both to Trevino, giving the Reds batter his second and third dingers on the season. But that’s about all that was working against Sugano today.
He was otherwise extremely efficient. He needed 10 or fewer pitches to get through four of his six full innings. Although he couldn’t make it all the way through the seventh, he ended his day after 6.1 IP, giving up three earned runs on six hits.
He made use of a nice balance of a wide arsenal of pitches. Of his 77 pitches thrown, he relied heavily on his sinker and splitter (26% each), mixed in his cutter (18%), and rounded things out mostly with sliders and four-seam fastballs (13% each). He sprinkled in just a few curveballs (three total for 4%). On the year, Sugano has relied on his four-seamer most heavily at 22%. With that dropping down to 13% today, he dominated with a mix of off-speed pitches.
Manager Warren Schaeffer lauded Sugano’s day, pointing to his “excellent fastball command, strong velo. His splitter was really good. He gave us just what we needed. Typical Tomo Sugano stuff.”
Firing on all cylinders
Aside from the well-deserved shoutouts to Sugano and Carrigg above, a number of other players pitched in to bolster the strong team effort. Carrigg, McCarthy, Moniak, and Rumfield all notched multi-hit games.
Of note, Rumfield looked incredible at the plate. He logged his first four-hit game in the majors with four RBI and a homer in five at-bats. With his best offensive performance of the season, Rumfield bolstered his NL Rookie of the Year case. On that topic, Schaeffer said “TJ’s making a very, very strong case for that, but he’s got another 6o games to go. So no let-up.” He praised Rumfield’s two Rookie of the Month wins.
The bullpen looked great as well. Juan Mejia, Brennan Bernardino, and Zach Agnos worked through their innings with no earned runs of their own, effectively working out of any jams – but not allowing really any of those to begin with.
In the end, the Rockies played as a team, got ahead early, and never looked back, cruising to win number 40 in the 2026 campaign.
Up Next
Another Sunday, another rubber match.
The Rockies and Reds conclude the three-game series with a Sunday afternoon showdown before the Washington National come to town on Monday.
The Rockies are slated to send out Ryan Feltner (3-3 in 13 starts, 4.55 ERA). Cincinnati turns to a righty of their own in Hunter Greene (1-1 in two starts, 6.97 ERA).
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JULY 10: Austin Hedges #27 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a single against the Miami Marlins during the fifth inning at loanDepot park on July 10, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Sam Navarro/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TORONTO, ON - JULY 18: (L-R) Former Toronto Blue Jays Juan Guzman and Joe Carter wave to the crowd during a pregame ceremony before the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 18, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
White Sox 0 Blue Jays 1
You really shouldn’t win if you only score one run. I’d search to figure this out, but there are very few 1-0 games in a season.
We got our run in the fourth. Vladimir Guerrero doubled off the center wall, just a couple of feet short of a home run. When it wasn’t, I worried that he could be stranded. But, no, George Springer singled him home in the next at bat. Unfortunately, that is where it ended. Kazuma Okamoto struck out and Daulton Varsho ground out.
We only had five hits and three walks. One (the Springer hit) for four with RISP. Vlad had two of the four hits.
Shane Bieber was terrific. Six innings, just three hits, two walks and six strikeouts. Easily his best start of the season. Maybe he’s rounding into form.
Jeff Hoffman pitched the seventh, giving up a lead off walk, just to get our blood pressure up. But two strikeouts and a ground out (nice play by Ernie Clement got us out of the inning.
Tyler Rogers got the eighth. He gave up a bunt single to Chase Meidroth (very nice bunt hit, no change to get him). But a caught stealing (great throw Kirk), strikeout and fly out ended the inning.
And Louis Varland pitched the ninth. Ground out, strike out, fly out.
Save #20 for Louis. Holds #11 and #20 for Hoffman and Rogers respectively. And win #1 for Bieber.
Jays of the Day: Bieber (0.36 WPA), Varland (0.16), Rogers (0.12) and Hoffman (0.10). Let’s give Vlad one, as well, for his 2 for 4, 0.08 WPA. Hope it is a sign of good things to come.
Other Award: Clement (-0.09, for an 0 for 4, he was at his chase happiest today, swinging at everything), Nathan Lukes (-0.09, also 0 for 4, two strikeouts, a soft ground out and fly out) and Okamoto (-0.08, 0 for 4, 2 k).
Tomorrow is an early start, 12:00 Eastern. Sean Burke (6-4, 3.41) and Trey Yesavage (4-4, 3.72).
I’m still puzzled by the Spencer Miles start yesterday. It seems to be that, after the All-Star break, you’d want to come out with one of your ‘real’ starters.
This game also had the unveiling of the Joe Carter statue (I’ll admit I didn’t love the statue, but since it is replacing the stupid Ed Rogers statue, it is a big upgrade). And they had several members of the 1992 and 1993 World Series winnings. It was great to see those guys again. They are getting up there in age. I’ll take any excuse to see them.
Jul 18, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; A view of the field after the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium was postponed. Mandatory...
NEW YORK — Saturday night’s Dodgers-Yankees game was postponed because of rain, setting up a split doubleheader Sunday.
Sunday’s first game is scheduled to begin at 12:35 p.m. Eastern (9:35 a.m. Pacific). The series finale is set for Sunday at 7:20 p.m. Eastern (4:20 p.m. Pacific).
The Dodgers and Yankees are scheduled to play a doubleheader Sunday at Yankee Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Dodgers did not immediately announce if the rainout would alter their pitching plan. Initially, Emmet Sheehan was scheduled to start Saturday and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Sunday.
The team will also be allowed to call up an extra player for Sunday because of the doubleheader.
It will be the Dodgers’ first time playing a doubleheader since May 2024, when they got rained out during a visit to the Mets.
Sunday’s first game will be televised on SportsNet LA after originally being slated for Fox’s national broadcast Saturday night. Sunday night’s game will remain on NBC/Peacock.
Weather always figured to loom large during this current East Coast road trip the Dodgers are on — be it rainy forecasts, muggy summer heat or even poor air quality from Canadian wildfire smoke that cleared up just in time for Friday’s series opener at Yankee Stadium.
After Sunday night’s game, they head to Philadelphia for three games against the Phillies. On Thursday, they will go to Washington for a White House visit to celebrate their 2025 World Series. Next weekend, they wrap the nine-game swing with a series against the Mets.
Now, they can only hope Saturday’s rainout is the only time their schedule is impacted.
