August 23rd, 2025

⚾ Headlines Around the League

Red Sox 1, Yankees 0 — Bello Dominates in Rare Rivalry Shutout

Blue Jays 5, Marlins 2 — Bieber’s 9-K Debut Marks Triumphant Return

Padres 2, Dodgers 1 — Miller’s Pick and Darvish’s Gem Pull San Diego Even in NL West

Cubs 3, Angels 2 — Tucker and Crow-Armstrong Snap Slumps with Timely Homers

Brewers 5, Giants 4 — Contreras Walks It Off After Adames’ Two-Homer Return

🔥 Notable Performances

Hitting

Pitching

📊 Final Scores and Highlights

Red Sox 1, Yankees 0

Behind Brayan Bello’s brilliance, the Red Sox edged the Yankees in their first 1-0 win over New York in 31 years. Bello fired seven scoreless innings and Boston clinched the season series, moving a game ahead of the Yankees in the Wild Card race.

🔑 Key Moments

• Brayan Bello set the tone, carving through the Yankee lineup for seven innings, allowing just three hits with five strikeouts.

• In the 7th, pinch-hitter Nathaniel Lowe doubled to spark Boston’s only scoring chance. Moments later, Connor Wong delivered a clutch RBI double down the line to plate the game’s lone run.

• New York had little answer; Trevor Story helped squash a rally in the 6th with a sharp double play, and Bello finished strong before handing it off.

• In the 8th, Garrett Whitlock struck out two, including Giancarlo Stanton, to preserve the narrow edge.

• Aroldis Chapman then slammed the door in the 9th for his 24th save, locking up the shutout victory.

📊 Notable Stats

Red Sox

• Brayan Bello: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K

• Connor Wong: 2-4, RBI double

• Nathaniel Lowe: 1-2, 2B, R

• Alex Bregman: 3-4

Yankees

• Max Fried: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K

• Austin Wells: 1-2

• Trent Grisham: 1-4

Blue Jays 5, Marlins 2

After 507 days away from the mound, Shane Bieber made a dazzling Blue Jays debut, striking out nine over six innings and guiding Toronto past Miami. Backed by timely swings from Daulton Varsho and Ty France, Bieber’s long road back from Tommy John surgery ended with a statement win.

🔑 Key Moments

• In the 1st inning, the Jays struck first when Daulton Varsho ripped an RBI double, and Ty France followed with a sharp two-run single to give Toronto a quick 3-0 lead.

• Miami responded in the 2nd as Javier Sanoja battled through a long at-bat before launching a solo homer to center, trimming the deficit to 3-1.

• Bieber settled in from there, retiring hitters in order and striking out the side in the 4th to keep momentum on Toronto’s side.

• In the 6th, Varsho delivered again, crushing a two-run homer to right-center to extend the Blue Jays’ cushion to 5-1.

• The Marlins added a late spark in the 8th with Maximo Acosta’s solo shot, but Toronto’s bullpen secured the final outs for the win.

📊 Notable Stats

Blue Jays

• Shane Bieber: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 9 K (W, 1-0)

• Daulton Varsho: 2-4, HR (14), 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R

• Ty France: 2-4, 2 RBI

• Bo Bichette: 1-3, 2B, R

Marlins

• Javier Sanoja: 2-4, HR (5)

• Maximo Acosta: 1-3, HR (2)

• Jakob Marsee: 1-4

Padres 2, Dodgers 1

The Padres leaned on Yu Darvish’s precision and Mason Miller’s unexpected defense to outlast the Dodgers in a tense 2-1 battle at Petco Park. With the win, San Diego pulled back into a tie atop the NL West in front of a raucous sellout crowd.

🔑 Key Moments

• The Dodgers broke through first in the 3rd when Alex Freeland tucked his first career homer just inside the foul pole for a 1-0 lead.

• The Padres answered in the 4th — Manny Machado lined an RBI single to center, and Xander Bogaerts followed with a sacrifice fly to put San Diego ahead 2-1.

• In the 8th, with two on and the dangerous Shohei Ohtani waiting on deck, Dalton Rushing hit a sharp grounder that turned into a clutch double play. Luis Arráez started it, Bogaerts relayed, and Miller stretched and picked the throw at first to end the inning after a replay reversal.

• The Dodgers mounted one last threat in the 9th, putting runners at the corners. But Robert Suarez struck out Teoscar Hernández to seal the win and notch his MLB-leading 34th save.

📊 Notable Stats

Padres

• Yu Darvish: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K (W, 3-3)

• Mason Miller: Key double-play scoop in 8th

• Manny Machado: 1-4, RBI single, R

• Xander Bogaerts: Sac fly RBI

Dodgers

• Alex Freeland: 1-2, HR (1)

• Mookie Betts: 1-4, R

• Blake Snell: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 K (L, 3-2)

Cubs 3, Angels 2

The Cubs rode long-awaited blasts from Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong to a 3-2 win over the Angels in Anaheim. Both stars had been mired in homerless droughts before breaking through in key moments to lift Chicago.

🔑 Key Moments

• In the 1st, Kyle Tucker ended a 25-game homer drought by smashing a 405-foot solo shot to right-center, giving the Cubs a quick 1-0 edge.

• The Angels responded in the 5th when Yoán Moncada homered to right-center, but the Cubs held on to a slim 2-1 lead after Seiya Suzuki’s sacrifice fly.

• Moncada struck again in the 7th with his second homer of the night, tying the game 2-2 and shifting the momentum back to Los Angeles.

• In the 9th, Pete Crow-Armstrong delivered the decisive swing, crushing a go-ahead homer to right-center that put Chicago back on top.

• The Angels put the tying run aboard in the 9th, but Daniel Palencia closed the door by striking out Mike Trout, sealing the victory.

📊 Notable Stats

Cubs

• Kyle Tucker: 1-4, HR (19), RBI

• Pete Crow-Armstrong: 1-4, HR (28), go-ahead RBI

• Seiya Suzuki: Sac fly RBI (87th)

• Javier Assad: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K

Angels

• Yoán Moncada: 2-4, 2 HR (10, 11), 2 RBI

• Tyler Anderson: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 K

Brewers 5, Giants 4

The Brewers fought to the very end and delivered another thrilling finish, as William Contreras crushed his first career walk-off homer to cap a 5-4 win over the Giants. It marked Milwaukee’s 20th victory in their last 25 games and spoiled a two-homer night from former Brewer Willy Adames.

🔑 Key Moments

• The Giants jumped ahead early with power — Willy Adames launched a solo homer in the 1st and Luis Matos added one in the 2nd to put San Francisco up 2-0.

• The Brewers clawed back in the 4th when Sal Frelick doubled home a run and later scored on a bases-loaded walk to tie it 2-2.

• In the 7th, Brice Turang dropped down a bunt single before William Contreras ripped an RBI double, sparking a two-run rally and giving Milwaukee a 4-2 lead.

• Adames struck again in the 8th with his second homer of the night, a solo shot that cut the deficit to 4-3.

• The Giants tied it in the 9th on a wild pitch after Dominic Smith’s infield single set the stage, leveling the game at 4-4.

• With two outs in the bottom of the 9th, Contreras ended it in dramatic fashion by blasting a solo home run to left-center, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

📊 Notable Stats

Brewers

• William Contreras: 2-4, HR (14), 2B, 2 RBI

• Sal Frelick: 1-4, RBI double

• Andrew Vaughn: 1-3, RBI, BB

• Jose Quintana: 5.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

Giants

• Willy Adames: 2-4, 2 HR (21, 22), 2 RBI

• Luis Matos: 2-3, HR (6), 2 R, RBI

• Dominic Smith: 1-1, key single in 9th

Other scores around the league:

Pirates 9, Rockies 0
B. Ashcraft: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 6 SO, 1 BB
B. Chandler: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 3 SO

Nationals 5, Phillies 4
P. Poulin: 2.0 IP, 3 SO
C. Cavalli: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 4 SO, 2 BB

Astros 10, Orioles 7
J. Peña: 2-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI
B. Abreu: 1.1 IP, 4 SO

Tigers 7, Royals 5
K. Finnegan: 2.0 IP, 1 SO, 1 BB
R. Bergert: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 5 SO, 1 BB

Mets 12, Braves 7
N. McLean: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 7 SO
J. Soto: 3-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI

Rays 10, Cardinals 6
A. Houser: 6.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 SO, 2 BB
J. Mangum: 4-5, 1 R, 2 RBI

Twins 9, White Sox 7
R. Lewis: 3-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI
C. Montgomery: 2-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Rangers 4, Guardians 3
N. Eovaldi: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 9 SO
S. Cecconi: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 SO

Diamondbacks 6, Reds 5
R. Nelson: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 6 SO, 2 BB
J. Beeks: 1.0 IP

Mariners 3, Athletics 2
B. Woo: 7.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 7 SO, 2 BB
L. Morales: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 6 SO

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