The Yankees needed a strong showing in the series opener to set up a sweep that would allow them to reclaim a share of first place from the Blue Jays. Instead, we got another offensive dud, the bats failing to score beyond the fourth inning as they stranded seven runners going 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. Fortunately for them, the rest of the chasers in the division also lost, so they hold serve in the Wild Card race.

There was plenty of action outside the AL East as well, so let’s jump in.

Philadelphia Phillies (58-39) 3, Boston Red Sox (53-46) 2

What started as a starting pitching duel ended in the most bizarre of walk-off victories for the Phillies. It was a battle between an ace and a former ace, Zack Wheeler striking out ten across six innings of two-run ball while Walker Buehler lasted seven innings, giving up two runs (one earned). Jarren Duran led off the game with a home run but the Phillies responded with a pair in the fourth on a Bryce Harper double and RBI singles from Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto. Alex Bregman led off the sixth with a single, advanced to third on a Roman Anthony double, and scored on a Trevor Story single to send this game to extras as the bullpens locked it down.

The Red Sox went down in order in the top of the tenth setting up one of the wackier finishes you’ll see this season. Jordan Hicks has looked improved as a full time reliever after moving to Boston in the Rafael Devers trade, but he didn’t know where the ball was going tonight. He walked Otto Kemp on four pitches and then threw a slider to the back stop on the first pitch of the following PA against Max Kepler, prompting Alex Cora to put up the four fingers to get to a more favorable matchup. Hicks got to two strikes against Edmundo Sosa, but a check-swing catcher’s interference by Carlos Narváez with the bases loaded resulted in a rarely-seen walk-off for the Phillies.

Pittsburgh Pirates (40-61) 3, Detroit Tigers (60-41) 0

A day after they became the first team in MLB to reach 60 wins this season, the Tigers ran into a dominant Paul Skenes. The NL Cy Young frontrunner could scarcely be touched, allowing just three hits and a walk with six strikeouts across six scoreless innings. The relative walk in the park for the reigning NL Rookie of the Year drops his season ERA to 1.91, the only qualified starter with a sub-two ERA as we approach the two-thirds mark of the season.

It helps when your offense spots you a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Ke’Bryan Hayes singled to lead off followed by an Isiah Kiner-Falefa walk and Spencer Horowitz RBI single to open the scoring. Andrew McCutchen walked to load the bases, setting up a Bryan Reynolds two-run single that would conclude scoring for the rest of the contest.

Houston Astros (58-42) 6, Arizona Diamondbacks (50-51) 3

Zac Gallen didn’t do his team’s playoff chances any favors nor his chances of being dealt to a contender, coughing up six runs on seven hits in six innings to raise his ERA to 5.58 on the year. Despite the Diamondbacks opening the scoring on a Corbin Carroll RBI single in the first, Arizona found themselves on the receiving end of a day that rookie Brice Matthews will never forget. The 23-year-old second baseman crushed the first two home runs of his career, a three-run shot in the second followed by a two-run blast in the seventh to drive in five of his team’s six runs.

Christian Walker had revenge on his mind against his former team who never made him an offer over the winter, going 2-for-4 including an RBI double in the fourth. Unlike Gallen, Eugenio Suárez only further strengthened his demand with the trade deadline a week away, smashing his 36th home run of the year in the third. The Diamondbacks had plenty of opportunity to get back into the game, having three runners reach in both the sixth and eighth innings, but no one scored either time, their only consolation run a Lourdes Gurriel Jr. sac fly in the fifth.

Other Games

Shane Baz had one of the worst duds of his young career, giving up all eight of Chicago’s runs on eight hits and two walks in four innings. Three came in each of the second and third frames, highlighted by a Brooks Baldwin three-run homer and Luis Robert Jr. two-run double. Rookie Chase Meidroth went 4-for-5 with three doubles, while Miguel Vargas slugged a two-run bomb in the fifth to cap off the scoring.

Brandon Woodruff has looked magnificent in his first three starts back from almost two years missed with injury, this time logging six scoreless innings allowing just two hits and no walks against five strikeouts. He was locked in a scoreless duel with George Kirby until the Milwaukee bats ambushed the Seattle starter for four runs in the sixth on a William Contreras sac fly, Christian Yelich RBI single, Jackson Chourio RBI double, and Isaac Collins RBI single. They’d score two more in the eighth on RBI singles from Yelich and Chourio to nab first place from the Cubs as they became the second team to 60 wins.