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Jared Jones, offense deliver as Pirates cool off Guardians

Jul 18, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Jake Mangum (28) hits a two-run home run in the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn ImagesJul 18, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Jake Mangum (28) hits a two-run home run in the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

Esmerlyn Valdez and Jacob Gonzalez both hit two-run homers and Nick Gonzales had a solo shot, all off Gavin Williams, as the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-1 in the opener of a day-night doubleheader on Saturday.

Gonzalez belted a 428-foot homer onto the concourse in right field in the second inning, plating Tyler Callihan to open the scoring. Valdez and Gonzales each went deep in the sixth, upping the lead to 5-1 in sending the Pirates to their fourth consecutive victory.

The Guardians, who had won four straight, fell one game behind the first-place Chicago White Sox in the American League Central.

Pittsburgh starter Jared Jones (2-1) struck out a season-high nine over five innings, giving up one run on three hits with one walk. The right-hander threw 74 pitches, remaining on a limited workload following reconstructive elbow surgery.

Jones retired the first eight batters before Steven Kwan singled in the third, snapping his streak of 30 consecutive outs that began on July 2 at the Philadelphia Phillies. Jones then worked six perfect innings on July 8 against the Atlanta Braves.

After the Guardians pulled within 2-1 on Travis Bazzana’s RBI triple in the third, Valdez brought home Bryan Reynolds in the sixth with his 11th homer in 29 games in the majors. The rookie outfielder has driven in 17 runs in July, giving him 29 on the season.

Williams (10-5) tied his career high by allowing three home runs in six innings, while matching his season best with 11 strikeouts. He gave up five runs on six hits without a walk in his fifth double-digit strikeout performance of 2026.

Pittsburgh tacked on two runs in the eighth against Matt Festa on a Ryan O’Hearn sacrifice fly and a wild pitch that scored Brandon Lowe. Reynolds had two hits and two runs.

Carmen Mlodzinski followed Jones with three scoreless innings and Isaac Mattson worked the ninth. The Pirates moved within one game of the third and final National League wild-card berth.

The Friday series opener was postponed due to poor air quality in Northeast Ohio, caused by drifting smoke from the Canadian forest fires. Light rain overnight cleared most of it from the skies before the teams arrived at the ballpark on Saturday morning.

–Field Level Media

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Dillon Dingler homers twice as Tigers beat Cubs in 10

Jul 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA;  Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) points after he hits a solo home run during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) points after he hits a solo home run during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Dillon Dingler hit two home runs and added the go-ahead RBI single in the 10th inning to help the visiting Detroit Tigers survive a comeback by the Chicago Cubs in an 8-6 extra-innings win on Monday night.

Detroit led for essentially the entire game, scoring four times in the first inning, until Ian Happ’s two-run homer off Kyle Finnegan in the eighth knotted the score at 5-5.

With runners on the corners and no one out in the 10th, Dingler hit a chopper deep into the hole at shortstop and beat the throw to first from Dansby Swanson. Spencer Torkelson added on with a two-run single.

Trent Thornton (3-3) took the loss despite only facing one hitter in the frame. He exited the game after Riley Greene’s liner hit him in the left heel, getting replaced by Javier Assad.

Pedro Ramirez got the Cubs one run back after reaching on an RBI fielder’s choice in the bottom of the inning and Swanson singled to bring the winning run to the plate, but Tyler Holton got Carson Kelly to ground out to close out the game.

Dingler — the Tigers’ starting catcher — shined on both sides of the plate, starting an inning-ending pickoff play to go along with a 4-for-5 night which included three RBIs.

Greene also homered for Detroit, opening the scoring with a three-run blast to right-center. Dingler tacked on with a solo shot to dead center the next at-bat.

In the third, it was Chicago’s turn to hit back-to-back homers. First, Seiya Suzuki hit a two-run shot off Jack Flaherty to cut the deficit in half. Michael Busch followed up with his 13th long ball of the season to make it a one-run game.

A baserunning snafu cost Chicago a chance to tie or take the lead in the fifth. Ian Happ was batting with runners on first and second with two out when Dingler successfully backpicked Suzuki at second.

Dingler took Tyler Ferguson deep to lead off the eighth, notching his third multi-homer game since June 1.

After Happ’s heroics, the Cubs had the bases loaded with a chance to walk it off in the ninth, but Kenley Jansen (2-4) struck out Alex Bregman to escape the jam.

Flaherty allowed three runs on four hits over four innings, striking out four and walking two. Cubs starter Jameson Taillon lasted 4 1/3 innings, giving up five hits and four runs with two walks and six strikeouts.

–Field Level Media

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Another big night from Kayla McBride carries Lynx past Storm

Jul 20, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride (21) shoots the ball while guarded by Seattle Storm forward Katie Lou Samuelson (33) during the first half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride (21) shoots the ball while guarded by Seattle Storm forward Katie Lou Samuelson (33) during the first half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Kayla McBride scored a game-high 33 points Monday night and Courtney Williams made two late foul shots that enabled the visiting Minnesota Lynx to outgun the Seattle Storm 105-102.

Williams’ free throws with 4.0 seconds left put Minnesota (21-6) ahead by three and forced Seattle to hunt a 3-pointer that could force overtime. But Flau’Jae Johnson missed from the right wing just before time expired.

Rookie Olivia Miles added 32 points, plus eight rebounds and eight assists, to augment McBride’s seventh straight game of at least 20 points. Williams finished with 21 as the Lynx connected on 37 of 76 field goals and made 21 of 22 foul shots.

Johnson scored 26 points to pace the Storm (6-22), who fell to 0-11 in games decided by five points or less. Zia Cooke came off the bench to add 18 points, while Dominique Malonga chipped in 14 points and Natisha Hiedeman hit for 12.

Seattle led 90-86 when Malonga hit a floater with 4:41 remaining, but McBride and Miles combined for eight points in a 10-2 spurt that gave Minnesota the lead for good at 96-92.

The teams play again on Wednesday in their last game before All-Star weekend.

Minnesota entered the game with the WNBA’s best record but was looking to make improvements on defense after coach Cheryl Reeve criticized its performance on that end in Saturday night’s 101-93 win over Portland.

Instead, she got another game where the Lynx had to outscore the opponent. They led 23-13 at the 2:56 mark of the first quarter as Miles converted a layup but Seattle closed within 27-23 behind eight points from its bench.

The Storm erupted for 31 points in the second quarter, including six on the same possession by Johnson. She made three foul shots after a flagrant foul on Miles, then drained a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession that helped Seattle take a 54-53 edge to halftime.

Minnesota led 77-70 late in the third quarter before a four-point play from Katie Lou Samuelson got the Storm within 79-77 going to the fourth period.

–Field Level Media

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Cal Raleigh's grand slam more than enough for Mariners vs. Reds

Jul 20, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) hits a grand-slam home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the seventh inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) hits a grand-slam home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the seventh inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Cal Raleigh hit a grand slam and George Kirby pitched six scoreless innings as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Cincinnati Reds 8-0 Monday night in the opener of a three-game interleague series.

Victor Robles went 4-for-4 and scored twice for the Mariners, who won their third consecutive game and moved into first place in the American League West by a half-game over Texas.

Kirby (8-8) allowed three hits — back-to-back singles by Edwin Arroyo and Ke’Bryan Hayes leading off the third and a one-out infield single by Dane Myers in the fifth. Kirby, a right-hander, walked one batter and struck out six.

The Mariners broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth. Robles led off with a single off Andrew Abbott (5-6) on a soft liner to center field. With two outs, Robles stole second and advanced to third on catcher Tyler Stephenson’s errant throw.

Following a walk to Randy Arozarena, Julio Rodriguez hit a chopper to the left side of the infield. Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz backhanded the ball but double-clutched before making a throw that eluded first baseman Sal Stewart and struck Rodriguez in the left hamstring. The Mariners’ star was credited with a run-scoring single.

Rodriguez left the game after that inning and team officials didn’t provide an update before the end of the game. Rodriguez returned to the lineup Saturday after being on the 7-day concussion list since July 2 when he was hit in the back of the helmet by a throw while sliding into second base.

The Mariners extended their lead with a six-run seventh. Robles and pinch hitter Luke Raley led off with singles to right off reliever Pierce Johnson, with Robles taking third on the latter. Rookie Colt Emerson’s sacrifice fly to left scored Robles.

Arozarena singled and Weston Wilson hit an RBI double into the right field corner. The Reds brought in lefty Caleb Ferguson, whom the Mariners acquired at last season’s trade deadline, and intentionally walked the left-handed-hitting Dominic Canzone to load the bases. The switch-hitting Raleigh crushed Ferguson’s first pitch deep to left-center to make it 7-0.

Raleigh came up with the bases loaded again in the eighth and got a run-scoring groundout for the final margin.

Abbott took the loss despite allowing just one unearned run on four hits over six innings. The lefty walked two and fanned six.

Mariners third baseman J.P. Crawford was a late scratch from the starting lineup. The team offered no immediate reason why.

–Field Level Media

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