MLB Player News

Pirates closer Mark Melancon did what he does best on Thursday, as he protected a 2-1 victory over the Marlins. Melancon worked around a hit in a scoreless ninth inning, picking up his MLB-leading 41st save.

One week after promoting Scott McGough to Triple-A New Orleans, the Marlins have sent him back down to the same team, per the Miami Herald.

The move was necissatated by the reinstatement of fellow right-handed reliever Andre Rienzo from the disabled list.

McGough pitched scoreless ball in two of his three appearances, but allowed three runs on five hits in two-thirds of an inning in the other.

Rienzo had been down for just over three weeks with a left knee laceration.

Jimmy Nelson came into Wednesday's start having won four straight decisions for the Brewers, but his streak came to an end in a loss to the Indians. 

Nelson was all over the place, walking eight batters in 3 1/3 innings of work, while allowing four hits and five runs. The final result was his first loss since July 10. 

It wasn't easy, but Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen earned his 25th save Wednesday to help Los Angeles defeat the Reds. 

Jansen gave up an infield single and a walk to bring the tying run to the plate, but managed to strike out Eugenio Suarez to end the game. 

It's Jansen's first save since blowing his second save of the season on Aug. 23. 

John Axford did not have a smooth ninth inning for the Rockies, but he was able to hold on and preserve his team's win over the Braves on Wednesday for his 18th save of the season. 

Axford allowed two hits in the ninth, allowing the tying run to come to the plate with two outs, but he struck out pinch-hitter Pedro Ciriaco to end the game. 

It's only Axford's second save of the month and just his third since July 10. 

Braves starter Shelby Miller has been on a long run on bad fortune, and it continued Wednesday in a loss to the Rockies. 

Miller pitched six scoreless against the Rockies, but in the seventh inning, gave up four runs to ensure his 11th defeat of the season and his 18th straight start without a win. 

Miller (5-11) remains in the top 10 of ERA at 2.62. 

Craig Kimbrel had no problems picking up his 36th save of the season, retiring the Nationals in order to preserve the Padres' victory Wednesday. 

Kimbrel bounced back from an outing Sunday in which he allowed two runs in a non-save situation to register his sixth straight save chance. 

The Rangers added some bullpen depth Wednesday, receiving left-handed reliever Chris Rearick on a waiver claim from the Padres and assigning him to their Triple-A team, per the Dallas Morning News. 

Rearick made his MLB debut and appeared in five games with the Padres this season, allowing four runs in three innings. He was 0-3 with a 5.23 ERA in 37 games with Triple-A El Paso. 

Marlins left-hander Brad Hand was terrific in his start against the Pirates on Tuesday. Hand limited the Pirates to two runs on nine hits over eight-plus innings in the 5-2 victory.

Hand (4-3, 4.23 ERA) allowed a first-inning run on an RBI single by Aramis Ramirez. He kept the Pirates off the board after that. He began the ninth inning by allowing the first two men to reach safely. He was pulled for a reliever, who allowed one of those runs to score.

Hand is now 3-1 with a 2.90 ERA over his last five starts.

Three pitches, three outs. Such was the tidy mound work of Pirates closer Mark Melancon in Miami on Monday night.

Melancon arrived with two on and none out in the ninth. He induced two groundouts, including one double play, to notch his league-leading 40th save. He's on pace for 52 this season.