SHANE GREENE

Dodgers Padres Baseball Los Angeles Dodgers' Will Smith watches his home run during the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021, in San Diego. Pollock's 16th homer came off rookie reliever Daniel Camarena (0-1), the ninth Padres pitcher. Pollock had a big game in a 5-2 win in the series opener Tuesday night, robbing Manny Machado of a two-run homer and hitting a two-run single. But then Fernando Tatis Jr. tied it at 3 with a two-run homer to right field with one out in the 15th, his NL-leading 35th. The Padres ran out of position players in extra innings and had to have pitchers Ryan Weathers and Joe Musgrove pinch-hit.

AJ Pollock led off the 16th inning with a two-run homer and the streaking Los Angeles Dodgers beat the struggling San Diego Padres 5-3 in by far the longest major league game since pandemic rules were implemented last year.

PiratesBraves Baseball Atlanta Braves Austin Riley watches his two-run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 23, 2021 in Atlanta. The Braves hit 15 homers, adding to their major league lead, while winning three of four games against the Pirates. After losing the opening game of the four-game series 6-4 on Thursday night, the Braves outscored the Pirates 33-3 in three consecutive wins. They hit seven homers, including Riley's first career two-homer game, in a 20-1 win on Friday night. Braves: RHP Shane Greene struck out the side in his only inning on Saturday night in his first appearance for Triple-A Gwinnett.

Austin Riley drove in five runs while hitting two of Atlanta three homers and the Braves capped their impressive power display in the series by beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-1.

Atlanta Braves players celebrate after defeating the Miami Marlins in Game 3 of a baseball National League Division Series, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, in Houston. And even those future Hall of Famers didn't throw the way these Braves have this postseason. Wright (1-0) was sharp despite not pitching since Sept. 25, allowing three hits and walking two with a career-high seven strikeouts. Atlanta became the second team in history to throw four shutouts in the first five playoff games, joining the 1905 New York Giants behind Hall of Famers Christy Mathewson and Joe McGinnity. D’Arnaud knocked a double off the bullpen in right-center to send two home and extend the lead to 3-0.

This week, Daily Commercial columnist Frank Jolley acknowledges some of the best student-athletes from every area high school who have brought recognition to the Lake and Sumter counties. Its simply a recollection of what Ive seen and learned during my time knocking around Lake and Sumter counties. Perhaps it can be the start of a Lake and Sumter Hall of Fame, of sorts. What that explanation, heres my list of a few of the best student-athletes ever to come out of Lake and Sumter counties. Lake MinneolaDrew MendozaMendoza passed on a chance to be a potential first-round draft pick in the 2016 Major League Baseball draft and attended Florida State University.

Now, the former East Ridge star has a chance to finish games that really matter. Saddled with the worst record in the big leagues, it became clear that Detroit was looking to move Greene ahead of the deadline. "The best way to describe it is your girlfriend texts you and says, 'We need to talk,'" Greene quipped. Jackson leads the team with 17 saves, but he's blown eight other chances and seen his ERA climb to 3.96. Anthony Swarzak, who got off to a strong start after being acquired from Seattle, also has struggled in recent games.

Among qualified relievers, only Kirby Yates of the San Diego Padres (1.05 ERA) and Liam Hendricks of the Oakland Athletics (1.18 ERA) have a lower ERA than Greene in 2019. Greene's effectiveness this year could be considered a fluke. The average BABIP on ground balls this year is .239, significantly better than that of line drives (.615). Because there is such a disconnect between Greene's career numbers and the 2019 season, rest-of-season projections are not optimistic. But as we have already shown it is likely Greene's success is fueled by talent more than luck alone.

After nearly a week off for the All-Star break, Major League Baseball is back on track. And Lake Countys trio of major leaguers could factor in in varying ways to the pennant races over the final 60-plus games of the regular season. Heres an update on our local major leaguers. Lucroy hit .320 in 316 at bats in 2012 and .301 in 585 at bats in 2014, the year he set a Major League record for catchers with 46 doubles. His performance in the first half of the season earned Greene his first All-Star game appearance.