Villar’s record-setting homer carries Orioles past Dodgers

Cubs lose 4-0 to Padres, fall into tie for 2nd wild-card spot

BALTIMORE, Sept 12, (AP): Jonathan Villar hit a tie-breaking, record-setting three-run homer in the seventh inning, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-3 to end a six-game losing streak.

Villar’s drive off Caleb Ferguson (1-2) was the 6,106th in the majors this season, breaking the previous mark of 6,105 in 2017. The milestone shot came on a fastball that Villar sent deep into the left-field seats to snap a 2-2 deadlock.

Pedro Severino added a two-run drive in the eighth.

Having clinched the NL West title on Tuesday night, manager Dave Roberts rested starters Joc Pederson and Justin Turner. Starting pitcher Ross Stripling toiled for only three innings before getting the rest of the night off and a firstinning double by David Freese was Los Angeles’ only hit off John Means through the fifth.

The Dodgers finished with six hits, the most notable a two-run drive by A.J. Pollock.

The victory was Baltimore’s 47th of the season, matching their total from last year. The Orioles are two defeats away from their second straight 100loss season.

Shawn Armstrong (1-1) followed Means with 1-2/3 innings of one-hit relief to earn his second career victory in 100 appearances.

Padres 4, Cubs 0 In San Diego, rookie Chris Paddack pitched six brilliant innings and San Diego dropped Chicago into a tie with Milwaukee for the second NL wildcard spot.

Manuel Margot homered off San Diegan Cole Hamels and also made a spectacular catch in center field for the Padres.

The Cubs lost for the second straight night and for the fifth time in six games. Milwaukee beat Miami 7-5 in its first game since reigning MVP Christian Yelich suffered a season-ending knee injury. Philadelphia and the New York Mets are two games behind the Cubs and Brewers.

Hamels (7-7) didn’t get out of the fifth. The left-hander allowed one run on four hits, struck out six and walked four in 4-1/3 innings.

Paddack (9-7) held Chicago to three hits while striking out seven and walking one.

Blue Jays 8, Red Sox 0 In Toronto, Trent Thornton and three others combined on a two-hitter, Teoscar Hernández and Rowdy Tellez homered, and Toronto beat Boston.

The slumping Red Sox have lost five straight. They had just four baserunners, and none advanced past second base.

Thornton (5-9) followed an opener with five hitless innings, walking one and striking out seven in his first career relief appearance.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr had three RBIs and Cavan Biggio had two hits and scored twice as the Blue Jays won their second straight following a seasonlong seven game losing streak.

Rafael Devers and Brock Holt each had singles for the Red Sox, who were blanked for the second time in three games.

Brewers 7, Marlins 5 In Miami, Mike Moustakas homered twice, including a tie-breaking, two-run shot in the ninth as Milwaukee defeated Miami in its first game following star outfielder Christian Yelich’s seasonending injury.

The Brewers won their sixth in a row and tied the Chicago Cubs for the second NL wild-card spot.

Trent Grisham, one of the outfielders expected to get additional playing time

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher John Means delivers a pitch during the first inning of the team’s baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sept 11 in Baltimore. (AP)

in Yelich’s absence, led off the game with a home run.

Moustakas broke a 5-all tie with a homer off Miami reliever Jose Urena (4-9).

Brent Suter (2-0) pitched three innings of scoreless relief for the win. Josh Hader struck out the side in the ninth for his 30th save.

Mets 9, Diamondbacks 0 In New York, Todd Frazier and Jeff McNeil each homered twice and surging New York beat Arizona ace Robbie Ray.

The Mets (75-70) have won the first three games of the pivotal four-game series to move past the Diamondbacks (75-71) in the race for the second NL wild card. New York is tied with Philadelphia, two games behind the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee for that spot.

Arizona has lost four straight.

Steven Matz (10-8) tossed six scoreless innings for the Mets, who jumped on Ray (12-8) for five runs before chasing him with two outs in the first. Wilson Ramos (groundout) and J.D. Davis (single) had RBIs before Frazier and Brandon Nimmo homered on consecutive pitches.

Braves 3, Phillies 1 In Philadelphia, Tyler Flowers hit a three-run homer, Dallas Keuchel struck out eight in six innings and NL Eastleading Atlanta beat Philadelphia.

The Braves reduced their magic number to eight. They have a 9½-game lead over Washington with 15 left.

The Phillies and New York Mets are tied, two games behind the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee for the second NL wild-card spot.

Keuchel (8-5) gave up one run and three hits to win his fifth straight start. Mark Melancon finished for his 10th save in 10 tries with Atlanta.

Phillies starter Zach Eflin (8-12) allowed three unearned runs and three hits in 3-2/3 innings.

Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins hit consecutive singles to start the bottom half of the inning. Harper scored on Scott Kingery’s fielder’s choice grounder to cut it to 3-1.

Nationals 6, Twins 2 In Minneapolis, Ryan Zimmerman homered and drove in three runs in support of Stephen Strasburg as Washington beat Minnesota for its third win in the last nine games.

Strasburg (17-6) gave up a two-run homer to Jorge Polanco in the third. He allowed only four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.

Trea Turner added a late home and four relievers kept the Twins from scoring.

The Nationals, who trailed Atlanta by 9½ games entering the evening in the National League East, took a 2½game cushion between them and the Chicago Cubs for the two wild card spots. They were 3½ games above the cut, ahead of Milwaukee.

The Twins took a five-game lead on Cleveland in the American League Central, and six fewer losses than the Indians, into the night. The Indians were playing at the Los Angeles Angels.

Atlanta Braves’ Tyler Flowers hits a three-run home run off Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zach Eflin during the fourth inning of a baseball game on Sept 11 in Philadelphia. (AP)

Pérez (10-7) finished five innings with six hits, five runs and three walks allowed and four strikeouts.

Athletics 5, Astros 3 In Houston, Sean Murphy and Marcus Semien homered, hyped pitching prospect Jesús Luzardo looked sharp in his major league debut, and Oakland beat Houston.

Oakland won for the fourth time in five games. The A’s closed within a half-game of Tampa Bay for the top AL wild card and stand a half-game ahead of Cleveland for the second spot.

Houston fell a half-game back of the New York Yankees for the best record in the majors. New York’s scheduled game with Detroit was postponed.

Astros starter Jose Urquidy struck out 10 and pitched one-hit, one-run ball over five innings.

Royals 8, White Sox 6 In Chicago, Jorge Soler hit a pair of two-run homers among his career highmatching four hits, leading Kansas City to a win over Chicago.

Adalberto Mondesi homered and had three hits, and Bubba Starling and Ryan O’Hearn also connected as the Royals beat Chicago for the fifth time in six games.

Rookie Eloy Jiménez homered, his 26th, and drove in four runs, and José Abreu added a two-run shot for the White Sox.

Rockies 2, Cardinals 1 In Denver, Antonio Senzatela pitched six strong innings for his first win in two months, Ian Desmond hit a go-ahead home run and Colorado beat St Louis.

Tony Wolters had two hits, including an RBI double. Paul Goldschmidt had an RBI double for the Cardinals’ run.

Senzatela (9-10) allowed a run on four hits. He struck out five and walked two in his first win since July 14.

Indians 4, Angels 3 In Anaheim, California, Carlos Santana and Francisco Lindor homered, Carlos Carrasco won in relief and Cleveland defeated Los Angeles.

Cleveland is a half-game behind Oakland for the second AL wild-card spot. The Indians trail AL Centralleading Minnesota by four games heading into a three-game series at home against the Twins this weekend.

Carrasco (5-7) pitched 1-2/3 scoreless innings with two walks and two strikeouts.

Rangers 10, Rays 9 In Arlington, Texas, Rougned Odor hit a go-ahead, three-run homer and Texas beat Tampa Bay to end a sixgame winning streak by the Rays, who have the AL’s top wild-card spot.

Tampa Bay (87-60) had four runners thrown out on the bases and saw its lead over Oakland for the top wild-card spot trimmed to a half-game after the A’s won at Houston.

After their first seven-run first inning at home in 13 years, the Rangers didn’t score again until Odor’s 25th homer with two outs in the seventh off Nick Anderson (3-1).

Pirates 6, Giants 3 In San Francisco, Felipe Vázquez earned his 27th save two days after fighting a teammate in the clubhouse and Pittsburgh beat San Francisco.

Cole Tucker hit an RBI double for a key insurance run in the sixth, and Jose Osuna added a pair of doubles.

Jaylin Davis singled home a run, Corban Joseph had an RBI groundout and Mauricio Dubon drew a basesloaded walk as the Giants got on the board before winner Michael Feliz (34) took over.

Mariners 5, Reds 3 In Seattle, rookie Kyle Lewis broke up a no-hitter bid with a home run for the second consecutive game, and Seattle beat Sonny Gray and Cincinnati.

Just as he did on Tuesday night against the Reds’ Trevor Bauer, Lewis delivered Seattle’s first hit of the game with a towering homer. In Tuesday’s 4-3 win, Lewis hit a solo home run to left field in the fifth inning for his first career hit. On Wednesday, he sent Gray’s 105th pitch of the game into right field for a three-run homer in the seventh, his second major league hit.