Major League Baseball - Week In Review

The All-Star Game took place in Cleveland this past Tuesday and the American League won, 4-3 as Indians pitcher Shane Bieber won the Most Valuable Player award, striking out the side in the fifth inning. Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka was credited with the win for the A.L. while Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw took the loss.
There were only two home runs hit in the game. Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon hit one out in the sixth inning to bring the N.L. to within 2-1. Texas Rangers outfielder Joey Gallo smacked a solo homer in the seventh inning as the A.L. drew out to a 4-1 lead.
The National League scored a pair of runs in the eighth inning against Indians reliever Brad Hand to account for the final score. Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning, which included a strike out to finish the game.
The teams around the league got it going again on Friday and the story of the night was the Los Angeles Angels, playing in their first home game since pitcher Tyler Skaggs tragic passing on July 1. The Angels all wore number 45 (Skaggs jersey number) and beat the Seattle Mariners, 13-0 behind a combined no-hitter by Taylor Cole and Felix Pena. Angels OF Mike Trout hit a home run and had six RBI to pace the rout before an emotional crowd. Following the game, the players laid their jerseys on the pitcher's mound in honor of Skaggs.
The Minnesota Twins beat the host Cleveland Indians, 5-3 on Friday as they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to put a little more distance between the teams in the A.L. Central race. Cleveland had cut the deficit from ten-plus games down to just 5 1/2 games at the All Star break.
The Texas Rangers won the first two games of a four-game set against the Houston Astros, including a 9-8 comeback win on Friday night. On Thursday, the Rangers shut out the Astros, 5-0 to get back on the winning track after a recent slump before the break.
In the National League, the Washington Nationals, behind stellar pitching by Stephen Strasburg, shut out the host Philadelphia Phillies, 4-0 and are the top team in the wild card race as the "second half" of the season gets going. The Nationals have been one of the hottest team in the majors since the end of May.
The Chicago Cubs got a clutch single from OF Jason Heyward in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3 on Friday afternoon. Pirates OF Starling Marte smashed a three-run homer to tie the game in the top of the eighth. Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel worked a perfect ninth inning for the save.
In a rematch of the 2018 World Series, the Boston Red Sox blasted the Los Angeles Dodgers, 8-1 as shortstop Xander Bogaerts  hit a three-run home run and pitcher Eduardo Rodrgiuez fanned ten batters to pace the easy win at Fenway Park.



AL STANDINGS (through July 12)                                   NL STANDINGS (through July 12)
East                                                                                     East
New York 58-31                                                                 Atlanta 55-37            
Tampa Bay 53-39                                                               Washington 48-42
Boston 50-41                                                                      Philadelphia 47-44
Toronto 34-58                                                                     New York 40-51
Baltimore 27-63                                                                  Miami 34-55


Central                                                                                Central
Minnesota 57-33                                                                  Chicago 48-43
Cleveland 50-39                                                                   Milwaukee 47-45
Chicago 42-45                                                                      St. Louis 44-45
Kansas City 31-61                                                                Pittsburgh 44-46
Detroit 28-58                                                                        Cincinnati 41-47
                                                                                                                                 

West                                                                                     West
Houston 57-35                                                                      LA Dodgers 60-33
Oakland 51-41                                                                      Arizona 47-45
Texas 50-42                                                                          Colorado 45-45
LA Angels 46-46                                                                  San Diego 44-46
Seattle 39-56                                                                         San Francisco 42-48