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Nationals right-hander Erick Fedde left in the second inning of his start against the Boston Red Sox after throwing just 25 pitches.

 

Training staff and manager Dave Martinez went to check on Fedde after he allowed a single to Rafael Devers to lead off the second on Wednesday. After a long conversation Mark Walton Jersey , Fedde walked off the field and was replaced by lefty Matt Grace.

The 25-year-old was coming off his first major league victory last weekend in Philadelphia.

Fedde entered the game 1-3 with a 6.00 ERA in five starts this season. His 2017 season ended in early September with a right forearm flexor strain.

Washington’s 2014 first-round pick had Tommy John surgery after being drafted. He’s 1-4 with a 7.23 ERA in eight starts during his career with the Nationals.

Former Major League Baseball all-star David Nilsson has been named manager of Team Australia as it aims to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Baseball Australia said Wednesday that the former Milwaukee Brewers catcher would lead the team in games at the 2019 Premier 12 tournament, which doubles as the first chance for 2020 Olympic qualification. He could also manage Australia at the 2021 World Baseball Classic.

Nilsson returned to the national team staff as an assistant coach for the 2018 Japan Series after winning three consecutive Australian Baseball League titles with the Brisbane Bandits, who went 86-48 while winning ABL titles in 2016 John Ross Jersey , 2017 and 2018.

The 48-year-old Nilsson says: ”It was really special to get back to international competition, I love the environment and I really missed it.”

Regarded as Australia’s best-ever MLB player, Nilsson finished his MLB career with a .284 batting average Joe Mixon Jersey , 105 home runs and 470 runs batted in.

He created history in 1999 when he became the first Australian to be named an MLB All-Star after finishing with a .309 batting average in 115 games for the Brewers.

He remains the only position player ever named from Australia for an All-Star Game. Grant Balfour, while with the Oakland A’s, was named as a replacement pitcher for teammate Bartolo Colon in 2013 and is the only other player from Down Under to appear in an All-Star Game.

Nilsson also played for Australia’s Olympic team in 2000 and 2004 Jordan Willis Jersey , when it won silver at the Athens Games.

Nicked in the first inning Star Lotulelei Jersey , Aaron Nola figured he’d be fine if could find his form.

He did, and the Philadelphia Phillies took advantage.

Maikel Franco went 4 for 4, Carlos Santana homered and the Phillies defeated the Washington Nationals 5-3 on Saturday.

”The way (we’ve) been swinging lately, I just felt like if I kept putting up zeros and battling out there they were going to come through and score some more runs,” Nola said.

With the Phillies leading 3-2 in the eighth, Santana sent a drive into the Philadelphia bullpen in left-center field off Kelvin Herrera for his 13th homer of the season and second in two games. Franco later added an RBI single.

Philadelphia’s Odubel Herrera, who had homered in five straight games, went 0 for 4.

The Phillies have won five of six while the Nationals have lost three of four, scoring a total of nine runs. Anthony Rendon homered for Washington.

”Look, I’ve got all the confidence in the world we’re going to start hitting,” manager Dave Martinez said. ”We’ll start scoring some runs. Right now the bullpen is a little beat up. We’ve got to get them going again.”

Nola (9-2) stiffened after giving up two runs in the first inning. He didn’t allow a hit after the second and left following the sixth. He also hit an RBI single.

Seranthony Dominguez worked the ninth for his fourth save.

Erick Fedde (0-3) allowed three runs on eight hits in six-plus innings.

”They have a lot of patient hitters,” Fedde said. ”I think that’s what makes it tough. Guys aren’t swinging at bunch of junk, so you have to attack them.”

With the score 2-all, Franco doubled leading off the seventh and moved to third on a groundout. Pinch-hitter Jesmuel Valentin lifted a fly to right, Franco tagged and just beat Adam Eaton’s throw home with the safe call surviving a replay challenge.

”That was just a tremendous all-around baseball game Russell Bodine Jersey ,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said of Franco’s day.

Daniel Murphy’s two-run single in the first inning gave Washington the early lead, but the Phillies strung together four two-out singles – the last by Nola – in the second to tie it.

BUNTER’S CHANCE

For the second consecutive game, Harper tried to beat the shift with a first-inning bunt. Friday night, he bunted foul before striking out and Saturday he was thrown out by Nola.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: RHP Jerad Eickhoff (right lat strain) threw a 35-pitch bullpen session and will likely throw another session in a few days.

Nationals: 1B Ryan Zimmerman (right oblique strain) is expected to go on a rehabilitation assignment within the next week, according to Martinez. … RHP Jeremy Hellickson (right hamstring strain) will pitch Sunday for Class A Potomac and is expected to rejoin the rotation after the one rehab start. … RH reliever Brandon Kintzler (right foreman flexor strain) will also pitch at Potomac on Sunday.

UP NEXT

Phillies: RHP Nick Pivetta (4-6, 4.08), acquired from Washington in the trade for Jonathan Papelbon, pitches the finale. He’s 0-2 with an 11.81 ERA in three starts against the Nationals.

Nationals: RHP Jefry Rodriguez (0-0, 4.66) makes his second big league start.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has been traded – from the Texas Rangers to the New York Yankees.

The MLB’s Rangers selected Wilson in the Triple-A portion of the Rule 5 draft during the winter meetings in December 2013, about two months before he led the Seahawks to a win over Denver in the Super Bowl.

On Wednesday, Texas traded Wilson to the Yankees for future considerations.

Wilson spent a day in uniform with the Rangers at spring training in Surprise, Arizona, in 2014 without appearing in a game, and made another cameo appearance at camp the following spring. An infielder, Wilson hit .229 in two seasons in the low minor leagues in Colorado’s system in 2010-11.

The 29-year-old Wilson is expected to be in the Yankees major league camp in March Phillip Gaines Jersey , where he will participate in pregame workouts and watch games from the Yankees dugout while in Florida. He will be assigned to the Double-A Trenton roster.

”We’ve admired Russell’s career from afar for quite some time,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.

”This is a unique opportunity for us to learn from an extraordinary athlete who has reached the pinnacle of his profession. After talking to a number of our players, there is a genuine excitement in having Russell join us for a short time in camp.”

Wilson issued a statement thanking the Rangers for giving him the chance to experience professional baseball again.

”Growing up taking grounders, hitting BP, and throwing deep post routes early in the mornings with my dad and brother is where my love of sports came from, and those memories stick with me every morning I wake up,” Wilson said.

”I remember how excited I was when Texas selected me in the Rule 5 Draft in December 2013. During my two springs in Arizona with the Rangers, I was reminded just how much I love the game of baseball.”

A two-sport athlete in college, Wilson graduated from North Carolina State University in 2010. In 2011, he left the Rockies organization for football to be a graduate transfer at Wisconsin, leading to the Badgers to a share of the Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl appearance before the Seahawks took him in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft.

”While football is my passion and my livelihood, baseball remains a huge part of where I came from and who I am today,” Wilson said.

”I’ve learned so much on the baseball field that translates to my game physically and mentally playing quarterback in the NFL. … While I embrace the chance to be a New York Yankee, I will forever be grateful to have been a part of a world class organization like the Texas Rangers.”

More MLB baseball:

Trea Turner hit two homers Andre Holmes Jersey , including his first career grand slam, and drove in eight runs to help the Washington Nationals rally from a nine-run deficit and defeat the Miami Marlins 14-12 in a wild slugfest Thursday night to end a five-game losing streak.

The Nationals, who dropped 17 of their previous 22, have won 12 consecutive games against Miami dating to last season – their longest winning streak against any team since the franchise moved to Washington in 2005.

The victory came a day after the Nationals called a players-only meeting Wednesday after Washington was swept by Boston and slipped under .500 for the first time since May 2. Turner’s eight RBIs tied for the most ever by a leadoff hitter, according to STATS LLC.

Shawn Kelley (1-0) pitched a scoreless sixth for the win. Sean Doolittle earned his 22nd save in 23 opportunities.

Adam Conley (2-1) allowed five runs in 2/3 of an inning and took the loss.

RANGERS 7, TIGERS 5

DETROIT – Joey Gallo and Ronald Guzman homered as Texas beat Detroit.

Yovani Gallardo (3-0) got the win, giving up four runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out two while winning his third straight start.

Keone Kela allowed a run in the ninth before finishing off his 21st save as Texas snapped a three-game losing streak.

Matthew Boyd allowed a season-high seven runs and seven hits in four innings. He is 0-3 with a 10.59 ERA in his last four starts.

Detroit lost is third straight and dropped to 2-14 since June 17.

TWINS 5, ORIOLES 2

MINNEAPOLIS – Aaron Slegers got his first major league win by finishing six smooth innings in his first start of the season for Minnesota, and the Twins stopped their six-game losing streak by hanging on to beat Baltimore.

Logan Morrison homered and Jake Cave reached base all four times he batted for the Twins, who turned to Fernando Rodney for the ninth for his 18th save following two consecutive blown chances.

Jonathan Schoop hit two home runs, but the Orioles squandered another quality start by Andrew Cashner (2-9) and lost for the 10th time in 11 games. They have the worst record in the major leagues at 24-62 Logan Thomas Jersey , just the team the Twins needed to face to start a season-long 11-game homestand after a 1-8 road trip.

BREWERS 7, BRAVES 2

MILWAUKEE – Jhoulys Chacin threw seven solid innings and Hernan Perez homered among his three hits, leading Milwaukee to a 7-2 victory over Atlanta in a matchup of first-place teams.

The NL Central Division-leading Brewers won their fourth game in a row to go 17 games over .500 (52-35) for the first time since July 1, 2014, when they were 51-34.

Chacin (7-3) gave up three hits and two earned runs while matching a season high with seven strikeouts in what tied for his longest outing this year. The right-hander was 0-2 in his previous three starts while allowing 10 runs in 15 2/3 innings.

Dan Jennings pitched two perfect innings for his first save this season, and second of his career.

NL East-leading Atlanta dropped its third consecutive game after winning four straight. Braves left-hander Max Fried (1-3) lasted only three innings in his third start of the season, giving up four earned runs and four hits with three walks.

ASTROS 4, WHITE SOX 3

HOUSTON –Jose Altuve hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning and Yuli Gurriel’s RBI single with one out in Houston’s two-run ninth lifted the Astros to a win over Chicago.

The Astros trailed by 1 when Joakim Soria (0-3) walked pinch-hitter Tony Kemp with no outs in the ninth before advancing to third on a single by pinch-hitter Marwin Gonzalez. George Springer snapped an 0-for-8 slump and tied it at 3-3 with his RBI single to shallow center field.

Alex Bregman walked to load the bases and Altuve struck out before Gurriel sent a ball over second baseman Yoan Moncada’s head into right field to give Houston the victory.

Justin Verlander bounced back from his last start where he allowed nine hits and five runs – both season highs – in a loss to Tampa Bay with a solid outing. He yielded four hits and two runs and struck out 10 in seven innings.

Joe Smith (3-1) allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth for the win in his first appearance since June 6.

CARDINALS 11, GIANTS 2

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Luke Weaver pitched two-hit ball over eight innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Giants.

Jedd Gyorko had three hits, including a homer, and drove in five runs to spoil the return of Johnny Cueto after two months on the disabled list. Matt Carpenter and Harrison Bader also went deep Nathan Peterman Jersey , while Yadier Molina singled three times.

The Cardinals had a season-high 18 hits – their most since getting 19 against the New York Mets on Aug. 24, 2016.

Alen Hanson homered for San Francisco, which has scored five runs while losing four straight.

Weaver (5-7) faced two over the minimum and had seven strikeouts. He carried a perfect game into the sixth before giving up a single and Hanson’s two-run homer. Weaver then bounced back to retire the final seven batters he faced.

Cueto (3-1) was rocked in his long-awaited return from the 60-day disabled list. He gave up four runs in the first inning – one more than he had in 32 innings before going out with right elbow inflammation.

PADRES 6, DIAMONDBACKS 3

PHOENIX (AP) – Eric Lauer limited Arizona to a run over five innings, Austin Hedges homered for the first time since April 10 and the San Diego Padres opened a four-game series in the desert with a victory over the slumping Diamondbacks.

Lauer (4-5) gave up seven hits, walked two and hit a batter, but only one of those baserunners managed to sco

A look at what’s happening around the majors today:

MIGGY’S DONE

Miguel Cabrera’s season is over, leaving Detroit without its biggest star at a time when there wasn’t much else for Tigers fans to latch onto. Cabrera ruptured his left biceps tendon on a swing Tuesday night, ending the two-time MVP’s year just a couple of weeks after he returned from a DL stint due to a right hamstring strain. The 35-year-old Cabrera will have surgery this week. He batted .301 with three homers and 22 RBIs for a team that wasn’t expected to compete in the AL Central.

POWER PLAY

Mike Trout leads the majors with 23 home runs and he’s gone deep twice each of the last two nights, becoming the first player with consecutive multihomer games at Safeco Field in Seattle. But that hasn’t been enough for the Angels, who lost both times. Trout tries to keep it going at the plate when Los Angeles faces left-hander Marco Gonzales (7-3 Dion Dawkins Jersey , 3.28 ERA) and the first-place Mariners again. Gonzales has allowed only three earned runs in his past five starts, a span of 33 1/3 innings. Garrett Richards (4-4, 3.26) pitches for the Angels. He shut out the Mariners over 6 2/3 innings on May 4 but hasn’t won since.

BRUISED IN THE BRONX

One night after the Yankees hit Washington star Bryce Harper with a pair of pitches, the teams play again in New York. Could the Nationals look to retaliate? ”No ill feelings at all,” Harper said after his team lost 3-0. The slugger gave Washington a scare when he fell to the ground in pain after getting plunked on the right elbow by a 90 mph pitch from CC Sabathia. Harper remained in the game but then came out after he was hit on the left foot by Dellin Betances’ 89 mph slider in the eighth. The 2015 NL MVP said he had an X-ray on the toe and he’s fine. ”Elbow feels OK, and the big toe just hurts a little bit,” he explained. Harper leads the NL with 19 homers but is batting just .215 since May 1. He had been hit by a pitch only once previously this season and had not been dinged twice in a game since August 2013 at Atlanta.

JAKE-BITTEN

The Mets try to snap a most puzzling skid when Jacob deGrom pitches against Atlanta. DeGrom has a 1.24 ERA in his past four starts, and yet New York has lost each of those outings. Only the Marlins and Reds have worse records in the NL than the Mets, and general manager Sandy Alderson is shouldering the blame. ”When you’re scoring runs at the anemic rate that we have, something hasn’t worked. So from that standpoint, I take full responsibility for where we are Eddie Yarbrough Jersey ,” he said Tuesday. As the All-Star Game next month and the July 31 trade deadline approach, Alderson acknowledged he would consider retooling if the Mets’ record doesn’t improve.

GERRIT GOING OFF

Gerrit Cole aims to keep up his stellar season when Houston faces Oakland. Cole (7-1, 2.16 ERA) has won five straight decisions and entered Tuesday leading the AL with 124 strikeouts. He has yet to allow more than three earned runs in a start this season. Paul Blackburn (1-0, 1.50) is up for the A’s following a terrific season debut last week against Kansas City.

MAEDA IT BACK

Kenta Maeda is set to return for the Dodgers against Texas, though most of his usual rotation-mates are still on the disabled list. Maeda has been out with a hip injury since May 29, and he’ll come off the DL a day after rookie right-hander Walker Buehler was added to the list. Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Dennis Santana remain on the DL for the Dodgers.


With another dominant pitching performance Tre'Davious White Jersey , the Houston Astros didn’t need much offense – or luck – to tie a franchise record for road wins.

Lance McCullers pitched seven strong innings, Jake Marisnick homered and the Astros beat the Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 Thursday night for their 11th straight victory away from home.

McCullers (9-3) gave up three hits while striking out seven. The Astros have won his last six starts and have won 18 of 21 overall. Their latest win matched the club record set last May 14-June 5 on the way to winning the franchise’s first World Series title.

The Rays threatened in the eighth after Chris Devenski replaced McCullers to start the inning. Willy Adames and Kevin Kiermaier opened with singles to put runners at the corners. Matt Duffy failed to get a squeeze bunt down and then, with Kiermaier running, hit a rocket right at shortstop Marwin Gonzalez, who turned it into an easy double play.

”You are going to line out sometimes, it’s part of the game,” Duffy said. ”Not executing (the bunt) is definitely what I’m most frustrated with.”

Jake Bauers then grounded out to end the inning with Devenski getting his 12th straight scoreless appearance.

”We were very fortunate to just get in that situation, and then Devo makes some pitches and gets out of the tnning,” Houston manager A.J. Hinch said.

Hector Rondon pitched the ninth for his fifth save in seven opportunities, ending Tampa Bay’s five-game winning streak.

Marisnick’s homer in the fifth came off Ryan Yarbrough (7-4) and was his seventh of the season. It ended the Rays’ streak of 26 scoreless innings, the second-longest in franchise history.

It was the second homer and second multi-hit game in the last three days for Marisnick, who batted ninth for Houston.

”I’m just kind of relaxing and settling in, having a better idea of what I’m trying to do with each individual pitcher,” he said.

Tampa Bay ”bullpen day” starter Ryne Stanek walked two and struck out three in 1 2/3 hitless innings before Yarbrough took over. The rookie left-hander pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up seven hits while striking out four.

The Rays Zay Jones Jersey , who beat Washington 1-0 on Tuesday, became the first American League team team to play consecutive 1-0 games in the same season since the Los Angeles Angels did it on June 28-29, 2008.

AWARD TIME

Rays reliever Jose Alvarado had a mini Gold Glove Award in his locker, a gift from a stadium security guard after the left-hander played one batter at first base in-between stints on the mound during the ninth inning of Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Washington. ”It was a little bit crazy,” Alvarado said through a translator. ”I’m just happy the team won.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: SS Carlos Correa missed a third straight game with a stiff back and will be placed on the 10-day disabled list Friday. … INF Yuli Gurriel is on the paternity list but might return this weekend.

Rays: RHP Chris Archer (left abdominal strain) had a three inning simulated game and should start a minor league rehab assignment next week. The opening-day starter could rejoin the rotation around the All-Star break.

UP NEXT

RHP Gerrit Cole (9-1) will go for his eighth straight win for the Astros on Friday night against RHP Wilmer Font (1-1). Font pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the New York Yankees on Saturday, the longest outing of his career, and earned his first major league win.

Binge drinking for hours in stadium parking lots, a few Philly fans flexed their beer muscles with throws that were as on point as Nick Foles connecting with his Eagles receivers.

Sure, the Minnesota Vikings fans who walked through hostile enemy territory that would set the stage for malfeasance at the NFC championship game had to expect the boos, the four-letter words, the obscene gestures, the shouts to go home, the, well, the misconduct list goes on for churlish Eagles fans.

On a few occasions Vontae Davis Jersey , cooler heads prevailed.

As in fans opened coolers, plucked cheap beers and chucked unopened cans at Vikings fans.

This was a dangerous twist on Target Field for the Minnesota faithful.

Social media users captured snapshots of fans dodging and weaving cans, crushed red solo cups and all kinds of trash launched toward anyone in purple and gold, and many more Vikings fans complained on Twitter of witnessing random acts of violence. Some fans whined their Vikings hats were swiped off their heads and tossed into urinals before Eagles fans showed why their team was No. 1 in the NFC.

Mongo from “Blazing Saddles” would surely tip his cap at the way Eagles fans can sock a horse .

Philly boos were supplanted by Minnesota boo-hoos .

Beware, Minneapolis.

Eagles fans are coming to your city.

And the Massholes are joining in on the Super Bowl bash.

Patriots-Eagles is more than a 2005 Super Bowl rematch. It sticks two of the more maligned – and misunderstood – fanbases in the NFL within striking distance of each other at US Bank Stadium.

It’s time to line `em up – the Santa Snowball Hurlers vs. the Deflategate Truthers in a fight for the checkered flag of most obnoxious fans.

But certainly not the most violent.

The West Coast takes a (tarnished) gold among American sports fans, with stabbings reported at games in San Diego and San Francisco; while fan arrests at New York Giants games generally lead the league.

Eagles fans involved were in a scuffle with and police officers in one parking lot that left at least one fan beaten and bloodied before the NFC championship game. Police only reported two arrests for disorderly conduct and one for assault on police. They also reported three arrests for counterfeit ticket sales.

Patriots fans invoke a different kind of hate.

NFL fans from Kansas City to Jacksonville are just sick – or jealous – of the Patriots going to the Super Bowl and watching New England celebrate on duck boats and parade routes. Patriots fans are often called entitled or nauseating for their Super Bowl gloating. There are New England teens who believe Super Bowl appearances are as much a given right as lobster rolls and clam chowder.

It wasn’t all serious in Philly.

After the game, huge crowds gathered in neighborhoods around the city cheering and chanting.

Earlier in the day, workers in Philadelphia who jokingly called themselves the ”Crisco Cops” greased light poles to try to prevent fans from climbing up them after the game.

During the fourth quarter, Philadelphia police posted an image of Crisco on Twitter . While urging fans to celebrate responsibly, they wrote, ”Now comes the time in the night where we must warn everyone about the dangers of Saturated Fats.”

Just don’t tell Vikings fans about frivolity in Philly.

Jana Hokinson of Manson, Iowa, was one Vikings fan who traveled to Philadelphia for the game. She told Minneapolis’ WCCO-AM radio that she walked into the stadium with a group of other Vikings fans. Suddenly, two men in the front of the group were hit in the head with something and bleeding.

”One guy had a cracked forehead and the back of his right ear was just bleeding. The other guy, it was his left ear Lane Taylor Jersey ,” she said.

She said that security told their group there was nothing they could do.

Once she got to her seat, the fans around her were giving her group some good-natured grief at first, but after the Vikings scored, one of her sisters got spit on by Eagles fans, and another sister had food thrown at her.

She said she left after the third quarter and ”security escorted us out because I got beer cans thrown at me.”

Hokinson said they were escorted to the car, but they had promised to give a man from Minneapolis a ride to the airport. Security had to go back and retrieve that Vikings fan from his club seat because Eagles fans were blocking him and wouldn’t let him leave.

”It was crazy,” she told the radio station.

When the Eagles fans come to Minnesota: ”I just hope our fans stay classy. Because that’s a whole other level of crazy down there. And I know the fans up in Minnesota, they’re not going to stoop that low. I hope they don’t.”

Yes, that’s classic sweatheart thinking that everyone in Minnesota is so nice.

Not always true. Not necessarily a problem. The all-day tailgating isn’t generally in full 0.20 BAC levels at the Super Bowl as it is on NFL Sundays and the league will generally assemble a massive task force to thwart fan violence.

Vikings receiver Adam Thielen said he hopes Minnesotans hold no grudges.

”You can’t group all Eagles fans into that group,” Thielen said one day after his team bus was pelted with beer on its way out of Philly. ”It’s kind of the same thing with the NFL sometimes. If somebody gets in trouble, it kind of gets put on everybody.”

Still, it might be a good thing Mary Richards isn’t around to toss her winter cap in the air.

It might end up caught and tossed in a toilet

BALTIMORE — The Los Angeles Angels are hoping to cure their recent slide with a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles beginning Friday at Camden Yards.

Even though the Angels have lost six consecutive games Thurman Thomas Jersey , they still have time to get back in the wild-card race. However, they will need to gain some much-needed momentum in Baltimore.

“At some point, obviously we need to put both ends together and get the pitching we need, get some early runs and get the game on our terms and we’re going to start to do things the way we can,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

Meanwhile, the Orioles are mired in last place and own the worst record in Major League Baseball. Baltimore has lost five straight, including its first-ever four-game sweep at the hands of the Seattle Mariners.

“I don’t like losing any games. It eats at you,” Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. “But you should be doing those things all the time, because things are always evolving, especially in our situation compared to some of the people we compete against in this division.”

The Orioles, looking at a possible rebuild, are open to trading several key players, including shortstop Manny Machado and closer Zach Britton, as they look toward the future. On Thursday, the team recalled rookie Chance Sisco, who is viewed as a long-term fixture as the starting catcher and will split time with Caleb Joseph.

“Chance went down (to Triple-A Norfolk) and did what we asked him to do and we got him back and we’ll play him and Caleb,” Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. “It won’t necessarily be a strict platoon, but could be, depending on how it falls.

“We know we’re getting right, left, right against Anaheim. We know they only have two left-handed hitters. It’s more about today now, but we’re going to make use of all their skills and keep them all in the mix.

“And also, part of Chance’s development is two steps forward, one step back. We’ll keep trying to do what’s best for his long-term development and success.”

The Orioles have also struggled with injuries. Both right-handed reliever Darren O’Day (hamstring) and outfielder Craig Gentry (rib fracture) were placed on the 10-day disabled list earlier this week. The team’s most consistent starter Josh Allen Jersey , Dylan Budy (ankle), is also on the DL.

Baltimore looks to get off to a solid start against the Angels with rookie David Hess (2-4, 5.44 ERA) starting the opener. He has shown some upside but has lost his last three decisions.

In his last outing, Hess allowed five runs and seven hits in just four innings of a 7-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.

“The results speak for themselves,” Hess said. “They’re definitely different, but I think just executing pitches, I think I haven’t done it as well the past few starts. I think just getting back to what was successful those first few outings. I think we’ll get back to work and make a good move for the next outing.”

Felix Pena (0-0, 5.40) will make his third start of the season for the Angels, filling in for injured Garrett Richards (hamstring). In his last outing, Pena allowed three runs and eight hits with strikeouts and one walk in five innings of a 7-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. He is facing Baltimore for the first time in his young career.

Los Angeles will be without reliever Jake Jewell, who suffered an ankle injury while covering home plate after a wild pitch against the Red Sox on Wednesday night.

There will be a Turner family reunion in Charlotte.

The Carolina Panthers hired Norv Turner on Friday as their new offensive coordinator to replace Mike Shula, who was fired earlier in the week after seven seasons with the team.

Turner, 65 inherits an offense that includes a unique talent in quarterback Cam Newton, versatile running back Christian McCaffrey, reliable tight end Greg Olsen and a solid offensive line. However, while the Panthers finished 12th in the league scoring in 2017, they were just 28th in passing.

He’s the latest member of the Turner family to join the Panthers.

His brother, Ron Turner, works as the team’s offensive consultant and nephew Cameron is the assistant quarterbacks coach. Turner is expected to bring son Scott Turner on as quarterbacks coach.

Ron Rivera worked as defensive coordinator for Turner when he was the head coach of the San Diego Chargers before Rivera joined the Panthers as head coach in 2011. They have remained close friends.

”Norv has coached Hall of Famers, he’s set a lot of people on the career paths that they’ve had,” Rivera said in a news release Friday. ”I’m excited about his knowledge and his offensive prowess. It’s going to be invaluable to us have him evaluate our personnel and help take our quarterback to another level.”

Turner comes to Carolina with a wealth of experience, having coached 32 seasons in the NFL, including 15 seasons as a head coach and 11 as an offensive coordinator. As offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys (1991-93), he helped the Cowboys win two Super Bowls.

He last worked with the Minnesota Vikings in 2016 Tremaine Edmunds Jersey , but that ended abruptly with Turner resigning after seven games with the offense ranked 31st in the league.

Turner had been hired in 2014 by first-time head coach Mike Zimmer in Minnesota. Turner and his son Scott, the quarterbacks coach for the Vikings at the time, played a key part in the decision to draft Teddy Bridgewater with the last pick in the first round. Bridgewater took over as the starter three games into his rookie year and showed improvement in his second season, though the Vikings were a defense-driven, run-first team that didn’t ask Bridgewater to take over games.

But the Vikings ranked just 27th and 29th in the NFL in total yards in Turner’s first two years and 20th and 16th in scoring, with a rushing title for Adrian Peterson in 2015 the most notable accomplishment.

Zimmer wasn’t satisfied, bringing in two new offensive assistants who’d been NFL head coaches before: Pat Shurmur to coach the tight ends and Tony Sparano to coach the offensive line.

The Vikings went 11-5 in 2015 to win the NFC North and started 5-0 in 2016 until an injury-ravaged, vulnerable offensive line contributed to the collapse.

Bridgewater’s progress had been painfully thwarted right before that regular season started by a dislocated knee and multiple ligament tears, but emergency acquisition Sam Bradford was playing well in his place. But after the offense struggled in two straight losses on the road following the five-game winning streak, Turner stunned Zimmer by resigning his post.

Still, he has the respect of his former players.

”He has a history of developing quarterbacks. His track record speaks volumes,” Bridgewater said.

Bridgewater said Turner will be good for Newton, who is coming off his two worst seasons in terms of quarterback.

”Carolina actually ran a similar system to what Norv runs. So, it won’t be too much transitioning,” Bridgewater said. ”They still throw those deep balls down the field, deep over routes, deep daggers.”

Vikings wide receiver Jarius Wright said he enjoyed playing for Turner and also think he will be good coach for Newton.

”Cam does a lot of good things that Norv likes to get done,” Wright said. ”Also, I don’t know if you remember a couple years ago how we used Jerick McKinnon and they have Christian McCaffrey. A lot of ways they can get a chance to spread the ball out.”

Bridgewater will be interested to see what happens in Carolina.

”He loves pushing the ball down the field, heavy play action,” Bridgewater said. Let’s ”see if he made some changes with this year off or if he’s just been playing golf and sitting on the lake.”

AP Sports Writer Dave Campbell in Minneapolis contributed to this report.


LOS ANGELES — Once unable to win a series no matter what they did John Klingberg Jersey , the Los Angeles Dodgers are a game away from taking seven of their last eight series.

And regardless of what happens Wednesday, in the second game of a brief two-game interleague matchup against the Texas Rangers, the Dodgers will make it eight consecutive unbeaten series after taking a 12-5 decision Tuesday. The Dodgers were 6-0-1 in their last seven series before the Rangers came to Los Angeles.

The Dodgers were unable to win any of their first five series of the season. Then after winning back-to-back series in late April, they were unable to take any of their next seven, tying two of those.

The Dodgers were 17-26 on May 17 and their inspired play while reaching the 2017 World Series was a distant memory.

Tuesday’s runaway triumph gave the Dodgers 18 victories in their last 24 games and has brought that 2017 feel back to Dodger Stadium.

The Rangers happen to be in a polar opposite run than the one the Dodgers are on. In getting blasted Tuesday in L.A., the Rangers have lost five consecutive games, six of their last eight and eight of their last 11.

And while the Dodgers’ turnaround began May 19, the Rangers are now 11-18 since May 12.

If there is any solace for the Rangers it is that Cole Hamels will take the mound Wednesday. The left-hander leads all Rangers starters in ERA (3.86), starts (13), innings (79 1/3) and strikeouts (79).

Hamels is just 3-6 but is coming off a start where he reached the eighth inning for the second time this season. Also promising is his 1.89 career ERA against the Dodgers in eight starts and 57 innings. He is 3-2 lifetime against L.A.

The Dodgers are starting to feel good about their starting pitching situation with Kenta Maeda (4-4, 3.61) returning to the rotation Wednesday after missing two weeks with a hip strain. He will face the Rangers for the first time in his career.

Yes, the Dodgers do still have Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill Mattias Janmark Jersey , Dennis Santana, Hyun-Jin Ryu and now Walker Buehler on the DL, but Maeda’s return figures to signal a reversal of fortune.

Kershaw (back strain) could appear in a simulated game soon, while Ryu (groin) remains on schedule to return in July. Hill (blister) also is making progress, but no timetable for his return has been given.

“It’s one of those things,” manager Dave Roberts said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “If you’re a pitcher on this staff … heads up.”

The Rangers would not mind a little despair mixed in with some success, like the Dodgers are showing. But right now, they’ll take a two-game split with the Dodgers.

Tuesday’s defeat means the Rangers are now 5-17 in series openers and 1-8 in their last nine openers. Texas is also a season-high 15 games under .500 at 27-42. The Rangers are also 7-14 in their last 21 road games.

All the Reds needed was one misstep by the White Sox to pull out another comeback win, with Alex Blandino delivering the final hit.

Blandino’s double in the eighth inning completed Cincinnati’s four-run rally for a 5-3 victory Monday night. Chicago returned to Great American Ball Park for the first time since 2009 and let one slip away with the help of a misplay that changed everything.

”If we secure one out either way … ” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said.

The Reds loaded the bases with one out against Chris Volstad (1-5). Adam Duvall grounded to first baseman Matt Davidson, who was indecisive and wound up failing to get an out.

Davidson intended to step on first and then throw home. He took several steps toward the base and changed his plan, throwing to the plate without stepping on first – too late to get Scooter Gennett sprinting in to score.

”I kind of just rushed myself and made a mistake and didn’t touch the base and threw home,” Davidson said. ”I looked up and saw the runner and forgot about touching first. I just messed up there.”

Billy Hamilton followed with a sacrifice fly that tied it at 3 Jim Kelly Jersey , and Blandino’s pinch-hit double put the Reds in position for another comeback win. They’ve trailed in seven of their last 10 victories.

Blandino has learned to pinch-hit this season. He is 7 for 21 off the bench with four RBIs.

”Pinch-hitting is something I’ve been working on since spring training,” he said. ”This is my first time coming off the bench. You’re facing the back end of the bullpen. You just try to stay on their best pitch and battle.”

Dylan Floro (3-2) retired two in the eighth. Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth for his 16th save in 18 chances.

Until Chicago’s bullpen melted down, James Shields was in position to get his first road win since opening day. Chicago has scored three runs or less behind him in 14 of his last 16 starts.

”We were the ballgame all the way up to the end there,” Shields said. ”Unfortunately, we made a couple mistakes there at the end.”

Scott Schebler connected on Shields’ first pitch of the game, but he allowed only three more hits while going 6 2/3 innings.

The White Sox pulled ahead 2-1 in the seventh when Yoan Moncada doubled home the tying run and came around on Yolmer Sanchez’s single. Avisail Garcia added his fifth homer in the eighth. Garcia extended his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games.

Chicago’s Jose Abreu went 0 for 3, ending his 19-game hitting streak in interleague play – one shy of Paul Konerko’s club record. Abreu fouled a ball off the inside of his left ankle in the sixth inning and left for a pinch hitter in the seventh.

INTERLEAGUE

The White Sox are 3-10 in interleague play this season. The Reds are 7-1 and have won six straight, their best streak in interleague play.

SERIES STUFF

The White Sox have dominated the series with the Reds, going 16-5. They’ve won 10 of the 13 games in Cincinnati.

RIGGLEMAN’S RECORD

The Reds improved to 34-33 under interim manager Jim Riggleman, who took over on April 19 when Bryan Price was fired after a 3-15 start.

ROAD WOES

Shields won Chicago’s season opener at Kansas City and hasn’t won on the road since then, largely because of the lack of run support. He’s 1-4 on the road this season.

REDS DEAL

The Reds acquired minor league outfielder Lorenzo Cedrola from the Red Sox in exchange for international signing bonus space.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: CF Leury Garcia was out of the lineup a day after he left a game with a jammed finger on his left hand. Renteria said Garcia was available to pinch-hit.

Reds: Homer Bailey makes his fourth rehab start for Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday. In three starts, he has allowed 22 hits and 15 earned runs in 16 innings.

UP NEXT

White Sox: Lucas Giolito (5-7) is 2-3 with a 6.81 ERA in his last seven starts. He has allowed five runs or more three times.

Reds: Anthony DeSclafani (3-1) makes his sixth start since returning from a strained oblique. He has never faced the White Sox.


Brandon Nimmo began the game with an inside-the-park home run. Turned out he was just getting started.

Nimmo homered twice during a huge night at the plate Authentic Mikael Backlund Jersey , and the New York Mets finally gave Jacob deGrom some run support Monday in a 12-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

”It took a funny bounce (off the wall), so something was working my way for that first at-bat,” Nimmo said. ”That was pretty cool and a great way to start it off. Just kind of loosened things up after that.”

Wilmer Flores and Devin Mesoraco also went deep for New York, which won its third straight following a prolonged slide. Nimmo had four hits and set a career high with four RBIs – one night after his go-ahead, two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning staved off defeat for the Mets and rallied them to a win at Arizona.

”I think everybody knew he was capable of playing at an elite level and that is pretty elite,” New York manager Mickey Callaway said. ”He goes out there and plays the game right every single day. He brings energy and it’s paying off for him.”

After pitching in terrible luck for weeks as New York’s hitters slumped, deGrom (5-2) got some help from his teammates at last. He allowed two runs – one earned – in eight innings to snap a two-game skid and win for the first time in six outings since May 18 against the Diamondbacks.

On the eve of his 30th birthday, the right-hander struck out seven, walked one and lowered his major league-leading ERA to 1.51. He improved to 4-0 with a 1.01 ERA in six career starts against Colorado.

The 12 runs the Mets scored were more than they managed in deGrom’s previous eight starts combined. He had given up only five earned runs in his last five games – without a single win to show for it.

”I think he’s proven over the last two years that he’s in the conversation as one of the best pitchers in baseball,” Rockies manager Bud Black said.

It was the eighth home loss in a row for the Rockies, who have permitted at least seven runs in all those games. Black was ejected in the fourth for arguing a call by first base umpire Bill Welke.

Tyler Anderson (4-2) went 5 1/3 innings for Colorado, yielding three runs and seven hits. And it was another rough outing collectively for the bullpen. Four relievers were tagged for nine runs in 4 2/3 innings.

”We’re going to get out of this funk,” said Jake McGee, who gave up Mesoraco’s homer. ”For how close our clubhouse is, I know we’re going to get out of it. And once we get out of it, we’re going to be stronger than we were before.”

Playing in front of family and friends from his Wyoming hometown, Nimmo got the game off to a rousing start. He lofted a deep drive that hit off the right-center field wall and rolled away from Carlos Gonzalez. By the time the right fielder chased it down, Nimmo had charged past third base and went into home standing up, well ahead of a weak throw.

”I haven’t done that before,” he said. ”That was fun.”

Nimmo became the third Mets player to lead off a game with an inside-the-park home run and first since Angel Pagan on Aug. 23, 2009 Sam Darnold Jersey Elite , against Philadelphia. The previous New York player with an inside-the-park homer was Ruben Tejada on Sept. 2, 2015, also against the Phillies.

Nimmo’s second home run of the night came in the seventh off Harrison Musgrave and went over the center-field fence, allowing him to round the bases at a more conventional pace.

The Mets added six runs in the ninth on a pair of bases-loaded walks by reliever Jeff Hoffman, Amed Rosario’s two-run double and Nimmo’s two-run single.

TOUGH UMP

Plate umpire Tony Randazzo endured a painful night, twice getting struck by foul balls, but he saw it through. He was hit on his left hand by a foul tip off the bat of Nolan Arenado in the third inning but had team trainers wrap some protective tape around his hand and went back to work. In the sixth, a foul ball off the bat of Michael Conforto struck him at the base of his neck just above his protective breastplate. Clearly in pain, Randazzo was tended to again by trainers but managed to shake it off after a few minutes and stay in the game.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: Slumping RF Jay Bruce was scratched from the lineup because of nagging hip soreness. He has missed four of the last five starts, and Callaway said Bruce will be re-evaluated in the next day or two. Callaway said the disabled list remains an option. … RHP Noah Syndergaard, sidelined since May 26 with a strained ligament in his right index finger, played catch and came out of it well. He’s expected to do some longer tosses, 75 to 80 feet, as part of his ongoing rehab effort.

Rockies: RHP Carlos Estevez faced hitters for the first time since going on the DL with a strain in his pitching elbow near the end of spring training. Estevez threw about 20 pitches to Tony Wolters, Ryan McMahon and Noel Cuevas and reported to team trainers that he came out of the session pain-free.

UP NEXT

Mets: LHP Jason Vargas (2-5, 7.39 ERA) starts Tuesday night at Coors Field.

Rockies: RHP German Marquez (4-7, 5.13) is 0-2 with an 8.44 ERA in three starts this month.

The stat caught Chris Iannetta by complete surprise: This was only the 10th 1-0 game ever at Coors Field.

”Come on,” the catcher said.

He can thank his dominant starter for the latest addition. He played a pretty big role, too.

Iannetta homered in the seventh, Tyler Anderson pitched eight stellar innings in outdueling Andrew Suarez and the Colorado Rockies beat the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night to sweep a three-game series.

It was the first 1-0 game at Coors Field since June 12, 2010.

Anderson (6-3) scattered two hits and tied a season high with nine strikeouts. The left-hander didn’t allow a baserunner to reach second base.

”Tyler pitched great Jets Sam Darnold Jersey ,” Rockies manager Bud Black said.

For that, Anderson credits a slight tweak in game plans, going with more cutters than changeups.

”It was helpful because I’ve faced those guys a lot,” Anderson said. ”If they want to sit on a changeup, it kind of helps to have something to equalize that.”

And of course, Anderson wanted the ball for the ninth.

”You always want to go out and finish it,” Anderson said. ”At the same time, Wade Davis is an unbelievable pitcher.”

Davis surrendered a two-out single to Andrew McCutchen and walked Buster Posey in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Brandon Crawford hit a deep foul ball before later flying out as Davis earned his 25th save.

Suarez (3-5) pretty much matched Anderson pitch for pitch in going seven innings and scattering five hits.

”A pitcher’s duel is always fun,” Suarez said. ”I enjoyed it, just that last inning I missed that one pitch.”

Suarez elevated a slider on a full count to Iannetta, who took a few steps down the line to make sure his hooking liner remained fair.

It did. The umpiring crew took a look and confirmed Iannetta’s seventh homer of the season.

Kelby Tomlinson and Brandon Belt both singled to account for the only Giants hits off Anderson. Over the three-game series, San Francisco mustered just three runs and hit a combined .152.

”It’s a tough one, the whole series,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. ”We’ve got to rebound here, get the bats going.”

This was another strong outing for Anderson, who allowed four hits and no runs over eight innings in Los Angeles against the Dodgers last Friday.

He found a way to top it.

”He was good both times. He had command of four pitches,” Iannetta said. ”He was using all four quadrants of the zone. That’s really a difference maker. When you can command pitches, it makes it tough for hitters to get in a groove.”

Colorado had something brewing in the third, when DJ LeMahieu lined a one-out double to right. Charlie Blackmon followed with a sharp single off the glove of Joe Panik, who hustled after the baseball as LeMahieu took a wide turn. LeMahieu held at third and Suarez got the next two outs to escape the jam.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: RHP Bryan Shaw (strained calf) threw 25 pitches in a simulated game Wednesday. Black said the reliever will throw Friday and Sunday for Triple-A Albuquerque. ”From there, we’ll make an assessment of where Bryan is http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-isaiah-oliver-jersey ,” Black said. ”But Bryan right now feels good, his arm feels great.”

STREAKING ARENADO

Nolan Arenado leads the NL with 22 homers this season. And to think, he thought he might not even hit one out this season.

No, seriously.

”The first month-and-a-half, felt like I wasn’t going to hit any homers this year,” Arenado said. ”Now I have 22. You have to ride the wave.”

THIS & THAT

Tomlinson was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento and started at third base. … Colorado snapped a four-game skid on the Fourth of July. … Of Colorado’s three 1-0 wins on solo homers, Iannetta has the last two, according to the team. He also accomplished the feat on July 18, 2010, at Cincinnati. … The game lasted just 2 hours, 15 minutes – the shortest at Coors Field this season.

UP NEXT

Giants: Begin a four-game series against St. Louis on Thursday, with Johnny Cueto (3-0, 0.84 ERA) expected to return to the mound. Cueto was placed on the disabled list May 1 – retroactive to April 29 – with inflammation in his right elbow. A few days later he visited Dr. James Andrews, who diagnosed him with a strained elbow.

Rockies: Off Thursday before playing a three-game series in Seattle. RHP German Marquez (6-8, 5.14) will throw for the Rockies on Friday, while the Mariners go with RHP Felix Hernandez (8-6, 5.11).


Five home runs. Back-to-back twice.

The Oakland Athletics put on quite the power display in beating the San Diego Padres 12-4 on Wednesday.

Light-hitting Franklin Barreto got the barrage started when he connected for a 424-foot http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-lorenzo-carter-jersey , three-run home run in the second inning off rookie lefty Joey Lucchesi, who was returning from more than a month on the disabled list. Josh Phegley, Mark Canha, Matt Olson and Jed Lowrie also went deep for Oakland.

”This team’s got a lot of power,” Lowrie said. ”Continue to put quality at-bats together, that’s when this game starts to get fun.”

The A’s hit seven homers in sweeping the two-game series. Stephen Piscotty tied Tuesday night’s game with a homer with two outs in the ninth off Brad Hand and Lowie hit a two-run shot with two outs in the 10th for a 4-2 victory.

”We have it in us, that’s for sure,” manager Bob Melvin said. ”The ball carries a little better in day games here, similar to our place. After last night, other than the last couple of innings, hits were hard to come by. We started out early, led by Frankie, which was good to see.”

Barreto and Phegley went back-to-back with their first homers of the season in the second inning off left-hander Joey Lucchesi (3-3), who had been on the disabled list for more than a month. Barreto, hitting .071 coming in and batting seventh http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-b.j.-hill-jersey , homered into Oakland’s bullpen well beyond the fence in center field on a full-count pitch. Phegley homered off the Western Metal Supply Co. brick warehouse in the left field corner on a 1-1 pitch. Lucchesi hit Olson with a pitch opening the inning and then walked Piscotty ahead of Barreto’s homer.

Robbie Erlin got the last out of the second before allowing consecutive homers to Canha and Olson in the third. It was Canha’s ninth and Olson’s 15th. Phegley added a sacrifice fly.

Lowrie connected off Phil Hughes in the eighth, his 11th.

Frankie Montas (4-1) benefited from the long balls as he threw 6 2-3 strong innings. He held the Padres to one run and five hits, struck out six and walked three. He allowed Cory Spangenberg’s RBI single in the third.

”It’s always good getting support from the guys, especially early in the game,” he said. ”I just tried to keep myself in the game.”

Montas was the only Oakland player in the starting lineup who didn’t have a hit. Melvin said he wouldn’t have minded if his pitcher went 0 for 4, because that would mean he went deep into the game. He went 0 for 3.

”Honestly, I wanted to hit the ball really bad, but I was not about hitting the ball because the guys were actually doing it for me,” Montas said. ”So I was just going to do my job pitching.”

Lucchesi went just 1 2/3 innings, allowing four runs and three hits.

”The first inning I felt OK and then I guess I felt a little bit off, maybe a little rusty,” said Lucchesi, who hadn’t pitched since May 14 due to a strained right hip. ”I couldn’t get my offspeed to work. I felt like I was doing something weird with my arm. I just didn’t have it.”

Manager Andy Green thought Lucchesi looked sharp in the first. ”His stuff kind of fell off somewhat rapidly today,” Green said. ”This was a tough return for him, but he’s going to bounce back from it and be just fine.”

Trailing 10-1 http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-kyle-lauletta-jersey , the Padres had infielder Cory Spangenberg pitch the ninth. He allowed two runs on two hits and two walks in his second appearance of the season.

”You’ve got to preserve bullpen arms,” Green said, adding that it made no sense to use a reliever such as Matt Strahm just to try to hold the game at 10-1. ”So we were to Cory. At that point in time you get what you get and he got us through.”

San Diego’s Christian Villanueva homered in the ninth, his 16th.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: Placed RHP Bryan Mitchell on the 10-day disabled list with an impingement in his right elbow to make room for Lucchesi on the 25-man roster. Mitchell (0-3, 7.08 ERA) hasn’t pitched since June 5. Mitchell has been disappointing since being acquired from the New York Yankees along with third baseman Chase Headley. The Padres wanted Mitchell so badly they were willing to take on Headley’s $13 million salary, but the deal has backfired. Headley was released on May 19 and Mitchell was demoted from the rotation to the bullpen.

UP NEXT

Athletics: RHP Chris Bassitt (0-2, 2.45) is scheduled to start Thursday night’s opener of a four-game series at the Chicago White Sox, who counter with RHP Lucas Giolito (4-7, 7.19).

Padres: RHP Tyson Ross (5-4, 3.51) is set to start the opener of a four-game series Thursday night at San Francisco, opposite LHP Madison Bumgarner (0-2, 4.67).

Stuck in an 11-game losing streak, the Detroit Tigers cleared the air with a pregame meeting. Then Nick Castellanos went out and cleared the bases with an important home run that helped stop Detroit’s slide.

Castellanos hit his fourth career grand slam, Jordan Zimmermann pitched seven strong innings and the Tigers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 9-1 on Sunday.

Manager Ron Gardenhire scheduled the pregame meeting, a relaxed session in which players were invited to say whatever was on their mind. Castellanos called it an opportunity to ”just kind of address the elephant in the room.”

”It gave anybody a chance that wanted to speak up to speak up http://www.jetsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-chris-herndon-jersey ,” said Castellanos, adding that Victor Martinez, James McCann and Gardenhire were among those who talked.

JaCoby Jones hit a two-run homer as the Tigers won for the first time since June 17, when they completed a three-game road sweep of the Chicago White Sox.

Castellanos nearly hit another home run in the ninth but Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar made a leaping catch at the wall.

”I felt like I was going to have a chance to make a play,” Pillar said. ”A ball like that hit as high as it is it allows me time to kind of track the ball and track the fence and go up to try to make a play. ”

Castellanos stopped on the basepaths to applaud Pillar’s catch before turning and heading back to the dugout.

”What else can you say the end of the day besides `What a play,”’ Castellanos said. ”It sucks it had to happen to me but plays like that have to happen to somebody.”

Niko Goodrum had a career-high four hits and Jose Iglesias had two hits and two RBIs for Detroit, which had lost 12 of 14 at Rogers Centre.

”That was a fun win, a really fun with with a lot of great swings,” Gardenire said.

Zimmermann (3-0) allowed one run and five hits in his third start since returning from a shoulder injury that caused him to miss more than a month.

”He had a great curveball today,” Gardenhire said. ”That’s probably the best curveball I’ve seen all year out of him.”

Wearing red jerseys and caps for Canada Day, the Blue Jays couldn’t deliver a win for the holiday crowd of 37,445.

Tigers outfielder Leonys Martin left with a sore left hamstring after his bases-loaded bunt single in the fifth brought home Detroit’s first run. Martin was replaced by Victor Reyes.

Following the game, Gardenhire said Martin would be placed on the 10-day disabled list. A corresponding roster move will be made before Monday afternoon’s series finale.

Castellanos followed with his 13th home run, a shot that bounced off the top of the wall in right. It was his first grand slam since Sept. 8, 2017 http://www.jetsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-nathan-shepherd-jersey , also against Toronto.

Castellanos also made a fine catch in right, reaching back to grab Russell Martin’s line drive for the final out of the fourth.

Iglesias chased Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ (10-4) with a two-out, two-run single in the sixth.

Happ matched season-worsts by allowing seven runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings.

”It’s not a pretty outing and I own that,” Happ said.

Happ had won six consecutive decisions since his previous defeat, May 10 against Seattle.

Teoscar Hernandez tripled in the first and scored on a two-out double by Justin Smoak, but Zimmermann recovered to retire the next nine Blue Jays batters.

For the second straight game, the roof was closed at Rogers Centre because of high heat and humidity.

MUSIC MAN

Blue Jays RHP John Axford complied a list of more than 500 songs by Canadian artists and has been playing his mix in the clubhouse all weekend. Axford’s `Oh Canada!’ playlist can be streamed using the online music service Spotify.

NOT YOUR DAY

The Blue Jays are 14-26 on Canada Day, including a 12-17 mark at home.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: RHP Alex Wilson, who left in the eighth inning Saturday because of a sore left calf, was not available. … RHP Drew VerHagen (nasal fracture) pitched one scoreless inning for Triple-A Toledo Saturday night, his first rehab appearance. VerHagen has been out since June 20.

Blue Jays: Toronto optioned utilityman Darnell Sweeney to Triple-A Buffalo after the game and will make a corresponding roster move Monday.

UP NEXT

Tigers RHP Mike Fiers (5-4, 4.04) faces Blue Jays LHP Ryan Borucki (0-1, 3.00) in Monday afternoon’s series finale. Fiers is 0-2 with a 5.91 ERA in two career starts at Rogers Centre. Borucki made his major league debut at Houston last Tuesday, allowing two runs in six innings.


The NFL Network will be getting into the flag football business.

The American Flag Football League announced Wednesday that its inaugural season-ending tournament this summer will be broadcast on the NFL Network.

The network will televise 11 games from the U.S. Open of Football Tournament http://www.saintsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-tre_quan-smith-jersey , capped by the championship between the best Pro team and the top amateur team on July 19.

The AFFL is holding a 132-team, single-elimination tournament for its first season. There will be 128 amateur teams and four pro teams led by Michael Vick; Chad Johnson; former NBA players Nate Robinson and Carlos Boozer; and former NFL player Justin Forsett and Olympic champion Michael Johnson.

Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce got plenty of attention for his salty language during the Super Bowl celebration parade. The All-Pro says he tried to tone it down when he spoke inside the Phillies clubhouse on Monday.

But once Kelce started his speech, he found that old habits die hard.

”I probably cursed a little more, actually,” Kelce said. ”At least through the start of the speech I made an effort to not curse and then that quickly faded.”

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Wearing a red No. 62 Phillies spring training jersey, Kelce was the main guest during the first official day of team workouts.

”I played baseball all the way up until high school,” Kelce said. ”I threw my elbow out when I was like 12 years old Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Jersey , tore the plate off my bone, I didn’t play baseball after that.”

Kelce spent a lot of time watching pitchers throw their side sessions and said there was plenty he could take away from watching them interact with catchers.

”Baseball is an awesome sport,” Kelce said. ”I’ve just been picking up some of what goes on between the pitcher and catcher because I think there are a lot of similarities between the mental chess game going on there as there is with me and Carson (Wentz) kind of assessing defenses and stuff like that.”

New Phillies manager Gape Kapler said that he spoke with Kelce separately and discussed the rapport Eagles players had with head coach Doug Pederson and the coaching staff.

”Jason and I discussed that and talked about how that communication was the two-way street,” Kapler said. ”He shared what a good communicator coach Pederson was and how that communication was critical in establishing and maintaining trust throughout the season.”

Kapler said he felt the message Kelce gave his players was one that will inspire them and one they needed to hear as they begin the season.

”I think there were 8 to 10 (things) to take away, but the No. 1 was it is OK to fall down, be fearless, get back up http://www.saintsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-rick-leonard-jersey , be bold and do it all over again,” Kapler said. ”Champions have stories to share and they’re effective for a reason.

”Because they’ve been through the ups and downs, they’ve displayed courage, they’ve come together as units, they know what it feels like to have people count them out and then to prove people wrong,” he said.

Kapler said the Phillies’ video production staff put together a piece for the team over the weekend that included some highlights from the other sports teams in the city, as well as some footage from the movie ”Rocky” spliced in and some highlights of their own players.

The relationship with the city is something Kapler wants the Phillies to embrace.

”We feel like we’re in a partnership with the city of Philadelphia http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-will-hernandez-jersey , the fans of Philadelphia and certainly the sports teams of Philadelphia,” he said. ”You saw it today with Jason. He felt like he was a part of the Phillies family. He wore that `Be Bold’ T-shirt proudly, then he put on a Phillies jersey and a Phillies cap.

”This is an All-Pro center on the best offensive line in football from a Super Bowl championship team. And here he was in our clubhouse today sort of backing the Phillies. I thought that was pretty remarkable,” he said.

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto has been ejected for arguing a called third strike in the first inning Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves.

It is the eighth career ejection for Votto Derrius Guice Color Rush Jersey , a five-time All-Star and the 2010 NL MVP.

Brandon Dixon took his place in the field.

Votto was thrown out after taking a high strike from Sean Newcomb. After home plate umpire Carlos Torres called him out, Votto stepped from the batter’s box, walked in front of the plate and turned to disagree.

As Votto kept talking Justin Bethel Color Rush Jersey , Torres held up his hand three different times before issuing the ejection. Third base coach Billy Hatcher came over to restrain Votto as interim manager Jim Riggleman came out of the dugout to speak with Torres.

Votto leads the NL in on-base percentage and walks. His 265 career homers rank fifth on the Reds’ career list.

The Mariners placed starting catcher Mike Zunino on the 10-day disabled list Thursday due to a bruised left ankle.

Manager Scott Servais said Zunino rolled his ankle running the bases late in Seattle’s 7-4 loss Wednesday to the Los Angeles Angels.

Zunino was immediately sent in for X-rays on Thursday, and had his foot immobilized in a boot in the clubhouse before the series finale.

”It’s not good news,” Servais said.

Chris Herrmann takes over as the starting catcher Logan Paulsen Color Rush Jersey , and David Freitas was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma to serve as the backup.

Zunino is batting .189 with 12 home runs and 29 RBIs this season. He is just 2 for 13 during the Mariners’ current homestand, but came on as a pinch hitter Wednesday, and got a hit and walked.

Zunino spent three weeks on the DL earlier in the season with a strained left oblique.


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