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In an era often defined by explosive offense and towering home runs, Thursday night was a powerful reminder of baseball’s oldest truth: dominant pitching reigns supreme. Across the league, aces, veterans, and surprise newcomers alike put on a collective masterclass, silencing bats and filling up box scores with zeros. From a rising star who was virtually untouchable for eight innings to a legend inching closer to a historic milestone, the art of pitching was on full display. It was a night where ERAs plummeted and batting averages dropped, providing a fascinating puzzle for sports handicappers who specialize in betting totals and pitching props, and proving that a well-pitched game is still one of the most compelling spectacles in sports.
Rays 4, Royals 0
Shane Baz delivered arguably the most dominant pitching performance of the MLB season, throwing eight brilliant shutout innings to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-0 victory and a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals. Baz was simply untouchable, at one point retiring an incredible 19 consecutive batters. He finished his career-long outing with nine strikeouts, allowing just three hits. The offense provided just enough support, with Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero hitting back-to-back homers in the sixth to seal the win. Baz’s incredible performance will undoubtedly see him shoot up the rankings on the Cy Young leaderboard and among fantasy players.
Dodgers 3, Rockies 1
The countdown is on. Future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw was masterful once again, striking out five batters over six innings of one-run ball as the Dodgers defeated the Rockies 3-1. The five strikeouts boosted his career total to 2,997, leaving him just three shy of becoming the 20th pitcher in major league history to reach the sacred 3,000-strikeout milestone. Kershaw’s historic chase is a major storyline that has been closely followed on all the top sports picks sites, with special bets offered on when he’ll achieve it. Shohei Ohtani added his National League-leading 28th home run to provide the offense.
Cubs 3, Cardinals 0
Making his first start since May 4 after a hamstring injury, Shota Imanaga looked like he hadn’t missed a beat. The Japanese star allowed just one hit over five scoreless innings as the Chicago Cubs shut out the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 for the second consecutive day. The Cubs bullpen was perfect behind him, closing out the combined three-hitter to split the four-game series. Michael Busch’s solo homer was all the offense Chicago would need.
Mets 4, Braves 0
The New York Mets overcame an early injury to their starting pitcher as five relievers combined on a three-hit shutout to defeat the Atlanta Braves 4-0 and earn a split of their four-game series. After starter Griffin Canning left with an ankle injury in the third, the Mets’ bullpen was called upon for 6 1/3 innings and was nearly perfect, allowing just one hit the rest of the way in a gutsy team performance.
Tigers 8, Athletics 0
In a fantastic feel-good story, Dietrich Enns pitched five scoreless, one-hit innings to lead the Detroit Tigers to an 8-0 rout of the Athletics. It was Enns’s first appearance in a major league game since 2021, after spending the last several seasons pitching in Japan and Korea. Called up to make a spot start, he was brilliant, getting plenty of support from a two-run homer by Gleyber Torres.
Astros 2, Phillies 1
In a tense pitcher’s duel, Cam Smith’s RBI single with two outs in the eighth inning was the difference as the Houston Astros edged the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 to complete a three-game sweep. The low-scoring affair was a classic, a result that would have been reflected in the game’s low total on the odds and scores page. Houston starter Hunter Brown was magnificent, tossing seven scoreless innings.
Other Notable Games
- Blue Jays 6, Guardians 0: Kevin Gausman scattered just two hits over eight dominant innings as Toronto blanked Cleveland to win their rubber match.
- Twins 10, Mariners 1: The Twins broke out of their slump in a big way, routing the Mariners 10-1 behind a three-RBI night from Trevor Larnach to earn a split of their four-game series.
- Marlins 12, Giants 5: In a fiery game that saw the Marlins manager ejected in the first inning after retaliation for hit-by-pitches, Miami’s offense exploded late to pull away and complete a road sweep of the Giants.
Looking Ahead
Thursday’s slate of dominant pitching performances sets up some fascinating storylines for the weekend. All eyes will be on Clayton Kershaw’s next start as he looks to make history. Meanwhile, teams like the Rays and Cubs will try to carry the momentum from their brilliant pitching into their next series.
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