ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 12: Albert Pujols #5 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim reacts after hitting a single during the fifth inning of a game against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium on July 12, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 12: Albert Pujols #5 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim reacts after hitting a single during the fifth inning of a game against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium on July 12, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
Albert Pujols keeps the Los Angeles Angels hopes alive, Kyle Gibson dominates the Rays, and more in today’s Relief Roundup!
At Call to the Pen, we want to ensure every MLB team is getting coverage, and that you’re well-informed as the reader! As part of that, we have brought back our daily piece into our collection with all of the night’s scores in the major leagues, the top performers in the minors, the minor league schedules, and a bit of history/birthdays at the very end.
Without further adieu, let’s begin!
Yesterday’s MLB Scores
Oakland Athletics 6, Houston Astros 4 in Houston – The Astros were up 4-0 before the A’s put up a 3-spot in the 5th inning and the 8th inning to pull out the win and take the series.
Colorado Rockies 5, Arizona Diamondbacks 1 in Colorado – The Diamondbacks scored first with a run in the first inning, but the Rockies did the rest, though they didn’t score at all until the 6th inning.
Philadelphia Phillies 5, Baltimore Orioles 4 in Baltimore – The Phillies put up 14 hits but they still had to avoid a late surge by the Orioles, who put up 3 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning to close within one.
Pittsburgh Pirates 6, Milwaukee Brewers 3 in Pittsburgh – The Pirates scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 6th inning to secure the win on Thursday as they opened a series against the division-leading Brewers.
New York Yankees 7, Cleveland Indians 4 in Cleveland – Luis Severino didn’t get his 15th win, the but the Yankees were able to put up 3 runs in the 8th and 9th to take home a victory over the Indians in a possible playoff preview.
Boston Red Sox 6, Toronto Blue Jays 4 in Boston – The Red Sox powered through a 5-run 4th inning behind a grand slam from Mookie Betts and solid pitching from David Price to get a home win over the Blue Jays.
Washington Nationals 5, New York Mets 4 in New York – Max Scherzer picked up the victory as the Nationals used a 2 run first inning and another 2 runs in the 7th to secure a win on the road in New York.
Minnesota Twins 5, Tampa Bay Rays 1 in Minnesota – The Twins beat up on Rays starter Blake Snell while Twins starter Kyle Gibson tossed 8 1-run innings and the Twins continued their recent winning ways.
Los Angeles Angels 11, Seattle Mariners 2 in Los Angeles – The Angels jumped out with 3 runs in the first inning and kept adding to it over the course of the game to keep their potential playoff hopes alive.
Los Angeles Dodgers 3, San Diego Padres 2 in San Diego – The Padres and Dodgers did all of their scoring in the 7th inning, but the Dodgers were able to get more off of Padres starter Tyson Ross to secure the road win.
Top Pitcher
The Twins have been getting quality pitching from Kyle Gibson all season and squandering it. On Thursday, they finally gave him the support that his quality year has deserved, and he had one of his best starts of the season, tossing 8 innings, allowing 1 run on 5 hits and no walks, striking out 9.
Top Hitter
As the Angels hold on for their playoff lives ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline, they got a big boost on Thursday night from veteran Albert Pujols, who went 3-4 with a pair of home runs as the Angels defeated the Mariners.
Today’s Game to Watch
The Nationals fight to stay at .500 or above as they open a series with the New York Mets. While that doesn’t typically indicate a rough go, Friday’s game features Noah Syndergaard on the mound for the Mets, which is typically a tough day for any team. The Nationals counter with Tanner Roark.
Next: AA/AAA
AAA Featured Performer
The Braves have seen outfielder Dustin Peterson develop into a solid defensive left fielder with good power, though the power has been inconsitent in 2018. He was 0-2 at the plate with a pair of walks on Thursday, but he made a big contribution on defense to attempt to help the Stripers defeat Norfolk.
Today’s AAA Game to Watch
Two pitchers who could very well factor into their teams’ 2019 plans, even in the rotation, square off on Friday night as Stephen Gonsalves and Rochester travel to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where Josh Rogers will toe the rubber.
AAA International League
Columbus Clippers @ Louisville Bats Buffalo Bisons @ Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs Charlotte Knights @ Durham Bulls Gwinnett Stripers @ Norfolk Tides Rochester Red Wings @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Syracuse Chiefs @ Pawtucket PawSox Toledo Mud Hens @ Indianapolis Indians
AAA Pacific Coast League
Colorado Springs Sky Sox @ New Orleans Baby Cakes Memphis Redbirds @ Omaha Storm Chasers Oklahoma City Dodgers @ Round Rock Express Nashville Sounds @ Iowa Cubs, Game 1 Nashville Sounds @ Iowa Cubs, Game 2 Reno Aces @ El Paso Chihuahuas Albuquerque Isotopes @ Las Vegas 51s Fresno Grizzlies @ Tacoma Rainiers Salt Lake Bees @ Sacramento River Cats
AA Featured Performer
Signed as an incredibly polished switch-hitting backstop, Ruiz has advanced quickly, and he’s hit .251 with 9 home runs over 65 games at age 19 at AA. On Thursday night, he had a huge game, going 3-4 with a double and two home runs, scoring 3 runs and driving in 4.
Today’s AA Game to Watch
In his second AA start, Chris Paddack takes his excellent 2018 season on the road with his San Antonio teammates to Frisco to face Edgar Arredondo, who similarly forced his way to AA, but he’s found the treading more difficult after the promotion.
Birmingham Barons @ Tennessee Smokies Biloxi Shuckers @ Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Mobile BayBears @ Jackson Generals Montgomery Biscuits @ Chattanooga Lookouts Pensacola Blue Wahoos @ Mississippi Braves
AA Texas League
Corpus Christi Hooks @ Midland RockHounds San Antonio Missions @ Frisco RoughRiders Tulsa Drillers @ Northwest Arkansas Naturals Springfield Cardinals @ Arkansas Travelers
Next: high-A/low-A
high-A Featured Performer
The Tigers made getting Isaac Paredes a big focus of their midseason trade with the Cubs in 2017. In his first exposure to high-A, the 19 year old is showing power, quality defense, and the ability to take a walk for Lakeland, hitting .264/.352/.454. He went 1-3 with a walk on Thursday, but he did not hit a home run after hitting one in each of the previous two games.
Today’s high-A Game to Watch
Frederick’s Michael Baumann continues what has been an impressive season combined between Frederick and low-A Delmarva as he and the Keys travel to Potomac for a Friday evening tilt.
California League
Lake Elsinore @ Lancaster JetHawks Stockton Ports @ Modesto Nuts Rancho Cucamonga Quakes @ Inland Empire 66ers Visalia Rawhide @ San Jose Giants
Carolina League
Buies Creek Astros @ Winston-Salem Dash Lynchburg Hillcats @ Carolina Mudcats Frederick Keys @ Potomac Nationals Myrtle Beach Pelicans @ Down East Wood Ducks Salem Red Sox @ Wilmington Blue Rocks
Florida State League
Charlotte Stone Crabs @ Jupiter Hammerheads Palm Beach Cardinals @ St. Lucie Mets Dunedin Blue Jays @ Tampa Tarpons Bradenton Marauders @ Daytona Tortugas Fort Myers Miracle @ Lakeland Flying Tigers Clearwater Threshers @ Florida Fire Frogs
low-A Featured Performer
The Cubs’ first round draft pick out of Stanford, Hoerner was transferred to South Bend for his first game on Thursday, where he went 2-4 and made a stellar play in the field, already making a big impression.
Today’s low-A Game to Watch
He’s had his ups and downs on the 2018 season, but Twins prospect Blayne Enlow is certainly flashing the raw stuff that made him a top high school pitching prospect in teh 2017 draft. He and the Cedar Rapids Kernels host Fort Wayne Friday night.
Midwest League
Quad Cities River Bandits @ Dayton Dragons Beloit Snappers @ South Bend Cubs Wisconsin Timber Rattlers @ West Michigan Whitecaps Great Lakes Loons @ Clinton LumberKings Lansing Lugnuts @ Burlington Bees Fort Wayne TinCaps @ Cedar Rapids Kernels Kane County Cougars @ Bowling Green Hot Rods Lake County Captains @ Peoria Chiefs
South Atlantic League
Asheville Tourists @ Lakewood BlueClaws Kannapolis Intimidators @ Greensboro Grasshoppers West Virginia Power @ Hickory Crawdads Columbia Fireflies @ Hagerstown Suns Delmarva Shorebirds @ Charleston RiverDogs Lexington Legends @ Augusta GreenJackets Rome Braves @ Greenville Drive
Next: Short Season/Advanced Rookie
Short Season Featured Performer
The Indians signed Junior Soto from the Dominican Republic in February of 2014. Soto was placed on waivers in the offseason, and the Yankees claimed him. Soto has played with Staten Island, where he’s struggled. However, on Tuesday, he had a big game, going 3-4 with a pair of home runs, driving in 4.
Today’s Short-Season New York-Penn League schedule
Lowell Spinners @ Auburn Doubledays Mahoning Valley Scrappers @ Staten Island Yankees Batavia Muckdogs @ Connecticut Tigers Brooklyn Cyclones @ Aberdeen IronBirds Tri-City ValleyCats @ Williamsport Crosscutters Vermont Lake Monsters @ State College Spikes West Virginia Black Bears @ Hudson Valley Renegades
Highly regarded as the top high school position player in the 2018 draft, Jordan Kelenic was drafted with the #6 overall selection by the New York Mets. He is hitting .400 after going 2-3 with a home run and 2 RBI and a walk.
Today’s Advanced Rookie Appalachian League schedule
Greeneville Reds @ Kingsport Mets Princeton Rays @ Bluefield Blue Jays Bristol Pirates @ Pulaski Yankees Burlington Royals @ Danville Braves Elizabethton Twins @ Johnson City Cardinals
Today’s Advanced Rookie Pioneer League schedule
Missoula Osprey @ Ogden Raptors Orem Owls @ Great Falls Voyagers Grand Junction Rockies @ Billings Mustangs Helena Brewers @ Idaho Falls Chukars
Next: Rookie Ball Schedules
Rookie Ball Featured Performer
In just his second pro game, former TCU standout Luken Baker hit his first home run for the Cardinals, going 1-3 with a solo home run for the GCL Cardinals.
GCL Yankees West @ GCL Tigers West, Game 1 GCL Yankees West @ GCL Tigers West, Game 2 GCL Braves @ GCL Yankees East GCL Mets @ GCL Astros GCL Nationals @ GCL Marlins GCL Phillies East @ GCL Blue Jays GCL Pirates @ GCL Phillies West GCL Rays @ GCL Orioles GCL Twins @ GCL Red Sox
Next: Today's Birthdays/history
American professional baseball player and starting pitcher Stan Coveleski (1989 – 1984) of the Cleveland Indians gets ready to throw a pitch during a road game, 1920. Coveleski played for the Indians from 1916-1924 and was one of the 17 pitchers allowed to continue throwing a spitball pitch when it was outlawed in 1920. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images) /
Birthdays today
One of the more underrated pitchers of his generation, Stan Coveleski was born on this day in 1889 in Shamokin, Pennsylvania. He originally made his debut with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1912 but found his way back to independent teams and minor league teams until resurfacing with the Indians in 1916, tossing 232 innings, including 27 starts.
Coveleski then went about tossing just short of 610 innings of 1.82 ERA ball over the next two seasons. He was not a guy who struck a lot of batters out, but he rarely let them make clean contact, generating a ton of pop-ups and groundouts from frustrated hitters and rarely ever seeing a ball leave the yard.
Through the first half 1920s, Coveleski was one of the best pitchers in the American League, primarily with Cleveland, but he spent three seasons with the Senators and one year with the Yankees along the way. Due to the typically poor quality of the Indians roster, Coveleski did not garner as many victories as his stellar pitching would likely have garnered on other rosters around the game. When given a chance to pitch in the postseason the two times his teams made it in his career, he excelled, pitching to a 1.74 ERA over 41 1/3 innings across 5 starts, completing 4 of them.
Not making his debut with the Indians until he was 26 meant that Coveleski hit the upper end of the aging curve with not as many years under his belt, but he did still finish with 215 victories over 3,082 innings. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1969 by the Veteran’s Committee.
While the event itself is rare, but not unheard of, the Phillies losing on this day in 1896 in spite of Ed Delahanty blasting 4 home runs is so rare that it won’t happen again until a week shy of exactly 90 years later.
In a case of “only have yourself to blame”, Cardinals pitcher Bill Doak ends up with a one-hitter when he forgets to cover first base on a routine ground ball to first base, which is ruled a hit.
In 1934, a number that would not be ascended again until almost 40 years later, Babe Ruth clears his last career home run milestone, blasting his 700th.
Rob Manfred will want to examine the Cardinals game on this day in 1972. It lasted 93 minutes, the shortest game in the team’s history.
An incredible streak is brought to an end in 1995 on this date as Greg Maddux issues a walk, ending a streak of 51 innings without allowing a free pass. The beneficiary of the free pass? Padres pitcher Joey Hamilton, one of the worst-hitting pitchers in the league.
