LDN - Sports

Major League Baseball roundup: Porcello tags Scherzer in Red Sox win

[July 03, 2018] Rick Porcello threw six strong innings and also helped on offense with a three-run double off old friend Max Scherzer as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Washington Nationals 4-3 in the opener of an interleague series Monday night at Nationals Park.

Porcello (10-3) now has won four of his last five decisions for Boston. The right-hander gave up two runs on seven hits in his six innings, and he struck out five with only two walks.

Scherzer (10-5) dropped his fourth straight decision for Washington despite pitching well again. He allowed three runs on four hits in his six innings.

Scherzer also struck out nine and became the 11th player in history to strike out 1,000 batters with two different teams. He's now done it with the Nationals after accomplishing the same feat earlier in his career with Detroit over in the American League. Scherzer and Porcello were teammates on the Tigers from 2010-14.

Braves 5, Yankees 3 (11 innings)

Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the top of the 11th inning as Atlanta claimed victory in New York.

At 20 years, 196 days, Acuna is the youngest Braves rookie to hit a game-winning homer in extra innings since Andruw Jones (20 years, three days) on April 26, 1997, against the San Diego Padres.

The blast gave Atlanta its fourth straight win and led the Yankees to their sixth loss in their last 10 games. New York went 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

Indians 9, Royals 3

Francisco Lindor was a one-man wrecking machine, blasting a grand slam and a three-run home run to rack up a career-high seven RBIs and lead visiting Cleveland in a rout of Kansas City.

Lindor is the fourth player in Indians history to hit a grand slam and a three-run homer in the same game, joining Manny Ramirez, Vic Wertz and Pat Seerey.

Lindor's power display helped struggling Cleveland ace Corey Kluber become the American League's second 12-game winner and gave the Indians just their third win in their past seven games.

Cardinals 6, Diamondbacks 3

Yadier Molina and Jedd Gyorko hit back-to-back homers and Carlos Martinez pitched six strong innings as St. Louis broke a four-game losing streak by doubling up host Arizona.

Molina had three RBIs, including a two-run single in a four-run first inning that gave the Cardinals their first lead in five games. They had not led since knocking out Cleveland's Corey Kluber in an 11-2 victory last Tuesday.

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo met with and apologized to Molina before the game for language used during an argument that led to Lovullo's ejection and a benches-clearing incident in St. Louis on April 8. Paul Goldschmidt tied a career-high with four hits for the Diamondbacks, who have lost four in row after winning seven of eight.

Rockies 5, Giants 2

Kyle Freeland tossed seven strong innings to outduel Madison Bumgarner, and Colorado used a late rally to beat visiting San Francisco.

Nolan Arenado had two hits and reached base four times, and Wade Davis pitched the ninth for his National League-leading 24th save for Colorado.

The Rockies finally broke through in the seventh. Reyes Moronta walked Arenado with the bases loaded to drive in the first run, and Trevor Story's double-play groundout drove in DJ LeMahieu to tie it at 2-2. Brandon Crawford's throwing error on Ian Desmond's grounder gave the Rockies a 3-2 lead.

Brewers 6, Twins 5 (10 innings)

Brad Miller had three hits and walked on four pitches with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th to drive in Manny Pina with the winning run as host Milwaukee rallied past Minnesota, losers of four straight.

It was the ninth defeat in 11 games for the Twins, who lost a 5-1 lead and gave up the tying run in the bottom of the ninth as closer Fernando Rodney blew his fifth save of the season.

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Washington Nationals shortstop Wilmer Difo (1) avoids being hit by a pitch from Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Rick Porcello (22) in the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Zack Littell (0-2) hit Nate Orf to start the 10th, and Pina and Keon Broxton reached to load the bases. After pinch hitter Hernan Perez grounded into a force at home, Miller worked his game-winning walk.

Tigers 3, Blue Jays 2 (10 innings)

Niko Goodrum tripled and scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, and visiting Detroit defeated Toronto.

Goodrum tripled with one out in the top of the 10th against Seunghwan Oh (4-3) and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Jose Iglesias.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. led off the bottom of the 10th with a single against Buck Farmer, who was replaced by Blaine Hardy. Curtis Granderson sacrificed Gurriel to second before Hardy retired the next two batters to earn the first save of his career.

Reds 5, White Sox 3

Pinch hitter Alex Blandino hit a go-ahead, two-run double in the eighth inning to lift host Cincinnati over Chicago.

Blandino hit a 2-2 pitch to right field to score Jose Peraza and Adam Duvall as part of a four-run inning. Duvall and Billy Hamilton also drove in one run apiece during the rally for Cincinnati, which has won three straight games and 12 of 15.

Avisail Garcia went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and increased his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games. Yoan Moncada and Yolmer Sanchez also drove in runs for Chicago.

Marlins 3, Rays 2 (10 innings)

Brian Anderson raced home on Yadiel Rivera's slow roller in the infield in the bottom of the 10th inning, giving Miami a win over visiting Tampa Bay.

Two strikes from a 2-1 defeat, the Rays rallied to tie the game in the top of the ninth on an RBI double by C.J. Cron, scoring Daniel Robertson, who had led off the inning with a single off Marlins closer Kyle Barraclough.

But the Marlins pulled out the win an inning later, after Anderson led off with a walk off the Rays' fourth pitcher, Ryne Stanek (1-2). J.T. Realmuto followed with a single that sent Anderson to third, from where he scored on Rivera's walk-off infield hit to third base.

Dodgers 17, Pirates 1

Matt Kemp had five hits, including a home run, and drove in four runs as Los Angeles rolled to victory over visiting Pittsburgh.

Cody Bellinger, Joc Pederson and Max Muncy added home runs as the Dodgers collected a season high in runs and hits (21). Yasmani Grandal reached base in his first five trips to the plate while Yasiel Puig added three hits and four RBIs. Every Dodgers starter had a hit by the fourth inning.

The Dodgers batted around in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, the first time in Los Angeles Dodgers history they sent at least nine batters to the plate in three consecutive innings. It was the first time it happened in the major leagues since the New York Yankees did it in four consecutive innings in a 2011 game.

--Field Level Media

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