Bartolo Colon has long had two milestones on his mind. Now he has both of them in hand.

The 45-year-old right-hander overcame a sluggish start to earn his 245th major league win and match Dennis Martinez for the most by a pitcher from Latin America when the Texas Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox 13-4 on Saturday night.

Colon already had the most wins by a pitcher born in the Dominican Republic Mark Scheifele Jersey , having surpassed Hall of Famer Juan Marichal for that distinction with his 244th victory at Kansas City on June 18, six days before a loss at Minnesota. Colon won again Saturday in his first home start since June 6 to tie Martinez, who is from Nicaragua.

Asked if he was able to put all his achievements in perspective, Colon made it clear there were two that were especially important to him.

”Not every milestone,” he said through a translator. ”Marichal and Dennis Martinez, and I got those.”

The night was done for Colon (5-5) after Matt Davidson led off the sixth with a homer to center field that pulled the White Sox to 5-3. Four relievers closed it out for Texas.

”We want to be able, if he’s got an opportunity, to put the W behind his name to make sure he gets this,” manager Jeff Banister said. ”Obviously we want to win every game we possibly can, but a situation like this for him, and the overall history and his impact on the game, and impact on himself, and just what it means for the game of baseball.”

Joey Gallo and Ryan Rua homered for the Rangers, who won for the 11th time in 13 games and clinched their fifth consecutive series. Robinson Chirinos hit a three-run double in the fourth inning that put Texas ahead to stay.

White Sox lefty Carlos Rodon (1-3) allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Shin-Soo Choo, who has a major league-best on-base streak of 41 games, didn’t play for Texas because of right quad soreness. Choo said he has dealt with the issue for at least 10 days and it really bothered him recently.

Chicago’s first two batters got hits, though neither scored. Colon then threw 42 of his 79 pitches in the second inning, when he gave up three hits and his only two walks while the White Sox took a 2-0 lead.

”He’s kind of my half-hero,” Chicago manager Rick Renteria said. ”I told (pitching coach Don Cooper), look at that guy. He’s still out there getting after it. Good for him. … Even though he gave up a couple runs early, he just kept pitching. No panic, no concern, just keep throwing strikes and let me see what happens.”

Affectionately nicknamed Big Sexy, the portly Colon retired 10 of 11 batters before Davidson went deep. Colon even got over to cover first base in time to get speedy Leury Garcia, who dove headfirst as the pitcher took a toss from Gallo to start the third. Colon had a grin on his face walking back to the mound.

”I thought that if I didn’t get the guy out, I was going out Mathieu Perreault Jersey ,” Colon said. ”So thanks that happened that he was out, so I could continue the game.”

SHORT HOPS

Three White Sox pitchers combined to throw 65 pitches in the eighth inning, when the Rangers scored seven times. The big hits were a two-run triple by Elvis Andrus and a two-run double by Jurickson Profar. … Adrian Beltre had two hits, increasing his career total to 3,107 – the most among active players and three shy of Dave Winfield for 20th all-time.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: 3B Yolmer Sanchez was back in the lineup after missing the series opener with a bruised left quad sustained when he collided with Minnesota 1B Logan Morrison on Thursday.

Rangers: Choo doesn’t think his quad issue is serious, but said he didn’t want to make anything worse. ”I know I have the streak going on, but my body and staying healthy is more important,” he said. … LHP Martin Perez (right elbow) allowed two singles in six scoreless innings in his second rehab start, throwing 73 pitches for Double-A Frisco.

UP NEXT

Rangers left-hander Cole Hamels (4-6, 3.61 ERA), one of the top starters potentially available before the July 31 trade deadline, pitches the series finale. Hamels has a 3.28 ERA over his last nine starts. He is 2-0 with a 2.86 ERA in four career starts against the White Sox.

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Ian Desmond, Trevor Story and Colorado starter Chad Bettis each had quite a return to Texas in a record comeback for the Rockies.

Playing his first game in Texas since being an All-Star center fielder in his only season for the Rangers, Desmond homered twice. Story had a pair of RBI hits in his first big league game at home and fellow Texas native Bettis overcame a tough first inning as the Rockies won 9-5 in the opener of an interleague series Friday night.

”Lot of emotion,” said Desmond, who went to Colorado in free agency after playing for Texas in 2016. ”Good time to have a good game.”

Desmond, a converted shortstop and now the primary first baseman for the Rockies, homered leading off the second inning. That ignited a six-run outburst after Bettis (5-1) allowed two-run homers to Jurickson Profar and Joey Gallo in a five-run Texas first.

The Rangers didn’t score again against Bettis, who made it 5 2/3 innings – or any of the three Rockies relievers.

”For them to get six there right after I had given up five was huge,” said Bettis, who is from Lubbock and pitched at Texas Tech. ”I needed to go out there and show these guys thanks for picking me up.”

The last time the Rockies won after trailing by five runs after the first inning was against Atlanta on Sept. 24, 2006, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. They had never had such a comeback on the road until Friday night.

”Yeah, it was (surprising). I felt like our guys there in the first, the approach was solid,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said. ”They were getting some pitches to hit. In the second Michael Hutchinson Jersey , we grounded into a double play when we had a run-scoring opportunity. … I felt like that once Colorado got the six runs, an experienced pitcher settled in and started making some pitches.”

Texas has a seven-game losing streak, its longest of the season. The Rockies had lost five of their previous six.

Story grew up about 15 minutes away from the Rangers’ ballpark before he was the 45th overall pick in the 2011 draft by the Rockies out of Irving High School. The shortstop, who still lives in the area in the offseason, leads the National League with 52 RBIs.

After Desmond’s homer in the second off Yohander Mendez (0-1), the lefty making his first big league start, D.J. LeMahieu and Charlie Blackmon had consecutive RBI singles before Nolan Arenado snapped a career-worst 0-for-19 slump with a two-run double. Story then had the tiebreaking RBI single.

”Yeah, it was special. I grew up loving the Rangers, so coming here I’ve always dreamed of playing in this stadium,” Story said. ”It was kind of surreal at first and I was a little nervous at first. Those kind of went away pretty quick.”

ROCKIES GOING DEEP

Arenado led off the ninth with his 13th homer. … Desmond’s second homer, in the fifth, was his 14th of the season for his fifth career multihomer game. … Desmond was only 10th Rockies player with a multihomer game in an interleague road game, the first since Blackmon at Yankee Stadium in 2016. … Desmond is the first Rockies player to homer twice at Texas.

BIG INNING

The six-run second was the highest scoring inning this season for Colorado, and the most in an American League ballpark since eight in the 10th inning of a game at Detroit on June 15, 2012.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: RHP Carlos Estevez, who has been out all season with a left oblique and elbow strain, threw a bullpen session. Manager Bud Black said he threw all of his pitched at a high-level intensity and is ”really gaining momentum.”

Rangers: Carlos Perez, starting in place of Chirinos, rolled his right ankle extending to catch a ball in the top of the second inning. Jose Trevino, recalled from Double-A Frisco, made his big league when he batted for Perez in the bottom of the inning and then stayed in the game as the catcher. … RF Nomar Mazara was a late scratch from the lineup because of left wrist soreness. … Right-handed relievers Matt Bush (right elbow strain) and Chris Martin (right calf strain) were put on the 10-day DL.

UP NEXT

Lefty Kyle Freeland (6-6), the Denver native who was 4-0 in interleague starts as a rookie last season, takes the mound for the Rockies in the first of consecutive day games to close out the interleague series. Rangers left-hander Mike Minor (4-4) is working on extended six days of rest after Texas had two off days during the week.

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Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco has been removed from their game against Minnesota after he was struck on the right arm by a line drive in the second inning.

Carrasco hopped off the mound and went down to his knees on the infield grass after he was hit by Joe Mauer’s leadoff liner. Manager Terry Francona and a team trainer visited Carrasco Youth Malik Jefferson Jersey , who remained on his knees for several moments.

Carrasco then walked to the dugout with the trainer and was replaced by Oliver Perez. Minnesota scored four runs in the first off Carrasco, who entered Saturday’s game with an 8-4 record.

It looked as if Carrasco was struck on the elbow, but the team announced he was taken to a hospital for examination of a forearm contusion.

Carrasco was hit in the face by a line drive in 2015, but made his next turn in the rotation. The right-hander broke his right hand after being hit by a line drive late in the 2016 season and missed the playoffs.

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Dallas Keuchel had a different catcher before throwing his first pitch for the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.

Everything worked out just fine with Tim Federowicz behind the plate with the former AL Cy Young Award winner throwing some of his best breaking pitches all season.

Keuchel struck out seven and allowed only two runs over seven scoreless innings, winning for only the second time in his last nine starts, as the Astros beat the Texas Rangers 5-3.

”Some of the shape it was taking early was really good. (Shin-Soo) Choo leading off the game, anytime you get him to swing and miss at a breaking pitch, it’s acting pretty good, and then (Nomar) Mazara struck out looking with a slider away,” Keuchel said. ”Both of those balls had good action and I knew from the then on if I could establish the fastball in to the lefties Youth Mark Walton Jersey , it would be a good day.”

Josh Reddick and Tony Kemp homered for the Astros, who are 11-4 this season against their instate division rival, with seven consecutive road wins in the series. Houston is a majors-best 31-14 on the road this season.

Keuchel (5-8) struck out the first four batters he faced, and six of the first seven.

After catcher Brian McCann went on the disabled list and had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee earlier Tuesday, manager A.J. Hinch said Max Stassi would do the bulk of the catching. But Stassi got hit by a pitch batting in the first, and left the game with a bruised right (throwing) wrist before even taking the field on defense.

”I think we avoided a fracture, very good for us,” manager A.J. Hinch said. ”Got him pretty good in the wrist. Got a welt there, couldn’t flex his hand, hand so mobility.”

X-rays were negative and Stassi is considered day to day.

Keuchel had only thrown a few bullpens with Federowicz in spring training Cassius Marsh Color Rush Jersey , and a live BP session, before the catcher was called back from Triple-A Fresno earlier Tuesday.

”The way he handled the game not expecting to play, that was really impressive,” Keuchel said.

Choo later walked twice and had two singles to extend his career-best on-base streak to 43 games, the longest in the majors since Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman’s 46-gamer two years ago. Choo is three games shy of Julio Franco’s team record of 46 in a row set 25 years ago.

The Astros used three relievers to get through the eighth. Texas already had a run in before Hector Rondon took over against pinch-hitter Joey Gallo, who worked a 12-pitch at-bat into a two-out walk to load the bases before Robinson Chirinos struck out. Rondon then worked the ninth for his sixth save in eight chances.

Houston went ahead to stay in the first when Yuli Gurriel and Reddick had RBI doubles off Austin Bibens-Dirkx (1-2), who still managed to get through six innings. He struck out four, walked two and hit two batters.

”To get through six in that situation was huge for us,” manager Jeff Banister said. ”Early on it didn’t look that it was going to be the case, a situation where really didn’t have a whole lot of sink on the fastball. … For us to still have an opportunity there through those innings http://www.packersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-josh-jackson-jersey , it was big-time by him.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: SS Carlos Correa, out since June 26 with lower back soreness, has been working out daily in Houston. Hinch said it was uncertain if Correa will be ready to play Friday when eligible to come off the DL. He hadn’t gone through any baseball activities yet.

Rangers: RHP Tony Barnette left the game after a 2-1 pitch to Marwin Gonzalez in the eighth. The Rangers said he had a right shoulder strain and would be evaluated further Wednesday. … 1B Ronald Guzman had two hits and scored twice after being activated from the seven-day concussion DL.

SHORT HOPS

The Astros have homered in 23 consecutive road games, a club record and four from matching the MLB record set by Oakland earlier this season. … Before Bibens-Dirkx plunked Stassi in the first inning, Rangers pitchers had gone 22 games without hitting a batter – the longest span for the team since 1998.

DOUBLE DOUBLED UP

Astros leadoff hitter George Springer was in a 3-for-46 slide before a single in the sixth. But he was also doubled off twice on hard lineouts.

UP NEXT

Gerrit Cole (9-2) will pitch on regular rest for the Astros after they made a slight tweak in their rotation. Lance McCullers Jr., who was scheduled to start, was instead pushed back to Friday. Rangers lefty Mike Minor (6-4) took a perfect game into the seventh inning of his last start, a win last Wednesday over the San Diego Padres.

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A look at what’s happening around the majors today:

HOT AS THE WEATHER

Evan Gattis and the World Series champion Astros have the longest active winning streak in the majors. They go for their 10th straight victory when they play at Kansas City Quandre Diggs Jersey , where temperatures are expected to approach triple digits. Houston left-hander Dallas Keuchel (3-8) pitches against Danny Duffy (3-6). Keuchel, the 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner, has allowed 13 runs over 11 innings in two June starts – raising his ERA from 3.65 to 4.45. The Royals have lost four in a row and 10 of 11.

OUCH!

With a franchise-record 15 players on the disabled list, the Angels try for a second consecutive victory in Oakland. Los Angeles added four more players to the DL on Friday: infielder Zack Cozart (partially dislocated right shoulder), right-hander Jim Johnson (lower back strain), right-hander Garrett Richards (strained left hamstring) and right-hander Nick Tropeano (right shoulder inflammation). Only 12 players from the opening day roster were active Friday.

GOLDEN GOLDY

Paul Goldschmidt tries to keep up his torrid pace at the plate when the Diamondbacks host the slumping Mets. Goldschmidt entered this month batting a paltry .209 after slogging his way through May, when he had only 14 hits in 97 at-bats (.144). The All-Star slugger has returned to form in June with seven homers, 15 RBIs and 17 runs. In 14 games Olivier Rodrigue Oilers Jersey , he’s raised his batting average 56 points to .265. He homered for the second consecutive night Friday, finishing with three hits and two RBIs in a 7-3 victory. He has nine homers and 21 RBIs in his past 20 games. Meanwhile, the NL West leaders have won seven of eight and 11 of 14. The freefalling Mets have dropped four straight, 12 of 13 and 19 of 23.

MAD MAX

Washington ace Max Scherzer has won the last two NL Cy Young Awards. The right-hander appears well on his way to a third straight – and fourth Cy Young overall – going into his start at Toronto. Scherzer (10-2, 2.00 ERA) leads the majors with 142 strikeouts in 94 2/3 innings, and he’s allowed more than five hits in a game only twice in 13 starts this season.

MAD BUM

Giants lefty Madison Bumgarner takes the mound in Los Angeles against the rival Dodgers. Bumgarner is 0-1 with a 4.76 ERA in two starts this season following a two-month stay on the disabled list. He allowed six hits and four runs over 5 1/3 innings last time out vs. Miami. The 2014 World Series MVP is 15-9 with a 2.53 ERA in 29 career outings vs. the Dodgers.

MR. ZERO

Red Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright (2-0, 1.21 ERA) brings the longest current shutout streak in the majors into his start at Seattle. Wright has thrown 22 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, including back-to-back starts when he went seven innings in a win against Detroit and 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision at Baltimore. Wade Leblanc (7-3 Ryan McLeod Oilers Jersey , 4.26) goes for the surprising Mariners, who are 45-25.

BOTTOM DOLLAR

Orioles first baseman Chris Davis has essentially been benched in the wake of a season-long slump. Davis is batting .150 with four home runs, 15 RBIs and 86 strikeouts in 52 games. Making matters worse, he’s in the third year of a $161 million, seven-year contract. Davis hasn’t played since Monday, and there’s no telling when he will be back in the lineup. ”Chris is continuing with some things that he’s working on,” manager Buck Showalter said. ”When they come to me and say they think he’s ready to get back in the lineup, we’ll put him back in there. But it’s nothing imminent.” Baltimore has lost eight straight James Daniels Color Rush Jersey , its longest skid since July 2011. The Orioles have dropped 15 of 17 overall and 10 straight at home, scoring only 14 runs.

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A New Jersey community has raised enough money to send a beloved school bus driver and die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan to the Super Bowl.

A group of parents and students surprised Gary Kelmer with the present when he pulled up to the last stop on his bus route on Monday in Mount Laurel.

Parents Amy and Izaak Smith wanted to raise money as a way to thank ”Mr. Gary” for his daily kindness. They raised more than $5,000 in just a few days on the fundraising site GoFundMe to send Kelmer and his wife to the Super Bowl in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Smiths purchased tickets, airfare and personalized jerseys for the couple.

A stunned Kelmer on Monday called it a ”special dream come true” and exclaimed ”I’m ecstatic.”

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs waited and waited and waited Monday night. When the lights malfunctioned again and the forecast called for more rain http://www.steelersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-mason-rudolph-jersey , they finally said enough.

The rematch of the last two NL Championship Series was postponed by a mixture of poor weather and a limited power outage at Wrigley Field. It will be made up Tuesday afternoon as part of a day-night doubleheader.

It was sunny and hot in Chicago for most of Monday, but clouds began to roll into the area about two hours before the scheduled first pitch. An initial downpour stopped at one point and the grounds crew pulled the tarp off the field, only to put it back on after a short stretch.

There was also trouble with three banks of lights on the first-base side of the iconic 104-year-old ballpark that went on and off a couple times, in addition to some lights in the stands on the third-base side that were out when the game was called after a nearly 3-hour delay.

”It appears to be a limited power outage in the ballpark which is impacting the right-field light operation,” Cubs spokesman Julian Green said. ”Obviously can’t play baseball without a full bank of lights in the ballpark. Notwithstanding the lights, we’re also dealing with a pretty heavy storm system in the area, which we’re projected to get more rain here.”

Green said they don’t know the root cause of the power outage, but it appears to be in the ballpark itself and not in the surrounding neighborhood. He said the plan is to have ballpark fully operational by the start of the first game on Tuesday.

”But a lot of work needs to happen tonight to make sure we can do that,” Green said.

This is Los Angeles’ only scheduled trip to Chicago this season.

”It’s out of our control,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. ”It’s one of those times when we spent a lot of time here, but there’s nothing else we could have done.”

Kenta Maeda, Monday night’s scheduled starter for Los Angeles Authentic Mikael Backlund Jersey , will get the ball for the opener of the doubleheader. Rich Hill will come off the disabled list to start Game 2.

Hill was placed on the DL on May 20 with a blister on his left middle finger, a recurring problem for the veteran left-hander.

The Cubs employed the same plan, with Tyler Chatwood going in the opener and Mike Montgomery staying in place for the previously scheduled game. Montgomery is 2-1 with a 1.14 ERA in four starts since he was inserted into the rotation after Yu Darvish was sidelined by right triceps tendinitis.

The Dodgers are making their first appearance at Wrigley since they advanced to the World Series with an 11-1 victory over the Cubs in Game 5 of the NLCS on Oct. 19. The same teams also met in the 2016 NLCS, with Chicago advancing on its way to its first championship since 1908.

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Jay Cohen can be reached at After losing 10 of their previous 11 games away from home, the Toronto Blue Jays got timely plays to break out of their rut.

Steve Pearce hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning and the Blue Jays ended a five-game road losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night.

”We needed it. We did it in dramatic fashion, and sometimes that’s what you need to start a little streak,” said Pearce, who is 4 for 6 in two games since returning from the disabled list because of a strained oblique.

Pearce’s fourth homer was a line drive down the left-field line off Justin Anderson (1-2), who gave up a two-out single to Aledmys Diaz and walked Devon Travis to bring Pearce to the plate. Pearce was waiting for a slider, and Anderson left it hanging over the middle of the plate.

”It was in the back of my mind, but I was just trying not to strike out,” Pearce said. ”In that situation Sam Darnold Jersey Elite , you’ve got two guys on, you’ve got to put it in play and let the chips fall where they may.”

Seunghwan Oh (3-2) got the win despite giving up a solo home run to Luis Valbuena that tied it at 1 in the eighth. Ryan Tepera earned his sixth save, striking out Jose Fernandez to end the game.

Marcus Stroman threw five scoreless innings for the Blue Jays, who had lost 10 of their last 11 on the road. Stroman, who had not started since May 8 because of shoulder fatigue, allowed six hits and one walk.

Stroman said it was his best performance of the season, able to effortlessly switch between pitches that he described as ”easy” and ”natural” coming off his hand. After going through a limited spring training because of inflammation in his shoulder, Stroman treated his stint on the disabled list as a second chance to get his body ready for the season.

”I thought he looked like the old guy,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said.

Teoscar Hernandez gave the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead on his solo home run in the third. The shot to left-center was the 13th this season for Hernandez, who went 2 for 4.

Los Angeles had its three-game winning streak snapped. The Angels used five rookie starters, including right-hander Jamie Barria, who gave up one run and four hits Jets Sam Darnold Jersey , and walked four in five innings.

TERRIFIC TAG

The Angels had a chance to tie it in the bottom of the third after loading the bases with one out, but Russell Martin tagged out David Fletcher at home plate to end the inning. Valbuena popped out to short center, and Kevin Pillar’s throw home arrived ahead of the rookie second baseman.

”I knew he was out,” said Stroman, who was backing up Martin on the play. ”I had the best view. The throw couldn’t have been any more perfect. Right on the money. Literally, Russell could have closed his eyes and probably caught the ball, put that tag.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Blue Jays: RHP Aaron Sanchez (right finger contusion) and LHP Jaime Garcia (shoulder) were placed on the disabled list Saturday. LHP Tim Mayza was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo.

Angels: DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani (elbow) will be re-evaluated Thursday and will not travel with the team during its upcoming 10-game road trip. … C Rene Rivera (right knee) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: RHP Sam Gaviglio (2-2, 3.75 ERA) is seeking his first win since May 25. He has allowed seven runs in 7 1/3 innings in his last two starts.

Angels: RHP Felix Pena (0-0, 5.40) will make his second career start. Pena faced the Blue Jays as a reliever with the Cubs last season, striking out all three batters he faced.

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Javier Baez put on a show for the Chicago Cubs and appeared to nail his audition for a high-profile role later this summer.

Baez hit two home runs Youth Albert Wilson Jersey , including a grand slam, Jon Lester won his sixth consecutive start and the Cubs ended a five-game losing streak with a 9-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.

Baez homered in consecutive innings, giving him 16 on the season, and finished with four hits. He hit a solo shot off Dodgers starter Ross Stripling in the fifth inning and his bases-loaded shot in the sixth into the Dodgers’ bullpen came against reliever Edward Paredes.

And he did all of his damage in front of Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who just happens to be the National League’s manager in the All-Star Game next month.

”I have been saying for a couple of years, the moment he stops swinging at sliders in the dirt, he becomes Manny Ramirez . and he’s getting closer,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Baez. ”And I think he is a better defender than Manny was . and baserunner. And Manny, I still love you.”

Baez said he was inspired to play at Dodger Stadium, but not necessarily because Roberts was watching him from the top step.

”I love it here,” Baez said. ”The (Dodgers) fans are pretty close to ours. I like playing here and I like the energy they have for their team. This is a team we will see for a long time, hopefully in the playoffs, and it is always going to be a good competition.”

Stripling gave up just one run over five innings before the Cubs broke open the game with six runs off the bullpen. Yimi Garcia (1-2) gave up three of them. The Dodgers lost for just the sixth time in 22 games in June.

”I think they’re a really good lineup,” Stripling said. ”Obviously Lester on the mound makes them good, too. I think they’re a good benchmark for us to see how we’re playing.”

It was Baez’s fourth multi-homer game and his second this season. His grand slam was the fourth of his career.

Lester (10-2) gave up two runs on four hits over five innings. It was his shortest outing by innings since April 11, when he also went five against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and his 82 pitches were his fewest since throwing 71 on opening day in Miami.

”Obviously any time you’re taken out of a game you’re not happy, (but) I respect the decision,” Lester said. ”(Maddon’s) my manager and I always stand behind him. But I’m a competitor and I want to pitch innings.”

Lester has a 1.73 ERA over his last 11 starts, going back to April 30, and hasn’t lost since May 23. He is tied with Washington’s Max Scherzer for the NL lead in wins.

Cody Bellinger had two of the Dodgers’ four hits off Lester and now has 19 hits in his past 18 games, including seven of his 15 home runs.

The Dodgers have a major league-leading 48 home runs in June but did not hit one Tuesday.

The Cubs sent nine batters to the plate in their big sixth inning. Adison Russell and Ben Zobrist hit RBI singles in the frame to go along with Baez’s grand slam. Willson Contreras added an RBI single in the eighth inning and Albert Almora had an RBI single in the ninth.

The Dodgers’ Enrique Hernandez and Justin Turner each stole third base uncontested in the eighth inning with the Cubs’ infield overloaded on the right side in an extreme defensive shift. Hernandez and Turner both ended up scoring in the inning.

CHILI SAUCE

Cubs hitting coach Chili Davis held a short meeting Tuesday for the hitters and it turned into a nine-run, 15-hit night for a club starved for offense.

”I want to believe (the meeting) had something to do with it,” Maddon said. ”(Opposite-field) hits by Almora and Contreras I loved. And of course, Javy had a nice day. I’m still looking forward to, as we get more mature in the batter’s box, that we chase less. I love homers like everybody else does, but there are so many other ways to score.”

ROUGH DAY FOR PUIG

The Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig was doubled off trying to scramble back to first base in the second inning, failed to grab Ian Happ’s line drive into the gap in right-center for an error in the sixth, and twice allowed the Cubs to take an extra base on throws back to the infield.

The Dodgers came into the sixth inning with a 2-1 lead and left trailing 7-2.

”I thought the ball was a little further away and when I was trying to run it down I kind of lost it in the lights and that’s when we lost the game,” Puig said of missing Happ’s liner.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: 3B Kris Bryant (left shoulder inflammation) was placed on the 10-day DL, retroactive to June 23, but is not expected to miss more than 10 days, Maddon. … RHP Yu Darvish (right triceps tendinitis) will throw a bullpen this week before the Cubs decide if he will need another rehab start or rejoin the active roster.

Dodgers: RHP Walker Buehler (right rib microfracture) threw a full-intensity bullpen session and the Dodgers will discuss the possibility of an upcoming minor league rehab start. … INF/OF Chris Taylor (sore left hamstring) did not start but had a pinch-hit single in the fifth inning as the club is trying to avoid a DL move. … RHP Pedro Baez (right biceps tendinitis) threw a bullpen at about 70-percent effort, according to Roberts, and is expected to throw another bullpen Friday.

UP NEXT

Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks (5-7, 3.73 ERA) has lost four of his last five starts. Dodgers left-hander Alex Wood (3-5, 4.13) has won his last two starts after giving up 15 combined runs over his previous three out Projected starters and key players for the Super Bowl at Minneapolis on Feb. 4:

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

OFFENSE

Nick Foles, QB (9), 6-foot-6, 243 pounds, 6th season Youth Daniel Kilgore Jersey , Arizona

Took over for Carson Wentz after Wentz tore his ACL in December against Rams. … Played first three seasons with Eagles before returning as free agent. … Became first QB in franchise history to throw for at least 300 yards and at least 3 TDs in playoff game with 352 yards, 3 TDs in NFC championship game.

LeGarrette Blount, RB (29), 6-0, 250, 8th season, Oregon

Won Super Bowls with Patriots after 2014, 2016 seasons. … Led NFL with career-high 18 rushing TDs in 2016. … Power runner who does best work near end zone.

Jay Ajayi, RB (36), 6-0, 223, 3rd season, Boise State

Acquired from Miami at trade deadline. … Became first player in NFL history to produce at least 400 rushing yards with two teams (465 yards, Miami, 408 yards, Philadelphia) in same season. … Was fourth in NFL in rushing in 2016 with 1,272 yards.

Alshon Jeffery, WR (17), 6-3, 218, 6th season, South Carolina

Led Eagles with 9 TD catches in regular season despite no 100-yard games. Only two receivers (DeAndre Hopkins, Devante Adams) had more. … Spent first five seasons with Bears. … Caught 5 passes for 85 yards and 2 TDs in NFC title game.

Nelson Agholor, WR (13), 6-0, 198, 3rd season, Southern Cal

First-round pick in 2015. … With 62 catches, 768 yards and 8 TDs, provides excellent complement to Jeffery in breakout season.

Torrey Smith, WR (82), 6-0, 205, 7th season, Maryland

Brings playoff experience to passing game. … Won Super Bowl 47 with Baltimore. … A deep threat.

Zach Ertz, TE (86), 6-5, 250, 5th season, Stanford

One of league’s best tight ends. Led team with 74 receptions and added 8 TDs. Had 8 catches for 93 yards in NFC championship game.

Halapoulivaati Vaitai, LT (72), 6-6 Youth Josh Sitton Jersey , 320, 2nd season, TCU

Fifth-round pick in 2016. Can play both tackle positions. … Replacing perennial Pro Bowl tackle Jason Peters.

Stefen Wisniewski, LG (61), 6-3, 305, 7th season, Penn State

Originally second-round pick of Oakland in 2011. … Has played left guard and center. … His uncle, Steve, was two-time All-Pro selection at guard with L.A. Rams and Oakland Raiders.

Jason Kelce, C (62), 6-3, 295, 7th season, Cincinnati

Went from sixth-round pick in 2011 to first All-Pro selection this season. … Dominant part of run game, can handle DTs one on one.

Brandon Brooks, RG (79), 6-5, 335, 6th season, Miami, Ohio

Spent first four seasons with Texans. … Joined Eagles in 2016. … Selected for first Pro Bowl in 2017.

Lane Johnson, RT (65), 6-6, 317, 5th season, Oklahoma

Second All-Pro on offensive line. … Was No. 4 overall pick in 2013. … Suspended 10 games in 2016 for violating NFL’s performance-enhancers policy.

—

DEFENSE

Chris Long, DE (56), 6-3, 270, 10th season, Virginia

Won Super Bowl last year with Patriots. … First season with Eagles. …. Had 5 sacks and 4 forced fumbles in regular season and 8 QB pressures in NFC title game. … Similar performance could help Eagles pull upset in Super Bowl. … Second overall pick in 2008 draft by Rams. … Son of Hall of Fame DL Howie Long.

Fletcher Cox, DT (91), 6-4, 310, 6th season, Mississippi State

Three-time Pro Bowler. … Powerful force who’s second among Eagles interior linemen with 34 sacks. … Had season-high 7 tackles and sack of Falcons’ Matt Ryan in divisional playoff win against Atlanta.

Tim Jernigan, DT (93), 6-2, 295, 4th season, Florida State

Second-round pick of Ravens in 2014 was acquired in trade in April and provides depth on defensive line. … Signed four-year extension through 2021.

Brandon Graham Youth Fred Warner Jersey , DE (55), 6-2, 265, 8th season, Michigan

Led Eagles with career-high 9+ sacks. … No. 13 pick in 2010 draft and longest-tenured member of Eagles defense. … Sacked Tom Brady twice when Eagles beat Patriots in previous meeting in 2015.

Derek Barnett, DE (96), 6-3, 259, 1st season, Tennessee

Had 5 sacks in rookie season. …. Had strip-sack of Case Keenum to halt Vikings’ red zone drive in NFC title game. … First-round pick last April.

Mychal Kendricks, LB (95), 6-0, 240, 6th season, Cal

Second on team with 77 tackles. … Has thrived under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. … Had team-high 10 tackles in NFC title game.

Dannell Ellerbe, LB (57), 6-1, 245, 9th season, Georgia

Won Super Bowl 47 with Baltimore. … Joined Eagles in November and became third middle linebacker after Jordan Hicks, Joe Walker sustained season-ending injuries. … Missed NFC title game with hamstring injury.

Nigel Bradham, LB (53), 6-2, 241, 6th season, Florida State

Acquired in trade with Buffalo in 2016. … Led all Eagles LBs with 99 tackles and had career-high 7 tackles for loss and tied for team lead with 2 forced fumbles in first season with Eagles.

Jalen Mills, CB (31), 6-0, 191, 2nd season, LSU

Seventh-round pick in 2016. Made key defensive play while guarding Julio Jones on fourth down to preserve 15-10 win over Falcons in divisional round.

Patrick Robinson, CB (21), 5-11, 191, 8th season, Florida State

First season with Eagles and led them with 4 interceptions in regular season. … Had spectacular 50-yard pick-6 against Vikings in NFC title game.

Ronald Darby, CB (41), 5-11, 193, 3rd season, Florida State

Missed eight

PHOENIX — Right-hander Yoshihisa Hirano has been spectacularly efficient in his first season in Arizona Titans Authentic Jerseys , part of the reason the Diamondbacks will enter their four-game series against the San Diego Padres with the best bullpen ERA in the majors.

Hirano may be a major league rookie, but his work the last five seasons as a closer with the Orix Buffaloes in Japan has translated well.

Hirano, 34, had a franchise-record 26-game scoreless streak broken in an 8-4 loss to St. Louis on Wednesday, when he finished one scoreless appearance short of tying former Red Sox right-hander Koji Uehara for the longest such streak by a Japanese-born pitcher in major league history. Even that loss could not diminish the value Hirano has had this season.

Arizona right-hander Shelby Miller is scheduled to face San Diego left-hander Eric Lauer in the first game of the series Thursday.

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo was Boston’s bench coach when Uehara set the record in 2013, so he can provide a comparison of Uehara and Hirano.

“They have the same work habits, which is pretty impressive,” Lovullo said. “They both come in and get their work done pregame. They come in and get their work done postgame. They find themselves healthy and strong and prepared for every single one of their outings.

“They both have a fearlessness to their game and an approach to understanding what needs to happen during each at-bat. They are not afraid to put the ball on the plate with two different pitches. They go out and expect to get outs. Very similar mind-set. Very similar makeup. Very similar confidence.”

Hirano is 2-0 with a 1.43 ERA in 42 appearances. He has 19 holds, fourth in the majors, and he has permitted only one of his 16 inherited runners to score while being primarily used in the seventh inning. Eighth-inning reliever Archie Bradley leads the majors with 22 holds and closer Brad Boxberger has 20 saves.

Uehara began the 2013 season in a similar setup role in the Boston bullpen before advancing to the closer’s role after injuries thinned the relief corps. He finished with 21 saves, a 1.09 ERA and an 0.57 WHIP.

“As soon as he became the closer, he gave off a certain edge and a certain confidence that was noticeable,” Lovullo said.

“It’s as close to a slam dunk, shut-down ninth-inning save as I’ve ever seen. He had this ability to collect outs and get through innings in 12 pitches or less. It was so quick, the ninth inning was over before it even started. It was a very comfortable setting for all of us. You played the Boston Red Sox in 2013 for eight innings because the ninth inning was over. That’s what I remember.”

Hirano has a 1.01 WHIP, fourth among major league relievers with at least 40 appearances.

“He’s been very versatile,” Lovullo said. “He’s unfazed by any role we have asked him to do. He can pitch in traffic. He can start clean innings. He can get left-handers and right-handers out.”

The Diamondbacks lost two of three to St. Louis and have dropped five of their past six games overall. They took two out of three games in their only other series against the Padres this season, also at Chase Field.

San Diego has slumped over the last 2 1/2 weeks. The Padres have lost three in a row and are 3-13 since beating Atlanta 9-3 behind left-hander Clayton Richard on June 15. They have scored 30 runs in their last 10 games.

“We’re not getting hits with runners in scoring position,” San Diego manager Andy Green told reporters after a two-game sweep in Oakland.

“Sometimes the best thing you can do is relax Redskins Authentic Jerseys , go play baseball and enjoy what you’re doing. Then the hits start coming.”

Christian Villanueva hit his 17th homer for the Padres in a 4-2 loss to the A’s Wednesday.

Miller is 0-2 with an 11.42 ERA in two starts this season after returning from a 14-month absence following Tommy John surgery in last May, 2017. He has given up 15 hits and 11 runs in 8 2/3 innings.

Miller is 2-2 with a 4.54 ERA in eight career appearances, including seven starts, against the Padres. He had a strong outing against them early last season, giving up four hits and one run in 7 1/3 innings in the third of his four starts before suffering the elbow injury.

Rookie Lauer joined the Padres’ rotation in late April and is 3-5 with a 5.08 ERA in 13 starts this season. He was 2-2 with a 2.76 ERA in six June starts and is 1-2 with a 5.09 ERA in seven road starts.

He has never faced the Diamondbacks.

Spotting opponents an early lead hasn’t been a problem lately for Anthony Rizzo and the Chicago Cubs.

Rizzo drove in his second run of the game in the seventh inning to snap a tie, Kyle Schwarber followed with a solo homer in the eighth and the Cubs rebounded from an early three-run deficit to edge the Detroit Tigers 5-3 on Tuesday for their fifth straight win.

The other team has scored first in each of Chicago’s recent victories, but the Cubs have kept chipping away.

”We know we’re a good team,” Rizzo said. ”We just have to string together good at-bats.”

The Cubs did just that again on Tuesday.

With one out in the seventh, Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist singled off Tigers reliever Daniel Stumpf (1-4). Rizzo’s slow bouncer up the middle resulted in a force of Zobrist at second, but Jose Iglesias’ throw to first was too late to double up Rizzo and Heyward scored from third to put Chicago ahead for the first time, 4-3.

Schwarber hit his team-leading 17th homer to right against a steady wind off Lake Michigan in the eighth.

Trailing 3-0, Albert Almora, Jr. and Heyward each drove in a run with a double, then Rizzo followed with an RBI single in Chicago’s three-run fifth.

Rizzo has just one homer in his past 20 games – and 12 this season – after launching at least 31 in each of the past four seasons. But the Cubs slugger says the longball isn’t always the best approach.

”You get down and start battling (at) two strikes, it’s not about hitting a homer,” Rizzo said. ”It’s just about putting the ball in play and we’re doing a good job at that.”

Justin Wilson (3-2), the second of Chicago’s four relievers, pitched a scoreless seventh to earn the win. Pedro Strop pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save in four chances.

The Cubs’ bullpen allowed just one hit after starter Kyle Hendricks labored through five innings, allowing three runs and seven hits in a no-decision. In his past six starts Cardinals Elite Jerseys , the right-hander is 1-4 with a 6.75 ERA.

”They didn’t beat him up by any means today,” manager Joe Maddon said. ”It’s just that it wasn’t a typical surgeon-like procedure from Kyle. He looks good, he’s just not executing.”

Detroit leadoff hitter Mikie Mahtook had three singles and scored a run. Niko Goodrum drove in a run with a double, and Jeimer Candelario and James McCann each had an RBI as the Tigers lost their 12th game in their past 14.

Tigers starter Michael Fulmer went six innings and allowed three runs – all in the fifth – and seven hits.

”He had really good stuff,” manager Ron Gardenhire said. ”He got a couple of pitches up a bit, but they kind of put them in the right place.

”It wasn’t like they were lashing them, but they put them on the outfield grass, kind of like what we did to them early.”

The Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first. After Mahtook and Nick Castellanos led off with singles, Candelario drove in a run with a groundout. Goodrum’s double to the right-field corner scored the second run.

The Tigers added a run in the fourth on McCann’s RBI single.

The Cubs tied it 3-all in the fifth. Pinch-hitter Tommy LaStella, Almora and Heyward led off with consecutive doubles to cut it to 3-2, then Rizzo’s hit with one out tied it.

WINDY CITY TIGER

INF/OF Jim Adduci, called up from Triple-A Toledo on Sunday, was in Detroit’s lineup at first base and singled and scored in his first game this season. The 33-year-old attended Evergreen Park High School in Chicago’s south suburbs and grew up a fan of both the Cubs and White Sox. Adduci’s father, also named Jim, played a total of 70 games with three major league teams in the 1980s and was at Wrigley Field on Tuesday.

TRAINER’S ROOM:

Cubs: INF/OF Kris Bryant (left shoulder inflammation) probably will return Wednesday or Friday, Maddon said after the game. The Cubs star has been sidelined since June 22. … RHP Yu Darvish (right triceps inflammation, right elbow impingement/inflammation) rejoined the Cubs after seeing Dr. Keith Meister in Texas on Friday and getting a cortisone shot. Maddon said he still hadn’t yet talked to the right-hander about his progress following the injection.

UP NEXT:

Tigers LHP Francisco Liriano (3-4. 3.99) takes the mound against Cubs LHP Jose Quintana (6-6. 4.31) on Wednesday afternoon in the finale of the two-game interleague set. Liriano has lost both of his starts since coming off the disabled list (right hamstring strain) on June 23. Quintana has two losses and three no-decisions in his past five starts and hasn’t won since May 31.

—

The Arizona Diamondbacks didn’t waste any time breaking this game open.

Ketel Marte and Alex Avila each hit two-run homers and the Diamondbacks scored eight runs in the first three innings to power their way to a 9-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night.

”We just did a good job of being aggressive in the zone Titans Elite Jerseys ,” Arizona center fielder Jon Jay said. ”You saw guys put some good barrels on balls and we were ready to hit right from the start.”

Marte’s blast capped a three-run first, while Avila’s shot in the third extended the NL West-leading Diamondbacks’ advantage to 8-0.

Jay doubled in each of the first two innings, the second of which drove in two runs. The center fielder is hitting .340 in 13 games since being acquired June 6 from Kansas City in a trade.

”I feel very fortunate to have been traded here,” Jay said. ”It’s a great group of guys who know how to go about their business. You can see why this team is successful.”

Staked to the early cushion, Zack Godley (8-5) won his third straight start. He gave up three runs – two earned – and four hits in six innings with five strikeouts and three walks.

”A lot of times it’s hard to pitch in games like this because you can lose your concentration with the big lead, but he kept making pitches,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said.

Godley, though, said he didn’t feel any pressure in trying to hold the eight-run advantage.

”Heck, I’ll take eight runs in the first three innings every time,” he said with a smile.

Avila finished with three RBIs as he also doubled home a run in the ninth. The veteran catcher entered the game hitting .109.

Chad Kuhl (5-5) lasted just two-plus innings and was lifted following Avila’s homer. Kuhl was tagged for eight runs and eight hits after allowing three earned runs or less in seven of his previous eight starts.

”I don’t think balls were coming out (of his hand) as they have for whatever that reason may be,” Kuhl said. ”I just felt like tonight was a little bit different. They hammered balls over the plate. You just try your best to move on from this one.”

Kuhl was supposed to pitch Wednesday night against Milwaukee but the game was rained out after a delay of slightly more than two hours. Lovullo thought that might have worked in the Diamondbacks’ favor.

”He had to reverse his game plan,” Lovullo said. ”He thought he was starting against the Brewers and then he had less than a day to prepare for us. That’s difficult.”

Pittsburgh rookie Austin Meadows had three hits.

Daniel Descalso’s sacrifice fly brought home the game’s first run before Marte followed with his sixth home run into the right-field stands. Paul Goldschmidt singled in Jay in the second to make it 6-0.

Francisco Cervelli hit an RBI single in the fourth inning for the Pirates. Starling Marte doubled in a run and scored on Colin Moran’s sacrifice fly in the sixth.

The Diamondbacks have scored 35 runs in going 3-1 against Pittsburgh this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: RHP Shelby Miller (Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery) rejoined the team following four minor league rehab starts and is scheduled to be activated from the disabled list Monday to pitch at Miami. Miller was injured April 22, 2017, while facing the Los Angeles Dodgers. He will take the rotation spot of RHP Matt Koch, who was optioned to Triple-A Reno, while RHP Jake Barrett was recalled from the Aces to provide extra bullpen help and got the final out.

Pirates: RHP AJ Schugel (right shoulder discomfort) has started playing catch on flat ground at the team’s spring training facility in Bradenton, Florida. The reliever has been on the DL all season.

TIME TO MAKE UP

Wednesday’s rainout will be made up July 14 when the Pirates and Brewers play a traditional doubleheader starting at 12:35 p.m. ET.

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks: LHP Patrick Corbin (6-5, 3.48 ERA) is 1-2 with a 5.90 ERA in five career starts against the Pirates.

Pirates: RHP Ivan Nova (4-5 Redskins Elite Jerseys , 4.42) has won both starts with a 1.54 ERA since being activated from the DL on June 10. He missed two weeks with a sprained right ring finger.

—


It’s not uncommon for Colorado Rockies pitchers to have better statistics on the road than at mile-high Coors Field.

But right-hander German Marquez, who is scheduled to start his team’s series opener Friday night in Seattle, is taking it to the extreme.

Marquez (6-8, 5.14 ERA) is 4-3 with a 2.76 ERA on the road, which ranks fourth in the National League. Opponents are batting .194 against him on the road, with a .600 on-base plus slugging percentage.

At home? Marquez is 2-5 with a 7.93 ERA, a .345 batting average against and a .991 OPS.

In his last start, the 23-year-old Venezuelan pitched a career-high-tying eight innings in a 3-1 road victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He allowed two hits, didn’t walk a batter and struck out nine.

Marquez threw a 99.9 mph fastball in his final inning, the hardest by a starter in the eighth inning or later this season.

“I work hard between starts, and my goal is to maintain my stamina throughout the game, deep in games,” Marquez told MLB.com after that game.

Rockies manager Bud Black, a former major league pitcher, certainly seemed impressed with Marquez’s four-pitch mix, that includes the fastball, curve, slider and changeup.

“He’s capable because we’ve seen moments and innings and certain stretches of games where he’s pitched like that through three, four Cardinals Game Jerseys , five innings,” Black said. “But to do it eight innings on the road against a good team, it’s not surprising, but it’s a big step for a young pitcher.”

Marquez, who was born in San Felix, will likely get a chance to face King Felix as he takes on the Mariners for the first time.

Fellow Venezuelan Felix Hernandez (8-6, 5.11 ERA) has struggled this season, but has won his past two starts. He’s 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA in one career start against the Rockies.

Hernandez allowed three first-inning runs against Kansas City in his last start while dealing with a stiff back, but followed that with four scoreless frames in a 6-4 Seattle victory.

Hernandez hurt his back lifting weights in Baltimore on the Mariners’ last road trip. He threw a short bullpen session Tuesday.

“I’m better,” Hernandez told MLB.com before playing catch in the outfield Thursday. “(Wednesday) was much better and I’m more loose today, so I’ll be fine.”

Said Mariners manager Scott Servais: “I think he’ll be OK. He’s getting treatment on it and trying to get it loosened up. I don’t think it’s anything structurally wrong, it’s just tight. We need him to go. Hopefully he’ll give us a good effort.”

The Mariners placed catcher Mike Zunino on the 10-day disabled list (bruised left ankle) Thursday and recalled David Freitas from Triple-A Tacoma.

Chris Herrmann, who has made six starts since being called up May 27, will likely get the bulk of the time behind the plate. Herrmann has mostly caught Mike Leake, but also caught Hernandez’s June 25 start in Baltimore.

Hermann homered Thursday in Seattle’s 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

“Thankfully with all the video and information we have here, it makes it a lot easier to get to know the pitchers a lot better,” Herrmann told MLB.com. “And I sit in here and talk with these guys and get an idea of how they want to get hitters out.”

Trevor Bauer is piling up the strikeouts. And Authentic Rashaan Evans Jersey , the Cleveland Indians are piling up the wins.

Bauer (7-5) struck out 11 over 6 1/3 innings to beat Detroit for the fourth time this season, leading Cleveland past the Tigers 4-1 on Saturday night for their sixth straight win overall.

The right-hander recorded his seventh double-figure strikeout game of the season, including five of his last six starts. Bauer has struck out 140 this season and is tied for the AL lead with Boston’s Chris Sale.

”I definitely take pride in it,” Bauer said. ”It’s what I enjoy doing most, punching guys out.”

Bauer’s consecutive games with double-digit strikeouts was interrupted Monday by a rain delay after he struck out eight in seven innings against the Chicago White Sox. He threw 100 pitches and didn’t return after the delay.

”I wish it hadn’t rained last game,” he said. ”It would have been six in a row, but I’ll start a new streak this time.”

Bauer allowed a run in the second inning on a wild pitch and was pulled after Dixon Machado’s one-out single in the seventh. He’s 4-0 with a 1.23 ERA in four starts against the Tigers.

”He’s got quality pitches across the board,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. ”That’s part of what’s making him so good.”

Francisco Lindor hit a leadoff homer in the fifth, and Jose Ramirez – who reached base in his 30th consecutive game – and Edwin Encarnacion had RBI singles in a three-run first.

Cody Allen struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 16th save in 17 opportunities.

Francisco Liriano (3-3), making his first start in a month, allowed three runs – two earned – in four innings. The left-hander, who strained his right hamstring against the White Sox on May 26, threw 40 pitches in the first.

”He was rushing and after the first inning we told him you got to slow down,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. ”Just make your pitches and don’t overthrow the ball. We had a chance to get out of there and we cost him some extra pitches in the first.”

Detroit lost its fourth straight and committed three errors. Catcher James McCann dropped a throw from center field that allowed a run to score in the first.

Bauer struck out the game’s first two hitters, but a walk, single and a hit by pitch loaded the bases. McCann struck out, ending the 28-pitch inning. Bauer allowed five hits, walked two, hit two batters and threw 112 pitches.

Cleveland’s first consisted of four hits, two walks, two wild pitches and McCann’s error. Ramirez singled in the first to score Lindor. Encarnacion followed with another single for a 2-0 lead.

Following a wild pitch, Brandon Guyer singled to center. Encarnacion would have been out by 10 feet, but scored on a slide when McCann couldn’t hang on to Leyonis Martin’s throw.

Liriano made his first start since straining his right hamstring against the Chicago White Sox on May 26.

Oliver Perez retired the final two batters in the seventh and Neil Ramirez worked a scoreless eighth.

CAUTIOUS APPROACH

The Indians aren’t going to rush left-hander Andrew Miller to come back from his sore right knee Authentic Harold Landry Jersey , an injury that has had him on the disabled list since May 26. He won’t throw off a mound for 10 days and there’s no timetable for his return.

”We saw the load he carried a couple years ago,” Francona said. ”For us to get where we want to go, and have the best chance to do that, he’s going to carry a big load. So we feel like being patient is the best chance to get there.”

BUT WHO’S COUNTING?

The first inning lasted 36 minutes and included five hits, three walks, a hit batter, two wild pitches, an error, nine baserunners and a combined 68 pitches.

QUICK CHANGE

Detroit started the week with a five-game winning streak, but lost twice in Cincinnati and has dropped the first two games of this series.

”You look at Cincinnati, they’re hot,” Gardenhire said. ”We come in here and this team is hot. It’s all part of the schedule. Right now, we are scuffling offensively and it all kind of molds together.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: RHP Johnny Barbato (rotator cuff tendinitis) is on the 10-day disabled list. He allowed five runs in one-third of an inning Friday.

Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco (bruised elbow) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Monday. He was struck on the elbow by a line drive hit by Minnesota’s Joe Mauer on June 16.

UP NEXT

Tigers: LHP Matthew Boyd (4-5, 3.63 ERA) is 1-2 with a 1.78 ERA in six career appearances – five starts – against Cleveland.

Indians: RHP Adam Plutko (3-1, 5.40) will make his fifth career start for Cleveland.

—

Ron Gardenhire didn’t mind getting a beer shower from his players Wednesday night.

He just didn’t know why it was happening.

”They ambushed me, and they really got me,” he said after his Detroit Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins 5-2. ”I wasn’t expecting it, and now I’m dripping all over the place.”

While Gardenhire didn’t realize he had just won his 1,100th game as a manager, someone – he suspects bench coach Steve Liddle – tipped off James McCann. McCann rounded up his teammates and raided the cooler.

”We soaked him,” Tigers third baseman Nicholas Castellanos said. ”He didn’t know what hit him.”

The milestone had a little extra meaning for Gardenhire because it came against the Twins, the team he managed from 2002-14.

”I have this big D on my chest now, and it was the Tigers who won this one Authentic Da'Ron Payne Jersey , but an awful lot of them came with the team on the other side of the diamond tonight,” he said.

For most of the night, it appeared the Tigers weren’t going to get the win. Playing for the first time since Miguel Cabrera’s season-ending biceps injury, they stranded eight batters in the first seven innings and trailed 2-1.

The Twins then failed to add an insurance run in the eighth, stranding Eduardo Escobar after a one-out triple, and it came back to haunt them.

With one out in the bottom of the inning, John Hicks, Niko Goodrum and Grayson Greiner hit consecutive singles off Addison Reed (1-5) to tie the game. Jose Iglesias popped out, but Victor Reyes grounded an RBI single to left.

”I had everyone where I wanted them – 0-1 or 0-2 – but I wasn’t finishing the job,” Reed said. ”Jose (Berrios) threw a hell of a game, and I let him down. That’s the worst part of this.”

Reyes, a Rule 5 pick, started the night hitting .196 with four RBIs in 30 games. Used mainly as a pinch runner, he has only accumulated 50 plate appearances.

”We were going to be thrilled no matter who got the hit, but everyone feels great for Victor,” Hicks said. ”He’s in a really tough situation because he doesn’t get many at-bats, but he never complains and works harder than anyone. There are nights where he’s getting swings in during the game.”

Leonys Martin followed with an RBI single and Reyes scored on right fielder Robbie Grossman’s throwing error to make it 5-2.

”I didn’t contribute anything and Miggy can’t help us right now, but we still won the game,” Castellanos said. ”That’s how you can tell this team is good. Every guy in this room is picking up the slack.”

Joe Jimenez (3-0) got the win with a scoreless eighth. Shane Greene, Detroit’s fifth pitcher, threw a perfect ninth for his 16th save.

Berrios allowed one run on seven hits and a walk in six innings. Detroit’s Matthew Boyd gave up two runs on three hits and two walks in five innings.

The Twins scored twice before Detroit recorded an out in the first inning. Boyd hit Brian Dozier, Eddie Rosario doubled and Escobar hit a two-run single.

The Twins, though Authentic Derrius Guice Jersey , only got two more hits in the game.

”When it’s 2-0 that fast, I can’t afford to get mad at myself,” Boyd said. ”I’ve just got to get the next guy out and start posting zeroes.”

Goodrum made it 2-1 with a second-inning homer off Berrios, his friend from their minor league days in the Twins system.

”It’s just part of the game,” Berrios said. ”We’re still friends, but now we’re competing. He got me that time.”

Like Boyd, though, Berrios settled in to keep Detroit off the board for the rest of his outing. The Tigers had runners on second and third with one out in the third before he struck out Castellanos and Jeimer Candelario.

Dozier appeared to make a spectacular play with one out in the fifth, using his glove to scoop Reyes’ drag bunt to Logan Morrison at first. The Tigers, though, challenged the call and it was overturned after a lengthy review. Martin followed with an infield single, and after Castellanos struck out, Berrios hit Candelario to load the bases.

Victor Martinez fell behind 0-2 and grounded out to end the inning with the Twins still up 2-1.

The Tigers missed another opportunity in the sixth. Hicks started the inning with a single and took third on Goodrum’s ground-rule double, but Berrios struck out Greiner and Iglesias before retiring Reyes.

”In a situation like that, you just hope that someone is eventually going to get the big hit,” Gardenhire said. ”It took a while, but they finally came through.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: OF Byron Buxton (toe) took batting practice on Wednesday, while Joe Mauer (neck and head) played for Triple-A Rochester on his rehab assignment.

Tigers: With McCann still sidelined by the flu and Hicks moving to first base in the wake of Cabrera’s injury, Greiner was the starting catcher. McCann was feeling well enough to warm up pitchers between innings and could be back on Thursday.

UP NEXT

The teams finish their three-game series on Thursday afternoon, with Minnesota’s Lance Lynn (4-4, 5.08) facing Detroit’s Michael Fulmer (2-5, 4.40).

Shin-Soo Choo didn’t play Saturday night for the Texas Rangers because of a sore right quad Youth Nyheim Hines Jersey , putting on hold his majors-best 41-game streak of reaching base.

Choo said before the 13-4 win over the Chicago White Sox that he has been dealing with quad soreness for at least 10 days, and that it had really bothered him the last couple of days.

”I don’t want to make it worse,” Choo said. ”I don’t think it’s serious.”

The outfielder/designated hitter said he had an MRI earlier Saturday to find out for sure what he was feeling in his upper leg.

Choo had a leadoff walk in the first inning of an 11-3 win Friday night to extend his career-best on-base streak and match the longest in the majors this season. He later hit one of the Rangers’ five home runs for a 12-game hitting streak that is the longest active streak in the majors.

”He’s battled with a tight quad and I felt like it was just an opportunity to get him off his legs, give him a day,” manager Jeff Banister said. ”He’s played through it for a while Authentic Kemoko Turay Jersey , so we’ll see how he feels.”

Banister hadn’t ruled out using Choo in a pinch-hitting role, and Choo had said he was willing if needed. The three-game series wraps up Sunday before the Rangers have a day off Monday.

”I know I have the streak going on, but my body and staying healthy is more important,” Choo said. ”And winning games is more important than records.”

Choo’s on-base streak is the longest for the Rangers since Otis Nixon’s 44-gamer in 1995; Julio Franco set the team record by reaching in 46 consecutive games in 1993. Choo matched Philadelphia’s Odubel Herrera for the longest in the majors this season. Herrera, a former Rangers minor leaguer Womens Robin Lehner Jersey , reached base in the first 41 games for the Phillies this year.

In his 41-game streak, Choo has reached base 90 times. He has hit .333 (52 of 156) with 38 walks.

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[img]http://www.sndpic.com//nike_nfl_jersPutting together a documentary of a Super Bowl season is an extensive and exhausting project.

Except when it becomes a labor of love.

For dozens of employees at NFL Films Jalen Ramsey Jersey , the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles season was particularly special. Thus, the DVD that chronicles it and becomes available to the public on Tuesday – PHI-NALLY is how it is dubbed – wasn’t exactly work.

”We are in Mount Royal, New Jersey, which is about 20 minutes from the Linc,” says Todd Schmidt, who produces such enterprises for NFL Films. ”So many of our people are lifelong fans of the Eagles, who have suffered for all those years. And that is something the becomes part of the film; we wanted people out there to understand what some of these people went through during that crazy game and this season.

”I would love for an Arizona Cardinals fan to get the same bang out of this as my 22-year-old son and a lifelong Eagles fan will, and I like to think that the story will do that. This is more than a story of a football season. It’s about why teams and fans don’t quit, and that’s what Philly fans are like. They may get a lot of criticism, but there’s a reason Rocky means so much and showing the heart to never give up means so much.”

NFL Films had the good fortune of being able to place microphones on coach Doug Pederson and quarterback Nick Foles. The exchanges between them not only are insightful football-wise, they provide a window into the aggressiveness that was so critical to not only upending the Patriots in a classic Super Bowl, but in the Eagles putting together such a successful season.

Indeed, Philadelphia’s 41-33 victory in Minneapolis probably made for a much more enchanting story than had the Patriots won. After all, New England taking the NFL title is anything but new, and the Eagles last won it in 1960, when Norm Van Brocklin was the quarterback and Chuck Bednarik was playing linebacker and center.

So Schmidt opted to open the documentary with a shot of Franklin Field on the University of Pennsylvania campus – the site of that 1960 win over Green Bay. And he decided to close the film with the parade witnessed by more than 700,000 ”so you get a clear idea of what this meant to the city of Philadelphia, the people of Philadelphia, and to Eagles fans.”

NFL Films actually makes two 55-minute films annually. The 2017 version of the Patriots’ season ”will not see the light of day,” Schmidt explains. But it also would have had plenty of cachet.

”I think every team has a story,” he says, though how many viewers would be interested in, say, the Browns‘ 0-16 campaign is debatable.

”Had the Patriots won, it would have been a film of dominance; if they had won they would have been the `27 Yankees. It would have been magnificent if they had pulled out that game, two of the most amazing Super Bowls back to back. Tom Brady would go down as the greatest magician ever to walk the earth.

”We are storytellers and we would have made the elements we had work well.”

Still, the elements they had on Philadelphia’s side certainly seem more compelling. A team loses five key players, including late in the schedule the QB who appeared headed to league MVP honors. It’s an underdog in all of its postseason games despite being a top seed. Its history of falling short is monumental.

And then it wins a classic Super Bowl against an NFL dynasty.

”The Eagles story has a lot more historical context, which is red meat to a storyteller,” Schmidt says. ”The more context and unique elements of the story, the better the story. So I loved the Eagles story.”

As did so many of his co-workers.

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