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Gregory Soto RP | PIT
Pirates' Gregory Soto: Looks to be out of mix for saves
Soto allowed three hits and one earned run while striking out three across one inning Thursday against the Brewers.
Soto made his second appearance since the trade deadline and entered in the sixth inning on each occasion. He managed to turn in a scoreless inning Monday, but he allowed a double and a single to the first two batters he faced Thursday to surrender an earned run. Soto has turned things around lately by allowing only two earned runs across his last 10.2 innings, but his usage in Pittsburgh's revamped bullpen suggests he's no longer in the mix for saves.
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Brandon Lowe 2B | PIT
Pirates' Brandon Lowe: Tallies 24th homer
Lowe went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk Thursday against the Brewers.
Lowe led off the fourth inning with a home run, his 24th of the season. He's been one of the few bright spots in the Pirates' offense of late, going 18-for-51 (.353) with three home runs, seven RBI and nine runs scored across his last 12 contests. Lowe continues to have an impressive season and is on pace to surpass both 80 runs and RBI in a season for the first time since 2021.
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David Peterson SP | CHC
Cubs' David Peterson: Limits Blue Jays in no-decision
Peterson did not factor into the decision Thursday against the Blue Jays, allowing one run on seven hits and three walks while striking out three over five innings.
Peterson held his own Thursday in a pitching duel with Dylan Cease, who fired seven scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts. His only run allowed came in the first inning on a disengagement violation, which was an unfortunate sequence given that he ended the frame just two pitches later. Peterson then blanked Toronto over his final four innings despite consistently pitching through traffic. Over his last five starts, the left-hander has surrendered just six runs (five earned) across 28.2 innings, lowering his ERA from 6.75 to 5.35 during that stretch. He also owns a 1.50 WHIP and 88:43 K:BB across 106 innings this season.
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Chad Patrick RP | MIL
Brewers' Chad Patrick: Locks down fifth save
Patrick recorded his fifth save Thursday against the Pirates, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out one over a scoreless inning in a 5-2 win.
With Trevor Megill having worked each of the previous two days, Patrick was called upon to protect a three-run lead in the ninth inning. He worked around a walk and a single before inducing a game-ending double play to secure his fifth save of the season. Patrick has been dominant to begin August, allowing just two hits across five scoreless innings while piling up 10 strikeouts in four appearances. On the year, he owns a 3.38 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 78:32 K:BB across 85.1 innings.
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Braxton Ashcraft SP | PIT
Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Takes fifth loss Thursday
Ashcraft (11-5) took the loss Thursday against the Brewers, allowing four runs on four hits and one walk while striking out five over five innings.
Ashcraft was tagged for a solo homer by Jackson Chourio in the first inning and surrendered another solo shot to Gary Sanchez in the fifth as Milwaukee handed him his fifth loss of the season. The right-hander has struggled over his last five starts, allowing 22 runs (21 earned) across 24 innings, causing his ERA to climb from 3.24 to 4.08. Despite the recent skid, Ashcraft has remained a reliable innings eater, completing at least five frames in all but two of his 23 starts this season. The 26-year-old is scheduled to make his next start on the road against the Marlins.
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Dustin May SP | MIL
Brewers' Dustin May: Earns win in Brewers debut
May (6-7) earned the win Thursday against the Pirates, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks while striking out five over six innings during his Brewers debut.
Making his first appearance in a Brewers uniform, May turned in a quality start despite battling some command issues. He threw 97 pitches, issuing three walks and hitting another batter, but limited Pittsburgh to just three hits. In his last five starts, the right-hander has issued 14 walks and hit an additional three batters. May posted a 5-7 record with a 4.38 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 106:35 K:BB across 109 innings in 21 starts with St. Louis before the trade. He's scheduled to make his next start against the Padres.
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Miles Mikolas RP | WAS
Nationals' Miles Mikolas: Falls to 3-9
Mikolas (3-9) took the loss Thursday against the Phillies, allowing six runs on 12 hits and a walk across five innings. He struck out one.
It was a rough night out of the gate for Mikolas, who gave up all six runs on 11 hits, including seven doubles, in the first three innings. The veteran right-hander has struggled to a 7.32 ERA over his last seven appearances (35.2 innings). Overall, Mikolas' ERA is up to 5.89 through 113 innings this season with a 1.41 WHIP and 56:23 K:BB. He'll look to turn things around in his next outing, tentatively scheduled for next week at home against the Cubs.
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Cristopher Sanchez SP | PHI
Phillies' Cristopher Sanchez: Picks up 15th win
Sanchez (15-4) earned the win Thursday over the Nationals, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out six.
Sanchez wasn't at his best Thursday, as he failed to make it through six innings for just the second time in his last five starts. Still, the southpaw came away with his league-leading 15th win of the season and his sixth in his last seven outings. Overall, the 29-year-old Sanchez sports a 2.65 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP and 174:35 K:BB across 24 starts (149.2 innings) this year. He's currently in line to face the Cardinals on the road his next time out.
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Trent Thornton RP | CHC
Cubs' Trent Thornton: Earns fifth win Thursday
Thornton (5-4) worked around a walk to pitch a scoreless inning of relief and earn the win in Thursday's 3-2, extra-innings victory over the Blue Jays. He struck out one.
Thornton was the last of five Chicago pitchers to take the mound Thursday, working the top of the 11th inning in a 2-2 tie. The righty picked up the win when Pete Crow-Armstrong stole third base and came around to score on a throwing error in the bottom of the 11th. Thornton has been solid this year with a 2.78 ERA across 35.2 innings, but he's in a crowded back-end mix that features Jacob Webb and the newly acquired Ryan Zeferjahn. Daniel Palencia (elbow) should also be back from the injured list in the near future.
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Luis Campusano C | SD
Padres' Luis Campusano: Idle Thursday
Campusano is not in the lineup Thursday versus the Diamondbacks.
Campusano went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in Wednesday's 10-4 loss to the Diamondbacks. He'll get a chance to reset on the bench Thursday as Freddy Fermin gets the start behind the plate and bats eighth.