Jake McCarthy hit the first pitch of the home half of the first inning for a home run and later added a grand slam, propelling the Colorado Rockies to a 15-3 shellacking of the San Francisco Giants in the opener of a three-game series Friday night in Denver.

McCarthy finished with four hits and a career-high six RBIs, becoming the seventh player in major league history to hit a leadoff homer and grand slam in the same game, per MLB.com.

Cole Carrigg drove in three runs and tripled twice for the Rockies, who got six strong innings from Ryan Feltner (3-2) and saw Gabriel Hughes record a three-inning save in his major league debut.

Coming off being named the National League Pitcher of the Month for June, Giants starter Logan Webb (5-6) was tagged for seven runs on 11 hits over three innings. Rafael Devers belted a home run among two hits for San Francisco.

Cardinals 17, Cubs 1

Masyn Winn and Alec Burleson each drove in four runs, helping visiting St. Louis set season highs in both runs and hits (17) during a romp over Chicago.

The Cardinals scored multiple runs each inning between the second through sixth to jump ahead 16-0. Winn had an RBI single and joined Nathan Church in belting a three-run homer. The high-octane offense was more than enough for Andre Pallante (10-5), who scattered five hits in 5 2/3 scoreless innings.

Alex Bregman had an RBI double in the seventh for the Cubs, who had their five-game winning streak end. David Peterson (4-7) was hit hard, permitting 10 runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Nationals 9, Pirates 5

Luis Garcia Jr. and Daylen Lile each belted two home runs, leading Washington to a home win over Pittsburgh.

Lile also doubled and drove in four runs and Garcia had three RBIs. Jose Tena hit a two-run homer and James Wood had a double, a triple and scored a run for Washington. Foster Griffin (9-2) allowed one run on four hits in five innings.

Bryan Reynolds doubled, homered and drove in two runs while Esmerlyn Valdez went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI for the Pirates. Mitch Keller (6-6) yielded five runs on eight hits over six innings.

Blue Jays 2, Mariners 0

Dylan Cease pitched seven sharp innings as Toronto defeated host Seattle in the opener of a three-game series between the teams that met in the 2025 American League Championship Series.

It was the third victory in the past four games for the Blue Jays following a six-game skid. Cease (5-4) allowed only three hits, walked one and struck out nine.

The Mariners saw their three-game winning streak end, and they fell out of a first-place tie with the idle Texas Rangers in the AL West. Luis Castillo (3-7) went six innings and allowed two runs on five hits.

Dodgers 4, Padres 3

Teoscar Hernandez hit a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning as Los Angeles rallied for a victory over visiting San Diego, sending the Padres to a season-high seventh consecutive loss.

Los Angeles starter Shohei Ohtani struck out nine over six innings of three-run ball. Kyle Hurt (3-1) threw a scoreless inning, and Tanner Scott pitched the ninth for his 12th save as the Dodgers won for the ninth time in 11 games.

Jackson Merrill homered for the Padres, who squandered a 3-0 lead. Michael King took a shutout into the seventh inning but wound up charged with two runs (one earned) on three hits over six-plus innings. Adrian Morejon (6-2) served up Hernandez’s slam.

Red Sox 5, Angels 2

Romy Gonzalez went 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs and Aroldis Chapman broke the record for most strikeouts by a reliever en route to his 17th save as Boston defeated Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.

Caleb Durbin hit a home run and scored twice, Jarren Duran had two RBIs and Ceddanne Rafaela collected two hits for Boston. Jake Bennett (3-3) allowed two runs on five hits over 7 2/3 innings. Chapman struck out Denzer Guzman for his 1,364th career strikeout, breaking the all-time reliever record held by Hoyt Wilhelm.

Jose Siri homered and Zach Neto had two hits and an RBI for the Angels, who lost their fourth straight game. Reid Detmers (3-6) permitted five runs on seven hits over five innings.

Marlins 12, Athletics 5

Heriberto Hernandez hit a three-run homer and Jakob Marsee added a solo shot during a six-run first inning to help Miami post a victory over the Athletics in West Sacramento, Calif.

Kyle Stowers went 4-for-5 with two homers, three RBIs and three runs for the Marlins, who halted a two-game slide. Owen Caissie added a solo shot as Miami matched its season high with five homers.

Nick Kurtz hit a two-run homer and Jeff McNeil had a three-run double for the Athletics, who lost for the ninth time in 12 games.

Guardians 4, White Sox 3 (10 innings)

Kahlil Watson singled up the middle in the 10th inning, scoring the winning run as Cleveland beat visiting Chicago and took a one-game lead over the White Sox atop the American League Central.

Travis Bazzana led off with a single off Sean Newcomb (0-2), moving automatic runner Steven Kwan to third. Watson followed with Cleveland’s second consecutive walk-off hit to open the four-game series. Erik Sabrowski (3-1) pitched a perfect top of the 10th.

White Sox starter Anthony Kay exited following a two-hour rain delay. He allowed one run and one hit in four innings. Miguel Vargas hit a three-run homer.

Orioles 3, Reds 0

Trevor Rogers threw five shutout innings and Samuel Basallo hit a two-run homer as Baltimore knocked off host Cincinnati.

Rogers (6-7) allowed just two hits and five walks while striking out four to register his third win in as many starts. Tyler Wells retired the Reds in order in the ninth to earn his first save since 2023. The Orioles scored what became the winning run in the first inning on a throwing error by catcher Tyler Stephenson.

Reds starter Brady Singer (3-8) lasted five innings, allowing three hits and five walks. Cincinnati stranded 10 runners and was 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, finishing with four hits, all of which were singles.

Braves 5, Mets 3

Matt Olson emphatically ended a 16-game homerless streak with a pair of solo shots to lead Atlanta past visiting New York in the opener of a four-game series.

Olson produced his second multi-homer game of the season and the 27th of his career. He raised his total to a team-high 22 homers this season. The Braves had only five hits, and four left the park, as Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies also went deep.

Christian Scott (2-1) worked four innings and allowed three runs on two hits as the Mets fell a season-worst 16 games below .500.

Rays 3, Astros 1

Junior Caminero smacked his 10th home run over his past 10 games and Nick Fortes added a pair of run-scoring extra-base hits as Tampa Bay extended its winning streak to nine games with a victory at Houston.

Caminero, the American League Player of the Month for June, snapped a 1-1 deadlock with his 25th home run in the seventh inning, a solo shot off Astros reliever Steven Okert (1-1). Fortes homered in the sixth and added an RBI double with two outs in the eighth. Bryan Baker handled the ninth inning for his 23rd save.

Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti rebounded from a ragged month of June by working six innings, allowing one run on two hits.

Yankees 5, Twins 2

Ben Rice hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the third inning and New York snapped its seven-game losing streak — the team’s longest in three years — with a win over visiting Minnesota.

Following a rain delay, Rice lifted a full-count fastball from Minnesota rookie starter Mike Paredes (0-2) into the right field seats for his 24th homer. Trent Grisham accounted for two runs and two RBIs in his return from the injured list. Gerrit Cole (3-3) allowed two runs on five hits in five innings, and David Bednar struck out the side in the ninth for his 17th save.

Kody Clemens homered in the first inning and Victor Caratini cut into the deficit with a fourth-inning RBI single for the Twins. Paredes allowed three runs on four hits in four innings.

Brewers 7, Diamondbacks 4 (11 innings)

Brice Turang hit a two-run single in a four-run 11th inning to help Milwaukee earn a win against Arizona in the opener of a three-game series in Phoenix.

Turang had three hits and also a run, Jake Bauers collected three hits, an RBI and a run, and Garrett Mitchell hit a two-run homer for the Brewers, who have won four of five. Kyle Harrison has won seven straight decisions, but he got a third straight no-decision after letting a 3-0 lead slip away. The left-hander was tagged for three runs and five hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Ildemaro Vargas had three hits and an RBI, Gabriel Moreno produced two hits, an RBI and a run, and Nolan Arenado contributed a two-run double for Arizona, which has lost two in a row. Diamondbacks rookie Jose Cabrera went 3 1/3 innings, allowing three runs and six hits.

–Field Level Media

After launching two home runs during the Washington Nationals’ five-homer outburst Friday, Daylen Lile is sticking to his approach against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates entering a Saturday matinee.

Luis Garcia Jr. also hit two home runs and Jose Tena added a two-run shot in the Nationals’ 9-5 series-opening win on Friday.

“I’m trusting and believing in the process,” Lile said. “I’m not trying not to be someone that I’m not. I am trying to realize who I am as a hitter and player and trying to execute for myself and the team.”

Garcia produced 11 home runs and 27 RBIs in June. In two July games, he has two homers and five RBIs. He leads the Nationals in batting average (.283), RBIs (62), slugging (.559) and is tied for second on the team in homers (18).

As Washington moved to three games over .500, Lile said the club is only beginning to tap into its potential.

“(Luis) has put in the work,” Lile said. “It’s really paying off. It’s nice to see him capitalize for the team. It’s only the beginning, not just for him but for all of us.”

The Pirates are set to hand the ball to Braxton Ashcraft (8-3, 3.33 ERA) to try to slow down the Nationals’ offense, which has scored 27 runs in Washington’s three-game winning streak.

The 26-year-old right-hander is coming off a solid June in which he went 3-1 and pitched at least five innings in all five of his starts. He earned an 11-7 road win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, allowing five runs on five hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in six innings.

Ashcraft made his only career start against the Nationals on April 16, receiving a no-decision after allowing five runs (two earned) on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly said his club’s success relies on starters going deep into the game.

“The starting rotation is the foundation,” Kelly said. “And we need them big time.”

Pittsburgh scored four runs in the ninth on Friday thanks to RBI doubles from Brandon Lowe, Bryan Reynolds, Esmerlyn Valdez and Nick Gonzales, but the Pirates still took their third loss in four games.

With only 20 games under his belt, Valdez has looked the part of a major-leaguer. He went 3-for-5 with a run and RBI on Friday, and he is 19-for-38 (.500) with four homers and 11 RBIs in his past 11 games.

“You see young guys get down on themselves and get discouraged early,” Kelly said, “but he has not. He stays in the fight, continues to battle and goes the other way with base hits and good at-bats.”

The Nationals are slated to counter with Zack Littell (7-6, 5.29 ERA). In his latest outing, Littell picked up a 6-4 win on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles. He gave up two runs on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts over five innings.

In five career appearances (one start) against the Pirates, Littell is 0-0 with a 7.27 ERA in 8 2/3 innings.

Littell will take outs however they come.

“I’d love to be different and have a crazy amount of swing and miss,” he said. “I wish I had a cool changeup that would be flashy and fun. There’s not a lot of guys in the game that are kind of like me now. I go out there and if I get 21 ground-ball outs and get through seven innings, I’ll be just as happy if I get 10 (strikeouts).”

–Field Level Media

The piggyback is back.

And this time, with two different Seattle Mariners pitchers.

Logan Gilbert is scheduled to start Saturday afternoon against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays, throwing approximately 65 to 75 pitches, before turning things over to fellow right-hander Emerson Hancock.

They will be opposed by veteran right-hander Shane Bieber, who will be making his third start of the season after being sidelined for the first three months due to right elbow inflammation. Bieber (0-0, 6.00 ERA) is 2-2 with a 2.30 ERA in seven career starts against Seattle.

So far this season, the Mariners’ Bryce Miller and Luis Castillo have participated in four piggyback starts, with the team going 2-2 in those contests.

Gilbert (6-5, 3.42 ERA) and Hancock (5-4, 3.47) were scheduled to pitch as a duo last weekend in Cleveland, but instead the team went back to a six-man rotation.

“It was a chance to give a couple guys an extra day here or there,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said of altering the plan last week. “The way we had it set up, it just provided a little flexibility there, so we were able to do that. But we will go back to it in this series against Toronto.”

The Mariners’ issue is they have six quality starters for five spots in the rotation.

Hancock pitched so well while Miller missed the first six weeks of the season that he wasn’t getting displaced. The Mariners’ least effective starter has been the veteran Castillo, who is also the highest-paid member of the staff.

The team has alternated between a six-man rotation and the piggyback system in recent weeks. After a meeting with the starters, the coaching staff and members of the front office, it was agreed they would expand the piggyback system to include all of the starters at some point through the All-Star break.

In theory, that would have Bryan Woo and George Kirby piggybacking next week against Miami.

“These guys have all wanted to shoulder the load,” Wilson said. “As we go forward, we’ll make our adjustments.”

The Blue Jays won the series opener 2-0 on Friday as Dylan Cease and two relievers combined on a four-hitter. Cease allowed three hits over seven innings, with just one walk and nine strikeouts.

“I thought it was just a really good outing,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said of Cease. “I thought his pace was a lot better … really the whole time without shaking (off) and being on the same page (as catcher Alejandro Kirk).”

The Blue Jays scored both of their runs in the third inning, on an RBI double to center field by Andres Gimenez and an RBI single to right field by Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Guerrero is hitting just .161 (5-for-31) over the past eight games, though he reported that he is feeling better at the plate.

“But the most important thing is trying to keep doing things to help this team win some games,” Guerrero said through an interpreter.

After averaging 31.8 homers over the past five seasons, Guerrero has just four long balls more than halfway into the current campaign.

The Mariners will remain without Julio Rodriguez after he was placed on the seven-day concussion injured list on Friday. The star center fielder was hit in the back of the helmet by an errant throw while running the bases on Thursday in Seattle’s 1-0 victory against the Los Angeles Angels.

Utility man Miles Mastrobuoni was promoted from Triple-A Tacoma to fill Rodriguez’s roster spot.

–Field Level Media