Tigers talk it out, end 11-game slide
TORONTO — Stuck in an 11game losing streak, the Tigers cleared the air with a pregame meeting. Then Nicholas Castellanos went out and cleared the bases with an important home run that helped stop the slide.
Castellanos hit his fourth career grand slam, Jordan Zimmermann pitched seven strong innings and the Tigers beat the Blue Jays 9-1 on Sunday.
Manager Ron Gardenhire scheduled the pregame meeting, a relaxed session in which players were invited to say whatever was on their minds. Castellanos
Reds: Another day, another grand slam. Jose Peraza kept up the pace, helping Matt Harvey and the Reds top the NL Centralleading Brewers 8-2. Peraza connected in the sixth inning for the Reds’ major- league- leading ninth slam this year, tying the single-season franchise record set in 2002. It was the Reds’ second in two games and third in the last eight — pitcher Mike Lorenzen had a pinch slam Saturday, and pitcher Anthony DeSclafani hit one June 24 against the Cubs. Eight Reds have hit grand slams, with Adam Duvall connecting for two.
Phillies: Pinch hitter Andrew Knapp hit a game-ending homer just inside the right-field foul called it an opportunity to “just kind of address the elephant in the room.”
“It gave anybody a chance that wanted to speak up to speak up,” said Castellanos, adding that Victor Martinez, James McCann and Gardenhire were among those who talked.
JaCoby Jones hit a two-run homer as the Tigers won for the first time since June 17, when they completed a three-game road sweep of the White Sox.
Castellanos nearly hit another home run in the ninth but Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar made a leaping catch at the wall.
“I felt like I was going to have a pole in the 13th inning as the Phillies came from behind to beat the Nationals 4-3. Over the last two weekends, the Phillies have gone 5-2 against the two-time defending NL East champions, increasing their edge on the Nationals to three games for second place in the division behind the Braves. The Nationals are 6-15 in their last 21.
Mariners: James Paxton limited the Royals to two hits and struck out 11 in eight innings as the Mariners won 1-0 for their season-best seventh consecutive victory. Paxton (8-2), from Ladner, British Columbia, was pitching on Canada Day. Edwin Diaz struck out the side in the ninth for his 32nd save. chance to make a play,” Pillar said. “A ball like that hit as high as it is it allows me time to kind of track the ball and track the fence and go up to try to make a play.”
Castellanos stopped on the basepaths to applaud Pillar’s catch before turning and heading back to the dugout.
“What else can you say besides ‘What a play,’ ” Castellanos said. “It sucks it had to happen to me but plays like that have to happen to somebody.”
Niko Goodrum had a careerhigh four hits and Jose Iglesias had two hits and two RBIs for the Tigers, who had lost 12 of 14 at Rogers Centre.
Braves: Mike Foltynewicz tossed five shutout innings and Freddie Freeman homered as the Braves held off the Cardinals 6-5. The Braves outscored the Cards 22-10 in sweeping a three-game series in St. Louis for first time since May 11-13, 2012.
Rangers: Shin-Soo Choo extended the majors’ longest onbase streak this season to 42 games in a 10-5 loss to the White Sox. He returned after missing a game with a strained right quadriceps that the club said will limit him defensively for a few weeks. He was 0-for-4 as the DHwith an walk that kept alive the thirdlongest streak in club history and longest since 1995. Choo’s 12game hitting streak ended.