5 Things: Springer Into Summer, Cleveland Wins And Tampa Bay Losses
By Sam McPherson
The Major League Baseball season is approaching its midway point, and as fans look forward to the All-Star team announcements later this week, it's never a bad idea to look back to see what you may have missed last week.
Springer launches into summer with big inning
When it takes 12 seasons for something to happen again, you know it's special. That's what MLB fans got from Houston Astros outfielder George Springer last Friday in Kansas City against the defending world champions: a little something special to coincidence with the arrival of summertime.
Springer hit a leadoff triple to start the game, and when the Astros batted around, he came up with the bases loaded and launched a grand slam. Overall, Springer finished the game three hits and five RBI as the Astros pounded the Royals, 13-4, behind 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel.
When will Cleveland lose?
Wednesday, June 15: the last time that Cleveland lost a baseball game. Since then, LeBron James and the Cavaliers have won the NBA title, and maybe that's rubbed off a bit on the Tribe. Winners of 10 straight games currently, Cleveland posted a perfect 6-0 record last week, completing three-games sweeps over both the Tampa Bay Rays at home and the Detroit Tigers on the road. With a 45-30 record now and a five-game lead in the AL Central Division, perhaps the Tribe can end its World Series drought in 2016: Cleveland last won the Fall Classic in 1948. Since LeBron is skipping the Rio Olympics, perhaps the Tribe could use his presence in their dugout for good karma.
Rangers slip, but they keep rolling on
Since May 18, the Texas Rangers have won 28 of 36 games to open up a 10-game lead in the AL West Division and become the first MLB team to reach 50 victories this season. However, the Boston Red Sox were able to steal a game at Globe Life Park in Arlington last Friday night in unusual fashion.
With two outs in the ninth inning and trailing by three runs, the Boston lineup strung together a double, a home run, a walk, a single and a wild pitch to score four runs and win the game, 8-7. Don't feel bad for Texas, though: The Rangers stormed back to take the Saturday and Sunday games in the three-game series by a combined 11 runs, and they haven't lost a game since.
When will Tampa Bay win again?
Last week, the Tampa Bay Rays extended their losing streak to 11 games with an ugly 0-7 week that included a doubleheader loss in Baltimore on Saturday to the Orioles. During the 11-game slide, Tampa Bay dropped eight games in the AL East Division standings. That kind of pain leaves a mark on the entire season, and the Rays will be fighting uphill battles for the rest of the season now. Tampa Bay scored just 29 runs in the 11 straight losses, and the Rays were held to zero or one run five times in the process.
Yankees show some life in an otherwise sleepy season
On Wednesday, the New York Yankees trailed the visiting Colorado Rockies, 8-4, in the seventh inning. But four runs later—three off the bat of Carlos Beltran's one-out home run—the Bronx Bombers were suddenly tied with a chance to win the game in the ninth inning. Starlin Castro stepped to the plate.
The former Chicago Cubs infielder launched a game-winning HR into the seats in Yankee Stadium to secure a big win for the Yankees, as they try to move up from fourth place in the very-tough AL East this summer. New York is three games out of a wild-card spot right now, but if the Yankees miss the postseason again, there could be a major organizational shakeup in the winter.
Sam McPherson is a freelance writer covering baseball, football, basketball, golf and fantasy sports for CBS Local. He also is an Ironman triathlete and certified triathlon coach. Follow him on Twitter @sxmcp, because he's quite prolific despite also being a college English professor and a certified copy editor.