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MLB roundup: Rangers turn unusual triple play

[August 17, 2018] The Texas Rangers scored four runs in the eighth inning to complete a comeback from a five-run deficit, and an unusual triple play helped them beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-6 Thursday night in Arlington, Texas.

With the bases loaded with and no outs in the fourth inning, Los Angeles' David Fletcher hit a one-hopper that appeared headed down the left field line. Third baseman Jurickson Profar backhanded the ball on a short hop and stepped on third for the first out.

Profar then tagged Taylor Ward, who began the play on third base but was unsure if Profar caught the ball or not and retreated back to third base. Profar then threw to Rougned Odor for a force at second base to complete the triple play, the sixth in franchise history and the first since May 20, 2009, against the Seattle Mariners.

It was the first triple play in 106 years in which the batter was not retired, according to STATS. The last was turned by the Brooklyn Dodgers against the Cincinnati Reds on June 3, 1912.

Mets 24, Phillies 4 (Game 1)

Jose Bautista tied a major league record by collecting seven RBIs off the bench for New York, which set a bunch of franchise records in a blowout win during the opener of a doubleheader at Philadelphia.

The 24 runs and 25 hits were both franchise records for the Mets, snapping marks set exactly 31 years earlier in a 23-10 win over the Chicago Cubs in which New York collected 21 hits.

The seven RBIs were a career high for Bautista, and he became the first major-leaguer to reach that total in a game off the bench since John Mayberry on June 26, 1978. The Mets recorded the lopsided win just 16 days after suffering the most lopsided defeat in franchise history, a 25-4 loss to the Washington Nationals.

Phillies 9, Mets 6 (Game 2)

Zach Eflin recovered from a rocky beginning to last 6 2/3 solid innings and earn the win as Philadelphia salvaged the finale of the doubleheader.

Eflin (9-4) allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out five. Phillies closer Seranthony Dominguez entered in the ninth and surrendered a run-scoring single to Wilmer Flores before striking out the final two batters for his 14th save.

Scott Kingery and Rhys Hoskins homered for the Phillies. Hoskins drove in three runs, and Wilson Ramos had three hits.

Twins 15, Tigers 8

Logan Forsythe went 5-for-5 with two doubles, two RBIs and three runs, and Jorge Polanco homered and drove in four runs to lead Minnesota to a victory over Detroit in Minneapolis.

Miguel Sano homered and drove in three runs, Ehire Adrianza hit a two-run home run and scored twice and Joe Mauer had two hits, a walk and three runs for Minnesota, which finished with 15 hits and won its third consecutive game.

Forsythe, who left the contest to a standing ovation for pinch runner Jake Cave after a seventh-inning single for his career-high fifth hit, is batting .449 (22-for-49) with the Twins since coming over from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Brian Dozier deal at the non-waiver deadline.

Rockies 5, Braves 3

David Dahl drove in three runs, two of them in a three-run, ninth-inning outburst, to help visiting Colorado end Atlanta's five-game winning streak.

Dahl hit a home run, his sixth, in the third inning, but his most timely blow came in the ninth when he slapped a 1-1 pitch into left field to drive in Gerardo Parra and Ryan McMahon, breaking a 3-3 tie.

Atlanta rookie Ronald Acuna Jr., who hit was plunked by the opening pitch of Wednesday's game, sparking a benches-clearing incident, saw his home run streak end at five games. He went 1-for-4 with a stolen base, extending his hitting streak to nine games.

Diamondbacks 5, Padres 1

Clay Buchholz allowed just one run on five hits in the 10th complete game of his career, and Arizona scored five runs in the first inning en route to a victory at San Diego.

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Rangers third baseman Jurickson Profar (19) hits a home run during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Buchholz (6-2) didn't issue a walk while striking out six. The right-hander threw 112 pitches, 76 of them strikes, in his first complete game since July 4, 2015, while pitching for the Boston Red Sox against the Houston Astros.

The Diamondbacks gave Buchholz all the runs he needed before he threw his first pitch, knocking out Padres rookie starter Jacob Nix after two-thirds of an inning. Nix (1-1) yielded a three-run home by David Peralta and a two-run single by Alex Avila.

Cubs 1, Pirates 0

Jon Lester was nearly flawless over six innings, and Ian Happ hit a solo homer as Chicago slipped host Pittsburgh.

Lester combined with relievers Steve Cishek, Carl Edwards Jr. and Pedro Strop for a six-hit shutout. The left-handed starter surrendered five hits and no walks while striking out eight. Strop earned his 10th save.

Happ went deep off Ivan Nova (7-7) with one out in the fourth inning. Nova allowed a run on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Nationals 5, Cardinals 4

Bryce Harper finished with three hits and three RBIs, and starter Tanner Roark helped with both pitching and hitting as Washington won at St. Louis to snap a four-game losing streak.

Roark (8-12) had hits in his first two at-bats and went 2-for-3, scoring two runs. He gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits in six innings and now has allowed eight runs overall in his last five starts, all of which have been wins.

Justin Miller then threw two shutout innings before Koda Glover came on and closed it in the ninth. That gave Glover his first 2018 save in just his fourth appearance of the season. He missed most of the year due to shoulder problems.

Rays 3, Yankees 1

Blake Snell pitched five scoreless innings, and Adam Kolarek worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth for his first career save as Tampa Bay held on for a victory over New York to clinch their first series win in Yankee Stadium in over four years.

In his third start back from left shoulder fatigue, Snell (14-5) allowed two hits in five innings. He struck out six, walked one and became the fifth American League pitcher with at least 14 wins.

Snell also allowed two runs or less for the 19th time, tying him with Houston ace Justin Verlander for the league lead. He also permitted one run or none for the 15th time.

Royals 6, Blue Jays 2

Lucas Duda homered, Rosell Herrera had three hits, including an RBI double, and Kansas City defeated visiting Toronto to gain a split in the four-game series.

The game was delayed 2 hours, 14 minutes by rain at the start.

Glenn Sparkman, who was with the Blue Jays briefly as a Rule 5 draft pick before being returned to the Royals last July after two outings with Toronto, made his first career major league start and his ninth appearance of the season. He allowed two runs in four innings. Brian Flynn (3-3) allowed a hit and a walk in one-plus innings to pick up the win.

--Field Level Media

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