If his right arm isn’t healed in time for his next start Zach Hyman Jersey , maybe Vince Velasquez can pitch with his left.
Ambidextrous, indeed.
Hit on his pitching arm by a line drive, Velasquez made a dazzling throw with his left hand, and Philadelphia overcame an early injury to its starting pitcher to beat the Washington Nationals 3-2 on Saturday night.
”It is well-known he is one of our best all-around athletes,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said. ”You just would never predict that.”
Velasquez was struck in the forearm by Adam Eaton’s liner in the second inning. He dropped his glove, hustled to retrieve the ball as it deflected toward third base, and unleashed a strong toss with his opposite arm that nipped the speedy Eaton at first for the final out.
”I tried to finish the play,” Velasquez said.
The Phillies pitcher actually spent his junior season in high school as a lefty-throwing center fielder due to bone chips in his pitching arm that prevented him from taking the mound.
And on Friday night, Velasquez startled Phillies first baseman Carlos Santana by throwing a ball to him left-handed from the dugout in between innings.
”Kind of warmed up for that play today,” Velasquez joked.
So, Velasquez knew he could throw left-handed – he just didn’t know if he could make an accurate toss.
”I actually surprised myself throwing a strike right there,” he said.
After completing the play, Velasquez then dropped to the ground, writhing in pain and clutching his right arm. He was pulled from the game with a bruise, having allowed one run and three hits.
X-rays were negative, a better result than he anticipated.
”I thought something was broken Alex Burmistrov Jersey ,” he said. ”Thanks to God, nothing is severe.”
Kapler said Velasquez would be further evaluated on Sunday. The pitcher said it was ”up in the air” whether he would be able to take his next turn in the rotation.
”We’ll see how it feels,” he said.
Victor Arano (1-0) followed Velasquez with two scoreless innings.
Odubel Herrera homered and Jorge Alfaro and Aaron Altherr had RBI doubles as the Phillies bounced back from a 17-7 loss. Anthony Rendon homered for the Nationals, who went deep seven times in Friday night’s romp at Citizens Bank Park, but managed just eight hits against six Philadelphia pitchers.
”I thought we were going to score more than two runs after yesterday’s performance,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. ”We had our chances.”
Yacksel Rios kept Philadelphia in front by getting out of a jam in the eighth. After Adam Morgan allowed the first two runners to reach on a single and a walk, Rios entered and got Rendon to line out to right, Juan Soto to pop out and Mark Reynolds to ground out.
Rookie Seranthony Dominguez pitched a scoreless ninth for his seventh save in his eighth chances. Dominguez retired the first two batters before pinch-hitter Daniel Murphy doubled to right, but the right-hander retired Eaton on a flyball.
”Cool as a cucumber,” Kapler said. ”A special performance.”
Jeremy Hellickson (2-1) returned to the mound for Washington after being sidelined since June 4 with a right hamstring strain. The veteran right-hander allowed three runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and two walks.
RED-HOT RENDON
Rendon is batting .396 in his last 13 games, with hits in 12 of those contests. His 85 career hits against Philadelphia are tied for his most against any opponent.
WHAT A THROW
Alfaro upped his major-league lead to 15 base runners caught stealing when he nailed the swift Trea Turner for the final out in the fifth. Turner entered second in the majors with 22 steals, but was easily out.
”Alfaro threw a bullet,” Martinez said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg (right shoulder inflammation), out since June 10, threw a bullpen session on Saturday. … Washington transferred 1B Ryan Zimmerman, who has been out since May 10 with a strained right oblique Bo Horvat Jersey , to the 60-day DL.
UP NEXT
The teams close out the four-game series on Sunday afternoon with Washington LHP Gio Gonzalez (6-5, 3.68) facing Phillies RHP Jake Arrieta (5-6, 3.54).
J.J. Watt, Greg Olsen and Benjamin Watson are finalists for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award.
The recipient of the award that recognizes a player’s contribution in his community and to society in general will be revealed on Feb. 3 at NFL Honors, when The Associated Press announces its individual NFL awards.
Houston defensive end Watt, in his seventh NFL season and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, had the goal of raising $200,000 for Hurricane Harvey relief in Houston.
His fundraising did a whole lot more, bringing in an incredible $37 million in 19 days. Watt has dedicated himself to finding organizations that will apply the funds in a way he has promised both donors and victims of the storm.
”For me, this nomination is about so much more than one man,” Watt tells The Associated Press. ”It’s about the hundreds of thousands of people who helped donate to those who went through an extremely difficult time and rose above it all.
”I also know this is about honoring the city and its people.”
Watt says he noticed something special evolving from his involvement in the fundraising efforts.
”I learned how much good there is in the world, how humanity steps up to the plate when they see fellow humans going through difficult times,” he says. ”From my high school and from kids with their lemonade stands … to seeing people putting aside any differences and rivalries and helping out … and how they wanted to donate to be good people and help their fellow humans. It shows how much good light there is in the world.”
Olsen’s mother is a breast cancer survivor, and in 2009 he founded Receptions for Research: The Greg Olsen Foundation. The Foundation’s ”Receiving Hope” focuses on cancer research and education programming.
In early 2013, Greg and his wife Kara founded the HEARTest Yard Fund after a routine examination of their unborn son, T.J., revealed the infant had Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). It’s a family service program administered in conjunction with Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte.
”We meet with the hospital staff and the nurses and doctors and go into these homes,” Olsen explains. ”Just to see and hear the families and have them relay the stories about this program and … what the lives of these families would be like without our program. To hear how it is helping their family life and family dynamic is something far beyond what we imagined.
”It’s been fun watching it grow and have such an impact.”
Baltimore tight end Watson, a 14-year pro, assists countless people through his charitable arm, the One More Foundation.
Most recently, One More partnered with the International Justice Mission (IJM), the world’s largest international anti-slavery organization working to combat human trafficking, modern day slavery and other forms of violence against the poor. Benjamin and his wife, Kirsten, joined the global fight to end the scourge of sex trafficking.
”There are 2 million children worldwide involved in sex traffic and exploitation,” he says. ”This slavery issue is really a big deal that kind of goes on unnoticed and unheralded.
”People want to help, a lot of times people don’t know how. The problems of the world seem so overwhelming that they do not know where to start. We provide people the opportunity to do something for someone.
”Whenever you help somebody Youth Brandon Sutter Jersey , they end up helping you and you learn as much from them as they do from you.”
Olsen broke into the NFL with the Bears. So the Payton legacy is more than a familiar one for him.
”Playing in Chicago for four years, I saw firsthand what the Payton family has meant to the city and the community,” he says. ”I was a teammate with Walter’s son, Jarrett, at the University of Miami for a year, kept in contact with him. It’s interesting how many parallels there are. They have a great foundation that does a lot of great work.”
The three finalists emphasize that hundreds of their peers are doing similar work, selflessly and without fanfare.
”A lot of guys are doing those things, more than what people know,” Watson notes. ”One thing I always wanted to do is take advantage of the opportunities as long as I play and after I play.
”We obviously have some influence. Yes, as NFL players … we have the ability to be more visible. Everybody has a sphere of influence they can affect positively, whether it is 10 people or 10,000 people. I want to use it to help people and advocate for people whenever I can, to be someone who stands for what is just and kind and right.”
The New Orleans Saints have released defensive tackle Nick Fairley with a non-football illness designation after he missed all of the 2017 season because of a heart condition.
The Saints’ decision could be costly for Fairley Zemgus Girgensons Jersey , who’ll now have to use the grievance process or legal action to receive any more money from a four-year extension he signed during the 2017 offseason that could have been worth up to $28 million.
Had Fairley remained on the roster this season, his 2018 salary and roster bonus would have been worth $5 million.
The 6-foot-4, 308-pound Fairley had a career-best 6 sacks for the Saints in 2016. But during a check-up last offseason, doctors flagged symptoms related to Fairley’s enlarged heart.
In his career, Fairley has played in 77 regular-season games, making 170 solo or assisted tackles – including one safety – and 20 sacks.
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MILWAUKEE — Lorenzo Cain plans to be back in the lineup Sunday afternoon when the Milwaukee Brewers wrap up a four-game series with the Atlanta Braves at Miller Park,
Cain had been on the disabled list with a sore groin since June 26 and was eligible to return Wednesday, but the final step of his recovery took slightly longer than expected. He went through a full workout Saturday afternoon at Miller Park and after getting through it without issue declared himself ready to go.
“I’ll be playing tomorrow,” Cain told reporters as he walked off the field after his workout.
Since signing a four-year, $80 million contract with Milwaukee in January Authentic Dougie Hamilton Jersey , Cain has been a force in the batter’s box and in center field. He was slashing .291/.394/.438 with eight home runs and 26 RBIs in 72 games for the Brewers, numbers that make him a leading candidate for a spot when All-Star rosters are announced Sunday evening.
The 32-year-old has made an All-Star team once in his career — in 2015 with the Kansas City Royals, but Brewers manager Craig Counsell said the chance of Cain landing a spot on the National League roster had no bearing on his return timeline.
“The all-star game is a separate entity,” Counsell said. “He feels really comfortable right now and is doing really good. If everything turns out well today, then we’re set for tomorrow and the next day.”
Reinstating Cain will require another roster move for the Brewers. The team has managed its roster on a nearly daily basis this season, shuttling fresh arms and hot bats back and forth between Milwaukee and Triple-A Colorado Springs.
Part of it, naturally, has been based on need, but part of it is also an attempt to create the strongest roster possible on any given day.
“Our point of doing it is just to kind of optimize our roster every day, ” Counsell said. “You go into a game with kind of a forecast of the game a little bit. If you need the pitching Youth John Tavares Jersey , you have to have the pitching. But if you don’t need the pitching, you have to have the position player. You have to let the previous games dictate it for you and tell you what’s going to happen.”
Junior Guerra (5-5, 2.87 ERA) was part of that shuffle already this season. He opened the year with Colorado Springs and was brought back to Milwaukee when the need arose. The right-hander hasn’t let up since and takes the mound Sunday afternoon looking for a victory in a third consecutive start.
Guerra threw five shutout innings in a no-decision in his only appearance versus Atlanta in 2016.
The Braves counter with left-hander Sean Newcomb (8-3, 3.10), whose last outing was one he’d like to forget. Pitching through sweltering heat and humidity, Newcomb was tagged for five runs, three hits and five walks while working 2 2/3 innings at Yankee Stadium.
“I guess it was one of those days,” Newcomb said. “It was definitely a hot one. I had to go out there and deal with the elements and a good lineup. I just didn’t have my best stuff.”
Newcomb was 7-1 with a 2.07 ERA in the 11 previous starts and will be looking to revert to that form Sunday when he faces Milwaukee for the first time in his career.
Paul Goldschmidt struck out his first two at-bats against Jack Flaherty Womens Evander Kane Jersey , once on a slider. With two on in the fifth inning, Goldschmidt fell behind against the St. Louis right-hander and laid off two sliders like the one he chased earlier.
Another slider found too much of the plate and the reigning NL player of the month sent it over the wall in right.
Goldschmidt hit a three-run homer, Zack Greinke pitched effectively into the seventh inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks ended a four-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.
”Paul’s gifted,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. ”You can’t make mistakes like that. He’s going to make you pay.”
Greinke (9-5) gave up two runs in the second inning to end his 13-inning scoreless streak but was otherwise sharp in winning his fourth straight game. Yoshihisa Hirano needed one pitch to get a groundout with the bases loaded in the seventh and extend his team record with a 26th straight scoreless appearance.
Brad Boxberger worked around a walk in the ninth for his 20th save in 24 chances.
Goldschmidt had the big blow, following a four-hit night Monday with a three-run homer off Flaherty (3-4) in the fifth inning. The NL player of the month for June, Goldschmidt is hitting .413 with 11 homers and 28 RBIs his past 26 games.
”It wasn’t the best slider I had thrown all night and you get a guy like that, who is red hot like that, he put a good swing on it,” Flaherty said.
Greinke entered Tuesday’s game with the 13-inning scoreless streak after tossing seven scoreless innings against Miami his last start. His streak lasted one more inning; the Cardinals scored two runs in the second inning on Yairo Munoz’s single and Kolten Wong’s sacrifice fly.
Greinke shook off the shaky second by mixing his pitches well, keeping the Cardinals off-balance with low-90s fastballs and looping curves that dipped to 63 mph. He was lifted with two outs in the seventh inning after giving up consecutive hits, allowing two runs on seven hits and four strikeouts.
”I felt good, there was good defense behind me and we scored some runs,” Greinke said.
Flaherty allowed four runs on six hits in six innings in a loss to Cleveland his last start. He was sharp after giving up David Peralta’s run-scoring single in the first inning Authentic Joe Pavelski Jersey , retiring 10 straight batters.
Flaherty ran into trouble in the fifth inning, giving up a double and hitting a batter before Goldschmidt lifted a three-run homer just over the wall in right to put Arizona up 4-2.
Flaherty allowed four runs on four hits and struck out seven in six innings.
”He threw the ball well,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. ”(He) got into a tough situation with a good hitter, got to two strikes, the guy got the best of that matchup, but overall his stuff was very good today.”
TRANLATOR BOOTED
Lovullo brought Hirano’s translator, Kelvin Kondo, with him to the mound after making a pitching change in the seventh inning, just to make sure the Japanese right-hander was clear on what he wanted. The mound meeting turned a bit chaotic when Lovullo left the mound and Kondo was still talking to Hirano.
Under big-league rules, a translator has to stay next to the manager while on the mound, so when Lovullo started to walk away, plate umpire Bill Welke started shouting and told Kondo to leave the field.
”I didn’t even know what was going on up there. It was crazy, chaotic Joe Thornton Jersey ,” Lovullo said. ”There’s a clear rule and it’s so new to us having the interpreter and exchanging information. I just left the mound too soon, the dirt area too soon and that was my responsibility to stay there until all the instructions were made.”
TRAINER’S TABLE
Cardinals: SS Paul DeJong (broken left hand) went 0 for 4 for Triple-A Memphis on Monday night, his third rehab game with the Redbirds.
Diamondbacks: RHP Randall Delgado (strained left oblique) allowed a run on three hits in an inning for Triple-A Reno Monday night in a rehab appearance. … OF Steven Souza Jr. went 1 for 4 with a solo homer for the Aces as he works back from a strained right pectoral.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin has allowed a run in 13 innings his past two starts heading into Wednesday’s game against the Cardinals. St. Louis sends out RHP Miles Mikolas, who lost his last start despite allowing a run in 6 2/3 innings against Atlanta.
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Carson Wentz sat in the stands and soaked in the experience while his teammates on the Philadelphia Eagles took part in Super Bowl media night.
A torn ACL ended the MVP contender’s season, but he’s doing everything he can to be supportive and help the team beat the New England Patriots.
“I don’t know anyone more competitive than myself,” Wentz said Monday night. “Wanting to be out there is definitely tough, but I get over that pretty quick and just be around these guys and things are going as well as they can be.”
Wentz spoke for about 25 minutes, answering questions about his injury, backup Nick Foles, and several queries about his faith.
“I’m super excited for these guys and for Nick. We’re so close,” he said. “He understands the pressure of not only playing in this game but playing in Philly and everything that’s involved in that. I just tell him to be yourself, play your game and when he’s done that, he’s played great. I couldn’t be happier for his success. He’s a great guy.”
Wentz didn’t want to take any spotlight off his teammates or be a distraction Geronimo Allison Jersey , but the second-year pro plans to be part of many Super Bowl weeks, so he thought it was important to see it up close.
“I’m going to use this as a learning opportunity and motivation,” he said. “Being here and seeing this all week, it’ll give me an edge to want to be back without a doubt.”
Wentz revealed last week that he tore his LCL along with his ACL in Week 14 against the Los Angeles Rams. He’s already walking without crutches or a cane – he was on crutches on the sideline in the divisional round against Atlanta, then used a cane while watching the NFC championship game against Minnesota – and hopes to be ready for the season opener in September.
“Ever since he went down, I don’t think he hasn’t been a part of every element of the team, coaching and working with Nick,” owner Jeffery Lurie said. “That’s just who he is. He’s someone drawn to being great, really bright and humble at the same time … and a great leader at age 24 who is incredibly popular.”
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AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner contributed to this report.
Perhaps there will come a time when Carson Wentz wants to talk about having to watch the Philadelphia Eagles win their first Super Bowl.
For the man expected to be the next franchise quarterback for the Eagles Mario Lemieux Jersey , it wasn’t going to be the moments after Nick Foles led a 41-33 win over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots on Sunday night.
Wentz said he just wanted to celebrate with the Super Bowl MVP and the rest of his teammates, which he did. He shared quiet conversation in the locker room with owner Jeffrey Lurie before tight end Brent Celek grabbed him by the shoulders and said, ”Brothers for life.”
A few minutes later, Wentz, Foles and Nate Sudfeld, the backup since Wentz’s season-ending knee injury in Week 14, huddled near their lockers and bolted out a door, headed to an area off-limits to reporters.
Wentz didn’t flat-out say no when asked if he wanted to talk, and got a little testy when a reporter tried to find out what ”soon” meant. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft smiled a lot, too, as he wandered the locker room.
”You just know it’s tough when you talk to him sometimes,” receiver Torrey Smith said. ”It would be tough for me. He would have been the MVP of the league if he didn’t get hurt. You know that’s tough.”
Wentz Matt Murray Jersey , who walked gingerly and didn’t step into throws while making tosses alongside Foles during warmups, tore two ligaments in his left knee in a win over the Los Angeles Rams in December.
Foles and the Philadelphia offense were up and down through three regular-season games and the playoff opener, a 15-10 win over Atlanta.
But in his final two postseason games, Foles threw for 725 yards and six touchdowns, three in each game. He even caught a scoring pass in the Super Bowl.
After the Eagles fell behind for the first time in the fourth quarter against the Patriots, Foles guided 14-play, 75-yard drive to what ended up being the winning score – an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zach Ertz.
When Brady’s desperation pass hit the ground in the end zone on the final play, Wentz stormed the field alongside everyone else. And that sideline had some other key players in street clothes – two-time All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters and speedy running back Darren Sproles.
Oh, and Wentz held the Lombardi Trophy over his head during the celebration.
”When he went down, the foundation had been laid so strong that we weren’t usually swayed by anything,” Ertz said. ”We lost so many guys through this journey. Carson just gave us confidence every time we stepped on the field at the beginning of the season.”
Coach Doug Pederson lauded Wentz for staying engaged with his teammates after the injury. He was leading the NFL with 33 touchdown passes when he got hurt and finished just one behind league leader Russell Wilson of Seattle.
”He was in there in the mornings studying the tape with the quarterbacks like he always does,” Pederson said. ”And then he’d come to practice and just watch. Any advice that he had for Nick he would give it. If he felt like it wasn’t necessary Olli Maatta Jersey , he wouldn’t give it. Just a great resource for Nick.”
Wentz says he plans to be ready for the regular season in September. If not, Foles is under contract for another season, and the Eagles could get offers from teams looking for a starter after what the sixth-year pro did in the playoffs.
”I’m not going to say it’s bittersweet,” Smith said. ”But you know as a competitor you want to be on the field. I know he’s genuinely happy for Foles and this team. And I know more so than anything this is motivation for him to come back stronger than ever and to help lead this team back to this position.”
From time to time during the offseason, the Eagles will also get the question some just can’t resist asking after a backup becomes a Super Bowl MVP. Who’s the starter?
”Man, here you go,” receiver Alshon Jeffery said. ”Shut you off, man. You know who is throwing the ball. Carson, of course.”
As far as talking, though, Wentz deferred to Foles on this night.
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MILWAUKEE — Lorenzo Cain is eligible to come off the disabled list Wednesday but won’t quite be ready to go when the Milwaukee Brewers wrap up their three-game series against the Minnesota Twins with a matinee at Miller Park.
Cain has been sidelined since June 24 with a strained left groin and had been making progress in his rehab but isn’t 100 percent yet and will need a little more time, manager Craig Cousnell said.
“He had a good day on the field Patric Hornqvist Jersey , but there’s enough caution there that we have to get over the last hurdle,” Counsell said. “We’re not to 100 percent yet. We’re definitely going in a good direction.”
Christian Yelich has been out since the first inning of Sunday’s game thanks to a stiff back but he took batting practice for a third straight day Tuesday and came into the game as a ninth-inning defensive sub, leaving him on the verge of returning to the lineup — perhaps as early as Wednesday.
“He’s feeling pretty good,” Counsell said. “I’m very optimistic.”
With both Cain and Yelich out, and Jesus Aguilar punishing opposing pitchers while playing first base, Eric Thames has become a regular in Milwaukee’s outfield. Since returning from a 40-day stint on the disabled list June 12, Thames has made five starts at first and 10 in the outfield. He’s appeared in 18 games overall since returning, batting .226 with four home runs and 11 RBIs during that stretch but has been red-hot over the last week with three home runs over his last six games.
“I’m just trying to have quality at-bats and trying not to hit 30 home runs in the first week to try and catch back up with everybody else,” said Thames, who’s third on the team with 12 home runs this season. “I’m just trying to have good at-bats, get on base, take my walks Phil Kessel Jersey , trying not to swing at everything that comes over the plate like I did in Cincinnati. I’m just trying to take a quality at-bat and help the team win.”
Thames’ two-run homer was the difference in Milwaukee’s victory Tuesday and gave the Brewers at least one home run in each of their last nine games.
Jose Berrios will try to stop that streak Wednesday as he leads the Twins in their efforts to avoid a sweep. The right-hander served up two home runs his last time out as he was dinged for six runs on six hits and four walks over just 4 1/3 innings by the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
“I don’t know if it’s the hottest game I’ve thrown, but coming from 80 degrees to almost 100, I felt it out there,” Berrios said through an interpreter. “I wanted to keep competing for my team. … I kind of felt like I lost stamina out there because it was so hot. It just was what it was.
“I tried to execute my pitches. I struck out (two). I kept trying to battle. It wasn’t my day today.”
It was Berrios’ worst outing of the season and snapped what had been an impressive stretch for the young right-hander. He’d gone 5-1 with a 2.05 ERA in his eight previous starts, striking out 69 with just 11 walks in 57 innings of work.
“Jose was just a little off,” manager Paul Molitor said. “Command of fastball, a couple breaking balls that he got hurt on. … Glanced up there now and then. (His velocity) was maybe down a mile or two from what you would expect.”
Wednesday will mark his first career appearance against the Brewers, who counter with right-hander Chase Anderson.
Anderson allowed just a run over six innings in his last outing, Friday at Cincinnati, and is 3-3 with a 4.40 ERA in eight starts since returning from the disabled list on May 20.
He’s faced Minnesota just once in his career and took the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on 11 hits over five innings back on April 18, 2016.
Former Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver said the key to winning is ”pitching Youth Evgeni Malkin Jersey , fundamentals and three-run homers.”
Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona can go one better: grand slams.
Yan Gomes hit a grand slam in the sixth inning and the Indians rallied to beat the Kansas City Royals 6-4 on Tuesday night.
The Indians lead the American League with eight grand slams and it was their second in two nights. Francisco Lindor hit one Monday.
”I’m glad,” Francona said. ”I hope we have a ton more opportunities. I’m really happy about that. That’s really good for us.”
Edwin Encarnacion led off the sixth with a walk and Brandon Guyer was hit by Danny Duffy’s pitch. Yonder Alonso’s infield single loaded the bases before Gomes drove Duffy’s 1-0 changeup into the left-field bullpen.
”I hope it’s not contagious, because that means people are going up there looking to hit a grand slam,” Gomes said. ”You really just want to get up there and try to keep the line moving. I hope if we get more bases-loaded (situations), we’re just able to drive more guys in, whether that’s a sac fly or a base hit or a grand slam.”
Gomes is 10 for 26 (.385) with three home runs and eight RBIs off Duffy.
Shane Bieber (4-0) allowed all the Kansas City runs in the first two innings, and remains undefeated in his first five big league starts.
”Things got a little ugly,” Bieber said. ”They could have gotten a lot worse. I was trying to go out there and compete and move on to the next pitch.”
Chad Allen got the final four outs for his 17th save in 18 chances and his fifth of more than one inning. He stranded two runners in the ninth after a single and a walk.
Duffy (4-8) yielded six runs on eight hits, two walks and a hit batter. He is 0-3 against the Indians this season and has lost eight in a row against them dating to May 6, 2015.
”It was belt high and right out over the plate for him to tattoo and that’s what he did,” Duffy said of the grand slam. ”I hate that old song and dance these things happen, bull, but these things do happen. And it’s happened to us a lot lately. It’s really frustrating. I gave up six runs today, which means I didn’t pitch very well.”
It took Duffy 25 pitches to record an out with Lindor, Michael Brantley and Jose Ramirez opening the game with singles. Ramirez’s single deflected off Duffy’s glove to score Lindor. Alfonso’s fly to center scored Brantley with the second run.
”The first inning was a grind for Danny, 36 pitches Jake Guentzel Jersey Kids , but he really did a pretty good job of limiting the damage there with only two runs and kind of got on a roll,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.
Lucas Duda homered with Rosell Herrera, who had three hits, on board to tie it in the bottom of the first.
The Royals forged ahead 4-2 in the second. Whit Merrifield singled home Adalberto Mondesi and scored on Herrera’s two-out double.
The Royals lost for the 24th time in 29 games. They did manage 12 hits, ending a club record of 24 straight games without getting double-figure hits.
ROSTER MOVES
Indians: Recalled OF Greg Allen from Triple-A Columbus, where he was hitting .487 in a nine-game hitting streak at the time of the promotion. He hit .204 in 34 games earlier this season with Cleveland. ”It definitely helps to have gone through it before,” Allen said. ”That just comes with experience.”
DRAFT SIGNINGS
Indians: They signed their first two draft picks, Canadian high school C Noah Naylor and Cumming, Georgia high school RHP Ethan Hankins. Naylor, the 29th overall pick, signed for $2,578,138, while Hankins, the 35th overall pick, signed for $2 http://www.officialpenguinsproshop.com/authentic-adidas-justin-schultz-jersey ,246,022.
Royals: RHP Brady Singer, the 18th overall pick, signed for $4.25 million. He was the college player of the year, going 12-3 with a 2.55 ERA as a Florida junior.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Indians: OF Lonnie Chisenhall (strained left calf) was placed on the disabled list. This is the second straight year he has been set back by calf injuries. He missed 50 games earlier this season with a left calf injury. He was out most of the second half of last year with a right calf injury.
Guyer left in the ninth after fouling a pitch off his left knee. Francona said the X-rays were negative.
Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (strained left oblique) was placed on the disabled list retroactive to June 30th. . 3B Mike Moustakas (lower back spasms) was a late scratch. Yost said his back tightened up after he lifted one of his children.
UP NEXT
Indians: RHP Trevor Bauer is 0-1 with a 3.55 ERA in two starts this season against the Royals.
Whenever the Cubs come to town, their fans fill the stands at Great American Ball Park and their offense usually carries the day. Not so for the last two.
Eugenio Suarez hit a go-ahead homer off Jose Quintana in the fifth inning, and the Cincinnati Reds held on for their fifth straight victory Friday night, 6-3 over the Cubs .
The Reds have won the first two games in the four-game set, a recent rarity in the rivalry. It’s only the second time in the last two years that they’ve won back-to-back games in a series against Chicago. The Cubs are 43-21 against the Reds over the last four seasons.
Cincinnati’s winning streak is one shy of its season high. The Reds are last in the NL Central at 30-45.
”We’re playing really good baseball right now,” Suarez said . ”When you play like that, good things can happen.”
Suarez’s two-run shot in the fifth inning off Quintana (6-6) gave him a team-high 16 homers and put the Reds ahead 4-3. Billy Hamilton and Joey Votto also singled home runs off Quintana, who had allowed only six earned runs in his last four starts combined.
Quintana hung a changeup on his second pitch to Suarez, who has four homers in his last six games.
”I just missed my spot – a bad pitch,” Quintana said through a translator. ”A bad time to have that happen.”
Suarez also singled twice and extended his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games, the longest by a Reds third baseman since Todd Frazier hit in 14 straight in 2014.
Javier Baez drove in a run with a bunt single off Luis Castillo (5-8), and Kyle Schwarber followed with a two-run homer Kris Letang Jersey , his third in four games. Castillo went 5 2/3 innings for his first victory since May 24, ending a streak of four straight losses.
Raisel Iglesias retired the side in the ninth for his 12th save in 14 chances.
”That was one of our cleaner ballgames of the season,” interim manager Jim Riggleman said. ”We played a good ballgame – offensively, defensively, ran the bases well, timely hitting.”
Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo went a combined 0 for 8 with three strikeouts as Chicago’s offense struggled again, managing only four hits.
”We’ve played maybe two of our least-impressive games in a month,” manager Joe Maddon said. ”It’s just not been us playing our typical game.”
DUENSING BACK
Left-handed reliever Brian Duensing was activated off the bereavement list before the game. He had been gone for four days to attend his grandfather’s funeral. The Cubs optioned right-hander Justin Hancock to Triple-A Iowa.
GREAT GRAB
Cubs reliever Justin Wilson made a diving grab of Jesse Winker’s bunt in the seventh, landing on his chest while stretching for the ball. He was shaken up for a moment but stayed in the game.
STATS
Each of Schwarber’s last three hits has been a home run. Schwarber grew up in nearby Middletown and attended Reds games at Great American. He’s batted .318 in 30 career games against the Reds with nine homers and 25 RBIs.
TOP PICK, FIRST PITCH
Bengals center Billy Price threw a ceremonial pitch pregame, bouncing it to the plate. Price was the Bengals’ top pick in the draft.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: Yu Darvish could begin a rehab assignment next week. He threw 50 pitches in a simulated game without problem on Wednesday. Darvish has been sidelined since May 23 because of tendinitis in his right triceps.
Reds: Homer Bailey will make a rehab start for Triple-A Louisville on Saturday, throwing between 75 and 90 pitches. Bailey has been sidelined since June 2 with a sore right knee. He’s 1-7 with a 6.68 ERA.
UP NEXT
Cubs: Luke Farrell (2-2) will make his first start of the season after a dozen relief appearances.
Reds: Anthony DeSclafani makes his fourth start. He was sidelined for the first two months with a strained oblique suffered during spring training. DeSclafani is 2-1 with a 4.60 ERA.
PHOENIX — Crack the door Womens Bryan Rust Jersey , and these days the Arizona Diamondbacks will blow right through.
Three times in their last four games, Arizona has made an opponent pay and pay and pay for a blunder here or a miscue there.
The Diamondbacks did it again Tuesday, when they took advantage of three throwing errors in a six-run first inning for the impetus needed for a 13-8 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Chase Field. The game was not decided until Jon Jay’s three-run homer in the seventh inning, but the decisive first inning helped them build an 8-0 lead.
“Those are some of the characteristics of a good team, that when they sniff a little blood, they are going to go out there and execute,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “When you get second chances in this game, you have to take advantage. Our guys are ready for that.
“We talk about them (opponents) being in their most vulnerable state when they are making mistakes, and we have to be ready. It’s not a good feeling when you are on the (other) side of it and it is not going well. But when you are executing and fighting back a little bit, it is very gratifying.”
Arizona right-hander Zack Greinke, who has lost only one of his last 25 starts at Chase Field, will oppose Pirates right-hander Jameson Taillon in the final game of the series Wednesday.
The Pirates have lost eight straight series, and a failure to execute has hurt in the first two games of this series. They blew a 5-0 lead entering the seventh inning in a 9-5 loss Monday, when the Diamondbacks combined timely hitting and extra benefits, including hit batter, an infield error, two wild pitches and a balk.
First baseman Josh Bell and second baseman Josh Harrison had throwing errors and pitcher Trevor Williams made an errant pickoff throw in the first inning Tuesday around two singles and Ketel Marte’s two-out, two-run triple. Five of the six runs were unearned.
“We didn’t handle the ball like we needed to handle the ball,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. “We weren’t able to execute defensively the way we needed to execute defensively. We’ve got work to do. We are not playing at the level we are capable of playing.”
Arizona scored six runs in the eighth inning of a 12-7 victory at Colorado on Saturday, capitalizing on a double-error by reliever Bryan Shaw early in the inning. Only one of those six runs was earned.
“That’s what you have to do Authentic Conor Sheary Jersey ,” said Jay, who had his first three hits in his fifth game with the Diamondbacks on Tuesday. “When you have chances, you have to make the most out of the opportunities. We’ve been able to do that the last couple of days, and we just have to keep it going.
“I think that’s the mentality they have here. I saw that last year playing on the other side. That’s just the mentality you have to have.”
The Diamondbacks have scored 51 runs in their five-game winning streak, with heavy contributions from Paul Goldschmidt and Marte. Goldschmidt is hitting .477 with five homers and 12 RBIs in the last 11 games, with six multi-hit games. Marte is hitting .389 with 11 extra-base hits and 11 RBIs in the last 11. He hit his NL-leading seventh triple Tuesday.
Greinke (5-4, 3.53 ERA) has won his last two decisions and is 3-2 with a 2.96 ERA and a .229 opponents’ batting average since beating the Dodgers at Chase Field on April 30. He is undefeated at home this season, going 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA in seven starts while continuing the success he had at home last year. Greinke was 13-1 with a 2.87 ERA in 18 home starts in 2017.
Greinke took a no-hitter into the eighth inning of a 2-1 victory over Pittsburgh at Chase Field last season, losing it when Gregory Polanco led off with a homer down the right-field line. Greinke struck out 11 and walked one in that game, his lone start against the Pirates last season. He is 7-3 with a 4.59 ERA in 11 career starts against the Pirates, about half of those games coming when he was with Milwaukee in 2011-12.
Taillon (3-5, 4.08) has been effective for the most part, but a few rocky outings this season caused his ERA to jump over 4.00. He has given up three runs or fewer in 10 of his 13 starts, but has given up five, seven and six in the other three.
After winning his first two decisions and giving up two earned runs in his first 20 2/3 innings, Taillon is 1-5 with a 5.36 ERA. He has not faced the Diamondbacks in his three seasons.
HOUSTON — With shortstop Carlos Correa battling what was described as back stiffness, Astros manager A.J. Hinch opted to keep Correa out of the lineup Tuesday against Toronto.
Correa, batting .268 with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs, missed his eighth game of the season. Hinch is an advocate of resting his primary regulars and with Houston playing a day game Wednesday following their 7-0 victory Tuesday night, he opted to give Correa a break with the club also facing a grueling stretch of play over the coming weeks.
“We’re playing 23 out of 24 days. We’re in the midst of the grind of the season before the All-Star break and I’m always looking for a day off Derick Brassard Jersey ,” Hinch said. “We’ve talked about rest for the better part of the last couple of weeks. There’s another day coming probably for him and there’s probably another day off for George (Springer), maybe even one for Jose (Altuve) before the break. All of that added up, it made for an easy (decision) not to play him.”
Left-hander Dallas Keuchel (4-8, 3.90 ERA) will start the series finale for the Astros (53-28).
Keuchel posted his second consecutive start without allowing an earned run on June 22 against the Kansas City Royals, surrendering six hits and two walks with six strikeouts over six innings. He is 3-0 with a 3.62 ERA over four career starts against the Blue Jays, last facing Toronto on May 15, 2015, and allowing four runs on eight hits and three walks over six innings in an 8-4 home victory.
Right-hander Marco Estrada (4-7, 4.48 ERA) will start the rubber match for Toronto (37-42). Estrada has pitched exceptionally this month, going 2-1 with a 1.75 ERA and 26 strikeouts over four starts and 25 2/3 innings while limiting opposing batters to a .510 OPS. He is 2-0 with a 2.96 ERA over 12 career appearances (six starts) against Houston.
Blue Jays All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson experienced a setback while rehabbing the left calf injury that landed him on the 10-day disabled list May 29. Donaldson was preparing to play in a rehab game in Florida and sustained an injury while taking ground balls. An MRI revealed an acute strain of the left calf, and Donaldson will be re-evaluated in three weeks.
Donaldson was trending toward a return to action, perhaps as soon as this weekend against the Detroit Tigers. He has suffered through a largely lost season, logging 36 games with five home runs and 16 RBIs. Donaldson missed his 25th consecutive game Tuesday and 43rd overall this season, with the Blue Jays dropping to 21-22 without him in their lineup.
Donaldson, a free agent following the season, could be a trade chip at the non-waiver deadline next month, but his injury situation leaves that immediate future murky at best.
“The previous week we thought there was a chance,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. “He was moving along fine and then something happened. What are you going to do?
“It’s been a frustrating year for him. He’s actually hanging in there OK considering. But he’s frustrated.”
OAKLAND Montravius Adams Jersey , Calif. — The Oakland Athletics will encounter one of their all-time nemeses Thursday afternoon when they face Houston Astros right-hander Justin Verlander in the finale of a three-game series.
The Astros have dominated the first two games of the series between American League West rivals, riding a total of 10 RBIs from Evan Gattis to 6-3 and 13-5 victories.
Houston has won seven of eight from Oakland this season.
The Astros have done it without any help from Verlander (8-2, 1.45 ERA), who has yet to face the A’s this season.
They have seen plenty of each other in the veteran’s 14-year career, including five times in the postseason, when Verlander has gone 4-0 against Oakland.
Included in the four wins were Game 5 clinchers for Detroit in 2012, when Verlander pitched a 6-0 shutout, and 2013, when he threw eight innings of shutout ball in a 3-0 win.
A’s general manager Billy Beane got so fed up losing to Verlander, he attempted to stack the Oakland pitching staff in anticipation of a rematch in 2014, acquiring Jon Lester, Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel at midseason at the costly expense of Addison Russell and Yoenis Cespedes.
The A’s, who already had Sonny Gray and Scott Kazmir anchoring their staff, never got a shot at Verlander in the playoffs that year Josh Jones Jersey , losing 9-8 to Kansas City in the American League wild-card game, which Lester started and Hammel finished.
With Lester, Samardzija and Hammel all leaving the team the following season either via trade or free agency, the A’s haven’t been back in the postseason since. In fact, they’ve never finished higher than fourth place the last three seasons.
Verlander has a 10-6 record and 2.61 ERA in 17 starts against the A’s in his career during the regular season. He’s 5-4 with a 2.38 ERA in 10 starts in Oakland.
The A’s will counter with their modern-day version of Verlander, rookie right-hander Frankie Montas (3-0, 1.25), who has been brilliant in three starts this season.
Acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in one of Oakland’s many veteran sell-offs since becoming a non-contender in 2015, Montas has allowed a total of three runs in 21 2/3 innings in wins over Arizona and Kansas City (twice).
Montas pitched twice in relief against Houston in 2017, getting shelled in one inning in each appearance.
He gave up three hits and two runs in the ninth inning of a 10-6 loss to the Astros in his 11th career appearance early in the 2017 season, then served up a three-run home run to Marwin Gonzalez in the ninth inning of a 7-2 loss two weeks later.
Gonzalez had one of Houston’s four home runs in Wednesday’s shellacking, but the story of the game for the second consecutive night was Gattis.
The designated hitter, who had recorded four RBIs nine separate times in his career before this series began, enjoyed his second consecutive five-RBI performance in Wednesday’s win Oren Burks Jersey , belting two home runs along the way.
Gattis had been just 3-for-12 with no homers and no RBIs in six games against the A’s this season before exploding for four hits, including three homers, in seven at-bats the last two nights.
Houston Astros catcher Brian McCann finally got to a point that something had to be done to try to fix his troublesome right knee.
McCann had arthroscopic surgery Tuesday after going on the disabled list for the second time this season, and the third time in less than a year, because of knee discomfort.
Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow told MLB.com and the Houston Chronicle during a 5-3 win at Texas that the team was optimistic that the surgery would resolve the issue that kept recurring. While not specific about the procedure or a timetable, the GM said he’d expect McCann back in September to get ready for October.
Manager A.J. Hinch said before the Astros’ 5-3 win at Texas that he and McCann had a long conversation about the knee problems when the team played in Tampa last weekend.
”It’s just continually the same issue over and over with his right knee,” Hinch said. ”One of the options is surgery, and he went back to Houston to take care of it.”
Catcher Tim Federowicz, who made two starts earlier this season when McCann was on the DL, was promoted from Triple-A Fresno.
Max Stassi was the Astros’ starting catcher Tuesday night against the Rangers. Hinch said Stassi would get the bulk of the catching during McCann’s absence.
But Stassi never got behind the plate against the Rangers. He was hit by a pitch on his right (throwing) wrist while batting in the first inning. He stayed in the game to run, but Federowicz went to catch when the Astros took the field.
X-rays were negative, but Stassi has a bruised wrist and was considered day to day.
Shortstop Carlos Correa, who has been out since June 26 because of lower back soreness, also was back in Houston. He is eligible to come off the DL as early as Friday Marquez Valdes-Scantling Jersey , though Hinch wasn’t sure if Correa would be ready to play then.
”He’s been reporting to Minute Maid (Park) every day and working with our people there,” Hinch said. ”The good news is that everything has been a step forward. The uncertainty is still we haven’t done any baseball activities yet, so we don’t know how that’s going to impact his timeline until we get home.”
McCann missed nine games during his first DL stint this season before being activated June 8, the last time Houston played at the Rangers.
He was also on the DL for 11 days last August because of right knee soreness before the Astros went on to win their first World Series title. McCann played in all seven World Series games.
His latest DL move was retroactive to Monday, a day off for Houston.
McCann has hit .206 with five homers and 17 RBIs in 50 games this season. He was in a 1-for-26 slump before going on the DL for the first time this season on May 29. He hit .171 (7-of-41) with one homer and three RBIs in his 13 games in June after returning from the DL.
Stassi has hit .255 with seven homers and 22 RBIs in 49 games for the Astros. Federowicz hit .328 with six homers and 22 RBIs in 38 games at Fresno.
”I have a lot of confidence in Stassi and Fed, both with major league time,” Hinch said. ”They’re comfortable, they know our pitchers, they know our program, our preparation, all things that make me feel really good about going into each particular game.”
The Los Angeles Angels activated two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani from the 10-day disabled list Tuesday and used him as the designated hitter in their game against the Seattle Mariners.
Ohtani and his injured right elbow are only cleared to hit for now T.J. Oshie Jersey , but Los Angeles said he will be re-evaluated as a pitcher in three weeks.
Ohtani received stem cell therapy and a platelet-rich plasma injection to help heal the Grade 2 sprain of his ulnar collateral ligament suffered more than three weeks ago. Ohtani was cleared for a hitting program Friday and took part in two simulated games against minor league pitchers over the weekend.
”We’re going to see how many looks we can give him as a (designated hitter) and hopefully he’ll give us a lift there,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
Ohtani went 0 for 4 in Los Angeles’ 4-1 loss to the Mariners.
Scioscia said there’s no plan in terms of Ohtani’s usage, and they’ll monitor it daily.
”He’s been cleared to swing and we will see how it all goes down,” Scioscia said. ”I check with my players all the time to make sure nothing is bothering them, but we don’t anticipate anything as far as him swinging the bat.”
Ohtani is hitting .280 with an .878 OPS and six homers in 118 at-bats in his rookie season. He batted sixth on Tuesday.
”I think it’s a good spot for him,” Scioscia said. ”When you’re talking about Mike (Trout), Albert (Pujols), Justin (Upton) and (Andrelton) Simmons, hitting sixth behind those guys will hopefully be a good spot for him to hit, but also just trying to get him acclimated. We don’t want him to say, `I have to do so much,’ if he’s hitting higher in the lineup.”
Scioscia emphasized that Ohtani was not being rushed back into the lineup.
”He would not be playing here tonight if he wasn’t cleared by our medical department,” Scioscia said. ”We were very comfortable that he was able to swing the bat.”
Right-handed pitcher Miguel Almonte was also called up and right-handed pitchers Deck McGuire and Eduardo Paredes were optioned to Triple-A in corresponding moves.
—
Seventy-two-year-old Susan Collesidis was never a football fan until she heard Carson Wentz talk about his faith.
Then she was hooked on the Philadelphia Eagles.
When Wentz found out his newest fan was fighting an advanced stage of cancer, he sent her an encouraging message with inspirational Bible verses.
”How much joy I get from watching him and his team play supernatural football every week,” she said after reading it.
Two weeks later, Susan Collesidis lost her battle with cancer the night before Thanksgiving.
”The message meant so much to Susan because she admired Carson as a person and believer more than a football player Authentic Blake Wheeler Jersey ,” her son-in-law Doug Horton said. ”He’s the reason she started caring about sports and she couldn’t wait to watch the Eagles every week.”
Wentz isn’t playing in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots because he tore his ACL in Week 14. But backup quarterback Nick Foles is also a ”brother in Christ” and one of the leaders in a locker room filled with guys who have formed a strong bond because of their faith.
”It truly is a brotherhood,” Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz said. ”Those guys are holding me accountable. Off the field, I’m holding them accountable. We truly care about each other, we truly care about the growth that each individual has in the word, as believers, as well as friends and family. There are a lot of guys who are truly trying to boost me up and keep me focused on the main thing, which is obviously the word …”
Christian players openly expressing their faith is nothing new in the NFL: Reggie White, Kurt Warner, Tim Tebow, Ray Lewis and Russell Wilson among many others. But these Eagles are a unique, close-knit group.
”There is a stronger connection here,” said defensive end Steven Means, who played for three other teams. ”It’s another level because we push each other in certain areas that we are flawed at and open ourselves up to each other. We text each other throughout the day making sure that everybody is on the right path and doing the right thing.”
Torrey Smith played with Lewis on the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens in 2012. They had a solid core of Christian players who used their faith for inspiration during their journey. Smith also spent two years in San Francisco before the wide receiver came to Philadelphia this season. He said it’s different here.
”I’ve been lucky to be part of three organizations that do have a very strong Christian presence,” Smith said. ”The difference here is a lot of younger guys lead.”
It starts with Wentz, the face of the franchise.
Wentz went on a mission trip to Haiti last May with former teammate Jordan Matthews and a group led by Kyle Horner, lead pastor of The Connect Church. He delivered a sermon a month later at a church back home in North Dakota and launched his Audience of One Foundation in July. Wentz and several teammates even created a devotional video series for the Bible app.
Four days before the season opener Bryan Little Jersey , Wentz and teammates Trey Burton and Stefen Wisniewski spoke at a faith event in front of a crowd of 2,000 people who sat in the rain for a couple hours to hear their favorite players share their testimony.
But before he had an MVP-caliber season and led the Eagles from worst to first, Wentz received plenty of criticism from some media and fans because he openly talked about his faith on social media .
He wasn’t deterred.
”Jesus was persecuted everywhere he went,” Wentz said. ”So if Jesus, who is our ultimate example, endured that, then I can endure a couple tweets. I can endure a little riff-raff here and there.”
A large group of players meet for Bible study on Thursdays and hold a study for couples on Mondays. They get together for prayer and devotionals the night before games. They’ve even gathered for baptisms in some unusual places.
In October 2016, Burton and Pastor Ted Winsley baptized six players in a cold tub at the team’s practice facility.
”It was crazy,” said Winsley, the team’s longtime chaplain. ”The guys were just hungry, wanting their lives changed.”
Before a Thursday night game at Carolina last October, second-year pro Marcus Johnson was baptized in a hotel pool.
”Since I’ve come to Philly, I’ve grown in my faith so much,” Johnson said. ”As a rookie last year coming in, you always hear about the locker room and how dysfunctional it can be and people playing for money and this and that, but when I got here Womens Connor Hellebuyck Jersey , everyone was so supportive and I knew it was something special.”
Having strong faith doesn’t make players immune to adversity, but it helps them deal with it. The Eagles (15-3) have overcome numerous injuries to important players on their way to winning the NFC championship.
Nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters, running back/return specialist Darren Sproles, special-teams captain Chris Maragos and kicker Caleb Sturgis sustained season-ending injuries along with Wentz and Jordan Hicks, the playmaking linebacker and quarterback on defense.
Instead of anger and resentment, they’ve leaned on their faith to maintain a positive attitude.
”Character is always revealed in times of testing,” said Horner, who pastors several players. ”For these men, Christ is not a crutch to lean upon, he is the foundation which their life is built upon. For them, faith is not an intellectual acknowledgement of truth, but a day-by-day expression of their love for God. This is where it all starts.&
For the first time in more than a month Lars Eller Jersey , there was music playing in the Baltimore Orioles‘ clubhouse following a game.
The team still faces an uphill battle to turn the season around, but it was admittedly just nice to get a win.
Jace Peterson and Mark Trumbo homered and the Orioles snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 10-4 victory over the Miami Marlins on Sunday.
Baltimore also ended a string of 11 straight losses at home, which tied a club record. The Orioles last win at Camden Yards came May 13 against Tampa Bay.
”We’re doing what we can, constantly trying to get better,” Trumbo said. ”It doesn’t always show up, but that has to be the goal going forward. It’s going to be a long road for the team, but you want to see improvement in some areas. I think if you can target those and actually do it, we’ll be that much better because of that.”
Dylan Bundy (5-7) allowed four runs and five hits with five strikeouts and two walks over six innings. He has accounted for one-quarter of his team’s victories this season.
Peterson got his first homer of the season with a two-run shot off reliever Merandy Gonzalez in the fifth and matched a career-high with four RBIs. Trumbo went 3 for 5 with a home run off Gonzalez in the seventh.
Miami was 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position.
Justin Bour had a pair of homers, including a three-run shot that pulled the Marlins to within 8-4 in the sixth.
”The last couple of days the team has done a good job of picking me up,” Bour said. ”It was nice to contribute today.”
Baltimore entered the game as the lowest-scoring team in the American League, but knocked around Miami rookie Trevor Richards (1-4). Fellow rookie Corban Joseph was the only Baltimore starter not to manage a hit off him.
Trumbo led off the second with a single and Jonathan Schoop followed with a double. Peterson cleared the bases with another double that bounced over the center field fence.
Trumbo hit another towering RBI double before Mancini followed with a single that boosted the lead to 4-0 in the third. Mancini had been 4 for 50 with runners in scoring position entering that at-bat.
”This is the first time he’s gone through something like this,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. ”You’re trying to be real supportive with not only him, but everybody. We’re going to keep trying to create some positive vibes.”
Bour led off the fourth with a homer to left, snapping a streak 211/3 scoreless innings by Bundy.
”Once we get behind Madison Bowey Jersey , Bour gets us one back and then gets us three more,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. ”We never really get where we needed to be.”
Baltimore responded in the bottom half on a double by Adam Jones that drove in two more runs and ended the day for Richards, who was charged with a season-high six runs and nine hits.
Manny Machado had two hits, including an RBI single in the eighth that rounded out the scoring for Baltimore.
FISHING
Trumbo has hit safely in 11 of 12 games against the Marlins, batting .370 (17 for 46) over that stretch.
MOVE
The Orioles optioned catcher Chance Cisco to Triple-A Norfolk following the game.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: INF Miguel Rojas was held out of the lineup for the second consecutive game after being hit on the left hand by a pitch Friday.
Orioles: RHP Andrew Cashner (back) did not have any setbacks with his bullpen session and will start Wednesday in Washington. He is 2-8 with a 4.98 ERA in 13 starts.
UP NEXT
Marlins: Left-hander Caleb Smith (5-6, 3.75 ERA) will make his second consecutive start against the Giants. On June 13, he allowed three runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings and did not get a decision in the Marlins’ 5-4 victory.
Orioles: Rookie David Hess (2-3, 4.13 ERA) will start the opener Tuesday against the Nationals, who handed him a 2-0 loss May 30.
——
It isn’t very often that Alex Bregman whiffs on two straight fastballs, so when he did so in the ninth inning on Wednesday it left Houston’s third baseman a bit upset.
Fortunately for the Astros, he took out that aggression on the next pitch, connecting for a two-run homer that completed a big rally to lift Houston to a 7-6 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
It was Bregman’s third straight game with a homer and it capped a huge comeback for the Astros, who trailed 5-0 in the middle of the first inning after a terrible start by Dallas Keuchel.
The Astros trailed by one when Tony Kemp singled off Ryan Tepera (5-3) with no outs in the ninth and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Then with one out in the inning, Bregman sent a fastball to left field Nicklas Backstrom Jersey , where it bounced off the wall above the Crawford Boxes, to give Houston the victory.
”That was the first guy I’ve swung and missed two straight fastballs on this year I think besides (Luis) Severino,” Bregman said. ”So it kind of ticked me off.”
Manager A.J. Hinch wasn’t surprised that Bregman came through for his team.
”For him to be able to stay calm in the moment, we’ve seen this – Alex Bregman, game on the line, ice in his veins,” Hinch said.
Bregman also doubled twice on Wednesday after hitting a homer and doubling three times in a win on Tuesday night.
”I don’t know how many hits Bregman had this series but he had too many,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said.
Will Harris (3-3) allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth for the win.
Gibbons was frustrated that his team let this one get away.
”That’s probably my low point this year because you’ve got it right there,” he said. ”Those are the teams you want to beat. I think what magnifies that is anytime you get a 5-0 lead that’s what gets you.”
After the Blue Jays took a 5-0 lead in the first, Houston scored three in the bottom of the first to close the gap and got within one Evan Gattis‘ RBI double in the fifth. But Kevin Pillar singled and scored on an error in the sixth to make it 6-4.
Marwin Gonzalez snapped an 0 for 23 slump with a solo shot to the bullpen in right-center off Tyler Clippard with two outs in the eighth inning to cut the lead to one.
The Blue Jays jumped on Keuchel immediately a day after being shut out for the fifth time this season in a 7-0 loss. Randal Grichuk hit a leadoff double followed by a walk by Teoscar Hernandez. Yangervis Solarte made it 1-0 with an RBI double before Keuchel walked Steve Pearce.
Hernandez scored on a sacrifice fly by Kendrys Morales before Pillar made it 3-0 with a run-scoring single.
Another RBI single, this one on a grounder by Aledmys Diaz, pushed the lead to 4-0 before Luke Maile’s sacrifice fly made it 5-0.
Toronto starter Marco Estrada allowed seven hits and four runs – three earned – in five innings.
Keuchel, the 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner who hadn’t allowed an earned run in his past two starts, gave up seven hits and six runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Evan Gattis doubled twice and drove in three runs to give him 30 RBIs this month Philipp Grubauer Jersey , which is a franchise record for RBIs in June.
Keuchel settled down after his terrible first inning, allowing just one baserunner over the next four innings. But Pillar, who singled in the third inning, hit another single with one out in the sixth before a single by Diaz.
Keuchel walked Maile to load the bases and Toronto extended the lead to 6-4 when Devon Travis reached and Pillar scored on an error by Jose Altuve.
”Just a tremendous job of staying the course. Not getting too mad at himself. Not getting too frustrated and just putting up zeros to allow us to make it a game,” Hinch said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: SS Carlos Correa sat out for the second straight day with a sore back. Hinch said the problem isn’t serious but he wants to give him time to rest. … RHP Joe Smith (right elbow inflammation) threw a bullpen on Wednesday and will likely begin a rehabilitation assignment this weekend.
1,500
Gibbons managed his 1,500th game on Wednesday. He’s managed the second-most games in Blue Jays history behind the 1,764 games that Cito Gaston managed. He is 757-743 in his career, which leaves him in 11th place for wins among active managers.
Gibbons, who is in his second stint as Toronto’s manager, has been at the helm since 2013.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: Toronto is off on Thursday before opening a four-game series against the Tigers on Friday with Marcus Stroman (0-5, 6.80 ERA) on the mound. Stroman allowed six hits in five scoreless innings in his return from the disabled list in his previous start.
Astros: Lance McCullers (8-3, 3.82) will start for Houston in the first of four games at Tampa on Thursday night. McCullers allowed four hits and three runs while fanning nine in six innings in his previous outing.
Beltre and Robinson Chirinos homered to help Yovani Gallardo win for the first time since last July as the Texas Rangers beat the Minnesota Twins 9-6 on Saturday.
The home run wasn’t anything unusual — he’s got 466 of those his 21-year major league career. But he led off the second inning by beating out a ground ball to shortstop, no easy feat for a 39-year-old who has spent almost a month on the disabled list this year with a strained left hamstring.
The infield single led to a six-run rally to help the Rangers overcome an early 2-0 deficit.
”Speed kills – don’t you know that?” a grinning Beltre said. ”Over the last week or so, we’ve been able to find out how to get guys on, and now we’re getting more consistent in bringing those guys in.”
Eddie Rosario homered and drove in four runs for the Twins, while Logan Morrison also homered and Mitch Garver had three hits. Minnesota lost its third straight when it couldn’t overcome a short start from veteran Jake Odorizzi (3-5).
The Twins did rally for three runs in the ninth and had the tying run at the plate with two outs. But Rangers closer Keone Kela struck out Morrison with the bases loaded to end the game, earning his 18th save in 18 chances.
Gallardo (1-0) was making his second start for Texas after opening the year with Cincinnati. He promptly fell behind 2-0 just five pitches into the game before turning it around and pitching into the sixth inning.
Joe Mauer led off the bottom of the first with a sharp single to left. Then Rosario hit the first pitch he saw into the right-field seats for his 17th home run of the season.
But Gallardo settled down, at one point retiring 12 of 13. Morrison’s two-run homer with one out in the sixth inning ended Gallardo’s day, but he earned his first victory since July 29, 2017, when he was pitching for Seattle.
Odorizzi retired the side in order in the first inning, but the Rangers knocked him out in a six-run second. The big blows were two-run singles by Delino DeShields and Nomar Mazara.
Beltre’s second hit of the inning finally spelled the end for Odorizzi Jakub Vrana Jersey , who lasted just 1 2/3 innings. It was the shortest start of his career, other than a one-inning start in 2017 that he was forced to leave due to an injury.
”It just started to unravel,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. ”A couple guys got on, then he slipped on the mound, then he hit a guy, and even later in the inning after he’d given up some, we still had chances. He got ahead of Mazara 0-2, Beltre he got ahead of, but we just couldn’t finish.”
Odorizzi, the Twins’ opening day starter, has seen his ERA climb steadily in his last six outings. He’s allowed 25 earned runs in 25 2/3 innings over that stretch Jay Beagle Jersey , driving his ERA to a season-high 4.97.
”It’s upsetting and frustrating . It’s not something I take lightly.” Odorizzi said. ”I take a lot of pride in getting guys out. Trust me, I’m more frustrated about this than anybody in this clubhouse. This has been one of the tougher stretches in my short big league career.”
HIT BATTER BEEF
Rangers 3B Jurickson Profar was hit by pitches three times on Saturday, tying a team record that he also matched just two weeks ago. But the Rangers were not happy with the circumstances surrounding the third time it happened.
Profar stole second base in the fourth inning when the Rangers were leading 9-2. The next time Profar came to bat, Twins reliever Addison Reed threw three inside fastballs, finally hitting him in the leg with the third one.
”I thought the intent there was excessive, especially they tried to dial him up three different times,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. ”The guy’s playing baseball hard. I guess you can just look at it that there’s a difference in what they’re focusing in on and what we’re focusing in on.”
Molitor didn’t try to rationalize Reed’s approach to Profar, but he also didn’t deny that the dugout took notice when Profar stole a base with a seven-run lead.
”The thought process between the unwritten rules of the game is not clearly defined,” Molitor said. ”What I might think and what he might think might be different things. I was surprised that (Profar) ran with the score the way it was, when he did. And getting hit there was something that Banister felt wasn’t appropriate.”
ROMERO TO ROCHESTER
After the game the Twins optioned rookie RHP Fernando Romero to Triple-A Rochester, with a corresponding move to be announced on Sunday. Romero John Carlson Jersey , who made his major league debut on May 2 and won his first two starts, is 3-3 with a 4.38 ERA in 10 starts.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: 1B Joey Gallo left the game in the third inning with left hamstring tightness. He was replaced by Ronald Guzman.
Twins: 3B Eduardo Escobar returned to the starting lineup for the first time since he was hit by a pitch on the right elbow in the first inning of Thursday’s game against Boston.
UP NEXT
Rangers: RHP Bartolo Colon (4-4, 4.91 ERA) returns to Target Field to face his former teammates in the series finale Sunday afternoon. Colon went 5-6 in 15 starts for the Twins last season as he helped them clinch the second AL wild card spot.
Twins: RHP Jose Berrios (7-5, 3.51) will be looking for his first victory since June 7 as Minnesota tries to avoid being swept. In his last two starts he’s allost Tampa Bay earlier this month.
Royals starter Ian Kennedy (1-8) retired the first 10 batters he faced before running into trouble in the fourth.
PIRATES 6, PADRES 3
SAN DIEGO (AP) – Joe Musgrove pitched seven shutout innings against his hometown team and Jody Mercer homered to lead Pittsburgh over sloppy San Diego.
Musgrove (3-3), a 2011 graduate of Grossmont High in suburban El Cajon, was facing the Padres for the first time in his three-year big league career. He allowed seven singles while striking out five and walking two.
Felipe Vazquez got the last two outs for his 16th save.
The Pirates won for the third time in nine games and the Padres lost for the 10th time in 12 games.
Eric Lauer (3-5) allowed six runs, three earned, on nine hits in five innings, struck out three and walked none.
Three of four former employees of truck stop chain Pilot Flying J who have been on trial since November were convicted Thursday in connection with a rebate scam.
Former company President Mark Hazelwood and former account representative Heather Jones were found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud Authentic Patrick Mahomes Jersey , news outlets reported.
Former company Vice President Scott ”Scooter” Wombold was convicted of one count of wire fraud. But he and former account representative Karen Mann were found not guilty of conspiracy.
Article continues below ... Pilot Flying J is controlled by the family of Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. The Haslams haven’t been charged with any wrongdoing. The governor has not been involved in the company in recent years.
The verdict followed about four days of deliberations in U.S. District Court in Chattanooga, where the trial has been going on since November.
Hazelwood was also convicted of wire fraud and witness tampering and found not guilty of one count of wire fraud. Wombold was also found not guilty of two counts of wire fraud and three counts of making false statements to federal agents. Jones was found not guilty of four counts of wire fraud.
Wombold’s lawyer, John Kelly, said his defense team would explore options for appeal on the one count on which Wombold was found guilty.
”All along, Mr. Wombold desired only to be judged by a jury of his peers at trial,” Kelly said in a statement. ”Today, having done exactly that, he stands vindicated on six of seven counts.”
Pilot Flying J issued a statement after the verdicts were announced saying it has focused on its customers.
”Nearly five years ago upon learning of the improper transactions, we made whole every customer negatively affected, entered into a Criminal Enforcement Agreement with the government, cooperated fully with the government’s investigation William Karlsson Jersey , and made policy, procedure and staff changes to make certain nothing like this ever happens again,” the statement said.
Sentencing was set for June 27 in Chattanooga.
Fourteen former Pilot Flying J employees pleaded guilty earlier, and some testified during the trial. They are awaiting sentencing by U.S. District Judge Curtis L. Collier.
The jurors said in a note Wednesday they had reached a unanimous verdict on all but one charge involving one defendant. On Thursday morning, the jurors said in a note they remained deadlocked on that charge.
Collier then gave them an instruction designed to prompt jurors to re-examine their individual votes and try one more time for a unanimous decision.
Wendy Holdener won a World Cup combined race by a big margin on Friday and set herself up as the favorite for the Olympic gold medal next month.
First-run leader Lindsey Vonn led Holdener by 0.71 seconds after the opening super-G, but dropped back to finish fourth in a rare slalom run for the American star.
Holdener, a Swiss slalom specialist, beat Marta Bassino of Italy by 1.55 seconds. Third-place Ana Bucik of Slovenia, who was 30th-fastest in the opening speed run, was 1.56 seconds behind.
Chasing her 80th World Cup race victory, Vonn ended 1.88 back and shrugged her shoulders as home fans cheered to acclaim the winner.
Holdener’s third career World Cup win was her first top-level victory since taking gold in combined at the 2017 world championships in nearby St. Moritz.
Mikaela Shiffrin Alex Ovechkin Jersey Kids , the overall World Cup leader, skipped Friday’s race to focus on scheduled weekend events in giant slalom and slalom.
The combined replaced one abandoned in December because of poor weather, also at St. Moritz.
In the original race seven weeks ago, an opening slalom run left Vonn with little chance of victory after placing 25th, 3.33 seconds behind Shiffrin. Holdener was poised in second that day.
The Pyeongchang Olympic title in Alpine combined on Feb. 23 could yet be a Shiffrin-Holdener duel to follow their rivalry in slalom, which is scheduled for Feb. 14.
Still, Vonn shapes as a contender for a combined medal having finished fifth in the worlds last year, less than a half-second from the podium.
The Los Angeles Rams have agreed to trade linebacker Alec Ogletree to the New York Giants for two draft picks New York Jets Jerseys Womens , a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because NFL trades can’t be announced until March 14. ESPN first reported the deal.
Los Angeles gets the Giants’ fourth-round and sixth-round picks in the 2018 draft. The NFC West champion Rams also will send a seventh-round pick in 2019 to the Giants along with Ogletree, their defensive captain and last season’s leading tackler.
Ogletree has spent his entire five-year NFL career with the Rams, who drafted him out of Georgia in the first round in 2013. He led their defense in tackles during four of his five seasons, only failing to do so in 2015 when he played in just four games due to a broken leg.
He had 95 tackles and two sacks last season while moving into coordinator Wade Phillips’ 3-4 defensive scheme. He also provided leadership on the defense, both during the Rams’ turbulent relocation season from St. Louis and again last season, when they ended their 12-year playoff drought.
Ogletree signed a four-year, $42.7 million extension with the Rams just last October, getting $30 million in guaranteed money.
While Ogletree is a speedy linebacker who has been quite productive, he has been an inconsistent tackler at times, and he never appeared to be an ideal fit in Phillips’ defense.
Ogletree also was a key player in the Rams’ spotty run defense. Los Angeles finished last season fifth-worst in the NFL at stopping the run Oakland Raiders Jerseys Womens , allowing 122.3 yards rushing per game and frequently struggling with stops between the tackles, where Ogletree needed to shine.
Ogletree will fill the Giants’ need for quality veteran linebackers as they rebuild from their 3-13 season, arguably the worst in franchise history. Starting linebackers Devon Kennard and defensive captain Jonathan Casillas could leave as free agents.
The Giants had two fourth-round picks in the upcoming draft, including a compensatory selection.
Despite their overall success last season under coach Sean McVay, the Rams clearly are reconfiguring their defense in Phillips’ preferred image while clearing salary cap space. That room is likely to be used in part to sign AP Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald to a lucrative long-term extension.
Los Angeles already agreed to trade linebacker Robert Quinn to Miami last week, and starting linebacker Connor Barwin is a free agent.
The Rams agreed last month to acquire cornerback Marcus Peters in a trade with Kansas City, and Los Angeles also used its franchise tag on safety Lamarcus Joyner. Those moves likely mean top cornerback Trumaine Johnson will leave as a free agent.
The trade of Ogletree seemingly improves the chances for the Rams to keep fellow veteran linebacker Mark Barron, who carries a $28 million salary cap hit over the next three seasons. He is due a $2 million roster bonus next week.
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Tyler Skaggs‘ return to the Los Angeles Angels‘ rotation for a makeup game against the Royals on Monday was only the start of what manager Mike Scioscia hopes is a wave of positive news.
The ailing Angels, who were in Kansas City to make up a game frozen out on April 15, have seen just about everybody experience some kind of injury this season. They’ve ranged from the typical nicks and bumps to the strained elbow ligament that has Japanese sensation Shohei Ohtani on the shelf.
The Angels had 15 players on the disabled list just over a week ago Philadelphia Eagles Jerseys Womens , the first time they’ve had that many since the stat began being tracked in 1987, and still had a dozen there when they flew into Kansas City.
Skaggs was the latest to rejoin the fold after being scratched from last week’s start with tightness in his hamstring. When asked who’s next, Scioscia deadpanned: ”We’re not going to handicap it.”
But, the skipper added, ”We have a whole team back in Southern California that works out every day.”
Skaggs is among the 27 pitchers who have played for the Angels this season, the most in team history through 78 games. He also is among the 48 players who have appeared this season, which means Los Angeles needs to suit up just eight more to break a club record set last year.
Right-hander Garrett Richards‘ workouts took a step forward Monday when he threw a bullpen session off the mound. Richards has been out 10 days with a left hamstring strain, but Scioscia cautioned that his session was ”more of a touch and feel” than bearing down in anticipation of a start.
”This is really just getting on there, seeing how it feels, and obviously we’ll have to progress from there before he’s back in there Pittsburgh Steelers Jerseys Womens ,” Scioscia said. ”How quickly it comes, we’re not sure.”
Roughly the same prognosis was given for infielder Zack Cozart. He just began to get into ”baseball activities,” Scioscia said, but he’s still in the evaluation phase as he returns from a shoulder injury.
There was no real update on his two biggest stars: Ohtani and outfielder Mike Trout.
Ohtani will be evaluated Thursday, three weeks after he received stem cell and platelet-rich plasma therapy. The Angels hope his elbow will have showed significant enough improvement that he can avoid Tommy John surgery, which would shelve Ohtani as a pitcher for at least a year and possibly two seasons.
What makes Ohtani’s situation unusual, though, is his ability to hit. The Angels could use his bat in the lineup even if he’s not hitting, and that creates question marks about how to move forward.
”We anticipate, if everything goes well on Thursday Seattle Seahawks Jerseys Womens , he’ll swing the bat before he’s pitching,” Scioscia acknowledged. ”So, we’ll wait until our evaluation on Thursday and we’ll see.”
Trout has avoided the disabled list as he recovers from a sprained right index finger, but he was relegated to designated hitter on Monday for the sixth straight game. The hope was that Trout could test his hand in center field after about a week, which means it could happen any day.
”We’ll wait and see what the medical staff decides as to when he can go out and throw, and progress out to play centerfield,” Scioscia said. ”He’s not going to play centerfield tomorrow. It’s going to take – we’ll see how it progresses when he starts to throw.”
Indeed, there’s a lot of wait-and-see in Scioscia’s world these days.
The Rangers said after their 5-4 loss in 10 innings on Wednesday night that Barnette will be re-evaluated in four weeks. The reliever will not throw during that time.
Working the eighth inning in a 5-3 loss to the Houston Astros on Tuesday night, his second inning of the game, Barnette felt something different in his shoulder on his first pitch to Marwin Gonzalez. Barnette (2-0) threw two more pitches before exiting the game.
Texas recalled right-hander Chris Martin from Triple-A Round Rock. Martin was optioned to the minors on Tuesday, but was able to come back before 10 days by replacing a player on the DL.
Martin (1-2) worked the 10th inning against the Astros, and fell down after one of his pitches. The Rangers said after the game that he had a left groin issue that would be re-evaluated.
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A look at what’s happening around the majors today:
STEPPING DOWN
The Mets march on in their difficult season a day after learning general manager Sandy Alderson had effectively stepped down because his cancer has returned. Officially http://www.jetsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-terrelle-pryor-sr.-jersey , Alderson will take a leave of absence, but he said Tuesday that he was essentially ending his tenure both for his health and because he doesn’t think he’s been successful enough to continue. Assistant general manager John Ricco and special assistants J.P. Ricciardi and Omar Minaya will run the club’s baseball operations in Alderson’s absence. Minaya preceded Alderson as Mets general manager, and Ricciardi was GM of the Toronto Blue Jays from 2001-09.
CAIN NOT ABLE
Lorenzo Cain is missing the chance to face his former teammates this week due to a left groin strain. The Brewers center fielder was placed on the disabled list Tuesday, just as Milwaukee opened a series against Kansas City. Cain left the Royals last offseason for an $80 million, five-year deal with the Brewers http://www.jetsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-thomas-rawls-jersey , and he’s batting .291 with eight homers, 48 RBIs, 16 stolen bases and an .832 OPS for the NL Central leaders.
MADBUM MATH
Madison Bumgarner is one strikeout shy of 1,500 for his career going into a start against Colorado. The Giants ace will appear in his 239th game, making him the fourth-fastest left-hander to reach 1 Los Angeles Rams Jerseys Womens ,500 Ks in the live-ball era, according to stats. This will be Bumgarner’s fifth start this season, and he’s 1-2 with a 3.20 ERA.
MAKING BELIEBERS
Indians rookie Shane Bieber is off to a strong start and gets his first interleague test in a game against St. Louis. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA through three starts, including seven scoreless innings against Detroit last time out. Bieber has 22 strikeouts and three walks in 18 1/3 innings after walking just 18 batters in 274 career minor league innings. The Cardinals will counter with another promising young righty, Jack Flaherty (3-2 Los Angeles Chargers Jerseys Womens , 2.50).
HEATING UP
Dallas Keuchel (4-8, 3.90) has been the weakest link in Houston’s rotation – which says more about the Astros than Keuchel – but he’s been sharp of late. Over his past two starts, he’s thrown 12 innings without allowing an earned run, and now he’ll face a Toronto team that struck out 13 times against Charlie Morton in a 7-0 loss Tuesday to Houston.
Patriots fans are getting a chance to cheer on the team before they head to Minnesota to play the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.
The send-off rally Monday on the NRG Plaza outside The Hall at Patriot Place will include remarks from Patriots owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick. Others expected to speak include Tom Brady Patriots Cheap Jerseys , Devin McCourty and Matthew Slater.
There also will be a performance by the Patriots cheerleaders, T-shirt tosses and entertainment from the Greater Boston Firefighters Pipes and Drums and Foxborough band Thirty 6 Red. The events begin at 9 a.m.
The team is expected to leave Gillette Stadium around 10:30 a.m. to head to the Providence airport for their flight to Minneapolis.
Nick Foles stood tall in the pocket, ignored the pressure and made one big throw after another.
On the biggest stage of his life, Foles silenced the critics who thought the Eagles couldn’t get to the Super Bowl without MVP candidate Carson Wentz. Foles threw for 352 and three touchdowns to lead Philadelphia to a convincing 38-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC championship game Sunday.
Now he’s headed to Minnesota to face Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
”Words can’t describe what I feel right now,” Foles said. ”All glory goes to God. I’m grateful and humbled to be part of this team. No one in the locker room doubted me. We kept working 49ers Cheap Jerseys , I got more reps in practice and it’s a rhythm thing.”
While Wentz watched from the sideline, using a cane to walk following surgery to repair his torn left ACL, Foles picked apart the NFL’s top-ranked defense. He tossed a perfect 53-yard touchdown pass to Alshon Jeffery with the pocket collapsing around him to give Philadelphia a 21-7 lead in the second quarter.
Foles then directed a 60-yard drive in 29 seconds to set up a field goal before halftime. He fired a 49-yard TD pass to Torrey Smith off a flea flicker to start the second half and tossed a 5-yard TD to Jeffery early in the fourth to make it 38-7.
Foles was at his best on third downs, completing 10 of 11 for 159 yards and two TDs. The Eagles had been 0 for 13 on third-and-10 or longer after Wentz went down. On Sunday, Foles threw an 11-yard pass to Zach Ertz on third-and-10 on the Eagles’ first touchdown drive. His long TD pass to Jeffery came on third-and-10.
The Eagles (15-3) have been underdogs in both playoffs games Seahawks Cheap Jerseys , mostly because Wentz was no longer playing. They were the first No. 1 seed not favored in a divisional round game, a 15-10 win over the Falcons. The Vikings (14-4) were 3-point favorites despite also being led by a backup quarterback – Case Keenum, Foles’ good friend and former teammate.
”You know everyone was against us,” Foles said. ”Coming out here, stick together and come away with an amazing victory against a great team.”
Keenum congratulated Foles in the tunnel after the game.
Foles walked into the X-ray room after the game, but told The Associated Press after he came out: ”I’m good. I’m fine.”
Foles put on a passing clinic, completing 78.8 percent of his passes (26 of 33). Not bad for a guy who contemplated retirement before the 2016 season.
”I’m not surprised,” said Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, who held the same position with the Eagles in 2013. ”I’ve seen the best of Nick.”
A third-round pick by former Eagles coach Andy Reid in 2012 Atlanta Falcons Jerseys Womens , Foles had tremendous success as a starter under Chip Kelly his sophomore season. He threw 29 TDs and only two picks in 11 starts, including playoffs in 2013. Foles posted a passer rating of 119.2, third-highest in league history. He tied an NFL record with seven TD passes in a game at Oakland in November 2013 won an offensive MVP award at a Pro Bowl.
But Foles was traded to St. Louis for Sam Bradford in March 2015. He lost his starting job to Keenum and asked for his release after Jared Goff was drafted No. 1 overall. Foles considered hanging up his cleats before Reid persuaded him to go to Kansas City to be Alex Smith’s backup.
After one season with the Chiefs, Foles returned to Philly to provide insurance behind Wentz.
He’ll become a folk hero if he can deliver the franchise’s first ever Super Bowl title.
Sale pitched his latest Bronx gem, Rafael Devers went 5 for 5 with a first-inning grand slam and Boston held New York to two hits during an 11-0 rout Saturday night to take back baseball’s best record.
Sale (8-4) allowed only Giancarlo Stanton’s clean single over seven innings, striking out 11. He has a 1.73 career ERA against the Yankees, best among pitchers with at least 10 starts against them since 1920. His ERA at Yankee Stadium is 1.86, second only to Seattle’s Felix Hernandez among pitchers with five starts.
”He looks like the best pitcher in the big leagues right now,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said.
Boston is a major league-leading 56-28, just ahead of the Yankees at 53-27. New York held the best mark by percentage points after winning Friday’s series opener 8-1.
Yankee Stadium hosted a season-high sellout of 47,125 Aleksander Barkov Jersey , and the crowd ripped into starter Sonny Gray (5-6) after he gave up six runs in 2 1/3 innings. The right-hander dropped to 0-4 with a 9.35 ERA against Boston since being acquired by New York from Oakland last season.
”I expect to come out and perform and make it fun,” Gray said. ”The way I’ve thrown the ball, I don’t think it’s been fun. I feel like we’re the best team in baseball four out of five days, and then I come out and do that.”
Devers had a career-best five hits. He nearly socked another homer in the seventh, but right fielder Aaron Judge reached over the wall and knocked Devers’ shot back into play with his glove. Devers ended up with a double following a video review.
Since June 5, the 21-year-old Devers has raised his OPS from .675 to .741.
”We take it for granted because he’s talented and did what he did last year, but he’s still a kid,” Cora said, adding that Devers has been working hard with Boston’s staff to shore up the holes left in his game from racing through the minor leagues. ”He’s staying with the program.”
Sandy Leon brought in Devers with a two-run homer into the second deck in right field. J.D. Martinez had three hits and three RBIs Evgenii Dadonov Jersey Kids , and Mookie Betts added two hits and two walks as Boston piled up 17 hits.
Heath Hembree and Hector Velazquez closed it out with a hitless inning each. Velazquez gave up a groundball single to Gleyber Torres in the ninth for New York’s second hit.
New York had won seven consecutive games against left-handed starters and was a major league-best 19-5 against them this season, but Sale had them spinning. The Yankees hit just four balls out of the infield against Sale, and he retired his final 16 batters.
”Got punched in the face last night, so you obviously want to respond well,” Sale said.
Judge struck out three times against the lefty in three at-bats, giving him 13 punchouts in 18 career at-bats against Sale. That’s the most strikeouts for Judge against any pitcher.
Torres also struck out three times against Sale during his first career start in the leadoff spot. This was the fourth time New York was shut out this season, all in the past 18 games.
GRAY DAY
Gray quickly disposed of Betts and Andrew Benintendi to open the game, but a well-placed grounder by Martinez sparked a big first inning. After Martinez’s infield single, Mitch Moreland’s walk and Xander Bogaerts‘ single Lions Cheap Jerseys , Gray floated a waist-high 1-2 curveball that Devers lofted just over the left-field wall. It was Devers’ second career slam – both this season – and his 14th homer of the year.
Benintendi and Martinez each added an RBI in the second, and Yankee Stadium fans jeered loudly as Gray walked off in the third.
JUMPING JACKIE
Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. caught Aaron Hicks’ drive in the third while leaping and slamming into the wall in front of New York’s bullpen.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: Boston reliever Tyler Thornburg pitched two innings for Double-A Portland on Friday and a clean inning Saturday with Triple-A Pawtucket, perhaps a final hurdle for the right-hander before he returns to the majors following surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome last June.
Yankees: Hicks was visited by a trainer after being hit by a pitch on his right foot or ankle in the first inning. He remained in the game. … C Austin Romine was pulled in the seventh inning and sent for a precautionary MRI with left hamstring tightness. Results were negative, and he is day to day.
ROSTER MOVE
After the game, the Yankees optioned RHP Giovanny Gallegos to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
UP NEXT
Boston LHP David Price (9-5, 3.66 ERA) and Yankees ace Luis Severino (12-2, 2.10) square off in prime time Sunday. Price is 7-1 with a 2.72 ERA in nine starts since being diagnosed with a mild case of carpal tunnel syndrome that caused him to miss a turn against the Yankees in early May. Severino had his worst start this season vs. Boston on April 10, allowing five runs in five innings, but then matched a season high with 11 strikeouts in a strong outing against the Red Sox on May 8.
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A jury has ruled in favor of the Boston Red Sox in a lawsuit brought by a woman who says she sustained severe facial injuries when she was struck by a foul ball at Fenway Park.
The jury Wednesday found that the team and principal owner John Henry were not negligent.
Stephanie Taubin Packers Cheap Jerseys , of Brookline, sued for $9.5 million, saying she suffered facial fractures and neurological damage from a foul ball in June 2014 while sitting in luxury seats above and behind home plate unprotected by glass or netting.
A spokesman says while the Red Sox ”regret the injury” to Taubin ”we are pleased with today’s outcome.”
Taubin’s attorney says he’s disappointed. He says his client was paying attention, but the ball moved so fast she could not avoid it.
Zack Godley followed one of his worst outings of the season with perhaps his best. Perfect timing for Arizona Cardinals Cheap Jerseys , too.
Godley pitched six effective innings in his 10th win, helping the Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 3-1 on Friday night.
Arizona improved to 2-6 on its 10-game homestand and regained sole possession of first place in the NL West from the Los Angeles Dodgers, who lost 3-2 to the Angels.
Godley (10-6) allowed one run and four hits while improving to 5-1 in his last six starts. He was rocked for seven runs in four innings in a loss to San Francisco in his last outing.
”The way this game works you kind of have to let it go and move on,” Godley said. ”Baseball is a short-memory sport.”
Asked what was working, he said: ”my curve and my defense.”
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Godley’s command was ”as good as I can remember.”
”There’s been a couple of games so far this year where he has had outings like that,” Lovullo said. ”But today’s was one of the better ones that I’ve seen in a long time.”
Steven Souza Jr. drove in two runs with a single and fielder’s choice in his second game back from the disabled list. Souza has played in just 17 games this season due to a right pectoral injury.
Joey Lucchesi (4-4) retired 14 in a row before Arizona scored twice in the sixth. Lucchesi went 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs and three hits with two strikeouts, one walk and two hit batters.
He grazed A.J. Pollock with a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in the tying run.
Nick Ahmed doubled, singled and scored twice for the Diamondbacks. Brad Boxberger threw a perfect ninth for his 21st save in 25 tries.
The Padres have lost 14 of 18.
Lucchesi’s first big league hit helped the Padres take the lead in the third. The rookie singled to left, advanced to third on Travis Jankowski’s long single to the right-field corner and scored when Carlos Asuaji grounded out.
The Diamondbacks threatened in the first when David Peralta was hit by a pitch and Paul Goldschmidt lashed a ground-rule double that bounced into the Arizona bullpen. But they came up empty when Pollock grounded out and Souza struck out looking.
Arizona didn’t get another baserunner until Godley drew a leadoff walk in the sixth. The Diamondbacks loaded the bases with one-out singles by Ahmed and Goldschmidt and Lucchesi hit Pollock to bring in the tying run.
That was it for Lucchesi. Reliever Adam Cimber bobbled Souza’s slow grounder and still got the out at first Falcons Cheap Jerseys , but Ahmed scored and the Diamondbacks led 2-1.
”He threw the ball well,” Padres manager Andy Green said of Lucchesi. ”We didn’t do too much for him offensively. You get to that sixth inning, his pitch count is low. You want to see him attack that inning. The thing that hurts him is the walk to Godley. Outside of that I think it was a very good day for him.”
Ahmed led off the eighth with a double and scored on Souza’s two-out single.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: RHP Phil Hughes (right rhomboid strain) was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list and RHP Kirby Yates returned from paternity leave. RHPs Kazuhisa Makita and Robert Stock were optioned to Triple-A El Paso.
Diamondbacks: RHP Randall Delgado (strained left oblique) was reinstated from the 60-day DL. RHP Fernando Salas was designated for assignment.
NOT SIGNING
California high school shortstop Matt McLain, Arizona’s first-round pick and the 25th overall player taken in the draft, informed the Diamondbacks he will not sign with them and will instead enroll at UCLA. The Diamondbacks will get a compensatory pick, the 27th overall, next year.
UP NEXT
Arizona LHP Robbie Ray (3-1. 4.89 ERA) makes his third start since returning from the disabled list and San Diego counters with RHP Tyler Ross (5-6, 3.89 ERA) on Saturday night in the third game of the four-game series.
Jesse Winker hit his first career game-ending homer against the Rockies on June 7 and got a pair of Carlos Gonzalez’s white batting gloves during the series as a keepsake. He wore them for another career breakthrough on Thursday night.
Winker hit his first major league grand slam during a big sixth-inning rally, putting Matt Harvey in line for his second win for the Cincinnati Reds, 6-2 over the Chicago Cubs. The Reds sent 11 batters to the plate and scored six times Ravens Cheap Jerseys , matching their biggest inning of the season .
”Guys put together great at-bats in front of me,” Winker said. ”Obviously, you can’t hit a grand slam unless guys get on base.”
Kyle Hendricks (5-7) walked three to set up the two-out rally, including Eugenio Suarez with the bases loaded. Hendricks has equaled his career high with four walks in each of his last two starts.
”That’s not me, giving up walks like that,” Hendricks said. ”Those were the problem there.”
Winker connected on the second pitch from left-hander Randy Rosario, who hadn’t allowed a homer this season. The Reds’ sixth grand slam of the season moved them into a tie with Boston for most in the majors.
Billy Hamilton walked, stole a base, scored and singled home the final run during the rally.
Harvey (2-5) went six innings for his first victory since May 22, allowing five hits Bills Cheap Jerseys , including Javier Baez’s two-run double. He’d lost his last three decisions with the Reds, who got him from the Mets for catcher Devin Mesoraco in a deal on May 8.
”He was really good,” interim manager Jim Riggleman said. ”He’s getting better and better.”
Harvey plunked Kris Bryant on the left hand and Anthony Rizzo on the left shin in the third inning, but both remained in the game. Baez’s two-run double was his fourth extra-base hit in the last two games.
Amir Garrett relieved and fanned Rizzo on three pitches to end a bases-loaded threat in the seventh. Jared Hughes pitched out of a two-on jam in the eighth and finished for his fifth save.
The Reds have won four straight, their second-best streak of the season. They took six in a row from May 8-13.
ROSTER MOVES
The Reds put outfielder Scott Schebler on the bereavement list, optioned struggling left-handed reliever Wandy Peralta to Triple-A Louisville, and called up outfielder Phillip Ervin and left-hander Kyle Crockett. They also released catcher Tony Cruz.
ALL EVEN
The Reds’ comeback left the NL Central teams tied 3-3 in their season series. Chicago has gone 43-20 against Cincinnati since 2015, including a 23-11 mark at Great American Ball Park.
EVEN DOZEN
Scooter Gennett gave Hendricks a workout with a 12-pitch at-bat in the first inning before flying out.
VOTT-OH
Joey Votto came into the game 8 for 16 in his career against Hendricks with a pair of homers and 10 walks. He grounded out, struck out and walked.
GETTING TWO
Harvey tried to put down a sacrifice bunt in the fifth, but catcher Willson Contreras quickly got to the ball and threw to second to start an inning-ending double play.
STATS
Jason Heyward had three singles and a double for his ninth career four-hit game. … The Reds have six grand slams in the last 31 days. The only other teams in NL history with six in 31 days were the 1996 Expos Panthers Cheap Jerseys , the 1997 Braves and the 2006 Mets, according to STATS. … Suarez extended his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: Yu Darvish felt good a day after throwing 50 pitches in a simulated game, manager Joe Maddon said. He could begin a rehab assignment soon. Darvish has been sidelined since May 23 because of tendinitis in his right triceps. … Left-handed reliever Brian Duensing could rejoin the team Friday. He’s been on bereavement leave following his grandfather’s death.
UP NEXT
Cubs: Jose Quintana (6-5) started at Great American Ball Park on May 19 and allowed just one hit in seven innings of a 10-0 win. He’s 2-0 in three career starts against the Reds. The left-hander has been much better on the road this season: 2.78 ERA in eight starts compared to a 6.00 ERA in six starts at Wrigley Field.
Reds: Luis Castillo (4-8) has lost his last four starts, allowing 16 earned runs in 20 2/3 innings. One of his best starts came against the Cubs on May 19, when he gave up one run in five innings of a 5-4 victory.
Peyton Manning takes a family to Universal Parks & Resorts. Chris Pratt works out to get in shape to tout Michelob Ultra. Bill Hader takes a break on set to snack on some Pringles.
This year’s Super Bowl advertisers are minding their manners. They’re trying hard to steer clear of everything from politics to the (hash)MeToo movement with lightly humorous ads that don’t offend.
The goal is to capture the attention of the 111 million-plus viewers expected to tune in Sunday when the Philadelphia Eagles take on the New England Patriots. Thirty-second slots are going for more than $5 million for airtime alone.
Last year Raiders Game Jerseys , ads that tackled political issues fell flat, like an 84 Lumber ad about immigration. And some thought the recent Grammy Awards’ low ratings were because the show contained too many political moments, such as Hillary Clinton reading from the Trump biography ”Fire and Fury.”
People are in the mood for ”political-free entertainment,” said Kim Whitler, a marketing professor at the University of Virginia.
Several ads will be taking a light-humor approach with mostly male celebrities. PepsiCo brands Doritos Blaze and Mountain Dew Ice are showcased in two 30-second linked spots showing Morgan Freeman and Peter Dinklage in a lip-sync rap battle.
In a Pringles ad , Bill Hader has a snack on set and introduces a made-up practice dubbed ”flavor stacking,” in which he mixes and matches different Pringles varieties. M&Ms enlisted Danny DeVito to embody what happens when a red M&M becomes a person after wishing on a lucky penny.
Keanu Reeves surfs on his motorcycle through the desert in an ad for Squarespace. Chris Elliott lives in a bio dome to tout avocados from Mexico, while ”Stranger Things” star David Harbour shows up in Tide’s commercial.
”They’re light hearted and good natured,” Whitler said. ”That’s on target with the mood of the country.”
”We’re exposed to so much constant negativity,” said Andy Goeler, a marketing executive at Bud Light. ”Delivering something just light hearted and fun is the root at what beer is all about.” The brand’s two spots showcase a mythical kingdom a la ”Game of Thrones” centered on Bud Light and the catchphrase ”Dilly Dilly.”
Amazon’s 90-second fourth-quarter ad stars a bevy of celebrities who sub for the voice of Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant: singer Cardi B, actress Rebel Wilson, star chef Gordon Ramsey and even actor Anthony Hopkins putting a Hannibal Lector spin on things. Leading up to the halftime show, Pepsi’s ad references past celebrities who have appeared in Pepsi Super Bowl ads: Britney Spears, Michael Jackson Eagles Game Jerseys , Cindy Crawford and others.
Nonetheless, two Super Bowl ads are bucking the trend and sidling up to political issues, however obliquely.
Coca-Cola’s anthemic 60-second ad features varieties of Coke, from Coke Zero to the stevia-flavored Coke Life, quaffed by women, men and a person who uses the ”they” pronoun.
”There’s a Coke for he, and she and her and me and them,” a voiceover states.
Coca-Cola executives say the ad highlights the diversity the company has always used in its advertising, adding that they consulted African-American and LGBTQ groups among its own employees. A biracial couple and a person in a wheelchair also appear in the spot.
”We want to celebrate all the people that make up the world,” Coca-Cola executive Brynn Bardacke said. ”We don’t want to exclude anyone.”
On the other hand, WeatherTech, which makes car mats and other interior car products, has a staunchly pro-American approach in its ad, which shows the construction of a factory that opened late last year.
”At WeatherTech, we built our factory right here in America Steelers Game Jerseys ,” the ad’s text reads. ”Isn’t that the way it is supposed to be?”
It’s the fifth year WeatherTech has advertised in the Super Bowl touting its all-American operations. Founder and CEO David MacNeil said his ad doesn’t have typical Super Bowl accoutrements – ”no ponies, no puppies, no pretty girls” – but said it’s straight to the point about its message.
”Isn’t it just logical to build your own factory in your own country so your own fellow citizens can have jobs?” he said. He said he doesn’t believe the ad might be divisive. ”It wouldn’t occur to me that I could offend anyone by supporting my own country,” he said.
While the majority of advertisers release their ads ahead of time to try to drum up publicity, there are some holdouts. Fiat Chrysler usually appears during the game without advance warning. Other advertisers that have remained mum about their plans so far include E-Trade and Monster Products.
”It may be that advertisers with risky ads are waiting for the game, hoping to protect the surprise and break through the clutter,” said Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at Northwestern University.
The Detroit Lions have extended general manager Bob Quinn’s contract to match the length of the deal they gave coach Matt Patricia .
Detroit announced the agreement with Quinn on Friday, four days after hiring Patricia. The Lions have not provided details on the length of Quinn or Patricia’s contracts.
Lions president Rod Wood says the extension ensures stability.
Quinn was hired two years ago after he had worked in the New England’s personnel department for 16 years. He retained coach Jim Caldwell in 2016 and fired him last month with a 36-28 record over four regular seasons – plus two postseason losses, -with the franchise.
The Lions also announced Bo Davis, who has 24 years of experience, will coach the defensive line.
While other players were prepping for this season at spring training Saints Game Jerseys , Jose Bautista was on his own.
A six-time All-Star without a big league job, Bautista remained eager to catch on somewhere and knew he needed to be resourceful. So to stay in game shape, the 37-year-old slugger spent his days back home in Florida hopping from gym workouts to local ballfields.
Sometimes he ended up at the University of Tampa, or Tampa Catholic High School. Wherever he could find an empty diamond to hit and do defensive drills.
”I was trying to mimic somewhat the same program,” said Bautista, who has quickly become a rare bright spot for the New York Mets this year. ”I mean, it wasn’t the easiest thing.”
His agent helped him scrounge up batting-practice pitchers to simulate game situations as best they could. High school kids, college players, other free agents looking for work.
Bautista figures he got about 30 ”at-bats” or so in April, when the regular season was already underway for everyone else. All the while, the former Toronto Blue Jays star waited for a new opportunity.
”Yeah, different fields. Whatever was available and whatever people could get to,” he said.
Not exactly an ideal way to sharpen up for Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw. But after struggling through a 12-game stint with the Atlanta Braves in May, mostly at third base, Joey Bats has hardly missed a beat since arriving in New York. He had a .944 OPS over 35 games going into Sunday and had already batted in every spot for the Mets besides ninth.
”He never backed off,” teammate and close friend Jose Reyes said last week. ”He always was working.”
Next up, a nice reward.
On deck this week is the first trip for Bautista back to Toronto, where he blossomed into one of baseball’s best power hitters with the Blue Jays from 2008-17. The struggling Mets play interleague games at Rogers Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday night. Needless to say, he’s excited.
”I’m trying not to think about it,” Bautista said last week. ”I’m trying not to dwell on it too much.”
”Obviously, I played there for 10 years. I consider it one of my homes away from home,” he added. ”I’m just going to let it come and enjoy it when it gets here.”
Reyes, also Bautista’s teammate in Toronto from 2013-15, said last week the outfielder had been staying at his house in New York for the past few days and the two talked about the upcoming games in Toronto.
Reyes figures the Blue Jays might have a video tribute planned, but he’s sure Bautista will receive a standing ovation after helping the team end a 22-year playoff drought and reach consecutive AL Championship Series in 2015 and 2016.
Bautista, still sporting a neatly trimmed beard, acknowledged he anticipates a warm reception.
”I don’t expect anything else from Canadian fans. They’re top-notch, a class act,” he said. ”We had a pretty good run there and I had a successful career in my years there. … I did enjoy my time in Toronto greatly and it’s going to be great to be back.”
Bautista hit 54 home runs for the Blue Jays in 2010 and led the majors again with 43 the following season. He finished in the top four in AL MVP voting both years.
And of course, who could ever forget his gigantic bat flip after connecting for a decisive homer in the 2015 playoffs against Texas?
As he approached free agency, Bautista’s numbers dropped off in 2016. Toronto brought him back on a one-year contract for $18 million last season Giants Game Jerseys , but he slumped to a .203 batting average with 23 homers, 65 RBIs and 170 strikeouts, and the Blue Jays moved on.
”As a player, we understand that this is a business,” Reyes said. ”He wanted to stay there, but I don’t know. When you build that fan base and the people love you and stuff and you (are) successful in one place, you don’t want to go someplace else. But it comes a time in baseball. It just happens. Yeah, he understands that.”
Two days after he was released by Atlanta, the Mets signed Bautista on May 22 for the $545,000 major league minimum to provide a right-handed bat in the outfield following injuries to Yoenis Cespedes and Juan Lagares.
Bautista stepped off a plane and right into the starting lineup, hitting a double in his first at-bat, just as he did with the Braves. This time, though, he hasn’t stopped producing even though everything around him keeps falling apart.
With the help of 24 walks in 105 plate appearances, Bautista began Sunday with a .438 on-base percentage for the last-place Mets. He’d reached base safely in 15 straight games and even played some solid defense.
”It’s definitely impressive and we are in awe of him,” 25-year-old outfielder Brandon Nimmo said. ”He’s a great veteran presence. He’s got a lot of wisdom, knowledge and understanding of the game. … I think just that preparation, that work ethic and that eagle eye he’s got, it’s been a great combination.”
Now playing every day in a familiar corner outfield spot after right fielder Jay Bruce went on the disabled list, too, Bautista began Sunday hitting .266 for the Mets with three homers, 10 doubles and 13 RBIs.
”A dangerous wild card,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said before a game against New York last week. ”A man that wanted to play, felt he could play and was going to do what it took necessary to put himself in a position to play. He stayed active, he stayed ready, his agent reached out to every club. I mean, we got a call. That hey, As Boston Red Sox players donned red, white and blue outfits to celebrate a 3-0 victory on the 4th of July that completed a sweep, the Washington Nationals held a players-only meeting to discuss a fifth consecutive loss and the precarious spot they’re now in beyond the halfway point of the season.
Done in again by small mistakes that get magnified in a stretch such as this, the preseason NL East favorites lost for the 17th time in 22 games Wednesday to fall below .500 for the first time this late in the year since being 60-61 on Aug. 21 Jets Game Jerseys , 2015.
This time, it was a throwing error by Adam Eaton on a sacrifice fly in foul territory and a wild pitch by Ryan Madson (2-4) in a disastrous seventh inning that dropped the Nationals to 42-43 and kept them from making up ground on the division-leading Atlanta Braves.
”We’re a good team and we’re going to go out there and compete with anybody,” said Bryce Harper, who went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.
”We just have to keep grinding and keep doing our thing and good things will happen. We’ve never been in this position before, and I think it’s an exciting time for us. In years past, we’ve won the division by a lot of games. We’re able to be behind right now and I’m excited to get there and test it.”
Powered by struggling outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr.’s two RBIs on the sac fly and a ninth-inning double and a strong start by Eduardo Rodriguez (10-3), the Red Sox moved 30 games over .500 under rookie manager Alex Cora.
”We know where we’re at, but we still have a long ways to go,” Cora said. ”(The Nationals) have a good team. They’ll figure it out. I’ve seen that before from them. They struggle a little bit and they’ll pick it up. They’ll be in the hunt.”
Bradley, who came into the game hitting .201, worked full counts on each of his at-bats that produced a run. He was hoping the ball Eaton caught deep in foul territory down the third-base line would go out of play so he could see another pitch but will gladly take the RBIs – the second time this season he has had two in a game without a home run.
”Just had to continue to battle and finally get a pitch I could handle,” Bradley said. ”Any time you can help the team win, it’s a positive. It’s good, any way you can do it.”
Rodriguez struck out six in six scoreless innings, mixing his change-up and slider in more often to keep Nationals hitters off-balance.
The Red Sox now have the first pair of 10-game winners in the majors with Rodriguez and Rick Porcello, whose double off Max Scherzer helped win them the first game of this series.
The Nationals have lost four series in a row. This freefall led to the postgame meeting Wednesday afternoon.
”It’s `Let’s get this thing going,”’ Nationals infielder Trea Turner said. ”We all know we’re capable of playing better baseball. It’s time we do it. It’s do or die now.”
FEDDE HURT
Nationals starter Erick Fedde left the game one batter into the second inning with right shoulder stiffness and gave way to left-hander Matt Grace, who allowed just one hit and struck out four in four innings of relief. Manager Davey Martinez said Fedde was scheduled to have an MRI.
”We watched him throw and his (velocity) was down,” Martinez said. ”He was out there and wanted to keep pitching. I went out there and they told me he was stiff and I said `No, we’re not going to do that to you.”’
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: Manager Alex Cora said LHP Drew Pomeranz (biceps tendinitis) would most likely make a second rehab start early next week. … RHP Tyler Thornburg was activated from the disabled list after rehabbing from shoulder surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome last June.
Nationals: 1B Matt Adams was activated after missing 16 games with a broken left index finger. To clear room, LHP Tim Collins was designated for assignment. … C Matt Wieters (left hamstring strain) is doing some catching, but still hasn’t done enough running to be ready to return.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: After a day off, LHP Chris Sale (8-4, 2.41 ERA) brings a 15-inning scoreless streak into his Friday start at Kansas City, which is expected to start Jason Hammel (2-10, 5.56).
Nationals: RHP Jeremy Hellickson (2-1, 2.63) will look to last at least six innings to spare a heavily used bullpen when Washington faces RHP Pablo Lopez (1-0, 3.00) to open a four-game series against the Miami Marlins.
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected the contract of right-handed reliever Tanner Anderson from Triple-A Indianapolis and placed infielder Sean Rodriguez on the 10-day disabled list.
Anderson Colts Game Jerseys , a 25-year-old, will be available out of the bullpen Wednesday evening when the Pirates close out a three-game series with the New York Mets. Anderson is 1-1 with a 2.34 ERA over 24 appearances in Indianapolis with 24 strikeouts and six walks.
The Pirates said Rodriguez strained his right quad and backdated the move to Monday. Rodriguez has just two hits in his last 38 at-bats.
The move leaves the team without a backup middle infielder. Manager Clint Hurdle indicated that Josh Harrison would slide over to short if needed and David Freese could come off the bench to play second if necessary.
Pitcher A.J. Schugel (right shoulder discomfort) was moved to the 60-day DL to make room for Anderson on the 40-man roster.
—
The Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds are meeting for the first time in three years, so understandably they don’t know much about each other.
But the White Sox already know this: Don’t be confused by the Reds’ place in the standings. They’re not playing like a last-place team in the NL Central, even when they’re down late in a game.
And the White Sox pitchers will be told this constantly before the second game of the three-game series Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park: Anthony DeScalfani is a pitcher — and thus wouldn’t even take a swing in the American League — but is very dangerous with a bat in his hand in an NL ballpark.
But it took the Reds only one game to learn this: You must pitch to White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia very, very carefully.
The Reds overcame a Garcia homer and a two-run deficit to beat the White Sox 5-3 Monday night in the series opener — the byproduct of an unusual four-run rally in the eighth inning keyed by a bases-loaded grounder to first base in which the White Sox tried to get two outs and ended up with none.
Pinch-hitter Alex Blandino’s two-run double to right field off Chris Volstad broke a 3-all tie with two out in the eighth gave the Reds their third straight victory — 12th in 15 games and 15th in 20 games. They also dealt the White Sox their fourth loss in five games and 13th in 18 games.
“He was living on the outside corner, nibbling out there and didn’t want to give me anything to hit, but I was able to put a good swing on it,” said Blandino, who was 3-for-21 (.143) coming into that at-bat. “This is a game of opportunities, when things don’t go as well as you hoped, you’ve got to keep fighting. And tonight is a step in the right direction.
“It’s been awesome … it’s somebody different every night Jaguars Game Jerseys , and we’re loving it right now.”
The Reds still trail first-place Milwaukee by double digits in the division, but they’re creeping closer to fourth place Pittsburgh after being in last since the day the season started. And they now have a winning record under interim manager Jim Riggleman (34-33), who took over for Bryan Price when the Reds were 3-15.
“We had some really good at-bats … and (after the play at first) the opportunity was there for us to win it,” Riggleman said. “There was a lot of good baseball tonight.”
On Tuesday, White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito (5-7) will oppose Reds right-hander Anthony DeSclafani (3-1) in a matchup of pitchers who have never faced the other team. Giolito is 2-3 with a 6.81 ERA in his last seven starts, while DeSclafani has won his last three decisions.
Giolito is coming off perhaps his best start, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning before leaving after giving up one run in 6 1/3 innings Thursday in what became a 2-1, 13-inning White Sox loss to the Minnesota Twins.
“I’m starting to throw the ball a lot better, I feel like it’s coming better out of my hand,” Giolito told reporters after the game. “Just take some good lessons from (this). In the seventh inning, I kind of let some pitches get away from me there. I wasn’t executing like I was earlier in the game. (I’ll) learn from that.”
DeSclafani is a pleasant surprise to the Reds after missing all of last season and the first two months of this season with multiple injuries. Not only is he pitching well Chiefs Game Jerseys , he hit a grand slam, one of the Reds’ club record-tying nine this season, during a June 23 start against the Chicago Cubs. The Reds have six grand slams in their last 17 games.
The Reds started off Monday night with a Scott Schebler leadoff homer in the first, then did very little offensively until White Sox starter James Shields was lifted with two out in the seventh.
In the eighth, the Reds had the bases loaded with one out when Adam Duvall hit a grounder to first baseman Matt Davidson, who attempted to touch the base for the force out before throwing home to try to get Scooter Gennett at the plate. But Gennett slid in safely, and Duvall was ruled safe at first because Davidson threw home before stepping on the bag. That set up Duvall’s opposite-field game-winning hit.
Reds right-hander Luis Castillo held the White Sox to a run over 6 2/3 innings, and the Reds withstood Garcia’s fifth homer, a solo shot in the eighth off Jared Hughes. Garcia is 19-for-52 (.365) during a 12-game hitting streak. He also has six hits in his last two games and is 11-for-24 with two doubles, two triples and two home runs in his last five games.
Rick Porcello hit a three-run double off former teammate Max Scherzer and pitched six effective innings Lions Game Jerseys , leading the Boston Red Sox to a 4-3 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday night.
Porcello got his first career extra-base hit came in the second inning on a 0-2 pitch after the Nationals intentionally walked Jackie Bradley Jr. Porcello drove Scherzer’s 96-mph fastball over the head of Juan Soto in left center for his first RBIs since 2009.
Scherzer and Porcello were teammates for five seasons with the Detroit Tigers.
Porcello (10-3) allowed two runs and seven hits. Craig Kimbrel got four outs for his 25th save.
Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon and Daniel Murphy homered for the Nationals. Scherzer (10-5) struck out nine in six innings.
BRAVES 5, YANKEES 3, 11 INNINGS
NEW YORK (AP) – Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning that nicked the glove of a leaping Aaron Judge in right field, and the Braves beat the Yankees in a matchup of two of baseball’s best teams.
Johan Camargo homered early and Jesse Biddle (2-0) pitched out of a late jam for the NL East leaders, who earned their fourth consecutive victory. A.J. Minter got three outs for his fourth save.
The 20-year-old Acuna also doubled and drove in three runs, four years to the day after the touted rookie signed with the Braves (49-34).
Judge hit his 23rd homer for the Yankees (54-28), and second in two nights. David Robertson (5-3) got the loss.
INDIANS 9, ROYALS 3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Francisco Lindor homered twice and drove in a career-high seven runs, powering Cleveland to the road win.
Indians ace Corey Kluber (12-4), who failed to make it out of the second inning in his previous start at St. Louis, allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings.
Lindor belted a grand slam in the fourth and a three-run shot in the sixth.
Whit Merrifield homered on Kluber’s third pitch for his fourth career leadoff home run. Kansas City has lost 23 of their last 28 games.
Royals right-hander Jakob Junis (5-10) was tagged for nine runs, eight earned, and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.
CARDINALS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 3
PHOENIX (AP) – Yadier Molina homered, Carlos Martinez pitched six effective innings and the Cardinals ended a four-game losing streak.
Molina hit a two-run single in the Cardinals’ four-run first inning against Robbie Ray (3-1) and hit his 12th homer off the left-hander in the sixth.
Jedd Gyorko also homered and had two RBIs to end Ray’s nine-game winning streak, dating to last season.
Martinez (5-4) allowed two runs and six hits. Bud Norris worked a perfect ninth for his 16th save.
Paul Goldschmidt had four hits and an RBI for the Diamondbacks, who have lost four straight.
ROCKIES 5, GIANTS 2
DENVER (AP) – Kyle Freeland turned in another sizzling start at Coors Field and Colorado scored the go-ahead run in the seventh on a throwing error by shortstop Brandon Crawford.
Freeland (8-6) settled in to go seven strong innings after surrendering a homer to Gorkys Hernandez on the first pitch of the game. It was Freeland’s 12th quality start of the season.
Wade Davis worked his way around a one-out double by Buster Posey in the ninth for his 24th save. He struck out Crawford to end the game.
San Francisco ace Madison Bumgarner (1-3) was charged with three runs, two earned, and seven hits in six-plus innings.
BREWERS 6, TWINS 5, 10 INNINGS
MILWAUKEE (AP) – Brad Miller drew a bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning, sending Milwaukee to the win.
Nate Orf, playing in his first major league game Packers Game Jerseys , was hit by a pitch from Zack Littell (0-2) leading off the 10th. Manny Pina followed with a single and Keon Broxton walked.
Hernan Perez then bounced into a fielder’s choice before Miller’s walk ended the game.
Corey Knebel (2-0) pitched a scoreless 10th for the Brewers, who trailed 5-1 after Robbie Grossman hit his first career grand slam in the fifth.
MARLINS 3, RAYS 2, 10 INNINGS
MIAMI (AP) – Yadiel Rivera’s infield hit in the 10th inning scored Brian Anderson, lifting Miami to the victory.
Anderson walked against Ryne Stanek (1-2) and took third on a single by J.T. Realmuto. Rivera, who entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth, then pulled a one-hopper up the line.
Third baseman Matt Duffy backhanded the ball and double-clutched in foul territory before making a wild throw home, but the play was ruled a hit.
Tampa Bay has lost 21 one-run games, most in the majors.
Drew Rucinski (3-1) pitched a perfect 10th for the win.
REDS 5, WHITE SOX 3
CINCINNATI (AP) – Alex Blandino’s double in the eighth inning completed Cincinnati’s four-run rally.
The Reds loaded the bases with one out against Chris Volstad (1-5). Adam Duvall grounded to first baseman Matt Davidson, who was indecisive. He took several steps toward first before throwing home too late to get Scooter Gennett scoring from third base.
Billy Hamilton followed with a sacrifice fly that tied it at 3, and Blandino’s pinch-hit double put the Reds in position for another comeback win. They’ve trailed in seven of their last 10 victories.
Dylan Floro (3-2) retired two in the eighth. Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth for his 16th save in 18 chances.
TIGERS 3, BLUE JAYS 2
TORONTO (AP) – Jose Iglesias hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, and the Tigers earned their second straight victory following a season-long 11-game losing streak.
Niko Goodrum tripled off Seunghwan Oh (4-3) with one out and scored the winning run when Iglesias followed It was a strange sight after a big hit.
Ketel Marte’s two-out single in the 13th inning led the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night. But, right after his go-ahead hit, Marte slammed his helmet down in frustration so hard that the sound could be heard all the way to the top of the ballpark. The second baseman was angry about being caught in a rundown to make the final out of the inning.
”I don’t want to get an out in that situation,” Marte said. ”Part of my game is my emotion. I get mad sometimes, but we got the win, so I’m happy.”
Marte’s liner into center field off Tyler Glasnow (1-2) scored Jon Jay from second base as the NL West-leading Diamondbacks won for the fourth time in five games. Jay walked to start the rally, then advanced to second on a two-out wild pitch before Marte followed an intentional walk to David Peralta with his winning hit.
Marte was 0 for 5 when he stepped to the plate.
”He’s such a gifted player and he really grinded through that at-bat,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. ”It wasn’t the perfect day at the plate, but he put that aside and came through with a big hit in the perfect moment.”
Andrew Chafin (1-0) pitched one scoreless inning for the win, getting Josh Harrison to pop out with runners on first and second to end the 12th, and T.J. McFarland notched the first save of his six-year career with a perfect 13th.
The game was scoreless until both teams scored an unearned run in the 11th following a pitcher’s duel between Arizona’s Patrick Corbin and Pittsburgh’s Ivan Nova.
Corbin and Nova were nearly flawless as neither allowed a run and gave up just three hits. Nova pitched eight innings, while Corbin went seven.
Corbin’s 12 strikeouts matched his career high set April 4 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the left-hander had a stretch in which he set down 13 hitters in a row between the first and fifth innings. He had allowed a combined 10 runs in 11 1/3 innings in his previous two starts.
”You wish they could all be like that Texans Game Jerseys ,” Corbin said. ”We had a good game plan, I was making some good pitches and (catcher Jeff Mathis) was calling a lot of good pitches.”
Nova struck out eight and retired his last 12 batters. In three starts since being activated from the disabled list, Nova has permitted only one run in 19 2/3 innings after missing a little more than two weeks with a sprained right ring finger.
”It’s tough, man, because I did my part to give my team a chance to win the game,” Nova said. ”We had some opportunities to win and we didn’t. When we got the chance, they took it away from us.”
In the top of the 11th, Jake Lamb scored from second base on catcher Elias Diaz’s wild throw. Diaz fielded Marte’s two-out chopper and threw to the foul side of the first-base bag for a two-base error.
The Pirates tied it the bottom of the inning when Lamb, the third baseman, bounced a throw when he tried to force Gregory Polanco at home with the bases loaded and one out on a grounder by Starling Marte.
The error pinned Brad Boxberger with his fourth blown save in 20 chances and second in as many appearances, but he prevented further damage by striking out David Freese and getting Diaz to ground out.
”He created an inning, but he wiggled out of the situation and gave us a chance to win,” Lovullo said.
It was the first time the Pirates had a runner in scoring position since the first inning.
The Diamondbacks got a runner to third base in the third, fifth, ninth and 10th innings, but failed to convert.
Rookie outfielder Austin Meadows had two of the Pirates’ four hits and is 8 for 18 in his last five games, raising his batting average to .347 through 29 games.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks: LHP Robbie Ray (strained right oblique) is scheduled to make his third rehab start Monday, pitching for Triple-A Reno. … RHP Randall Delgado (strained left oblique) made his third rehab appearance for Reno on Thursday night and allowed two runs, one earned, and one hit in 1 2/3 innings with four strikeouts while throwing 34 pitches. He had pitched a combined 2 2/3 scoreless innings in his first two games.
Pirates: C Francisco Cervelli was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list and C Jacob Stallings recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis. Cervelli left the Pirates’ against the Cubs at Chicago on June 9 in the fourth inning after being struck on the helmet and left side of his jaw by a foul tip off the bat of Jason Heyward. Cervelli passed the concussion protocol and played in six more games, but began feeling symptoms Thursday night late in the Pirates’ 9-3 loss to the Diamondbacks.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Greinke (6-5, 3.90 ERA) is 3-1 in four June starts despite a 4.63 ERA and 7-4 with a 4.91 ERA in 12 career starts against the Pirates.
Pirates: RHP Joe Musgrove (2-2, 3.68) is 0-2 with a 6.46 ERA in three starts in June.