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Kyle Karros 3B | COL
Rockies' Kyle Karros: Slugs fifth homer
Karros went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run Saturday against the Twins.
Karros had been out of the lineup against three of the last four righties Colorado faced, but he rejoined the lineup Saturday and hit eighth. He delivered on the opportunity by slugging a two-run homer in the eighth frame, his fifth of the season. Karros now has two long balls in his last six starts, though it's unclear whether that will be enough to help him regain playing time.
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Gavin Sheets 1B | SD
Padres' Gavin Sheets: Homers in three-hit effort
Sheets went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and a second RBI in Saturday's 15-3 loss to the Dodgers.
Sheets was the most productive Padre in this lopsided loss. This was his first multi-hit effort since his two-hit game versus the Rangers on June 19 -- he had gone 2-for-14 over the six games he played in between. The 30-year-old is now batting .234 with a .776 OPS, 13 homers, 35 RBI, 31 runs scored, 13 doubles and four stolen bases over 75 contests. Sheets got the start at first base for Ty France (wrist), but France's injury isn't expected to be a long-term concern. That will leave Sheets to mix in occasionally at first while getting most of his playing time between left field and designated hitter.
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Jared Triolo SS | PIT
Pirates' Jared Triolo: Scores twice, knocks in one
Triolo went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI in Saturday's 9-7 loss to the Reds.
Triolo was involved in several rallies Saturday and tallied his second three-hit game of the season. He had been serving as Pittsburgh's primary shortstop while Konnor Griffin was on the shelf for nearly a month, but with Griffin returning to action Friday, Triolo is expected to shift back to a utility infield role and see a steady drop in playing time.
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Randy Vasquez SP | SD
Padres' Randy Vasquez: Takes sixth loss
Vasquez (6-6) allowed seven runs (five earned) on eight hits and a walk while striking out one over 3.1 innings to take the loss Saturday versus the Dodgers.
Kyle Hart allowed one run over two innings as the opener. For a while, the plan to have Vasquez work in bulk relief was on track, but the Dodgers' bats came alive in the sixth inning, highlighted by back-to-back home runs from Kyle Tucker and Dalton Rushing to spark the rally. Vasquez has had a poor June, allowing 22 runs (19 earned) over 20.2 innings across five appearances. He's now at a 4.56 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 60:26 K:BB through 81 innings over 16 outings (15 starts) this season. He's projected to make his next appearance in a rematch with the Dodgers in Los Angeles, so it may be best to avoid Vasquez for that outing.
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Freddie Freeman 1B | LAD
Dodgers' Freddie Freeman: Knocks three hits
Freeman went 3-for-5 with a double, one RBI and two runs scored in Saturday's 15-3 win over the Padres.
Freeman has logged multiple hits in four straight games and has hit safely in six consecutive contests. The first baseman has been as steady as ever in June, going 31-for-92 (.337) over 24 contests this month while adding five home runs, six doubles and 15 RBI. For the season, he's hitting .291 with an .877 OPS, 13 homers, 44 RBI, 47 runs scored, 21 doubles, one triple and two stolen bases through 80 games.
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Esmerlyn Valdez RF | PIT
Pirates' Esmerlyn Valdez: Homers in second straight
Valdez went 1-for-1 with a solo home run Saturday against the Reds.
Valdez was out of the lineup after starting Pittsburgh's last two contests, but he still managed to impact the game off the bench. He entered Saturday's contest as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning and blasted a go-ahead solo home run, his second straight appearance going yard. Valdez still has a very inconsistent role in the Pittsburgh offense, but his recent performance at the plate could start to earn him playing time over Tyler Callihan.
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Dalton Rushing C | LAD
Dodgers' Dalton Rushing: Solo shot in Saturday's rout
Rushing went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk in Saturday's 15-3 win over the Padres.
Rushing entered the contest having gone 0-for-12 over his previous five games. He started off quiet Saturday, but he then went back-to-back with Kyle Tucker during the Dodgers' sixth-inning rally. The homer was Rushing's first since June 7 versus the Angels. The catcher is batting .240 with an .800 OPS, nine homers, 23 RBI, 22 runs scored, seven doubles and no stolen bases over 49 contests this season.
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Mookie Betts SS | LAD
Dodgers' Mookie Betts: Goes yard in win
Betts went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run in Saturday's 15-3 win over the Padres.
Betts has homered in three straight contests, giving him 11 long balls on the year. His blast Saturday capped a nine-run sixth inning for the Dodgers to put them in full control in this blowout win. Betts is now batting .230 with a .732 OPS, 25 RBI, 30 runs scored, one stolen base and seven doubles over 209 plate appearances on the year, but he has trended up by hitting .358 (19-for-53) with five homers over his last 13 games.
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Jimmy Herget RP | COL
Rockies' Jimmy Herget: Emerging as closer option
Herget notched a save against the Twins on Saturday by retiring both batters he faced in the ninth inning.
Colorado took an 8-2 lead into the ninth frame and initially handed the ball to Zach Agnos. However, Agnos got only one out while allowing three runs to score, turning what was looking like a blowout into a close game. Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer consequently turned to Herget, who put out the flames with a pair of flyouts. Herget has recorded a save in two of his past three appearances and hasn't allowed an earned run in any of his past six outings. That puts him firmly in the conversation for Colorado's primary closer role, especially since Antonio Senzatela has gone 0-for-4 in save chances while posting a 5.56 ERA and 1.85 WHIP over his past nine appearances.
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Kyle Tucker RF | LAD
Dodgers' Kyle Tucker: Homers, drives in four
Tucker went 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBI in Saturday's 15-3 win over the Padres.
Tucker lifted a two-run homer in the sixth inning and added two more RBI with a single in the eighth. This was his second game back in the lineup after he missed two full contests due to back spasms. Saturday's performance was his first three-hit game since June 3, and it included just his third homer in the month. The outfielder is batting .238 with a .718 OPS, seven homers, 44 RBI, 45 runs scored, 16 doubles, two triples and six stolen bases over 77 games this season.