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Marlins bid for series sweep in season finale vs. Blue Jays

MLB: Miami Marlins at Toronto Blue JaysSep 28, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Miami Marlins center fielder Dane Myers (54) celebrates with team mates in the dugout after hitting a three run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The visiting Miami Marlins will be out to complete a disappointing season with a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon.

The Marlins (61-100) recorded an 8-1 win over the listless Blue Jays (74-87) on Saturday, one day after breezing to a series-opening 15-5 victory.

The Marlins have won three games in a row and four of their past five. The Blue Jays have lost nine of their past 11 games.

The Marlins are being managed for the final two games of the season by bench coach Luis Urueta. Manager Skip Schumaker had to leave the team to go home to California because of a family medical issue.

“The boys have been playing super hard,” Urueta said. “It was a pretty easy game to manage.”

Dane Myers helped make it easy on Saturday with a three-run homer and a two-run double for a career-best five RBIs.

Former Blue Jays minor-leaguer Griffin Conine was 3-for-4 with an RBI on Saturday after going 2-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs in the series opener.

“Everyone is just taking care of their at-bats,” Conine said. “Everyone wants to finish strong. Hitting is contagious.”

The Marlins scored twice in the first inning Saturday after scoring three runs in the first on Friday. They have nine first-inning runs in their past four games.

“Guys are ready; they’re game-planning against the starters,” Urueta said. “It gives you a little bit of confidence to start the game.”

The Blue Jays do have something on the line on Sunday other than avoiding an embarrassing sweep. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was 0-for-4 on Saturday and still needs one hit to become the sixth player in team history to reach 200 hits in a season.

Manager John Schneider said that batting Guerrero first on Sunday instead of the usual third in the order is being considered.

Toronto’s Alejandro Kirk had his 18-game hitting streak end when he was 0-for-3 with a walk on Saturday. One bright spot for the Blue Jays came when Nathan Lukes hit his first career major league home run in the first inning.

“It’s every kid’s dream to knock that off the bucket list,” Lukes said. “It was amazing.”

Lukes, 30, is the fourth-oldest Blue Jays player to hit his first career homer. It was one of four hits by Toronto.

The Marlins got five innings from Xzavion Curry (one run and two hits) and four innings from Darren McCaughan (two hits), who earned the save.

Urueta said he did not expect to use only two pitchers. It helped provide some rest for the bullpen heading into the season finale. Miami used seven relievers on Thursday in a 13-inning, 8-6 victory over the Minnesota Twins.

The Marlins are scheduled to start left-hander Ryan Weathers (4-6, 3.81 ERA) in the season finale. Weathers will face the Blue Jays for the first time.

The Blue Jays had not named a starter for Sunday. They likely will go with an opener followed by left-hander Ryan Yarbrough (5-2, 3.32 ERA). Yarbrough is 3-2 with a 1.89 ERA in eight career outings (three starts) against Miami.

Toronto recalled right-hander Nick Robertson from Triple-A Buffalo and optioned left-hander Easton Lucas to the Jays’ spring training complex since Buffalo’s season is over. Robertson pitched a clean ninth on Saturday.

Toronto infielder Leo Jimenez (right knee inflammation) did not play on Saturday. He jammed his knee while making a play at second base on Friday.

–Field Level Media

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Pirates use 3-run 10th to extend Brewers' losing streak

MLB: Pittsburgh Pirates at Milwaukee BrewersApr 25, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn (29) scores a run during the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Bryan Reynolds singled in the go-ahead run to trigger a three-run 10th inning and lift the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-3 victory over Milwaukee on Saturday, handing the Brewers their fourth consecutive loss.

Left-hander Angel Zerpa (0-2) started the 10th for Milwaukee. Pinch-hitter Marcell Ozuna drew a one-out walk. Nick Yorke ran for Ozuna and Reynolds singled to left, scoring automatic runner Henry Davis from second. Both runners advanced on a ground out. Grant Anderson relieved Zerpa, and Nick Gonzales delivered an RBI single to left, with Reynolds continuing home on a bobble by left fielder Greg Jones.

Yohan Ramirez kept the Brewers off the board in the 10th for his first save. Gregory Soto (2-0) delivered a scoreless ninth.

The Pirates snapped a 2-2 tie with a run in the sixth off starter Jacob Misiorowski. Ryan O’Hearn was hit by a pitch and Gonzales singled. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Spencer Horwitz followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2.

The Brewers tied it in the bottom half on Sal Frelick’s second sacrifice fly of the game. Jake Bauers and Tyler Black opened with consecutive singles, chasing starter Mitch Keller. Isaac Mattson replaced him, and Bauers advanced to third on a fielder’s choice. Frelick followed with a sacrifice fly to right.

The Pirates went in front 2-0 with two runs in the fourth. Reynolds was hit by a pitch to open the frame and O’Hearn singled. Reynolds took third on a fielder’s choice, and Horwitz followed with an RBI single. Konnor Griffin added a two-out RBI single, but the Pirates stranded runners at second and third.

Milwaukee countered with two in the bottom half. Bauers singled and continued to second on an error. Black doubled Bauers to third. Bauers scored and Black advanced to third on a ground out. Frelick tied it with a sacrifice fly to right.

Misiorowski struck out nine in six innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He also walked one, hit two batters, and had a wild pitch.

Keller allowed three runs on five hits in five-plus innings, striking out six and walking two.

–Field Level Media

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Salvador Perez, Cole Ragans help Royals club Angels

MLB: Los Angeles Angels at Kansas City RoyalsApr 25, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) slides into home to score a run during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Salvador Perez had three hits including a home run, Cole Ragans pitched six strong innings and the Kansas City Royals routed the visiting Los Angeles Angels 12-1 on Saturday night.

Nick Loftin had two hits and drove in four runs for the Royals, who go for their first series sweep of the season on Sunday. Kansas City has won three of four, scoring at least six runs in each game.

Ragans (1-4) allowed a run on five hits and struck out 11 batters without a walk. It was the third time this season Ragans went six innings and allowed one run or less.

Jo Adell homered and Vaughn Grissom had three hits for the Angels, who have lost six of seven.

Walbert Urena (0-3) lasted 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits. Los Angeles pitchers issued 10 walks, including two with the bases loaded.

Perez lined a homer to left leading off the second inning. Jac Caglianone walked, went to third on a single by Michael Massey and scored on a single by Loftin to make it 2-0.

In the third, Bobby Witt, Jr. doubled and Vinnie Pasquantino walked. Perez lined a single to left, scoring Witt and Isaac Collins walked to load the bases before Loftin walked, forcing in Pasquantino.

Adell homered to center leading off the fourth to pull the Angels within 4-1.

Loftin reached on an error leading off the sixth. Kyle Isbel singled and Carter Jensen walked to load the bases. With one out, Pasquantino walked, scoring Loftin.

The Royals broke it open with a three run seventh. Caglianone led off with a walk and Collins singled. Massey lined a single to left, scoring Caglianone. Loftin smacked a grounder that got past shortstop Zach Neto. Collins scored and Massey raced for third and came home on Neto’s throwing error to make it 8-1.

Loftin and Jensen hit two-run singles to make it 12-1 in the eighth.

–Field Level Media

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Yankees score late to break open close game against Astros

MLB: New York Yankees at Houston AstrosApr 25, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero (72) celebrates with center fielder Trent Grisham (12) after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Austin Wells socked a leadoff home run to ignite a three-run seventh inning as the New York Yankees claimed a three-game series against the host Houston Astros with an 8-3 win on Saturday.

Wells’ second homer was the third of the game for the Yankees, who improved to 5-0 on their current nine-game road trip and have won eight straight overall. The Yankees were locked in a pitcher’s duel before Wells snapped a 2-2 tie by driving an inside fastball from Astros reliever Kai-Wei Teng (1-1) out to right field.

Teng faced only three batters before ceding the mound to left-hander Bennett Sousa, who was reinstated from the 15-day injured list and made his season debut. The Yankees made it a forgettable appearance for Sousa, who issued four walks, including two with the bases loaded.

Sousa walked Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr., with Bellinger and Chisholm forcing home Grisham and Ben Rice (who had singled) in succession to up the lead to 5-2.

Rice delivered a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the eighth that plated Ryan McMahon. Rice and Jose Caballero recorded three-hit games for the Yankees, with Caballero extending the lead to 2-1 in the fifth with his third homer, a solo shot to left off Astros starter Mike Burrows.

Burrows matched his career high of eight strikeouts while working five innings. He allowed five hits and issued three walks. Burrows surrendered a solo home run to Grisham, his fourth on the season, with one out in the third inning that enabled the Yankees to erase a 1-0 deficit.

The Astros grabbed that lead in the bottom of the first. Carlos Correa roped a leadoff double to left-center and scored when Isaac Paredes added an RBI single to left two batters later. Yankees starter Ryan Weathers immediately settled down and retired 11 consecutive batters after Paredes’ run-scoring hit.

Yainer Diaz opened the fifth with a single, but Weathers didn’t allow another run until Correa led off the sixth with his second homer, a 391-foot blast to left-center that tied the game at 2-2.

Weathers surrendered two runs on six hits with no walks and four strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. Right-hander Fernando Cruz (2-0) earned the win in relief for the Yankees.

–Field Level Media

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