It was a unique day at the ballpark as the Milwaukee Brewers treated their home fans to a 5-2 extra-innings win against the Chicago Cubs on Independence Day.
Pitchers dominated the early stages, with the only run in the first six innings coming from Cubs center-fielder Nelson Velasquez, who sent a ball 418 feet for the first home run of his career.
Cubs starter Justin Steele retired 20 batters before finally conceding his only run as Pedro Severino collected an RBI double in the seventh inning, tying things at 1-1.
Steele finished his day with nine strikeouts in six-and-two-thirds innings, with his one earned run coming from two hits and four walks.
Milwaukee's Eric Lauer was just as impressive, pitching six full innings for one earned run from two hits and two walks, also striking out nine.
With scores tied in the top of the ninth inning, in his return from over a month on the sidelines due to injury, Seiya Suzuki sent a ball to deep center-field. It bounced awkwardly off the wall to evade the outfielders, allowing the Japanese rookie star to round the bases for an inside-the-park home run and give the Cubs a 2-1 lead.
But David Robertson could not complete the save for Chicago, giving up a single, a double, a hit-by-pitch and a walk to drive in the tying run, sending the game to extra innings.
The Cubs were unable to put a run on the board in the top of the 10th, setting up the Brewers for a walk-off win.
After Rowdy Tellez was intentionally walked, putting two men on base, Victor Caratini blasted a 411-foot, walk-off home run to finish the contest.
It was the first time in MLB history there had been a player hit his first career home run, another hit an inside-the-parker, and another hit a walk-off homer in the same game.
Alvarez delivers in the clutch
The breakout star of the Houston Astros, Yordan Alvarez, capped off a big comeback on Monday with a walk-off home run to defeat the Kansas City Royals 7-6 at home.
It was the Royals who started hot, jumping out to a 5-0 lead after M.J. Melendez's solo home run in the third inning, and that is when the Astros would begin their fightback.
The Astros pulled back three runs through RBIs to Kyle Tucker, Jose Altuve and Mauricio Dubon, and after Melendez's second home run of the game made it 6-3, Tucker drove in another two runs in the eighth inning.
Lourdes Gurriel tied things at 6-6 in the eighth frame, before with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Alvarez completed the comeback with a no-doubt, 444-foot solo home run to center-field.
Mateo takes one for the team in Orioles win
The Baltimore Orioles took a gutsy 7-6 home win against the Texas Rangers as shortstop Jorge Mateo wore a hit-by-pitch in the botttom of the 10th inning for an unconventional walk-off.
A pair of clutch hits in the ninth inning – first a solo home run from Texas' Marcus Semien to put his side up 6-5, and then an RBI double from Baltimore's Adley Rutchsman to tie it at 6-6 – forced extra innings in the back-and-forth contest.
The Rangers were unable to put on a run on the board in the 10th, allowing the Orioles to escape with the result after a bunt single, an intentional walk and finally Mateo's hit-by-pitch drove in the winning run.
Angels announce top prospect O'Hoppe to catch from Ohtani in Opening Day
The Los Angeles Angels have announced top prospect Logan O'Hoppe will be their starting catcher for Thursday's Opening Day game against the Oakland Athletics.
O'Hoppe will catch from Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani who has also been confirmed to start Thursday's game at O.co Coliseum.
The 23-year-old will step in with Max Stassi placed on the Angels injured list on Wednesday with hip soreness.
"He worked his tail off all winter to be in this position and he's earned it," Angels manager Pat Nevin said of O'Hoppe.
"A guy like Ohtani is saying this guy can really catch and I don't mind throwing to him."
O'Hoppe debuted for the Angels late last season, batting .286 with two RBIs in five games. He batted .281 with a .799 OPS in 12 games in spring training.
The New York-born catcher was traded by the Philadelphia Phillies, where he was behind J.T. Realmuto, to the Angels in August last year in exchange for Brandon Marsh.
Woods and Trout team up to build exclusive golf club in New Jersey
Tiger Woods has teamed up with Mike Trout to build a private golf club in New Jersey.
Trout, a 10-time MLB All-Star, still lives in New Jersey, when not on the west coast for his day job with the Los Angeles Angels.
Woods and his design company – TGR Design – will plan the 18-hole course in Vineland.
Trout National-The Reserve will also feature a practice range, short-game area, clubhouse, lodging and a wedding chapel, and is scheduled to open in 2025.
"I've always enjoyed watching Mike on the diamond so when the opportunity arose to work with him on Trout National-The Reserve, I couldn't pass it up," Woods said.
"It's a great site for golf and our team's looking forward to creating a special course."
Trout added: "I could put down roots anywhere in the country, but Jessica and I make south Jersey our offseason home and always cherish the time we get to spend there.
"I love south Jersey and I love golf, so creating Trout National-The Reserve is a dream come true. And then to add to that we'll have a golf course designed by Tiger?
"It's just incredible to think that this project has grown to where we're going to be working with someone many consider the greatest and most influential golfer of all time."
Rays 'optimistic' on Franco status for Opening Day after MRI on quad injury
The Tampa Bay Rays are "optimistic" emerging shortstop Wander Franco will be available for their Opening Day game with the Detroit Tigers on Thursday despite a quad injury concern.
Franco, 22, underwent an MRI on Sunday which Rays manager Kevin Cash said returned "favourable" results.
Despite the good results, Cash said Franco would not play in Tampa Bay's spring training game against the New York Yankees on Monday but was hopeful of their season opener against the Tigers.
"We've got three days to treat him," Cash told the Tampa Bay Times. "I don't think anything's been decided.
"We're optimistic that if we can get this thing treated the right way, we should be in a spot where he's good to go.
"Three days off in a row for him. Maybe get him out there that last day and take [batting practice] and see how he feels, but I'm pretty optimistic."
Franco had been scratched from the lineup for Saturday's spring training game against the Boston Red Sox due to right quadriceps soreness, although the Rays called that precautionary.
The 22-year-old has been a revelation for the Rays since debuting in 2021, including tying Frank Robinson (1956) for the longest on-base streak (43 games) in AL/NL history by a player 20 years old or younger.
Franco finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2021, before hitting .277 with six home runs and 33 RBIs in 2022.
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