Sports
Scoring runs an issue for both Phillies, Mets
Jul 18, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies infielder Trea Turner (7) reacts against the New York Mets in the second inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Even in a lopsided victory, the Philadelphia Phillies’ inconsistent ways continued Saturday afternoon.
Unfortunately for the New York Mets, consistency has been their biggest problem.
The Phillies and the Mets will each look to earn a series win Sunday afternoon, when Philadelphia hosts New York in the finale of a three-game series between the National League East rivals.
Alan Rangel (0-2, 4.19 ERA) is slated to start for the Phillies against fellow rookie right-hander Nolan McLean (6-6, 3.52).
Trea Turner had three hits, including a homer, and scored three runs Saturday as the Phillies cruised to a 6-1 win.
The six runs were the most for the Phillies since July 4, when they beat the Kansas City Royals, 6-1. Philadelphia has scored more than four runs just five times in 13 games this month, during which it’s gone 7-6 while never winning or losing more than two straight contests.
The Phillies could have had an even bigger afternoon Saturday, when J.T. Realmuto was stranded at third in the second inning, and Edmundo Sosa and Brandon Marsh were left at the corners in the fourth. But Philadelphia put the game away by scoring twice apiece in the fifth and sixth.
The Phillies remain a half-game behind the Chicago Cubs in the race for the top NL wild-card spot and three games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins, who are in a virtual tie for the last NL playoff berth.
“Had a couple innings there — (those) type of innings that make you nervous,” interim Phillies manager Don Mattingly said. “You look at those and you feel like sometimes they’re going to come back to haunt you. Today, it didn’t. Obviously, we were able to keep pushing.”
The Mets’ woes on both sides of the ball continued Saturday, when they had as many hits (three) as errors. Only one of the errors — catcher Francisco Alvarez’s errant pickoff throw trying to nab Kyle Schwarber at first in the fifth — led to a run, but the all-around sloppiness symbolized New York’s disappointing season.
New York, which is in last place in the NL East and on pace for its worst season since 2003 (66-95, .410), ranks 28th in the majors with a .682 OPS while committing 69 errors, second-most behind the Washington Nationals (76).
The Mets ranked sixth in the big leagues last season with a .753 OPS and committed 79 errors, after which president of baseball operations David Stearns emphasized run prevention during an overhaul that shuffled Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo out of town.
But New York has scored one run or fewer 22 times this season after doing so just a major league-low 21 times last season.
“You have to take the mentality that you’re going to score, that you’re going to make plays, that you’re going to defend the field,” interim Mets manager Andy Green said. “I think a little bit of a mentality shift is a positive thing in that setting.”
Rangel was tagged with the loss in his most recent start July 8, when he gave up three runs over 3 1/3 innings as the Phillies were routed by the host Cincinnati Reds, 11-5.
McLean took the defeat on July 10 after allowing a pair of unearned runs as the Mets fell to the visiting Boston Red Sox, 6-2.
Rangel lost his lone appearance against the Mets on June 27, when he surrendered four runs over four innings in the Phillies’ 6-2 road loss. McLean is 1-1 with an 0.68 ERA in two career starts a year ago against Philadelphia.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Guardians go deep seven times as they club Twins
Jul 20, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Rhys Hoskins (8) celebrates his solo home run in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images Rookie Petey Halpin hit his first two home runs and Rhys Hoskins had his 14th career multi-homer game as the Cleveland Guardians went deep a season-high seven times, rolling to a 13-4 victory over the visiting Minnesota Twins on Monday night.
Travis Bazzana and Brayan Rocchio also cleared the fence against Twins starter Joe Ryan (6-6), who allowed a franchise- and ballpark-record six homers in four innings — the most in the majors this season — in his first appearance since the All-Star Game.
Patrick Bailey belted Cleveland’s seventh homer off Woo-Suk Go in the seventh, tying the club’s mark for most ever at home. It was the second-most home runs for any team in a game this season.
Rookie Chase DeLauter had four hits and three RBIs, Bailey totaled four hits and drove in a pair, and Halpin had three hits and three RBIs.
The Guardians scored in each of the first seven innings, hitting six homers in the first four for the initial time since the franchise was founded in 1901. They moved within one-half game of the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central Division.
Tanner Bibee (4-9) won his second consecutive start, working six innings and giving up two runs on six hits. The right-hander struck out five and walked one to post his second victory in 12 home outings this season.
Minnesota lost its third straight, falling 2 1/2 games behind the Boston Red Sox for the final wild-card spot in the AL. The Twins got as close as 3-2 in the second on Brooks Lee’s RBI triple and a sacrifice fly by Alan Roden.
All-Star Byron Buxton went 2-for-3 in his return from the injured list with a right hip strain for Minnesota. Backup catcher Alex Jackson pitched a scoreless eighth.
Ryan, who entered the contest with a 1.72 ERA in six starts in Cleveland, gave up eight runs on a career-high 10 hits with three strikeouts and zero walks. Halpin had a two-run homer in the second for his first blast in 68 at-bats in the majors.
The Guardians’ three runs in the first came on Rocchio’s two-run homer and Hoskins’ solo shot, both after Kody Clemens failed to turn an inning-ending double play on a routine grounder.
Cleveland took its largest lead at 13-3 in the seventh on DeLauter’s two-run double off Go. Its 10 extra-base hits, 13 runs and 19 hits were season bests.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rays end losing streak, shut down struggling Jays
Jul 20, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Nick Martinez (28) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Victor Mesa Jr., Cedric Mullins and Nick Fortes socked solo home runs Monday night and the visiting Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1.
Junior Caminero was 3-for-4 with two doubles, a walk, and two RBIs in the opener of a four-game series to support Nick Martinez, who pitched six effective innings.
Martinez (9-2) allowed one run, six hits and one walk with no strikeouts to help Tampa Bay go to 6-1 against Toronto this season.
Helped by three Toronto errors, the Rays snapped a five-game losing streak and are 1-4 on their eight-game road trip. Toronto is 1-3 on a six-game homestand and fell 11 1/2 games behind the first-place Rays in the American League East.
The Rays took a 1-0 lead against Dylan Cease (6-5) with one out in the second when Mesa Jr. homered for the third straight game, belting a 2-2 sinker to center.
Tampa Bay scored again in the third. Taylor Walls led off the third with a double to right and moved to third on Cease’s errant pickoff throw. Jonathan Aranda grounded a single to right past a drawn-in second baseman Ernie Clement.
Toronto cut the lead to 2-1 when George Springer singled, stole second and scored on Alejandro Kirk’s two-out single to right.
The Rays scored two unearned runs in the fifth. Fortes reached first base on third baseman Kazuma Okamoto’s throwing error, took second on Walls’ sacrifice bunt and scored when shortstop Andres Gimenez committed an error on Yandy Diaz’s grounder. Diaz stole second and sprinted home on Caminero’s single to left.
Mullins led off the sixth with a homer to center on a first-pitch knuckle curve.
Cease allowed five runs (three earned), seven hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in six innings.
Braydon Fisher replaced Cease in the seventh and allowed a run on an infield hit by Diaz and a two-out RBI double by Caminero to center.
Cam Booser replaced Martinez and pitched a perfect seventh.
Fortes homered to left-center on a 2-1 slider to lead off the ninth against Brendon Little.
Tampa Bay’s Bryan Baker worked around a walk and a single in the bottom of the ninth.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Braves open four-game set with low-scoring win over Padres
Jul 20, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Bryce Elder (55) throws against the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies hit solo home runs and Bryce Elder pitched six strong innings to help the Atlanta Braves beat the visiting San Diego Padres 3-2 on Monday in the opener of their four-game series.
It was Atlanta’s first win in four tries against the San Diego. The Braves are 3-1 and the Padres are 1-3 since the All-Star break.
Harris went deep in the fifth to tie the game and Albies homered in the sixth, although their streak of nine consecutive home games with at least five runs came to an end.
Elder (6-6) allowed two runs on five hits and one walk, striking out four. Victor Mederos pitched the final 2 1/3 innings and earned his first career save.
San Diego’s Ty France extended his hitting streak to a season-high eight games with a single in the fourth and homered to start the seventh. It was his 15th of the year, the fifth during his hitting streak, and forced Elder to leave the game.
San Diego starter JP Sears (2-3) pitched five innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits with three strikeouts. Sears retired the first 10 batters he faced until Albies lined a one-handed single into left with one out in the fourth.
Manny Machado, who caught the Braves off-balance with a bunt single in the first inning, went back to the power game in the fourth when he smacked a hanging breaking ball for a home run and a 1-0 Padres lead. Machado’s 20th homer sailed 402 feet and just cleared the yellow line on the fence in left-center field.
The Braves took a 2-1 lead in the fifth. Harris hit his 18th home run, a 341-foot solo shot that just made it over the top of the brick wall in right field. Mauricio Dubon then reached on catcher’s interference and scored when Joey Bart lined a double into the left field corner.
Atlanta struck again in the sixth off reliever Wandy Peralta when Albies hit a solo homer, his 15th and first since July 3, for what would be the winning run.
–Field Level Media
Guardians go deep seven times as they club Twins
Rays end losing streak, shut down struggling Jays
