MLB roundup: Travis d'Arnaud's 3 HRs boost Braves

 

[April 20, 2024]  Travis d'Arnaud hit three home runs, including a tiebreaking grand slam, to power the Atlanta Braves to an 8-3 win over the visiting Texas Rangers on Friday and extend their winning streak to five games.

The veteran catcher was 3-for-4 with six RBIs. His first two homers were solo shots, but the third came against reliever Jacob Latz (0-1) with the bases loaded, a 433-foot blast to center field. It was his third career grand slam. D'Arnaud grounded out in his final at-bat.

It was the seventh multiple-home run game and the second three-homer game of d'Arnaud's career. It was the first three-homer game by an Atlanta player since Adam Duvall did it twice in 2020.

Atlanta starter Chris Sale (2-1) pitched seven innings and allowed three runs on five hits, one walk and seven strikeouts. He improved to 9-2 in his career against Texas and hasn't lost to the Rangers since 2014.

Astros 5, Nationals 3

Justin Verlander pitched six solid innings in his first outing of the season after a shoulder ailment and Houston beat host Washington to snap a three-game losing streak.

Verlander limited Washington to two runs on four hits without a walk. He struck out four. Chas McCormick drove in two runs, and Jeremy Pena and Mauricio Dubon each had three hits. Josh Hader allowed a run in the ninth but got out of the inning with the tying runs on base for his second save of the season.

Riley Adams homered for the Nationals, who were coming off a 5-4 mark on a West Coast trip. Starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore (2-1) took the loss, giving up three runs on seven hits in four innings. Washington used six pitchers.

Diamondbacks 17, Giants 1

Ketel Marte had four hits, Blaze Alexander belted his first grand slam and Jordan Montgomery won in his debut as Arizona pummeled host San Francisco.

The Diamondbacks' 22 hits tied a franchise record set in 2013. Marte went 4-for-6 with an RBI and a run in the leadoff spot and Alexander finished 3-for-5 with five RBIs and scored twice. Christian Walker went 3-for-6 with three runs, a double and RBI.

Montgomery and his counterpart on Friday, San Francisco left-hander Blake Snell, were two coveted free agents who signed late this spring.

Montgomery (1-0) allowed one run on four hits in six innings. He struck out three without a walk. Snell gave up nine hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings to drop to 0-3. His ERA is 11.57.

Mets 9, Dodgers 4

Francisco Lindor hit a go-ahead, two-run home run in the seventh inning, Harrison Bader had four hits and visiting New York increased its winning streak to five games with a victory against Los Angeles.

DJ Stewart homered and had three RBIs as the Mets won for the seventh time in eight games and improved to 11-3 since an 0-5 start.

Chris Taylor broke out of an 0-for-31 slump to deliver a two-run single for the Dodgers. Shohei Ohtani scored a run and drove in another, but Los Angeles lost for the sixth time in the past eight games.

Royals 9, Orioles 4

MJ Melendez homered and drove in four runs and Alec Marsh tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings as Kansas defeated Baltimore for its ninth straight home win.

Melendez snapped an 0-for-23 skid with a two-out RBI single to ignite a five-run sixth inning. He added a three-run homer in the seventh inning. Marsh (3-0) scattered three hits, struck out six and walked two to defeat the Orioles for the second time this season.

Baltimore's Adley Rutschman launched his first career grand slam among his three hits. Starter Dean Kremer (0-2) retired the first 11 batters he faced before the Royals' big inning. Kremer surrendered three runs on two hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out three.

Reds 7, Angels 1

Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run homer, stole three bases and scored on a throwing error to lead Cincinnati past visiting Los Angeles.

Cincinnati starter and winner Nick Lodolo (2-0) allowed one run over 6 1/3 innings, and Tyler Stephenson blasted a tape-measure, tiebreaking home run for the Reds, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

Making just his second start back from the injured list, Lodolo kept the Angels scoreless until the fifth when Jo Adell singled home Luis Rengifo to tie the game. Lodolo allowed seven hits and one run, striking out six and without walking a batter.

Phillies 7, White Sox 0

Alec Bohm hit two home runs and tied a career high with six RBIs, Spencer Turnbull had a no-hitter through 6 1/3 innings and host Philadelphia defeated Chicago.

Turnbull (2-0) threw seven scoreless innings and gave up one hit while striking out six and walking two. He threw 92 pitches, 57 for strikes and lowered his ERA to 1.23.

Whit Merrifield hit a solo homer, Trea Turner had three hits and extended his hitting streak to eight straight, and Bryce Harper added two walks, two runs and a single as the Phillies earned their fourth win in a row.

Yankees 5, Rays 3

Juan Soto capped a five-run seventh inning by hitting a three-run homer as New York capitalized on shoddy defense by visiting Tampa Bay.

The Yankees won for the 14th time in 20 games following seventh-inning errors by Curtis Mead and Yandy Diaz. Oswaldo Cabrera forged a 1-1 tie with a grounder that skipped by Diaz's glove. Anthony Volpe snapped the tie with a soft RBI single to center, and Soto lifted a 1-0 pitch from Chris Devenski (0-1) into the second deck in right field.

Richie Palacios homered in the sixth off New York starter Clarke Schmidt, and the Rays' Issac Paredes hit a two-run single in the eighth off Ian Hamilton. Clay Holmes got a game-ending double play to finish off his eighth save in nine opportunities.

Cubs 8, Marlins 3

Jameson Taillon worked five strong innings in his season debut as host Chicago opened its four-game series with Miami on a winning note.

Activated from the 15-day injured list on Thursday, Taillon (1-0) surrendered just one run on three hits. He didn't walk a batter while striking out four. Nico Hoerner went 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and a run for Chicago, which also got two hits apiece from Cody Bellinger, Dansby Swanson and Mike Tauchman.

Bryan De La Cruz went deep and Jazz Chisholm went 2-for-4 for Miami, which has dropped 16 of 20 games to open the season. The Marlins finished with six hits, three of which came in the ninth. In three innings, Miami starter A.J. Puk (0-4) surrendered seven runs on seven hits and three walks. He fanned four.

Red Sox 8, Pirates 1

Wilyer Abreu went 3-for-5 and was one of three players to hit their first home runs of the season for Boston in a rout of host Pittsburgh.

Boston's offense pounded out 12 hits en route to its second win in a three-game span. Rob Refsnyder and Ceddanne Rafaela each drove in a pair with the help of their first homers of 2024, while Triston Casas also left the yard for the Red Sox. Enmanuel Valdez added a two-run double.

Brayan Bello (3-1) earned his second consecutive win in dominant fashion, allowing only one hit -- Jack Suwinski's leadoff double to left in the second -- and two walks while striking out seven over six innings.

Guardians 10, Athletics 2

Tyler Freeman hit a two-run homer and Josh Naylor added a solo shot as Cleveland opened a three-game series with a victory against visiting Oakland.

Steven Kwan and Andres Gimenez each drove in two runs for the Guardians, who won for the fifth time in six games and improved to an American League Central-best 14-6. Cleveland's Triston McKenzie (2-2) allowed one run on three hits with three walks and six strikeouts over five innings.

Abraham Toro hit a leadoff home run in the first inning to give the A's an early lead. Brent Rooker added a solo shot against Scott Barlow in the ninth for Oakland's only other run.

Tigers 5, Twins 4

Wenceel Perez went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, including a tiebreaking RBI single in the top of the ninth inning, and Detroit edged Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Kerry Carpenter finished 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs for the Tigers. Spencer Torkelson added three hits, including an RBI single. Tigers left-hander Andrew Chafin (2-0) earned the victory as was one of three relievers to follow starter Jack Flaherty, who gave up four runs (two earned) on four hits, walked one and struck out 10 in six innings.

Trevor Larnach went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer to lead the Twins at the plate. Byron Buxton contributed a two-run double for Minnesota, which dropped its fifth game in a row.

Brewers 2, Cardinals 1 (10 innings)

William Contreras drove in both runs, including a two-out RBI single in the 10th inning, as Milwaukee edged host St. Louis.

Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta held the Cardinals to four hits and two walks in six scoreless innings. He struck out seven. Reliever Joel Payamps (1-1) earned the victory and Hoby Milner earned his first career save.

Cardinals starting pitcher Kyle Gibson held the Brewers to one run on three hits and four walks while striking out three in six innings. Reliever Ryan Helsley (1-2) took the loss.

Blue Jays 5, Padres 1

Justin Turner homered and knocked in two runs as visiting Toronto opened up a five-run lead in the second inning during a win over San Diego.

Five pitchers teamed up on a five-hitter and fanned 14 as Toronto won for the fifth time in six games. Reliever Bowden Francis (2-2) got the win with two-plus scoreless innings after starter Yuriel Rodriguez fanned seven and allowed San Diego's only run - a Fernando Tatis Jr. home run - in four innings.

Matt Waldron (0-2) absorbed the loss for the Padres, permitting seven hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings. Waldron walked one and struck out two. Turner, Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Danny Jansen each collected two of the Blue Jays' 11 hits.

--Field Level Media

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