Highlights from MLB games on Wednesday

[May 25, 2017]  May 24 (The Sports Xchange)

Cubs 5, Giants 4

Anthony Rizzo went 3-for-3 with two home runs and starter Kyle Hendricks confined the San Francisco Giants to two runs and five hits as the Chicago Cubs held on for a 5-4 victory.

Hendricks (4-2) worked seven innings and also struck out five for his second straight victory.

Cubs closer Wade Davis gave up a two-run homer with one out in the ninth to Mac Williamson to trim the margin to one.

Davis then walked Michael Morse but got Denard Span to pop out and Joe Panik on a called third strike to post his 10th save.

Red Sox 9, Rangers 4

Boston scored seven runs in the seventh inning to rally past Texas, giving Chris Sale his fourth successive victory.

Sale (5-2) struck out six in 7-1/3 innings, failing to strike out at least 10 for the first time in his last nine starts.

The outburst, mostly against reliever Sam Dyson (1-5), was highlighted by a two-run single by Dustin Pedroia.

Pirates 12, Braves 5 (10 innings)

Gift Ngoepe slashed an opposite-field double to drive in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning and begin a seven-run outburst that carried Pittsburgh past Atlanta.

The Pirates came from two runs down with two outs in the ninth to tie the game on Jose Osuna's two-run single to force extra innings.

Pittsburgh unloaded in the 10th against Josh Collmenter (0-2), the only available reliever in the Braves' bullpen, for seven hits -- three of them on consecutive home runs from David Freese, Jose Osuna and Jordy Mercer.

Osuna and Adam Frazier led the Pirates' 14-hit attack with two hits and three RBIs apiece.

Twins 4, Orioles 3

Jose Berrios picked up his third successive win with a solid performance and the Minnesota Twins completed a three-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles with a 4-3 victory.

Chris Davis and Jonathan Schoop pulled the Orioles to within 4-3 with solo home runs in the seventh, ending the day for Berrios, who had been dominant up to that point.

Berrios (3-0) allowed three runs on four hits with seven strikeouts over 6-1/3 innings.

Blue Jays 8, Brewers 4

Kevin Pillar, Jose Bautista and Devon Travis all hit solo home runs and Ryan Goins belted a grand slam as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Milwaukee Brewers.

Brewers starter Matt Garza (2-1) allowed the three solo home runs and was charged with six runs as he allowed seven hits with five strikeouts over 5-1/3 innings.

Garza retired his first nine batters in order before Pillar led off the fourth with his seventh home run of the season.

Diamondbacks 8, White Sox 6

Jake Lamb hit his 13th homer of the season, and the Arizona Diamondbacks patched together just enough pitching to get past the Chicago White Sox.

The Diamondbacks' Randall Delgado, getting a spot start in place of Taijuan Walker (blister), got no decision. Delgado threw 61 pitches over four innings while giving up two runs (one earned) and three hits.

Andrew Chafin (1-0) got the win in relief, as five relievers followed Delgado to the mound. Fernando Rodney picked up the save.

Athletics 4, Marlins 1

Right-hander Sonny Gray allowed one run and struck out a season-high 11 batters over seven innings, leading the Oakland Athletics to a 4-1 victory over the Miami Marlins.

Gray (2-1) allowed three hits, walked one and was one strikeout shy of matching his career high set on Sept. 23, 2014, against the Angels.

Jed Lowrie went 4-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run for the A's, while Khris Davis hit a two-run homer in the first inning, his team-high 14th of the season.

Nationals 5, Mariners 1

Tanner Roark benefited from strong defense while allowing one run in seven innings as Washington defeated Seattle.

Trea Turner drove in a run, scored a run and had two steals for the Nationals. Roark (4-2) allowed eight hits with no walks and eight strikeouts.

Washington's Enny Romero allowed a hit but got two outs in the eighth and Shawn Kelley got the last out with a runner on base. Koda Glover pitched a perfect ninth for the Nationals, who handed the Mariners their fifth straight loss.

Yankees 3, Royals 0

Luis Severino tied a career high by pitching eight innings and led New York to victory over Kansas City.

Severino (3-2) retired the first nine hitters and allowed four hits.

Didi Gregorius homered in the third inning off Jason Hammel (1-6), and New York added runs in the sixth and seventh. Dellin Betances completed the four-hitter by notching his fourth save.

Reds 4, Indians 3

Zack Cozart's two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning, after a video review overturned what initially appeared to be a game-ending double play, lifted Cincinnati over Cleveland.

Cozart's hit came off Indians closer Cody Allen (0-2), who was 13-for-13 in save opportunities this year.

The win went to reliever Michael Lorenzen (3-0), who pitched a scoreless eighth inning, while Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth to pick up his eighth save.

Carlos Santana provided most of Cleveland's offense, going 3-for-4, with two doubles, a home run and three RBIs.

Rockies 7, Phillies 2

Trevor Story returned to the Colorado lineup, doubling in his first at-bat and scoring the opening run of what became a seven-run third inning to help the Rockies rout Philadelphia.

Story, who hit .272 with 27 home runs and 72 RBIs in 97 games last year in his rookie season, hit .180 through his first 111 at-bats this season before going on the disabled list with a strained left shoulder earlier this month.

Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood (4-6) held the Phillies hitless until an Andrew Knapp single with two outs in the fifth inning.

The Phillies' only runs came in the eighth on a two-run homer by Michael Saunders.

Tigers 6, Astros 3

Jose Iglesias went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBIs as Detroit snapped a three-game slide.

Iglesias and Ian Kinsler (2-for-5, two runs) sparked an eighth-inning rally against Chris Devenski (3-3) by leading off the frame with a double and single. Iglesias added a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth off right-hander Jordan Jankowski.

The Tigers' Shane Greene (1-0) earned the win in relief of southpaw Daniel Norris by retiring all five batters he faced.

Rays 5, Angels 2

Steven Souza hit two of Tampa Bay's three home runs as the Rays ended a three-game losing streak.

Souza tied the game with a two-run home run in the second, and Colby Rasmus and Souza went back-to-back in the seventh off Ricky Nolasco (2-4), who is tied for the American League lead with 16 home runs allowed in 2017.

The Rays got six strong innings from starter Erasmo Ramirez (3-0).

Tampa Bay's bullpen pitched well in relief of Ramirez -- Jose Alvarado pitched a 1-2-3 seventh, Ryne Stanek a scoreless eighth, striking out Mike Trout and Albert Pujols with a runner on, and Alex Colome pitched a perfect ninth for his 12th save.

Padres 6, Mets 5

Hunter Renfroe hit a tiebreaking homer leading off the eighth inning to cap a big comeback as San Diego held off New York.

The Padres trailed 5-1 after four innings before chipping away against Mets starter Robert Gsellman in the fifth, when Yangervis Solarte laced a two-run single, and completing the comeback against a quartet of relievers in the seventh and eighth.

Cardinals 6, Dodgers 1

Mike Leake allowed four hits over eight innings and Yadier Molina homered, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Molina, who went 1-for-5, extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a solo blast off reliever Sergio Romo in the seventh inning.

Leake (5-2) gave up a run with five strikeouts and no walks in eight innings. Reliever Tyler Lyons pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.

Kolten Wong drove in two runs for the Cardinals.

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