Darvish stars as Cubs win 6th straight
KANSAS CITY: Yu Darvish pitched seven strong innings on Wednesday, and the Chicago Cubs topped hosts Kansas City Royals 6-1 for their sixth straight win. It was also the Cubs’ third straight victory over the Royals, who lost their sixth straight.
Darvish (2-1) allowed one run on five hits, with one walk and four strikeouts. He retired 12 of the final 14 batters he faced.
Kris Bubic (0-2) gave up two runs on four hits, walking two and striking out six in six innings. He retired the first nine batters he faced and became just the second Royals starter to pitch at least six innings this season.
Kris Bryant led off the fourth with a single, and Anthony Rizzo drew a walk. Both would score to give Darvish all the help he would need.
Adrian Houser pitched seven shutout innings to outduel Dallas Keuchel, and Eric Sogard delivered an RBI single as visiting Milwaukee ended Chicago’s six-game winning streak with a 1-0 victory.
Josh Hader pitched a perfect ninth to earn his second save and lift the Brewers, who were outhit 6-5 and had no extra-base hits.
Houser (1-0) limited the White Sox to five hits, four of them singles, while walking two and striking out five. It was the right-hander’s first victory since last Aug 21, and he lowered his season ERA to 0.75. Keuchel (2-1) gave up one run on five hits and a walk with eight strikeouts over seven innings.
Rick Porcello earned his 150th career win by throwing seven strong innings, and New York topped Washington 3-1, who lost ace Max Scherzer due to a hamstring injury.
The victory salvaged a split of the two-game series for the Mets, who got two RBIs from Dominic Smith.
Scherzer, 36, appeared to labour in his lone inning, during which he allowed a run. Afterwards, he said he “tweaked” a hamstring in his previous start, and the ailment flared up on Tuesday. He called the injury minor.
Kole Calhoun’s first career insidethe-park home run and a bases-loaded triple from David Peralta highlighted a nine-run fourth inning for Arizona, who busted out of an offensive lull to demolish Houston 14-7 in Phoenix.
RESULTS (Home team in CAPS)
Phillies 11 YANKEES 7; Marlins 1 ORIOLES 0; Mets 3 NATIONALS 1; Red Sox 5 RAYS 0; Yankees 3 PHILLIES 1; Twins 5 PIRATES 2; Blue Jays 2 BRAVES 1; INDIANS 2 Reds 0; Cubs 6 ROYALS 1; MARLINS 2 Orioles 1; Brewers 1 WHITE SOX 0; Giants 4 ROCKIES 3; DIAMONDBACKS 14 Astros 7; ATHLETICS 6 Rangers 4; Dodgers 7 PADRES 6; MARINERS 7 Angels 6