Rockies fend off late Cubs uprising
Yankees continue punishing foes; Rays hit five HRs in rout of A’s
CHICAGO — Rockies closer Greg Holland walked the bases loaded in the ninth inning before escaping as Colorado held off the Chicago Cubs 5-3 on Friday for their season-high sixth win in a row.
After three straight one-out walks, Holland retired Ben Zobrist on a short fly ball and struck out a swinging Jason Heyward for his major league-best 23rd save. The Rockies posted their NL-leading 40th win this season and have their longest winning streak since 2014.
Charlie Blackmon and Ryan Hanigan hit two-run homers and Nolan Arenado added an RBI single for the Rockies.
Heyward drove in two runs for the Cubs, who had just three singles and lost their third straight.
Chris Rusin (3-0) won in relief. Seth Frankoff (0-1) took the loss in his major league debut.
Cubs shortstop Addison Russell returned to the team a day after the club told him not to come to Wrigley Field while Major League Baseball investigates a domestic abuse claim. Russell, who didn’t play, had been accused of hitting his wife in a social media post that has since been deleted. Russell denied the allegation.
Rockies starter German Marquez lasted only three innings. Rusin went two innings to beat his former club and four more relievers each pitched a hitless inning.
Hanigan homered in the second off Mike Montgomery. Blackmon connected in the fourth off Frankoff. Arenado singled home a run in the seventh.
YANKEES 8, ORIOLES 2: In New York, Aaron Hicks homered twice and rookie Jordan Montgomery (4-4) pitched seven stellar innings to lead New York over Baltimore.
Starlin Castro also connected for the AL East leaders in the opener of a three-game series between division foes.
New York has won three straight, outscoring rivals Boston and Baltimore 25-3 over the last three nights.
RAYS 13, ATHLETICS 4: In St. Petersburg, Fla., Tampa Bay tied a season-high with five home runs and Alex Cobb (5-5) went six strong innings as the Rays beat Oakland.
Steven Souza Jr., Mallex Smith, Logan Morrison, Tim Beckham and Corey Dickerson all homered for the Rays, who have hit four or more homers in a game six times this season. Souza, who entered in a 1-for-24 slide, had three hits and came within a double of hitting for the cycle.
DODGERS 7, REDS 2: In Los Angeles, the Dodgers’ Justin Turner and Enrique Hernandez hit home runs to lead LA past Cincinnati.
ANGELS 9, ASTROS 4: In Houston, Cameron Maybin starred in his return from the disabled list (oblique), finishing with three hits and a career-high four steals to help Los
Angeles Maybin beat doubled, Houston. had two infield singles and scored four times, and he moved into first place in the American League with 17 steals. INDIANS 7, WHITE SOX 3: In Cleveland, Edwin Encarnacion hit a go-ahead two-run homer and Corey Kluber won his second straight start since coming off the disabled list as Cleveland defeated Chicago.
Encarnacion’s drive to center field in the fifth gave Cleveland the lead and highlighted a 3-for-4 night. MARLINS 12, PIRATES 7: In Pittsburgh, Giancarlo Stanton smashed a home run over the batter’s eye at PNC Park and Tyler Moore went deep twice for the second multihomer game of his career as Miami beat Pittsburgh.
Stanton’s shot was estimated at 449 feet by Statcast. RANGERS 5, NATIONALS 2: In Washington, Andrew Cashner (3-5) quieted the NL’s top-hitting lineup, and Jonathan Lucroy and Rougned Odor homered, as Texas beat Washington. RED SOX 5, TIGERS 3: In Boston, Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a two-run homer in the eighth as Boston rallied for three runs in the inning and beat Detroit. BRAVES 3, METS 2: In Atlanta, Dansby Swanson turned a normal grounder up the middle into a hustle double, then dashed home on a single by pinch-hitter Rio Ruiz in the ninth inning to lift Atlanta over New York.
CARDINALS 3, PHILLIES 2: In St. Louis, Aledmys Diaz hit a bases-empty home run and Michael Wacha pitched six strong innings as St. Louis snapped a seven-game losing streak in a victory over Philadelphia.
TWINS 4, GIANTS 0: In San Francisco, Minnesota’s Ervin Santana pitched a fourhit shutout to defeat San Francisco. The Giants’ Matt Moore (2-7), a Moriarty High alum, was the losing pitcher