The Yankees picked an awful time to falter to divisional opposition, dropping two series to the Red Sox in the span of a week. The offense’s late fight back wasn’t in time to erase the early deficit, the 4-3 loss meaning they can at best avoid being swept by their rivals. Practically the entire Junior Circuit was in play yesterday afternoon, so let’s recap the relevant results.
Detroit’s starting pitchers have been one of the best units in the league, but today was a rare hiccup from Jack Flaherty. He gave up a season-high seven runs in 4.2 innings including three home runs allowed. He looked fine through the first four innings, both teams trading a run in the fourth, Elly De La Cruz’s leadoff home run answered by a Wenceel Pérez RBI single.
But then the wheels fell off for Flaherty in the fifth. Jake Fraley led off with a single and then scored on a Gavin Lux single sandwiched between walks by TJ Friedl and De La Cruz that also loaded the bases. Tyler Stephenson then crushed his second career grand slam, and two batters later Spencer Steer got in on the act with a solo shot of his own to make it an even half-dozen scored in the frame.
There was no coming back from that deficit, and still the Reds weren’t finished scoring. Jose Trevino walked and Fraley singled to lead off the eighth, setting up a three-run blast from the previously slumping Matt McLain. To cap it off, Stephenson doubled to lead off the top of the ninth, advanced to third on a Christian Encarnacion-Strand single, and scored on a Trevino sac fly to hand the Tigers their heaviest loss of the season, 11-1. Detroit does still hold the best record in baseball, but only by one win over the Mets.
This game featured an impressive pitchers’ duel between Hunter Brown and Joe Ryan. Both starters gave up two runs over seven innings, Ryan striking out seven while the Astros’ breakout ace fanned a career-high 12 batters. With the dozen punchouts, Brown becomes the fourth pitcher in the AL to breach triple digits in strikeouts this season.
Houston struck first in the third, Brendan Rodgers reaching on a one-out single to set up a Yainer Diaz two-run tater. But then Minnesota responded two innings later, Carlos Correa smacking a leadoff single to tee up the game-tying two-run homer from Brooks Lee. The game would remain knotted at two apiece until the bottom of the ninth, Christian Walker drawing a leadoff walk, going first-to-third on a Jake Meyers one out single, and walking home on a single from Cam Smith, the first walk-off of the 22-year-old rookie’s career.
Other Games:
Both starters allowed just two runs, though in starkly different fashion, Bowden Francis lasting just 3.2 innings while Cristopher Sánchez tied a season high for the Phillies with seven strong innings. The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the second, Ernie Clement reaching on a one-out double and scoring on a Myles Straw RBI single. Francis’ command evaporated with two outs in the fourth, walking a pair and hitting a batter to load the bases, then walking in a run and hitting the next batter to force in another run. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. crunched an RBI double in the fifth to level the scores but Max Kepler came through with the eighth inning go-ahead solo shot to win the game.
This game came completely unraveled for Mets starter Tylor Megill in the fifth inning, who compounded his own problems with a throwing error and a wild pitch that eventually allowed five to score in the frame. Junior Caminero crunched a leadoff home run, Jake Mangum was hit by a pitch, and Matt Thaiss, Brandon Lowe, and Yandy Díaz all singled in runs. It could have gotten worse, walks of Jonathan Aranda and Caminero loading the bases, but reliever José Castillo got out of the jam. Unfortunately, the damage was already done for the Mets, who received a 3-for-4 night with two RBIs from Brandon Nimmo as well as solo home runs from Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio. Tampa Bay sits 4.5 games behind the Yankees, in second place.
The pair of exciting young starters facing off in this game had near-identical performances, both Tanner Bibee and George Kirby allowing two runs over five innings. Seattle jumped out to an early lead, scoring two in the first on a Cal Raleigh RBI double and Jorge Polanco sac fly. Cleveland applied steady pressure in the middle innings, scoring one each in the fourth, fifth, and sixth on a Nolan Jones RBI double, José Ramírez solo shot, and run-scoring wild pitch by Seattle reliever Gabe Speier. However, things came unglued for closer Emmanuel Clase in the ninth. Dominic Canzone led off with a single, Miles Mastrobuoni walked, and Cole Young sac bunted the pair to second and third, forcing the Guardians to intentionally walk J.P. Crawford to load the bases. Following a wild pitch to bring the tying run home, Clase struck out Julio Rodríguez. That allowed Cleveland to intentionally walk the slugging Raleigh, but Polanco lined a single up the middle to win in walk-off fashion.