Friday MLB scores, highlights, updates, news: Indians win 16th straight game
Keep it locked right here for everything you need to know about the day in baseball
Friday brings us a full slate of 15 MLB games, including the first regular-season Friday night game in Wrigley Field history. Here is everything you need to know about the day (and night) in baseball.
Friday's scores
- Nationals 11, Phillies 10 (box score)
- Tigers 5, Blue Jays 4 (box score)
- Indians 5, Orioles 0 (box score)
- Mets 5, Reds 1 (box score)
- Red Sox 9, Rays 3 (box score)
- Marlins 7, Braves 1 (box score)
- Brewers 2, Cubs 0 (box score)
- Rangers 11, Yankees 5 (box score)
- Giants 9, White Sox 2 (box scorer)
- Twins 8, Royals 5 (box score)
- Cardinals 4, Pirates 1 (box score)
- Padres 10, Diamondbacks 6 (box score)
- Athletics 9, Astros 8 (box score)
- Rockies 5, Dodgers 4 (box score)
- Mariners 4, Angels 3 (box score)
Indians extend record winning streak, D-Backs do not
The two hottest teams in baseball right are riding franchise record winning streaks. The Indians won their 16th straight Friday -- extending baseball's longest winning streak since the A's won 20 straight games in 2002 -- while the Diamondbacks had won their last 13 games. They were, obviously, the two longest winning streaks in baseball this season.
No offense to the D-Backs, because they had been marvelous, but Cleveland's streak has been incredibly impressive. The Indians have outscored their opponents 114-28 in the 16 games. That's a plus-86 run differential in 16 games. Their average margin of victory has been more five runs during the winning streak. That is insane. Mind-blowing stuff.
As for Arizona, they had outscored their opponents 80-27 during their 13-game winning streak for a plus-53 run differential and a 4.1-run average margin of victory. Alas, the Diamondbacks were not successful in keeping their winning streak alive, as they dropped their contest against the Padres by a 10-6 final. Arizona received another home run from J.D. Martinez, but lefty Patrick Corbin had a rough night -- he departed in the fifth having allowed 11 hits and eight runs.
The D-Backs have nothing to hang their heads about, of course -- their streak was still mighty impressive.
Dodgers lose another
Baseball's other long ongoing streak -- the Dodgers' of the losing variety -- continued on Friday night. Los Angeles dropped its eighth in a row, this time falling victim to the Rockies.
The Dodgers received another shaky performance from Yu Darvish, who exited in the fifth having allowed five hits and five runs. The L.A. bullpen did an admirable job of keeping the Rockies off the board -- Tony Watson, Pedro Baez, Tony Cingrani, Ross Stripling, and Josh Fields tallied eight strikeouts versus one hit and two walks allowed -- but it didn't matter, as the damage was already done.
Brewers edge Cubs as Braun hits no. 300 and Nelson leaves hurt
Remember the controversy surrounding this game being moved to a nighttime start? Yeah, none of that mattered on Friday, as the Brewers beat the Cubs by a 2-0 score.
Milwaukee was paced by Ryan Braun, who homered for the 300th time in his career. Keep in mind, Robin Yount is the only other Brewers player in history to hit more than 250 home runs with the organization, and he homered 251 times. Braun isn't having his typical season and has dealt with injuries in the past -- he's also nearing his mid-30s, but there's a very good chance he's going to finish with more than a 100-homer lead on the franchise leaderboard.
On the mound, Jimmy Nelson threw five shutout innings, during which he struck out seven batters. He left the game with what's being described a sore arm. Given how well Nelson has pitched all season, it would be a bummer if he misses any time -- especially with the Brewers needing him if they're going to catch up to the Cubs, who now have just a four-game lead in the division.
Taylor notches inside-the-park grand slam
You don't see inside-the-park grand slams often. There was one on Friday night, however.
Nationals center fielder Michael Taylor took advantage of a misplay by his counterpart, Odubel Herrera of the Phillies, and raced around the bases in the third inning. Taylor had lined a ball to center that Herrera misjudged -- to the extent that he tried jumping to cut the ball off. When that failed, Herrera had to recover the ball from the warning track. As such, Taylor was able to tally his 15th homer of the year -- and his second career grand slam.
Here's the whole thing in motion:
Inside-the-park slam?
— MLB (@MLB) September 9, 2017
INSIDE-THE-PARK SLAM. https://t.co/6fAa0xFaDu#PapaSlampic.twitter.com/DLzHpoR4Xc
Expect Herrera to catch more flak than usual for his part in this whole thing. As for Taylor -- well, he can empathasize:
First inside-the-park grand slam in baseball since September of 2015 when Aaron Altherr got one...a ball misplayed by Michael A. Taylor.
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) September 9, 2017
Tigers turn triple play
You also don't see triple plays too often. Yet the Tigers turned one against the Blue Jays.
Kevin Pillar hit a dart to third base, where Jeimer Candelario made a nifty pick. Candelario was able to step on third and throw to second in a smooth motion. From there, Ian Kinsler completed the play by tossing to first just in time to get Pillar. It's the Tigers' first triple play in a long time:
The Tigers turn their first triple play since August 1, 2001 vs. Seattle.
— Tigers PR (@DetroitTigersPR) September 9, 2017
As for the Blue Jays, it's the ninth time they've hit into one.
Jeimer Candelario makes great pick on Kevin Pillar at 3B, starts 5-4-3 triple play. Ninth time #BlueJays have hit into triple play
— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) September 9, 2017
What can you say? It's just been that kind of year for the Blue Jays.
Quick hits
- Next week's Yankees-Rays series has been moved from Tropicana Field in St, Petersburg to Citi Field in New York due to Hurricane Irma. They'll play three games from Monday, Sept. 11 to Wednesday, Sept. 13. The Rays will be the home team.
- Braves prospect OF Ronald Acuna was named Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year. The 19-year-old Acuna hit .325/.374/.522 with 31 doubles, 21 home runs, and 44 steals in 139 games at three different minor league levels this summer.
- The Blue Jays are reportedly open to trading 3B Josh Donaldson this offseason, though only if they get MLB ready players who can help them win in 2018 in return. Donaldson will be a free agent following next season.
- The Pirates activated OF Gregory Polanco and UTIL Adam Frazier off the 10-day DL, the team announced. Both had been out with hamstring injuries. Polanco's playing time is expected to be limited in the final weeks of the season.
- The Marlins activated 1B Justin Bour off the 10-day DL, the club announced. Bour had been sidelined since July with an oblique injury. He hit .289/.366/.548 with 21 home runs in 87 games before going down with the injury.
- The Orioles activated SS J.J. Hardy off the 60-day DL, the team announced. Hardy has been out since mid-June with a wrist injury. SS Tim Beckham has been tearing the cover off the ball the last few weeks and figures to remain in the lineup.
- The White Sox shut down LHP Carlos Rodon for the season due to a bum shoulder.
















