Cardinals first team to smack 4 homers in row in 1st inning
The St. Louis Cardinals became the first major league team to hit four straight home runs in the first inning when Nolan Arenado, Nolan Gorman, Juan Yepez and Dylan Carson connected against the Phillies in Philadelphia on Saturday.
The Cardinals tied the MLB record for any inning with four in a row. It was the first time they had done it, and the 11th time overall in big league history.
After Phillies starter Kyle Gibson got the first two outs, Paul Goldschmidt singled before Arenado’s two-run shot to left field on a slider started the long ball onslaught. Arenado’s drive came a night after he hit for the cycle for the second time in his career in St. Louis’ 5-3 loss to Philadelphia.
Gorman followed by driving a 2-1 cutter into the seats in right field. Then Yepez fouled off a 1-2 pitch before clearing the fence in left field to mark the first time since Sept. 19, 2002, that the Cardinals hit three homers in a row.
Carson finished the amazing power display by connecting on a 1-0 sinker that hit the facing of the second deck in right field on the first pitch he saw.
The last team to homer in four consecutive at-bats was the Chicago White Sox, who did it on Aug. 16, 2020, against the Cardinals.
Gibson had allowed just nine homers in 80 ⅓ innings entering Saturday.
The home crowd gasped when Lars Nootbaar followed Carlson and made solid contact on a flyball that was caught in deep left field but well shy of the warning track to end the inning.
STEWART TRADES FOR BIRD IN WNBA ALL-STAR DRAFT
Breanna Stewart traded for her Seattle teammate Sue Bird in the WNBA All-Star draft Saturday.
Bird was set to be a co-captain with A’ja Wilson before Stewart pulled off the deal to acquire Bird for Sylvia Fowles. Bird and Fowles are set to retire at the
end of the season and were named co-captains with Stewart and Wilson.
“We can do legend for legend. Ok, I got that. I’m good with that,” Wilson said. ‘I feel good about that. We’re back on track. That was a good one.”
Bird will be playing in her record 13th All-Star Game on July 10 in Chicago. Fowles will be in her eighth.
Stewart also acquired Nneka Ogwumike for Sabrina Ionescu in a separate trade with Wilson.
Wilson had the first pick in the draft and chose Candace Parker, who will be playing in front of her home fans. The Las Vegas star then chose her Aces teammate Kelsey Plum with her second pick. Stewart drafted the third Las Vegas starter Jackie Young with her first pick and Jonquel Jones with her second choice.
Stewart had the first pick in the reserve round and selected her Seattle teammate Jewell Loyd. Stewart also drafted Kahleah Copper, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Alyssa Thomas, Arike Ogunbowale and Emma Meesseman.
Wilson chose rookie Rhyne Howard with her first pick of the All-Star reserves. Howard is the only rookie in the game.
The co-captain then selected her Aces teammate Dearica Hamby. Wilson also drafted Courtney Vandersloot, Ariel Atkins, Brionna Jones and Natasha Howard.
The WNBA switched to the team captain format in 2018.
Ionescu, Plum, Howard and Young will be playing in their first All-Star Game.
PISTONS SIGN BUDDY BOEHEIM TO 2-WAY CONTRACT
The Detroit Pistons announced Saturday that former Syracuse guard Buddy Boeheim has signed a two-way contract with the team.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Boeheim led the ACC in scoring during the 2021-22 season, averaging 19.2 points, and ranked second in the conference in 3-pointers made per game (2.8).
In his four years with the Orange, the youngest son of head coach Jim Boeheim averaged 14.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 31.5 minutes in 121 games (94 starts). The 6-foot-6 Boeheim shot 41% from the field and 36.2% from distance, finished second in school history in 3-pointers made (309), and his career total of 1,765 points ranks 13th all-time in Syracuse history.
BELMONT STAKES WINNER MO DONEGAL SIDELINED FOR 60 DAYS
Belmont Stakes winner Mo Donegal came out of the last leg of the Triple Crown with bone bruising and will be out of training for 60 days.
Jerry Crawford, CEO of Donegal Racing, and co-owner Mike Repole said Saturday the colt will continue to be evaluated.
Mo Donegal won the 1 ½-mile Belmont by three lengths on June 11. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the 3-year-old colt has won four of seven career starts and has earnings of $1.5 million.