Molina honors Clemente with a homer
Yadier Molina, wearing uniform No. 21 in honor of Roberto Clemente, hit a goahead, two- run homer in the second inning that jumpstarted the St. Louis Cardinals to a 12- 2 win against skidding Detroit Thursday.
The normally stoic Molina jumped into the air after passing first base and appeared to wipe away a tear with his uniform sleeve as he approached home plate.
Born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Molina was among players from the commonwealth who wore the number as part of Major League Baseball’s tributes this week to the former Pirates, who died when a plane crashed en route to a relief mission in earthquakeravaged Nicaragua on Dec. 31, 1972.
Molina has said Clemente was his childhood hero, and Molina received the 2018 Roberto Clemente Award, awarded annually to players who exemplifies sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team.
Braves
Freddie Freeman summed up perfectly Atlanta’s 29- 9 rout of the Marlins Wednesday. “Hard to put into words,” he said. The 29 runs broke the franchise record by six. The offensive eruption also set the National League record for runs in a game and fell one shy of tying the major league record held by Texas, which scored 30 against Baltimore in 2007. Adam Duvall had three home runs and nine RBIs for the Braves, and Freeman knocked in six.
Dodgers
Mookie Betts made his first start at second base since 2014 when Los Angeles played the Arizona Diamondbacks Thursday. The 27- year- old Betts, who signed a $ 365 million, 12- year deal with the Dodgers, has been one of the best players in the big leagues this season, batting .307 with 14 homers and 33 RBIs.
Yankees
On another day of bad news for banged- up New York, left- hander James Paxton experienced a setback in his return from a strained left flexor tendon. Manager Aaron Boone revealed the news as New York’s homestand opener against Baltimore was postponed because of a forecast for rain.
Diamondbacks
Arizona kept up its roster overhaul by parting ways with former All- Star infielder Jake Lamb. Lamb was designated for assignment after struggling for three seasons.
Giants
San Francisco released Pablo Sandoval, parting ways for a second time with the fan favorite known as the Kung Fu Panda and 2012 World Series MVP.