Sports
Orioles, flying high, look to soar past Blue Jays
Jun 5, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) celebrates with team mates in the dugout after scoring a run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images The Baltimore Orioles are hitting on all cylinders, and they will aim to keep rolling Saturday afternoon when they try for a series win over the host Toronto Blue Jays.
The Orioles scored five runs in the sixth inning Friday night on the way to a 13-3 victory in the opener of the three-game series.
The teams split four games at Baltimore last week.
Adley Rutschman was 4-for-4 with a homer, two doubles, a walk and five RBIs on Friday for Baltimore, which reached Toronto’s Trey Yesavage for six runs in 5 1/3 innings. Orioles starter Brandon Young allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings.
“Rutsch is one of the best catchers in this league, and he’s proved it,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. “He does a great job of obviously hitting the home run in the first at-bat in the top of the first, and his (at-bats) were outstanding for the rest of the night. He did a great job of navigating (Young), and that’s the impact that Rutsch can make on both sides of the ball, and it’s felt. Not to mention running the bases well.”
Baltimore has won 10 of 14 to move into third place in the American League East, one game ahead of Toronto.
The Orioles are scheduled to start right-hander Kyle Bradish (3-6, 3.44 ERA) on Saturday. He will be out to repeat his outing against the Blue Jays last Sunday when he allowed one unearned run in seven innings in a 9-5 victory. Bradish is 2-3 with a 4.40 ERA in nine career starts against Toronto.
The Blue Jays had not named a starter as of early Saturday but rookie right-hander Spencer Miles (2-1, 3.47) figures to be used, perhaps as a bulk pitcher behind an opener. He started at Baltimore last Sunday and allowed six runs in three innings to take the 9-5 loss.
Both teams had players leave with injuries on Friday.
Toronto center fielder Daulton Varsho was replaced by pinch hitter Yohendrick Pinango in the fourth because of discomfort in his left wrist. It was noticeable in his first at-bat of the game.
Manager John Schneider said Varsho had been dealing with some inflammation in the wrist for a couple of days and it flared up. X-rays were negative.
“It crept up on him a little bit as he was hitting against the machine before the game and we just want to be extra careful with him,” Schneider said. “It’s just more inflammation in his wrist. Hopefully, it’s just a day or two. Just want to be careful.”
Baltimore designated hitter Samuel Basallo was replaced by pinch hitter Jeremiah Jackson in the sixth inning because of abdominal discomfort.
“He felt something in his side,” Albernaz said. “Out of precaution, we just took him out of the game. Obviously, we don’t want him too banged up, but he’s getting looked at, so we’ll know more tomorrow.”
After winning four in a row, the Blue Jays have lost five of six.
“It’s not a secret, we’ve been inconsistent for most of the year,” Schneider said.
“We just need to play for each other,” Yesavage said. “Starters need to play for the bullpen to give those guys some rest. Bullpen needs to play for the guys whose runs they’re saving. Offense, just pass the torch. We don’t need a home run swing every time. Get on base, pass the torch to the next guy.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Mets score 5 runs in 8th to top Royals
Jul 8, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Christian Scott (45) pitches in the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Brett Baty delivered a two-RBI single during a five-run eighth inning Wednesday night for the host New York Mets, who beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 in the middle game of a three-game interleague series.
Royals right-hander Alex Lange (0-4) retired Juan Soto and Bo Bichette on groundouts before Francisco Lindor began the rally with a single. Carson Benge walked and Jorge Polanco legged out an infield single to load the bases for Jared Young, who was hit by a pitch to force home Lindor.
Baty followed four pitches later with his hit to center. Jose Cuas entered and uncorked a wild pitch, which allowed Young to race home. Francisco Alvarez added an RBI single.
Brooks Raley (3-3), the third of four Mets pitchers, allowed one hit in the eighth.
A.J. Ewing hit a leadoff homer and finished with two hits for the Mets, who have won three of four.
New York starter Christian Scott gave up three hits and walked one while striking out five over five scoreless frames.
Salvador Perez tied the game with a run-scoring single in the sixth for the Royals, who had their three-game winning streak snapped. Kansas City scored 36 runs in the three previous victories.
Carter Jensen added an RBI double in the ninth and was one of eight Kansas City players with one hit apiece.
Steven Cruz, who was serving as an opener for the second time this season, whiffed two while throwing 14 pitches in the first inning. Bulk reliever Randy Dobnak allowed three hits and three walks while striking out two over 5 2/3 scoreless innings.
Ewing hit Cruz’s third pitch over the right-centerfield fence for the seventh homer of his rookie season and his first leadoff shot.
The Royals mounted just one threat against Scott, who walked Nick Loftin with two outs in the second before Loftin went to third on Isaac Collins’ single. Scott then got Tyler Tolbert to pop out.
Scott allowed just one baserunner over his final three innings before the Royals rallied in the sixth against Tobias Myers. Jac Caglianone hit a one-out double and scored on Perez’s two-out single to left.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sal Stewart hits 2 of Reds' 5 homers during blowout of Phillies
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Sal Stewart (27) gestures after hitting a 2-run home run in the third inning between the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. The Cincinnati Reds played home run derby Wednesday night in an 11-5 win over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies.
The Reds powered five long balls — including two from Sal Stewart — while All-Star Chase Burns labored through five innings on a humid night to post his National League-leading 11th win.
The five homers accounted for the first seven runs on the night for Cincinnati, which won for just the third time in 10 games and the fifth time in 15. Philadelphia was tagged for double-digit runs for the second time in three games while taking its third loss in four contests.
The highlight of the night for the Reds was a five-run fourth in which they belted four home runs, including three straight from Elly De La Cruz, Stewart and JJ Bleday against reliever Tanner Banks. It was the first time Cincinnati hit back-to-back-to-back homers since July 22, 2023, against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Beginning the decisive frame, Noelvi Marte led off with a homer against Phillies starter Alan Rangel (0-2) to give Cincinnati a 3-2 lead. The other three long balls in the inning came against Tanner Banks.
It was Cincinnati’s first four-homer inning since July 4, 2010, vs. the Chicago Cubs.
Marte added a three-run double in the sixth to blow the game open.
Rangel, making his second major league start after a four-inning scoreless outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 2, was staked to a 2-0 lead thanks to an RBI triple from Justin Crawford and a run-scoring wild pitch by Burns in the second.
Burns allowed three runs on three hits, walking a season-high six and striking out two. He needed 106 pitches to get through five innings and qualify for the win.
Stewart tied the game in the third against Rangel with a towering two-run opposite-field homer to right that landed on the netting atop the visitors’ bullpen.
Philadelphia’s J.T. Realmuto homered off reliever Brock Burke to cut the deficit to 7-4 in the sixth. In the bottom of the inning, Cincinnati got an RBI single from Bleday ahead of Marte’s two-run double.
Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber unloaded his major-league-leading 32nd home run in the ninth, a solo shot to the seats in right against Rhett Lowder.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Red Sox blank White Sox to continue undefeated road trip
Jul 8, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Jake Bennett delivers a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Rate Field. Jake Bennett and two relievers combined on a four-hit shutout and Tsung-Che Cheng had a pair of RBI singles as the visiting Boston Red Sox earned a 5-0 victory against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.
Boston won for the 10th time in 12 games while improving to 5-0 on a nine-game road trip entering the All-Star break.
Bennett, a rookie left-hander, stymied skidding Chicago, which has lost five of seven. Luisangel Acuna singled twice against Bennett (4-3), who held the rest of the White Sox lineup to just two base hits while spacing one walk and four strikeouts in seven innings.
Chicago went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position as Bennett threw 53 of his 81 pitches for strikes.
Boston pitching retired the last 13 Chicago batters in a row. Greg Weissert and Jovani Moran followed Bennett with separate perfect innings.
White Sox ace Davis Martin remained winless since June 10, struggling to complete four innings after a strong beginning.
Martin needed just 21 pitches to retire the first six Red Sox but slumped from there while falling to 9-4.
Boston rolled to three runs in the third inning despite losing two infielders to injury. Second baseman Anthony Seigler (right trap contusion) and first baseman Willson Contreras (left foot contusion) were banged up in short succession.
Seigler collided with Chicago catcher Kyle Teel while scoring on a Martin wild pitch to make it 3-0 with Contreras at bat. Moments later, Contreras fouled a ball off his foot before flying to center. He left the game in the bottom of the inning.
Cheng lined an RBI single to open the scoring and came around on a Ceddanne Rafaela double.
Carlos Narvaez and Cheng delivered successive run-scoring singles in the fourth to stretch the advantage to 5-0.
Martin yielded five runs and six hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Caleb Durbin and Rafaela had two hits apiece for the Red Sox.
Four Chicago pitchers notched nine strikeouts in five innings of shutout relief. Trevor Richards had four strikeouts over two innings.
–Field Level Media
Mets score 5 runs in 8th to top Royals
Sal Stewart hits 2 of Reds' 5 homers during blowout of Phillies
