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Ten in a Row, Here They Go

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FENWAY – (Wire Service Report) – Jake Bennett threw six scoreless innings before a six-run sixth inning allowed the Boston Red Sox to blow open a 10-0 win over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays in the first game of a day-night doubleheader on Friday afternoon.

Masataka Yoshida and Carlos Narvaez each homered as part of three-hit days for the Red Sox, who banged out 15 hits en route to their 10th consecutive victory dating back to July 3.

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Yoshida (3-for-5) added a double and finished a triple shy of a cycle, while Narvaez and Caleb Durbin were both 3-for-4.

Bennett (5-3) allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out three. He has won four straight outings.

Alec Gamboa went the rest of the way, allowing just two hits over the final three innings for a save.

The Red Sox quickly bounced back from going down 1-2-3 to start the game against Tampa Bay starter Griffin Jax (5-7), as back-to-back hits by Durbin and Yoshida led to second-inning runs. Jarren Duran drove in the opening run on a sacrifice fly before Narvaez dropped an RBI single into center for a 2-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Bennett threw 3 1/3 no-hit innings before Junior Caminero’s one-out single in the fourth. Jonathan Aranda was Tampa Bay’s lone baserunner before that knock, drawing a one-out walk as the second batter of the game.

In the fourth, Yoshida tucked a leadoff solo homer around Pesky’s Pole in right field to extend the Boston advantage to 3-0.

The first six Red Sox batters reached base and five scored in the sixth. Durbin was hit by a pitch, Yoshida singled to center and Romy Gonzalez walked to load the bases, and then Duran continued the merry-go-round by chopping a two-run single through the right side.

After Chris Roycroft relieved Jax, Narvaez and Tsung-Che Cheng laid down back-to-back bunt singles that produced runs. Catcher Nick Fortes’ throwing error on Narvaez’s chopper plated another.

Roycroft did induce a double play ball, but two more runs came home with two outs, as Ceddanne Rafaela battled through a nine-pitch at-bat for an RBI double off the Green Monster and Durbin knocked another RBI single to right after Wilyer Abreu was intentionally walked.

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In the eighth, Gamboa — who was recalled as Boston’s 26th man for the twin bill — worked around a Taylor Walls one-out double as only the second Tampa Bay hit before Narvaez socked a solo homer over everything in left field to move the Boston lead to double digits.

The Red Sox took their last at-bats with position player Ben Williamson pitching for the Rays.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox vs Rays: Put Up, or Shut Up

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FENWAY – (Wire Service Preview) – The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays certainly hope their players had a restful MLB All-Star break.

It will be a busy return to play for the American League East rivals on Friday as they begin a four-game, three-day series with a day-night doubleheader in Boston. The Red Sox return to play with a nine-game winning streak that has brought them only a half-game outside the playoff picture.

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Since a July 1 loss to the Washington Nationals, the Red Sox rolled to three straight road sweeps against the Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox and New York Mets before the break. Incredibly, interim manager Chad Tracy’s club allowed more than two runs in only one of those nine games, including a pair of shutouts.

“When you’re winning, everything is good,” All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman said.

The Red Sox got timely hitting in Sunday’s final game in New York, winning when trailing after eight innings for the first time this season. Boston scored twice in the ninth to tie the game at 2-2 and Anthony Seigler delivered the game-winning RBI in the 10th inning.

Brayan Bello, who was recalled from Triple-A Worcester to join the bullpen, threw 4 1/3 crucial innings while piggybacking starter Payton Tolle to set the stage for the late-game combination of Chapman and Garrett Whitlock.

It was a good stretch, but important games are ahead. It all starts with the division-leading Rays, who have won four straight and five of the first six head-to-head meetings between the teams this season.

Heading into the break, Tracy’s message was simple.

“Let’s make sure we’re ready to go coming out of the break,” he said. “Do what needs to be done over the break to physically and mentally not let it slip too far from your mind. Make sure we’re ready.”

Tampa Bay went 13-5 in an 18-game span before the All-Star break, splitting a four-game set against the New York Yankees before taking two of three from the Seattle Mariners. Despite the latter series ending with an 8-2 loss, the Rays still boast the best record in the AL by three games.

Manager Kevin Cash had a scare during Tuesday’s All-Star Game. All-Star third baseman Junior Caminero was hit on the finger by a 97-mph pitch in the third inning, but appears to have avoided a major injury as the unofficial second half of the season begins.

“In the moment, I was just scared, right?” Caminero said through an interpreter. “Kind of in that situation, right there in the moment, you’re thinking the worst, and I honestly thought something might have been broken. But look, thank you to God that everything’s fine, and now it’s just a little bit sore, but we’re all good.”

Rumors have swirled that the Rays plan to be aggressive at the trade deadline in a few weeks, with Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal being among the targets.

“Know that (Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander) will do everything he can to improve our club, like he always does,” Cash said. “Definitely appreciative of the guys that are here right now and feel like we’ve got a very strong group with us right now.”

The Rays have righty Griffin Jax (5-6, 3.47 ERA) taking the ball against Red Sox southpaw Jake Bennett (4-3, 2.64) in Friday’s opening game. Neither team has announced a pitcher for the nightcap.

Jax has won four of his last five starts, with the lone loss coming in a July 6 outing against the Yankees in which he struck out 10 over five innings. He pitched five innings of one-run ball to beat the Mariners in his last start on Saturday.

Jax will look to turn around his career fortunes against the Red Sox, having posted a 0-1 record and 6.75 ERA in 15 career appearances. Only two of them have been starts, including a four-inning no-decision (two earned runs on four hits) on May 7 this season at Fenway Park.

The 25-year-old Bennett has won three straight starts, working at least seven innings in back-to-back victories over the Angels and White Sox. He held the Chicago to four hits over seven scoreless frames on July 8.

Bennett has lost two starts against the Rays this season, however, going 0-2 with a 6.97 ERA in 10 1/3 innings.

–Field Level Media

 

Red Sox Acquire Jahmai Jones

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox added a right-handed batter to their outfield platoon on Tuesday by acquiring Juhmai Jones from the Detroit Tigers for a player to be named later.

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In a corresponding move, the Red Sox optioned outfielder Nate Eaton to Triple-A Worcester.

The Tigers designated Jones, 28, for assignment last Thursday after he batted .137 (13-for-95) with two home runs and seven RBIs in 57 games for Detroit this season.

Jones is a career .214 hitter with 10 homers and 41 RBIs in 198 regular-season games for the Los Angeles Angels (2020), Baltimore Orioles (2021), Milwaukee Brewers (2023), New York Yankees (2024) and Tigers (2025-26).

The Angels selected Jones in the second round of the 2015 MLB Draft.

He joins a Red Sox roster with left-handed-hitting Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu and Masataka Yoshida rotating through the lineup in the outfield and at designated hitter.

Eaton, 29, is 4-for-32 (.125) with one homer and five RBIs in 14 games for Boston this season. He is a career .221 hitter with three homers and 22 RBIs in 127 games for the Kansas City Royals (2022-23) and Red Sox (2025-present).

The right-handed hitter is batting .283 with five homers and 22 RBIs, a .348 on-base percentage and .450 slugging percentage in 48 games for Worcester this season.

–Field Level Media

A National Disgrace

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PHILADELPHIA – (Wire Service Report) – It took outfielder Cody Bellinger seven years to get back to the MLB Midsummer Classic. Now he’s part of a select club in the event’s history.

Bellinger and New York Yankees teammate Ben Rice hit consecutive RBI singles during a three-run first inning, and the American League pitched a three-hitter in a 4-0 victory over the National League in the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday night.

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With Bellinger driving in two, he was ultimately named the game’s MVP, joining fellow Yankees Derek Jeter (2000), Mariano Rivera (2013) and Giancarlo Stanton (2022) who have earned the honor. The game’s MVP award was introduced in 1962.

“It’s special, man,” said Bellinger, who appeared twice previously in the event with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017 and 2019. “I mean, you know, wearing this jersey, I feel proud wearing it. It comes with a lot. And I just try to put my best foot forward every day and give it everything I got.”

Miguel Vargas of the Chicago White Sox added an eighth-inning solo shot in his All-Star debut as the AL avenged a 7-6 loss to the NL by swing-off tiebreaker in 2025. There haven’t been consecutive wins by the same side in the exhibition since the AL won nine in a row from 2013 to 2022.

Toronto Blue Jays ace Dylan Cease struck out the side in the bottom of the first in his All-Star debut. The Kansas City Royals’ Michael Wacha, Minnesota Twins’ Joe Ryan and Cleveland Guardians’ Cade Smith fanned two batters each in respective shutout innings of relief.

“It’s the game now,” said Blue Jays and AL manager John Schneider. “Guys’ stuff is unbelievable. To see Luis Arraez strike out and Yandy Diaz strike out a couple times. It’s just kind of like, you never see it. So it speaks volumes to how good these guys are.”

Tampa Bay Rays slugger Junior Caminero exited in the third after taking a 1-0 offering from the St. Louis Cardinals’ Riley O’Brien to the left hand. He underwent X-rays, which were negative, and Caminero said he expects to be available on Friday when the regular season resumes.

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“In the moment I was just scared, right?” Caminero said through an interpreter. “Kind of in that situation right then and there you’re thinking the worst, and I honestly thought something might have been broken, but look, you know, thank you to God that everything’s fine and you know, now it’s just a little bit sore, but we’re all good.”

It was a rough night for the hometown Philadelphia Phillies, beginning when starter Cristopher Sanchez worked into first-inning trouble.

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After a leadoff strikeout, the Houston Astros’ Yordan Alvarez singled, and the Athletics’ Shea Langeliers walked. Sanchez made a nice play on a chopper in front of the mound to retire the next batter, but then walked the bases loaded before Bellinger and Rice both hit hard grounders up the middle to make it 3-0.

Phillies hitters Kyle Schwarber, Brandon Marsh and Bryce Harper combined to finish 0-for-5 on the evening with four strikeouts. Harper also lost an ABS challenge during his at-bat.

Then again, there were only five total NL baserunners. The Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman and Cincinnati Reds’ Sal Stewart both worked walks. The New York Mets’ Juan Soto singled in his second at-bat, the Chicago Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong singled in the eighth and the Miami Marlins’ Otto Lopez singled with two outs in the ninth.

National League batters totaled 15 strikeouts, the AL had 12 to go along with seven hits.

Philadelphia closer Jhoan Duran received his ceremonial, strobe light-aided entrance with one out in the final frame and retired the final few batters in the top of the ninth. But even his showing lacked some ballpark energy, with many of the announced crowd of 43,916 already having departed.

It was an underwhelming end for an event resoundingly embraced by its host.

Philadelphian recording artists Patti LaBelle and Boyz II Men as well as Jennifer Hudson were among the pregame and in-game entertainment. There were also appearances by former Phillies All-Stars Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.

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Schneider, who grew up in nearby Princeton, N.J., even greeted Boyz II Men in the visiting dugout.

“Everything was really cool, but awesome to shake their hand and say, hey, huge fan. You know what I mean?” he said. “A-46-year-old dude saying, hey, huge fan. But everything about tonight was pretty special.”

Early on, fans roared in approval of their hometown stars, and booed a few select participants, notably Yankees and Mets players, and Home Run Derby winner Jordan Walker of St. Louis, who defeated Schwarber in the event Monday night.

–Field Level Media

When the Baseball World Stops

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

PHILADELPHIA – Each summer, Major League Baseball takes a little break for the annual All-Star Game and Home Run Derby. This season, the Midsummer Classic, as they love to call it, is here in the City of Brotherly Love. The Philadelphia Phillies are the host and their fans – those with a terrible reputation as being just a tad too passionate – are out in force.

Yes, the same people who threw snowballs at Santa Claus (Eagles) and outwardly boo’d Saint Nick are dressed in Phillies red this week and they’re rooting hard for their hometown heroes. The Philly fanatics are especially pleased with starting pitcher Christopher Sanchez and sluggers Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, although ace Zack “I’m not going to be disrespected” Wheeler declined his late invite to the game when Cincinnati Reds starter Chase Burns came up lame.

The Philly fans were vocal on Monday night when the MLB Home Run Derby (rumored to be on Netflix) took over the stadium and 43,863 spectators jammed their way into gorgeous Citizens Bank Ballpark 41 years to the day when Sir Bob Geldorf staged the greatest rock concert of all-time right down the block at John F. Kennedy Stadium.

That concert – coupled with a simultaneously stage show at Wembley in London – raised money in relief of the famine in Ethiopia.

What stands as proof from that incredible 1985 rock show and tonight’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game is that sports and music are two international languages, each with the power to change the world for the better.

Case in point for tonight’s game; At the end of the 5th inning, all those mean and nasty Philly fans will stand. They’ll take a ‘sharpie’ or whatever marker is handy and scribble the name of someone they love, loved or maybe someone losing a battle against cancer and they’ll participate in utter silence when the FOX Sports television cameras come back from a very brief break.

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On a brighter note, some will salute survivors while others might thank doctors and nurses, surgeons and oncologists who cured their special someone of the dreaded diseases that all form one, terribly tagged as Cancer.

MLB’s “Stand Up to Cancer” is, by far, the most amazing community event any sports or entertainment entity undertakes. While the JIMMY Fund in Boston is doing its thing every summer by raising some $1 billion at a $75 million clip each year with the Pan Mass Challenge (PMC) with every cent going to cancer research at Dana Farber and some of the other great research institutions of the USA (thank-you Johns Hopkins), MLB will take a broader approach and simply ask everyone in attendance to “Stand Up” in the fight against cancer.

It is an incredibly powerful moment in time for, as once, everything in the world of baseball – STOPS.

How often does that happen? (No labor jokes are allowed).

Philly faves Boyz to Men will sing Michael Jackson’s “I’ll be there,” as the players, umpires and, most importaly 43,000+ fans stand in a silent tribute.

The moment is so powerful on site at the game that it actually travels through time and space and into the living rooms, TV rooms, bars and saloons to every single fan watching the game come the break between the home (National League) 5th and the visitor’s (American League) top of the 6th inning.

Names are displayed. Everyone has a direct connection.

Everyone.

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Memories are etched into a small 8 1/2 x 11 placard and tears begin to flow.

Put simply, it’s impossible not to cry, to weep, to bawl unrestrainedly as you recall a loved one lost to cancer.

Personally, I’ll be thanking my lucky stars and the very research money being collected to have had a Johns Hopkins and Harvard trained surgeon work his magic to use an incredible robotic device and his masterful, steady hands to literally “zip out” what he later told me was “quite a bit of it” from my innards.

My thanks to Dr. Douglas M. Dahl of Mass General.

And to his colleague Dr. Anthony Zeitman of Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute Radiation Oncology and his capable team who brought in the cavalry to be sure the cancer was gone for good. Side note: The cocky MD said, “Listen, you’re going to die … pause … but you’re not dying from this!”

Dr. Zeitman learned his craft at the Imperial College London School of Medicine and is always recognized amongst America’s top doctors. I’ll second the motion and will be thinking of him tonight as I do of him, and Dr. Dahl, almost every day of my life.

I’ll be thinking of Heather Walker of the Boston Celtics who was diagnosed with the rare brain cancer, glioblastoma, in January 2021 and passed away on April 26, 2023 after undergoing several clinical trials but also raising more than $644,000 in her #Move4Heather campaign to raise money for very specific cancer glioblastoma research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston where she had been treated.

Heather was a force of nature and she performed her job with the utmost professionalism, as the Celtics noted in a news release when she passed and later when they dedicated the pressroom at TD Garden to her, “Displaying exceptional courage, she made a point of raising awareness for glioblastoma through the Move4Heather movement, wanting to use her situation to help the lives of others, which was entirely consistent with her character,” the Celtics said. “Through her illness, she was resolute and extraordinary in boosting the spirits of those around her, and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and essential awareness in hopes of easing the suffering and saving the lives of others.”

Sadly, I’ve had a few other NBA PR colleagues pass away from various forms of cancer and we remember them all, naming press rooms and celebrating their memories each basketball season. One, “A.T,” has been fighting for what he calls a long journey, fighting the disease in hospitals and cancer centers from Atlanta to Houston.

But tonight, after the 5th inning, I’ll also be thinking of my high school friend, “J.J.”

He played third base for the Holy Trinity Titans, so an “H.T. (or Titans) for J.J. will be on my placard at Citizens Bank Park and I’ll be thinking of his decade-plus more fight against several different forms of cancer. With some, just as we thought he had it licked, another form of the disease would surface.

Most recently, J.J. has been making monthly trips from New York to Los Angeles, California to see Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong – the man who saved his life two times over.  In fact, they have a little saying, “I’m one day closer to being cured and I hope that those you love are one day closer, too.”

Tonight, you can participate in any way you choose. Visit StandUpToCancer.org and make a donation of any dollar figure you can afford.

Don’t be afraid or ashamed to shed a tear, but do so knowing “we’re one day closer to a cure.”

Down Goes Schwarber

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PHILADELPHIA – (Wire Service Report) – Not even the partisan Philadelphia Phillies fans could get St. Louis Cardinals breakout star Jordan Walker out of his groove when it mattered most.

Walker homered on his last four swings to extend his final round and pull off a shocking victory over hometown hero Kyle Schwarber, finishing the round with 12 homers to Schwarber’s 11 to capture the 2026 Home Run Derby on Monday night.

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Walker had arguably the best performance in every stage of the event, tying the Boston Red Sox’s Willson Contreras with 13 blasts in Round 1, then besting Tampa Bay Rays slugger Junior Caminero with several swings to spare in the semifinal.

But he needed a little extra in the final round, silencing 43,863 booing fans by taking advantage of the event’s magenta ball rule that allowed hitters to extend their stay at the plate if they homered on their final swing, given bonus swings until a ball fell short of the fences.

It was just another exceptional moment in the 24-year-old Walker’s first career All-Star campaign that has included 22 home runs and an MLB-best 74 RBIs.

For Schwarber, it was eerily reminiscent of his first Derby appearance eight years ago, when now-Philadelphia teammate Bryce Harper went on a similarly exceptional late run to win the 2018 event in front of his then-hometown Washington fans.

The 33-year-old Schwarber also added a bonus home run in his final round, and when it was over, he raised his arms skyward to the delight of the crowd, perhaps believing he’d done enough.

Harper also competed again, but only homered only eight times in the 20-swing first round, one of four who failed to make the cut.

Schwarber defeated Contreras by one homer with nine in his semifinal, while Walker made easy work of Caminero in the other.

In the first round, Contreras and Walker each clubbed 13 homers, while Caminero had 12 and Schwarber hit 10 to round out the top four.

Chicago White Sox rookie Munetaka Murakami (nine), the Kansas City Royals’ Jac Caglianone (eight) and the New York Yankees’ Ben Rice (seven) joined Harper among those eliminated in the first round.

Schwarber needed a late surge in the first round to qualify for the latter stages, but was in his element once he got there.

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With three swings to go in his semifinal against Contreras, he raised an arm to implore the crowd for more noise, then clubbed his eighth and ninth homers. Those fans then cheered every Contreras miss, eventually roaring approval when he fell one short of forcing a tiebreaker.

Caminero had the evening’s longest home run at 491 feet in his semifinal. And while Caglianone did not move on, he became the first hitter to touch the third deck in right field since Phillies legend Ryan Howard did it on a 2009 grand slam.

In the city of Rocky Balboa, Joe Frazier and Bernard Hopkins, Philadelphia leaned into its combative spirit from the start.

Famous boxing master of ceremonies Michael Buffer introduced the eight contestants, who strode into a makeshift ring at second base, as the crowd booed everyone but their hometown heroes.

–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media

Phillies’ Sanchez Will Start All-Stars Up

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PHILADELPHIA – (Wire Service Report) – In a time when it’s becoming increasingly common for players to opt out of the All-Star Game, the starting pitchers in Tuesday night’s Summer Classic still see the occasion as career-defining.

Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez will be the first hurler to the hill when the National League takes the field, followed by Toronto Blue Jays ace Dylan Cease in the bottom half of the inning for the American League.

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The 29-year-old Sanchez, appearing in his second All-Star Game and finishing as the 2025 NL Cy Young runner-up in between, even said this moment on Broad Street might be his best.

“So far, yes, I think that this could be described as the best moment in my career,” said Sanchez through an interpreter in Monday’s press conference. “And I want to give full credit to God for me being able to be here, thanks to him. And it’s just a result of a lot of discipline and a lot of hard work that we put throughout the season.”

At least a handful of All-Star honorees declined invites despite not currently being on the injured list, mostly citing fatigue or minor health issues.

But Sanchez has been a paragon of durability for some time and is on pace to exceed 30 starts for a third consecutive season, having already taken the ball 20 times in 2026 (tying for most in the majors) while pitching to a 2.62 ERA.

That consistency becomes even more impressive considering three consecutive postseasons with extra work. He was the victim of hard luck last year, settling for a pair of no-decisions in eventual Philadelphia losses to Los Angeles in the NLDS, despite allowing only three runs in 12 innings of work.

Tuesday might mean even more, he suggested, saying he would perform on behalf of his father, who could not attend and remains in his native Dominican Republic.

“I just dedicate this performance to him, dedicate this whole event to him,” Sanchez said. “And I love you a lot. And all that I’ve been able to do throughout my life, both on and off the field, it’s because of you.”

Cease is improbably making his first All-Star appearance despite being a regular in Cy Young conversations for several years.

It was an honor the right-hander and much of baseball thought he deserved in 2022, when he pitched to a 2.20 ERA and a runner-up AL Cy Young finish. He was 7-4 with a 2.45 ERA when pitching staffs were announced on July 10 of that year.

“I was definitely upset in 2022,” said Cease, who has a 2.56 ERA and AL-best 148 strikeouts so far in his first season in Toronto. “Four years later, I don’t know if it was still fueling me, but I feel like getting to start my first one maybe made up for it. Yeah, that was disappointing, but this is such a cool experience.”

In his fourth time taking charge of the NL, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts regularly manages the biggest star who opted out.

Two-way talent Shohei Ohtani skipped his last pitching start on Friday night to rest an ailing left knee, at that point deciding not to attend the All-Star Game. He still served as designated hitter through the weekend for Los Angeles.

Roberts said he understands players’ decisions but always pushes them to show up if they can.

“It’s a huge honor to be named an All-Star, to be able to participate in this game,” Roberts said. “I didn’t have that. I wasn’t a good enough player to be an All-Star.

“The way the world is, the game is now where there’s rest, recovery, injuries, which are certainly validated. I still try to encourage players to participate because it is for the fans. It’s a fans’ game. And to be able to showcase your talents in front of everyone — it’s a special moment.”

Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout is slated to lead off for the AL in his first appearance in the contest since 2019 due to injuries. Trout grew up roughly 45 miles away in Millville, N.J.

National League starting lineup:
1. Kyle Schwarber, Phillies, DH
2. Juan Soto, Mets, LF
3. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers, 1B
4. CJ Abrams, Nationals, SS
5. Max Muncy, Dodgers, 3B
6. Ozzie Albies, Braves, 2B
7. Brandon Marsh, Phillies, RF
8. Andy Pages, Dodgers, CF
9. Drake Baldwin, Braves, C

American League starting lineup:
1. Mike Trout, Angels, CF
2. Yordan Alvarez, Astros, DH
3. Shea Langeliers, Athletics, C
4. Junior Caminero, Rays, 3B
5. Bobby Witt Jr., Royals, SS
6. Cody Bellinger, Yankees, RF
7. Ben Rice, Yankees, 1B
8. Riley Greene, Tigers, LF
9. Ernie Clement, Blue Jays, 2B

– Field Level Media

Is Schwarber the One?

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PHILADELPHIA – (Wire Service Report) – Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber is a popular favorite ahead of Monday night’s Home Run Derby in his home ballpark.

Schwarber opened as the +350 favorite at BetMGM, with his odds shortening further to +310 while being backed by 24.8% of the total bets and 29.1% of all money wagered on the Derby winner. Schwarber leads the eight Derby participants with 32 home runs entering the All-Star break.

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That’s three more than the New York Yankees’ Ben Rice and four more than the Tampa Bay Rays’ Junior Caminero.

HOME RUN DERBY ODDS*
Kyle Schwarber (Phillies), +310
Junior Caminero (Rays), +425
Munetaka Murakami (White Sox), +475
Jac Caglianone (Royals), +650
Jordan Walker (Cardinals), +750
Bryce Harper (Phillies), +850
Ben Rice (Yankees), +850
Willson Contreras (Red Sox), +1500
*BetMGM

Schwarber is the book’s biggest liability, followed by Harper and Caminero, who is second with 16.6% of all bets and 17.2% of all money backing him to win. Harper is third with 16.1% and 14.4%, respectively.

Rice has seen the biggest odds shift, moving from +1100 to +850 since the market opened. Walker, who opened at +600, and Contreras, who opened at +1100, are the only two participants whose odds have lengthened.

The Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park begins at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix.

BATTING ORDER
1. Contreras (20 Home Runs)
2. Walker (22)
3. Caglianone (15)
4. Schwarber (32)
5. Rice (29)
6. Caminero (28)
7. Murakami (20)
8. Harper (20)

–Field Level Media

Nine Lives

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FLUSHING – (Wire Service Report) – Anthony Siegler had the tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the 10th inning Sunday for the visiting Boston Red Sox, who won their ninth straight game by edging the New York Mets 3-2 in the finale of a three-game interleague series.

The Red Sox forced extras in the ninth, when Andrew Monasterio had a bases-loaded walk and Jarren Duran had an RBI single. Connor Wong led off the 10th by sacrificing Masataka Yoshida to third before Siegler followed with a fly ball three pitches later against Brooks Raley (4-4).

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Monasterio, Duran, Connor Wong and Cedanne Rafaela had one hit each for the Red Sox, whose winning streak is their longest since a 10-game run last July.

This winning streak has been built entirely on the road by the Red Sox, who swept three-game sets from the Los Angeles Angels and Chicago White Sox before never trailing the Mets Friday or Saturday.

Aroldis Chapman (1-3) worked around Jared Young’s one-out single in the ninth and Garrett Whitlock notched his second save by retiring all three batters in the 10th.

Francisco Lindor had a run-scoring double in the first and homered in the sixth before his one-out error extended the ninth inning for the Mets, who fell to 4-7 this month.

Red Sox starter Peyton Tolle allowed one run on three hits and one walk while striking out seven over 3 2/3 innings.

Mets rookie Zach Thornton, pitching in the majors for the first time since June 26, gave up two hits and walked two while striking out five over seven innings. Thornton didn’t allow a hit until Monasterio doubled to left field with one out in the fifth.

Luke Weaver threw a 1-2-3 eighth before Rafaela began the Red Sox’s comeback by singling to lead off the ninth against closer Devin Williams, who got Wilyer Abreu to pop out before Romy Gonzalez grounded to short.

 

Every Sinner has a Future

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LONDON – (Wire Service Report) – Italy’s Jannik Sinner found another Wimbledon title waiting on the other side of disappointment in Paris.

The world No. 1 successfully defended his championship at the All England Club on Sunday, rallying past Germany’s Alexander Zverev 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-4 on Centre Court. Sinner’s fifth Grand Slam title came in his first tournament since a second-round collapse at the French Open ended his 30-match winning streak.

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It marked the second straight year the Italian star responded to a painful Roland Garros exit by lifting the trophy in London. Last year, Sinner arrived at Wimbledon after letting three championship points slip away against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the French Open final.

“There is no better place to play tennis,” Sinner said afterward. “You can feel the nerves Sunday morning waking up and it is a very special day and you never know how many times you will be able to come back on Sunday, so I never take things for granted.”

Zverev gave Sinner little room early Sunday. The German repeatedly leaned on his serve and captured a tight opening-set tiebreaker, ending a run of 14 consecutive sets lost to Sinner.

Sinner answered by taking control of the second tiebreaker. The first break point for either player did not arrive until the third set, more than 2 1/2 hours into the match.

That game also raised the biggest concern of the final. Zverev slipped behind the baseline while trying to change direction on a Sinner drop shot and grabbed his right knee. He kept playing after Sinner crossed the net to help him up, but soon missed a forehand, losing the first break of the match and falling behind 5-3.

Sinner served out the third set, then struck again in the fourth. He held the advantage until match point, when a forehand winner down the line ended the contest and sent him onto his back on the grass in celebration.

“It has been an amazing final once again and it always takes two players and Sascha (Zverev’s nickname) and I tried to give everything we had,” Sinner said. “I am very happy about the win, but also the level that we both played.”

Sinner had a 58-49 edge in winners and committed just 25 unforced errors to Zverev’s 45.

The victory extended Sinner’s winning streak against Zverev to 10 matches and made him the 10th man in the Open Era to successfully defend the Wimbledon singles title.

“I’m very happy that I’m trying to do my best every day,” Sinner said. “Sometimes you have a tournament with a good outcome, and sometimes you just don’t.

“There is no failure if you don’t win a Grand Slam. Now I have five in my whole life. We talk about five Grand Slams, but that’s five days out of so many other days. These are very, very rare days.

“You just want to enjoy it. Today was a very tough day. If I lose, it’s still a great day. Playing a Grand Slam final, it’s so rare and so special.”

Zverev was looking for his second straight major championship. He won the French Open last month.

“At 29 years old, this is the first time that I believe I can actually win this trophy,” Zverev said of the Wimbledon hardware. “… We had a pretty good two months even though we lost this final. An amazing two months.”

–Field Level Media