Javier Báez agreed to bring his high motor to the Motor City, while other teams around the majors raced to finish up business before Tuesday’s deadline to tender contracts and a likely roster freeze coming when baseball's collective bargaining agreement expires Wednesday.
Steven Duggar hit a tiebreaking two-run triple after being called up earlier in the day, Brandon Belt homered, and the San Francisco Giants wrapped up their key weekend series against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers with a 6-4 win to take the NL West lead.
Buster Posey and Wilmer Flores hit back-to-back homers in the first inning, Thairo Estrada had a key double in the seventh and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-2 in the opener of a pivotal four-game series between the NL West rivals.
The Padres said Tatis had discomfort in his non-throwing left shoulder and would be re-evaluated on Wednesday. Corbin Burnes turned in 4 2/3 innings, striking out six while allowing two runs on three hits. Jon Lester allowed one run and three hits in 3 2/3 innings in his second start of the spring for Washington. He gave up five hits, hit two batters and struck out three. PADRES 5, REDS 4MacKenzie Gore worked 3 2/3 innings in his third start for San Diego, allowing two runs on three hits.
Starter Zach Eflin pitched four shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out four without a walk. ROCKIES 2, MARINERS 1Kyle Freeland allowed three hits in four shutout innings in his second start for Colorado, striking out four. Seattle's Marco Gonzales threw four shutout innings in his second start, allowing two hits while striking out four. Martín Pérez made his second start, allowing two hits and a walk in four scoreless innings. ATHLETICS 5, REDS 2 (7)Oakland lefty Sean Manaea struck out four in three innings, allowing one run and three hits.
(AP Photo/Eric Risberg)SAN FRANCISCO Evan Longoria and Darin Ruf launched back-to-back home runs in the second inning and the Giants spoiled Madison Bumgarners return to San Francisco with a 4-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night. His 119 wins are third-most in San Francisco history and his 1,794 strikeouts rank second. Joey Bart and Mauricio Dubn added consecutive RBI triples in the sixth to give San Francisco a 4-1 lead. San Francisco improved to 6-2 against the Diamondbacks this season, outscoring them 39-23. He went 2-1 with a 4.11 ERA in three starts against San Francisco last season.
Los Angeles Dodgers' Max Muncy, right, celebrates with Justin Turner, second from left, and A.J. Sam Selman (1-0) recorded the final out in the top of the 11th for the victory. Justin Turner began on second base in the 10th inning and scored the go-ahead run on Bart's wild throw past third immediately after a passed ball. The Dodgers flew late in the day to the Bay Area to give players time for treatment or optional workouts. ... RHP Jeff Samardzija, sidelined by inflammation in his throwing shoulder, is throwing on flat ground and is scheduled for his first bullpen Wednesday.
San Francisco Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto works against the Oakland Athletics in the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)SAN FRANCISCO Stephen Piscotty hit a tying grand slam in the ninth inning, Mark Canha's sacrifice fly put Oakland on top in the 10th, and the Athletics stunned the San Francisco Giants 8-7 on Friday night in the opener of the Bay Bridge Series. Oakland trailed by five in the ninth inning but rallied to win from such a deficit for the first time since July 15, 1952, according to STATS. The Giants hadn't lost after leading by five or more runs in the ninth inning or latter since June 25, 1929. The ball carried on a rare hot evening in San Francisco, where first-pitch temperature reached 85 degrees.
Houston Astros' Martin Maldonado hits a three-run home run against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)HOUSTON Martn Maldonado hit a three-run home run to back a strong start by Zack Greinke and help the Houston Astros to a 5-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night. Maldonado then knocked his two-strike homer into the seats in left field to make it 5-1. San Francisco starter Trevor Cahill, who was selected to the Major League roster before the game, walked four in 1 2/3 innings. UP NEXTGiants: San Francisco is off on Thursday before Johnny Cueto (1-0, 5.40) is scheduled to start on Friday night in the first of three games against Oakland.
HOUSTON Brandon Crawford's RBI single in the 10th inning lifted the San Francisco Giants to a 7-6 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night. An RBI single by Darin Ruf off Ryan Pressly with one out in the ninth tied it at 6-all. Flores also homered for the Giants, who snapped a six-game losing streak to the Astros. Alex Dickerson hit an RBI single to center field with two outs in the fifth to cut the lead to 4-2. Astros: OF George Springer missed his fifth game with a strained right wrist, but was Houston's runner on second base in the 10th inning.
Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. throws against the San Francisco Giants during the fifth inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 10, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)HOUSTON Houston starter Lance McCullers Jr. has not allowed a hit through six innings against the San Francisco Giants. The right-hander retired his first six batters before plunking Austin Slater on the leg to start the third inning. The Astros, who are trying to snap a five-game skid, took a 6-0 lead on Martin Maldonado's homer in the sixth. The 26-year-old McCullers returned this season after missing last season recovering from Tommy John surgery.
McCullers (2-1) bounced back from one of the worst performances of his career with a gem where he allowed one hit and struck out five in seven scoreless innings. Ryan Pressly retired the next two batters before the Giants cut it to 6-3 on a run-scoring single by Brandon Crawford. Slater hit an RBI single before Pressly retired pinch-hitter Evan Longoria to get his first save. McCullers, who missed last season after Tommy John surgery, retired his first six batters before plunking Slater on the leg to start the third inning. Martn Maldonado snapped a 0-for-13 slump when he connected off Conner Menez for a solo homer to the seats in right field to start Houstons sixth and make it 6-0.
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)LOS ANGELES Kik Hernndez homered and drove in five runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the rival San Francisco Giants 8-1 in a fan-less ballpark as baseballs shortened season opened on Thursday night. Betts struck out swinging in his first at-bat a day after signing a $365 million deal over 12 years. Justin Turner grounded into a fielder's choice and Betts beat a throw to the plate to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead in the seventh. Betts struck out with the bases loaded to end a five-run inning that made it 6-1. PREGAME CEREMONYThe Giants and Dodgers held a black ribbon that wound along the baselines in a show of unity after pregame introductions.
The Giants were playing an exhibition game at Oakland on Monday night with no fans after a months-long delay caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It turned out Davis had all kinds of support on every side of him, including from first-year San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler, who also took a knee before the Giants' 6-2 victory. So did first base coach Antoan Richardson, while shortstop Brandon Crawford stood between Davis and Richardson with a hand on each man's shoulder. The 26-year-old Davis, who is Black, said it was a difficult decision to kneel given he is a rookie. Then Yastrzemski and Hunter Pence pulled him aside and assured the right fielder they would support him regardless.
