It's hump day, which in big-league parlance means getaway day for some, all 30 teams in action and lots of day games. Let's rock.
Wednesday's scores
- Braves 2, Mets 0 (box score)
- Rays 1, Blue Jays 0 (box score)
- Brewers 1, Cubs 0 (box score)
- Red Sox 5, Orioles 1 (box score)
- Diamondbacks 5, Pirates 4 (box score)
- Mariners 8, Angels 6 (box score)
- Rockies 7, Phillies 2 (box score)
- Nationals 5, Yankees 4 (box score)
- Tigers 5, Twins 2 (box score)
- Marlins 5, Giants 4 (box score)
- White Sox 3, Indians 2 (box score)
- Reds 7, Royals 0 (box score)
- Padres 4, Cardinals 2 (box score)
- Astros 13, Athletics 5 (box score)
- Dodgers 3, Rangers 2 in 11 (box score)
Mariners sweep Angels
The Mariners continued their hot ways on Wednesday, defeating the Angels to complete a sweep. The key hit was delivered by Mitch Haniger, who continues his big season. Read more about him and the M's here.
Brewers blank Cubs for 18 straight innings, take series
This one had to feel good in Milwaukee. Monday night's series opener ended up as the first Josh Hader appearance of the season that resulted in a Brewers loss. Not only that, but they lost by five runs in extra innings, lost first place and fell to 1-8 versus the Cubs this season.
On Tuesday, the Brewers threw a team shutout against the Cubs.
On Wednesday, they did it again.
Jhoulys Chacin was brilliant for six scoreless innings, allowing only four hits while striking out seven. The bullpen trio of Jeremy Jeffress, Josh Hader and Corey Knebel then shut the door. Hader did walk one, but he struck out the other three batters he faced.
The only run of the game was a Lorenzo Cain solo home run.
LoCain didn't need any baserunning magic for this one. #ThisIsMyCrew #VoteBrewers pic.twitter.com/FhrZdaeO8d
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) June 13, 2018
He was 2 for 3 with a walk and stolen base, continuing his excellent season.
Soroka returns for win; deGrom can't buy one
The Braves took the first game of the day in only two hours and 12 minutes. That surely brought a smile to commissioner Rob Manfred's face, no?
Braves starter Mike Soroka returned from the DL and dealt with a no-hitter through six innings. Freddie Freeman homered and drove home both Braves runs. He's now hitting an obscene .344/.435/.590 line of the season with 14 home runs and 48 RBI.
The Braves move to 39-28 in front of a four-game homestand against the Padres that starts Thursday night.
On the Mets' end, starter Jacob deGrom was again brilliant and again couldn't buy a win. For more on that, we went in depth here.
Rays walk off sweep
The Blue Jays went to Tropicana Field riding a four-game winning streak. Granted, that was only a sweep against the hapless Orioles, but it was something.
Or maybe not. The Rays swept the Blue Jays in three games, concluding the series with this Matt Duffy walk-off single:
Soto shines in Nats win
Juan Soto isn't supposed to be in the majors right now. He's supposed to be in the minors, developing his game alongside other 19-year-olds, like most every other player who opened the season in A-ball. But ever since injuries prompted his promotion to the Washington Nationals' active roster, Soto has shown that he just might belong in the majors right now after all.
Soto had another big game on Wednesday night, this time against the New York Yankees. In fact, "Childish Bambino," as he's been dubbed, did something the Great Bambino never did: hit two homers and draw a walk at Yankee Stadium:
Juan Soto is the first teenager in the history of @MLB to hit 2 HR and BB in the same game at Yankee Stadium. #ChildishBambino pic.twitter.com/OMlNb4rmEw
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 14, 2018
Granted, it's not the same Yankee Stadium as the one Babe Ruth played in, but still, sheesh.
Soto is now hitting .344/.447/.641 in 20 big-league games.
Benches clear in L.A.
While you were sleeping, the Dodgers and Rangers got into a little dust-up.
Matt Kemp crashed into Robinson Chirinos as he tried to score from second on a single to right field. Chirinos tagged out Kemp, then shoved him. Kemp didn't take kindly to that and shoved Chirinos back.
The two exchanged further pleasantries as the benches cleared, but no real punches were landed and the situation was reined in quickly enough:
Matt Kemp and Robinson Chirinos scuffle in Los Angeles pic.twitter.com/EVvIPzJbXe
— SI MLB (@si_mlb) June 14, 2018
It would seem that both sides were within their legal rights. Chirinos was taken into the running lane by the throw, and Kemp made contact without altering his route.
Both men were ejected for their parts in the fracas.
Beltre surpasses Ichiro
Another happening in that Rangers-Dodgers game? Adrian Beltre recorded hit No. 3,090. That's more than a pretty-looking number -- it gives him the most hits all-time by a foreign-born player:
Adrián Beltré's double in the 4th inning was the 3,090th hit of his career
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 14, 2018
That is the most ever by a player born outside of the United States pic.twitter.com/7g5SbNdTjh
Ichiro isn't technically retired yet, but you have to figure Beltre will hold this title for the rest of his playing days. After that? Who knows.
That Beltre accomplished this feat back in Los Angeles, where he began his career, was a nice touch too.
Quick hits
- Nationals GM Mike Rizzo did not appreciate from recent quotes from an anonymous NL executive about Bryce Harper.
- Is Miggy Cabrera's deal with the Tigers really that bad?
- Cardinals starter Alex Reyes reveals his daughter has cancer.
- Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun (oblique) is beginning a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake Wednesday.
- As noted, the Braves activated Mike Soroka from the disabled list in order to make his start on Wednesday.
- The Diamondbacks activated catcher Jeff Mathis from the paternity leave list.
