MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TUESDAY…
Cleveland 8, Tigers 0
Oscar Mercado hit a two-run homer and Zach Plesac and three relievers combined for a one-hitter as the Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers 8-0.
Nicholas Castellanos accounted for the Tigers’ only hit with a leadoff single up the middle in the fifth inning off Tyler Clippard. Detroit had two baserunners all night and sent 28 batters to the plate _ one above the minimum. Plesac walked Victor Reyes to begin the game, then erased him with his MLB-leading fifth pickoff.
Mercado hit a two-run shot and Francisco Lindor added a two-run double in a five-run second inning, as Cleveland bolted to a 7-0 lead through three before the game was halted by rain for 2 hours, 7 minutes.
Jake Bauers and Jose Ramirez also had RBIs off Tigers left-hander Ryan Carpenter (1-6), who gave up seven earned runs on seven hits and committed an error.
Cleveland has won nine straight against Detroit and has a 10-1 edge in the season series. Cleveland is an AL-best 24-10 since June 4, and the Indians pulled within five games of first-place Minnesota in the Central Division.
Cubs 4, Cincinnati 3 – 10 innings
Kyle Schwarber hit a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Chicago Cubs a 4-3 comeback victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Schwarber stroked a 1-1 pitch from closer Raisel Iglesias (2-8) into the basket in front of the left field bleachers for his 21st homer.
Robel Garcia and Kris Bryant also connected for the NL Central leading Cubs, who have won six of eight.
Steve Cishek (3-5) pitched the 10th and four Cubs relievers combined for four scoreless innings.
Cubs spot starter Alec Mills allowed three runs and five hits over six innings in his season debut. He walked one, struck out two and hit four batters with pitches. Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani allowed three runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Kansas City 11, White Sox 0
Glen Sparkman overcame some early struggles and settled down for his first career complete game and shutout.
Sparkman pitched a five-hitter, Whit Merrifield and Hunter Dozier both had three hits including a home run, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White sox 11-0 Tuesday night.
Sparkman (3-5) finished with a career-high eight strikeouts and one walk in the Royals’ first complete-game shutout since June 2, 2017, when Jason Vargas beat Cleveland 4-0.
Kansas City improved to 4-1 since the All-Star break and dropped the White Sox to 0-5.
Merrifield, hitting .379 (22 for 58) in a 14-game hitting streak, raced to an inside-the-park homer down the right-field line in the fourth inning after Cam Gallagher doubled. Plate umpire Tom Hallion initially called Merrifield out on the play at home, but it was overturned after a quick replay review. That made the score 6-0 and gave Merrifield the 100th inside-the-park homer in Royals history.
Dozier hit a two-run, 447-foot homer to left field in the eighth inning to cap a four-run inning and finish the scoring.
Chicago starter Dylan Cease (1-1) gave up six runs — four earned — and eight hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out seven.
Elsewhere…
N-Y Mets 3, Minnesota 2
Washington 8, Baltimore 1
Arizona 9, Texas 2
N-Y Yankees 8, Tampa Bay 3
Toronto 10, Boston 4
Oakland 9, Seattle 2
L-A Angels 7, Houston 2
Philadelphia 9, L-A Dodgers 8
Miami 12, San Diego 7
Milwaukee 13, Atlanta 1
Pittsburgh 3, St. Louis 1
San Francisco 8, Colorado 4, 10 innings
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL WEDNESDAY…
Cincinnati at Cubs, 2:20
Tigers at Cleveland, 7:10 (live on 106.1 & 1400 WSJM Sports at 6:45)
White Sox at Kansas City, 8:15
MIDWEST LEAGUE TUESDAY…
No games
MIDWEST LEAGUE WEDNESDAY…
South Bend at Wisconsin, 8:05
West Michigan at Beloit, 7:35
Burlington at Lansing, 7:05
Clinton at Great Lakes, 7:05
White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez and Kansas City shortstop Adalberto Mondesi left Tuesday night’s game due to injuries. The Sox said Jimenez left the game with right elbow soreness after a collision and that he will undergo further examination. Mondesi was led off the field with head trainer Nick Kenney holding his left arm.
In hockey news, the Blackhawks have traded Artem Anisimov to Ottawa in exchange for Zack Smith. It is a swap of 31-year-old forwards. Anisimov played four seasons for Chicago, scoring 77 goals and adding 78 assists in 291 games, including 15 goals and 22 assists last season. Smith was placed on waivers last September only to go unclaimed. He had nine goals and 19 assists for the rebuilding Senators last season.
