MLB ROUNDUP: SHOHEI OHTANI HITS 36TH HOMER AS ANGELS BEAT PIRATES
Shohei Ohtani blasted his major-league-leading 36th homer of the season, Luis Rengifo did him one better by hitting two home runs and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-5 in the rubber match of a three-game series in Anaheim, Calif.
Andrew Velazquez and Rengifo hit back-to-back homers during a four-run fifth inning that blew the game open for the Angels, giving Los Angeles batters four home runs on the day.
The Angels concluded a nine-game homestand with a 6-3 mark. Tyler Anderson (5-2) allowed four runs with five strikeouts over six innings against his former team. Carlos Estevez worked around a two-out walk in the ninth for his 23rd save.
Pittsburgh trailed 7-1 before Carlos Santana capped a four-run seventh inning with a two-run double off Jacob Webb. The Pirates were held to a pair of baserunners in the final two innings and lost for the seventh time in their last nine games.
Bryan Reynolds hit a solo home run in the first inning for the Pirates.
Tigers 3, Padres 1
Alex Faedo pitched six scoreless innings and Detroit salvaged the finale of a three-game series by posting a win over visiting San Diego.
Faedo (2-4) gave up just one hit, although he did issue four walks. Alex Lange closed out the win with a scoreless ninth inning for his 17th save of the season. Spencer Torkelson and Andy Ibanez each hit a solo homer in support of Faedo.
San Diego starter Joe Musgrove (9-3) gave up three runs and seven hits while losing for the first time since May 20. Gary Sanchez drove in the Padres’ lone run.
Yankees 8, Royals 5
Anthony Rizzo hit his first homer in over two months and collected a season-high four hits as host New York beat Kansas City.
Gleyber Torres hit a two-run home run that sparked New York’s four-run opening inning against Jordan Lyles (1-12). Torres’ 16th homer extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games.
The Royals’ Salvador Perez hit a solo homer in the fourth and Michael Massey hit a two-run shot in the sixth off New York starter Luis Severino (2-4), who allowed three runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Nationals 6, Giants 1
MacKenzie Gore threw five shutout innings and Riley Adams hit a home run as Washington completed its first series sweep of the season by defeating visiting San Francisco.
Gore (6-7) struck out eight and walked two while yielding four hits. Lane Thomas had three hits, scored two runs, drove in a run and stole four bases as the Nationals produced just their fourth three-game winning streak of the season.
Joc Pederson hit a leadoff pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning for the Giants, who have lost five straight. Scott Alexander (6-1) was used as an opener for San Francisco. He allowed two of the four batters he faced to reach base on hits, and they both scored.
Phillies 8, Guardians 5 (10 innings)
Bryce Harper drove in a pair of runs, including the first of four runs in the 10th inning, and Philadelphia rallied from giving up a game-tying, bottom-of-the-ninth home run to avoid a road sweep with their defeat of host Cleveland.
Philadelphia starter Aaron Nola buckled down after giving up runs in the first three innings to go scoreless over the next four, then Gregory Soto blanked Cleveland in the eighth. But Phillies closer Craig Kimbrel surrendered a solo home run to David Fry that sent the game into extra innings.
The Phillies recovered quickly, however, blowing the game open in the 10th. Harper ignited the decisive half-inning with a single to center that drove in Johan Rojas. J.T. Realmuto scored Trea Turner on a sacrifice fly, then Alec Bohm drove in both Harper and Bryson Stott to cap the four-run inning.
Reds 7, Diamondbacks 3
Jake Fraley doubled home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning and Cincinnati blew the game open in the eighth while defeating visiting Arizona to sweep a three-game series.
Fraley’s hit scored Spencer Steer from first base. Steer then singled home a run in the eighth, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s single brought in two more.
Six relievers combined for five scoreless innings as Cincinnati won its fifth straight game. Derek Law (4-4), the second of those relievers, picked up the win with a scoreless inning. Arizona’s Tyler Gilbert (0-1), who surrendered the Reds’ go-ahead run in the sixth, took the loss.
Orioles 5, Rays 3
Gunnar Henderson homered among his two hits and four pitchers combined for a three-hitter to pace Baltimore over Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Ryan O’Hearn snapped a 3-3 tie with a solo homer in the sixth inning for the Orioles, who left town leading the American League East by two games over the Rays. Mike Baumann (7-0) did not allow a hit in 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for the win, Yennier Cano added a hitless eighth and Felix Bautista allowed two singles in the ninth before striking out Wander Franco to secure his 28th save.
Yandy Diaz homered for the Rays, who have lost seven of their last eight games.
Marlins 3, Rockies 2 (10 innings)
Luis Arraez lined an RBI single to right in the bottom of the 10th inning as Miami broke its eight-game losing streak with a win over visiting Colorado.
Arraez went 3-for-4, including his first career walk-off hit off the Rockies’ Pierce Johnson (1-5). Arraez also had a key RBI double that tied the score 1-1 in the sixth inning. Marlins starter Jesus Luzardo got a no-decision despite striking out a career-high 13 batters.
Rockies designated hitter Randal Grichuk helped force extra innings when he slugged a game-tying solo homer in the ninth. Brenton Doyle also went deep for Colorado.
Braves 4, Brewers 2
Ozzie Albies belted a three-run homer in the eighth inning to lift visiting Atlanta over Milwaukee in the rubber match of a three-game series between divisional leaders.
With Michael Harris II and Ronald Acuna Jr. on base for the Braves, Albies hit his 23rd homer, sending the first pitch from Elvis Peguero (1-3) 407 feet over the center field wall to give Atlanta a 4-2 lead. The three runs were the first in 10 games off the Brewers’ bullpen, ending its scoreless streak at 29 consecutive innings.
Daysbel Hernandez (1-0), making his major league debut, got the victory after getting three strikeouts in the seventh inning.
Twins 5, White Sox 4 (12 innings)
Ryan Jeffers singled in Kyle Farmer from third base with two out in the bottom of the 12th inning as Minnesota rallied to complete a three-game sweep of Chicago in Minneapolis.
Emilio Pagan pitched a hitless 12th to pick up the win for the Twins, who scored three times in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings. Minnesota is now 8-2 since the All-Star break.
Zach Remillard had two hits, including his first major league home run, and drove in two runs, while Eloy Jimenez also homered for Chicago, which finished 3-6 on a nine-game road trip that included stops at Atlanta and the New York to face the Mets.
Cubs 7, Cardinals 2
Cody Bellinger continued his sizzling pace with a two-run homer and three RBIs, Jameson Taillon allowed one run over 5 2/3 innings and host Chicago beat St. Louis to take a four-game series.
Bellinger opened the scoring in the first inning with his seventh homer of the month, then delivered a sacrifice fly during Chicago’s five-run third. Taillon (4-6) gave up seven hits while striking out six, with his only run coming with two outs in the sixth on the first of Dylan Carlson’s two RBI singles on the day.
St. Louis’ Jordan Montgomery (6-8) allowed seven runs (five earned) with six hits and two walks over six innings, striking out four. Nolan Arenado had three hits for the Cardinals.
Rangers 8, Dodgers 4
Jonah Heim and Leody Taveras each had a two-run double as Texas overcame an early four-run deficit to beat Los Angeles in Arlington, Texas.
After dropping the first two games of the series, Texas bounced back behind a strong offensive showing. Brad Miller joined Ezequiel Duran with two hits and also scored twice in the win. Martin Perez (8-3) settled down after allowing four runs in the first inning. He yielded those four runs on six hits and struck out six in six innings to pick up the win.
Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan (3-1) picked up his first loss of the season after surrendering eight runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Astros 3, Athletics 2
Mauricio Dubon hit a two-out, two-strike home run in the top of the ninth inning to break a tie and lift Houston to victory over host Oakland.
Both starting pitchers performed well with nothing to show for it. Houston’s Hunter Brown went six innings, allowing two runs and six hits. Oakland’s Luis Medina was pulled after five innings, having given up just one run on two hits.
Yainer Diaz had two hits, including his 11th home run, for the Astros, who needed just five hits overall to record their third win in four games of the series. JJ Bleday scored both runs for the A’s, while Jordan Diaz added a double and a single.
Blue Jays 4, Mariners 3
Pinch hitter Santiago Espinal drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning as visiting Toronto defeated Seattle to salvage the finale of a three-game series.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Brandon Belt both homered for the second consecutive day for the Blue Jays, who extended their lead over Seattle to 4 1/2 games in the race for the American League’s third and final wild-card playoff berth.
Mike Ford went deep for the Mariners, who had a three-game winning streak snapped and finished 5-5 on their 10-game homestand.
SCOTT ROLEN CREDITS HIS PARENTS, FRED MCGRIFF THANKS FELLOW PLAYERS AT HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) The greatest moment of Scott Rolen’s 17-year career didn’t come during his 2006 World Series run with the St. Louis Cardinals or even during his outstanding first full season in 1997 with the Philadelphia Phillies, which earned him unanimous National League Rookie of the Year honors.
For Rolen, one of two players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, that honor was reserved for an unexpected moment with his parents after he was called up for his first major league game in 1996.
“Seeing Mom and Dad walk to their seats from my position at third base was a feeling never topped again in my 17 years,” Rolen said during his 16-minute acceptance speech.
It took six tries, but Rolen’s parents, Ed and Linda, finally got to see their son earn his bronze Hall of Fame plaque. He was joined by Fred McGriff, elected unanimously by the Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee in December after falling off the writers’ ballot in 2020.
Rolen was the only player to receive more than the 75% of the votes needed to qualify for induction. He received 297 votes (76.3%) from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in January. A year earlier, he got 63.2% of the vote.
“I’m grateful for this grand gesture,” Rolen said. “At no point in my lifetime did it ever occur to me that I would be standing on this stage.”
Rolen, a multi-sport high school star from Indiana, received a Division I offer to play basketball before the Phillies selected him straight out of Jasper High School in the second round of the 1993 amateur draft.
The third baseman spent six of his 17 seasons with the Cardinals, where he earned four of his seven All-Star selections and three of his eight Gold Gloves.
Rolen batted .281 with 316 homers and 1,287 RBIs in 2,038 games. He batted a team-best .421 during the 2006 World Series, which St. Louis won in five games over Detroit.
Rolen credited his parents for the values they instilled in him.
“I was not raised to be a Major League Baseball player,” he said. “I was raised to be honest, to work hard, to be accountable for my words and actions, and to treat people with kindness and respect.”
Joining Rolen on the stage was McGriff, who made sure to shake the hands of nearly all of the 50 Hall of Famers who welcomed him.
“I’m humbled and honored to be standing in front of you and now to be part of this fraternity,” McGriff said during his 20-minute speech. “When your career is validated by former players and executives that saw you play, that’s as good as it gets.”
The lanky first baseman was drafted by the New York Yankees in the ninth round of the 1981 amateur draft out of Thomas Jefferson High School in Tampa, Florida.
McGriff, who was affectionately nicknamed “Crime Dog” by ESPN’s Chris Berman, batted .284 with 493 homers and 1,550 RBIs in 2,460 games over 19 seasons. He played for six teams, was a five-time All-Star and helped the Atlanta Braves win the 1995 World Series.
The players on the writers’ ballot who fell short of induction this year included Todd Helton (72.2%), Billy Wagner (68.1%), Andruw Jones (58.1%), Gary Sheffield (55%), Carlos Beltrán (46.5%), Jeff Kent (46.5%), Alex Rodriguez (35.7%), Manny Ramirez (33.2%), Omar Vizquel (19.5%), Andy Pettitte (17%), Bobby Abreu (15.4%), Jimmy Rollins (12.9%), Mark Buehrle (10.8%), Francisco Rodriguez (10.8%) and Torii Hunter (6.9%).
Three others were honored during Hall of Fame weekend. Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Carl Erskine received the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award, longtime Detroit Tigers beat writer John Lowe won the BBWAA’s Career Excellence Award, and Cubs radio broadcaster Pat Hughes was the recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award.
YANKEES SLUGGER AARON JUDGE FACES LIVE PITCHING FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE RIGHT TOE INJURY
NEW YORK (AP) New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge faced live pitching on Sunday for the first time since tearing a ligament in his right toe on June 3.
In a simulated game against Jonathan Loáisiga, who is rehabbing from right elbow surgery, Judge saw 16 pitches. He did not put any balls in play but fouled off four pitches, including one to the upper deck behind home plate.
“To be able to take pitches where your swing says no, those are tests that he’s got to go through in working his way back,” manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees concluded a three-game series with the Royals. “So it seemed like a good day all around.”
The Yankees were awaiting feedback from Judge before determining what the next step in his rehab would be.
Judge faced Loaisiga in front a watchful audience that included his teammates, several Little Leaguers in the left field stands and a few Royals, including reliever Jose Cuas and his young son.
“When you take into consideration how long he hasn’t seen live pitching in an environment like that, I thought he looked pretty good,” Loáisiga said through a translator.
Judge’s progression has accelerated since the All-Star break. Last week during New York’s road trip through Anaheim and Colorado, the slugger began taking batting practice on the field, running the bases and fielding fly balls in the outfield while also standing in the batter’s box tracking pitches in Nestor Cortes’ simulated game.
The Yankees began Sunday 17-22 since Judge crashed into the right-field wall at Dodger Stadium while making a catch on a drive by J.D. Martinez. Last month, he received two injections before progressing to playing catch and taking light swings.
Judge set an American League record with 62 home runs last year. He is hitting .291 with 19 homers and 40 RBIs in the first season of a $360 million, nine-year contract he agreed to during the offseason.
New York is 30-19 with the 2022 AL MVP, who also missed 10 games earlier this season with a right hip strain from when he tried to steal third base in Minnesota on his 31st birthday on April 26.
DODGERS BACK OFF AGAIN ON THROWING PROGRAM FOR INJURED ACE KERSHAW, BUT SAY NO SETBACK
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) The Dodgers are backing off on the throwing program for injured ace Clayton Kershaw, postponing a bullpen session while saying the left-hander hasn’t had any setbacks with his shoulder.
Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said Sunday there wasn’t a timetable for when Kershaw would throw in the bullpen or face live hitters. Over three days, the update from Roberts changed from Kershaw throwing to hitters, to instead throwing a bullpen, to doing neither.
Kershaw threw on flat ground from the outfield before Sunday’s game at Texas. The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner and 10-time All-Star hasn’t pitched in a game since June 27 because of left shoulder soreness.
Roberts has said Kershaw (10-4 with an MLB-best 2.55 ERA) won’t make a rehab start before returning to the active roster.
Roberts reiterated that Kershaw will throw a bullpen session before facing live hitters.
“I just don’t know when that (bullpen) is going to happen,” Roberts said. “I’m going to sit tight and wait for the green light from the training staff. No pain, no setback.”
The 35-year-old Kershaw threw six scoreless innings at Colorado in his most recent game, which came a week after seven scoreless innings against the Angels. He was 4-0 with a 1.09 ERA in five starts in June.
The Dodgers placed Kershaw on the 15-day injured list July 3, a day after he was selected as an NL All-Star for the 10th time to match the most selections in franchise history. He attended the game in Seattle even though he wasn’t able to pitch.
“I think it’s smart for us to not put a hard date,” Roberts said. “I don’t think that’s fair to Clayton or the training staff, to be quite honest.”