LDN - Sports

MLB roundup: Pirate nearly perfect in debut

[April 30, 2018] Pittsburgh right-hander Nick Kingham, making his major league debut, took a perfect game into the seventh inning -- and threw seven one-hit innings total -- Sunday in the Pirates' 5-0 win over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.

Paul DeJong's single down the line in left broke up the perfect game and no-hitter with two outs in the seventh. Kingham (1-0) had nine strikeouts and no walks. Relievers Michael Feliz and Edgar Santana each pitched an inning to seal a combined three-hit shutout.

Kingham, 26, was a fourth-round draft pick by the Pirates in 2010 and was rated highly as a prospect in the minor leagues, but he had some setbacks -- most notably Tommy John surgery in May 2015 -- that delayed his big league debut.

Elias Diaz went 3-for-4 and hit a two-run single in the Pirates' four-run, sixth-inning rally.

Yankees 2, Angels 1

Gary Sanchez hit a two-run homer and CC Sabathia threw seven strong innings to lead New York to a victory over Los Angeles, completing a three-game sweep in Anaheim, Calif. It was the Yankees' ninth consecutive win, their longest streak since winning 10 in a row in June 2012.

Sanchez's two-run, fourth-inning home was the only mistake by Angels starter Tyler Skaggs (3-2) in 5 1/3 innings.

The only run Sabathia (2-0) allowed came home on a wild pitch in the sixth inning. He yielded five hits and a walk while striking out four. Chad Green escaped a jam in the eighth, and Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth inning for his sixth save.

Red Sox 4, Rays 3

Sandy Leon hit the go-ahead single with two outs in the eighth inning as host Boston snapped Tampa Bay's major-league-leading, eight-game winning streak.

With runners on first and second, Leon slapped a single down the third base line off Rays closer Alex Colome (2-3). The ball bounced off the wall in foul territory and rolled into left field, allowing J.D. Martinez to score without a throw.

Martinez (4-for-4) had two RBIs for Boston, which had lost two straight and five of its previous seven games.

Royals 5, White Sox 4

Whit Merrifield's RBI single in the eighth inning snapped a tie and lifted Kansas City to a win over visiting Chicago.

Alcides Escobar started the decisive rally by getting plunked by a pitch from reliever Bruce Rondon (1-1). A passed ball by catcher Omar Narvaez put Escobar into scoring position, and after Drew Butera popped out on a bunt attempt, Merrifield grounded his hit into center.

Kevin McCarthy (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings to claim the win, while Blaine Boyer worked the ninth to earn his first save as the Royals garnered their second straight victory over Chicago after five straight losses.

Marlins 3, Rockies 0

Rookie Caleb Smith struck out nine batters to earn his first major league win as Miami defeated visiting Colorado.

The last-place Marlins took two of three games from the Rockies to win their second straight series. Prior to this week, the Marlins hadn't won any series this season.

Smith pitched a career-high seven innings, allowing two hits -- both singles -- and one walk. Miami's Miguel Rojas homered, Lewis Brinson hit an RBI single and Starlin Castro added a sacrifice fly.

Reds 8, Twins 2

Cincinnati finally earned its first series win of the season, when Tyler Mahle tossed 6 1/3 strong innings and Eugenio Suarez, Scott Schebler and Adam Duvall had two RBIs apiece during a victory over reeling Minnesota in Minneapolis.

The Reds took two of three from the Twins as they improved to 4-6 under interim manager Jim Riggleman. Prior to this weekend, Cincinnati was 0-6-1 in series, though it did defeat the Chicago Cubs, 1-0, on April 2 in what ended up being the only game played in a scheduled two-game series.

The Twins have lost nine of 10.

Braves 10, Phillies 1

Ozzie Albies hit his ninth home run on the first pitch of the game, setting the pace for Atlanta's win at Philadelphia.

Albies, now tied for the National League lead in home runs, also had a double, a walk, scored three times and drove in three runs. Braves starter Brandon McCarthy (4-0) pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed one run on five hits with three walks and six strikeouts.

The win was the second straight for Atlanta and gave the Braves the series win. Atlanta improved to 6-1-2 in series this season. The Braves (16-11) have not been five games over .500 since they were 6-1 on April 13, 2015.

Cubs 2, Brewers 0

Tyler Chatwood gave up two hits over seven scoreless innings, and he drove home the go-ahead run in the fifth inning as Chicago completed a four-game sweep of visiting Milwaukee.

It was the Cubs' first four-game sweep of the Brewers since August 2016 and their fifth four-game sweep of Milwaukee all time. The Cubs outscored the Brewers 9-2 in the series and have shut out Milwaukee five times in the opening month of the season. The Brewers have been shut out six times in April.

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Addison Russell had a triple and scored on Chatwood's RBI single in the fifth inning before adding a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning. Carl Edwards Jr. and Brandon Morrow (seventh save) each delivered a hitless inning to complete the two-hitter.

Astros 8, A's 4

Host Houston took advantage of three errors to score three runs in the seventh inning, breaking a late tie en route to a victory over Oakland.

The win was the Astros' second in a row after a series-opening 8-1 loss to the A's and allowed them to gather some momentum on the eve of an American League Championship Series rematch with the New York Yankees that begins on Monday.

George Springer had a solo home run, his sixth of the season, and an RBI single. Jose Altuve also knocked in two runs for the Astros.

Giants 4, Dodgers 2

Evan Longoria hit a three-run home run in the first inning as San Francisco beat visiting Los Angeles to win three of four in the weekend series.

The Giants made it 4-0 in the third when Brandon Belt doubled home Buster Posey, who had walked, and San Francisco's pitchers took it from there.

San Francisco starter Ty Blach (2-3) went six-plus innings, allowing two runs and six hits. Giants relievers Sam Dyson, Tony Watson and Hunter Strickland (seventh save) combined for three innings of two-hit, shutout relief, delivering San Francisco its third consecutive series win.

Mets 14, Padres 2

Adrian Gonzalez, a San Diego County native and former Padre, drove in five runs with a double and his third home run of the season to trigger New York's victory at San Diego in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Yoenis Cespedes left the contest in the third inning with a sore left thumb suffered on a headfirst slide into third base, but the Mets still posted season highs in runs and hits (19). They also batted around in both the seventh and eighth innings, scoring five runs in each.

Zack Wheeler (2-1) was the beneficiary of the Mets' offensive surge. He allowed two runs on six hits and two walks with nine strikeouts over five innings.

Nationals 3, Diamondbacks 1

Matt Wieters and Michael A. Taylor homered, and Gio Gonzalez pitched seven innings for the first time this season as Washington beat visiting Arizona.

Wieters and Taylor homered off reliever T.J. McFarland (1-1), who entered in the second inning after Arizona starter Robbie Ray was forced to leave with what was initially diagnosed as a strained right oblique.

Wieters, the first batter McFarland faced, hit his third homer as part of a two-run second inning, and Taylor hit his third homer with one out in the third inning for a 3-0 lead. Gonzalez (3-2) gave up six hits and one run in seven innings, striking out a season-high eight and walking one.

Orioles 5, Tigers 3

Pedro Alvarez hit a pair of home runs for the second time in three games as Baltimore topped visiting Detroit.

Trey Mancini added a solo homer for the Orioles, who took two of three in the series.

Baltimore starter Kevin Gausman (2-2) gave up one run on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Darren O'Day pitched the ninth for his second save.

Mariners 10, Indians 4

Ryon Healy homered twice and drove in four runs as Seattle completed a 7-3 road trip with a victory at Cleveland.

Healy started a five-run second with a two-out RBI double. He recorded his fifth career multi-homer game with a solo shot off Josh Tomlin (0-4) in the sixth and a two-run drive off Nick Goody in the eighth.

Mitch Haniger homered and finished a double shy of the cycle while Robinson Cano also homered for the Mariners. Dee Gordon went 4-for-5 to help Seattle win for the fifth time in seven meetings with the Indians.

Blue Jays 7, Rangers 2

J.A. Happ struck out nine over seven innings, Yangervis Solarte, Teoscar Hernandez and Kevin Pillar hit solo homers and Toronto ended a four-game losing streak with a victory over visiting Texas.

Happ (4-1) allowed two runs and five hits and did not walk a batter as the Blue Jays avoided being swept in the three-game series to complete a 2-4 homestand.

Renato Nunez homered for the Rangers. Texas starter Martin Perez (2-3) allowed four runs in four innings.

--Field Level Media

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