First Pitch - April 22nd, 2026

😬 Twins 5, Mets 3 — Mets drop 12th straight despite early lead

🧊 Yankees 4, Red Sox 0 — Stanton leads shutout behind dominant pitching

💥 Reds 12, Rays 6 — Elly explodes for 2 HR, 5 RBI in statement win

☝️👇 3 Up, 3 Down
White Sox go back-to-back-to-back, Evan Carter robs one at the wall, and the Royals walk it off in wild fashion to snap their skid.

⚾ Welcome to First Pitch - Today is Wednesday, April 22th.

If you’re a Mets fan, I apologize… please don’t hate us over here. I can’t fully relate to the pain and frustration, but what’s happening right now is impossible to ignore.

Nolan McLean gave the Mets exactly what they needed, taking a perfect game into the 6th and setting the tone early.

Full recap below as the Mets somehow drop their 12th straight.

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

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Twins 5, Mets 3 — Skid hits 12 despite Lindor blast

The Mets keep finding new ways to lose, dropping their 12th straight despite an early spark from Francisco Lindor.

Things looked promising early as Nolan McLean dominated, opening with five perfect innings, and Lindor crushed a three-run homer in the third to give the Mets a 3-0 lead. But the momentum quickly flipped.

The Twins chipped away with Byron Buxton’s two-run homer in the sixth, then tied it in the seventh on an RBI single from Luke Keaschall. In the ninth, control issues and defensive miscues opened the door, and Keaschall delivered again with the go-ahead single before another run came in to extend the lead.

Despite the strong start on the mound and a big swing from Lindor, the Mets offense stalled late and couldn’t respond, sealing yet another frustrating loss.

📊 Notable Stats

Twins

Byron Buxton: 1-5, HR, 2 RBI, R
Luke Keaschall: 2-4, 2 RBI, SB
Matt Wallner: 1-3, RBI, R, BB
Ryan Jeffers: 0-3, R, BB
Simeon Woods Richardson: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

Mets

Francisco Lindor: 1-3, HR, 3 RBI, R, BB
Nolan McLean: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 10 K
Marcus Semien: 0-3, R, BB
Bo Bichette: 1-4
Mark Vientos: 1-2, BB

Yankees 4, Red Sox 0 — Stanton powers Bronx Bombers at Fenway

The Yankees leaned on a big night from Giancarlo Stanton and a dominant pitching performance to shut out the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Stanton got things started early with a solo homer in the second, then delivered again in the sixth with a two-run double that broke the game open. The slugger finished with three RBIs, continuing his strong history at Fenway.

On the mound, Luis Gil kept the Red Sox lineup in check all night, allowing just two hits over 6.1 scoreless innings. The bullpen took it the rest of the way to complete the shutout as Boston struggled to generate any offense.

The Yankees offense added insurance late and never looked back, cruising to a clean win in the rivalry matchup.

📊 Notable Stats

Yankees

Giancarlo Stanton: 2-4, HR, 3 RBI, R, 2B
Aaron Judge: 1-3, R, 2 BB
Randal Grichuk: 2-4, RBI
Jazz Chisholm Jr.: 2-4
Luis Gil: 6.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

Red Sox

Ceddanne Rafaela: 1-3, BB
Willson Contreras: 1-4
Carlos Narváez: 1-3
Marcelo Mayer: 1-1, 2B
Connelly Early: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K

Reds 12, Rays 6 — Elly erupts with 2 HRs as Cincinnati stays red-hot

The Reds unleashed their best offensive performance of the season, riding a monster night from Elly De La Cruz to their fifth straight win over the Rays.

Cincinnati wasted no time jumping ahead, as De La Cruz launched a two-run homer in the first. The power surge continued in the second with back-to-back blasts from Ke’Bryan Hayes and Dane Myers, setting the tone for a long night for Tampa Bay pitching.

The offense kept rolling with Spencer Steer’s solo shot in the fifth before a massive sixth inning broke the game wide open. Matt McLain added an RBI double, and Sal Stewart delivered a two-run single as the Reds piled on.

De La Cruz capped his huge night with a second homer in the ninth, finishing off a five-RBI performance as Cincinnati poured in 12 runs.

On the mound, Chase Burns provided a strong outing, striking out eight over 5.2 innings while pitching with a comfortable lead.

📊 Notable Stats

Reds

Elly De La Cruz: 3-6, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R, SB
Dane Myers: 1-3, HR, RBI, 4 R, 3 BB
Sal Stewart: 2-4, 3 RBI, BB
Matt McLain: 2-6, RBI, R
Spencer Steer: 1-3, HR, RBI, R, 2 BB
Chase Burns: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K

Rays

Jonathan Aranda: 1-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
Junior Caminero: 2-4, 2 R, BB
Jonny DeLuca: 1-4, 2 RBI
Ryan Vilade: 1-3
Steven Matz: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K

💥 Sox Go Boom x3: Back-to-Back-to-Back Bombs

The White Sox go back-to-back-to-back for the first time in six years, highlighted by Murakami, Vargas, and Montgomery in an 11-5 win.

🧱 Carter Climbs the Wall: HR Robbery Alert

Evan Carter times it perfectly, leaping at the wall to take a home run away in a highlight-reel gra

⚡ Comeback Complete: Royals Win in Dramatic Walk-Off

Down late, the Royals fight back and win it on a wild pitch to finally get back in the win column.

BONUS HIGHLIGHT: 🤯 Fan Goes Full Superman: Catch of the Year?

A Rockies fan laid out across the seats to snag a foul ball, taking a brutal spill but coming down with one of the wildest grabs you’ll see all season.