Breakout night for Morales
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. Kendrys Morales has been a different player at Tampa Bay this season.
Morales had two late homers and drove in five runs, helping the Toronto Blue Jays rally from a three-run deficit to beat the Rays 8-4 on Friday night.
The switch-hitting slugger has three of his six homers and 10 of 20 RBIs this season in five games at Tropicana Field. He hit a two-run shot during the seventh inning and completed his 18th career multihomer game with a three-run drive off Jumbo Diaz (0-2) in a five-run eighth that put Toronto ahead 8-4.
“A couple of big shots that we needed,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said. “We needed a win like that. We were due for something like that.”
Justin Smoak added a solo homer in the decisive eighth and finished with two RBIs for Toronto, which avoided becoming the major league’s first 20-loss team (10-19). The Blue Jays got their sixth win in 17 road games this season.
Aaron Loup (1-0) limited the Rays to one run after Tampa Bay loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh.
Daniel Robertson and Derek Norris each homered for the Rays. Chris Archer struck out 11 in six-plus innings.
“Not a ton to be said other than that is was kind of a tough loss,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.
Toronto’s Francisco Liriano had his third consecutive subpar outing at Tropicana Field, allowing three runs, five hits, five walks and hitting a batter in 3 2/3 innings.
YANKEES 3, CUBS 2
CHICAGO — Brett Gardner lined a slider from Hector Rondon into the right-field bleachers with two outs in the ninth inning for a three-run homer that lifted the New York Yankees over the World Series champion Chicago Cubs.
METS 8, MARLINS 7
NEW YORK — T.J. Rivera homered early and hit a tworun double to tie the score in a five-run seventh inning that rallied New York past Miami.
ORIOLES 4, WHITE SOX 2
BALTIMORE — Gabriel Ynoa pitched six sharp innings after starter Wade Miley was forced out of the game by the impact of two line drives, and Baltimore got a home run from Chris Davis in a victory over Chicago.
NATIONALS 4, PHILLIES 2
PHILADELPHIA — Stephen Strasburg hit his second major league home run and pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings, leading Washington over Philadelphia.
CARDINALS 10, BRAVES 0
ATLANTA — Tommy Pham doubled and hit a two-run homer after his recall from the minors, Matt Carpenter also hit a two-run homer and St. Louis overcame injuries to two starting outfielders to beat Atlanta.
ROYALS 3, INDIANS 1
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jason Hammel allowed three hits over six innings for his first win with Kansas City and Eric Hosmer sent a two-run homer splashing into the fountains behind the fence in right-centre field.