7/26 MLB News

Profar homers twice to lift San Diego to its 6th straight win, 6-4 over Baltimore

BALTIMORE (AP) — Jurickson Profar hit a pair of two-run homers, the second of which broke a ninth-inning tie to send the San Diego Padres to their sixth straight victory, 6-4 over the Baltimore Orioles. Profar’s two-out drive was the latest stumble by Orioles closer Craig Kimbrel (6-3), who blew saves in two of his previous three appearances and was booed by the Baltimore crowd after his inning of work Friday. The Orioles had just scored two runs in the eighth to tie the game at 4 when Kimbrel came on. He allowed a one-out single and Profar’s 18th homer of the year.

Framber Valdez strikes out 10 over 6 1/3 innings and Astros beat Dodgers, 5-0

HOUSTON (AP) — Framber Valdez struck out 10 in 6 1/3 innings, Alex Bregman and Jon Singleton hit home runs and the Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0. Bregman hit a solo home run to left in the third inning and Singleton hit a 403-foot two-run homer in the fourth. Joey Loperfido had an RBI single in the second and made an outstanding leaping grab to rob Shohei Ohtani of extra bases in the third. Mauricio Dubón added an RBI double in the eighth. Ohtani was 2 for 3 with a walk. Valdez (9-5) scattered four hits in winning his fourth straight decision.

Mike Trout gets good news after MRI on left knee, timeline for return remains to be determined

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout has received good medical news for a change. The Los Angeles Angels star says an MRI on his left knee came back clean and that he is hoping to resume his rehab soon. Trout began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday but exited the game after just two innings because of soreness in his left knee. Trout said that turned out to be some scar tissue that broke up in the knee while jogging on the field. He was slated to be Salt Lake’s designated hitter on Wednesday, but returned to Southern California to have the knee examined.

Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman scratched, returning to Los Angeles to be with family

HOUSTON (AP) — All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman was scratched from the Dodgers starting lineup for a game at Houston and will return to Los Angeles to be with his family, according to manager Dave Roberts. Roberts did not detail the reason said there was no timetable for when Freeman will rejoin the team. Freeman is hitting .288 with 16 home runs and 67 RBIs. Cavan Biggio replaced him at first base,

Dodgers trade pitcher James Paxton to the Red Sox for 17-year-old minor leaguer Moises Bolivar

BOSTON (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have traded pitcher James Paxton to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for minor league infielder Moises Bolivar. Bolivar, a 17-year-old from Venezuela, hit .270 with three home runs and 19 RBIs with the Dominican Summer League Red Sox. He agreed to a minor league contract with Boston in January for a $25,000 signing bonus. Paxton was designated for assignment on Monday, a day after he pitched against the Red Sox and earned the win. The 35-year-old left-hander was 8-2 with a 4.43 ERA in 18 starts with the Dodgers this season.