Marlins Down Cards, Rangers Beat Cubs

By ESPN

Ichiro Suzuki was floored by the consistent, appreciative reception from a packed road crowd, which cheered him every chance it got.

He was touched, too, by actions of St. Louis Cardinals players who gave him plenty of time to gather it in all weekend.

Catcher Yadier Molina set the tone on Friday night when Suzuki was announced as a pinch hitter. Pitcher Adam Wainwright walked away from the rubber before another pinch-hit at-bat on Saturday. And before a rare start as the leadoff man in the series finale Sunday, he got a nice round of applause.

The 42-year-old showed them he has plenty left in the tank, too.

Suzuki doubled, singled twice and had another hit taken away on a replay challenge, leaving him six shy of 3,000 in the Miami Marlins' 6-3 victory.

"These are three games that I'll probably never forget," he said through a translator. "I don't think I could have experienced something like this unless it was here in St. Louis," adding of the Cardinals stars, "It was hard to look at them as the enemy."

Suzuki made just his second start this month with All-Star Marcell Ozuna getting a day off. He's been largely reduced to pinch hitting behind a set outfield, and singled in that role on Friday.

Thurmond, an Akron, Ohio native, played 11 of his 14 seasons with the Warriors and retired after the 1976-77 season, one year after leading the "Miracle" Cavaliers to an improbable trip to the Eastern Conference finals.

"Without a doubt, he is one of the most beloved figures to ever wear a Warriors uniform," Golden State owner Joe Lacob said.

Rangers 4, Cubs 1

Nearly a year after throwing a no-hitter at Wrigley Field, Cole Hamels was masterful again in his return to the famed ballpark.

Hamels pitched eight dominant innings, and the Texas Rangers stopped a four-game slide by topping the Chicago Cubs 4-1 Sunday in a matchup of division leaders.

"I got 10 days of rest. You get a whole week of rest, I guess that helps," Hamels said. "I know it's the second half, want to start off right. This is now the go time."

Hamels (10-2) struck out his first six batters. He fanned seven overall and gave up just an unearned run on four hits.

"The fastball, the cutter allowed him to get to the changeup today, and he was really exceptional," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said.

Last summer, the lefty threw a no-hitter and struck out 13 at Wrigley in his final start for Philadelphia. He was then traded to the Rangers.

"I've always enjoyed coming to Wrigley Field," Hamels said. "Growing up as a kid watching it on WGN, it's just a great ballpark to come play at. The fans are great here. I'm just going out enjoying the moment."

Sam Dyson struck out three in the ninth for his 19th save in 21 chances.

Ian Desmond homered and Robinson Chirinos drove in two runs as Texas avoided a three-game sweep. The Cubs had won three in a row.

Angels 8, White Sox 1

Although Jered Weaver is pitching with a fraction of his early-career velocity, the veteran right-hander still gets victories with craft and guile. And he never lost his curious mastery over the Chicago White Sox.

Albert Pujols hit a pair of two-run homers, Weaver pitched seven strong innings and the Los Angeles Angels completed an emphatic three-game sweep of the White Sox with an 8-1 victory Sunday.

After their worst first half since 1992, the injury-plagued Halos (40-52) returned from the All-Star break by outscoring Chicago 16-1. Los Angeles also escaped sole possession of last place in the AL West, pulling even with Oakland.

"Our motto is just to go out there and have some fun," Weaver said. "Obviously we're not in the position we'd like to be, but that's not going to deter from going out there and competing. A sweep against a team like this is a step in the right direction."

During the Angels' first series sweep since mid-May, Hector Santiago, Matt Shoemaker and Weaver (8-7) became the first consecutive Los Angeles starters to go seven innings since July 2015.

Sunday, July 17 Scoreboard

Detroit 4, Kansas City 2

Cincinnati 1, Milwaukee 0

Tampa Bay 5, Baltimore 2

Atlanta 1, Colorado 0

Pittsburgh 2, Washington 1 (F/18)

New YOrk mets 5, Philadelphia 0

Cleveland 6, Minnesota 1

Miami 6, St. Louis 3

Texas 4, Kansas City     

Los Angeles Angels 8, Chicago White Sox 1

Toronto 5, Oakland 3

Houston 8, Seattle 1

Arizona 6, Los Angeles Dodgers 5

San Diego 5, San Francisco 3

New York Yankees 3, Boston 1

Monday, July 18 Schedule (All Times Central)

New York Mets at Chicago Cubs, 6 p.m.

Baltimore at New York Yankees, 6:05 p.m.

Miami at Philadelphia, 6:05 p.m.

Minnesota at Detroit, 6:10 p.m.

Atlanta at Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m.

Cleveland at Kansas City, 7:15 p.m.

San Diego at St. Louis, 7:15 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Colorado, 7:40 p.m.

Texas at Los Angeles Angels, 9:05 p.m.

Houston at Oakland, 9:05 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.