2020 MLB simulation: The AL’s inter-league dominance

AL teams win 11 of 15-weekend inter-league games and extend their inter-league dominance over the NL in this 2020 MLB simulation.

We are the equivalent of one full season into the inter-league portion of the 2020 MLB simulation, and there’s no question which of the two leagues is stronger.

Through July 5, American League teams have a 92-71 record in the 163 games played against National League opponents. That’s a .564 percentage for AL teams, only .436 for the NL.

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Nine of the 15 AL teams have winning records against NL competition, while only four are below .500 in interleague matchups.

AL teams underscored their dominance in five interleague series over the July 4 weekend. They won 11 of the 15 games played, ending two of the series in sweeps. The two top teams in the NL East, the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies, both lost series to two weak sisters in the AL West, the Los Angeles Angels, and Seattle Mariners.

The AL East-leading Boston Red Sox made the boldest statement, sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates across a three-game series at PNC Park. The victories ran Boston’s winning streak to 11 games, and its grip on first place to a full game over the Toronto Blue Jays.

AL teams won four of the five inter-league series, their only loss coming at Nationals Park. There the host team managed to steal two of three games from the AL West-leading Houston Astros, who are suffering through their worst stretch of play all season, having lost eight of their last 10.

The Nats took Friday’s game 10-6 thanks to a four-run eighth inning that broke a 6-6 tie. Asdrubal Cabrera and Yan Gomes both delivered two-RBI hits off Joe Biagini in that eighth. Alex Bregman homered twice and drove in five runs for the Astros.

The teams traded 6-0 weekend shutout wins. Brad Peacock, 7-4, held the Nationals to two singles Saturday, Yordan Alvarez providing the sock with a pair of home runs. On Sunday Patrick Corbin, 5-9, delivered a two-hitter of his own with ninth-inning assistance from Tanner Rainey. Adam Eaton’s three-run first-inning home run was the decisive blow.

Elsewhere the AL reigned supreme. In Atlanta, the Angels won one-run games Friday and Saturday. Andrew Heaney ran his record to 10-3 Friday with seven innings of work in LA’s 2-1 decision. On Saturday, the Angels trailed 7-6 entering the ninth but won on Mike Trout’s two-run home run. Off Mark Melancon, 1-4. The Braves wasted a seventh-inning Marcell Ozuna grand slam.

By contrast, LA’s 5-2 Sunday win was a runaway. Trout homered again and Noe Ramirez pitched into the eighth, Hansel Robles getting his 24th save.

Despite the setbacks, Atlanta remained four and one-half games ahead of Philadelphia because the Mariners beat them twice in Seattle. Yusei Kikuchi held the Phils to one run and two hits through seven innings of a 5-2 Friday win. On Sunday the M’s lit up Zach Wheeler for five runs in two-thirds of an inning, Kyle Seager and Evan White both homering. The final was 10-4.

Philadelphia’s only victory came Saturday when Adam Haseley homered twice and Zach Eflin finished seven innings of an 11-4 victory.

The Red Sox, baseball’s hottest team, rolled Pittsburgh. Boston took the Friday opener 4-0 behind Darwinson Hernandez’s one-hit pitching into the seventh. Red Sox bats took over on Independence Day, launching 17 hits – five of them homers – in a 14-3 victory for Ryan Weber. Rafael Devers hit two of the home runs and drive in five runs.

The Sox finished off the sweep Sunday, winning 3-1 on late run-producing hits from Jackie Bradley Jr. and Michael Chavis.

Tampa Bay evened its record during its holiday weekend at Wrigley Field. The Rays won 2-0 Friday on Charlie Morton’s one-hitter, the only Cubs hit coming via a fourth-inning single from Anthony Rizzo. Morton walked three Cubs batters.

Chicago won the holiday game 4-3 in 10 innings when Rizzo singled home Javier Baez, who had doubled. But the Rays came back to win 6-5 in 10 innings Sunday. Yoshi Tsutsugo homered off Craig Kimbrel in the ninth inning to tie the game, then Ji-Man Choi homered off Kimbrel in the 10th to win it.