AROUND THE HORN
Padres: MacKenzie Gore pitched six stellar innings and Jake Cronenworth homered and drove in three runs in the Padres’ 4-0 victory over the Brewers on Saturday. A day after Joe Musgrove took a no-hit try into the eighth inning and combined with the bullpen to blank the Brewers on one hit, Gore and the San Diego relievers teamed up on another shutout. Gore (4-1) continued the spectacular start to his rookie season by throwing a career-high 108 pitches and matching his best with 10 strikeouts. He allowed three hits and three walks while reducing his ERA to 1.50. Over his last four outings, Gore has allowed one run and 11 hits in 22 innings. That stretch includes three starts and one three-inning relief stint. Gore’s outstanding performance continued the San Diego pitching staff’s series-long domination of a Brewers lineup that has struggled with Willy Adames and Hunter Renfroe on the injured list. The Brewers rallied for four runs in the ninth to beat the Padres 5-4 on Thursday, but they’ve mustered just one run in the other 26 innings of this series.
Pirates: Rookie Jack Suwinski hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Pirates rallied past the Diamondbacks 2-1 on Saturday. Bryan Reynolds led off the ninth with a single against Mark Melancon (1-6), who blew his second save in 13 opportunities. Suwinski then lofted a flyball into the right-field stands for his first career game-ending hit and sixth home run of the season. The homer spoiled an outstanding effort by Arizona starter Zach Davis, who pitched 7 scoreless innings. He allowed three hits, struck out six and walked two.
Blue Jays: José Berríos struck out a career-high 13 over seven innings against his former team and the Blue Jays backed him with three home runs, hammering the Twins 12-3 Saturday. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Alejandro Kirk and Bo Bichette homered as the streaking Blue Jays won for the ninth time in 10 games. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. added three hits as Toronto set season highs in runs and hits (16). Jorge Polanco homered for the Twins, who have lost eight of 12 since a six-game winning streak. Berríos (4-2) allowed two runs and three hits, matching Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw and Milwaukee lefty Eric Lauer for the second-most strikeouts in a game this season. Miami’s Sandy Alcantara struck out 14 against Atlanta on May 28. “I just tried to be the José Berríos who I am, and I did it,” Berríos said. “I just tried to concentrate, be fresh, focus pitch by pitch, and I did it.” Five of Berríos first six outs were strikeouts, and he finished his outing by fanning his final two batters.
Mets: Injured Mets ace Max Scherzer confirmed Saturday that his dog bit his pitching hand this week, but he says the wound won’t slow his recovery from an oblique strain. The New York Post reported Saturday that the righthanded Scherzer was bitten by a dog on his left hand, a second bizarre injury for New York this week after shortstop Francisco Lindor got his right hand caught in a hotel door and fractured the tip of his middle finger. Schezer, who has been out since May 18 and isn’t expected back until at least late June, confirmed the dog bite on Twitter, saying it was actually his pitching hand that got nipped. He also said his timeline for a return hasn’t changed.