LEADING OFF
A look at what’s happening around the majors on Sunday:
EARLY RISER: Yankees pitching has been overwhelming early in games recently, and Jordan Montgomery will try to extend their dominance in an early tilt against the Tigers.
New York will host Detroit for an unusual 11:30 a.m. EDT start, part of an experiment to stream games beginning before noon on Peacock.
Yankees starters have covered at least six innings in nine straight games, their best stretch since a ninegame run in 2016, and the last three games have been among the best. Jameson Taillon retired the first 21 hitters Thursday night against the Angels, Gerrit Cole set down his first 20 batters Friday night against Detroit and Luis Severino combined with two relievers on a one-hitter Saturday.
Montgomery (1-1, 3.04) will face right-hander Rony Garcia (0-1, 4.70) in the series finale.
HOOPLA: Xander Bogaerts and the Red Sox will try to sweep at the A’s at the Coliseum, adding to what’s already been a successful trip by Boston teams to the Bay Area this week.
The Bosox have won the first two games of the series, boosted by strong efforts from their starting pitchers.
Hours after the Red SoxAthletics game begins, the Boston Celtics will try to take a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals when they play the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco.
GOOD AS GOLD:
Cardinals star Paul Goldschmidt is back to square one after ending a 25-game hitting streak Saturday.
The six-time All-Star went 0 for 2 with two walks in a 6-1 loss to the Cubs to open a doubleheader, falling one game short of matching the longest hitting streak of his career. He didn’t stay off the board long, singling and scoring in his second at-bat in the nightcap.
Veteran right-hander Adam Wainwright (5-4, 2.75) is set to start the Sunday night game for St. Louis against Chicago lefty Justin Steele (1-5, 5.40).
STINGY STARTER:
Rangers left-hander Martin Perez faces Seattle in a series finale, his first start in June. He was chosen the American League pitcher of the month for May, when he was 4-0 with a 0.64 ERA (three earned runs in 42 1/3 innings) in six starts.
Perez (4-2, MLB-best 1.42 ERA) has eight consecutive starts of at least six innings while allowing no more than one earned run — a club record. He hasn’t allowed a homer in 66 1/3 consecutive innings going back to last season, the longest active streak in the majors.
According to STATS, Hall of Famer pitchers Walter Johnson (1913-14) and Bob Gibson (1968) are the only other players since 1913, when ERA became an official stat, to make eight consecutive starts of at least six innings while giving up no more than one earned run and no homers.