Major League Baseball

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/14746052

Imanaga pitched into the seventh, improved to 4-0 through his first five starts for Chicago and headed off the hill with a 0.98 ERA. The lefty struck out seven and issued one walk, upping his ratio to 28 strikeouts against just three walks in 27 2/3 innings on the year.

As a result, Imanaga became the first Cubs starter to go at least 4-0 through the first five games of his career, and only the 37th pitcher to do so in AL/NL history. He is the first starter since 1945 (Boston’s Dave Ferriss) to go at least 4-0 with an ERA below 1.00 in his first five career games.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/14709502

The Rockies made an epic comeback Thursday afternoon, erasing a five-run deficit with a six-run eighth inning and stunning the Padres, 10-9, to earn a series split at Coors Field.

Colorado sent 11 men to the plate in the eighth inning, putting five hits and three walks together as San Diego’s bullpen imploded under the relentless assault.

“You never know how it's gonna play out,” manager Bud Black said of the dramatic turnaround. “That's why you stay to the end.”

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/14674171

Top five all-time

1. Vince Coleman, Cardinals -- 50 from Sept. 18, 1988, to July 26, 1989 Coleman was the Henderson of the National League in the 1980s, leading the senior circuit in steals each year from his rookie campaign in 1985 through his final season with the Cardinals in '90. He stole more than 100 bases each year from 1985-87 and swiped 549 of his career 752 bags while with St. Louis. From Sept. 1988 to July of '89, you just couldn't catch him. His 50-for-50 in steal attempts over that span is unmatched in AL/NL history.

2. Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners -- 45 from April 29, 2006, to May 16, 2007 On his way to becoming the second player in MLB history to win his league's Rookie of the Year and MVP Awards in the same year, Ichiro led baseball with 56 steals in 2001. He proceeded to swipe at least 31 bases in each of the next seven seasons, and in 10 of 11 overall. From 2007-08, he was unstoppable, taking 45 in a row without being thrown out. He finished his illustrious Major League career with 509 steals to go along with 3,089 hits and 10 Gold Glove Awards in right field.

3. Trea Turner, Dodgers/Phillies -- 41 from Sept. 6, 2022, to April 24, 2024 Turner is more than just style on the basepaths -- he's one of the fastest players in the game today, and he's stolen 30 or more bases six times in his career. One of the most dangerous power-speed threats in baseball, Turner has been exhibiting the speed element to his game prominently over the past couple of seasons. His successful steals streak began while he was with the Dodgers late in the 2022 campaign with a swipe of second base against the Giants. He remained uncaught until he was tagged out in a rundown between third base and home plate during the Phillies' 25th game of the '24 campaign.

4. Tim Raines, White Sox -- 40 from July 23, 1993 to Aug. 4, 1995 What makes Raines' consecutive steals streak even more remarkable is that he produced it in his age-33 through age-35 seasons. Already regarded as one of the greatest basestealers of all time, the Hall of Famer wasn't caught stealing for more than two years in the early-to-mid 1990s with the White Sox. After leading either the NL or MLB in steals each year from 1981-84 while with the Expos, he showed a decade later that the wheels were still robust, nabbing 40 straight before finally being thrown out. His 808 career steals rank fifth in AL/NL history. Get the Latest From MLB

5. Jimmy Rollins, Phillies -- 39 from Sept. 1, 2007, to July 19, 2008 Rollins grew up in Oakland watching his baseball hero Henderson running wild on the bases for the A's. Rollins took that skill and made it his own, stealing 470 bases during his 17-year MLB career. The four-time Gold Glove Award-winning shortstop was named NL MVP in 2007, and he was instrumental in helping the Phillies reach back-to-back World Series in '08 and '09. From late in the '07 campaign to midway through the '08 season, Rollins went 39-for-39 in steal attempts.

When Max Fried throws a shutout, he does so with an efficiency that conjures memories of legendary former Braves hurler Greg Maddux.

Fried halted his early-season struggles as he produced his third career ‘Maddux’ in a 5-0 win over the Marlins on Tuesday night at Truist Park. He needed just 92 pitches (69 strikes) to complete the three-hit shutout.

The offending comment seemed to have come from a spectator sitting behind the first-base dugout.

“It’s embarrassing,” Boone said. “Just not good.”

Boone had barked after the game’s first batter, Esteury Ruiz, was hit on the right foot by a Carlos Rodón slider. Wendelstedt appealed to first-base umpire John Tumpane, who determined that Ruiz had not swung at the pitch and should be awarded first base.

“I really didn’t even go after Hunter,” Boone said. “I was more upset at the appeal. I said, ‘Hunter, you can call it, too.’ He came back at me pretty hard, to which I didn’t respond. I just said, ‘OK.’”

After Rodón’s first pitch to the next batter, Tyler Nevin, a YES Network microphone picked up Wendelstedt telling Boone: “Guess what? You’re not yelling at me. I did what I’m supposed to do and checked [with Tumpane]. I’m looking for him to get hit by the pitch. You got anything else to say, you’re gone, OK?”

The cameras remained trained upon Boone, who scowled while silently chomping on a wad of gum. Seconds later, Wendelstedt tossed Boone, who immediately pointed to the seating area while protesting: “I did not say a word! It was above the dugout!”

Wendelstedt replied: “I don’t care who said it. You’re gone!”

A different camera angle showed that the remark Wendelstedt likely heard had been uttered by a gentleman seated in the first row. Speaking to a pool reporter, Wendelstedt said that he considered Boone responsible for the comment, even if it did not come from Boone himself.

“I know what Aaron was saying, that it was a fan above the dugout,” Wendelstedt said. “That’s fine and dandy. There were plenty of fans that were yelling at me before I called a pitch until the end of the game. What happened was, it wasn’t him, it wasn’t over where it was [bench coach Brad] Ausmus. It wasn’t where the coaching staff and Aaron [were], but Aaron Boone is the manager of the New York Yankees and is responsible for everything that happens in that dugout.

“In my opinion, the cheap shot came towards the far end. So instead of me being aggressive and walking down to the far end and trying to figure out who might have said it, I don’t want to eject a ballplayer. We need to keep them in the game. That’s what the fans pay to see. Aaron Boone runs the Yankees. He got ejected.”