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Hot Sox Hope to Continue Resurgence

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FENWAY – (Wire Service Report) – Something has to give when one of the hottest pitchers in all of Major League Baseball faces a smoldering hot Boston offense in Wednesday afternoon’s series finale between the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks and Red Sox.

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Arizona right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (7-1, 3.11 ERA) has allowed no earned runs in his last four starts. He’ll be facing a Boston team that has scored 20 runs on 29 hits in the first two games of the series. The Red Sox prevailed 11-1 Monday and 9-4 Tuesday.

Pfaadt began the season in Arizona’s starting rotation, but was moved to the bullpen after three starts. He was optioned to Triple-A Reno on June 3, when he had a 5.92 ERA.

In nine starts since being recalled on June 30, Pfaadt is 7-0 with a 1.15 ERA. He’ll enter Wednesday’s game having pitched the last 33 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run.

“I wish I could tell you what the magic potion was because I’d give it to everybody,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said after Pfaadt got the win in a 2-0 victory over Atlanta on Friday. “It’s work ethic and it’s confidence that’s continuing to develop every single day.”

Pfaadt is 1-1 with a 5.59 ERA in two career starts against Boston, which will have left-hander Payton Tolle (8-6, 2.97) on the mound. Tolle, who is in his rookie season, is 0-1 with a 15.00 ERA in one career start against Arizona, giving up five runs over three innings in his second career start last September.

Boston will be seeking its first series sweep since it won three straight against the Chicago White Sox from Aug. 4-6. The Red Sox lost series against the Athletics, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Pittsburgh Pirates before their bats came alive against the Diamondbacks. Boston has scored in 11 of the 16 innings they’ve batted in so far in this series.

Catcher Adley Rutschman was 1-for-17 with an infield single, five walks and nine strikeouts in his first six games after Baltimore traded him to Boston, but has four hits in the first two games of the series. He had a solo home run and a two-run single during Tuesday’s win, which improved Boston’s record at Fenway Park to 14-4 since the All-Star Break. The Red Sox are 31-31 at home this season.

“We said that early on when it wasn’t going well that we’re going to have to get things turned around here, turn the season,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said. “So actually, to go on the road — not that we wanted to lose games on the road — but have some struggles on the road and then be able to come back and immediately flip the switch and look like, ‘All right, now this looks like home cooking and we enjoy playing here.’ That’s a really good sign to protect our home turf. So that’s been welcome, and it was needed.”

Arizona has played both games against Boston without second baseman Ketel Marte, who was placed on the restricted list after he didn’t show up to the field on Monday. Marte returned to Arizona Tuesday to have an MRI on his left knee.

“That’s what I’ve been told, but overall my focus has shifted,” Lovullo said. “My focus (Monday) was squarely on this topic, but right now, it’s on the 26 players that are inside of the clubhouse.”

–Field Level Media

Can Sox Continue Power Surge

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FENWAY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman liked what he saw from his team’s offense Monday night.

Rutschman undoubtedly hopes to see similar production when the Red Sox face the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday in the second contest of a three-game series.

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Boston collected 16 hits during Monday’s 11-1 victory over Arizona, including seven doubles and two home runs. Everyone in the starting lineup for the Red Sox had at least one RBI, and the team went 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

“That’s what this team is capable of,” Rutschman told NESN after the game. “Every guy stepping up. It’s a big thing that (Boston interim manager Chad Tracy) said when we were on that huge win streak. Everyone stepping up huge every night (and) it’s a different guy every night.

“Just seeing everyone do their thing was awesome. It was a fun game to be a part of. First game at Fenway (since he was traded from Baltimore). Can’t ask for a whole lot more.”

Rutschman is 3-for-23 since joining the Red Sox, but two of those hits came during Monday’s win.

“It’s tough,” he said. “You gotta stay with the process. It’s nice to put some good swings on balls and get rewarded.”

Arizona played without second baseman Ketel Marte, who was placed on the restricted list Monday after reportedly not showing up at Fenway Park. Following the game, Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said he wasn’t sure if Marte will be with the team Tuesday.

“He didn’t show up (Monday) and he was put on the restricted list,” Lovullo said. “That’s as much as I know right now. I’m sure in time we’ll start to uncover and unravel some information. I knew there was something going on (Monday) when I met with (the media), but I still believed he was going to be here. He just didn’t show up.

“I was doing my best to reach out to him and there was very little coming back … We’re going to figure out a way to work through this.”

Lovullo also said it was the first time Marte hasn’t shown up – or hasn’t shown up on time – this season.

“The players are gritty,” he said. “They rally around one another. I know there was a lot of discussions about it at different points in time in the clubhouse today. There was a lot of curiosity. We care for Ketel. Once we knew he was OK I think everybody started to relax and focus on the game.”

Boston’s Willson Contreras belted his career-high 25th home run of the season Monday.

Arizona right-hander Merrill Kelly (8-10, 4.44 ERA) will attempt to quiet the Boston bats Tuesday. He’s 2-1 with a 2.66 ERA in three career starts against the Red Sox.

Left-hander Ranger Suarez (4-3, 3.25 ERA) is scheduled to start for Boston. He has a 1-4 record and a 6.91 ERA in 11 career appearances (eight starts) against Arizona.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | August 16

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NBA’s Leah Wilcox

By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief, Digital Sports Desk

UNCASVILLE (Conn) – Every now and then a day comes along and you know it’s a great day before it even starts. You awake with a terrific outlook. The sun is shining. All is well.

Then, you realize that day is today.

We flew, we drove, we booked hotels, and we were all convening (first at Mohegan Sun, then Springfield) to celebrate the wonderful life, and unequalled professional career of a colleague and dear, lifelong friend.

Friday night, at an exquisite banquet at the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino, we honored Leah Wilcox for her endless contributions to the NBA and to the sport of basketball overall. For that, Leah received the highest honor the game and the Basketball Hall of Fame can bestow to someone not enshrined as a player/coach/ref/contributor. Leah was the recipient of the John Bunn Award and we were all there to witness it.

Let’s let Leah take it from here, and I STRESS this is a MUST WATCH.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: To describe the impact of Leah Wilcox to someone who doesn’t know her is a monumental task, and to simply describe her sense of being is even harder. Don Sperling, former Executive Producer of NBA Entertainment and the person who hired Leah, described her as “the best person I’ve ever met.” If you polled the people in attendance at the Basketball Hall of Fame Gala on Friday, that would be a unanimous declaration.

The Hall and NBA show producers did a great job of framing Leah’s career with an introductory film clip, introduced by ESPN (and former NBA on NBC) personality Hannah Storm in a style like boxing’s Michael Buffer. It was THAT big.

As I watched the clips, my immediate thoughts drifted to seeing Leah’s ever-present, tremendous smile in all the video and still photos at hundreds of NBA events – NBA Cares, Rookie Orientations, NBA All-Star Games, and on the set of NBA Inside Stuff. My thoughts wandered to think of how many years (41), seasons, off-seasons, global trips and simply how much time she spent dedicated to the NBA.

At those events, Leah would be building and renewing relationships with the players and their families, but also with the NBA staff. She set quite an example. It seemed she never had a bad day. She was never cranky or sad, but always upbeat and inspiring to all she came in contact with on any given day. Energy would abound.

At the rookie orientation/training seminar, we’d stress to the new NBA players to “be themselves,” and never to stray from that. They had to be authentic, but at the same time be able to tell interesting stories about their lives and how they made it to the NBA. Looking back at those situations, “authentic” was the key word and Leah was always herself. She is the ultimate in “authentic.”

STORYTELLING: After the Mohegan Sun side of the Hall’s schedule was over, I recalled all the days, months, years, seasons, and events we staged together – from Madrid in 1988 and Barcelona in 1992 to 20+ year’s of hectic NBA All-Star Games and NBA Cares events.

But one specific moment in time came to mind: It was at an NBA Christmas party, a gathering of the NBA family where the guests of honor were really the families of the employees – former NBA Commissioner, the late David Stern, would emphasize that the party was a thank-you to the families and support group of the NBA staffers who were often working late nights, weekends, long events, long playoff series, or summertime events, such as Basketball without Borders or a USA Basketball tournament when said employee might be gone for weeks at a time.

As the party was winding down, I found myself in line waiting to gather our winter coats and hit the NYC streets for a cab ride home. Both Leah and I realized, at the same time, that there was a considerable amount of buffet-style (good) food left over. I thought it was a shame. Leah went into action.

She found the head of catering, asked a few questions, prodded a few servers, and the next thing I knew, the two of us were loading large catering trays of food into a taxi cab. There were probably 10 large trays, some good bread, and even some desserts.

Leah knew right where to go, and it seemed to me she had done this type of good deed before. The two of us – side-by-side in a taxi, holding on to the trays to keep them upright, pulled up next to a homeless shelter near Times Square on a cold winter night and explained the situation to the volunteers. They were very happy to see the scope of our donation and it was – in fact – much needed that particular night.

I was in total awe of Leah. It was the way about her, as Billy Joel might sing. She eased through the situation with grace and friendliness. The same person who was comfortable in front of the Commissioner, a classroom of players and their families was equally comfortable at a homeless shelter, being sure everyone had a plate of the food.

It was just another day, another night in the life of Leah Wilcox. Selfless. Generous with her time and wallet. Friendly. Outgoing. Funny – even entertaining. She was simply being herself, just like we were teaching the rookies. It was “Authentic Leah Wilcox,” and it was on display for 41 years in the halls of the NBA, in the studios of NBA Entertainment, and in the back corridors of sports arenas the world around.

That’s Leah – the 2026 John Bunn Award winner.

I love her so much.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: A real (personal) treat at this year’s Basketball Hall of Fame ceremonies was the fact the Class of ‘26 contained some personal friends as much as incredible icons in the world of basketball.

Doc Rivers was a member of the Atlanta Hawks when we traveled to the (former) Soviet Union in 1988. Every single person on that trip made lifelong bond, but Rivers stands out even more. First, I was fortunate enough to get to know him a little better when he played for the New York Knicks, and as fate would have it, he was very friendly with our next door neighbors and friends. Later, we worked together when Rivers did his TV commentator gig with Turner. Even later in the career timelines, we intersected at the Goodwill Games (2001) trip to Brisbane (Australia) when Doc was an assistant coach (along with Oliver Purnell and Tom Izzo as they backed up the late, great Flip Saunders).

Joey Crawford: There were a bunch of refs you were glad to see at an arena when it was game time in the Playoffs. In fact, Crawford worked more than 50 NBA Finals games with most coming in the 1985-2015 range of time. When Joey worked a game, you just knew it was going to be a well-officiated, high level, yet still intense contest. Postgame, it was always a pleasure to stop in and see him. Crawford comes from a long line of “officials” but his father, Shag, was an “official” working as one of the most respected umpires in Major League Baseball history.

Crawford also heads up a long list of great referees from the Philadelphia area. He graduated from Cardinal O’Hara High School. He began his NBA career in 1977 and announced his retirement (because of a nagging knee injury) on January 2, 2016 and tried to hold on until that March 16 when it became a fact after officiating 2,561 games (2nd most all-time to Dick Bavetta (2,635) and 374 NBA Playoff games (ranks No. 1).

And, lastly Mike D’Antoni: We all (NBA staffers) met Mike as he captained the Tracer Milan Italian and European basketball championship team at the 1987 McDonald’s Open in Milwaukee. Mike played the point for Milan from 1977 to 1990. He went into coaching, first for Milan (1990-94) and then at Benneton Treviso (1994-97) before heading back to the USA to begin a long NBA coaching career.

Mike’s No. 10 was retired by his alma mater, Marshall University. His No. 8 was retired by Milano, and he was named one of the 50 Greatest contributors in European basketball in 2008.

The bonding zone, however, was with USA Basketball where Mike was named an assistant coach to the men’s senior team for the 2006 FIBA Worlds in Tokyo and the 2012 Olympics in London.

There’s a long list of players who should send a Christmas card to Mike and his wonderful wife, Laurel, each December, as D’Antoni’s high octane offense created opportunities for players who often would “cash-in” elsewhere.

A short list of those players includes:

  • Joe Johnson
  • Amar’e Stoudemire
  • Shawn Marion
  • Steve Nash
  • James Harden

And, maybe the most astonishing of Mike’s star-making career was:

  • Jeremy Lin

Yes, Lin-sanity was orchestrated by D’Antoni after a series of injuries befell the majority of the New York Knicks’ backcourt. Lin got his chance and has Mike D’Antoni to thank for it.

In 2012, Lin opted for free agency and signed a three-year, $25 million contract with Houston. After taking a lesser salary cap exception with Charlotte, Lin later banked $38m for a three-year deal with Brooklyn.

Diamondbacks Aren’t Forever

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Mickey Gasper and Willson Contreras each hit a solo home run as part of a 16-hit attack that propelled the Red Sox to an 11-1 victory over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday in the opener of a three-game series.

Caleb Durbin and Ceddanne Rafaela each collected three hits for the Red Sox, who received two RBIs from both Gasper and Wilyer Abreu.

Boston’s Brayan Bello (5-6) held the Diamondbacks to one run on three hits in 4 2/3 innings of relief to collect the win. Arizona starter Mitch Bratt (1-2) allowed three runs on four hits in three innings.

The Diamondbacks placed second baseman Ketel Marte on the restricted list before the game. The team did not give a reason for the move, but multiple outlets reported that Marte did not show up to Fenway Park.

The Red Sox grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second on an RBI single by Eli White that drove in Durbin and a Nick Sogard double that scored White.

It was 3-0 after Durbin drove in Contreras with a single in the third, and the Red Sox took a 4-0 lead when Sogard scored on a Rafaela double in the fourth.

Boston added three more runs to extend its advantage to 7-0 in the fifth.

Contreras led off with his 25th home run of the season. Adley Rutschman scored on Andruw Monasterio’s sacrifice fly and Durbin came home on Gasper’s groundout. Two of the three runs were unearned, as the Diamondbacks committed two errors in the outfield after the homer.

Ildemaro Vargas scored on Geraldo Perdomo’s sac fly to make it 7-1 in the top of the sixth, but Boston responded by scoring twice in the bottom half of the inning. Abreu’s single drove in Rafaela, and Abreu stretched the lead to 9-1 by scoring on a Rutschman double.

Gasper led off the seventh with his first homer of the year, and Abreu’s RBI single drove in Rafaela later in the inning to cap the scoring.

–Field Level Media

Pirates Take Series From Red Sox

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PITTSBURGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Nick Yorke had three RBIs while playing in his first game in exactly three months, while Bryan Reynolds and Brandon Lowe each drove in two to help the host Pittsburgh Pirates secure an 8-3 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday afternoon.

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Despite a 2 1/2-hour rain delay between the sixth and seventh innings, the Pirates secured the series victory and have won three of their past four as they attempt to stay alive in the National League postseason race. Boston has split its past four games after losing five in a row.

Yorke was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday and played for the first time since May 16 before he was optioned to the minors. Yorke’s two-run single off Red Sox starter Patrick Sandoval (1-2) in the third put the Pirates ahead 6-0 and highlighted a five-run inning for Pittsburgh.

The Pirates struck for two runs in the bottom of the first after Esmerlyn Valdez hit the first of his two doubles. Reynolds and Lowe followed with back-to-back RBI singles that put Pittsburgh ahead 2-0.

The same trio kickstarted the big third inning in the same fashion. Valdez followed Jared Triolo’s single with a double, and Reynolds and Lowe followed with run-scoring singles. After Yorke’s big hit, Henry Davis pushed Pittsburgh’s lead to 7-0 on a sacrifice fly.

Connor Wong, who finished with two hits, gave the Red Sox some hope when he belted a three-run home run off Pirates reliever Hunter Barco in the fifth inning. Barco was also recalled from Triple-A on Sunday after Pittsburgh optioned right-hander Wilber Dotel and infielder Jack Brannigan.

Kirby Yates (1-5) replaced Barco in the seventh when play resumed and pitched a scoreless inning.

Sandoval gave up seven runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out six over four innings. Raymond Burgos, who was recalled Sunday from Triple-A Worcester, pitched four innings — and remained in the game even after the rain delay — as he allowed one run on two hits and one walk, and had one strikeout.

Dexter’s Báez Sets MLB Debut HR Mark

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CHICAGO – (Staff and Wire Report) – As the visiting St. Louis Cardinals search for a series victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday afternoon, it will be tough to top a historic day at Wrigley Field.

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In St. Louis’ 8-4 road win on Saturday, the organization’s No. 3 prospect, Joshua Baez, became the first player in major league history to hit three home runs in his debut. Baez grew up in Boston and attended Dexter-Southfield High School in Brookline where he was named Massachusetts Baseball Player of the Year.

“It’s unreal,” Baez said. “I really can’t put it into words, but it’s honestly just a dream come true. I was just trying to stay calm, embrace it and just try to have fun.”

When the dust settles from Baez’s incredible introduction, a win on Sunday would mark the first time since 2022 that the Cardinals clinched both road series at Chicago.

Hunter Dobbins (2-3, 3.40 ERA) has pieced together a pair of decent starts in August but received zero run support across 11 1/3 innings in two losses. Last time out, Dobbins went five innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out six and walking three in a 6-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday. The Cardinals offense scored five runs after Dobbins’ exit.

In his previous start, Aug. 4 on the road against the New York Yankees, Dobbins turned in a quality start but lost 2-0. He allowed two earned runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings.

The 26-year-old right-hander has walked three batters in each of his past two starts and needed 97 pitches to get through five frames against the Phillies.

“I guess the one thing I can take away is that I competed,” Dobbins said of his last outing. “I’ve got to find a way to execute pitches in all counts. You’ve got to stay ahead of hitters, pound the strike zone early and just stay in attack mode.”

Dobbins, who was traded from Boston in December as part of a package that sent Willson Contreras to the Red Sox, has faced the Cubs twice in his career — both outings this year. He allowed five runs in nine innings in two appearances against Chicago. On May 31, he earned a save in the 5-1 win after throwing 3 2/3 innings, giving up one run on four hits. On July 27, he pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on seven hits in a 7-4 loss.

In a 10-4 start to August, the Cubs have won three consecutive series and seek their fourth in a row. Chicago, which was on the wrong side of history on Saturday, allowed its most runs since an 8-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 26.

“He hit three different pitches for home runs,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of Baez’s debut. “He had a great game. He just beat us, for sure.”

Edward Cabrera (5-4, 5.10) will look for better success against Baez and the Cardinals on Sunday when he returns to the major league mound for the first time in nearly two months. The 28-year-old right-hander was placed on the injured list with a left hamstring strain on June 24 following a lackluster stretch. Cabrera posted an 8.35 ERA in four June appearances before the injury.

The offseason acquisition in a trade with the Miami Marlins made three minor league rehab appearances, going 0-1 with a 2.53 ERA across a start with Double-A Knoxville and two with Triple-A Iowa.

“Edward pitched very well,” Counsell said of Cabrera’s last minor league start, which saw him hurl five no-hit innings against the Double-A Rocket City on Tuesday. “The line indicates that.”

Cabrera is 0-2 with a 3.52 ERA in three career starts against St. Louis.

–Field Level Media

–Field Level Media

Sonny, Chance of Ks

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Sonny Gray threw seven scoreless innings and Wilyer Abreu’s second-inning solo home run put the Boston Red Sox on course for a 4-0 shutout of the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night.

Gray (15-3) set a career-high for wins and leads the American League in that category. Gray struck out seven and walked one on 86 pitches to lead the Red Sox to their second win in three games following a five-game losing streak.

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Abreu’s home run with one out in the second off Pirates starter Jared Jones (2-5) was one of three hits in the game. It tarnished a mostly-solid start for Jones, who struck out seven, walked two and gave up just the one run on four hits over five innings.

Abreu rapped his second of two doubles off Pittsburgh reliever Luke Weaver to lead off the ninth. Abreu was then thrown out at third on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Caleb Durbin. But Jarren Duran blooped a single to left field and Andruw Monasterio smacked a changeup from Weaver into the left center field gap to drive in two insurance runs.

Two batters later, Jahmai Jones drove in Monasterio with a single.

The Pirates’ dimming playoff hopes took another hit with the loss as they failed to put together three consecutive wins following a stretch of seven losses in eight games.

Pittsburgh’s best chance against Gray came in the fifth when it loaded the bases on singles by Jake Mangum, Rafael Flores Jr. and a walk to Spencer Horwitz. Gray recovered by striking out Brandon Lowe to end the inning.

Mangum and Esmerlyn Valdez each had two hits to lead the Pirates, who finished with six hits. All were singles, though, and Pittsburgh left five runners on base.

The verdict was the Red Sox’s 13th shutout this season and the 13th time the Pirates have been shut out.

The Red Sox had two strong chances to add to their early lead against Jones, but left runners on second and third in both the third and fourth innings. They failed on three chances with less than two outs.

Gray is tied with Philadelphia’s Cristopher Sanchez for the major league lead in wins.

–Field Level Media

Flores, Jr.; Lowe Power Pirates

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PITTSBURGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Rafael Flores Jr. and Brandon Lowe each homered to propel the Pittsburgh Pirates to an 8-4 victory over the visiting Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

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Flores, who had two three-run home runs during Thursday’s 13-1 triumph over Miami, hit a solo home run in the second, and Lowe smashed a Jovani Moran changeup for a three-run home run in the fifth.

Flores collected three hits in the victory. Pittsburgh also received two hits and three runs from Bryan Reynolds.

Bubba Chandler (6-8) limited Boston to two runs on four hits in five innings to earn the win. He walked two and struck out five.

Nick Sogard had two hits and two RBIs for Boston, which lost for the sixth time in its last seven games.

After Flores opened the scoring with his fourth home run of the season, Pittsburgh took a four-run lead by scoring three times in the fourth. It was 3-0 after an Esmerlyn Valdez double drove in Reynolds and Ronny Simon, and Flores followed with an RBI single to stretch the lead to 4-0.

Boston starting pitcher Jake Bennett (7-6) was pulled after four innings. He allowed four runs on five hits, walked one and struck out six.

Boston trimmed its deficit to 4-2 in the fifth. Andruw Monasterio hit an RBI single to make get the Red Sox on the board, and Nick Sogard drove in Jarren Duran with a sacrifice fly to center field for Boston’s second run.

Lowe’s home run extended Pittsburgh’s lead to 7-2.

Sogard drove in Duran a second time with an RBI single that trimmed Pittsburgh’s lead to 7-3 in the seventh, but the Pirates got the run back in the bottom of the inning when third baseman Caleb Durbin made a wild throw to first that allowed Reynolds to score.

Masataka Yoshida’s single in the ninth with two outs drove in Eli White to make it 8-4. At that point, the Pirates replaced Kirby Yates with Mason Montgomery, who struck out Adley Rutschman with two aboard to secure the save.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Visit Pittsburgh for Three

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PITTSBURGH – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox will visit the Pittsburgh Pirates for the opener of a three-game series on Friday night, and both teams have rested bullpens and some much-needed momentum.

Boston ended a five-game losing streak with a 7-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday in the finale of a four-game set. The win allowed the Red Sox to avoid being swept in a series for the first time since mid-June (against Toronto).

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Boston was nursing a 1-0 lead when Caleb Durbin hit a grand slam in the eighth inning. Rookie Payton Tolle gave up two hits over eight innings before Greg Weissert pitched the ninth, hours after being recalled from Triple-A Worcester.

“We needed a deep start, (and Tolle) got a great deep start,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said. “We needed a win, and (Tolle) gave us a win. He was awesome. … He’s been really good and we’re gonna need him to keep doing that down the stretch, but it was a really good outing.”

Tolle retired the last 17 batters he faced in the longest outing of his MLB career.

“I just try to do what I can on any given day and was fortunate enough to have a deep one today,” Tolle said.

As good as Tolle was, Pittsburgh’s Braxton Ashcraft was even better in his team’s 13-1 triumph over Miami on Thursday. Ashcroft needed only 85 pitches to throw a complete game, giving up three hits and striking out 10 batters to help the Pirates end a three-game losing streak.

“He’s an All-Star, man,” Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly said. “He earned that in the first half. Certainly did today coming off some tough losses. To (pitch) the way he did today was outstanding.”

“I think you saw the product of hard work, putting your head down and not paying attention to what’s going on externally. … I think it’s the start of something really cool down the stretch.”

Boston left-hander Jake Bennett (7-5, 3.17 ERA) will take the mound on Friday for his first career start against the Pirates. He allowed four runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings in his last outing, a 7-3 loss to the Athletics on Saturday.

Pittsburgh is expected to start right-hander Bubba Chandler (5-8, 4.26 ERA) in his first career appearance against Boston. He won his second straight start on Saturday, scattering three hits over six scoreless innings in a 9-0 victory over the New York Mets.

–Field Level Media

Richardson to Start vs Patriots

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Anthony Richardson Sr. was named the starting quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts’ preseason opener Thursday night at New England.

Richardson, who is splitting second-team reps with Riley Leonard, has also practiced some with the third team during training camp. He requested a trade in the offseason, when the Colts made a stronger financial commitment to incumbent starting QB Daniel Jones.

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Head coach Shane Steichen said Tuesday following joint practices with the Patriots that Richardson would play the entire first half before Leonard takes over in the third quarter.

“Riley will start against Atlanta (on Aug. 22), and AR will play the second half in Atlanta,” Steichen said, adding it’s “pretty obvious I don’t want to take any chances with Daniel out there in the preseason.”

Richardson did not start a game last season. When Jones was injured in November, the Colts were ready to turn to Leonard. But because of a minor injury, they instead coaxed Philip Rivers out of retirement.

Jones won’t be the only starter not on the field with Richardson this week. Steichen said the majority of his offensive starters are unlikely to play.

“There’s going to be a slew of them that aren’t playing,” Steichen said. “There will be a couple of guys that might get a few series here and there, but for the most part, the starters won’t play.”

The opportunity gives Richardson, 24, a shot at improving his standing on the Indianapolis depth chart while also showcasing the ability that attracted the Colts to select him with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft out of the University of Florida.

“I feel like finally getting out there, finally managing the game,” Richardson said of the Thursday start. “And processing the live action plays will help me get back into the groove and just feel everything out.”

Richardson threw two passes and played in only two games in 2025. In 17 total NFL games, he has a completion percentage of 50.6 with 11 touchdown passes, 13 interceptions and 10 rushing TDs.

–Field Level Media