⚾ Headlines Around the League
Phillies 19, Braves 4 — Schwarber’s Historic 4-HR, 9-RBI Night Stuns Atlanta
Red Sox 3, Orioles 2 — Boston Completes 4-Game Sweep Behind Story’s Defense, Clutch Hits
Giants 4, Cubs 3 — Adames Homers Twice, Lee Walks It Off in Extras
Yankees 10, White Sox 4 — Bronx Bats Stay Hot in South Side Rout
Diamondbacks 6, Brewers 4 — Rashi’s Dream Debut Seals Series Split
Oh baby, we’ve got an MVP race in the National League.
Last night, Kyle Schwarber went full Schwarber launching 4 home runs and driving in 9 RBIs. Just an absurd performance. He’s been on another level this season, and honestly, I think he’s now leapfrogged Shohei Ohtani as the NL MVP favorite.
If you had to cast a vote today, who are you picking?
Who do you think is the NL MVP?
👉 Check out his performance here:
Now, let me talk about my San Francisco Giants for a second. Call me a homer if you want, but I don’t think they’re dead yet. They are pretty close to dead, but not fully.
They’re basically chasing down the Mets for the final NL Wild Card spot which stands currently at six games back after yet another Mets loss.
The Giants are starting to play some really good baseball again, while the Mets… not so much. And here’s where it gets interesting: the Giants get a series against the Orioles followed by the Rockies — two winnable sets if they stay hot. The Mets, meanwhile, face a brutal September stretch with the Tigers, Reds, Phillies, and Padres.
It’s still a long shot, but there’s at least a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel.
Enjoy your Friday and have a great Labor Day Weekend!
-Ryan
📊 Final Scores and Highlights
Phillies 19, Braves 4
Kyle Schwarber authored a night for the ages at Citizens Bank Park, blasting four home runs and driving in nine runs in the Phillies’ 19-4 rout of the Braves. His record-breaking performance included long balls in the 1st, 4th, 5th, and 7th innings, putting him in MLB’s exclusive four-homer club and setting a new franchise RBI mark.
🔑 Key Moments
The Braves jumped out quickly in the 1st, scoring three runs capped by Michael Harris II’s two-run single.
The Phillies answered immediately in the bottom half with a three-homer barrage — Schwarber’s 450-foot blast, J.T. Realmuto’s two-run shot, and Max Kepler’s two-run homer to seize a 5-3 lead.
Bryce Harper added to the fireworks in the 3rd with a towering solo homer to right-center.
In the 4th, Schwarber struck again, unloading a two-run shot to extend the lead to 10-3.
The onslaught continued in the 5th as Schwarber launched his third homer, a three-run blast, pushing the margin to 15-3.
After Matt Olson briefly answered with a solo shot in the 6th, Schwarber delivered his fourth homer in the 7th — another three-run blast — bringing down the curtain on a historic night.
📊 Notable Stats
Phillies
Kyle Schwarber: 4-for-6, 4 HR (46, 47, 48, 49), 9 RBI, 4 R
Bryce Harper: 2-for-3, HR (22), RBI, 3 R, BB
J.T. Realmuto: 1-for-3, HR (11), 2 RBI, 2 R
Max Kepler: 1-for-4, HR (14), 2 RBI, 2 R, BB
Harrison Bader: 4-for-5, 3 R, 2B, 3B
Aaron Nola: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, HR (W, 10-9)
Braves
Matt Olson: 1-for-2, HR (21), 2 R, RBI, 2 BB
Michael Harris II: 1-for-4, 2 RBI
Nico Hoerner: 2-for-3, 3 RBI
Red Sox 3, Orioles 2
The Red Sox capped a 7-1 road trip with a tense win in Baltimore, leaning on Trevor Story’s defense and timely contributions from role players.
🔑 Key Moments
Story set the tone in the 1st with a solo home run, giving Boston an early 1-0 lead.
The Orioles tied it in the 3rd on Alex Jackson’s solo blast to center.
In the 4th, Rob Refsnyder, just off the IL, crushed a solo homer to put Boston back on top 2-1.
The O’s responded in the 5th when Jeremiah Jackson’s RBI double evened things at 2-2, but Crochet and Story escaped further damage with a dazzling lineout double play to end the frame.
In the 8th, Romy Gonzalez delivered the decisive blow, a two-out RBI single to score rookie Roman Anthony and give the Sox a 3-2 edge.
Baltimore threatened in the 9th, but Story again came through — fielding a grounder and cutting down the tying run at third to seal the sweep.
📊 Notable Stats
Red Sox
Trevor Story: 2-for-4, HR (22), run-saving double play, key 9th-inning assist
Rob Refsnyder: 2-for-4, HR (7), RBI, returning from IL
Romy Gonzalez: 1-for-4, go-ahead RBI single in 8th
Garrett Crochet: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
Steven Matz: 1.0 IP, 0 R, 2nd career save
Orioles
Alex Jackson: HR (4), RBI
Jeremiah Jackson: 1-for-4, RBI double
Jackson Holliday: 1-for-4, run scored
Giants 4, Cubs 3
The Giants leaned on Willy Adames for power and defense before Jung Hoo Lee sealed it with his first career walk-off, capping a sweep of the Cubs at Oracle Park.
🔑 Key Moments
Top 1st — The Cubs struck first when Ian Happ singled in a run, but Willy Adames quickly erased it with a 417-foot two-run homer in the bottom half for a 2-1 Giants lead.
Top 2nd — Dansby Swanson answered with a solo shot, evening the score at 2-2.
Top 6th — Michael Busch launched a go-ahead homer to center, putting Chicago up 3-2.
Bottom 6th — Adames struck again, belting his second homer of the day to tie the game at 3-3.
Top 8th — Casey Schmitt snared a liner and flipped to Adames for a slick double play, keeping it tied.
Bottom 9th — With two on, Lee punched a single into right to plate Christian Koss, sending the Giants to their 10th walk-off win of the season.
📊 Notable Stats
Giants
Willy Adames: 2-for-4, 2 HR (23, 24), 3 RBI
Jung Hoo Lee: 2-for-4, walk-off RBI single
Logan Webb: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 7 K
Cubs
Michael Busch: HR (25)
Dansby Swanson: HR (19)
Shota Imanaga: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 5 K
Yankees 10, White Sox 4
The Yankees flexed their power again, hitting three more home runs to tie an MLB record for homers in a 10-game span. Cody Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Trent Grisham each went deep as New York rolled past the White Sox for its fifth straight win, inching closer in the AL East race.
🔑 Key Moments
Top 1st — Cody Bellinger opened the scoring with a two-run shot to right, giving the Yanks a 2-0 edge.
Top 2nd — Jazz Chisholm Jr. extended the lead with a solo blast, his 26th, making it 3-0.
Bottom 2nd — The Sox struck back when Miguel Vargas crushed a grand slam, tying the game 4-4.
Top 5th — Aaron Judge’s RBI single, aided by an error, put New York ahead for good, 5-4, before Chisholm added a sac fly.
Top 8th — Trent Grisham launched a two-run homer, capping the Yankees’ big night with a 10-4 advantage.
📊 Notable Stats
Yankees
Cody Bellinger: 3-for-4, HR (26), 2 RBI, 2 R
Jazz Chisholm Jr.: 2-for-4, HR (26), 2 RBI
Trent Grisham: HR (27), 2 RBI, 2 R
Aaron Judge: 1-for-3, RBI, 2 BB, 2 R
Will Warren: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R (0 ER), 3 K
White Sox
Miguel Vargas: 1-for-2, GS HR (14), 4 RBI
Kyle Teel: 2-for-4
Lenyn Sosa: 1-for-3, BB
Diamondbacks 6, Brewers 4
After six years in the Minors and a torn lat that nearly ended his career, Taylor Rashi made his MLB debut at 29 and delivered three scoreless innings for a save in Milwaukee. The D-backs built an early lead behind timely hits from Ildemaro Vargas and Alek Thomas, then turned the game over to the rookie, who struck out three and retired Christian Yelich to end it.
🔑 Key Moments
Bottom 1st — Sal Frelick opened the day with a leadoff homer, and Brice Turang later tripled as Milwaukee jumped ahead 1-0.
Top 2nd — Arizona answered when Tyler Locklear was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Ildemaro Vargas lined a two-run single to make it 3-1.
Top 3rd — Alek Thomas extended the lead with a two-run single, giving the D-backs a 6-2 cushion.
Bottom 3rd — Isaac Collins’ two-run knock cut it to 6-4, but that was all the Brewers would get.
Bottom 9th — With the tying run looming, Rashi jammed Yelich with a fastball for the game-ending groundout, securing his first big-league save.
📊 Notable Stats
Diamondbacks
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.: 3-for-4, 2 R, BB
Alek Thomas: 2-for-4, 2 RBI
Ildemaro Vargas: 1-for-4, 2 RBI
Taylor Rashi: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K, SV (MLB debut)
Brewers
Sal Frelick: 2-for-5, HR (10)
Isaac Collins: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, BB
Brice Turang: 2-for-4, 3B
Other scores around the league:
Astros 4, Rockies 3
K. Freeland: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 6 SO
C. Walker: 2-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI
Cardinals 4, Pirates 1
K. Leahy: 2.0 IP, 4 SO, 2 BB
B. Ashcraft: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 5 SO, 1 BB
Marlins 7, Mets 4
C. Faucher: 1.0 IP, 1 SO
P. Alonso: 2-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
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