(TSX / STATS) -- NEW YORK -- Nick Pivetta officially used up his rookie eligibility status Sunday afternoon, when the Philadelphia Phillies right-hander appropriately took a big step forward in his major-league development.
Pivetta bounced back from the shortest start of his career by earning the win with seven innings of one-hit ball as the Phillies routed the New York Mets 7-1 to salvage the finale of a three-game series at Citi Field.
Pivetta (2-4) carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning, when he gave up a one-out homer to T.J. Rivera. He lasted seven innings for the second time in 10 starts. He finished the game with 52 innings pitched, two more than the maximum allowed to maintain rookie eligibility in future seasons, while walking four and striking out four.
Afterward, Pivetta said he wasn't thinking about a no-hitter as the game reached the middle innings.
"I knew that there were no hits in the first inning, second inning, third inning, fourth inning -- not hard to know that, it's right there on the scoreboard," Pivetta said with a grin. "I was just focused on getting a quality start in (and) helping my team win. I hung a breaking ball and he hit it out. That's why those things are so hard to do, because it's one thing. Those guys are so good at their job. You have to be perfect to do anything."
Pivetta was decidedly imperfect in his previous start last Monday, when he took the loss after allowing a career-high six runs in 2 2/3 innings as the Phillies fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-1.
"A veteran pitcher will have a bad start now and then -- they know what to do, or know how to cope with it, because they have to wait for five more days," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "A young pitcher needs to learn how to do that. And he certainly showed that he learned something from his last outing."
Pivetta said a talk in the outfield during a batting practice session earlier this week with fellow rookie pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. helped him refocus.
"There wasn't a whole lot of emphasis on (the poor start)," Pivetta said. "Just, you're a professional, go out there and do better than you did last time."
The Phillies produced all the offense they needed during an unusual four-run second inning. Mets right-hander Rafael Montero opened the inning by giving up three hits in as many pitches to Tommy Joseph (single), Nick Williams (single) and Maikel Franco (two-run double). Franco advanced to third on a bunt by Ty Kelly and scored on Andrew Knapp's single.
Knapp advanced on a sacrifice by Pivetta before scoring all the way from second on a wild pitch that Mets catcher Rene Rivera had a hard time retrieving. The race home highlighted an active week on the base paths for the rookie catcher, who recorded his first career stolen base and triple on Friday and added an infield single later Sunday.
"The way we've been playing, we need all the bases we can get," Knapp said of the Phillies (27-53), who avoided being swept for the 11th time this season.
The Phillies added three runs in the eighth on a pinch-hit RBI single by Brock Stassi and a two-run single by Daniel Nava, who finished with three hits.
Matt Reynolds singled in the eighth for the other hit by the Mets (38-43), who lost for just the second time in nine games.
Montero (1-5) allowed four runs, eight hits and two walks while striking out six in 6 1/3 innings.
"We didn't get any hits," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "(Montero) gave us a chance to get back in that game. We just didn't do it."
Outside of the second inning, the Phillies got just two runners into scoring position against Montero.
"I had one bad inning where I looked bad," Montero said through an interpreter. "After that, I did the adjustments and I ended well."
NOTES: Mets OF Curtis Granderson (hip) did not play. Granderson, one of just four Mets Opening Day starters to avoid the disabled list this season, said he still felt sore while warming up for a possible pinch-hitting appearance. He is day-to-day. ... The Mets had two hits or fewer for the third time this season. They were one-hit by the Miami Marlins on May 7 and two-hit by the Washington Nationals on April 22. ... Phillies RHP Vince Velasquez (right flexor strain) made his first rehab start Saturday, allowing one run in two innings for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. ... The Phillies played the 10th game in a 20-game span in which no consecutive games start at the same time. The Phillies aren't scheduled to start consecutive games at the same time until July 17-18 at the Marlins (7:10 p.m. ET).
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Monday, July 3, 2017
Betts explodes for 8 RBIs as Red Sox clobber Blue Jays
(TSX / STATS) -- TORONTO -- Mookie Betts and the Boston Red Sox were hot, and the Toronto Blue Jays were not, as both teams continued to travel in opposite directions.
Betts belted two home runs and matched his career best with eight RBIs Sunday afternoon as the Red Sox trounced the Blue Jays 15-1 to complete a sweep of the three-game series.
Betts had three-run and two-run homers, a two-run single and an RBI single as the Red Sox won their fourth game in a row.
"Today felt pretty good," Betts said. "I got some good pitches to hit and just tried to put a good swing on it and hope for the best. When you get to the plate, you're just expecting a good pitch to hit and you're ready for it. Today I was just more ready than other days."
Hanley Ramirez added three hits, including a two-run homer, and three RBIs for the Red Sox (47-35), who outhit the Blue Jays 21-5.
"The way Hanley has swung the bat in the middle of the order, that's a major presence for us," Red Sox manager John Farrell said.
Drew Pomeranz (8-4) allowed five hits, two walks and one run in six innings to win his second straight start.
"He's been strong, he's been very consistent," Farrell said. "His presence and way he's gone about these last 10 starts in particular have been strong."
Pomeranz has a 3.57 ERA in his past nine starts.
Fernando Abad replaced Pomeranz in the seventh and allowed one walk in three innings to pick up his first save of the season.
The Blue Jays (37-44) completed a six-game homestand with one win. They've lost four in a row.
"We're not hitting, really, it's pretty obvious," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "We've been cold the last few days, it'll change."
Blue Jays starter Joe Biagini (2-8) allowed two homers among 10 hits, two walks and seven runs while striking out seven in 5 1/3 innings. His ERA climbed to 5.03.
"There were times when he was really, really good today," Gibbons said. "He was getting ahead of guys, then it was like he was trying to make that perfect pitch and the count swings back in their favor. Betts burned him a couple of times. He did the damage."
Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin said, "We played hard, they were just better than us today. I don't see it as rock bottom or anything like that. Today is just a day where it didn't go our way. They found holes, they battled tough with two strikes, they made us work.
"We didn't play well today, we really didn't have a good series at all. We got outplayed. So we've got to bounce back, head to New York (for a series against the Yankees), forget about this stuff and get ready for the next game."
The Red Sox scored a run in the first inning on a pair of two-out walks and an RBI single by Ramirez that extended his hitting streak to seven games.
They scored another run in the second inning on a triple by Tzu-Wei Lin and a single by Betts.
A sacrifice fly by Steve Pearce gave Toronto a run in the second. It scored Justin Smoak, who led off with a single, moved to second on a walk to Kendrys Morales and took third when Troy Tulowitzki flied out to center.
Lin and Deven Marrero bunted for singles to open the fourth and Betts homered to put Boston into a 5-1 lead.
Betts hit his 15th homer of the season after Marrero singled to make the score 7-1.
Aaron Loup replaced Biagini and completed the sixth before Glenn Sparkman took over for the seventh inning.
Sparkman coughed up seven hits and seven runs in one-third of an inning.
He allowed three singles followed by a two-run double by Marrero, his third hit of the game, a two-run single by Betts, and RBI doubles by Andrew Benintendi and Dustin Pedroia.
Jeff Beliveau replaced Sparkman and allowed the 12th homer of the season by Ramirez.
NOTES: Boston SS Xander Bogaerts (left groin tightness) was a late scratch from the lineup and was listed as day to day. ... Boston manager John Farrell returned after watching his son Luke's major league pitching debut Saturday with the Royals in Kansas City. ... Boston traded minor league 1B Nick Longhi to the Cincinnati Reds for international amateur signing bonus pool space. ... Toronto acquired minor league OF Eduard Pinto from the Texas Rangers for RHP Jason Grilli, who had been designated for assignment, and cash considerations. ... Boston RHP Rick Porcello (4-10, 5.06 ERA) will start the opener of a three-game series Monday against the Rangers in Arlington, Texas. Texas had not named a starter. ... Toronto opens a three-game series at Yankee Stadium on Monday with RHP Marcus Stroman (8-4, 3.41) facing Yankees RHP Masahiro Tanaka (6-7, 5.56).
Betts belted two home runs and matched his career best with eight RBIs Sunday afternoon as the Red Sox trounced the Blue Jays 15-1 to complete a sweep of the three-game series.
Betts had three-run and two-run homers, a two-run single and an RBI single as the Red Sox won their fourth game in a row.
"Today felt pretty good," Betts said. "I got some good pitches to hit and just tried to put a good swing on it and hope for the best. When you get to the plate, you're just expecting a good pitch to hit and you're ready for it. Today I was just more ready than other days."
Hanley Ramirez added three hits, including a two-run homer, and three RBIs for the Red Sox (47-35), who outhit the Blue Jays 21-5.
"The way Hanley has swung the bat in the middle of the order, that's a major presence for us," Red Sox manager John Farrell said.
Drew Pomeranz (8-4) allowed five hits, two walks and one run in six innings to win his second straight start.
"He's been strong, he's been very consistent," Farrell said. "His presence and way he's gone about these last 10 starts in particular have been strong."
Pomeranz has a 3.57 ERA in his past nine starts.
Fernando Abad replaced Pomeranz in the seventh and allowed one walk in three innings to pick up his first save of the season.
The Blue Jays (37-44) completed a six-game homestand with one win. They've lost four in a row.
"We're not hitting, really, it's pretty obvious," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "We've been cold the last few days, it'll change."
Blue Jays starter Joe Biagini (2-8) allowed two homers among 10 hits, two walks and seven runs while striking out seven in 5 1/3 innings. His ERA climbed to 5.03.
"There were times when he was really, really good today," Gibbons said. "He was getting ahead of guys, then it was like he was trying to make that perfect pitch and the count swings back in their favor. Betts burned him a couple of times. He did the damage."
Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin said, "We played hard, they were just better than us today. I don't see it as rock bottom or anything like that. Today is just a day where it didn't go our way. They found holes, they battled tough with two strikes, they made us work.
"We didn't play well today, we really didn't have a good series at all. We got outplayed. So we've got to bounce back, head to New York (for a series against the Yankees), forget about this stuff and get ready for the next game."
The Red Sox scored a run in the first inning on a pair of two-out walks and an RBI single by Ramirez that extended his hitting streak to seven games.
They scored another run in the second inning on a triple by Tzu-Wei Lin and a single by Betts.
A sacrifice fly by Steve Pearce gave Toronto a run in the second. It scored Justin Smoak, who led off with a single, moved to second on a walk to Kendrys Morales and took third when Troy Tulowitzki flied out to center.
Lin and Deven Marrero bunted for singles to open the fourth and Betts homered to put Boston into a 5-1 lead.
Betts hit his 15th homer of the season after Marrero singled to make the score 7-1.
Aaron Loup replaced Biagini and completed the sixth before Glenn Sparkman took over for the seventh inning.
Sparkman coughed up seven hits and seven runs in one-third of an inning.
He allowed three singles followed by a two-run double by Marrero, his third hit of the game, a two-run single by Betts, and RBI doubles by Andrew Benintendi and Dustin Pedroia.
Jeff Beliveau replaced Sparkman and allowed the 12th homer of the season by Ramirez.
NOTES: Boston SS Xander Bogaerts (left groin tightness) was a late scratch from the lineup and was listed as day to day. ... Boston manager John Farrell returned after watching his son Luke's major league pitching debut Saturday with the Royals in Kansas City. ... Boston traded minor league 1B Nick Longhi to the Cincinnati Reds for international amateur signing bonus pool space. ... Toronto acquired minor league OF Eduard Pinto from the Texas Rangers for RHP Jason Grilli, who had been designated for assignment, and cash considerations. ... Boston RHP Rick Porcello (4-10, 5.06 ERA) will start the opener of a three-game series Monday against the Rangers in Arlington, Texas. Texas had not named a starter. ... Toronto opens a three-game series at Yankee Stadium on Monday with RHP Marcus Stroman (8-4, 3.41) facing Yankees RHP Masahiro Tanaka (6-7, 5.56).
Baseball Capsules (July 3, 2017)
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jake Arrieta pitched one-hit ball for seven innings without allowing a stolen base, and Ian Happ homered twice in the ballpark where he played as a college star, leading Chicago past Cincinnati.
Arrieta (8-6) was coming off a subpar performance that created friction and a surprise move. The Nationals stole seven bases off Arrieta during their 6-1 win on Tuesday, and catcher Miguel Montero complained afterward about the pitcher's move to the plate with runners on base. Montero was cut loose the following day.
Back in the ballpark where he threw a no-hitter last season, Arrieta was back in form, allowing only Joey Votto's first-inning single and a pair of walks — the Reds were never in position to try to steal.
Happ hit a two-run homer and a solo shot off Tim Adleman (5-5), and added an RBI single.
Anthony Rizzo also had a solo homer, and Javier Baez doubled home a run.
NATIONALS 7, CARDINALS 2
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Bryce Harper homered twice against Carlos Martinez, Max Scherzer struck out 12 over seven scoreless innings and Washington beat St. Louis.
Harper also doubled and had four RBIs to pace Washington, which snapped a three-game skid and had lost five of seven.
The Cardinals had won four straight and six of seven overall, including series victories over the Arizona Diamondbacks and Nationals.
Scherzer (10-5) allowed two hits and two walks while lowering his major league-leading ERA to 1.94. Scherzer's double-digit strikeout performance was his 10th this season and 59th of his career.
Martinez (6-7) entered the game ranked fourth in the NL in ERA but allowed five runs in five innings.
ASTROS 8, YANKEES 1
HOUSTON (AP) — Yuli Gurriel finished a triple shy of the cycle, Carlos Correa tied a career-high with four hits and had three RBIs, and Houston handed New York its 14th loss in 19 games.
Marwin Gonzalez hit a two-run homer in a three-run second off Luis Severino (5-4) as the Astros improved the best record in the major leagues to 56-27. Houston had 14 hits, including seven doubles, and went 6 for 17 with runners in scoring position.
New York, which led the AL East by four games on June 13, lost two of three to the Astros and dropped three games behind division-leading Boston.
Chris Devenski (5-3) pitched two perfect innings in relief to get the win.
INDIANS 11, TIGERS 8
DETROIT (AP) — Jose Ramirez homered twice, and Cleveland snapped Justin Verlander's decade-long streak of games with at least one strikeout, chasing the Detroit star in the fourth inning.
Verlander (5-5) had struck out a batter in 331 consecutive appearances and was tied with Curt Schilling for the sixth-longest streak since 1913. He hadn't gone without a strikeout since April 28, 2007, when he lasted only three innings against Minnesota.
On Sunday, he allowed seven runs and nine hits with three walks in 3 1/3 innings.
Mike Clevinger (4-3) allowed a run and two hits in six innings. He walked five and struck out seven.
The Indians held on after Detroit scored six runs in the ninth inning, including homers by James McCann and Nicholas Castellanos. Cody Allen retired the final batter for his 16th save in 17 chances.
DIAMONDBACKS 4, ROCKIES 3
PHOENIX (AP) — Ketel Marte lined a run-scoring single in the ninth inning and Arizona overcame the first earned run allowed by Fernando Rodney in 21 games.
Rodney (2-2) had his hitless outings streak end at 11 with three straight singles in the ninth inning, including Charlie Blackmon's tying hit. Rodney got a pair of pop ups with two on to end the inning.
Brandon Drury hit a one-out single in the bottom half and Chris Iannetta followed with a double off Adam Ottavino (1-3). Marte fell into a 1-2 hole against Chris Rusin before lining a one-hopper off the wall, sending the Diamondbacks rushing out of the dugout to mob him.
Chris Owings hit a two-run homer and Drury had three hits for Arizona, off to the best start in franchise history at 52-31.
Colorado has lost 10 of 11.
PADRES 5, DODGERS 3
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jhoulys Chacin pitched five scoreless innings, Manuel Margot homered and drove in two runs, and San Diego got a rare victory over the Dodgers.
The Padres lost seven of the first eight meetings with the Dodgers this season but defeated Kenta Maeda (6-4) for the second time in 13 weeks.
San Diego went ahead 5-0 against Maeda while Chacin (7-7) was recording his second scoreless outing in 17 starts this year.
Chacin, who struck out six, retired cleanup hitter Cody Bellinger three times with a man on base, twice on strikes and once on a 2-0 pitch with two runners aboard.
Brandon Mauer got the last three outs for his 16th save.
BRAVES 4, ATHLETICS 3, 12 INNINGS
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kurt Suzuki led off the 12th inning with his second home run of the game, helping Atlanta complete a three-game sweep.
One inning after closer Jim Johnson got his sixth blown save, Suzuki lined a shot to left on a 3-1 pitch from John Axford (0-1). Suzuki also homered off starter Sean Manaea to begin the second.
It's the third multihomer of Suzuki's career and first since 2011 when he was with Oakland. The veteran catcher had not gone deep against his previous club until these homers helped Atlanta finish its six-game West Coast trip on a positive note after a rocky beginning.
Johnson (6-1) got the win despite three walks, and Arodys Vizcaino retired three batters for his second save. Vizcaino got Franklin Barreto to fly out with two runners on to end it.
PHILLIES 7, METS 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Nick Pivetta allowed one hit in seven impressive innings for his second major league win, and Philadelphia stopped the New York Mets' four-game winning streak.
Maikel Franco had a two-run double in a four-run second aided by a pair of sacrifice bunts. Rookie catcher Andrew Knapp added an RBI single and dashed home from second on a wild pitch by Rafael Montero.
Leadoff man Daniel Nava had three hits and two RBIs to help the major league-worst Phillies prevent a three-game sweep and finish their 4-5 road trip on a positive note. Philadelphia outhit the Mets 12-2.
Making his 10th major league start, Pivetta (2-4) permitted only T.J. Rivera's home run on an 81 mph slider with one out in the fifth. He struck out four and walked four.
ORIOLES 7, RAYS 1
BALTIMORE (AP) — Manny Machado hit a three-run homer, Kevin Gausman pitched seven innings of two-hit ball and Baltimore avoided a three-game sweep.
Mark Trumbo also homered and Seth Smith had two RBIs for the Orioles, playing their final home game until July 14.
Gausman (5-7) struck out nine and walked two in the finest of his 18 starts this season. The right-hander allowed only one runner past first base in lowering his ERA from 6.07 to 5.61.
Jesus Sucre ended Baltimore's shutout bid with an eighth-inning homer off Mychal Givens.
Tampa Bay starter Alex Cobb (6-6) gave up seven runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings.
RED SOX 15, BLUE JAYS 1
TORONTO (AP) — Mookie Betts hit two home runs and matched a career-high with eight RBIs to help Boston rout Toronto.
Betts went 4 for 6 as AL East-leading Boston won for the sixth time in seven games, completing the three-game sweep. He hit an RBI single in the second, a three-run homer in the fourth, a two-run blast in the sixth, and a two-run single in the seventh. It was the second multihomer game of the season for Betts, who also hit two at Philadelphia on June 14. Betts had eight RBIs against Arizona on Aug. 14, 2016.
Drew Pomeranz (8-4) pitched six innings for his third straight road win.
Hanley Ramirez had three hits, including a two-run homer, as the Red Sox collected a season-high 21 hits.
Joe Biagini (2-8) took the loss as he was chased in the sixth inning by Betts' second homer.
GIANTS 5, PIRATES 3
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Brandon Belt started San Francisco's comeback with an RBI single in a three-run seventh inning, then added a two-run homer in the eighth as the Giants got their season-high sixth straight win.
Jordy Mercer's two-run homer in the third off Jeff Samardzija (4-9) put the Pirates ahead.
Trevor Williams took a two-hit shutout into the seventh, when Hunter Pence walked leading off and Buster Posey doubled. Belt and Brandon Crawford hit consecutive run-scoring singles off left-hander Tony Watson (4-2), and Kelby Tomlinson's sacrifice fly gave San Francisco a 3-2 lead.
Belt homered in the eighth off Edgar Santana, his 16th this season.
ROYALS 6, TWINS 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Alcides Escobar had two hits and two RBIs and Scott Alexander picked up his first major league victory for Kansas City.
The Royals have won 15 of 21 games to move a game above .500 and into a tie with the Twins for second place in the American League Central.
Escobar went 7-for-16 with four extra-base hits, including a home run, with seven RBIs and scored four runs in the four-game series to raised his average 50 points since June 13.
Travis Wood, making his first start since Sept. 19, 2015, after 108 relief appearances, was removed in the fifth after facing three batters and retiring none. Brian Dozier and Robbie Grossman had RBI-singles in the inning.
Alexander (1-2) replaced Wood and induced Eduardo Escobar to ground into an inning ending double play with the bases loaded.
Hector Santiago (4-8) was charged with four runs and four hits, a hit batter and a walk in 3 1/3 innings.
MARLINS 10, BREWERS 3
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Marcell Ozuna hit two home runs — the second moments after having his bat thrown out for having too much pine tar on it — and Miami beat Milwaukee.
The sticky situation began in the seventh, when Brewers second baseman Jonathan Villar had his bat tossed from the game for the same issue by plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt.
Wendelstedt also checked Ozuna's bat to start the eighth and told him to get a new one. Ozuna did, and deposited his 22nd homer of the season into the bleachers in left.
Marlins starter Dan Straily (6-4) allowed solo home runs to Eric Thames and Orlando Arcia. Derek Dietrich also homered for Miami.
Brewers starter Junior Guerra (1-3) took the loss.
WHITE SOX 6, RANGERS 5
CHICAGO (AP) — Yolmer Sanchez hit a two-run home run with two outs in the eighth to rally Chicago past Texas.
The Rangers had the bases loaded in the ninth, but David Robertson (4-2) struck out Carlos Gomez to end the game.
Todd Frazier walked with one out in the eighth and, two batters later, Sanchez drove the ball to right-center off Texas reliever Jose Leclerc (1-2) for his fourth homer of the season. It handed the Rangers bullpen its American League-leading 17th blown save.
Jonathan Lucroy had given the Rangers a 5-4 lead with a two-run single in the fifth.
Melky Cabrera also homered for Chicago, and Mike Napoli hit his 16th for Texas.
MARINERS 5, ANGELS 3
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Robinson Cano hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning and James Paxton retired the first 16 hitters he faced in Seattle's win over Los Angeles.
Paxton (6-3) continued his career-long dominance of the Angels, throwing 6 1/3 innings of two-hit ball in his best start since missing most of May with a forearm strain. The left-hander has a career 2.04 ERA against the Halos, the second-best among active pitchers.
Jean Segura had four hits and drove in two runs as the Mariners took two of three from their AL West rivals.
Danny Espinosa got the Angels' first hit off Paxton in the sixth, and Yunel Escobar chased him with an RBI single in the seventh inning of Los Angeles' third loss in four games.
Jesse Chavez (5-9) yielded just four hits and two runs over five innings in his fifth consecutive winless start for the Angels.
Arrieta (8-6) was coming off a subpar performance that created friction and a surprise move. The Nationals stole seven bases off Arrieta during their 6-1 win on Tuesday, and catcher Miguel Montero complained afterward about the pitcher's move to the plate with runners on base. Montero was cut loose the following day.
Back in the ballpark where he threw a no-hitter last season, Arrieta was back in form, allowing only Joey Votto's first-inning single and a pair of walks — the Reds were never in position to try to steal.
Happ hit a two-run homer and a solo shot off Tim Adleman (5-5), and added an RBI single.
Anthony Rizzo also had a solo homer, and Javier Baez doubled home a run.
NATIONALS 7, CARDINALS 2
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Bryce Harper homered twice against Carlos Martinez, Max Scherzer struck out 12 over seven scoreless innings and Washington beat St. Louis.
Harper also doubled and had four RBIs to pace Washington, which snapped a three-game skid and had lost five of seven.
The Cardinals had won four straight and six of seven overall, including series victories over the Arizona Diamondbacks and Nationals.
Scherzer (10-5) allowed two hits and two walks while lowering his major league-leading ERA to 1.94. Scherzer's double-digit strikeout performance was his 10th this season and 59th of his career.
Martinez (6-7) entered the game ranked fourth in the NL in ERA but allowed five runs in five innings.
ASTROS 8, YANKEES 1
HOUSTON (AP) — Yuli Gurriel finished a triple shy of the cycle, Carlos Correa tied a career-high with four hits and had three RBIs, and Houston handed New York its 14th loss in 19 games.
Marwin Gonzalez hit a two-run homer in a three-run second off Luis Severino (5-4) as the Astros improved the best record in the major leagues to 56-27. Houston had 14 hits, including seven doubles, and went 6 for 17 with runners in scoring position.
New York, which led the AL East by four games on June 13, lost two of three to the Astros and dropped three games behind division-leading Boston.
Chris Devenski (5-3) pitched two perfect innings in relief to get the win.
INDIANS 11, TIGERS 8
DETROIT (AP) — Jose Ramirez homered twice, and Cleveland snapped Justin Verlander's decade-long streak of games with at least one strikeout, chasing the Detroit star in the fourth inning.
Verlander (5-5) had struck out a batter in 331 consecutive appearances and was tied with Curt Schilling for the sixth-longest streak since 1913. He hadn't gone without a strikeout since April 28, 2007, when he lasted only three innings against Minnesota.
On Sunday, he allowed seven runs and nine hits with three walks in 3 1/3 innings.
Mike Clevinger (4-3) allowed a run and two hits in six innings. He walked five and struck out seven.
The Indians held on after Detroit scored six runs in the ninth inning, including homers by James McCann and Nicholas Castellanos. Cody Allen retired the final batter for his 16th save in 17 chances.
DIAMONDBACKS 4, ROCKIES 3
PHOENIX (AP) — Ketel Marte lined a run-scoring single in the ninth inning and Arizona overcame the first earned run allowed by Fernando Rodney in 21 games.
Rodney (2-2) had his hitless outings streak end at 11 with three straight singles in the ninth inning, including Charlie Blackmon's tying hit. Rodney got a pair of pop ups with two on to end the inning.
Brandon Drury hit a one-out single in the bottom half and Chris Iannetta followed with a double off Adam Ottavino (1-3). Marte fell into a 1-2 hole against Chris Rusin before lining a one-hopper off the wall, sending the Diamondbacks rushing out of the dugout to mob him.
Chris Owings hit a two-run homer and Drury had three hits for Arizona, off to the best start in franchise history at 52-31.
Colorado has lost 10 of 11.
PADRES 5, DODGERS 3
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jhoulys Chacin pitched five scoreless innings, Manuel Margot homered and drove in two runs, and San Diego got a rare victory over the Dodgers.
The Padres lost seven of the first eight meetings with the Dodgers this season but defeated Kenta Maeda (6-4) for the second time in 13 weeks.
San Diego went ahead 5-0 against Maeda while Chacin (7-7) was recording his second scoreless outing in 17 starts this year.
Chacin, who struck out six, retired cleanup hitter Cody Bellinger three times with a man on base, twice on strikes and once on a 2-0 pitch with two runners aboard.
Brandon Mauer got the last three outs for his 16th save.
BRAVES 4, ATHLETICS 3, 12 INNINGS
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kurt Suzuki led off the 12th inning with his second home run of the game, helping Atlanta complete a three-game sweep.
One inning after closer Jim Johnson got his sixth blown save, Suzuki lined a shot to left on a 3-1 pitch from John Axford (0-1). Suzuki also homered off starter Sean Manaea to begin the second.
It's the third multihomer of Suzuki's career and first since 2011 when he was with Oakland. The veteran catcher had not gone deep against his previous club until these homers helped Atlanta finish its six-game West Coast trip on a positive note after a rocky beginning.
Johnson (6-1) got the win despite three walks, and Arodys Vizcaino retired three batters for his second save. Vizcaino got Franklin Barreto to fly out with two runners on to end it.
PHILLIES 7, METS 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Nick Pivetta allowed one hit in seven impressive innings for his second major league win, and Philadelphia stopped the New York Mets' four-game winning streak.
Maikel Franco had a two-run double in a four-run second aided by a pair of sacrifice bunts. Rookie catcher Andrew Knapp added an RBI single and dashed home from second on a wild pitch by Rafael Montero.
Leadoff man Daniel Nava had three hits and two RBIs to help the major league-worst Phillies prevent a three-game sweep and finish their 4-5 road trip on a positive note. Philadelphia outhit the Mets 12-2.
Making his 10th major league start, Pivetta (2-4) permitted only T.J. Rivera's home run on an 81 mph slider with one out in the fifth. He struck out four and walked four.
ORIOLES 7, RAYS 1
BALTIMORE (AP) — Manny Machado hit a three-run homer, Kevin Gausman pitched seven innings of two-hit ball and Baltimore avoided a three-game sweep.
Mark Trumbo also homered and Seth Smith had two RBIs for the Orioles, playing their final home game until July 14.
Gausman (5-7) struck out nine and walked two in the finest of his 18 starts this season. The right-hander allowed only one runner past first base in lowering his ERA from 6.07 to 5.61.
Jesus Sucre ended Baltimore's shutout bid with an eighth-inning homer off Mychal Givens.
Tampa Bay starter Alex Cobb (6-6) gave up seven runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings.
RED SOX 15, BLUE JAYS 1
TORONTO (AP) — Mookie Betts hit two home runs and matched a career-high with eight RBIs to help Boston rout Toronto.
Betts went 4 for 6 as AL East-leading Boston won for the sixth time in seven games, completing the three-game sweep. He hit an RBI single in the second, a three-run homer in the fourth, a two-run blast in the sixth, and a two-run single in the seventh. It was the second multihomer game of the season for Betts, who also hit two at Philadelphia on June 14. Betts had eight RBIs against Arizona on Aug. 14, 2016.
Drew Pomeranz (8-4) pitched six innings for his third straight road win.
Hanley Ramirez had three hits, including a two-run homer, as the Red Sox collected a season-high 21 hits.
Joe Biagini (2-8) took the loss as he was chased in the sixth inning by Betts' second homer.
GIANTS 5, PIRATES 3
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Brandon Belt started San Francisco's comeback with an RBI single in a three-run seventh inning, then added a two-run homer in the eighth as the Giants got their season-high sixth straight win.
Jordy Mercer's two-run homer in the third off Jeff Samardzija (4-9) put the Pirates ahead.
Trevor Williams took a two-hit shutout into the seventh, when Hunter Pence walked leading off and Buster Posey doubled. Belt and Brandon Crawford hit consecutive run-scoring singles off left-hander Tony Watson (4-2), and Kelby Tomlinson's sacrifice fly gave San Francisco a 3-2 lead.
Belt homered in the eighth off Edgar Santana, his 16th this season.
ROYALS 6, TWINS 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Alcides Escobar had two hits and two RBIs and Scott Alexander picked up his first major league victory for Kansas City.
The Royals have won 15 of 21 games to move a game above .500 and into a tie with the Twins for second place in the American League Central.
Escobar went 7-for-16 with four extra-base hits, including a home run, with seven RBIs and scored four runs in the four-game series to raised his average 50 points since June 13.
Travis Wood, making his first start since Sept. 19, 2015, after 108 relief appearances, was removed in the fifth after facing three batters and retiring none. Brian Dozier and Robbie Grossman had RBI-singles in the inning.
Alexander (1-2) replaced Wood and induced Eduardo Escobar to ground into an inning ending double play with the bases loaded.
Hector Santiago (4-8) was charged with four runs and four hits, a hit batter and a walk in 3 1/3 innings.
MARLINS 10, BREWERS 3
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Marcell Ozuna hit two home runs — the second moments after having his bat thrown out for having too much pine tar on it — and Miami beat Milwaukee.
The sticky situation began in the seventh, when Brewers second baseman Jonathan Villar had his bat tossed from the game for the same issue by plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt.
Wendelstedt also checked Ozuna's bat to start the eighth and told him to get a new one. Ozuna did, and deposited his 22nd homer of the season into the bleachers in left.
Marlins starter Dan Straily (6-4) allowed solo home runs to Eric Thames and Orlando Arcia. Derek Dietrich also homered for Miami.
Brewers starter Junior Guerra (1-3) took the loss.
WHITE SOX 6, RANGERS 5
CHICAGO (AP) — Yolmer Sanchez hit a two-run home run with two outs in the eighth to rally Chicago past Texas.
The Rangers had the bases loaded in the ninth, but David Robertson (4-2) struck out Carlos Gomez to end the game.
Todd Frazier walked with one out in the eighth and, two batters later, Sanchez drove the ball to right-center off Texas reliever Jose Leclerc (1-2) for his fourth homer of the season. It handed the Rangers bullpen its American League-leading 17th blown save.
Jonathan Lucroy had given the Rangers a 5-4 lead with a two-run single in the fifth.
Melky Cabrera also homered for Chicago, and Mike Napoli hit his 16th for Texas.
MARINERS 5, ANGELS 3
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Robinson Cano hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning and James Paxton retired the first 16 hitters he faced in Seattle's win over Los Angeles.
Paxton (6-3) continued his career-long dominance of the Angels, throwing 6 1/3 innings of two-hit ball in his best start since missing most of May with a forearm strain. The left-hander has a career 2.04 ERA against the Halos, the second-best among active pitchers.
Jean Segura had four hits and drove in two runs as the Mariners took two of three from their AL West rivals.
Danny Espinosa got the Angels' first hit off Paxton in the sixth, and Yunel Escobar chased him with an RBI single in the seventh inning of Los Angeles' third loss in four games.
Jesse Chavez (5-9) yielded just four hits and two runs over five innings in his fifth consecutive winless start for the Angels.
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Baseball Capsules (June 25, 2017)
CHICAGO — Matt Olson hit his first two major league home runs, Jaycob Brugman and Franklin Barreto also launched their first career shots and the Oakland Athletics routed the Chicago White Sox 10-2 on Saturday.
Barreto homered in his big league debut. He joined Olson and Brugman in becoming the second trio of teammates to hit their first homers in the same game, the Elias Sports Bureau said. It also happened in 1914 with the Kansas City Packers of the Federal League — the rival circuit lasted a couple of seasons, and included many big leaguers.
Former White Sox ace Mark Buehrle had his No. 56 jersey retired in a pregame ceremony. After the 30-minute tribute ended, the A's roughed up James Shields (1-1).
Daniel Gossett (1-2) took advantage of an early 6-0 lead to win for the first time in three big league starts. He gave up two unearned runs in six innings.
White Sox manager Rick Renteria was ejected for the second straight game.
ORIOLES 8, RAYS 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Dylan Bundy helped Baltimore avoid a dubious pitching record, throwing seven solid innings as the Orioles beat Tampa Bay.
The Orioles had given up at least five runs in 20 straight games, matching the major league mark set by the 1924 Philadelphia Phillies.
Bundy (8-6) allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings.
Jose Alvarado (0-3) walked the only batter he faced, Seth Smith, leading off the seventh. He was replaced by Jumbo Diaz, who gave up a two-run double to Mark Trumbo and Trey Mancini's two-run homer that put Baltimore ahead 7-3.
NATIONALS 18, REDS 3
WASHINGTON (AP) — Michael Taylor homered twice among his four hits, Trea Turner went 5 for 5 and Washington romped.
Daniel Murphy had four RBIs for the Nationals. All of Turner's career-high five hits were singles including a pair of run-scoring hits.
Joe Ross (4-3) blanked the Reds until Patrick Kivlehan's pinch-hit home run in the sixth.
Homer Bailey (0-1) allowed eight runs and six hits with three walks in 1 2/3 innings in his season debut after shoulder surgery. Cincinnati has lost 13 of 14.
RANGERS 8, YANKKES 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Austin Bibens-Dirkx pitched seven dazzling innings in his first shot at the New York Yankees after 12 seasons in the minors, and Carlos Gomez homered for Texas.
Robinson Chirinos also went deep and Elvis Andrus had a pair of run-scoring hits for the Rangers, who rebounded quickly from a difficult defeat that ended at 12:19 a.m.
Bibens-Dirkx (3-0), a 32-year-old rookie promoted to the majors last month for the first time, gave up Aaron Judge's major league-leading 26th home run in his fourth big league start.
Luis Cessa (0-2) struck out eight in five innings.
ROYALS 3, BLUE JAYS 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jason Vargas became the first major league pitcher to reach 11 wins this season, pitching seven efficient innings to lead surging Kansas City over Toronto.
The Royals won for the 11th time in 13 games and moved over .500 for the first time this season at 37-36.
Vargas (11-3) allowed two runs on eight hits. Troy Tulowitzki and Pillar homered off him.
Kelvin Herrera pitched the ninth for his 18th save in 20 chances.
Alex Gordon hit a go-ahead triple in the seventh off Marco Estrada (4-6).
TWINS 4, INDIANS 2
CLEVELAND (AP) — Brian Dozier hit a leadoff homer against closer Cody Allen to break an eighth-inning tie and Minnesota defeated Cleveland.
Dozier homered into the left field porch on a 3-2 pitch and narrowed Cleveland's lead over Minnesota in the AL Central to one-half game.
Cleveland's Corey Kluber struck out a season-high 13 and allowed three hits in seven innings.
Taylor Rogers (4-1) got the win and Brandon Kintzler pitched the ninth for his 20th save. Francisco Lindor doubled with two outs, but center fielder Byron Buxton made a diving catch of Jason Kipnis' liner to end the game.
Allen (0-3) was making his first appearance since Sunday. He was on the paternity list when his wife gave birth to the couple's first child.
BRAVES 3, BREWERS 1
ATLANTA (AP) — Brandon Phillips homered for the third straight game, R.A. Dickey threw seven strong innings and Atlanta beat Milwaukee.
The Braves have won four straight and nine of 12.
Dickey (6-5) allowed one run in seven innings to improve to 5-1 at SunTrust Park. Jim Johnson got his 15th save, stopping the NL Central leaders in the ninth.
Phillips homered off Matt Garza (3-4).
CUBS 5, MARLINS 3
MIAMI (AP) — Jon Lester gave up a three-run homer to J.T. Realmuto in the first inning and then settled down to help the Chicago Cubs beat Miami.
Lester (5-4) went seven innings, retiring 13 in a row after Realmuto's seventh homer of the year. Wade Davis completed the four-hitter with a 1-2-3 ninth for his 15th save.
The Cubs took the lead for good in the sixth against Nick Wittgren (1-1).
METS 5, GIANTS 2
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Jacob deGrom pitched eight strong innings and Wilmer Flores homered as the New York Mets defeated San Francisco.
DeGrom (7-3) struck out seven and allowed one run while scattering four hits.
The Giants, who are on pace to lose more than 100 games for the first time since arriving on the West Coast, have dropped 11 of 12. Sam Dyson (0-1) took the loss.
PIRATES 7, CARDINALS 3
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jordy Mercer and Josh Harrison homered and starter Gerrit Cole pitched six innings, lifting Pittsburgh over St. Louis.
Cole (6-6) extended his winning streak to three games, allowing five hits and one run with five strikeouts and two walks.
Lance Lynn (5-5) struggled for the second consecutive start.
ANGELS 6, RED SOX 3
BOSTON (AP) — JC Ramirez rebounded from his shortest career start with six solid innings, Cameron Maybin doubled home a run and scored another and the Los Angeles Angels held off the Boston Red Sox.
Ramirez (7-5) allowed one run and four hits with five strikeouts after lasting just three innings and giving up five runs in his previous start. Blake Parker struck out pinch-hitter Chris Young with the bases loaded for the final out for his first save of the season after Boston scored twice in the ninth.
David Price (2-2) allowed three runs — two earned — with five strikeouts and a walk in six innings. Mitch Moreland hit a solo homer for the Red Sox, who lost for only the third time in their last 13 home games.
Red Sox manager John Farrell was ejected by third-base umpire and crew chief Bill Miller after Fernando Abad was called for a balk, scoring a run that made it 5-1 in the seventh.
ASTROS 5, MARINERS 2
SEATTLE (AP) — Josh Reddick homered, Brian McCann added a three-run double and Lance McCullers pitched into the sixth inning in his return from the disabled list to lift the Houston Astros over the Seattle Mariners.
McCullers (7-1), who had been sidelined with lower back discomfort, allowed one run on four hits in five-plus innings. He struck out eight and walked none in his first start since June 8.
Reddick staked the Astros to a 2-0 lead in the third with his eighth home run. George Springer singled to open and Reddick drove a 1-0 pitch from Sam Gaviglio (3-2) over the wall in center.
Seattle, which had won six straight, scored one in the ninth off Ken Giles on a double and three consecutive walks, but Carlos Ruiz struck out looking with the bases loaded.
DIAMONDBACKS 9, PHILLIES 2
PHOENIX (AP) — Jake Lamb homered, Chris Herrmann drove in three runs and Daniel Descalso had three hits, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks past the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Diamondbacks broke open a one-run game with three runs in the sixth inning and got another effective pitching performance from Robbie Ray (8-3), who allowed two runs and six hits through 6 1/3 innings. Ray is 6-0 over his last seven starts with a 1.31 ERA in that span. He had five strikeouts and four walks.
Phillies starter Ben Lively (1-2) hit a two-run home run for his first career RBIs, but gave up four earned runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.
DODGERS 4, ROCKIES 0
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw threw six innings and Joc Pederson kept the streaking Dodgers' power surge alive with a home run in a victory over the Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles' ninth consecutive win. The Dodgers have won 15 of their last 16 games and are the first National League team to reach the 50-win mark (50-26).
Pederson's solo home run in the third was his sixth of the year and pushed the Dodgers' streak to 16 consecutive games with at least one home run. It's the first time the Dodgers have reached that mark since 1960.
Kershaw (11-2) pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the first inning then retired the next 13 Rockies. He allowed four hits and a walk, while striking out eight. The Dodgers have won his last 10 starts.
Tyler Chatwood (6-8) had control issues all night, walking eight in just 3 1/3 innings.
PADRES 7, TIGERS 3
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Pinch-hitter Hector Sanchez slugged a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning, powering the Padres past Detroit and sending the Tigers to their eighth consecutive loss.
With the Padres trailing 3-2, Shane Greene (1-2) walked leadoff man Erick Aybar to start the eighth. Sanchez, a backup catcher who was batting for pitcher Kirby Yates, was hitting .087 in 23 at-bats when he slammed Greene's 0-1 pitch for his second homer of the season. Cory Spangenberg added a two-run single and Austin Hedges drove in another run on a squeeze bunt — both against Alex Wilson — in the five-run inning.
Greene was charged with four runs and two hits with two walks in just one-third of an inning.
Yates (2-1) threw a scoreless eighth to earn the win for the Padres.
Saturday, June 24, 2017
Surging Dodgers rip Rockies for 8th in row
(TSX / STATS) -- LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers are on such a roll that players don't want to come out of the lineup.
Alex Wood suffocated the Colorado Rockies to improve his record to a sterling 8-0 but was bummed when manager Dave Roberts called it a night for him after six innings. Wood allowed three hits, two of them soft, and struck out seven as the Dodgers won their eighth straight, 6-1, Friday night.
"I had an at-bat in the sixth so I thought I was going back out," said Wood, who lowered his ERA to 1.86. "I didn't even know I was up to 98 pitches.
"Being 8-0 is nice, for sure. But you always go out there wanting to give your team a chance to win. I tried to attack the strike zone all night. My changeup was working well."
Roberts said, "He had a great three-pitch mix. They didn't get many good swings. When your starters have had some recent injuries, you look at the long view more than the short one."
Justin Turner had three hits to improve his average to .392 and Yasiel Puig crushed a 445-foot solo home run in the fourth inning to extend the Dodgers' streak of consecutive games with a home run to 15.
Shortstop Corey Seager had two hits, scored a run and had an RBI but left the game after two innings after tweaking his right hamstring. It was a precautionary move. He will have an MRI exam on Saturday. Roberts said he probably wouldn't play Saturday.
"It doesn't feel bad," Seager said. "It tightened up like a cramp. I've had a bunch of these before and played through them, but you can also make it worse by playing. I'll get it checked out but I feel pretty confident."
The Dodgers are exuding confidence. They have won 14 of their last 15, the eight-game win streak is their longest since 2013, they've won nine straight at home and have the best home record in the majors at 30-10. They also tied a franchise record by scoring six runs or more in their seventh straight game.
The win moved Los Angeles' lead in the NL West to a season-high 2 1/2 games over the Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Rockies started Kyle Freeland (8-5) was touched for 10 hits and three walks in six innings as the Rockies dropped their third straight. Colorado has used a rotation loaded with rookies to post one of the best records in the NL, but its starters have allowed 24 runs in the last three games.
Manager Bud Black is aware that Freeland and other starters don't have a foundation of a lot of innings, but he isn't concerned.
"You'd like to be eight or nine deep in starters, and that's where I think we are," Black said. "Reinforcements are coming."
Jon Gray, out since April with a broken foot, is scheduled to return shortly. Tyler Anderson returned this week after being on the DL with a knee injury and may start Sunday. Chad Bettis is also throwing simulated games after being sidelined all season with testicular cancer.
NOTES: Dodgers OF Yasiel Puig's home run on Friday was his 14th of the season and first against a left-handed pitcher. ... Cody Bellinger extended his hitting streak to nine games. ... LHP Alex Wood retired the last 10 Rockies he faced, and three relievers retired the next nine. ... The Dodgers recalled RHP Ross Stripling (0-3, 4.00) from Triple-A Oklahoma City to replace Chris Hatcher (0-1, 4.66), who was placed on the 10-day disabled list with thoracic inflammation. He pitched in Thursday's win over the Mets, allowing a run, hit and walk. He had a 4.66 ERA in 2017. ... LHP Julio Urias, the Dodgers' top pitching prospect who was 5-2 in limited use last season, will undergo season-ending surgery Tuesday to repair damage to the anterior capsule on his left shoulder. The surgery has an estimated recovery time of 12 to 14 months. ... Rockies LHP Tyler Anderson was activated from the disabled list Thursday and pitched an inning of relief in the Rockies' loss to Arizona, his first relief appearance in his career. Anderson may start Sunday's series finale. ... RHP Carlos Estevez (2-0, 12.54) was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque to make room for Anderson.
Alex Wood suffocated the Colorado Rockies to improve his record to a sterling 8-0 but was bummed when manager Dave Roberts called it a night for him after six innings. Wood allowed three hits, two of them soft, and struck out seven as the Dodgers won their eighth straight, 6-1, Friday night.
"I had an at-bat in the sixth so I thought I was going back out," said Wood, who lowered his ERA to 1.86. "I didn't even know I was up to 98 pitches.
"Being 8-0 is nice, for sure. But you always go out there wanting to give your team a chance to win. I tried to attack the strike zone all night. My changeup was working well."
Roberts said, "He had a great three-pitch mix. They didn't get many good swings. When your starters have had some recent injuries, you look at the long view more than the short one."
Justin Turner had three hits to improve his average to .392 and Yasiel Puig crushed a 445-foot solo home run in the fourth inning to extend the Dodgers' streak of consecutive games with a home run to 15.
Shortstop Corey Seager had two hits, scored a run and had an RBI but left the game after two innings after tweaking his right hamstring. It was a precautionary move. He will have an MRI exam on Saturday. Roberts said he probably wouldn't play Saturday.
"It doesn't feel bad," Seager said. "It tightened up like a cramp. I've had a bunch of these before and played through them, but you can also make it worse by playing. I'll get it checked out but I feel pretty confident."
The Dodgers are exuding confidence. They have won 14 of their last 15, the eight-game win streak is their longest since 2013, they've won nine straight at home and have the best home record in the majors at 30-10. They also tied a franchise record by scoring six runs or more in their seventh straight game.
The win moved Los Angeles' lead in the NL West to a season-high 2 1/2 games over the Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Rockies started Kyle Freeland (8-5) was touched for 10 hits and three walks in six innings as the Rockies dropped their third straight. Colorado has used a rotation loaded with rookies to post one of the best records in the NL, but its starters have allowed 24 runs in the last three games.
Manager Bud Black is aware that Freeland and other starters don't have a foundation of a lot of innings, but he isn't concerned.
"You'd like to be eight or nine deep in starters, and that's where I think we are," Black said. "Reinforcements are coming."
Jon Gray, out since April with a broken foot, is scheduled to return shortly. Tyler Anderson returned this week after being on the DL with a knee injury and may start Sunday. Chad Bettis is also throwing simulated games after being sidelined all season with testicular cancer.
NOTES: Dodgers OF Yasiel Puig's home run on Friday was his 14th of the season and first against a left-handed pitcher. ... Cody Bellinger extended his hitting streak to nine games. ... LHP Alex Wood retired the last 10 Rockies he faced, and three relievers retired the next nine. ... The Dodgers recalled RHP Ross Stripling (0-3, 4.00) from Triple-A Oklahoma City to replace Chris Hatcher (0-1, 4.66), who was placed on the 10-day disabled list with thoracic inflammation. He pitched in Thursday's win over the Mets, allowing a run, hit and walk. He had a 4.66 ERA in 2017. ... LHP Julio Urias, the Dodgers' top pitching prospect who was 5-2 in limited use last season, will undergo season-ending surgery Tuesday to repair damage to the anterior capsule on his left shoulder. The surgery has an estimated recovery time of 12 to 14 months. ... Rockies LHP Tyler Anderson was activated from the disabled list Thursday and pitched an inning of relief in the Rockies' loss to Arizona, his first relief appearance in his career. Anderson may start Sunday's series finale. ... RHP Carlos Estevez (2-0, 12.54) was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque to make room for Anderson.
Phillies' Leiter beats Diamondbacks in first start
(TSX / STATS) -- PHOENIX -- Mark Leiter Jr. was lights out in his first major league start, one that took the former 22nd-round draft pick plenty of years and plenty of setbacks to make despite his major league heritage.
Leiter kept Arizona off-balance by effectively mixing his pitches over six shutout innings in his starting debut, and Maikel Franco and Tommy Joseph homered in the late innings to help the last-place Philadelphia Phillies cool off the Diamondbacks in a 6-1 win on Friday night.
Arizona, coming off a 7-1 road trip, had won nine of 10 overall and 11 of 12 at Chase Field only to generate almost no offense against Leiter (1-0), whose first 12 career appearances came in relief.
"He's always been under the radar, one of those guys that people have always doubted, but his mentality and the way he prepares and gets ready for this, he's second to none," said Joseph, a Leiter teammate in both the majors and minors. "They're one of (the) best offenses in baseball, (but) he kept them off-balance and was in command of the strike zone."
The son of Mark Leiter and the nephew of Al Leiter -- both former major league pitchers -- the 26-year-old Leiter wasn't overpowering, with a fastball that topped out in the low 90s, but he constantly forced the Diamondbacks to chase cut fastballs, change-ups and a dominating split-finger fastball down in the strike zone. It probably made fans wonder why he labored with six minor league teams before finally reaching the majors at age 26.
"He made it look easy, used all of his pitches and pitched ahead all but one inning," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He had a good changeup he threw behind in the count, the splitter was his go-to pitch and he made a lot of hitters look bad on a good-hitting team."
Leiter couldn't have pitched much better for a team that had won only two of its previous 15 games, striking out five and walking one before giving way to his bullpen after throwing 81 pitches, 51 for strikes.
"It says a lot about what kind of pitcher he is, first major league start and he comes up and does that. It (Chase Field) is known as a hitters' ballpark, and it means he's pretty strong between the ears," Joseph said.
The Phillies, winning successive games for the first time since June 5-6, didn't generate much offense themselves until the final two innings, but they turned Freddy Galvis' one-out triple in the first off starter Patrick Corbin into a run, then added a key insurance run when Franco hit his ninth homer of the season -- a line drive to right field off Jorge De La Rosa on a 3-0 pitch in the eighth.
Galvis' second homer in four games against Arizona this season proved important in the bottom off the inning when Daniel Descalso's first triple of the season scored Rey Fuentes, who began the inning with a single. But reliever Joaquin Benoit recovered to strand Descalso at third, getting David Peralta on a line drive to short and striking out Jake Lamb around a walk to Paul Goldschmidt.
"You're going to have those days," catcher Chris Iannetta said of only the second Diamondbacks loss at home since May 14. "(We'll) brush this one off and come back tomorrow. It's not the end of the world."
Philadelphia, winning its fifth in a row at Chase Field since 2015, broke it open with a four-run ninth against T.J. McFarland that included Joseph's two-run homer into the swimming pool in right field, his 12th of the season.
"There was a lot of good stuff out there," Mackanin said, including Leiter's first major league hit, a single in the second inning.
The Diamondbacks had scored 26 runs in their previous two games, but didn't give Corbin (6-7) any support as he allowed only one run over 6 1/3 innings despite giving up eight hits.
"The first two innings I threw a lot of pitches but then I settled down," Corbin said. "(There were) a lot of ground balls, some that got through, but some that didn't."
Pat Neshek followed Leiter -- whose father was in the stands to see his son's starting debut -- with a scoreless seventh inning, and Hector Neris pitched the ninth in a non-save situation. The Leiters are the 15th father-son combination in major league history to pitch for the same team.
The Diamondbacks, coming off a franchise-best 7-1 road trip to Detroit, Philadelphia and Colorado, had a couple of chances early to get to Leiter, only to have the rookie pitch out of trouble.
The Phillies played without their hottest hitter of late, second baseman Howie Kendrick, who was scratched with left hamstring tightness less than an hour before game time. Kendrick, out more than a month earlier this season with an oblique injury, doubled as a pinch-hitter in the ninth.
NOTES: Phoenix Suns first-round draft pick Josh Jackson and Arizona Cardinals first-round pick Haason Reddick threw out ceremonial first pitches. ... RHP Randall Delgado (1-1) will make a spot start for Arizona on Sunday, in part to give RHP Taijuan Walker some extra rest. ... The D-backs placed RHP J.J. Hoover on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation and brought up RHP Rubby De La Rosa from Triple-A Reno, where he was 0-1 with a 2.35 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings. He was 4-5 for Arizona last season while being limited to 13 appearances by right elbow inflammation. ... A moment of silence was observed for former Arizona State football coach Frank Kush, who died Thursday. ... The Phillies played the second game of a 20-game stretch in which the starting time is different than the day before. ... After the game, the Diamondbacks optioned OF Jeremy Hazelbaker to Triple-A Reno.
Leiter kept Arizona off-balance by effectively mixing his pitches over six shutout innings in his starting debut, and Maikel Franco and Tommy Joseph homered in the late innings to help the last-place Philadelphia Phillies cool off the Diamondbacks in a 6-1 win on Friday night.
Arizona, coming off a 7-1 road trip, had won nine of 10 overall and 11 of 12 at Chase Field only to generate almost no offense against Leiter (1-0), whose first 12 career appearances came in relief.
"He's always been under the radar, one of those guys that people have always doubted, but his mentality and the way he prepares and gets ready for this, he's second to none," said Joseph, a Leiter teammate in both the majors and minors. "They're one of (the) best offenses in baseball, (but) he kept them off-balance and was in command of the strike zone."
The son of Mark Leiter and the nephew of Al Leiter -- both former major league pitchers -- the 26-year-old Leiter wasn't overpowering, with a fastball that topped out in the low 90s, but he constantly forced the Diamondbacks to chase cut fastballs, change-ups and a dominating split-finger fastball down in the strike zone. It probably made fans wonder why he labored with six minor league teams before finally reaching the majors at age 26.
"He made it look easy, used all of his pitches and pitched ahead all but one inning," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He had a good changeup he threw behind in the count, the splitter was his go-to pitch and he made a lot of hitters look bad on a good-hitting team."
Leiter couldn't have pitched much better for a team that had won only two of its previous 15 games, striking out five and walking one before giving way to his bullpen after throwing 81 pitches, 51 for strikes.
"It says a lot about what kind of pitcher he is, first major league start and he comes up and does that. It (Chase Field) is known as a hitters' ballpark, and it means he's pretty strong between the ears," Joseph said.
The Phillies, winning successive games for the first time since June 5-6, didn't generate much offense themselves until the final two innings, but they turned Freddy Galvis' one-out triple in the first off starter Patrick Corbin into a run, then added a key insurance run when Franco hit his ninth homer of the season -- a line drive to right field off Jorge De La Rosa on a 3-0 pitch in the eighth.
Galvis' second homer in four games against Arizona this season proved important in the bottom off the inning when Daniel Descalso's first triple of the season scored Rey Fuentes, who began the inning with a single. But reliever Joaquin Benoit recovered to strand Descalso at third, getting David Peralta on a line drive to short and striking out Jake Lamb around a walk to Paul Goldschmidt.
"You're going to have those days," catcher Chris Iannetta said of only the second Diamondbacks loss at home since May 14. "(We'll) brush this one off and come back tomorrow. It's not the end of the world."
Philadelphia, winning its fifth in a row at Chase Field since 2015, broke it open with a four-run ninth against T.J. McFarland that included Joseph's two-run homer into the swimming pool in right field, his 12th of the season.
"There was a lot of good stuff out there," Mackanin said, including Leiter's first major league hit, a single in the second inning.
The Diamondbacks had scored 26 runs in their previous two games, but didn't give Corbin (6-7) any support as he allowed only one run over 6 1/3 innings despite giving up eight hits.
"The first two innings I threw a lot of pitches but then I settled down," Corbin said. "(There were) a lot of ground balls, some that got through, but some that didn't."
Pat Neshek followed Leiter -- whose father was in the stands to see his son's starting debut -- with a scoreless seventh inning, and Hector Neris pitched the ninth in a non-save situation. The Leiters are the 15th father-son combination in major league history to pitch for the same team.
The Diamondbacks, coming off a franchise-best 7-1 road trip to Detroit, Philadelphia and Colorado, had a couple of chances early to get to Leiter, only to have the rookie pitch out of trouble.
The Phillies played without their hottest hitter of late, second baseman Howie Kendrick, who was scratched with left hamstring tightness less than an hour before game time. Kendrick, out more than a month earlier this season with an oblique injury, doubled as a pinch-hitter in the ninth.
NOTES: Phoenix Suns first-round draft pick Josh Jackson and Arizona Cardinals first-round pick Haason Reddick threw out ceremonial first pitches. ... RHP Randall Delgado (1-1) will make a spot start for Arizona on Sunday, in part to give RHP Taijuan Walker some extra rest. ... The D-backs placed RHP J.J. Hoover on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation and brought up RHP Rubby De La Rosa from Triple-A Reno, where he was 0-1 with a 2.35 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings. He was 4-5 for Arizona last season while being limited to 13 appearances by right elbow inflammation. ... A moment of silence was observed for former Arizona State football coach Frank Kush, who died Thursday. ... The Phillies played the second game of a 20-game stretch in which the starting time is different than the day before. ... After the game, the Diamondbacks optioned OF Jeremy Hazelbaker to Triple-A Reno.
Jaso blast lifts Pirates over Cardinals
(TSX / STATS) -- ST. LOUIS -- The majority of a sellout crowd of 47,112 believed that Seung Hwan Oh got John Jaso to swing at a 2-2 breaking ball for the third out of the top of the ninth inning Friday night.
Only he didn't. Jaso held up and the pitch was ruled a ball.
On the next pitch, Jaso made Oh pay for not putting him away, ripping a tie-breaking homer that gave the Pittsburgh Pirates a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
It was the fifth homer this year for Jaso, who entered the game as part of a double-switch in the eighth inning.
"I definitely held up on that swing," Jaso said. "You don't let the anxiety of two strikes get to your head. He threw everything -- cutters, fastballs, splits."
Oh (1-4) left a changeup over the plate's middle and Jaso drilled it 406 feet to right-center, completing Pittsburgh's comeback from a 3-2 deficit with five outs remaining. The Pirates (34-40) passed St. Louis (33-39) by a percentage point for third place in the National League Central, five games back of first place Milwaukee.
Pittsburgh snapped a seven-game losing streak in Busch Stadium, dating back to last July.
"We felt like we were going to win sometime this weekend," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "Might as well get it done tonight."
It appeared that Pittsburgh would taste defeat again under the Gateway Arch when rookie second baseman Paul DeJong rifled a solo homer with one out in the seventh to right-center, giving the Cardinals a one-run lead.
But the Pirates spoiled Adam Wainwright's hopes for his eighth win by touching Trevor Rosenthal for the tying run in the eighth. David Freese grounded a two-out RBI single to right, scoring Adam Frazier.
Pittsburgh then preserved the tie behind ace reliever Felipe Rivero and right fielder Gregory Polanco's third terrific catch in as many innings.
Inserted with runners at the corners and one out in the St. Louis half of the eighth, Rivero (3-1) got Aledmys Diaz to line out to third. Then DeJong lofted the first pitch he saw from Rivero into right-center for a potential go-ahead hit.
However, Polanco got a good jump on the ball and made a sliding grab to keep the score equalized.
"He's a plus defender," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said of Polanco. "He made a couple of nice plays."
Rivero then worked around a leadoff walk to Eric Fryer in the ninth to polish off the victory.
While the Pirates played an errorless game, St. Louis' seventh error in three games cost it a run in the fourth. DeJong turned an ordinary chopper from Josh Bell into a two-base throwing error with one out, moving Freese to third. Andrew McCutchen's infield out evened the score at 2.
It was the seventh unearned run the Cardinals have allowed as a result of the miscues.
"He was trying to make more out of that play than was there," Matheny said of DeJong. "He had to rush his throw and it caught (first baseman Matt) Carpenter off-guard."
Homers kicked off the scoring in the second inning. Pittsburgh's Josh Bell laced a solo shot down the right-field line, but Jose Martinez countered with a liner that cleared the left-field wall two pitches after Jedd Gyorko drew a leadoff walk.
Most of the game was dominated by good starting pitching. Wainwright, who allowed 20 runs in his previous three starts, checked the Pirates on two hits in seven innings. He allowed just one earned run, walking two and whiffing five.
Pittsburgh righty Jameson Taillon worked six innings in his third start since returning from the disabled list after undergoing surgery for testicular cancer last month. Taillon allowed four hits and two runs, walking two and fanning seven.
He and his teammates got to savor a win, thanks to Jaso's patience and his stroke.
"I'm not sure he knew how big the situation was," Taillon said of Jaso. "He's so mellow. I don't know if he ever feels the pressure."
NOTES: St. Louis CF Dexter Fowler (quad) sat out his second straight game on Friday night after being injured Wednesday night in Philadelphia. Fowler is optimistic that he'll be able to return to the lineup Saturday night. ... The Cardinals also scratched C Yadier Molina (knee) from their lineup after he noted tightness from getting hit by a foul tip in Thursday's 5-1 loss to the Phillies. Eric Fryer got the start in Molina's place. ... Pittsburgh CF Andrew McCutchen has a streak of 14 homers in nine consecutive seasons, making him just the second player in franchise history to accomplish the feat. Willie Stargell hit 14 or more in 13 straight years from 1964-76.
Only he didn't. Jaso held up and the pitch was ruled a ball.
On the next pitch, Jaso made Oh pay for not putting him away, ripping a tie-breaking homer that gave the Pittsburgh Pirates a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
It was the fifth homer this year for Jaso, who entered the game as part of a double-switch in the eighth inning.
"I definitely held up on that swing," Jaso said. "You don't let the anxiety of two strikes get to your head. He threw everything -- cutters, fastballs, splits."
Oh (1-4) left a changeup over the plate's middle and Jaso drilled it 406 feet to right-center, completing Pittsburgh's comeback from a 3-2 deficit with five outs remaining. The Pirates (34-40) passed St. Louis (33-39) by a percentage point for third place in the National League Central, five games back of first place Milwaukee.
Pittsburgh snapped a seven-game losing streak in Busch Stadium, dating back to last July.
"We felt like we were going to win sometime this weekend," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "Might as well get it done tonight."
It appeared that Pittsburgh would taste defeat again under the Gateway Arch when rookie second baseman Paul DeJong rifled a solo homer with one out in the seventh to right-center, giving the Cardinals a one-run lead.
But the Pirates spoiled Adam Wainwright's hopes for his eighth win by touching Trevor Rosenthal for the tying run in the eighth. David Freese grounded a two-out RBI single to right, scoring Adam Frazier.
Pittsburgh then preserved the tie behind ace reliever Felipe Rivero and right fielder Gregory Polanco's third terrific catch in as many innings.
Inserted with runners at the corners and one out in the St. Louis half of the eighth, Rivero (3-1) got Aledmys Diaz to line out to third. Then DeJong lofted the first pitch he saw from Rivero into right-center for a potential go-ahead hit.
However, Polanco got a good jump on the ball and made a sliding grab to keep the score equalized.
"He's a plus defender," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said of Polanco. "He made a couple of nice plays."
Rivero then worked around a leadoff walk to Eric Fryer in the ninth to polish off the victory.
While the Pirates played an errorless game, St. Louis' seventh error in three games cost it a run in the fourth. DeJong turned an ordinary chopper from Josh Bell into a two-base throwing error with one out, moving Freese to third. Andrew McCutchen's infield out evened the score at 2.
It was the seventh unearned run the Cardinals have allowed as a result of the miscues.
"He was trying to make more out of that play than was there," Matheny said of DeJong. "He had to rush his throw and it caught (first baseman Matt) Carpenter off-guard."
Homers kicked off the scoring in the second inning. Pittsburgh's Josh Bell laced a solo shot down the right-field line, but Jose Martinez countered with a liner that cleared the left-field wall two pitches after Jedd Gyorko drew a leadoff walk.
Most of the game was dominated by good starting pitching. Wainwright, who allowed 20 runs in his previous three starts, checked the Pirates on two hits in seven innings. He allowed just one earned run, walking two and whiffing five.
Pittsburgh righty Jameson Taillon worked six innings in his third start since returning from the disabled list after undergoing surgery for testicular cancer last month. Taillon allowed four hits and two runs, walking two and fanning seven.
He and his teammates got to savor a win, thanks to Jaso's patience and his stroke.
"I'm not sure he knew how big the situation was," Taillon said of Jaso. "He's so mellow. I don't know if he ever feels the pressure."
NOTES: St. Louis CF Dexter Fowler (quad) sat out his second straight game on Friday night after being injured Wednesday night in Philadelphia. Fowler is optimistic that he'll be able to return to the lineup Saturday night. ... The Cardinals also scratched C Yadier Molina (knee) from their lineup after he noted tightness from getting hit by a foul tip in Thursday's 5-1 loss to the Phillies. Eric Fryer got the start in Molina's place. ... Pittsburgh CF Andrew McCutchen has a streak of 14 homers in nine consecutive seasons, making him just the second player in franchise history to accomplish the feat. Willie Stargell hit 14 or more in 13 straight years from 1964-76.
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