Yu Darvish becomes first Japan-born player to reach 2,000 strikeouts in MLB
Yu Darvish became the first Japanese pitcher to record 2,000 MLB strikeouts while helping the San Diego Padres move closer to clinching a playoff berth.
Darvish reached the milestone by striking out Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. to end the third inning of the Padres’ 4-2 win at home on Sunday.
“That’s a heck of a milestone,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “Two thousand major league strikeouts, over 3,100 I think for his combined professional career. That’s really impressive. It’s a big number, 2,000 for your career in Major League Baseball, and it’s rarefied air.”
SAN DIEGO (AP) – The Chicago White Sox tied the post-1900 MLB record of 120 losses by the 1962 expansion New York Mets on Sunday when the San Diego Padres won 4-2 by rallying for three runs in the eighth inning, capped by Fernando Tatis Jr.´s towering home run.
The White Sox (36-120) had taken a 2-1 lead on home runs by Korey Lee and Miguel Vargas off Yu Darvish, but that lead quickly disappeared in the eighth.
This defeat came a day after the White Sox tied the American League record of 119 losses set by the 2003 Detroit Tigers.
BOSTON (AP) – Struggling Minnesota was swept in a split doubleheader against Boston, when Romy Gonzalez hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs in the nightcap to lead the Red Sox to a 9-3 victory.
Losing for the 13th time in 19 games, the Twins fell a game behind both Detroit and Kansas City for the AL´s final two wild-card spots. They own the tiebreaker over both.
Minnesota (81-75) is just 11-22 since going 17 games over .500 on Aug. 17.
The Red Sox won for just the ninth time in 23 games to get back to .500 (78-78) after fading in the playoff chase. They´re only 24-36 since the All-Star break
PIRATES 2, REDS 0
CINCINNATI (AP) – Paul Skenes struck out nine and pitched two-hit ball through five innings, leading Pittsburgh to a win over Cincinnati.
Skenes (11-3) recorded his 16th game with seven or more strikeouts, surpassing Larry McWilliams (1983) for seventh-most by a Pirates starter in a season. In three starts against the Reds, the 22-year-old right-hander has allowed one earned run with 25 strikeouts in 17 innings.
Skenes lowered his ERA to 1.99 on Sunday, the second-lowest through 22 career starts behind Steve Roger´s 1.95 ERA in 1973-74 with the Montreal Expos.
Oneil Cruz hit his 21st homer in the first inning and Nick Yorke´s first career homer off Fernando Cruz in the fifth inning gave the Pirates a two-run lead. Pittsburgh won by shutout for the 12th time this season.
BALTIMORE (AP) – Kerry Carpenter homered twice, Parker Meadows made a home run-saving grab and surging Detroit moved into a tie for the second American League wild card with a victory over Baltimore.
Carpenter´s third multi-home run game of the season ensured the Tigers their first winning season since 2016 as Detroit (82-74) moved into a tie with Kansas City (82-74) and a half-game in front of Minnesota (81-74) for the final AL wild card spot.
The Twins – who own the head-to-head tiebreak – could pull even with the Tigers in the second game of their double-header in Boston later Sunday.
The Tigers have won 11 of their last 14.
Baltimore (86-70) lost its fifth consecutive series and fell 5 1/2 games behind New York (91-64) in the AL East race with six to play but are still four games ahead of Kansas City and Detroit for the top wild card spot.
RAYS 4, BLUE JAYS 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Jonathan Aranda homered in a third straight game and Tampa Bay beat Toronto to complete a three-game sweep.
Aranda gave the Rays a 2-1 lead on his two-run drive against Zach Pop in the sixth inning. Aranda has connected for six of his 10 career homers against the Blue Jays.
Pinch hitter Christopher Morel had an seventh-inning sacrifice fly off Génesis Cabrera (3-3) before Brandon Lowe´s solo homer in the eighth made it 4-2. Lowe has 20 homers this season.
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