MLB roundup: Blue Jays blank Rangers twice in DH sweep

[July 19, 2021]  Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit his second career grand slam to lead a four-homer barrage and the Toronto Blue Jays completed a doubleheader shutout sweep of the visiting Texas Rangers with a 10-0 victory Sunday afternoon at Buffalo, N.Y.

Randal Grichuk added a two-run home run and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer each had solo shots for the Blue Jays who swept the three-game series.

The Blue Jays won the first game of the doubleheader 5-0, and took the season series between the teams 4-2.

Toronto left-hander Steven Matz (8-4) allowed three hits and no walks while striking out two in five innings. Texas right-hander Mike Foltynewicz (2-9) allowed 10 runs, eight hits (four home runs) and two walks in 1 2/3 innings.

Blue Jays 5, Rangers 0 (Game 1)

Danny Jansen hit a solo home run, left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu pitched seven strong innings and Toronto defeated visiting Texas in the first game of a doubleheader in Buffalo.

Ryu (9-5) allowed three hits and one walk while striking out four in pitching the complete game.
 

Texas left-hander Koby Allard (2-7) allowed five runs, seven hits and one walk in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out one.

Yankees 9, Red Sox 1

Jameson Taillon pitched effectively into the sixth inning, Gleyber Torres homered for the second straight game and host New York beat Boston.

The Yankees beat Boston for the second straight time after losing the first seven meetings this season. Taillon (5-4) allowed four hits in 5 1/3 innings and won his fourth straight decision. Taillon struck out three and walked two and threw 56 of his 91 pitches for strikes.

Hunter Renfroe hit an RBI single in the eighth for the Red Sox, who lost for the sixth time in eight games.

Phillies 4, Marlins 2 (suspended game)

J.T. Realmuto smacked a two-run homer in the 10th inning to lift Philadelphia to a win in a game that was suspended Saturday night due to rain.

Jose Alvarado (6-0) retired the Marlins in order in the top of the 10th to begin the resumed game. With Travis Jankowski at third base and one out, Realmuto hit his ninth homer of the season to right field off Yimi Garcia (3-7).

Philadelphia had a chance to win the game 2-0 in the ninth on Saturday night before Miami's Jesus Aguilar pulled a 390-foot homer to left, tying the score. Ranger Suarez allowed the homer. It was the 23rd blown save of the season for the Phillies -- two short of the franchise record.

Rockies 6, Dodgers 5 (10)

Charlie Blackmon hit a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the 10th inning as part of a two-hit day, two-RBI day, and Colorado beat Los Angeles in Denver.

The Dodgers had grabbed a 5-4 lead in the top half of the 10th, but the Rockies tied it up when Trevor Story hit a sacrifice fly that drove in Garrett Hampson from third, setting up Blackmon's heroics.

Colorado starting pitcher Jon Gray allowed two runs on six hits and struck out seven in seven innings. Mychal Givens (3-2) got the win.

Phillies 7, Marlins 4

Philadelphia scored twice in the sixth inning in Sunday's regularly-scheduled game and beat Miami to give them three wins in the four-game series.

With the score tied at 4 in the sixth, Philadelphia scored a pair of runs off Miami reliever Anthony Bender (1-1).

With runners on the corners and no outs, Jean Segura broke the deadlock with a sacrifice fly to center. Andrew McCutchen's grounder to shortstop Miguel Rojas was bobbled, allowing Brad Miller to score and give the Phillies a two-run lead.

Padres 10, Nationals 4 (suspended game)

Tommy Pham reached base five times and Fernando Tatis Jr. had four hits as visiting San Diego completed a 10-4 win over Washington in a game suspended after 5 1/2 innings Saturday night due to a shooting outside Nationals Park.

Pham was 3-for-3 with two walks, an RBI and two runs scored. Tatis was 4-for-5 with a double, a stolen base, two runs scored and two RBIs.

Manny Machado had three hits, including a double, with two RBIs. Jake Cronenworth and Ha-Seong Kim each added two hits and two RBIs, while Webster Rivas also had two hits.

Nationals 8, Padres 7

Alcides Escobar drove home Tres Barrera with a one-out single to center off Padres closer Mark Melancon with one out in the ninth to give Washington a win over visiting San Diego.

The Padres scored in the top of the ninth to tie the score 7-7. Victor Caratini drew a one-out walk. Pinch-runner Jorge Mateo stole second and third and scored on Trent Grisham's two-out single off Nationals closer Brad Hand.

The Padres then loaded the bases on a pair of walks before Hand struck out Manny Machado, who hit a two-run, go-ahead homer an inning earlier off Daniel Hudson.

Mets 7, Pirates 6

Michael Conforto's two-run home run in the ninth inning gave visiting New York a comeback win as it avoided being swept by Pittsburgh.

Trailing 6-5 after the Pirates scored six in a wild first, Dominic Smith hit a leadoff single against Richard Rodriguez (4-2). Conforto followed with his fourth homer, to center, to make it 7-6.

Travis Blankenhorn added a three-run homer and Smith an RBI single for the Mets.

Mariners 7, Angels 4

Luis Torrens and Ty France homered as Seattle won for the ninth consecutive time when rookie Logan Gilbert starts, defeating host Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif. Seattle took two of three games in the weekend series.

Torrens hit a solo shot with one out in the top of the fourth to give the Mariners a 3-0 advantage. France added a three-run shot an inning later to double the lead. The Angels' Shohei Ohtani hit his major league leading 34th home run of the season in the loss, while teammate David Fletcher went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts to snap his hitting streak at 26 games.

Colorado Rockies right fielder Charlie Blackmon (19) watches his walk-off home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the tenth inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ciaglo-USA TODAY Sports

Gilbert (4-2), who lost his first two decisions, allowed two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander walked two and struck out a career-high nine.

Brewers 8, Reds 0

Corbin Burnes recovered from his All-Star Game loss by striking out 12 over a career-high 8 1/3 innings to the help visiting Milwaukee complete a three-game series sweep over Cincinnati.

Burnes (5-4) allowed just five hits and came within two outs of hurling his first career complete game.

After the Reds loaded the bases against Burnes with one out in the ninth, Angel Perdomo recorded the final two outs to complete the sweep. Before this month, Burnes -- who threw 108 pitches -- hadn't pitched into the eighth inning.

Tigers 7, Twins 0

Jonathan Schoop and Jeimer Candelario homered and drove in three runs apiece, Wily Peralta pitched seven strong innings, and host Detroit completed a three-game weekend sweep by blanking Minnesota.

Peralta allowed four hits and walked four while recording four strikeouts. He was aided by four double plays. Buck Farmer and Alex Lange pitched the last two innings to complete the shutout.

Peralta (3-1) has given up just one total earned run in his last five starts.

Rays 7, Braves 5

Yandy Diaz's two-run homer capped Tampa Bay's four-run rally in the seventh inning as the Rays opened the second half with a series-clinching victory over Atlanta.

With the visitors trailing 4-3, Kevin Kiermaier's RBI double into the right-field corner sent home Joey Wendle after his single. Kiermaier stole third and came home on the second of Austin Meadows' two sacrifice flies.
 

Diaz slugged his fifth homer following pinch hitter Francisco Mejia's double for the 7-4 advantage that the club held behind Collin McHugh and Pete Fairbanks.

White Sox 4, Astros 0

Carlos Rodon struck out 10 batters and allowed only one hit in seven strong innings as Chicago pulled away from visiting Houston.

Rodon (8-3) earned his second straight win and pulled within one victory of his career high. He issued no walks and threw 68 of 98 pitches for strikes in his first start since representing the American League in the All-Star Game.

Yoan Moncada and Tim Anderson each homered for the White Sox, who took two out of three games in the weekend series. Abraham Toro had a single for the Astros' lone hit, as Houston was shut out for the fourth time this season.

Orioles 5, Royals 0

Matt Harvey produced his longest scoreless outing in almost three years, as the struggling right-hander blanked Kansas City over six innings to lead visiting Baltimore to victory.

Ramon Urias had two hits including the two-run single in the third that produced the game's first runs for the Orioles, who won the final two games of the three-game set to record their first series win since a three-game sweep of the Houston Astros June 28-30. The Royals have lost eight of 10.

Harvey (4-10), whose 7.70 ERA entering the game was the highest of any pitcher with at least 70 innings, allowed three hits and walked one while striking out two. It was the first time he'd gone at least six scoreless innings since Sept. 14, 2018, when he tossed six scoreless frames for the Cincinnati Reds against the Chicago Cubs.
 

Cardinals 2, Giants 1

Paul DeJong homered, Harrison Bader delivered a late, tiebreaking RBI single and Wade LeBlanc yielded a run over five innings as St. Louis beat visiting San Francisco in the decisive series finale.

With the game tied at 1 in the seventh, Matt Carpenter dropped a ground-rule double into the right-field corner off ex-Cardinal John Brebbia. Two batters later, Bader beat out a check-swing roller to first base that scored pinch runner Jose Rondon from third to put St. Louis ahead.

San Francisco managed only a Darin Ruf homer against five Cardinals pitchers. The Giants drew a pair of walks off St. Louis closer Alex Reyes in the ninth, but stranded both runners -- and left 10 on base for the game.

Indians 4, Athletics 2

Bradley Zimmer belted All-Star Chris Bassitt's first pitch of the game over the fence, Daniel Johnson broke a seventh-inning tie with his first career homer and Cleveland used a familiar script to beat host Oakland for the second consecutive day.

Right-hander Zach Plesac (5-3) combined with three relievers on a four-hitter, allowing the Indians to record a second straight tight win. Johnson and Amed Rosario collected two hits each for the Indians, who have won five of their past six.

Bassitt (10-3) was pulled after the seventh inning, charged with three runs on six hits. He struck out eight and did not issue a walk. It was the righty's first loss since April 6.

Diamondbacks 6, Cubs 4

Merrill Kelly struck out six in eight innings and did not walk a batter, and Eduardo Escobar hit his 21st home run of the season in Arizona's win over visiting Chicago.

Kelly (6-7) came close to the first complete game of his three-year major league career but was relieved with no outs in the ninth inning after Kris Bryant doubled and Javier Baez brought Bryant home with a single.
 

Joakim Soria retired the first two batters he faced before Rafael Ortega hit a double to score Baez and cut Arizona's lead to 6-4.

--Field Level Media

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