Pujols surpasses Beltre in Angels’ win
Phillies crush Cubs in Hamels’ return to Philly
ANAHEIM, California, Aug 15, (RTRS): Albert Pujols drove in three runs, and Dillon Peters pitched six solid innings to help the Los Angeles Angels post a 7-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the finale of a three-game series.
Pujols went 2-for-4 to raise his career hit total to 3,168 and surpass fellow Dominican Republic native Adrian Beltre (3,166) for most among players born outside the United States.
Pujols had a two-run single in the eighth to give the Angels a 6-3 lead as they avoided a three-game sweep and won for just the fifth time in the past 19 contests.
Peters (3-1) gave up two runs and four hits during a 94-pitch effort. He struck out six and walked one. Pittsburgh’s Chris Archer (3-9) struck out 10 in five innings but saw his winless stretch reach 12 starts.
In New York, Gary Sanchez capped a four-run first inning with a threerun homer as host New York ran its winning streak over Baltimore to 16 games.
The Yankees finished the season series 17-2, their most wins against any opponent in a single season since going 17-5 against the Kansas City Athletics in 1959. New York’s 16-game winning streak is its longest against an opponent in a season since winning 21 straight over the St Louis Browns in 1927.
Atlanta Braves’ Matt Joyce is safe at home plate as New York Mets catcher Wilson Ramos tries to make the tag during the seventh inning of a baseball game on Aug 14 in Atlanta. (AP)
also doubled, getting one more extrabase hit than he allowed to the Marlins.
In Atlanta, Tyler Flowers’ soft single chased home the go-ahead run as Atlanta batted around and scored five times in the seventh inning to stun visiting New York.
The Braves, who had given up the lead in the top of the inning, strung together six singles – five of them against reliever Seth Lugo (5-3), who was charged with all five runs and retired only one batter.
The Braves survived a New York rally in the ninth. Atlanta reliever Mark Melancon gave up two runs and was removed with two outs and the bases loaded. Ex-Met Jerry Blevins struck out Michael Conforto to end the game and earn his first save.
In Kansas City, Missouri, held hitless by Brad Keller through six innings, St Louis scored five runs in the seventh to defeat hosts Kansas City.
The Cardinals didn’t allow a run in the two-game series, as they won 2-0 on Tuesday. St Louis earned its fifth win in a row, immediately following a five-game losing streak, while Kansas City fell for the 11th time in 14 games.
St Louis starter Dakota Hudson (116) scattered five hits over six frames, walking two and striking out four. Keller (7-13) was charged with three runs on three hits with five strikeouts and three walks in six-plus innings.
In Cleveland, Xander Bogaerts homered twice to lead visiting Boston past Cleveland in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Rafael Devers also homered to cap a streak of eight hits in eight at-bats. He went 6-for-6 in a 7-6 win against the Indians Tuesday night, singled in his first at-bat Wednesday and hit a solo homer in the third inning.
For the second time in team history, the Red Sox used at least seven pitchers in a nine-inning game and allowed one run or fewer. Nathan Eovaldi (1-0) threw two innings of scoreless relief to earn the win. Indians right-hander Shane Bieber (12-5) allowed two runs in six innings.
In Chicago, James McCann hit a tiebreaking grand slam with two outs in the eighth inning as Chicago outlasted visiting Houston.
Down 0-2 in the count, McCann slugged a slider from Houston reliever Ryan Pressly (2-3) deep to right-center field for his 13th homer. Tim Anderson went 4-for-5 with two doubles to lead Chicago’s 15-hit attack. Alex Colome (4-2) tossed 1-2/3 innings of scoreless relief for the victory.
Michael Brantley was 4-for-5 with two doubles and two runs for Houston. Yuli Gurriel went 3-for-4 with two solo homers.
In Denver, Nolan Arenado hit a tworun, walk-off homer in the ninth inning as Colorado rallied to beat Arizona.
Arizona closer Archie Bradley (3-5) hit Trevor Story leading off the bottom of the ninth with the Rockies trailing 6-5. Arenado hit the next pitch down the line in left to give Colorado the win.
Ketel Marte had four hits, and Eduardo Escobar and Wilmer Flores homered for Arizona. Diamondbacks starting pitcher Robbie Ray left the game in the third inning due to lower back spasms.
In Washington, Adam Eaton and Kurt Suzuki each belted a three-run homer to highlight a 10-run, ninehit fifth inning as hosts Washington drubbed Cincinnati.
Suzuki added an RBI single as part of a six-run sixth inning, and Asdrubal Cabrera collected three hits and three RBIs for the Nationals, who completed a sweep after erupting for a season high in runs. Stephen Strasburg (15-5) matched a career high for wins in a season after allowing four runs on seven hits in 5-2/3 innings.
Rookie Aristides Aquino belted his ninth homer in 13 games for the Reds, who lost their fourth in a row. Cincinnati starter Trevor Bauer (10-9) surrendered a career-high nine runs on eight hits in 4-1/3 innings.
In San Diego, Luis Urias hit a tworun, tie-breaking double, Eric Hosmer added a solo home run, and Cal Quantrill allowed just two runs over 5-1/3 innings as San Diego downed visiting Tampa Bay.
The result snapped a nine-game road winning streak for the Rays and was the Padres’ first victory ever over Tampa Bay at Petco Park. Urias drove in a total of three runs for a second straight game as the Padres snapped a three-game losing streak to end a 4-3 homestand.
Quantrill (6-3) held Tampa Bay to three hits and a walk with four strikeouts while throwing a career-high 108 pitches.
In San Francisco, Matt Chapman hit two home runs, and Robbie Grossman added a two-run shot to back the seven-inning shutout pitching of Homer Bailey as visiting Oakland held off San Francisco.
Matt Olson made it 4-0 against Giants starter Tyler Beede (3-7) with a two-run double in the third before Grossman broke the game open with a two-run homer to make it 6-0 in the sixth.
Bailey (10-8), who had been roughed up for seven runs in 4-2/3 innings in his previous start against the Chicago Cubs, was near-perfect in his seven innings against the Giants. He allowed three baserunners – two on singles by Kevin Pillar – and no runner past second base.
In Milwaukee, Trent Grisham hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to rally Milwaukee over visiting Minnesota.
The Brewers were trailing 5-3 entering the eighth when Ryan Braun reaching base on a throwing error by Jorge Polanco on a routine grounder to short. Braun took third on a ground single to center by Hernan Perez. Grisham, playing in just his 11th major league game, then hit a homer into the bleachers in right off Sergio Romo (2-1).
Junior Guerra (6-3) picked up the victory with two hitless innings of Washington Mystics guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (right), works for the ball against Seattle Storm guard Sami Whitcomb during the second half of
a WNBA basketball game on Aug 14 in Washington. (AP) relief. Matt Albers, despite issuing consecutive walks to Polanco, Miguel Sano and Eddie Rosario and throwing 10 consecutive balls during one stretch with two outs in the ninth, notched his fourth save by getting C.J. Cron to fly out to deep left-center to end the game.
In Toronto, Danny Santana homered and had three RBIs, Nomar Mazara
New York Yankees’ Gary Sanchez hits a home run during the first inning of a
baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles on Aug 14 in New York. (AP)
also went deep, and visiting Texas beat Toronto.
Elvis Andrus added four hits, two RBIs and two stolen bases for the Rangers, who avoided being swept in the three-game series. Texas starter Kolby Allard (1-0) allowed three runs on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts in 5-2/3 innings.
Blue Jays starter Sean Reid-Foley (2-3) gave up three runs on four hits with three walks and as many strikeouts in 3-1/3 innings.
In Detroit, Edwin Jackson won his second straight start since returning to Detroit, Victor Reyes drove in two runs, and the host Tigers edged Seattle.
Jackson (3-5) was recalled from the minors last week after signing with the Tigers last month. He gave up two runs on four hits and a walk in five innings. Joe Jimenez recorded the last three outs for his second save.
Harold Castro contributed three hits, a run and an RBI for Detroit, which snapped a three-game losing streak and defeated Seattle for the first time in six games this season. Mariners starter Marco Gonzales (12-10) allowed all three runs on 11 hits and a walk while striking out six in six innings.
Chelsea Gray scored 22 points and Nneka Ogwumike had 21 with nine rebounds for the Sparks. When Ogwumike was knocked to the court setting a screen in the last minute, LA coach Derek Fisher stormed on the court to demand a foul and was ejected with 31.3 seconds to play.
The victory gave Dallas (8-17) a 2-1 series win over the Sparks (15-9). In the two previous games, Ogumbowale had a total of 20 points. This was her ninth 20th point game and first 30 point game for a Dallas rookie since 2014. The Wings have won back-toback games for the first time since mid-June.
In Phoenix, Jasmine Thomas scored 18 points and the Sun held off the short-handed Mercury after giving up almost all of a 20-point lead.
After the Mercury, playing without the league’s leading scorer Brittney Griner, pulled within 69-66 midway through the fourth quarter, Thomas sandwiched a pair of layups around a basket by Jonquel Jones to stop the rally.
Shekinna Stricklin followed up a pair of Courtney Williams baskets with a 3-pointer that pushed the Connecticut lead to 58-38 at the 6:50 mark of the third quarter. Without Griner, who was serving the first game of a three-game suspension because of a fight in a game last Saturday, battled back. The Sun missed 17 of 20 shots beginning late in the third quarter and the Mercury turned a 10-0 run into a 15-1 surge to make it a game.
Jones finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Courtney Williams had 12 points and Bria Holmes and Alyssa Thomas had 11 each for Connecticut.
The Sun (17-8) remain in second place after ending a two-game losing streak while Phoenix (11-13) has lost three straight and five of six while holding down the eighth and final playoff spot.
DeWanna Bonner led the Mercury with 17 points and Yvonne Turner had 15.