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Marlins strive to regain last month's mojo in opener vs. A's

Jul 2, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Miami Marlins center fielder Jakob Marsee (87) celebrates in the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn ImagesJul 2, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Miami Marlins center fielder Jakob Marsee (87) celebrates in the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Miami Marlins had a sensational 20-6 record in June, and observers started to overdose on midseason optimism and talk about a possible postseason berth.

Then the Marlins received a huge reality check by starting July with two consecutive setbacks to the Colorado Rockies.

The Marlins will look to get back on the winning track when they face the Athletics on Friday night at West Sacramento, Calif.

Miami was outscored 20-7 while losing the final two contests of a four-game series with the host Rockies. Thursday’s finale saw the Rockies rout the Marlins 14-4.

Miami won 10 of 12 games before the last two losses, and the franchise has made just two postseason appearances (2020, 2023) since winning the 2003 World Series.

Manager Clayton McCullough said he understands why the playoff chatter has increased, but he also knew a 10-run loss marked the right time to deliver a message.

“We can all get caught up in what could happen months from now,” McCullough said. “Again, it’s months from now. We need to go into a new series and get as best prepared as we can for the A’s and try to win a series.

“All our focus needs to be on and should be on us. All the other discussions don’t matter right now. It’s about playing good baseball and trying to win a series.”

After being shellacked in Denver, the Marlins will find themselves in another great hitter’s ballpark for the three-game set in West Sacramento.

“Sacramento, you can really hit (there),” McCullough said. “It will be trying to limit damage, limit the big inning.”

Miami’s Otto Lopez had a homer among three hits on Thursday to raise his major-league-best average to .336.

The Athletics, meanwhile, just lost two of three home games to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Wednesday’s 7-1 victory was just the third in the past 11 games overall for the A’s.

Shea Langeliers belted his 20th homer of the season — his fourth straight season of hitting at least 20. He leads American League catchers in homers and hits (87).

“For everyone out there that feels like Shea needs to be doing more, that’s a great reminder for all those,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “He’s got 20 right now before the break. He’s been the catalyst of our offense since April, and it’s hard as a catcher to sustain the performance he put on in April. He’s done a great job. …

“The main goal is to keep Shea healthy and get him to the All-Star Game, which, I’m pretty confident that he’s going to be that guy.”

The A’s have been hit hard by injuries, with shortstop Jacob Wilson (right thumb), infielder Zack Gelof (right hand) and left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (left hip) on the injured list.

In addition, designated hitter Brent Rooker (left knee) soon will undergo season-ending surgery.

“This is a big blow,” Kotsay said. “It’s a middle-of-the-order bat. It’s a guy that produced for us offensively for the last three seasons with 30-plus homers.”

The Athletics will start Jack Perkins (2-3, 6.00 ERA) against Miami’s Tyler Phillips (1-3, 3.02) in a battle of right-handers on Friday.

Perkins, 26, has received four straight no-decisions since losing to the Houston Astros on June 5. On Saturday, he gave up two runs and four hits over five innings against the Los Angeles Angels. The A’s lost 5-2.

This will be Perkins’ first career outing against Miami.

Phillips, 28, is 0-2 over his last three turns. He lost 2-1 to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday when he gave up two runs and six hits over 7 1/3 innings.

Phillips is 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against the A’s. Langeliers is 1-for-4 against Phillips.

–Field Level Media

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Dodgers escape 6-run hole, overpower skidding Padres

Jul 2, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (68) runs after hitting a two run home run against the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn ImagesJul 2, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (68) runs after hitting a two run home run against the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images

Dalton Rushing had a home run among his four hits and drove in four runs for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who erased a six-run deficit for a 12-7 victory over the San Diego Padres on Thursday.

The Dodgers matched their season high with 17 hits and won for the eighth time in 10 games. The Padres took their sixth loss in a row, matching their worst skid of the season.

Rushing tied his career highs in hits and RBIs. Teammate Kyle Tucker matched his career best with four hits and also drew a walk.

Andy Pages delivered a game-tying two-run double for Los Angeles in the fourth inning.

The Dodgers’ bullpen gave up one run over the final six innings after Roki Sasaki yielded six runs on seven hits in a season-low three innings. Will Klein (3-2) followed with two scoreless innings.

Manny Machado hit a first-inning homer before Jackson Merrill and Jake Cronenworth each went deep in the second as the Padres built a 6-0 lead. Randy Vasquez gave up four runs over three innings, and Wandy Peralta (1-1) was tagged for four runs on six hits in the fourth.

The Padres saw their losing skid begin with consecutive home defeats against the Dodgers last weekend before they were swept in a three-game road series against the Chicago Cubs, including a 23-3 demolition on Wednesday.

The Padres’ fast start began when Fernando Tatis Jr. hit Sasaki’s first pitch of the game for a double. Machado followed two batters later with a home run to center field.

San Diego made it 6-0 in the second on Merrill’s leadoff home run and a three-run blast from Cronenworth.

Rushing began the momentum swing for the Dodgers with a two-run homer in the bottom of the second. Los Angeles pulled within 6-4 in the third on RBI hits from Max Muncy and Tucker.

Pages tied it 6-6 in the fourth on a two-run double to left before Mookie Betts and Muncy added RBI hits for an 8-6 lead. The Dodgers’ run total reached double digits in the fifth when Tommy Edman had an RBI double before scoring on a wild pitch.

Rushing drove in runs in the sixth and eighth innings, and the Padres’ Miguel Andujar had an RBI single in the ninth.

–Field Level Media

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MLB roundup: Bryce Miller, Mariners blank Angels to complete sweep

Jul 2, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryce Miller (50) pitches to the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn ImagesJul 2, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryce Miller (50) pitches to the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Bryce Miller took a no-hitter into the seventh inning as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Los Angeles Angels 1-0 on Thursday to complete a three-game sweep of their American League West rivals.

Cal Raleigh drew a bases-loaded walk off Angels starter Walbert Urena (5-7) with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to score the game’s lone run.

Miller (4-2) allowed two hits, didn’t walk a batter and struck out eight after he lost his previous two starts. Andres Munoz allowed a walk and two singles to load the bases in the ninth, but he got Wade Meckler to ground into a game-ending double play.

Neither team had a hit until Seattle’s J.P. Crawford led off the bottom of the sixth with a double into right-center field. Dominic Canzone and Randy Arozarena drew one-out walks before Urena struck out Josh Naylor on three pitches. Urena got ahead 0-2 in the count to Raleigh before last season’s home run champ rebounded to draw a walk.

Guardians 6, White Sox 5

Brayan Rocchio hit a two-run, walk-off homer with one out in the ninth inning to lift host Cleveland over Chicago.

Tim Herrin (1-3) retired all three hitters in the top of the ninth for the victory, while the White Sox’s Grant Taylor (4-2) gave up two runs in 1 1/3 innings as he was being asked to record a six-out save.

Rocchio drove in three runs for the Guardians, who pulled into a virtual tie with the White Sox atop the American League Central. Cleveland has played two more games and has one more win and one more loss.

Reds 7, Brewers 2

Sal Stewart, Jose Trevino and T.J. Friedl homered to lead Cincinnati past flame-throwing Jacob Misiorowski and host Milwaukee.

Starting pitcher Chase Burns bested Misiorowski for the Reds, who snapped a four-game losing streak and averted a series sweep by salvaging the fourth contest. Burns (10-1), who won his ninth consecutive decision, gave up two runs and four hits in six innings.

Garrett Mitchell homered for the Brewers, who had their three-game winning streak end. Misiorowski (9-4) allowed five runs (one earned) on five hits in five innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out 10 to push his major-league-leading total to 156.

Pirates 6, Phillies 1

Rookie Esmerlyn Valdez drove in three runs and Nick Gonzales and Endy Rodriguez each homered, allowing Pittsburgh to split a four-game series with Philadelphia.

Valdez forged a 1-1 tie with an RBI single in the fifth inning. Two innings later, he recorded his first career triple after the ball sailed under the glove of Phillies center fielder Justin Crawford, allowing Brandon Lowe, giving Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead. Valdez came home on Gonzales’ bloop single and went on to add a sac fly.

Bryce Harper ripped an RBI double for the Phillies, who mustered just four hits to the Pirates’ 14.

Rockies 14, Marlins 4

Mickey Moniak singled, doubled, homered and scored three runs to help Colorado earn a split against the Miami with a win in the finale of a four-game series in Denver.

Jake McCarthy also homered and had four RBIs and three runs for the Rockies, and Willi Castro, Troy Johnston and Cole Carrigg each drove in a pair. McCarthy’s two-run single ignited a seven-run sixth for Colorado to break the game open.

Otto Lopez had three hits, including a triple and a double, and scored twice for the Marlins.

Cardinals 11, Braves 5

Nathan Church hit a two-run homer to ignite a seven-run rally and help visiting St. Louis register a come-from-behind win over Atlanta in the decisive game of a three-game series.

The Cardinals sent 11 men to the plate during the seventh-inning uprising and erased a 5-3 deficit to hand the Braves their 14th loss in 19 games. St. Louis has won three of its past four. St. Louis’ Gordon Graceffo (6-1) threw a spotless sixth inning.

Atlanta’s Hurston Waldrep made his first start of the season after undergoing elbow surgery in spring training to remove loose bodies. He worked 5 1/3 innings and gave up three runs on five hits.

Rangers 10, Tigers 4

Elias Diaz, Josh Smith and Evan Carter homered as Texas recorded a season-high 17 hits in a win over Detroit in Arlington, Texas.

Nathan Eovaldi (9-7) allowed three runs on six hits over five-plus innings. He improved to 6-0 in nine career starts against the Tigers. Alejandro Osuna and Nicky Lopez each had three hits and an RBI for the Rangers, who won for the seventh time in eight games.

Hao-Yu Lee hit a two-run homer and Colt Keith added a solo shot for Detroit, which had its three-game win streak snapped. Tigers starter Framber Valdez (4-6) yielded five runs on nine hits over five innings.

Rays 5, Royals 2

Ian Seymour struck out eight over six strong frames, Cedric Mullins clubbed a two-run homer among his two hits and visiting Tampa Bay capped a three-game sweep of Kansas City, its season-high eighth straight victory.

Chandler Simpson and Hunter Feduccia each had three hits for the American League East-leading Rays.

Seymour (5-1) gave up Carter Jensen’s leadoff home run, two other hits and a walk for Tampa Bay, which won the final five meetings with Kansas City this season. Isaac Collins also homered for the Royals.

Dodgers 12, Padres 7

Dalton Rushing had a home run among his four hits and drove in four runs for Los Angeles, which erased a six-run deficit for a victory over San Diego.

The Dodgers matched their season high with 17 hits and won for the eighth time in 10 games. Kyle Tucker matched his career best with four hits and also drew a walk. Andy Pages delivered a game-tying two-run double in the fourth inning for Los Angeles. Roki Sasaki yielded six runs on seven hits in a season-low three innings.

The Padres took their sixth loss in a row. Manny Machado hit a first-inning homer before Jackson Merrill and Jake Cronenworth each went deep in the second as the Padres built a 6-0 lead. Randy Vasquez gave up four runs over three innings, and Wandy Peralta (1-1) was tagged for four runs on six hits in the fourth.

–Field Level Media

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Cubs' Dansby Swanson brings historic RBI surge into series vs. Cards

Jun 30, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (7) hits a two-run home run against the San Diego Padres during the fifth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn ImagesJun 30, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (7) hits a two-run home run against the San Diego Padres during the fifth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Dansby Swanson isn’t putting too much stock into his individual accomplishments. However, he is reveling in the fact that his recent video-game numbers have contributed to the Chicago Cubs’ winning ways.

Swanson will look to continue his torrid stretch on Friday as the Cubs open a three-game series against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.

Swanson highlighted his three-homer, eight-RBI performance on Wednesday with a grand slam in the eighth inning of Chicago’s 23-3 romp over the San Diego Padres.

He has driven in 26 runs over his past 10 games. The only other players who knocked in at least that many runs over a 10-game span since RBIs became an official stat in 1920 are Hall of Famers Mel Ott (1929), Lou Gehrig (1930 and 1931), Jimmie Foxx (1933) and Joe DiMaggio (1939), per MLB.com.

“I think at the end of the day the coolest part about it is RBI helps teams win games, and we’re doing that really well right now as a group,” Swanson said after the Cubs’ fifth win in a row and 15th in 19 games.

“So whatever it takes for the group to succeed is all that matters to me, and it will continue to be that way until one day they won’t let me play this game anymore.”

For all of his recent success, Swanson is batting just .210 on the season. He went 0-for-16 in the four games prior to the San Diego series, during which he went 8-for-13 with five homers, 11 RBIs and seven runs.

Swanson struggled against the Cardinals during a series in late May, going 1-for-9 with four strikeouts and no RBIs. St. Louis won two of the three contests.

Chicago left-hander David Peterson (4-6, 5.86 ERA) will get the start on Friday opposite St. Louis right-hander Andre Pallante (9-5, 3.83).

Peterson pitched well in his first start since being acquired from the New York Mets, allowing two runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings en route to an 8-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.

Peterson, 30, was shelled in his last encounter with the Cardinals, yielding six runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings on June 10. Overall, he has a 9.00 ERA without a decision in two career appearances (one start) against St. Louis.

Pallante was 5-0 in his previous six starts before surrendering five runs on 11 hits in 6 2/3 innings during a 5-1 setback to the Miami Marlins on Saturday.

His lone no-decision since early April came against the Cubs on May 29, when he yielded four runs on eight hits in three innings. Pallante, 27, is 0-4 with a 5.12 ERA in 13 career appearances (six starts) vs. Chicago.

St. Louis likely will need Pallante to work deep into the game after the team’s bullpen was taxed by Dustin May exiting two outs into the Thursday contest against the Atlanta Braves due to an ankle injury. The Cardinals’ relievers picked up May by combining to scatter three hits over 8 1/3 scoreless innings in an 11-5 win.

Jordan Walker belted a three-run homer in the first inning and added an RBI single in the seventh for St. Louis, which has won three of its past four games.

“Unreal,” Walker said, according to MLB.com. “We showed what we can do as an offense. On the pitching side, hell of a job for them to lock it in and the bullpen come in a tough situation.”

Walker went 1-for-11 with two strikeouts and no RBIs in the previous series against the Cubs.

–Field Level Media

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