The morning after his throwing error resulted in his team losing a game to the Chicago White Sox, Yu Chang from Cleveland tweeted Tuesday about racist reports he’d received on social media in response to the error.
“Use your freedom of speech the right way”, Chang said about the messages“I accept all comments, positive or negative, but DEFINITELY NOT RACISTS. Thank you all and love you all. “
The tweet featured screenshots of spiteful messages and the hashtag #StopAsianHate. Two of the accounts flagged by Chang appear to have been deleted and a third made private.
The action in question came in the ninth inning of a game that was 3-3. Chang, who mainly played third base, fielded an one-out grounder by Nick Williams and tried to eliminate Yasmani Grandal at second base. Chang’s pitch glanced off Grandal’s helmet and hopped to the left side of the infield, enabling Nick Madrigal, who had entered the game as pinch-runner for Chicago, from second place.
Mets Complete Sweep with Strong Outing by Stroman
Back on the mound, two days after a shortened start, Marcus Stroman threw six flawless innings, and the Mets defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4-0 on Tuesday-evening for a doubleheader sweep at Citi Field.
Brandon Nimmo had three basehits and three runs batted in from opening position. Jonathan Villar followed up his game-winning single in the opener with a run-scoring double, and Stroman (2-0) defeated Phillies-ace Aaron Nola.
Both games of the single-admission doubleheader, booked to make up for Monday night’s rainfall at Citi Field, were scheduled for seven innings in accordance with a rule change introduced during the pandemic-shortened 2020 regular season.
In the first game, Pete Alonso and Villar each hit an RBI-single in the eighth for a 4-3 Mets victory. Dominic Smith had hit an early two-run homer for the Mets.
Stroman’s performance against the Miami Marlins on Sunday lasted only nine pitches as the game was interrupted by rain. He tweeted his displeasure, saying that the game should never have started and that he hated having to wait five days to pitch again.
Mets Manager Luis Rojas initially said that Stroman would stay in Colorado on four days rest and pitch on Friday. However, after the postponement was announced on Monday, Rojas reversed course and said Stroman would begin the nightcap on Tuesday.
Stroman jumped around excitedly all night, slapping his glove after inducing a few double plays, and even twisting his bat after pulling a late walk on the plate.
Stroman was perfect for the first three innings, facing the minimum to four. He gave up four hits, all singles, and walked none. He struckout three batters and threw 86 pitches.
Jeurys Familia retired the side to finish the six-hitter.
With the Mets behind in the first game, Alonso led off the bottom of the eighth with a sharp single off Hector Neris (0-1), who scored placement runner Francisco Lindor from second base. It was the Mets’ first hit since the second inning.
Jeff McNeil defeated a potential double play ball, Michael Conforto walked and James McCann’s infield single loaded the bases with one out.
Villar, who entered as pinch-runner in the seventh inning and stayed in the game to play third base, raised a full-count pitch to left midfield over the head of left fielder Andrew McCutchen, who hopes to finish the winning run to cut.
Helped by a passed ball by McCann that allowed runners to advance, the Phillies advanced 3-2 in the top of the eighth against Trevor May when McCutchen scored from third base on Didi Gregorius’s two-out infield single.
May (1-1) eliminated Jean Segura with two runners in scoring position and finished with his first win for the Mets.
Righthanded Taijuan Walker struckout four over four and a third innings in his second start with the Mets, once again showing some increased speed on multiple pitches in his repertoire.
Walker was pulled on consecutive walks in the fifth, and the Mets escaped the inning by one run thanks to a great defensive play by substitute third baseman Luis Guillorme to thwart a double steal. (AP)
Ryu shuts down Yankees
Hyun-jin Ryu entered the seventh inning, Marcus Semien and Rowdy Tellez homered and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Yankees 7-3 on Tuesday-evening.
Ryu (1-1) gave up only one unearned run over six and two-thirds innings, struckout seven and limited the Yankees to four hits and walks. The ace of the Blue Jays retired 12 in a row after DJ LeMahieu had a leadoff infield single in the first.
Yankees centerfielder Aaron Hicks was back in the lineup, going 3 for 4 after getting permission from Manager Aaron Boone to sit out Monday’s game after police gunned down a black man, Daunte Wright, in Minnesota.
“He’s in good headroom,” Boone said before the game. There is no doubt that he was down yesterday when we first spoke in my office. Just struggle. “
Giancarlo Stanton, caught in an 0-for-16 slip, narrowed the Yankees’ deficit to 6-3 after a two-run single off Jordan Romero in the eighth.
Jameson Taillon gave up five runs and eight hits in three and two thirds in his second start after missing the 2020 season while recovering from Tommy John’s surgery. (AP)
Devers continues to role as Red Sox Top Twins
Rafael Devers homered for the fourth game in a row and the streaking Boston Red Sox defeated the Minnesota Twins 4-2, on a snowy Tuesday afternoon in a series opener pushed back after the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright by police.
Hunter Renfroe hit a solo homer and Bobby Dalbec added a pair of RBI-doubles, as Boston won the seventh in a row after losing the first three games of the season.
Monday’s game was postponed due to safety concerns and sensitivity in the Twin Cities after police fired at Wright the day before during a traffic stop. The Twins held a moment of silence for Wright before Tuesday’s game.
Snow gusts fell for most of the game and it was 33 degrees for the first throw. That made for the third coldest start at Target Field – the record of 27 degrees on April 7, 2018. (AP)