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Nestor Cortes SP | PHI
Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Blanks Guardians for seventh win
Cortes (7-10) picked up the win Wednesday, scattering three hits over seven scoreless innings in an 8-1 victory over Cleveland. He struck out four without walking a batter.
The left-hander was brilliant, tossing 68 of 104 pitches for strikes and going three up, three down in six of the seven innings he worked, with the Guardians only getting a runner into scoring position in the fifth. The quality start was the 11th of the season for Cortes and his second straight, and his 14-inning scoreless streak has lowered his ERA on the year back down to 4.00. He'll look to keep rolling in his next outing, which lines up to come on the road early next week against the Nationals.
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Joey Cantillo SP | CLE
Guardians' Joey Cantillo: Tough night in New York
Cantillo (0-3) took the loss Wednesday as the Guardians fell 8-1 to the Yankees, surrendering seven runs on six hits and three walks over four innings. He struck out five.
Two-run homers by Juan Soto in the first inning and Aaron Judge in the third accounted for most of the damage off the rookie southpaw. Cantillo got the hook after 88 pitches (50 strikes), and he's now served up six long balls while walking nine batters in his first 17 big-league innings, highlighting how much work he'll need to do to improve his control and command before he'll be a viable fantasy option. With Alex Cobb (finger) out until the end of the month, Cantillo is likely to get at least one more start, which is scheduled to come at home early next week against the Royals.
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Mitchell Parker RP | WAS
Nationals' Mitchell Parker: Sharp in seventh win
Parker (7-7) picked up the win Wednesday, allowing one run on five hits and a walk over seven innings during a 6-1 victory over the Rockies. He struck out six.
The 24-year-old southpaw took a shutout into the seventh inning before Colorado finally got on the board, and Parker left the mound after 83 pitches (61 strikes) having delivered his ninth quality start of the year, including three in four August outings. His fourth trip to the mound this month resulted in a nine-run disaster against the Phillies, however. Parker will take a 4.26 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 104:32 K:BB through 122.2 innings into his next start, which lines up to come at home early next week against the Yankees.
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Tanner Gordon RP | COL
Rockies' Tanner Gordon: Remains winless
Gordon (0-5) took the loss Wednesday, coughing up five runs on eight hits and a walk over four innings as the Rockies were downed 6-1 to the Nationals. He struck out two.
The rookie right-hander fell apart in the third inning, giving up three singles before Luis Garcia launched a three-run blast to right-center field. Gordon has been tagged for at least four runs in five of his first seven MLB starts, and he seems likely to lose his rotation spot once Ryan Feltner (shoulder) is ready to return. If Gordon does get another turn, he'll carry a 7.55 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 25:6 K:BB through 31 innings into a home start early next week against the Marlins.
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Mitch Spence RP | KC
Athletics' Mitch Spence: Season-high 10 strikeouts in loss
Spence (7-9) was charged with the loss against the Rays on Wednesday, allowing four runs on seven hits and one walk over seven innings. He struck out 10.
Spence looked sharp early, shutting out the Rays over the first four innings while allowing just two singles in that span. The right-hander would begin to struggle in the fifth, however, allowing back-to-back hits to open the frame, along with an RBI double with two outs from Yandy Diaz as Tampa Bay took a 2-1 lead. Spence would also cough up a two-run shot to Jose Siri in the seventh, marking the third consecutive start in which he's given up at least one home run. On a positive note, Spence generated 16 whiffs in the contest en route to tallying a season-high 10 strikeouts. It also marked only the second time this season that he was able to make it through seven innings, with the previous one coming back on June 9 against Toronto.
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Ryan Pepiot RP | TB
Rays' Ryan Pepiot: Strong outing in win
Pepiot (7-5) picked up the win over the Athletics on Wednesday, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk over six innings while striking out five.
Pepiot left a cutter up in the zone with two outs in the first and watched on as JJ Bleday launched it into the stands for a solo shot to put Oakland on top 1-0. However, the right-hander looked sharp from that point on, hurling four consecutive shutout innings before surrendering a second run in the sixth. Pepiot induced 18 whiffs on the night, and he's now won his last three decisions (spanning four starts). In two starts since returning from the injured list, he's posted a 1.59 ERA to go along with a 10:2 K:BB.
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Johnny Cueto SP | LAA
Angels' Johnny Cueto: Pitches into seventh inning
Cueto (0-1) took the loss against the Royals on Wednesday, allowing three runs on eight hits and two walks over 6.1 innings while striking out one.
Cueto retired the first five batters he faced on the night before allowing four consecutive men to reach in the second, leading to two runs coming home for Kansas City. The veteran right-hander would then allow a solo homer off the bat of MJ Melendez in the sixth after hurling three consecutive scoreless innings, and he was later relieved by Roansy Contreras with one out in the seventh. Though he ended up taking the loss, Cueto held his own in his first outing of the season, logging a quality start while getting through 6.1 innings on 84 pitches. Of course, only one strikeout leaves much to be desired for fantasy owners.
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Michael Lorenzen RP | TOR
Royals' Michael Lorenzen: Hurls seven shutout innings in win
Lorenzen (7-6) picked up the win over the Angels on Wednesday, allowing four hits and two walks over seven scoreless innings while striking out five.
Lorenzen allowed baserunners in each of the first three frames but was able to work his way out of each jam unscathed as the Royals put two runs on the board early. The right-hander would then go on to allow just one hit over his last four innings as he cruised to his second straight win. Lorenzen had failed to make it through six innings in each of his previous 10 starts coming in, but he's now gone at least five frames in three of his last four since being acquired by Kansas City. Over that stretch he carries a 1.99 ERA to go along with a 16:9 K:BB.
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Roddery Munoz RP | HOU
Marlins' Roddery Munoz: Lasts just 3.1 frames vs. Arizona
Munoz allowed three runs on five hits and three walks while striking out three batters over 3.1 innings in a no-decision against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
Munoz struggled with his control in the outing, throwing just 40 of 73 pitches for strikes. The right-hander lasted exactly 3.1 innings for the second consecutive start and has failed to get out of the fourth frame in three of his past four appearances. Walks have been a big issue for Munoz of late -- he's issued exactly three free passes in each of those three short outings. His 4.5 BB/9 is sixth worst among MLB hurlers who have thrown at least 70 innings this season.
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Jordan Montgomery RP | TEX
Diamondbacks' Jordan Montgomery: Serves up six runs against Marlins
Montgomery allowed six runs on 10 hits and one walk while striking out four batters over 5.2 innings in a no-decision against Miami on Wednesday.
Most of the damage against Montgomery came in the fourth inning, when the Marlins pounded out four runs on five hits, including three extra-base knocks. The southpaw at least managed to hang around nearly two additional frames to reduce the burden on Arizona's bullpen, but the 10 total hits he allowed tied a season-worst mark. Montgomery has been prone to blow-ups this season, yielding at least six earned runs on six different occasions. That's a big reason why his ERA sits at an unsightly 6.44 through 95 innings.