Sports
MLB roundup: Brewers erase 8-run deficit, stun D-backs
Sep 22, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Jake Bauers (9) is dunked by shortstop Willy Adames (27) after beating the Arizona Diamondbacks at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images Jake Bauers delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the bottom of the eighth as the host Milwaukee Brewers overcame an eight-run deficit to earn a stunning 10-9 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday afternoon.
Milwaukee trailed 8-0 after Arizona struck for a seven-run third that featured back-to-back homers by Josh Bell, who hit a two-run blast, and Eugenio Suarez and a two-run single from Jake McCarthy.
But the Brewers slowly came all the way back, completing the shocking rally with a four-run eighth. With two outs, Garrett Mitchell hit an RBI single to left before Rhys Hoskins brought home two more runs with a base hit to tie the score at 9. Willy Adames followed with a double before Bauers provided Milwaukee with its first lead of the contest.
Ketel Marte, Josh Bell and Eugenio Suarez homered for the Diamondbacks, who fell into a tie with the New York Mets for the final two National League wild-card spots with both teams two games ahead of the Atlanta Braves.
Padres 4, White Sox 2
A three-run rally in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted San Diego over visiting Chicago, moving the winners within a victory of a National League playoff spot and the losers into a tie for history of the worst kind.
The White Sox (36-120) equaled the 1962 New York Mets’ single-season loss total, the worst in modern MLB history. One loss in the final six games will evict the Mets from the record books.
Jeremiah Estrada (6-2) pitched a clean eighth inning for the win as the Padres improved to 90-66, marking its first 90-win season since 2010 and the fifth in franchise history. San Diego moved three games ahead of the Diamondbacks and Mets for the NL’s top wild-card spot and trails the Los Angeles Dodgers by three games for the lead in the NL West.
Mets 2, Phillies 1
Brandon Nimmo homered leading off the sixth inning, and surging New York once again prevented visiting Philadelphia from clinching the National League East title in the finale of a four-game series.
Edwin Diaz earned his first six-out save since Aug. 4, 2022, for the Mets, who are 18-5 in their past 23 games.
Phillies starter Zack Wheeler took the hard-luck loss after giving up two runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out eight over seven-plus innings.
Dodgers 6, Rockies 5
Shohei Ohtani tied the score with a home run to lead off the ninth inning and Mookie Betts followed with a game-ending blast as Los Angeles rallied past visiting Colorado.
Ohtani, the favorite to become the first primary designated hitter to win an MVP award, had four hits with two stolen bases. His home run gave him 53 on the season to go along with 55 steals. Teoscar Hernandez and Enrique Hernandez also hit home runs for the Dodgers.
Brendan Rodgers and Nolan Jones each drove in two runs for the Rockies, who need three wins in their last six games to avoid a second consecutive 100-loss season. Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela gave up one run and five hits over five innings in his second start since returning from Tommy John surgery.
Rangers 6, Mariners 5
Marcus Semien hit a walk-off RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to complete Texas’ comeback win over Seattle in Arlington, Texas.
Semien’s single to left scored Leody Taveras, who had singled and stolen second in front of him. The Rangers avoided getting swept by the Mariners, and they broke Seattle’s three-game winning streak.
The Mariners’ comfortable 5-0 lead evaporated when the Rangers cut into the deficit with a four-run sixth inning. Taveras then hit the game-tying solo home run in the seventh.
Tigers 4, Orioles 3
Kerry Carpenter hit two solo home runs and Detroit held off host Baltimore.
Spencer Torkelson also homered for the Tigers, who won two of three games in the series despite managing only five hits in the finale. Detroit has won seven of its past nine games and is tied with the Kansas City Royals for the second wild-card spot, four back of the Orioles.
The Orioles had only one hit — a single — through four innings off Tyler Holton and Ty Madden before converting in the fifth on Cedric Mullins’ 18th homer after Ramos Urias’ one-out single. Baltimore finished 44-37 at home.
Red Sox 8, Twins 1 (Game 1)
Triston Casas hit three home runs and drove in seven to propel Boston to a victory over visiting Minnesota in the first game of a split doubleheader.
Casas hit a pair of three-run home runs off Minnesota starter Pablo Lopez and added a solo homer against Brent Headrick. The three home runs, a career high for one game, gave him 12 for the season. The seven RBIs are also a career high.
Twins starter Pablo Lopez (15-9) surrendered seven runs on nine hits in four innings. He fanned three and walked one.
Red Sox 9, Twins 3 (Game 2)
Romy Gonzalez hit a three-run home run and drove in four runs to help Boston sweep a doubleheader against visiting Minnesota.
Gonzalez homered against Minnesota reliever Cole Irvin to give the Red Sox a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning. It was his sixth home run of the season. He also hit a sacrifice fly in Boston’s sixth-run sixth.
Trevor Larnach and Christian Vazquez had two hits apiece for the Twins, who have lost four of their past five games.
Cardinals 2, Guardians 1
Andre Pallante allowed just one hit over seven innings as St. Louis edged visiting Cleveland.
Masyn Winn walked in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning for the Cardinals, who won for the fifth time in seven games. Pallante (8-8) allowed one run while walking two and striking out four. Andrew Kittredge handled the eighth inning for St. Louis and Ryan Helsley closed out the ninth to earn his 47th save.
Gavin Williams allowed one run on four hits in 5 2/3 innings for the Guardians. He walked two and struck out three. Reliever Tim Herrin (5-1) took the loss.
Pirates 2, Reds 0
Paul Skenes struck out nine in five scoreless innings while Oneil Cruz and Nick Yorke homered to lead visiting Pittsburgh past Cincinnati.
In tossing five shutout innings without a walk, Skenes lowered his ERA to 1.99. The Pirates’ rookie ace won all three of his starts against the Reds this season, allowing one run in 17 innings and striking out 25 while walking just two.
After missing six weeks with right elbow soreness, Hunter Greene (9-5) made his first start since Aug. 13 in Sunday’s home finale for the Reds. Greene allowed just one run and two hits over three innings. He struck out four and walked one while throwing 45 pitches.
Braves 5, Marlins 4
Jorge Soler drove in the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning as playoff-hopeful Atlanta earned a crucial win over host Miami.
Both Ozzie Albies and Gio Urshela homered for the Braves, who have won four of five. Albies’ home run was his first since July 6. He returned on Friday after missing two months with a fractured left wrist.
The Marlins got solo homers from Jonah Bride, Jake Burger, Connor Norby and Jesus Sanchez.
Angels 9, Astros 8
Zach Neto hit a three-run double in the ninth inning to cap his six-RBI day as Los Angeles rallied to avoid a four-game sweep against host Houston.
Neto delivered in the ninth against Josh Hader (8-8) to put the Angels ahead 9-6. The shortstop also had a solo home run and a two-run shot for Los Angeles, which trailed 4-0 entering the sixth inning.
Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman homered for the Astros, who lead the American League West by five games with six remaining. Houston designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (35 home runs) exited in the third inning with a knee contusion.
Rays 4, Blue Jays 3
Christopher Morel’s sacrifice fly and Brandon Lowe’s homer helped Tampa Bay close out a strong final homestand by sweeping Toronto in St. Petersburg, Fla.
After the Blue Jays tied it 2-all in the top of the seventh on Ernie Clement’s RBI single, Morel plated Jose Siri with the go-ahead run in the bottom of the frame.
Lowe added his 20th homer this season in the eighth, which proved pivotal after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stroked a ninth-inning RBI single against Edwin Uceta before the Rays reliever secured his fourth save. Tampa Bay won its fourth straight game.
Giants 2, Royals 0
Grant McCray tripled in a run and scored another in a two-run second inning, Blake Snell combined with three relievers on a shutout and San Francisco completed a surprising three-game road sweep over Kansas City.
Snell (5-3) allowed two hits and one walk in six shutout innings, striking out nine. It was his second consecutive start — and seventh overall this season — in which he did not allow a run.
The Royals were held to three hits and have lost seven in a row.
Yankees 7, Athletics 4
Northern California native Aaron Judge said goodbye to the Oakland Coliseum with his 55th home run, Jasson Dominguez and Gleyber Torres also homered and New York clinched no worse than a tie for the American League East title with a victory over Oakland.
After the A’s scored twice in the first inning, the Yankees rallied into the lead for good when Judge launched his home run to center field, a solo shot, in the third after a two-run blast by Dominguez, his second of the season, had tied the score an inning earlier. Torres’ 15th homer led off a two-run fifth that put New York, playing for the final time at the aging Oakland site, in command at 5-2.
Tyler Soderstrom had two hits for the A’s, including a two-RBI double that gave the hosts their 2-0 lead in the first. Ryan Noda also had a two-run double.
Cubs 5, Nationals 0
Shota Imanaga pitched seven scoreless innings and Chicago hit three home runs in a victory over visiting Washington.
Mike Tauchman, Michael Busch and Miguel Amaya went deep for the Cubs, who took three of four from the Nationals. Imanaga (15-3) allowed six hits without walking a batter and struck out four in his 10th start this season of at least seven innings.
Jose Tena and James Wood had two hits apiece for the Nationals. Washington starter Jake Irvin (10-13) allowed five runs on four hits — three of them home runs — and four walks in four innings. He struck out three.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Redemption on mind of Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet in clash vs. Tigers
Apr 7, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images Sunday will provide bounce-back opportunities for Garrett Crochet and the Boston Red Sox.
The Red Sox will turn to Crochet (2-2, 7.58 ERA) for the first time since his career-worst outing last week when their four-game home series against the Detroit Tigers — tied at a game apiece — continues on Sunday afternoon. First pitch was pushed back three hours to 4:35 p.m. due to a forecast for rain in Boston.
Crochet allowed 11 runs (10 earned) on nine hits, three walks and a hit by pitch in just 1 2/3 innings in his most recent start Monday at the Minnesota Twins, a 13-6 loss. His ERA more than doubled from 3.12.
The major league strikeout leader in 2025 (255 in 205 1/3 innings) did not have a strikeout on Monday.
The ace left-hander had allowed just 13 runs over his eight prior outings, including one postseason appearance in 2025. He gave up more than five runs and pitched less than five innings only once last season — a 7-6 loss to the Houston Astros on Aug. 11 — and had worked at least six frames in two of his first three starts this season.
“Trying to look at it like I would any start. It’s tough to say following the last one, but that’s the only way to separate,” Crochet said.
He also will look to help the Red Sox turn around their fortunes following their 4-1 Saturday loss in which they struck out 10 times and went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position across six innings against two-time reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal.
Boston, a 1-0 winner in 10 innings in Friday’s series opener, has gone back-to-back games scoring one or fewer runs on five or fewer hits.
“You have to chip away with aces,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “You have to make sure when you have your chances to cash in, get it close enough.”
“A 4-0 game in the big leagues, we can turn it around anytime. We couldn’t find the way (against Skubal),” added first baseman Willson Contreras.
Both of Crochet’s career starts against the Tigers came in 2024, but he’s made nine total appearance against them. He is 0-1 with a 1.80 ERA in those games.
Detroit has had mixed results lately, having won seven of its past eight games while also snapping a nine-game road losing streak on Saturday.
“I don’t think any of us are too concerned about our road record (3-9),” Skubal said. “Obviously, it needs to get better and needs to improve. We need to win games on the road, but it’s such a small sample size. … We’re just trying to win every single day we show up to the yard.”
The Saturday game saw the Tigers take a 1-0 lead that they would not relinquish when Kerry Carpenter drew a bases-loaded walk in the first. He added a solo home run in the fourth.
It also was a multi-hit day for Detroit’s touted infield prospect, Kevin McGonigle, who had an RBI single in the fourth and scored a run in the first.
“It was a well-played game all around,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “I thought our at-bats were really tough early.”
With an opportunity to swing the series, the Tigers wil turn to their own southpaw in Framber Valdez (1-1, 3.75 ERA), who is coming off a season-long outing of seven innings on Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals. He allowed just one run on four hits in a 2-1 Detroit win but wasn’t part of the decision.
Valdez has appeared in six games (four starts) against Boston, going 3-2 with a 3.10 ERA.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Behind Kevin Gausman, Jays strive to stop skid in matchup vs. D-backs
Apr 7, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (34) delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images The Toronto Blue Jays will turn to right-hander Kevin Gausman in an attempt to escape an early-season funk when they meet the Arizona Diamondbacks in the finale of a three-game set in Phoenix on Sunday afternoon.
The Diamondbacks secured the series win with a 6-2 victory Saturday on Corbin Carroll’s grand slam that broke a tie in the eighth, keeping each team on its current path.
Arizona has won four games in a row and 10 of its past 13, and has not lost a series since being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers to open the season.
Carroll’s homer secured the Diamondbacks’ 10th comeback win of the season.
“We’ve played a lot of (close games),” Carroll said. “Maybe when you are in those situations, you know you don’t have to press.”
The Blue Jays have lost four straight games, six of their past seven, and have not won a series since a season-opening sweep of the Athletics.
Toronto has played through injured-list stints to George Springer, Alejandro Kirk and Addison Barger this year.
Gausman (0-1, 2.42 ERA) will oppose Arizona right-hander Ryne Nelson (1-1, 3.54) on Sunday.
Gausman has given up three runs or fewer in each of his four starts this season but remains winless despite his low ERA. In two of Gauman’s starts, the Blue Jays have managed just one run.
“We’re not scoring, but we’re definitely not scoring when he’s out there,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “I feel like he’s been as steady as he has ever been here. So looking for him to continue do that.
“He’s in a good place. Physically his delivery is sound. That’s the only time Kevin has been in trouble, with his delivery, and that’s been really good.”
Gausman gave up one run and three hits, striking out 21, over his first two starts, both no-decisions. He gave up three runs and six hits in his last outing, when he went five innings of a no-decision in the Blue Jays’ 9-7, 10-inning victory at Milwaukee on Tuesday.
Gausman has been successful against the Diamondbacks, going 6-2 with a 3.23 ERA in 10 career appearances (nine starts).
Nelson, meanwhile, has been betrayed by his defense at times. He has given up 14 runs in four starts, but only eight runs were earned. Atlanta scored five unearned runs off him in his second start, a 17-2 loss on April 2.
Nelson gave up two runs (one earned) over 5 1/3 innings in his most recent outing, a no-decision in a 9-7 loss at Baltimore on Monday, when the bullpen could not hold a 7-1 lead.
Nelson has increased his slider and curveball usage this season to complement his high-90s fastball. Against the Orioles, he had seven strikeouts — three on a fastball, three on a slider, and one on a curve.
“He’s had success pitching with velo (velocity) and only velo, but we want to allow him to go out there and change speeds, side-to-side as well as up-and-down,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “It’s a very conscious effort to have him pitch a little bit more than just going out there and let it eat with straight veto for 100 pitches.”
Nelson is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in three career outings (all starts) against the Blue Jays.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Phillies 'got to keep fighting' as Braves on verge of sweep
Apr 18, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (27) hits an RBI single against the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Less than one month into the 2026 season, the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies are two trains speeding in opposite directions.
The Braves have won eight of their past 10 games and will try to complete a three-game sweep in Philadelphia on Sunday night.
The Phillies have lost eight of 10, including 9-0 and 3-1 defeats in the first two games of this weekend set. Philadelphia had no answers for Chris Sale on Saturday, as the veteran left-hander allowed just one run over seven innings.
“My main focus was really just following his lead and just trying to execute good pitches,” Sale said of his rapport with catcher Jonah Heim, adding he wanted to “make good, quality pitches, because that’s a hell of a lineup.”
The Phillies managed only five hits — including four singles — and struck out 10 times against Sale and a pair of relievers. Philadelphia has a total of seven runs during a current four-game slide.
“It’s frustrating, but we’ve got to keep fighting,” said manager Rob Thomson, whose squad allowed three unearned runs on Saturday. “We’ve got to keep fighting. … But we’ve got to play better.”
The lone offensive highlight for Philadelphia was a home run by Felix Reyes off of Sale. The homer came in the first major-league at-bat for the 25-year-old outfielder.
Another promising Phillies rookie will take center stage Sunday as Andrew Painter (1-0, 3.77 ERA) will start following an unconventional appearance last weekend.
The 23-year-old right-hander was supposed to start last Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but a migraine led to a late scratch. However, Painter felt well enough to come on in relief, where he allowed one run over five innings, striking out seven and walking one in his team’s 4-3 loss.
“I didn’t know the extent of how long I was going to be able to go out, how good I was feeling,” Painter said. “But I wanted to go out there and at least get a couple innings to take that (workload) off the bullpen.”
Painter has yet to face the Braves in his young career.
Atlanta will counter with Grant Holmes (1-1, 3.32 ERA), who was pulled after allowing three runs in four innings Monday in his team’s 10-4 loss to the Miami Marlins. Braves manager Walt Weiss later noted that Holmes had thrown 99 pitches in his previous outing and that he was looking out for the right-hander’s long-term health.
Still, Holmes wasn’t pleased with his abbreviated performance.
“I started rushing too much and being too quick down the mound,” he said.
Holmes has made four career appearances (one start) against Philadelphia, posting a 1-1 record with a 1.17 ERA. He certainly doesn’t want to let Bryce Harper get going. The Phillies’ slugger had three hits in the series opener but went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts on Saturday.
Philadelphia likely will be without J.T. Realmuto in the series finale after the veteran catcher felt some back tightness on Saturday.
“We’re checking on him now,” Thomson said after Saturday’s game. “I doubt he’ll play (Sunday).”
For Atlanta, Austin Riley has been a pest over the first two games of the series. He has multiple hits in each contest — a pair of opposite-field home runs and four RBIs on Friday and two singles on Saturday.
–Field Level Media
Redemption on mind of Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet in clash vs. Tigers
Behind Kevin Gausman, Jays strive to stop skid in matchup vs. D-backs
