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LaMonte Wade Jr. LF | HOU
Astros' LaMonte Wade: Homers off bench Sunday
Wade went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in Sunday's 6-3 win over the Mets.
Wade's sixth-inning long ball was the difference in this contest after he came on to pinch hit for Cam Smith. Though he's shifted into more of a part-time role lately, Wade has gone 10-for-37 (.270 average) over 19 contests in August, including three extra-base hits and five RBI.
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Jeremy Pena SS | HOU
Astros' Jeremy Pena: Strikes early in win
Pena went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and a second RBI in Sunday's 6-3 win over the Mets.
Pena took Zac Thornton's third pitch of the game out to center field for a leadoff homer. After an injury scare Thursday following a hit-by-pitch on his left hand, Pena has remained steady, going 4-for-12 across three games in the weekend series against the Mets. The shortstop is hitting .284 on the year with an .822 OPS, 17 homers, 46 RBI, 67 runs scored, 16 doubles, one triple and nine stolen bases over 87 contests.
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Josh Hader RP | HOU
Astros' Josh Hader: Claims 21st save
Hader allowed a hit in a scoreless inning to earn the save in Sunday's 6-3 win over the Mets. He didn't strike out or walk a batter.
Hader got by pitching to contact Sunday, throwing seven of 13 pitches for strikes. He remains perfect in save chances, converting all 21 that have come his way this year, and he's on a 19-inning scoreless streak with a 20:3 K:BB in that span. Hader has a stellar 0.74 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and 48:11 K:BB through 36.1 innings this season.
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Ethan Pecko SP | HOU
Astros' Ethan Pecko: Collects first big-league win
Pecko (1-0) allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks while striking out four over five innings to earn the win over the Mets on Sunday.
Pecko's start got off to a brutal beginning, as Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto tagged him for back-to-back solo shots on consecutive pitches. From there, Pecko settled in and got enough run support to come away with the win. He's posted a 6.23 ERA and 9:9 K:BB through 13 innings over his first three starts in the majors. It's unclear if Pecko will stick around on the Astros' roster once Mike Burrows (elbow) returns from the injured list.
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Parker Messick SP | CLE
Guardians' Parker Messick: Coasts to 11th win
Messick (11-8) earned the win against the Royals on Sunday, allowing one run on five hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out five.
After conceding a run in the opening inning, Messick cruised his way to victory on a day when the Guardians erupted for nine runs through four innings. The left-hander continues to deal on the hill, tossing at least five innings while giving up two runs or fewer in 10 consecutive starts since the beginning of July. He'll look to further improve upon an already excellent 2.46 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 161:43 K:BB over 161 innings in his next scheduled outing against Detroit.
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Seth Lugo SP | KC
Royals' Seth Lugo: Torched for nine runs in eighth loss
Lugo (6-8) took the loss against the Guardians on Sunday, allowing nine runs on nine hits and two walks in 3.2 innings. He struck out two.
It was a rough afternoon on the bump for Lugo, who surrendered six extra-base hits (two home runs) and coughed up three runs in every inning he worked besides the second. The nine runs allowed were a season worst, and Sunday marked his second-shortest outing of the season. He'll aim to right the ship in his next scheduled outing against the Blue Jays, holding a 5.03 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 118:49 K:BB over 153 innings.
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Framber Valdez SP | DET
Tigers' Framber Valdez: Quality start in 10th loss
Valdez (8-10) took the loss against the Dodgers on Sunday, allowing three runs on six hits and one walk in six innings. He struck out five.
Valdez held his own versus a vaunted lineup, overcoming three extra-base hits (one home run) for a quality start. The southpaw is putting together a solid run on the mound as of late, either submitting a quality start or pitching at least five innings while yielding two runs or fewer in five of his last seven appearances. He'll carry a 4.36 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 116:57 K:BB over 150.2 innings into his next scheduled outing in Cleveland.
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Max Scherzer SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Turns back clock in gem
Scherzer (2-7) earned the win against the Mariners on Sunday, allowing no runs on one hit and one walk in seven innings. He struck out 10.
Seattle didn't get into the hit column until the fourth inning in a vintage performance by the 42-year-old right-hander. It was easily Scherzer's best outing of the season -- he recorded season bests in innings, hits allowed and strikeouts -- and he even passed Gaylord Perry for ninth all-time in career punchouts. He'll look to build on Sunday's showing his next time out in Kansas City, where he'll take a 6.16 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 46:26 K:BB over 57 innings.
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Logan Gilbert SP | SEA
Mariners' Logan Gilbert: Settles in after shaky first inning
Gilbert (11-8) took the loss against the Blue Jays on Sunday, allowing three runs on six hits and one walk in five innings. He struck out four.
Toronto got off to a fast start with a two-run first inning, but Gilbert was able to limit the damage the rest of the way. The workhorse right-hander has been as steady as any starting pitcher this season, working at least five innings in all but one of his 27 starts while giving up more than three runs on just five occasions. Gilbert is set to bring a 3.42 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 166:40 K:BB over 160.1 innings into a soft home matchup versus the division-rival Athletics.
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Willson Contreras 1B | BOS
Red Sox's Willson Contreras: Dealing with hamstring tightness
Contreras (hamstring) was removed from Sunday's 16-1 loss to the Yankees in the seventh inning, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
Contreras was replaced in the field by Andruw Monasterio to open the bottom of the seventh inning. Manager Chad Tracy explained after the game that "hamstring was a little tight" for Contreras, and with the team down 6-0 at that point in the game, he didn't want to "push it" with the first baseman's health. Contreras finished his day 0-for-3 with a strikeout, and he can be considered day-to-day ahead of Monday's series opener with Seattle.