- Admin
- #1
Welcome to The Walk Off, the nightly MLB recap from Big League Stew. Here we’ll look at the top performers of the night, show you a must-see highlight and rundown the scoreboard. First, we start with a game you need to know about.
Yoenis Cespedes is coming up big and the New York Mets have their eyes on the postseason. Sounds familiar?
The division is out of reach at this point with Washington well ahead, but the Mets are absolutely in the wild card hunt and their star outfielder is heating up at just the right time.
[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Baseball contest now]
Cespedes smashed a monster grand slam in the third inning of Sunday’s 10-3 win against the Atlanta Braves and finished the game with 5 RBIs. He’s had a hit in seven consecutive games and New York has won 16 of their last 21. This latest win, coupled with the Cardinals losing, puts the Mets into the second wild-card spot in the National League, a half game ahead of St. Louis.
(AP Photo/Tami Chappell) Potentially getting injured starters Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz back before the end of the season would provide another boost to their playoff hopes. The Mets have leaned on a number of young arms recently to fill the holes in the rotation. It was Seth Lugo’s turn Sunday and he turned in seven innings, giving up two runs to lower his ERA to 2.40.
But until deGrom and Matz return, if they do, it’s up to Cespedes to carry the load and he’s shown with his play over the last week he’s willing and able to do so.
TOP PERFORMERS
Corey Kluber: Kluber gave his American League Cy Young candidacy a boost with another splendid start in the Cleveland Indians’ 7-1 win over the Minnesota Twins. He tossed seven innings, allowing one run that was unearned and struck out 10. Kluber’s ERA is down to 3.05 and with his peripheral numbers also strong, he could very well be the Cy Young favorite in the AL.
Jose Urena: Urena came up one out shy of a complete game shutout in the Miami Marlins’ 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 24-year-old right-hander went 8 2/3 innings, giving up just four singles and striking out four. The Marlins have gone 409 games since their last complete game, the longest such streak in the majors, and Urena was oh so close to ending it.
Adrian Beltre: The Texas Rangers lost 3-2 to the Los Angeles Angels but don’t blame Adrian Beltre. The Rangers third baseman had three of Texas’ five hits, two of them homers, and added a stolen base for good measure. Beltre’s now hitting .299/.358/.516 on the season with 29 home runs and 96 RBIs.
MUST-SEE HIGHLIGHT
David Ortiz continues to make history as he puts the finishing touches on his terrific major-league career. Ortiz blasted the go-ahead home run in the sixth inning of the Boston Red Sox’s 11-8 win over the Toronto Blue Jays for his 32nd of the season and 535th of his career, passing Jimmie Foxx for 18th on the all-time home run list.
It came off reliever Joaquin Benoit, who you may recall served up Ortiz’s iconic grand slam in the 2013 ALCS while pitching for Detroit. This time the stakes weren’t quite as high, but Ortiz still rose to the occasion to deliver for the Red Sox again.
THE REST OF THE SCOREBOARD
Rays 4, Yankees 2: Corey Dickerson belted a home run for one of his three hits and Nick Franklin also collected three knocks.
Nationals 3, Phillies 2: Gio Gonzalez went seven innings, allowing one run, and Trea Turner reached base three times and stole two bases.
Royals 2, White Sox 0: Ian Kennedy allowed one hit in six shutout innings and Kendrys Morales and Eric Hosmer’s homers provided the offense.
Brewers 2, Cardinals 1: Ryan Braun’s ninth-inning home run was the difference in a low-scoring game between division rivals.
Orioles 3, Tigers 1: Chris Tillman pitched six innings of one-run ball while Michael Bourn and Jonathan Schoop homered for Baltimore.
Reds 8, Pirates 0: Tyler Holt had three hits – a single, a double and a triple – and three RBIs as starter Brandon Finnegan and three Cincinnati relievers combined for the shutout.
Mariners 3, Athletics 2: Ketel Marte delivered Seattle a win with an RBI single in the ninth while Mike Zunino connected on a two-run homer.
Giants 5, Diamondbacks 3: Matt Moore struck out 11 and gave up two runs over seven innings and Denard Span had a homer.
Rockies 3, Padres 2: Mark Reynolds’ home run in the top of the 10th lifted Colorado to a win at Petco Park.
Cubs 9, Astros 5: Addison Russell led the way offensively for Chicago, with three hits, including a home run, three runs and two RBIs.
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
Yoenis Cespedes is coming up big and the New York Mets have their eyes on the postseason. Sounds familiar?
The division is out of reach at this point with Washington well ahead, but the Mets are absolutely in the wild card hunt and their star outfielder is heating up at just the right time.
[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Baseball contest now]
Cespedes smashed a monster grand slam in the third inning of Sunday’s 10-3 win against the Atlanta Braves and finished the game with 5 RBIs. He’s had a hit in seven consecutive games and New York has won 16 of their last 21. This latest win, coupled with the Cardinals losing, puts the Mets into the second wild-card spot in the National League, a half game ahead of St. Louis.
Yoenis Céspedes (@Mets): 4th career grand slam, all in past 2 seasons. That's tied w/ Carlos González for most GS since start of last season
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 11, 2016
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 11, 2016
But until deGrom and Matz return, if they do, it’s up to Cespedes to carry the load and he’s shown with his play over the last week he’s willing and able to do so.
TOP PERFORMERS
Corey Kluber: Kluber gave his American League Cy Young candidacy a boost with another splendid start in the Cleveland Indians’ 7-1 win over the Minnesota Twins. He tossed seven innings, allowing one run that was unearned and struck out 10. Kluber’s ERA is down to 3.05 and with his peripheral numbers also strong, he could very well be the Cy Young favorite in the AL.
Jose Urena: Urena came up one out shy of a complete game shutout in the Miami Marlins’ 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 24-year-old right-hander went 8 2/3 innings, giving up just four singles and striking out four. The Marlins have gone 409 games since their last complete game, the longest such streak in the majors, and Urena was oh so close to ending it.
Adrian Beltre: The Texas Rangers lost 3-2 to the Los Angeles Angels but don’t blame Adrian Beltre. The Rangers third baseman had three of Texas’ five hits, two of them homers, and added a stolen base for good measure. Beltre’s now hitting .299/.358/.516 on the season with 29 home runs and 96 RBIs.
MUST-SEE HIGHLIGHT
David Ortiz continues to make history as he puts the finishing touches on his terrific major-league career. Ortiz blasted the go-ahead home run in the sixth inning of the Boston Red Sox’s 11-8 win over the Toronto Blue Jays for his 32nd of the season and 535th of his career, passing Jimmie Foxx for 18th on the all-time home run list.
It came off reliever Joaquin Benoit, who you may recall served up Ortiz’s iconic grand slam in the 2013 ALCS while pitching for Detroit. This time the stakes weren’t quite as high, but Ortiz still rose to the occasion to deliver for the Red Sox again.
THE REST OF THE SCOREBOARD
Rays 4, Yankees 2: Corey Dickerson belted a home run for one of his three hits and Nick Franklin also collected three knocks.
Nationals 3, Phillies 2: Gio Gonzalez went seven innings, allowing one run, and Trea Turner reached base three times and stole two bases.
Royals 2, White Sox 0: Ian Kennedy allowed one hit in six shutout innings and Kendrys Morales and Eric Hosmer’s homers provided the offense.
Brewers 2, Cardinals 1: Ryan Braun’s ninth-inning home run was the difference in a low-scoring game between division rivals.
Orioles 3, Tigers 1: Chris Tillman pitched six innings of one-run ball while Michael Bourn and Jonathan Schoop homered for Baltimore.
Reds 8, Pirates 0: Tyler Holt had three hits – a single, a double and a triple – and three RBIs as starter Brandon Finnegan and three Cincinnati relievers combined for the shutout.
Mariners 3, Athletics 2: Ketel Marte delivered Seattle a win with an RBI single in the ninth while Mike Zunino connected on a two-run homer.
Giants 5, Diamondbacks 3: Matt Moore struck out 11 and gave up two runs over seven innings and Denard Span had a homer.
Rockies 3, Padres 2: Mark Reynolds’ home run in the top of the 10th lifted Colorado to a win at Petco Park.
Cubs 9, Astros 5: Addison Russell led the way offensively for Chicago, with three hits, including a home run, three runs and two RBIs.
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
– – – – – – –
Israel Fehr is a writer for Big League Stew*on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email][email protected] [/EMAIL] or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr