MLB roundup: Cubs' Drew Smyly flirts with perfection vs. Dodgers

 

[April 22, 2023]  Drew Smyly took a perfect game into the eighth, allowed one hit and struck out 10 over 7 2/3 innings while Nico Hoerner and Patrick Wisdom clubbed three-run homers during a seven-run fifth as the Chicago Cubs routed the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers 13-0 on Friday.

Smyly (2-1), who also beat the Dodgers on Sunday in Los Angeles, fanned six straight at one point. The only baserunner he allowed in the 24 batters he faced came when David Peralta reached on a broken-bat infield single, which barely made it halfway down the third-base line, to open the eighth. That was the only hit for the Dodgers, who managed three baserunners all day.

Hoerner had four hits with four RBIs, and Trey Mancini homered for one of his three hits and three RBIs for Chicago. Ex-Dodger Cody Bellinger also went deep for the Cubs, who, according to Marquee Sports Network, tied a franchise record by scoring at least 10 runs in six of their first 19 games.

Los Angeles starter Julio Urias (3-2) allowed five runs, seven hits (including two homers) and two walks in 3 1/3 innings. Seven of Urias' 10 earned runs allowed this season have come against Chicago.

Angels 2, Royals 0

Shohei Ohtani struck out 11 over seven innings to lead Los Angeles past Kansas City in Anaheim, Calif.

Ohtani (3-0) threw 102 pitches, walked two and gave up two hits -- a leadoff single by Edward Olivares in the third inning and a one-out single by Vinnie Pasquantino in the fourth. He lowered his ERA to 0.64.

The Angels didn't muster much offense against four Kansas City pitchers, totaling six hits. However, one of those hits was a two-run homer by catcher Chad Wallach in the third inning off Royals reliever Ryan Yarbrough (0-2).

Mets 7, Giants 0

Pete Alonso hit his 10th homer of the season and drove in four runs, Joey Lucchesi threw seven shutout innings in his return to the majors and New York made it seven of eight on its tour of California by blanking host San Francisco.

Jeff McNeil had two hits and scored twice for the Mets. Lucchesi (1-0) allowed four hits, walked two and struck out nine. He was pitching in the majors for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2021.

Brooks Raley and Tommy Hunter each pitched a scoreless inning to complete the Mets' second shutout of the season. Giants starter Anthony DeSclafani (1-1) yielded four runs in five innings.

Phillies 4, Rockies 3

Edmundo Sosa hit the go-ahead single in the eighth inning and host Philadelphia rallied past Colorado.

Kyle Schwarber had two hits, including a solo home run, and Jake Cave added an RBI single for the Phillies. Philadelphia starter Aaron Nola tossed a season-high seven innings and allowed four hits and three runs with three strikeouts and three walks.

Ryan McMahon hit a three-run home run for the Rockies, who managed only four hits.

Astros 6, Braves 4

Yordan Alvarez's two-run home run in the ninth inning completed the comeback for Houston, opening its weekend road series against Atlanta.

Alvarez's game-winning home run - his fifth round-tripper of the season - came on a full count with two outs in the top of the ninth, driving in Mauricio Dubon. Ryan Pressly came on to sew up the win, recording a strikeout in his first save of the season in the Astros' third win in four games.

Bryce Elder went six innings for the Braves, giving up only one run on five hits and struck out six, but did not get the decision thanks to a huge top half of the seventh for Houston. A.J. Minter (1-1) took the loss. Atlanta has lost two straight following an eight-game winning streak.

Pirates 4, Reds 2

Mark Mathias drove in two runs as host Pittsburgh won its fifth game in a row, defeating Cincinnati.

Pittsburgh starter Mitch Keller (2-0) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings, with five strikeouts and a walk. It was the team's 11th straight quality start. David Bednar pitched the ninth for his seventh save.

Nick Senzel had an RBI single for the Reds, who have lost four in a row and five of six.

Rays 8, White Sox 7

Brandon Lowe hit a two-run walk-off home run in the ninth inning to lift Tampa Bay to a win against Chicago in the opener of their three-game series in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Reynaldo Lopez (0-2) took a two-run lead into the ninth but gave up a leadoff home run to Christian Bethancourt and a two-run blast to Lowe without recording an out. Harold Ramirez had two hits, including a two-run homer, and scored two runs, and Josh Lowe had two hits and two RBIs for the Rays, who are 11-0 at home.

Andrew Benintendi had two hits and an RBI, Yasmani Grandal had two hits and two runs and Eloy Jimenez homered for Chicago.

Mariners 5, Cardinals 2

AJ Pollock hit a go-ahead, two-run double in the sixth inning and four pitchers combined on a three-hitter as Seattle defeated visiting St. Louis in the opener of a three-game interleague series.

Teoscar Hernandez hit a double and a home run and scored three times for the Mariners, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Seattle starter George Kirby (2-1) allowed two runs on three hits in six innings. The right-hander didn't walk a batter and struck out five.

Apr 21, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners centerfielder Julio Rodriguez (44) steals second base ahead of the throw to St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports

Cardinals lefty Steven Matz (0-3) was charged with four runs on four hits in 5 1/ 3 innings, with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Blue Jays 6, Yankees 1

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Toronto cruised past host New York.

Guerrero hit his 11th career homer in his 32nd game at Yankee Stadium after saying before the game how much he enjoys hitting there but reiterating how he will never play for the Yankees. Brandon Belt hit a two-run shot and a two-run double for the Blue Jays, who are 11-5 in their past 16 games. Yusei Kikuchi (3-0) allowed one run on four hits in six innings.

Oswaldo Cabrera homered for the Yankees, who dropped their fifth straight series opener. Domingo German (1-2) surrendered four runs on five hits in six innings while striking out six and walking two.

Red Sox 5, Brewers 3

Alex Verdugo had a two-run homer and Nick Pivetta pitched effectively into the sixth inning to pace visiting Boston to a victory over Milwaukee in the opener of the three-game series.

Pivetta (1-1) allowed three runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out seven with one walk. Josh Winckowski followed with 2 1/3 scoreless innings, fanning four, and Kenley Jansen finished with a perfect ninth, including two more strikeouts, for his fifth save.

Brewers starter Freddy Peralta (2-2) allowed four runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out four with two costly walks.

Orioles 2, Tigers 1

Adam Frazier brought home the game-winning run on a ninth-inning fielder's choice as host Baltimore eked out a win over visiting Detroit for its eighth win in its last 10 games.

Ryan Mountcastle scored the winning run and Austin Hays had a solo homer for Baltimore. Tyler Wells tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing only three hits and striking out five. Felix Baustista (1-2) got the win after blowing the save when Javy Baez snapped the Orioles' 34-inning scoreless streak with a ninth-inning RBI single.

Tigers starter Michael Lorenzen gave up three hits and a walk and struck out four in five innings. Jason Foley (0-1), the Tigers' fifth pitcher, entered with one out in the ninth. Mountcastle greeted him with a single and advanced to third on Anthony Santander's base hit before Frazier's grounder.

Nationals 3, Twins 2

Joey Meneses homered in the seventh inning and Washington produced rare offense of late with a two-run rally in the eighth to squeak past Minnesota in cold Minneapolis.

The Nationals, who had been shut out in back-to-back games, won for just the second time in their last eight games. Erasmo Ramirez (1-1) was the winning pitcher in relief. Hunter Harvey, who struck out the side in the eighth, and Kyle Finnegan, who notched his fourth save, also each logged a shutout inning.

The Twins have dropped five of their last six. They led early on Joey Gallo's fifth home run of the year and Max Kepler's sacrifice fly, both in the third inning. Griffin Jax (1-2) took the loss.

Athletics 5, Rangers 4

Pinch hitter Jordan Diaz made his first major league home run a memorable one, belting a tiebreaking solo shot with one out in the ninth inning as Oakland ended a seven-game losing streak by beating Texas in Arlington, Texas.

Tony Kemp added a solo homer for Oakland. Zach Jackson (1-1) pitched a scoreless inning, and Jeurys Familia picked up his first save. In the top of the ninth, Jose Leclerc retired leadoff hitter Esteury Ruiz before Will Smith (0-1) came on to face Diaz. He deposited a 1-2 slider over the left field fence.

Jonah Heim hit a three-run homer for the Rangers, who had two on with no outs in the eighth before Jackson retired the next three batters in order. Rangers starter Jon Gray gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits with five walks and two strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. A's starter JP Sears struck out a career-high 11 two walks over six innings. He allowed four runs on five hits.

Diamondbacks 9, Padres 0

Zac Gallen stretched his scoreless innings streak to 21 2/3 with seven shutout innings as Arizona blanked visiting San Diego.

Gallen allowed two hits and no walks with 11 strikeouts to improve to 3-1 on the season. He hasn't allowed a run since April 4. Gabriel Moreno went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, including a two-run single in the Diamondbacks' seven-run eighth.

Gallen came out on top in a pitching duel with the Padres' Seth Lugo (2-1), who gave up two runs on six hits and a walk with six strikeouts in six innings.

--Field Level Media

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