LDN - Sports

Major League Baseball roundup: Nats' Scherzer logs second immaculate inning

[June 06, 2018] Max Scherzer became the first pitcher in the major leagues to win 10 games as he struck out 13 in eight innings, and Matt Adams homered as the Washington Nationals defeated the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 Tuesday night.

Scherzer improved to 10-1 and has won nine straight decisions. His only loss came on April 4 at Atlanta. Scherzer gave up two runs on five hits without a walk.

The right-hander also entered the record books with the second so-called immaculate inning of his career -- needing only nine pitches in an inning to strike out all three batters faced.

He became the fifth pitcher to register multiple immaculate innings. Sandy Koufax accomplished the feat three times, and others to do it twice were Randy Johnson, Nolan Ryan and Lefty Grove.

Angels 1, Royals 0

Andrew Heaney celebrated his 27th birthday by throwing a one-hit shutout for the Los Angeles in a victory over Kansas City in Anaheim, Calif. The left-hander tossed his first career shutout.

The only hit Heaney allowed was a one-out single by Hunter Dozier in the fifth inning. The Royals got their only other baserunners when Jon Jay was hit by a pitch leading off the first inning and when Jorge Soler walked with two outs in the seventh.

The Angels got the lone run in the fifth inning. With Michael Hermosillo on first base and Chris Young on third, Hermosillo broke for second, drawing a throw. Hermosillo got in a rundown, and Young took off for home and scored.

Diamondbacks 3, Giants 2

Patrick Corbin spoiled the comeback of Madison Bumgarner with 6 1/3 strong innings, delivering Arizona a victory at San Francisco.

Making his first start of the season and hoping to extend the Giants' winning streak to six, Bumgarner (0-1) limited the Diamondbacks to two runs in six innings. He was pitching in the majors for the first time since breaking a bone in his left hand when hit by a line drive in spring training.

Corbin (6-2) allowed just one run and four hits. He walked two and struck out seven, helping Arizona win for the sixth time in eight games. Brad Boxberger allowed a run in the ninth but nailed down his 14th save.

Dodgers 5, Pirates 0

Joc Pederson, Yasiel Puig and Cody Bellinger hit homers, and five Los Angeles pitchers held host Pittsburgh to seven hits, all singles.

Dodgers starter Ross Stripling (4-1) gave up four hits, struck out seven and walked none in five innings. Relievers Scott Alexander, Josh Fields, Pedro Baez and Daniel Hudson each pitched an inning to complete the shutout.

Los Angeles (30-30) won its fourth in a row and reached .500 by winning 14 of 18 games since May 17. The Pirates (30-30) have lost three straight and fell to .500 for the first time this season. They are 4-13 since they were a season-best nine games over .500 on May 17.

Indians 3, Brewers 2

Corey Kluber allowed a run and scattered seven hits in seven innings, and Lonnie Chisenhall and Jose Ramirez had key hits to help Cleveland outlast visiting Milwaukee.

Kluber (9-2) tied the New York Yankees' Luis Severino for the American League lead in wins. Kluber struck out seven and didn't walk a batter in his 112-pitch performance. Chisenhall had a bases-loaded, two-run single in the second inning, and Ramirez hit a solo home run in the third.

Neil Ramirez retired the Yankees in order in the eighth. Indians closer Cody Allen allowed a leadoff solo home run by Travis Shaw to start the ninth but still earned his 10th save.

Red Sox 6, Tigers 0

J.D. Martinez became the majors' first 20-homer hitter this season as his two-run blast against his old team helped host Boston beat Detroit.

Martinez, a staple in the Tigers' lineup from 2014 to 2017, broke a tie for the major league lead in homers with the Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout and the Cleveland Indians' Jose Ramirez. Xander Bogaerts added a solo homer, his ninth of the year for Boston.

Steven Wright (2-0) allowed two hits over seven scoreless innings with three walks and six strikeouts in his first start this year for Boston. Nicholas Castellanos (2-for-4) had both of the Tigers' hits against Wright.

Braves 14, Padres 1

Sean Newcomb posted his seventh straight win as Atlanta rolled to a victory at San Diego.

Freddie Freeman, who had a 16-game hitting streak snapped a night earlier, went 4-for-4 with a homer, two doubles and a walk. He scored three runs and drove in two. Dansby Swanson and Nick Markakis also homered as part of an 18-hit attack. The Braves batted around twice while scoring five runs in both the fifth and seventh innings.

Newcomb (7-1) allowed no runs on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts over six innings. Three of the Padres' baserunners against Newcomb were eliminated on double-play grounders.

Orioles 2, Mets 1

Alex Cobb earned the win in his best start since joining Baltimore, thanks to first-inning RBIs from Manny Machado and Danny Valencia at New York.

The Orioles, who have the worst record in baseball at 18-41, snapped a seven-game losing streak. The Mets have lost five straight and 30 of 46 since an 11-1 start.

Cobb (2-7), who signed with the Orioles on March 21 and entered Tuesday with a 6.80 ERA in his first nine starts, didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning. He ended up surrendering the one run on two hits and one walk while striking out seven over six innings.

[to top of second column]

Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) prepares to pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the fifth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Twins 4, White Sox 2 (Game 1)

Eduardo Escobar's three-run homer in the eighth inning capped a four-run rally with two outs that lifted Minnesota to a win over Chicago in the opener of a doubleheader at Minneapolis.

The 413-foot shot to center field scored Eddie Rosario and Gregorio Petit, making a winner of reliever Tyler Duffey (1-1), who worked two scoreless innings. Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth to garner his 13th save.

Shut down for seven innings by starter Reynaldo Lopez, who ceded only one hit and walked four while fanning four, Minnesota got its offense going after reliever Nate Jones (2-2) got the first two hitters out in the eighth.

White Sox 6, Twins 3 (Game 2)

Jose Abreu cracked a two-run home run to jumpstart a four-run first inning, and Lucas Giolito pitched six effective innings as Chicago earned a split of the doubleheader.

Abreu gave Minnesota rookie Zack Littell (0-1) a rough initiation into the majors with a 413-foot blast over the wall in left-center that brought home Yolmer Sanchez.

Kevan Smith, playing his first big league game of the year, made it 3-0 with an RBI single to right. Adam Engel followed by ripping a double to left that chased Smith home, giving Giolito (4-6) all the support he needed.

Yankees 7, Blue Jays 2

Miguel Andujar hit his first career grand slam, Aaron Hicks added a three-run shot, and CC Sabathia pitched seven strong innings as New York won at Toronto.

Sabathia (3-1) allowed two runs, three hits and one walk while striking out six for his first win since April 29, a span of five winless starts. The Yankees are 4-1 on their nine-game road trip.

Teoscar Hernandez and Kevin Pillar homered for the Blue Jays, who were playing their first game at home after a 3-6 road trip.

Rockies 9, Reds 6

Carlos Gonzalez hit a three-run home run in his four-RBI night, and Colorado earned a win at Cincinnati.

Rockies starter Kyle Freeland (6-5) pitched 6 2/3 innings of three-run ball, helping Colorado snap a four-game losing streak. The Reds have lost three in a row.

Reds right-hander Anthony DeSclafani (0-1) allowed four runs on six hits in five innings during his first start of the season. After missing all of last year with an arm injury, he began this year on the 60-day disable list with a left oblique strain.

Phillies 6, Cubs 1

Nick Williams homered and had three RBIs, and Zach Eflin pitched 7 2/3 strong innings to lead Philadelphia to a victory at Chicago.

Williams had a two-run homer in the second inning for the Phillies, who snapped a three-game slide. Aaron Altherr added two RBIs as Philadelphia won for just the third time in its past nine contests.

Eflin (2-2) allowed one run and eight hits before exiting. He struck out two and walked one while helping end Chicago's four-game winning streak.

Rangers 7, A's 4

Adrian Beltre and Joey Gallo belted eighth-inning home runs to snap a tie and complete Texas' comeback against visiting Oakland.

Beltre led off the eighth by homering off Lou Trivino (3-1). After Jurickson Profar walked, Gallo drilled a 386-foot shot to right. That was the fifth homer of the game for the Rangers.

Chris Martin (1-1) picked up the win with a clean eighth inning. Keone Kela struck out the side in the ninth to garner his 14th save of the year.

Mariners 7, Astros 1

James Paxton delivered another strong performance, and Seattle bashed three home runs to win at Houston.

Paxton (5-1) notched his fourth consecutive victorious decision despite allowing nine hits over 7 2/3 innings. He limited the Astros to just one run while walking one and striking out six.

Before Paxton took the mound in the bottom of the first inning, the Mariners gifted him a four-run lead. Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel (3-8) saw his first-inning ERA rise to 9.00. He wound up allowing seven runs in 6 2/3 innings.

Marlins 7, Cardinals 4

Jose Urena earned his first win of the season, and Brian Anderson hit an opposite-field, two-run homer to lead Miami to a win at St. Louis.

Urena (1-7) hadn't won a game since last year on Sept. 20, a span of 14 starts. The Marlins lost all 14 of those games, including 12 this year. Run support has been an issue. But Urena, who allowed 10 hits, one walk and four runs in five innings on Tuesday, was backed up by a season-high seven runs this time.

Anderson's fifth-inning homer came off reliever Preston Guilmet (0-1), who was making his Cardinals debut and his first major league appearance since 2015.

--Field Level Media

Back to top