The Astros and Athletics were tied at one run apiece in the top of the sixth yesterday. Houston’s ace, Hunter Brown, was through 5 2/3 innings of one run ball and had runners on first and second before facing Jonah Heim. Astros manager Joe Espada made a mound visit to reinvigorate Brown for the final out of the inning, but Espada inadvertently pointed toward the bullpen while coming out of the dugout. As a result of that gaffe, the umpires ruled that Brown needed to be taken out of the game. Reliever AJ Blubaugh retired Heim on a pop out, though the A’s would win 4-3 thanks to a three-run rally in the eighth.
1. Bleday hits for the cycle in Reds’ win
JJ Bleday led the way in Cincinnati’s 11-6 win over the Diamondbacks yesterday, hitting for the cycle in a 4-for-6 performance with three runs batted in. He opened the scoring with an RBI double in the first, then made it 2-0 in the third with a triple to center field. After adding a single in the top of the fourth, Bleday completed the feat with a home run off Zack Littell in the sixth inning. Bleday is the eighth player in franchise history to hit for the cycle, as well as the first since Elly De La Cruz in June 2023. The Reds collected 16 hits overall and scored in all but two innings, as De La Cruz, Héctor Rodríguez, and Matt McLain all homered in addition to Bleday.
2. Arozarena walks it off in two-homer performance
Left fielder Randy Arozarena went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs in the Mariners’ 4-3 victory over the Cubs in Seattle. Arozarena led off the contest with a solo shot off David Peterson. The Cubs rode a three-run sixth inning to take a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth, though a single by Leo Rivas cut that to 4-3. Arozarena delivered the final blow, taking Jacob Webb deep to center field for a two-run, walk-off home run. Arozarena became the first player in Mariners history to hit a leadoff home run and a walk-off home run in the same game. He is up to a 143 wRC+ in the best offensive season of his career.
3. Robert blasts off against former team
Luis Robert Jr. went 2-for-5 with two home runs of his own as the Mets took down the White Sox by a score of 11-5. Robert, facing his old team, hit a two-run shot off Luis Castillo in the top of the third, then added a solo homer off Huascar Brazobán in the seventh for an insurance run. Robert is having a trying season overall, though his 140 wRC+ in 58 August plate appearances is a small bright spot. The Mets’ No. 3-6 hitters combined to go 9-for-20 yesterday, with Bo Bichette and Carson Benge also homering and Jared Young going 2-for-5.
Photo courtesy of Anna Carrington, Imagn Images
