SAN DIEGO (AP) — Taijuan Walker returned to the mound for the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday and made a sensational behind-the-back catch of Padres rookie Jackson Merrill's line drive to start a double play in the second inning.
Merrill hit a shot back to the mound on a curveball and Walker, a right-hander, turned slightly and reached behind his back to make the catch. He then doubled Xander Bogaerts off first. Merrill looked perplexed as he took off his helmet and headed back to the dugout.
“Honestly, I just reacted. I put my glove behind my back and it found my glove, I guess," Walker said after getting the decision in Philadelphia's 8-6 victory that completed their first road sweep of the season. "I didn’t have time to turn and get it so I just kind of stuck my glove there and I was just as surprised as everyone else that it was in there. It was a good play. It was a double play. Double plays are always good.”
Said manager Rob Thomson: “That was something, wasn’t it? I’ve never seen that before.”
Walker was making his season debut. He opened the season on the injured list with right shoulder soreness.
The Phillies led 2-0 at the time on the first of Bryson Stott's two two-run homers. The Padres took a 3-2 lead in the third on Fernando Tatis Jr.'s RBI double and Jake Cronenworth's two-run homer. Stott homered again in the fourth.
“I was confused. I think everyone was confused,” said Stott, the second baseman. “Those are always like the weird ones as a hitter because it's like, ‘Ah, the pitcher caught it,’ but then you look and the shortstop was right there. I saw it go right at the pitcher and I looked at Trea (Turner) and then I was like, ‘Where is the ball?’ And then I watched a replay. They're pretty good at fielding their position.”
Walker was chased by pinch-hitter Luis Campusano’s three-run homer with one out in the seventh that pulled the Padres to 7-6. Walker also allowed Jake Cronenworth’s two-run shot in the third. The right-hander allowed six runs and eight hits, struck out four and walked two.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Taijuan Walker throws a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Brandon Sloter)
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Taijuan Walker throws a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Brandon Sloter)
BALTIMORE (AP) — Daulton Varsho robbed a homer with his glove, hit one with his bat and then drove in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning with a groundball to lift the Toronto Blue Jays to a 3-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.
The Blue Jays overcame two home runs by Adley Rutschman, tying the game on Varsho’s solo shot in the eighth and then prevailing in extra innings. Ernie Clement led off the 10th with a bunt single off Jacob Webb (0-2) that moved the automatic runner to third.
After a popout, Varsho’s grounder was fielded by diving second baseman Jorge Mateo, but the Orioles — who had already turned three double plays to get out of significant jams — had no chance to pull off another.
Jordan Romano (1-0) pitched the ninth and 10th. The Orioles moved their automatic runner to third on Anthony Santander’s leadoff flyout, but Colton Cowser struck out looking. Jordan Westburg drew a walk, and slumping center fielder Cedric Mullins hit a routine grounder on the first pitch to end it.
Bo Bichette had three hits and a walk for the Blue Jays.
TIGERS 6, MARLINS 5
DETROIT (AP) — Spencer Torkelson hit a two-run home run to highlight a three-run outburst in the eighth inning as Detroit rallied for a win over Miami.
After Miami got a two-run homer from Otto Lopez in the top of the eighth to take a 5-3 lead, Wenceel Pérez doubled off Anthony Maldonado (0-1) with one out and scored on Andy Ibáñez’s base hit. Matt Vierling struck out before Torkelson hit a 1-2 slider 446 feet over the Miami bullpen in left-center field.
The homer came one day after Torkelson, who hit 31 homers last year, got his first of the season in a 9-3 loss to the Houston Astros.
The Tigers won for the third time in 10 games, while Miami dropped to 2-8 in their last 10.
Alex Faedo (3-1) got the win despite allowing Lopez’s third homer of the season in the top of the eighth. Jason Foley pitched a perfect ninth for his 10th save.
BRAVES 2, CUBS 0
ATLANTA (AP) — Zack Short made the most of his first start with Atlanta by breaking a scoreless tie with a run-scoring double in the sixth and the Braves spoiled another strong start by Chicago rookie Shota Imanaga to beat the Cubs 2-0.
Short, who filled in at third base while Austin Riley was held out with tightness in his left side, lined a pitch from right-hander Hayden Wesneski (2-2) into the right field corner to drive in Travis d’Arnaud, who doubled with two outs.
Ronald Acuña Jr. followed with a single to left field to drive in Short for a 2-0 lead.
Imanaga threw five scoreless innings, extending his team record to eight consecutive starts to begin his career without allowing more than two runs. Imanaga stranded two baserunners in the second and third innings and left the bases loaded in the fourth.
Imanaga had eight strikeouts and lowered his majors-leading ERA to 0.96 despite giving up seven hits with three walks.
RAYS 5, RED SOX 3
BOSTON (AP) — Amed Rosario hit a two-run triple during Tampa Bay’s three-run first inning and the Rays beat Boston.
Rosario added an RBI double and Yandy Díaz had three hits for the Rays, who are in a stretch of 13 straight games vs rival AL East clubs.
Boston’s Tyler O’Neill hit his 10th homer, a three-run shot. The Red Sox had won their last two games.
Rays starter Zach Eflin (3-4) gave up three runs on six hits in five innings. Their bullpen took over from there, with three relievers holding Boston to two singles.
PHILLIES 5, METS 4, 10 INNINGS
NEW YORK (AP) — Bryson Stott hit a leadoff homer in the ninth against All-Star closer Edwin Díaz and delivered the tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the 10th inning as the MLB-leading Philadelphia beat the New York Mets.
The Phillies trailed 4-2 before Díaz gave up Stott’s homer and hit Alec Bohm with a pitch with the bases loaded and two outs.
Bryce Harper, the automatic runner to start the 10th, took third on a wild pitch by Sean Reid-Foley (1-1) and scored easily on Stott’s long fly out to right.
Orion Kerkering (1-0) threw a perfect ninth and José Alvarado earned his eighth save with a 1-2-3 ninth, stranding automatic runner DJ Stewart at second.
Starter Cristopher Sánchez gave up three runs and struck out five in 5 2/3 innings for the Phillies.
Baltimore Orioles' Cedric Mullins, left, is out at first against Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., right, during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Monday, May 13, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
