Weekend Series Recap: 9/4-9/7
Back again. It was another wild weekend of upsets, wild card races, and pure domination. The AL East titans clashed for 3 games in New York. The Rangers faced division rival Houston to try to get into the playoff picture. We had a team get no-hit for 26 outs and win the game. So, let’s get to it.
Guardians @ Rays - Guardians take 3 out of 4
Game 1 (CLE 2 - TBR 4): Aside from two solo homers from Manzardo and Ramirez in the 9th off Pete Fairbanks, the Guardians’ offense was stifled by the Rays’ pitching staff. Pepiot, Baker, Cleavinger, and Uceta combined for 8 shutout, 1-hit innings while striking out 12. The Rays played small ball to get their runs home, coming from a pair of RBI singles, a fielder’s choice, and a sacrifice hit by Carson Williams. Tampa Bay has now won 7 in a row.
Game 2 (CLE 7 - TBR 1): The Rays’ winning streak came to an end as they were shut down by Gavin Williams. He went 7 innings, giving up only one run (Caminero solo shot). Jose Ramirez had a 3-hit day and combined with Steven Kwan to drive in 4 of the Guardians’ 7 runs. Eight different Guardians got hits as they got back in the W column.
Game 3 (CLE 3 - TBR 2): Both Shane Baz and Tanner Bibee put together good outings. Baz gave up 2 ERs in 5 innings and struck out 8, while Bibee gave up 2 ERs in 6.2 and struck out 3. Both pitchers only gave up 5 hits. The Tampa offense came from a Josh Lowe HR and a Yandy Diaz RBI fielder’s choice. The game was tied 2-2 going into the top of the 9th when Pete Fairbanks came in to hold the game at 2. He gave up a single, a walk, a sac bunt, and a Steven Kwan RBI single that proved to be the difference maker. Cade Smith shut the door on the Rays as the Guardians took the series lead.
Game 4 (CLE 2 - TBR 1): Parker Messick held the Rays to only 1 run, despite giving up 8 hits (Carson Williams solo HR). Cleveland just needed Drew Rasmussen to come out of the game in the 6th so they could sneak two runs off a Jose Ramirez triple and a Gabriel Arias single. Matt Festa, Hunter Gaddis, and Cade Smith held the Rays scoreless the rest of the way as Cleveland took the last three games on the road.
Summary: This is what I get for putting the Rays in my power rankings. Cleveland ends Tampa’s winning streak in crushing fashion and propels themselves right back into the wild card race. Between Cleveland, Texas, Kansas City, and Tampa Bay, we’ll see if any of these teams can sneak into the final spot.
Nationals @ Cubs - Nationals take 2 out of 3
Game 1 (WAS 5 - CHC 11): The Cubs got out to a 6-0 lead after 2 innings off Jake Irvin (Dansby Swanson and Reese McGuire home runs). The Nats got 2 back off a Luis Garcia, Jr. home run, but Willi Castro doubled to make it 8-2. The Nats clawed back to make it 5-8 off a Daylen Lile triple and a Luis Garcia, Jr. sac fly, but it was all Cubs again after that. Both Hoerner and Happ hit solo shots as 6 different Cubs had RBIs and Kittredge, Rogers, and Hodge closed the final 3 innings out without giving up a run.
Game 2 (WAS 2 - CHC 1): This was a pretty quiet game. A pitching duel between Brad Lord and Matt Boyd, with Lord getting the W. The Nationals’ offense came from a Jorge Alfaro single and a Daylen Lile HR. The only run the Cubs managed to get all game was on a Carson Kelly ground out. Lord went 5.2 innings, only giving up 2 hits, walking 4, and striking out 7. The Nationals’ bullpen shut it down from there. PCA did foul a ball off his knee and had to leave the game, so we’ll monitor that.
Game 3 (WAS 6 - CHC 3): Carson Kelly hit 2 home runs to give the Cubs a 3-1 lead heading into the top of the 9th. Daniel Palencia came in to get the save and immediately gave up a solo HR to Robert Hassell III. Then CJ Abrams singled, James Wood walked, and Josh Bell hit a go-ahead 3-run HR to give the Nationals the lead. Brady House hit a sac fly for more cushion and the Nationals closed the door on the Cubs to take the series.
Summary: The Cubs sit firmly in the driver’s seat of the top wild card spot, so they’ll likely host a playoff series. But they do fall 7.5 games behind the Brewers for the division and that race looks to be all but over. They will go to Atlanta. The Nationals will face the Marlins.
Brewers @ Pirates - Brewers sweep 3
Game 1 (MIL 5 - PIT 2): Johan Oviedo continued his stretch of impressive starts as he went 5 without giving up an earned run. The Brewers capitalized on 3 Pirates errors, getting 2 unearned runs. Quinn Priester led the Brewers' W again, as he went 7 innings and only gave up 2 runs to a pesky Pirates offense. Koenig and Uribe took the 8th and 9th in stride and closed the door on the Pirates at home, which hasn’t been an easy task for teams all year.
Game 2 (MIL 4 - PIT 1): Brandon Woodruff had a great bounce-back start with 6 shutout innings. He gave up 2 hits and struck out 8 as the Pirates’ offense had no answer. The Brewers got their offensive contributions from a couple of 2-run home runs, one by Jake Bauers in the 4th, and the other by Jackson Chourio in the 8th. The Pirates got a run back in the bottom of the 9th off Aaron Ashby, but that’s as far as it went. The Brewers take the series.
Game 3 (MIL 10 - PIT 2): The Brewers welcomed Bubba Chandler to the majors with his first blowout start. Chandler: 2.2 IP, 9 H, 9 ER, 3 BB, 3 K. The Brewers put up 10 without a HR, as 6 different Brewers had RBIs and everyone except Caleb Durbin got a hit. Andrew Vaughn went 4 for 5 with an RBI. Jacob Misiorowski pitched 7 strong innings, only giving up 3 hits, 1 run, and 2 walks while striking out 8. Brewers sweep.
Summary: The Brewers went into Pittsburgh and took care of business. It wasn’t going to be easy as the Pirates have been pesky, post All-Star break. They’ve also been very good at home. But the Brewers get back to their winning ways as they head to Texas for a 3 game series.
White Sox @ Tigers - White Sox take 2 out of 3
Game 1 (CWS 7 - DET 5): The White Sox have won 6 in a row. Their offense gave the Detroit pitching staff fits, as they tagged Flaherty, Horn, and Montero for 4, 1, and 2 ERs, respectively. It was a back and forth game, as the White Sox went up 2-0, then the Tigers got a 2-run home run from Parker Meadows on his first game back off the IL to tie it up at 2. Then it was 3-2 White Sox, then 3-4 Tigers, then tied up again at 4. Finally, Andrew Benintendi and Colson Montgomery both hit home runs to make it 7-4, and they didn’t relinquish the lead after that.
Game 2 (CWS 0 - DET 6): Skubal game. He went 7 innings and only gave up two hits. He struck out 6 and walked one as he solidified his repeat Cy Young campaign. The Tigers’ offense rode a Jahmai solo HR into the bottom of the 4th, where they put up a 5-run inning off a Zach McKinstry double, a Javy Baez sac fly, and a Gleyber Torres 3-run homer.
Game 3 (CWS 6 - DET 4): This one was back and forth again. 2-0 White Sox. 2-3 Detroit. Tied 3-3. 4-3 Detroit. Tied 4-4. 6-4 White Sox. Chicago had multi-hit games from Sosa, Tauchman, Benintendi, and Meidroth, while the Tigers only had 4 hits all day. Lenyn Sosa had a solo HR and a clutch 2-RBI double in the top of the 8th to give the White Sox the lead and the eventual series win.
Summary: The White Sox are looking to play spoiler and went into Detroit doing just that. The Tigers have the division locked up but are still playing for a bye. Detroit will go to New York to face the Yankees as they look to reassert their dominance in the AL. The White Sox will host the Rays.
Mets @ Reds - Reds take 2 out of 3
Game 1 (NYM 5 - CIN 4): This game looked like it would be a high-scoring affair as the game was 5-4 after the 4th. The Mets’ offense started hot, getting 3 in the first. The Mets’ bullpen avoided a meltdown for once, as they held the Reds scoreless in 3.2 innings of work. It was another rough start for Andrew Abbott as he’s limped a bit as of late. Mark Vientos and Juan Soto had multi-hit games. The Mets pull further away from the Reds and into a tie for the second wild card spot with the Padres.
Game 2 (NYM 3 - CIN 6): Brady Singer bested the rookie Jonah Tong as the Reds took the lead early and never looked back. Sal Stewart hit his first career HR in the bottom of the 2nd to put the Reds up 2-0. They got two more HRs from Matt McLain and Austin Hays, and took advantage of a jam in the bottom of the 7th with a TJ Freidl RBI single and a bases-loaded walk (RBI credited to Elly De La Cruz). The Mets got a pinch-hit HR from Jared Young and a 3-hit day from Francisco Lindor. Other than that, it was all Reds as they even up the series.
Game 3 (NYM 2 - CIN 3): The Mets called up their 3rd rookie to start this game. Brandon Sproat had a decent start, but got the loss as he had no run support. He went 6 innings and gave up 3 ERs, striking out 7 and walking 4. Hunter Greene showed him what big league pitching looks like as he threw 7 innings of 1 hit baseball (Brett Baty solo HR), as he walked 2 and struck out 12(!). Juan Soto homered in the top of the 9th and the Mets tried to spark something, but ultimately came up short with Starling Marte grounding into a double play with the tying and go-ahead runs on base.
Summary: The Reds just saved some hope for the final stretch as they climbed a game on the Mets. But with the emergence of the Giants, things are getting clunky and the Mets still have a solid lead on the final wild card spot. Sal Stewart was a bright spot for the Reds. Cincinnati will go to San Diego for another important matchup with playoff implications, and the Mets will go to Philadelphia for a 4-game series that is equally important as far as playoffs are concerned.
Dodgers @ Orioles - Orioles take 2 out of 3
Game 1 (LAD 1 - BAL 2): This game was all pitching. Shohei went 3.2 innings of shutout ball while striking out 5, and Dean Kremer went 3 shutout innings, striking out 4. The Orioles got a run on a wild pitch in the 5th, and Freddie Freeman hit a solo home run to tie it in the 6th. But the big moment came in the bottom of the 9th, when Samuel Basallo hit his first career walk-off home run, and his first home run at home. The Orioles have won 4 in a row and the Dodgers have lost 4 in a row. The NL West hates to see the Orioles coming.
Game 2 (LAD 3 - BAL 4): This might have been the craziest game all year. The Dodgers were up 3-0 in the bottom of the 9th with Yoshinobu Yamamoto going back on the mound to secure 2025’s first no hitter. He got the first two outs, then Jackson Holliday played spoiler and hit a solo HR to kill the no-no. That booted Yamamoto from the game and Blake Treinen came in. He gave up a double, hit Gunnar Henderson with a pitch, walked Ryan Mountcastle, then walked in a run. Tanner Scott came in to get out of the jam, and for the second night in a row, the Orioles walked him off with a 2-RBI single from Emmanuel Rivera.
Game 3 (LAD 5 - BAL 2): The Dodgers salvaged the last game of the series with the help of 2 Shohei Ohtani HRs and a Mookie Betts HR. Clayton Kershaw continues to impress as he struck out 8 while only giving up 2 runs. The Dodgers’ bullpen held on this time, as Henriquez, Wrobleski, and Dreyer shut out the O’s.
Summary: A disappointing series for the Dodgers. The Orioles are a feisty bunch who clearly will fight all the way to their last strike. They brought their scythe to San Diego and then used it against the Dodgers at home. They’ll host Pittsburgh for 3 next. The Dodgers will host Colorado for 3, looking to get out of their funk.
Blue Jays @ Yankees - Yankees take 2 out of 3
Game 1 (TOR 7 - NYY 1): This was a humbling experience for the Yankees. Cam Schlittler got knocked out of the game before completing 2 innings as the Blue Jays simply would not stop making contact. They kept wearing away at him until they had 4 runs through the second. Schlittler threw 66 pitches in 1.2 innings of work. Kevin Gausman went 8 innings, only giving up 4 hits and 1 run (Giancarlo Stanton solo HR). The Jays got every Yankees pitcher for a run (Schlittler, Yarbrough, Leiter Jr., and Doval). The Blue Jays will hold onto their AL East lead when it’s all said and done Sunday.
Game 2 (TOR 1 - NYY 3): The Yankees got back at Toronto as they scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 2nd. Vlad Jr. botched a double play ball that allowed those two runs to score, unearned. Volpe and Chisholm Jr. botched a double play ball themselves that allowed the Blue Jays to get a run in the top of the 4th. The game entered a rain delay in the 6th for a bit, then resumed an hour or so later, with nothing changing, other than the Yankees scoring another run on an Austin Wells sac fly. Aside from Luis Gil’s 4 walks, it was a clean day for the Yankees’ pitching, as they only gave up 5 hits and 1 run.
Game 3 (TOR 3 - NYY 4): It was the battle of the Max’s as Scherzer took on Fried. The Yankees went up 3 in the bottom of the first off a Ben Rice 3-run shot. The Blue Jays tied it back up by the top of the 3rd with an IKF single, a Nathan Lukes sac fly, and a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. double. But that didn’t last long as Cody Bellinger’s RBI double in the bottom half of the 3rd put them up 1 and they didn’t look back from there. Fried went 7, then Devin Williams and David Bednar closed the door, securing the series for New York.
Summary: The Yankees were looking to finish this series tied at the top of the division with the Jays, but remain 2 games back. It was a hard-fought series on both sides, with the Yankees winning this one. They’ll host Detroit for 3 games to try to keep beating playoff teams, as the Blue Jays will do the same, hosting Houston for 3.
Phillies @ Marlins - Phillies take 2 out of 3
Game 1 (PHI 9 - MIA 3): Cristopher Sanchez was the slim reaper to the Marlins’ offense as he went 7 innings and only gave up 1 run on a Javier Sanoja double. He only threw 82 pitches as he carved up the Fish. Max Kepler, Brandon Marsh, and Harrison Bader hit home runs as the Phillies OFs combined for 5 RBIs, and Bryson Stott added 3 of his own. The Phillies took care of business.
Game 2 (PHI 4 - MIA 2): The Phillies jumped on Sandy quick as Bryce Harper hit a 2-run home run in the top of the first inning. They got 2 more runs in the top of the 4th off a Harrison Bader single and a Bryson Stott sac fly. The Marlins answered back in the bottom of the 4th with two runs of their own (Eric Wagaman double, Javier Sanoja single). That’s where the score remained for the rest of the game. Jesus Luzardo faced his former team and went 6 innings, striking out 8 and walking 4, while giving up 2 ERs. The bullpen went Robertson, Strahm, Duran for the hold and the save as the Phillies took the series on the road.
Game 3 (PHI 4 - MIA 5): Taijuan Walker continues to be the weak spot in the Phillies rotation. Otto Lopez hit a 3-run HR and Max Acosta’s RBI single gave the Marlins the 4-0 lead in the 1st. The Phillies clawed 3 runs back with a Nick Castellanos triple, a Trea Turner HR, and a Brandon Marsh single. But, Otto Lopez hit another HR (solo this time) to extend the lead to 2. The Phillies made it interesting in the top of the 9th, getting within a run due to a Kyle Schwarber single, but Lake Bachar got Bryce Harper to ground out to end the game.
Summary: I’m sure the Phillies would have loved to sweep here, but they have 4 games at home with the Mets coming up to worry about. They’ll need to boot Taijuan Walker from the playoff rotation since he’s been a liability. The Marlins will host the Nationals for 3 in a series I will be happy to forget about.
Mariners @ Braves - Mariners take 2 out of 3
Game 1 (SEA 1 - ATL 4): Logan Gilbert had a good bounce-back start with 6 innings of 1-run baseball, striking out 7. The Mariners lost the lead in the bottom of the 8th off a Matt Olson single that bounced off the pitcher’s mound and an Ozzie Albies triple that Canzone misplayed in RF. The Mariners’ top 4 hitters? Arozarena, Raleigh, Rodriguez, and Suarez went 1 for 15 with 7 Ks. Chris Sale was on the mound for Atlanta, but the Mariners have some serious consistency issues. Sale went 6.2 with 9 Ks and only 1 ER.
Game 2 (SEA 10 - ATL 2): This game was closer than it appears. Julio started the game off with a 2-run HR in the top of the 1st, and a Matt Olson HR and a Michael Harris II sac fly tied the game up by the bottom of the 6th. Both Bryce Miller and Hurston Waldrep were gone at that point as they held each other’s offense to 2 runs. But it was all Mariners after that. Julio hit another 2-run HR, Eugenio Suarez hit a solo homer, Josh Naylor hit a 3-run homer, and Cal Raleigh hit a solo HR. The Atlanta offense could only put up 1 hit the rest of the way. Randy/Cal/Julio/Naylor/Suarez tonight: 8 for 20, 4 HRs, and 8 RBIs. That’s better.
Game 3 (SEA 18 - ATL 2): It was a tough day for Joey Wentz. The Mariners were up 9-0 after the top of the 3rd, 8 runs attributed to Wentz. The Mariners’ offense went nuts, with 9 hitters having multi-hit games, totaling 21 hits. Arozarena, Raleigh, Rodriguez, Suarez, and Polanco all had 3 RBIs apiece. Suarez had two homers, and Raleigh, Polanco, and Naylor each had one. Luis Castillo had a nice bounce-back start, going 6 innings and only giving up a run.
Summary: This is what Mariners’ fans needed to regain hope. The offense exploded and showed what a playoff team in Seattle can look like. I don’t have much to say on the Braves as they’re so far out of it. Seattle will host St. Louis with the ability to catch some momentum.
Twins @ Royals - Royals take 2 out of 3
Game 1 (MIN 1 - KCR 2): It was Pablo Lopez’s first start off the IL, as he went 6 innings and only gave up 2 runs (Maikel Garcia 2-run homer in the bottom of the 3rd). Michael Wacha had 5.2 innings of solid work, only giving up a run and striking out 5. The Royals’ bullpen went 3.1 scoreless innings on 47 pitches total. The Twins got their only run on a Jhonny Pereda double.
Game 2 (MIN 2 - KCR 11): This game was over quickly. The Royals put 5 runs up on Joe Ryan in the bottom of the 1st (Big Salvy 3-run HR) and booted him after 2 innings. The Twins got 2 runs in the top of the 3rd off a Byron Buxton triple and a Luke Keaschall ground out. Kansas City got their final 6 runs without hitting a home run. Carter Jensen had his first career hit and 2 RBIs, Nick Loftin had a 3-hit game, and Kansas City rolled to a victory. They’ve now won 3 in a row and jumped over Texas to be a game out of the wild card.
Game 3 (MIN 5 - KCR 1): Minnesota pecked away at Michael Lorenzen, scoring in the 1st, the 4th, and the 6th, kicking him out of the game. Luke Keaschall stole home. Dustin Lynch IV walked in a run to extend the Twins’ lead to 4, which ended up being where it ended. The Royals’s offense went quiet, unable to drive in more than a single run off 7 hits. Bailey Ober had a solid outing.
Summary: Kansas City still finds themselves 2 games out of the wild card, with Texas a half a game in front of them. They’ll go to Cleveland for 4 games to try to knock them out of the race. The Twins will go and face the Angels.
Astros @ Rangers - Rangers take 2 out of 3
Game 1 (HOU 3 - TEX 4): The Rangers continued their winning ways, but they needed 12 innings to do it. Merrill Kelly pitched 7 innings of 1-run baseball, striking out 7. They gave up their 3-1 lead in the top of the 8th when Chris Martin gave up a game-tying, 2-run HR to Carlos Correa. The Astros’ bullpen pitched 6.2 scoreless innings into the bottom of the 12th, when Dustin Harris hit a walk-off double off Lance McCullers Jr. With the Mariners’ loss, the Rangers are now 0.5 games out of the final wild card spot.
Game 2 (HOU 11 - TEX 0): Hunter Brown outdueled Jacob deGrom as Houston humbled the Rangers in their own park. Texas was held to 4 hits by Brown, De Los Santos, Murray, and VanWey, while the Astros’ offense exploded for 15 hits. deGrom only gave up 3 runs, but Hoby Milner and Caleb Boushley combined to give up 8 in the 8th and the 9th. Yordan and Yainer combined for a 5 for 10 statline with 5 RBIs. Christian Walker had a HR off deGrom and Jake Meyers returned from the IL.
Game 3 (HOU 2 - TEX 4): Patrick Corbin held the Astros to 1 run on 3 hits through 5.2 innings. Framber Valdez went 7 innings, but probably could have been pulled after 5 as the Rangers tagged him for 3 runs in the bottom of the 6th (Josh Jung double and Jake Burger HR). Each team only had 5 hits, but the Rangers made better use of theirs as they took the series at home.
Summary: Texas ends the weekend where they started - a game and a half back of the Mariners for the final wild card spot. Houston maintains a 2.5 game lead on the Mariners in the division, but they’ll go to Toronto to face another division leader. Texas will host the Brewers who are coming off a sweep on the road vs. the Pirates.
Giants @ Cardinals - Cardinals take 2 out of 3
Game 1 (SFG 8 - STL 2): The Giants have now won 11 of 12 and 5 in a row, but still sit 4 games out of the final wild card spot. This game was never in question as the Giants were up 6-0 after 4 innings. Carson Seymour, Matt Gage, and Tristan Beck shut the Cardinals down. Every Giant got a hit, 18 in total, and Jung Hoo Lee went 4-5 with a triple.
Game 2 (SFG 2 - STL 3): Luckily the Dodgers blew their game or there’d be more eyes on this one. The Giants’ win streak came to an end in horrific fashion as they led 2-0 from the 4th inning all the way to the bottom of the 9th. Verlander put together 6 shutout innings, but Ryan Walker had an outing to forget. He came in to get the save, but gave up two singles and hit Jimmy Crooks to load the bases. Then Thomas Saggese drove in a run to make it 2-1, and Jordan Walker doubled to drive in the tying, and game-winning, walk-off run as Ryan Walker failed to record an out. Tough pill to swallow for the Giants as they could not take advantage of the Mets’ loss.
Game 3 (SFG 3 - STL 4): Another disappointing loss for the Giants. They went down 4-0 in the bottom of the 5th as the Cardinals finally cracked Kai-Wei Teng. The Giants came back in the top of the next inning off 3 different RBI singles from Rafael Devers, Dominic Smith, and Matt Chapman. But that’s where it ended. Each team’s bullpen held the opposing team scoreless, as the Cardinals held on to take the series at home.
Summary: The Giants were red hot coming in, but gave up a game Saturday night and fell flat on Sunday. They now sit 4 games back of the Mets, tied with the Reds, for the final wild card spot. They will host the Diamondbacks to see who is the real competition for the Mets for the last playoff spot. The Cardinals will go to Seattle.
Padres @ Rockies - Padres take 2 out of 3
Game 1 (SDP 0 - COL 3): Kyle Freeland dominated the Padres. His final line: 8 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BBs, 10 Ks. The Padres have gone ice cold as they drop to a tie with the Mets for the second wild card spot. Hunter Goodman went 3 for 3 with a HR and 2 RBIs, and Mickey Moniak and Kyle Karros both had multi-hit games.
Game 2 (SDP 10 - COL 8): The Padres needed an offensive explosion. They got 6 runs in the top of the 2nd, thanks in part to a Fernando Tatis Jr. 3-run home run. By the top of the 5th, they led 10-2, as Tatis Jr., Arraez, O’Hearn, Laureano, and Fermin all had multi-hit games. But the Rockies made it interesting, getting 6 runs back off HRs from Hunter Goodman, Jordan Beck, and Mickey Moniak. The Padres held on and took advantage of the Dodgers’ and Mets’ losses.
Game 3 (SDP 8 - COL 1): Dylan Cease had a good start. He went 5 innings and only gave up 1 run and struck out 5. The Padres offense had another great showing. They hit 4 HRs as a unit (Machado, Merrill, Sheets, Laureano), and Manny Machado snapped out of his funk with a 2 for 4, 3-RBI day. Morejon, Morgan, and Marinaccio shutout the Rockies over the final 4 innings.
Summary: The Padres are on the right path after taking two out of three. They need to lock in if they want a chance at hosting a playoff series as they’re 1 game back in the division and 3 games back of the Cubs for the top wild card spot. They are at home against the Reds for the next 3, so they’ll need to bring their bats. The Rockies will go to LA to face the Dodgers.
Athletics @ Angels - Athletics take 2 out of 3
Game 1 (ATH 10 - LAA 4): It was a rough go of it for Jose Soriano as he gave up 8 ERs in 2.1 innings. He gave up 6 hits and walked 5. After 1, it looked like it would be a back-and-forth game as the Angels were up 4-2, but it was all Athletics after that. They got 5 in the top of the 3rd and shut it down for the rest of the game. The Athletics’ offense came from Lawrence Butler and JJ Bleday as they combined for 5 of the A’s 10 runs.
Game 2 (ATH 17 - LAA 4): Tough night for Yusei Kikuchi as he only went 2 innings and gave up 7 runs. It was an equally bad night for SS Scott Kingery as he came in for 2 innings of relief and gave up 12 hits and 8 ERs to finish it out. Matthew Lugo and Jo Adell had good games offensively for the Angels, as they each hit home runs and drove in 3 of the 4 Angels runs. As far as the Athletics’ offense goes, they had 4 HRs (Kurtz, Thomas, Cortes, and Bleday) and tallied 21 hits. Tyler Soderstrom went 2 for 3 with 4 RBIs and the only guy without a hit was Lawrence Butler, who still reached base on a walk. We’ll see if the A’s can put up double-digits again tomorrow.
Game 3 (ATH 3 - LAA 4): The Angels took the last game of the series with Mitch Farris taking the mound for his second career start. He threw 6 strong innings. He only gave up 2 runs on 3 hits, with both runs being solo HRs by MacIver and Soderstrom. Luis Severino struck out 7, but left on the hook for the L after giving up 3 runs (Jo Adell 2-run HR and Bryce Teodosio double). The A’s tied it late off Reid Detmers, but the Angels pulled it off in the bottom of the 8th with a Travis d’Arnoud double.
Summary: Both of these teams are bottom-feeding in the AL West. The Athletics will try to play spoiler at home against the Red Sox. The Angels will play the Twins.
Red Sox @ Diamondbacks - Diamondbacks take 2 out of 3
Game 1 (BOS 5 - ARI 10): It was a tougher start for Payton Tolle on his 2nd go-around. He gave up 5 in his 3 innings, giving up 4 runs to a solo shot from Geraldo Perdomo and a 3-run home run from Ildemaro Vargas. The Red Sox crawled back to make it 5-6 in the top of the 8th off Bryce Jarvis, a blemish on Eduardo Rodriguez’s 6 innings of 1-run ball. But Justin Slaten gave up 4 runs in the bottom half of the 8th, 3 of them came off a Corbin Carroll home run. Boston did not lose any ground in the wild card race as both the Yankees and the Mariners lost.
Game 2 (BOS 1 - ARI 5): Brandon Pfaadt shut down the Boston offense with 6 innings of 1 run baseball. Alex Bregman continued his slump with an 0-4 night and Lucas Giolito had a tough outing compared to his recent run of success. James McCann had a 3-hit day and the Dbacks spread their offense throughout the lineup, with Jake McCarthy driving in 2 runs. Blaze Alexander continues to wow in the outfield defensively as he made a spectacular catch. Boston now falls 1.5 games behind the Yankees.
Game 3 (BOS 7 - ARI 4): Ryne Nelson had a superb start for the Dbacks with 6 innings of 1-run ball on 3 hits. They held a 3-1 lead going into the top of the 7th, when a David Hamilton single and a costly Jordan Lawlar error put Boston up 4-3. Lawlar got redemption, tying the game up at 4 in the bottom half of the 7th. But the Red Sox put 3 runs on Taylor Rashi in the top of the 9th and brought in Aroldis Chapman who struck out 4 batters to get 3 outs and get the save (Ildemaro Vargas struck out but reached on the wild pitch).
Summary: Boston unfortunately ran into the buzzsaw that is the post-trade-deadline Diamondbacks. Arizona has quietly picked apart some good teams lately and sit 4.5 games back of the final wild card. Boston remains in the second wild card spot, 1.5 games back of the Yankees and 3.5 games ahead of the Mariners. Boston will go to Sacramento to face the Athletics, while the Diamondbacks will go to San Francisco to see if they can leapfrog their division rival.