Home Care In Homer, LA

Aug. 4 (UPI) -- MLB star Shohei Ohtani left the mound early because of cramps, but remained lethal at the plate, swatting his 40th home run of the season in a Los Angeles Angels loss to the Seattle Mariners.

The pitcher/designated hitter smacked the 390- foot blast in the bottom of the eighth inning of the 5-3 setback Thursday in Anaheim, Calif.

"He told me his right middle finger was cramping and he couldn't straighten it out, so he couldn't pitch anymore," Angels manager Phil Nevin told reporters. "I've always trusted him and his body."

Ohtani allowed three hits and no runs through the first four innings of his 21st start of the season. He was then replaced by relief pitcher Jose Soriano because of the cramping in his right middle finger.

"It's a finger, so I'm not overly concerned, but we'll get it checked," Nevin said. "He was obviously fine to hit."

Neither team scored in the fifth inning. Third baseman Eugenio Suarez then hit a 376-foot solo homer to lead off the sixth to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead.

Angels first baseman C.J. Cron plated Ohtani with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning, tying the score. Third baseman Mike Moustakas followed with an RBI double off a 3-2 sinker to give the Angels a one-run edge.

The Angels pushed their advantage to two runs when Ohtani stepped up to the plate as the second batter in the bottom of the eighth. The Angels star took a called strike and fell behind 1-2 against Mariners relief pitcher Isaiah Campbell.

He then obliterated a 2-2 fastball to right-center for his solo homer.

The Angels appeared en route to their 57th win of the season until their bullpen unraveled in the ninth. Relief pitcher Carlos Estevez issued back-to-back walks to catcher Cal Raleigh and first baseman Ty France to start the half inning.

Right fielder Dominic Canzone singled two pitchers later, loading the bases. Estevez struck out designated hitter Teoscar Hernandez in the next at-bat.

Left fielder Cade Marlowe then settled in against the right-handed pitcher. Estevez earned an 0-2 lead in the count by forcing two swinging strikes.

He then fired in a 99.8-mph fastball, which Marlowe hit over the right-center field fence for a 405-foot, go-ahead grand slam.

Mariners relief pitcher Andres Munoz struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to earn his fourth save this season.

Ohtani went 2 for 2 with two runs scored, two walks and an RBI in the loss. He is now hitting .310 with a league-leading 40 home runs and 82 RBIs.

He remains on pace to hit about 20 more home runs this season, which could bring his total to 60. Thursday's home run was Ohtani's first since July 28, snapping a five-game long ball skid.

Ohtani owns a 3-32 ERA and is 9-5 over his 21 starts as a pitcher in 2023.

Marlowe went 2 for 4 with four RBIs and a run scored in the Mariners win. The Mariners rookie is hitting .333 (10 for 30) through 12 games this season.

Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford also recorded two hits and reached base on a walk in the victory.

The Angels (56-54) will host the Mariners (57-52) at 9:38 p.m. EDT Friday at Angel Stadium.

September 10 - Bryan De La Cruz hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning as the visiting Miami Marlins rallied for a 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in the rubber game of a three-game series on Sunday afternoon.

Phillies starter Ranger Suarez took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Miami (74-69) battled back to win for the eighth time in its last 10 games. David Robertson (6-6) pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the win, and Tanner Scott recorded the final five outs for his seventh save.

Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber homered for Philadelphia (78-64), which stranded six runners in the final three innings.

Miami tied the game at 3-3 in the seventh inning before moving ahead in the eighth on De La Cruz's one-out, two-run homer off Seranthony Dominguez (4-4). Josh Bell singled ahead of the homer to begin the inning and extend his hitting streak to eight games.

Nick Castellanos doubled in a run in the eighth inning to cut the Phillies' deficit to 5-4 before Scott struck out two batters with two runners on.

Suarez set a career high with 10 strikeouts and allowed three runs on two hits with three walks in six-plus innings.

The Phillies took an early lead against Marlins opener Steven Okert in the first inning when Schwarber hit a leadoff single and scored on Turner's two-run homer to center.

Turner, who had a 16-game hitting streak end Saturday, extended his on-base string to 20 games with the home run, which was his 24th of the season and ninth in his last 10 games.

Schwarber tacked on another run with his leadoff homer in the third inning off Bryan Hoeing. The 416-foot blast was Schwarber's 43rd homer of the season and 13th in his last 21 games.

Schwarber's RBI gave him 94 for the season, which matches his career best set last season.

Suarez ran into trouble in the seventh after walking De La Cruz with one out. Dane Myers followed with a double for Miami's first hit of the game and scored on Yuli Gurriel's double to left field.

Matt Strahm relieved Suarez and allowed Miami to tie the game on Nick Fortes' two-out RBI single.

The Phillies loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh inning before Robertson struck out Alec Bohm. Miami went on to win the season series 7-6.

--Field Level Media

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich hit a game-winning single, Sal Frelick launched his first major league home run and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Monday night in their NL Central showdown.

Milwaukee overcame a colossal two-run homer by Elly De La Cruz, who was robbed of a home run earlier on a leaping catch by center fielder Joey Wiemer.

Despite going 2 for 16 with runners in scoring position, the first-place Brewers moved 1½ games ahead of Cincinnati, which had won five straight.

“We left a lot out there. They made some good pitches and we just couldn’t cash in,” Yelich said. “We just kept getting traffic, though. If you keep getting traffic, eventually something good’s going to happen.”

All-Star closer Alexis Díaz (3-2) entered in the bottom of the ninth inning and didn’t get an out. He walked Blake Perkins and allowed a single to pinch-hitter Jesse Winker before Yelich drove in Perkins with a grounder into right field for the seventh walk-off hit of his career.

Devin Williams (5-2) pitched a perfect ninth for Milwaukee, which has won six of the seven meetings between the teams since July 7.

The Reds took a 2-1 lead against starter Colin Rea in the second on De La Cruz’s sixth homer of the season and second in two days. It left the rookie’s bat at 114 mph and traveled 456 feet to right-center field, soaring over the stands.

De La Cruz hit the third pitch of the game 405 feet to center, where Wiemer made a leaping grab at the top of the wall.

“It’s crazy how much one run, the very first play of the game, the difference that that can make,” Reds manager David Bell said.

Rea allowed two runs in six innings, striking out five and walking one.

Frelick tied it at 2 with a solo homer in the fifth.

“Definitely surreal. Kind of blacked out running those bases so I don’t really remember too much, but I’m really happy to see one go over the fence,” he said.

Reds starter Graham Ashcraft pitched into the sixth inning for the fifth consecutive time, but threw 110 pitches. He repeatedly worked out of jams, matching a career high with eight strikeouts and inducing three double plays.

Yelich scored on a single by William Contreras in the first.

Andruw Monasterio reached base in all four plate appearances for Milwaukee, with two hits and two walks. He also stole a base.

WHO NEEDS OFFENSE?

Milwaukee leads the NL Central despite ranking last in the National League in OPS, slugging, on-base percentage and batting average. Brewers pitchers have the NL’s third-lowest ERA at 3.93.

HANGING IN THERE

After giving up the first-inning run, Ashcraft struck out Willy Adames and got Frelick to hit into a double play. With two runners on and one out in the second, Ashcraft struck out Jahmai Jones and Wiemer. In the third, with two runners on and one out, Ashcraft escaped on a double play. Monasterio led off the fourth with a double and went to third on a flyout, but Ashcraft struck out Brice Turang and Jones.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: Placed C Curt Casali (bruised left foot) on the injured list and reinstated SS Kevin Newman (gastritis) from the IL.

Brewers: LHP Justin Wilson (Tommy John surgery) rejoined the team following a rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville.

ROSTER MOVES

Reds: Recalled RHP Daniel Duarte from Triple-A Louisville and optioned RHP Levi Stoudt to Louisville.

Brewers: Sent RHP Jason Alexander outright to Triple-A Nashville. OF Raimel Tapia cleared waivers and elected free agency.

UP NEXT

Reds LHP Andrew Abbott (5-2, 2.10 ERA) faces Brewers RHP Corbin Burnes (9-5, 3.49) in the middle game of the series Tuesday.

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CINCINNATI (AP) — Elly De La Cruz hit a 458-foot drive for his first major league homer and Will Benson hit a game-ending home run in the ninth that lifted the Cincinnati Reds over Los Angeles 8-6 on Wednesday night and extended the Dodgers’ losing streak to a season-high four.

De La Cruz hit an 0-1 fastball from an again ineffective Noah Syndergaard in the first inning that left the bat at 114.8 mph and landed in the last rows of the right-field stands at Great American Ball Park. The two-run homer tied the score 2-2.

A day after making his big league debut, the 21-year-old switch-hitter had the second-hardest-hit home run by a player 21 or younger since Statcast started tracking in 2015, behind only Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at 115.9 mph on Aug. 21, 2020.

“The first thing I thought was that ball’s gone,” De la Cruz said through a translator. “I didn’t know where it landed. I was looking at my teammates. They told me it almost left the building.”

De La Cruz played shortstop a day after manning third, He tripled on a curveball in the third as part of a 2 for 4 night, a drive that went to the wall in right-center on four hops. He reached third in 10.83 seconds, the fastest time in the major leagues this season, according to Statcast. It was the second-fastest since the start of the 2020 season behind 10.75 seconds for Arizona’s Corbin Carroll last Oct. 3.

Cincinnati overcame a 6-2 deficit in a four-run third on Jonathan India’s sacrifice fly, Spencer Steer’s RBI single and Tyler Stephenson’s two-run homer.

TJ Hopkins reached on an infield single in the ninth and Benson homered off Evan Phillips (1-2), giving Cincinnati its second straight walk-off win and a three-game winning streak. Benson became the third Cincinnati player with a walk-off for his first home run after Jay Bruce on May 31, 2008, and Drew Stubbs on Aug. 20, 2009.

“Honestly, you can’t dream it,” Benson said. “I was trying to get ready. I knew my time was coming up to bat. I knew it. I got it clean. You play with raw emotion, play with everything you have. When you succeed it overcomes you.”

Alexis Díaz (2-1) struck out two in a perfect ninth. Cincinnati helped itself with four stolen bases.

Mookie Betts his 42nd leadoff homer, his sixth this season, and Muncy added an RBI single against Brandon Williamson in a two-run first. Betts has 16 home runs this season.

Miguel Vargas’ second-inning homer put the Dodgers ahead 3-2 and Will Smith added a two-run homer in a three-run third that included Vargas’ RBI double.

Syndergaard allowed six runs and seven hits in three innings, raising his ERA to 7.16. He has given up five runs or more in three straight starts. He has been dealing with a blister on his throwing hand.

“Noah has been going through it all year. It is not from lack of effort or preparation. It’s just not working, Dave Roberts said. “There’s things with that blister. There was a fingernail break tonight. He’s not going to make excuses. He understands about performance.

“We’re going to sit down with him and try to figure out. Obviously, we can’t continue at this pace of performance,” Roberts said. “There might be an opportunity to give him a reset to get this taken care of. You give up a lead. Get the lead again and give it up, it takes a toll on the offense. We couldn’t overcome it.”

Williamson, making his fifth big league start, gave up a career-worst six runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.

“That is very difficult to do what he did,” Reds manager David Bell said. “It probably won the game for us. It was a tough few innings to stay with it. We couldn’t have won the game unless he did what he did”.

DEBUT

Jonny DeLuca, the Dodgers’ 25th round selection in the 2019 amateur draft, was 0 for 2 with a walk in his debut and played center field. ... Dodgers RHP Nick Robertson made his debut with two perfect innings. He threw a called third strike past De La Cruz - his first batter - starting the fifth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: RHP Daniel Hudson (left knee surgery) began a minor league rehab assignment with a perfect inning for the Arizona Complex League Dodgers on Tuesday. He is a few weeks out according to Dave Roberts. ... OF Trayce Thompson will be out “north of 30 days” with an grade two or grade three oblique strain. He is rehabbing in Arizona. ... INF Miguel Rojas left the game with neck tightness.

Reds: OF Jake Fraley was scratched from the starting lineup with swelling in his right forearm. He was hit by a pitch in the ninth inning on Tuesday. OF TJ Friedl (hamstring) took batting practice and could be activated on Saturday.

UP NEXT

Reds RHP Graham Ashcraft (3-4, 6.64) will face LHP Clayton Kershaw (7-4, 3.25) on Thursday.

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HOMER, La. (KSLA) - “Last week, I just had something to prove to my coaches, " says Homer High School quarterback Zyan Warren.

Warren did prove the doubters wrong. Aside from finishing a thrilling bi-district round playoff game with 220 yards and three touchdowns, he delivered the night’s most dramatic moment.

With 1:27 remaining, and his team down, Warren scored to give the Pelicans a close 34-32 win over Oakdale.

“I was going through something, and I didn’t let anybody know, " says Warren. “My great grandmother just passed out before the game and I had a lot on my mind during the game. So, I couldn’t just focus all the way. The following week against Oakdale, went out with a clear mind. I played to the best of my ability and came out with the win.”

It’s already been a season full of adversity, with the tragic passing of Ja’Kerion Calome, during the Summer and the season-ending injury to Ja’Marquese Hampton.

“We preach it all of the time, you never know when your time is going to come, " says Homer head football coach, Richard Casey. “You just got to be prepared. It just shows you the great coaches that we have here, the people that we have around the place, always having the kids prepared to go. What we try to do is give these kids confidence. You’re out here, playing for a reason. We put you out there for a reason, you can do it.”

“Now, I feel like we got to win, " says Warren. “[We’ve] got too many things to play for, Ja’Kerion, Ja’Marquse Hampton.”

As Kentwood awaits, the Homer Pelicans look to fly over the rest of Division IV Non-Select.

“We know that we’re leaving with a big legacy, " says Warren. “Our senior class, I think we came up our freshman year. Our freshman year, we should’ve won. But, we came up short. Then, the next year we won. The next year we got state runner-up. This year, we’re looking forward to winning again.”

“You’ve got to be mentally ready to go, " says Casey. “Mentally prepared. You can’t let the outside noise, or anything, get to you.”