Mets 9, Marlins 1: How about this Jacob deGrom kid? He follows up a seven inning, zero run performance against the Braves with a seven inning, one run outing here. Plus he [altogether now] helped his own cause by hitting what we would have called the Game-Winning RBI if it was the 1980s and we still tracked things like Game-Winning RBI. Then we’d go watch “Alf” or “Night Court.” Or do some coke in our Wall Street office or posture against the Soviet Union. I dunno, I was just a kid then. That whole decade blurs together for me.
Giants 8, Diamondbacks 4: Madison Bumgarner gave up four runs. But he also drove in four runs, so I guess that’s OK. A grand slam for a pitcher. Don’t see that very often. Well, unless it’s Madison Bumgarner. He’s done it twice this year. It’s the first time a pitcher has done it twice in a year in 48 years. Oh, and Buster Posey hit a grand slam too. It’s the first time each member of a battery hit grand slams in the same game in the history of Major League Baseball.
Brewers 11, Cardinals 2: The Brewers arrest a seven-game skid and reclaim sole possession of first place. It was a 19-hit attack, led by Elian Herrera, who had five hits, including a double, and scored three times. Carlos Martinez had a forgettable game, giving up four runs in four innings and getting yelled at by the umpire for tossing his bat in frustration. Take a few days off, Carlos.
Nationals 10, Phillies 3: Jayson Werth homered and knocked in four. Ryan Zimmerman homered and drove in two. Ian Desmond drove in two without a homer. If you extend that pattern out long enough you run into a Zeno’s Arrow situation, I assume. Not gonna check, though. I already clicked out of the box score.
Braves 10, Cubs 7: Chris Johnson hit his third homer in two days, accounting for three of the runs in Atlanta’s four-run third inning. The Braves and Nats finish the first half tied for first place. Washington is one better in the loss column.
Royals 5, Tigers 2: The Royals avoided a four-game sweep thanks to a five-run seventh inning. Still, they blew an opportunity to gain ground on the Tigers and hit the break six and a half back.
Rays 3, Blue Jays 0: David Price, who is still a Ray for some reason, shut ’em out over eight. It’s his fourth win in four starts. Toronto is skidding into the break, having lost eight of ten.
Reds 6, Pirates 3: Kris Negron hit a three-run homer — his first ever — and Todd Frazier added a two-run shot. Frazier is in the Home Run Derby and you all are totally sleeping on him. He’s grip-it-and-rip it. Giancarlo Stanton is the safe bet, but I bet Frazier does really damn well. You heard it here first. And if he does poorly? Hell, I’ll just delete this comment. I have total control of this website.
Indians 3, White Sox 2: Yan Gomes drove in all three runs, including a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth. Then, since he’s from Brazil, the White Sox scored seven straight goals off of him.
Red Sox 11, Astros 0: Remember when Clay Buchholz was dead back in May? Well, he’s back to life now. Three-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts. Brock Holt had five hits including a leadoff homer. Boston wins four of five heading into the break. Still nine back, but at least now their mini-vacation will be more pleasant.
Athletics 4, Mariners 1: Sonny Gray was on point once again, allowing nothin’ but an unearned run in seven and two-thirds.
Angels 10, Rangers 7: Mike Trout doubled twice and drove in four. He’s hitting .310/.400/.606 with 22 homers, 73 RBI and 10 stolen bases. And he’s younger than 14 of the 50 guys in yesterday’s Futures Game.
Twins 13, Rockies 5: Two homers for Brian Dozier. Maybe don’t sleep on him in the Home Run Derby either. It felt weird being in Target Field for baseball all day yesterday while the Twins were in Colorado. It was like having a party when your parents are out of town.
Dodgers 1, Padres 0: Four Dodgers pitchers combine to toss a four-hit shutout. I am picturing Bud Black throwing a bag of bats into the showers and telling his Padres hitter “it’s a miracle we got four.”
Orioles 3, Yankees 1: A rain-shortened win, featuring a Chris Davis two-run homer that was hit several hours before the rain shortened it. I’m sure Major League Baseball loved that the man of the week, Derek Jeter, is going to be getting to Minneapolis so late — or early, whichever — and be tired for all of the festivities.
