MLB roundup: Angels finish off sweep of Yankees

 

[July 21, 2023]  Colton Cowser's 10th-inning sacrifice fly scored Aaron Hicks to lift the Baltimore Orioles to a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday in the opener of a four-game series at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Adley Rutschman and Ryan O'Hearn also had RBIs for the Orioles, who moved one game in front of Tampa Bay atop the American League East standings. Felix Bautista (5-1) pitched scoreless ball in the ninth and 10th innings for Baltimore, which won for the 10th time in 12 games.

In the 10th, Adam Frazier's sacrifice bunt moved automatic runner Hicks to third before Hicks scored on Cowser's sacrifice fly to left off Robert Stephenson (1-4). In the bottom half, Luke Raley was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Bautista then struck out Randy Arozarena, who fanned four times in five at-bats, before inducing Brandon Lowe to ground into a game-ending double play.

Yandy Diaz hit a two-run double that tied the game 3-3 for the Rays but he struck out three times.

Reds 5, Giants 1

Rookie Andrew Abbott allowed just one hit over eight shutout innings, helping host Cincinnati salvage a split of a four-game series with San Francisco.

Abbott (5-2), the first Cincinnati pitcher to work eight innings this season, retired the final 12 batters he faced. He struck out six batters en route to recording his seventh quality start in nine outings. Luke Maile homered among his three hits while Will Benson doubled twice, scored once and drove in a run for the Reds.

With two outs in the ninth inning, Wilmer Flores drilled his fourth homer of the series and 12th this season to spoil the shutout. San Francisco All-Star right-hander Alex Cobb (6-3) allowed five runs and nine hits while walking four in 4 1/3 innings.

Braves 7, Diamondbacks 5

Austin Riley hit a go-ahead, three-run home run in the eighth inning as host Atlanta defeated Arizona to salvage the finale of a three-game series.

Matt Olson followed Riley's blast with a solo shot, finishing with two home runs and three RBIs for the Braves, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Reliever Kirby Yates (4-0) got the win despite surrendering a home run in the eighth inning; Miguel Castro (5-4) took the loss.

The game started out as a pitchers' duel. Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen was perfect until Orlando Arcia drilled a solo home run with one out in the sixth to break a scoreless tie. Gallen went seven innings, allowing three runs on five hits with five strikeouts and no walks. Atlanta's Spencer Strider matched his season high with 13 strikeouts across six innings. He gave up four runs on four hits while walking one.

Mariners 5, Twins 0

George Kirby pitched seven scoreless innings and Teoscar Hernandez drove in two runs, one with a solo homer, as Seattle earned a split of its four-game series with visiting Minnesota.

Mike Ford hit a two-run homer in the eighth off the "Hit It Here Cafe" on the second deck in right field and the Mariners added a third run in the inning on a wild pitch to cap the scoring.

Kirby (9-8) scattered four hits against the Twins, who had scored 22 runs over the first three games of the series. The right-hander didn't walk a batter and matched his career high with 10 strikeouts. Pablo Lopez (5-6) turned in a solid effort for the Twins, giving up two runs on six hits in five innings.

Brewers 4, Phillies 0

Christian Yelich hit a three-run home run and Corbin Burnes pitched eight shutout innings to help Milwaukee blank host Philadelphia and clinch the three-game series victory.

Burnes (9-5) struck out 10 across his eight innings, allowing only two hits and one walk on an even 100 pitches. Yelich finished 3-for-4 on the day; he now has five home runs this month, the most of any this season for the former National League MVP.

Taijuan Walker (11-4) was charged with the loss for the Phillies. He pitched six innings and allowed six hits, two walks and four earned runs while striking out six.

Tigers 3, Royals 0

Michael Lorenzen (5-6) continued his string of scoreless pitching in July, and Detroit backed him with enough offense to defeat host Kansas City.

Jul 17, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser (17) walks off the field after the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Tigers pieced together a rally with two outs in the top of the second. Nick Maton singled to right and Akil Baddoo drew a rare walk off Royals starter Zack Greinke (1-10), who hasn't walked more than two batters in any of his 19 starts this season.

Detroit's Nos. 8 and 9 hitters, Andy Ibanez and Eric Haase, then delivered back-to-back RBI singles to stake the Tigers to a 2-0 lead. Ibanez finished 2-for-4. Lorenzen's streak now stands at 23 2/3 scoreless innings dating to June 30.

Blue Jays 4, Padres 0

Chris Bassitt pitched six shutout innings and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alejandro Kirk each homered as Toronto notched a victory over visiting San Diego to avoid a three-game series sweep.

Bassitt (10-5) gave up four hits in six innings, marking the seventh time this season he pitched at least six frames without allowing a run. Bassitt struck out five and walked one. Jordan Romano worked a scoreless ninth for the Blue Jays, his first appearance since leaving the All-Star Game on July 11 with lower-back tightness.

Xander Bogaerts had three hits for the Padres to raise his career total to 1,500. San Diego hit into four double plays, including one in each of the final three innings while losing for the fourth time in its past six games. Blake Snell (6-8) gave up only one run in five innings but lost for the first time since June 28.

White Sox 6, Mets 2

Yasmani Grandal laced a two-run double and Elvis Andrus added an RBI triple as Chicago scored four runs in the sixth inning to pull away from host New York.

White Sox starter Michael Kopech (4-8) allowed just two hits, both by Omar Narvaez, including a solo homer in the fifth inning. Kopech, who picked up his first win in eight starts, walked four and struck out five in 5 2/3 innings.

Left-hander Jose Quintana (0-1) lost in his season debut for the Mets after undergoing bone graft surgery on a left rib in March. He gave up two runs in five innings, allowing six hits but no walks and fanning three.

Cardinals 7, Cubs 2

Steven Matz allowed a run over five solid innings for his first victory of the year as visiting St. Louis won its sixth straight game and ended Chicago's two-game winning streak.

A two-run homer by rookie Jordan Walker highlighted St. Louis' four-run fourth inning. Paul DeJong also clubbed a two-run homer and Nolan Arenado had a two-run double for the Cardinals, who have won nine of 11.

Matz (1-7) allowed only a fourth-inning run, three hits and one walk en route to his first win in 21 outings (13 starts) in 2023. Cubs starter Marcus Stroman (10-7) yielded five runs, four earned, on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Astros 3, A's 1

Rookie J.P. France pitched into the eighth inning for the first time in his career, Kyle Tucker hit a two-run double and Houston won at Oakland.

Alex Bregman chipped in with a ninth-inning home run, while Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressly (22nd save) got the final six outs in hitless fashion, helping the Astros hold on for their seventh straight win over the A's this season.

France (5-3) gave up one run on six hits in seven-plus innings. Oakland's Hogan Harris (2-4) yielded two runs on four hits in six innings.

--Field Level Media

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