Last Night’s Highlights: Two Gold Glovers Show Off, Pham Kills A Rally, Bourjos Robs Ichiro

MLB had quite the day yesterday, as all 30 teams were in action, and 16 games were actually played (thanks to a Cardinals/Mets doubleheader). Care to guess what the most MLB games ever played in one day was? The answer is at the bottom (like the back of a cereal box game, only I won’t put it upset down – that might get you some weird looks at the office).

Anyway, that’s a heckuva lot of baseball, so there are a ton of highlights to get to. I still only featured three video highlights below, but be sure to check the “Oh, and also from Last Night:”  section for more of yesterday’s top plays. Lastly, I won’t do this every day, but because there were so many games, let’s take a look at the winners and losers, before getting to the good stuff:

  • Chicago Cubs 0 v. Chicago White Sox 3
  • Mariners 7 v. Pirates 4
  • Cardinals 3 v. Mets 2
  • Cardinals 1 v. Mets 3
  • Rockies 6 v. Orioles 3
  • Padres 6 v. Blue Jays 7
  • Tigers 9 v. Red Sox 8
  • Phillies 0 v. Marlins 5
  • Nationals 6 v. Indians 7
  • Athletics 6 v. Rangers 3
  • D-Backs 4 v. Brewers 9
  • Braves 2 v. Twins 0
  • Yankees 6 v Astos 3
  • Angels 13 v. Royals 0
  • Rays 2 v. Dodgers 3
  • Reds 7 v. Giants 9
  • 1. Alright, your first and top highlight from last night is actually a two-fer (what a value!). The Angles may have trounced the Royals 13-0 yesterday, but not before Alcides Escobar was able to make a stellar jump-throw, to nail a speedy Andrelton Simmons at first base. Escobar was a Gold Glove award winning short stop in 2015, though, so there’s not much of a surprise there. Of course, he wasn’t the only Gold Glove award winning shortstop on the field, and Andrelton Simmons made sure to remind us of that. Not one inning later, Simmons returned the favor to Escobar, throwing him out after making a fantastic bare-handed grab. Check out both plays here:

    Your browser does not support iframes.

    2. The next play, while certainly impressive, is at least partially notable because of the situation. With one on and nobody out in the bottom of the 9th inning yesterday, the Mets had a real opportunity to tie things up against the Cardinals. But when Yoenis Cespedes sent one deep into center field, taking Tommy Pham all the way to the wall, Curtis Granderson got a little greedy. As Granderson tagged up from first, Pham camped under the ball, setting himself up perfectly to make a play. He catches the ball, fires to second and nails Granderson, taking the steam out of the Mets rally. And, to be fair, that was a phenomenal throw. It was strong, right on the money, and in time to get Granderson who’s no slowpoke. Really great play. The Cardinals held onto win 3-2.

    Your browser does not support iframes.

    3. Once again, this is nice play, but the context surrounding it matters more than the defensive requirements and skills it took to make. As I hope you know, Ichiro Suzuki is (or rather, was, at this point) just four hits shy of 3,000 for his MLB career. That is a very notable milestone, and one he figures to reach any day now. But I’ll bet he thought he was going to be one hit closer after sending one deep to right center field in the bottom of the first inning yesterday. Unfortunately, Peter Bourjos was patrolling right field and spoiled all of the fun. Suzuki eventually got another hit, later in the game, and now sits just 3 away from the big 3000. Check it out:

    Your browser does not support iframes.


    Oh, and also from Last Night:

  • Yunel Escobar goes 5-5 with an RBI and 2 runs scored in Angels 13-0 win over Royals
  • Nolan Arenado makes a difficult bare-handed grab and thorw to nail Jonathan Schoop at first
  • Josh Reddick makes a diving catch to end the game
  • Jace Peterson lays out in left field, to catch Joe Mauer’s opposite-field liner
  • Max Kepler dives forward to make a sliding catch in right field
  • Francisco Lindor does the best impersonation of himself, makes a great stop, spins, and fires to first
  • Kole Calhoun makes a diving catch in right, to rob Kendrys Morales of a base hit
  • What you may have missed from Yesterday:

  • A Ball-dude misses a play he should make, while an ump makes a play he probably could have missed
  • A high schooler stole home in style, sliding through his teammate’s legs
  • Back-to-back errors cost the Rockies the game in extra innings
  • Jackie Bradley Jr. throws 101 MPH from center field
  • Last Night’s Highlights
  • ANSWER: Thanks to nine double headers, MLB played 20 (!) games on Sunday, August 4, 1974 – back when there were only 24 teams.

    written by

    Michael Cerami began covering the Chicago Cubs for Bleacher Nation as a part-time contributor in 2015. One year later, he joined Bleacher Nation full-time, covering the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball. Today, Michael runs Bleacher Nation, contributing as a writer (Cubs, MLB) and an editor for all sections of the site, including the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks, as well as MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL. In 2019, Michael was the co-host of NBC Sports Chicago's Cubs Post-Game Show Outside the Ivy. You can find him on Twitter/X @Michael_Cerami

    more cubs news

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    *SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

    The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

    I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

    Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

    ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

    The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

    You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

    Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

    Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

    The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

    Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

    I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

    There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

    I Dug Deep on the Cubs 2024 Schedule (And I Like What I See)

    Finally, with Cody Bellinger in the fold, we can start focusing more seriously on the season ahead. So today, I thought we'd take a look at the Cubs 2024 schedule. You can flip through the Cubs 2024 schedule right here...

    Here’s What I’m Betting on the Cubs for Opening Day

    I get it. Sports betting isn't for everyone — like, say, the interpreter for an international baseball superstar — but some of us quite enjoy it! If you are one of those people, this article is for you. Below, I'm...

    WAKE UP, BASEBALL IS BACK

    The day has arrived. Opening Day. The most glorious day on the baseball calendar, save for the day of each Chicago Cubs World Series win, of course. See, I get to say things like that on Opening Day. Maybe the...

    Latest News

    MVC Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | April 2

    There is one game on the postseason college basketball schedule on Tuesday that feature MVC squads, and we have best bets recomendations. That matchup is the Utah Utes versus the Indiana State Sycamores.How to Bet on MVC Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Best...

    Pac-12 Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | April 2

    There is one game featuring a Pac-12 teams on the Tuesday postseason college basketball schedule, the Utah Utes versus the Indiana State Sycamores. Make sure you check out below for today's best bets!How to Bet on Pac-12 Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Best...

    Marlins vs. Pirates: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

    In their season opener on Friday, Andrew Jacob Puk will take the mound for the Miami Marlins against Martin Perez and the Pittsburgh Pirates, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 PM ET at LoanDepot park.See how to watch the Miami-Pittsburgh...

    Warriors vs. Hornets Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Golden State Warriors (38-34) hit the court against the Charlotte Hornets (18-54) as double-digit, 11.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup has an over/under of 218 points.Dig into the best bets...

    Pacers vs. Lakers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Los Angeles Lakers (41-32) are 2.5-point underdogs as they look to extend a five-game win streak when they visit the Indiana Pacers (41-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The game airs at 7:00 PM ET on...

    Clippers vs. Magic Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Los Angeles Clippers (45-27) are slightly favored (by 1 point) to continue a three-game road win streak when they visit the Orlando Magic (42-30) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET. The point total in the matchup...

    Wizards vs. Pistons Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Detroit Pistons (12-61) are slight underdogs (by 2.5 points) to stop a five-game road losing streak when they visit the Washington Wizards (14-59) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET. The over/under is 229 in the matchup.Check...

    Rome Odunze Has a Visit With the Bears Coming Soon

    If you aren't already familiar with Rome Odunze's name or game, your time will come. The University of Washington wide receiver is one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. At this point of the year, I've officially...

    Matt Eberflus Opens a Window to the Chicago Bears Draft Plans

    NFL coaches are notoriously tight-lipped. And in his first two seasons as Bears head coach, Matt Eberflus has been no different. But every once in a while you'll catch Eberflus peel back the curtain and provide some insight regarding the...

    How to Watch Braves vs. Phillies: Live Stream or on TV

    Spencer Strider will take the mound for the Atlanta Braves when they square off against starter Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies in their season opener on Friday, with first pitch at 3:05 PM ET.The article below will provide you...

    more cubs news