June 19-21 NL simulation: Cincy gains in St. Louis

Things didn’t fare so well for NL Central teams in this week’s 2020 MLB Season.

With the New York Yankees winning twice in Minnesota, the Toronto Blue Jays needed to do at least that well in Pittsburgh, and they did. Toronto won 3-0 Friday behind Trent Thornton’s complete-game, one-hit shutout.

The only mark on Thornton’s record was Josh Bell’s fourth-inning single. He struck out six and did not walk anyone, the only other runner reaching on Vlad Guerrero Jr.’s error.

The Pirates won 14-4 on Saturday, raking Mike Shoemaker and three relievers for 16 hits. Cole Tucker had four of those 16 hits, driving in three runs as the Pirates scored in each of the first five innings.

On Sunday, however, Hyun-Jin Ryu shut down the Pirates again, this time 7-1. The Jays broke open a 2-1 battle with two runs in the eighth and three more in the ninth, Rowdy Tellez contributing two doubles and a single.

As they have done most of the season, the Cubs suffered from an unreliable bullpen against Boston. The teams were tied 3-3 Friday when Jose Quintana left the game after seven innings and the Red Sox opened up on his replacements, Brad Wieck, Rowan Wick, and Kyle Ryan. Kevin Pillar’s pinch-hit home run against Wieck was the decisive blow.

Alex Mills led a 3-0 Cubs shutout Saturday, pitching into the seventh and then getting relief help from Jeremy Jeffress and Craig Kimbrel, who picked up his 10th save. On Sunday, the Cubs took a 7-6 lead into the eighth inning and then saw Jeffress, Daniel Winkler, and Dillon Maples allow four runs in what became a 10-7 Boston victory. Mitch Moreland homered twice and drove in five runs for Boston.

                                                W-L        Pct          GB

Cincinnati Reds                 45-35     .563        —

St. Louis Cardinals            42-36     .538        2

Milwaukee Brewers        40-37     .519        3.5

Chicago Cubs                     38-40     .487       6

Pittsburgh Pirates            28-48     .368    15