Here are the scores. Here are the highlights:
Rockies 5, Diamondbacks 4: Colorado trailed all game but the bullpen gave them five perfect innings to end it and then DJ LeMahieu hit a two-run homer to bring them from behind and to walk of Arizona all in one shot. After the game Le Mahieu describe his dramatic dinger thusly: “It was cool. Just a great moment. That was awesome.” Thank you, Chris Farley. The Rockies have held on to their one and a half game lead over the Dodgers -- and have held the Dbacks down -- by taking two of three so far in this four-game series which concludes this afternoon.
Brewers 5, Cubs 1: Curtis Granderson homered, tripled and scored three runs, Lorenzo Cain added three hits and Mike Moustakas had a two-run single as the Brewers take two of three from the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Milwaukee had a decent hole to climb out of a little over a week ago, but they took four of six from the Cubs in two series and, while their Wild Card spot is secure, they now find themselves just a game back in the NL Central. Not too shabby.
Twins 3, Yankees 1: Jake Odorizzi took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, supported by an RBI double from Ehire Adrianza, a Willians Astudillo RBI single and Max Kepler’s RBI double, which scored Astudillo, who gave us one of the more entertaining runs of the year as he came around the bases:
The Yankees have lost three of four and now only lead the A’s by one game for the top Wild Card slot.
Braves 2, Giants 1: Anibal Sanchez and Derek Holland dueled, each allowing one run over six innings. It was enough to make you think it was 2011 or something. Tyler Flowers -- who is TOTALLY the first guy you think of to hit an infield single -- hit one to knock in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth and give the Braves the sweep. Atlanta now leads the NL East by seven and a half games with 16 to go. San Francisco loses its 11th straight, which is the club’s longest such streak since 1951. They were the New York Giants then. They also won the pennant that year -- that was the Bobby Thomson, Shot-Heard-Round-The-World year, but there will be no such glory this season.
Dodgers 8, Reds 1: After six straight losses to the Reds the Dodgers finally beat ‘em. A defacto bullpen game as Ross Stripling went three and a third and then six relievers combined to shut the Reds out for the final five and two-thirds. Joc Pederson homered. One run scored when Yasmani Grandal hit a ball to the wall and a kid reached over and grabbed it while the ball was still in play, resulting in a run scoring fan interference double. Which is frankly amazing. The Reds have fans? Who knew?!
Astros 5, Tigers 4: The three game sweep for the Astros didn’t come easy, with all three of the games being one-run affairs that, but for a bounce or a break here or there, the Tigers could’ve swept. That certainly went for this one. With Houston clinging to that one-run lead in the eighth following a lead-cutting Nick Castellanos two-run homer, the Tigers had a man on first with two outs and Dawel Lugo at the plate. He hit a liner down the right field line that could’ve been trouble, but George Springer did this:
It’s a tie game if he misses that. He didn’t miss it.
Rays 3, Indians 1: Blake Snell took a no-hitter into the seventh, looking dominant as he did it. Jose Ramirez ended that -- and ended a nearly month-long homer drought -- with a leadoff shot in the eighth, but that’s all Cleveland would get in the game. Snell finished that inning and two relievers held the Indians hitless in the eighth and ninth. Ji-Man Choi homered for the second time in three days, this one a two-run shot.
Pirates 4, Cardinals 3: Jameson Taillon allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings and Jacob Stallings knocked in three to help the Pirates avoid the sweep. That win helps make the Wild Card race bit more interesting. St. Louis currently holds the second slot, but now it’s only a two-game lead over Los Angeles with a four-game series between ‘em getting underway in Los Angeles tonight. If the Cards had won here there’d be a bit less pressure.
Mets 13, Marlins 0: This was supposed to be a doubleheader but a 5-hour, 35-minute rain delay washed out one of them. They did get the second one in, with first pitch going off at 9:45 p.m and the game ending after midnight. The Marlins would’ve done better to simply forfeit it and go back to their hotel and watch TV, as that would’ve gone down as only a 9-0 loss. As it was, Zack Wheeler tossed one-hit ball into the seventh and allowed four hits over eight shutout innings in all. Jay Bruce hit a grand slam, Jeff McNeil had three hits and Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith each homered for New York. Listed attendance was over 20,000. Needless to say, there were not 20,000 people at Citi Field last night.
Padres 5, Mariners 4: Austin Hedges and Hunter Renfroe each homered as the Padres sweep the two-game series over the plummeting Mariners. Late in the game something fun happened. And by “fun” I mean “the quintessential 2018 baseball game” in that four San Diego relievers -- Trey Wingenter, Robert Stock, Jose Castillo and Craig Stammen -- combined to strike out nine consecutive batters between the sixth and eighth innings.
Nationals 5, Phillies 1: Speaking of plummeting, Philly loses its fifth straight and goes down for the ninth time in 11 games. Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmeman and Juan Soto all went deep for Washington and Stephen Strasburg allowed one run on five hits over seven, striking out nine. “We haven’t played good baseball due to a ton of variables,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said after the game. Yah.
Athletics 10, Orioles 0: Oakland put up ten runs in the third inning thanks to eight singles, two walks, a double, and a homer. Mats Olson and Chapman each drove in three in that inning, which was the only inning to feature any scoring in the game. I’d say something like “hope no one decided to stand in line for concessions that inning or else they’d miss everything,” but it ain’t like there was anyone at this game. They were probably offering to deliver concessions to fans in their seats. Wouldn’t have been that hard I suspect.
Red Sox 1, Blue Jays 0: Boston wins its 100th game of the year. It’s the first time the Sox have won 100, in fact, since they won the AL Pennant in 1946. Here the game’s only run scored on a wild pitch in the fifth inning. That was a tough break for the guy who delivered it, Aaron Sanchez, who otherwise pitched wonderfully. Not as wonderfully as David Price, however, who tosses seven shutout innings, allowing only three hits, striking out seven and not walking a soul. Price is 5-0 with a 1.56 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break and has not lost since July 1.
White Sox 4, Royals 2: Tim Anderson hit a two-run homer in the 12th inning to give the Chicago the lead and, eventually, the win. Jose Rondon also homered for the White Sox, who snapped a seven-game losing streak.
Angels 8, Rangers 1: Rookie Francisco Arcia -- who has spent 11 years in the minors -- homered twice, hit a two-run double and drove in four. His fellow long-minor-league-tenured rookie, Jose Fernandez, hit a homer for the second consecutive game. He’s 30, by the way. The late season can be a drag for non-contenders, but these quasi-Moonlight Graham stories are always nice to see.
Marlins vs. Mets -- POSTPONED:
Another rainy day in New York City
Softly sweet, so silently it falls
As crosstown traffic crawls
Memories in my way in New York City
Tender, tough, too tragic to be true
And nothing i can do
City workers cheer
The taxis disappear
Another rainy day in New York City