MLB roundup: Rangers run past Rays on wild pitch

 

[July 18, 2023]  Josh H. Smith raced home on a wild pitch to send the Texas Rangers to a 3-2 walk-off victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday in Arlington, Texas.

With the game tied 2-2 going into the bottom of the ninth, Josh Jung roped a leadoff double to center off Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks. Smith then came on for Jung as a pinch runner.

After Adolis Garcia struck out, Smith moved to third on a groundout by Nathaniel Lowe and scored when Fairbanks (0-3) uncorked a wild pitch during an at-bat against Mitch Garver.

Texas reliever Aroldis Chapman (5-2) registered the victory. Chapman, who earned his first save in a Rangers uniform on Saturday, struck out the side in a dominant top of the ninth.

Dodgers 6, Orioles 4

Chris Taylor hit a grand slam and Freddie Freeman added three hits to power Los Angeles to a victory at Baltimore in the opener of a three-game series.

Freeman went 3-for-5, scored twice and finished a homer shy of hitting for the cycle. The Dodgers trailed 4-1 before scoring five times in the sixth inning, a rally capped by Taylor's blast.

Adley Rutschman homered and Ryan Mountcastle went 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Orioles, who had their season-high, eight-game winning streak snapped. Bryan Baker (3-3) gave up Taylor's grand slam.

Cardinals 6, Marlins 4

Nolan Arenado drove in four runs to power St. Louis past visiting Miami.

Dylan Carlson went 2-for-4 with a walk, three runs and an RBI for the Cardinals, who won for the fifth time in six games. St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas (6-5) allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings.

Bryan De La Cruz and Jesus Sanchez each homered for the Marlins, who fell to 0-4 since the All-Star break. Luis Arraez went 1-for-5 with an RBI as his batting average dropped to .378. Reliever Dylan Floro (3-5) took the loss.

Nationals 7, Cubs 5

Keibert Ruiz clubbed a two-run homer and he and Stone Garrett each had three hits as visiting Washington beat Chicago.

Jeimer Candelario also hit a two-run homer as the Nationals topped Chicago for a fourth straight time this season. MacKenzie Gore (5-7) allowed five runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings to earn the win.

Two of the hits Gore allowed were two-run homers by Ian Happ and Patrick Wisdom, but Chicago dropped to 1-3 since the All-Star break. Cubs starter Drew Smyly (7-7) yielded five runs and eight hits in six innings.

Tigers 3, Royals 2

Matt Vierling delivered a go-ahead, two-run double during a three-run eighth inning as visiting Detroit rallied past Kansas City.

Brendan White (2-2) recorded two outs in the seventh inning for the win. Jason Foley pitched a scoreless eighth before Alex Lange retired the Royals in order in the ninth for his 15th save.

Freddy Fermin had three hits and an RBI for the Royals, who lost the opener of a four-game series despite outhitting the Tigers 6-5.

Guardians 11, Pirates 0

Josh Naylor hit a two-run homer and an RBI double and six pitchers combined on a four-hitter as visiting Cleveland cruised past Pittsburgh.

The Guardians' Xzavion Curry, making his first start of the season in what was a bullpen game, pitched three scoreless innings. Michael Kelly (1-0) tossed 1 2/3 innings to earn the win.

Jul 17, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (6) walks to the on deck circle in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Pittsburgh starter Quinn Priester (0-1), making his major league debut, gave up seven runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. The Pirates' starting lineup featured six rookies, with Priester's batterymate and fellow touted prospect Endy Rodriguez also making his big-league debut.

Giants 2, Reds 2 (suspended in eighth inning)

Following a weather delay of 1 hour, 55 minutes, the game between visiting San Francisco and Cincinnati was suspended with the score tied.

The game will be resumed 90 minutes prior to Tuesday's regularly scheduled game. The contest will pick up with San Francisco batting in the top of the eighth and runners on second and third and one out.

Before the rains came, the teams combined for four solo home runs, from the Giants' Wilmer Flores and Austin Slater and the Reds' Matt McLain and Jonathan India.

Red Sox 7, A's 0

Nick Pivetta combined with opener Brennan Bernardino and closer Chris Martin on a one-hit shutout as Boston won at Oakland.

Connor Wong collected two singles, a double and three RBIs for the Red Sox, who beat the A's for the fourth time in 11 days.

Bernardino allowed a single to Ryan Noda, the third batter he faced, but no other hits in two innings. Pivetta held the A's hitless over six innings while matching his career high with 13 strikeouts. Martin struck out three of the four batters he faced in the ninth.

Angels 4, Yankees 3 (10 innings)

Michael Stefanic delivered a pinch-hit RBI single with two outs in the 10th to lift Los Angeles past New York in Anaheim, Calif.

Angels starter Griffin Canning produced a career-high 12 strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. He was charged with two runs on six hits. Aaron Loup (1-2) pitched a scoreless 10th for the win.

Shohei Ohtani had three hits, including a game-tying, two-run homer in the seventh, and Matt Thaiss also homered for the Angels. Gleyber Torres had two hits and an RBI and Oswaldo Cabrera had two RBIs for the Yankees.

Mariners 7, Twins 6

Jarred Kelenic's two-run single capped a four-run fifth inning and Eugenio Suarez later added a two-run homer as Seattle defeated visiting Minnesota in the opener of a four-game series.

Joey Gallo and Max Kepler homered for the Twins, the latter a three-run shot with two outs in the ninth inning.

Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert (8-5) gave up two runs on seven hits in five innings. Paul Sewald got the final out for his 19th save. Twins All-Star Sonny Gray (4-4) remained winless in 13 starts since the start of May. He allowed five runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings.

--Field Level Media

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