LEADING OFF: Carpenter's HR binge, deGrom vs Yanks at night

Posted July 22, 2018 7:00 am

By The Associated Press

St. Louis Cardinals' Matt Carpenter watches his home run off Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Tyler Chatwood during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 21, 2018, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) The Associated Press

A look at what's happening around the majors today:

POWER SURGE

Matt Carpenter tries to homer in his seventh straight game when the Cardinals complete a five-game series against the rival Cubs at Wrigley Field. The teams split a day-night doubleheader Saturday and Carpenter homered in both ends - even though he didn't start the second game. He entered as a defensive replacement in the sixth inning and hit a solo drive in the seventh for his fifth homer in two days. He also had a solo shot in the opener after going 5 for 5 with three homers and seven RBIs while playing just six innings in St. Louis' 18-5 victory Friday. Carpenter became the first player in Cardinals history to homer in six consecutive games during one season. He matched the club record held by Mark McGwire, who connected in six straight games over two years.

PRIME TIME IN THE BIG APPLE

In the rubber game of their Subway Series at Yankee Stadium, the New York Mets send All-Star ace Jacob deGrom (5-4, 1.68 ERA) to the mound against Aaron Judge and the Bronx Bombers at 8:05 p.m. EDT. Sporting the lowest ERA in the majors this season, deGrom is 0-2 with an 8.03 ERA in two career starts at Yankee Stadium. Masahiro Tanaka (7-2, 4.54) pitches for the Yankees.

BUCS BARRELING ALONG

Corey Dickerson and the Pirates go for their ninth victory in a row when they face Matt Harvey and the Reds in Cincinnati. Dickerson hit two first-pitch home runs Saturday night during a 6-2 win that extended Pittsburgh's longest streak since an eight-game run in September 2015. Ivan Nova (5-6) opposes Harvey (5-5), who is 4-0 over his last five starts and hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of them.

BULLPEN BOOST

The surprising Athletics, who have surged into the AL wild-card picture, could have a new arm in the bullpen for their interleague game against Bay Area rival San Francisco. Oakland obtained reliever Jeurys Familia from the Mets on Saturday for two minor leaguers and $1 million in international signing bonus pool allotment. Familia, an All-Star in 2016, was at Yankee Stadium on Saturday morning but left before the start of the Mets' 7-6 loss. He'll join an A's relief corps that includes All-Star closer Blake Treinen. "For already having a good bullpen, to be able to bring in an arm like this, man, it's pretty significant," manager Bob Melvin said. "I'll certainly talk to him before I say how this is going to be deployed as far as what innings for who. But this is a real significant pickup for us. You can't ask for much more."

ALL-STAR ARMS

After getting rained out Saturday, the NL East rival Braves and Nationals are scheduled to conclude their series in Washington with a potential matchup of All-Stars on the mound. Mike Foltynewicz (7-5, 2.66 ERA) was slated to pitch for Atlanta against Max Scherzer (12-5, 2.41), though rain is forecast again. Braves pitcher Sean Newcomb (8-5, 3.51) and Nationals lefty Gio Gonzalez (6-6, 3.72) were Saturday's scheduled starters. Atlanta is in a tight race with Philadelphia for the division lead. Scherzer, who started the All-Star Game on Tuesday night at Nationals Park, engaged in a heated spat with fellow ace Stephen Strasburg in the dugout during Friday night's defeat.

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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

Pittsburgh Pirates' Corey Dickerson (12) celebrates with Starling Marte (6) after hitting a solo home run off Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani in the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 21, 2018, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) The Associated Press

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, right, celebrates with Giancarlo Stanton after hitting a solo home run against the New York Mets during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 21, 2018, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) The Associated Press

New York Mets relief pitcher Jeurys Familia walks across the field after a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Friday, July 20, 2018, in New York. Mets manager Mickey Callaway said after the game that he was called by the front office in the middle innings and told not to use Familia in relief because the team was close to trading him. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) The Associated Press

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