Diamondbacks inch closer to postseason
CHICAGO — Rookie Brandon Pfaadt pitched shutout ball for the second time in three starts, and the Arizona Diamondbacks moved closer to an NL wild-card berth by beating the Chicago White Sox 3-0 Wednesday for their eighth win in 10 games.
Corbin Carroll hit a two-run double in a three-run third, giving the rookie 76 RBIS, and Tommy Pham had an RBI single for the Diamondbacks, who were outhit 8-4.
Arizona (84-74) entered in the second of three NL wild card slots, one game ahead of the Chicago Cubs and 1 games ahead of Miami. The Diamondbacks were 50-34 on July 1 before a 7-25 slide.
Manfred eyes A’s vote in November
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred hopes owners will hold a vote on the Oakland Athletics' proposed move to Las Vegas when they meet from Nov. 14-16 at Arlington, Texas.
Manfred discussed the timetable Wednesday during an interview with The Associated Press discussing 2023 attendance. Las Vegas would become the fourth home for a franchise that started in Philadelphia from 1901-54, moved to Kansas
City for 13 seasons and arrived in Oakland for 1968.
Wheeler will get the ball in Game 1
The Phillies will turn to their top two pitchers to open the postseason, with Zack Wheeler getting the Game 1 nod Tuesday in the National League Wild Card Series opener and Aaron Nola starting Game 2 the following day.
The Phillies clinched the top wild card seed with a win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday and have four more games to give starters rest and tinker with the pitching staff.
Manager Rob Thomson did not announce a Game 3 starter in the best-of-three series.
Manager Cora to stay with Red Sox
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said definitively on Wednesday he will be back with the team next year but didn't say in what position or even how he could be so sure.
Asked before the home finale against Tampa Bay if he was confident his job was secure, Cora said, “I'm good. I'll be here.” Asked if he had been given a guarantee from ownership that he was safe, Cora twice repeated: “I'll be here next year.”