Astros, A’s walk off in protest
HOUSTON — The Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics jointly walked off the field following a moment of silence, draping a Black Lives Matter T-shirt across home plate as they chose not to play on Friday night.
The postponement came on Jackie Robinson Day across the majors, and in the wake of 29-yearold Jacob Blake, a Black man, being shot by police in Wisconsin over the weekend.
All players, managers and coaches at Minute Maid Park were wearing No. 42, the jersey number Robinson wore when he broke the major league color barrier in 1947.
The Athletics and Astros placed a No. 42 jersey in each batter’s box. Houston starters took their positions, with other players on both sides lining up in front of their dugouts.
After a moment of silence, the teams walked back to their clubhouses.
“I’m proud of this generation because in the ‘60s, it was mostly African Americans and a few white Americans that stood up, but in this day and age, I’m seeing young people of all nationalities and all religions that are standing up together,” said Astros manager Dusty Baker, who is Black. “The young people are a voice to be heard in the country, and I’m very, very proud of the young people in this country.”
There have been 11 big league games postponed this week as clubs joined teams in the NBA, WNBA and MLS in calling off games while protesting social injustice. Major League Baseball let teams decide whether to play or not.
The Astros and Athletics will play a doubleheader today beginning at 3 p.m. The teams will recognize Jackie Robinson Day in the first game.
Baker and Athletics manager Bob Melvin met with the umpires at home plate several minutes before the scheduled first pitch at 8:10 p.m.
“I woke up this morning — and I’ve always known the story of Jackie Robinson — but I had a different view today,” Melvin said. “I was angry today. I was sad, I was all of the above. I was looking forward to putting this jersey on. I have the utmost respect for No. 42 and his plight.”
Oakland starter Chris Bassitt appeared to be going through his pregame routine, ramping up to pitching in the visitor’s bullpen but abruptly stopped warming up about 15 minutes before the scheduled first pitch.
Houston starter Lance McCullers Jr. walked to the right field bullpen with an orange glove and ball, but only sat on a bench and never warmed up.
McCullers headed back to the dugout shortly after the national anthem, which was played before the players took the field.
Blue Jays 5, Orioles 4 — Randal Grichuk hit a two-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning, lifting the Toronto Blue Jays over the Baltimore Orioles.
With Reese McGuire standing on second base, Joe Panik popped out on a bunt attempt and Cavan Biggio lined out. But Grichuk followed with his ninth homer, a drive to straightaway center on a 1-0 pitch by Cole Sulser (1-3).
Baltimore had taken a 4-3 lead on Hanser Alberto’s bloop RBI single against Rafael Dolis (1-1) in the top of the 10th. Alberto had four hits and Renato Núñez homered for the Orioles in their third straight loss.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Teoscar Hernández hit back-to-back homers for Toronto.
The homers by Guerrero and Hernández opened the scoring in the fourth, but Baltimore tied it when Ryan Mountcastle reached on a bases-loaded infield single in the sixth, driving in two runs.
Interleague
Mets 6, Yankees 4, Game 1 Mets 4, Yankees 3, Game 2 — Dominic Smith hit the go-ahead home run in his first game since tearfully pleading for help combating racial inequality, Pete Alonso also connected and the New York Mets beat the crosstown Yankees in the opener of a doubleheader.
Amed Rosario hit a walkoff, two-run homer to lift the Mets to a victory in the nightcap — a bizarre scene in the Bronx, where the Yankees batted first as the visiting team in the makeup of a game postponed last weekend.
The sweep sent the Yankees to their seventh straight loss.
Rosario connected off closer Aroldis Chapman (0-1) with pinch-runner Billy Hamilton at second base. Chapman walked Jeff McNeil to open the inning, and Hamilton promptly stole second despite being picked off by the AllStar left-hander.
Rosario then cranked his third home run of the season into the left field seats, setting off the second big celebration in the visiting dugout as the Mets swept the Yankees in a doubleheader for the first time.
Smith, a 25-year-old Black man, wept Wednesday night reflecting on a recent shooting by police of a Black man in Wisconsin. Smith and the Mets were all smiles after his decisive solo shot against Chad Green in the sixth inning on what was Jackie Robinson Day around the majors. Both teams wore No. 42 for the nightcap only.
Rays 2, Marlins 0 — Ryan Yarbrough and two relievers combined on a five-hitter, and AL East leader Tampa Bay won its third game in a row by beating the Miami Marlins.
Top Marlins prospect Sixto Sanchez struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings in his second major league start, but the Rays broke through against Miami’s bullpen when Yandy Diaz delivered a twoout RBI single in the eighth.
Michael Perez, a late addition to the Rays lineup, added a two-out RBI single in the ninth.
Both teams were back on the field to start the series on Jackie Robinson Day after declining to play games Thursday in protest against racial injustice.
Yarbrough pitched 6 2/3 innings before leaving the game with a tight left groin.
Pete Fairbanks (4-1) didn’t allow a hit in 1 1/3 innings, and Diego Castillo pitched around a two-out double and a walk in the ninth for his second save. The Rays (22-11) climbed a season-high 11 games above .500 and have won 10 of their past 12.
National League
Reds 6, Cubs 5 — Eugenio Suárez and Jesse Winker homered, helping Tyler Mahle and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago Cubs.
Suárez went 3 for 3 and drove in three runs, taking another step forward after slumping for much of the season. Winker had two hits and scored twice.
Mahle (1-1) shook off a slow start on his way to 11 strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings. The right-hander pitched shutout ball after surrendering solo drives by Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber in the first.
NL Central-leading Chicago dropped its third consecutive game. Willson Contreras and Jason Heyward homered in the ninth, but Raisel Iglesias got two outs for his fourth save.