MLB roundup: Giants' Alex Cobb flirts with no-no, beats Reds

 

[August 30, 2023]  Spencer Steer spoiled Alex Cobb's bid for a first career no-hitter with a two-out double in the ninth inning Tuesday night, but the San Francisco Giants held on for a 6-1 victory over the visiting Cincinnati Reds.

Despite entering the game winless with a 5.48 ERA in his previous eight starts, Cobb had allowed just one baserunner (on a third-inning infield throwing error) before walking No. 9 hitter Nick Senzel with one out in the ninth.

After TJ Friedl flied out to right, Cobb went 0-1 on Steer before the right-handed hitter sliced a shot just over the glove of Giants right fielder Luis Matos. The hit, which rolled to the fence, scored Senzel from second.

Cobb (7-5) then struck out Elly De La Cruz with his career-high 131st pitch to record a complete game and give the Giants two straight wins over the Reds to open the three-game series. The 12-year veteran finished with eight strikeouts and just the one walk.

Cubs 1, Brewers 0

Justin Steele struck out eight over six shutout innings, and host Chicago made a first-inning run stand up to snap Milwaukee's nine-game winning streak.

Steele (15-3) lowered his ERA from 2.80 to 2.69, trailing only the San Diego Padres' Blake Snell (2.60) in the majors. Steele allowed six hits and one walk.

The left-hander had to grind things out early. He allowed two runners in each of the first two innings, and took a ball to the leg off the bat of Victor Caratini on an infield hit in the second. However, he settled down and retired 10 consecutive batters at one point en route to his 18th quality start this season -- over 111 pitches.

Dodgers 9, Diamondbacks 1

Clayton Kershaw went five strong innings to move into a tie for second place on Los Angeles' all-time win list while helping to pull off another August victory, this one over visiting Arizona.

Kershaw (12-4) gave up one run on three hits over five innings and matched Don Drysdale with his 209th career win. Don Sutton is the franchise leader with 233 wins. The Dodgers improved to 23-4 in August to tie for the third-most wins in a month in franchise history.

Mookie Betts set a career high with his 36th home run and Will Smith also went deep as Los Angeles has six home runs in the first two games of the series. Chris Taylor reached base four times for the Dodgers on three hits and a walk. Corbin Carroll hit a home run for the Diamondbacks.

Athletics 3, Mariners 1

Seth Brown and Shea Langeliers homered and six pitchers combined on a four-hitter as visiting Oakland defeated short-handed Seattle for its first win in nine tries against the Mariners this season.

Seattle had its four-game winning streak snapped and dropped into a three-way tie for first place in the American League West with Texas and Houston.

The Mariners were without All-Stars George Kirby (illness) and Julio Rodriguez (left foot soreness), who were scratched pregame.

Yankees 4, Tigers 2

Gleyber Torres, Kyle Higashioka and Anthony Volpe hit solo homers and New York defeated host Detroit for the second straight time to open a four-game series.

Torres reached base four times. Jhony Brito (5-6) gave up two hits and struck out three in 3 1/3 innings of relief while picking up the victory. Yankees starter Michael King tossed four scoreless innings, his longest outing this season. He gave up three hits and struck out five.

Detroit starter Tarik Skubal (3-3) allowed three runs (two earned) and four hits in six innings. He struck out nine and walked two. Rookie Parker Meadows, who had three hits, ended the Yankees' shutout bid with a two-run single in the ninth.

Rays 11, Marlins 2

Jose Siri's two-run double in the sixth inning gave Tampa Bay the lead in a win over host Miami.

Isaac Paredes, Randy Arozarena and Josh Lowe homered for the Rays, who are on a 12-4 run, including three straight wins. Paredes had four RBIs.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. slugged a solo homer and added an RBI single for the Marlins, who lost the opener of the two-game series. Jorge Soler, who leads the Marlins in homers (35) and RBIs (71), left the game for a pinch hitter in the seventh inning due to right hip tightness.

Phillies 12, Angels 7

Alec Bohm hit a three-run homer and doubled, Bryce Harper also homered and doubled, and host Philadelphia defeated Los Angeles.

Bryson Stott launched a two-run home run among his two hits, Kyle Schwarber hit a solo homer, and Trea Turner added a solo home run and two-run triple for the Phillies, who have won five in a row.

Phillies starter Michael Lorenzen (8-8) tossed six innings and allowed eight hits and four runs, three earned, with five strikeouts and two walks.

Nationals 5, Blue Jays 4

Carter Kieboom hit a two-run homer, Keibert Ruiz added a three-run blast and visiting Washington held off Toronto.

Kieboom finished with two hits for the Nationals, who are 5-3 on their nine-game road trip.

Davis Schneider hit a solo home run and an RBI double for the Blue Jays, who are 2-3 on a six-game homestand.

Orioles 9, White Sox 3

Anthony Santander hit a go-ahead, three-run double in the seventh inning and was among six Baltimore players with two hits in beating visiting Chicago.

Baltimore won for the ninth time in 11 games. The American League East-leading Orioles maintained a 2 1/2-game division lead over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Santander, who finished with four RBIs, lined a bases-clearing double down the right field line on a 2-2 pitch from Chicago reliever Aaron Bummer (4-3) to snap a 1-all tie. Danny Coulombe (4-1) was the winning pitcher, delivering 1 2/3 innings of perfect relief.

Braves 3, Rockies 1

Marcell Ozuna homered among his two hits, Michael Harris II had three hits, and surging Atlanta beat Colorado in Denver.

Braves starter Charlie Morton (14-10) allowed a run on three hits in six innings. Raul Iglesias got the final three outs for his 26th save as Atlanta won its eighth straight against Colorado dating back to 2022. The Braves have won 11 of their past 14 games overall.

Rockies starter Peter Lambert (3-5) gave up three runs on nine hits in five innings.

Rangers 2, Mets 1

Mitch Garver homered leading off the seventh inning to snap a scoreless tie for visiting Texas, which went on to beat New York.

Garver blasted the second pitch he saw from Drew Smith (4-5) well beyond the center field fence. Chris Stratton (2-1) got the final two outs of the sixth inning and emerged with the win.

Mark Vientos homered with two outs in the ninth off Aroldis Chapman as the Mets avoided getting shut out. Chapman then closed out his fourth save by getting Danny Mendick to ground out.

Cardinals 6, Padres 5 (10 innings)

Willson Contreras hit two homers, drove in three runs and scored three times as St. Louis edged visiting San Diego in 10 innings.

Pinch hitter Tommy Edman supplied the game-winning single in the 10th as the Cardinals snapped a four-game losing streak. JoJo Romero (4-1) blanked the Padres for the final two innings to get the win.

Jose Azocar had two hits and two RBIs, Matthew Batten went 4-for-4 with a walk and two runs and Luis Campusano homered for the Padres, who lost for the fourth time in five games. Josh Hader (0-2) pitched the 10th inning and took the loss.

Astros 6, Red Sox 2

Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez each homered as part of three-hit nights to lead visiting Houston over Boston.

The duo started the night with back-to-back solo homers in the first inning, leading the Astros to their fourth consecutive win. Alvarez also hit two doubles while Bregman had two RBIs and two runs. Mauricio Dubon added a two-run double in the sixth.

J.P. France (10-5) allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings to beat Brayan Bello (10-8), who gave up three runs, two earned, in 4 2/3 innings.

Pirates 6, Royals 3

Ke'Bryan Hayes and Liover Peguero homered as Pittsburgh rallied past host Kansas City.

With two outs in the eighth, Hayes crushed an 0-1 slider from reliever Carlos Hernandez (1-9) 424 feet to left for a two-run home run and a 2-1 lead. In the ninth, Peguero delivered a three-run shot to left as the Pirates erupted for six runs on six hits in two innings against a Royals bullpen with a major league-low 19 saves against 20 blown saves.

Winning pitcher Luis Ortiz (3-4) allowed a run on three hits, striking out five in five innings after opener Colin Selby retired all six batters faced over the first two frames.

Guardians 4, Twins 2

Bo Naylor went 2-for-4 and homered for the second game in a row and Cleveland held on for a win over Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Kole Calhoun and Will Brennan drove in one run apiece for Cleveland, which evened the series at one victory apiece. Guardians right-hander Hunter Gaddis (2-1) allowed one run on four hits in three innings of relief to earn the win.

Royce Lewis hit a home run for the third consecutive game for the Twins. Minnesota right-hander Pablo Lopez (9-7) drew his first loss in his past seven starts.

--Field Level Media

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