LDN - Sports

MLB roundup: Saunders belts 3 homers, Blue Jays blast O's

[June 18, 2016] The Sports Xchange

BALTIMORE -- Michael Saunders set career highs with three homers and eight RBIs, and the Toronto Blue Jays clubbed the Baltimore Orioles 13-3 in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night.

Justin Smoak had a two-run homer and Josh Donaldson added a solo shot and a two-run triple for the Blue Jays, who won their fourth straight to pull within one game of the American League-East leading Orioles.

Saunders hit three-run shots in the first and fourth innings and added a two-run homer, his 15th home run of the season, in the sixth.

Toronto's explosion came minus Jose Bautista, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left big toe suffered Thursday in Philadelphia.

Giants 5, Rays 1

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Jeff Samardzija was an out away from a three-hit shutout as San Francisco cruised to its sixth straight win.

Samardzija was dominant -- he gave up two singles in the second inning, then faced the minimum for the next six-plus innings.

With two outs in the ninth, Rays shortstop Brad Miller spoiled the shutout with a solo home run.

Diamondbacks 10, Phillies 2

PHILADELPHIA -- Yasmany Tomas and Peter O'Brien hit two home runs apiece as Arizona blasted Philadelphia.

Welington Castillo and Paul Goldschmidt also homered for Arizona, which tied a franchise record with six long balls.

O'Brien, a rookie called up from Triple-A Reno on June 10, went 2-for-5 and has three hits in 20 at-bats in six games this season. All three hits are home runs.

Mariners 8, Red Sox 4

BOSTON -- Franklin Gutierrez went 3-for-5 with two home runs and six RBIs to lead Seattle over Boston.

The Sox started the night leading the AL in runs scored with the Mariners second.

Gutierrez's last multihome run game was Aug. 16, 2015, also at Fenway. He now has three multihomer games in his career.

Indians 3, White Sox 2

CLEVELAND -- Carlos Santana's home run leading off the bottom of the ninth inning gave Cleveland the victory.

Santana belted his 14th home run over the center field wall on an 0-2 pitch off Nate Jones.

The win went to Cleveland closer Cody Allen, who blew a save in the bottom of the eighth.

Braves 5, Mets 1

NEW YORK - Rookie right-hander John Gant threw 6 2/3 strong innings to earn his first major-league win.

The Braves have won three straight, their longest winning streak since they won four in a row from Apr. 15-19. The Mets have lost four of six.

Gant, who was drafted by the Mets in 2011 and traded to Atlanta in exchange for Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe on July 24, allowed the one run on just two hits and two walks while striking out five.

Marlins 5, Rockies 1

MIAMI -- Christian Yelich hit a two-run homer to help Miami rally past Colorado.

Marlins starter Adam Conley, who had a no-hitter through 5 2/3 innings, settled for a no-decision. It was the third time this season that he has carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning.

His final line on Friday: 5 2/3 innings, one hit, five walks, one run and five strikeouts.

Rangers 1, Cardinals 0

ST. LOUIS - The National League's most potent offense has been no match for American League West pitching this week.

Texas' Cole Hamels fired 7 2/3 scoreless innings, outdueling St. Louis' Michael Wacha.

Hamels gave up only three hits and three walks, striking out six. Matt Bush got the last out of the eighth and closer Sam Dyson worked the ninth to earn his 12th save.

Cubs 6, Pirates 0

CHICAGO -- Jake Arrieta allowed just two hits over six innings to earn his National League-leading 11th victory.

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Arrieta (11-1) matched Chicago White Sox left-hander Chris Sale with most major-league wins as he walked three and struck out 11.

Matt Szczur clubbed a two-run homer in the first inning while rookie Albert Almora Jr. went 3-for-4 with a walk and two RBI.

Royals 10, Tigers 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Salvador Perez homered in the sixth inning to snap Michael Fulmer's scoreless streak at 33 1/3 innings as Kansas City beat Detroit.

Perez hit a hanging slider on the first pitch over the Royals' left-field bullpen to snap a scoreless deadlock. It was Perez's third home run in four games and fifth in eight games.

Fulmer had not allowed a run in his previous four starts. His consecutive inning scoreless streak was the longest by a rookie since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Yankees 8, Twins 2

MINNEAPOLIS -- New York knocked around Minnesota starter Pat Dean early and often.

Carlos Beltran had three hits, including a two-run homer in the first inning and Chase Headley reached base four times as the Yankees won for the second time in as many nights against the Twins.

Right-hander Masahiro Tanaka pitched eight innings of one-run ball, scattering seven hits and walking none while striking out five.

Reds 4, Astros 2, 11 innings

HOUSTON -- Adam Duvall and Eugenio Suarez recorded back-to-back hits to open the top of the 11th inning, lifting Cincinnati to a rare interleague win.

The Reds won for just the third time in 11 interleague games by pouncing on Astros right-hander Pat Neshek, who had handled right-handed hitters (4-for-45) before Duvall and Suarez, both right-handed hitters, combined to snap a 2-2 deadlock.

Suarez plated Duvall with his double to the left-field corner before later scoring when Ramon Cabrera produced a perfect squeeze bunt.

Dodgers 3, Brewers 2, 10 innings

LOS ANGELES -- Justin Turner homered twice and drove in the game-winning run in the 10th inning, lifting Los Angeles over Milwaukee.

Will Venable smacked a ground-rule double to right to lead off the 10th against closer Jeremy Jeffress. After pinch-hitter A.J. Ellis sacrificed Venable to third, Chase Utley and Corey Seager were walked intentionally to load the bases.

Turner drilled the game-winner over the head of third baseman Aaron Hill.

Nationals 7, Padres 5

SAN DIEGO -- Former Padres first-round draft pick Joe Ross held San Diego to three runs over six innings and Daniel Murphy and Ryan Zimmerman each homered to lead Washington.

The Nationals have won three straight and 10 of their last 12 games. The Padres have lost six of their last seven games.

Ross went from the Padres to Washington with shortstop Trea Turner on Dec. 18, 2014, in a three-team trade that brought first baseman Wil Myers to San Diego.

A's 3, Angels 2

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Billy Burns hit a walk-off single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting Oakland past Los Angeles.

A's shortstop Marcus Semien worked a two-out walk off Angels right-hander Fernando Salas in the bottom of the ninth and went to third on Jake Smolinski's single to right.

Then Burns grounded the first pitch he saw to left field, driving in Semien with his first career walk-off hit.

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