Maeda to fore as Dodgers down Reds 8-7
CINCINNATI: Japanese pitcher Kenta Maeda (5-3) pitched five strong innings and drove in two runs, Logan Forsythe and Justin Turner homered, and Kike Hernandez made a spectacular game-saving catch to help Los Angeles hold on to beat Cincinnati 8-7 in Major League Baseball on Sunday.
Cincinnati nearly rallied all the way back from an 8-1 deficit in the sixth inning. However, Hernandez went back to the left-field wall and made an awkward leaping grab of Joey Votto’s attempt at a go-ahead extra-base hit with runners on first and third in the eighth.
Kenley Jansen got the last three outs for his 15th save.
Bronson Arroyo (3-6), who was roughed up for nine runs and a career-high 13 hits in his last start at San Diego, lasted only three innings against the Dodgers, giving up five runs and seven hits.
Rockies 7 Giants 5: In Denver, Nolan Arenado completed the cycle with a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Colorado Rockies stunned the San Francisco Giants by rallying for this victory.
Arenado hit the first pitch he saw from All-Star closer Mark Melancon (1-2) into the left-field seats to finish a four-game sweep. The slugger was mobbed at home plate by teammates, with a frenzied sellout crowd chanting “MVP! MVP!”
With the best record in the National League, the surprising Rockies have won five straight overall and nine in a row against the Giants.
Last-place San Francisco has dropped six consecutive games and nine of 11.
Melancon retired his first batter, but three singles produced a run and brought up Arenado, who tripled in the first, singled in the fourth and had an RBI double in the sixth. He hit a 91 mph fastball for his 15th homer and first career cycle.
Carlos Estevez (4-0), called up from the minors before the game, struck out one batter in the ninth for the win.
Indians 5 Twins 2: In Minneapolis, Edwin Encarnacion homered twice, Trevor Bauer pitched seven strong innings and Jose Ramirez had his sixth straight multihit game as Cleveland completed a four-game sweep of Minnesota.
Cleveland came into the series trailing the Twins by two games in the AL Central. The sweep vaulted the Indians two games ahead and gave the defending AL champions sole possession of first place in the division for the first time since May 10.
Bauer (6-5) allowed two runs and four hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. He retired 15 straight before hitting Kennys Vargas with a pitch in the seventh. Eduardo Escobar and Eddie Rosario followed with RBI hits to put Minnesota on the board.
Kyle Gibson (4-5) retired nine straight before Encarnacion hit a 443-foot drive to the second deck in left field to put Cleveland on top 1-0 in the third.
Cubs 7 Pirates 1: In Pittsbugh, John Lackey and three relievers combined on a three-hitter, and Anthony Rizzo homered among his three hits to lead Chicago past Pittsburgh.
The defending World Series champions took two of three in Pittsburgh and improved to 34-34 this season.
Lackey (5-7) allowed two hits and struck out four over six innings. Carl Edwards Jr., Hector Rondon and Brian Duensing finished up for the Cubs.
The first four Chicago runs came against Jameson Taillon (3-2), who made his second start since returning from surgery to treat testicular cancer. Taillon gave up eight hits in five innings while striking out four.
Athletics 4 Yankees 3: In Oakland, California, Khris Davis hit a goahead two-run homer in the third that held up to back rookie Jharel Cotton’s first victory since May 4, as Oakland completed a four-game sweep of slumping New York.