Pinch hit home run lifts Cubs over Braves in NL tilt
ATLANTA Tommy La Stella is used to coming through off the bench. The homer was something new. The first pinch-hit homer of La Stella’s career tied a franchise record and carried the Chicago Cubs to a 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves in a matchup of NL division leaders Thursday night.
“I don’t get to play much,” said La Stella, who homered against the team he started with in the big leagues. “I definitely appreciate the opportunities when I get them.”
Chicago stopped off at SunTrust Park for a single game before starting a regularly scheduled 10-game road trip, making up a contest that was washed out May 17.
La Stella made it a fruitful layover, tying the team record with his 20th pinch hit of the season. After Atlanta went ahead with a three-run fifth, the infielder launched a two-run shot off Mike Foltynewicz that nearly reached the Chop House restaurant above the right-field seats .
Chicago won for the eighth time in nine games, maintaining its 4 1/2-game lead in the NL Central.
Freddie Freeman had three RBIs for the Braves, who lost for the fourth time in six games but still lead the East by three games.
ANGELS 5, ASTROS 2
HOUSTON — Andrew Heaney threw six scoreless innings, Andrelton Simmons capped a four-run sixth inning with a three-run double and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Houston Astros.
TIGERS 8, YANKEES 7
NEW YORK — Victor Martinez hit his second home run of the game and Niko Goodrum followed with a homer off Dellin Betances in the ninth inning, rallying the Detroit Tigers past the New York Yankees.
The Tigers, last in the majors in home runs, connected five times and ended a five-game losing streak. Giancarlo Stanton hit his 300th career home run for the Yankees, who have lost three of four. They began the day 7 1/2 games behind Boston in the AL East and 4 1/2 games ahead of Oakland for the top wildcard spot.
CARDINALS 5, PIRATES 0
ST. LOUIS — Harrison Bader and John Gant hit back-to-back home runs, Gant pitched into the sixth inning and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates.
INDIANS 5, TWINS 3
CLEVELAND — Jason Kipnis hit a three-run homer that broke a sixth-inning tie and sent the Cleveland Indians over the Minnesota Twins.
BREWERS 2, REDS 1
CINCINNATI — Lorenzo Cain hit a home run off the top of the left field fence in the 11th inning and the Milwaukee Brewers, a day after winning a slugfest that went extras, edged the Cincinnati Reds.
NL batting leader Christian Yelich went 0 for 4 with a bases-loaded walk for Milwaukee. On Wednesday night, he went 6 for 6 and hit for the cycle as the Brewers outlasted Cincinnati 13-12 in 10 innings.