MLB roundup: Rodriguez homers twice in Yankees' victory

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[April 18, 2015]  The Sports Xchange

EditorsNote: Added Giants-Dbacks, Dodgers-Rockies, Rangers-Mariners, fixing lede graph (this is complete) MLB roundup: Rodriguez homers twice in Yankees' victory

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Alex Rodriguez had two home runs and drove in the go-ahead run with an eighth-inning single, leading the New York Yankees to a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.

Rodriguez got his first multi-homer game in nearly three years, then came through with a single to center with a full count and two outs in the eighth. His hit scored pinch-runner Brett Gardner, who had stolen second after coming in for right fielder Carlos Beltran, who reached on a shift-beating single to left field.

The Rays (6-5) drop to 1-3 at home after returning from a 5-2 road trip, while the Yankees (4-6) bounced back after losing their last two in Baltimore. Andrew Miller got the final four outs for his third save of the season, getting all three outs in the ninth on strikeouts.

The game's first eight runs all came on home runs, with Rodriguez's two-run home run tying the game in the sixth after the Rays had jumped ahead with four runs in the fourth.

Mets 4, Marlins 1

NEW YORK -- The New York Mets won their sixth game in a row for the first time in four years.

Veteran right-hander Bartolo Colon (3-0) went seven innings, scattering six hits and striking out four without a walk. The 41-year-old's only blemish was giving up a first-inning home run to right fielder Giancarlo Stanton.

Right-hander Jeurys Familia posted his fifth save in as many chances for the Mets (8-3), who last won six straight games on April 21-27, 2011.

Nationals 7, Phillies 2

WASHINGTON -- Starter Max Scherzer allowed just one run in eight innings and right fielder Bryce Harper hit a three-run homer in the first inning to pace Washington.

The Nationals (5-6) have won three games in a row and scored 29 runs in their last four contests. The Phillies (3-8) have lost six in a row while scoring just 13 runs.

Opening Day starter Scherzer (1-1) -- signed in January to a seven-year, $210 million contract -- got his first win with the Nationals as he gave up just four hits and struck out nine in his third start.

Pirates 6, Brewers 3

PITTSBURGH -- Slumping Starling Marte started a decisive two-run rally with a single, then later hit a two-run home run for the Pirates, who had been shut out in their previous two games.

The left fielder went 2-for-4 to lift his batting average to .152, and center fielder Gregory Polanco added three hits, including a double, as the Pirates (4-6) had a total of 10 hits after being held to a combined five hits while being blanked by the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Pirates snapped a 23-inning scoreless drought on center fielder Andrew McCutchen's run-scoring ground out in the fourth inning.
 


Braves 8, Blue Jays 7

TORONTO -- Pinch-hitter Jonny Gomes hit a solo home run, and first baseman Freddie Freeman added a two-run homer in a three-run eighth inning to help the Braves win.

The Braves overcame a five-homer barrage by the Blue Jays, including two each by third baseman Josh Donaldson and catcher Russell Martin, to win the opener of a three-game interleague series. Second baseman Devon Travis hit Toronto's other home run.

Red Sox 3, Orioles 2

BOSTON -- Xander Bogaerts delivered the first walk-off hit of his career in the ninth inning, giving the Red Sox a win in the opener of a four-game series.

Loser Brian Matusz (0-1) started the ninth by walking first baseman Mike Napoli on four pitches. Daniel Nava moved him to second with a bunt. Right-hander Tommy Hunter came on and Bogaerts blooped his winning hit to short right field, his second hit of the game.

Catcher Ryan Hanigan had a two-run homer for Boston.
 


Baltimore starter Ubaldo Jimenez was ejected (and both teams warned) by home plate umpire Jordan Baker after hitting Pablo Sandoval with a pitch.

Cardinals 6, Reds 1

ST. LOUIS -- Catcher Yadier Molina drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double in the seventh inning to snap a 1-1 tie.

Reds starter Johnny Cueto had limited the Cardinals to three hits through the first six innings and had five strikeouts in a row before left fielder Matt Holliday led off the seventh with a single to right, extending his hitting streak to all nine games this season.

After first baseman Matt Adams struck out, shortstop Jhonny Peralta doubled to left, sending Holliday to third and extending his hitting streak to nine games. Center fielder Jon Jay was intentionally walked to load the bases, but Molina ruined the strategy by hitting Cueto's first pitch into the left field corner to clear the bases.

Royals 6, A's 4

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Paulo Orlando stroked a run-producing tie-breaking triple in the eighth inning to help the Royals win.

Orlando, a rookie right fielder from Brazil, has five hits this season and four of them are triples. Orlando's triple to right-center scored pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson. Second baseman Omar Infante's sacrifice fly scored Orlando, his second RBI of the game, for an insurance run.

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Padres 5, Cubs 4

CHICAGO -- Wil Myers went 3-for-4 and clubbed go-ahead, three-run homer as San Diego rallied past Chicago.

The seventh-inning homer by the center fielder, his first of the season, gave San Diego its third straight win and sixth in seven games in the opener of a three-game weekend series at Wrigley Field.

Friday was also the major league debut of Cubs prospect Kris Bryant, called up from Triple-A Iowa. Bryant, who hit .321 with three homers and 10 RBIs in seven games at Iowa, struck out three times and grounded out once.

Padres starter James Shields (2-0) worked six innings for the win and reliever Craig Kimbrel picked up his fourth save.

Tigers 2, White Sox 1

DETROIT -- Jose Iglesias bounced a single past drawn-in second baseman Emilio Bonifacio to score pinch-runner Andrew Romine from third with one out in the ninth inning to lift Detroit over Chicago.

Interim closer right-hander Joakim Soria (1-0) pitched a perfect ninth for Detroit to gain the win. Left-hander Zach Duke (1-1) took the loss.

The teams traded solo home runs for their first scores.

One-time Tiger Garcia smacked left-handed starter David Price's first pitch of the second inning deep into the right field seats for his first home run this year, putting the White Sox up 1-0. Detroit designated hitter Yoenis Cespedes made his first home run with the Tigers a blast off Chicago right-hander Jeff Samardzija to tie the score 1-1 with one out in the fourth.
 


Angels 6, Astros 3

HOUSTON -- Mike Trout recorded his fourth career multi-home run game, breaking a pair of ties and carrying the Angels to a victory.

One plate appearance after bashing his 100th career home run, a two-run shot in the sixth that made him the youngest player in history with 100 homers and 100 stolen bases, Trout crushed a three-run, opposite-field shot off Astros right-hander Chad Qualls (0-1) to snap a 3-3 tie.

Trout, who went 2-for-4 with five RBIs, recorded his previous multi-homer game on Sept. 13, 2014 against the Astros (4-6).

Twins 3, Indians 2 (11 innings)

MINNEAPOLIS -- Trevor Plouffe's leadoff home run in the bottom of the 11th inning of Bryan Shaw gave Minnesota the win.

Indians starter Corey Kluber was perfect through five innings before Minnesota finally got to him in the sixth for two hits and two runs.

The Indians scored single runs in the fifth and sixth against Twins starter Mike Pelfrey. The first run scored on a wild pitch, and the second came on a solo homer by right fielder Brandon Moss.


Rangers 3, Mariners 1

SEATTLE -- Yovani Gallardo pitched six scoreless innings as the Rangers extended the misery of the Mariners, who have lost four in a row. Gallardo (2-1) allowed six hits and two walks but got bailed out by three double plays.

Designated hitter Prince Fielder's RBI double in the first inning and a solo homer by catcher Robinson Chirinos in the fifth gave Gallardo a 2-0 lead before he came out of the game two batters into the seventh.

Mariners right fielder Nelson Cruz went 3-for-4 with three singles, ending his streak of five consecutive games with a home run.

Dodgers 7, Rockies 3

LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw struck out 12, second baseman Howie Kendrick homered and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez set a franchise record for hits in the Dodgers' victory.

Gonzalez went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, becoming the first Dodgers player to record 22 hits in the opening 10 games. Kendrick was 2-for-4 with three runs batted in as the Dodgers (7-3) captured their fifth win in a row.

Kershaw (1-1) allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits with a walk in six innings. He surrendered home runs to Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and right fielder Charlie Blackmon.



Diamondbacks 9, Giants

SAN FRANCISCO -- Right-hander Josh Collmenter pitched a four-hit shutout and had three of Arizona's 18 hits as the Diamondbacks handed the Giants their an eighth consecutive defeat.

Third baseman Jake Lamb belted a two-run triple and center fielder A.J. Pollock had four hits as the Diamondbacks added to the Giants' winless homestand and worst start in their West Coast history.

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