A look at what’s happening around the majors today:
BIG ARMS IN THE BRONX
With slugger Giancarlo Stanton heating up at the plate
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three-game sweep of visiting Seattle. Luis Severino (10-2, 2.09 ERA) pitches for
New York against lefty James Paxton (6-1, 3.44), who is 5-0 with a 2.55 ERA
since the beginning of May – a nine-start span that includes a no-hitter in
Toronto. The Mariners have lost three straight for the first time since April
17-19 against the World Series champion Astros.
STRANGE TO SEE
Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (10-3, 2.06 ERA) tries to avoid his first three-game losing streak since August 2015 when the Nationals host
lowly Baltimore. He’ll hope to get some help on offense from slumping slugger
Bryce Harper, who went 0 for 4 in a rain-delayed 3-0 loss Wednesday night,
dropping his batting average to .209. Washington manager Dave Martinez said
Harper has been working hard with batting coach Kevin Long. ”He’s going to hit.
I know he’s going to carry us for a month or two or for whatever,” Martinez
said.
DOCTOR’S APPOINTMENT
Cardinals right-hander Michael Wacha (8-2, 3.20 ERA) is scheduled for an MRI after exiting Wednesday’s start with a left oblique strain. ”Feeling a little
bit better,” he said following the game. ”I’m hoping for the best.” Carlos
Martinez (3-3, 2.73) pitches for St. Louis in the opener of a four-game set at
Milwaukee. He is 6-4 with a 1.95 ERA against the Brewers. Slumping outfielder
Ryan Braun is expected to rejoin the Brewers after the team sent him to Los
Angeles on Wednesday for treatment on his achy right thumb. The six-time
All-Star is hitting just .236 with eight home runs and 31 RBIs.
SEEKING HIS FIRST WIN
Giants ace Madison Bumgarner (0-2
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Diego, which has dropped four straight. Bumgarner missed the first two months of
the season with a broken pinkie. He has lost four in a row to the Padres, who
counter with Tyson Ross (5-4, 3.51). Meanwhile, San Francisco right-hander Jeff
Samardzija (shoulder tightness) is set to make his second rehab start with
Triple-A Sacramento.
READY TO GO
White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia (right hamstring strain) could return to the lineup against Oakland in the opener of a four-game series. Garcia was
hitting .333 with two home runs and seven RBIs during a six-game rehab stint
with Triple-A Charlotte. He batted .330 with 18 homers and 80 RBIs last season,
making his first All-Star team.
COMING UP EMPTY
Boston will be looking for a couple of clutch hits against the Minnesota Twins in the finale of its road trip. The Red Sox were 0 for 9 with runners in
scoring position Wednesday and are 2 for 22 in the first two games of the
series. They stranded 18 runners in those two games and have lost four of five
overall. Rick Porcello (8-3, 3.70 ERA) starts against Twins right-hander Kyle
Gibson (2-4, 3.27), who has allowed only five runs over his last four starts
spanning 26 2/3 innings.
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Sean Newcomb is maturing quickly in his second full season in the majors.
”I think I’m doing a better job of just managing everything in general,” Newcomb said. ”Looking back at old starts and taking all the positives from it
rather than beating myself up about it or trying to overdo something the next
start.”
The 25-year-old Newcomb pitched six scoreless innings, Charlie Culberson homered
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1-0 on Saturday.
The NL East-leading Braves improved to 25-7 when their starter pitches at least six innings, and Newcomb has been a big reason for the success.
A winner in eight of his last nine decisions, Newcomb (8-2) allowed two hits, walked one and struck out seven. He retired the last 13 batters he faced and is
6-0 with a 1.35 ERA when starting after the Braves lost their previous game.
Dan Winkler faced four batters in the seventh, A.J. Minter faced the minimum in the eighth and closer Arodys Vizcaino earned his 14th save in 16 chances by
working through a shaky ninth.
Hunter Renfroe doubled with one out, and pinch-hitter Cory Spangenburg got plunked in the right side before Vizcaino struck out Franmil Reyes and retired
Freddy Galvis on a grounder.
Jordan Lyles (2-4) allowed two base runners – a single by Dansby Swanson in the first and another by Culberson in the second – before Culberson’s third
homer made it 1-0 in the fifth.
Lyles turned in a solid performance after entering the game 0-1 with a 6.35 ERA in three career starts and one relief appearance against Atlanta. He gave up
five hits and struck out six in his best outing since pitching 7 1/3 scoreless
innings against Colorado on May 15.
”We got ahead of guys (in the count) unlike we did back home against these guys, but overall not too many hard-hit balls,” Lyles said. ”Just the one
mistake to Charlie.”
Braves starters began the day ranked fourth in the majors with a 3.35 ERA and they improved to 5-1 with a 1.09 ERA in their last 10 home games. Newcomb has
been particularly tough on San Diego, pitching six scoreless innings in each of
his three career starts.
”He went out in the sixth and had a 3-0 count on that first hitter and just kind of locked in,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. ”It was really good. How
he doesn’t panic, how he’s always staying pitch to pitch and just going to work.
You expect that out of him now.”
Jose Pirela doubled to begin the game and advanced to third before Newcomb struck out Christian Villaneuva and Franmil Reyes. That was the only trouble he
faced.
”There were some power guys that I was trying to attack
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something soft and do something with it. I knew I’d get some in the top of the
zone. I was doing that. It was good.”
The Padres had won three of four and 12 of 17, but dropped to 34-39, last in the NL West.
They didn’t match up well again with Newcomb, who has six starts when not allowing a run, most in the majors this year.
”There’s a profile of a guy that’s tough for our group collectively – a guy that’s throwing fastballs by us in the top of the zone,” San Diego manager Andy
Green said. ”I think people can see that. We have to shorten up and connect and
weren’t able to do that today.
STILL STREAKING
Braves 1B Freddie Freeman went 1 for 3 and has hit safely in 26 of 27 for a .377 average since May 19. He leads the NL in batting average, hits, on-base
percentage, slugging percentage and total bases.
SHORT PAUSE
The game was delayed 25 minutes by rain in the middle of the sixth.
BIG CROWD
The Braves announced their fifth sellout this year and 41,916 tickets sold, the largest crowd in SunTrust Park’s two-year history.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: RF Wil Myers
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oblique, has gone 2 for 8 with one RBI in two rehab games with Triple-A El Paso.
Myers, who hit a combined 58 homers the last two years, might return next
week.
Braves: LF Ronald Acuna Jr. ran the bases vigorously before the game and told manager Brian Snitker immediately afterward that he was ”ready to go.” Acuna has
been sidelined since May 28 with a sprained left knee sprain and bruises to his
knee and lower back. Snitker said he will report to extended spring training in
Orlando by Monday before beginning a rehab assignment. … RHP Mike Foltynewicz
was placed on the 10-day disabled list with triceps tightness. After Foltynewicz
threw a bullpen session Saturday, the team decided to give him extra rest in
hopes of bringing him back next weekend. The team hopes he returns next
weekend.
UP NEXT
Padres: Green has yet to announce a starter for Sunday’s series finale, but will use relief pitchers throughout.
Braves: RHP Julio Teheran has been reinstated from the disabled list and will make his 14th start this season and 10th of his career against San Diego.
Teheran missed over a week with a sore thumb. He is 0-3 with a 6.14 ERA in his
last four starts.
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