August 7th, 2025

⚾ Headlines Around the League

Brewers 5, Braves 4 — Vaughn Stays Hot as Milwaukee Completes Sweep

Guardians 4, Mets 1 — Williams Takes No-No to the Brink as Cleveland Sweeps in Queens

Blue Jays 20, Rockies 1 — Toronto Completes Coors Field Takeover with Historic Series Finale

Yankees 3, Rangers 2 — Goldschmidt's Pinch-Hit Homer, Bednar's 5-Out Save Snap Skid

Cardinals 5, Dodgers 3 — Ohtani Homers for 1,000th Hit, But LA Lets It Slip Late

Let’s talk standings.

Starting in the NL, the Padres have officially made it a race. They’ve cut the Dodgers’ NL West lead to just 2 games and are right there for the division now. On the flip side, the Mets lost some serious ground after getting swept to start the week. The Brewers still look like they’re in cruise control, but there’s a lot of baseball left.

As for the NL Wild Card, I think every team in this graphic below still has a shot but honestly, the six teams currently in playoff spots are going to be tough to bounce. If anyone crashes the party, I think it’s the Reds. A lot depends on how the Mets respond the rest of this week, they need to get it going quick here.

Over in the AL, the Tigers feel like a lock unless something totally wild happens. I think the Blue Jays are great but I don’t believe that division race is over just yet.

The Guardians are heating up big time, especially after that sweep of the Mets. I think the Rangers will find their way in, and don’t count out the Rays just yet… they’ve been lurking and could sneak up on some teams.

Speaking of the Rays, how about Junior Caminero?

He launched two more homers yesterday, bringing him to 30 on the season. This kid is something special. While it’s not surprising given his top-prospect pedigree, it’s still rare to see someone this young put it all together so fast. Tons of top prospects struggle out the gate but it is awesome to see Caminero thriving.

He’s got the potential to be a generational talent and possibly the face of the league over the next decade.

Enjoy your Thursday and get outside while summer's still here, it’ll be over before we know it.

Thanks for reading First Pitch
- Ryan

🔥 Notable Performances

Hitting

Pitching

📊 Final Scores and Highlights

Brewers 5, Braves 4

Andrew Vaughn stayed scorching, Blake Perkins delivered power, and the Brewers made franchise history with their 70th win of the season.

🔑 Key Moments

• In the 2nd inning, Brice Turang tied things up with an RBI double to left, driving in Blake Perkins after Atlanta had taken an early lead.

• Andrew Vaughn continued his red-hot stretch in the 4th, launching a 409-foot solo homer to center to give Milwaukee a 2–1 lead.

• In the 5th, with two outs and a tight one-run edge, Blake Perkins crushed a two-run homer to right, chasing Spencer Strider and stretching the lead to 5–1.

• The Braves chipped away late — Jurickson Profar and Michael Harris II each homered in the 6th and 9th innings, respectively — but the Crew’s bullpen held strong to close it out.

• Vaughn reached base three times and now owns 28 RBIs in 22 games since joining Milwaukee, transforming into one of the lineup’s biggest weapons.

📊 Notable Stats

Milwaukee Brewers

• Andrew Vaughn: 2-for-4, HR (12), 2 RBI

• Blake Perkins: 3-for-5, HR (3), 2 RBI, 2 R

• Isaac Collins: 3-for-4, 2B, SB, R

• Jose Quintana: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K

Atlanta Braves

• Michael Harris II: 1-for-4, HR (10)

• Jurickson Profar: 1-for-4, HR (5)

• Sean Murphy: 1-for-4, RBI

• Spencer Strider: 4.2 IP, 11 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

Guardians 4, Mets 1

Gavin Williams came two outs shy of making history, tossing 8 2/3 no-hit innings before Juan Soto spoiled the bid with a solo homer — but the Guardians still completed a sweep of the Mets in a dominant all-around showing.

🔑 Key Moments

• In the 2nd inning, David Fry launched a 422-foot solo homer to center off David Peterson to put Cleveland on the board first.

• An inning later, Angel Martínez padded the lead with a two-run shot to left, giving the Guardians a quick 3–0 edge.

• The Guardians tacked on a fourth run in the 6th when Carlos Santana worked a walk and scored all the way from first on Gabriel Arias’ RBI triple to right field.

• Williams kept the Mets hitless into the 9th, working around four walks and flashing all five of his pitches to induce weak contact — including 13 ground-ball outs and a diving grab by C.J. Kayfus in the 7th.

• With one out in the 9th, Juan Soto finally broke through, launching a 420-foot homer to center to end the no-hit bid and ruin the shutout.

• Williams exited to a standing ovation after 126 pitches, the most by any pitcher in MLB this season.

📊 Notable Stats

Cleveland Guardians

• Gavin Williams: 8.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 K

• Angel Martínez: 1-for-4, HR (10), 2 RBI, R

• David Fry: 1-for-4, HR (6), RBI

• Gabriel Arias: 1-for-4, 3B, RBI

New York Mets

• Juan Soto: 1-for-4, HR (26), R, RBI

• David Peterson: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

Blue Jays 20, Rockies 1

The Blue Jays capped a jaw-dropping three-game sweep with a 20-run explosion at Coors Field, breaking MLB records for total hits in a series and setting new franchise marks in a dominant offensive display.

🔑 Key Moments

• Bo Bichette jumpstarted the onslaught in the 3rd, crushing a 3-run homer to give the Blue Jays a 3–1 lead.

• In the 5th, Nathan Lukes laced a two-run triple to make it 5–1, followed by Davis Schneider’s solo shot in the 6th to extend the lead further.

• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. joined the home run parade in the 8th with a 408-foot blast to right-center, his 18th of the year.

• Then came the 9th — Austin Nola, the Rockies' emergency pitcher, gave up eight runs, including a towering three-run homer from Schneider and a solo shot from Ernie Clement to cap the rout.

• Kevin Gausman turned in a strong start in his hometown, striking out eight over seven innings of one-run ball.

📊 Notable Stats

Toronto Blue Jays

• Davis Schneider: 3-for-7, 2 HR (6, 7), 4 RBI, 2 R

• Ernie Clement: 4-for-7, HR (6), 1 RBI, 4 R

• Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: 4-for-7, HR (18), 2 RBI, 4 R

• Bo Bichette: 2-for-6, HR (16), 4 RBI, 2 R

• Kevin Gausman: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K

Colorado Rockies

• Ezequiel Tovar: 2-for-4, 2B (13), RBI

• Kyle Freeland: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

• Austin Nola: 1.0 IP, 8 H, 8 ER, 2 HR

📌 Series Records Set

• Most hits in a 3-game series in modern MLB history (63)

• Largest hit differential in a 3-game series since 1900 (+40)

• Second-largest run differential in a 3-game series since 1901 (+39)

• Franchise records for runs (45) and hits (63) in a 3-game set

Yankees 3, Rangers 2

Paul Goldschmidt delivered a go-ahead pinch-hit homer in the 7th and David Bednar struck out five in a gritty 42-pitch save as the Yankees ended their five-game losing streak.

🔑 Key Moments

• Goldschmidt crushed a solo homer in the 7th — his 10th of the season — to give New York the lead

• Bednar entered in the 8th and struck out all five of his outs, including Adolis García to end it

• Boone visited the mound in the 9th but let Bednar stay — a call that paid off

• Volpe tied the game with an RBI single in the 4th; Domínguez and Volpe then pulled off a double steal to take a 2-1 lead

• Jazz Chisholm Jr. starred on defense, turning multiple slick double plays

• Yankees bullpen combined for four scoreless innings after Rodón exited a 2-2 game

📊 Notable Stats

Yankees

• Paul Goldschmidt: 1-for-2, HR (10), RBI

• Anthony Volpe: 1-for-4, RBI, SB

• Carlos Rodón: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K

• David Bednar: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (42 pitches)

Rangers

• Marcus Semien: 1-for-3, RBI, BB

• Ezequiel Duran: 3-for-3, 2 R

• Jack Leiter: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 ER), 4 BB, 3 K

Cardinals 5, Dodgers 3

Shohei Ohtani crushed a two-run blast for his 1,000th MLB hit and struck out eight in four strong innings on the mound, but the Dodgers blew a late lead as St. Louis rallied for three runs in the final two innings to steal the win.

🔑 Key Moments

• Ohtani homered in the 3rd — his 39th of the season — to become the 3rd Japanese-born player with 1,000 MLB hits

• The two-way star also struck out 8 across 4 innings with 6 pitches over 100 mph

• Dodgers led 3-2 until a costly error by rookie 3B Alex Freeland in the 8th helped St. Louis plate the go-ahead runs

• Jordan Walker delivered the clutch 2-RBI single to give the Cards the lead

• Lars Nootbaar added insurance with an RBI double in the 9th

• Ohtani is the only MLB player since 1920 with a HR, 8+ K, more RBIs than runs allowed, and more BB drawn than issued in a game

📊 Notable Stats

Dodgers

• Shohei Ohtani: 1-for-3, HR (39), 2 RBI, BB; 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K

• Freddie Freeman: 3-for-4

• Alex Call: 2-for-3, R

• Alex Vesia: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K (L)

Cardinals

• Jordan Walker: 3-for-5, 2 RBI, SB

• Lars Nootbaar: 1-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI

• Masyn Winn: 2-for-4, R, SB

• Matthew Liberatore: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 1 K

Other scores around the league:

Orioles 5, Phillies 1
T. Rogers: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 6 SO, 2 BB
C. Mayo: 2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Giants 4, Pirates 2
R. Ray: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 8 SO, 2 BB
R. Rodriguez: 1.0 IP

Twins 9, Tigers 4
T. Hatch: 4.1 IP, 2 H, 3 SO, 1 BB
B. Lee: 2-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Cubs 6, Reds 1
C. Horton: 5.2 IP, 2 H, 6 SO
S. Suzuki: 2-2, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Rays 5, Angels 4
J. Caminero: 2-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI
P. Fairbanks: 1.0 IP, 1 SO

Nationals 2, Athletics 1
J. Springs: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 5 SO
C. Cavalli: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 6 SO, 1 BB

Royals 7, Red Sox 3
M. Wacha: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 SO
J. India: 2-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Marlins 6, Astros 4
J. Junk: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 SO, 2 BB
C. Walker: 2-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Mariners 8, White Sox 6
G. Kirby: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 9 SO, 2 BB
T. Alexander: 4.1 IP, 1 H, 5 SO, 1 BB

Padres 3, Diamondbacks 2
A. Morejon: 2.0 IP, 1 H
A. DeSclafani: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 4 SO

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