Zack Wheeler tossed seven innings of four-hit ball, Robinson Canó drove in two runs with a homer and double and the New York Mets beat the Chicago White Sox 4-0 on Thursday for their seventh straight win.
Wilson Ramos also drove in a run as the Mets completed a three-game sweep of the White Sox and won their 13th of 17 overall. New York has its longest winning streak since a nine-game run in early April 2018. The Mets held onto Wheeler at the trade deadline in hopes of making a playoff push.
Rookie left-hander Brendan McKay struck out seven, Mike Zunino and Austin Meadows homered, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 9-4 to complete a three-game sweep. It's the second time Tampa Bay has swept a series of at least three games at Fenway Park. The Rays have won four straight and hold the AL's final wild card by a half-game over Oakland. Boston fell 3 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay.
J.T. Realmuto belted a three-run homer and fell a triple shy of the cycle while the Philadelphia Phillies were drubbing the Giants, 10-2. Cesar Hernandez and Roman Quinn also went deep as Philadelphia took the rubber match of the three-game set to pull into a second-place tie with Washington in the NL East. Jake Arrieta took a two-hitter into the fifth but left after 71 pitches while the team monitors a bone spur in his pitching elbow.
In MLB news, batters are on pace to hit 600 more home runs than in any previous season _ nearly 10% above the record set two years ago. The Elias Sports Bureau says there were 1,057 home runs in July, breaking the previous July record of 961 in 2004. A total of 4,478 home runs were hit through July 31, an average of 2.76 per game.
Major League Baseball has handed down a total of eight suspensions stemming from Tuesday’s brawl between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Reds in Cincinnati. Bucs reliever Keone Kela received the biggest punishment, getting a 10-game ban after admitting he threw at a batter during the game. Cincinnati reliever Amir Garrett earned an eight-game suspension and former Red Yasiel Puig picked up a three-game ban.
WNBA
Arike Ogunbowale scored 22 points, fellow rookie Megan Gustafson added 11 points and eight rebounds and the Dallas Wings beat the New York Liberty 87-64 night to move out of last place in the WNBA standings. Dallas (6-15) snapped a six-game losing streak with its first victory since July 9. New York (8-12) has lost four in a row on the road.
Jonquel Jones had 15 points and 14 rebounds, Courtney Williams scored 12 of her 14 points in the fourth quarter and the Connecticut Sun beat the short-handed Phoenix Mercury 68-62. Connecticut (15-6), which is 11-1 at home this season, has won six straight games to remain atop the WNBA standings.
NFL
Five-time Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil has come out of retirement to join the New York Jets. The 34-year-old Kalil and the Jets agreed to terms on a deal, pending a physical. Kalil spoke all last season that he was retiring from football at the end of the year. He played all 12 of his NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers.
Le'Veon Bell firmly believes he made the right decision and refuses to second-guess missing a season while in a contract dispute with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The New York Jets star running back is sorry about only one thing: for letting down the fantasy football owners who expected him to play. He says they should take him No. 1 overall this year because he feels good and is quickly learning the playbook and developing chemistry with Sam Darnold and the offense.
NHL
The Rangers have bought out the final two seasons of defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk's contract. Shattenkirk played only two seasons after signing a $26.6 million, four-year contract with New York. He had just seven goals and 44 assists in 119 games.
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