March 28, 2024

Tuesday’s MLB Capsules

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Pinch-hitter Scott Van Slyke’s two-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning gave the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.

Van Slyke lined the homer off Josh Collmenter (4-3) into the lower left field seats, scoring Mark Ellis who singled just ahead of Van Slyke.

It was the Dodgers’ fifth consecutive win over the D-backs.

Braves 4, Marlins 3

MIAMI (AP) — Julio Teheran, working on 10 days’ rest, overcame a rough first inning and pitched into the seventh to help the Braves beat the Marlins.

Teheran (12-7) gave up three runs in the first, then none after that, and he left with a 4-3 lead. Craig Kimbrel pitched around a one-out double by Placido Polanco in the ninth for his major league-leading 46th save in 49 chances.

Atlanta went 3 for 16 with runners in scoring position, but Evan Gattis had his third straight two-RBI game.

Nationals 6, Mets 3

NEW YORK (AP) — Jayson Werth kept up his power surge with a home run and two doubles, leading the charging Nationals past the Mets for their fourth straight win.

Jordan Zimmermann (17-8) wound up with his NL-leading 17th victory and Rafael Soriano closed for his 40th save as Washington tries to make a late playoff push.

The Nationals have won six of seven, and have 18 games left this season. They began the day seven games behind Cincinnati for the final NL wild-card spot.

Dillon Gee (11-10) left in the seventh with the Mets down 4-3. He was trying to beat the Nationals for the fifth time this year.

Cardinals 4, Brewers 2

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Matt Holliday’s two-run home run in the sixth inning stunned Wily Peralta with the Cardinals’ first hit and rookie Shelby Miller blanked the Brewers into the seventh inning.

Matt Carpenter and Matt Adams added RBIs in the seventh and eighth for the NL Central leaders.

Cubs 9, Reds 1

CINCINNATI (AP) — Welington Castillo drove in three runs with two home runs, Donnie Murphy added a two-run shot and even pitcher Edwin Jackson connected as the Cubs rolled to a victory over the suddenly punchless Reds on Tuesday night.

Jackson (8-15) hit his second career home run in the seventh inning on his way to his first win in seven starts since July 31.

The Cubs earned consecutive wins over Cincinnati for the first time since 2011.

Padres 8, Phillies 2

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jedd Gyorko and Chase Headley each had three hits to back Andrew Cashner’s strong pitching in the Padres’ victory over the Phillies.

Gyorko, who entered in a 3-for-28 slide, scored three runs and drove in another. Headley added two RBIs for the Padres, who have won four straight and six of seven.

Cashner (9-8) earned his first victory since Aug. 2, throwing 7 2-3 masterful innings while limiting the Phillies to four hits and a walk.

Tyler Cloyd (2-4) was not sharp in his first major league start in three weeks for Philadelphia. The right-hander allowed seven runs and nine hits over four-plus innings.

Rockies 9, Giants 8

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Michael Cuddyer hit a tiebreaking homer leading off the ninth inning to go with his three-run shot, and the Rockies rallied from an early six-run deficit to beat the Giants.

Cuddyer sent a 3-2 pitch from Sergio Romo into the left-center seats for his 20th homer of the season, 10th career multihomer game and second this year. He also connected in Colorado’s five-run fifth to spark the comeback.

Hunter Pence produced some impressive slugging himself, hitting a three-run homer in the first, an RBI double in the fourth and a tying, two-run single in the eighth against winner Wilton Lopez (3-4).

Pence matched his career high with six RBIs.

Sergio Romo (4-7) gave up Cuddyer’s go-ahead homer.

Red Sox 2, Rays 0

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Clay Buchholz allowed three hits over five innings in his first start since early June and the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 on Tuesday night.

Jonny Gomes and Jarrod Saltalamacchia both drove in a run for the Red Sox, who extended their lead over second-place Tampa Bay to 8½ games. Craig Breslow, Junichi Tazawa and Koji Uehara finished a four-hitter. Uehara got four outs for his 19th save.

Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner David Price (8-8) lost his third straight start despite giving up just three hits in eight innings. The left-hander struck out nine.

The Rays, just 4-12 since Aug. 25, lead the race for the second AL wild-card spot.

Yankees 7, Orioles 5

BALTIMORE (AP) — Alfonso Soriano hit two home runs, including a tiebreaking shot in the eighth inning, and New York rallied past Baltimore to end a six-game losing streak at Camden Yards.

Mark Reynolds also homered for the Yankees, who won for the second time in six games to bolster their postseason hopes. New York still trails Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Cleveland in the hunt for the final AL wild-card slot.

Alex Rodriguez led off the eighth with a double against rookie Kevin Gausman (2-5) and Robinson Cano delivered an RBI single. Soriano followed with a two-run shot to center, his 15th homer in 43 games since New York reacquired him in a July 26 trade with the Chicago Cubs.

Mariano Rivera got four straight outs for his 650th career save.

Royals 6, Indians 3

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jeremy Guthrie got a major assist from his defense in pitching six innings, Alcides Escobar hit a rare home run and Kansas City snapped a six-game losing streak in Cleveland to close on the Indians and two others in the cramped wild-card scramble.

Guthrie (14-10) allowed just one run and nine hits, but was helped by three double plays.

Kansas City pulled within three games of a wild-card spot. The Royals also got a game closer to the Indians, who dropped to 6-3 in September.

Mike Moustakas hit a two-run double in the sixth off Zach McAllister (7-9), and the won’t-go-away Royals won for the 12th time in 17 games.

Luke Hochevar struck out all five batters he faced, and closer Greg Holland worked a perfect ninth for his 41st save.

Angels 12, Blue Jays 6

TORONTO (AP) — Mark Trumbo matched a team record with four extra-base hits, including back-to-back home runs with Josh Hamilton, and Chris Iannetta and Erick Aybar also went deep as Los Angeles beat Toronto.

Trumbo had a career-best five hits and became the first player in Angels history to collect five hits and score five runs in the same game. He went 5 for 5 with three doubles and two RBIs as the Angels won for the eighth time in 11 meetings with the Blue Jays.

Jerome Williams pitched five-plus innings to win consecutive starts for the first time since May 26. Williams (7-10) allowed six runs and nine hits.

Anthony Gose hit his first career grand slam for the Blue Jays and Rajai Davis added a solo shot, but it was a rough night for starter Mark Buehrle (11-8), who had won six straight decisions.

Twins 4, Athletics 3

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Josh Willingham hit two home runs, including a two-run shot in the eighth inning that put Minnesota in front for good against Oakland.

Oswaldo Arcia also homered for the Twins, who snapped Oakland’s three-game winning streak and prevented the A’s from stretching their two-game lead over Texas in the AL West. Minnesota also spoiled a solid outing by Jarrod Parker, who tossed six strong innings and stretched his unbeaten streak to 19 starts.

Arcia singled off reliever Sean Doolittle to lead off the eighth. Doolittle struck out Ryan Doumit before being pulled for Ryan Cook (6-4), and Willingham launched a 2-0 pitch an estimated 439 feet into the middle deck for his second multihomer game this season.

Anthony Swarzak (2-2) worked a scoreless eighth on his 28th birthday. Glen Perkins earned his 34th save in 38 chances.

Tigers 9, White Sox 1

CHICAGO (AP) — Rick Porcello pitched his first career complete game, Prince Fielder homered among his four hits and Detroit snapped a three-game skid by beating Chicago.

Alex Avila added four hits and two RBIs as the Tigers increased their AL Central lead over Cleveland to 5½ games.

Porcello (12-8) scattered seven hits, struck out five and walked one. The 24-year-old right-hander retired 14 straight after Chicago scored its only run in the fourth.

Five of Detroit’s runs were unearned thanks to four Chicago errors, including three by third baseman Conor Gillaspie.

White Sox prospect Erik Johnson (0-2) was hurt by shoddy fielding in his second major league start. He lasted 3 2-3 innings, allowing six runs — two earned — on seven hits and three walks.

Chicago, last in the AL Central, has lost 10 of 12.

Astros 13, Mariners 2

SEATTLE (AP) — Jonathan Villar homered on the first pitch of the game and Houston coasted to a lopsided victory over Seattle.

Villar connected off Joe Saunders (11-14) for his first career homer. The Astros scored six times in the first three innings to chase Saunders. The left-hander has lost six of his last eight decisions.

Chris Carter and Jose Altuve each had three of the Astros’ 17 hits. Houston’s 10 extra-base hits were a season high, eclipsing the previous mark of nine — also set against the Mariners.

Pirates 5, Mariners 4

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Francisco Liriano pitched six innings for his career-high 16th victory, Andrew McCutchen had three RBI singles and Pittsburgh held on to beat slumping Texas.

A night after victory No. 82 ensured the Pirates’ first winning season since 1992, the NL wild-card leaders added a series-clinching victory.

Pittsburgh scored three runs with four consecutive two-out hits in the fifth off rookie Martin Perez (9-4), who had won his previous six starts.

Liriano (16-7) struck out five while allowing one run to become the first Pirates left-hander since John Smiley and Zane Smith in 1991 to win more than 15 games. Liriano has received a decision in each of his 23 starts since signing as a free agent in February.

Mark Melancon worked a shaky ninth for his 13th save in 15 chances. After striking out the first two batters, Melancon gave up four consecutive two-out singles before Adrian Beltre struck out to end it with a runner on third.

Pittsburgh remained a game behind NL Central-leading St. Louis.