LDN - Sports

MLB roundup: A's clinch division after Astros' loss

[September 22, 2020] Marco Gonzales pitched eight scoreless innings and the host Seattle Mariners defeated the Houston Astros 6-1 Monday night, allowing the idle Oakland Athletics to clinch the American League West title.

Mariners rookie Evan White hit a three-run homer, his seventh of the season, while Gonzales (7-2), a left-hander who was 0-5 with a 7.22 ERA in eight previous appearances against the Astros, allowed seven hits, walked one and struck out six.

It was just Seattle's third victory in 27 games against Houston over the past two seasons.

The Mariners (24-30), who played their previous five "home" games in San Francisco and San Diego because of hazardous air quality due to wildfires in the Pacific Northwest, pulled within three games of the Astros (27-27) for second place in the AL West. The Astros hold the tiebreaker, however, because they've already clinched the season series between the teams.

Reds 6, Brewers 3

Eugenio Suarez hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning and Luis Castillo won his fourth straight start as host Cincinnati continued its late-season surge by defeating Milwaukee.

In what was an early pitcher's duel between Castillo (4-5) and Milwaukee's Brandon Woodruff (2-5), all of the game's runs were scored on homers. The Brewers' Jedd Gyorko went deep in the fifth, but Suarez put Cincinnati (28-27) ahead 2-1 with his long ball an inning later.

Curt Casali added a solo home run in the eighth, and Mike Moustakas' three-run blast put the game out of reach later in the frame for the Reds, who have won eight of nine to move above .500 for the first time since Opening Day. Jace Peterson hit a two-run homer for Milwaukee in the ninth.

Braves 5, Marlins 4

Third baseman Austin Riley had a crucial run-scoring double and made a late game-saving defensive play to help Atlanta hang on to defeat visiting Miami and trim its magic number to win the National League East to three.

Riley doubled home two runs to cap a four-run first inning and put the Braves ahead to stay after the Marlins scored three runs in the top of the inning. He helped save the game with his glove in the eighth when he snared a 110-mph liner from Starling Marte with the bases loaded to preserve the lead.

The Marlins scored three times in the first inning on RBI singles from Aguilar, Brian Anderson and Garrett Cooper.

Rays 2, Mets 1

Nate Lowe hit the decisive solo homer, and six Tampa Bay pitchers combined on a four-hitter to move closer to clinching the American League East with a win over host New York.

The win by the Rays, coupled with an 11-5 loss by the second-place New York Yankees to the Toronto Blue Jays, reduced Tampa Bay's magic number for clinching the division to one.

The Mets (24-30) edged closer to being eliminated from playoff contention after wasting another brilliant outing by two-time reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom, who took the loss despite tying a career high by striking out 14 over seven innings.

Royals 4, Cardinals 1

Maikel Franco drove in two runs and scored a third run as host Kansas City defeated St. Louis.

Josh Staumont (2-1) picked up the win for the Royals. Staumont threw two innings of hitless relief. Greg Holland picked up his sixth save in as many chances.

Adam Wainwright (5-2) took the loss after running into trouble in the sixth. The inning began with the game tied at 1-1, but he threw 32 pitches and allowed two runs in that inning before leaving with two outs and the bases loaded.

Rockies 7, Giants 2

German Marquez pitched six one-run innings for his first win since Aug. 4, and visiting Colorado scored early and often against San Francisco ace Johnny Cueto en route to a critical victory in the opener of a four-game series.

Marquez (3-6) was staked to a 2-0 lead before even taking the mound, then took a three-hit shutout into the bottom of the fifth inning, by which time the advantage had expanded to 7-0. He allowed five hits with one walk and three strikeouts in his second victory of the season over the Giants.

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Mariners starting pitcher Marco Gonzales (7) throws against the Houston Astros during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Cueto balked home a run in the fourth to make it 4-0 before the Rockies busted the game open with a three-run fifth. Cueto was charged with seven runs. He walked three and struck out four.

Nationals 5, Phillies 1

Asdrubal Cabrera and Brock Holt had two hits apiece, Juan Soto walked twice and host Washington took advantage of three errors to defeat Philadelphia.

Nationals starter Anibal Sanchez gave up four hits and one run in five innings. Sanchez (3-5) struck out six, walked four and threw 105 pitches. Washington won its second game in a row while the Phillies dropped their second straight.

Rookie Alec Bohm reached base three times with a single, walk and a hit by pitch for the Phillies. Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler (4-1) tossed 113 pitches in 5 2/3 innings and allowed five hits and three runs, two earned.

Blue Jays 11, Yankees 5

Rookie catcher Alejandro Kirk was 4-for-4 with a double and a home run, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a triple and two doubles with three RBIs, and Toronto blasted visiting New York at Buffalo.

Kirk entered the opener of a four-game series with two singles in 10 major league at-bats in five games, but left hitting .429 with his first career homer. Randal Grichuk added a solo homer and two RBIs for Toronto.

Mike Tauchman had a three-run double for the Yankees. Starter Michael King (1-2) allowed five runs, five hits and one walk with six strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings.

Cubs 5, Pirates 0

Visiting Chicago scored all its runs with two outs to back a combined four-hitter in a shutout win over lowly Pittsburgh.

Kyle Schwarber doubled twice, including a two-run shot in the eighth, for the Cubs, who ended a two-game slide. Jon Lester (3-2) was perfect through three and pitched six scoreless innings. Pittsburgh has lost 13 of its past 14.

Chicago third baseman Kris Bryant left in the second because of right lower oblique tightness. He took an awkward swing and received brief medical attention, then grounded out. He was later replaced by David Bote in the bottom of the third inning.

Indians 7, White Sox 4

Carlos Santana belted a go-ahead two-run homer and Jose Ramirez went deep for the fifth time in five games to lift host Cleveland past Chicago. The Indians, who have won four of their past five games, can clinch a postseason berth with another win Tuesday over the White Sox.

Cesar Hernandez hit an RBI single in the second inning and scored on Franmil Reyes' sacrifice fly in the seventh for the Indians.

Eloy Jimenez launched a two-run homer and Jose Abreu had a two-run single for the White Sox, who fell to 2-5 versus Cleveland this season. Chicago saw its lead atop the American League Central trimmed to 1 1/2 games over Minnesota.

Angels 8, Rangers 5

Jared Walsh hit a grand slam to highlight a seven-run fourth inning, and Los Angeles took three of four from Texas with the victory in Anaheim, Calif.

Walsh, a rookie first baseman, is hitting .375 in September with eight home runs and 23 RBIs.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Derek Dietrich homered, and Nick Solak had three hits and scored twice for the Rangers.

--Field Level Media

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