White Sox end losing streak with win over Cubs
CHICAGO — Adam Engel and Matt Davidson homered and the White Sox snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the crosstown rival Cubs at Wrigley Field on Monday.
The Cubs lost for just the second time in 10 games following the All-Star break to fall a half-game behind idle first-place Milwaukee in the NL Central.
Engel lined his third homer of the season off reliever Justin Grimm (1-1) into the wind and several rows into the left-center bleachers to snap a 1-1 tie in the sixth. Davidson led off the eighth with his 19th homer, which sailed over the left-field stands and onto Waveland Avenue.
BLUE JAYS 4, ATHLETICS 2: In Toronto, Francisco Liriano won for the first time in three starts, Russell Martin homered and the Blue Jays beat the Athletics, snapping a three-game losing streak.
Martin had two hits and Ezequiel Carrera reached base three times as the last-place Blue Jays won the opener of a seven-game homestand.
ORIOLES 5, RAYS 0: In St. Petersburg, Fla., Kevin Gausman pitched six strong innings, Adam Jones homered and the Orioles sent the Rays to their season-worst fifth straight loss.
The Rays began the day tied for the second AL wild-card spot. Baltimore won for the sixth time in eight games.
INDIANS 6, REDS 2: In Cleveland, Josh Tomlin pitched six efficient innings, Carlos Santana homered twice and Cleveland won its fourth straight.
Tomlin (7-9) gave up two homers but stayed in the strike zone and won his third straight start. Cleveland’s bullpen did its part as well, with Andrew Miller working two innings and Cody Allen finishing up. ROYALS 5, TIGERS 3 (12): In Detroit, Salvador Perez and Mike Moustakas hit consecutive homers in the 12th inning, and the Royals won their sixth straight game.
Kansas City outlasted the Tigers to stay 1½ games behind first-place Cleveland in the AL Central. Jorge Bonifacio also homered for the
Royals, who won despite squandering a 3-0 lead in the sixth.
MARLINS 4, RANGERS 0: In Arlington, Texas, Giancarlo Stanton hit more two home runs and moved into a tie for the major league lead, sending Adam Conley and the Marlins over the Rangers.
Stanton has 32 homers, including six in his last seven games, and matched Yankees rookie Aaron Judge for most in the majors.
ASTROS 13, PHILLIES 4: In Philadelphia, Jose Altuve had two doubles and two singles, stretched his sizzling hitting streak to 16 games and helped Houston rout Philadelphia.
Alex Bregman homered and doubled twice for Houston. The AL West leaders got 18 hits, eight for extra bases. DIAMONDBACKS 10, BRAVES 2: In Phoenix, J.D. Martinez hit a three-run home run to help Zack Greinke and Arizona cruise to a win over Atlanta.
Martinez, hitless in his first five at-bats as a Diamondback after coming over in a trade with the Detroit Tigers last week, hammered a 1-2 pitch from reliever Matt Wisler high off the center field batters eye with nobody out in the bottom of the sixth.
DODGERS 6, TWINS 4: In Los Angeles, Cody Bellinger continued his super rookie season, drilling a three-run homer in the eighth inning to rally Los Angeles to a victory over Minnesota.
Edward Paredes, making his major league debut after 12 seasons in the minors, threw a scoreless eighth to earn the win. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth to earn his 25th save. MARINERS 4, RED SOX 0 : In Seattle, James Paxton allowed four singles over seven innings to win his fifth consecutive start in July and Kyle Seager homered to pace Seattle to a victory over Boston. METS 5, PADRES 3: In San Diego, Jacob deGrom won his eighth straight start and New York ets held on when pinch-hitter Jabari Blash’s bid for a game-winning home run was barely foul.
CARDINALS 8, ROCKIES 2: In St. Louis, Randal Grichuk hit a two-run homer, Mike Leake pitched seven scoreless innings and the Cardinals beat the Rockies.
DODGERS: Braced for the worst possible news on injured ace Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles tried to find some comfort Monday that his back diagnosis did not appear as dire as last season.
The Dodgers put their superstar left-hander on the 10-day disabled list, a day after he exited a start after just two innings. They called the injury a lower back strain, not the herniated disk issue that sidelined him for 2½ months last year. A report by Fox Sports said Kershaw would miss four to six weeks.
TRADES: The Royals acquired three pitchers from the San Diego Padres on Monday, getting starter Trevor Cahill, closer Brandon Maurer and reliever Ryan Buchter. Kansas City sent pitchers Matt Strahm and Travis Wood, minor league infielder Esteury Ruiz and cash to San Diego. The deal came one week before the nonwaiver trade deadline.
… Hoping to bolster their rotation for a playoff run, the Minnesota Twins got veteran left-handed pitcher Jaime García, catcher Anthony Recker and cash from the Atlanta Braves for minor league righty Huascar Ynoa on Monday.