August 14th, 2025

⚾ Headlines Around the League

Brewers 12, Pirates 5 — Contreras’ Four RBIs, Woodruff’s Return Fuel 12th Straight Win

Padres 11, Giants 1 — Seven-Run Second Fuels San Diego’s Sweep and NL West Surge

Brown’s Strong Start, Late Blasts from Peña and Díaz Propel Astros to Win

Angels 6, Dodgers 5 — O’Hoppe Delivers Late as Halos Complete Stunning Season Sweep

Twins 4, Yankees 1 — Ryan’s Gem Ends Minnesota’s Bronx Drought

What a series down in LA! The Angels sweep the Dodgers again to take all six games from their freeway rivals this season. Once again, the Angels battled all night, forcing Ohtani to work and scratching across four runs before Logan O’Hoppe delivered the dagger in the 8th with a two-run go-ahead single. Just fantastic baseball from the Angels all week.

If we are looking to point out flaws, the Dodgers bullpen might be the elephant in the room. All the offseason talk was about their offense and new starting pitching and how they “broke baseball” with spending, but the bullpen feels like it’s been left behind. For years it’s been a strength and now it’s anything but.

Sure, you can chalk some of it up to injuries, but at the end of the day something has to change if they’re going to make a serious playoff push. I’ve even seen some chatter about Will Smith’s pitch calling being part of the problem, definitely something to keep an eye on down the stretch.

And just like that, the Padres jump into first place in the NL West. We’ve got a massive weekend series between the Padres and Dodgers starting Friday. This weekend is going to be electric.

Smaller slate today, but I’ll be tuned in for Cubs vs. Blue Jays as Chicago’s top prospect Owen Caissie makes his big league debut against Max Scherzer. Caissie was acquired back in 2020 in the Yu Darvish trade, and this should be a fun matinee to lead us into the weekend.

One more bonus note, shout out to Jakob Marsee who had !! 7 RBIs !! today vs the Guardians. Insane performance from the rookie.

Have a great Thursday and thanks for reading First Pitch!
- Ryan

🔥 Notable Performances

Hitting

Pitching

📊 Final Scores and Highlights

Brewers 12, Pirates 5

The Brewers extended their franchise-best summer surge to 12 wins in a row, overpowering the Pirates with timely hitting and sharp pitching. William Contreras drove in four runs, Brandon Woodruff tossed four scoreless innings in his return to a regular rotation turn, and Milwaukee continued its run of relentless, fundamentally sound baseball.

🔑 Key Moments

• Sal Frelick opened the scoring in the 3rd with an RBI single to center, bringing in Anthony Seigler.

• Moments later, Christian Yelich lined an RBI single to right, plating Frelick and moving William Contreras to third.

• In the 4th, Joey Ortiz delivered a two-out RBI single to left, scoring Blake Perkins to push the lead to 3-0.

• The Pirates closed the gap when Bryan Reynolds launched a three-run homer in the 5th, making it 6-3.

• Reynolds struck again in the 6th with a two-run blast to cut Milwaukee’s lead to 6-5.

• The Brewers answered immediately as William Contreras ripped a two-run single to right in the bottom half, giving Milwaukee breathing room at 8-5.

📊 Notable Stats

Brewers

• Sal Frelick: 2-for-3, 4 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2B, SB (18)

• William Contreras: 2-for-3, 4 RBI, 2 BB

• Christian Yelich: 2-for-5, 3 RBI

• Joey Ortiz: 2-for-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB

• Brandon Woodruff: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K

Pirates

• Bryan Reynolds: 3-for-4, 2 HR (12, 13), 5 RBI, BB

• Ronny Simon: 2-for-5, 2 R

• Tommy Pham: 2-for-4, BB

Padres 11, Giants 1

The Padres kept their summer charge alive with a second-inning explosion that buried the Giants early and set up a first-place showdown with the Dodgers. Ryan O’Hearn, Ramón Laureano, and Fernando Tatis Jr. led a balanced attack, while Nick Pivetta delivered another quality start to cap the sweep at Oracle Park.

🔑 Key Moments

• With the game scoreless in the second, Jake Cronenworth punched a sharp single up the middle to bring home Xander Bogaerts and Ryan O’Hearn, immediately tilting momentum in San Diego’s favor.

• Two batters later, Fernando Tatis Jr. ripped a grounder through center, plating Ramón Laureano and Cronenworth to push the lead to 4-0 and leave the Giants’ dugout stunned.

• In the fifth, Ramón Laureano unloaded on a 112.7 mph rocket into the left-field seats, a two-run blast that made it 10-0 and had Padres fans roaring behind the third-base dugout.

• Nick Pivetta kept the Giants silent through 6.2 innings, mixing his fastball and curve to allow just one run while striking out five.

• Even in the late innings, San Diego kept pressure on as Luis Arraez added a sacrifice fly and the bullpen locked down the win.

📊 Notable Stats

Padres

• Fernando Tatis Jr.: 2-for-3, 1 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB

• Ryan O’Hearn: 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2B

• Ramón Laureano: 3-for-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, HR, BB

• Jake Cronenworth: 2-for-3, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB

• Nick Pivetta: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K (W, 2.87 ERA)

Giants

• Jung Hoo Lee: 1-for-3, 3B, R

• Casey Schmitt: 1-for-3, BB

• Patrick Bailey: 1-for-3

Astros 4, Red Sox 1

Hunter Brown adapted on the fly in a rematch with Boston, leaning on his curveball to hold the Red Sox to one run over 6 2/3 innings. Jeremy Peña and Yainer Diaz powered the offense with homers, while Bennett Sousa and Bryan Abreu locked down the final seven outs to secure Houston’s third straight series win.

🔑 Key Moments

• Jeremy Peña wasted no time, launching Walker Buehler’s third pitch of the night over the left-field wall for his 13th homer, sending the crowd into an early roar.

• Later in the first, Yainer Diaz ripped a line-drive single to left, scoring Jose Altuve and pushing the Astros’ lead to 2-0.

• In the second, Hunter Brown pitched around a bases-loaded threat, coaxing a double play from Romy Gonzalez to squash Boston’s rally.

• The sixth inning brought more insurance as Yainer Diaz crushed a 415-foot blast to left-center, a two-run shot that extended Houston’s lead to 4-1.

• With two outs in the seventh, Bennett Sousa entered and froze Roman Anthony with a slider, then came back in the eighth to strike out Jarren Duran and Trevor Story to keep the lead intact.

• Bryan Abreu faced early trouble in the ninth after two singles, but he amped up to 100.5 mph and struck out Ceddanne Rafaela and Rob Refsnyder to seal the win.

📊 Notable Stats

Astros

• Jeremy Peña: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, HR

• Yainer Diaz: 2-for-3, 1 R, 3 RBI, HR, BB

• Hunter Brown: 6.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 4 K (W, 10th)

• Bennett Sousa: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K

• Bryan Abreu: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 K (1st Save)

Red Sox

• Trevor Story: 1-for-4, 1 R, 2B

• Romy Gonzalez: 2-for-4

• Wilyer Abreu: 2-for-3, BB

Angels 6, Dodgers 5

The Angels capped their perfect 6-0 run against the defending champs with another comeback thriller in front of a packed house. Down a run in the eighth, Logan O’Hoppe ripped a go-ahead two-run single off Edgardo Henriquez, sending Angel Stadium into a frenzy and sealing the club’s first-ever sweep of all six Freeway Series games.

🔑 Key Moments

• Shohei Ohtani, facing his former team for the first time on the mound, wasted no time making noise at the plate — tripling to right before Mookie Betts punched an RBI single through the left side.

• With the crowd still buzzing, Will Smith jumped on a pitch from Kyle Hendricks and launched a two-run homer to left, stretching the Dodgers’ early lead to 3-0.

• The Halos got on the board when Taylor Ward turned on an inside fastball, sending it over the wall in right-center for his 29th homer of the year.

• The Dodgers kept pressing as Betts collected his second RBI single of the night in the fourth, but the Angels answered in the fifth — Zach Neto lined a two-run double into left, pulling the Halos within one.

• In the eighth, down to their last four outs, the Angels loaded the bases with two outs. That’s when O’Hoppe delivered the biggest swing of the night — a sharp single to center that scored Taylor Ward and Christian Moore for the decisive runs.

📊 Notable Stats

Angels

• Logan O’Hoppe: 2-for-4, 2 RBI

• Taylor Ward: 1-for-2, 2 R, RBI, HR, 2 BB

• Zach Neto: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, 2B

• Bryce Teodosio: 2-for-4, R, 2B

• Angels Bullpen: 5.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K

Dodgers

• Mookie Betts: 2-for-5, R, 2 RBI

• Will Smith: 1-for-3, R, 3 RBI, HR, 2 BB

• Shohei Ohtani: 1-for-4, R, 3B, BB

Twins 4, Yankees 1

The Twins finally snapped a nine-game skid against the Yankees, riding Joe Ryan’s dominant outing and timely extra-base hits from Kody Clemens and Royce Lewis to secure a 4-1 win — their first victory over New York in more than two years.

🔑 Key Moments

• Cody Bellinger briefly had Yankee Stadium rocking with a solo blast to right in the third, but Joe Ryan locked back in and retired 12 of the next 14 hitters he faced.

• The Twins got even in the fourth when Byron Buxton ripped a double to left and later scored on Luke Keaschall’s RBI groundout.

• In the sixth, Luke Keaschall singled to set the table before Kody Clemens smoked a two-run double to right-center, putting Minnesota ahead for good.

• Royce Lewis immediately followed with a double down the left-field line, plating Kody Clemens and stretching the lead to 4-1.

• The bullpen took it from there, with Kody Funderburk striking out Austin Wells to end the seventh and Minnesota’s relievers slamming the door over the final two frames.

📊 Notable Stats

Twins

• Joe Ryan: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K (W)

• Byron Buxton: 1-for-4, R, 2B

• Luke Keaschall: 1-for-4, R, RBI

• Kody Clemens: 1-for-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B

• Royce Lewis: 1-for-4, RBI, 2B

Yankees

• Cody Bellinger: 1-for-4, R, RBI, HR

• Ryan McMahon: 1-for-4

• Jazz Chisholm Jr.: 1-for-3

• Ben Rice: 1-for-3

Other scores around the league:

Nationals 8, Royals 7
V. Pasquantino: 2-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI
N. Lowe: 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI

Rockies 6, Cardinals 5
M. McGreevy: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 SO
J. Herget: 1.0 IP, 2 SO

Diamondbacks 6, Rangers 4
M. Kelly: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 5 SO, 1 BB
K. Marte: 4-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI

Reds 8, Phillies 0
H. Greene: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 6 SO
M. Andujar: 2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI

Orioles 4, Mariners 3
T. Rogers: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 6 SO
L. Gilbert: 6.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 6 SO, 2 BB

Marlins 13, Guardians 4
J. Marsee: 4-5, 2 R, 2 HR, 7 RBI
E. Perez: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 8 SO

Cubs 4, Blue Jays 1
C. Horton: 5.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 8 SO, 2 BB
K. Gausman: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 SO, 1 BB

Braves 11, Mets 6
P. Blackburn: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 3 SO, 1 BB
M. Ozuna: 2-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Rays 8, Athletics 2
D. Rasmussen: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 5 SO
J. Caminero: 2-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Tigers 1, White Sox 0
T. Melton: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 6 SO
S. Smith: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 5 SO, 3 BB

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