Ramirez making MVP push

Jose Ramirez hit two home runs helping the Indians extend their winning streak to 13 games. Ramirez has produced 15 extra-base hits over his last nine games dating back to August 27 (seven doubles, one triple, seven homers). Only two other players in the modern era (since 1900) totaled 15 or more extra-base hits over a nine-game span within one season. Mel Ott had 16 extra-base hits over a nine-game span for the New York Giants in June 1929 (he also had an overlapping span with 15 XBH), and Tony Oliva had 15 hits for extra bases for the Twins over nine games in June 1969.

Indians extend winning streak

The Indians extended their winning streak to 13 games with their win over the White Sox on Tuesday night. Cleveland had a 14-game winning streak last season. Prior to the Indians, the last team to have winning streaks of at least 13 games in back-to-back seasons was the Yankees in 1960 (a 15-game winning streak) and 1961 (13).

The Diamondbacks extended their winning streak to 12 games with their extra-inning win over the Dodgers. It’s only the second time in the modern era (since 1900) that two teams each have a winning streak of 12 or more games at the same time. The Braves and Tigers headed into games on August 9, 2013 with winning streaks of 13 and 12 games respectively. The Braves extended their streak to 14 straight wins with a victory over the Marlins while the Tigers streak ended at 12 games with a loss at Yankee Stadium.

DBacks extend two streaks

The Diamondbacks beat the Dodgers to extend their winning streak to 12 games, the last 10 of which they did not trail at any point during the game. That matches the longest streak of games without trailing in major league history. Six other teams went 10 straight games without trailing, the last being the 1991 Mets.

Arizona has not trailed for the last 97 innings, the longest such streak for any team since the 1947 Dodgers also had a 97-inning streak.

Boston marathon

Hanley Ramirez’s single in the bottom of the 19th inning gave the Red Sox a 3-2 win over the Blue Jays. It was the second longest game, in terms of innings, in the history of Fenway Park, which opened in 1912. The Red Sox and Mariners played a 20-inning game at Fenway on September 3, 1981.

It was the third game of at least 15 innings at Fenway Park this season. The Yankees beat the Red Sox in 16 innings on July 15 and the Red Sox defeated the Blue Jays in 15 innings three days later. That’s most games of 15 or more innings in one season in the history of Fenway Park.

The last major-league venue to host three or more games of at least 15 innings in one season was the Metrodome in Minnesota in 2004 (three).

Sox pen throws zeroes

The Red Sox bullpen threw 13 scoreless innings in their 19-inning win over the Blue Jays. It was the first time in franchise history that Red Sox relievers combined to throw 13 or more innings in a game without allowing a run. Entering Tuesday, Boston’s record for most scoreless innings by its bullpen in a game was 11 innings, done on June 5, 2001 versus the Tigers.

Rookies make Tigers roar

Tigers rookies JaCoby Jones and John Hicks both homered twice in their victory over the Royals. Jones and Hicks became the second pair of rookie teammates in major-league history to each hit two homers in the same game. Joey Votto and Jay Bruce turned the trick for the Reds on September 19, 2008 against the Brewers.

Tigers win despite no outs from starting pitcher

The Tigers beat the Royals, 13-2, despite their starting pitcher, Anibal Sanchez, not recording an out after he was hit with Whit Merrifield’s single to open the game. It’s the third time over the last 25 years that the Tigers won a game despite their starting pitcher not recording an out. Detroit won a game at Tampa on July 8, 2005 after starting pitcher Nate Robertson was ejected for throwing behind the leadoff batter, Carl Crawford. The Tigers also won a game on April 11, 2008 after starting pitcher Dontrelle Willis was removed after walking the first two batters of the game.

Machado walks off Yanks

Manny Machado hit a two-run walk-off home run off Dellin Betances to give the Orioles a win over the Yankees. It was the third walk-off home runs this season for Machado, tying a franchisee record. Three other players in Browns/Orioles history hit three walk-off homers in a season: Eddie Murray in 1978, Fred Lynn in 1985 and Rafael Palmeiro in 1998.

It was the first walk-off home run by an Orioles player against the Yankees since Nate McLouth hit one off Vidal Nuno on May 21, 2013.

Another solid performance for Reds rookie

Reds rookie Robert Stephenson allowed only one run in six innings in the team’s win over the Brewers. Stephenson has won each of his last four starts and allowed two or fewer runs in each. The last Reds rookie pitcher to win four straight starts and allow two or fewer runs in each was Tim Pugh in 1992. Pugh also had a four-start streak.

Strasburg extends streak

Stephen Strasburg pitched six scoreless innings in the Nationals’ win over the Marlins extending his scoreless innings streak to a career high 26 innings, which is also the longest such streak in the major leagues this season. It is also the longest scoreless innings streak for a Nationals pitcher since the team moved to Washington in 2005, besting the previous high, set by Gio Gonzalez in 2012, by one inning.

The last player in Expos/Nationals history to have a scoreless innings streak of at least 26 innings was Luis Ayala for the Expos in 2004 (26 ⅔ scoreless innings pitched).

Duda supplies all the Rays’ offense

Lucas Duda hit a solo home run and a run-scoring double in the Rays’ 2-1win over the Twins. Duda has only 21 hits since joining the Rays in late July, but 10 of them have left the ballpark. Duda’s 10 home runs ties him with Logan Morrison for the team lead since July 28, his first game with the team, and his 18 RBIs are second most on the team, behind Morrison (20).

Freese puts the Cubs on ice

David Freese’s two-out single in the bottom of the eighth inning drove in the winning run in the Pirates’ win over the Cubs on Tuesday night. Freese has been very efficient with two outs and runners in scoring position lately, getting hits in six of his last seven at-bats in those situations.

Astros win with only two hits

Justin Verlander earned a win in his debut with the Astros despite the team recording only two hits. It was the sixth time this season that a team won a game despite getting no more than two hits. The Cubs beat the Pirates with only two hits on April 25, the Yankees (two hits) beat the A’s on May 27, the Marlins (two) beat the Nationals on June 21, the Padres (two) beat the Tigers on June 23 and the Pirates (one) beat the Dodgers on August 23. That Pirates-Dodgers game was the game in which Rich Hill lost his no-hitter by allowing a walk-off home run to Josh Harrison in the tenth inning.

Rockies home dominance over the Giants

The Rockies beat the Giants, 9-6, on Thursday night, their tenth consecutive home win against them. That matches the second-longest current home winning streak by one major-league team against another. The Mets have won their last 11 home games against the Blue Jays and the Indians have won their last 10 straight at home against the Angels.

This is the third time the Rockies have won 10 consecutive home games against one opponent. Colorado won 11 straight home games against the Braves, a streak that ended earlier this season (2014-2017) and they won ten straight games at home against the Reds from 2008 to 2010.

Phillies step Lively

Ben Lively hit a home run, drove in four runs and earned the win in the Phillies’ victory over the Mets on Tuesday night. Lively is the third pitcher this season to have a game in which he was the winning pitcher and hit a home run and drove in four runs in the same game. Adam Wainwright did it for the Cardinals at Milwaukee on April 21 and Jaime Garcia did it for the Braves at Dodger Stadium on July 21.

The last Phillies pitcher to have such a game was Robert Person against the Expos on June 2, 2002. Person hit two homers, one a grand slam and one a three-runner, for seven RBIs in the Phillies’ 18-3 victory.