MLB roundup: Fernando Tatis Jr. homers twice in return for Padres

[August 16, 2021]  Fernando Tatis Jr. delivered four hits, including a pair of solo home runs, in his return from a 13-game absence because of a left shoulder injury, leading the San Diego Padres to an 8-2 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday afternoon in Phoenix.

Tatis also doubled, singled, drove in four runs and scored three while playing right field. Tatis played shortstop in 223 of his previous 226 MLB starts, and was the designated hitter in the other three.

Jake Cronenworth launched a two-run homer and Eric Hosmer contributed two hits for the Padres, who avoided getting swept in the four-game series.

Padres starter Craig Stammen threw two shutout innings before Reiss Knehr (1-0), Pierce Johnson, Tim Hill, Daniel Hudson, Emilio Pagan and Austin Adams combined to limit Arizona to two runs and six hits over the final seven innings.

Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen (1-7) allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked three.

Rangers 7, Athletics 4
 

Rookie DJ Peters hit a pair of two-run homers to help Texas take two of three from Oakland in Arlington, Texas.

Peters doubled his career home run total by going deep during the first and fifth innings in the rubber game of this set for the Rangers. Winning pitcher Kolby Allard (3-10) allowed three runs and seven hits over 6 1/3 innings to post his first victory since June 12.

Matt Chapman homered for one of his three hits and Mark Canha also left the yard for the A's, who entered this series on a seven-game winning streak. Five of the seven runs yielded by Oakland's Sean Manaea (8-8) in his five innings came on three homers.

Angels 3, Astros 1

Reid Detmers pitched six strong innings in his third major league start, Phil Gosselin doubled and homered, and Los Angeles beat Houston in Anaheim, Calif.

Detmers (1-2) gave up one run on three hits and two walks while striking out six for his first career major league win. Gosselin doubled and scored in the sixth inning to give the Angels a 2-1 lead, then homered in the eighth to give the Angels and closer Raisel Iglesias (26th save) an insurance run.

Meanwhile, Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr. (9-4) gave up two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out eight. Michael Brantley had two hits, including a solo homer, for Houston.

Reds 7, Phillies 4

Jonathan India broke out of an 0-for-10 slump with a game-opening home run as visiting Cincinnati beat Philadelphia in the rubber game of the series.
 

India finished the day with three hits for the short-handed Reds, who took two of three games in the weekend series to win their first series in Philadelphia since 2017.

Rookie Tyler Stephenson homered for the third straight game while Shogo Akiyama replaced an ejected Nick Castellanos and contributed with a two-run double sending the Phillies to their fourth loss in six games.

Brewers 2, Pirates 1

Christian Yelich doubled twice and drove in a run Sunday as visiting Milwaukee slipped past Pittsburgh.

Willy Adames was 1-for-3 with a walk and scored both runs for the Brewers, who scored their runs in the first and third innings and held on to win. They have won six of seven.

Milwaukee starter Eric Lauer, just reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list, pitched four innings. He gave up one run and three hits, with no walks and six strikeouts.

Yankees 5, White Sox 3

Nestor Cortes Jr. stymied host Chicago over six strong innings and Rougned Odor and Luke Voit each hit two-run homers for New York.

Cortes (1-1) allowed one run on seven hits against a hot-hitting Chicago squad that entered the game with 14 runs in the first two games of the series. He walked one and whiffed seven as New York won the rubber game of the series.

Andrew Vaughn hit a solo homer for Chicago, which dropped its second series in a row. White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito (9-9) failed in his bid to notch double-digit victories for the third time in his career. He gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits in four innings. He walked three and struck out eight.

Giants 5, Rockies 2

LaMonte Wade Jr. threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the seventh inning and left-hander Alex Wood extended his personal winning streak to five games as San Francisco completed a series win over visiting Colorado.

Tommy La Stella singled twice, doubled and drove in two runs for the Giants, who took three of four from the Rockies and won for the seventh time in their last eight games overall. Wood (10-3), who hasn't lost since June 1, stretched his unbeaten streak to 12 starts.

Rockies starter Jon Gray (7-9) matched zeroes with Wood for four innings before the Giants took the lead for good with a three-run fifth.

Twins 5, Rays 4

Jorge Polanco drove in Max Kepler with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth to give Minnesota the victory over visiting Tampa Bay.

Josh Donaldson had two hits and three RBIs for the Twins, while Kepler went 2-for-3 with two walks and three runs scored and Polanco walked three times and scored twice. Alex Colome (3-4) picked up the win with a scoreless inning of relief.

San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth (right) celebrates with left fielder Tommy Pham (28) after hitting a two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fifth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Zunino homered in his fourth consecutive game for the Rays, while Wander Franco homered and doubled as Tampa Bay finished its nine-game road trip with a 6-3 record.

Braves 6, Nationals 5

Freddie Freeman and Austin Riley started the fifth inning with back-to-back home runs and visiting Atlanta held on for a victory over skidding Washington.

The Braves extended their road winning streak to a season-high seven games and won for the 10th time in 12 games overall.

Dansby Swanson hit a two-run homer and also scored on a wild pitch that proved to be the winning run after Washington nearly erased a 6-3 lead.

Cardinals 7, Royals 2

Nolan Arenado hit a two-run home run and an RBI single as visiting St. Louis defeated Kansas City to complete a 6-0 road trip.

Arenado hit three homers and drove in nine runs during the three-game weekend sweep. Cardinals starting pitcher J.A. Happ (7-6) threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings while allowing five hits and two walks. The Cardinals have won eight of their last nine games overall.

Salvador Perez hit his 30th homer of the season for the Royals, who lost for the 11th time in 15 games. Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic (3-6) retired just four hitters. He allowed seven runs on nine hits, a walk and a hit batter.

Red Sox 6, Orioles 2
 

J.D. Martinez hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the first inning and Boston Red Sox coasted past visiting Baltimore to complete a three-game sweep.

Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez (9-6) struck out six and allowed three hits with three walks over six innings against his former organization. Enrique Hernandez, Hunter Renfroe and Xander Bogaerts drove in one run apiece for the Red Sox, who outscored the Orioles 30-5 in taking the weekend set.

Boston has won four of its last five games after losing 10 of their previous 12 games.

Blue Jays 8, Mariners 3

Teoscar Hernandez continued his torrid streak with three hits, including a double and home run, and left-hander Steven Matz didn't allow an earned run over five innings as Toronto defeated host Seattle.

Randal Grichuk, Corey Dickerson and Marcus Semien also homered for Toronto, which snapped a three-game skid. Kyle Seager went deep for Seattle, which had its four-game winning streak halted.

Matz (10-7) allowed only three hits, walked three and struck out four. The Mariners' starter, rookie right-hander Logan Gilbert (5-4), allowed five runs on eight hits in four innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out three.

Indians 11, Tigers 0

Triston McKenzie came within four outs of a perfect game and visiting Cleveland defeated Detroit.

Harold Castro's line drive single on a 2-1 offering ended McKenzie bid's for history. Castro was the only baserunner against McKenzie (2-5), who was removed after the inning. He finished with a career-high 11 strikeouts.

The Indians scored all of their runs in the second and third innings. Jose Ramirez drove in three runs, including a two-run homer, and Amed Rosario hit a three-run triple.
 

Marlins 4, Cubs 1

Jazz Chisholm and Jesus Aguilar each slugged a home run, leading host Miami to a win over slumping Chicago, which lost its 11th straight game.

The Cubs, who share the longest active losing streak in the majors with the Baltimore Orioles, were led by Frank Schwindel, who homered in the sixth inning.

Miami won its fourth straight game, matching a season high.

Dodgers 14, Mets 4

Max Scherzer pitched six gritty innings of two-run ball, Max Muncy homered twice and Los Angeles hit five homers to pummel slumping host New York, which used two position players as pitchers.

Scherzer (10-4) allowed four hits, struck out seven and walked two for his 185th career win. Muncy hit a pair of two-run homers in the second and sixth as the Dodgers beat the Mets for the 13th time in their past 14 trips to New York. Justin Turner, Will Smith and Matt Beaty also homered for Los Angeles.

Michael Conforto had two hits and an RBI, and J.D. Davis also drove in a run for the Mets. Carlos Carrasco (0-1) was rocked for six runs and six hits in two innings.

--Field Level Media

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