hongwei28's blog

Torres was removed after striking out in his second at-bat in the fourth inning before the Yankees went on to beat the Atlanta Braves 6-2.

Before the series finale against the National League East leaders Mikko Rantanen Jersey , Yankees manager Aaron Boone was upbeat about the status of his prized rookie.

Torres did not start in Tuesday night’s win, but entered the game late as a defensive replacement.

”We’re hoping it’s a short stint. But we think we’ve got to deal with it this time because there is a small strain there,” Boone said outside the home clubhouse after the game.

”Hopefully it won’t be something that it’s too long. Probably take us up to the All-Star break.”

Boone said the club would assess the situation with a day off Thursday before heading to Toronto for the start of an 11-game, three-city road trip leading into the All-Star Game in Washington.

Torres is hitting .294 with 15 home runs and 42 RBIs in his first 63 major league games.

He had an MRI and was not available to talk to reporters after the game.

Neil Walker, who went over from third base to second at the start of the fifth inning, could get most of the work in Torres’ absence.

Another option could be Ronald Torreyes, but he’s been on the temporary inactive list at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for more than a week to deal with a personal issue. Brandon Drury, who started 114 games at second for Arizona last season, could also figure into the mix.

Boone wasn’t sure how the injury initially occurred, pointing out that Torres had made some ”good base running plays a couple of nights ago when he moved up on some wild pitches.”

The Yankees manager also added that if the injury had occurred late in the season Authentic Nail Yakupov Jersey , it would’ve been ”possible” for the phenom to be back on the field shortly.

But the team with the second-best record in baseball took the safe route.

”Anytime you’re talking about groin, hamstring, quads, once you have a strain in there, you push through it you can make it a worse strain,” Boone said.

”And now you’re talking weeks and months. Stuff like that. So I think the wise thing is to do this now. Gleyber wants to take a couple of days, work through it. But I think he also understands this is the best thing for him and for us.”

—

Erick Fedde will step on the mound Friday night for the eighth time in his major league career still in search of his first win. He might get it if he can replicate his recent success against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Fedde will try to help the Washington Nationals stop a three-game losing streak on Friday night in the second of a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies will send Nick Pivetta to the mound for his second straight start against Washington.

Facing the Phillies last Saturday, Fedde (0-3, 5.32 ERA) had the best outing of his brief major league career. He went six-plus innings, giving up three runs on eight hits while inducing 13 ground balls. However Nathan MacKinnon Jersey , the Phillies scored two runs in the eighth inning in a 5-3 win.

“I thought Fedde did a tremendous job,” Nationals catcher Spencer Kieboom told MLB.com after the game. “I couldn’t be more proud of him. He did, he mixed all five pitches — sliders, curveballs, changeups, cutters in, fastballs. He did a good job. I thought he attacked hitters and at the beginning, we were kind of (nibbling), but after that he really attacked.”

Fedde, 25 Joonas Donskoi Jersey , has pitched at least five innings in all four of his 2018 starts with the Nationals.

Saturday’s game was his first career appearance against the Phillies.

Pivetta (4-6, 4.06) also had a solid outing without a win last weekend. On Sunday night, Pivetta stayed in the game after a rain delay to complete five innings in Washington. He gave up eight hits but just two runs and notched seven strikeouts before the Nationals rallied against the Philadelphia bullpen.

The right-hander has a 5.81 ERA and opponents are hitting .301 against Pivetta in five June starts, but he has allowed just four runs and recorded 20 strikeouts in his last two appearances (12 1/3 innings).

Pivetta was acquired by the Phillies from Washington in exchange for reliever Jonathan Papelbon during the 2015 season. He is 0-2 with a 9.19 ERA in four career starts against the Nationals. His May 4 start against the Nationals has a lot to do with the high ERA, because he gave up six runs in one inning.

The Phillies opened the series with a 4-3 win on Thursday night. At 43-36, the Phillies are two games ahead of the Nationals (41-38) and just two games behind the Braves for first place in the National League East.

Philadelphia has won its last two games and Rhys Hoskins homered in both. In Thursday night’s series opener, the left fielder went 3-for-4 with a double and a two-run homer, his 13th of the season.

“Rhys had another huge (homer) for us,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler told reporters after his team improved to 4-3 against the Nationals this season.

Hoskins, 25 Patrick Roy Jersey , is hitting .329 with seven homers and 20 RBIs in 18 games during June, raising his season average to .260 and his OPS to .871. Hoskins has just a .224 average in 14 career games against the Nationals, but eight of his 11 hits have gone for extra bases.

Washington, which managed to score three runs — two in the ninth inning — after being shut out in consecutive games, has lost 10 of 13.

The NFL has named five sites as finalists to host the NFL draft in either 2019 or 2020.

Finalists to host either the 2019 or 2020 draft include Denver; Kansas City Luke Willson Jersey , Missouri; Las Vegas; Nashville, Tennessee; as well as a combined entry of Cleveland and Canton, Ohio. Canton is the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Representatives for each site will offer presentations before the final selections are made in May at the NFL spring meetings in Atlanta.

The draft historically had taken place in New York each year, but the league plans to move it around since it went to Chicago in 2015 and 2016 before moving to Philadelphia last year.

This year’s draft is taking place April 26-28 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

—

The Los Angeles Angels open a 10-game road trip Monday afternoon with a makeup game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

The game was originally rained out on April 15.

The Angels will continue east afterward and begin a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night.

The Royals (25-54) have lost 11 of 12 and 17 of 19.

The Angels (41-37) have lost two straight and trail the Seattle Mariners by six games for the second wild card from the American League.

Los Angeles left-hander Tyler Skaggs is scheduled to start on the mound after he was scratched Thursday against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays because of a sore hamstring.

Skaggs (6-4, 2.81 ERA) should have good memories of Kansas City. He threw seven shutout innings in each of his two career appearances against the Royals, both on their home field.

He allowed four hits and matched his career high with nine strikeouts on April 16 Michael Roberts Jersey , 2017, but was matched by Royals starter Ian Kennedy and Kansas City eventually scored a run in the bottom of the ninth to win 1-0.

Skaggs made his first career start in Kansas City in July 2016, which also marked his first major-league game back from Tommy John surgery performed nearly two years earlier. He allowed three hits in the 13-0 win.

The Angels are 6-0 against the Royals this season, but Skaggs has not appeared in any of those games. He last pitched July 15 at the Oakland A’s and did not allow an earned run in seven innings of an 8-4 win.

Skaggs is 3-0 in June with a 0.45 ERA, perhaps his best stretch since undergoing elbow surgery in August 2014.

“With Tyler, we’ve seen a constant growth in confidence,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia told the Los Angeles Times. “This guy’s worked so hard to get back to where he was and even a little above that now.”

Kansas City starter Jakob Junis (5-8 Anthony Zettel Jersey , 4.43) has been trending in the opposite direction, losing his past five starts.

He began the season by blanking the Detroit Tigers for seven innings in a 1-0 win on April 3 and doing the same six days later in a 1-0 win over the Seattle Mariners.

Junis then faced the Angels and was knocked out after allowing four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings of a 5-3 loss in Kansas City, giving up home runs to Luis Valbuena, Justin Upton and Mike Trout.

Junis had allowed 19 home runs entering Sunday, tied for the major-league lead with Bartolo Colon.

“It’s definitely been a struggle for me,” he told reporters after his latest start. “I’ve given up a lot of home runs this year, so I’m very conscious of that. I’m trying to keep it in the ballpark Nick Bellore Jersey , because when I do, that’s when I have success.”

Junis struggled even worse in his only other appearance against the Angels last June, giving up five runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 9-0 loss in Anaheim.

Brandon Belt and Joe Panik drove in two runs each Golden Tate III Jersey , Hunter Pence had a pinch-hit, two-run double, and the Giants completed a three-game sweep with a 9-6 victory over the division-leading Arizona Diamondbacks. It was San Francisco’s seventh win in eight games and their first sweep of the Diamondbacks since September of 2016. San Francisco moved into a second-place tie at 2 1/2 games behind Arizona for the first time since June 10.

A four-run fifth inning highlighted by Pence’s double off reliever Silvino Bracho gave the Giants an 8-3 lead. Cory Gearrin (1-1) got one out in the fourth inning to earn the win in relief of starter Derek Holland.

Afterward, manager Bruce Bochy praised the veteran Pence – who is primarily a bench player at present – for accepting his role.

”He is our spiritual leader. I know his role has changed and he has handled it so well. This is a little bit of a change for him and it is not easy,” Bochy said. ”He has a great attitude and just wants to help the club win.”

The Giants tagged starter Zack Godley (9-6) for seven runs on nine hits in four-plus innings, ending his four-game winning streak. But Holland didn’t make it out of the fourth, chased after loading the bases with an intentional walk with San Francisco leading 4-3.

The Diamondbacks couldn’t take advantage, as Belt raced well beyond the first base bag into shallow right field to throw out Christian Walker at first and end the inning.

”We feel like we are in a good rhythm,” Pence said. ”It’s part of baseball and we feel like we are working on all cylinders and that is definitely momentum.”

Holland allowed three runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Godley’s five walks were the second most he’s issued in a start this season.

”I couldn’t locate certain pitches and they took advantage of that,” Godley said. ”They’re swinging the bat really well right now, one through nine.”

Arizona rallied with two runs in the seventh on Paul Goldschmidt’s 18th home run of the season, and Jarrod Dyson became the eighth player in team history to record at least two hits, two RBIs and two stolen bases in a game.

The Diamondbacks brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth with two outs, but Will Smith struck out Jake Lamb for Smith’s second save.

”They kicked our butts. They came in here and beat us Teez Tabor Jersey , straight up,” Lamb said.

WALKER IN LEFT

Walker, normally a first baseman, started Sunday in left field for the first time in his 44-game major league career.

FREQUENT FLIER

To help provide coverage for the bullpen amid a long stretch without a day off, Arizona called up Bracho from Triple-A Reno before Sunday’s game. Pitcher Jimmy Sherfy was sent back to Reno. Bracho has been recalled five times this season.

FIRST PITCH FOR FIRST PICK

Recently drafted Phoenix Suns big man Deandre Ayton, the first overall pick in June’s NBA Draft, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Sunday’s game.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: 3B Pablo Sandoval was hit by a pitch in the right elbow in the third inning and left the game before the bottom of the inning. X-rays were negative and the injury was announced as a deep bruise, with Sandoval’s status day to day. … 3B Evan Longoria is about a week away from taking some swings as he works his way back from a broken left hand, Bochy said. … RHP Jeff Samardzija’s final rehab start for Triple- A Sacramento is set for Monday and he is expected to pitch five or six innings with around 90 pitches.

Diamondbacks: INF Ketel Marte was held out after suffering a right leg cramp in Saturday’s game. Manager Torey Lovullo said he felt the team ”dodged a bullet” as far a more serious injury.

UP NEXT

Giants: LHP Madison Bumgarner (1-2) is set for his sixth start of the season in the series opener against the Colorado Rockies on Monday in Denver.

Diamondbacks: LHP Robbie Ray (3-0) is set to face the St. Louis Cardinals in the series opener at Chase Field on Monday.

—

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs waited and waited and waited Monday night. When the lights malfunctioned again and the forecast called for more rain, they finally said enough.

The rematch of the last two NL Championship Series was postponed by a mixture of poor weather and a limited power outage at Wrigley Field. It will be made up Tuesday afternoon as part of a day-night doubleheader.

It was sunny and hot in Chicago for most of Monday, but clouds began to roll into the area about two hours before the scheduled first pitch. An initial downpour stopped at one point and the grounds crew pulled the tarp off the field, only to put it back on after a short stretch.

There was also trouble with three banks of lights on the first-base side of the iconic 104-year-old ballpark that went on and off a couple times, in addition to some lights in the stands on the third-base side that were out when the game was called after a nearly 3-hour delay.

”It appears to be a limited power outage in the ballpark which is impacting the right-field light operation,” Cubs spokesman Julian Green said. ”Obviously can’t play baseball without a full bank of lights in the ballpark. Notwithstanding the lights Christian Jones Jersey , we’re also dealing with a pretty heavy storm system in the area, which we’re projected to get more rain here.”

Green said they don’t know the root cause of the power outage, but it appears to be in the ballpark itself and not in the surrounding neighborhood. He said the plan is to have ballpark fully operational by the start of the first game on Tuesday.

”But a lot of work needs to happen tonight to make sure we can do that,” Green said.

This is Los Angeles’ only scheduled trip to Chicago this season.

”It’s out of our control,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. ”It’s one of those times when we spent a lot of time here, but there’s nothing else we could have done.”

Kenta Maeda, Monday night’s scheduled starter for Los Angeles, will get the ball for the opener of the doubleheader. Rich Hill will come off the disabled list to start Game 2.

Hill was placed on the DL on May 20 with a blister on his left middle finger, a recurring problem for the veteran left-hander.

The Cubs employed the same plan, with Tyler Chatwood going in the opener and Mike Montgomery staying in place for the previously scheduled game. Montgomery is 2-1 with a 1.14 ERA in four starts since he was inserted into the rotation after Yu Darvish was sidelined by right triceps tendinitis.

The Dodgers are making their first appearance at Wrigley since they advanced to the World Series with an 11-1 victory over the Cubs in Game 5 of the NLCS on Oct. 19. The same teams also met in the 2016 NLCS, with Chicago advancing on its way to its first championship since 1908.

—

Jay Cohen can be reached at

”Come on A'Shawn Robinson Jersey ,” 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,” 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 Nevin Lawson Jersey , 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,” 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 Taylor Decker Jersey , 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).

—

The Atlanta Falcons expect the retractable roof on Mercedes-Benz Stadium to be ”fully operational” for the 2018 season and next year’s Super Bowl.

Falcons president and CEO Rich McKay told The Associated Press on Wednesday he expects the team to have more open-air home games in the 2018 season.

”The roof is being worked on as we speak and yes we expect the roof to be fully operational by football season, if not well before,” McKay said.

”Fully operational means you will see us go to much more of an open configuration as we designed at the beginning. When it’s ready to go, we’ll be open depending on weather.”

Problems kept the roof closed on the $1.5 billion stadium for most of the 2017 season.

The unique roof, designed to open like a camera lens, was open only for the Falcons’ first home regular-season game against Green Bay on Sept. 17. It was closed for all other NFL and college games, including the Peach Bowl, the Southeastern Conference championship game and the national championship game.

The stadium, also home to MLS’ Atlanta United, will be host to the 2019 Super Bowl.

—

NFL Chief Security Officer Cathy Lanier says this is the first time remote satellite checkpoints are being used for a Super Bowl, and she says it’s by far the easiest way to get to the game. Fans can be screened at the Mall of America, then take a light rail to U.S. Bank Stadium.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen says there’s no threat to the Super Bowl. But people will see more security.

Rick Thornton Adrian Kempe Jersey , special agent in charge with the FBI, says it is game time for law enforcement. He says authorities have planned for every scenario and are ready.

The left-handed Tucker is playing left field for Saturday’s game against the Chicago White Sox and batting seventh.

Houston manager AJ Hinch says ”our team got better by adding him to the mix” and he plans to play Tucker every day, in left field or right field. Hinch says as the season gets into its latter stages the team needs to see what Tucker can do after his strong showing in both spring ball and the minor leagues.

Tucker is ranked the No. 8 prospect in baseball by MLB.com. He’s batting .306 with 24 doubles Youth Dion Phaneuf Jersey , 14 home runs and 66 RBIs for Fresno and was named to the Pacific Coast League All Star team.

Tucker was a non-roster invitee to spring training this year and was 18-for-44 batting with five home runs and 21 RBIs.

The Astros optioned outfielder Jake Marisnick to Fresno in a corresponding move.

—

Correa sat out games on Tuesday and Wednesday Joonas Donskoi Jersey , and wasn’t in the lineup Thursday night at Tampa Bay. The Astros say he’ll be put on the DL on Friday.

”He feels better, but we just need to do the right thing and get him completely symptom-free and not sore,” manager A.J. Hinch said. ”He’s not going to be available, so we’ll move forward and hopefully this is just 10 days and he’ll be activated by next weekend.”

Hinch said by putting Correa on the disabled list Friday Patrick Roy Jersey , retroactive for three days, there is a possibility the 23-year-old star can be activated July 5 for a weekend series against the Chicago White Sox.

Correa is hitting .268 with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs in 73 games and recently had a streak of 70 errorless games.

The Astros will make a corresponding move to fill their 25-man roster on Friday.

Marwin Gonzalez was in Houston’s lineup at shortstop Thursday night.

Manager Joe Maddon says the Japanese right-hander felt pain in his right arm.

”It didn’t go well,” Maddon said. ”He still felt pain on extension. He wasn’t able to cut it loose.”

Darvish will return to Chicago to be evaluated, and won’t pitch Saturday as scheduled. He’ll be replaced by Tyler Chatwood Womens Samuel Girard Jersey , who came off the paternity list.

Darvish said his strength and endurance was good after he played catch on Wednesday. He threw a five-inning, 57-pitch rehab start with Class A South Bend on Monday.

He’s been on the disabled list since May 26 because of tendinitis in his right triceps, his second DL stint this season.

Darvish has a 4.95 ERA in eight starts with the Cubs since he signed a $126 million, six-year deal with the team in February.

—

Sanchez pitched effectively into the seventh and Freddie Freeman added three hits Anthony Zettel Jersey , lifting the Atlanta Braves to a 5-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.

”I know the potential for this team to be in the playoffs is really high,” Sanchez said. ”I’ve been in October games. I can bring a lot of things to October.”

Sanchez (4-2) retired 19 in a row at one point to help snap Atlanta’s season high four-game skid. The veteran right-hander exited with two outs in the seventh after being hit by a liner on his right side near his hip. A red welt was visible on his back, but he said afterward he was fine.

”He never throws a pitch I don’t think that he doesn’t know where he wants to put it,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

Sanchez struck out six in a row at one point. But after two easy outs in the seventh, his day ended quickly following a walk to Hernan Perez.

Perez stole second, and Brad Miller’s line drive deflected off Sanchez and out of shortstop Dansby Swanson’s reach to cut Atlanta’s lead to 2-1.

Sanchez didn’t appear too shaken up – smiling and getting high fives from the Braves dugout after exiting. Reliever Dan Winkler came in and recorded the final out of the inning.

Sanchez allowed one run off two hits and a walk. He finished with eight strikeouts.

”It’s fun to be able to play behind that,” Swanson said. ”He’s been tremendous.”

WILKERSON’S WOES

Brewers spot starter Aaron Wilkerson’s tough day actually started on Friday.

His original flight was delayed after getting called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs, so he instead traveled from Colorado Springs to Houston then Chicago. He arrived in Milwaukee at 3:30 a.m. on Saturday.

”And, they lost my bags on the way Nick Bellore Jersey ,” he said. ”It was kind of a rough one. But, it’s not an excuse for anything.”

Wilkerson (0-1) had taken the rotation turn of Brent Suter, who went on the 10-day disabled list with left forearm tightness on Friday.

Johan Camargo’s two-run single off Wilkerson gave Atlanta the lead in the first. Wilkerson allowed two runs off four hits and three walks in five innings. He struck out five.

FLEET-FOOTED FREEMAN

Freeman and Nick Markakis added consecutive run-scoring triples in the eighth as Atlanta scored three times in the inning to put the game out of reach.

Freeman came into the game in a slump, batting .159 over his last 17 games before his three-hit performance.

”I’m starting to feel a little better,” Freeman said. ”I’m seeing pitches, not swinging at balls in the batter’s box. That helps.”

QUICK NICK

Sanchez benefited from a heads up defensive play from Markakis in right field in the first inning. With runners on first and second, Travis Shaw flared a ball that should’ve loaded the bases.

Instead, Jesus Aguilar, at first Mikko Rantanen Jersey , didn’t read the play quickly enough and Markakis fired a strike to Swanson at second base for the first of Sanchez’s 19 straight outs.

”Travis hit a ball that Aggie just didn’t get a good read on,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. ”That was our opportunity against Sanchez, for sure.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: Rookie LF Ronald Acuna Jr. was out of the lineup after leaving with left groin tightness on Friday night.

Brewers: CF Lorenzo Cain (left groin strain) is close to returning from the 10-day disabled list and could be activated as soon as Sunday. … LF Ryan Braun was a late scratch in the starting lineup with tightness in his right side, but pinch hit in the ninth. … RHP Jorge Lopez was recalled for the fifth time this year to provide pitching depth. Infielder Nate Orf was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs.

UP NEXT

Braves: LHP Sean Newcomb (8-3, 3.10 ERA) looks to bounce back Sunday after allowing five runs without getting out of the third inning in an 8-5 loss to the Yankees on Tuesday. RHP Junior Guerra (5-5, 2.87) goes for Milwaukee and is holding opponents to a .217 average in 16 starts this year.

—

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 Authentic Nail Yakupov Jersey ,” 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, 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 Nathan MacKinnon Jersey , 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.

—

WASHINGTON — Bryce Harper made some strides at the plate Thursday night just as the Washington Nationals prepare to welcome the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies to town for a weekend series.

Moved back to the leadoff spot by manager Dave Martinez Christian Jones Jersey , Harper walked twice and had a sacrifice fly and a double in four plate appearances during a 4-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Harper doubled in the eighth inning of a tie game and came in on Juan Soto’s two-run double and the Nationals took two of three from the Orioles.

“I was able to see a lot of pitches tonight,” Harper told the Washington Times after the Nationals (40-33) improved to 9-1 with him in the leadoff spot.

Harper began the night hitting .133 (8-for-60) in June, with five walks and 23 strikeouts.

“My swing has felt great,” Harper told mlb.com. “I’ve felt great the past month and a half or so, just chasing pitches. Tonight, I tried to do the best I could to get a ball over the middle (of the plate), and I was able to do that.”

The 19-year-old Soto just continues to hit. Thursday night he went 1-for-3 with a walk in the cleanup spot and enters the weekend hitting .326 with six homers and 16 RBIs over 92 major-league at-bats.

“I think we’re all amazed every single day,” Washington starter Max Scherzer told mlb.com. “He’s a great young player. He’s just enjoying himself. He’s the bat we kind of need in our lineup right now, that’s hot. And teams are going to have to figure out how to get him out, because it’s tough right now.”

Friday night that task falls to Philadelphia right-hander Zach Eflin (4-2, 3.43 ERA). He has won three straight starts, allowing four runs over 18 2/3 innings while striking out 17 batters and walking just three after pitching five effective innings Saturday in Milwaukee.

Elfin will be making his first career start against Washington, which counters with right-hander Tanner Roark (3-7, 3.87).

Roark gave up four runs on eight hits over four innings of in an 8-6 loss at Toronto on Sunday.

On May 5 he lost to the Phillies in Washington when he allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings. For his career, he is 6-7 with a 3.98 ERA in 18 games (16 starts) versus the Phillies.

The Phillies (39-33) trail the second-place Nationals by one-half game in the NL East and trail the Braves by 3 1/3 games. Philadelphia has won seven of its last 10 games and has taken three straight series — against Colorado, at Milwaukee and against St. Louis — as it begins a 10-game stretch against the Nationals and Yankees.

“I think coming off this series Luke Willson Jersey , we anticipate a highly-competitive series against a good ballclub on the road, and it seems like we’re ready for that challenge,” Philadelphia right-hander Jake Arrieta told mlb.com.

Off on Thursday, the Phillies defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 on Wednesday.

Odubel Herrera hit what proved to be the game-winning home run in the seventh inning to go along with a single and a double.

“It was one of those ‘Wow’ moments,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler told the Courier Post. “He’s so hot, but he’s such an incredible athlete. It’s really elite barrel accuracy. I don’t know how to describe it. He just knows how to find the barrel, find the sweet spot.”

Herrera is hitting .419 (13-for-31) with two doubles, five home runs, eight RBIs in the past seven games. He is 13-for-31 (.419) versus Roark.

Atlanta Braves pitcher Mike Foltynewicz was beginning to emerge as a top-of-the-rotation type starter when he experienced some tightness in his right tricep.

After spending 10 days on the disabled list, he will try to regain that form in the series opener against the streaking Cincinnati Reds.

Foltynewicz (5-4, 2.16 ERA) will be opposed by Cincinnati’s Tyler Mahle (6-6, 3.89) in the first game of a three-game set at SunTrust Park.

It won’t be an easy assignment for Foltynewicz. The Reds have won seven straight — 10 of their last 11 — and are coming off a sweep of the Chicago Cubs. On Sunday, the Reds scored seven runs in the seventh inning and swept the Cubs in a four-game series for the first time since 1983.

Since Jim Riggleman became the team’s manager, Cincinnati is 29-30 and the Reds have won 24 of their last 42.

The Braves and Reds split a four-game series in April in Cincinnati.

Foltynewicz has only pitched five innings in the two starts after his complete-game shutout against the Washington Nationals on June 1. He threw five scoreless innings against the New York Mets before leaving with the arm issues on June 12.

The former first-round draft choice, who was acquired from the Houston Astros in 2015, has made 14 starts this season and allowed two or fewer earned runs in 13 of them. He has had four scoreless starts. He ranks fourth in the National League in ERA.

Foltynewicz received no decision in his April 23 start against the Reds. He left after 4 2/3 innings Michael Roberts Jersey , having allowed two runs on three hits and four walks, with seven strikeouts. In four career starts against the Reds, he is 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA.

Mahle has been hot, going 3-0 with a 1.61 ERA over his last four starts. The Reds have won all four of his starts in June, in which he has allowed four runs in 22 1/3 innings. He beat the Detroit Tigers in his most recent start, giving up two runs and fanning eight in six innings.

“Tyler did a great job,” Riggleman said after Mahle’s last start. “It seems like we’ve got six and eight innings from a lot of our starters. You’ve got a chance to win the ballgame. When you do that, you get a chance to use your bullpen the way it should be used and a lot of times good things are going to happen.”

Mahle started against the Braves on April 24 and gave up three runs in six innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts. Mahle took a no-hitter into the seventh before losing it on a leadoff homer by Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman. The Reds eventually lost that game in 12 innings.

The Braves’ bullpen took a jolt on Sunday when closer Arodys Vizcaino was placed on the 10-day disabled list with right shoulder soreness. Vizcaino, who had not pitched since June 17, had a cortisone shot earlier in the week and still wasn’t feeling well enough to pitch by the weekend.

“His shoulder is not responding like we wanted it to,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “It was one of those situations where if he wasn’t ready to pitch (Sunday), we had to back off it and get it right, because it wasn’t working.”

Atlanta activated right-hander Evan Phillips to take Vizcaino’s spot on the roster. Phillips had 50 strikeouts in 35 innings and a 2.33 ERA for Triple-A Gwinnett.

The Pittsburgh Pirates will be trying to win three games in a row after a rough month and the Cincinnati Reds will be looking to avoid the start of a skid when the teams play the middle game of a series Saturday at PNC Park.

Pittsburgh (34-35) won the series opener 3-2 A'Shawn Robinson Jersey , posting back-to-back wins for the first time since winning three straight May 15-17 to reach a season-best nine games above .500.

In the interim before Friday’s win, the Pirates were 6-18 and entered the weekend as close to the last-place Reds (eight games) as they were to first-place Milwaukee in the National League Central.

“It’s a long season. There’s going to be times where stuff like that happens,” Pittsburgh third baseman Colin Moran said of the poor stretch. “It’s more important that we bounce back like we did.”

Cincinnati (23-44) had won three in a row before Friday.

Pirates right-hander Ivan Nova (3-5, 4.68 ERA) is scheduled to face Reds right-hander Luis Castillo (4-7, 5.79) on Saturday.

Nova on Sunday returned from the disabled list (sprained right ring finger) without having made any rehab starts. No matter. He struck out eight in 5 2/3 innings, giving up one run and four hits in a 7-1 win over the Cubs in Chicago.

It showed the Pirates that the veteran can still be highly effective. It showed Nova that it is better to be forthcoming about nagging injuries and be willing to step away and heal.

“Just the way that the ball was coming out of my hand, I could tell the difference right away,” Nova said. “To be able to pitch a game like (that) … I think that’s kind of a lesson for you. Don’t force it.”

He had not had any sort of organized outing since his last appearance before May 24 when he went on the DL.

“He was ready to pitch,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “At the end of the day, he showed you he was ready to pitch.”

Nova also impressed the opposition.

“He was hitting the corners all day, keeping the ball down,” Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo told MLB.com. “It’s tough to do anything when he’s on like that.”

Nova is 3-7 with a 4.67 ERA in 10 career starts against Cincinnati.

Castillo’s last start was much more mixed than Nova’s.

In a 6-4 loss to St. Louis, Castillo had a career-high 10 strikeouts but also a career-high two homers allowed as Jose Martinez and Marcell Ozuna smacked back-to-back dingers in the first inning after Castillo struck out the first two hitters on six pitches. He also gave up a first-pitch, bases-loaded triple to Yadier Molina in the third.

“You just have to be strong mentally, more than physically,” Castillo said through an interpreter.

He gave up five runs and four hits in six innings that game. Despite the rocky start and the loss Nevin Lawson Jersey , Castillo, 25, managed an in-game turnaround, allowing just one batter to reach base in his final three innings.

“You saw the talent of Castillo,” Cincinnati manager Jim Riggleman said. “The last three innings that he threw were outstanding, and it’s exciting to know that this guy has got a chance to be around here for a very long time. He’s just going to get better and better once he gets past these growing pains.”

Castillo is 1-2 with a 3.68 ERA in four career starts against Pittsburgh, with 22 strikeouts in 22 innings.

But never like this.

Even Shaquem Griffin, the one-handed do-it-all defender from Central Florida and a late invitee to the combine, didn’t expect to do what he did Saturday with his prosthetic left hand .

His personal max was 11 reps, but he had a much more modest benchmark in mind here.

”My goal was six,” Griffin acknowledged.

Griffin clipped his prosthetic hand onto the bar, then leaned back.

This wasn’t his brother spotting him – the one who he was sure used to surreptitiously help him – but this new spotter was hyping him up and the crowd joined in as did his fellow linebacker prospects.

”Everybody in the stands was hyping me up. I got the guys I’m here with hyping me up. It felt amazing,” Griffin said. ”I was ready to go. I was ready to attack it.”

His chest heaved.

And the counting began.

One, two, three.

”I said, this thing feels like 135. Let’s go!” Griffin recounted. ”And I just started cranking them out.”

Four Taylor Decker Jersey , five, six.

That was easy.

Seven, eight, nine.

The crowd was hollering by now.

Ten, 11 – this was his personal best.

Twelve.

A new high.

Thirteen … 14 … 15 … 16.

The crowd was roaring is disbelief.

Seventeen.

Can this really be happening?

Eighteen!

That’s one more than his twin brother, Shaquille, managed at last year’s combine before the Seattle Seahawks selected the speedy cornerback in the third round of the NFL draft.

Nineteen!

One more … 20!

”I got chill bumps watching him do 20 reps,” said NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock. ”I literally choked up a little bit watching him do that and I can’t wait to watch him tomorrow.”

On Sunday, Griffin will run the 40-yard dash, do some quickness drills and some on-field testing at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Griffin was 4 years old when doctors amputated his left hand a day after his mother found him in the kitchen attempting to cut off his jelly-like fingers, which were in scorching pain whenever he touched anything, the result of amniotic band syndrome, a congenital birth defect.

Despite having just one hand, he kept up with his twin brother on and off the field.

As dozens of reporters and photographers gathered around him Saturday, Griffin said, ”I thought I was going to walk over here and it was going to be like three people.”

Not after becoming the best feel-good story of the combine so far – and by far.

”It was amazing Golden Tate III Jersey , hearing the crowd and having the juices flowing, I mean I felt it,” Griffin said. ”I didn’t know I had it in me.”

Griffin said he’s mind-set is he always has to do more than those around him to impress coaches.

”I always hold myself to a higher standard than a lot of people just because if we’re running drills, if I drop a ball, they’re going to like, `Well, he dropped the ball because he has one hand.’ If anybody else drops a ball, they’re going to be like, `Well, maybe it was a bad ball,”’ Griffin said.

As a freshman, he couldn’t even lift the 45-pound bar, but then he was fitted with the pros ethic and his mom cried when he did his first pull-up.

”It’s amazing to see how far I’ve come from not being able to bench the bar to throwing up 20 reps of 225 and being able to compete with the best here,” said Griffin, the 2017 American Athletic Conference defensive player of the year.

Griffin, who played D-line Teez Tabor Jersey , linebacker and safety at the Senior Bowl, said he’s going to try to join the defensive back drills Sunday after doing his work with the linebackers.

”I feel like I could just start curling 225 right now and I’m pretty sure come tomorrow, it’s going to be adrenalin just going crazy. I’m excited about tomorrow. If I feel this good doing the bench press, I can’t wait to see how I am tomorrow.”

Griffin said he hopes he’s an inspiration to kids everywhere.

”If I can inspire one, and they can inspire another and (soon we’ll) inspire a thousand,” Griffin said.

As evidenced by the way they were cheering him on in the bench press, he’s inspiring his fellow draft prospects at the combine.

”That’s kind of cool when you have guys at that top level, the best of the best, and they come and talk to you about you motivating them and inspiring them,” Griffin said. ”I feel really good hearing that from them. It motivates me to do more and keep pushing when you’ve got guys all over the place, the top in the country, and they’re proud of me.

”That was an amazing feeling, and it makes you enjoy it that much more.”

—

The team is proud to host Army Ranger Womens Darius Philon Jersey , combat veteran, and huge Chargers fan Nick Moore for this Sunday’s game. Moore, who also co-authored his memoir RUN TO THE SOUND OF THE GUNS, served over ten years with the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq, and was a part of an elite special operations unit at the fighting edge of the global war on terrorism.As a helicopter evac pilot, he participated in the rescue of Private Jessica Lynch Womens Russell Okung Jersey , hunted Iraq’s Most Wanted, and experienced brutal street combat, including 160 night-time missions over one 90-day deployment in the insurgent stronghold of Mosul. He was also part of the search and rescue operation for Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell (of Lone Survivor fame), and was on the ground again when a Chinook helicopter was shot down, resulting in the death of 38 men and one military working dog. It was the single greatest loss of special operations personnel to date. Look for him on the field this Sunday as the Chargers hopefully improve to 10-3.It’s very easy to get caught up in the conflicts and struggles of our own lives, and as a result we often lose sight of the big picture and just how lucky we are to enjoy privileges like enjoying a football game on Sundays. The men and women who serve http://www.chargersfootballauthentics.com/philip-rivers-jersey-authentic , like Nick Moore, deserve all the thanks and admiration in the world, and the Chargers are honored to have him on the sidelines this week. We here at Bolts From the Blue are also honored to recognize him on our site. If you’re going to the game, be sure to let him know how grateful you are for his service.And if you’re interested in buying a copy of RUN TO THE SOUND OF THE GUNS to learn more about Nick’s remarkable story - or are looking for gift ideas for the military enthusiast in your family - you can do so here. Ah, it’s that special moment when we sit down on Tuesday morning and complain about how various media outlets perceive our team! If you’ll recall, last week the Chargers beat the Steelers in a marvelous upset Youth Caleb Sturgis Jersey , but their Power Ranking average actually dropped almost a point. It didn’t make much sense then, but hey... it told us what we were looking to find out: They still don’t believe in the Chargers.What about this week? The Chargers dispatched a lowly foe that fought much harder than predicted. In fact, it was a genuine game! The end result was that the Chargers moved to 10-3, unfortunately still just behind the Chiefs. However, perennial top-5-candidate Patriots lost in devastating fashion to a hook and ladder play in Miami. It was a bit beautiful, I can’t lie. With both the Rams and the Patriots stumbling http://www.chargersfootballauthentics.com/dan-feeney-jersey-authentic , was there a chance for the Chargers to move up the ranks?SB Nation1 New Orleans Saints 2 New England Patriots 3 Los Angeles Rams 4 Kansas City Chiefs5 Houston Texans 6 Chicago Bears 7 Green Bay Packers 8 Seattle Seahawks 9 Los Angeles Chargers [editors note: What the flippidy flap??]10 Dallas CowboysESPN.com1. New Orleans Saints2. Kansas City Chiefs3. Los Angeles Rams4. Los Angeles Chargers5. New England Patriots6. Chicago Bears7. Houston Texans8. Dallas Cowboys9. Seattle Seahawks10. Pittsburgh SteelersNFL.com1. New Orleans Saints2. Kansas City Chiefs3. Los Angeles Rams4. New England Patriots5. Los Angeles Chargers6. Chicago Bears7. Houston Texans8. Seattle Seahawks9. Dallas Cowboys 10. Baltimore RavensCBS.com1. Kansas City Chiefs2. New Orleans Saints3. Los Angeles Rams4. New England Patriots5. Dallas Cowboys6. Chicago Bears 7. Seattle Seahawks8. Los Angeles Chargers9. Houston Texans10. Indianapolis ColtsBleacher Report1. New Orleans Saints2. Kansas City Chiefs3. Los Angeles Rams4. Los Angeles Chargers5. Chicago Bears6. New England Patriots7. Houston Texans8. Dallas Cowboys9. Seattle Seahawks10. Baltimore RavensUSA Today1. New Orleans Saints2. Los Angeles Rams3. Kansas City Chiefs4. Los Angeles Chargers5. New England Patriots6. Chicago Bears7. Houston Texans8. Dallas Cowboys9. Seattle Seahawks10. Baltimore RavensPro Football Weekly1. New Orleans Saints2. Los Angeles Rams3. Kansas City Chiefs4. Los Angeles Chargers5. New England Patriots6. Chicago Bears 7. Houston Texans8. Dallas Cowboys9. Seattle Seahawks10. Pittsburgh SteelersAnd there you have it. Another confusing week.Last week it was CBS that received the dubious honor of “dork of the week” for dropping the Chargers from 4th to 9th because they won over the Steelers. This week they at least improved the Chargers ranking by one (roll eyes), but there is a more odd and confusing title holder this week: Our very own SB Nation.Last week their article was titled “The Rams and the Chargers are the two best teams, fight me,” placing the Chargers at #2. Cool!This week the same author shot the Bolts down to... number 9? And they don’t even explain WHY?!Watch out, folks. This dorkitude appears to be communicable. Warn your friends and family, and steer clear of comment sections!Average Ranking: 5.4Most Common Ranking: 4.0Chargers Playoff Chances: >99%Chargers Super Bowl win Odds with a win this week: 16%Chargers Super Bowl win Odds with a loss this week: 5%Chargers December win % 2017-2018: 85.7%-Jason “Good Reason to be Excited” Michaels www.nflshopoutlet.com/cincinnati-bengals