-
Christian Walker 1B | HOU
Diamondbacks' Christian Walker: Starts Thursday
Walker started at first base and went 1-for-4 in Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Giants.
Walker returned to the starting lineup after a day off Wednesday. He was activated off the injured list Tuesday, and the Diamondbacks are easing him back to action after he missed five weeks with an oblique strain. Walker will eventually resume his role as the team's everyday first baseman. Josh Bell, who started in place of Walker on Wednesday, moved to designated hitter Thursday.
-
Bryson Stott 2B | PHI
Phillies' Bryson Stott: Launches 11th long ball
Stott went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI Thursday against the Marlins.
Stott kicked off the scoring in the first inning for the Phillies with a two-out RBI single, then later added a solo shot, his 11th homer of the season. It was the fourth multi-hit effort over the last 10 games for Stott, but he's failed to collect a hit in each of the other six games during that stretch. Stott is slashing .243/.319/.367 across 496 plate appearances with 30 extra-base hits, 51 RBI, 59 runs and 29 steals in 31 attempts.
-
Matt Strahm RP | KC
Phillies' Matt Strahm: Slams door on Marlins
Strahm picked up the save Thursday, tossing a perfect ninth inning with one strikeout against the Marlins.
Strahm needed just 10 pitches to lock down his second save in three games and third of the season, getting the call Thursday with a couple of lefties due up for the Marlins. For the season, he maintains a 2.14 ERA and 0.82 WHIP with 69 strikeouts through 54.2 innings.
-
Adam Oller RP | MIA
Marlins' Adam Oller: Stumbles in sixth inning
Oller (1-2) took the loss Thursday, allowing four runs on five hits and five walks over 5.1 innings against the Phillies. He struck out six.
Oller held the Phillies to just one run through five innings but ran into trouble in the sixth, allowing a solo home run to Bryson Stott before the next two batters reached base, both of whom scored after he was pulled from the game. Oller coughed up a season-high 10 baserunners, and he's walked 13 batters through 21.2 innings. While the walk rate is an issue for Oller, the 14 hits he's allowed this season are a major improvement over his previous big-league stints. His next start is set to come in a much more favorable matchup as he's slated to take on the Pirates in Pittsburgh.
-
Ranger Suarez SP | BOS
Phillies' Ranger Suarez: Scoreless start leads to 12th win
Suarez (12-6) picked up the win Thursday, allowing three hits and two walks over five scoreless innings against the Marlins. He struck out four.
Suarez didn't allow a baserunner to get past second base as he tossed his first outing of at least five innings with no runs allowed since mid-May. While he maintains an ERA of 2.90 with a 1.07 WHIP on the season, the 29-year-old lefty had struggled over his previous six starts with a 6.90 ERA and 1.60 WHIP across 30 innings. It was the 12th win of the season for Suarez, good for a tie for 11th in all of baseball, but just his third win since the calendar turned to June. He will look to continue to round back into form as the Phillies head toward the playoffs, with his next start scheduled to take place at home against the Rays.
-
Ezequiel Tovar SS | COL
Rockies' Ezequiel Tovar: Slugs homer, swipes bag in win
Tovar went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a stolen base in Thursday's win over Atlanta.
Tovar went hitless in his first two trips to the plate before jumping on a hanging slider from Reynaldo Lopez in the top of the sixth to notch his 22nd home run of the campaign and give Colorado a 2-1 lead. He would also add his sixth stolen base of the season in the eighth after recording a leadoff single to open the frame. It marked the shortstop's first long ball and multi-hit effort this month and he's now hit safely in nine of his last 12 games. Over that stretch he's batting .270 (13-for-48) with 10 extra-base hits, nine RBI and seven runs scored.
-
Tyler Kinley RP | DET
Rockies' Tyler Kinley: Fans two for ninth save
Kinley struck out two over a perfect ninth inning to record the save over Atlanta on Thursday.
Kinley ran right through the middle of Atlanta's lineup after entering the contest with a two-run lead in the ninth, getting Jorge Soler and Marcell Ozuna to go down on strikes before producing a groundout for the final out. The right-hander has now recorded saves in three of his last four appearances, recording multiple strikeouts in each of those three outings. Thursday's save was his ninth of the campaign and his fourth since the start of August.
-
Reynaldo Lopez RP | ATL
Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Fans season-high 11 batters in loss
Lopez (8-5) took the loss against the Rockies on Thursday, allowing two runs on five hits over six innings while striking out 11.
Lopez struck out three of the first five batters he faced before giving up a solo homer to Michael Toglia in the second inning. The right-hander would then cruise through the next three frames until he was victimized by the long ball again in the sixth, this time off the bat of Ezequiel Tovar. Lopez would still make it through six innings to log his third consecutive quality start while also posting a season-high 11 strikeouts on the night, though he was ultimately tagged with his first loss since July 22. He's now recorded double-digit strikeouts in two of his last four outings and carries a robust 34:5 K:BB since being activated from the injured list a few weeks back.
-
Austin Gomber SP | TEX
Rockies' Austin Gomber: Goes eight innings in win
Gomber (5-10) earned the win over Atlanta on Thursday, allowing one run on five hits over eight innings while striking out six.
Gomber ran into trouble in the opening frame when he surrendered three hits, leading to one run coming home for Atlanta. However, the lefty would allow only two more hits from that point on while going eight innings for only the second time this season. Gomber produced five 1-2-3 innings on the night and logged his highest strikeout total since Aug. 2. He's now gone six or more frames in five consecutive starts, going 2-2 over that stretch while posting a 23:7 K:BB.
-
Nick Gonzales 3B | PIT
Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Drives in three
Gonzales went 1-for-4 with a walk and three RBI Thursday against the Nationals.
Gonzales posted a two-RBI single to cap a five-run second, then later drove in his third run with a bases-loaded walk. In nine games since returning from the injured list with a groin injury, Gonzales has hit 12-for-40 (.300) with five RBI, five runs, three doubles and a stolen base.