Sports
MLB roundup: Yanks fall to Pirates, still land AL's No. 1 seed
Sep 28, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto (22) reacts after being tagged out trying to stretch his RBI single into a double during the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Yasmani Grandal hit the first of the Pirates’ five homers on Saturday, and Pittsburgh never trailed in a 9-4 win over the host New York Yankees, who saw Aaron Judge strike out five times.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered in the fifth and laced an RBI double in the eighth for the American League East-winning Yankees, who still managed to lock down the AL’s top seed for the playoffs thanks to the Houston Astros’ 4-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians later Saturday.
Grandal went deep in the second inning off Luis Gil (15-7), who gave up a solo homer by Nick Gonzales in the fourth and two-run shots by Billy Cook and Jared Triolo in the fifth and sixth, respectively.
Mike Burrows (1-0) earned the win in his major league debut by allowing two runs (one earned) in 3 1/3 innings of relief. Burrows followed Paul Skenes, who concluded his rookie season by striking out three in two perfect innings.
Skenes, a top contender for the National League Rookie of the Year award, finished the season 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA. He had 170 strikeouts in 133 innings.
Nationals 6, Phillies 3
James Wood homered, tripled and scored two runs and Joey Gallo hit a three-run homer to highlight a four-run eighth inning to lead host Washington over Philadelphia.
Keibert Ruiz also had two hits to go along with an RBI and Dylan Crews went 2-for-3 with a stolen base and a run for the Nationals. Starter MacKenzie Gore allowed just three singles over six shutout innings.
Trea Turner homered and Nick Castellanos tripled and scored a run for Philadelphia. Starter Zack Wheeler allowed two runs on three hits over 6 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out 11. The loss meant the NL East-champion Phillies, who already had earned a bye into the NL Division Series, will finish as the No. 2 seed in the NL behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Cubs 3, Reds 0
Kyle Hendricks threw 7 1/3 shutout innings in what could be his final start for Chicago, guiding the Cubs past visiting Cincinnati in the second game of a three-game series.
Hendricks, who has been with Chicago since 2014 and helped it win a World Series title in 2016, struck out two and walked two. He retired the first batter of the eighth inning before being replaced by Tyson Miller (5-1), getting hugs from his teammates and a standing ovation from the crowd.
Reds starter Rhett Lowder threw five shutout innings, allowing three hits to go along with one strikeout and three walks. The Reds have lost five in a row and haven’t scored in the past 19 innings.
Braves 2, Royals 1
Travis d’Arnaud hit a walk-off home run in the ninth inning to lift Atlanta over visiting Kansas City.
With one out, d’Arnaud sent a fastball from Royals reliever Sam Long (3-3) 421 feet to center. The Braves hold a one-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets for the second NL wild-card spot.
The Royals, who were held to three hits — including one for extra bases — have lost nine of their past 12.
White Sox 4, Tigers 0
Andrew Benintendi blasted a two-run homer and visiting Chicago cooled off playoff-bound Detroit.
Benintendi also doubled and scored two runs as the White Sox won for the fourth time in five games. Bryan Ramos had a solo homer for Chicago, which set the modern era record for most losses in a single season on Friday.
Sean Burke (2-0), making his fourth career appearance, limited the Tigers to two hits in five innings while notching six strikeouts. Detroit saw its six-game winning streak snapped.
Marlins 8, Blue Jays 1
Dane Myers had a three-run homer and a two-run double as visiting Miami clubbed Toronto.
Former Blue Jays minor-leaguer Griffin Conine had three hits and an RBI as the Marlins clinched a season-ending three-game series. Right-hander Xzavion Curry (2-2) allowed one run, two hits and one walk to go along with one strikeout in five innings.
Nathan Lukes hit his first career major league home run, a solo shot, for the Blue Jays. Toronto right-hander Yariel Rodriguez (1-8) allowed three runs, four hits and two walks while striking out five in five-plus innings. Alejandro Kirk popped out to end the game and was 0-for-3 with a walk, snapping an 18-game hitting streak.
Giants 6, Cardinals 5
St. Louis reliever Matthew Liberatore fielded a Brett Wisely two-out bunt in the eighth inning and threw wildly past first base, allowing Tyler Fitzgerald to score from first for San Francisco’s difference-making run in a home victory.
Ryan Walker (10-4), who pitched out of a second-and-third, two-out jam to preserve a tie in the top of the eighth, was credited with the win. Rookie Spencer Bivens picked up his first career save with a scoreless ninth. Andrew Bailey finished with two RBIs and Matt Chapman had a pair of doubles and scored twice for the Giants, who kept their hopes alive for a .500 season.
The Cardinals’ Andre Pallante went five innings, during which he was charged with four runs (three earned) on seven hits. Paul Goldschmidt and Brendan Donovan had three hits and two RBIs apiece for the Cardinals.
Rays 7, Red Sox 2
Junior Caminero collected three hits, including a home run, and drove in three runs to lead visiting Tampa Bay to a victory over Boston.
Caminero hit a two-run homer in the third — his sixth home run of the season — and collected his other RBI on an infield single in the fifth. The Rays took control by scoring four runs on five hits in the fifth. That stretched their lead to 6-1.
Triston Casas hit a solo home run for the Red Sox. It was his 13th home run of the season. Boston starting pitcher Kutter Crawford (9-16) allowed six runs on five hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Astros 4, Guardians 3
Justin Verlander allowed three early runs but grinded out six innings and Houston used a three-run second to beat host Cleveland.
Looking to be a contributor for the Astros in the postseason, Verlander (5-6) allowed a two-run, first-inning homer to Jose Ramirez, and another run in the third, but nothing else.
Rookie Zach Dezenzo had two hits and an RBI for Houston. The Astros’ Hector Neris, Ryan Pressly and Shawn Dubin combined to hold Cleveland to two hits over the final three innings. Cleveland’s Ben Lively (13-10) lasted four innings, allowing four runs (two earned) and five hits.
Orioles 9, Twins 2
Emmanuel Rivera went 4-for-4 with two homers and four RBIs as Baltimore cruised past Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Ryan O’Hearn finished 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs for the Orioles. Adley Rutschman also drove in two runs as Baltimore achieved back-to-back 90-plus-win seasons for the first time since 1982-83.
Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews (1-4) surrendered six runs on seven hits in three innings. Ryan Jeffers hit a two-run homer to account for the only scoring for Minnesota, which has lost six of its past seven games.
Brewers 6, Mets 0
Joey Ortiz drove in three runs and six Milwaukee pitchers combined on a two-hit shutout of visiting New York, preventing the Mets from gaining an advantage in a tightly contested NL wild-card race.
The Mets are tied with the Diamondbacks for the final NL wild-card spot. After finishing the three-game series at Milwaukee on Sunday, New York will play a makeup doubleheader on Monday in Atlanta.
Tobias Myers (9-6) got the victory with four innings of one-hit relief after reliever Jared Koenig pitched the first.
Padres 5, Diamondbacks 0
Kyle Higashioka broke open a scoreless game with a two-run homer in the top of the ninth, Brandon Lockridge followed with a solo shot and San Diego, playing mostly reserves, downed Arizona in the second meeting of a three-game series in Phoenix.
Donovan Solano finished 4-for-5 and added another two-run homer with two outs in a stunning five-run ninth inning for the Padres.
A.J. Puk (4-9) took the loss for Arizona after coming on with one out in the ninth, allowing three hits and two long balls for the first time ever in his career as a reliever. The Diamondbacks finished with only two hits.
Dodgers 13, Rockies 2
Enrique Hernandez homered and singled twice, Teoscar Hernandez also went deep and Los Angeles routed Colorado in Denver on Saturday night.
Shohei Ohtani stole his 58th base of the year and had two hits to raise his average to .310, four points behind San Diego’s Luis Arraez with one game left. Ohtani is looking to become the first NL Triple Crown winner since 1937. The Dodgers had 18 hits.
Charlie Blackmon singled and scored a run for the Rockies in the penultimate game of his career. Colorado starter Antonio Senzatela (0-1) allowed seven runs (six earned) on six hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Rangers 9, Angels 8
Pinch hitter Jonathan Ornelas hit a game-tying two-run single and Nathaniel Lowe scored the tiebreaking run thanks to a throwing error in the ninth inning as Texas stormed back for a victory over Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.
Texas entered the ninth facing an 8-5 deficit and loaded the bases against Jose Quijada (2-2) when Matt Duffy was grazed on the foot by a pitch. Lowe fouled off four straight pitches before working a walk to make it a two-run game. Ryan Miller replaced Quijada, and Ornelas hit a sharp ground ball past Niko Kavadas. Gustavo Campero was slow to retrieve the ball and overthrew shortstop Jack Lopez, allowing Lowe to score on the play.
Texas’ Dane Dunning (5-7) pitched a 1-2-3 eighth to set up the comeback, and Kirby Yates retired the side in order in the ninth for his 33rd save of the year. Campero hit a three-run homer, his first long ball in the majors, and Kavadas also went deep for the Angels.
Mariners 7, Athletics 6 (10 innings)
Justin Turner’s pinch-hit fielder’s choice scored Leo Rivas from third base with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning, lifting Seattle over visiting Oakland.
Rivas, who started the inning at second base as the automatic runner, took third on J.P. Crawford’s groundout to the right side of the infield. After an intentional walk to Dylan Moore, Turner hit a slow grounder to second baseman Zack Gelof, who threw home, but Rivas slid around the tag to score the winning run.
Oakland’s Shea Langeliers hit a three-run homer with two outs in the top of the ninth to give the A’s a 6-4 lead. Brent Rooker and Tyler Soderstrom also went deep for the Athletics.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pirates use 3-run 10th to extend Brewers' losing streak
Apr 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
Sports
Salvador Perez, Cole Ragans help Royals club Angels
Apr 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
Sports
Yankees score late to break open close game against Astros
Apr 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
