Table of Contents
Sunday in Major League Baseball was a day for the history books. In Seattle, a young superstar carved out a piece of history all for himself, achieving something no other player has ever done. In Tennessee, two teams played in front of the largest crowd to ever witness a baseball game. And across the league, dramatic walk-off home runs and dominant pitching performances provided a thrilling conclusion to the weekend. It was a day that gave fans unforgettable moments and provided sports handicappers with new milestones to factor into their analysis of the league’s brightest stars.
Julio Rodriguez Makes History with 100th Homer, 4th Straight 20-20 Season
Julio Rodriguez launched himself into the MLB record books on Sunday, hitting his 100th career home run to become the first player in major league history to begin a career with four consecutive 20-homer, 20-stolen base seasons. The historic two-run blast helped the Seattle Mariners defeat the visiting Texas Rangers 5-4. Rodriguez’s unprecedented achievement puts him in a class of his own and will be the top story on all major sports picks sites.
| Julio Rodriguez | Unprecedented 20/20 Streak |
| Season | Home Runs |
| Year 1 | 28 |
| Year 2 | 32 |
| Year 3 | 30 |
| Year 4 | 20 |
Ward’s Walk-Off Homer Caps Angels’ 5-Run Comeback
Taylor Ward was the hero in Anaheim, hitting a three-run, walk-off home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth to give the Los Angeles Angels a stunning 8-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox. The blast capped a five-run comeback for the Angels, who snapped a three-game losing streak in the most dramatic way possible.
Turner’s Pinch-Hit Walk-Off Lifts Cubs in Thriller
In another incredible finish, 40-year-old veteran Justin Turner delivered a pinch-hit, two-run walk-off homer in the ninth inning to lift the Chicago Cubs past the visiting Baltimore Orioles 5-3. It was the first regular-season walk-off home run of the veteran’s long and storied career. The walk-off homers by Ward and Turner provided thrilling finishes for fans following the live odds and scores at home.
Braves Win Speedway Classic in Front of Record-Breaking Crowd
In a truly unique event, the Atlanta Braves defeated the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 in the Speedway Classic, held at Bristol Motor Speedway in front of an MLB-record crowd of 91,032 fans. Eli White was the star of the historic game, hitting two home runs to lead the Braves. The unique event was a massive success, and its result will be a unique entry on the all-time leaderboard.
| Player Spotlight | Eli White (ATL) |
| At-Bats | 4 |
| Runs | 2 |
| Hits | 2 |
| Home Runs | 2 |
| RBIs | 4 |
Sanchez’s 8 Scoreless Innings Lead Phillies Past Tigers
Cristopher Sanchez was magnificent for Philadelphia, throwing eight dominant scoreless innings to lead the host Phillies to a 2-0 shutout victory over the Detroit Tigers. Sanchez allowed just five hits and struck out six in one of his best starts of the season. Kyle Schwarber provided all the offense needed with his 38th homer of the year.
| Pitcher Spotlight | Cristopher Sanchez (PHI) |
| Innings | 8.0 |
| Hits | 5 |
| Runs | 0 |
| Walks | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 6 |
Giolito’s 8 Strong Innings Lead Red Sox Sweep of Astros
Lucas Giolito delivered his longest and best start as a member of the Boston Red Sox, giving up just one run over eight brilliant innings as the host Red Sox swept the Houston Astros with a 6-1 victory. Ceddanne Rafaela went 3-for-3 to lead the Boston offense.
Freeman and Kershaw Power Dodgers to Shutout Win
Freddie Freeman stayed hot, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs, and Clayton Kershaw tossed six shutout innings as the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers blanked the Tampa Bay Rays 3-0. The win gave the Dodgers a crucial rubber-match victory on the road.
Devers’ 4-RBI Night Leads Giants Past Mets
Rafael Devers had a huge night for his new team, going 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs as the visiting San Francisco Giants rolled over the New York Mets 12-4. Rookie pitcher Carson Whisenhunt recorded his first career win for the Giants.
Turang’s Two Homers Power Brewers’ Sweep
Brice Turang homered twice and drove in four runs to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 14-3 rout of the Nationals, completing a three-game series sweep in Washington.
Royals Win 5-Run 10th Inning to Take Series from Blue Jays
The visiting Kansas City Royals exploded for a five-run 10th inning to take the rubber match against the Toronto Blue Jays, 7-4. Kyle Isbel and Tyler Tolbert delivered the key two-RBI hits in the extra frame.
Stowers’ 3-Run Homer Secures Marlins’ Sweep of Yankees
All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers launched a three-run homer as the host Miami Marlins swept the New York Yankees for the first time in franchise history with a 7-3 victory. Stowers finished the series with two homers and eight RBIs.
Larnach’s RBI Single Salvages Win for Twins
Trevor Larnach singled in two runs as part of a four-run first inning as the Minnesota Twins held on to beat the host Cleveland Guardians 5-4, salvaging the final game of their three-game series.
Horwitz’s 6-RBI Night Leads Pirates in Slugfest
Spencer Horwitz had a career night for Pittsburgh, homering twice and driving in a career-high six runs as the Pirates outslugged the Colorado Rockies 9-5 in Denver.
Cease’s Gem Leads Padres Over Cardinals
Dylan Cease was dominant for San Diego, allowing just one hit over five scoreless innings while striking out nine as the host Padres defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1.
Looking Ahead
Julio Rodriguez will continue his historic season as the Mariners head home for a new series. The baseball world will also be watching to see if the Marlins can carry the momentum from their historic sweep of the Yankees into the new week.
