MLB roundup: Red Sox's Kenley Jansen notches 400th save

 

[May 11, 2023]  Raimel Tapia's pinch-hit double drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and Kenley Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his 400th career save as the visiting Boston Red Sox beat the Atlanta Braves 5-2 on Wednesday to earn a split of their two-game series.

Jansen pitched one inning and allowed one hit, striking out Travis d'Arnaud to end the game and earn his ninth save. Jansen, who pitched for the Braves last season and led the National League in saves with 41, is the seventh player to record 400 saves and trails No. 6 Billy Wagner, who has 422.

The Braves tied the game in the sixth inning after Ronald Acuna Jr. crushed a solo homer 470 feet to left field. It was the seventh homer for Acuna, his first since May 3. Austin Riley singled with one out, took second on a ground ball and scored on Eddie Rosario's single to right field to make it 2-2.

Boston starter Brayan Bello (2-1) pitched six innings and allowed two runs on six hits, with one walk and five strikeouts. He has allowed only five earned runs over 16 innings in his last three starts.

Mets 2, Reds 1

Justin Verlander allowed just one run and two hits over seven dominant innings as New York edged host Cincinnati, becoming the 21st pitcher in major league history to record a win against all 30 teams.

Verlander (1-1) was making his third career start against the Reds and only his second start this season since signing with the Mets in the offseason after having his season delayed due to an upper arm strain. He struck out seven and walked two.

David Robertson pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save in as many chances. Verlander, Adam Ottavino and Robertson combined to retire 24 of the final 25 Cincinnati batters. Pete Alonso hit his majors-best 13th home run for the Mets. It came against Reds starter Hunter Greene (0-3), who surrendered both runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings, walking four and striking out four.

Yankees 11, Athletics 3

Harrison Bader belted a three-run homer in the first inning that was upheld via replay and host New York cruised past Oakland.

The Yankees won a third straight game for the first time this season and completed their first series sweep. New York had lost 10 of 16 games prior to its series versus the Athletics.

New York held a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by Gleyber Torres before Bader hit a 1-1 pitch off Oakland starter Kyle Muller (1-3) that just cleared the video board in right field. Right fielder JJ Bleday tried to make a leaping catch on the play. A fan sitting in the front row appeared to reach over and make the catch. Replay appeared to show the fan's glove was over the padding off the fence, but the homer stood after umpires initiated a crew chief review.

Tigers 5, Guardians 0

Eduardo Rodriguez scattered four hits across seven innings as Detroit defeated host Cleveland in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Rodriguez (4-2) walked two batters and struck out eight while improving to 4-0 over his last six starts. He has not lost since April 5 at Houston.

Tyler Freeman recorded two of the four hits for Cleveland, which has not been able to score more than four runs in each of its last 10 games. The Guardians are 4-6 during that stretch.

Dodgers 8, Brewers 1

Freddie Freeman hit a home run, Clayton Kershaw went seven strong innings and Los Angeles completed a six-game road trip with a victory over Milwaukee.

Freeman, who finished with three RBIs, joined Will Smith in belting back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning. Miguel Vargas also went deep as the Dodgers won for the 10th time in their last 12 games and went 4-2 on a trip that also included a stop at San Diego.

Kershaw (6-2) rebounded from a rocky start against the Padres on Friday by allowing one run on five hits with no walks and eight strikeouts. It was Kershaw's third start of at least seven innings.

Marlins 5, Diamondbacks 4

Jesus Sanchez hit a three-run homer and Joey Wendle singled in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning as Miami beat Arizona in the rubber match of a three-game series in Phoenix.

Miami is 12-0 in one-run games, the best record in major league history to start a season. The 1972 New York Mets won their first 11 such games. Sanchez doubled against Andrew Chafin (2-1) to begin the ninth and was replaced by pinch-runner Bryan De La Cruz. After Miguel Castro relieved Chafin, De La Cruz eventually scored on Wendle's double to left field.

Sanchez and Peyton Burdick had two hits apiece for Miami, which concluded its six-game road trip with a 3-3 mark. Dylan Floro (2-1) pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the win, and A.J. Puk worked around a two-out single in the ninth for his sixth save.

Rangers 4, Mariners 3

Dane Dunning pitched six quality innings as Texas defeated host Seattle, taking two of three games in the series between the American League West rivals.

Marcus Semien homered and drove in two runs for division-leading Texas, which has won eight of its past 11 games. Dunning (3-0) allowed two runs on six hits. The right-hander walked one and struck out five. Will Smith pitched a perfect ninth for his sixth save of the season.

Texas handed Mariners ace Luis Castillo (2-1) just his third regular-season loss since being acquired at last year's trade deadline. The right-hander gave up three runs on eight hits in five innings, with no walks and nine strikeouts. J.P. Crawford and Jarred Kelenic had RBIs for Seattle.

Nationals 11, Giants 6

Riley Adams smacked a three-run home run, and visiting Washington scorched Sean Manaea for eight runs in the first three innings en route to a romp over San Francisco to break even on a six-game road trip.

Lane Thomas also homered for the Nationals, who lost the first two games of their trip in Arizona before winning three of the last four, including two of three in San Francisco. As they did in Monday's 5-1 win, the Nationals wasted no time building a commanding lead, putting up four runs in both the second and third innings to go up 8-0.

Adams' homer came after Dominic Smith opened the scoring against Manaea (1-2) with an RBI single. Manaea was charged with eight runs (four earned) in 2 2/3 innings. He allowed five hits and three walks while striking out four. Michael Conforto and LaMonte Wade Jr. each hit two-run homers for the Giants.

May 10, 2023; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Boston Red Sox pinch hitter Raimel Tapia (17) hits a double to drive in a run against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Rockies 4, Pirates 3

Jurickson Profar hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh as Colorado erased a three-run deficit to top host Pittsburgh in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Randal Grichuk added an RBI double, and Austin Wynns and Alan Trejo each had an RBI single for the Rockies, who have won eight of 10. Colorado starter Antonio Senzatela, in his second game back after knee surgery last year, left in the third because of forearm tightness. Brad Hand (2-1) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless, hitless innings.

Andrew McCutchen and Tucupita Marcano homered for the Pirates, who have lost nine of 10. Robert Stephenson (0-1) gave up one run and two hits in the seventh.

Astros 5, Angels 4

Cristian Javier struck out a season-high 11 batters in six innings, leading Houston to a victory over Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.

Javier (3-1), who struck out Mike Trout three times and Shohei Ohtani twice, gave up a two-run homer to Hunter Renfroe, but was otherwise stellar before handing the ball to the bullpen with a 5-2 lead. Closer Ryan Pressly gave up a two-run homer to Ohtani in the ninth that brought the Angels within one run, then retired three in a row for his sixth save.

Jeremy Pena led Houston's offense with two hits, including a two-out, two-run single in a pivotal four-run fourth inning. Yordan Alvarez hit a solo shot in the first, his eighth of the year.

Cubs 10, Cardinals 4

Yan Gomes came off the injured list to club a two-run home run, Patrick Wisdom also hit a two-run bomb and Justin Steele went six innings to stay unbeaten as Chicago routed visiting St. Louis.

Out since May 1 with a concussion, Gomes belted his sixth homer in the fourth inning and followed with two more hits as the Cubs capped a 3-3 homestand. Wisdom's 12th of the season came with a man on in the third and erased a 2-1 St. Louis edge.

Dansby Swanson and Christopher Morel each had two hits with two RBIs, and Steele (6-0) surrendered three runs -- ending his run of 14 straight starts allowing two or fewer earned runs -- with seven hits and three walks. The Cardinals' season-high three-game win streak ended as Jordan Montgomery (2-5) was tagged for six runs on seven hits.

Phillies 2, Blue Jays 1 (10 innings)

Bo Bichette committed a throwing error in the bottom of the 10th inning, allowing Edmundo Sosa to score the winning run for host Philadelphia in a victory over Toronto.

Bryce Harper hit a sharp grounder to pitcher Tim Mayza, who threw to Bichette, who was covering second base. But Bichette's throw to first was wide of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., giving the Phillies their third straight win. Phillies starter Zack Wheeler allowed three hits and one run with seven strikeouts and one walk in seven innings.

Brandon Belt hit a solo home run for the Blue Jays, who lost both games of the interleague series. Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman tossed six shutout innings and gave up three hits with nine strikeouts and no walks.

Orioles 2, Rays 1

Dean Kremer pitched six scoreless innings and Baltimore defeated visiting Tampa Bay.

Austin Hays had two hits and drove in what proved to be the winning run for Baltimore, which took two of three games from division-leading Tampa Bay. Kremer (4-1) allowed four hits and walked two while striking out four. Yennier Cano pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save and has pitched 18 2/3 innings this season without allowing a run.

The Orioles took a 2-0 lead in the sixth. Adley Rutschman singled, Anthony Santander doubled and Ryan Mountcastle walked on a pitch-clock violation by Yonny Chirinos (1-1) to load the bases with no outs. Adam Frazier grounded into a force play at second to score Rutschman and Hays singled to left, scoring Santander.

Twins 4, Padres 3 (11 innings)

Alex Kirilloff singled to drive in Max Kepler from second in the bottom of the 11th inning to give Minnesota a walk-off win over San Diego in Saint Paul, Minn.

Kepler, who also homered, doubled and scored three runs, began the inning at second as the designated runner. Reliever Domingo Tapia (0-1) intentionally walked Carlos Correa, who earlier had an RBI double, to start the inning. Kirilloff then grounded a 2-0 fastball down the right field line to drive in Kepler for the game-winning RBI.

Griffin Jax (2-4) pitched a scoreless inning of relief to pick up the win for Minnesota, which snapped a three-game losing streak. Juan Soto homered for San Diego, which suffered its third loss in four games. Jake Cronenworth reached base four times with three walks and a hit by a pitch and he also stole a base.

Royals 9, White Sox 1

Kansas City struck for four runs in the first inning and never looked back as it cruised to a victory over visiting Chicago.

Kansas City starter Brad Keller (3-3) pitched five innings, giving up one run on three hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Vinnie Pasquantino began his 3-for-5 night at the plate with a double that set in motion Kansas City's big opening frame.

Chicago's lone run came in the second, when Hanser Alberto drove in Gavin Sheets with a single. Chicago starter Lance Lynn (1-5) allowed seven runs on nine hits while walking two and striking out four through five innings.

--Field Level Media

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