It's Saturday, and that means a full slate of MLB goodness. Keep it here as we keep you up to date on the latest happenings around the league.
Final scores
Blue Jays 7, Pirates 2 (box score)
Red Sox 10, Yankees 5 (box score)
Tigers 12, Twins 11 (box score)
Indians 3, Rays 0 (box score)
Phillies 3, Mets 1 (box score)
Nationals 3, Giants 1 (box score)
Brewers 6, Reds 5 in 10 innings (box score)
Royals 5, White Sox 4 (box score)
Marlins 4, Rockies 3 (box score)
Cardinals 6, Braves 5 (box score)
Rangers 8, Astros 3 (box score)
Diamondbacks 6, Cubs 2 (box score)
Orioles 12, Athletics 5 (box score)
Angels 6, Mariners 3 (box score)
Dodgers 6, Padres 3 (box score)
Cardinals win eighth straight
Once again, the Cardinals walked away winners Saturday night. They beat the Braves for their eighth consecutive win and continued their surge up the standings. The game's big blow was an RBI single by the starting pitcher, Carlos Martinez. Here's the video:
Trevor Rosenthal made things interesting in the ninth -- the Braves had the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at second when Rosenthal struck out Nick Markakis to end the game -- but he closed it out and that's all that matters. Eight straight victories for the Cardinals.
The win combined with the Cubs' loss to the D-Backs means the Cubs and Cardinals are now tied atop the NL Central. St. Louis was 4 1/2 games back as recently as last Saturday. Quite a run for the Cardinals. There is no great team in the division, but it sure looks like the NL Central is going to give us a great race.
Harper suffers knee injury
Scary moment at Nationals Park on Saturday night. Bryce Harper had to be helped off the field after his foot slipped off the first base bag. He clutched his left knee after going down and couldn't put any weight on the leg as he left the field.
Here's the video of Harper's injury:
It's worth noting the start of Saturday's game was delayed by rain, and in fact it was still raining when the game began. The first base bag was very likely wet, which could have led to Harper's foot slipping and his knee buckling.
Following the game manager Dusty Baker said Harper hyper-extended his knee and will go for an MRI on Sunday. Washington may have the NL East title locked up already, but they're trying to win a World Series this year, and they'll need Harper at full strength to do that.
Stanton crushes 41st home run
Could you be any hotter than Giancarlo Stanton is right now? Stanton hammered his 41st home run of the season Saturday night. No other player in the big leagues has more than 35. Stanton has now hit seven homers in his last nine games, and 20 home runs in his last 32 games. 20 homers in 32 games!
Here is Stanton's latest moon shot:
Did you notice where that landed? It landed in the bar on the Budweiser Balcony in left-center field. A bartender retrieved the ball and gave it to a little girl. Good work, bartender.
Rays shut out again
To say the Rays are struggling to score runs right now would be a massive understatement. Tampa Bay was shut out for the fifth time in their last eight games Saturday night and the 10th time this season. No team has been shut out more often this season than the Rays.
On Saturday, Indians starter Mike Clevinger and relievers Joe Smith and Cody Allen did the honors. They limited the Rays to three singles, one double and one walk in the shutout. Tampa's hitters struck out 13 times.
Now for the good news, Rays fans: Tampa Bay will face Corey Kluber on Sunday. Wait, no. That's not good news at all. Sorry. Watch them break out for 10 runs against Kluber, because baseball.
Upton clubs walk-off home run
What a wild game between the Twins and Tigers on Saturday. One team scored 11 runs on 19 hits and lost. Check out the line score:
The Twins became the first team with at least 11 runs and 19 hits in a loss since the Padres last June. San Diego scored 13 runs on 20 hits in a loss in which the Mariners mounted the largest comeback in franchise history. Prior to that, you have to go back to 2010 for the last time a team had 11 runs and 19 hits in a loss.
The deciding blow Saturday was Justin Upton's walk-off two-run home run. To the action footage:
At one point in the second inning the Tigers had a 92.0 percent chance to win the game. Then, at one point in the seventh, the Twins had a 97.7 percent chance to win. When Upton stepped to the plate in the ninth, Detroit's win probability was a mere 66.2 percent.
It's worth noting Upton clubbed that walk-off home run against Matt Belisle, who has taken over the Twins closer following the Brandon Kintzler trade. Minnesota has climbed back in the AL Wild Card race, but they are doing so without Kintzler. That said, their bullpen hasn't been much of a problem since the trade. At least not before Saturday night.
Bullpens, man. They'll break your heart.
Benintendi buries Yankees
Friday night the Yankees delivered a gut punch to the Red Sox with a dramatic comeback win, though Boston turned the page quickly. They roughed up All-Star and budding Yankees ace Luis Severino on Saturday afternoon.
Severino allowed five runs total (three earned) in his first five starts and 32 2/3 innings following the All-Star break before the Red Sox hung a 10-spot on him Saturday. Rookie outfielder Andrew Benintendi drove in six of those 10 runs with a pair of three-run home runs.
Here is Benintendi's second home run, which was a bomb:
Benintendi, who came into the season as the AL Rookie of the Year favorite, has been on an insane hot streak the last week or so. He's gone 15 for 31 (.484) with three doubles and four home runs in eight games in August.
Rowley wins in debut
You've never seen Chris Rowley on a prospect list, and you never will. But on Saturday, Rowley made his big-league for the Blue Jays and earned the victory.
Originally a non-drafted free-agent, Rowley signed with the Blue Jays and missed the 2014-15 seasons while serving in the United States Army. He returned to baseball last season, and pitched well enough in the upper-minors this year to get the call.
Rowley doesn't throw hard -- his fastest pitch on the day was clocked in at 90.5 mph, per Statcast -- but he threw strikes and mixed in enough sliders and changeups to keep batters off-balance. His slider even netted six of his 11 swinging strikes.
Rowley finished his outing by allowing one run, five hits, and a walk over 5 1/3 innings. He also recorded three strikeouts.
Quick hits
- The Brewers have acquired Neil Walker from the Mets to bolster their infield for the stretch run.
- The Rockies signed Ryan Howard to a minor league contract. They'll see if he has anything left in the tank.
- The Yankees placed Masahiro Tanaka on the disabled list due to shoulder inflammation.
- Another Yankees starter, Jordan Montgomery, was struck in the head by a line drive during batting practice.
- We looked at some of the Yankees' options if they go outside the organization for rotation help.
- The new Marlins ownership group might remove the home-run sculpture.