In a dramatic finish for Los Angeles, Teoscar Hernández capped the night with a two‑run double in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Dodgers to a 3‑2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. The win snapped a potential three‑game sweep and gave the Dodgers a much‑needed boost heading into the final stretch of the season.
Dodgers vs. Cardinals
Without Shohei Ohtani, who was granted a day off after a four‑strikeout outing and reported right‑arm discomfort, the Dodgers turned to Hernández for the decisive blow. The only other run for Los Angeles came when Tommy Edman, batting leadoff in Ohtani’s place, scored on a fifth‑inning wild pitch after going 4‑for‑5. Starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (6‑0) allowed two runs on ten hits over 5 2/3 innings, while Cardinals rookie Quinn Mathews (1‑1) limited St. Louis to one run over five innings. Reliever Riley O’Brien (3‑7) recorded the final out before surrendering the two ninth‑inning runs.
Rangers Dominate Rays
In Arlington, Texas, Cal Quantrill (7‑5) threw a shutout over seven innings, allowing just two hits as the Texas Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6‑0. This marked the third time in his last four starts that Quantrill has tossed at least six innings without yielding a run. Corey Seager added a two‑run homer, moving the Rangers within a half‑game of the final American League wild‑card spot.
Blue Jays Take Rubber Match
Toronto continued its surge, defeating the Cleveland Guardians 6‑3. Nathan Lukes delivered a go‑ahead two‑run double in the fifth inning, and rookie Brett Bateman contributed three hits. The Blue Jays scored five straight runs to clinch the series, keeping them a half‑game behind the final wild‑card position. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Jesús Sanchez each added RBIs, while Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee (5‑15) fell to the league lead in losses.
Pirates Edge Giants
Pittsburgh’s small‑ball approach paid off as the Pirates beat San Francisco 5‑2. Khristian Curtis (1‑0), recently called up from Triple‑A Indianapolis, allowed both Giants runs in three innings of relief. The Pirates recorded their fourth win in five games and moved within five games of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the final National League wild‑card spot. San Francisco rookie Blade Tidwell (0‑2) struggled with command, walking five and allowing two runs on two hits over five innings.
Astros Overcome White Sox
Houston secured a 6‑2 win over Chicago, highlighted by Daulton Varsho’s two‑run triple in the third inning. Jose Altuve added a two‑run homer, and Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker each drove in a run. Hunter Brown (5‑3) limited the White Sox to two runs on six hits over six innings, extending the Astros’ recent success with six wins in eight games.
Cubs Edge Brewers
Chicago’s Cubs edged Milwaukee 2‑1 thanks to a two‑run homer by Pete Crow‑Armstrong in the third inning. Kevin Gausman (9‑11) delivered seven innings of one‑run ball, striking out nine. Despite a strong effort from Brewers starter Logan Henderson (9‑3), the Cubs held onto the lead, maintaining an eight‑game gap behind the second‑place Cubs in the NL Central.
Red Sox Beat Orioles
Boston’s Red Sox defeated Baltimore 6‑5 in a back‑and‑forth battle. Adley Rutschman homered twice against his former team, and Nick Sogard delivered a go‑ahead two‑run blast in the eighth inning. The game featured a late‑inning heroics from Roman Anthony and a two‑run homer by Orioles’ Christian Encarnación‑Strand.
Royals Top Marlins
Kansas City rallied for a 7‑3 win over Miami. Carter Jensen hit a go‑ahead two‑run homer in the fifth inning and finished a single shy of the cycle. Starter Michael Wacha (9‑8) earned his fourth straight quality start, while Sandy Alcantara (13‑9) took the loss for the Marlins.
Athletics Defeat Mariners
Oakland’s Athletics beat Seattle 7‑4, with homers from Zack Gelof and Donovan Walton. Scott Blewett (1‑0) contributed two scoreless relief innings, and the A’s recorded a season‑high 18 strikeouts. Seattle prospect Kade Anderson (0‑1) struggled in his third start, allowing four runs over five innings.
These results reflect a busy day of baseball across the nation, with several clubs positioning themselves for the final wild‑card races as the regular season draws to a close.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
