June 29th MLB Recap

Cardinals Sweep Guardians Behind Gorman and Liberatore

St. Louis Cardinals 7, Cleveland Guardians 0

Nolan Gorman crushed a three-run homer in the first inning and Matthew Liberatore threw six-plus scoreless frames as the Cardinals completed a dominant sweep in Cleveland. Gorman, who’s been red-hot in June, has now driven in 16 runs for the month.

Victor Scott II added a two-run homer, and Nolan Arenado notched his 1,900th hit and 400th double. The win pushed St. Louis to nine games over .500, their best mark of the season, and marked their sixth straight road win. Liberatore wiggled out of a first-inning jam and kept momentum rolling all afternoon.

The childhood bond between Gorman and Liberatore has added an emotional layer to their success. The duo debuted one day apart in 2022 and are now key pieces in a Cardinals playoff push.

Pirates Sweep Mets with Offensive Explosion

Pittsburgh Pirates 12, New York Mets 1
Oneil Cruz homered twice, sparking a series sweep in which the Pirates scored at least nine runs in every game for the first time since 1999. Henry Davis had his first career four-hit game, while Ke’Bryan Hayes, Tommy Pham, and Bryan Reynolds all contributed big.

The Pirates pounded Mets pitching for 33 total runs in the series, a much-needed offensive jolt for a team that entered the weekend last in the NL in scoring. With Cruz finding his swing again, the Bucs are showing signs of a second-half surge.

Yankees Blast A’s Behind Judge’s Two Homers

New York Yankees 12, Oakland Athletics 5
Aaron Judge launched his 29th and 30th home runs, Jazz Chisholm Jr. added a bases-clearing triple, and Cody Bellinger hit a three-run bomb to pace a much-needed offensive surge. The Yankees took the series behind Marcus Stroman's five-inning return from injury.

Judge notched his fifth multi-homer game of the season, and Chisholm continued his scorching post-IL tear, now hitting .318 with a .979 OPS since June 3. New York's deep lineup finally came alive, putting pressure on opposing pitching throughout the afternoon.

Reds Walk It Off vs Padres in Ninth

Cincinnati Reds 3, San Diego Padres 2
Will Benson delivered a walk-off single in the ninth after Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer tied it with key at-bats. The Reds have now won six of their last seven series and improved to 14–7 since June 6.

The win capped a gritty comeback against closer Robert Suarez and moved the Reds closer to Wild Card contention in the NL. Cincinnati's youth and resilience continue to be the heartbeat of their playoff hopes.

Phillies Edge Braves as Ranger Suárez Shines

Philadelphia Phillies 2, Atlanta Braves 1
Ranger Suárez continued his elite stretch with seven innings of one-run ball and eight strikeouts. He’s now sporting a 1.19 ERA over his last 10 starts, the best such stretch for a Phillies starter since Cliff Lee in 2011.

Philadelphia scratched out just enough offense to reward Suárez, who has received minimal run support in recent outings despite his dominance. The lefty has become the Phillies' most reliable arm in a tight NL East race.

Mariners Win Extras Thriller Behind Garver

Seattle Mariners 6, Texas Rangers 4 (12 Innings)
Mitch Garver had 4 RBIs, including a go-ahead single in the 10th and a two-run homer in the 12th against his former team. The Mariners closed out a successful 6-4 road trip, and Luis Castillo added his 10th quality start.

Garver’s late-game heroics capped off a strong personal road trip in which he tallied 9 RBIs and two home runs. Seattle's ability to produce in late innings was key in this tightly contested matchup.

Astros Blank Cubs, Cap Best Month in MLB

Houston Astros 2, Chicago Cubs 0
Jose Altuve’s two-run homer and six shutout innings from Framber Valdez helped Houston notch its 50th win of the season. The Astros went 19-7 in June and are 10-0 in Valdez’s last 10 starts.

Valdez extended his scoreless streak to 13 innings, and Houston’s bullpen locked it down with clean frames from Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader. Houston is proving they remain World Series contenders even without a fully healthy roster.

Blue Jays Take Series from Red Sox

Toronto Blue Jays 5, Boston Red Sox 3
Addison Barger and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went back-to-back in the first inning to set the tone. The Blue Jays now head home for a massive four-game AL East series against the Yankees.

Toronto remains just three games back in the division and is in prime position to make noise heading into July. A strong showing in the upcoming series could reshape the AL East standings.

Orioles Beat Rays Behind Kremer, Defense

Baltimore Orioles 5, Tampa Bay Rays 1
Dean Kremer tossed seven scoreless innings and Colton Cowser delivered both at the plate and with a home run-robbing catch. Baltimore took the series and continues to claw toward .500 and Wild Card contention.

The win showcased a complete team effort, with timely hitting and solid bullpen work backing Kremer’s gem. Cowser’s late-game defense proved pivotal in maintaining momentum.

Rockies Rally, Beat Brewers in 11 After Ejections

Colorado Rockies 4, Milwaukee Brewers 3 (11 Innings)
After early ejections to Tyler Freeman and manager Warren Schaeffer, the Rockies clawed back with key hits from Brenton Doyle, Orlando Arcia, and a go-ahead single by Kyle Farmer in the 11th.

Colorado has now won 10 games in June—more than their total from March through May combined. Their resiliency showed through in a wild, emotional comeback.

White Sox Win Series, Teel and Vasil Shine

Chicago White Sox 5, San Francisco Giants 2
Kyle Teel hit a go-ahead double in a four-run seventh and Mike Vasil, nicknamed “Batman,” locked down the final six outs. The clubhouse was all smiles after a rare series win.

Vasil earned a six-out save with back-to-back inning-ending double plays in the eighth and ninth. Teel’s poise at the plate and behind the dish continues to impress.

Nationals Win in 11, End Rough June

Washington Nationals 7, Los Angeles Angels 4 (11 Innings)
Drew Millas delivered the go-ahead RBI, CJ Abrams added a two-run triple, and Jacob Young tied it in the ninth. Despite a brutal June (7–19), the Nats ended the month on a high note.

James Wood was intentionally walked four times in the game, matching a feat last achieved by Barry Bonds in 2004. The win snapped a long drought of series victories and gave the team needed momentum.

Marlins Sweep D-backs, Win 7th Straight

Miami Marlins 6, Arizona Diamondbacks 4
The Marlins scored five in the eighth to extend their win streak to seven games. Otto Lopez hit the go-ahead single and Kyle Stowers cleared the bases. Miami also set a franchise record with nine straight road wins.

The Fish finished June with a 14-12 mark, their first winning month since May 2024. After a slow start to the year, Miami has found its offensive rhythm and timely pitching.

Dodgers Beat Royals, Wrobleski Dominant in Relief

Los Angeles Dodgers 5, Kansas City Royals 1
Justin Wrobleski threw six shutout innings in relief, striking out six and lowering his ERA by three points in under a month. Enrique Hernandez and Will Smith homered to power the Dodgers’ win.

Wrobleski leaned on a high-velocity fastball and improved command to stifle Kansas City hitters and solidify his role as a trusted long reliever. With the rotation plagued by injuries, his emergence has been timely.

Skubal Dominates Twins in Historic Sunday Night Outing

Detroit Tigers 3, Minnesota Twins 0
Tarik Skubal delivered a masterclass under the lights at Comerica Park, tying his career high with 13 strikeouts and allowing just one hit over seven scoreless innings. It marked the first Sunday night game in Detroit in eight years, and Skubal made it unforgettable.

The reigning AL Cy Young winner struck out eight of the first nine batters, all swinging, including seven via his devastating changeup. He retired the first 13 hitters he faced, holding the Twins hitless until a fifth-inning single from Ty France broke up the bid.

Skubal’s changeup was untouchable, generating whiffs up and down the lineup. He became the first pitcher in Tigers history to strike out 13 in a game without allowing more than one hit. His 93rd and final pitch was a 99.7 mph fastball for a called third strike — the only one of the night.

The Tigers gave Skubal early run support, with Kerry Carpenter smashing his 16th homer in the first inning. Riley Greene added his 19th home run in the fourth, and Carpenter later tripled in a run before exiting with hamstring tightness. Despite the injury, his bat continues to be red-hot with three home runs in his last five games.

Skubal now owns five double-digit strikeout games this season and continues to assert himself as the most dominant lefty in baseball. Detroit’s win secured a key series victory against a division rival and kept their momentum strong heading into July.