MLB roundup: Max Scherzer wins in Rangers debut

 

[August 04, 2023]  Max Scherzer overcame a rocky start to win his Texas debut, allowing three runs and seven hits over six innings as the Rangers completed a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox with a 5-3 victory on Thursday in Arlington, Texas.

Scherzer (10-4) struck out nine and walked two following his trade from the New York Mets last weekend. All three runs came in the first before he settled in. Josh Sborz and Aroldis Chapman followed with one scoreless inning apiece, and Will Smith fanned two in the ninth for his 19th save.

Mitch Garver and Marcus Semien hit solo homers in the fourth inning to give the Rangers the lead for good. Josh Jung and Garver each collected two hits.

White Sox starter Touki Toussaint (1-4) allowed four runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. Tim Anderson and Andrew Benintendi had two hits apiece for Chicago, which lost its fourth game in a row.

Phillies 4, Marlins 2

Michael Lorenzen logged eight strong innings in his team debut and J.T. Realmuto belted a two-run homer to guide Philadelphia past host Miami.

Lorenzen (6-7), who was acquired from the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday prior to the trade deadline, gave up two runs on six hits. He matched the longest outing by a Philadelphia starter this season. Seranthony Dominguez picked up his second save as the Phillies took three of four games in the series.

Bryan De La Cruz hit a solo home run and Jazz Chisholm Jr. had an RBI double for Miami, which fell to 5-5 against Philadelphia this season. Johnny Cueto (0-3) allowed four runs on five hits in six-plus innings.

Orioles 6, Blue Jays 1

Jack Flaherty pitched six strong innings in his debut for visiting Baltimore, which defeated Toronto to take three games in the four-game series.

Flaherty (8-6), acquired in a trade Tuesday with the St. Louis Cardinals, allowed one run, four hits and two walks while striking out eight. Ryan Mountcastle went 4-for-4 with a sacrifice fly for the Orioles, giving him 11 hits in the series. Austin Hays was 4-for-5 with two RBIs.

Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman (8-6) allowed three runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in Toronto's only run.

Giants 1, Diamondbacks 0

Reliever Tristan Beck went four shutout innings and LaMonte Wade Jr. hit a home run to lead San Francisco past visiting Arizona.

Wade's blast over the right field wall leading off the fourth inning provided the only offense the Giants needed. Beck (3-0) took over for opener Scott Alexander to start the second inning and allowed two hits.

Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfaadt (0-5) was sensational in the loss. He was perfect through three innings, then allowed the homer to Wade before recovering to retire 12 of the next 14 hitters. Pfaadt allowed only two hits through his seven innings, with one walk and seven strikeouts.

Royals 9, Mets 2

Brady Singer pitched eight scoreless innings, Bobby Witt Jr. and Drew Waters homered and Kansas City completed a sweep of visiting New York.

Following a sweep of the Minnesota Twins, the Royals concluded a 6-0 homestand, the fifth such perfect homestand in club history. Singer (7-8) threw 100 pitches, surrendering only three singles with four strikeouts and no walks while allowing no runners past first.

Mets starter Carrasco (3-6) pitched six-plus innings, allowing six runs on eight hits and a walk. In the ninth, Francisco Lindor hit a two-run homer for New York's first runs in 17 innings.

Mariners 5, Angels 3

Rookie Cade Marlowe hit a ninth-inning grand slam as Seattle overcame Shohei Ohtani's major-league-leading 40th home run of the season to defeat Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.

Eugenio Suarez also went deep for the Mariners, who won for the seventh time in their past nine games. Andres Munoz struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to earn his fourth save.

Aug 3, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Michael Lorenzen (22) pitches against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles took its third defeat in a row. Ohtani, who was limited to four scoreless innings on the mound because of cramps in his right hand and fingers, stayed in the game as the designated hitter. Angels closer Carlos Estevez (5-2), who had converted all 23 of his save opportunities entering the game, struggled with his command in the ninth inning.

Dodgers 8, Athletics 2

Julio Urias tossed five scoreless innings and Freddie Freeman homered and doubled twice as Los Angeles completed a three-game sweep of visiting Oakland.

Amed Rosario and Miguel Rojas each drove in two runs for the Dodgers, who outscored the A's 25-6 in the series. Urias (8-6) allowed three hits and one walk while striking out five. Emmet Sheehan recorded his first career save after allowing two runs over the final four innings.

Rookies Zack Gelof and Tyler Soderstrom each hit a solo homer for Oakland, which has lost four straight to fall a season-worst 50 games under .500.

Cubs 5, Reds 3

Jameson Taillon tossed five solid innings to win his third consecutive start as Chicago beat visiting Cincinnati.

Cody Bellinger, Ian Happ, Christopher Morel, Jeimer Candelario and Yan Gomes each drove in a run for Chicago, which won three straight after opening the four-game series with a loss. Taillon (6-6) allowed two runs on seven hits, and Adbert Alzolay recorded the final four outs for his 13th save

Elly De La Cruz homered on the first pitch of the game for the Reds, who concluded their 10-game road trip with a 4-6 mark. Spencer Steer added a solo homer.

Yankees 4, Astros 3

Anthony Volpe hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the sixth inning as host New York beat Houston in the first meeting between the teams since last year's American League Championship Series.

Giancarlo Stanton and Billy McKinney hit back-to-back home runs in the first for the Yankees, who took the opener of a four-game series for its second victory in a row. Starter Clarke Schmidt allowed two runs on four hits in five innings, giving up three runs or fewer for his 13th straight start.

Martin Maldonado went 3-for-3 with an RBI and Kyle Tucker smacked a solo homer, his eighth since the start of July, as the Astros saw their three-game winning streak come to an end.

Twins 5, Cardinals 3

Minnesota pitcher Sonny Gray earned his first victory since April 30 as the visiting Twins defeated St. Louis.

Gray (5-4) had gone 15 starts without winning a game, an 0-4 stretch with 11 no-decisions. He broke that streak by holding the Cardinals to two runs on five hits in seven innings. Gray struck out eight batters without a walk.

Cardinals starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore (1-4) allowed the five runs on six hits with one strikeout and two walks in 5 2/3 innings.

Brewers 14, Pirates 1

Rookie Sal Frelick drove in five runs with a three-run homer and a double as Milwaukee rolled past visiting Pittsburgh in the opener of a four-game series.

Adrian Houser (4-3) allowed one run on four hits over six innings as the Brewers won for just the second time in seven games. Brice Turang went 3-for-5 with a three-run homer, and Christian Yelich also had three hits.

Pirates starter Mitch Keller (9-8) was tagged for eight runs on nine hits in five innings, losing his fourth consecutive start since pitching an inning in the All-Star Game.

--Field Level Media

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