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Tigers ride all-around effort of Dillon Dingler into clash against Cubs

Jul 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA;  Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) points after he hits a solo home run during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) points after he hits a solo home run during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Dillon Dingler showed again how he can be the Detroit Tigers’ difference-maker.

The Tigers catcher had two home runs, a successful pickoff and the go-ahead RBI single as Detroit defeated the Chicago Cubs 8-6 in 10 innings in the first contest of a three-game set on Monday, all while managing six pitchers in a big-game environment.

Game 2 of the series in Chicago will be Tuesday night.

“A lot of Tigers fans in the stands and obviously a lot of Cubs fans in the stands made it feel like a playoff atmosphere, and the whole team rallied to get a big win,” Dingler said after his 4-for-5, three-RBI performance on Monday.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch concurred, calling it “a character win.”

Hinch said his favorite part of Dingler’s performance wasn’t the big hits. Instead, he enjoyed watching the All-Star’s way of “navigating the game, in this ballpark, against that offense.”

“I love homers for us, when he hits them, but his contribution behind the plate is always going to be where I go to first,” said Hinch, a former catcher who appeared in 27 games with the Tigers in 2003.

The extra-innings loss on Monday was made even worse for Chicago when reliever Trent Thornton left the game after taking a Riley Greene line drive directly off his foot in the 10th.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said X-rays were negative on Thornton’s heel after the game, but he added that the team will monitor his status.

Thornton has a 3-3 record with a 2.70 ERA and three saves in 27 appearances this season.

“We’ve done a really good job of — especially in the bullpen — just trying to do the next-man-up mentality,” Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon told reporters after Thornton’s exit. “But seeing a guy like that go down is tough.”

Injuries have been an unfortunate theme for the Cubs’ pitching staff this season. Phil Maton (knee) was added to the 15-day injured list on Monday, joining fellow pitchers Ben Brown, Daniel Palencia, Ethan Roberts, Hoby Milner and Edward Cabrera on the IL. Other pitchers, including Cade Horton, are on the 60-day IL.

Taillon was making his first start since June 7 in Monday’s loss, recently returning from a hamstring strain. He did not figure into the decision after allowing four runs in 4 1/3 innings.

It will be a clash of left-handers on the mound Tuesday as Detroit’s Framber Valdez (5-6, 4.10 ERA) opposes David Peterson (4-7, 6.45).

Valdez will make his first start since returning from the bereavement list on Saturday after the death of his grandmother. He had a stellar outing in his most recent start on July 9, striking out nine and giving up one run in seven innings as the Tigers beat the Athletics 4-1.

Both of Valdez’s previous starts against Chicago came as a member of the Houston Astros. He’s 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA vs. the Cubs, most recently tossing six shutout innings in a 2-0 Astros win on June 29, 2025.

Peterson is 1-1 with an 8.16 ERA in his three starts for Chicago since being acquired from the Mets on June 25. He took a no-decision last time out against Baltimore on July 9, allowing only one run in five innings of a 3-2 loss.

This will be Peterson’s first career appearance against Detroit.

–Field Level Media

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Dillon Dingler homers twice as Tigers beat Cubs in 10

Jul 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA;  Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) points after he hits a solo home run during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) points after he hits a solo home run during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Dillon Dingler hit two home runs and added the go-ahead RBI single in the 10th inning to help the visiting Detroit Tigers survive a comeback by the Chicago Cubs in an 8-6 extra-innings win on Monday night.

Detroit led for essentially the entire game, scoring four times in the first inning, until Ian Happ’s two-run homer off Kyle Finnegan in the eighth knotted the score at 5-5.

With runners on the corners and no one out in the 10th, Dingler hit a chopper deep into the hole at shortstop and beat the throw to first from Dansby Swanson. Spencer Torkelson added on with a two-run single.

Trent Thornton (3-3) took the loss despite only facing one hitter in the frame. He exited the game after Riley Greene’s liner hit him in the left heel, getting replaced by Javier Assad.

Pedro Ramirez got the Cubs one run back after reaching on an RBI fielder’s choice in the bottom of the inning and Swanson singled to bring the winning run to the plate, but Tyler Holton got Carson Kelly to ground out to close out the game.

Dingler — the Tigers’ starting catcher — shined on both sides of the plate, starting an inning-ending pickoff play to go along with a 4-for-5 night which included three RBIs.

Greene also homered for Detroit, opening the scoring with a three-run blast to right-center. Dingler tacked on with a solo shot to dead center the next at-bat.

In the third, it was Chicago’s turn to hit back-to-back homers. First, Seiya Suzuki hit a two-run shot off Jack Flaherty to cut the deficit in half. Michael Busch followed up with his 13th long ball of the season to make it a one-run game.

A baserunning snafu cost Chicago a chance to tie or take the lead in the fifth. Ian Happ was batting with runners on first and second with two out when Dingler successfully backpicked Suzuki at second.

Dingler took Tyler Ferguson deep to lead off the eighth, notching his third multi-homer game since June 1.

After Happ’s heroics, the Cubs had the bases loaded with a chance to walk it off in the ninth, but Kenley Jansen (2-4) struck out Alex Bregman to escape the jam.

Flaherty allowed three runs on four hits over four innings, striking out four and walking two. Cubs starter Jameson Taillon lasted 4 1/3 innings, giving up five hits and four runs with two walks and six strikeouts.

–Field Level Media

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Another big night from Kayla McBride carries Lynx past Storm

Jul 20, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride (21) shoots the ball while guarded by Seattle Storm forward Katie Lou Samuelson (33) during the first half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride (21) shoots the ball while guarded by Seattle Storm forward Katie Lou Samuelson (33) during the first half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Kayla McBride scored a game-high 33 points Monday night and Courtney Williams made two late foul shots that enabled the visiting Minnesota Lynx to outgun the Seattle Storm 105-102.

Williams’ free throws with 4.0 seconds left put Minnesota (21-6) ahead by three and forced Seattle to hunt a 3-pointer that could force overtime. But Flau’Jae Johnson missed from the right wing just before time expired.

Rookie Olivia Miles added 32 points, plus eight rebounds and eight assists, to augment McBride’s seventh straight game of at least 20 points. Williams finished with 21 as the Lynx connected on 37 of 76 field goals and made 21 of 22 foul shots.

Johnson scored 26 points to pace the Storm (6-22), who fell to 0-11 in games decided by five points or less. Zia Cooke came off the bench to add 18 points, while Dominique Malonga chipped in 14 points and Natisha Hiedeman hit for 12.

Seattle led 90-86 when Malonga hit a floater with 4:41 remaining, but McBride and Miles combined for eight points in a 10-2 spurt that gave Minnesota the lead for good at 96-92.

The teams play again on Wednesday in their last game before All-Star weekend.

Minnesota entered the game with the WNBA’s best record but was looking to make improvements on defense after coach Cheryl Reeve criticized its performance on that end in Saturday night’s 101-93 win over Portland.

Instead, she got another game where the Lynx had to outscore the opponent. They led 23-13 at the 2:56 mark of the first quarter as Miles converted a layup but Seattle closed within 27-23 behind eight points from its bench.

The Storm erupted for 31 points in the second quarter, including six on the same possession by Johnson. She made three foul shots after a flagrant foul on Miles, then drained a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession that helped Seattle take a 54-53 edge to halftime.

Minnesota led 77-70 late in the third quarter before a four-point play from Katie Lou Samuelson got the Storm within 79-77 going to the fourth period.

–Field Level Media

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Cal Raleigh's grand slam more than enough for Mariners vs. Reds

Jul 20, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) hits a grand-slam home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the seventh inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) hits a grand-slam home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the seventh inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Cal Raleigh hit a grand slam and George Kirby pitched six scoreless innings as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Cincinnati Reds 8-0 Monday night in the opener of a three-game interleague series.

Victor Robles went 4-for-4 and scored twice for the Mariners, who won their third consecutive game and moved into first place in the American League West by a half-game over Texas.

Kirby (8-8) allowed three hits — back-to-back singles by Edwin Arroyo and Ke’Bryan Hayes leading off the third and a one-out infield single by Dane Myers in the fifth. Kirby, a right-hander, walked one batter and struck out six.

The Mariners broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth. Robles led off with a single off Andrew Abbott (5-6) on a soft liner to center field. With two outs, Robles stole second and advanced to third on catcher Tyler Stephenson’s errant throw.

Following a walk to Randy Arozarena, Julio Rodriguez hit a chopper to the left side of the infield. Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz backhanded the ball but double-clutched before making a throw that eluded first baseman Sal Stewart and struck Rodriguez in the left hamstring. The Mariners’ star was credited with a run-scoring single.

Rodriguez left the game after that inning and team officials didn’t provide an update before the end of the game. Rodriguez returned to the lineup Saturday after being on the 7-day concussion list since July 2 when he was hit in the back of the helmet by a throw while sliding into second base.

The Mariners extended their lead with a six-run seventh. Robles and pinch hitter Luke Raley led off with singles to right off reliever Pierce Johnson, with Robles taking third on the latter. Rookie Colt Emerson’s sacrifice fly to left scored Robles.

Arozarena singled and Weston Wilson hit an RBI double into the right field corner. The Reds brought in lefty Caleb Ferguson, whom the Mariners acquired at last season’s trade deadline, and intentionally walked the left-handed-hitting Dominic Canzone to load the bases. The switch-hitting Raleigh crushed Ferguson’s first pitch deep to left-center to make it 7-0.

Raleigh came up with the bases loaded again in the eighth and got a run-scoring groundout for the final margin.

Abbott took the loss despite allowing just one unearned run on four hits over six innings. The lefty walked two and fanned six.

Mariners third baseman J.P. Crawford was a late scratch from the starting lineup. The team offered no immediate reason why.

–Field Level Media

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