Here are the scores. Here are the highlights:
Reds 7, Brewers 1: Luis Castillo allowed one run over eight innings and struck out ten. Yesterday Bill explained why we should all be keeping an eye on that guy going forward.
Twins 10, Rays 6: Minnesota ended a three-game skid and took back possession of second Wild Card position from the Angels. Eduardo Escobar had three hits and three RBI and Brian Dozier and Ehire Adrianza both homered
Rangers 12, Braves 8; Braves 5, Rangers 4: The first game of the doubleheader had an announced attendance of over 19,000 based on who bought tickets for the cancelled night before, but there were fewer than 1,000 people in attendance. It just looked and sounded weird, man. I’m used to seeing that at Turner Field on occasion, but in the new ballpark it’s kinda strange. Anyway, Elvis Andrus drove in three runs with four hits, including a homer, which was his 20th on the year. I’d say he did it “against his old mates” but it was about 5,000 years ago that the Braves traded him away. The Braves split the twin bill, somehow surviving five walks from starter Julio Teheran in the second game, Here’s Teheran afterward:
Hmm.
Athletics 3, Angels 1: Sean Manaea pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning, Khris Davis homered and the A’s stopped an eight-game losing streak. A’s third baseman Matt Chapman was ejected after an exchange between him and Angels catcher Juan Graterol in the bottom of the fourth inning triggered by Graterol claiming that Davis was stealing signs from second base. No word on whether he was using an Apple Newton or a Palm Treo or anything to do it. I mean, it’s the A’s. Their budget is going to be lower than the Red Sox’ for such things.
Cubs 1, Pirates 0: Gerrit Cole and Jose Quintana exchanged zeroes -- Cole did it for eight innings, Quintana for six, his friends in the pen for three more -- but Alex Avila tripled in a run in the top of the ninth to push the Cubs over. It wasn’t some rocket shot to the corner or anything either. The Pirates were shifting on Avila, he broke his bat and blooped one opposite the shift and Leonys Martin scored easily from second base. Tough luck for Cole after allowing only two hits in his start.
Red Sox 6, Blue Jays 1: Doug Fister gave up one run over seven innings and Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a two-run homer and drove in three. It’s crazy that on a team with Chris Sale, David Price and Rick Porcello that Fister has been their most reliable pitcher of late.
Royals 13, Tigers 2: On Tuesday night the Tigers beat the Royals 13-2. Last night Kansas City returned the favor. This game was tied heading into the seventh, by the way, before the Royals scored four in that inning and seven runs in the eighth. That’s bad even for the Tigers bullpen. Sal Perez hit two homers. Brad Ausmus wasn’t literally reading want ads in the dugout last night, but I bet he was doing so mentally speaking.
Mets 6, Phillies 3: Robert Gsellman pitched pretty well until the sixth inning, when he gave up three runs, but thankfully for him and the Mets the game ended after six innings due to rain. Travis d’Arnaud homered. Brandon Nimmo drove in two via two sacrifice flies. I like to call that “pulling a Black Sabbath,” which is to be super great without any hits. OK, I lied, I don’t like to call it that. I just made it up on the spot.
Nationals 8, Marlins 1: Gio Gonzalez tossed five shutout innings and seven different Nats hitters drove in a run. Ryan Zimmerman and Michael A. Taylor each hit homers. It was the Nats’ eight straight victory over Miami.
Indians 5, White Sox 1: Cleveland keeps on rolling, taking its 14th game in a row to tie a franchise record. Here Carlos Carrasco starred, allowing one run on three hits in a complete game and needing only 97 pitches to do it. The lone run came on a homer with two outs in the ninth. Carlos Santana hit a two-run home run and had three hits in all.
Giants 11, Rockies 3: San Francisco snaps its 10-game losing streak at Coors Field, thanks to Joe Panik’s five hits. He drove in two, and went 12-for-15 in the series. Nick Hundley and Austin Slater knocked in two runs each as well while Gorkys Hernandez did them one better and knocked in three.
Astros 5, Mariners 3: It was tied 3-3 in the top of the ninth when Cameron Maybin walked up and hit a two-run homer. That gave Houston a sweep and their seventh straight win overall. After the late August skid Houston found themselves on, this little run has to give hope to the Dodgers who . . .
Diamondbacks 3, Dodgers 1: . . . lost once again to the red-hot Diamondbacks, who took their 13th straight. Their streak of innings without trailing ended, but it’s all good, as pinch-hitter Adam Rosales doubled in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and Taijuan Walker and three relievers held Los Angeles to one run. The Dodgers have lost six in a row and 11 of 12.
Cardinals 3, Padres 1: Jack Flaherty threw five innings of one-run ball and Stephen Piscotty hit a two-run homer in the seventh to give St. Louis their first runs -- and only necessary runs -- of the game. St. Louis has won four straight and six of seven.
Yankees vs. Orioles -- POSTPONED:
Can someone send a runner
Through the weather that I’m under
For the feeling I lost today?
Can someone send a runner
For the feeling I lost today?
You must be somewhere in London
You must be lovin’ your life in the rain
You must be somewhere in London
Walking Abbey Lane