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Fresh off Alan Roden's heroics, Twins vie for sweep of Guardians

Jul 8, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins right fielder Alan Roden (18) celebrates hitting a walk off single against the Cleveland Guardians at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn ImagesJul 8, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins right fielder Alan Roden (18) celebrates hitting a walk off single against the Cleveland Guardians at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

All-Star outfielder Byron Buxton can relax and rest as he recovers from a hip injury.

The Minnesota Twins seem to be doing just fine without him.

Minnesota will look to build on its four-game winning streak when it faces the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday afternoon in Minneapolis.

The Twins are looking to finish a three-game sweep of their division rivals, and they trail the first-place Chicago White Sox by only two games in the American League Central.

Alan Roden will do his best to follow up on his heroics from Wednesday for third-place Minnesota.

In his season debut, Roden delivered a walk-off single off the wall in right-center field to lift the Twins to a 6-5 win over the Guardians. It was the first career walk-off hit for Roden, who was promoted one day earlier from Triple-A Saint Paul to take the place of Buxton after the veteran was placed on the 10-day injured list.

Roden’s head might still be spinning for the quick turnaround game Thursday afternoon.

“Super excited,” he said after teammates mobbed him on the field Wednesday. “It’s an absolute pleasure to be a part of this team and to just keep winning.”

As Roden spoke on the field, a pair of teammates surprised him with a jug filled with ice water and dumped it on his back.

“It’s the best,” Roden said after using a towel to dry off his face. “These guys are awesome. It’s just an absolute joy.

“… It’s really exciting to enter into a situation like that and to come through on the first day I get to play. I’m just really excited and proud to be here.”

As the Twins look to extend their winning streak, the Guardians will try to snap a four-game skid.

Second-place Cleveland trails the White Sox by one game in the Central, and right-hander Gavin Williams (9-4, 3.89 ERA) will try to end to the Guardians’ losing streak. Williams leads the team with 123 strikeouts in 106 1/3 innings.

Williams has not pitched more than 5 1/3 innings in any of his past six outings. In his most recent performance, he gave up three runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings against the Chicago White Sox on Friday. Cleveland won 4-3 in 10 innings.

In eight career starts against the Twins, Williams is 3-3 with a 3.41 ERA. He has walked 14 and struck out 36 in 37 innings.

The Twins will counter with right-hander Bailey Ober (6-3, 4.59 ERA), who is set to make his 13th start of the season and his first since May 30 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Ober spent about six weeks on the injured list because of elbow inflammation.

Ober has faced the Guardians 12 times in his career. He is 3-3 with a 3.15 ERA in those contests and has a 56-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 65 2/3 innings.

Guardians manager Stephen Vogt will look for a better performance from his bullpen in the series finale. He watched his staff issue three bases-loaded walks on Wednesday.

“Yeah, I mean, that was a weird night from the bullpen, right?” Vogt said. “… (It was a) very uncharacteristic night for them.”

–Field Level Media

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Padres match season-best run total in demolition of Diamondbacks

Jul 8, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) hits a two-run single during the fifth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn ImagesJul 8, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) hits a two-run single during the fifth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images

Luis Campusano homered while Miguel Andujar collected three doubles as the San Diego Padres tied their season high for runs in a 10-4 rout of the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday.

Michael King (6-7) pitched six solid innings for the Padres, allowing four hits and a run while walking two and fanning four. It marked the first time that San Diego won consecutive games since a four-game stretch from June 22-26.

Diamondbacks rookie Jose Cabrera (0-2) yielded four runs and four hits over 4 1/3 innings with two walks and two strikeouts.

The Padres scored in five consecutive innings, finishing with a total of 13 hits while adding three stolen bases. Everyone but cleanup hitter Gavin Sheets contributed a hit, and all but Sheets and Jake Cronenworth had an RBI. Campusano, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill each bagged two hits.

Arizona initiated the scoring in the top of the first on a two-out double by Gabriel Moreno that brought home Ildemaro Vargas. San Diego equalized in the third on Merrill’s infield out that scored Sung-Mun Song.

Andujar put the Padres ahead for good in the fourth when he rifled his first double into the left field corner with two outs, scoring Campusano from first. Campusano had reached on a two-out walk.

San Diego made it 4-1 in the fifth when Xander Bogaerts slapped a two-run single off Vargas’ glove at short, scoring Tatis and Merrill. Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was ejected by home plate umpire Willie Traynor just before Bogaerts’ hit for arguing a balk call that pushed both runners into scoring position.

Campusano led off a four-run sixth with his fourth homer of the year, a 406-foot shot to left-center. Song, Tatis and Merrill added RBI singles later in the inning.

Tommy Troy cracked a two-run homer in the top of the seventh for Arizona, his fourth of the year. The Padres answered with two in their half of the seventh on Andujar’s RBI double and Jase Bowen’s RBI single.

Arizona’s Max Kepler capped the scoring in the eighth with a double to the gap in right-center, plating Corbin Carroll.

–Field Level Media

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Mets score 5 runs in eighth to top Royals

Jul 8, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Brett Baty (7) hits a two run single in the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn ImagesJul 8, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Brett Baty (7) hits a two run single in the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Brett Baty delivered a two-RBI single during a five-run eighth inning Wednesday night for the host New York Mets, who beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 in the middle game of a three-game interleague series.

In a tie game, Royals right-hander Alex Lange (0-4) retired Juan Soto and Bo Bichette on groundouts before Francisco Lindor began the rally with a single. Carson Benge walked and Jorge Polanco legged out an infield single to load the bases for Jared Young, who was hit by a pitch to force home Lindor.

Baty followed four pitches later with his hit to center for a 4-1 lead. Jose Cuas entered and uncorked a wild pitch, which allowed Young to race home. Francisco Alvarez added an RBI single.

Brooks Raley (3-3), the third of four Mets pitchers, allowed one hit a scoreless top of the eighth.

A.J. Ewing hit a leadoff homer and finished with two hits for the Mets, who have won three of four.

New York starter Christian Scott gave up three hits and walked one while striking out five over five scoreless frames.

Salvador Perez tied the game with a run-scoring single in the sixth for the Royals, who had their three-game winning streak snapped. Kansas City scored 36 runs in the three previous victories.

Carter Jensen added an RBI double in the ninth and was one of eight Kansas City players with one hit apiece.

Royals right-hander Steven Cruz, who was serving as an opener for the second time this season, whiffed two while throwing 14 pitches in the first inning. Bulk reliever Randy Dobnak allowed three hits and three walks while striking out two over 5 2/3 scoreless innings.

Ewing hit Cruz’s third pitch over the right-center field fence for the seventh homer of his rookie season and his first leadoff shot.

The Royals mounted just one threat against Scott, who walked Nick Loftin with two outs in the second before Loftin went to third on Isaac Collins’ single. Scott then got Tyler Tolbert to pop out.

Scott allowed just one baserunner over his final three innings before the Royals rallied in the sixth against Tobias Myers. Jac Caglianone hit a one-out double and scored on Perez’s two-out single to left.

–Field Level Media

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Michael McGreevy carries Cardinals to win against Brewers

Jul 8, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael McGreevy (36) throws against the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn ImagesJul 8, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael McGreevy (36) throws against the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Michael McGreevy tossed a season-high 6 1/3 innings Wednesday to get his first win in two months for the St. Louis Cardinals, who snapped a four-game losing streak with a 5-1 victory over the visiting Milwaukee Brewers.

Pitching on his 26th birthday, McGreevy (4-7) received support from Alec Burleson and Jose Fermin, both of whom homered. Burleson went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and added a double. Jordan Walker also doubled as part of a 2-for-4 evening, scoring twice.

The Cardinals pushed McGreevy’s scheduled start back as part of an effort to protect several pitchers heading into next week’s All-Star break. That move paid off as the right-hander pitched into the seventh inning for the first time this season. He allowed just one run, which Milwaukee scored in the seventh, on five hits and a walk. McGreevy struck out six, his highest total since getting that many against the Brewers on May 26.

However, it did not start easily for him. He opened the game by allowing Christian Yelich to single and walking Jake Bauers one out later. The Brewers loaded the bases, but McGreevy escaped by getting Luis Lara on a chopper to Blaze Jordan at third.

St. Louis gave McGreevy a lead in the bottom of the first. Doubles by Masyn Winn and Walker off Kyle Harrison (8-2) started the scoring, and Burleson’s two-out two-bagger made it 2-0.

McGreevy gave up a leadoff single to Cooper Pratt in the second, but the rookie shortstop was caught stealing. After that, the Cardinals hurler retired the next 15 batters. He left after giving up a double to Garrett Mitchell and a single to Lara, with Pratt scoring Mitchell on a sacrifice fly off Luis Gastelum, who made his big-league debut after St. Louis promoted him earlier Wednesday.

Pratt went 2-for-3 and Mitchell finished 2-for-4 for the Brewers, whose four-game winning streak came to an end.

Fermin homered with one out in the fourth, and Burleson blasted a 443-foot two-run shot to right off Jared Koenig in the sixth.

Harrison lasted four innings, giving up three runs on four hits. He struck out a pair without issuing a walk.

–Field Level Media

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