Phillies sweep Rangers
The Philadelphia Phillies completed a three-game interleague sweep of the Texas Rangers, defeating them 4–2. Edmundo Sosa tied the game with a solo homer in the fifth, and Bryson Stott’s smart baserunning set up the go-ahead run on Weston Wilson’s single. Bryce Harper added an RBI double, and Brandon Marsh contributed a sacrifice fly in the ninth. Zack Wheeler, pitching on extra rest, earned the win with five innings of two-run ball, while closer Jhoan Duran notched his 20th save. The Phillies’ win, coupled with the Mets’ loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, gives Philadelphia a 5.5-game lead over New York in the National League’s Eastern Division.
Reds pound Pirates, split series
In Pittsburgh, the Cincinnati Reds exploded for a 14–8 victory over the Pirates, splitting their four-game weekend series. Miguel Andújar crushed his first homer as a Red, while Spencer Steer and Noelvi Marte each tallied three hits and four RBIs. Marte capped the outburst with a three-run homer in the ninth. Pittsburgh’s offense produced 16 hits but couldn’t keep pace.
Nationals shut out Giants behind trio’s power
The Washington Nationals rolled to an 8–0 win over the San Francisco Giants. James Wood delivered two two-run doubles, CJ Abrams launched a two-run homer, and MacKenzie Gore dazzled on the mound with six scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts. The Nats amassed 17 hits and secured their first series win since late July.
A’s feature “switch thrower” in win over O’s
The Oakland Athletics’ 3-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday had no shortage of drama — and one unusual defensive twist.
Outfielder Carlos Cortes, listed as a rare “switch-thrower,” got to showcase his unique skill set in an unexpected way. A natural left-hander who learned to throw right-handed at age eight to expand his versatility, Cortes was drafted by the Mets in 2018 as a second baseman before moving to the outfield in 2019.
Called up by Oakland last month, the 28-year-old entered Sunday’s game in right field in the eighth inning. But when a late pinch-run depleted the bench, manager Mark Kotsay needed someone with infield experience for the ninth — at third base, a position Cortes had never played in pro ball.
Borrowing utilityman Max Schuemann’s infield glove, Cortes took the field ready for anything. He never saw a ball hit his way, but rookie Elvis Alvarado closed out the inning for his first Major League win.
Source: MLB