By Staff
From staff reports
While the Rays never trailed in the game, the Twins had their chances Monday night before a last-inning double play sealed their fate. The Rays took the win over the Twins by a score of 8 to 6.
Chris Jones, who eventually recorded the win on the mound, slapped a two-run home run over the right field fence to score leadoff hitter Jake Najor to put the Rays up 2-0. But the Twins locked up a two-run first inning of their own, twice scoring from third on a pair of passed balls.
The Rays put together a 4-run fourth inning, then tacked on two more in the fifth, then held on for dear life, as the Twins seemed to storm back and have a chance.
In that fourth inning, a Christian Alvarez single scored Hunter Harp. Walker Harris (1B), Christian Carlson and Najor (sacrifice fly) followed with RBIs to make it 5-2, just before Larry Cheatum’s two-out single added a 6th run. The Twins got a Duncan Brittain RBI fielder’s choice to close within 6-3.
An inning later, as the Rays built an 8-3 lead on back-to-back singles by Carlson and Alvarez, the Twins roared back with a 3-run rally that fell short.
Noah Morris was hit by a pitch and Jonathan Lucas singled just before Keaton Parker slapped a three-run, inside-the-park home run down the third-base line.
Still with no outs, the Twins had runners on first and second when Rays left-fielder Austin Holmes made a running catch in left field, then threw back to second to beat the runner back to the bag for the double play.
A strikeout to the next batter ended the threat and the game.
For the Rays Carlson and Cheatum had a pair of hits and RBIs, while Alvarez added two RBIs.
The Twins were led by Parker’s home run, while Lucas, Will Smith, Luke Agerton and Patrick Ard all added singles.
PHILLIES 17, A’s 16
Building a 15-6 lead through three innings, the Phillies had to hold on for dear life Monday night as the never-say-die A’s roared back to score 10 fourth-inning runs and take a 16-15 lead. But with time running out, the Phillies scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to claim the nail-biting victory.
The Phillies pounded out 22 hits in improving their record to 9-1. They were led by James Peach and Cole Blackmon, each of whom went 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Chris Gehman added three hits, as did Jones Manning—who added a triple. Christian Mancil had two hits, including a double, Lowell Swain had two hits with a triple and Ethan Tyree had a pair of hits. Kyle Davis was 2-for-2 with his seventh home run of the season.
The A’s were paced by Todd Mayo, who was 4-for-4 with a two-run, inside-the-park home run and Tyler Reid had a double in a 2-for-3 effort at the plate. Kellyn Winn, Brooks Brown, Tyler Hoomes (3B), Yancey Jernigan and Markail Mitchell each contributed hits.
RED SOX 15 CUBS 11
Down 11-1 and facing their last at-bat Monday night, the Red Sox – who had only one hit through two innings – pounded out 10 hits and scored 14 runs as time ran out in the third to record the heart-wrenching victory.
In the deciding inning alone Lane Clark, Troy Lewis, Joshua Winton and Russell Smith each had two hits. Both of Winton’s hits were triples and accounted for five RBIs. Caleb Winton added a two-run double in the inning, while Harrison Hughes and Hayden Atkinson each had RBI hits as well. In all, Clark was 3-for-3 with a double, three runs scored and an RBI as the Red Sox finished their regular season with a 9-2 record overall and 6-2 in 9-10 league play.
The Cubs, who welcomed the return of Drew Williamson from a broken wrist, watched as he masterfully pitched his team to its 10-run lead. The only hit recorded against him was a leadoff double by Clark in the first inning. From there, Williamson walked just two and struck out five before being relieved in the second inning.
For a while, the Cubs dominated at the plate, scoring four runs on one hit in the first, then rapping out five more hits in the second inning en route to a six-run frame that produced a 10-1 advantage. They would add one more in the top of the third, before the Red Sox comeback sealed the win.
The Cubs were led by Daniel Blair, Jordan Williams and Williamson, each of whom had two hits and walked once. Blair had a triple, single and two RBIs, while Williamson scored three times.
REDS 10, RED SOX 7
Once again the game between these two teams came down to the last at-bat. And while the Red Sox won the previous game in their final chance, winning pitcher Garrett Salter made sure it didn’t happen again last Saturday.
The Reds took an early 3-2 lead and widened the margin to 7-4 after their fourth at-bat thanks to RBI hits from Salter and Stokes Jennings.
But the Red Sox tied the score at 7-7 in their half of the inning thanks to four straight hits from Caleb Winton, Joshua Winton, Tyler Baxter and Russell Smith to start the inning. But Smith was stranded at third after Salter dug in to get the next three batters out.
Salter’s Reds then gave their pitcher some breathing room in the top of the fifth when Baylen Parker led off with a single. The play was followed by a single from O’Neil White and then a two-run triple to right field from Hunter Brittain. Brittain eventually scored on a passed ball to give his team the 10-7 edge.
Facing the top of the Red Sox order, Salter made short order of his opponents, getting a line-drive out, ground out and strikeout to end the game and give the Reds the exciting victory.
For the winners, the Reds had nine hits and Parker led the way with two hits, while White, Hunter, Salter and Jennings provided two singles as well. Brittain walked twice and scored four runs and had two hits. Kristian Smith had a hit also.
The Red Sox—who had 12 hits in the game—were led by Lane Clark’s two hits—which included a double. Joshua Winton, Tyler Baxter and Garrett Cave also had a pair of hits. Hayden Atkinson, Troy Lewis, Caleb Winton and Russell Smith also reached safely on hits.