September 1st, 2025

Will Smith’s pinch-hit walk-off lifted the Dodgers, while Toronto’s bullpen bent but didn’t break to avoid a sweep. Add in a Reds rebound after a players-only meeting, J-Rod’s game-winning speed, and the White Sox shocking the Yankees, and it was a packed night of baseball drama.

⚾ Headlines Around the League

IconDodgers 5, D-backs 4 — Will Smith’s pinch-hit walk-off saves L.A.

IconBlue Jays 8, Brewers 4 — Nance shuts door in clutch as Toronto avoids sweep

IconReds 7, Cardinals 4 — Meeting sparks energy as Cincinnati halts skid

IconMariners 4, Guardians 2 — J-Rod’s speed on decisive play keys finale win

IconWhite Sox 3, Yankees 2 — Montgomery and Sosa power Sox past Yanks

📊 Final Scores and Highlights

Dodgers 5, Diamondbacks 4

The Dodgers avoided a sweep with late-game drama at Chavez Ravine. After a dominant start from Yoshinobu Yamamoto unraveled with a blown save in the eighth, Will Smith came off the bench in the ninth and delivered a thunderous walk-off homer to left-center, lifting Los Angeles past Arizona.

🔑 Key Moments

  • In the first inning, Freddie Freeman set the tone with an RBI double to center that scored Shohei Ohtani. A groundout from Andy Pages plated another, giving the Dodgers a quick 2-0 lead.

  • The D-backs got on the board in the fourth when Adrian Del Castillo singled in Ketel Marte, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

  • L.A. answered right back in the bottom half as Miguel Rojas lined a single to right, scoring Alex Call to make it 3-1.

  • The Dodgers tacked on again in the fifth when Andy Pages singled home Mookie Betts, extending the lead to 4-1.

  • Trouble struck in the eighth. With two outs, Tanner Scott allowed back-to-back hits before Corbin Carroll crushed a game-tying three-run homer, evening things at 4-4.

  • After Blake Treinen steadied the ninth, the stage was set. Leading off the bottom half, Will Smith pinch-hit and launched a Statcast-projected 420-foot walk-off homer at 109.2 mph off the bat, sending Dodger Stadium into a frenzy.

📊 Notable Stats

Diamondbacks

  • Corbin Carroll: 2-4, HR, 3 RBI, R

  • Ketel Marte: 2-4, R

  • Adrian Del Castillo: 2-3, RBI

  • Brandon Pfaadt: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

Dodgers

  • Freddie Freeman: 1-3, 2B, RBI, BB

  • Andy Pages: 1-4, 2 RBI

  • Miguel Rojas: 2-3, RBI

  • Will Smith: 1-1, HR, RBI, R (walk-off)

  • Yoshinobu Yamamoto: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 K

  • Blake Treinen: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K

Blue Jays 8, Brewers 4

Toronto’s bullpen bent but didn’t break, with Tommy Nance stepping in to escape a bases-loaded jam and Jeff Hoffman closing it out, helping the Blue Jays secure a messy but pivotal win to stay alive in the AL East race.

🔑 Key Moments

  • The Brewers struck first in the opening frame when William Contreras hammered a two-run homer to left, quickly putting Toronto in a 2-0 hole.

  • The Blue Jays answered right back in the bottom of the inning. Nathan Lukes ripped a two-run double to tie the game, then Ernie Clement followed with a single to right, giving Toronto a 3-2 lead.

  • In the second, George Springer added to the momentum with a sharp RBI double to center, stretching the Jays’ edge to 4-2.

  • Milwaukee fought back in the third. Brice Turang opened the inning with a solo homer, and Contreras later drove in another run to knot it at 4-4, though Myles Straw cut down Contreras at third to end the rally.

  • The back-and-forth continued in the fourth when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. punched a single through the infield to plate Springer and reclaim the lead for Toronto, 5-4.

  • Trouble arrived in the fifth as the Brewers loaded the bases against Toronto’s bullpen, but Tommy Nance coolly struck out Andrew Vaughn and forced a groundout to end the inning — the game’s turning point.

  • In the bottom half, Tyler Heineman delivered the knockout blow with an RBI double, part of a three-run surge that pushed the Blue Jays ahead 8-4 for good.

📊 Notable Stats

Brewers

  • Brice Turang: 2-5, HR, RBI, R

  • Jackson Chourio: 4-5, 2 R

  • William Contreras: 2-5, HR, 3 RBI, R

  • Brandon Woodruff: 4.1 IP, 10 H, 8 R (5 ER), 2 BB, 3 K

Blue Jays

  • George Springer: 2-4, 2 R, RBI

  • Nathan Lukes: 2-5, 2 RBI, R

  • Ernie Clement: 2-4, RBI, R

  • Myles Straw: 2-3, 2 RBI, R

  • Tommy Nance: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K

  • Jeff Hoffman: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 K

Reds 7, Cardinals 4

After a players-only meeting in the morning, the Reds played with renewed focus and snapped a five-game losing streak, beating the Cardinals to keep their Wild Card hopes alive.

🔑 Key Moments

  • St. Louis opened the scoring in the first when Nolan Gorman lifted a sacrifice fly to left, bringing home Lars Nootbaar for a 1-0 lead.

  • The Cardinals added on in the second, but the Reds immediately answered. An error set the table before Ke’Bryan Hayes lined an RBI single, then TJ Friedl came through with a two-run knock to put Cincinnati ahead 3-2.

  • Nootbaar struck again in the third with a leadoff triple and later scored on a sac fly from Iván Herrera, tying the game at 3-3.

  • In the fifth, Elly De La Cruz chopped a leadoff double down the line, and Austin Hays followed by launching a two-run homer to left, pushing the Reds back in front 5-3.

  • The Cards closed the gap in the seventh on Jimmy Crooks’ first MLB hit — a solo homer to right — but Cincinnati quickly restored control. Hays doubled and scored on another RBI single from Hayes, making it 6-4.

  • Matt McLain provided insurance in the eighth, leading off with a solo blast to left, his second homer in as many days, sealing the 7-4 win.

📊 Notable Stats

Cardinals

  • Lars Nootbaar: 2-4, 3B, 2 R

  • Iván Herrera: 1-2, SF, RBI

  • Jimmy Crooks: 1-4, HR (first MLB hit)

  • Andre Pallante: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 6 K

Reds

  • Austin Hays: 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2B

  • TJ Friedl: 3-5, 2 RBI

  • Ke’Bryan Hayes: 2-4, 2 RBI, R

  • Matt McLain: 1-2, HR, 2 BB, 2 R

  • Brady Singer: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 8 K

  • Emilio Pagán: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K (26th save)

Mariners 4, Guardians 2

Julio Rodríguez’s hustle turned a ground ball into the game-winning two-run single in the seventh, and Seattle’s bullpen slammed the door to secure the series finale in Cleveland.

🔑 Key Moments

  • In the third, Daniel Schneemann launched a two-run homer to right-center, giving the Guardians an early 2-0 lead.

  • The Mariners tied it in the fifth when Randy Arozarena connected for a two-run blast to left-center, scoring J.P. Crawford.

  • The decisive moment came in the seventh. With the bases loaded and two outs, Julio Rodríguez chopped a ball up the middle and beat the throw to first. After a lengthy review, the call stood, and both Crawford and Cole Young scored to put Seattle ahead 4-2.

  • From there, the Mariners’ bullpen retired the final 19 Cleveland hitters, sealing the win.

📊 Notable Stats

Mariners

  • Randy Arozarena: HR (26), 2 RBI, R

  • Julio Rodríguez: 2-4, 2 RBI

  • J.P. Crawford: 2 R

  • Bryce Miller: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

Guardians

  • Daniel Schneemann: HR (11), 2 RBI, R

  • Steven Kwan: 1-4, R, 2B

  • Tanner Bibee: 6.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

White Sox 3, Yankees 2

The White Sox snapped a five-game skid behind clutch home runs from Colson Montgomery and Lenyn Sosa, then closed the door with a tense ninth to edge the Yankees.

🔑 Key Moments

  • The Yankees struck first in the opening frame when Aaron Judge crushed a solo homer to center, his 43rd of the season.

  • In the second, Chicago answered as Will Robertson doubled home Curtis Mead to tie it 1-1.

  • Cody Bellinger put New York back ahead in the third with an RBI double that scored Judge for a 2-1 lead.

  • In the sixth, Colson Montgomery delivered the equalizer with a Statcast-projected 412-foot homer to center, evening the game at 2-2.

  • With two outs in the eighth, Lenyn Sosa came through with the decisive swing, launching his 18th homer of the year to straightaway center to put the Sox in front 3-2.

  • The Yankees threatened in the ninth, but Mike Vasil retired Paul Goldschmidt and Aaron Judge on deep flyouts before striking out Bellinger looking to secure the save.

📊 Notable Stats

Yankees

  • Aaron Judge: 3-5, HR (43), 2 R, RBI, 2B

  • Cody Bellinger: 1-5, 2B, RBI

  • Luis Gil: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

White Sox

  • Colson Montgomery: 1-4, HR (15), R, RBI

  • Lenyn Sosa: 2-4, HR (18), R, RBI

  • Will Robertson: 1-3, 2B, RBI

  • Martín Pérez: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

  • Mike Vasil: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K

Other scores around the league:

Twins 7, Padres 2
J. Ryan: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 8 SO, 1 BB
B. Buxton: 2-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Red Sox 5, Pirates 2
L. Giolito: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 6 SO, 5 BB
J. Duran: 2-2, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Rays 7, Nationals 4
I. Seymour: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 8 SO, 1 BB
P. Fairbanks: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 SO

Marlins 5, Mets 1
S. Alcantara: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 6 SO, 1 BB
B. Waddell: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 4 SO, 2 BB

Tigers 5, Royals 0
T. Skubal: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 4 SO, 2 BB
J. Rogers: 2-4, 1 R, 2 RBI

Angels 3, Astros 0
J. Soriano: 7.0 IP, 1 H, 8 SO, 3 BB
H. Brown: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 5 SO, 3 BB

Rockies 6, Cubs 5
T. Gordon: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 9 SO, 1 BB
J. Mejía: 1.0 IP, 2 SO

Giants 13, Orioles 2
J. Verlander: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 10 SO, 4 BB
D. Gilbert: 3-5, 2 R, 3 RBI

Rangers 9, Athletics 6
J. deGrom: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 6 SO, 1 BB
J. Pederson: 2-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Braves 3, Phillies 1
J. Luzardo: 6.2 IP, 2 H, 7 SO, 1 BB
R. Iglesias: 1.0 IP, 2 SO

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