YIPS

Shane Baz gave Pittsburgh 5.2 innings of shutout ball with five K's, and the Pirates took another one-run game from Baltimore 3-2. Elite power-speed shortstop Gunnar Henderson managed just 1-for-3 without an RBI.

Randy Vasquez was the unlikely hero on the mound — six innings, one earned run, three K's — while Miguel Andujar stayed hot at 3-for-5. Electric talent Fernando Tatis Jr. managed just a single in five trips and remains stuck at .200, and perennial MVP candidate Manny Machado went 0-for-1.

Bryce Elder was brilliant — seven innings, eight K's, zero earned — as Arizona edged Atlanta 2-1. Michael Soroka took the loss despite a respectable five-inning, one-run start, while 2023 NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. (0-for-3) and NLCS MVP Ketel Marte (0-for-3) both went hitless.

Jesus Luzardo was electric — 11 strikeouts in 6.2 innings of one-run ball — carrying the Phillies to a 2-1 win. Two-time MVP Bryce Harper went 0-for-4 and is now hitting .156, but Philadelphia's pitching made it irrelevant.

Rhett Lowder spun six scoreless innings with four strikeouts to outduel Kumar Rocker (5 IP, 2 ER), and the Reds completed a series sweep of Texas with a 2-0 victory. 2023 World Series MVP Corey Seager collected a single but couldn't generate a run.

Munetaka Murakami, Japan's all-time single-season home run king, went 1-for-3 with a homer and three RBI to power Chicago past Toronto 6-3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. answered with a homer and two RBI of his own, but the Hall of Famer's son (.286) couldn't rally the Jays. Colson Montgomery added a solo shot for the Sox.

Garrett Mitchell had an unexpected five-RBI game, going 2-for-4 with a homer, while Chad Patrick pitched five scoreless innings for Milwaukee. Kansas City's Luinder Avila lasted just three innings, surrendering five earned runs on four K's. MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr. went 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Jordan Walker's unexpected five-RBI day — 3-for-4 with a homer — wasn't enough to overcome Dustin May's meltdown: 3.1 innings, seven earned runs, game over before it started. Kerry Carpenter (homer, three RBI), Matt Vierling (homer, three RBI), and Zach McKinstry (homer, three RBI) all slugged for Detroit.

Tyler Glasnow dealt — six innings, nine strikeouts, two earned — while Andy Pages stayed scorching at 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBI, pushing his average to a ridiculous .500. Freddie Freeman, the 2020 NL MVP, drove in four, and two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani went 2-for-6 without an RBI.

The Royals evened the doubleheader with an 8-2 thumping, as Seth Lugo pitched five innings with seven strikeouts and two earned runs. Maikel Garcia led the offense at 3-for-5 with an RBI, and Carter Jensen added 2-for-3 with two RBI. MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr. went 0-for-4, and 2018 NL MVP Christian Yelich was 0-for-3.

Steven Matz was dominant — six innings, eight strikeouts, one earned run — as the Rays flipped the script on Minnesota with a 7-1 victory. Yandy Diaz (1-for-3, two RBI) and Jonathan Aranda (1-for-5, two RBI) did the offensive damage.

After getting demolished by Oakland the day before, Houston returned the favor with an 11-0 shutout. Tatsuya Imai was filthy in long relief — 5.2 scoreless innings and nine strikeouts — after starter Luis Morales got knocked around for five earned in three innings. Christian Walker went 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBI to pace the attack.