2026 PLAYER / PITCHER OF THE WEEK #12

5-1 vs Baltimore, but their time is coming down the road (and payback might not be so nice)….

In a tightly contested rematch, the Tampa Bay Expos rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to walk off the Yucaipa Road Runners, 5-4, completing a two-game sweep at home.

Yucaipa had built a 4-2 lead heading into the final frame, thanks to a strong outing from starter Bryan Woo, who allowed just two runs over six innings while striking out nine. The Road Runners’ offense got timely contributions throughout, scoring in the fourth, fifth, and eighth innings to keep Tampa Bay at bay. Brendan Rocchio was the offensive catalyst, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI, while Josh Westburg and Brice Turang each went 2-for-4 with a double apiece.

But Tampa Bay’s lineup refused to quit. Trailing 4-2 entering the ninth, the Expos erupted for three runs off reliever J. Romero, who surrendered a home run and three earned runs in just one-third of an inning to blow the save and take the loss (0-1). Travis d’Arnaud delivered the knockout blow, crushing a two-run home run — his second blast of the night — to give Tampa Bay the walk-off victory. d’Arnaud finished the game 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs, easily the game’s most dominant individual performance.

Jose Alvarado earned the win in relief (3-0), dealing a perfect ninth inning with three strikeouts to set the stage for the dramatic finish.

Top Performers

Tampa Bay Expos

Travis d’Arnaud (DH): 2-for-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI — Walk-off hero, including the game-winning 2-run homer in the 9th
Bo Bichette (SS): 1-for-4, double — Scored a key run
Jose Alvarado (P): W, 3-0 — 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K — Perfect closing performance

Yucaipa Road Runners

Bryan Rocchio (SS): 3-for-4, 2 doubles, 1 RBI, 1 SB — Best hit total of the game for either side
Josh Westburg (3B): 2-for-4, 1 double, HBP — Batting .328, continued his strong season
Brice Turang (2B): 2-for-4, 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Bryan Woo (SP): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 9 K — Quality start that deserved a better fate

Despite a gutsy effort and a lead entering the ninth, Yucaipa couldn’t close the door as J. Romero’s blown save proved costly. Tampa Bay takes the two-game series, outscoring the Road Runners 14-8 across both games.

Spencer Arrighetti delivered a dominant performance on the mound, and Max Muncy‘s grand slam proved to be the decisive blow as the Tampa Bay Expos completed a three-game sweep of the Yucaipa Road Runners with a 5-1 victory.

Yucaipa grabbed the early lead with a run in the top of the first, but Tampa Bay answered in the second and then put the game away with a four-run fourth inning. The big hit was Muncy’s grand slam — the only grand slam of the series — which blew the game open and gave Tampa Bay a lead they would never relinquish. James Wood also went deep, adding a solo home run to round out the Expos’ offense.

Arrighetti was masterful, going 7.1 innings and allowing just one earned run on seven hits while striking out six. It was a quality outing that kept Yucaipa’s lineup in check all night. Garrett Ashcraft closed it out with 1.2 scoreless innings to preserve the win.

On the other side, Mason Brown had a rough start, lasting just 3.1 innings and surrendering five runs — including Muncy’s grand slam — to fall to 0-5 on the season. His ERA climbed to 11.33 as he continues to struggle in his young career.

Top Performers

Tampa Bay Expos

Max Muncy (3B): 1-for-3, Grand Slam, 4 RBI — The game-breaking moment of the entire series
James Wood (LF): 2-for-3, HR, 1 RBI — Back-to-back multi-hit games in the series
Spencer Arrighetti (SP): W, 1-2 — 7.1 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 6 K — Brilliant outing, the pitching performance of the series

Yucaipa Road Runners

Salvador Basallo (C): 2-for-4, 1 double — One of only two Yucaipa players with multiple hits
Brice Turang (2B): 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB — Drove in Yucaipa’s only run
Fernando Tatis Jr. (CF): 1-for-4 — Had a stolen base but couldn’t generate more offense

Tampa Bay outscored Yucaipa 19-9 across the three-game series, with a different hero emerging each night — James Wood and Garrett Ashcraft in Game 1, Travis d’Arnaud‘s walk-off in Game 2, and Muncy’s grand slam paired with Arrighetti’s gem in Game 3. The Road Runners will need to regroup as they head out on the road with questions about their starting rotation.

In Game 4 of a 6-game series, the Yucaipa Road Runners faced the Tampa Bay Expos, who were leading the series 3-0. The Road Runners won decisively with a score of 12-1. Key player performances included J. Westburg, who had 3 hits and 2 RBIs, and F. Alvarez, who hit a grand slam. T. Megill earned the win, allowing only 1 run over 6 innings. The Expos struggled offensively, managing just 6 hits throughout the game. J. Misiorowski took the loss for Tampa, giving up 5 runs in 1.2 innings. The Road Runners had a strong offensive showing, scoring in multiple innings. With this victory, Yucaipa aims to extend the series and avoid a sweep.

In game 5 of the 6-game series, the Tampa Bay Expos faced the Yucaipa Road Runners, leading the series 3-1. The final score was Tampa Bay Expos 7, Yucaipa Road Runners 3. The Road Runners struggled offensively, scoring all their runs early in the game but failing to capitalize in later innings. Key players for Yucaipa included B. Alexander, who had one hit and scored one run, while J. Pederson drove in two runs. The Expos had strong performances, with T. d’Arnaud notably hitting a home run and driving in five runs, contributing significantly to their victory. Starting pitcher J. Tong earned the win for Tampa Bay, throwing six innings with three runs allowed. The Expos also showcased solid defense and pitching depth, with multiple relievers maintaining the lead. With this win, Tampa Bay is now one game away from clinching the series.

In Game 6 of the series, the Tampa Bay Expos faced off against the Yucaipa Road Runners, with Tampa leading the series 4-1. The Expos dominated the game, winning 14-2, showcasing a powerful offensive performance. Key players for Tampa included Juan Soto, who had four hits and four RBIs, and José Altuve, who contributed two hits and two RBIs. For Yucaipa, F. Tatis scored their only run and had a hit, while K. Clemens recorded two hits. The Expos’ pitcher S. Baz secured the win, allowing only two runs over seven innings. In contrast, Yucaipa’s S. Burke took the loss, giving up 11 runs in five innings.

TIJUANA — Heliot Ramos launched two home runs and William Contreras added a three-run shot as Southwest Detroit exploded for 12 runs in the series opener. C.J. Abrams and Brandon Lowe each drove in two runs as the Chihuahuas pounded out 12 hits. Ranger Suarez (5-5) cruised through seven innings, allowing just one earned run. Spencer Strider (2-6) was battered for seven earned runs in five innings as Tijuana committed three errors in the field.

TIJUANA — Cristopher Sanchez (8-0) continued his masterful season, tossing eight innings of two-hit ball to even the series. The left-hander struck out four and walked two, lowering his ERA to an astonishing 1.24. Corbin Carroll doubled and scored on Junior Caminero‘s first-inning single for the game’s first run. Tijuana tacked on two more in the second. Aaron Civale (1-3) took the loss despite a solid outing.

TIJUANA — Jake Latz (6-1) won his sixth straight decision as Tijuana took a 2-1 series lead. Pete Crow-Armstrong‘s solo homer in the second inning put the Bottle Rockets on top, and they never looked back. Kade Strowd worked a perfect ninth for his seventh save. Max Scherzer (2-2) struck out seven over five innings but was tagged for two runs. Southwest Detroit left nine runners on base and went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

TIJUANA — Agustin Ramirez launched a three-run homer and drove in four runs as Tijuana blew open a 5-0 lead after three innings. Isaac Paredes and Pete Crow-Armstrong each collected three hits. Luis Gil (3-3) went six innings for the win. Southwest Detroit’s Andrew Abbott (4-6) lasted just three innings, surrendering five runs. The Bottle Rockets pounded out 13 hits and improved to 3-1 in the series.

TIJUANA — Zebby Matthews (1-3) finally notched his first win of the season, tossing a four-hit shutout as Southwest Detroit snapped Tijuana’s three-game winning streak. Zach McKinstry tripled and finished with three hits, while C.J. Abrams drove in two. The Chihuahuas scored four times in the first inning and never looked back. Framber Valdez (4-4) took the loss, allowing seven runs (three earned) over six innings.

TIJUANA — C.J. Abrams homered twice, including a three-run shot in the second inning, as Southwest Detroit forced a series split. Abrams finished with four RBIs on the night. Ranger Suarez (6-5) won his sixth straight decision, working seven innings of two-run ball. Kumar Rocker (1-1) took the loss, surrendering four runs over four innings. Randy Rodriguez notched his 12th save as the Chihuahuas held on to even the six-game set.

Ranger Suarez was the story for the Chihuahuas, winning both his starts to extend his personal streak to six straight victories. C.J. Abrams emerged as the series MVP with two multi-homer games and eight RBIs.