LDN - Sports

MLB roundup: Yanks prevent Red Sox's celebration

[September 19, 2018] Neil Walker hit a three-run homer with one out in the seventh inning, and the New York Yankees held on for a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox, preventing their rivals from clinching the American League East crown Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees set up their winning rally when Aaron Hicks and Gary Sanchez drew walks off Brandon Workman (6-1). Boston manager Alex Cora lifted Workman for Ryan Brasier, who fell behind Walker and lost the lead when the first baseman lifted a full-count slider into the second deck in right field.

It was Walker's 10th homer, and he became the 11th Yankee to reach double figures in long balls this year. The Yankees tied a major league record in becoming the fifth team to achieve the feat.

Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge returned to the starting lineup and went 0-for-4. He hadn't batted since July 26, when he sustained a chip fracture in his right wrist.

Dodgers 3, Rockies 2 (10 innings)

Chris Taylor hit a game-ending home run in the 10th inning as host Los Angeles extended its lead over second-place Colorado in the National League West to 1 1/2 games.

With one out in the 10th, Taylor unloaded on a 2-2 pitch from Rockies reliever Adam Ottavino (6-4) for his 17th home run of the season and his first career walk-off homer.

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits over seven innings. The Los Angeles bullpen added three scoreless innings, with Dylan Floro (6-3) striking out the only two batters he faced to earn the victory.

Astros 7, Mariners 0

Marwin Gonzalez capped a four-run third inning with a two-run home run, and rookie Josh James made a spot start and earned his first major league win over visiting Seattle.

With the victory, their 13th in 16 games this month, the Astros reduced their magic number to clinch a postseason berth to two. They also eliminated the Mariners from contention in the American League West.

The Astros, who snapped a five-game home losing streak to the Mariners, can secure the season series from Seattle with a victory in the three-game series finale on Wednesday. Houston won the season series against its four AL West rivals last season and has already clinched the season series against its three other division foes excluding the Mariners this season.

Cubs 9, Diamondbacks 1

Javier Baez homered for the second consecutive game, Daniel Murphy also homered and visiting Chicago increased its NL Central lead to 3 1/2 games with a victory over Arizona.

Top NL MVP candidate Baez has 33 homers and an NL-leading 107 RBIs. For the second consecutive game, he was serenaded by "MVP" chants from a boisterous, pro-Cubs crowd.

Baez and Murphy each had two hits and two RBIs, Murphy scored three times, and Anthony Rizzo had a two-run single as the Cubs won for the fifth time in six games and gained a game on the second-place Milwaukee Brewers. The teams do not play again this season.

Nationals 4, Marlins 2

Stephen Strasburg (9-7) struck out 11 batters in six innings, leading Washington past host Miami.

He entered the game with a 4-0 record and a 0.67 ERA against the Marlins since April 2017, and was solid again. Strasburg allowed five hits, two walks and two runs.

Four Washington relievers closed out the game, allowing no runs in three innings. Sean Doolittle pitched the ninth to earn his 25th save of the season and send the Marlins deeper into the cellar.

Indians 5, White Sox 3

Corey Kluber earned his career-high 19th win of the season, and Jason Kipnis homered to lead Cleveland past visiting Chicago.

Kluber (19-7) allowed three runs on eight hits over eight innings. He walked two and struck out 11 to give him 205 strikeouts this season, the fifth consecutive season he has registered 200 or more strikeouts in a season.

Kluber joins Trevor Bauer (214) and Carlos Carrasco (206) as teammates who also have struck out at least 200 batters this season. It marks just the fourth time in major league history that three pitchers on one team had 200 or more strikeouts in a season and the first time since the 2013 Tigers (Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez) did it.

Cardinals 8, Braves 1

Paul DeJong homered for the second straight game to support the strong pitching effort of Austin Gomber as visiting St. Louis strolled to a win over Atlanta, which lost its fourth straight.

DeJong hit a two-run shot against Atlanta starter Anibal Sanchez (6-6) in the fourth inning to give the Cardinals a lead they never relinquished. It was the 19th homer for DeJong, 15 of them on the road.

The Cardinals (84-68) won their third consecutive game and retained possession of the lead for the second National League wild card. St. Louis is 36-22 since the All-Star Game and improved to 5-0 all time and 2-0 this season at SunTrust Park.

Reds 3, Brewers 1

Michael Lorenzen allowed one hit in four innings during his first start since 2015, and Cincinnati won at Milwaukee.

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Yankees first baseman Neil Walker (14) reacts after hitting a three run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the seventh inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The right-hander, who has made 42 relief appearances this season, allowed one unearned run Tuesday. Lorenzen walked one and struck out three. He was taken out after throwing 52 pitches.

Jose Peraza homered for the Reds.

Phillies 5, Mets 2

Jorge Alfaro capped a five-run sixth inning with a three-run home run, rallying host Philadelphia to a victory over New York.

Thanks in part to a Steven Matz solo home run, his second of the season, the Mets took a 2-0 lead into the sixth inning. Matz pitched five shutout innings, but the Phillies rallied against the New York bullpen.

Aaron Nola worked the first 5 2/3 innings for the Phillies, allowing two runs and six hits. He walked two and struck out nine. Pat Neshek (3-1) got the last out in the sixth.

Rays 4, Rangers 0

Blake Snell went where only one Tampa Bay pitcher has gone before, winning his 20th game of the season as he shut down host Texas.

Snell, the majors' winningest pitcher at 20-5 and a prime candidate to win the American League's Cy Young Award, allowed just one hit in five innings as he won his eighth straight start. He hasn't lost a game since July 12.

Snell, who lowered his ERA to 1.97, behind only Boston's Chris Sale at 1.92, walked two and struck out five, giving him 200 strikeouts for the season. He threw 92 pitches before giving way to Chaz Roe to start the sixth inning.

Pirates 2, Royals 1 (11 innings)

Ryan Lavarnway, in his second major league at-bat this year, hit an RBI single in the 11th inning, giving Pittsburgh a win over visiting Kansas City.

Kansas City tied it 1-1 in the top of the ninth on Hunter Dozier's RBI double.

In the bottom of the 11th, Starling Marte led off with an infield single off the glove of Burch Smith (1-6). Josh Bell walked, and both runners advanced on a passed ball. After a strikeout, Adam Frazier was intentionally walked to load the bases for Lavarnway, and the pinch hitter smacked the ball into center for his first career walk-off hit.

Angels 9, Athletics 7

Kaleb Cowart hit his first home run of the season, a sixth-inning grand slam that rallied Los Angeles from a deficit to a victory at Oakland, Calif.

Mike Trout also homered for the Angels, who sent the A's to their third straight defeat, allowing the Rays to climb within 5 1/2 games in the race for the second American League wild-card spot.

The homer was Cowart's first since last August and just the sixth of his career.

Giants 5, Padres 4

Chris Shaw dropped a bases-loaded, two-run single in front of charging Padres left fielder Hunter Renfroe with one out in the eighth inning, leading San Francisco to a victory at San Diego.

The Giants earned their second straight win over the Padres, assuring San Diego of a last-place finish in the National League West.

Sam Dyson (4-3) was credited with the win. Will Smith earned his 14th save by striking out Franmil Reyes and Renfroe to end the game with the tying run at second.

Twins 5, Tigers 3

Tyler Austin drove in three runs and Jake Odorizzi had another sharp pitching performance, leading Minnesota over Detroit.

Odorizzi (7-10) carried a no-hitter into the eighth against the New York Yankees in his previous start. This time, he held the Tigers to one hit through the first six innings. He lasted 6 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out six. Trevor Hildenberger recorded his seventh save.

Chris Gimenez hit a solo homer and Jorge Polanco had two hits and scored two runs for the Twins, who have taken the first two games of the three-game series.

Blue Jays 6, Orioles 4

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a two-run single for the go-ahead runs in the seventh inning when visiting Toronto scored four unearned runs to defeat Baltimore.

The Orioles (43-108) broke a club record for losses in a season since the team moved to Baltimore in 1954.

The Blue Jays, who have taken the first two games of the three-game series, have four straight wins on the road for the first time this season.

--Field Level Media

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