2025 PLAYER / PITCHER OF THE WEEK #25

Allard tosses a shutout for his first win of the season. Raley with two hits. Cronenworth with an RBI.

Cease wins his 18th game. Perez with a homer and 4 RBI. Dubon and Garcia add homers.

Lopez wins his 16th game. Ward and Santana go deep—Santana with 3 RBI.

Castillo wins his 11th game. Santana with his 2nd straight game with 3 RBI. Ward hits another homer.

Lively wins his 12th game. Yates with his 30th save. Merrifield with 2 RBI.

Anderson goes to 16-12—Jesus Sanchez with two homers and 5 RBI. Alonso adds a homer.

COL 3 TCP 5

W: Lorenzen (12-7)
L: Peterson (8-6)
S: Jimenez (6)

COL 5 TCP 1

W: Schmidt (9-4)
L: Gausman (12-10)
S: Honeywell (6)

COL 0 TCP 1

W: Quintana (15-7)
L: Myers (13-8)
S: Strahm (33)

COL 3 TCP 5

W: Taillon (13-7)
L: Faedo (5-3)
S: Strahm (34)

COL 1 TCP 2

W: Kremer (9-5)
L: Assad (10-7)
S: Knack (1)

COL 6 TCP 3

W: Peterson (9-6)
L: Scherzer (3-4)
S: Herrin (37)

The Cougars have struggled this year, sitting near the bottom of their division. Inconsistent pitching and a lack of offensive firepower have plagued them throughout the season.

The Mobsters are overwhelming favorites to win the series, given their superior record, roster depth, and momentum. The Cougars will need a major upset to take the series, but anything can happen in baseball!

Chicago wasted no time getting on the board, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning thanks to a clutch two-run single from Jackson Chourio. They extended their advantage in the third when Yordan Alvarez launched a solo home run, pushing the score to 3-0.

However, the Cougars came roaring back in the bottom of the third, erupting for four runs to take the lead. An RBI single from Andres Gimenez got Dallas on the board, and was followed by a bases-loaded walk drawn by Ramon Laureano. The big blow came from Andy Pages, who delivered a two-run single to give the Cougars a 4-3 advantage.

The Mobsters’ response was immediate and powerful. In the top of the fourth inning, Gary Sanchez and Luis Arraez hit back-to-back home runs, quickly reclaiming the lead for Chicago at 5-4.

The score would hold until the bottom of the ninth inning. With their backs against the wall, the Cougars mounted a rally against Mobsters’ closer Aroldis Chapman. After a leadoff single and a stolen base, Jarren Duran laced a double to the wall, scoring the tying run and sending the game into extra innings.

After a scoreless tenth, the Mobsters manufactured the winning run in the top of the eleventh. Julio Rodriguez led off with a single, stole second, and then advanced to third on another stolen base. Luis Arraez then lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, bringing Rodriguez home for what would be the decisive run.

Hunter Gaddis came on for the Mobsters in the bottom of the eleventh and, despite allowing a one-out walk, induced a game-ending double play to secure the hard-fought victory.

Final Score: Chicago Mobsters 6 – Dallas Cougars 5

Win: Griffin Jax 1-4 (2.82)
Loss: Kris Bubic 1-2 (0.88)
Save: Hunter Gaddis #14

The game remained scoreless for the first two innings as both starting pitchers, Cole Ragans for Dallas and Seth Lugo for Chicago, kept the opposing batters at bay. However, the floodgates opened for the Cougars in the bottom of the third. Ramon Laureano led off the inning with a single, and Reese McGuire followed with a double that brought Laureano home for the first run of the game. An Andy Pages single and a walk to Jarren Duran loaded the bases for Andres Gimenez, who laced a double into the gap, scoring McGuire and Pages to extend the lead to 3-0. A sacrifice fly by Jose Abreu brought in Duran, capping off a four-run inning for the Cougars.

Dallas wasn’t done yet. In the bottom of the fourth, Laureano struck again with a one-out triple and then scored on a sacrifice fly by McGuire, pushing the lead to 5-0. The final nail in the coffin came in the seventh inning when Pages launched a solo home run to deep left field, making it a 6-0 ballgame.

The Mobsters’ offense was anemic throughout the contest. They managed to get runners on base in the third, eighth, and ninth innings but couldn’t capitalize. The Cougars’ pitching was simply too overpowering. Ragans was masterful in his seven innings of work, allowing only one hit and one walk while striking out eight batters.

For the Mobsters, it was a forgettable night on all fronts. Their offense was nonexistent, and their pitching couldn’t contain the Cougars’ bats. Lugo was tagged with the loss after giving up five runs in four innings.

Final Score: Dallas Cougars 6 – Chicago Mobsters 0

Win: Cole Ragans 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Seth Lugo 0-1 (11.25)

The Mobsters wasted no time getting on the board, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the very first inning. After a single and a hit-by-pitch, shortstop Willy Adames stepped up and launched a towering three-run home run off Dallas starter Emerson Hancock. Chicago tacked on another run in the fourth inning when Luis Arraez delivered an RBI single, extending their lead to what seemed like a comfortable 4-0.

However, the Cougars came roaring back in the bottom of the fourth. An error by Chicago’s left fielder Jackson Chourio opened the door for a Dallas rally. The big blow came from Andy Pages, who blasted a game-tying, three-run homer off Mobsters’ starter Bryce Miller, knotting the score at 4-4 and injecting new life into the home crowd.

Dallas seized the lead in the seventh inning when Josh Jung delivered a clutch two-run single, putting the Cougars ahead 6-4 and in prime position to take the game. But the Mobsters’ offense was far from finished. The eighth inning proved to be the decisive frame. Following a lead-off single by Yordan Alvarez and a double by the red-hot Willy Adames, Jackson Chourio drove in a run with a single to cut the deficit to 6-5. That set the stage for pinch-hitter Bryan Ramos, who came off the bench and crushed a go-ahead, three-run home run, silencing the Dallas faithful and putting Chicago back on top, 8-6.

Chicago added two crucial insurance runs in the top of the ninth for a 10-6 advantage. The Cougars mounted one last charge in the bottom half, with Ramon Laureano smacking a two-run double to make it 10-8. But closer Aroldis Chapman slammed the door, securing a hard-fought victory for the Mobsters.

Final Score: Chicago Mobsters 10 – Dallas Cougars 8

Win: Jesus Luzardo 2-1 (5.03)
Loss: Brent Suter 4-5 (3.75)
Save: Aroldis Chapman #33

The Mobsters wasted no time setting the tone, with Jackson Chourio launching a solo home run in the second inning to put Chicago on the board. But the real explosion came in the third inning, a nightmare frame for the Cougars. The Mobsters sent a parade of batters to the plate, capitalizing on a costly error by Dallas pitcher Patrick Corbin. A walk to Willy Adames with the bases loaded brought in one run, followed by a bases-clearing double from the bat of Jackson Chourio, who was a one-man wrecking crew all night. As if that wasn’t enough, Matt Wallner followed with a towering two-run homer, capping a six-run inning that put the Mobsters firmly in control with a 7-0 lead.

The Cougars showed a flicker of life in the bottom of the fifth, scratching across two runs on a sacrifice fly by Jose Abreu and an RBI single from Josh Jung. However, the Mobsters’ offense was far from finished. Julio Rodriguez added a solo shot in the eighth, and the ninth inning saw the floodgates open once again. Matt Wallner blasted his second home run of the game, a three-run bomb that put an exclamation point on his spectacular five-RBI night. Just for good measure, Gabriel Moreno followed with a two-run homer of his own, pushing the Mobsters’ final tally to a staggering thirteen runs.

On the mound for Chicago, Logan Gilbert was solid, pitching 5.2 innings and allowing just two runs to earn his 23rd win of the season. The Mobsters’ bullpen was lights out, shutting down any hope of a Dallas comeback. For the Cougars, it was a rough night all around. Starter Patrick Corbin was chased from the game in the third inning and was tagged with the loss, his 16th of the year. The Cougars’ defense also faltered, committing two errors that contributed to the Mobsters’ offensive onslaught.

Final Score: Chicago Mobsters 13 – Dallas Cougars 2

Win: Logan Gilbert 23-7 (2.44)
Loss: Patrick Corbin 7-16 (4.78)

The game got off to a bizarre start when Mobsters’ first baseman Yandy Diaz was ejected in the top of the first for arguing a called third strike. The Cougars struck first in the bottom of the second when Andy Pages singled to bring home Victor Caratini, giving Dallas an early 1-0 lead.

Chicago roared back in the third. A two-run single by Willy Adames plated LaMonte Wade and Luis Arraez, putting the Mobsters ahead 2-1. The lead was short-lived, as the Cougars answered in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run blast from Andy Pages, his first of the year, to reclaim the lead at 3-2.

The Mobsters’ bats were not to be silenced. In the top of the fifth, Matt Wallner delivered a clutch single to score Alex Bregman, knotting the game at three apiece. From there, both teams’ pitchers buckled down. Chicago’s starter Hunter Brown was masterful, striking out an impressive 12 batters over eight innings of work. His counterpart for Dallas, Bobby Miller, was nearly as good, fanning nine Mobsters through six innings.

The game remained deadlocked until the top of the tenth inning when the Mobsters’ offense exploded. Following a leadoff double by Yordan Alvarez and a walk to Willy Adames, Matt Wallner broke the game open with a two-run triple. The onslaught continued with an RBI single from Jackson Chourio and a run-scoring double by Gabriel Moreno, extending Chicago’s lead to a commanding 7-3.

The Cougars attempted a rally in the bottom of the tenth, loading the bases with two outs. However, Mobsters’ closer Aroldis Chapman entered and promptly struck out Austin Barnes to end the threat and seal the victory for Chicago.

Final Score: Chicago Mobsters 7 – Dallas Cougars 3

Win: Porter Hodge 2-2 (2.15)
Loss: Austin Voth 0-5 (3.00)
Save: Aroldis Chapman #34

The Mobsters wasted no time, erupting for a stunning five runs in the top of the first inning against Dallas starter Dallas Keuchel. The rally started with a bases-loaded walk to Willy Adames, but the big blow came from Matt Wallner, who scorched a bases-clearing double high off the right-field wall to make it 3-0. Before the dust settled, singles from Bryan Ramos and an RBI groundout from Julio Rodriguez pushed the lead to 5-0, chasing Keuchel from the game after recording only one out.

Dallas refused to go down quietly, clawing their way back into the game. They plated two runs in the second, capitalizing on an RBI double by Andres Gimenez and a costly error by the Mobsters’ defense. The comeback intensified in the third inning when veteran slugger Jose Abreu launched a towering three-run home run, suddenly pulling the Cougars to within one run at 6-5.

Just when Dallas seemed to have seized the momentum, Chicago’s offense answered the bell. In the top of the fourth, Matt Wallner struck again, blasting a two-run homer to extend the Mobsters’ lead to 8-5. From there, catcher Gary Sanchez took over the show. Sanchez, who had a perfect 4-for-4 night, crushed a solo home run in the seventh and added another for good measure in the ninth, putting the game out of reach.

Chicago’s bullpen was crucial in weathering the storm. After a tough start for Brandon Hurter, reliever Jesus Luzardo entered and delivered 5.1 masterful innings, allowing just one run and striking out seven to earn the victory. After Dallas tacked on a final run in the ninth, closer Aroldis Chapman came on to slam the door, securing his 35th save of the season and sealing the high-scoring win for the Mobsters.

Final Score: Chicago Mobsters 10 – Dallas Cougars 6

Win: Jesus Luzardo 3-1 (4.73)
Loss: Dallas Keuchel 5-18 (8.08)
Save: Aroldis Chapman #35

The underdog Cougars put up a significant fight, stunning the Mobsters with a 6-0 shutout victory in the second game, led by a masterful seven-inning, one-hit performance from pitcher Cole Ragans. Outfielder Andy Pages was a consistent threat for Dallas, slugging three home runs in the series, including a dramatic game-tying shot in a narrow 10-8 loss.

Despite Dallas’s spirited efforts, the Mobsters’ relentless and deep offense proved to be the deciding factor. Chicago’s lineup frequently exploded for big innings, highlighted by a 13-2 drubbing in the fourth game. Matt Wallner was a standout star for the Mobsters, delivering multiple game-changing hits, including two home runs and five RBIs in one game and a go-ahead triple in an extra-inning victory. The series also featured a dramatic pinch-hit, three-run homer from Bryan Ramos that secured a comeback win. In the end, Chicago’s superior firepower overwhelmed the Cougars to claim the series.