MLB ROUNDUP: GARRETT CROCHET TOSSES FIRST SHUTOUT IN RED SOX WIN
In his 51st career start, Garrett Crochet accomplished two feats in one dominant outing: his first career complete game and first career shutout. And that was all the Boston Red Sox needed to walk away with a 1-0 win over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.
Crochet threw 100 pitches, allowed just three hits and struck out nine while walking none to lead the Red Sox to their ninth straight win. It also marked the ninth straight appearance in which he fanned at least seven batters.
Roman Anthony supplied Boston with the only run of the game, a one-out double that scored Carlos Narvaez in the fourth inning. Trevor Story and Jarren Duran also doubled for the Red Sox.
Yandy Diaz, Curtis Mead and Taylor Walls recorded the lone hits for the Rays, who dropped their fifth game in six tries.
Padres 5, Phillies 4
Manny Machado’s sacrifice fly snapped a tie in the bottom of the seventh inning as San Diego clinched a series win over visiting Philadelphia.
Machado’s drive to deep right field scored Fernando Tatis Jr., who started the rally with a one-out single off Tanner Banks (2-1) and raced to third on Luis Arraez’s single to center. Jackso Merrill provided much of the firepower for the Padres, hitting a pair of home runs and driving in three. He entered the game on a 5-for-53 skid that dropped his average to .258.
Rookie David Morgan (1-1) pitched an inning of scoreless relief for his first career win. Jeremiah Estrada, pitching for the third straight night, got the last three outs for his third save of the year.
Cubs 5, Yankees 2
Matthew Boyd allowed four hits in eight scoreless innings to reach double-digit victories for the first time in his career as Chicago won in New York. Boyd improved to 5-0 over his past six starts and allowed two runs or fewer for the ninth straight time.
Yankees’ ace Max Fried (11-3) exited with a blister on his left index finger after three innings. Fried allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits in his shortest outing of the season.
Aaron Judge homered in the ninth to reach 35 homers this season and 350 for his career to end the shutout bid for Chicago.
Mariners 15, Tigers 7
Both Randy Arozarena and Julio Rodriguez went 3-for-5 with a home run as visiting Seattle put up a season-high 15 runs in a rout of Detroit.
Luke Raley blasted a three-run homer for the Mariners, who tagged newly dubbed All-Star Casey Mize for 15 runs a day after plating 12 against Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. Cal Raleigh remained at 38 home runs, one shy of tying the record for most homers prior to the All-Star break.
Riley Greene homered and drove in four runs for the Tigers, who dropped their third straight, while Zach McKinstry belted a two-run home run.
Astros 5, Rangers 4 (11 inn.)
Zack Short hit an opposite-field, walk-off single in the 11th inning and Houston snapped a four-game skid with a victory over visiting Texas.
Short plated Cam Smith from second base with his single to right field off Rangers reliever Hoby Milner. Robert Garcia (1-5) walked Smitha and Kenedy Corona and ultimately took the loss after being charged with both 11-inning runs.
Texas pulled ahead 4-3 when Adolis Garcia ripped a single to left in the top of the 11th that scored Marcus Semien. Bennett Sousa (3-0) allowed the Adolis Garcia single but held the line there. The Astros got three solo home runs with two outs in the game.
Guardians 6, White Sox 2
Kyle Manzardo put Cleveland in front for good with a solo homer in the sixth inning and the Guardians added three more to run away from host Chicago.
Tanner Bibee held the White Sox to two runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings to record his first win since May 22. Carlos Santana was 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Guardians, who have won five of six, while Steven Kwan added a single and two RBIs.
Kyle Teel drove in both runs on a fourth-inning single for Chicago, which has dropped five of seven.
Reds 4, Rockies 3
Will Benson smacked a triple to left field to plate the game-tying run in the bottom of the ninth, then scored the winning run on a fielding error two batters later to help Cincinnati escape with the win over visiting Colorado.
Noelvi Marte homered and Gavin Lux added a single and a double for the Reds, who rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the seventh inning. Austin Hays contributed two hits and an RBI.
Ryan Ritter blasted a two-run home run for the Rockies, who narrowly missed out on their third series win of the season, and Yanquiel Fernandez added an RBI double.
Twins 12, Pirates 4
Byron Buxton became the first player to hit for the cycle at Target Field — and the 12th in Minnesota history — to lead the host Twins to a victory over Pittsburgh in Minneapolis.
Buston went 5-for-5 with two RBIs for his first career cycle and accomplished the feat on his own bobblehead promotional giveaway. Willi Castro was 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs for the Twins, while Kody Clemens added a home run and three RBIs.
Jack Suwinski homered for the Pirates, and Joey Bart doubled and singled while driving in a run.
Braves 7, Cardinals 6
Sean Murphy’s three-run homer in the eighth inning helped visiting Atlanta grab a one-run lead, then Jurickson Profar drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth as the Braves edged St. Louis.
Ronald Acuna Jr. and Marcell Ozuna each had a home run for Atlanta, which won for the third time in four games, while Profar added a double.
Nolan Gorman paced the Cardinals with two hits, including a two-run home run, while Yohel Pozo homered and doubled. Brendan Donavan also had two hits for the Cards, who suffered their third loss in four games.
Marlins 6, Orioles 0
Miami starter Janson Junk held Baltimore scoreless on five hits through seven innings as Miami ended a three-game losing streak with an impressive road win.
Miami’s Derek Hill drove in two runs, and Xavier Edwards hit a two-run homer as the Marlins scored all their runs across the final three innings. Dane Myers matched Hill and Edwards with two hits.
Gunnar Henderson had two doubles for the Orioles, who lost for the second time in their last eight games. Trevor Rogers (2-1), who was traded from the Marlins to Baltimore last summer, allowed only a lead-off single to Myers in the fifth and a two-out single to Myers in the seventh.
Dodgers 2, Giants 1
Shohei Ohtani pitched three scoreless innings, Alex Vesia emerged from a bases-loaded jam in the eighth and visiting Los Angeles snapped a seven-game losing streak with a victory over San Francisco.
Michael Conforto had three hits and scored both Dodgers runs, helping the defending champions end their longest losing skid since 2017.
Conforto singled then scored on a Tommy Edman infield out in the second and also came home on a Hyeseong Kim single in the sixth to produce the only scoring against Giants starter Landen Roupp and three relievers.
The loss was just San Francisco’s third in its past 10 games.
Mets 3, Royals 1
Frankie Montas allowed one run while pitching into the sixth inning, and Juan Soto clubbed a two-run homer, securing New York its first road series win in more than a month with a victory over Kansas City.
Making his fourth start of the season after missing roughly the first three months with a lat strain, Montas (2-1) was quite solid. He survived a 21-pitch first inning without yielding a run. For the game, he gave up four hits and struck out five; his only earned run came on Jonathan India’s RBI double in the sixth.
Kansas City won four straight entering this series, but is 1-for-17 with runners in scoring position the last two days. India’s two doubles accounted for half of the Royals’ hits Saturday.
Brewers 6, Nationals 5
Caleb Durbin’s RBI single in the bottom of the ninth capped a three-run rally that lifted host Milwaukee past Washington.
Andrew Vaughn tied the game by lacing a two-run double to the wall in right-center, giving him 10 RBI in his first five games with the team, before Durbin fisted an inside fastball over first to cap Milwaukee’s sixth straight win.
The Nationals outhit the Brewers 11-9, with rookie third baseman Brady House starring in defeat, belting his first two MLB homers.
Angels 10, Diamondbacks 5
Mike Trout had two hits, including the 395th home run of his career, and drove in four runs to lead Los Angeles over slumping Arizona in Anaheim, Calif.
Nolan Schanuel went 3-for-4 with a walk and an RBI the Angels, who finished with a season-high 15 hits. All-Star Yusei Kikuchi (4-6) picked up the win, allowing three runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out five and left one batter after taking a 105-mph comebacker by Josh Naylor off his left shoulder.
Eugenio Suarez hit two home runs and James McCann had two hits for the Diamondbacks, who lost their third straight game and for the eighth time in 11 contests. Zac Gallen (7-10) suffered the loss, allowing six runs on eight hits over five innings. It was the seventh time this season that Gallen has allowed at least five runs in a game.
Athletics 4, Blue Jays 3
Brent Rooker hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the fifth and drove in three runs to lead the Athletics past Toronto in West Sacramento, Calif., evening the series at one game apiece.
Lawrence Butler also drove and Mason Miller registered his 18th save for the Athletics. Leo Jimenez homered and Ernie Clement and Bo Bichette had two hits apiece for Toronto, which lost for just the second time in 13 games.
Jacob Lopez (3-5) gave up two runs and four hits over five innings for the A’s. He struck out five and walked two. It was a big turnaround for Lopez, who was pounded while lasting just 1 2/3 innings against the Blue Jays in Toronto on May 29. He allowed seven runs and six hits in the 12-0 loss.
PAUL SKENES, TARIK SKUBAL NAMED ALL-STAR GAME STARTERS
Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes and Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal were named All-Star Game starters and will open the contest Tuesday at Atlanta for the National League and American League, respectively.
Skenes was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Dave Roberts, who will manage the National League, while Skubal was selected by the New York Yankees’ Aaron Boone, who will manage the American League.
Skenes, 23, will be making his second start for the National League in his first two major league seasons. In last year’s All-Star Game, won by the American League 5-3 at Arlington, Texas, Skenes walked one in a scoreless first inning.
The Pirates’ ace is just 4-8 this season but has a major league-leading 2.01 ERA over 20 starts with 131 strikeouts over 121 innings. Skenes has a 1.49 ERA over his past 12 starts.
Skubal, 28, also is making his second consecutive All-Star Game appearance in his sixth season. He followed American League starter Corbin Burnes in last season’s game with a perfect second inning.
The Tigers’ ace is 10-3 with a 2.23 ERA in 19 starts after winning his first AL Cy Young Award last season when he went 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA in 31 starts. Skubal has a 2.05 ERA over his past 14 starts.
The last Tigers pitcher to start an All-Star Game was right-hander Max Scherzer in 2013.
RED SOX RHP HUNTER DOBBINS SAYS HE’S DONE FOR SEASON AFTER TEARING RIGHT ACL
BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox right-hander Hunter Dobbins said on Saturday he knew his season was probably over when he felt a familiar feeling in his knee.
He was right. Dobbins was diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, his second ACL tear in his right knee.
“Yeah. I’ve torn my ACL in this knee before and it was the same feeling,” he said, standing in the middle of Boston’s clubhouse with a red sleeve on his right leg. “Kind of some denial went into it, tried to go through that warm-up pitch, felt the same sensation again so, at that point, I knew what it was.”
Dobbins tore the same ACL playing high school football.
Covering first base in the second inning of Boston’s 5-4 walk-off win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night, the 25-year-old Dobbins stepped awkwardly and limped after recording an out by making a catch on a throw from first baseman Abraham Toro.
Dobbins took one warm-up toss before manager Alex Cora stopped him from attempting any more.
“Tough,” Cora said before the Red Sox faced the Rays. “He put himself on the map, right, did a good job for us. When it happened, I thought something minor. Talking to him, he felt it right away. He’s been through that before.”
Dobbins said he found out about Boston’s dramatic win while being examined.
“I was actually in the MRI machine and they were giving me score updates in between each one,” he said. “Right after the last one they said, ‘I think you’d like to hear this, you just won by a walk-off.’ That was pretty cool to hear the guys picked me up.”
The Red Sox placed him on the 15-day injured list Saturday and recalled right-hander Richard Fitts.
“In my head I have opening day next year kind of circled,” Dobbins said. “Whether or not that’s realistic, I don’t know, but that’s my goal.”
PHILLIES ENRAGED BY MISIOROWSKI’S ALL-STAR NOD: ‘F—–G TERRIBLE’
When Milwaukee Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski was named to the National League All-Star squad after just five big-league starts, it raised plenty of eyebrows around baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies, in particular, were enraged by the news.
After Misiorowski was chosen over Philadelphia starters Ranger Suárez and Cristopher Sánchez – both of whom are enjoying spectacular seasons – multiple Phillies players ripped the league for snubbing their teammates in favor of what they see as a marketing ploy.
“What a joke,” shortstop Trea Turner told Matt Gelb of The Athletic. “That’s f—–g terrible. I mean, that’s terrible, dude.”
“I mean, it’s not the All-Star Game in the sense that the best players go there, or people who have had the best season. It’s whoever sells the most tickets or has been put on social media the most,” Turner continued. “That’s essentially what it’s turned into.”
Outfielder Nick Castellanos went a step further, saying that MLB is turning the All-Star Game “into the Savannah Bananas.”
Misiorowski, the Brewers’ top prospect, turned into an overnight sensation after being called up in early June. He opened his big-league career with 11 consecutive hitless innings over two starts, narrowly missing the MLB record. He’s come back to earth a bit since, but still owns a 2.81 ERA and 0.90 WHIP with 33 strikeouts in just 25 2/3 innings.
The 23-year-old went viral almost immediately, thanks in large part to a lethal fastball that averages nearly 100 mph, and a slider with enough movement to break hitters’ ankles.
Still, that’s not nearly enough to win over the Phillies, who are sending just two representatives – DH Kyle Schwarber and right-hander Zack Wheeler – to Atlanta. Both Sánchez and Suárez have been dominant starters behind Wheeler, helping to lead what’s been the majors’ best rotation.
Sánchez, an All-Star in 2024, owns the NL’s fourth-lowest ERA (2.59), while his 9.7 K/9 rate is a career high. Suárez, meanwhile, has fashioned a 1.94 ERA and 1.05 WHIP over his 13 starts.
Sánchez is scheduled to start Philadelphia’s first-half finale on Sunday, and would therefore be unable to pitch in Tuesday’s All-Star Game. MLB apparently offered the 28-year-old, who would receive a $50,000 bonus if named an All-Star, a replacement spot if he agreed to pitch in the game, but he declined because of injury concerns, sources told Gelb.
However, Sánchez’s agent, Gene Mato, told Gelb that his client would be “willing to pitch (Tuesday) no matter what.”
Suárez also said earlier this week that he turned down a similar conditional offer from the league in order to rest for the second half, according to Gelb. He missed the first month of 2025 because of a back injury.
The supposed conditions from MLB are what’s left the Phillies seething on behalf of both pitchers. Schwarber, now a three-time All-Star, thinks they should be granted All-Star status “if you’re going to ask him that.”
The Brewers, to little surprise, have a slightly different view of the situation.
“I understand why some people feel the way they feel, just because it’s a small sample,” slugger Christian Yelich told Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. “But at the end of the day … people want to be entertained. It’s a showcase of some of the best and most exciting players in the game. Miz is definitely that, right?”
