Baseball

KANSAS CITY -- The Astros are chasing their sixth American League West title prior to now seven seasons, however one unexpected impediment has stepped into their path in September: last-place groups. Houston nonetheless leads the division by a half-game, however the Astros started their three-game journey to Kansas City with a 4-2 loss Friday night time at Kauffman Stadium. Those within the clubhouse insist on the significance of each recreation, however as a substitute of constructing their division lead towards golf equipment properly under .500, the Astros have struggled. The Royals have been the most recent instance. The Astros started the month by getting swept at house by the Yankees, who entered the collection in final place at 65-69. And every week after a important three-game swee...

PHOENIX -- It was an uncharacteristically dangerous night time for Justin Steele, and the timing of the Cubs' Cy Young Award candidate’s tough outing got here on the mistaken time.  The Cubs have now misplaced six of their final eight video games, and with the D-backs’ victory, have additionally misplaced the tiebreaker to Arizona. “I actually felt really good coming in today,” Steele stated. “I felt like the off-day really helped me yesterday ... I felt really good. I had a lot of 94-95 stuff. I made a few mistakes, and they did what they were supposed to do.” After his tough first body during which Steele surrendered a first-pitch three-run homer to Lourdes Gurriel Jr., the lefty settled in a bit, permitting simply three hits from innings two by means of 5, earlier than issues unraveled ...

SEATTLE -- The Dodgers aren’t within the postseason but, however they’re already fascinated about how issues are going to line up in October. Prior to Friday evening’s series-opening 6-3 win over the Mariners, Los Angeles supervisor Dave Roberts was requested if his starter, Bobby Miller, could be his man on the hill for the primary sport within the Dodgers’ upcoming National League Division Series that's slated to start Oct. 7. Roberts mentioned Miller would pitch one of many first two video games, after which the rookie right-hander went out and lived as much as his skipper’s confidence, battling via 5 2/3 innings in a charged ambiance at T-Mobile Park, giving up three runs and hanging out seven.  After the sport, Roberts was requested if Miller’s effort was yet one more profitable prep ...

ST. LOUIS -- It had been 342 days since Aaron Nola dominated the Cardinals in Game 2 of the 2022 NL Wild Card Series. It was a masterful efficiency at Busch Stadium that punched the Phillies’ ticket to the NLDS and in the end the World Series. It was Nola’s second sensible begin that week. He additionally pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings 5 days earlier in Houston to assist clinch a postseason berth. The Phillies hope that model of Nola returns quickly. He allowed three runs (two earned) in 4 2/3 innings in Friday night time’s 5-4 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, giving them a 2 1/2-game lead over the Cubs for the No. 1 NL Wild Card with 15 video games to play. “It sucks,” Nola stated about his early exit. “The bullpen is coming in too early when I’m pitching. I want to save thos...

Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and Patreon supporter Max Harris banter about Ben’s issues remembering Orioles rookie Heston Kjerstad’s identify, Baltimore’s lookalike offensive core, and Max’s historical past with the podcast and baseball, then (18:22) reply listener emails about seat fillers at MLB video games, hypothetical gamers “Mr. Repeat” and “Mr. First Time,” centralizing MLB R&D, systemic vs. particular person explanations for modifications within the recreation, instituting minimal and most pitch counts, Kyle Schwarber vs. Nick Ahmed, the good-but-disappointing Blue Jays, the Mariners’ streak of not shedding by rather a lot, and Theo Epstein pedantry, plus a Future Blast (1:27:39) from 2059 and a follow-up (1:30:31) a few tiered Hall of Fame. Audio intro: Beatwriter, “Effecti...

PHOENIX -- Coming off a tough collection in New York having dropped three of 4 to the Mets, it seems all of the D-backs wanted was one other matchup towards the Cubs to get them again on the profitable observe.  Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Alek Thomas every hit three-run homers off Justin Steele as the D-backs gained, 6-4. It was the fourth win in 5 video games for Arizona over the Cubs after taking three of 4 in Wrigley Field final weekend.  Here’s a deeper have a look at three key moments from the series-opening victory: Gurriel’s homer was big After the bats slumped in New York, the D-backs had been determined for any spark that would ignite them. Gurriel supplied simply that with two outs within the first inning, when he hit a first-pitch slider from the Cubs' Justin Steele into the left-f...

MILWAUKEE — Carlos Santana hit two solo homers and William Contreras added a three-run shot because the Milwaukee Brewers rallied to beat the Washington Nationals 5-3 on Friday night time. ...

DENVER -- In one of many strangest video games the Giants have ever performed at Coors Field -- a venue during which “strange” is usually an operative phrase -- San Francisco misplaced in walk-off vogue, 3-2, after being no-hit for eight innings. Despite not getting their first hit till the ninth, the Giants led the Rockies, 1-0 by the highest of the eighth. That run got here within the second inning, when Michael Conforto -- who was taking part in in his first recreation off the injured checklist after being sidelined with a left hamstring pressure -- opened the body with a stroll and later scored on a Patrick Bailey groundout again to the mound. After Colorado tied the sport within the backside of the eighth, San Francisco went forward within the ninth because of a bases-loaded stroll by...

BALTIMORE — Zach Eflin and two relievers mixed on a two-hitter, Brandon Lowe and Harold Ramírez homered, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-1 on Friday night time to drag right into a digital tie atop the AL East. ...

TORONTO -- The Blue Jays want a hero. They wanted one a month in the past, too, however purposes are nonetheless open. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. threw one other resume on the pile, hitting a three-run homer in Friday night time’s 3-0 win over the Red Sox at Rogers Centre, which jerked the Blue Jays again onto the rails after a disastrous four-game sweep by the Rangers. “We’ve got a 15-game season right now,” supervisor John Schneider mentioned previous to the sport, the ticking clock rising louder every day. With so little time left for the Blue Jays to vault again into an American League Wild Card spot, this isn’t about sweeping modifications or grand, philosophical shifts. They’ve had 146 video games for that. Right now, it’s concerning the two weeks which might be staring Toronto within the...