Late rally propels Blue Jays
ARLINGTON, Texas — Kendrys Morales hit a go-ahead single after a tying single by Josh Donaldson in the ninth inning, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers 7-6 on Monday night in a matchup of AL Division Series opponents the past two seasons.
The Blue Jays won despite blowing a 5-1 lead in their first visit to Texas since last post-season, when they won the first two games in a best-of-five sweep that was their second straight ALDS victory over the two-time defending AL West champs.
Donaldson’s single off closer Matt Bush scored Ryan Goins, who just beat the throw to second for a leadoff double. Morales’ hit to the gap in left-centre scored Donaldson from second after a stolen base and a walk. It was the third blown save in 11 chances for Bush (2-2).
Jeff Beliveau (1-0) pitched a perfect eighth, and Roberto Osuna worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 18th save in 22 chances.
Toronto’s Steve Pearce and Adrian Beltre of the Rangers traded three-run doubles in the fourth inning, with Beltre’s liner to right-centre capping a five-run inning for a 6-5 lead that held up until the ninth.
Jose Bautista, who took a punch to the jaw from Rougned Odor in a wild brawl in Toronto’s last regular-season game at Texas last season, started the Blue Jays’ four-run fourth with his 12th home run, a 442-foot shot over the lower-deck seats in left.
Elvis Andrus had a two-run single before Beltre’s hit as three pitchers for both teams combined for 79 pitches in the fourth.
Justin Smoak had three hits, including a career high-tying 20th homer to get the Blue Jays even in the second after Nomar Mazara’s ninth homer for Texas in the first, a 435-foot drive to the second deck in right.
Royals 4, Red Sox 2
KANSAS CITY — Whit Merrifield drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, Eric Hosmer hit a two-run homer and the Kansas City Royals beat the Boston Red Sox 4-2 on Monday night for their eighth win in nine games.
Jason Hammel (4-6) pitched seven sharp innings before turning it over to Mike Minor, who loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth. No. 9 hitter Christian Vazquez proceeded to send a slow bounder toward third base that Cheslor Cuthbert fielded cleanly and fired to first to end the threat.
Kelvin Herrera worked around Andrew Benintendi’s triple in the ninth for his 16th save.
Red Sox reliever Blaine Boyer (0-1), who wriggled out of a jam in the sixth, gave up Merrifield’s bouncing RBI single in the seventh. Boyer was lifted after Lorenzo Cain added an insurance run with a single, the second straight night Boston’s stingy bullpen has allowed a pair of runs.
Red Sox relievers had thrown 26 straight scoreless innings before the slump.
Hammel scattered seven hits without a walk, stranding seven along the way, and the only damage against him came in the fourth inning. That’s when he gave up a leadoff single to Hanley Ramirez, and hot-hitting Jackie Bradley Jr. sent a 1-0 pitch over the bullpen in right field for a two-run homer that tied the game.
It was the third straight start in which Hammel pitched into the seventh.
Boston right-hander Hector Velazquez was nearly as good as Hammel in his second career start, carefully navigating a bunch of baserunners during the first two innings. Hosmer finally dinged him in the third with an estimated 446-foot shot to centre, a line drive that cleared the seats and landed in the fountains.
Velazquez turned it over to his faltering bullpen after giving up five hits in 5 ⁄ innings.
Indians 12, Orioles 0
BALTIMORE — Corey Kluber pitched a three-hitter for his fifth career shutout, Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana homered and the Cleveland Indians overpowered the Baltimore Orioles 12-0 Monday night for their season-high sixth-straight victory.
Santana and Austin Jackson had three RBIs apiece for the AL Central leaders, whose recent surge has lifted them to a seasonbest six games over .500 (37-31).