2026 PLAYER / PITCHER OF THE WEEK #26

The Mobsters struck first in the second inning on an RBI double by Luis Arraez, but the Muscle responded in the fourth with a two-run homer from Spencer Torkelson off MacKenzie Gore. The Muscle extended their lead in the fifth on RBI hits from Oneil Cruz and Jackson Holliday, followed by an error-assisted run in the seventh. Lugo earned the win, allowing just one unearned run over 7.1 innings, while Eduard Bazardo stranded two runners in the eighth to secure a five-out save.

Final Score: Motor City 5 – Chicago 1

Win: Seth Lugo 3-8 (4.81)
Loss: MacKenzie Gore 5-10 (5.65)
Save: Eduard Bazardo #33

The Mobsters broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning when Alex Bregman launched a decisive two-out, three-run home run to deep center field off Motor City starter David Festa. That single swing provided all the offense Luzardo needed to cruise the rest of the way.

Final Score: Chicago 3 – Motor City 0

Win: Jesus Luzardo 14-9 (3.52)
Loss: David Festa 2-9 (6.01)

The Muscle broke the game open in the fifth when Lawrence Butler hit an RBI single and Matt Shaw followed with a two-run homer off Bryce Miller. Trevor Williams earned the win, limiting Chicago to two runs across 6.1 innings, while Eduard Bazardo stranded two runners in the ninth to secure his 34th save.

Final Score: Motor City 5 – Chicago 2

Win: Trevor Williams 1-0 (2.84)
Loss: Bryce Miller 5-3 (3.69)
Save: Eduard Bazardo #34

Final Score: Chicago 9 – Motor City 1

Win: Hunter Brown 14-9 (2.18)
Loss: David Festa 2-10 (6.51)

Noah Cameron earned the win, limiting Motor City to two runs—via RBI doubles from C.J. Kayfus and Matt Shaw in the sixth—over six strong innings with six strikeouts. Adames punctuated the offense with his second two-run home run in the seventh before heavy rain ended the contest in the bottom of the eighth.

Final Score: Chicago 8 – Motor City 2 (8-inning rain-shortened game)

Win: Noah Cameron 14-5 (2.57)
Loss: Payton Tolle 4-5 (5.67)

Jesus Luzardo set the tone for the Mobsters with a masterclass two-hit, 13-strikeout complete-game shutout supported by an Alex Bregman three-run blast. From there, Chicago’s bats erupted for 17 runs over the final two games, powered by long balls from Julio Rodríguez, Yandy Díaz, Yordan Alvarez, Jackson Chourio, and a two-homer effort by Willy Adames. Coupled with Hunter Brown’s eight dominant innings and Noah Cameron’s steady arm in a rain-halted finale, the Mobsters’ star power proved too potent to contain.

TIJUANA — The Bottle Rockets opened their five-game home series with a nail-biting 3-2 victory over the Corktown Cycle on Tuesday night.

Austin Wells provided the big blow with a three-run homer in the bottom of the second inning, giving Tijuana a lead they would never relinquish.

Jose Caballero hit a two-run shot for Corktown in the top of the third, pulling the visitors within a run, but the Bottle Rockets’ pitching staff made it stand up.

Spencer Strider (4-9) earned the win, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits over seven innings while striking out eight. Brendon Little recorded his second save with a perfect ninth.

Tanner Bibee (9-9) took the loss despite 10 strikeouts over eight innings of work, allowing three runs on five hits.

Corbin Carroll led Tijuana’s offense with a double and a single.

TIJUANA — Cristopher Sanchez delivered a masterful performance Wednesday, striking out 12 batters over 8⅔ innings as the Bottle Rockets downed the Cycle 4-1 to take a commanding 2-0 series lead.

Sanchez (15-4) surrendered just one earned run on three hits, extending his remarkable winning streak to 15 consecutive decisions.

The Bottle Rockets broke open a scoreless tie in the seventh inning when Pete Crow-Armstrong tripled home two runs. Ian Happ followed with an RBI groundout, and another run scored on a passed ball.

Colin Rea (5-11) pitched brilliantly in defeat, allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits with nine strikeouts over 7⅔ innings.

Corktown’s lone run came on Logan O’Hoppe‘s sixth-inning solo homer.

Jake Latz recorded his first save of the season.

TIJUANA — J.J. Bleday launched two home runs, including a go-ahead solo shot in the eighth inning, as the Corktown Cycle salvaged a 5-3 victory over the Bottle Rockets on Thursday to cut the series deficit to 2-1.

Bleday’s eighth-inning blast broke a 3-2 Corktown lead open, and Anthony Volpe followed with a solo homer two batters later to provide insurance.

Mike Soroka (7-6) earned the win, allowing two runs on five hits over 5⅓ innings. Tommy Nance recorded his second save.

Framber Valdez (7-12) took the loss despite a quality start, surrendering three runs on eight hits with five strikeouts over seven innings.

Corktown jumped ahead 3-2 in the top of the sixth on Bleday’s first homer of the night, his eighth of the season. The Bottle Rockets had taken an early 2-0 lead in the first inning on Pete Crow-Armstrong‘s two-run single.

Jahmai Jones reached base for Tijuana in a ninth-inning rally, but the Bottle Rockets could only scratch out one run.

TIJUANA — A Nick Castellanos pinch-hit two-run homer in the eighth inning lifted the Corktown Cycle to a 5-2 victory over the Bottle Rockets on Friday, evening the five-game series at 2-2.

Castellanos, hitting for Dylan Crews, launched a go-ahead blast to left field, scoring James Outman from third.

The Cycle took a 1-0 lead in the sixth on a solo homer from Ben Rice, but Anthony Volpe‘s seventh-inning stolen base and aggressive baserunning put Corktown in position for the late rally.

Brandon Pfaadt (4-11) earned a rare victory, pitching seven strong innings, allowing one earned run on six hits while striking out just one.

Brendon Little (5-2) took the loss for Tijuana after allowing the go-ahead runs.

Agustin Ramirez provided Tijuana’s only run with a first-inning solo homer, his ninth of the season. The Bottle Rockets scratched across another run in the eighth on Corbin Carroll‘s sacrifice fly.

Corktown added insurance in the ninth on Volpe’s two-run homer off Jeff Hoffman.

TIJUANA — In a tense series finale, the Bottle Rockets held off a furious ninth-inning rally to defeat the Corktown Cycle 5-4 and capture the five-game series 3-2.

Junior Caminero powered Tijuana with two home runs, including a solo shot in the sixth inning that proved to be the game-winner. Caminero’s 40th home run of the season extended the Bottle Rockets’ lead to 5-3 at the time.

Corktown made it interesting in the ninth, scoring a run on Jazz Chisholm‘s sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 5-4. The Cycle had runners at first and third with two outs, but reliever Brendon Little struck out Ben Rice to end the game.

Kumar Rocker (5-5) picked up the win with a strong six-inning outing, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out 10. Little earned his third save.

Robbie Ray (9-11) saw his nine-game winning streak snapped despite tossing five innings for Corktown.

Corbin Carroll and Trea Turner also homered for the Bottle Rockets in the victory. Dylan Crews and Nate Lowe connected for Corktown.

TIJUANA — The Bottle Rockets emerged victorious from a hard-fought five-game series, taking three of five from the visiting Corktown Cycle at home.

Tijuana jumped out to a quick 2-0 series lead behind stellar pitching performances. Cristopher Sanchez was the story of Game 2, striking out 12 over 8⅔ innings.

Corktown responded by winning the next two games, including a 5-3 victory in Game 3 and a 5-2 decision in Game 4, evening the series at 2-2. J.J. Bleday was the offensive catalyst for the Cycle, launching two home runs in Game 3, while Nick Castellanos delivered a game-winning pinch-hit homer in Game 4.

The decisive Game 5 featured explosive offensive displays from both clubs. Junior Caminero homered twice for the Bottle Rockets, giving him 40 on the season, while Corbin Carroll and Trea Turner also went deep for Tijuana. Corktown countered with long balls from Dylan Crews and Nate Lowe.

Kumar Rocker earned the series-clinching win with 10 strikeouts over six innings, and Brendon Little locked down his third save of the series.

Both teams had their chances in this one. A two-out triple in the second for Brenton Doyle is the first real scoring chance, but Max Muncy K’s. Titusville leads off the third with a HBP, single, and successful sac bunt. A strikeout and foul-out end that threat. Fremont gets their first runner in scoring position with a FC and SB from Shohei Ohtani, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounds out.

It’s another big chance for TSS in the 5th with a leadoff walk and a double from Bryce Eldridge to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. A blooper from Gunnar Henderson is caught on the run by Teoscar Hernandez, who guns down the tagging Max Muncy. A groundout is the final out to keep it scoreless.

Fremont knocks three straight singles in bottom of the inning to load the bases, but Shohei Ohtani outruns a double play to allow a run to score, as the Cannons go up 1-0. Ohtani is gunned down on a hit-and-run attempt to end the inning, but the bigger story is preventing the grade bump to Freeland.

Yoan Moncada leads off the seventh with a single, but Teoscar Hernandez can’t put down the bunt to move him over, and no one else does anything. Freeland departs at the start of the eighth, still allowing only one run even without the grade bump. Ohtani doubles, Byron Buxton is intentionally walked, but Elly de la Cruz fouls out and it stays 1-0 Fremont into the ninth. Rodon refuses to let anyone come in to relieve him, and shows that was a good decision by striking out the side for the CGSO. Fremont wins 1-0.

Rodon struck out 11, allowing 4 hits and 1 walk and gets back on the winning side after his streak was broken last week. Freeland pitched nearly as well, with 11 Ks, 5 hits, 1 walk, and just the 1 ER in 7.0 IP.

W: Carlos Rodon (18-7)
L: Kyle Freeland (0-1)

HR: none

Titusville causes trouble right away, with an infield single and stolen base from Gunnar Henderson followed by another infield single from Eugenio Suarez putting runners on 1st and 3rd with no outs. After groundout, a blooper from Josh Naylor scores one. Rowdy Tellez lops one into short RF for another run. After all the nickel-and-diming, Cantillo strikes out Brenton Doyle, but not before the Super Sonics take the 2-0 lead.

The Cannons fight back in the bottom of the first with a leadoff HR from Shohei Ohtani. Fremont gets two more on but leaves it at 2-1. Cantillo starts off the second with two outs, but another infield hit and stolen base from Henderson sets up an honest-to-goodness grounder through the hole from Bryan Reynolds to make it 3-1 TSS.

Fremont looks again to answer in the bottom of the inning, as a single, walk and successful sacrifice are followed by a walk to Ohtani to load the bases with one out. Williams bears down to strike out Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Daylen Lile grounds out to end the threat. Sean Murphy looks to pad the TSS lead in the fourth, but Lile brings one down from over the wall.

The Cannons get the tying score in the fifth, with an Ohtani single followed by a Byron Buxton 2-run HR. After a walk and steal toe Elly de la Cruz, Mike Yastrzemski singles him in for the 4-3 Fremont lead. A walk and passed ball puts runners on 2nd and 3rd, but Williams gets the big strikeout to end the inning.

The sixth starts inauspiciously for Fremont as a walk and yet another infield single puts two on with no outs. Cantillo gets a flyout and a double play to ensure no harm is done. In the bottom of the inning, PH Yoan Moncada reaches second on a throwing error, then PR Brice Matthews comes home on an Ohtani blooper to make it 5-3 Fremont. A Carlos Correa solo HR in the seventh makes it 6-3 Fremont, and that’s where it would end.

ELDC picks up SB #40, while Gunnar Henderson picks up #35 and #36. Buxton picks up HR #30. Ohtani goes 3-4 with a HR.

W: Joey Cantillo (6-2)
L: Gavin Williams (9-13)
S: Robert Stephenson (1)

HR: TSS- none; FRE- Shohei Ohtani (41), Byron Buxton (30), Carlos Correa (7)

Gunnar Henderson leads off with a double and is followed by Bryan Reynolds’s single, and just like that the Super Sonics have a 1-0 lead in the first. Fremont answers with back-to-back doubles, followed by an Elly de la Cruz single to take the 2-1 lead. Elly gets SB #41 the Teoscar Hernandez doubles him home to make it 3-1 Fremont. A Joey Bart solo HR in the seconds adds to the lead. A throwing error keeps the inning alive, then Byron Buxton’s double makes it 5-1 and chases Lodolo.

Teoscar Hernandez replays the favor with a drop in the fourth, then compounds it with a throwing error and the Super Sonics get one back. Fremont threatens again in the bottom of the inning as two walks and a single load the bases. Byron Buxton singles home two to make it 7-2 Fremont. The Cannons re-load the bases but score no more.

Fremont adds on 4 more insurance runs, including a two-run homer from Shohei Ohtani. A consolation RBI single in the eighth from Rowdy Tellez ends the scoring for an 11-3 Cannons win. Senga continues a good run, allowing 1 ER in 7.0 IP with 11 Ks. Buxton goes 4-4 with 3 doubles, 4 RBI, and 2 R. TSS has yet to HR in the series.

W: Kodai Senga (6-6)
L: Nick Lodolo (10-8)
S: Robert Stephenson (1)

HR: TSS- none; FRE- Shohei Ohtani (42), Joey Bart (3)

A single and wild pitch in the first gives the Super Sonics a chance right away, but they fail to capitalize. Ohtani helps his own cause with a leadoff HR in the bottom of the inning to make it 1-0 Fremont. TSS threatens again in the fourth with runners at 1st and 3rd but are again turned away.

A walk and steal from Byron Buxton in the bottom of the inning sets up Elly de la Cruz’s RBI single to make it 2-0. A steal from Elly and single from Mike Yastrzemski puts runners on the corners, but the runners are stranded after a double play. Ohtani goes deep for the second time in the game in the fifth inning, padding the lead to 3-0. A pair of singles for Fremont in the seventh turns into nothing.

The Super Sonics get a runner on 2nd with Kyle Isbel’s double in the eighth, but he is stranded. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. adds a 2-run HR in the bottom of the inning to add insurance. Titusville gets two on in the ninth but finish scoreless as Fremont wins 5-0. Ohtani goes 3-4 with 2 HR and a double, and gets the win with 6 shutout innings and 8 Ks.

W: Shohei Ohtani (2-3)
L: Luis Severino (8-16)

HR: TSS- none; FRE- Shohei Ohtani 2 (43, 44), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (21)

Skubal comes in as the league-leader in ERA, but knows that Titusville hasn’t homered in the series yet so are due… The Cannons strike in the first, as a leadoff walk from Shohei Ohtani and successful hit-and-run puts runners on the corners. Daylen Lile hits into a double play, but that’s enough to give Fremont the early 1-0 lead. Elly de la Cruz singles and steals to lead off the second but is left stranded. A Vladimir Guerrero Jr. single in the third likewise goes nowhere. Eugenio Suarez nearly homers in the fourth but pulls it foul, and a Matt Wallner double fails to score for the Super Sonics.

Bo Naylor walks in the fifth and PR Austin Hays steals second. A successful sacrifice moves him over, then Ohtani singles him in for a 2-0 lead. Sean Murphy leads off the fifth with a home run, the first of the series for Titusville and their first run of the game. An infield hit from Gunnar Henderson precedes Eugenio Suarez’s 2-run homer as the Super Sonics bats start to come alive, and they take the 3-2 lead.

The joy in Titusville is short-lived. Reed Garrett comes on and gets the first two batters in the bottom of the fifth, then Mike Yastrzemski doubles. A Carlos Correa single brings him in, tying it at 3-3. Austin Hays then triples him in to give the Cannons the 4-3 lead. A single and HBP brings up TSS star Gunnar Henderson in the seventh with two on, but Skubal strikes him out looking.

Ohtani singles and Guerrero Jr. is HBP to lead off the bottom of the seventh. Austin Hedges forgets the bunt sign after his first failed attempt and strikes out. ELDC makes up for it with an RBI single to extend the Fremont lead to 5-3. The Cannons stick with Skubal as he has seen too many of his leads squandered, and he’s able to close it out for the CG win, 5-3 to Fremont. Skubal get win #15, and Ohtani has another nice day at the dish going 2-3. Eugenio Suarez hits HR# 49 and is eying the big 50-HR milestone.

W: Tarik Skubal (15-6)
L: Reed Garrett (2-2)

HR: TSS- Eugenio Suarez (49), Sean Murphy (9); FRE- none

Fremont is feeling good and looks for the sweep with a rematch of game 1. Disaster strikers early, however. Gunnar Henderson leads off with an infield hit. Kyle Isbel is next up and surprisingly bunts it down the first base line. Rodon fields it but is run into before he can get rid of it. Rodon goes down, Isbel is awarded first on interference, and Henderson scampers over to third. Rodon leaves, and the Cannons bring in Robert Suarez to face Eugenio Suarez. This one goes to the batter as Eugenio blasts HR #50 on the season and gives the Super Sonics the 3-0 lead.

Fremont leads off the second with two singles, but can’t bring anyone in. A leadoff double in the top of the fourth from Josh Naylor also goes nowhere. The Cannons load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, and Shohei Ohtani brings them all home with a triple to tie the game 3-3.

Titusville comes right back in the top of the fifth. A walk and HBP sets up Matt Wallner’s two-out triple to restore the TSS lead 5-3. The Super Sonics tack on another in the seventh with back-to-back doubles from Gunnar Henderson and Kyle Isbel to go up 6-3. The Cannons get just one baserunner the rest of the way and Titusville takes the finale 6-3.

Henderson went 3-5 with a double and 2 R. E Suarez’s 50th HR also puts him at 120 RBI for the season. Freeland didn’t pitch quite as well as Game 1, but turned in a good performance in the series and deserved a win out of it.

W: Kyle Freeland (1-1)
L: Garrett Whitlock (6-7)
S: Bryan Abreu (31)

HR: TSS- Eugenio Suarez (50); FRE- none

Next up, Titusville heads to Motor City with both teams just playing out the string, while Fremont’s last homestand is with Gainesville.

Tyler Stephenson‘s solo homer in the 8th breaks the tie.

Swamp Things blow the game wide open with an eight-run seventh inning.

Brady Singer throws a CG shutout, allowing two hits and fanning six.

Zach Eflin goes nine innings, allowing four hits and striking out eleven.

Chandler Simpson goes three-for-four with a pair of RBIs.