Sports
Yankees-Mariners opener to pit Luis Gil against Bryan Woo
Sep 6, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil (81) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Short and sweet.
That’s what fans can expect Tuesday night when the New York Yankees send Luis Gil (13-6, 3.18 ERA) to the mound for the opener of a three-game series in Seattle against fellow right-hander Bryan Woo (8-2, 2.38).
The six combined letters in their surnames will at least tie a major league record for the fewest to start against each other, since Fu-Te Ni never opened a game for Detroit in two seasons with the Tigers (2009-10).
Gil and Woo have both made two career starts against the opposition, and neither has allowed a run.
Gil will be making his third start since a stint on the injured list with a lower back strain.
He pitched six scoreless innings of one-hit ball to win his return Sept. 6 at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs, then gave up one run on five hits over five innings Wednesday against Kansas City in a game the Yankees won in 11 innings.
“The more innings that I pitched, I was feeling more comfortable and loose on the mound,” Gil said through an interpreter. “The arm was feeling good and in a good rhythm. I definitely felt that towards the end. I had more velo and was feeling stronger.”
The performances couldn’t have come at a better time for the Yankees (87-63) as they try to hold off Baltimore for the American League East title.
Gil defeated the Mariners 5-0 on May 23 at Yankee Stadium, allowing one hit with eight strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. He was backed by home runs from Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge.
While Gil’s fastball in his past two starts has been in the mid-90s, a tick slower than usual, he didn’t sound worried.
“I’ve been saying it all year: pitch execution,” Gil said. “(It’s) really staying within the lane that you’re trying to attack, the zones you’re trying to attack. That’s really it.”
Woo took a perfect game into the seventh inning of his last start before giving up a home run to San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr.
“I didn’t feel great in the bullpen. I was just kind of all over the place, and then you get out there and it just clicks,” Woo said. “It’s just a weird game.”
Woo pitched with flair — as in Ric Flair — wearing new cleats that featured a cartoon of the professional wrestling legend with his catchphrase, “Woo!!”
The shoes were a gift from “PitchingNinja” Rob Friedman, a popular social media personality.
“I really, really appreciate everything that he does for the game,” Woo said of Friedman. “And growing up, especially in college when he kind of got big, I learned so much from his stuff. And watching all of his interviews, watching all of his stuff, like, you get grips from this guy.
“As a pitcher, that’s the stuff that you really, really appreciate — like, truly growing the game and truly trying to help the next generation of getting better at pitching.”
The Mariners (77-73) have won three games in a row as they try to chase down either Houston in the American League West or Minnesota for the third and final wild-card playoff berth. They are 4 1/2 games behind Houston and 2 1/2 games behind Minnesota.
With home runs from Mitch Garver and Randy Arozarena, Seattle blanked the Texas Rangers 7-0 on Sunday to take three of four games in the series. The Yankees also took three of four last weekend, stymying the rival Boston Red Sox.
–Field Level Media
Sports
O's ruin Hunter Greene's season debut, take down Reds
Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (29) runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run in the first inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles, Saturday, July 4, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati. Rookie Samuel Basallo smacked a three-run home run in the first inning and Adley Rutschman drilled a two-run double during a five-run fourth to help the Baltimore Orioles defeat the host Cincinnati Reds 8-5 on Saturday night.
Pete Alonso provided three hits and an RBI as the Orioles, who won their third in a row, bounced back after falling behind during Cincinnati’s three-run second.
Baltimore starter Brandon Young worked through five-plus innings, surrendering four runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out five. Young (7-2) is 4-1 in his last six starts.
Baltimore used four relievers to cover the final four innings, capped by Tyler Wells picking up his second save by working the ninth.
Jose Trevino had three hits and an RBI and Elly De La Cruz added two hits and an RBI for Cincinnati, which lost for the sixth time in its last seven. The Reds outhit Baltimore 11-10 but left nine runners on base.
Reds starter Hunter Greene (0-1), making his season debut coming off the injured list, was dinged for eight runs on seven hits with four walks in 3 1/3 innings. He struck out seven and tossed a wild pitch.
Basallo began the scoring with his two-out blast in the first, pushing his homer total to 14.
The Reds, who were blanked 3-0 in Friday night’s series opener, tied the score in the bottom of the inning on the first of two RBI singles by Eugenio Suarez.
Cincinnati grabbed the lead in the second on Jose Trevino’s double before TJ Friedl’s RBI triple and Elly De La Cruz’s run-scoring single.
The Orioles went ahead again on Blaze Alexander’s two-run single in the fourth before Rutschman’s double extended the lead. Rutschman scored on Pete Alonso’s two-out single. Baltimore had only two hits after the fourth inning.
Suarez’s two-out infield single in the seventh allowed the Reds to cut the margin to 8-5, but they stranded two runners on base.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Astros snap Rays' 9-game win streak on Yordan Alvarez walk-off HR
Jul 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Yordan Alvarez capped a three-hit, six-RBI night with a walkoff two-run home run as the Houston Astros rallied from a five-run deficit to outslug the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 10-8 on Saturday.
Alvarez plated Jose Altuve with his 29th home run of the season and second of the game with no outs in the ninth inning. He smacked a 1-2 fastball from Rays reliever Casey Legumina (2-2) 424 feet to straightaway center field to snap the Rays’ nine-game winning streak.
The Astros pulled even at 8-8 with a three-run seventh inning that featured an Alvarez sacrifice fly, an Isaac Paredes RBI single and a pinch-hit RBI single from Zach Dezenzo.
Altuve scored three runs.
Neither Hunter Brown nor Drew Rasmussen pitched effectively for their respective teams.
Brown, making just his fourth start for the Astros following a two-plus-month stint on the injured list with a right shoulder strain, labored with his control throughout. Junior Caminero spotted the Rays a 1-0 lead in the first with his 26th home run – and 11th in his last 11 games – by driving a full-count slider 437 feet to left-center. Brown escaped further damage by getting Ryan Vilade to ground into an inning-ending double play.
After Houston jumped ahead 2-1 on Alvarez’s first homer, the Rays regained their lead in the second inning. Two batters after Victor Mesa Jr. worked a leadoff walk, Richie Palacios crushed his second home run of the season 409 feet to right-center for a 3-2 lead.
The Rays extended their advantage with three runs in the second and one run in the fourth.
Brown allowed seven runs on six hits and four walks with three strikeouts over four innings. He threw 82 pitches, only 45 for strikes.
Rasmussen, the American League Pitcher of the Month for June, surrendered a two-run homer to Alvarez in the bottom of the first and a two-run opposite-field shot to Yainer Diaz in the fourth that pulled the Astros to within 7-4. Alvarez plated Allen with a run-scoring single in the fifth to cut the deficit to 7-5.
Tampa Bay extended its lead once more to 8-5 on Jonny DeLuca’s fifth homer of the season in the seventh, a solo shot.
Rasmussen allowed a season-high-tying five runs on six hits and one walk with two strikeouts over five innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Phillies use homers to coast to series-opening win over Royals
Jul 4, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) celebrates with center fielder Justin Crawford (2) after hitting a two run home run against the Kansas City Royals during the fourth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images J.T. Realmuto, Gabriel Rincones Jr. and Alec Bohm homered in support of Jesus Luzardo as the visiting Philadelphia Phillies topped the Kansas City Royals 6-1 in Saturday’s opener of a three-game set.
Luzardo (7-4) allowed one run and four hits in six innings, as the left-hander struck out nine without issuing a walk. Kyle Schwarber, one of five Phillies named to the All-Star team earlier Saturday, notched three hits in a supporting effort.
Kansas City starter Michael Wacha (5-6) allowed four runs in six innings, issuing eight hits and a walk while striking out seven. Nick Loftin drove in the only run for the Royals, who have lost eight of their last nine games.
The Phillies loaded the bases against Wacha in the first inning, but the veteran right-hander escaped the jam. He then faced minimal resistance in the second and third innings before Philadelphia opened the scoring in the fourth.
With a runner on first and one out, Realmuto sent a 1-0 sinker into the seats in left field. Two pitches later, Wacha’s 1-0 offering to Rincones ended up in the bullpen in right.
Kansas City got a run back in the bottom half, when Lane Thomas doubled with one out and later scored on Loftin’s infield hit.
Bohm countered with a leadoff homer in the sixth as the visitors went ahead 4-1.
Wacha gave way to Lucas Erceg to begin the seventh. The right-hander allowed a one-out single to Trea Turner and then walked Schwarber before a fielder’s choice put runners on the corners. Erceg then uncorked a wild pitch which extended the Phillies’ lead to 5-1..
Meanwhile, Luzardo ended his night with a 1-2-3 sixth before Jonathan Bowlan struck out three of the four hitters he faced in the seventh.
Rincones’ eighth-inning RBI double tacked on an insurance run for Philadelphia before Orion Kerkering and Tim Mayza each logged a perfect frame to close the game out.
–Field Level Media
