MLB roundup: Rays rout Red Sox for 8th straight win
 

[August 31, 2021]  Brandon Lowe crushed his team-leading 31st homer, drove in two and scored twice Monday as the Tampa Bay Rays won the series opener 6-1 over the Boston Red Sox in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The second baseman, who also walked twice, hit a home run on the first pitch of the bottom of the first inning and added a run-scoring single in the fourth. Austin Meadows produced his team-high 92nd RBI for the Rays, who won for the eighth straight game and the 12th time in 13 games.

Rookie Wander Franco sliced a two-run single in the eighth for a 6-1 lead and pushed his on-base streak to 30 consecutive games. Starter Luis Patino (4-3) was strong over 5 2/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits. The right-hander fanned five and walked one.

Bobby Dalbec clubbed a solo homer and Alex Verdugo logged two of the six hits for third-place Boston. In five-plus innings, starter Nick Pivetta (9-7) surrendered four runs on six hits, walked five (one intentional) and uncorked two wild pitches. He struck out six.

Blue Jays 7, Orioles 3

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit two home runs and had four RBIs, left-hander Robbie Ray struck out 10 in seven innings and Toronto defeated visiting Baltimore.

Guerrero hit a solo shot in the fourth and a three-run blast in the seventh in the opener of a three-game series to give him 38 homers for the season. Ray (10-5) allowed two runs, four hits and one walk as the Blue Jays won their third straight.
 

Ryan Mountcastle hit a solo homer and had two RBIs for the Orioles, who have lost four in a row. Orioles right-hander Chris Ellis allowed one run, two hits and a walk in 4 2/3 innings.

Phillies 7, Nationals 4

Bryce Harper had two hits, including a two-run homer, and Philadelphia won its fourth straight game, defeating host Washington.

Harper hit his 100th Nationals Park home run. Brad Miller had three hits, including a solo home run, and Ronald Torreyes added a bases-loaded triple. Carter Kieboom homered and singled for Washington, and catcher Keibert Ruiz made his Nationals debut, going 1-for-4.

Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler (11-9) allowed four runs on five hits and four walks in six innings. He struck out four. Jose Alvarado picked up his fifth save. Washington rookie Josiah Gray (0-2) gave up six runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts in four innings.

Twins 3, Tigers 2

Josh Donaldson blasted a go-ahead two-run homer, Bailey Ober pitched six solid innings, and Minnesota edged host Detroit.

Donaldson had a pair of extra-base hits, while Jorge Polanco scored and knocked in a run.

Ober (2-2) gave up two runs on five hits and struck out five. Jorge Alcala tossed two scoreless innings with two strikeouts and Alex Colome recorded his 10th save.

Cardinals 3, Reds 1

Jon Lester allowed one hit through 6 1/3 innings and Paul Goldschmidt belted a two-run homer to propel visiting St. Louis over Cincinnati.

Tyler O'Neill added an RBI single to help the Cardinals earn their third win in the past four games. St. Louis moved within 2 1/2 games of Cincinnati for the second National League wild-card spot.

Lester (5-6) answered Kyle Farmer's homer to lead off the second inning by handcuffing the Reds into the seventh. He allowed just that one run and two walks while striking out five to improve to 9-2 in his career versus Cincinnati.

Rangers 4, Rockies 3

Nick Solak hit a two-run homer and A.J. Alexy tossed five scoreless innings to win his major league debut as Texas opened a three-game series against Colorado with a win in Arlington, Texas.

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr (27) celebrates a solo home run in the fourth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

DJ Peters and Leody Taveras also homered for Texas. Alexy (1-0) allowed one hit and three walks while striking out four. Joe Barlow retired the Rockies in order in the ninth for his third save.

Texas native Trevor Story homered twice and drove in all three runs for Colorado. Rockies starter German Marquez (11-10) allowed four runs on seven hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out two. The right-hander has posted an 8.84 ERA over his past four starts.

Astros 4, Mariners 3

Rookie Jake Meyers' go-ahead single in the eighth inning helped visiting Houston rally for a victory over Seattle.

With Houston down 3-2 in the eighth, Kyle Tucker tied the game via an RBI single, his second hit of the night. He stole second base and scored on Meyers' single to left-center field, capping the two-run frame for the AL West-leading Astros, who have won eight of 11.

Jose Marmolejos hit a solo homer and Dylan Moore added a pinch-hit, two-run shot that gave the Mariners that 3-2 lead in the sixth. However, Seattle was unable to hold on and lost for the fourth time in five games.

Brewers 3, Giants 1

Jace Peterson stroked three hits and visiting Milwaukee opened a four-game series among National League division leaders with a victory at San Francisco.

Corbin Burnes (9-4) pitched six-plus innings of one-run ball, striking out ninth, and helped his own cause with an RBI single. Josh Hader pitched around a leadoff double in the ninth inning for his 28th save.

Brandon Crawford drove in the only run for the Giants, who used seven pitchers in what turned into a bullpen game after listed starter Johnny Cueto couldn't go because of an illness.

Dodgers 5, Braves 3

Left-hander Julio Urias gave up two runs over six innings and host Los Angeles hit four home runs in the first three innings before holding on to beat Atlanta.

Urias (15-3) opened with four perfect innings, and Max Muncy, Will Smith, Mookie Betts and Corey Seager all went deep in the early going. Blake Treinen recorded the final four outs for his fifth save as the Dodgers improved to 18-4 since Aug. 7.
 

Jorge Soler and Freddie Freeman hit back-to-back home runs and Adam Duvall also went deep for the Braves. Starter Drew Smyly (9-4) gave up nine hits and five runs over 4 2/3 innings with no walks and five strikeouts.

Angels 8, Yankees 7

Jack Mayfield hit a grand slam and Shohei Ohtani socked his major-league-leading 42nd home run, but an RBI single by Juan Lagares ultimately lifted Los Angeles over New York in Anaheim, Calif.

Lagares also had an RBI triple and another single in the game. Angels reliever Junior Guerra (5-2) earned the victory despite serving up Giancarlo Stanton's tying two-run homer in the seventh. Raisel Iglesias retired the Yankees in order in the ninth for his 28th save.

New York starter Corey Kluber worked four innings, giving up five runs on five hits and walking two. He struck out six. Wandy Peralta (6-3) took the loss.

Padres 7, Diamondbacks 5

Fernando Tatis Jr. and Eric Hosmer slugged long homers to help San Diego notch a victory over Arizona in Phoenix.

The Padres racked up eight hits in five innings against Arizona left-hander Tyler Gilbert, who threw a no-hitter against San Diego on Aug. 14 in his first career start.

Ketel Marte hit a grand slam for Arizona, which has dropped four straight games and eight of its past 11. Craig Stammen (6-3) recorded three outs in the middle innings to get the victory. Mark Melancon worked the ninth for his 35th save.

--Field Level Media

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