Jewish Baseball News

By Scott Barancik, Editor

Ty Kelly draws a walk in Team Israel’s 3/6/2017 game against South Korea (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images AsiaPac)

Ty Kelly, a 29-year-old utility man who was called-up by the New York Mets on July 9, has officially joined the ranks of Jewish major leaguers.

Some might say Jewish Baseball News is a little late to the game in recognizing Kelly. The California native not only played on Team Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Classic but visited the Holy Land with his mother and fellow ballplayers beforehand, a trip chronicled in the recent documentary Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel.

When Jewish Baseball News interviewed Kelly last year, the switch-hitter spoke enthusiastically about Israel but hesitated to call himself exclusively Jewish, having attended a Catholic high school and identifying as such earlier in life (see the Jewish Baseball News guidelines for inclusion here).

But in response to a recent e-mail from our friends at Jewish Sports Review, Kelly wrote simply: “My mom is Jewish and I don’t practice any other faiths.”

A true journeyman who has played both infield and outfield for six franchises, Kelly made his major-league debut in 2016 with the Mets, had just over 100 at-bats with the Phillies in 2017, and signed with the Mets again in early 2018.

We wish Ty a hearty Mazel Tov on his recent call-up. Please join us in welcoming him via Twitter.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Alex Bregman was 4-for-11 this past weekend with five runs scored, three RBIs, his 29th double, and 17th home run as the Houston Astros (61-31, first in the AL West) swept the visiting Chicago White Sox. The double and homer (sixth inning) came in Saturday’s 12-6 win.

Kevin Pillar — whose career is lovingly chronicled here — was just 2-for-10 as the Toronto Blue Jays (41-48, fourth in the AL East) dropped two of three to the visiting NY Yankees. One of those hits was his eighth home run, good for two to put his mates on the board in the second inning of an 8-5 loss on Saturday. He drove in another on a sacrifice fly.

Ryan Braun (Milwaukee Brewers, 54-36, first in NL Central) was 1-for 4 in Friday’s 5-4 win over the visiting Atlanta Braves on Friday and struck out as a pinch-hitter on Saturday in a 5-1 loss. He did not appear yesterday in a Brewers win. That’s because the Brewers placed him on the 10-day DL with back issues.

And it almost seemed inevitable: the Braves (50-39, second in NL East) placed Max Fried on the 10-day disabled list with a blister.

Joc Pederson was 0-for-7 as a starter in the first two games for the LA Dodgers (48-41, second in NL West) and 0-for-1 as a pinch-hitter yesterday when he “struck out” batting for Yasiel Puig, who had to come out in mid-at-bat because of an injury. So Pederson ended the appearance with one swing, but the strikeout was actually charged to Puig’s account. The Dodgers dropped two of three to the cross-town (sort of) LA Angels (46-45, fourth in the AL West).

Ian Kinsler was 2-for-9 with a run scored for the Angels.

Danny Valencia was 0-for-8 in starts on Saturday and Sunday for the Baltimore Orioles (23-55, last in the AL East). He didn’t appear in Friday’s game. All three games ended in losses to the host Minnesota Twins.

The San Diego Padres (39-53, last in the NL West) sent pitcher Robert Stock back to the minors.

And look who’s atop the NL East: Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies. They took two out of three from the host Pittsburgh Pirates to improve to 49-38 after winning eight of their last 10.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of July 2-8, 2018:

Yerzy

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Andy Yerzy

C Andy Yerzy (Diamondbacks/A-short-season), Arizona’s #18 prospect, reached base in all five plate appearances on july 6 (4 singles, walk) and hit a 2-run, walk-off single on July 2. For the week, he hit .370 (10-for-27) with a HR, double, 4 RBIs and a .393 OBP.

Rosenblum-Larson

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week: Simon Rosenblum Larson

• P Simon Rosenblum-Larson (Rays/rookie), a 2018 draftee, tossed 6.1 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding 3 hits and a walk while striking out 10 and earning his 2nd save. Since his pro debut on June 17, the Harvard alum has maintained a 0.00 ERA across 14.1 innings, fanned 23 batters, and walked just 3.

Mazel tov

• LF Zach Borenstein* (Mets/AAA) will participate in the Triple-A Home Run Derby on July 9 and in the Triple-A All-Star Game on July 11. His 19 HRs are tied for #2 in the Pacific Coast League.
• Three members of Team Israel appeared on the MiLB.com home page on 7/6/2018: Zach Borenstein*, Dean Kremer* and Alex Katz* (see screenshot).

Other highlights

• LF Zach Borenstein* (Mets/AAA) hit .250 (7-for-28) with 2 HRs, 2 doubles, 7 RBIs and a .300 on-base percentage last week.
• 1B Cody Decker* (Diamondbacks/AAA) was 0-for-3 at the plate last week, but on July 6 he made his his third pitching appearance of the season — a scoreless inning in which he reportedly never threw faster than 53 mph.
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AAA) hit .313 (5-for-16) with a double, triple, 2 RBIs, stolen base, and a .389 OBP.
• 2B Adam Walton (Diamondbacks/High-A) hit .389 (7-for-18) with 3 doubles, 5 RBIs and a .421 OBP.
• RF Rhett Wiseman (Nationals/High-A) hit .304 (7-for-23) with a HR, 3 RBIs and a .429 OBP. His 15 HRs and .515 slugging percentage both rank #4 in the Carolina League.
• 2B Zane Gurwitz (Angels/A) hit a 2-run, 9th-inning triple on July 7 that proved to be a game-winner. For the week, he hit .300 (3-for-10) with 3 RBIs and a .364 OBP.
• C Scott Manea (Mets/A) hit .313 (5-for-16) with a HR, 3 doubles, 8 RBIs and a .421 on-base percentage. Six of his RBIs came in a single game, on July 2.
• P Jeremy Bleich* (Athletics/Triple-A) pitched 3 scoreless innings over 2 appearances, yielding 3 hits and zero walks while striking out 3.
• P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox) pitched 3 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding a hit and a walk while striking out 4. One of the batters he struck out looking was Mets prospect (and former NFL quarterback) Tim Tebow. In five relief outings since being promoted to Double-A, Gorst has maintained a 0.00 ERA and held opposing batters to a .103 batting average.
• P Dean Kremer* (Dodgers/AA) celebrated his promotion to Double-A with 11 strikeouts and a complete-game shutout on July 5. The joint Israeli/American citizen has 125 strikeouts, #1 among all minor leaguers.
• P Brad Goldberg* (Diamondbacks/AA) tossed 1.1 perfect innings across 2 appearances, yielding zero hits or walks while striking out 2.
• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA) pitched 3 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding 2 walks and zero hits while striking out one.
• P Jake Fishman (Blue Jays/High-A) pitched 2 perfect innings of relief on July 5 to earn his second win. In his last 10 appearances, the southpaw is 1-0 across 13.2 innings, with 3 saves, a 0.66 ERA, 2 walks and 16 strikeouts.
• Brandon Gold (Rockies/High-A) tossed six innings of 2-run ball on July 5 to earn his 6th win.
• P Alex Katz* (Orioles/A) came to the mound with two outs in the 5th inning of a no-hitter on July 5 and kept the no-no alive through the 9th inning, yielding no hits or walks. Unfortunately, his successor gave up the losing run in the 10th inning.
• P Jordan Scheftz (Indians/A-short-season) threw 3 scoreless innings across 2 games, giving up a hit and 2 walks while striking out 3 and earning his 1st win.
• P Keith Weisenberg (Braves/A) earned a 6-inning, rookie-league win on July 4 before being promoted to Single-A, yielding one earned run on 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 4.
• P Tyler Cohen (Rangers/rookie), a 2018 signee, tossed 2.2 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding 3 hits and zero walks while striking out 2.
• P R.C. Orlan* (Indians) pitched 2.1 no-hit innings across 2 games in a rookie-league rehab assignment.

Draft update

• SS Zack Kone (Pirates/A-short-season), a 13th-round pick in the 2018 draft, signed with Pittsburgh on July 6 and was assigned to the franchise’a A-short-season team. Before the draft, Kone was ranked 94th on Baseball America’s top 100 college draft prospects for 2018.

Transactions

• P Craig Breslow* (Blue Jays/AAA) was promoted to Triple-A on July 2.
• P Robert Stock (Padres/AAA) was optioned to Triple-A on July 6.
• P Dean Kremer* (Dodgers/AA) was promoted to Double-A on July 5.
• C Nick Rickles* (Phillies/AA) was reassigned to Double-A on July 4.
• P Spencer Kulman (Padres/High-A) was reassigned to A-short season on July 6.
• P Keith Weisenberg (Braves/A) was promoted to Single-A on July 4.

Free agents

• Former major- and minor-leaguers believed to be seeking employment include Scott Feldman, Elliott Barzilli, Dalton Blumenfeld, Mike Meyers*, Troy Neiman*, Adrian Spitz and Jeremy Wolf.

Disabled list

• SS Preston Grand Pre (Dodgers/rookie), since June 29.
• SS Scotty Burcham* (Rockies/AA), since June 21.
• P Ryan Sherriff (Cardinals/AAA), since May 18. Out for season with Tommy John surgery.
• P Mitchell Osnowitz (Cardinals/High-A), since April 9.

Note to readers: Minor-League Monday does not include stats for all current Jewish minor-leaguers. Click here for a complete list of players, and then click on a player’s name to be taken to his stat page.

Members of Team Israel’s 2017 squad are marked with an asterisk.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Atlanta Braves  (49-37) starter Max Fried didn’t fare as well as in his prior outing, giving up four runs on four hits and three walks over four innings and taking the 7-2 loss against the host Milwaukee Brewers (52-35) in a battle of first-place teams. He struck out one and unleashed a wild pitch. Blisters are the culprit here, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and have landed Fried on the 10-day disabled list. At least Fried retired Ryan Braun, who was 0-for-4.

Danny Valencia also was 0-for-4 as the Baltimore Orioles (24-62) lost to the host Minnesota Twins, 5-2.

Alex Bregman — the A.L. Player of the Month for June — hit his 28th double (second in the AL) in four at-bats. He also scored a run as the Houston Astros (58-31) plated two in the bottom of the ninth for a 4-3 win over the visiting Chicago White Sox.

Ian Kinsler was 1-for-4 and scored the only run for the LA Angels (44-44) in their 4-1 loss to the host Seattle Mariners.

Robert Stock, who was optioned to Triple-A on July 6, did not appear for the San Diego Padres (38-51) in their 6-3 win over the host Arizona Diamondbacks.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Alex Bregman was 1-for-4 with a walk and an RBI as the Houston Astros (57-31) beat the host Texas Rangers in 10 innings, 5-4.

Joc Pederson was 0-for-4 with a walk as the LA Dodgers (47-39) beat the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-4.

Ryan Braun entered the game in the 8th inning as a pinch-hitter for the Milwaukee Brewers (51-35) and struck out. He remained in the 3-2 win over the visiting Minnesota Twins without another trip to the plate.

Ian Kinsler did not appear for the LA Angels (44-43) in their 7-4 win over the host Seattle Mariners.

Kevin Pillar did not appear for the Toronto Blue Jays (40-46) in their 6-3 loss to the visiting NY Mets.

Robert Stock — who was just written up in his local newspaper — did not appear for the San Diego Padres (37-51) in their 4-2 loss to the host Oakland A’s. Here he is at age 6:

Robert Stock, future San Diego Padre, at age 6

Max Fried did not pitch for the Atlanta Braves (49-36) in their 6-2 loss to the host NY Yankees. He’s scheduled to make the start tonight against the Brewers.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (47-37) beat the visiting Baltimore Orioles (24-61), 4-1. Danny Valencia lined out as a pinch-hitter to lead off the ninth. Considering their start, could Kapler really be a candidate for Manager of the Year?

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Remember when they used to have holiday doubleheaders? Two of the first games I ever went to were comprised of a July 4 twinbill at Yankee Stadium against the Cleveland Indians. This was a reward for perfect attendance at Hebrew school at the Woodruff Avenue Temple in Brooklyn, so I must have been 11 or 12. The seats were in the bleachers, next to the visiting bullpen. I recall one of their pitchers, maybe it was Mike Paul, making faces at us. Anyway…

And again. Joc Pederson led off Tuesday’s game for the LA Dodgers  (46-39) by hitting the first pitch he saw for his 13th home run of the year and second of this young month. The Dodgers beat the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates, 8-3. According to those new-fangled stats, it was the hardest home run hit by a Dodger since 2015 and traveled an estimated 437-feet.

Alex Bregman was 2-for-5 with a run scored as the Houston Astros (56-31) beat the host Texas Rangers, 5-3. Is an All-Star Game in his immediate future? After all, he was named AL Player of the Month for June.

Kevin Pillar was 0-for-4 for the Toronto Blue Jays (40-45), who overcame a 6-1 deficit to beat the visiting NY Mets, 8-6.

Ian Kinsler was 0-for-3, batting in the seventh slot, as the LA Angels (43-43) lost to the host Seattle Mariners, 4-1.

Ryan Braun struck out twice in three at bats against the visiting Minnesota Twins before coming out in the sixth with lower back tightness…again. The Milwaukee Brewers (50-35) won the game, 2-0.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (46-37) beat the Baltimore Orioles (24-60), 3-2. Danny Valencia struck out as a pinch-hitter in the eighth.

Max Fried did not appear for the Atlanta Braves (49-35) in their 8-5 loss to the host NY Yankees. He takes the hill tomorrow against the Brewers in Milwaukee.

Robert Stock did not appear for the San Diego Padres in their 6-2 loss to the host Oakland A’s.

Getting closer: Craig Breslow was promoted to Toronto’s AAA affiliate.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Joc Pederson collected his first home run of July and 12th overall as the LA Dodgers (45-39) crushed the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates, 17-1. It was Pederson’s only hit in five at-bats and led off the fourth inning. He also made this nice catch.

Ryan Braun was 1-for-5 as the Milwaukee Brewers (49-35) beat the visiting Minnesota Twins, 6-5, in 10 innings.

Kevin Pillar was 0-for-4 as the Toronto Blue Jays (39-45) lost to the visiting Detroit Tigers, 3-2, in 10 innings. I missed one of the great plays in Pillar’s bag of tricks on Sunday against the Tigers. Think that will help him win a Gold Glove at last?

Max Fried did not appear for the Atlanta Braves (49-34) in their 5-3 win over the host NY Yankees.

So with the lousy season the NY Mets are having, and considering he was selected for the AAA All-Star Game, how about Zach Borenstein already?

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Another down-and-dirty weekend summary:

MOT of the weekend has to be Max Fried, whom the Atlanta Braves (48-34, first in the AL East) brought up on Saturday to make the start against the St. Louis Cardinals. He struck out 11 in 6.2 innings, giving up four singles and walking three. He got credit for the win as the Braves topped the Cards, 11-4. He also cracked his first big-league hit and scored a run (see article). Mazel tov, Max!

Alex Bregman, Houston Astros (55-31 , first in the AL West)

• June 29: 1-for-3 with his 15th home run, good for the team’s only runs in a 3-2 loss to the host Tampa Bay Rays
• June 30: 1-for-4 with his 16th home run, good — once again — for all of the Astros’ scoring in the 5-2 loss. That made five in his last six games, eight in his last 15, and Houston’s home-run leader
• July 1: 1-for-3 in a 3-2 loss

Bregman’s 11 home runs in Juneare the most in a single month by an MOT since Hank Greenberg hit 15 in July in 1938, the season he challenged Babe Ruth’s single-season mark of 60, which you can read about (shameless self-promotion) in my book.

Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers (48-35, first in the in NL Central)

• June 29: 1-for-3 with a run scored in an 8-2 win over the host Cincinnati Reds
• June 30: Did not play
• July 1: 1-for-3 with his 10th home run. Like Bregman, his two-run shot (which came in the ninth inning to spoil a shutout) accounted for all of his team’s scoring in a loss, this one 8-2

Ian Kinsler, LA Angels (43-42, fourth in the AL West)

• June 29: 0-for-4 in a 7-1 win over the host Baltimore Orioles
• June 30: 2-for-3 with his 15th double and a walk in a 5-2 win
• July 1: 0-for-4 in an 8-2 loss

Danny Valencia, Baltimore Orioles (24-59 , last in the AL East)

• June 29: 0-for-3 in the loss to the Angels
• June 30: 0-for-3 in another loss
• July 1: Did not play

Kevin Pillar, Toronto Blue Jays (39-44, fourth in the AL East)

• June 29: 1-for-3  plus a walk in a 3-2 win over the visiting Detroit Tigers
• June 30: 1-for-3 with his 25th double in a 4-3 win
• July 1: 1-for-4 in a 9-1 loss

Joc Pederson, LA Dodgers (44-39, second in the NL West)

• June 29: Did not play
• June 30: 0-for-4 win a 3-1 loss to the visiting Colorado Rockies
• July 1: 3-for-4 in a 6-1 win

So Bregman and Pederson each had 10+ home runs in the same month. Any two JMLs  ever done that before?

Robert Stack, San Diego Padres (37-49, last in the NL West)

• June 29: Struck out 2 in one perfect inning of relief in a 6-3 loss to the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.
• June 30: DNP
• July 1: Gave up one hit and retired the other batter he faced in a 7-5 loss.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies took two of three from the visiting Washington Nationals. They stand at 45-37, second in the NL East.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of June 25-July 1, 2018:

Gold

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Ryan Gold

C Ryan Gold (Blue Jays/A) hit .421 (8-for-19) last week with a double, triple, 4 RBIs, stolen base and a .450 on-base percentage.

Fried

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week: Max Fried

• P Max Fried (Braves) was called up to the Majors on June 30 and trounced the Blue Jays that same night, yielding 4 hits and 3 walks over 6.2 scoreless innings while striking out 11. It was the 6th start of his MLB career.

Mazel tov

• LF Zach Borenstein* (Mets/AAA) was named to the Pacific Coast League’s All-Star Game, the only member of his team to receive that honor. The game takes place July 11.
• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AAA) was named to the Pacific Coast League’s All-Star Game, which takes place July 11.
• Former Cardinals prospect Adam Ehrlich, now catching for the Quebec Capitales of the independent CanAm League, tossed out four base-stealers on June 22 to tie a league record, three of them in the 6th inning alone. Joining Ehrlich on the Capitales is former minor-league prospect Maxx Tissenbaum.

Other highlights

• C Jason Goldstein (Athletics/High-A) hit .333 (4-for-12) last week with a double and a .385 OBP.
• C Andy Yerzy (Diamondbacks/A-short season) hit .360 (9-for-25) wit a home run, double, 3 RBIs and a .385 OBP.
• P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox/AA) pitched 4 scoreless innings of relief across 2 games, yielding just one hit and one walk while striking out 3 and earning his first Double-A save — and 9th save overall in 9 chances this season.
• P Brad Goldberg (Diamondbacks/AA) pitched 1.2 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding zero hits and one walk while striking out 2. Since the D’backs acquired him from the White Sox last month, Goldberg is 1-0 with a 1.04 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 3 saves in 3 chances.
• P Craig Breslow* (Blue Jays/AA) earned his first win of the season with a scoreless inning of relief on June 27.
• P Jake Fishman (Blue Jays/High-A) held opponents scoreless in three relief appearances, yielding two hits and zero walks across 3.1 combined innings while striking out 3 and earning his 3rd save.
• P Alex Katz (Orioles/A) pitched 2 no-hit innings across 2 games, yielding one walk and striking out one.
• P Sam Delaplane (Mariners/A) earned his 4th save on June 27, yielding a hit and a walk over one inning while striking out 3. Delaplane is 3-0 this season and has struck out 52 batters in 32.2 innings.
• P Spencer Kulman (Padres/rookie) pitched 2 no-hit innings across 2 games, yielding 2 walks and striking out 2.
• P Jake Miednik (Indians/rookie), a 2018 draftee, pitched a perfect inning of relief and earned a save on June 27. In 3.2 innings across 3 games since turning pro, he has yet to give up a walk or hit and has struck out 7 of the 12 batters he has faced.
• P Simon Rosenblum-Larson (Rays/rookie), a 2018 draftee, pitched 3 innings of scoreless relief on June 28, yielding a hit and a walk while striking out 4.

Draft update

• P Zack Leban (Marlins/rookie), a 2018 draftee, made his pro debut on June 29.
• OF Albee Weiss (Twins/rookie), a 2018 draftee, hit his first professional home run on July 1.

Transactions

• P Max Fried (Braves) was called-up to the Majors on June 30.
• LF Jake Thomas (Blue Jays/High-A) retired from pro baseball on June 25. A 2015 draft pick, the 24-year-old had a career .253 batting average and .380 on-base percentage.
• 1B Cody Decker* (Diamondbacks/AAA) came off the disabled list on June 30.
• P R C Orlan* (Indians/AA) came off the disabled list and is on a rehab assignment with the franchise’s rookie-league teams.
• C Michael Barash (Angels/AA) was assigned Double-A.
• SS Preston Grand Pre (Dodgers/rookie) was placed on the 60-day disabled list.

Free agents

• Former major- and minor-leaguers believed to be seeking employment include Scott Feldman, Elliott Barzilli, Dalton Blumenfeld, Mike Meyers*, Troy Neiman*, Adrian Spitz and Jeremy Wolf.

Disabled list

• SS Preston Grand Pre (Dodgers/rookie), since June 29.
• SS Scotty Burcham* (Rockies/AA), since June 21.
• P Ryan Sherriff (Cardinals/AAA), since May 18. Out for season with Tommy John surgery.
• P Mitchell Osnowitz (Cardinals/High-A), since April 9.

Note to readers: Minor-League Monday does not include stats for all current Jewish minor-leaguers. Click here for a complete list of players, and then click on a player’s name to be taken to his stat page.

Members of Team Israel’s 2017 squad are marked with an asterisk.

Get your Jewish baseball news via e-mail

By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Sorry, kids, no home runs for the boys last night.

Alex Bregman was 1-for-3 with a walk as the Houston Astros (55-28) beat the host Tampa Bay Rays, 1-0. According to the New Orleans Time-Picayune, Bregman’s walk-off home run against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 27 was his third walk-off hit of the season, tops in the Major Leagues.

Ian Kinsler was 1-for-5 as the LA Angels (41-41) fell to the host Boston Red Sox, 4-2.

Danny Valencia was 0-for-4 as the Baltimore Orioles (23-57) lost to the visiting Seattle Mariners, 4-2.

Ryan Braun was hitless in four at-bats as the Milwaukee Brewers (47-33) beat the host Cincinnati Reds, 6-4.

Joc Pederson entered the game for the LA Dodgers (43-37) as a defensive replacement and was hitless in his only at bat in an 11-5 loss to the visiting Chicago Cubs.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (43-36) beat the visiting Washington Nationals, 4-3.

No game for Kevin Pillar and the Toronto Blue Jays.

No word yet on if or when the Atlanta Braves will recall pitcher Max Fried for the weekend.

Look at that: not a single event that warrants a highlight.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

What in the name of Hank Greenberg is going on lately?

Wowza! He done did it again! Not only did Alex Bregman hit his MOT-leading 14th home run last night, but it was the walk-off variety, a two-run, no-doubt blast with one out that won the game for the Houston Astros (54-28) over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays (37-43), 7-6. He also had a pair of two-baggers, which means that over his last two games, Bregman has had two homers — nine for the month — and five (!) doubles, adding up to 18 total bases.

Kevin Pillar was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI for the Jays. Is it possible they will trade him in the near future?

Meanwhile, Joc Pederson hit his tenth dinger of June (11th overall), a two-run job that was the winning difference as the LA Dodgers (43-36) held off the visiting Chicago Cubs, 7-5. This one came in the second inning and was his only hit in three at-bats; he also walked twice.

Ian Kinsler joined the hit parade with his 11th long-gone as the LA Angels (41-40) lost to the host Boston Red Sox, 9-6. He hit the first pitch he saw to lead off the fifth inning and put the Angels on the board. It was his only hit in five trips to the plate.

Then there was Danny Valencia, who hit #8 with one on and two out in the first inning. But the Baltimore Orioles (23-56) lost to the visiting Seattle Mariners in 11, 8-7. Valencia also had a single in his four at-bats before coming out of the game for a defensive replacement in the ninth. His stock is really going up as the O’s continue to struggle.

Ryan Braun was 2-for-5 as the Milwaukee Brewers (46-33) lost to the visiting KC Royals, 5-4.

Robert Stock did not appear for the San Diego Padres (36-47) in their 5-2 loss to the host Texas Rangers.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (42-36) shut out the visiting NY Yankees, 3-0.

And according to CSSports.com, Max Fried could rejoin the Atlanta Braves on Saturday, a call-up to take the spot of Brandon McCarthy, who went on the disabled list today. Fried is 0-2 in five games for the Braves in 2018.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Not quite as impactful as a couple of weeks back, when five different Jewish players hit HRs, but it was another homer-happy day for the fellas yesterday.

Alex Bregman hit his 13th, second in two games, and eighth in June to lead the Houston Astros (53-28) in their 7-0 whitewash over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays (37-42). He also had three doubles, adding up to a tidy 10 total bases for the event. His long-gone came with two out in the seventh and drove in two of the five Houston tallied to put the game away. According to Scott Barancik of JewishBaseballNews.com, Bregman is the second Major Leaguer to have one homer and three doubles in the same game this season; Mike Trout of the LA Angels is the other.

Kevin Pillar was 1-for-4 for the Jays.

Ryan Braun hit his ninth HR of the year and fourth in June as the Milwaukee Brewers (46-32) beat the visiting KC Royals, 5-1. His shot came with one on and none out in the ninth. Braun also doubled and walked.

Danny Valencia hit his seventh homer to lead off the second inning, giving the Baltimore Orioles (23-55) a 1-0 lead over the visiting Seattle Mariners. He also singled and walked, but the M-Men scored twice in the eighth for a 3-2 win.

Slugger Joc Pederson did not join the festivities. Perhaps he would have if the LA Dodgers (42-36) didn’t use him only as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning of their 9-4 loss to the visiting Chicago Cubs. Pederson struck out as the Dodgers’ winning streak came to an end after four games.

Ian Kinsler was 2-for-4, accounting for 40 percent of the Angels’ (41-39) hit total in their 9-1 loss to the host Boston Red Sox.

Robert Stock did not pitch for the San Diego Padres (36-46) in their 3-2 win over the host Texas Rangers.

Gabe Kapler‘s Philadelphia Phillies (41-36) were shut out by the visiting NY Yankees, 6-0, amid more griping about his handling of the bullpen. Mind you, after 77 games last season, the Phils were sporting a 26-51 record.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Alex Bregman hit his 12th homer (seventh in June) — a solo shot in the third inning — but the Houston Astros (52-28) lost to the visiting Toronto Blue Jays (37-41), 6-3. The home run tied the game at 2-2. Bregman, who also stole his seventh base, added an RBI single the next inning to temporarily give Houston the lead.

On the other side of the diamond, Kevin Pillar came on in the ninth for the Jays as a defensive replacement in right field. (Here’s something you don’t see every day from that game.)

Danny Valencia grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning and remained in the game at third as the Baltimore Orioles (23-52) lost to the visiting Seattle Mariners, 5-3. According to one columnist, Valencia’s trade value is rising.

Ian Kinsler was 0-for-4 as the LA Angels (41-38) were shut out by the host KC Royals, 2-0.

Robert Stock’s second outing for the San Diego Padres (35-46) wasn’t as good as his debut the precious day: 0.2 innings, one run on three hits with one strikeout. The Padres lost to the host Texas Rangers, 7-4.

Joc Pederson was hitless in four at-bats, striking out twice, as the LA Dodgers (42-35) held off the visiting Chicago Cubs, 2-1.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (41-35) lost to the visiting NY Yankees, 4-2.

Finally…I don’t usually follow former JMLs, but I was saddened to hear that Craig Breslow, who’s down in AA with the Blue Jays’ New Hampshire Fisher Cats, has been on the disabled list for most of the season, only being recently reactivated on the 23rd. I fear the end may be near for the 37-year-old Yalie.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Stock

Down and dirty here because of the lateness of the hour:

Welcome your newest JML: Robert Stock (as opposed to Robert Stack) of the San Diego Padres. The 28-year-old righty pitcher was called up yesterday and made his debut a good one: He came on in the 10th inning of a 2-2 tie between the Pods and the host San Francisco Giants. He tossed a scoreless inning in which he yielded a lead-off double to Joe Panik. He then struck out Alen Hansen swinging. Austen Slater hit one off Stock’s glove but it found its way to the shortstop for a 1-6-3 out. He then fanned Gorkys Hernandez for the final out. The Giants won 3-2 in 11 innings. Scott Barancik, editor of JewishBaseballNews.com posted this article about the newest arrival, the second MOT to make his MLB debut this season (Zack Weiss of the Reds was first).

As for the “veterans”…

Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers (45-32, first in the NL Central)

• June 22: Did not play (DNP) in a 2-1 win over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.
• June 23: Entered the game as a defensive replacement, going 1-for-2 in a 3-2 loss.
• June 24: 1-for-4 with his 12th double and a run scored in an 8-2 loss.

Kevin Pillar, Toronto Blue Jays (36-41, fourth in the AL East)

• June 22: 1-for-4 with his 23rd double and a run in a 2-1 loss to the host LA Angels.
• June 23: 1-for-4 with his 24th double in a 4-1 win.
• June 24: 0-for-5 in a 10-inning, 7-6 win.

Ian Kinsler, LA Angels (41-38, third in the AL West)

• June 22: 0-for-4.
• June 23: hit into a double play as a pinch-hitter in the seventh; remained in the game at second base but did not come to bat again.
• June 24: 1-for-5 with an RBI.

Danny Valencia, Baltimore Orioles (23-53, last in the AL East)

• June 22: 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI in a 10-7 win over the host Atlanta Braves.
• June 23: 0-for-4 in a 7-5 win.
• June 24: 1-for-4 win a 7-3 loss.

Alex Bregman, Houston Astros (52-27, first in the AL West)

• June 22: 0-for-4 in a 1-0 loss to the visiting KC Royals.
• June 23: 1-for-5 with a walk in a 12-inning, 4-3 win.
• June 24: 0-for-4 with a run scored, an RBI, and a walk in an 11-3 win. He also made his 11th error of the season and apparently shaved his moustache mid-game.

Joc Pederson, LA Dodgers (41-35, second in the NL West)

• June 22: 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored (leadoff) in a 5-2 win over the host NY Mets, batting leadoff.
• June 23: 1-for-4 with a walk in an 8-3 win (leadoff).
• June 24: 1-for-4 with a two-out, solo home run in the seventh plus a walk in an 8-7, 11-inning win. The moonshot — which gave the Dodgers a 5-4 lead — came within a few rows of leaving Citi Field. It was Pederson’s 10th of the year and ninth in June and gives him a chance to tie Hank Greenberg’s “Jewish mark” for home runs in a month with 11.

Given how poorly the Mets are playing of late, and how many players they’re calling up from the minor league system, I can’t help but wonder when Zach Borenstein’s time will come.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (41-34, second in the NL East) took two of three from the host Washington Nationals.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Here are your minor-league highlights from the week of June 18-24, 2018:

Borenstein

Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week: Zach Borenstein*

LF Zach Borenstein* (Mets/AAA) hit .450 (9-for-20) with a .542 on-base percentage last week. Highlights included a 4-for-5 performance on June 18, when he stroked a home run and 3 doubles, and a walk-off RBI double on June 24.

Rosenberg

Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week: Kenny Rosenberg

• P Kenny Rosenberg (Rays/High-A) was nearly perfect in a June 22 start, yielding one hit and no walks over 6 innings while striking out a career-high 10.

Mazel tov

• P Robert Stock (Padres) was called up on June 24 and made his MLB debut the same day. After yielding a double, Stock retired the next three batters, two of them on swinging strikes (see article).
• OF Blake Gailen*, who was released by the Dodgers last year despite hitting .300 with its Double-A club, is tearing up the Atlantic League, which is known as the most competitive pro league outside of minor-league baseball. The 5’8″ powerhouse leads the Atlantic with 12 HRs and 49 RBIs.
• 1B Rowdy Tellez (Blue Jays/AAA) is playing better now that his beloved mother is cancer-free (see article).
• Teammates LF Zach Borenstein* (Mets/AAA) and 2B Ty Kelly* (Mets/AAA), who also played together on Team Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic, had four hits apiece in a June 18 victory.
• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA), who recently returned to the mound after more than a year off due to injuries, is content to make the switch from starter to reliever and believes it might hasten his call-up to the majors (see article).

Other highlights

• C Garrett Stubbs (Astros/AAA) hit .300 with an RBI, stolen base and a .364 on-base percentage.
• RF Rhett Wiseman (Nationals/High-A) hit 333 (3-for-9) with a double, RBI and .538 on-base percentage.
• C Scott Manez (Mets/A) hit .455 (5-for-11) with a .538 on-base percentage, including a 4-for-4 performance on June 22.
• P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox/AA) pitched 2 scoreless innings on June 22, yielding a walk and a hit while striking out 2 in his first appearance at the Double-A level.
• P Brad Goldberg* (Diamondbacks/AA) pitched 2 scoreless innings across 2 games, yielding zero hits and 3 walks while striking out 5 and earning his third save in 3 chances.
• P Jake Miednik (Indians/rookie), a 2018 draftee, was perfect in his first two pro appearances, yielding no hits or walks across 2.2 innings while striking out 5.
• P Simon Rosenblum-Larson (Rays/A-short-season), a 2018 draftee, earned a save in his second pro appearance. The 21-year-old righty tossed 2.2 scoreless innings, yielding 2 hits and zero walks while striking out 7.
• P Max Lazar (Brewers/rookie) pitched 5.1 innings of one-run ball to earn a win on June 22, yielding 5 hits and zero walks while fanning 3.
• P Keith Weisenberg (Braves/rookie) made his season debut on June 23, yielding 3 hits and zero walks over 2.1 scoreless innings while striking out 5.

Draft update

• P Jake Miednik (Indians/rookie), selected by Cleveland in the 20th round of the 2018 amateur draft, made his pro debut on June 20.
• OF Albee Weiss (Twins/rookie), selected by Minnesota in the 23rd round of the 2018 amateur draft, made his pro debut on June 20.
• Loyola Marymount P Tyler Cohen (Rangers/rookie), an undrafted free agent, signed with Texas on June 20 and made his pro debut on June 24.

Transactions

• P Robert Stock (Padres) was called-up on June 24 and made his Major League debut the same day.
• P Zack Weiss (Reds/AAA) came off the disabled list on June 19 and made three rehab appearances with Cincinnati’s rookie-league team.
• P Craig Breslow* (Blue Jays/AA) came off the disabled list on June 23
• P Jake Fishman (Blue Jays/AAA) was promoted to Triple-A on June 24.
• C Michael Barash (Angels/AAA) was promoted to Triple-A on June 21.
• P Matthew Gorst (Red Sox/AA) was promoted to Double-A on June 21.
• P Rob Kaminsky (Indians/AA) was promoted to Double-A on June 20.
• SS Scotty Burcham* (Rockies/AA) entered the disabled list on June 21.
• LF Adrian Spitz (Athletics/A-short-season) was released on June 20.
• P Tyler Cohen (Rangers/rookie), an undrafted free agent, signed with Texas on June 20.
• P Joey Wagman*, a former Athletics and White Sox prospect, signed with the Lincoln Salt Dogs of the independent American Association league.

Free agents

• Former major- and minor-leaguers believed to be seeking employment include Scott Feldman, Elliott Barzilli, Dalton Blumenfeld, Mike Meyers*, Troy Neiman*, Adrian Spitz and Jeremy Wolf.
• Ike Davis*, a former major leaguer who tried to reinvent himself as a pitcher in 2017, is rumored to have retired, but this is unconfirmed.

Disabled list

• SS Scotty Burcham (Rockies/AA), since June 21.
• 1B Cody Decker (Diamondbacks/AAA, since June 8.
• P Ryan Sherriff (Cardinals/AAA), since May 18. Out for season with Tommy John surgery.
• P Mitchell Osnowitz (Cardinals/High-A), since April 9.
• P R C Orlan* (Indians/AA).

Note to readers: Minor-League Monday does not include stats for all current Jewish minor-leaguers. Click here for a complete list of players, and then click on a player’s name to be taken to his stat page.

Members of Team Israel’s 2017 squad are marked with an asterisk.

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By Scott Barancik, Editor

Robert Stock (Twitter), a 28-year-old reliever who has played for four franchises in his minor-league career, was called-up by the San Diego Padres today and promptly inserted into the 10th inning of a home game at AT&T Park.

Stock delivered like a seasoned pro, yielding a double on his third Major League pitch but then retiring the next three batters, two of them on on swinging strikeouts.

It was a long time coming for a player once considered the best amateur in the country — and relegated to an independent, non-affiliated league just two short years ago.

Stock was wowing scouts at an early age with his arm and his bat. In 2003, Baseball America named him the best 13-year-old player in the United States. Stock was named best 14-year-old in 2004, by which time he was already six feet tall, throwing in the 90s, and hitting 400-foot homers with a wood bat. In 2005, he was named not only the best 15-year-old but Baseball America’s Youth Player of the Year, the first underclassman to earn that honor.

Robert Stock tosses first career strikeout in his MLB debut on 6/24/2018 (click for video)

Stock was so good both behind the plate and on the mound that scouts couldn’t agree where he belonged. “It might be a 50-50 split with scouts in Southern California which way we like him,” one area scout told Baseball America in 2005. “I asked him what he liked most about hitting or pitching and he just said, ‘I just love to dominate, whether it be hitting or pitching.’ And that’s what he does, he just dominates games.”

In 2009, the St. Louis Cardinals made the choice for him, selecting Stock as a catcher in the 2nd round of the amateur draft. He squatted behind home plate for three seasons before the Quad Cities River Bandits (Single-A) handed him the ball and pointed him to the mound. It didn’t take Stock long to get into the groove, ending the 2012 season with a 5-2 record and a 4.56 ERA.

But his path to the majors was far from clear. The Cardinals released Stock in late 2014. He soon signed with the Houston Astros, but after a frustrating 2015 season that saw him deliver a 7.71 ERA across three levels, Stock found himself playing alongside brother Richard Stock, a former Cleveland Indians prospect, in the independent CanAm League in 2016, then spent the winter playing in Mexico.

Left out of the MLB fold, Stock sent video of his 98 mph fastball to scouts. It paid off. The Cincinnati Reds signed him to a minor-league deal in March 2017, and the right-hander repaid the franchise that season by going 9-5 with two saves and a 2.82 ERA in High-A and Double-A.

After the 2017 season ended, Stock declared free agency and signed with San Diego. He pitched briefly for the Padres’ Double-A club in 2018 before becoming the closer for the El Paso Chihuahuas (AAA), where he recorded a 1.93 ERA, held opposing hitters to a .177 average, and converted seven of eight save opportunities.

Stock is the second Jewish player to make his MLB debut this season, after Cincinnati’s Zack Weiss. We wish him a hearty Mazel Tov.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

On a typically quiet Thursday…

Ryan Braun received treatment for his chronically sore thumb and did not participate in the Milwaukee Brews’ 11-1 win over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. In fact, the Brewers (44-30) sent him to Los Angeles for the treatment on Wednesday when their game with the Pittsburgh Pirates was rained out.

Danny Valencia struck out as a pinch-hitter with a runner on base to end the seventh inning as the Baltimore Orioles (21-52) lost to the host Washington Nationals, 4-2. Reliever Richard Bleier was moved to the 60-day disabled list, which confirms he will not be back this season.

Neither Ian Kinsler nor Kevin Pillar managed a hit for the host LA Angels (40-35) and Toronto Blue Jays (34-40), respectively, as the Angels beat the Blue Jays, 8-5. Kinsler was 0-for-5 with three strikeouts while Pillar — who came oh-so-close to robbing a home run — was 0-for-4 with one K.

Alex Bregman and the Houston Astros had the night off, as did Joc Pederson and the LA Dodgers. Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies took a break as well. Bregman spent his time at a kids camp.

The JTA and LA Jewish Journal each ran stories about The Catcher Was a Spy, the upcoming bio-pic on Moe Berg, a Jewish player who spent 15 years in the Majors. Although I will certainly see it, I just can’t connect with Paul Rudd playing the much larger and swarthier catcher.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Alex Bregman hit home run #11 on Wednesday as the Houston Astros beat the visiting Tampa Bay Rays, 5-1. His solo shot came in the middle of a back-to-back-to-back run in the sixth, preceded by a George Springer HR and followed by a Jose Altuve HR.

Danny Valencia had a single and a double (#7) in three at-bats out of the cleanup spot as the Baltimore Orioles (21-51) shut out the host Washington Nationals, 3-0. His sacrifice fly in the six accounted for the Os’ final run.

Kevin Pillar was 0-for-4 as the Toronto Blue Jays (34-39) beat the visiting Atlanta Braves, 5-4.

Joc Pederson did not appear for the LA Dodgers (38-35) in their 4-0 loss to the host Chicago Cubs.

Ryan Braun’s Milwaukee Brewers were rained out of their game with the host Pittsburgh Pirates.

No game for Ian Kinsler and the LA Angels or Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Joc Pederson got the LA Dodgers off on the right foot when he knocked the second pitch of their first game of a twinbill with the host Chicago Cubs out of the park for a home run, his ninth of the season and eighth this month. It was his only hit in three at-bats (plus a walk) before coming out for a pinch-hitter in the ninth. The Dodgers (38-34) took the opener, 4-3. He entered the nightcap as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and was walked intentionally when he came to bat in the ninth. The Cubs won 2-1 in 10.

In a weird coincidence, Ian Kinsler also hit a lead-off home run (on the third pitch). The round-tripper — No. 10 on the year and his seventh in June — was the 48th such opener of his career and the margin of difference as the Angels (39-35) held off the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-4. Like Pederson, the dinger was Kinsler’s only hit in three at-bats plus a walk, but he also was hit by a pitch and scored an additional run.

Alex Bregman drove in the only run for the Houston Astros (49-26) in their 2-1 loss to the visiting Tampa Bay Rays. His RBI in the third tied the game at 1-1 as he was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double. Bregman was 1-for-2 with two walks. The ‘Stros’ 12-game winning streak came to an end.

Kevin Pillar poked double #22, his only hit in four at-bats (run scored), as the Toronto Blue Jays (33-39) were chopped by the Atlanta Braves, 11-4.

Ryan Braun grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning as the Milwaukee Brewers (43-40) beat the host Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-2.

Danny Valencia was 0-f0r-3 with a walk and a run scored as the Baltimore Orioles (20-51) fell to the host Washington Nationals, 9-7. According to thesportsdaily.com, “Danny Valencia (119 wRC+), Adam Jones (108), and Mark Trumbo (103) join [Manny] Machado as the only players on the roster with an above-average wRC+ so far this season.” For the uninitiated among you, according to MLB.com’s glossary, “wRC+ takes the statistic Runs Created and adjusts that number to account for important external factors — like ballpark or era. It’s adjusted, so a wRC+ of 100 is league average and 150 would be 50 percent above league average.” Uh-huh. That clears that up, thanks.

As was feared, Richard Bleier, who was having a fantastic season with a lousy team, is done for the year. He underwent “successful” surgery on Tuesday to repair an injured lat. Don’t mean to be a downer, but wouldn’t you have to wait until he tries throwing again to see if was truly successful?

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (38-33) lost to the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, 7-6.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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By Ron Kaplan, contributor

Alex Bregman does it again! He had just one hit in five at-bats on Monday, but he made it count. Bregman’s two-run, walk-off double (#22) with one out in the bottom of the ninth gave the Houston Astros (49-25) their 12th straight win, a come-from-behind, 5-4 decision over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays.

Ian Kinsler had a single and his 14th double in five at-bats, but the LA Angels (38-35) lost to the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, 7-4.

The Milwaukee Brewers (42-30) managed just two hits in their 1-0 loss to the host Pittsburgh Pirates, and neither of them were by Ryan Braun, who was o-for-4 with two strikeouts. Braun recently became just the 24th player in MLB history to amass 300 home runs and 200 stolen bases; Ian Kinsler has 232 steals but trails with 243 homers.

Gabe Kapler’s Philadelphia Phillies (38-32) beat the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, 6-5, in 10 innings.

The game between Joc Pederson’s LA Dodger and the host Chicago Cubs was postponed by weather.

Kevin Pillar and the Toronto Blue Jays had the day off, as did Danny Valencia and the Baltimore Orioles.

Ron Kaplan (@RonKaplanNJ) hosts Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports. He is the author of three books, including The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games and Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War.

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