MLB ROUNDUP: CHRISTIAN WALKER, ASTROS STUN M’S WITH 10TH-INNING RALLY
Christian Walker blasted a three-run, walk-off homer as the Houston Astros answered a three-run rally by the visiting Seattle Mariners in the top of the 10th with a five-run bottom half en route to a wild 10-7 victory on Friday.
Victor Robles plated automatic runner Brendan Donovan with a homer to the left-center-field gap off Astros reliever Enyel De Los Santos (2-3) to snap a 5-5 tie in the top of the 10th inning, then later scored on a sacrifice fly. Mariners closer Andres Munoz (5-5) surrendered RBI singles to Isaac Paredes and Daulton Varsho before Walker crushed his 23rd home run 405 feet to left field.
Astros starter Peter Lambert gave up two runs on four hits in five innings. Paredes had two hits and three RBIs, and Yordan Alvarez hit his American League-leading 36th homer.
Robles finished with three hits, and Dominic Canzone and Josh Naylor each had two hits and an RBI for the Mariners. Seattle starter George Kirby gave up five runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings.
Reds 1, Marlins 0
Chase Burns threw seven shutout innings and Eugenio Suarez drove in the game’s only run as Cincinnati edged visiting Miami.
Burns (14-2) allowed four hits, struck out eight and didn’t walk a batter. The right-hander avoided losing two in a row after winning 12 straight decisions. Brock Burke struck out the side in the eighth for the Reds, and Emilio Pagan pitched the ninth for his 15th save.
Miami starter Sandy Alcantara (13-7) came in with a 20-inning shutout streak and stretched it to 25 before Suarez delivered a two-out RBI double in the sixth inning. Alcantara yielded three hits with two strikeouts and four walks in seven innings.
Orioles 6, Rays 5
Gunnar Henderson went 4-for-4 with a two-run homer as Baltimore edged Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Fla., snapping the Rays’ nine-game winning streak.
Orioles right-hander Chris Bassitt threw 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on five hits in his return from back surgery. Josh Walker (1-0) picked up his first career win in relief. Dylan Beavers delivered a tiebreaking two-run single in the seventh inning for Baltimore.
Rays reliever Garrett Cleavinger (4-4) gave up two runs in one-third of an inning. Richie Palacios had two hits and an RBI.
Cubs 3, Cardinals 0
Clay Holmes allowed one hit over 6 2/3 scoreless innings and Seiya Suzuki belted a three-run homer to carry host Chicago past St. Louis.
Making his second start since being acquired from the New York Mets on Aug. 3, Holmes (5-5) retired the first 16 batters he faced before Jose Fermin singled to right field in the sixth inning. Jacob Webb threw a scoreless ninth inning for his ninth save.
Matthew Liberatore (5-10) fell to 0-4 in his past five outings despite being charged with just two runs on two hits in 5 1/3 innings.
White Sox 9, Tigers 5
Miguel Vargas homered twice, collected four hits, scored three runs and drove in three as visiting Chicago topped Detroit.
Braden Montgomery had three hits and three RBIs for the White Sox, who have won four of their past six games. Tristan Peters supplied a two-run homer for the White Sox, and Munetaka Murakami hit a solo shot. Jose Urquidy (1-1) threw 3 2/3 innings of three-run relief.
Ben Malgeri had two homers and drove in three runs for the Tigers. Jackson Jobe (1-1) gave up six runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Blue Jays 3, Yankees 1
Alejandro Kirk hit the go-ahead double in a two-run sixth inning and added a homer in the eighth to help Toronto defeat New York for its fourth win in the first five games of a seven-game homestand.
Shane Bieber (4-2) allowed one run on four hits in six innings, outdueling Gerrit Cole (6-6). The Yankees starter pitched six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits.
Trent Grisham hit a solo home run for the Yankees, who have scored only once while losing two straight. Yankees manager Aaron Boone was ejected by plate umpire Vic Carapazza with two outs in the sixth for arguing balls and strikes, the 50th ejection of his career.
Pirates 8, Red Sox 4
Rafael Flores Jr. and Brandon Lowe homered to propel Pittsburgh past visiting Boston, handing the slumping Red Sox their sixth loss in seven games.
Flores, who had two three-run home runs Thursday, opened the scoring with a solo home run in the second. Lowe busted the game open with a three-run bomb in the fifth to make it 7-2. Bubba Chandler (6-8) limited Boston to two runs on four hits in five innings.
Boston starter Jake Bennett (7-6) was pulled after four innings, having allowed four runs on five hits. Nick Sogard had two hits and two RBIs to lead the Red Sox.
Mets 4, Nationals 1
Carson Benge laced a tiebreaking, run-scoring single in the sixth as host New York beat slumping Washington in the opener of a three-game series.
Francisco Lindor hit a game-tying homer earlier in the sixth for the Mets, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Jonathan Pintaro (1-0), the third of five Mets pitchers, was credited with the victory after giving up one hit over two scoreless innings.
Brady House went 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Nationals, who have lost 11 of their past 16. Andrew Alvarez (2-4) gave up two runs on two hits over 5 2/3 innings.
Dodgers 3, Brewers 1
Andy Pages hit a go-ahead home run in the fifth inning, Yoshinobu Yamamoto had nine strikeouts over six innings and Los Angeles earned a victory over visiting Milwaukee.
Yamamoto (12-7) gave up one run on four hits as the Dodgers leveled the four-game series at one win apiece. Tommy Edman added a home run for Los Angeles. Edwin Diaz finished off his seventh save despite loading the bases in the ninth on a hit batter and two walks.
Brewers starter Robert Gasser (3-5) gave up three runs on eight hits over 6 1/3 innings. Joey Ortiz drove in Milwaukee’s run with a sacrifice fly.
Padres 7, Guardians 5
Xander Bogaerts slugged a two-run homer and Fernando Tatis Jr. added a solo shot as visiting San Diego beat Cleveland for its sixth straight win.
Luis Campusano doubled twice and drove in three runs for the Padres. Michael King (8-8) allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits over six innings, and Bradgley Rodriguez tossed a scoreless ninth inning for his first career save.
Brayan Rocchio and Nathaniel Lowe each hit a solo homer for the Guardians, who have lost five of their past six games. Gavin Williams (11-7) was tagged for five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Diamondbacks 2, Braves 0
Brandon Pfaadt outdueled Chris Sale as visiting Arizona defeated Atlanta. Pfaadt (7-1) allowed only two hits over seven scoreless innings.
Brandyn Garcia pitched a perfect ninth inning, striking out two, to earn his fourth save. Geraldo Perdomo went 4-for-5 and scored the Diamondbacks’ first run.
Arizona limited Atlanta to three singles and struck out 11, including Ronald Acuna Jr. three times. Sale (12-8) pitched six innings and allowed one run on five hits with nine strikeouts.
Royals 7, Angels 6
Jac Caglianone went 3-for-4 with a home run and a career-high five RBIs as Kansas City snapped a four-game losing streak with a win over Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.
Michael Massey also homered and had three hits and two RBIs for the Royals, who improved to 4-0 against the Angels this season. Alex Lange (2-7) picked up the win after giving up a run on two hits in one inning of relief. Steven Cruz pitched a scoreless ninth to notch his fourth save.
Nolan Schanuel went 2-for-4 with a double and matched his career high with four RBIs for Los Angeles, which had a three-game winning streak snapped. Tayler Saucedo (0-1) allowed two runs on two hits in one-third of an inning of relief.
Rockies 5, Giants 2
Zac Veen splashed a home run into the San Francisco Bay, Kyle Freeland threw eight strong innings, and Colorado prevailed at San Francisco.
Troy Johnston chipped in with an RBI triple for the Rockies, who have won at least three straight for just the fifth time this season. Freeland (4-10) gave up one run on four hits.
Bryce Eldridge homered for the Giants, who fell to 2-5 on a nine-game homestand. Landen Roupp (7-12) surrendered four runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Athletics 8, Rangers 3Football news
Jeff McNeil had a season-high four hits and three RBIs, including a tiebreaking homer, as the Athletics beat Texas in West Sacramento, Calif., handing the Rangers their fourth straight loss.
Lawrence Butler also went deep and Carlos Cortes laced a three-run double as the A’s won for just the fourth time in the past 19 games and halted an eight-game home losing streak. Jake Burger slugged a three-run homer for Texas.
Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson exited in the bottom of the second inning with a left hand contusion. He was plunked in the bottom of the first inning by a pitch from Rangers starter Kumar Rocker. After the game, the club said he is day-to-day.
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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL AWARDS 2028 ALL-STAR GAME TO SAN FRANCISCO, WHICH LAST HOSTED IN 2007
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The All-Star Game is returning to San Francisco in two years.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred made the announcement Friday that the 2028 Midsummer Classic will be at Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. The 2007 game was played in the picturesque waterfront ballpark, featuring Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki’s famous inside-the-park home run that bounced off the tricky wall in right-center field.
“With its passionate fanbase, world-class ballpark, and rich baseball history, San Francisco will be an outstanding host for All-Star Week, which culminates in one of Major League Baseball’s best traditions, the Midsummer Classic,” Manfred said in a statement. “We look forward to bringing the excitement of All-Star Week and the celebration of baseball to the Bay Area.”
This will mark another major sporting event for the Bay Area recently after the Super Bowl and World Cup this year and the NBA All-Star Game in February 2025.
The Giants will host the Midsummer Classic for a fourth time overall after Candlestick Park held the first All-Star Game of the 1961 season and also baseball’s summer showcase in 1984.
Oracle Park is set to become the eighth active ballpark to hold the All-Star Game multiple times, joining Fenway Park in 1946, 1961 and 1999, Wrigley Field (1947, 1962, 1990), Angel Stadium (1967, 1989, 2010), Dodger Stadium (1980, 2022), Progressive Field (1997, 2019), Coors Field (1998, 2021) and T-Mobile Park (2001, 2023).
Giants President and CEO Larry Baer said the club is “incredibly honored” and expressed his gratitude.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to showcase our organization, our city, and the incredible passion of our fans on baseball’s biggest summer stage,” he said in a statement.
“Hosting the All-Star Game is more than celebrating the game’s brightest stars, it’s a chance to highlight the people, neighborhoods, and culture that make our community so special. Few cities offer the unique combination of sports, culture, innovation, entertainment, and natural beauty that defines San Francisco. We look forward to welcoming players, families, fans, and visitors from around the world for a week that will create lasting memories and have a meaningful impact throughout our region.”
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FIELD OF DREAMS TO HOST ROYALS AND RED SOX IN 2027
The Kansas City Royals will play the Boston Red Sox at the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa, on Aug. 12, 2027.
Major League Baseball announced the participants and date for the fourth edition of the event on Friday.
The Philadelphia Phillies posted a 7-1 victory against the Minnesota Twins there on Thursday night.
The location is where Universal Pictures filmed the 1989 baseball film “Field of Dreams,” starring Kevin Costner.
“To have the Red Sox take the field in Iowa, in a place that reminds us why people fall in love with baseball, will be incredibly special,” Boston president and CEO Sam Kennedy said. “Part of what has allowed baseball to endure for generations is its ability to evolve while still holding onto the traditions, memories, and shared experiences that give the game its meaning. We can’t wait to experience that in Dyersville with our players, our fans, and baseball fans everywhere.”Olympics news
Said Kansas City president of business operations Cullen Maxey: “We are thrilled to showcase our athletes through one of Major League Baseball’s most cherished events and helping to grow the game to a worldwide audience. Royals territory already covers the Midwest, including Dyersville, so this is a natural fit that provides Royals fans a chance to cheer on the home team in a magical setting.”
The Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees met in the first Field of Dreams game in 2021, followed by the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds in 2022.
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