MLB roundup: Blake Snell, Padres flirt with no-hitter in win

 

[September 20, 2023]  San Diego ace Blake Snell exited after seven hitless innings on Tuesday, and the Padres beat the visiting Colorado Rockies 2-0 when Xander Bogaerts hit a two-run, walk-off homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

Padres pitchers took a combined no-hitter into the ninth and wound up with a two-hit shutout for the team's sixth straight win.

Snell, a strong candidate for the National League Cy Young Award, issued four walks while striking out 10. He left after 104 pitches, having lowered his major-league-leading numbers in ERA (2.33) and opponents' batting average (.181). Snell has a 1.26 ERA in his past 22 starts.

Robert Suarez followed Snell with a perfect eighth before Brendan Rodgers lined a single past Bogaerts at short off Josh Hader (1-3). The San Diego closer gave up another hit to Nolan Jones before getting Elias Diaz to ground to Bogaerts for an inning-ending double play. Bogaerts then snuck a fly ball just inside the left field foul pole off Tyler Kinley (0-3) to win it.

Braves 9, Phillies 3

Spencer Strider struck out 11 batters and Ronald Acuna Jr. hit two home runs to help Atlanta end its four-game losing streak with a win over visiting Philadelphia.

Atlanta avoided what would have been its first five-game losing streak since September 2017. Strider (18-5) pitched seven innings and allowed three runs -- all coming on Bryce Harper's 19th home run in the sixth -- on four hits and no walks. He improved his career record against Philadelphia to 8-0 with a 1.90 ERA.

Acuna, on "Ronald Acuna Bat Flip Bobblehead Night," went 3-for-5 with his 38th and 39th homers, his fourth multi-homer game of the season. Acuna's first homer came on the first pitch of the first inning from Cristopher Sanchez (2-5). Acuna also stole his 67th base.

Orioles 9, Astros 5

Austin Hays posted his first multi-homer game this season and the fifth of his career to lead Baltimore past host Houston, dropping the Astros to one game below .500 at home this season.

The Orioles maintained their 2 1/2-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East and reduced their magic number to clinch their first division title since 2014 to eight. The Astros now lead Texas and Seattle by only a half-game.

Hays' three-run home run off Astros right-hander Hunter Brown (11-12) gave Baltimore the lead for good at 5-2 in the top of the third inning. Brown allowed seven runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings, while Baltimore starter Kyle Gibson gave up three runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings. DL Hall (3-0) relieved Gibson and recorded two outs to get the win.

Cubs 14, Pirates 1

Dansby Swanson set the tone with a two-run homer in the first inning and Alexander Canario clubbed a late grand slam for his first career home run as host Chicago cruised to a past Pittsburgh.

Seiya Suzuki had a solo shot among his three hits and Cody Bellinger added a three-run blast during an eight-run eighth inning for the Cubs, who snapped a five-game skid. Javier Assad (4-3) threw five innings of one-run ball.

Ke'Bryan Hayes homered for the Pirates. Opener Bailey Falter (2-9) allowed Swanson's homer in his lone inning.

Rangers 6, Red Sox 4

Adolis Garcia hit his 35th home run of the season and scored twice to help Texas end a four-game losing streak with a win over Boston in Arlington, Texas.

Jonah Heim had two doubles and two RBIs for the Rangers, who moved within one-half game of the first-place Houston Astros in the American League West. Texas reliever Aroldis Chapman (6-4) earned the win after pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

The Rangers broke a 4-4 tie by scoring twice in the seventh inning. Josh Jung drove in Marcus Semien with a single off John Schreiber to make it 5-4, and then Corey Seager scored when Heim drew a bases-loaded walk. Both runs were charged to reliever Chris Murphy (1-2).

Mariners 7, A's 2

Luis Castillo threw seven innings of two-run ball, Jarred Kelenic drove in two runs with a pair of singles and visiting Seattle dumped Oakland.

J.P. Crawford and Teoscar Hernandez contributed RBI doubles to a four-run seventh inning, helping the Mariners pull away for their second straight win to start a three-game series. Castillo (14-7) walked three and fanned eight.

Zack Gelof had two hits for the A's, who took their sixth straight loss. Paul Blackburn (4-6) gave up two runs in five innings.

Marlins 4, Mets 3

Jake Burger hit a two-out, two-strike RBI single to center in the bottom of the ninth inning as Miami earned a walk-off win over visiting New York.

New York entered the ninth inning trailing 3-1 before tying the score against Marlins closer Tanner Scott (9-5). Brandon Nimmo leveled the game with a two-out, two-run double.

Miami won it in the ninth off reliever Trevor Gott (0-5). The rally started when Gott hit Nick Fortes with a pitch. A sacrifice bunt, an intentional walk and a groundout put runners at second and third ahead of Burger's single on an 0-2 cutter.

Nationals 4, White Sox 3

Pinch hitter Joey Meneses belted a go-ahead, three-run homer in the seventh inning to lift Washington past visiting Chicago to even their three-game series at a game apiece.

After allowing two runners on base in the seventh innings, Nationals reliever Aaron Bummer (4-5) gave way to Bryan Shaw and Meneses greeted him by hitting his 12th homer of the season.

Nationals right-hander Jackson Rutledge yielded six hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings in his second career game. He walked one and struck out two. Robert Garcia (2-2) relieved him and got the win after retiring both batters he faced to complete the top of the seventh.

Dodgers 3, Tigers 2

Max Muncy's game-ending RBI single in the ninth inning gave Los Angeles a victory over visiting Detroit to extend its winning streak to five games while closing in on a top-two seed in the National League playoffs.

Mookie Betts singled with one out in the ninth inning against Tigers right-hander Alex Lange (7-5), went to second when Will Smith was hit by a pitch with two outs and scored just ahead of the throw home after Muncy's single. J.D. Martinez hit a home run in the fourth en route to reaching base four times. Dodgers right-hander Ryan Pepiot entered in the second inning and gave up one run on five hits over six innings.

Spencer Torkelson and Parker Meadows hit home runs for the Tigers, while Miguel Cabrera had a seventh-inning single for the 3,167th hit of his career to move into sole possession of 17th on the all-time list.

Rays 6, Angels 2

Osleivis Basabe lashed a tiebreaking two-run double to headline a four-run eighth inning, and Tampa Bay improved its majors-best home record by beating Los Angeles in St. Petersburg, Fla.

With the bases loaded against reliever Aaron Loup (2-3), Basabe smoked a one-out liner over center fielder Brett Phillips to break a 2-2 tie. Rene Pinto followed with a single for two more runs. Randy Arozarena slugged a two-run homer, his 23rd home run of the season, to score Yandy Diaz in the first. Diaz reached base four times, going 3-for-4 with a double, a run and a walk. Over five innings, Rays starter Taj Bradley allowed one run on three hits while fanning six and walking one.

Logan O'Hoppe and Zach Neto hit solo homers for the Angels, who lost their sixth straight game. Rookie Nolan Schanuel walked in the third and has now reached base in all 23 of his major league games since making his debut on Aug. 18.

Blue Jays 7, Yankees 1

Bo Bichette scored the go-ahead run on a single by Cavan Biggio in the fourth inning and hit a two-run homer in the fifth as visiting Toronto recorded a victory over New York.

The Blue Jays won their fourth straight game and currently own the American League's second wild card, sitting one game ahead of Seattle and Texas. The Yankees dropped seven games behind the Mariners and Rangers, who are tied for the third and final wild-card spot.

Toronto's Yusei Kikuchi (10-6) allowed one run and four hits in five-plus innings for his first win since Aug. 2. He was pulled because of a left upper trap muscle cramp after being checked out by a trainer. Clarke Schmidt (9-9) allowed four runs and four hits in five innings for the Yankees.

Royals 7, Guardians 6

MJ Melendez homered, drove in three runs and scored three times to fuel host Kansas City past Cleveland.

Kansas City's Nick Loftin had a pair of RBI singles, and Tyler Cropley collected an RBI with a sacrifice fly in his major league debut. Alec Marsh (2-8) picked up his second win in as many outings after allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits in 4 1/3 innings in relief of opener Steven Cruz.

Cleveland rookie Logan Allen (7-8) was saddled with the loss after permitting four runs on eight hits in three innings. He struck out one and walked two.

Twins 7, Reds 0

Right-hander Kenta Maeda struck out eight and surrendered just one hit in five innings as Minnesota blanked host Cincinnati.

Dominating with his splitter, Maeda (6-7) won his third straight start. He allowed only Spencer Steer's double in the fourth inning and walked one. Willi Castro smacked a two-run homer and Ryan Jeffers added a solo shot for the Twins, who lowered their magic number for clinching the American League Central to three.

Hard-pressed for starting pitchers, Cincinnati went with a bullpen game, using four arms to get through the first 3 1/3 innings. The first pitcher of those four, Fernando Cruz (1-2), took the loss after giving up a run in 1 2/3 innings.

Brewers 7, Cardinals 3

Tyrone Taylor drove in one run and scored twice to lead visiting Milwaukee past St. Louis.

Taylor hit a double, drew two walks and stole a base for the Brewers, who reduced their magic number to win the National League Central to six. Colin Rea (6-6) assumed a bulk-innings role. He allowed one run on three in 4 2/3 innings to earn the win.

Richie Palacios hit a home run for the Cardinals. Alec Burleson hit an RBI double, stole a base and scored a run for St. Louis before exiting with a broken thumb suffered on a headfirst slide in the first inning.

Diamondbacks 8, Giants 4

Ketel Marte had four hits and two RBIs and Corbin Carroll also drove in two runs to help Arizona notch a victory over San Francisco at Phoenix.

Marte also walked to reach base five times while Carroll had two hits and two runs to help Arizona win for the ninth time in its past 13 games. Zac Gallen (16-8) gave up four runs and six hits over five innings for the Diamondbacks.

Joc Pederson homered for the Giants, who have lost four of their past five games. San Francisco's Alex Cobb (7-7) exited in the third inning after aggravating a hip injury. He gave up five runs and five hits in two-plus innings.

--Field Level Media

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