Betts, Red Sox Win 10th Straight
The Boston Red Sox have now won 10 games in a row, but everyone is talking about Mookie Betts' 13-pitch at-bat on Thursday night. Betts battled for 13 pitches in the fourth inning, before connecting with a 407-foot grand slam in a 6-4 Red Sox win over the Toronto Blue Jays. J.A. Happ gave up that blast and had all six runs against him in his sixth loss, as the Red Sox moved to 37 games over .500. David Price pitched in to the seventh inning for the Red Sox and struck out eight in his 10th win for Boston, who also improved to 20 games over .500 at Fenway Park. Their win streak is the longest current in the majors, as they have not lost since getting blown out by the New York Yankees, 11-1, on July 1st at Yankee Stadium. Betts finished with two hits and five RBI on Thursday, while Craig Kimbrel earn his 29th save in the ninth. The Blue Jays have now dropped four of their past five games, despite Teoscar Hernandez connecting for a two-run shot and Kendrys Morales hitting a solo home run. These two teams will play three more times in Beantown heading in to the All-Star break this weekend.
Yankees Continue Success Over Indians
No matter where the Cleveland Indians sit in the standings, they just can never seem to figure out the New York Yankees. That continued on Thursday night, as Aaron Hicks had the go-ahead RBI double in the eighth inning for a 7-4 Yankees' win at Progressive Field. Didi Gregorius scored from first base on that decisive hit, which came off of Corey Kluber, who suffered his fifth loss, despite throwing over 100 pitches in to the eighth inning. Brett Gardner homered twice and Gregorius once on the night, as New York improved to 30 games over .500 for the first time this season, and the first time since the 1998 All-Star break. David Robertson got the win out of the bullpen for New York, while Aroldis Chapman recorded his 25th save, as the Yankees continue to hold The Tribe down. They did overcome a 2-0 series deficit last season to eliminate the Indians in five games of last year's ALDS. Luis Severino lasted five innings and allowed home runs to Jose Ramirez and Edwin Encarnacion, but could not earn his 15th win of the season. The four-game series will continue on Friday night in Cleveland.
Athletics Take Series From Astros in Houston
The Oakland Athletics are slowly starting to look like a legitimate contender in the American League, and they've proven that the past four games at Minute Maid Park. Mark Cahna's two-run single highlighted a three-run eighth inning, as the Athletics took three of four from the Astros with a 6-4 win on Thursday. Matt Chapman also had a clutch hit with an RBI double in the eighth, as Chris Devenski suffered his second loss out of the Houston bullpen. The eighth inning has been the deciding factor all season long for Oakland, who has scored 69 runs in that inning this season. That has lead to them winning eight games when trailing after seven innings this year. Yusmeiro Petit allowed just one hit in 2.1 innings for the A's and that led him to his third win in relief. Oakland rallied from a 4-0 deficit, which was built on Alex Bregman's two-run double and Tony Kemp's two-run home run. They would not score the rest of the way, as Lou Trivino struck out two to shut things down in the ninth for his fourth save in five opportunities. The A's now head out west for an in-state showdown with the San Francisco Giants, while the Astros stay home to host the struggling Detroit Tigers.
The Boston Red Sox have now won 10 games in a row, but everyone is talking about Mookie Betts' 13-pitch at-bat on Thursday night. Betts battled for 13 pitches in the fourth inning, before connecting with a 407-foot grand slam in a 6-4 Red Sox win over the Toronto Blue Jays. J.A. Happ gave up that blast and had all six runs against him in his sixth loss, as the Red Sox moved to 37 games over .500. David Price pitched in to the seventh inning for the Red Sox and struck out eight in his 10th win for Boston, who also improved to 20 games over .500 at Fenway Park. Their win streak is the longest current in the majors, as they have not lost since getting blown out by the New York Yankees, 11-1, on July 1st at Yankee Stadium. Betts finished with two hits and five RBI on Thursday, while Craig Kimbrel earn his 29th save in the ninth. The Blue Jays have now dropped four of their past five games, despite Teoscar Hernandez connecting for a two-run shot and Kendrys Morales hitting a solo home run. These two teams will play three more times in Beantown heading in to the All-Star break this weekend.
Yankees Continue Success Over Indians
No matter where the Cleveland Indians sit in the standings, they just can never seem to figure out the New York Yankees. That continued on Thursday night, as Aaron Hicks had the go-ahead RBI double in the eighth inning for a 7-4 Yankees' win at Progressive Field. Didi Gregorius scored from first base on that decisive hit, which came off of Corey Kluber, who suffered his fifth loss, despite throwing over 100 pitches in to the eighth inning. Brett Gardner homered twice and Gregorius once on the night, as New York improved to 30 games over .500 for the first time this season, and the first time since the 1998 All-Star break. David Robertson got the win out of the bullpen for New York, while Aroldis Chapman recorded his 25th save, as the Yankees continue to hold The Tribe down. They did overcome a 2-0 series deficit last season to eliminate the Indians in five games of last year's ALDS. Luis Severino lasted five innings and allowed home runs to Jose Ramirez and Edwin Encarnacion, but could not earn his 15th win of the season. The four-game series will continue on Friday night in Cleveland.
Athletics Take Series From Astros in Houston
The Oakland Athletics are slowly starting to look like a legitimate contender in the American League, and they've proven that the past four games at Minute Maid Park. Mark Cahna's two-run single highlighted a three-run eighth inning, as the Athletics took three of four from the Astros with a 6-4 win on Thursday. Matt Chapman also had a clutch hit with an RBI double in the eighth, as Chris Devenski suffered his second loss out of the Houston bullpen. The eighth inning has been the deciding factor all season long for Oakland, who has scored 69 runs in that inning this season. That has lead to them winning eight games when trailing after seven innings this year. Yusmeiro Petit allowed just one hit in 2.1 innings for the A's and that led him to his third win in relief. Oakland rallied from a 4-0 deficit, which was built on Alex Bregman's two-run double and Tony Kemp's two-run home run. They would not score the rest of the way, as Lou Trivino struck out two to shut things down in the ninth for his fourth save in five opportunities. The A's now head out west for an in-state showdown with the San Francisco Giants, while the Astros stay home to host the struggling Detroit Tigers.
