MLB 2024 | Arozarena with two-run homer; Chapman perfect for 325th career save; Grandal delivers clutch double; Cortes was hit hard
- Ray Otero-Alonso
- Jul 12, 2024
- 3 min read
Cuban Players News for the 2024 Major League Baseball season. A compilation of several sources
Randy Arozarena went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run against the Yankees on Thursday.
The home run was Arozarena’s 12th of the season. He’s 24-for-81 (.296) with four home runs, 10 RBI and five stolen bases in his last 23 games. Arozarena is hitting just .203 with a .679 OPS on the season, but he’s certainly heading into the All-Star break on a positive note.
Aroldis Chapman fired a scoreless inning to get a save against the Brewers on Thursday.
Chapman didn’t allow a hit and picked up a strikeout to pick up the save and secure a victory for Paul Skenes after Skenes threw seven no-hit innings with 11 strikeouts prior to exiting. It was Chapman 325th career save, passing Huston Street for 20th in the all-time list. Chapman has consistently seen ninth-inning work since David Bednar got injured June 22, but Chapman's allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits and six walks across 7.2 innings with three saves in four opportunities during that stretch.
Yandy Diaz went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored against the Yankees on Thursday.
Yandy Diaz lead the game off for Tampa Bay with a double that was scorched and may or may not have hit the catwalk at Tropicana Field. He came around to score on Randy Arozarena’s home run. Diaz also lead off the third inning with a double and scored on an RBI single by Brandon Lowe. Diaz is hitting .272 with a .724 OPS on the season.
Jorge Soler was back in the Giants’ starting lineup on Thursday.
Soler missed two days with an illness but was back in the lineup as the lead-off hitter and designated hitter. He went 1-for-4 in the game leaving his BA at .224 for the year, with 10 HRs and 32 RBIs.
Yasmani Grandal delivered clutch double.
Yasmani Grandal went 1-for-4 with an RBI double during Thursday's 1-0 win over the Brewers. Grandal broke the stalemate in the seventh inning, tagging Aaron Civale for a one-out double to score Jack Suwinski from first base. Grandal started Thursday's contest behind the dish after yielding to Joey Bart in each of the Pirates' previous three games. In 132 plate appearances, Grandal is slashing .184/.214/.304 with 22 strikeouts and only five walks.
Nestor Cortes allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings and took the loss against the Rays on Thursday.
Cortes gave up seven hits, walked two and struck out four. Cortes had posted a quality start in four of his last five games, but was hit hard in this one. Randy Arozarena hit a home run in his first at-bat, but Yandy Diaz and Jose Siri both hit doubles with at least 100 mph exit velocity that easily could’ve been home runs as well. Cortes’ ERA is up to 3.67 on the year.
Yordan Alvarez was absent from the lineup for Thursday’s showdown against the Marlins.
No real surprise here as the Astros aren’t going to take any chances with their middle-of-the-order lynchpin with the All-Star break in a few days. The 27-year-old superstar made an early exit from Wednesday’s contest due to right hip tightness. It doesn’t sound like he’ll wind up requiring a trip to the injured list, but he might not play a ton over the next few days.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. dealing with soreness.
Gurriel was out of the lineup Thursday to manage "bumps and bruises", Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reported. Gurriel was on the bench Thursday after going 2-for-11 with a walk in the first three games of the series against Atlanta. He was available as a pinch hitter and there was no indication that he's dealing with anything serious. He should be back in the lineup Friday, but that will be worth confirming before Arizona kicks off a series with Toronto at 9:40 pm ET.
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