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Major League Baseball roundup: Kershaw's return ends due to tight back

[June 01, 2018] Aaron Nola allowed just one run over seven innings Thursday, and Jorge Alfaro drove in two runs as the visiting Philadelphia Phillies held on for a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw went five innings in his first start in nearly a month, giving up one run on four hits before leaving due to back tightness. The lefty was due to undergo an MRI exam on his back.

Kershaw last pitched May 1, spending time on the disabled list with left biceps tendinitis. He walked one and struck out five.

Nola (7-2) struck out seven, including six of the last eight batters he faced. He gave up one run for the second consecutive outing and finished May having allowed one earned run or less in five of his six starts. Seranthony Dominguez recorded the final six outs for his second save.

Cardinals 10, Pirates 8

Yairo Munoz hit a walk-off, three-run homer to cap a five-run ninth inning and give St. Louis a win over visiting Pittsburgh.

The rookie shortstop doubled his career RBI total by knocking in five runs. Mike Mayers (2-0) pitched a perfect 1 1/3 innings for the win.

Josh Bell and Francisco Cervelli homered for the Pirates, who have lost 10 of their past 13.

Indians 9, Twins 8

Francisco Lindor went 4-for-5 with two homers and four RBIs, including the tiebreaking blast in the eighth inning, as Cleveland outscored Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Jose Ramirez also went deep as the Indians recorded their sixth straight victory. Ramirez and Jason Kipnis each had two hits for Cleveland, and Melky Cabrera drove in two runs.

Miguel Sano slugged a tying three-run homer in the seventh inning for Minnesota, which recovered from an 8-0 deficit. Logan Morrison and Eduardo Escobar hit back-to-back homers in the sixth inning, but the Twins still lost for the seventh time in eight games.

Mariners 6, Rangers 1

Nelson Cruz hit a home run and had three RBIs, and Wade LeBlanc pitched five solid innings for his first victory of the season as Seattle defeated visiting Texas.

Cruz's two-run shot to left-center field off left-hander Mike Minor with two outs in the third inning gave the Mariners a 3-0 lead. It was Cruz's 10th homer of the season.

LeBlanc (1-0) allowed one run on four hits, walked two and struck out four. James Pazos, Juan Nicasio and Chasen Bradford combined for four scoreless innings of relief as the Mariners snapped a two-game losing streak and split the four-game series.

Padres 8, Marlins 3

Christian Villanueva hit a two-run homer in the first inning, Eric Hosmer had three hits and three RBIs, and Jordan Lyles retired 13 of the last 14 batters he faced as San Diego defeated visiting Miami.

The win was the Padres' third straight to end the four-game series. Lyles (2-1) allowed two runs in seven innings, and Brad Hand got the final out for his 17th save.

With Jose Pirela on first following a game-opening single, Villanueva drove the first pitch he saw from Wei-Yin Chen 378 feet into the left field stands. Villanueva's 15 home runs are the most ever by a Padres rookie before June 1 and the most by a National League rookie before June 1 since Albert Pujols had 16 in 2001.

Astros 4, Red Sox 2

Carlos Correa hit a two-run homer in the first inning, and host Houston scored twice on infield grounders in the fourth en route to a win over Boston.

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Philadelphia Phillies catcher Jorge Alfaro (38) breaks his bat hitting a double against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Correa belted a 2-1 fastball from Red Sox left-hander Drew Pomeranz out to left field, scoring Alex Bregman and staking the Astros to a 2-0 lead.

Lance McCullers Jr. (7-3) tossed six innings of two-run ball. Ken Giles pitched a scoreless ninth for his 10th save.

Braves 4, Nationals 2

Sean Newcomb pitched seven strong innings and drove in a run as Atlanta beat visiting Washington.

Newcomb (6-1) allowed two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out two. Dan Winkler pitched a scoreless eighth. Arodys Vizcaino pitched around a double and struck out the side in the ninth to earn his 10th save in 12 tries.

The win in the first game of the four-game series enabled the Braves to regain first place in the NL East, a half-game ahead of Washington, which saw its six-game winning streak snapped.

Cubs 5, Mets 1

Jose Quintana tossed six scoreless innings and combined with four relievers on a four-hitter, and Ben Zobrist finished a triple shy of the cycle as visiting Chicago beat New York.

The Cubs have won four of five. The Mets have lost six of eight.

Quintana (6-4) allowed three hits and two walks while striking out six. Brandon Morrow inherited a two-on, two-out situation in the ninth and retired Amed Rosario on a fielder's choice for his 13th save.

A's 7, Rays 3

Daniel Mengden took a shutout into the ninth inning, Matt Olson, Matt Chapman and Matt Joyce each hit home runs, and host Oakland beat Tampa Bay to avoid a four-game sweep.

Mengden (6-4) allowed three runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts in eight-plus innings. Stephen Piscotty hit a two-run double and Mark Canha also had an RBI for the Athletics.

Wilson Ramos had a two-run double and Christian Arroyo added an RBI double for the Rays, who had won five straight.

Tigers 6, Angels 2

Victor Reyes smacked a bases-loaded triple during a five-run first inning, and Detroit's pitching staff made the lead stand up in a victory over visiting Los Angeles.

Reyes added two more hits and a run while Nicholas Castellanos had three hits and a run. Infielder Ronny Rodriguez contributed two hits and a run in his major league debut.

Detroit starting pitcher Ryan Carpenter (right oblique strain) and third baseman Jeimer Candelario (left hand contusion) exited due to injuries, but the Tigers still won for third time in the four-game series.

Yankees at Orioles, ppd.

New York's scheduled game at Baltimore was postponed due to rain. The teams will make up the contest as part of a July 9 doubleheader.

--Field Level Media

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