Sports
MLB roundup: Phils sink Cubs, secure NL East crown
Sep 23, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first base Bryce Harper (3) celebrates with teammates after winning the National League East Division with a win against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber homered in support of right-hander Aaron Nola as the host Philadelphia Phillies secured their first National League East title in 13 years by defeating the Chicago Cubs 6-2 on Monday.
The Phillies entered the day with a magic number of one to clinch the division — a bit of a disappointment after a 2-5 road trip against the Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets.
However, some home cooking proved to be the right recipe for Philadelphia (93-64), which remains a half-game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the race for the best record in the NL.
Realmuto, Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos each finished with two hits for the Phillies. Nola (13-8) allowed two runs on seven hits in six-plus frames. He walked two and struck out seven to earn his first victory since Aug. 27.
Isaac Paredes registered a pair of hits for the Cubs, who had won three of their previous four games.
Mariners 6, Astros 1
Bryce Miller stymied host Houston by logging seven scoreless innings as Seattle gained ground in the American League playoff race.
Jorge Polanco, Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena each had an RBI double for the Mariners, who closed within 1 1/2 games of the final AL wild-card spot. Miller (12-8) scattered two hits and two walks while striking out five, including consecutive punchouts with runners on second and third in the seventh inning.
Hunter Brown (11-9) was just as stingy as Miller over his six innings for the Astros, who would have clinched their fourth straight AL West title with a win Monday. The right-hander limited the Mariners to one run on three hits and three walks while fanning eight.
Red Sox 4, Blue Jays 1
Wilyer Abreu had two hits, including an RBI double, and visiting Boston took advantage of 10 walks to defeat Toronto.
Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck (9-10) pitched five scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk in the opener of a three-game series. He didn’t record a strikeout. Boston has won three in a row.
Spencer Horwitz had an RBI single for the Blue Jays. Toronto starter Chris Bassitt (10-14) gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits and seven walks while striking out two in 4 1/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Mets' Francisco Lindor (calf) exits vs. Twins
Apr 22, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) reacts after his RBI infield single against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor exited Wednesday night’s game against the visiting Minnesota Twins after the fourth inning due to left calf tightness
Lindor, who was on first base following a single, did not appear to be running at full speed as he circled the diamond and scored on Francisco Alvarez’s double.
The 32-year-old grimaced while rounding third and remained on the ground for a few seconds after sliding in ahead of Victor Caratini’s tag to give the Mets — who have lost 12 straight — a 2-1 lead.
Lindor was injured the same day Juan Soto returned from a 15-game absence due to a strained right calf. The Mets won their first three games after Soto was injured Apr. 3 before beginning their losing streak.
Lindor has missed just 15 games since his most recent IL stint in 2021, when he missed more than five weeks due to a right oblique strain.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Braves blast four homers to bypass Nationals
Apr 22, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II (23) celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images Michael Harris II hit two home runs, Matt Olson smacked a three-run shot and the Atlanta Braves rallied from an early three-run deficit to claim an 8-6 win against the host Washington Nationals on Wednesday night.
The seventh multi-homer game of Harris’ career helped Atlanta manager Walt Weiss earn his 300th victory. Drake Baldwin homered for the second straight game for the Braves, who have earned at least a split of the four-game series.
Dylan Lee (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win. Robert Suarez pitched the ninth for his second save. After walking 12 batters on Tuesday night, Braves pitchers issued only three free passes.
James Wood homered for the second straight game for Washington. Daylen Lile hit a three-run homer and Joey Wiemer had a pinch-hit solo shot.
Washington starter Zack Littell (0-3) allowed eight runs (six earned) on seven hits over six innings.
The Braves started in on Littell early as Baldwin homered to right center in the first to make it 1-0.
Washington jumped in front with a four-run first against Atlanta starter Didier Fuentes, who lasted just three innings while allowing seven hits and four runs.
Wood and Luis Garcia, Jr. opened the first with singles and, after two strikeouts, Lile delivered a homer to center. Jacob Young singled and scored when Jorbit Vivas doubled to right.
The Braves came right back. Ozzie Albies reached on a Vivas error and Harris homered to right. Mike Yastrzemski singled, went to third on a single by Jonah Heim and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ronald Acuna, Jr.
Harris struck again in the third as his solo shot gave the Braves a 5-4 lead.
Atlanta broke it open in the fourth. Heim and Acuna drew one-out walks and, with two outs, Olson homered to right to make it 8-4.
The Nationals cut the deficit in half in the sixth on solo homers by pinch-hitter Wiemer and Wood, whose 413-foot shot was his National League-leading ninth of the season.
Washington got the tying runs on with two outs in the eighth, but Tyler Kinley struck out Curtis Mead.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Max Fried dominates as Yankees nearly blank Red Sox again
Apr 22, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Max Fried (54) pitches against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images Amed Rosario had four RBI in just two plate appearances and Max Fried pitched eight shutout innings, leading the visiting New York Yankees to a 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night.
Rosario’s three-run shot in the first inning was all that New York needed, as Fried (3-1) allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out nine, completing a masterful outing in exactly 100 pitches.
Adding to the New York offense, Giancarlo Stanton went 2-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored, while Aaron Judge crossed the plate twice.
Jarren Duran (3-for-4) doubled twice and knocked in Boston’s only run with a ninth-inning single.
Boston left-hander Ranger Suarez (1-2) took the loss after allowing four runs through 4 2/3 innings, but the relief duo of Zack Kelly and Eduardo Rivera pitched scoreless, one-hit ball the rest of the way.
Rivera, who was recalled from Triple-A Worcester earlier in the day, pitched 3 1/3 innings of one-hit ball in his MLB debut. He struck out three.
The Yankees picked up where they left off in Tuesday’s series-opening shutout, breaking Suarez’s 14-inning scoreless streak by jumping out to a 3-0 lead on Rosario’s homer over the Green Monster. Judge drew a one-out walk and Stanton doubled two batters later with two outs to set the table.
Fried worked out of a two-on, no-out jam in the second to keep the home team scoreless, striking out three consecutive batters after Andruw Monasterio walked and Duran knocked a high wall-ball double to lead off the frame.
In the third, Judge stung a leadoff single and Stanton banged a one-out double to left. Rosario then sent a line-drive sac fly to left, extending the New York lead to 4-0.
The Red Sox were unable to cash in baserunners in the next two innings, as Wilyer Abreu had a two-out knock in the third and Duran added his second two-bagger in the fourth. Following the latter knock, Fried retired the final 14 batters he faced.
Brent Headrick was one strike away from pitching New York’s third consecutive shutout for the first time since 1962, but Duran’s knock through the middle scored Trevor Story to break up the bid in the ninth.
–Field Level Media
