The dead body of a 22-year-old illegal immigrant who had crossed the border from Mexico was found yesterday morning on Chipper Jones’ ranch in Texas. Here’s more, from the Atlanta Journal Constitution:
“He was in a part of the ranch we don’t go to on a daily basis,” Jones’ father, Larry Jones Sr. said Thursday evening from Double Dime Ranch in Carrizo Springs, Texas. Jones Sr. said the man, a Mexican national, had entered the country illegally. The extreme heat and the drought would have made it difficult for anyone to survive without food or water, he said. Thursday was the 83rd straight day of temperatures topping at least 100 degrees, Jones said.
The man’s body was discovered around 6:30 a.m. by a ranch foreman. Jones Sr. called police, then left a message for the Braves’ third baseman on his answering machine. … The Jones family has owned the 10,000-acre ranch, located 130 miles southwest of San Antonio, since 2000. “As the crow flies, we’re eight miles from the Rio Grande,” Jones Sr. said. The game ranch is home to 750 heads of steer, as well as various wildlife.
Obviously a sad, unfortunate story. Jones’ ranch is called “The Double Dime” because both Chipper and Larry Sr. wore uniform No. 10. Also, one of my goals in life is to use the phrase “as the crow flies” in context during a conversation. So far, no luck.
Ohtani homers twice, including career longest at 459 feet, Angels beat White Sox 12-5
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CHICAGO — Shohei Ohtani homered in consecutive innings, including a 459-foot drive that was the longest of his Major League Baseball career, and drove in four runs to lead the Los Angeles Angels over the Chicago White Sox 12-5.
Mike Trout put the Angels ahead 2-0 with a 476-foot home run in the first that was four rows shy of clearing the left field bleachers. Taylor Ward also went deep as the Angels hit four two-run homers plus a solo shot.
“Those are the guys you lean on,” manager Phil Nevin said. “They can certainly put the team on their backs and carry us and that’s what they did today.”
Ohtani drove a first-pitch fastball from Lance Lynn (4-6) just to left of straightaway center in the third, where the ball was dropped by a fan who tried to glove it. That 425-foot drive put the Angels ahead 4-1.
Lynn didn’t even bother to turn and look when Ohtani hit a full count fastball more than a dozen rows over the bullpen in right-center in the fourth. The two-way Japanese star is batting .269 with 15 homers and 38 RBIs to go along with a 5-1 record and 2.91 ERA.
“I’m feeling good right now,” Ohtani said through a translator. “I’m putting good swings on pitches I should be hitting hard.”
Ohtani increased his career total to 13 multihomer games with his first this season.
Trout pulled a hanging curve for his 13th home run. Ward hit a two-run homer against Jesse Scholtens in the seventh and Chad Wallach, pinch hitting for Ohtani, had a solo homer in the ninth off Garrett Crochet.
“Usually when that happens, we’re in a good spot to win,” Trout said.
Trout and Ohtani have homered in the same game for the fifth time this season. The Angels hit a pair of 450-foot or more home runs in the same game for the first time since Statcast started tracking in 2015.
Lynn allowed eight runs, eight hits and two walks while hitting two batters in four innings, raising his ERA to 6.55. He has given up 15 home runs, one short of the major league high of Kansas City’s Jordan Lyles. Lynn had won his previous three starts.
“It seemed like he didn’t get away with any today,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “Just one of those days, man.”
Jaime Barria (2-2) gave up one run and four hits in five innings with six strikeouts and two walks.
Los Angeles won two of three from the White Sox after being swept by Miami last weekend.
Jake Burger homered for Chicago, which has lost four of five. Burger hit his 11th homer in the ninth and Hanser Alberto had a two run double off Tucker Davidson.
Chicago’s Romy Gonzalez, who’d homered in three straight games, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.
THE NATURALS
Twenty-three people became naturalized U.S. citizens during a pregame swearing-in behind home plate.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: Trout fouled a pitch off his right leg in the fourth but remained in the game.
White Sox: INF Elvis Andrus (strained left oblique) and RHP Mike Clevinger (right wrist inflammation) are close to returning but Grifol wouldn’t elaborate on either player’s status.
UP NEXT
Angels: Reid Detmers (0-4, 4.93) starts Thursday’s series opener at Houston against fellow LHP Framber Valdez (5-4, 2.38).
White Sox: Have not announced a starter for Friday’s series opener against visiting Detroit, which starts RHP Reese Olson in his major league debut. Olson is 2-3 with a 6.38 ERA in 10 starts at Triple-A Toledo.