Here are the scores. Here are the highlights:
Athletics 3, Angeles 0: Six Oakland pitchers led by Chris Bassit combined in a nine-hit shutout, while a bag by Ramon Laureano, a RBI double by Matt Chapman and a solo home run by Mark Canha provided the offensive juice, just as it was. Remarkable: More players with skins in this game. In case you don’t think what happened to the Marlins went unnoticed. In other news, Andrelton Simmons rolled his ankle and was left with an infield single in the ninth, so he could be out. Update later today. They’ll probably lose him for a while, but they finally get Anthony Rendon back today.
Parents 6, Diamondbacks 2: The snakes took a two-run lead in the fourth when the Padres bounced back to five, capped by Fernando Tatís Jr.’s triple-loaded baseman. This ends a four-game series in which San Diego took three games. In total, they outscored the Diamondbacks 21-9.
Blue Jays 4, Nationals 1: Teoscar Hernández, who took care of the injured Bo Bichette in the first place, hit two home runs, one to lead the game, one in the fifth, and Anthony Bass secured the save for injured closer Ken Giles. Rowdy Tellez and Danny Jansen also went deep for the Jays. The Nats had 11 hits, but only one ran to prove it. Maybe they, like everyone else in baseball, were distracted. Given how emotional Dave Martinez was during his pregame comments about the Marlins’ situation yesterday, you must assume that everyone else is, too. I have no idea how these guys are playing right now, frankly. Their minds must be everywhere.
Cubs 8, Reds 7: Everyone is, frankly. This was the AP headline for this game:
Cincinnati has three boys: Matt Davidson, Mike Moustakas and Nick Senzel, in COVID-19 limbo, and the entire club is likely to wonder if they are the next Marlins. The Cubs, too, were probably concerned. I mean, if your neighbor’s wife just moved into the guest room to quarantine, you probably won’t accept the husband’s invitation to come over for a beer, right?
But the games continue. This continued as a possible blowout, with Chicago taking a 7-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth and an 8-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh, with most of the damage done against Wade Miley (1.2 IP, 4H, 6R, 2BB) making his first start for the Reds. The Reds, however, rallied for six runs between the seventh and ninth before falling short. Part of that rally came against Craig Kimbrel, who was as unstable here as he seemed last year and that has to be quite troubling for the Cubs. Anthony Rizzo hit a home run to help the Cubs build that starting lead and Jon Lester pitched five shutout innings to help keep the Reds at bay for a while. Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson hit a home run and made a base-packed walk to fuel the last rally attempt.
Rays 14, Braves 5: A game as ugly for the Braves as you can imagine and a game as dominant for the Rays as you can imagine. Hunter Renfroe homered twice in a three-for-five night and four RBIs and a fourth inning of eight runs for Tampa Bay knocked out Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz (3.1 IP, 4H, 6 ER). And they didn’t just kick him out of the game, they kicked him off the list, as Atlanta designated him for his assignment last night. This is the guy who just started ALDS Game 5 for them last October. Life comes quickly. Also the Rays releases. Tampa Bay pitchers singled out 19 Braves batters in this game, with starter Tyler Glasnow scoring nine, reliever Jalen Beeks knocking down seven.
Brewers 6, Pirates 5: The Pirates had a four-run lead heading to the top of the ninth, but the Brewers teamed up with four to force extras, capped by double two starts and two runs by Ryan Braun that tied things up. Maybe the Pirates would have held the lead if they had their usual closer, Keone Kela, who is out due to COVID, but baseball is playing, so here we are. The teams traded chicken eggs in the tenth, but with a runner in second, imagine that! – At the top of the eleventh, Eric Sogard hit a double that gave Milwaukee the advantage they had. That’s despite allowing a runner second at the bottom of the 11th. Imagine that too! The Pirates’ Colin Moran hit two home runs, including a 438-foot shot that bounced off the Allegheny. Sweet.
Reales 14, Tigres 6: Kansas City hit six home runs, with Maikel Franco hitting two of them as they crossed despite being down 5-1 earlier. Sal Pérez, Whit Merrifield, Jorge Soler and Brett Phillips beat the others. Merrifield also had a double and a single and drove three. Tigers starter Michael Fulmer allowed three of those home runs while being bombed on his first outing from Tommy John surgery. He allowed four runs and five hits in 2.2 innings after missing the entire 2019 season. After the game, he said, “It wasn’t the Cinderella comeback story I was expecting.” Really though, “Cinderella” isn’t a great comeback story, is it? She starts strong, coming out of nowhere, and then saves things in the end, okay? Now, “Snow White”, ESA is a comeback story. I mean, girl was dead, man.
Astros 8, Sailors 5: Alex Bregman hit his 100th career homer, a three-run homer, and Jose Altuve added a solo homer. Brandon Bielak earned victory on his major league debut, emerging from the bullpen to rescue a trembling Josh James. Houston opens the season after taking three of four from Seattle. Like Fulmer in Detroit, Mariners starter Kendall Graveman was pitching his first game after a long break from Tommy John surgery. It didn’t go well, either, as he allowed seven runs on six hits in just over four innings.
Mets 7, Red Sox 4: Michael Conforto, Pete Alonso and Dominic Smith homered when New York built a 7-0 lead after four and never looked back. Michael Wacha allowed just one run in five innings to win. The last time he pitched at Fenway Park was Game 6 of the 2013 World Series. After the game, he noted that the energy in the empty park was a different biiiiit this time than in 2013. In fact, it was in Game 6 of the 2013 World Series and I doubt I’ve ever been in a stadium as high as that, so yeah, I feel like there may have been a difference. Speaking of empty seats, Alonso’s home run entered the seats of the Green Monster, where it bounced off and hit a bunch of fan cuts. Alonso after the game:
There is a warning throughout the stadium: watch out for flying balls and bats. If there were fans here, they shouldn’t be on their cell phones and locked in the game. I’m glad no one was hurt.
Wherever we can find laughter, man, where we can find laughter.
Orioles vs. Marlins – POSTPONED; Yankees vs. Phillies – POSTPONED: It would be all cheesy and put lyrics like “Down with the disease” in the postponed games due to COVID, but that felt a bit depressing. This all feels a little depressing, frankly. Let’s leave that for the rain deferral songs, shall we?
Indians vs. White Sox: – POSTPONED:
Where have you been, my blue-eyed son?
Oh where have you been my dear young man
I’ve stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains
I have walked and dragged myself along six crooked roads
I have trodden in the midst of seven sad forests
I’ve been in front of a dozen dead oceans
I’ve been ten thousand miles at the mouth of a cemetery
And it’s difficult, and it’s difficult, it’s difficult, and it’s difficult
And it’s a heavy rain that is going to fall
There. That was not depressing at all.
Follow @craigcalcaterra
