Rookie Michael Chavis hit a grand slam and Andrew Benintendi drove in three runs while the Red Sox were building a 10-4 lead in a 10-8 victory over the Blue Jays. Xander Bogaerts had three hits for Boston, which scored five times in both the first and third innings. Rick Porcello gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings as the Bosox bounced back from consecutive home losses to the Dodgers.
Travis d’Arnaud’s third homer of the night was a three-run blast that erased the Yankees’ 4-2 lead in the ninth inning of the Rays’ 5-4 triumph over New York. D’Arnaud led off the game with a blast and added a third-inning homer before going deep off closer Aroldis Chapman with two out in the ninth. Blake Snell was reached for just one run and three hits over five innings as Tampa Bay pulled within five games of the AL East-leading Yankees.
The Los Angeles Dodgers certainly have rediscovered their success since Friday, outscoring their opponents by a 34-8 margin while winning three straight since a four-game skid. The Phillies were their latest victims as Cody Bellinger took over the major league home run lead by slamming his 32nd and 33rd in the Dodgers’ 16-2 laugher at Philadelphia. Austin Barnes sparked L.A.’s six-run fourth by driving in a run by laying down a suicide squeeze for a single before stealing home later in the inning. Max Muncy added a solo shot and Alex Verdugo delivered a two-run drive in support of Clayton Kershaw, who was reached for one run and four hits while striking out seven over six innings.
Elsewhere on major league diamonds, the Reds earned a 6-3 win over the Cubs as Eugenio Suárez and Yasiel Puig each hit his 22nd home run of the season. Curt Casali sent the first pitch from reliever Steve Cishek in the seventh into the left-field bleachers to tie it at 3. Pinch-hitter Kyle Farmer and reliever Michael Lorenzen singled home insurance runs in the eighth as Cincinnati cut Chicago’s lead in the NL Central to two games over St. Louis, with Milwaukee another half-game back.
Miles Mikolas scattered eight hits in the Cardinals’ first complete game of the season, a 7-0 shutout of the Pirates. Mikolas threw just 100 pitches despite working out of three jams. Tyler O'Neill was 3-for-5 with two homers while collecting four RBIs for the second time in the last three games.
Freddie Freeman slammed his 25th home run of the season and Max Fried pitched five scoreless innings as the Braves doubled up the Brewers, 4-2 to take a 7 ½-game lead over Washington in the NL East. Freeman put Atlanta on the board first in the fourth inning with a three-run blast to center. Fried gave up three hits as the Braves won their fifth in a row to move a season-high 21 games over .500.
Brandon Crawford homered twice while going 5-for-6 and tying a San Francisco club record with eight RBIs as the Giants buried the Rockies, 19-2 in Game 1 of a twinbill. Mike Yastrzemski went 4 for 6 with a homer to help the Giants win in Denver for just the fifth time in 25 games. Buster Posey also went deep for San Francisco.
Crawford also furnished a solo shot in the nightcap as the Giants won for the 10th time in 12 games, 2-1 at Colorado. Dereck Rodriguez was sharp after being recalled from Triple-A Sacramento prior to the second game, pitching five innings and allowing one run on four hits while fanning six.
The Angels are 4-0 since the All-Star break after Albert Pujols got three hits and drove in three runs to lead a 9-6 win over the AL West-leading Astros. Andrelton Simmons also homered while the Angels rallied from an early three-run deficit and improved to 7-3 since the death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs. George Springer hit two homers for the Astros, whose division lead is down to 5 ½ games over the Athletics.
Oscar Mercado was in a 1-for-25 slump before homering twice in the Indians’ 8-6 comeback win against the Tigers. Mercado’s leadoff shot in the seventh broke a 5-5 deadlock and helped Cleveland get within seven games of the AL Central-leading Twins. Mike Freeman also homered in the Indians’ eighth consecutive win over Detroit.
Jakob Junis struck out a career-high 10 while limiting the White Sox to one run over seven innings of the Royals’ 5-2 victory. Nicky Lopez drove in a pair of runs and scored twice to help Kansas City prevent Lucas Giolito from getting his 12th win. Giolito entered the game 6-0 with a 2.13 ERA in 10 previous career starts versus the Royals.
In MLB news, Eduardo Núñez has been designated for assignment by the Red Sox after hitting .228 in 60 games for them this season. He batted .265 with 10 homers in 127 games last season before providing a three-run pinch-homer to help the Red Sox win Game 1 of the Series against the Dodgers.
Mets pitcher Zack Wheeler has been placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to July 12 because of shoulder fatigue. Wheeler last started July 7 and the Mets said Monday the injury was discovered following the All-Star break. He is 6-6 with a 4.69 ERA in 19 starts this season, striking out 130 and walking 34 in 119 innings.
The Dodgers have placed utilityman Chris Taylor on the 10-day injured list with a fractured left forearm and recalled first baseman/outfielder Matt Beaty from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Taylor was hit on the forearm by a fastball by Boston's Heath Hembree in Sunday’s 7-4, 12-inning win over the Red Sox. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he expects Taylor to return this season. Taylor is batting .261 with eight homers and 41 RBIs this year.
The Cubs have acquired catcher Martin Maldonado from the Royals for left-hander Mike Montgomery. Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein announced the deal and added that All-Star catcher Willson Contreras was going on the 10-day injured list with a strain to the arch area of his right foot. Maldonado is batting .227 with six homers and 17 RBIs in 74 games for the struggling Royals this year.
The Tigers have bought the contract of pitcher Trevor Rosenthal from Triple-A Toledo. The right-hander was released by the Washington Nationals last month after going 0-1 with a 22.74 ERA in 12 appearances. Rosenthal missed all of last season because of elbow surgery and signed with Washington in November.
The Royals plan to extend the netting at Kauffman Stadium to better protect fans. The decision comes after a fan was hit by a ball Sunday during the Royals' game against the Tigers.
NBA
The Philadelphia 76ers have made a major financial commitment to their star guard. A person familiar with the situation says the Sixers and Ben Simmons have agreed to a max deal worth $170 million over five years. Simmons is due to make $8.1 million this season, the last of his four-year rookie deal. The first overall pick in the 2016 draft didn’t make his NBA until two years later due to injury. He was an All-Star for the first time last season and has averaged 16.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.9 assists in his two NBA seasons. Simmons is now signed through the 2024-25 season following the latest long-term package negotiated by the team. All-Star Joel Embiid and Al Horford are under contract through 2023, while Tobias Harris is inked through 2024.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have released the shooting guard J.R. Smith before his $15.6 million contract for next season became guaranteed. The Cavs had been trying to trade Smith for months, but the team was unable to find the right deal even after he agreed to extend his guarantee date from June 30 to July 15. The 33-year-old played in just 11 games last season after he stepped away from the team in hopes of being traded or released.
The Pelicans have waived big man Christian Wood despite his productive showing with the club late last season. Wood averaged nearly 17 points and eight rebounds in eight games after being acquired off waivers from the Bucks on March 20.
NFL
The New York Giants suspended safety Kam Moore on Monday amid charges he punched a woman, stepped on her neck and rendered her unconscious last Thursday. Moore appeared in Union County Superior Court on Monday to face charges of third-degree aggravated assault. The 22-year-old Moore played in two games as a rookie last year for New York after being cut by the Saints. Under the NFL's personal conduct policy, Moore could be subject to a six-game suspension for a first-time offense.
The Raiders have signed free agent guard Jonathan Cooper. The team made the move to add a veteran guard after news last week that projected starter Richie Incognito will be suspended for the first two games of the season for violating the league's personal conduct policy.
The 49ers have signed kicker Robbie Gould to a four-year contract. The Niners had placed the franchise tag on Gould in February for a price tag of about $5 million before signing him to a long-term deal.
Bengals left guard Clint Boling has retired Monday after NFL eight seasons, citing medical concerns. The club posted that he has been dealing with a blood clot. Boling was the Bengals' most dependable offensive lineman, playing every snap last season.
Tennessee defensive lineman Derrick Morgan says he's retiring after playing nine NFL seasons for five head coaches. The 16th player taken in the 2010 draft spent his entire career with the Titans.
The Falcons have agreed to terms with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett on a four-year extension before the NFL deadline for franchise-tagged players. Jarrett is coming off his best season yet with a career-high six sacks and tied an NFL record with three sacks in Atlanta's loss in the 2017 Super Bowl.
BOXING
Former boxing champion Pernell Whitaker has died at age 55 after he was hit by a car in Virginia. Police in Virginia Beach say Whitaker was a pedestrian when struck by the car Sunday night. Whitaker was an Olympic gold medalist and welterweight champion. He was regarded as one of the greatest defensive fighters. He won a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and made his pro debut on national television. He was fighting for a major title by his 17th fight, a loss to Jose Luis Ramirez that he would avenge the next year.
TENNIS
Simona Halep's Wimbledon championship has lifted her from No. 7 to No. 4 in the WTA rankings, and runner-up Serena Williams moved up to No. 9, her best placing since returning to the tour last season after having a baby. Coco Gauff's magical run from a wild-card entry in qualifying all the way to the fourth round at the All England Club allowed her to move into the WTA's top 150 on Monday. The 15-year-old American rises to No. 141 from No. 313. French Open champion Ash Barty remains at No. 1 in singles. Wimbledon men's champ Novak Djokovic stayed atop the ATP rankings. Rafael Nadal is No. 2 and runner-up Roger Federer is No. 3.
SPORTS BETTING
Sports betting is getting under way in upstate New York. Rivers Casino and Resort in Schenectady plans to cut the ribbon on its betting lounge Tuesday morning. Other upstate casinos are expected to follow in the coming weeks and months. Tioga Downs Casino Resort in the Southern Tier has announced plans to offer sports wagering starting Friday. The state's Gaming Commission approved regulations for sports betting last month. New York's entry into sports wagering comes after a ruling last year by the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a ban on betting in most states and set off a frenzy of interest in many states. In New York, some lawmakers want to authorize wagers at sporting venues or on mobile devices, but the proposal has yet to get a vote.
SARATOGA RACE COURSE
Fans continue to flock to Saratoga Race Course. Despite the earliest opening day at the venerable track since 1882, total paid attendance for opening weekend was 105,690. That's slightly lower than a year ago, but the New York Racing Association says all-sources handle for the first four days of the meet, from Thursday through Sunday, exceeded last year by nearly $3 million.
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