LDN - Sports

MLB roundup: Complete-game shutout for Astros' Keuchel

[August 06, 2016] The Sports Xchange

HOUSTON -- Dallas Keuchel rebounded from a poor start with a complete-game shutout and the Houston Astros showed life offensively in their 5-0 win over the Texas Rangers Friday night at Minute Maid Park.

Keuchel (7-11), shelled by the Tigers in Detroit on Sunday, surrendered three hits and two walks while stifling the Rangers (63-47). Keuchel added seven strikeouts to end a three-game losing skid to Texas in which he allowed four-plus earned runs in each appearance this season.

The Astros (57-52) tagged Rangers left-hander Martin Perez (7-8) for four runs in the third inning to snap from their offensive funk. Second baseman Jose Altuve finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs to pace the attack.

Perez surrendered five earned runs on eight hits and three walks with four strikeouts over seven innings. He had allowed a total of 10 earned runs in seven previous appearances against the Astros.

Orioles 7, White Sox 5

CHICAGO -- Pedro Alvarez's hot streak continued at U.S. Cellular Field, where he hit two more home runs to lead Baltimore to a win to start a series against Chicago.

Alvarez, the Orioles' designated hitter, went 2-for-5 and clubbed solo homers in the second and eighth innings. It was the second two-homer performance in the past three games for Alvarez, who has hit five home runs in the past three games and six in the past five, bringing his season total to 18.

Manny Machado and Adam Jones also had big nights for the Orioles, who totaled 16 hits and overcame four errors to remain percentage points ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays in a virtual tie for first in the American League East.

Pirates 3, Reds 2

PITTSBURGH -- Sean Rodriguez led off the bottom of the ninth with a 413-foot home run to left field to give Pittsburgh a win over Cincinnati.

Pittsburgh broke a two-game losing streak. It was the start of a six-game homestand for the Pirates, who were coming off a 1-5 road trip.

In a matchup of young right-handers, Pittsburgh's Jameson Taillon and the Reds' Anthony DeSclafani had similar nights but neither got a decision. Taillon allowed one run on six hits over six innings, with one walk and six strikeouts. He threw 102 pitches and picked up his first career win at PNC Park. DeSclafani, who had won four of his past five starts, allowed two runs on two hits over six innings, with three walks and six strikeouts. He threw 106 pitches.

Nationals 5, Giants 1

WASHINGTON -- Lefty Gio Gonzalez allowed just two hits and one run in seven innings and new leadoff man Trea Turner had a double, homer and scored twice as Washington beat San Francisco in a battle of first-place clubs.

The Nationals, who are 21 games over .500 for the first time this year, began the day seven games ahead of the second-place Miami Marlins in the National League East.

The Giants started the night two games ahead of the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West. San Francisco is 5-14 since the All-Star break.

Twins 6, Rays 2

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Minnesota got a go-ahead pinch-hit home run from Eddie Rosario in the seventh inning on the way to a victory over Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field.

Rosario is 2-for-2 this season as a pinch-hitter with a pair of two-run homers. This one came off Rays reliever Erasmo Ramirez, who had seen the Rays take a 2-1 lead in the sixth on a solo home run by red-hot shortstop Brad Miller.

Ramirez gave up another home run -- a solo shot to Miguel Sano in the eighth -- to spoil another strong outing from rookie Blake Snell, who lowered his ERA to 2.95.

Tigers 4, Mets 3

DETROIT -- Victor Martinez smashed a long two-run homer and James McCann added an RBI single in a three-run fourth inning to bring Detroit from behind in a victory over New York for the Tigers' ninth win in their last 10 games.

Justin Verlander (12-6) faced a Mets lineup packed with seven left-handed batters and allowed four hits in six innings. He struck out nine and walked one.

Shane Greene and Justin Wilson each worked a scoreless inning and Francisco Rodriguez gave up a ninth-inning run but still notched his 31st save.

Cardinals 1, Braves 0

ST. LOUIS -- Jaime Garcia did it all on a night where the St. Louis Cardinals needed him to do it all.

Garcia fired a three-hitter over eight shutout innings and fanned 11 while knocking in the only run in his shutout victory over Atlanta at Busch Stadium.

Coming off an 11-0 loss Saturday night in Miami in which he gave up four runs in the game's first five batters and allowed six runs in only 3 1/3 innings while pitching on just three days' rest, Garcia (8-8) more than made amends.

Yankees 13, Indians 7

NEW YORK -- Starlin Castro's grand slam powered a five-run third inning for New York, which went on to beat Cleveland at Yankee Stadium.

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Jacoby Ellsbury finished 4-for-5 with two runs scored and a seventh-inning RBI single for the Yankees, who have alternated wins with losses in their last five games.

The Indians have lost four of six, a stretch in which they have been outscored 50-32.

Blue Jays 4, Royals 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Devon Travis opened the game with a home run and homered again in the eighth as Toronto edged by Kansas City.

Travis' ninth home run off Kelvin Herrera with two out in the eighth was the decisive blow.

Brett Cecil (1-6) pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning to claim the victory, while Joaquin Benoit earned his first save of the season.

Marlins 5, Rockies 3

DENVER -- What had the makings of a bitter, disheartening loss for Miami turned into an immensely satisfying comeback victory.

The Marlins scored four runs in the ninth inning to beat Colorado. The big hit was Martin Prado's go-ahead, two-run single.

Brian Ellington (2-1), who rescued Fernando Rodney in the eighth, was the winning pitcher. A.J. Ramos, who blew a save in his last outing on Wednesday in Chicago, posted his 32nd save of the season.

Mariners 6, Angels 4

SEATTLE -- Felix Hernandez and Seattle overcame a rough start to beat the Angels on a night when Los Angeles starter Tim Lincecum endured another rough outing.

Hernandez (6-4) bounced back from Mike Trout's three-run homer in the first to pitch eight strong innings. He allowed four runs and three hits, only one of which came over his final seven innings.

The Mariners used a six-run first inning -- including a three-run homer by Mike Zunino -- to hand Lincecum (2-6) his third consecutive loss.

Red Sox 9, Dodgers 0

LOS ANGELES -- Knuckleballer Steven Wright threw a complete-game shutout, and Boston rolled to a rout of Los Angeles before an announced sellout crowd of 52,728 at Dodger Stadium.

Wright (13-5) retired 18 of 19 batters before giving up a single to Yasmani Grandal to open the eighth inning. Wright finished with nine strikeouts one walk and held the Dodgers to three hits.

Wright is the only major league pitcher to allow three runs or fewer in his 11 road starts this season, tying Rogers Clemens' club mark set in 1988.

Cubs 7, Athletics 2

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Jorge Soler hit a three-run homer in his first at-bat after being activated from the disabled list, Jon Lester threw seven strong innings and Chicago defeated Oakland at the Oakland Coliseum.

Lester (12-4) allowed two runs on six hits, struck out eight and walked none. He faced the A's for the first time since leaving them as a free agent and signing with the Cubs after the 2014 season. The A's acquired Lester on July 31, 2014, from Boston with outfielder Jonny Gomes in exchange for outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.

Dexter Fowler led off the game with his ninth home run of the season for the Cubs, who won their fifth straight game.

Phillies 5, Padres 4

SAN DIEGO -- Cameron Rupp erased a 2-0 Padres lead with a three-run homer and added a run-scoring double to tie a career high with four RBIs as Philadelphia defeated San Diego at Petco Park.

Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson, who was the subject of considerable trade speculation before last Monday's deadline, retired 13 straight Padres from the third through seventh innings and picked up his ninth win against seven losses.

Padres starter Christian Friedrich (4-7) suffered the loss.

Diamondbacks 3, Brewers 2

PHOENIX -- Welington Castillo walked with the bases loaded to force in the winning run in the 11th inning and Yasmany Tomas had two homers in Arizona's victory over Milwaukee at Chase Field.

Paul Goldschmidt singled to right field off right-hander Blaine Boyer (1-2) to open the 11th inning and Jake Lamb singled to center. Tomas struck out before Peralta reached on a fielding error by shortstop Orlando Arcia to load the bases.

Castillo walked on a 3-1 pitch.

Left-hander Adam Loewen (1-0) had two strikeouts in a 1-2-3 11th inning for his first victory since Sept. 29, 2015 with Philadelphia.

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