Zach Davies, Ryan Tepera, Andrew Chafin and Craig Kimbrel combined for a no-hitter as the Chicago Cubs blanked World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0.
The Cubs threw the seventh no-hitter of the 2021 season – tying a modern era record for most in a campaign – while making history of their own against the Dodgers on Thursday.
It was the Cubs' first combined no-hitter in franchise history after Kimbrel completed the job away to the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
Cubs starter Davies went six innings without allowing a hit, striking out four batters.
The Cubs also became the first team in MLB history to throw a no-hitter (solo or combined) against a franchise with three former MVP winners in the starting line-up – Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger and Albert Pujols, according to Stats Perform.
Vladdy hits the front in homer race, Astros win again
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reclaimed the lead for the most home runs this season after helping the Toronto Blue Jays crush the Baltimore Orioles 9-0. Guerrero homered for the 24th time in 2021 – a 438-foot moonshot guiding the Blue Jays to a fifth consecutive win after Lourdes Gurriel Jr's first career grand slam.
The Houston Astros extended their winning streak to 11 games after easing past the Detroit Tigers 12-3. During their winning streak, Houston have scored 93 runs and allowed just 24. According to Stats Perform, they are the first MLB team to score 90-plus runs while allowing less than 25 over an 11-game span since the Pirates in 1911.
Kyle Schwarber fuelled the Washington Nationals' 7-3 victory against the Miami Marlins. Schwarber homered twice for the Nationals. It is the fourth time in his last 11 games that Schwarber had at least two home runs and four RBI. According to Stats Perform, he is the first MLB player to achieve the feat four times in an 11-game span since RBI became an official stat in 1920.
Kremer crushed in Buffalo
Dean Kremer had a game to forget against the Blue Jays. The Orioles pitcher gave up six runs, two hits and a career-high five walks in the opening inning as Baltimore suffered their 20th straight road loss.
Rays in wild walk-off win
The Tampa Bay Rays reclaimed the lead in the American League (AL) East thanks to a dramatic finish in their 1-0 walk-off victory against the Boston Red Sox. With two outs in the ninth inning, the Rays prevailed after Manuel Margot scored from third base on a wild pitch by Red Sox closer Matt Barnes.
Thursday's results
New York Yankees 8-1 Kansas City Royals
Oakland Athletics 5-1 Texas Rangers
Toronto Blue Jays 9-0 Baltimore Orioles
Cincinnati Reds 5-3 Atlanta Braves
Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 Boston Red Sox
Houston Astros 12-3 Detroit Tigers
Washington Nationals 7-3 Miami Marlins
Cleveland Indians 4-1 Minnesota Twins
Pittsburgh Pirates 8-2 St Louis Cardinals
Chicago Cubs 4-0 Los Angeles Dodgers
Yankees at Red Sox
The blockbuster rivalry resumes as the New York Yankees (40-34) visit the Red Sox (44-31) for the series opener on Friday. Martin Perez starts for the Red Sox as the Yankees counter with Domingo German.
MLB: Gil's 14 strikeouts, Soto's 2 home runs keep Yankees rolling
Luis Gil set a franchise rookie record with 14 strikeouts and was backed by Juan Soto’s two home runs as the red-hot New York Yankees rolled to their sixth straight win, 6-1 over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.
Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Trevino also homered for the Yankees, who won for the 12th time in 14 games and improved to an AL-best 32-15.
New York is 12-2-1 in series, matching 2002 as the only time since 1950 it has won 12 of its first 15 series.
Gil allowed one run on five hits over six innings to win his fourth straight start. He surpassed Orlando Hernandez’s 13 strikeouts on Aug. 13, 1998. Hernandez threw out the ceremonial first pitch on Saturday.
Soto hit a 417-foot home run in the first inning, had an RBI single in the second and added another solo shot in the fifth on a 437-foot drive into the right-field bleachers. Soto, who had his 18th career multihomer game and first with the Yankees, went 4 for 4 with a walk and is batting .317 with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs.
The White Sox struck out a season-high 16 times and fell to a major league-worst 4-18 on the road and 14-32 overall.
Marlins stun Mets with late rally
Josh Bell hit a tying three-homer to cap a four-run ninth off Edwin Diaz and the Miami Marlins pulled out an improbable 10-9 win over the struggling New York Mets.
Diaz was called on to protect a 9-5 lead in the ninth but Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled home a run and Bryan De La Cruz reached on an infield single with one out before Bell belted Diaz’s first-pitch slider 428 feet to center field for the tying runs.
After Tanner Scott pitched a scoreless top of the 10th, Otto Lopez singled home automatic runner Christian Bethancourt in the bottom half to give the Marlins a fourth straight win.
Diaz has allowed seven earned runs, seven hits, three walks and two homers over 2 1/3 innings in his past three appearances.
The Mets have lost seven of nine and dropped five games under .500 (20-25) for the first time since an 0-5 start.
Royals’ Lugo gets AL-best 7th win
Seth Lugo struck out 10 to earn his American League-leading seventh victory and Salvador Perez drove in a pair of runs in a 5-3 win over the Oakland Athletics.
Lugo allowed two runs and six hits with a walk in 5 2/3 innings. He notched his second straight double-digit strikeout game.
James McArthur struck out two in the ninth for his 11th save.
Ross Stripling was saddled with his league-leading eighth loss and Oakland dropped its season-high seventh in a row.
Emery admits 'I have my dreams' with Villa after sealing Champions League qualification
Unai Emery has his sights set on winning the Premier League or Champions League with Aston Villa after securing a top-four finish earlier this week.
Fifth-place Tottenham's defeat to title-chasing Manchester City on Tuesday meant Villa will play in Europe's premier club competition next season for the first time in 41 years.
Emery's side conclude a memorable season – in which they also reached the Europa Conference League semi-finals – away at Crystal Palace on the final day.
And the Spaniard is already focused on achieving bigger and better things with Villa.
"It really was amazing when the [Tottenham-Manchester City] match finished," he smiled. "At the beginning of the season, it was really a dream. Of course, we worked hard to try to be there.
"I want to get better, and I have my dreams, and I believe in my dreams. Of course, my objectives are to win the Premier League or the Champions League. We are not contenders, but it is our dream to achieve something like that."
Meanwhile, Palace have enjoyed a strong finish to the season, winning five of their last six games.
The Eagles could seal a top-half finish with a victory – and other results going their way – and Oliver Glasner has urged his players to use that as inspiration at Selhurst Park.
"I'm pleased with the performances we've had," he said. "We want to win. We always focus on what we can influence. If we don't do our job, we don't win, we can't be 10th. It's good motivation at home to say thank you to the fans."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Crystal Palace – Jean-Philippe Mateta
Mateta has scored in each of his last six home Premier League appearances for Palace, netting eight goals along the way.
He is now aiming to become only the second Frenchman after Thierry Henry to find the net in seven successive Premier League appearances on home soil.
Aston Villa – Ollie Watkins
Watkins has recorded the most assists in the Premier League this season with 13.
Only Ashley Young has ever provided more during a single Premier League campaign for Villa (14 in 2007-08).
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Palace are unbeaten on each of the previous 11 occasions they have finished a top-flight season with a home match (winning seven, drawing four).
By contrast, Villa have only won once in the 25 occasions they have finished a league campaign with an away game (drawn seven, lost 17).
That sole victory came against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in 2001-02.
On a brighter note, Villa are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League away games in London, winning five of their six this term.
With 16 such points this season, a win or draw here would set a new Premier League record for the most achieved during a single campaign.
Although, you must go back to their title-winning season of 1980-81 for the last time they completed a league double over Palace.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Crystal Palace: 31.8%
Aston Villa: 39.5%
Draw: 28.7
Forest 'still have to finish the job' against Burnley, says Nuno
Nuno Espirito Santo insists Nottingham Forest “still have to finish the job” of securing their Premier League safety when they face Burnley at Turf Moor.
Three points clear of 18th-place Luton Town in 17th, Forest are all but safe from relegation, while it would take an unlikely 12-goal swing in the Hatters’ favour to usurp them.
Nevertheless, Nuno is not taking anything for granted and has called for focus from his players, who he saluted for their efforts throughout the campaign.
"We still have to finish the job," he said. "But credit to the players because it was not an easy season. We have always been able to compete really well in games.
"The feeling is always that we should have been better. We have never felt that someone beat us; it was just that we let games get away from us.
"Yes, in certain games we have been punished, but we have always been a team that wants to attack and score. That is part of our identity.
"There is still a game to go, and we know how football can go. It is best that we prepare the same way with commitment. We are clear about everything that can happen. It is up to us to achieve what we want."
Meanwhile, Burnley are preparing for life back in the Championship, with their immediate return secured after last weekend’s defeat at Tottenham.
And Vincent Kompany says the match marks the first step towards the Clarets' recovery from their disappointment.
"If we're treating this as the first game of next season, in terms of preparing for next season, then this game is an important game," he said.
"You only really fail if you fail to learn and that's not the case for us. We've absolutely learned. There is no lack of motivation, no lack of desire.
"It's sometimes in human nature to sit down and sulk, to feel sorry for yourself. That is not in the culture here, it's not in my nature, the nature of many people here.
"We try to give that to the players – that's ultimately what is going to give them a chance to achieve their goals."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Burnley – Dara O'Shea
O'Shea has been directly involved in two of the last three goals Burnley have scored at Turf Moor (one goal, one assist).
The defender will look to build on that against a Forest side that has conceded 23 goals from set-pieces this season, with only three teams ever letting more in during a single Premier League campaign.
Nottingham Forest – Chris Wood
Wood is the highest scorer in Burnley’s Premier League history, having netted 49 times for the Clarets in the competition between 2017 and 2022.
The striker will aim to become the fifth player to score a Premier League goal against Burnley having previously played for them in the division, after Andre Gray, Danny Ings, Michael Keane and Patrick Bamford.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Forest are without a win in each of their last six league meetings with Burnley since a 2-0 victory in December 2012, with four of those ending in a draw.
The Tricky Trees have failed to win their final league game in each of the last four seasons, since beating Bolton Wanderers 1-0 in 2018-19.
Meanwhile, Burnley have lost their final Premier League game in each of their last six campaigns at this level.
The Clarets have also won only twice at home this season. Failure to win here would mean this is the fewest wins they have ever recorded in front of their fans in a single campaign.
Kompany’s side will need to tighten up in order to avoid that, though, having conceded at least once in each of their last 19 Premier League matches.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Burnley: 35.9%
Nottingham Forest: 34.8%
Draw: 29.3%
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