LDN - Sports

MLB roundup: Belt battles through 21-pitch AB in Giants' win

[April 23, 2018] Brandon Belt had a home run and two singles, and Johnny Cueto threw six scoreless innings to propel San Francisco past Los Angeles, but Belt had another at-bat in the game that was just as significant as any of the hits, even though he made an out.

In the first inning, Belt battled through a 21-pitch plate appearance against Angels starter Jaime Barria, ultimately lining out to right field. The 21 pitches in a single at-bat were the most since records have been kept in 1988, passing the mark of 20 set by Houston Astros infielder Ricky Gutierrez against Indians pitcher Bartolo Colon in June 1998.

Cueto (2-0) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, and he wound up allowing two hits, two walks and two hit batters while striking out seven.

One of the hit batters was Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who had to leave the game due to a right forearm contusion. Simmons is listed as day-to-day.

Cubs 9, Rockies 7

Javier Baez homered, starter Jose Quintana reached a career milestone, and visiting Chicago overcame a major injury scare to Kris Bryant to beat Colorado.

Bryant was hit in the helmet on a 96 mph pitch from Rockies starter German Marquez in the first inning. He appeared groggy and walked to the clubhouse with the help of the training staff, but the Cubs later released a statement saying Bryant had passed all tests and there were no signs of a concussion.

After Bryant was replaced by David Bote, the Cubs had four consecutive singles to take a 3-0 lead. Baez hit his seventh homer run in the second and Jason Heyward had a two-run single in the third to give Chicago a 6-0 lead.

Yankees 5, Blue Jays 1

Luis Severino pitched seven strong innings, Didi Gregorius had a home run and two RBIs, and Austin Romine hit a two-run double as New York defeated visiting Toronto.

Miguel Andujar added four hits and an RBI for the Yankees, who took the four-game series 3-1, the first series loss this season for the Blue Jays.

Severino (4-1) allowed one run, three hits, two walks, a hit batter and had six strikeouts. Toronto's Jaime Garcia (2-1) took the loss Sunday, allowing four runs, six hits and three walks while striking out six in 5 1/3 innings.

Dodgers 4, Nationals 3

Yasmani Grandal hit a two-run double, and Corey Seager's sacrifice fly in the seventh inning completed a late rally that gave Los Angeles a series victory over visiting Washington.

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen gave up a pair of singles to start the ninth inning, then retired three consecutive batters to end it, getting former teammate Howie Kendrick on a fly ball to the edge of the warning track for the final out. It was Jansen's third save of the season and second in two days.

Washington led 3-0 before Grandal's two-run hit to right in the sixth. Cody Bellinger followed with a game-tying double off the wall in center field.

Astros 7, White Sox 1

Jake Marisnick snapped an 0-for-22 slump with a leadoff single that ignited a five-run seventh inning as Houston completed a three-game sweep of host Chicago and extended its winning streak to six games. The White Sox have dropped seven straight. Chicago (4-14) is off to its worst start since 1968.

Astros right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. (3-1) lacked his best stuff yet proved elusive enough to log six innings of one-run ball. McCullers entered leading the majors averaging 14.57 strikeouts per nine innings but finished with just three while allowing eight hits and plunking a pair of batters.

Marisnick had posted 13 strikeouts in his previous 19 plate appearances before opening the seventh with a soft line drive to center field off White Sox right-hander Aaron Bummer. Bruce Rondon entered in relief of Bummer (0-1) but failed to stem the tide, issuing walks to George Springer and Carlos Correa while allowing run-scoring singles to Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman.

Phillies 3, Pirates 2 (11 innings)

Aaron Altherr singled with one out in the bottom of the 11th inning as host Philadelphia completed a four-game sweep of Pittsburgh, its first against the Pirates since May 12-15, 1994.

Philadelphia also improved to 9-1 at Citizens Bank Park, its best start at home since also going 9-1 at Connie Mack Stadium in 1964. After stranding two in the 10th, the Phillies put together the winning rally. Andrew Knapp nearly hit a game-ending homer off Richard Rodriguez (0-1). Knapp settled for a triple when his fly ball caromed off the top of the left field wall in front of the metal gate between the seats and the fence.

The umpires reviewed the play and confirmed the triple. Five pitches later, Altherr won it by slapping a 1-2 slider from Rodriguez at 110 mph off the bat into left field, capping a 3-for-3 day. Altherr entered the game in the seventh in a double switch and collected his 10th career three-hit game.

A's 4, Red Sox 1

Oakland couldn't hold visiting Boston hitless for a second straight day, but the Athletics kept the Red Sox out of the win column again.

Khris Davis hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth off Boston starter David Price and finished with four RBIs as the Athletics beat the Red Sox in the finale of a three-game series.

Oakland won for the sixth time in seven games. After going hitless Saturday, the Red Sox notched a hit in the game's first at-bat as Jackie Bradley Jr. laced a leadoff single to right field.

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Diamondbacks 4, Padres 2

Nick Ahmed hit a two-run homer in a four-run fourth inning and Patrick Corbin became the fourth four-game winner in the majors with Arizona's victory over visiting San Diego.

Ahmed's homer, his third of the season, made it a 3-0 lead, and Corbin's two-out single drove in the final run of the inning as the Diamondbacks (15-6) tied a franchise record for the best 21-game start to a season. Arizona is the first team since the 2003 San Francisco Giants to win its first seven series.

Christian Villanueva broke up Corbin's shutout with a two-run homer in the sixth inning as the Padres lost for the fifth time in six games.

Rays 8, Twins 6

Carlos Gomez hit a two-run, walk-off homer with no outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, and Adeiny Hechavarria and C.J. Cron also homered in Tampa Bay's win over visiting Minnesota.

Cron singled to lead off the ninth against Addison Reed (0-1) and was replaced by pinch runner Rob Refsnyder before Gomez hit the first pitch he saw for his third homer of the season as the Rays completed their first home sweep of Minnesota in franchise history.

Daniel Robertson had four hits, Jesus Sucre had three and Joey Wendle had two for the Rays, who have won four in a row. They hit six homers and scored 26 runs in their sweep of the Twins. Rays closer Alex Colome (2-2) struck out the side in a 1-2-3 ninth inning for the victory.

Brewers 4, Marlins 2

Christian Yelich belted a go-ahead, two-run homer against his former team as Milwaukee swept the four-game series against visiting Miami.

Yelich, traded by the Marlins to the Brewers in the offseason, hit his shot to center field in the fourth inning. It was his second homer of the season, and it helped the Brewers win their sixth consecutive game.

Junior Guerra (2-0) earned the win, allowing five hits, one walk and one unearned run in five-plus innings. He left the game with the bases loaded in the sixth, but reliever Jeremy Jeffress got out of the jam by striking out Brian Anderson, getting a pop out from J.B. Shuck and striking out Lewis Brinson.

Indians 7, Orioles 3

Jose Ramirez homered twice, and Michael Brantley drove in the go-ahead run with a fifth-inning single as Cleveland defeated host Baltimore. Corey Kluber (3-1) earned the win, allowing three runs in seven innings.

Cleveland has won its past two games while the injury-riddled Orioles have lost eight of their past nine. Ramirez hit a solo homer and a two-run shot and finished with three RBIs.

Indians relievers Andrew Miller and Cody Allen each threw a scoreless inning to close out the victory. Baltimore's Andrew Cashner (1-3) took the loss after giving up four runs in six innings.

Rangers 7, Mariners 4

Martin Perez pitched six strong innings as Texas defeated visiting Seattle to avoid a sweep in the three-game series.

Perez (2-2), who entered the game with a 13.14 ERA, allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out four. Keone Kela pitched the ninth inning for his third save of the season.

Nomar Mazara and Joey Gallo homered for Texas in a three-run fourth off Mariners starter Erasmo Ramirez (0-1), who was making his season debut. With Texas leading 1-0, Mazara hit a solo homer to center field. After a walk to Adrian Beltre, Gallo hit a two-run shot to left-center field, his seventh of the season.

Cardinals 9, Reds 2

Miles Mikolas beat hapless Cincinnati for the second time in eight days, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and striking out six with no walks in St. Louis' home victory.

The Cardinals, who swept the three-game series and sent the Reds to their fifth straight loss and 18th in 21 games this season, got home runs from Kolten Wong and Paul DeJong to back Mikolas (3-0). It was also the 11th straight time the Cardinals beat the Reds, dating back to last September.

The biggest blow Sunday was DeJong's three-run shot in the sixth inning on a hanging breaking ball from Reds reliever Kevin Quackenbush. The homer extended the Cardinals' lead to 6-2 after the Reds had scored two runs in the top of the inning to pull to within one.

Royals 8, Tigers 5

Mike Moustakas hit a go-ahead three-run homer, Abraham Almonte blasted his second career grand slam, and Kansas City defeated host Detroit to split a four-game series.

Almonte hit his second homer this season and Whit Merrifield added a solo shot for the Royals, who won for just the second time in 12 games.

Kevin McCarthy (1-0) gave up one unearned run in an inning of relief to get the win. Royals starter Erik Skoglund gave up four runs on four hits in five-plus innings. Kelvin Herrera pitched the ninth to notch his fourth save.

Mets-Braves, ppd.

New York's scheduled game in Atlanta was postponed due to inclement weather. It will be made up as part of a doubleheader on May 28.

--Field Level Media

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