Walker Jenkins blasts another homer for St. Paul

Bleday’s home run was his 21st of the season. He hit a solo shot off Zack Littell in the sixth inning to complete the cycle. He’s the first Reds player to hit for the cycle since Elly De La Cruz in 2023. After an out-of-nowhere breakout first half where he hit 16 home runs and .243, Bleday is hitting just .190 with five home runs in 35 games since the All-Star break.

De La Cruz’ home run was his 21st of the season. He hit a solo shot off Zack Littell in the fifth inning. De La Cruz had been in a slump as he was 4-for-33 (.121) with no home runs and one RBI in his last nine games entering play Saturday. He’s hitting .263 with an .819 OPS and 58 RBI.

Soroka gave up six hits, walked three and struck out three. He fell to 8-4 with the loss. Soroka had allowed more than four runs in a game only once in his previous 17 starts this year. Soroka has a 3.40 ERA and a 3.71 xFIP. He’s lined up to face the Giants on the road next week.

Lowder gave up six hits, walked one and struck out one. He improved to 5-8 with the win. Lowder gave the Reds some length by going six innings and Cincinnati’s offense supported him with eight runs while he was still in the game. He has a 5.13 ERA. Lowder is lined up to face the Cubs on the road next weekend.

Sogard continues to pay off in the leadoff spot for the Red Sox, reaching four times against the Giants on Saturday. He knocked a base hit and drew two walks before delivering a game-tying double in the ninth before Boston’s walk-off win. The 28-year-old infielder is slashing .277/.392/.387 with one homer, 18 runs scored, and eight RBI across 146 plate appearances.

Adames put the Giants on the board early, taking Patrick Sandoval deep for a solo homer in the first inning. He then added a single in the third. It was his second home run in the last three games and his 21st of the season while hitting .229/.289/.424 with 61 runs scored, 51 RBI, and five steals across 502 plate appearances.

Sandoval surrendered a solo homer to Willy Adames in the first inning. Andrew Knizer later went yard for a solo homer in the third. The two solo homers would be all the damage the Giants would do as Sandoval pitched into the sixth, collecting six strikeouts. The 29-year-old left-hander will take a 4.54 ERA, 1.76 WHIP, and a 41/18 K/BB ratio across 39 2/3 innings into a start against the Yankees in New York on Friday.

Tidwell was outstanding on Saturday, keeping the Red Sox off the board as he pitched into the sixth. He scattered only three hits and two walks while collecting a career-high seven strikeouts. The bullpen would waste Tidwell’s strong performance, giving up three runs to blow the lead in the ninth. The 25-year-old right-hander will take a 3.58 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 27/12 K/BB ratio across 32 2/3 innings into a start against the Diamondbacks in San Francisco on Friday.

Trout went 7-for-15 in a four-game series with the Rangers earlier this month. Since then and entering play Saturday, he was mired in a 3-for-26 (.115) slump with no home runs and no RBI over his last seven games. Trout broke out of it with two hits including an RBI single in the first inning. He’s hitting .239 with an .813 OPS and 46 RBI this year.

Neto stayed hot with a three-hit game against the Rangers on Saturday, scoring two of the Angels’ three runs in the win. He’s on a five-game hitting streak and is 12-for-23 (.521) with four runs, a home run, eight RBI, four doubles and a triple in that span. Neto is hitting .235 with a .746 OPS and 61 RBI.