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Marlins walk-off Rockies to sweep series. Takeaways from first three games

Sports / Baseball /

The Miami Marlins get the series sweep.

The Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Sunday at loanDepot park on an Owen Caissie walk-off, two-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning to cap Miami’s first series sweep to begin a season since 2009.

The Marlins (3-0) opened the season with a 2-1 win on Friday and a 4-3 win on Saturday. ...Read more

Todd Kirkland/Getty Images North America/TNS

Royals' Seth Lugo focused on key pitch this offseason. It paid off vs. Braves

Sports / Baseball /

This offseason, Kansas City Royals starter Seth Lugo focused on improving his fastball.

The goal was to command it early in counts and challenge hitters. If successful, Lugo felt it would keep teams from sitting on his off-speed pitches.

As a result, he could create a little balance.

On Sunday, Lugo put his reworked approach to good use. ...Read more

Pete Alonso's clutch hit propels Orioles to comeback win, 8-6 over Twins

Sports / Baseball /

That’s why the Orioles paid Pete Alonso $155 million.

After a weekend of struggles with runners in scoring position, the “Polar Bear” proved for the first time in Baltimore that he has ice in his veins.

With the game tied in the seventh inning, Alonso shortened up with two strikes and flicked a single over the second baseman’s head to ...Read more

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Red Sox drop opening series, waste Connelly Early's Babe Ruth-esque start

Sports / Baseball /

CINCINNATI — It’s been 100 years since the Red Sox saw a start like the one Connelly Early turned in Sunday afternoon.

At 23 years and 360 days old, the Red Sox rookie was already the youngest pitcher to start one of the first three Red Sox games of the season since Jeff Sellers in 1987, and the youngest left-hander since Billy Rohr in the ...Read more

Monica Herndon/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

Phillies draw eight walks but get few hits in an 8-3 loss to the Rangers

Sports / Baseball /

It took until the sixth inning for the Phillies to record their first hit against MacKenzie Gore and the Rangers on Sunday.

An infield single from Justin Crawford, which clocked just 48.4 mph off the bat, was the first of three total hits for the Phillies. They were doomed by an anemic offensive performance in an 8-3 loss to Texas as the ...Read more

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Noah Hiles: When it comes to Oneil Cruz, the Pirates have limited options

Sports / Baseball /

PITTSBURGH — It was as if the moment froze in time. Bases loaded, one out, bottom of the first inning on opening day at Citi Field.

New York Mets designated hitter Brett Baty smacked a screaming line drive to center. At first glance, the ball looked to be a routine out, a step closer for Paul Skenes to escape what had been a rough opening ...Read more

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Tom Krasovic: Tigers hit jackpot with Kevin McGonigle, who looks like an All-Star so far

Sports / Baseball /

SAN DIEGO — I don’t know which baseball truth is more absurd:

That at age 21, Detroit Tigers rookie Kevin McGonigle has resembled an All-Star hitter;

Or that because the San Diego Padres have been so good at making Major League Baseball more popular, they have less chance to draft someone as promising as McGonigle.

Let’s start with ...Read more

Olivia Vanni/Getty Images North America/TNS

Mariners waste Julio Rodríguez's clutch hit with costly 10th inning

Sports / Baseball /

SEATTLE — The joyful glee was still reverberating through T-Mobile Park when the top of the 10th inning started. A crowd of 43,283 was still celebrating Julio Rodríguez’s game-tying single in the bottom of the ninth off Cleveland Guardians closer Cade Smith, scoring Cole Young. They cheered, they danced — possibly to stay warm on the ...Read more

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images North America/TNS

Will Smith's big birthday blast powers Dodgers to sweeping win over Diamondbacks

Sports / Baseball /

LOS ANGELES — Freeze frame. There’s Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith in his follow-through at the plate, watching the ball travel toward the wall Saturday.

Now, split screen. Pull up an image of the bobblehead the Dodgers gave out before the game, commemorating Smith’s Game 7 World Series-winning home run. It’s a mirror image.

On...Read more

Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images North America/TNS

Randy Vásquez pitches Padres past Tigers for first victory of season

Sports / Baseball /

SAN DIEGO — One of the questions that could play a big role in determining the San Diego Padres’ level of success in 2026 is whether Randy Vásquez can continue his ascension from scrappy back-of-the-rotation pitcher to a guy that can be counted on for quality innings start after start.

So what he did by throwing six scoreless innings ...Read more

Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images North America/TNS

Royals fall despite strong performances from Michael Wacha, Salvador Perez

Sports / Baseball /

ATLANTA — The Kansas City Royals know they can count on veteran starter Michael Wacha to deliver a quality start on the mound.

Wacha is as consistent as they come. Last season, the Royals right-hander posted 13 quality starts and a 3.86 ERA in 31 games.

On Saturday, Wacha began the 2026 campaign on a similar note. He held the Atlanta Braves ...Read more

Brandon Vallance/Getty Images North America/TNS

ABS, Aaron Judge assist Yankees' series-sweeping win over Giants

Sports / Baseball /

SAN FRANCISCO — Chad Whitson wasn’t close, and Trent Grisham knew it.

With the home plate umpire missing a high 2-2 pitch by 2.7 inches in the third inning of Saturday’s game between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants, the Bombers’ center fielder immediately tapped his helmet. Lo and behold, the computer overruled Whitson —...Read more

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Angels squander 6-run lead in loss to Astros

Sports / Baseball /

HOUSTON — For four and a half innings, the magical start to the 2026 Angels season continued, as they could hardly do anything wrong.

And then, in an instant, the 2025 Angels returned.

Everything went wrong over a span of two innings, as a six-run lead turned into a five-run deficit in a game the Angels eventually lost, 11-9, to the Houston ...Read more

Jamie Sabau/Getty Images North America/TNS

Orioles' bats go cold, strike out 16 times in 4-1 loss to Twins

Sports / Baseball /

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles are still getting warmed up.

After squeaking out a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on opening day Thursday, the Orioles were quiet on offense again Saturday as the Twins strung together a few rallies for a 4-1 victory.

It was a chilly day in Baltimore — the first-pitch temperature of 44 degrees was tied ...Read more

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Story erupts, Cora ejected in chaotic, ABS-fueled extra-inning Red Sox loss to Reds

Sports / Baseball /

CINCINNATI – On Opening Day, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Major League Baseball introducing the ABS challenge system was going to be “interesting.”

He had no idea how interesting the series was about to get.

ABS fueled Saturday’s 6-5 extra-inning Red Sox loss to the Cincinnati Reds going from bad to worse. Boston ran out of ...Read more

Ishika Samant/Getty Images North America/TNS

Luis Robert Jr.'s walk-off homer gives Mets first series victory over Pirates

Sports / Baseball /

NEW YORK — Only 48 hours after the baseball gods gave us a brief glimpse of summer with a combined 18 runs and 70-degree temperatures, winter crept back in and Citi Field, leaving it devoid of offense.

When the winds blow in from Flushing Bay like they did Saturday afternoon, the ballpark becomes a tough place to hit. Credit the starting ...Read more

Megan Briggs/Getty Images North America/TNS

Rockies lose 4-3 to Marlins, open season 0-2

Sports / Baseball /

The road remains a Rubik’s Cube for the Colorado Rockies. They lost, 4-3, to the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park in Miami on Saturday. Colorado has opened the season 0-2.

That, after finishing 18-63 on the road last season, the worst road record in the majors and the most road losses in a season in franchise history.

Key moments

The Marlins...Read more

Rookie JJ Wetherholt delivers 1st walk-off winner in 10th after Cardinals blow 4-run lead

Sports / Baseball /

ST. LOUIS — Two games into his major-league career and rookie JJ Wetherholt already has a home run and a walk off.

Pulling the St. Louis Cardinals back from the abyss of a blown four-run lead in the ninth inning, the Cardinals struck for two runs in the 10th for a 6-5 victory against Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday at Busch Stadium. Wetherholt ...Read more

Monica Herndon/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

Harry Kalas' widow says Phillies 'betrayed him' and won't let them play his song unless they pay

Sports / Baseball /

PHILADELPHIA — Eileen Kalas used to stand by the door as her husband filled up a coffee each morning at the Wawa in Newtown Square. Harry Kalas, his widow said, loved coffee but the legendary Phillies broadcaster was really there for the people.

“That’s what Harry loved, the people,” Eileen Kalas said. “He’d go in there to talk to ...Read more

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Yankees' Will Warren honoring late cousin with new number

Sports / Baseball /

SAN FRANCISCO — Already struggling with the side effects of a COVID-19 vaccination, Will Warren remembers his day taking a turn for the worse when his crying mother called during the summer of 2021.

It was then that the Yankees starter learned that his cousin, Nathan Griffith, died on July 25. Only 17, Griffith had been fishing with friends ...Read more