Spencer Horwitz's slam powers Pirates' sweep of Tigers, 6-1
Horwitz belted his third home run of the season and first career grand slam in the second inning off Detroit prospect Troy Melton (0-1), who made his major league debut.
The 416-foot blast, which came with two outs, gave Pittsburgh a 5-0 lead and put the Pirates on course for their fourth series sweep of the season and 10th win in their past 13 home games. Horwitz finished 7-for-12 with seven RBIs in the series.
The Tigers lost their third in a row and for the ninth time in their past 10 games. They were swept for the third time this season and second time in their past three series.
Melton's rough day ended after five innings in which he allowed six runs on seven hits, including two home runs, walking two and striking out seven.
Andrew McCutchen had the other home run in the bottom of the first -- his ninth of the season -- to put Pittsburgh ahead 1-0.
Oneil Cruz had two hits and an RBI and stole two bases, bringing his season total to 33. Bryan Reynolds also continued his torrid hitting with two hits, including his 21st double of the season.
Detroit produced its lone run in the top of the seventh when Falter (7-5) allowed a double to Spencer Torkelson and a single to Matt Vierling with one out.
But Falter was sharp beyond that, delivering a bounce-back performance in which he struck out eight with no walks, and allowed the lone run on four hits in seven innings.
Zach McKinstry, Wenceel Perez and Colt Keith each had a hit for the Tigers, who have scored only nine runs in six games since the All-Star break, with five of those coming in Tuesday's 8-5 loss.
To make room for Melton on the active and 40-man rosters, the Tigers placed ace Tarik Skubal on the paternity list and designated center fielder Brewer Hicklen for assignment.
--Field Level Media
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
29 minutes ago
- The Independent
Extra bank holiday update as nation celebrates Lionesses' Euro 2025 triumph
England 's Lionesses are set to celebrate their historic Euros victory with an open-top bus parade through central London and a visit to Downing Street, though a bank holiday to mark the triumph is not currently planned. The team successfully defended their Euros title on Sunday, securing a dramatic penalty shootout win over Spain in the final held in Basel, Switzerland. Chloe Kelly netted the decisive spot-kick, following two crucial saves from goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, sparking widespread jubilation among fans across the country and in dedicated fan zones. The King extended the royal family's "warmest appreciation and admiration" to the squad, adding a challenge: "The next task is to bring home the World Cup in 2027 if you possibly can." Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and sports minister Stephanie Peacock are scheduled to host the team at a Downing Street reception on Monday. A further homecoming celebration is slated for Tuesday, with a ceremony anticipated to take place outside Buckingham Palace. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed the team's triumph, saying: 'The Lionesses have once again captured the hearts of the nation. 'Their victory is not only a remarkable sporting achievement, but an inspiration for young people across the country. 'It stands as a testament to the determination, resilience and unity that define this outstanding team.' There will be an open-top bus parade along the Mall before the ceremony at the Queen Victoria Memorial, the FA said. Fans can attend for free and it will be broadcast live on BBC, ITV, and Sky. However, it is understood Downing Street has no plans for a bank holiday to mark the Lionesses' triumph. Supporters stood on tables, waved flags, threw drinks in the air and excitedly hugged each other as England claimed victory, while the Prince of Wales and Sir Keir watched on from the stands in Basel. Alessia Russo gave the Lionesses hope of retaining their Euros title with her second-half equaliser after Mariona Caldentey netted the opener for Spain in the 25th minute. In a statement posted on X after the game, Charles said: 'This brings you, your manager and all your support team my most heartfelt congratulations on winning the Euros 2025. 'For more years than I care to remember, England fans have sung that famous chant 'football's coming home'. 'As you return home with the trophy you won at Wembley three years ago, it is a source of great pride that, through sporting skill and awesome teamwork, the Lionesses have made those words ring true. 'For this, you have my whole family's warmest appreciation and admiration.' The King added: 'More than that, though, you have shown through your example over past weeks that there are no setbacks so tough that defeat cannot be transformed into victory, even as the final whistle looms. 'Well done, Lionesses.' A picture of the Prince of Wales with his arm around his daughter Princess Charlotte was posted to X following the presentation of the trophy to the Lionesses, with the caption 'champions of Europe'. The pair congratulated the team in a short statement, saying: 'What a game! Lionesses, you are the champions of Europe and we couldn't be prouder of the whole team. Enjoy this moment England.' The statement was the first message Charlotte has personally signed on the Prince and Princess of Wales 's X account. Tower Bridge was lit up in red and white following the Lionesses' victory, the City Bridge Foundation said. Sir Keir was the first to congratulate England on their win – posting on X: 'Champions! Congratulations Lionesses – what a team. What a game. What drama. 'You dug deep when it mattered most and you've made the nation proud. History makers.' William was spotted in the stands applauding and celebrating with those around him – including Princess Charlotte. As the presentation ceremony took place, the Prince of Wales was among those to congratulate star striker Michelle Agyemang on being named young player of the tournament. William exchanged words with Agyemang, appearing to say 'well played, fantastic, well done'. Agyemang, 19, who had one England cap before the tournament, scored crucial equalisers in the Lionesses' quarter-final and semi-final comebacks. There was non-stop applause in her home town of South Ockendon as fans saw the Arsenal forward step through a guard of honour to pick up her award. Supporters at her old club Brandon Groves AFC danced a conga line to the sounds of Vindaloo after England's victory. The club's vice-chairwoman, Paula Howes, said Agyemang will help give youngsters the 'motivation and drive' to progress from grassroots football to the top of the game. She said: 'I think she (Agyemang) has got that determination and that drive on the pitch, and the girls can connect with that. 'It is also knowing that she is a local girl as well, I think that helps give them the motivation and drive, to know that you can start at grassroots football and progress up to the higher level, if you work at it.' The National Autistic Society congratulated their ambassador Lucy Bronze on the Lionesses victory, adding: 'We hope she has inspired the next generation of autistic girls to follow their dreams.' Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy also gave her reaction to the win, saying: 'What an absolutely extraordinary achievement by our Lionesses – once again they have made history and united the country with pride and joy.' England's path to the final was marked by late drama. They sealed their spot with a last-gasp extra-time win over Italy, following a penalty shootout victory against Sweden in the quarter-finals after nearly crashing out in extra time.
The Guardian
29 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Pogacar's rivals must work out how to defeat a champion at the top of his game
Fourth Tour wins are, I once wrote, 'more for the record books than the heart … the penultimate step to cycling greatness, [they] often do little to warm the soul at the time'. The past three weeks suggests that nothing has changed. It's far from the four stages of grief, but you could argue that a first Tour victory is met with surprise and delight, a second admiration, the third respect, the fourth resignation. As Tadej Pogacar's fourth Tour win approached with the inevitability of a steamroller this week the chief cycling writer at l'Equipe, Alex Roos, grumbled about the Slovene's lack of joie de vivre. 'For the last few days, his sulks, his grumbles, his bad mood have blurred and eaten away at the ambience of the end of this Tour, because how can you get enthusiastic if the Yellow Jersey himself gives the impression of being bored and going through something painful …?' Pogacar's fourth Tour win was inevitable – with the usual 'barring this or that' proviso – from the moment 19 days ago when the first time check during the time trial around Caen gave him an unbridgeable advantage over Jonas Vingegaard. Similarly, the fourth wins for Bernard Hinault, Miguel Induráin, Lance Armstrong and Chris Froome were all telegraphed by the end of week one: nonetheless admirable as athletic achievements – Armstrong's excepted – but zero suspense. Hence the feeling of resignation. Pogacar could be forgiven if he seemed slightly underwhelmed with proceedings this week. This has been a particularly intense, brutal and attritional Tour, with barely any respite, and the stage to Pontarlier on Saturday summed this up perfectly: a two-wheeled equivalent of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow. Pogacar may be physically on top of things, with an unbridgeable margin over Vingegaard, but there was still plenty of potential for the unforeseen, plenty to get stressed about. The bulk of the stages of this 2025 Tour were as intense as Saturday's but that has not happened by chance; it is the culmination of a process that began in 2007, when the race director, Christian Prudhomme, set out on a mission to sex up the race for television. Since then, the men who devise the route have gone out of their way to avoid the lengthy, flat, formulaic stages that once were the hallmark of the early phase of the race, and many of the 'stages of transition'; these were accepted by Tour watchers, in the words of the late Geoffrey Nicholson, 'with the stoicism of a Headingley crowd watching the slow construction of an opening stand'. The days when a sprinter such as Mario Cipollini could take four successive stages (1999) are long gone. Now, thanks to Prudhomme's routefinder‑general Thierry Gouvenou, visiting innocuous places such as Rouen, Toulouse or Carcassonne entails daunting climbs and descents that make for compelling TV viewing. Again to encourage the attackers, stages over 200km are now the exception while time bonuses at all the finishes encourage potential winners to contest every stage they can. Every day on the Tour, it seems, now has the intensity and unpredictability of a one-day Classic in miniature; every day is massively compelling to watch. Since leaving Lille on 5 July, the Tour men have enjoyed one stage which followed the pattern of the past: day eight to Laval. The 'American quarter-hour' – the term given to the margin Armstrong's US Postal team would give each day's breakaway – has been consigned to history. This year, not even the final promenade into Paris is sacred, but a mini-Classic in its final kilometres. If Pogacar is finding the intensity of the race a bit much, then we should savour the irony; if ever there was a bike racer suited for the current made-for-TV Tour, he is that one. It's no coincidence that he has won the Tour of Flanders, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and shone in Paris-Roubaix since taking his first Tour in 2020: the intensity; the bike-handling skill; the need to hold position in the peloton and the repeated maximal efforts demanded by the spring one‑day Classics are now the perfect preparation for La Grande Boucle. Hence the emergence of other current stars: Mathieu van der Poel, Ben Healy, Wout van Aert, and 'punchy' riders such as Kévin Vauquelin. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion The new-look Tour favours the complete bike racer, just as the Tours of the Induráin years were built for a time trialist. Vingegaard struggles to hang on to Pogacar in the Tour's punchy stages, and that's not a surprise: the Dane is not a Classic rider in the same register as Pogacar – the last time he was seen in a spring Classic was 2022, when he failed to finish Flèche Wallonne or Liège-Bastogne-Liège. In fact, you could argue that Vingegaard is doing shockingly well to hold Pogacar, given his obvious comfort zone is the high mountains. The new-look Tour offers far more openings than Tours of the past, which presents opportunities that were not there in the Froome or Induráin years: however, if you want to beat the reigning champion, you have to out-Pogi Pogi: build a team that can take the race to the Slovene on a daily basis and eventually crack him. In the real world, however, Vingegaard's Visma tried to do just that in the past three weeks, and self-destructed in the process. As a result, Pogacar's rivals face the same conundrum of those of Hinault, Induráin, Armstrong and Froome: how to defeat a champion on top of his game, who has mastered the challenges the organisers have thrown at him and is supported by a team that has grown in confidence and experience each year? You can tweak the Tour all you will, but some things never change.
Reuters
29 minutes ago
- Reuters
Rejuvenated Rangers make quick return to Anaheim
July 28 - For the second time in a three-week span, the Texas Rangers head to Anaheim, Calif., to open a series with the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night. But a lot has changed for Bruce Bochy's club in that time. The Rangers were a season-high 11 games back of the first-place Houston Astros in the American League West and looked in grave danger of missing the playoffs when that series began on July 7. But Texas made the most of a nine-game homestand following the All-Star break, winning eight times with the only loss a 2-1 setback to the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers in a game started by reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. The Rangers bring a six-game winning streak into Monday's opener after back-to-back three-game sweeps of the Athletics and the Atlanta Braves, outscoring their opponents 37-14 in the process, and are tied with the Seattle Mariners for the final AL wild-card spot. "We played outstanding baseball here in this homestand," Bochy said following an 8-1 victory over the Braves on Sunday. "Going into the homestand we needed to. We needed to make up some ground. What a great job they did. "The guys didn't get down. They haven't. I think it showed in this homestand." Josh Smith went 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and a two-run homer, and Wyatt Langford had a three-run double to lead the Rangers offensively. Jack Leiter picked up his seventh win, allowing one run on two hits over six innings while striking out seven. "It's such a long season, you're not going to be your best the whole 162," Smith said. "Even though we weren't playing great, we still kind of kept ourselves in it, playing right at .500 or just below .500 until we got hot." Texas, a season-high six games over .500 (56-50), now hits the road for seven games beginning with three contests against the Angels followed by a four-game showdown with the Mariners in Seattle. "We've got to keep this going," Smith said. "We can't take our foot off the gas." Right-hander Jacob deGrom (10-2, 2.28 ERA) starts the series opener and will be opposed by right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (3-9, 6.03). deGrom is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three career starts against Los Angeles. He picked up a no decision in a 6-5 loss on July 7 at Anaheim Stadium that ended with Nolan Schanuel drawing a bases-loaded walk off Hoby Milner in the bottom of the ninth to force Luis Rengifo in with the winning run. Kochanowicz was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake following his last big league start on July 10 against the Rangers -- a game in which he allowed eight runs in eight hits in just 2 2/3 innings of an 11-4 loss. He is 0-4 with a 7.97 ERA in four career starts against Texas. The fourth-place Angels are nine games behind Houston in the AL West and five games behind the Rangers and Seattle for the final wild-card spot. But they come in off a milestone 4-1 victory over the Mariners on Sunday. Mike Trout hit a two-run home run, the 397th of his career, passing Joe Carter into 62nd place on the all-time home run list. The two RBIs also gave Trout 1,001 in his career, third most in franchise history behind Garret Anderson (1,292) and Tim Salmon (1,016). "It's good to finally put a good swing on a ball," Trout said of his 443-foot drive that landed halfway up the batter's eye in dead center. "It takes you teammates getting on base to accomplish that. I can't do it without them." The win was just the second in the last seven games for the Angels. --Field Level Media
