Stephen Strasburg did it all for the visiting Washington Nationals on Thursday, earning his National League-leading 12th win, hitting a three-run homer and driving in five runs in a 13-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
Strasburg (12-4) pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on eight hits, two walks and seven strikeouts.
The right-hander’s 420-foot homer, his first of the season and fourth of his career, put the finishing touch on Washington’s eight-run, third-inning outburst. The blast was instrumental in helping the Nationals win for the 14th time in their past 18 games while extending Atlanta’s losing streak to three games.
Strasburg went 3-for-3, matching his career high for hits. Washington amassed 16 hits, three of them by Antony Rendon, who improved to (.458) 11-for-24 on the current road trip.
Giants 3, Mets 2 (16 innings)
Donovan Solano capped a two-run rally in the bottom of the 16th inning with a bases-loaded, walk-off single, giving host San Francisco its season-best sixth straight win in beating New York.
The comeback came after Mets slugger Pete Alonso bombed his 32nd home run off minor league call-up Williams Jerez (1-0) leading off the top of the 16th to put the Mets on top 2-1.
Alex Dickerson led off the bottom of the 16th with a double off the Mets’ eighth pitcher, right-hander Chris Mazza (0-1), and Brandon Crawford tied the game with a double. The Giants then loaded the bases on a hit batsman and a single, before Solano lined his hit to right field to snap the Mets’ four-game winning streak.
Yankees 6, Rays 2 (Game 1)
Gio Urshela homered and drove in three runs as host New York topped Tampa Bay in the opener of a doubleheader.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone was ejected after directing a profane rant toward rookie plate umpire Brennan Miller. Boone’s outburst occurred after the start of the game was delayed 86 minutes by the threat of rain although a downpour never came.
Brett Gardner took exception to a called strike-three call in the second inning and was seen gesturing from the dugout and slamming his bat. During the subsequent at-bat of DJ LeMahieu, Boone cursed out Miller. Boone was tossed before coming out of the dugout, then came out to finish the argument before exiting for the clubhouse.
Yankees 5, Rays 1 (Game 2)
Didi Gregorius highlighted a four-run sixth inning with a two-run single, and New York beat visiting Tampa Bay to complete a doubleheader sweep.
The Yankees improved to 12-5 in the season series against the Rays. New York took three of four in its final home series with Tampa Bay.
Luis Cessa (1-1) tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings to earn his first win since July 9, 2018 against Baltimore, which was also the second game of a doubleheader. Adam Ottavino finished up by getting the final four outs.
Indians 6, Tigers 3
Jose Ramirez belted a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning, and Trevor Bauer struck out 10 batters as host Cleveland completed a four-game sweep of Detroit.
Jordan Luplow launched a two-run homer, and Ramirez recorded his third RBI on a fielder’s choice in the eighth inning for the Indians, who have won 11 of their last 13 overall to move a season-high 15 games over .500.
Harold Castro crushed a two-run homer and Niko Goodrum also went deep for the Tigers, who have lost four straight and 20 of their last 23 contests overall. Detroit has dropped 12 of 13 against Cleveland this season.
Twins 6, A’s 3
Eddie Rosario hit a three-run, go-ahead pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning and Mitch Garver and C.J. Cron also homered as Minnesota rallied to snap a three-game losing streak by beating Oakland in Minneapolis.
Trailing 3-1, Rosario hit the first pitch thrown by reliever Yusmeiro Petit (2-2) off the facing of the second deck in right-center, driving in Luis Arraez who had doubled off the right-field wall and Miguel Sano, who had walked, chasing starter Mike Fiers.
Garver and Cron each added solo shots in the eighth to give the Twins a league-leading 177 home runs this season. Kyle Gibson (9-4) picked up the victory allowing three runs over seven innings. Jurickson Profar homered and Ramon Laureano had three hits for Oakland, which had a six-game winning streak snapped.
Astros 6, Angels 2
Wade Miley opened with 4 2/3 hitless innings as Houston won the final two games to earn a split of a four-game series by downing Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.
George Springer and Alex Bregman hit solo home runs for the American League West-leading Astros and Miley (8-4) didn’t allow a hit until Brian Goodwin’s two-out double in the fifth inning. The left-hander went 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits. He walked two and struck out three.
Mike Trout returned to the Angels’ lineup after missing three games due to a right calf strain. Trout served as the designated hitter and went 1-for-4 with a double and a run.
Royals 6, White Sox 5
Jorge Soler’s two-run home run keyed a five-run third inning as Kansas City defeated visiting Chicago to complete a four-game sweep.
The Royals’ only previous sweep this year was a three-game set against the visiting Indians from April 12-14. Kansas City recorded its first four-game sweep of the White Sox since 1994.
Five Kansas City players had multiple hits, including Cheslor Cuthbert with a single, a double and a homer. Chicago finished the series 4-for-30 with runners in scoring position, leaving the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base in the ninth inning Thursday.
Phillies 7, Dodgers 6
Rhys Hoskins bounced a go-ahead, two-run single to highlight a four-run seventh inning as host Philadelphia recorded a victory over Los Angeles.
Adam Haseley belted his first career homer, and Bryce Harper drove in two runs for the Phillies, who salvaged a split of the four-game series to improve to 3-4 since the All-Star break.
Enrique Hernandez homered twice among his four hits and drove in four runs while Matt Beaty also went deep and finished with three hits for the Dodgers.
Cardinals 7, Reds 4
Tommy Edman hit the first grand slam of the season for St. Louis to highlight a five-run sixth inning, and the Cardinals held on for a win at Cincinnati.
The Reds went to their bullpen with a 3-2 lead to start the sixth, and Paul DeJong soon tied the game with an RBI single. Three batters later, Edman lifted the first pitch he saw from Robert Stephenson (2-2) over the fence in center for a 7-3 lead.
DeJong also had a two-run homer, and Tyler O’Neill, Kolten Wong and Matt Wieters also had two hits each for St. Louis. Dakota Hudson (9-4) won his third consecutive start, going five innings and allowing three runs and six hits.
Brewers 5, Diamondbacks 1
Zach Davies pitched seven strong innings, Orlando Arcia had the go-ahead hit in a three-run eighth inning and Milwaukee beat Arizona in Phoenix.
Davies (8-2) and Arizona counterpart Merrill Kelly each allowed one run in seven innings, but the Brewers broke through in the eighth against reliever Yoan Lopez (1-3) with three runs and four hits.
Ryan Braun hit his 14th home run of the season for Milwaukee.
Red Sox 5, Blue Jays 0
Chris Sale struck out 12 over six scoreless innings while Rafael Devers and Mookie Betts homered as host Boston blanked Toronto.
Sale (4-9) allowed only two hits and two walks, leaving after throwing 67 of his 101 pitches for strikes. Relievers Marcus Walden and Darwinzon Hernandez combined for three hitless innings as the Red Sox took three of four from the Blue Jays.
Thomas Pannone (2-4) absorbed the loss, working 4 1/3 innings and allowing four runs on five hits and two walks. He struck out three.
Marlins 4, Padres 3
Brian Anderson lined a walk-off double past diving San Diego third baseman Manny Machado with one out in the ninth inning to give Miami a victory in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Garrett Cooper started the final-inning rally with a one-out single against Trey Wingenter (1-3). Yadiel Rivera ran for Cooper, stole second on a pitch in the dirt and scored on Anderson’s double that reached the left field corner.
Marlins relievers Nick Anderson and Sergio Romo (2-0) struck out seven batters over the final three scoreless innings. The Padres fell for the fifth time in six games to open the second half.
–Field Level Media
