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Major League Baseball celebrated the Fourth of July with its own spectacular brand of fireworks, as teams across the nation lit up the scoreboards in a day defined by explosive offense and historic home run barrages. From a franchise record being shattered at Wrigley Field to a modern-day slugger tying a mark set by a Hall of Fame legend, the power on display was simply breathtaking. It was a dream day for fans who love the long ball and a thrilling, high-variance slate for sports handicappers who were dialed in on slug-friendly matchups. The day was filled with dramatic walk-offs, high-scoring rivalries, and unforgettable individual performances.
Cubs Set Franchise Record with 8 Homers in July 4th Rout
The Chicago Cubs put on an Independence Day power display for the ages, setting a new franchise record by blasting eight home runs in an 11-3 annihilation of the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. Michael Busch had the first three-homer game of his career, while Pete Crow-Armstrong added two of his own. The Cubs raced out to a 7-0 lead after just three innings, hitting six of their eight homers off Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas. The record-breaking eighth homer came when Dansby Swanson and Busch went back-to-back in the seventh. The historic performance was the top story of the day, a result that will be dissected on all the major sports picks sites.
Raleigh Ties Griffey Jr.’s Record as Mariners Blank Pirates
Cal Raleigh continues to build his case as baseball’s premier power-hitting catcher. He hit his major league-leading 34th and 35th home runs of the season to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 6-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. With his second blast, Raleigh tied the Mariners’ franchise record for most home runs before the All-Star break, a mark established by the legendary Ken Griffey Jr. in 1998. Raleigh tying a record held by a Hall of Famer will send his stock soaring on the MVP leaderboard. Bryan Woo was dominant on the mound, pitching six scoreless innings as the Mariners snapped the Pirates’ six-game winning streak.
Bader’s Walk-Off Homer Lifts Twins Over Rays
Harrison Bader sent the home crowd into a frenzy, launching a walk-off solo home run on the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Minnesota Twins a dramatic 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. Bader, who also homered earlier in the game, clinched the win after the Twins had scored the final three runs of the game.
Story’s Huge Night Powers Red Sox Past Nationals
Trevor Story had a massive night for Boston, homering as part of a four-hit, four-RBI performance to lead the visiting Red Sox to an 11-2 rout of the Washington Nationals. Jarren Duran also added two hits and three RBIs as Boston’s offense exploded for 14 total hits.
McNeil’s Late Homer Wins Subway Series Opener for Mets
In a thrilling back-and-forth Subway Series matchup, Jeff McNeil was the hero for the Mets. With his team trailing by one in the bottom of the seventh, McNeil mashed a two-run homer into the second deck to give the Mets a 6-5 lead they would not relinquish. The Yankees lost their fifth straight despite two home runs from Jasson Dominguez.
Westburg’s Return Sparks Orioles in Win Over Braves
Jordan Westburg made an immediate impact in his return from a hand injury, hitting a home run to lead the visiting Baltimore Orioles to a tight 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves. Baltimore starter Charlie Morton was also impressive in his return from an injury, pitching 5 1/3 innings to earn his fifth consecutive winning decision.
Perez and McKinstry Homer to End Guardians’ Losing Streak
The Detroit Tigers used the long ball to take down the free-falling Cleveland Guardians 2-1. Solo home runs from Wenceel Perez and Zach McKinstry were all the offense Detroit needed as four pitchers combined on a nine-hitter. The loss was the eighth straight for the Guardians.
Chourio’s Go-Ahead Double Lifts Brewers Past Marlins
Jackson Chourio delivered the key hit, a tie-breaking RBI double in the eighth inning, to lead the visiting Milwaukee Brewers to a 6-5 victory over the Miami Marlins. The win snapped Miami’s eight-game winning streak.
Cronenworth’s Walk-Off Single the Difference for Padres
For the second time in a week, a game in San Diego ended with a walk-off single. Jake Cronenworth delivered the two-out RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Padres a thrilling 3-2 victory over the visiting Texas Rangers.
Blue Jays Win Sixth Straight on Walk-Off Error
The Toronto Blue Jays extended their winning streak to six games in bizarre fashion, scoring the winning run on a throwing error on a bunt in the 10th inning to defeat the visiting Los Angeles Angels 4-3. The win pushed Toronto’s lead in the AL East to two games.
Houser’s Gem Leads White Sox to Victory
Adrian Houser was brilliant for Chicago, tossing a season-high eight innings of two-run ball to lead the White Sox to a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies in Denver. Edgar Quero’s first career home run provided the early offense for Chicago.
Looking Ahead
The Fourth of July fireworks have set the stage for an exciting weekend of baseball. The Cubs will look to continue their power surge against the Cardinals, while the Blue Jays will try to extend their lead in the AL East. The dramatic finishes in multiple cities provided thrilling swings on the live odds and scores pages, a trend that could continue into the weekend series.
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