LEADING OFF: Father's Day tributes, Nats streak, Yanks skid
A look at what's happening all around the majors today:
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DAD'S DAY
Major League Baseball is paying tribute to the dads this weekend, with blue tones added to hats, uniforms and cleats for Father's Day. Nationals star Bryce Harper wore eyeblack patches to honor his pop. Angels teammates Cam Bedrosian and C.J. Cron certainly could share some stories - their dads played in the majors, too.
DAZZLING DIAMONDACK
Arizona lefty Robbie Ray is 5-0 with a 0.24 ERA in his last five starts. He'll try to give the Diamondbacks their seventh straight win when he pitches at Philadelphia. The Phils have lost 10 of 11.
CLOSE IT DOWN
The Yankees have lost a season-high five in a row, blowing a couple of late leads along the way. They expect to activate closer Aroldis Chapman from the disabled list before they play at Oakland. Chapman has been out for more than a month with inflammation in his left rotator cuff, and was shaky in a Double-A rehab outing Friday.
WASHING `EM AWAY
The Nationals go for a four-game sweep at Citi Field - the NL East leaders have battered the Mets so far in the series, totaling eight home runs, a triple and nine doubles. Washington is 6-0 at the Queens ballpark this season, and now face Jacob deGrom, who pitched the Mets' only complete game this year in his last start.
SLIDING
Cincinnati has lost eight in a row going into the series finale vs. the Dodgers. The Reds stumbled again Saturday, falling 10-2 soon after hometown star and all-time hits king Pete Rose unveiled a bronze statue in front of Great American Ball Park showing him making a headfirst slide.
BELLINGER'S SPLURGE
Dodgers rookie Cody Bellinger tries to keep his record-tying homer surge when Los Angeles faces the Reds. He hit his 19th homer - in only 49 career games - during a 10-2 win on Saturday. He matched the Yankees' Gary Sanchez for fewest career games to hit 19.
