The Giants had scheduled an interview Thursday with Eric Studesville [url=http://www.pantherscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-marquis-haynes-jersey]Marquis Haynes Jersey[/url] , the recently fired Broncos’ running backs coach who had been in Denver since 2010 and was the interim head coach after Josh McDaniels’ firing that year.

Studesville now will be interviewed next week.

The National Weather Service said roughly six inches of snow fell in the Meadowlands area. Gov. Chris Christie ordered all state government offices closed.

New general manager Dave Gettleman will be in the New England area on Friday to interview McDaniels, the current Patriots’ offensive coordinator, and Matt Patricia, his defensive counterpart.

Interviews are planned this weekend with Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.

The Giants (3-13) also plan to interview Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.

The interview process started Wednesday with interim coach Steve Spagnuolo. He posted a 1-3 record after replacing Ben McAdoo on Dec. 4.

—

The site of next year’s Super Bowl already is celebrating a championship for best concessions.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons and MLS Atlanta United [url=http://www.officialducks.com/authentic-adidas-ryan-getzlaf-jersey]Ryan Getzlaf Jersey[/url] , finished first in a 2017 NFL fan survey for quality and value of food and beverages. The results released Thursday show the lowered prices, including $2 hot dogs, $3 pizza slices and $5 beer, were a big hit with fans. Those prices will remain in place for Atlanta’s Super Bowl in 2019.

The Falcons ranked 18th in surveys the last two years at the Georgia Dome before the 2017 debut season in the new $1.5 billion stadium. The lower prices led to more sales. Average spending per fan increased by 16 percent in 2017, according to the survey.

Falcons president and CEO Rich McKay said the survey reflects input from fans in planning for concessions.

”It means that we got it right by listening to them [url=http://www.officialducks.com/authentic-adidas-ryan-kesler-jersey]Ryan Kesler Jersey[/url] ,” McKay said. ”I think what makes us feel good is we really tried to pay attention to the feedback that our fans gave us on food and beverage, where we needed to make changes.”

The new stadium also placed first in the MLS food and beverage survey of 12 of 22 teams.

—

Nationals right-hander Erick Fedde left in the second inning of his start against the Boston Red Sox after throwing just 25 pitches.

Training staff and manager Dave Martinez went to check on Fedde after he allowed a single to Rafael Devers to lead off the second on Wednesday. After a long conversation [url=http://www.pantherscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-thomas-davis-jersey]Thomas Davis Jersey[/url] , Fedde walked off the field and was replaced by lefty Matt Grace.

The 25-year-old was coming off his first major league victory last weekend in Philadelphia.

Fedde entered the game 1-3 with a 6.00 ERA in five starts this season. His 2017 season ended in early September with a right forearm flexor strain.

Washington’s 2014 first-round pick had Tommy John surgery after being drafted. He’s 1-4 with a 7.23 ERA in eight starts during his career with the Nationals.

—

Roughly 20 seconds into his introductory news conference as coach of the New York Giants, Pat Shurmur ran into his problem.

The lights went out in the auditorium where he was speaking.

Like everyone else in the packed room, the former offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings laughed, and then handled the situation without missing a beat.

”And we’re off,” Shurmur quipped. ”We have to keep adjusting. Anyway, I was going to tell a joke, so I’ll stop.”

Speaking and answering questions for more than 25 minutes after being introduced by co-owner John Mara, Shurmur was poised, funny and open, thanking his mother in Michigan for teaching him to be competitive, compassionate and not allowing anyone to tell him you can’t do something.

Shurmur faces a major task in taking over a team that went 3-13 after making the playoffs in 2016. The injury-ravaged Giants slipped so quickly that Ben McAdoo was fired in early December after less than two years on the job.

”There’s a lot of work to be done,” Shurmur said. ”There are changes that need to be made.”

One thing that seemingly won’t change is the Giants’ starting quarterback. Shurmur is looking forward to working with Eli Manning and he believes the 37-year-old two-time Super Bowl winner still has years ahead of him.

The 52-year-old agrees with new general manager Dave Gettleman that winning starts up front, and he is determined to build a good offensive line to go along with a talented defensive line.

”There are basic truths and basic facts that don’t change and you have to do [url=http://www.pantherscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-trai-turner-jersey]Trai Turner Jersey[/url] ,” Gettleman said. ”You have to run the ball, you have to stop the run, and you have to rush the passer. Pat and I completely agree on that. The other thing is that big men allow you to compete.”

As the Giants struggled last season, there were rifts in the locker room. Three players were suspended for a week for conduct detrimental to the organization.

Shurmur wants to get to know his players, particularly superstar receiver Odell Beckham Jr., joking it makes sense to throw him the ball. He added everyone will start with a clean sheet.

This will be Shurmur’s second head coaching job, and he says he is a lot more knowledgeable now than when he ran the Cleveland Browns in 2011-12.

”Those who do know me know I have zero tolerance for people who don’t compete,” Shurmur said. ”I have zero tolerance for those who do not give effort and I have zero tolerance for people who don’t show or lack respect.”

Shurmur has already started assembling his staff. Former Cardinals defensive coordinator James Bettcher will be his defensive coordinator.

The status of the offensive coordinator is uncertain. Shurmur intends to call his own plays on an offense that will have a West Coast influence, but also one that seeks to run the ball.

”We’re going to do what we can to get better each day,” Shurmur said. ”How fast that happens? I’m as impatient as the next fan, but we’re going to try to get better each day.

”As I mentioned we have a lot of really good players on this team. We’re going to get some new ones and we’re going to try to put together a team that can go out next year and win games.”

The Giants, who have made the playoffs only once since 2011, interviewed five other coaching candidates [url=http://www.pantherscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-sam-mills-jersey]Sam Mills Jersey[/url] , including interim coach and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Shurmur was the clear choice, the co-owners said.

”After the season like we had, we needed someone who was ”an adult,” who is professional and who has a certain demeanor to walk in there and start to straighten things out,” Mara said. ”I think he had all the qualities. Time will tell.”

Co-owner Steve Tisch believes the Giants will be patient in the rebuilding process, but he thinks Shurmur will hit the ground running. He was impressed with the way the new coach walked through the building Thursday and introduced himself to everyone.

”The evidence is there this is a mature, responsible, passionate leader,” Tisch said. ”I can’t wait for the players to meet him and him to put a new staff together. It’s a new day and it’s very exciting.”

Mara, who has taken part in his share of coaching searches, said Shurmur had as good an interview as he has experienced. Tisch added he felt an almost instant chemistry talking with him.

—

The words that threatened to define Ben Roethlisberger’s season were uttered almost as an afterthought and with more than a hint of frustrated sarcasm.

It just didn’t read that way as it made the rounds on social media [url=http://www.nashvillepredatorsteamshop.com/authentic-pekka-rinne-jersey]Authentic Pekka Rinne Jersey[/url] , or sound that way during a three-second sound bite played endlessly on a loop.

”Maybe I don’t have it anymore,” the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback said in a somber locker room three months ago after throwing five interceptions in a 30-9 loss to Jacksonville .

Roethlisberger didn’t mean it. Call it a visceral reaction to having two of his 55 passes returned the other way for game-deciding touchdowns. Three days later the 35-year-old was back to calling himself one of the ”best in the world.” It wasn’t just idle talk. He followed it up by spending the better part of the next 10 weeks playing like it.

The quarterback who will stride onto the field Sunday for a rematch against the Jaguars in the divisional round of the playoffs has his swagger back. Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey jokingly gave credit to the beard Roethlisberger began growing in the aftermath of one of the most forgettable performances of his career. Of course, that’s not the reality. The guys who surround Roethlisberger in the huddle know the swagger never really left.

”Ben is the most talented guy I’ve ever been around,” Heyward-Bey said. ”I’m not talking quarterback. I’m talking about talent. He can do a lot of different things. He believes in his ability and he’s going to show people on Sunday that he believes in himself.”

The player who openly pondered retirement last spring, the one who quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner said in November will occasionally uncork a flutter ball while looking very much his age, heads to his 21st career playoff game at the height of his powers. Roethlisberger is averaging 298 yards passing since that forgettable three hours against the NFL’s top defense.

Roethlisberger’s thrown multiple touchdown passes in seven straight games and the Steelers ended the season with a 9-1 sprint, the lone setback a loss to New England on Dec. 17 in which his only mistake came on a poorly executed fake spike that resulted in a game-ending pick.

What’s working? Nearly everything.

Having two of the top skill position players in the league in wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le’Veon Bell helps. So does the continued evolution of rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster and Martavis Bryant’s immersion into the offense following an ill-advised trade demand.

Yet Pittsburgh’s offense will only go as far over the next month as Roethlisberger can take it. Though he downplayed looking for payback after the Jaguars shut him down in ways that few teams have in recent years [url=http://www.nashvillepredatorsteamshop.com/authentic-p.k-subban-jersey]Authentic P.K Subban Jersey[/url] , not everyone is buying it.

”I’m sure just as any competitor would, when you go and have a bad outing or a difficult, tough outing against a team, you want that revenge,” Jacksonville quarterback Blake Bortles said. ”You want to go prove that it was a fluke or whatever it might be. I’m sure that’s probably what he’s thinking.”

Not that Roethlisberger would admit it even if he is. Never one to go into great detail about how he goes about his job, Roethlisberger insists he’s focused simply on playing well. The fact it’s against the Jaguars is coincidental. There is no looking ahead to a potential shot at New England in the AFC title game, or a third Super Bowl that would provide an exclamation point on a potential Hall of Fame career.

”I am not worried about what’s going on up there (with the Patriots) [url=http://www.nashvillepredatorsteamshop.com/authentic-ryan-johansen-jersey]Authentic Ryan Johansen Jersey[/url] ,” Roethlisberger said. ”All I can think about and worry about is this defense that we are playing.”

A defense that will likely need to find a way to replicate its October dominance to extend its season. The Steelers have been forced to revisit the loss this week, one that put their journey from that moment to this one in perspective.

”That game for our entire group was kind of a watershed moment,” offensive coordinator Todd Haley said Thursday. ”We stayed together, but there was a lot of pressure from the outside. A lot of outside factors that could have been divisive in some way for our group, but I take my hat off to the guys. They stuck together. They pulled together tighter. We knew that wasn’t our best football and we knew it probably really wasn’t as bad as it appeared.”

Or, as Roethlisberger can attest, as bad as it sounded afterward. The sound bite was just that [url=http://www.newjerseydevilsteamshop.com/authentic-will-butcher-jersey]Authentic Will Butcher Jersey[/url] , a bite, one that in a way played a role in his resurgence. One that ended with his sixth Pro Bowl selection and a very real shot to become the fourth quarterback in NFL history with three Super Bowl titles.

”He’s confident in his ability and he’s confident in his receivers,” Heyward-Bey said. ”He knows that we’re going to go out there and try and make plays for him. That’s what a quarterback needs. He has to have confidence in his guys.”

Roethlisberger’s confidence in himself was never an issue.

NOTES: CB Artis Burns (hyperextended right knee) did not practice Thursday but is hoping to play Sunday. DE Stephon Tuitt (elbow) also did not practice but plans to play. … LB Ryan Shazier, recovering from spine stabilization surgery, attended practice again in a wheelchair and hung out in the locker room after practice.

—

AP NFL website: The Latest on the aftermath of the Philadelphia Eagles’ parade (all times local):

5:10 p.m.

Philadelphia officials are apologizing to fans who had their view of the Eagles’ parade blocked by an accordion bus carrying police officers.

The city on Friday responded via Twitter to an image showing the elongated bus stop right in front of a group of people as the parade passed by.

Angry Eagles fans wrote on the social media site that they stood for hours in the cold on Thursday only to have the moment they were waiting for blocked by the buses. Others posted videos of the incident .

The city’s Twitter account says the parade was a ”fluid situation” and that officials’ first concern always is public safety.

Hundreds of thousands of fans celebrated the Eagles’ first Super Bowl title during the hours-long parade.

—

12:00 p.m.

Philadelphia officials say two people were stabbed, an officer was assaulted and four police vehicles sustained minor damage during the Eagles’ Super Bowl parade.

Philadelphia Police Department Commissioner Richard Ross on Friday said there was some ”small hiccups,” including two arrests [url=http://www.newjerseydevilsteamshop.com/authentic-taylor-hall-jersey]Authentic Taylor Hall Jersey[/url] , in a relatively peaceful celebration Thursday of the Eagles’ first Super Bowl title. He says both stabbing victims survived and that the two arrests were for assaults.

Officials also said a Jumbotron was toppled when fans climbed it.

Crews on Friday are picking up trash left behind by fans who watched the team travel in open-top double decker buses from their stadium to the art museum steps made famous in the ”Rocky” movies.

The Eagles defeated the New England Patriots 41-33 Sunday.

—

6:30 a.m.

Philadelphia is cleaning up the streets one day after hundreds of thousands celebrated the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory with a parade.

Crews on Friday are picking up trash left behind as fans watched the team travel in open-top double decker buses Thursday from their stadium to the art museum steps made famous in the ”Rocky” movies.

Coach Doug Pederson walked part of the route while carrying the Lombardi Trophy, allowing fans to touch the gleaming hardware.

Looking more like a genie in a Mummer’s outfit than a football player, center Jason Kelce gave voice to every frustrated Philly fan with an impassioned and profane speech.

Until Sunday’s 41-33 victory over the favored New England Patriots, the Eagles remained the only team in their division without a Super Bowl title.

The Nationals [url=http://www.montrealcanadiensteamshops.com/authentic-carey-price-jersey]Authentic Carey Price Jersey[/url] , hosting their traditional 11:05 a.m. July Fourth game, will try to avoid dropping their fifth straight game and falling below .500.

Boston (58-29) won for the seventh time in its last nine games Tuesday night, getting three-run homers from Eduardo Nunez and Xander Bogaerts, and a two-run shot from J.D. Martinez in an 11-4 rout.

The Red Sox took an early 3-0 lead on the Nunez homer in the second inning, pulled away with a six-run fifth and saw Martinez cap the offensive explosion in the ninth. Martinez drove in four runs, increasing his major league-leading RBI total to 71.

“Just a good day,” Martinez told mlb.com. “We came out, we kept the bases occupied, pretty much gave ourselves a chance where we kept passing the baton and getting the next guy up. Had a big hit from Bogey there early in the game, and everyone pretty much kept feeding off that.”

Washington (42-42) matched Boston’s hit total (12) but couldn’t string them together or produce them at crucial moments. The Nationals remained seven games behind Atlanta in the NL East.

Washington’s Tanner Roark (3-10) saw his June struggles bleed into July as he allowed nine runs on 10 hits in seven innings while preserving a tired bullpen. After the Nationals closed to within 3-2 in the fourth, Roark was tagged in the fifth.

“If these guys would give our lineup a chance [url=http://www.montrealcanadiensteamshops.com/authentic-jonathan-drouin-jersey]Authentic Jonathan Drouin Jersey[/url] , we’ll start winning some games because we are playing better,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez told mlb.com regarding the big inning. “I see that. We came back and scored two runs, and the energy was great. We go back out there, and they come back and score six runs, and everything just goes dormant again.

“They didn’t quit, but here we go, scratching and clawing again, trying to get back in the game, and it’s tough. It’s tough for the boys.”

Washington’s hopes for salvaging the finale rest with right-hander Erick Fedde (1-3, 6.00 ERA), who is replacing injured Stephen Strasburg in the rotation. Fedde picked up a win in his previous start despite allowing five runs and eight hits in five innings of a 17-7 win over the Phillies on Friday.

“My stuff wasn’t great today [url=http://www.nashvillepredatorsteamshop.com/authentic-filip-forsberg-jersey]Authentic Filip Forsberg Jersey[/url] ,” he told MASN.com. “But days like those it’s really nice when your team puts up 17 runs. I’ll take that. Hopefully next time when the games are close, I can be the one to keep it close.”

Wednesday will be Fedde’s first career appearance against Boston.

Boston left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (9-3, 4.11) will try to snap a two-start slump Wednesday morning. Last time out he gave up five runs on seven hits — including two home runs — in six innings of an 8-1 loss to the Yankees on Friday. It was his second straight loss after winning six straight starts.

“I missed a couple pitches down the plate and they made an adjustment,” Rodriguez told the Boston Herald. “No matter who you face, if you miss on the plate that’s what happens.”

Rodriguez has never faced the Nationals.

The Nationals may get some offensive help Wednesday with the possible return of first baseman Matt Adams (fractured finger), who went 0-for-3 in a rehab game Tuesday night for Double-A Harrisburg.

Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy is questionable for Sunday’s AFC wild-card playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

McCoy suffered a right ankle injury in Sunday’s 22-16 win over the Miami Dolphins. He was carted off the field but returned to practice on a limited basis Friday. On Thursday, McCoy said that he was feeling ”a lot better” but didn’t want to make any guarantees about playing. He declined to speak with reporters on Friday.

McCoy is Buffalo’s best and most consistent offensive playmaker with 1,138 rushing yards and six touchdowns in the regular season. He passed the 10,000-yard rushing mark for his career this year.

Buffalo has little experienced depth behind McCoy at running back. Marcus Murphy was promoted from the practice squad for Buffalo’s Week 17 game against Miami and performed well with 41 yards on seven carries; Murphy had just one carry in his career before Sunday. Buffalo also has veteran fullback/running back Mike Tolbert.

Linebacker Matt Milano (hamstring), tackle Jordan Mills (ankle) and receiver Deonte Thompson (shoulder) are also questionable. Cornerback Shareece Wright (concussion) is out.

—

Denard Span came to the plate in the eighth inning [url=http://www.edmontonoilersteamshops.com/authentic-connor-mcdavid-jersey]Authentic Connor McDavid Jersey[/url] , knowing the situation was why the Seattle Mariners traded for him three weeks ago.

The veteran outfielder kept his cool and stroked a pinch-hit double that scored two runs, leading the Mariners to a 7-6 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

Span, batting for Guillermo Heredia with one out, hit a liner to the right-field corner off Matt Barnes (0-2) after Ryon Healy walked and Ben Gamel singled to left.

”I just tried to stay calm as possible,” Span said. ”Kind of a calm angry. This is huge for me. I’m the new guy around here and I just want to help these guys as much as I can and feel like I’m one of them.”

The Mariners acquired Span and reliever Alex Colome from Tampa Bay on May 25.

”He’s a huge addition to our club,” said Seattle manager Scott Servais. ”He has so much experience in those situations, so he understands how to slow things down. We’re going to have a lot more situations like that this season.”

Ryan Cook (1-0) got the win with a scoreless eighth inning and Edwin Diaz earned his major league-leading 26th save by working the ninth.

But Rob Whalen, who was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday, was the difference, pitching four scoreless innings of relief.

”This team is unbelievable,” Whalen said. ”It felt like a World Series game out there tonight. I just wanted to do whatever I could to keep us in the game.”

It was the 20th time this season the Mariners have come from behind to win. Seattle is 22-10 in one-run games.

Xander Bogaerts hit a three-run homer as part of a six-run third inning that gave Boston a 6-3 lead [url=http://www.floridapanthersteamshops.com/authentic-aleksander-barkov-jersey]Authentic Aleksander Barkov Jersey[/url] , but a spectacular defensive play by Seattle second baseman Dee Gordon on a hard-hit ball up the middle by Bogaerts that ended the sixth inning kept the Red Sox from adding another run.

The Mariners led 3-0 when Boston sent 11 men to the plate and had six hits and walk to chase starter James Paxton. The Mariners also committed two errors in the inning.

Paxton entered the game with a 0.39 ERA and 2-0 record in three previous starts against the Red Sox. Five of the six runs against Paxton were earned. He also threw two wild pitches.

”Pax had good stuff tonight, we just didn’t help him,” Servais said. ”The defense was shaky early. Paxton has carried us this year, so it was nice to get him off the hook.”

Boston tied the game at 3 on four singles and an error by third basemen Kyle Seager, before Bogaerts hit his 11th home run.

”We had a good inning and got a lot of runs,” Bogaerts said. ”But that one big hit, seems like Span always does that against us. I remember when he did it at Tampa early on in the year. Same thing down the same line.”

Jean Segura gave the Mariners a 1-0 lead in the first inning when he launched Rick Porcello’s fastball over the scoreboard in left field, a 420-foot shot. Seattle made it 3-0 in the second.

Mike Zunino knocked in two runs, including his 11th home run of the season to start the bottom of the seventh and cut it to 6-5 before Span came through one inning later.

”With him, you have to attack,” Boston manager Alex Cora said of Span. ”He keeps working the count. He’s a veteran guy. If you’re ahead [url=http://www.floridapanthersteamshops.com/authentic-vincent-trocheck-jersey]Authentic Vincent Trocheck Jersey[/url] , you have to bury him and we didn’t.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: LHP Drew Pomeranz (left biceps tendinitis) made some throws in the outfield Friday for the first time since going on the 10-day DL on June 5, retroactive to June 2.

Mariners: RHP Juan Nicasio (knee swelling) threw in the bullpen Friday and is expected to throw live batting practice Saturday. Servais said it’s possible Nicasio could come off the 10-day DL on Tuesday in New York when the Mariners start a three-game series with the Yankees. ”He just needs to get that inflammation out of his knee,” Servais said. … RHP Nick Vincent (groin strain) will throw in the bullpen Saturday.

FILIA RETURNS: The Red Sox returned minor league OF Eric Filia to the Mariners Friday after Filia failed his physical. Filia was the player to be named in the deal that sent LHP Roenis Elias to the Mariners on April 23. The Mariners completed the trade with cash considerations.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: RHP Steven Wright (2-0, 1.21) will take the longest active scoreless streak in baseball into Saturday’s game against the Mariners. Wright has thrown 22 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, including back-to-back scoreless starts when he went seven innings in a win against Detroit and 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision at Baltimore.

Mariners: Wade Leblanc (7-3, 4.26) will make his ninth start of the season Saturday. Leblanc has allowed only 11 earned runs in his previous eight starts for a 2.45 ERA. The Mariners are 6-2 in those games.

Some extra rest left Julio Teheran feeling so strong he was unhittable for six innings.

That was more good news for an Atlanta rotation that is gaining momentum.

Teheran pitched six no-hit innings before being pulled from his first start since coming off the disabled list, and Atlanta relievers gave up six hits Sunday while finishing off a 4-1 win over the San Diego Padres.

Teheran’s velocity was up, with his fastball hitting 92 mph. He had been closer to 89 mph before he missed less than two weeks with a sore thumb. The boost in his fastball also helped his offspeed pitches.

”Those 10 days helped me to get everything on track,” Teheran said. ”… It was kind of fun to have my stuff back.”

Teheran (5-4) struck out a season-high 11, walked three and threw 95 pitches while recording 15 consecutive outs. Manager Brian Snitker said he could immediately see the difference in the right-hander’s pitchers.

”It was just good to see the life on the fastball again,” Snitker said.

Teheran’s changeup and slider also were effective.

”He was throwing all his pitches for strikes [url=http://www.floridapanthersteamshops.com/authentic-evgenii-dadonov-jersey]Authentic Evgenii Dadonov Jersey[/url] ,” said San Diego’s Cory Spangenberg. ”I know through three at-bats I only got one fastball. When a pitcher is doing that, he’s pretty tough to hit.”

Over the last 11 home games, Braves starters have a 1.00 ERA, allowing eight earned runs in 72 innings. No starter allowed more than two runs during the streak.

The bid for a combined no-hitter ended with one out in the seventh when reliever Shane Carle allowed a single to Spangenberg. Freddy Galvis added another single before Carle pitched out of the jam.

Jose Vizcaino gave up singles to Spangenberg and Galvis in the ninth before striking out Christian Villanueva and Raffy Lopez. Right fielder Nick Markakis, running toward the foul line, made a diving catch of Raffy Lopez’s flyball to end the game. Vizcaino earned his 15th save, including his third of the series.

Johan Camargo’s two-run double in the fourth off Jose Castillo (1-1) gave Atlanta a 2-0 lead. Tyler Flowers hit a two-run homer off Brad Hand in the eighth.

The Padres, who lost 1-0 on Saturday, ended a 16-inning scoring drought in the eighth. Franmil Reyes singled off A.J. Minter, moved to third on Eric Hosmer’s single and scored on Jose Pirela’s sacrifice fly. Hunter Renfroe’s fourth strikeout of the game ended the inning.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves C Kurt Suzuki left the game after he was hit on his helmet by Lopez’s bat as he struck out with a big follow-through to end the second inning. Suzuki was knocked to the ground but was able to walk off the field.

Manager Brian Snitker said Suzuki should be able to play in Atlanta’s next game at Toronto on Tuesday.

Braves third base coach Ron Washington had words with Lopez when Lopez emerged from the San Diego dugout to open the third inning. Snitker said the discussion was about Lopez not checking on Suzuki before walking away from the plate.

SERIES STREAK ENDS

The NL East-leading Braves won three of four in the series, ending San Diego’s streak of five straight series wins. The Padres’ last series loss came on May 25-27 [url=http://www.bengalscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-josh-malone-jersey]Josh Malone Jersey[/url] , when they dropped two of three to the Dodgers.

ROSTER MOVE

Braves LHP Luiz Gohara was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett, where he will start. RHP Luke Jackson was re-signed to a major league contract after being designated for assignment on Wednesday.

BULLPEN GAME

Matt Strahm made his fourth start as the Padres continue to use a bullpen committee approach for one spot in their rotation. Strahm allowed only one hit with five strikeouts in 2 2/3 scoreless innings.

San Diego’s first four relievers allowed only two runs.

”We just didn’t do enough offensively,” manager Andy Green said.

UP NEXT

Padres: Following an off day on Monday, LHP Eric Lauer (3-4, 6.20) will face Oakland’s Paul Blackburn (1-1, 11.05) on Tuesday night in the first game of a two-game home series.

Braves: Atlanta is off on Monday before opening a two-game series at Toronto on Tuesday night, when rookie RHP Mike Soroka (2-1, 2.57) faces LHP Jaime Garcia (2-5, 5.71).

—

Francisco Lindor sensed the Cleveland Indians needed a lift coming off back-to-back losses.

Nothing like a leadoff homer or a late tiebreaking drive to get the job done.

Lindor and Jose Ramirez connected [url=http://www.bengalscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-joe-mixon-jersey]Joe Mixon Jersey[/url] , Mike Clevinger struck out 11 in seven innings and the Indians beat the Chicago White Sox 5-2 on Thursday afternoon.

Lindor opened the game against Carlos Rodon with his 15th home run. He also singled and scored in the seventh when Ramirez broke a 2-all tie with a two-run drive to right-center against Chris Volstad (1-4) for his 20th homer.

”That’s one of the reasons I want to lead off – to get the team going, to do my best to score early and give the team the lead,” Lindor said. ”Whether it’s a home run, a base hit, I ended up scoring in the first inning. It’s important. It tells the team, `All right, it’s time to go, we’ve got to win today.”

And this one, he said, was ”extremely important.”

The Indians got another run with two outs in the eighth when reliever Juan Minaya dropped the throw from first baseman Jose Abreu while covering the bag on Greg Allen’s grounder. That allowed Yan Gomes to score from second to make it 5-2.

Clevinger (5-2) gave up two runs and five hits while walking just one batter.

Cody Allen worked the ninth for his 13th save in 14 chances as the AL Central leaders salvaged a four-game split.

Abreu went the opposite way with a two-run homer to the right-field bullpen in the first. But Clevinger shut down the White Sox after that, beating them for the second time this season.

”It was a nice piece of hitting by Abreu, but Clev threw the ball so well,” manager Terry Francona said. ”He put that behind him [url=http://www.bengalscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-jordan-willis-jersey]Jordan Willis Jersey[/url] , and then he got them out the rest of the way.”

Rodon went five innings in his second start back from shoulder surgery in September, allowing two runs and two hits. The 25-year-old left-hander walked three and hit two batters while striking out four.

Manager Rick Renteria said it’s ”like a little bit of spring training” for him. But Rodon wouldn’t go there.

”Nah, I don’t want to make that excuse,” he said. ”When you show up at this level, it’s time to compete. Go out there and compete for the team, try to win the ballgame.”

GOING DEEP

Lindor has three leadoff homers this season and six in his career. And Abreu moved ahead of Jim Thome and into a tie for 12th place with Minnie Minoso on the White Sox’s all-time list with 135 homers.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: The Indians activated OF Brandon Guyer (strained neck) from the 10-day disabled list and designated OF Melky Cabrera for assignment. Guyer was in the lineup for the first time since he collided with a fan while chasing a foul ball at Houston on May 19. As for Cabrera, manager Terry Francona said the team ”didn’t see a way we were going to be able to keep” him with Guyer back and OF Tyler Naquin (strained left hamstring) just about ready to return.

White Sox: RHP Nate Jones (strained muscle in forearm) called it ”a relief” tests showed no structural damage in his surgically repaired arm. He said he had been ”self-treating” himself for a few weeks after experiencing some soreness but realized he needed more help when he felt a burning sensation during Tuesday’s win over Cleveland. Jones had Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow last season. He is 2-2 with a 4.01 ERA and four saves in 27 appearances this year. … Renteria said OF Avisail Garcia (strained right hamstring) – on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte – ”feels healthy, feels sound.”

UP NEXT

Indians: RHP Corey Kluber (10-2, 1.99) goes for his major league-leading 11th win as the Indians open a three-game series against RHP Kyle Gibson (1-4, 3.45) and the Minnesota Twins.

White Sox: RHP Reynaldo Lopez (2-4, 3.26) eyes his second straight win as the White Sox open a three-game series against RHP Mike Fiers (5-3, 4.01) and the Detroit Tigers. Lopez pitched into the seventh at Boston on Sunday.

—

WASHINGTON — Bryce Harper made some strides at the plate Thursday night just as the Washington Nationals prepare to welcome the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies to town for a weekend series.

Moved back to the leadoff spot by manager Dave Martinez, Harper walked twice and had a sacrifice fly and a double in four plate appearances during a 4-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Harper doubled in the eighth inning of a tie game and came in on Juan Soto’s two-run double and the Nationals took two of three from the Orioles.

“I was able to see a lot of pitches tonight [url=http://www.bengalscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-carl-lawson-jersey]Carl Lawson Jersey[/url] ,” Harper told the Washington Times after the Nationals (40-33) improved to 9-1 with him in the leadoff spot.

Harper began the night hitting .133 (8-for-60) in June, with five walks and 23 strikeouts.

“My swing has felt great,” Harper told mlb.com. “I’ve felt great the past month and a half or so, just chasing pitches. Tonight, I tried to do the best I could to get a ball over the middle (of the plate), and I was able to do that.”

The 19-year-old Soto just continues to hit. Thursday night he went 1-for-3 with a walk in the cleanup spot and enters the weekend hitting .326 with six homers and 16 RBIs over 92 major-league at-bats.

“I think we’re all amazed every single day,” Washington starter Max Scherzer told mlb.com. “He’s a great young player. He’s just enjoying himself. He’s the bat we kind of need in our lineup right now, that’s hot. And teams are going to have to figure out how to get him out, because it’s tough right now.”

Friday night that task falls to Philadelphia right-hander Zach Eflin (4-2, 3.43 ERA). He has won three straight starts, allowing four runs over 18 2/3 innings while striking out 17 batters and walking just three after pitching five effective innings Saturday in Milwaukee.

Elfin will be making his first career start against Washington, which counters with right-hander Tanner Roark (3-7, 3.87).

Roark gave up four runs on eight hits over four innings of in an 8-6 loss at Toronto on Sunday.

On May 5 he lost to the Phillies in Washington when he allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings. For his career [url=http://www.edmontonoilersteamshops.com/authentic-leon-draisaitl-jersey]Authentic Leon Draisaitl Jersey[/url] , he is 6-7 with a 3.98 ERA in 18 games (16 starts) versus the Phillies.

The Phillies (39-33) trail the second-place Nationals by one-half game in the NL East and trail the Braves by 3 1/3 games. Philadelphia has won seven of its last 10 games and has taken three straight series — against Colorado, at Milwaukee and against St. Louis — as it begins a 10-game stretch against the Nationals and Yankees.

“I think coming off this series, we anticipate a highly-competitive series against a good ballclub on the road, and it seems like we’re ready for that challenge,” Philadelphia right-hander Jake Arrieta told mlb.com.

Off on Thursday, the Phillies defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 on Wednesday.

Odubel Herrera hit what proved to be the game-winning home run in the seventh inning to go along with a single and a double.

“It was one of those ‘Wow’ moments,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler told the Courier Post. “He’s so hot, but he’s such an incredible athlete. It’s really elite barrel accuracy. I don’t know how to describe it. He just knows how to find the barrel, find the sweet spot.”

Herrera is hitting .419 (13-for-31) with two doubles, five home runs, eight RBIs in the past seven games. He is 13-for-31 (.419) versus Roark.

CLEVELAND — Cody Allen is one of the least acclaimed yet most productive closers in the major leagues. On Friday night. when the Cleveland Indians open a three-game series with the Oakland A’s [url=http://www.officialsabres.com/authentic-adidas-jack-eichel-jersey]http://www.officialsabres.com/authentic-adidas-jack-eichel-jersey[/url] , Allen will be in uniform at Progressive Field for the first time as the Indians’ career saves leader.

In pitching the ninth inning of a 3-2 Cleveland win in Kansas City on Wednesday, Allen posted his 140th career save, breaking Bob Wickman’s franchise record of 139, which had stood since 2006.

“He means so much to all of us,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said of Allen. “This is a kid who was drafted in the 16th round, but through being a consummate professional, he’s now the Indians’ all-time leader. That’s pretty awesome. It’s a big accomplishment, and he’s not close to being done.”

Allen (2-3, 3.38 ERA) ranks seventh in the American League this year with 18 saves, but his year-in, year-out consistency has been his trademark. He has had at least 30 saves in each of the last three seasons. Only two other closers in the majors can say that: the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen and Boston’s Craig Kimbrel.

“This is something I’m extremely proud of,” Allen said of passing Wickman as the club’s saves leader. “It’s something I get to hang my hat on for my career. It’s very cool.”

The A’s (48-39) come to Cleveland with nearly the same record as the Indians (48-37), but what a difference a division makes. The first-place Indians lead the AL Central by 11 1/2 games. The A’s are in third in the AL West, 8 1/2 games behind the first-place Houston Astros.

The A’s won two of three games from the Indians last weekend in Oakland. That was part of a longer streak in which the A’s have won eight of their last nine. Since June 16, Oakland is 14-3.

“I think we’re having a lot of fun,” A’s third baseman Matt Chapman told MLB.com, “and no matter what the score is, I don’t think we count ourselves out. There’s no panic in the dugout. We just keep playing our game. We trust that we’re a good team.”

On Friday night, the A’s will send Paul Blackburn (2-2, 6.46 ERA) to the mound. In his last start on June 29 in Oakland, Blackburn baffled the Indians [url=http://www.officialsabres.com/authentic-adidas-jake-mccabe-jersey]Youth Jake McCabe Jersey[/url] , pitching 6 1/3 scoreless innings and giving up just three hits in a 3-1 victory.

Blackburn has started five major league games this year. In the one against Cleveland, he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and an opponents’ batting average of .150. In the other four starts, he’s 1-2 with an 8.83 ERA and an opponents’ batting average of .324. In two career starts against the Indians, Blackburn is 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA.

Cleveland will counter with Carlos Carrasco (8-5, 4.24), who will make his first start since June 16, a 9-3 loss to Minnesota in which he was knocked out of the game in the second inning after getting hit in the right arm by a line drive off the bat of Joe Mauer.

Carrasco was placed on the 10-day disabled list the next day with a right elbow contusion. He made one rehab start at Double-A Akron on June 30, pitching four scoreless innings and giving up one hit with four strikeouts and one walk.

Carrasco’s last legitimate start was his best start of the year, a 4-0 win over the Chicago White Sox on June 11. In that game, he pitched seven scoreless innings and gave up two hits and one walk with 11 strikeouts.

In six career appearances, including five starts, against Oakland, Carrasco is 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA.

There is never a June gloom for Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout.

Trout drove in two runs, Kole Calhoun and Ian Kinsler added solo homers and the Angels held on for a 5-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.

Trout continued his torrid hitting in June by slapping a sharp first-pitch single to left-center with the bases loaded in the fifth inning, and a throwing error by Jarrod Dyson allowing Kinsler to score as the Angels took a 4-2 lead.

”We have to be more than Mike, but believe me, that’s a situation we love to have him swing the bat,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

Trout went 1 for 1 with two walks, improving to .448 (26 for 58) this month. His career average of .358 in June is the best by an active player in any month with at least 400 plate appearances, and Trout has hit safely in eight straight games.

”This is not an easy game and this guy makes it look easier and easier every year, so it’s a special talent that we’re not going to see too many times [url=http://www.officialsabres.com/authentic-adidas-jason-pominville-jersey]Jason Pominville Jersey Kids[/url] , so enjoy it now,” Calhoun said.

Asked if he had an explanation for Trout’s tendency to thrive in June, Calhoun joked, ”It must be his favorite month.”

Matt Koch (5-4) hit two batters to help load the bases for Trout, who has 10 walks in his last five games. Koch allowed five runs in 5 2/3 innings to end his streak of four straight starts without a loss.

”It just slipped away from him. To stop this team, you got to limit the baserunners before Mike Trout, and he didn’t do that,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said.

Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer in the ninth, but Blake Parker got Jake Lamb to line out to left for the third out and end a three-game losing streak.

Cam Bedrosian (4-1) got the win as the struggling Angels bullpen delivered, with Parker getting his eighth save despite giving up Goldschmidt’s 16th home run.

Angels right-hander Felix Pena gave up one run, two hits and three walks in four innings in his first major league start, while striking out six.

Kinsler hit his 48th career leadoff homer, fourth all-time. Calhoun clubbed his second home run of the season in the sixth inning.

COMEBACK CALHOUN

Buoyed by his first homer since opening day, Calhoun went 2 for 3. He is 3 for 7 in two games since returning from the disabled list because of a strained right oblique muscle. Calhoun had been hitting .145 prior to the injury.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: RHP Archie Bradley has been hindered because of a cracked fingernail on his right index finger, limiting his ability to throw curveballs. Bradley does not expect the nail will heal this season after cracking it during spring training.

Angels: CF Chris Young left the game after the seventh inning because of a hamstring injury.

ROSTER MOVES

The Angels acquired RHP Deck McGuire from Texas in exchange for cash considerations and a player to be named later, designating C Juan Graterol for assignment in a corresponding move.

McGuire appeared in four games for Toronto this season, allowing six earned runs in 8 1/3 innings. He has a 4.09 ERA in 10 career appearances.

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Godley (7-5, 4.77 ERA) will start at Pittsburgh on Thursday. Godley has won three of his last four starts.

Angels: LHP Tyler Skaggs (6-4, 2.81) will start against Toronto on Thursday. Skaggs is 3-0 with a 0.45 ERA in June, having allowed one run in 20 innings.

—

The Atlanta Falcons nearly won a Super Bowl a year ago behind the NFL’s most potent offense.

It was that side of the ball that ended their chances to get to the big game again.

Atlanta managed only 10 first-half points [url=http://www.lionscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-tracy-walker-jersey]Tracy Walker Jersey[/url] , both coming off Philadelphia turnovers, and lost 15-10 to the Eagles on Saturday. While Philadelphia advances to the NFC championship game, the Falcons (11-7) go home.

”I think that’s certainly something that we have to look at and evaluate this offseason,” Matt Ryan said after concluding a somewhat down season for him in the wake of his 2016 league MVP campaign. ”There were too many times that we were a little bit inconsistent.”

That was exemplified against the Eagles (14-3), who like the Falcons sputtered in the red zone. But Philly got three field goals from Jake Elliott and a touchdown run from LeGarrette Blount.

Most damaging for Atlanta was how it came up empty deep in Eagles territory on its final drive. The Falcons had first-and-goal at the 9, and got to the 2 on fourth down before Ryan’s pass to Julio Jones soared over his head in the end zone.

”Certainly in those situations you want to go to your best players,” Ryan explained. ”You know, obviously rolled to the right and had an opportunity to Julio. It just didn’t work out and that’s disappointing.”

Atlanta was the NFL’s highest-scoring team last season, but its lowest production was in a 24-15 defeat to the Eagles. The offense wasn’t nearly as productive this season, falling to 15th, from 33.8 points a game to 22.1.

The Falcons didn’t come close to their season’s average, or to the 26 they put on the board in beating the Rams in a wild-card matchup last weekend.

So while the defense was vastly improved, particularly in the pass rush, the Falcons fell flat with the ball far too many times.

”That’s one of the areas we are dialed in from the beginning of the season to where how we make sure those aren’t field goals and they turn into touchdowns,” coach Dan Quinn said. ”Was there plays that knocked us out? Could we have done better in the run game down there?

”Those are certainly topics we are going to look long and deep into.”

Star receiver Jones had a strong game with nine receptions for 101 yards. He was targeted 16 times.

But he couldn’t get free downfield, except for a 20-yard reception on fourth down on the final drive. For the Falcons to be Super Bowl threats down the road, Jones must be nearly unstoppable.

Atlanta’s running game was spotty against the Eagles, too. Several times [url=http://www.billscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-kelvin-benjamin-jersey]Kelvin Benjamin Jersey[/url] , Tevin Coleman had open lanes and got nice gains. On other plays, he and Devonta Freeman didn’t have an inch to run when Ryan handed off.

Coleman, usually the backup, had 79 yards on 10 carries, with a long of 23. Freeman had only 7 yards on his 10 carries.

In contrast, the Eagles ran for 96 yards and had several big plays on the ground.

Now, the Falcons must cope with a much earlier and nearly as dramatic defeat as what they sustained last February.

”It’s difficult when you get to the playoffs and you’ve put in all the work throughout the year,” Ryan said. ”You’re in a competitive game like tonight. There’s a lot of back and forth. It’s disappointing to not get the outcome that you want.

”The finality of it sometimes is difficult, so we’re disappointed for sure.”

—

Asked how the Atlanta Braves have surprised many experts by establishing a three-game lead in the National League East at the season’s halfway point, catcher Kurt Suzuki didn’t hesitate.

“This team has no fear,” he said Saturday night after an 11-4 victory in St. Louis. “We have a lot of young guys but we also have some veterans. We approach every game the same way.”

Atlanta’s consistency has been too much for the Cardinals this weekend. Behind solid starting pitching and an explosive offense, the Braves (47-34) have outscored St. Louis 16-5 in winning the series’ first two games. They go for a sweep on Sunday at Busch Stadium.

Right-hander Mike Foltynewicz (5-4, 2.14 ERA) will try to match what Julio Teheran and Max Fried have done in the series. Neither allowed a run in a combined 12 2/3 innings, with Fried enjoying the best outing of his short big league career Saturday night.

The former first-round pick of the San Diego Padres allowed only four hits and three walks in 6 2/3 innings, recording 11 strikeouts against the whiff-prone Cardinals. The hard-throwing Foltynewicz made his return from the 10-day disabled list Monday night, allowing one hit and one run in five innings while walking four and fanning four against Cincinnati in a no-decision.

“The arm was just kind of heavy,” he said to mlb.com. “You can’t really practice these situations when you’re out there with your adrenaline running, but just a couple of times I just couldn’t really extend too far. But adrenaline pushed me through.”

Foltynewicz has faced St. Louis three times in his career [url=http://www.billscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-patrick-dimarco-jersey]Patrick DiMarco Jersey[/url] , going 1-2 with a 9.95 ERA and yielding a whopping 22 hits over 12 2/3 innings.

In an attempt to avoid a fourth straight loss, the Cardinals (42-39) will turn to former Atlanta prospect John Gant (2-2, 3.48). Gant, replacing the disabled Michael Wacha in the rotation, pitched the best game of his career Monday night, limiting Cleveland to an infield single by Yan Gomes over seven innings in a 5-0 victory.

Gant walked five and fanned four, but his off-speed pitches kept the Indians off-balance all game and enabled him to post his first win as a starter.

“We’re lucky the third base bag got in the way of Gomes’ (grounder) or we wouldn’t have had anything,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said to mlb.com of Gant’s performance.

Before plating four runs in the ninth inning Saturday night, St. Louis managed two runs in its previous 26 innings. Its offense has been primarily singles and homers, as it’s on pace for the fewest doubles and triples in the majors.

Help may be on the way when the Cardinals start a nine-game road trip Monday night against Arizona. Shortstop Paul DeJong may be activated off the disabled list after a weekend rehab stint for Triple-A Memphis.

That could result in the move of first baseman Jose Martinez, who’s on a 100-RBI pace but has been poor afield, to his natural outfield position. In fact, Martinez played the last three innings Saturday night in right field.

“Jose Martinez has earned a spot in the lineup every day, so we have to figure out a spot to play him,” general manager Michael Girsch said to mlb.com.

Aaron Slegers and Jake Cave have been called up from Triple-A by the Minnesota Twins three times apiece this season [url=http://www.packerscheapstore.com/corey-linsley-jersey-cheap]Corey Linsley Jersey[/url] , and the All-Star break is still more than one week away.

Their contributions to this struggling team on Thursday night were sure worthy of a longer stay.

Slegers picked up his first major league win with six smooth innings, Cave reached base all four times he batted, and the Twins stopped their six-game losing streak by hanging on for a 5-2 victory over the lowly Baltimore Orioles.

”I know that I think, and I know Slegers thinks the same thing, that we can play big league baseball,” Cave said. ”We’re ready to go anytime the team needs us, and that’s just kind of how you’ve got to think of it.”

Logan Morrison homered and Cave drove in an eighth-inning insurance run with one of his two doubles for the Twins, who turned to Fernando Rodney in the ninth for his 18th save following two consecutive blown chances. Slegers (1-0) gave up only one run, on the first of two homers by Jonathan Schoop.

”It’s fun to have that in the stat column, to be a major league winner,” Slegers said. ”I can say that for the rest of my life.”

With eight right-handers in the Orioles lineup, except for Chris Davis, Slegers put his sinker to good use against the second-lowest scoring team in MLB. The Orioles managed just three hits against the 6-foot-10 Slegers, who was the latest to fill the recently revolving fifth spot in the rotation. Manager Paul Molitor stopped short of a commitment, but he indicated Slegers earned another turn after needing only 72 pitches to complete those six innings in his first major league start this season.

”Sometimes you make tough decisions to protect those young guys when they’ve had good outings and make sure they feel good when they come out of the game,” Molitor said.

The Orioles squandered another quality start by Andrew Cashner (2-9) and lost for the 10th time in 11 games. They have the worst record in the major leagues at 24-62, just the team the Twins needed to face to start a season-long 11-game homestand after a pivotal 1-8 road trip.

Trailing AL Central-leading Cleveland by 11 1/2 games, Minnesota has become a probable seller before the non-waiver trade deadline on July 31 with several accomplished players on expiring contracts. Baltimore has essentially been in that boat since April, with slugging shortstop Manny Machado widely considered the best asset on the market this summer.

CASHED OUT

Cashner, one of the offseason acquisitions by the Orioles that suggested their commitment to contending in the daunting AL East, has had more than three runs scored for him in only one of his 17 starts this year. He gave up three runs, two earned, and six hits.

”It’s not like we didn’t want to score for him,” Schoop said. ”I hope things start changing.”

Orioles starters have received the least amount of run support in the major leagues this season.

”I probably had the worst stuff I’ve had this season, but I thought I just grinded throughout the game,” Cashner said. ”When you’re not scoring runs, I feel like I keep my mind sharp on what I want to do out there and thinking pitch to pitch.”

WHOOPS

Cashner was charged with an error in the third, when he was covering first base on a chopper hit by Bobby Wilson to Davis and fumbled the relay toss to let Cave score from second. Wilson eventually scored on a single by Eddie Rosario.

WHIFFS

Rodney struck out Davis to start a perfect ninth, pushing the sputtering slugger into a first-place tie on the Orioles list for strikeouts with 1,305. He is tied with Cal Ripken Jr., who played 3,001 games for Baltimore. Davis has appeared in 972 contests.

MAN, CAVE

Cave [url=http://www.packerscheapstore.com/bryan-bulaga-jersey-cheap]Bryan Bulaga Jersey[/url] , who was recalled from Rochester last week, made a fully extended catch at the wall in right-center to take a potential extra-base hit away from Davis in the fourth inning. Cave doubled twice, driving in one run, to go with a single and an intentional walk.

”He can really flash it out there,” Slegers said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: RHP Darren O’Day (strained left hamstring) has been scheduled for his season-ending surgery on July 12. He’ll need six months to recover.

DOZIER’S DAY

Twins second baseman Brian Dozier, who has started 80 of 84 games and appeared in all but one this season, went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. He’s batting .218.

UP NEXT

Orioles: RHP Dylan Bundy (6-7, 3.75 ERA) will come off the DL to start Friday night. Bundy has been sidelined by a sprained left ankle.

Twins: RHP Lance Lynn (5-7, 5.49 ERA) will take the mound in the second game of the series, coming off his worst turn of the season. He gave up seven runs in Chicago to the Cubs in just 1 2/3 innings.

—

It was a long and odd day, one that started with teenager Juan Soto homering in a game that officially was played before he made his major league debut.

Huh?

Soto delivered a tiebreaking, pinch-hit, two-run shot in the sixth inning of a game that began and was suspended because of rain last month, five days before he was called up from the minors for the first time, to lift the Washington Nationals to a 5-3 victory over the New York Yankees in the opener of an unusual semi-doubleheader Monday.

”Geez, he has a bright future. How old is he, 19? You don’t see too many 19-year-olds doing what he’s doing,” Yankees slugger Aaron Judge said about Soto. ”I’m excited to see him develop for years to come.”

In Game 2, Judge made two key catches of balls hit by Trea Turner, including one on the warning track that bailed out Aroldis Chapman with two men on in the bottom of the ninth to end it, and the Yankees grabbed a 4-2 victory with the help of Aaron Hicks‘ go-ahead two-run homer.

That final-out fly ”got me to hold my breath for a sec,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

Throw in a trade by Washington to add reliever Kelvin Herrera from the Kansas City Royals, full-throated chants of ”Let’s go, Yankees!” from portions of the sellout crowd of 42,723, and all in all, so much happened at Nationals Park.

”That,” Nationals closer Sean Doolittle said, summing up things neatly, ”was weird.”

Game 1 resumed with the score 3-all and the Nationals about to bat in the bottom of the sixth. After Bryce Harper – who had a full beard back on May 15, when the game began, but was clean-shaven this time – struck out, and Anthony Rendon singled [url=http://www.packerscheapstore.com/nick-perry-jersey-cheap]Nick Perry Jersey[/url] , Soto drove a 97 mph fastball from Chad Green (4-1) to the back of the second deck in right field.

”I thought he had a good chance to hit the ball hard,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. ”That was hard.”

It was Soto’s sixth homer since he was brought up from Double-A Harrisburg on May 20 – and half have come against the Yankees. Soto stood and admired this one before beginning his trot around the bases.

”A lot of people tell me, `Hey, you’re killing the Yankees,'” Soto said. ”Everybody knows the Yankees, likes the Yankees. That feels pretty good.”

Soto also was involved in a double play while playing left in the seventh. Didi Gregorius lined to Soto, and he lobbed the ball to shortstop Turner, who sprinted to second base to double off Gary Sanchez.

Soto’s stats – and all others from Game 1 – will count as being part of the originally scheduled game on May 15, but Soto’s debut will still be considered to have come on the actual date it happened, May 20, according to the Nationals, citing the Elias Sports Bureau.

Wander Suero (1-0) got the win for 1 1-3 scoreless innings – one inning on May 15, and one out on Monday.

Doolittle struck out Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, then got Sanchez to fly out to center in the ninth for his 18th save.

The Nationals had lost five of six games entering the day.

Game 2, which was completely rained out May 16, began a half-hour after Game 1 finished, and Washington led 2-1 before Hicks’ ninth homer, which came in the fifth against Erick Fedde (0-2) and got plenty of Yankees fans excited – and loud.

The rookie righty lost to the Yankees for the second time in less than a week, giving up three runs in 5 1-3 innings this time.

Stanton provided some cushion with an RBI double off Sammy Solis in the seventh, part of a 4-for-5 showing in Game 2.

Sonny Gray (5-4) allowed two runs in five-plus innings, with Mark Reynolds driving in both.

HARPER’S DAY

Harper’s batting average is .212 after he went 0 for 5 on Monday, with two strikeouts, three groundouts and a walk. He has one hit in his last 27 at-bats. ”He’s just in one of those little funks, where you’re kind of happy to face him right now,” Boone said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: OF Brett Gardner didn’t play, a day after an MRI exam showed swelling in his right knee. Boone doesn’t expect Gardner to go on the DL.

Nationals: RHP Jeremy Hellickson, on the DL for two weeks with a strained right hamstring, took fielding practice before the start of play Monday and said he ”felt fine.” Hellickson has taken two bullpen sessions and ”felt 100 percent,” so expects to be able to return soon. … 1B Matt Adams was ”still a little sore” after getting hit by a pitch on a finger Friday and did not play.

ROSTER MOVE

The Yankees returned right-hander Giovanny Gallegos to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after the game. Gallegos had been called up as the 26th man for the nightcap Monday.

UP NEXT

Yankees: Open a three-game set against visiting Seattle, with RHP Domingo German (1-4, 5.23 ERA) pitching Tuesday.

Nationals: Begin a three-game series at home against Baltimore on Tuesday, with Jefry Rodriguez on the mound for his second major league appearance and first start.

—

CLEVELAND — Cody Allen is one of the least acclaimed yet most productive closers in the major leagues. On Friday night. when the Cleveland Indians open a three-game series with the Oakland A’s [url=http://www.greenbaypackersteamonline.com/randall-cobb-jersey]Authentic Randall Cobb Jersey[/url] , Allen will be in uniform at Progressive Field for the first time as the Indians’ career saves leader.

In pitching the ninth inning of a 3-2 Cleveland win in Kansas City on Wednesday, Allen posted his 140th career save, breaking Bob Wickman’s franchise record of 139, which had stood since 2006.

“He means so much to all of us,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said of Allen. “This is a kid who was drafted in the 16th round, but through being a consummate professional, he’s now the Indians’ all-time leader. That’s pretty awesome. It’s a big accomplishment, and he’s not close to being done.”

Allen (2-3, 3.38 ERA) ranks seventh in the American League this year with 18 saves, but his year-in, year-out consistency has been his trademark. He has had at least 30 saves in each of the last three seasons. Only two other closers in the majors can say that: the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen and Boston’s Craig Kimbrel.

“This is something I’m extremely proud of,” Allen said of passing Wickman as the club’s saves leader. “It’s something I get to hang my hat on for my career. It’s very cool.”

The A’s (48-39) come to Cleveland with nearly the same record as the Indians (48-37) [url=http://www.greenbaypackersteamonline.com/randall-cobb-jersey]Womens Randall Cobb Jersey[/url] , but what a difference a division makes. The first-place Indians lead the AL Central by 11 1/2 games. The A’s are in third in the AL West, 8 1/2 games behind the first-place Houston Astros.

The A’s won two of three games from the Indians last weekend in Oakland. That was part of a longer streak in which the A’s have won eight of their last nine. Since June 16, Oakland is 14-3.

“I think we’re having a lot of fun,” A’s third baseman Matt Chapman told MLB.com, “and no matter what the score is, I don’t think we count ourselves out. There’s no panic in the dugout. We just keep playing our game. We trust that we’re a good team.”

On Friday night, the A’s will send Paul Blackburn (2-2, 6.46 ERA) to the mound. In his last start on June 29 in Oakland, Blackburn baffled the Indians, pitching 6 1/3 scoreless innings and giving up just three hits in a 3-1 victory.

Blackburn has started five major league games this year. In the one against Cleveland, he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and an opponents’ batting average of .150. In the other four starts, he’s 1-2 with an 8.83 ERA and an opponents’ batting average of .324. In two career starts against the Indians [url=http://www.officialcanucks.com/authentic-adidas-derek-dorsett-jersey]Womens Derek Dorsett Jersey[/url] , Blackburn is 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA.

Cleveland will counter with Carlos Carrasco (8-5, 4.24), who will make his first start since June 16, a 9-3 loss to Minnesota in which he was knocked out of the game in the second inning after getting hit in the right arm by a line drive off the bat of Joe Mauer.

Carrasco was placed on the 10-day disabled list the next day with a right elbow contusion. He made one rehab start at Double-A Akron on June 30, pitching four scoreless innings and giving up one hit with four strikeouts and one walk.

Carrasco’s last legitimate start was his best start of the year, a 4-0 win over the Chicago White Sox on June 11. In that game, he pitched seven scoreless innings and gave up two hits and one walk with 11 strikeouts.

In six career appearances, including five starts, against Oakland, Carrasco is 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA.

The Oakland Athletics will go for a series victory when they face the Chicago White Sox in the finale of a four-game set Sunday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Oakland (40-37) rallied for a 7-6 victory Saturday to post its second win in the past three games against the White Sox. The A’s have won six of their past seven games and have started a 10-game road trip with an impressive record of 4-1.

Meanwhile, Chicago (25-51) is sliding quickly in the opposite direction. The White Sox have lost nine of their past 10 games and dropped to 7-16 in one-run games after Saturday’s defeat.

Oakland has enjoyed its recent visits to Chicago’s South Side, winning eight of its last 13 games at the ballpark.

The latest win came thanks in large part to the heroics of outfielder Nick Martini [url=http://www.packerscheapstore.com/aaron-rodgers-jersey-cheap]Aaron Rodgers Jersey[/url] , who grew up in the Chicago suburb of Crystal Lake and attended White Sox games as a kid. Martini singled in the go-ahead run for his first big league hit Saturday, and he figures to have another contingent of family and friends in the stands on Sunday to support him.

Martini was called up from the minors before Saturday’s contest and promptly appeared in his fourth big league game.

“I told my family immediately,” Martini said when asked about getting the call to the majors. “I was like, ‘Hey, I’m going to be in Chicago this weekend. Everybody was super-stoked.”

The A’s will turn to right-hander Paul Blackburn (1-1, 8.03 ERA), who will make his fourth start of the season. Blackburn has posted a 4-2 record with a 4.06 ERA in 13 career starts. He never has faced Chicago.

The White Sox will counter with left-hander Carlos Rodon (0-2, 4.41 ERA), who also will make his fourth start of the 2018 season. The 25-year-old was sidelined for the first couple months of the season because of a biceps injury.

Rodon allowed two earned runs in each of his first two starts before giving up four earned runs in his most recent outing. He is 1-1 with a 4.67 ERA in three career starts against the Athletics.

One bright spot for the White Sox is shortstop Tim Anderson, who has homered in back-to-back games. His latest blast cleared the wall in right field and marked his 13th home run of the season.

“He’s seeing the ball very well, obviously,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. “Having some good at-bats [url=http://www.packerscheapstore.com/randall-cobb-jersey-cheap]Randall Cobb Jersey[/url] , getting some pitches he can handle and he’s obviously driven a few balls out of the ballpark.”

Anderson, who turned 25 on Saturday, has focused more on delivering power to all fields.

“The more I grow, the better hitter I become,” Anderson said. “I’m going to keep working.”

For Oakland, closer Blake Treinen has converted 14 consecutive save opportunities. In his last 21 appearances, he has a 0.73 ERA.

In his first 14 starts this year [url=http://www.officialislanders.com/authentic-adidas-chris-wagner-jersey]Youth Chris Wagner Jersey[/url] , Kluber was 10-2 with a 1.99 ERA. But in his last three starts, Kluber is 1-2 with a 6.59 ERA.

Nevertheless, the slumping Kluber will be on the mound Monday night for the Cleveland Indians, who, not coincidentally, are slumping as a team.

Although they walloped Oakland 15-3 on Sunday, the Indians have lost four of the first six games on their nine-game trip that will conclude with three games in Kansas City.

Kluber, who is 10-6 with a 2.82 ERA in 21 career starts against the Royals, will try to get back on track against one of his favorite opponents.

Kluber’s three-start slump is actually two really bad ones sandwiched around a really good one. It started June 15 with a 10-3 loss to Minnesota in which Kluber gave up four runs in five innings.

However, Kluber’s next start, on June 20, was a 12-0 win over the Chicago White Sox in which he pitched seven scoreless innings and gave up one hit.

But on June 26 in St. Louis, Kluber had his worst start of the year, his worst in several years. In an 11-4 loss to the Cardinals, Kluber was removed from the game after giving up six runs in 1 2/3 innings.

“He’s human. Guys don’t go 35 starts (during the season) without a bump in the road,” Indians manager Terry Francona said.

Kluber said, “No excuses. I just didn’t get the job done. I had some things going on delivery-wise and didn’t execute my pitches consistently.”

Although the Indians have a comfortable nine-game lead in the American League Central, they have had trouble winning on the road.

Cleveland is 27-13 at home but just 18-24 on the road, the only division leader in the majors with a losing record on the road. The Indians are hoping Kluber can help shake his slump and get a road win Monday.

Kluber is 11-4 with a 2.54 ERA overall this season. One of those wins came against the Royals on May 13, a 6-2 Cleveland victory in which Kluber pitched seven innings without allowing an earned run.

The Indians bolstered their bullpen Sunday by selecting left-hander Marc Rzepczynski from Triple-A Columbus and optioning starter Adam Plutko to Columbus.

Kluber’s mound opponent Monday night, Royals right-hander Jakob Junis (5-9, 4.67), is also mired in a slump.

Junis hasn’t won a game since May 18. In seven starts since then [url=http://www.officialislanders.com/authentic-adidas-jaroslav-halak-jersey]Womens Jaroslav Halak Jersey[/url] , he is 0-6 with a 6.30 ERA. His last start came June 26, a 5-1 loss to Milwaukee. In that game, Junis pitched five innings, giving up four runs and seven hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Junis’ last start against Cleveland came May 13. In a 6-2 loss to the Indians, he pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs and six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.

In three career appearances against Cleveland, Junis is 0-1 with a 5.93 ERA.

The Royals, who have lost three in a row, were glad to see the calendar change to July. They went 5-21 in June, the worst record in June in the team’s 50-year history.

During a horrid stretch in which the Baltimore Orioles keep finding ways to lose, J.T. Realmuto did his part to extend the downward spiral.

Realmuto homered twice and had four RBIs off Alex Cobb, and the Miami Marlins beat the skidding Orioles 5-4 on Saturday.

Realmuto singled in a run in the first inning, hit a two-run shot in the third and led off the sixth with his ninth home run on a 3-1 pitch. It was his fourth career multihomer game, the second this season.

Baltimore has lost nine straight, its longest skid since an identical run in July 2011. The Orioles tied a club record with their 11th consecutive home loss and fell to 19-50 overall, the worst record in the majors.

”Nobody’s going to feel sorry for you,” manager Buck Showalter said. ”They step on your neck when you’re down, and we did the same to other clubs. We’ve got to figure out a way to get back into that mode. We’ve just had a little trouble keeping the ball in the park.”

On Friday night, Baltimore managed only three hits in a 2-0 loss. In this one, the lowest-scoring team in the American League wasted 11 hits, a home run by Jonathan Schoop and two RBIs by Manny Machado .

Cobb could only blame himself for letting Realmuto outdo the Baltimore offense.

”When you have a good hitter up there, you can’t fall behind and then give them a cookie down the middle,” Cobb lamented. ”It’s frustrating that it was one guy but it was more frustrating that I let him win the at-bats before he actually hit the home run.”

Former Oriole Wei-Yin Chen (2-3) limited Baltimore to three runs over six innings to earn his first victory since April 28.

Drew Steckenrider worked the ninth for his first save [url=http://www.officialislanders.com/authentic-adidas-john-tavares-jersey]John Tavares Jersey[/url] , putting Miami in position to complete its initial series sweep of the season on Sunday.

The Marlins have won five of six to put some pressure on fourth-place New York in the NL East.

”We’ve got a lot of young guys on this team who are gaining a lot of momentum, getting a lot of confidence,” Realmuto said. They’re starting to swing the bats really well. We’ve got young guys producing for us every night. When that happens, you just gain confidence, and over a period of time you get better and better.”

Cobb (2-9) allowed five runs on seven hits over seven innings. He’s given up a total of 14 runs in his last two starts.

”Just a few fastballs that I left over the middle of the plate that didn’t come back that really ended up being the difference-maker,” Cobb said.

Miami hit leadoff doubles in the first and second innings, with both runners coming around to score. Realmuto followed a walk with a home run in the third to make it 4-0.

”It was one of those games that starts so good,” manager Don Mattingly said. ”First couple innings are kind of what you’re looking for from your club.”

In the Baltimore third, Machado hit a two-out, two-run single to increase his RBI total to 52.

Schoop went deep in the sixth and an RBI single by Danny Valencia got Baltimore to 5-4 in the seventh.

INTERLEAGUE FODDER

Baltimore’s Adam Jones has hit safely in all eight interleague games (13 for 33, .394). … Realmuto has a .350 batting average in 31 career road interleague games. … Baltimore is 2-6 vs. the NL, Miami is 3-3 vs. the AL.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins: INF Miguel Rojas was rested, one day after being bruised by a pitch that hit his left hand. ”Felt OK, actually looked OK, but wasn’t able to put a lot of pressure on that bottom hand,” Mattingly said, adding, ”He’ll probably be in there tomorrow.”

Orioles: LHP Richard Bleier will have season-ending surgery Tuesday to repair his left shoulder. It’s a Grade 3 latissimus tear. … 3B Tim Beckham (groin) was slated to be the DH for Double-A Bowie in the second game of his rehab assignment. … OF Colby Rasmus (hip) is expected to come off the DL next week.

UP NEXT

Marlins: Rookie Trevor Richards (1-3, 4.41 ERA) makes his eighth career start in the series finale. The right-hander earned his first big league win on Tuesday against San Francisco.

Orioles: Dylan Bundy (4-7. 3.66) seeks his fifth win, which would account for one-quarter of the team’s victories this season.

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