Giants Lose Beckham in Preseason Loss
Losing a game in the preseason normally isn't a big deal for any NFL team, but losing a player to injury in the preseason is when the problem begins. The New York Giants fell to the now 2-0 Cleveland Browns on Monday, 10-6, but that was far from the headline of the night. The G-Men's top wide receiver, Odell Beckham Jr., left the game in the first half after taking a low hit to the leg. Briean Boddy-Calhoun produced the hard hit after OBJ caught an 18-yard pass from Eli Manning. Beckham walked off under his own power and return to the sidelines in the second half. Reports say that x-rays were negative, as the wideout has been diagnosed with a sprained ankle. He is expected to undergo more tests on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Browns sent the Giants to 0-2 with their second straight win, as quarterback Deshone Kizer scored the lone touchdown of the game on a one-yard run. Brock Osweiler got his second straight start under center for Cleveland and finished 6-of-8 for 25 yards in two series. The Browns look to keep their perfect preseason alive when they visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday.
Puig, Granderson Power Dodgers in Extras
The Los Angeles Dodgers surprisingly got even better in the past week with the acquisition of Curtis Granderson, who played a major role in Monday's extra-inning victory. The veteran hit his second grand slam in the past week, helping Los Angeles force extras after trailing early, which is when Yasiel Puig took over. Puig's 12th-inning long ball gave the Dodgers a 6-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. The win helps the NL West leaders avoid consecutive losses, which they haven't dealt with since July 20th and 21st against the Atlanta Braves. Granderson's grand slam came off of Gerrit Cole in a five-run seventh, as he became the first player with two grand slams in a four-day span with two different teams. It was his second home run in three games with the Dodgers, but the Pirates tied things up with two runs in the eighth. Dodgers starter Alex Wood had a forgettable night, as he allowed three home runs for just the second time in his career. He did come away with the no-decision thanks to his offensive support. These two teams still have three more games against each other this week, with the next one coming Tuesday night.
Indians Walk-Off Red Sox in Battle of First Place Teams
In what could've easily been a playoff preview on Monday night, the Cleveland Indians pulled off a dramatic postseason-like victory in walk-off fashion. Brandon Guyer scored on a throwing error from Brock Holt, giving The Tribe a 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox. The Indians trailed 4-3 heading in to the eighth before the rally, but the win was overshadowed by a big loss in the bullpen. Reliever Andrew Miller left the game in the seventh inning after aggravating the patellar tendinitis in his right knee. Manager Terry Francona said it is likely that he will return to the disable list, after spending two weeks there with a similar issue. The All-Star is 4-3 with a 1.65 ERA and 79 strikeouts, and is a much-needed weapon for Cleveland if they want a shot at returning to the World Series. Meanwhile, the Red Sox stay atop the AL East by 4.5 games over the New York Yankees despite the loss, Hanley Ramirez and Andrew Benintendi both went deep in the defeat, both of which came off of Cleveland starter Mike Clevinger. One other notable part of the game was the home debut of Jay Bruce, who went 1-for-4 in his first home game since being acquired on August 9th. This battle of division leaders continues with three more night games through Thursday.
Losing a game in the preseason normally isn't a big deal for any NFL team, but losing a player to injury in the preseason is when the problem begins. The New York Giants fell to the now 2-0 Cleveland Browns on Monday, 10-6, but that was far from the headline of the night. The G-Men's top wide receiver, Odell Beckham Jr., left the game in the first half after taking a low hit to the leg. Briean Boddy-Calhoun produced the hard hit after OBJ caught an 18-yard pass from Eli Manning. Beckham walked off under his own power and return to the sidelines in the second half. Reports say that x-rays were negative, as the wideout has been diagnosed with a sprained ankle. He is expected to undergo more tests on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Browns sent the Giants to 0-2 with their second straight win, as quarterback Deshone Kizer scored the lone touchdown of the game on a one-yard run. Brock Osweiler got his second straight start under center for Cleveland and finished 6-of-8 for 25 yards in two series. The Browns look to keep their perfect preseason alive when they visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday.
Puig, Granderson Power Dodgers in Extras
The Los Angeles Dodgers surprisingly got even better in the past week with the acquisition of Curtis Granderson, who played a major role in Monday's extra-inning victory. The veteran hit his second grand slam in the past week, helping Los Angeles force extras after trailing early, which is when Yasiel Puig took over. Puig's 12th-inning long ball gave the Dodgers a 6-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. The win helps the NL West leaders avoid consecutive losses, which they haven't dealt with since July 20th and 21st against the Atlanta Braves. Granderson's grand slam came off of Gerrit Cole in a five-run seventh, as he became the first player with two grand slams in a four-day span with two different teams. It was his second home run in three games with the Dodgers, but the Pirates tied things up with two runs in the eighth. Dodgers starter Alex Wood had a forgettable night, as he allowed three home runs for just the second time in his career. He did come away with the no-decision thanks to his offensive support. These two teams still have three more games against each other this week, with the next one coming Tuesday night.
Indians Walk-Off Red Sox in Battle of First Place Teams
In what could've easily been a playoff preview on Monday night, the Cleveland Indians pulled off a dramatic postseason-like victory in walk-off fashion. Brandon Guyer scored on a throwing error from Brock Holt, giving The Tribe a 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox. The Indians trailed 4-3 heading in to the eighth before the rally, but the win was overshadowed by a big loss in the bullpen. Reliever Andrew Miller left the game in the seventh inning after aggravating the patellar tendinitis in his right knee. Manager Terry Francona said it is likely that he will return to the disable list, after spending two weeks there with a similar issue. The All-Star is 4-3 with a 1.65 ERA and 79 strikeouts, and is a much-needed weapon for Cleveland if they want a shot at returning to the World Series. Meanwhile, the Red Sox stay atop the AL East by 4.5 games over the New York Yankees despite the loss, Hanley Ramirez and Andrew Benintendi both went deep in the defeat, both of which came off of Cleveland starter Mike Clevinger. One other notable part of the game was the home debut of Jay Bruce, who went 1-for-4 in his first home game since being acquired on August 9th. This battle of division leaders continues with three more night games through Thursday.
