Cubs check Nationals’ ninth-inning rally for 5-4 victory
Indians halt Texas; Dodgers streak ends
WASHINGTON — Wade Davis struck out big league batting leader Ryan Zimmerman with runners on second and third to blunt Washington’s ninth-inning rally, and the Chicago Cubs held off the Nationals 5-4 Monday night.
In jeopardy of being shut out for the first time this season, the NL East-leading Nationals scored four times in the ninth. Their comeback began against Hector Rondon and continued when Davis became the Cubs’ eighth pitcher of the game.
With Washington down 5-3, Bryce Harper’s single loaded the bases with two outs. Davis threw a wild pitch that scored a run before striking out a swinging Zimmerman, who’s hitting .344. The final pitch bounced, and catcher Willson Contreras zipped a low throw to first baseman Anthony Rizzo to close out the victory.
Contreras hit a leadoff home run in his first career gameopening at-bat and Eddie Butler (4-2) worked five scoreless innings to keep the Cubs ahead.
Gio Gonzalez (7-2) allowed a run and two hits, striking out eight over six innings.
Rizzo began the day in a 2-for20 rut, so manager Joe Maddon moved the big first baseman out of the leadoff spot and put
another unlikely hitter there. It paid off immediately when Contreras hit his eighth homer, a drive about 10 rows deep into the seats in left.
ANGELS 4, DODGERS 0: The Dodgers had their winning streak stopped at 10 as Ricky Nolasco shut them out on five hits over 6 ⅓ innings.
Yunel Escobar had a two-run single in the third and Martin Maldonado homered in the eighth for the Angels.
Nolasco (3-9) improved his ERA to 4.86, recording five strikeouts and allowing only two walks. DIAMONDBACKS 6, PHILLIES
1: In Phoenix, Zack Greinke pitched five effective innings after a shaky start, Daniel Descalso had three RBIs and Arizona rolled to a victory over Philadelphia.
The Diamondbacks were sluggish Sunday against the Phillies, scratching out a 2-1 victory in 11 innings. They took advantage of a rough outing by Nick Pivetta (1-4) in the series finale, racking up six runs in less than three innings against the rookie right-hander. CARDINALS 8, REDS 2: In St. Louis, Randal Grichuk and Jedd Gyorko each homered and drove in three runs, leading the Cardinals over Cincinnati.
It was a makeup for an April 29 game that was postponed because of severe weather.
Grichuk hit his second homer in two games since being recalled from Triple-A. The tworun drive in the fourth inning was his sixth of the season.
RED SOX 4, TWINS 1: In Boston, Chris Sale pitched 6⅓ overpowering innings with nine strikeouts, Mitch Moreland hit a solo homer for the third straight game and the Red Sox beat Minnesota in a matchup of two of the AL’s top teams.
Dustin Pedroia had two hits and drove in a run and Moreland added a sacrifice for Boston, which kept pace with the New York Yankees atop the East.
Coming off a three-game sweep in Cleveland that had jumped them over the Indians into first in the Central, the Twins’ offense was stymied by Sale and three relievers.
INDIANS 15, RANGERS 9: In Cleveland, Francisco Lindor, Lonnie Chisenhall and Carlos Santana each had three RBIs
to help the Indians rally from a seven-run deficit and beat Texas after manager Terry Francona left the game because he wasn’t feeling well.
The Indians came back after trailing 9-2 in the fourth inning to avoid their first four-game losing streak since 2015.
YANKEES 6, WHITE SOX 5: In Chicago, Jordan Montgomery matched his season high with seven solid innings and closer Aroldis Chapman shut down a ninth-inning rally just in time, lifting the Yankees over the White Sox.
New York led 6-1 entering the ninth, but Yankees reliever Chasen Shreve gave up a threerun homer to Tim Anderson and Chapman allowed an RBI double to Jose Abreu. Chapman retired Avisail Garcia and Todd Frazier to finish his eighth save and first since returning from the disabled list a week ago.
MARLINS-RAYS: Miami traded shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria to Tampa Bay for two minor leaguers.
The Marlins got right-handed pitcher Ethan Clark and outfielder Braxton Lee in the deal Monday.