MLB roundup: Astros score four in ninth, stun Cubs

 

[May 18, 2023]  Kyle Tucker slapped a two-run, walk-off single to center field and the host Houston Astros capped a stunning six-run rally with a four-run ninth inning to beat the Chicago Cubs 7-6 on Wednesday.

Houston completed a three-game sweep of the Cubs by rallying against reliever Keegan Thompson. Jake Meyers ripped a two-run homer that cut the deficit to 6-5, and when pinch hitter Mauricio Dubon followed with a walk, Brandon Hughes (0-2) entered in relief of Thompson. Hughes went on to give up Tucker's game-winning hit.

Seiya Suzuki finished 3-for-3 with two walks and three RBIs for the Cubs. His solo homer in the first inning capped a three-run frame off Astros rookie right-hander J.P. France. Suzuki added a two-run blast off France in the third, extending the Cubs' lead to 5-1.

The Cubs pounded France for six runs on nine hits. Chicago's Drew Smyly allowed one run on four hits in six innings in 3 2/3 innings. Houston's Bryan Abreu (2-0) tossed one scoreless inning for the win.

Pirates 8, Tigers 0

Rich Hill tossed six scoreless innings, Austin Hedges drove in three runs and visiting Pittsburgh cruised to a victory over Detroit.

Hill (4-3) allowed just an infield hit to Matt Vierling and two walks while striking out seven. The Pirates used three relievers to finish off the one-hit shutout. Rodolfo Castro homered and drove in two runs, and Bryan Reynolds contributed three hits and scored twice.

Tigers starter Eduardo Rodriguez (4-3), who had allowed just two runs in his previous six starts, gave up four runs and six hits in five innings. Hedges' two-out, two-run double in the second ended a streak of 21 consecutive scoreless innings by Rodriguez.

Rockies 11, Reds 6

Elias Diaz had two hits and drove in three runs, Jurickson Profar, Kris Bryant and Brenton Doyle each had two hits and two RBIs and Colorado beat Cincinnati in Denver.

Harold Castro and Michael Toglia also had two hits, Brent Suter (2-0) pitched an inning of relief to earn the win and Pierce Johnson picked up his eighth save. Luke Maile homered among his two hits for Cincinnati. Spencer Steer, Stuart Fairchild and Jose Barrero also had two hits for the Reds.

Cincinnati jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but the Rockies scored all 11 of their runs in the fifth and sixth innings to take the rubber match of the three-game series.

Dodgers 7, Twins 3

A pair of rookies stole the show for Los Angeles as Miguel Vargas walked with the bases loaded and James Outman hit a grand slam to power a comeback victory over visiting Minnesota.

With the Dodgers trailing 3-2 in the seventh inning, Vargas' walk tied it and Outman went deep to center field one pitch later against Emilio Pagan for his second career grand slam and ninth home run of the season. Dodgers starter Dustin May lasted just one inning before he departed with right elbow pain.

Byron Buxton and Joey Gallo hit home runs for the Twins, while major league ERA leader Sonny Gray gave up two runs on five hits in four innings, his shortest start of the season.

Royals 4, Padres 3

Vinnie Pasquantino hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer to highlight a three-run sixth inning, leading Kansas City to a victory at San Diego in the rubber match of a three-game series.

MJ Melendez, who drove in the Royals' first run with a fourth-inning double, and Maikel Garcia followed Pasquantino's blast with back-to-back doubles for Kansas City's final run and a 4-1 lead. Josh Taylor (1-1) got the win in relief, and Scott Barlow earned his sixth save, his second in two days.

Padres starter Yu Darvish (2-3) gave up four runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings.
 

Diamondbacks 5, Athletics 3

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. doubled and scored the go-ahead run as visiting Arizona scored two in the ninth to stave off an Oakland rally and record a victory.

After a Ramon Laureano three-run homer drew Oakland even at 3-3 in the seventh, Gurriel's double against A's reliever Shintaro Fujinami (1-5) got the visitors headed toward a second win in three tries in the interleague series.

Ketel Marte's single made it 5-3 and provided breathing room for Miguel Castro, who worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth for his third save. Jose Ruiz (1-0) struck out Laureano with two aboard to end the eighth, and he was rewarded with the win.

Giants 7, Phillies 4

Wilmer Flores hit a two-run single to headline a three-run eighth inning and lift host San Francisco over Philadelphia.

Flores had two hits and two RBIs, while Blake Sabol and Thairo Estrada each added two hits and an RBI for the Giants, who swept the three-game series. San Francisco starter Ross Stripling left after 3 1/3 innings with low back tightness. John Brebbia (2-0) earned the win in relief.

Bryson Stott hit a solo home run and J.T. Realmuto doubled, singled and drove in two runs for the Phillies, who have lost four straight. Phillies starter Taijuan Walker lasted only two-thirds of an inning, allowing four hits and four runs.

Marlins 4, Nationals 3

Jorge Soler slugged a go-ahead, two-run homer for the second straight game as host Miami defeated Washington and improved to 14-1 in one-run games.

On Tuesday, Soler hit a walk-off homer with two outs in the ninth inning. On Wednesday, his homer was much less dramatic, putting the Marlins on top in the fourth.

May 17, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Kyle Tucker (30) hits a single during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Washington's Corey Dickerson, who spent 2020 and part of 2021 with the Marlins, went 2-for-4 with a homer, two runs and two RBIs. Teammate Jeimer Candelario went 3-for-4.

Orioles 3, Angels 1

Austin Hays homered, Kyle Bradish pitched into the seventh inning and host Baltimore defeated Los Angeles.

Anthony Santander and Gunnar Henderson each had two hits for the Orioles, who scored all of their runs via two-out hits. Bradish (2-1) gave up one run on four hits over 6 2/3 innings.

Mike Trout hit his ninth homer of the season for the Angels, who managed just four hits. Los Angeles starter Griffin Canning (2-2) worked 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on nine hits.

Blue Jays 3, Yankees 0 (10 innings)

Danny Jansen hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning and Toronto defeated visiting New York.

Jansen's fourth home run of 2023 came against Wandy Peralta (2-1). The one-out blast gave the Blue Jays their first win in the four-game series after the Yankees won the first two.

Toronto's Chris Bassitt extended his scoreless streak to 27 innings with seven innings of three-hit ball. Jordan Romano (3-2) threw two shutout innings for the win. New York's Gerrit Cole allowed seven hits in six-plus scoreless innings.

Mets 8, Rays 7 (10 innings)

Pete Alonso hit a three-run homer into the second deck in the 10th inning to cap a dramatic comeback by host New York, which beat Tampa Bay.

Francisco Alvarez forced extra innings with a three-run, two-out homer in the ninth for the Mets, who won for just the sixth time in 17 games this month. Mark Vientos, recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A Syracuse, hit a game-tying two-run homer in the seventh for the Mets.

Harold Ramirez and Josh Lowe had RBI singles against David Robertson (1-0) in the top of the 10th for the Rays before the Mets rallied again against Pete Fairbanks (0-1).

Braves 6, Rangers 5

On a night when Spencer Strider started and Ronald Acuna Jr. went deep, Orlando Arcia emerged as Atlanta's star in a victory at Arlington, Texas.

Arcia broke a 5-5 tie in the ninth inning with a solo home run off Brock Burke (2-2). Braves reliever Nick Anderson (2-0) was credited with the victory after throwing a scoreless eighth. Raisel Iglesias worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his second save of the season.

Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi saw his scoreless innings streak end at 29 2/3 innings in the second, and he yielded three runs in seven innings. Adolis Garcia smacked two homers for Texas.

Cardinals 3, Brewers 0

Paul DeJong hit a two-run homer and Nolan Arenado delivered his 1,000th career RBI as St. Louis defeated visiting Milwaukee.

Arenado joined Hall of Famers Eddie Mathews and Chipper Jones as the only third basemen since 1920 to reach 300 homers and 1,000 RBIs before their 1,500th game. Arenado was playing in his 1,426th contest.

Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore (1-0) threw five-plus scoreless innings in his season debut. Ryan Helsley got four outs for his fifth save. Brewers starter Corbin Burnes (4-3) yielded three runs on eight hits in six innings.

Red Sox 12, Mariners 3

Pablo Reyes hit a pair of two-run doubles as Boston piled up nine runs over the first two innings en route to a win over visiting Seattle.

Boston tied its season high with 16 hits, including six in a six-run second inning. Justin Turner went 3-for-4 with his second homer in as many games. Rob Refsnyder, Rafael Devers, Enrique Hernandez and Jarren Duran each added multiple hits.

Brayan Bello (3-1) worked around three hits and five walks during his five-inning outing. Julio Rodriguez and Jose Caballero each had an RBI for Seattle. Mariners starter Marco Gonzales (3-1) lasted just 1 2/3 innings, allowing eight runs on eight hits.

White Sox 7, Guardians 2

Gavin Sheets, Andrew Vaughn and Jake Burger homered and Mike Clevinger pitched into the seventh inning to lift host Chicago to a win against Cleveland.

Sheets and Burger went deep for the second straight night as the White Sox secured a series victory while winning for the third time in four games. Clevinger (3-3) scattered two runs and six hits in six innings.

Guardians starter Peyton Battenfield allowed three home runs as Sheets (second inning) and Vaughn (fourth) delivered solo shots ahead of Burger's two-run blast in the fourth. Battenfield (0-5) spaced five runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. Josh Bell had both of Cleveland's RBIs.

--Field Level Media

[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.