For the third straight game, the Dodgers win on a walk-off homer­, and for the third straight game, it’s a rookie who hits the winning blow. After Matt Beaty and Alex Verdugo, it is Will Smith’s turn to play the hero as he launches a three-run pinch homer in the bottom of the 9th for a 6 – 3 win over the Rockies.

For the third straight game, the Dodgers win on a walk-off homer­, and for the third straight game, it’s a rookie who hits the winning blow. After Matt Beaty and Alex Verdugo, it is Will Smith’s turn to play the hero as he launches a three-run pinch homer in the bottom of the 9th for a 6 – 3 win over the Rockies.

Tensions boil over in the clubhouse of the struggling Mets after a 5 – 3 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field as manager Mickey Callaway accuses Newsday beat reporter Tim Healey of antagonizing people. The exchange quickly degenerates as P Jason Vargas also gets involved and threatens to knock out the journalist while Callaway shouts for him to leave the clubhouse, using choice profanities.

Tensions boil over in the clubhouse of the struggling Mets after a 5 – 3 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field as manager Mickey Callaway accuses Newsday beat reporter Tim Healey of antagonizing people. The exchange quickly degenerates as P Jason Vargas also gets involved and threatens to knock out the journalist while Callaway shouts for him to leave the clubhouse, using choice profanities.

2017 – With a four-run rally in the 9th, the Royals come back to defeat the Blue Jays, 5 – 4. It is their 10th win in their last 12 games and brings them back to .500 for the first time since April. They had been 0-29 when trailing after 8 innings until Whit Merrifield caps the rally with a two-run double.

2017 – With a four-run rally in the 9th, the Royals come back to defeat the Blue Jays, 5 – 4. It is their 10th win in their last 12 games and brings them back to .500 for the first time since April. They had been 0-29 when trailing after 8 innings until Whit Merrifield caps the rally with a two-run double.

The Pirates are also playing well, completing a three-game sweep of the Angels on the road with a dramatic comeback in the top of the 9th. Trailing 6 – 3, they tie the game against closer Ernesto Frieri, with a two-out pinch double by Russell Martin being the key blow, then add four runs in the top of the 10th. Travis Snider is the hero, as he hits a bases-loaded single that ends up scoring three runs when LF J.B. Shuck lets the ball get past him all the way to the wall. Leading 10 – 6, closer Jason Grilli, who has been almost perfect so far this year, gives up three runs, but strikes out Mike Trout with the tying and winning runs in scoring position, as the Bucs hold on for a 10 – 9 win.

The Pirates are also playing well, completing a three-game sweep of the Angels on the road with a dramatic comeback in the top of the 9th. Trailing 6 – 3, they tie the game against closer Ernesto Frieri, with a two-out pinch double by Russell Martin being the key blow, then add four runs in the top of the 10th. Travis Snider is the hero, as he hits a bases-loaded single that ends up scoring three runs when LF J.B. Shuck lets the ball get past him all the way to the wall. Leading 10 – 6, closer Jason Grilli, who has been almost perfect so far this year, gives up three runs, but strikes out Mike Trout with the tying and winning runs in scoring position, as the Bucs hold on for a 10 – 9 win.

The Blue Jays keep on winning, recording their 11th straight in defeating the Orioles, 13 – 5, matching a team record from 1987 and 1998. Ryan Flaherty hits two homers in a losing cause as prize off-season acquisition Josh Johnson finally picks up his first win as a Jay.

The Blue Jays keep on winning, recording their 11th straight in defeating the Orioles, 13 – 5, matching a team record from 1987 and 1998. Ryan Flaherty hits two homers in a losing cause as prize off-season acquisition Josh Johnson finally picks up his first win as a Jay.

Jim Thome hits a walk-off homer off Tampa Bay’s Jake McGee in the bottom of the 9th to give the Phillies a 7 – 6 win. It is Thome’s 609th career homer, tying him with Sammy Sosa for 7th place on the all-time list, and the 13th in walk-off fashion, the most in history; five players have hit 12, and all are Hall of Famers: Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, Frank Robinson and Babe Ruth. The 900th win of manager Charlie Manuel’s career moves the Phillies out of last place in the NL East. Earlier in the 9th inning, Jonathan Papelbon had blown a 6 – 4 lead for his first blown save of the season, but Thome’s blast makes him the winner.

Jim Thome hits a walk-off homer off Tampa Bay’s Jake McGee in the bottom of the 9th to give the Phillies a 7 – 6 win. It is Thome’s 609th career homer, tying him with Sammy Sosa for 7th place on the all-time list, and the 13th in walk-off fashion, the most in history; five players have hit 12, and all are Hall of Famers: Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, Frank Robinson and Babe Ruth. The 900th win of manager Charlie Manuel’s career moves the Phillies out of last place in the NL East. Earlier in the 9th inning, Jonathan Papelbon had blown a 6 – 4 lead for his first blown save of the season, but Thome’s blast makes him the winner.

The Blue Jays and Marlins are tied at 1 after 8 innings, when the Jays erupt for 6 runs in the top of the 9th. Edwin Encarnacion leads off the inning with a solo homer off Steve Cishek and Colby Rasmus later hits a grand slam as Toronto ends up with a 7 – 1 win that puts Miami in last place in the NL East.

The Blue Jays and Marlins are tied at 1 after 8 innings, when the Jays erupt for 6 runs in the top of the 9th. Edwin Encarnacion leads off the inning with a solo homer off Steve Cishek and Colby Rasmus later hits a grand slam as Toronto ends up with a 7 – 1 win that puts Miami in last place in the NL East.

It’s not always easy being (furry and) green. The Phillie Phanatic, making a special appearance at a Lehigh Valley IronPigs game in Allentown, PA, is struck by a foul ball while entertaining the fans from the top of the first-base dugout in the 3rd inning. He is taken to hospital but released shortly afterwards. Tom Burgoyne, the man inside the costume, suffers only a bruise above the eye.

It’s not always easy being (furry and) green. The Phillie Phanatic, making a special appearance at a Lehigh Valley IronPigs game in Allentown, PA, is struck by a foul ball while entertaining the fans from the top of the first-base dugout in the 3rd inning. He is taken to hospital but released shortly afterwards. Tom Burgoyne, the man inside the costume, suffers only a bruise above the eye.