The Morning Horsehide Herald — the Three-and-Twentieth of July, Two Thousand and Twenty-Six

The Game of the Day

FIFTEEN, AND NO MORE: THE CRIMSON HOSE TIE THE CLUB RECORD IN THE OPENER AND LOSE THE STREAK BY THE NIGHTCAP, AS THE BIRDS END BOSTON'S GLORIOUS RUN

A two-act drama at Fenway Park — the first a 6-to-3 conquest that matched the fifteen straight of the immortal nineteen-and-forty-six nine, the second a 5-to-1 reckoning in which Baltimore struck four times before the crowd had settled — and so the grandest streak of the summer is laid to rest with full honors

Fenway Park was promised a doubleheader and given a morality play in two acts. In the opener the Red Sox did the thing their fathers' fathers last saw done: they won a fifteenth consecutive game, drawing level with the club record set by the Boston nine of nineteen-and-forty-six, four-score years gone. The conquest was emphatic — four runs in the first inning off the unfortunate Dean Kremer, and 6 to 3 the final. Jarren Duran was the engine of it, a triple among his labors and three runs driven in; Ceddanne Rafaela added his ninth home run; Bennett battled through nine Baltimore hits for his sixth victory; and Aroldis Chapman, ancient of arm and unbothered of pulse, closed the account for his three-and-twentieth save. Fifteen straight, and the old ground fairly shook.

Then came the nightcap, and the Birds declined to play their assigned part in the pageant. Against Rivera, entrusted with the start, Baltimore struck four times in the first inning — doubles from Pete Alonso and Rodríguez, two runs cashed by Dylan Beavers — and Kyle Bradish made the cushion stand, six innings of one-run pitching in a 5-to-1 verdict. Brayan Bello, summoned from the bullpen into the wreckage, threw five and a third scoreless innings that deserved a kinder ledger. And so the streak dies at fifteen, mourned but magnificent.

Let the record show what the run wrought: the Hub nine, who sat well below the level line when the winning began, awoke this morning at two-and-fifty wins against nine-and-forty defeats, holders of the final American wild-card chair with a cushion of two full games on Seattle. The Birds, for their part, have quietly won eight of their last ten. The clubs part ways now — Toronto comes to Fenway on the morrow — and the Herald suspects neither side will soon forget the day the music stopped.

News Around the League

Eleven Days to the Deadline: Milwaukee Declares Itself Open for Business

The trading deadline of the third of August stands eleven days off, and the wires this morning carry a declaration from Milwaukee's counting-house: the Brewers, owners of four-and-sixty victories, pronounce themselves 'definitely active' in the coming bazaar — a contender shopping not for respectability but for the last few bricks of a fortress. Elsewhere the rumor mills grind around the outfielder Luis Robert Jr., whose name the sages pass from hand to hand; around Tampa Bay's crowded larder; around such bats as San Francisco might spare from a lineup that has dropped five straight; and around the sorrowful Marlins, losers of nine running, whose veterans draw appraising eyes. The scribes count as many as ten clubs with both the willingness and the prospect capital to strike. The Herald, as ever, files the whispers and waits upon the ink.

The Triple Crown Watch: Alvarez Leads All Three Columns

Mark it well, for whole generations pass without the sight: Yordan Alvarez of Houston awoke this morning atop all three batting columns of the American League — a .328 average, four-and-thirty home runs, and seven-and-seventy runs driven in. No pursuer stands close: the nearest man in homers sits four behind, the nearest in runs batted six. Last evening the big fellow added to the argument with his four-and-thirtieth blast, struck back-to-back with Isaac Paredes in the eighth inning of the Houston nine's 5-to-2 conquest of Miami (see the card below). The man himself declines to discuss the crown; his bat, the wires observe, has grown positively garrulous on the subject.

The Convalescents Stir: Acuña Near, Ohtani Throwing, Fried and Ramírez Already Back

A morning of glad tidings from the recovery wards. In the Atlanta chain, Ronald Acuña Jr. rapped two hits in a rehabilitation engagement and signals himself close to rejoining the Braves. In Los Angeles, Shohei Ohtani threw some thirty pitches from a bullpen mound, a session the club's men pronounced encouraging in his march back toward pitching. And two returns required no waiting at all: the Yankees' Max Fried stepped straight from the invalid list into a doubleheader nightcap and threw five scoreless innings on a single hit, while in Cleveland José Ramírez returned to the Guardians' lineup and drove in two runs the same evening. The Herald notes with satisfaction that the infirmary door swings both ways.

The Surgeon's Ledger

The lighter side of the ledger, mercifully, this morning. The Athletics have placed the right-hander J.T. Ginn on the fifteen-day invalid list with a blister upon the middle finger of his pitching hand — a small wound with a large influence, as any craftsman of the seams will attest. And in the Bronx, the Pittsburgh center fielder Jake Mangum, whose bat helped topple the Yankees in the opener (see the card), was scratched from the nightcap with discomfort in his right foot. May the salve do its work, and the foot its resting.

The Almanac: Cooperstown on Sunday, Williamsport in August

Three dates for the household calendar. Cooperstown's induction ceremonies stand but three days off, this Sunday the six-and-twentieth, when the game gathers to crown its immortals. On the three-and-twentieth of August the Brewers and Braves will play the Little League Classic at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, before the assembled small fry of the world's championship. And the almanac's far column bears watching too: the regular campaign's final day falls on the seven-and-twentieth of September — two months and four days hence, which is less time than the contenders imagine.

The Rest of the Card

THE CORSAIRS IN THE TENTH: TRIOLO AND MANGUM UNDO ELEVEN STRIKEOUTS OF COLE'S FINEST LABOR, 5 TO 3

In the opener of the Bronx twin bill, Gerrit Cole struck out eleven men across seven innings and was twice betrayed by the long ball — home runs from Pittsburgh's Nick Gonzales and Jacob Gonzalez, the latter a two-run blow. Ben Rice's three-run blast, his thirtieth, squared the account at three in the seventh, but in the tenth the Corsairs settled matters against Fernando Cruz: run-scoring singles from Jared Triolo and Jake Mangum, and a 5-to-3 verdict sealed by Soto's thirteenth save. Gonzales crossed the plate three times; the Pinstripes managed six hits for the day.

FRIED, STRAIGHT FROM THE INVALID LIST, THROWS FIVE SPOTLESS; THE BOMBERS TAKE THE NIGHTCAP, 2 TO 0

The second engagement belonged to the pitchers. Max Fried, activated that very day, allowed one hit across five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, and Pittsburgh's Chandler was very nearly as fine — six and a third innings, two hits, nothing across. The deadlock broke in the seventh against Eisert: a double from Jasson Domínguez, runs driven home by Domínguez and Anthony Volpe, and 2 to 0 the final, Blackburn taking the decision and Hill the last out. The split leaves the Bronx men second in the American East, two games and a half behind Tampa Bay.

HENDERSON FANS NINE AND THE SUDS MEN HOLD, 4 TO 3, AGAINST A FLUSHING NINTH-INNING FRIGHT

Milwaukee's Logan Henderson struck out nine across five innings, and the Suds men built him a lead on two runs driven in by Christian Yelich and a triple-and-double turn from Joey Ortiz. The Flushing nine made it interesting to the last — home runs from Semien and Brett Baty, and a ninth-inning run off Trevor Megill before the closer shut the door on his sixteenth save, 4 to 3. Milwaukee thus keeps its count at four-and-sixty wins, a half-game shy of the best ledger in the land.

FIVE IN THE SEVENTH: THE ROYAL BLUES OVERTURN THE ORANGE AND BLACK, 5 TO 4, AND SAN FRANCISCO'S SLIDE REACHES FIVE

For six innings Landen Roupp held Kansas City to nothing; in the seventh the dam went all at once. Salvador Perez struck a two-run homer, his fourteenth, Thomas drove home two more, and Nick Loftin — a fixture of these columns three evenings running — cashed another in the five-run frame. Seth Lugo went seven for the victory, and Cruz survived Casey Schmitt's ninth-inning homer, the twentieth of Schmitt's season, to bank his first save, 5 to 4 the final. The Orange and Black have now dropped five straight; the Royal blues, quietly, have won three.

CAVALLI SPINS SIX BLANK FRAMES AND THE SENATORS BURY THE MILE HIGH NINE, 8 TO 0

Cade Cavalli allowed four hits across six scoreless innings, striking out eight, and Washington's fourteen-hit attack did the rest — six runs in a seventh inning that the Colorado bullpen will wish stricken from the record. Luis García Jr. homered, his one-and-twentieth, among two runs driven in; Nuñez, the senior circuit's leading base thief, cashed two more; and the visitors kicked the ball thrice behind their pitchers besides. Eight to nothing, Washington, and the Senators climb a game above the level line at two-and-fifty wins against one-and-fifty defeats.

FIFTEEN RUNS IN THE DESERT'S NAME: THE SONORAN NINE MAUL THE MACKMEN AND SEIZE THE LAST WILD-CARD CHAIR OUTRIGHT

Arizona opened its deadline-shadowed fortnight with a cannonade — seventeen hits, fifteen runs, twelve of them across the fifth and sixth innings alone, in a 15-to-5 dismantling of the Athletics. Five balls left the premises: Corbin Carroll's fifteenth, blasts from Gabriel Moreno and Nolan Arenado, a homer among three runs driven in by the catcher McCann, and young Waldschmidt's first of the campaign, worth three runs itself. Merrill Kelly took the victory, and the Sonoran nine, winners of eight in their last ten, now hold the National League's final wild-card chair alone, a half-game clear of St. Louis and Pittsburgh both.

STEWART'S THREE-RUN THUNDERCLAP IN THE SEVENTH CARRIES THE QUEEN CITY NINE, 5 TO 3, IN SEATTLE

Deadlocked at three, the seventh inning turned on one swing: Sal Stewart's three-run homer, his one-and-twentieth, struck off the reliever Bazardo — the young man's runs-batted-in account now four-and-seventy, third in the senior circuit. Bleday had earlier added his seventeenth blast, Brady Singer labored six and two-thirds for the win, and Pagán closed a 5-to-3 verdict without incident. For the mariners of the Sound the defeat was doubly dear: a second straight loss, and the American West's summit now half a game distant.

THREE HITS BEAT SEVEN: WETHERHOLT'S BLAST STANDS ALONE AS THE MOUND CITY NINE SHUT OUT THE SERAPHS, 1 TO 0

Baseball's oldest joke was retold in Anaheim: the Cardinals managed but three hits and won; the Seraphs collected seven and lost. JJ Wetherholt's sixth-inning home run, his fifteenth, was the evening's entire commerce in runs. Dobbins threw six scoreless innings, O'Brien walked two in the ninth and then struck out three men around them for his six-and-twentieth save — most in the National League — and Reid Detmers, who allowed two hits in five and a third innings, was handed the cruelest loss of his summer. One to nothing, St. Louis, and the Mound City faithful may exhale.

MUNCY'S TWENTIETH PASSES THE PENGUIN, AND THE BOYS IN BLUE TAKE THE SERIES FROM PHILADELPHIA, 9 TO 5

One night after drawing level with Ron Cey upon the club's ancient roll, Max Muncy passed him: a go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth, his twentieth of the year, and fifth place on the Dodgers' all-time home-run ledger is now his alone. The Boys in Blue piled on four more in the eighth — Tommy Edman clearing the bases with a triple — while Dalton Rushing, keeping the catcher's post warm in Will Smith's absence, contributed a homer and three runs driven in. Aaron Nola absorbed the loss, Alec Bohm answered with three runs driven home for the Quakers, and at 9 to 5 the final, Los Angeles departs Philadelphia at five-and-sixty wins — the finest record in all baseball, a half-game ahead of Milwaukee.

BROOKS LEE DRIVES HOME FOUR AND THE NORTH STARS STORM CLEVELAND, 10 TO 6, ON A NIGHT OF THREE MUFFS

The Twin Cities nine snapped a four-game skid with both fists: Brooks Lee struck a three-run homer among four runs driven in, Trevor Larnach added a blast and three runs batted, and Bell cashed two more in a ten-run assault. Cleveland's evening curdled behind Slade Cecconi, charged with seven runs though but three were earned, the home gloves committing three errors behind him. José Ramírez, freshly returned from the invalid list, drove in two in the losing cause. Ten to six, Minnesota — and the Guardians, so lately breathing on Chicago's neck, fall a full game off the Central's summit.

JAX STEADY, VARSHO GENEROUS: THE SUNSHINE NINE TAKE THE SERIES IN TORONTO, 4 TO 2

Griffin Jax allowed a single run across six innings, and Tampa Bay's decisive sixth — three runs, every one unearned after Daulton Varsho's muff — was conducted by the order's lower half: Victor Mesa Jr. driving home two, Chandler Simpson adding a run batted in and his five-and-twentieth and six-and-twentieth stolen bases. Baker closed the 4-to-2 verdict for his six-and-twentieth save, and the wires note the Rays have thus sealed their first four-game series conquest since the campaign of twenty-and-four. Toronto, whose lone thunder was Alejandro Kirk's homer, has now dropped four straight; the Rays' cushion atop the American East stands at two games and a half.

SIX IN THE EIGHTH, TERROR IN THE NINTH: THE ATLANTAS SURVIVE THE MISSION NINE, 7 TO 6

Atlanta nicked Michael King for a first-inning run and nothing more, San Diego pulled level in the seventh, and then the game went mad. The rookie Jim Jarvis lined the go-ahead double in a six-run Atlanta eighth against Peralta and Vásquez, and the Braves led 7 to 1 wanting but three outs. The Mission nine then scored five in the ninth — home runs from Rengifo, his first of the year, and Jackson Merrill fueling the charge, Fernando Tatis Jr. tripling and driving home two — before Raisel Iglesias, wobbling like a man on a rope bridge, secured the last two outs for his twentieth save. Seven to six, Atlanta, whose National East margin over Philadelphia widens to four games.

MEIDROTH PERFECT IN FOUR TRIPS: THE SOUTH SIDERS SUBDUE THE ARLINGTON MEN, 4 TO 2, AND STRETCH THE CENTRAL LEAD

Chase Meidroth went four for four with two runs driven in, Andrew Benintendi matched the two runs batted, and Anthony Kay pushed through five innings for his seventh victory as the White Sox handled Texas 4 to 2. The reliever Taylor fanned five men across two hitless frames, Hudson closed the account, and the lone Texas consolations were Cauley's first homer of the year and the arithmetic that keeps the Arlington men — level at one-and-fifty apiece — still a half-game atop the American West. Chicago's Central margin over Cleveland, mere percentage points a day ago, is now a full game.

A FOUR-HITTER BY COMMITTEE: HAO-YU LEE'S THREE-RUN BLAST CARRIES THE MOTOR CITY NINE PAST THE BRUINS, 5 TO 1

Keider Montero struck out eight in five and a third innings and four relievers finished what he started — a four-hit silencing of the Wrigley bats, 5 to 1. Hao-Yu Lee's three-run homer supplied Detroit's fourth inning entire, Spencer Torkelson added his nineteenth blast, and Chicago's whole offense was Seiya Suzuki's seventeenth homer in the first. The Bruins thus fall seven full games behind Milwaukee in the National Central, while the Motor City nine have now taken six of their last ten.

BACK TO BACK IN THE EIGHTH: ALVAREZ AND PAREDES POWER THE HOUSTON NINE, 5 TO 2, AND MIAMI'S MISERY REACHES NINE

Sandy Alcantara carried a two-all tie into the eighth, and then the middle of the Houston order spoke in succession — Yordan Alvarez's four-and-thirtieth home run and Isaac Paredes' fourteenth, back to back, the heart of a three-run inning in a 5-to-2 decision. Jeremy Peña had homered earlier, Lambert gave the winners six sturdy innings, and Abreu sealed Houston's third straight victory. For the Gulf Stream nine, who turned Tuesday's triple play and have precious little else to show for the week, the losing string now reads nine — one win in their last ten games.

Seventeen contests set down this morning, the card swollen by twin bills in the Bronx and at Fenway — and now the schedule exhales. But five engagements grace this day's bill: Chris Sale, he of the 2.06 earned-run average, closes the Atlanta series against San Diego at midday; the Twins and Guardians settle their finale on Lake Erie; the Rays go for four straight in Toronto; the Sonoran nine call at St. Louis with a wild-card chair in the balance; and the Royal blues, winners of three running, visit Detroit in the evening. Come Friday the full fifteen-game bill returns, the Yankees calling at Philadelphia and the Dodgers upon the Mets. Until the next dispatch, keep your scorecards near and your enthusiasms nearer.

~ THE HERALD ~