Is it spring training yet? No — but the championship season is upon us, a finer thing still.

THE MORNING HORSEHIDE HERALD

"Every Score Set Down, No Deed Unsung"

~ Being a Faithful Daily Chronicle of the National Pastime ~

Volume I · No. 36 · Thursday, the Thirteenth of August, Two Thousand and Twenty-Six

Reporting 15 contests from the day prior.

The Game of the Day

ELEVEN YEARS A BIG-LEAGUER, AND NEVER A NIGHT LIKE THIS: BREGMAN STRIKES THREE CIRCUITS, DRIVES IN SEVEN — CUBS 12, SENATORS 6

A Monday spent spelunking the video archives yields a Wednesday for the ages, as the Chicago third sacker authors the first three-homer game of his long and decorated life — Swanson adds a circuit and a two-bagger, Suzuki drives home two more, and the Bruins' eighth victory in ten keeps them three behind Milwaukee with a wild-card cushion of luxurious proportions

The affair began not at the ball orchard but in a dim room on Monday, the Cubs' idle day, where Alex Bregman sat burrowed down a rabbit hole of video archives, comparing the swing of this August against swings from every station of his career — some of the footage a full decade old, older than his major-league life itself. Whatever the gentleman found in those flickering frames, he carried it to Washington and applied it without mercy: a three-run blast in the fifth, moments after Crow-Armstrong's tying two-bagger had leveled a one-all knot, then a two-run shot in the sixth, and a third in the eighth — his fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth of the season, seven runs driven in, both figures the finest of an eleven-year career that had never before contained a three-homer evening.

His confederates were scarcely idle. Dansby Swanson doubled and homered besides — his eighteenth — Seiya Suzuki singled home two, and Crow-Armstrong's double was his four-and-twentieth as the visitors piled up twelve runs. Peterson labored five innings for his seventh victory, and Assad swallowed the final four frames whole for a save of the old-fashioned length. The Senators gave honest resistance — young Lile drove in three, and Ortiz and Tena each cleared the wall — but the unfortunate Cosgrove, charged with three runs while recording but one out, bore the defeat.

The ledger now reads thus: Chicago stands at one-and-seventy wins against fifty defeats, eight victories in its last ten, three games behind Milwaukee in the National's Central — and holding the league's first wild-card chair by a luxurious seven and a half games. When a man eleven years in the trade finds something new in the old films, the Herald observes, the whole division is advised to look to its locks.

News Around the League

NINE UP, NINE DOWN: THE RAYS COMPLETE THE PERFECT VOYAGE

Let the almanac make room, for the Gulf Coast club has done a thing without precedent in its own annals and nearly without precedent anywhere: nine games upon the western seaboard, nine victories, the first unbeaten road trip of such length in the franchise's history — and, the wires attest, only the second time in the whole chronicle of the majors that an East Coast club has swept a West Coast swing of nine. Wednesday's finale in Sacramento, an eight-to-four dismissal of the White Elephants chronicled upon the card below, ran the winning streak to nine straight and the season's account to four-and-seventy wins against six-and-forty defeats — the American's finest ledger, nine and one in the last ten. The connoisseur of omens will note that the Tampa men now fly home to receive Baltimore on the morrow, having misplaced the knack of losing somewhere over the Rockies.

FREEMAN TUMBLES INTO THE ENEMY'S PARLOR, AND RISES SMILING

A gasp went round Chavez Ravine on Wednesday evening when Freddie Freeman, pursuing a foul pop with his customary zeal, went headlong down the steps and into the visitors' dugout — a frightening spill that emptied both benches of their breath. The happy intelligence: the first sacker rose without serious injury, reporting soreness of the shoulder, hand, knee, and foot — 'total body soreness,' by his own cheerful census — and professing himself chiefly glad that his head went unstruck. The champions will take the bruises over the alternative, for the man's bat remains very much required in the pennant arithmetic.

SIX CLUBS OVERTAKEN IN A MONTH: THE PADRES' REMARKABLE ASCENT

The wires pause over a piece of standings archaeology worth the printing: one month ago, the San Diego nine sat buried in the National's wild-card queue with six clubs stacked above them, and their direction at the Trade Deadline was a matter of open debate in their own front office. General manager A.J. Preller chose to buy, and the club has repaid him with interest — five straight victories now, five-and-sixty wins in sum, and as of this morning a wild-card chair held all their own, a full game clear of Arizona and Philadelphia, who must share the bench behind them at level records. Last evening's eleven-inning escape against Milwaukee, set down upon the card below, was the sort of victory that separates the climbers from the climbed-over.

THE YOUTH DESK: A DAUGHTER OF THE BIGS PITCHES ALABAMA TO WILLIAMSPORT

From the junior circuits, a story to warm the flintiest scorer's heart: Kinley Rasmus, daughter of the former big-league pitcher Cory Rasmus, spun a complete-game shutout to send her Phenix City, Alabama nine to the Little League World Series — the town's first such expedition since 1999, seven-and-twenty years in the waiting. The Herald tips its cap to the young lady and notes, for the benefit of posterity, that command of the strike zone would appear to travel in the blood.

THE ALMANAC: THE CORN AWAITS ITS THIRD HARVEST THIS EVENING

Tonight the main attraction arrives at Dyersville: the Twins and the Quakers contest the third MLB at Field of Dreams game, first pitch at half past seven Eastern, carried to the nation by Netflix — the pageant's first staging in four years, the famous diamond in the corn having lately undergone an extensive refurbishment. Philadelphia's Bryson Stott, ever the connoisseur of ceremonial haberdashery, plans custom gear paying homage to Phillies now passed from this world. The prospects christened the same stage Wednesday afternoon, the National League side edging the American in the High School All-American Game. The almanac desk further notes the Little League Classic at Williamsport on the three-and-twentieth, Brewers against Braves, and reminds the record that the regular campaign closes the seven-and-twentieth of September.

The Rest of the Card

ELEVEN INNINGS, ONE WALK-OFF, AND A WILD-CARD CHAIR ALL THEIR OWN: SAN DIEGO NINE 4, MILWAUKEES 3

Twice the visitors poked their noses ahead, and twice the hosts pulled them back by the coattails. Bogaerts answered an early two-nought deficit with his tenth circuit, Cronenworth singled home the equalizer in the eighth, and when Gary Sánchez — who had homered earlier — doubled Milwaukee ahead in the eleventh, San Diego replied in the bottom half: Merrill's sacrifice fly leveled the account, and Campusano lined the winning single to bring Sung-Mun Song dancing home. Morejon pocketed his ninth victory against two defeats; Senzatela, charged in the eleventh with the equalizer and the fatal blow alike, took the loss. Five straight now for the climbers of the news column above; three straight defeats for the Milwaukees, whose Central cushion over the Cubs has thinned to three.

LEWIS DOUBLES TWICE AND THE TWINS OUT-SLUG THE BIRDS: TWIN CITIES NINE 7, ORIOLES 5

Royce Lewis, the centerpiece the wires pronounce restored to his old form at precisely the needful hour, smote two doubles among Minnesota's fourteen hits, and Bell, Caratini, and young Roden — three hits himself — kept the parade moving through a four-run third and a two-run fifth. Baltimore's Beavers had briefly turned the game with a three-run blast in the third, and Taveras homered in the ninth, but Baz was relieved of nine hits and five runs in three innings and fell to four-and-twelve. Matthews took the victory, Gómez the seventeenth save, and the Twin Cities nine crept within half a game of the American's final wild-card chair.

LEAHY BESTS WHEELER HIMSELF, AND THE REDBIRDS TAKE THE SERIES: REDBIRDS 7, QUAKERS 1

The billing read Zack Wheeler, ten-and-three; the evening belonged to Leahy, who dealt five innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts and improved to nine-and-four in a stretch the St. Louis wires call his finest. The hosts pried Wheeler open with four runs in the fifth — Herrera singling, Burleson doubling home two, Walker doubling home another — and Burleson returned in the seventh to finish with three runs driven in, his four-and-eightieth of the season drawing him level with Walker among the National's leaders. Philadelphia managed but Arraez's run-scoring double, dropped the series, and slid into the wild-card tie with Arizona; the Redbirds, winners of seven in their last ten, lurk but two and a half back.

THE PERFECT NINE SEALED IN SACRAMENTO: TAMPA MEN 8, WHITE ELEPHANTS 4

The finale of the immortal road trip (see the leading dispatch of the news column) was settled early: two in the second, one in the third on Mullins' double, and then a four-run fourth crowned by Liam Hicks' three-run circuit, his sixteenth, part of a three-RBI evening. Rasmussen cruised five innings for his twelfth victory while Caminero singled home his seven-and-seventieth run driven in. Gelof and Butler homered late in the Elephant cause, whose Perkins absorbed twelve hits and fell to two-and-nine. Nine straight victories for the Gulf Coast club; eight defeats in ten for the hosts.

VEEN, ONE DAY RECALLED, STRIKES HIS FIRST — AND THE SNAKES SLIP FROM THEIR CHAIR: ROX 6, SNAKES 4

The reader will recall young Zac Veen passing through Tuesday's shuttle desk, recalled from the minors; on Wednesday he introduced himself properly with a two-run circuit, his first of the campaign, to follow a four-run second crowned by Brett Sullivan's three-run blast — all six runs charged to Kelly, who fell to eight-and-ten. Arizona clawed back on Carroll's eighteenth homer and fourteenth triple, but Feltner held the line, Romano notarized the twelfth save, and the Coloradans — the National's rearmost club, and lately a recurring nuisance to this particular opponent — took their second straight from the Desert nine. The defeat is costly: Arizona wakes level with Philadelphia, a game behind San Diego, its wild-card chair now a shared bench.

TWO SACRIFICE FLIES SUFFICE FOR THE SERIES: ASTROS 2, FRISCO NINE 1

The Houston bats spent the afternoon in church, managing no run-scoring hit whatever, and won the series anyway. Down one-nought from the first inning on Bericoto's single, the visitors drew level in the seventh on Velázquez's sacrifice fly and ahead in the eighth on Nick Allen's — the winning run charged to Winn, whose blown save turned into the defeat. Okert took the victory, Hader the seventeenth save, and the Astros fled Oracle Park with the American West's lead preserved at a game and a half over Texas, beaten simultaneously down the coast. The Orange and Black, who parted with one of their best pitchers and their best hitter at the Deadline, gave every ounce they had left.

THE DEADLINE MEN EARN THEIR WAGES AND THE SKID IS SNAPPED: FOREST CITY NINE 6, MOTOR CITY NINE 4

Cleveland's July purchases delivered in a bundle: Griffin labored five innings of one-earned-run ball for his thirteenth victory against four defeats, Jo Adell struck a two-run circuit — his eighteenth — and Nathaniel Lowe stretched to save the ninth-inning throw that helped seal it. Angel Martínez doubled twice, young Genao doubled home a run — his first two-bagger of the campaign — and Smith struck out three across the final four outs for his one-and-thirtieth save, the American's most. Detroit had its moments — Torres homered, Torkelson doubled home two — but Valdez walked five and paid for it. The Forest City nine thus halt a skid that had reached three-and-seven over ten; the Detroits slip to a half-game behind Minnesota in the wild-card queue.

A FOUR-RUN THIRD AND JUNK OF THE FINEST QUALITY: GULF STREAM NINE 8, BUCS 2

Miami batted around to profit in the third — Ramírez doubling home one, Jiménez struck by a pitch with the sacks full, Mack walking home another, Edwards adding a sacrifice fly to his earlier run-scoring single — and Mlodzinski did not survive the frame, charged with four runs in two and a third. Junk, whose surname the headline desk declines to resist, delivered six innings of one-earned-run pitching for the victory, while Conine and Heriberto Hernández added circuits for garnish. Four straight now for the Floridians, two-and-sixty wins and the National's most formidable home ledger, a game and a half shy of the wild-card scrum; the Bucs have dropped three running.

JONES IN THE THREE-HOLE, GRISHAM TWICE OVER THE WALL: PINSTRIPES 10, SEATTLE NINE 5

With Judge and Bellinger both consigned to the sidelines, the management installed towering young Spencer Jones third in the order as a statement of belief, and the lad answered with two doubles and three runs driven in. Seattle had built a four-to-one lead on circuits by Arozarena, Rodríguez, and Canzone, whereupon New York dismantled it piece by piece: Grisham's fourteenth homer, Jones' tying double, a three-run seventh opened by Grisham's go-ahead two-bagger, and Grisham again in the eighth — a two-run circuit, his second of the night, four runs driven in altogether. Blackburn took the win in relief. The Pinstripes hold the American's top wild-card seat at eight-and-sixty wins; the mariners of the Sound have now dropped six straight and sink from view.

FIVE RUNS IN THE EIGHTH AND BOSTON'S SLIDE REACHES FIVE: MAPLE LEAF NINE 6, CRIMSON HOSE 4

For seven innings the game was a taut one-to-one affair, José Soriano — making his first home start in Toronto flannels since his arrival — dealing handsomely, and Contreras's four-and-twentieth homer accounting for the whole Boston offense. Then the eighth: Okamoto singled the go-ahead run home, Clement walked with the bases full, Springer lifted a sacrifice fly, and Straw doubled home two more, all five runs laid at the door of Guerrero, who retired nobody. Boston scored thrice in the ninth before Varland shut the gate for his six-and-twentieth save. Three straight for the Jays; five straight defeats for the Crimson Hose, whose grip on the second wild-card chair loosens by the evening.

MAHLE MAKES THE FRONT OFFICE LOOK PROPHETIC: TOMAHAWK NINE 6, FLUSHING NINE 3

Atlanta declined to purchase a frontline starter at the Deadline, the wires observed at the time, with some tartness; Tyler Mahle, the starter they did purchase, keeps performing like one. Six innings, four hits, a single run, seven strikeouts — never mind the four-and-nine record he carries like borrowed luggage. Thomas, Yastrzemski, and Riley all cleared the wall, Acuña singled home another and doubled besides, and the Braves banked their three-and-seventieth victory. The Flushing nine answered with circuits from Bichette, Robert Jr., and Torrens, and nothing else; Thornton pitched six creditable innings and lost anyway.

CASTILLO STRIKES OUT TEN AND THE SOUTH SIDERS PITCH A WHITEWASH: SOUTH SIDERS 5, QUEEN CITY NINE 0

Luis Castillo, the Deadline acquisition his manager salutes as 'a dog,' showed precisely why the South Siders paid for him: seven innings, one solitary hit, ten strikeouts — a season's best — and not a Cincinnati runner crossed all night. Drew Romo homered and drove in two, Meidroth added a two-run circuit, his twelfth, and Lowder took the defeat despite honest work. The shutout preserves Chicago's grip on the American's Central at three and a half games; the Reds, whitewashed entire, would prefer the whole evening stricken from the record.

OHTANI AND BETTS SUPPLY THE THUNDER, KNACK THE LONG SEAL: BOYS IN BLUE 4, ROYAL BLUES 2

Betts — fourteen the night before, fifteen now — answered Kansas City's first strike with a game-tying circuit, Shohei Ohtani's seven-and-twentieth, a two-run blow in the third, turned the lead for good, and the catcher Feduccia added a solo shot while Lauer dealt six and a third sturdy innings for his seventh victory. Knack recorded the final eight outs for his first save of the year, and the champions completed the sweep of the Royal blues, their third straight win, with the Milwaukees arriving tonight for the collision of the National's two best ledgers. The evening's fright — Freeman's plunge into the visitors' dugout — is chronicled with relief in the news column above.

TROUT COLLECTS THREE AND YOUNG KLASSEN HIS FIRST: SERAPHS 5, ARLINGTON MEN 2

Mike Trout, the old lion of Anaheim, rapped three hits, drove in two, and stole his tenth base, while George Klassen, a pitcher of no previous major-league victories, dealt six innings of five-hit ball to claim his first. Texas led two-to-one behind Seager's twelfth homer until the sixth, when Jose Siri emerged from the bench to double home the equalizer and Ahlstrom was charged with three runs while recording one out — blown save and defeat in a single tidy parcel. Joyce closed the door for his first save of the year. The Arlington men have now dropped two straight and sit a game and a half behind Houston, clinging to the American's final wild-card chair with three clubs breathing within a game of them.

A card of nine this Thursday, and the desk directs the connoisseur's attention as follows: the sentimental centerpiece is at Dyersville, half past seven Eastern, where the Quakers send Nola against Bradley of the Twins in the Field of Dreams game, carried by Netflix to every parlor in the republic. The heavyweight bill is out west at ten past ten, the Milwaukees at the Boys in Blue — four-and-seventy wins against three-and-seventy, the National's two stoutest ledgers colliding under the western lights, with further engagements to follow Friday and Saturday. The early shift offers a rubber match in Detroit at ten past one, Messick and his 2.57 opposing Montero, and the Crimson Hose attempt to arrest their five-game slide in Toronto at 3:07, though the assignment runs through Scherzer, who awaits them. Until the next dispatch, keep your scorecards near and your enthusiasms nearer.

~ THE HERALD ~

The Herald Acknowledges Its Debts