SEATTLE (AP) — J.P. Crawford hit a grand slam, Emerson Hancock tossed seven scoreless innings and the Seattle Mariners beat the Cleveland Guardians 6-0 on Sunday to complete a sweep.
After an RBI single by Miles Mastrobuoni with one out in the second inning gave the Mariners an early advantage, Crawford opened up the floodgates while the bases were still loaded. He turned on a hanging slider from Luis Ortiz (3-8) and cranked a home run to right field for the fourth grand slam of his major league career.
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Seattle Mariners' Jorge Polanco is doused with water by J.P. Crawford after his walk off single against Cleveland Guardians during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Emerson Hancock reacts after a striking out Cleveland Guardians' Carlos Santana in the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Emerson Hancock throws against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Mariners' J.P. Crawford rounds the bases on his grand slam off Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Luis L. Ortiz during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Mariners' J.P. Crawford hits a grand slam off Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Luis L. Ortiz during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Mastrobuoni’s RBI single alone would have been sufficient, though, for Hancock (3-2). The young right-hander turned in easily the best start of his major league career, yielding only two hits — both of them singles — while walking one batter and striking out four. Hancock was extremely efficient, needing only 85 pitches to make it through seven innings.
Relievers Casey Legumina and Eduard Bazardo then followed Hancock to complete the combined shutout, which was just the Mariners’ second of the season. They also blanked the Miami Marlins on April 26.
Things went south for Ortiz after he issued a leadoff walk to Randy Arozarena in the second inning. He also walked outfielder Dominic Canzone before Crawford’s grand slam gave the Mariners a lead they would not look back from.
Since 2023, Crawford is hitting .593 with 42 RBIs when the bases are loaded. He is a career .400 hitter in such situations.
Seattle right-hander Logan Gilbert (1-1, 2.37) will return from the injured list and start for the Mariners on Monday against the Red Sox, who will send out right-hander Lucas Giolito (2-1, 5.45). The Guardians travel to San Francisco for a series-opener on Tuesday.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Seattle Mariners' Jorge Polanco is doused with water by J.P. Crawford after his walk off single against Cleveland Guardians during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Emerson Hancock reacts after a striking out Cleveland Guardians' Carlos Santana in the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Emerson Hancock throws against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Mariners' J.P. Crawford rounds the bases on his grand slam off Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Luis L. Ortiz during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Mariners' J.P. Crawford hits a grand slam off Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Luis L. Ortiz during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Houston's stingy defense knocked Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the NFL playoffs, sending the Texans to the divisional round to complete wild-card weekend.
The Texans sacked Rodgers four times, scored two defensive touchdowns and held Pittsburgh to 175 yards in a 30-6 victory on Monday night. It was Houston's 10th straight win and the franchise's first on the road in the playoffs.
Mike Tomlin and the Steelers lost their seventh consecutive playoff game, and Rodgers may have played the last game of his Hall of Fame career.
Houston (13-5), the AFC's No. 5 seed, will face the No. 2 seed New England Patriots (15-3) next Sunday at 3 p.m. EST. The No. 2 seed Bears (12-6) will host the No. 5 seed Rams (13-5) in the second game Sunday.
The divisional round will kick off with the No. 6 seed Bills (13-5) at the No. 1 seed Broncos (14-3) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The No. 6 seed 49ers (13-5) will face the top-seeded Seahawks (14-3) in the night game.
In Sunday's wild-card games, Brock Purdy tossed a 4-yard TD pass to Christian McCaffrey with 2:54 remaining to lift the 49ers to a 23-19 comeback win at Philadelphia. McCaffrey also caught a 29-yard TD pass from wide receiver Jauan Jennings.
The Patriots sacked Justin Herbert six times and held Los Angeles to just 207 yards in a 16-3 win on Sunday night.
Josh Allen led Buffalo to a 27-24 comeback victory in Jacksonville in Sunday's first game. Allen scored on a 1-yard run late in the fourth quarter and Cole Bishop intercepted Trevor Lawrence's pass to secure Buffalo's first playoff win on the road since the 1992 AFC championship game at Miami.
On Saturday, the playoffs kicked off with two wacky games.
The Bears trailed the Green Bay Packers 21-3 at halftime and 27-16 with just under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter before Caleb Williams threw a pair of touchdown passes. His 25-yard TD toss to D.J. Moore put Chicago ahead 31-27 with 1:43 remaining. Then Jordan Love's desperation heave into the end zone from the Bears 28 was knocked down as time expired to secure Chicago's first playoff win since the 2010 season.
Williams finished with 361 yards passing, two TDs and two interceptions for the Bears.
In the opener on wild-card weekend, Matthew Stafford threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson in the final minute and Los Angeles rallied to beat the Carolina Panthers 34-31 in a game that was much closer than expected.
The Rams were double-digit favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook against the Panthers (8-10). The Rams jumped to a 14-0 lead, but couldn’t take advantage of first-half turnovers and allowed Carolina to get within 17-14 at halftime.
Stafford, who earned All-Pro honors for the first time in his 17-year career on Saturday, threw for 304 yards, three TDs and had one pick. Puka Nacua, who was a unanimous All-Pro selection, had 10 catches for 111 yards and one TD and also had a 5-yard TD run.
The Rams are back in the divisional round for the second straight season. Last year, they were 13 yards away from eliminating Philadelphia before a sack and an incomplete pass ended their season with a 28-22 loss.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (90) celebrates with cornerback Tremon Smith (11), defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) and linebacker E.J. Speed (45) after a touchdown during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)
New England Patriots defensive end Milton Williams (97), linebacker Christian Elliss (53) and linebacker Robert Spillane (14) celebrate Williams' sack of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey scores a touchdown during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) celebrates his touchdown with tight end Dawson Knox (88) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams looks to throw during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Huh)
Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams celebrates after an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) reacts after a first down during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)
Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson, center left, celebrates his touchdown catch with wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws a pass during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)
