Yankees escape slippery jam in 9th
Rockies’ McMahon sinks LA with three-run homer
NEW YORK — Somehow, Aroldis Chapman was able to prevent this game from slipping away.
Rain pouring off his hat, the New York Yankees closer struck out Jurickson Profar with the bases loaded in a steady storm to end it, preserving a 5-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday.
“You concentrate on the catcher, you try to keep your hand as dry as possible, you try to keep the ball as dry as possible and you want to make sure you land firmly,” Chapman said through a translator.
Rookie Miguel Andujar hit a tie-breaking two-run homer in the seventh inning and Yankees newcomer Lance Lynn turned in another strong start to help New York win its fifth game in six outings.
Chapman took over to begin the ninth and the Rangers tried to rally with a walk and a single. With home plate beginning to turn into a puddle, Chapman hit Adrian Beltre with a pitch to load the bases with two outs, which might have led to big trouble since the hard-throwing lefty has struggled with his command of late, allowing three runs with five walks over his previous two appearances.
“Almost every single ball I was throwing back to him was soaked,” catcher Kyle Higashioka said. “I can’t imagine him throwing strikes at 100 mph. It was pretty incredible.”
After falling behind Profar in the count 3-1, Chapman then came back to get him to swing through a 98 mph fastball to secure his 30th save in 32 chances. ROCKIES 3, DODGERS 2: In Denver, Ryan McMahon, recently called up from Albuquerque, hit a three-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning — his second go-ahead homer in as many nights — as Colorado beat Los Angeles.
McMahon’s drive off reliever J.T. Chargois (2-4) cleared the right-field wall just above the out-of-town scoreboard. He hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning of Friday night’s 5-4 win over LA.
REDS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 3: In Cincinnati, pinch-hitter Tucker Barnhart’s tworun double highlighted a four-run rally in the eighth as Cincinnati beat Arizona.
Archie Bradley (3-4) hit Eugenio Suarez with a pitch to lead off the inning and walked Curt Casali with two outs. Barnhart then lined a 3-2 pitch up the left-center field gap, and Billy Hamilton and Joey Votto followed with RBI singles. MARINERS 3, ASTROS 2: In Houston, Ryon Healy had three hits and drove in the go-ahead run, and Guillermo Heredia made a spectacular catch to preserve the lead in the eighth inning as Seattle beat Houston.
It was yet another win in a close game by the Mariners, who have taken three straight from their AL West rivals and improved to 44-17 this season in games decided by one or two runs.
RED SOX 5-6, ORIOLES 0-4: In Baltimore, J.D. Martinez hit two home runs, including a tie-breaking, two-run drive in the eighth inning, as Boston beat Baltimore for a sweep of their split doubleheader.
In the opener, David Price struck out 10 over six sparkling innings and Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a pair of solo homers.
BREWERS 4, BRAVES 2: In Atlanta, Mike Moustakas hit a two-run double in the eighth and Josh Hader recorded a twoinning save as Milwaukee defeated Atlanta.
Milwaukee snapped a two-game skid and closed to two games of the NL Central lead.
NATIONALS 9, CUBS 4: In Chicago, Ryan Zimmerman hit two home runs off a shaky Jon Lester and tied a career high with six RBIs, sending Washington past Chicago.
Zimmerman hit a two-run homer in the first inning, had a sacrifice fly in the third and chased Lester with a three-run homer in the fourth that made it 9-1. INDIANS 3, WHITE SOX 1: In Chicago, Trevor Bauer pitched two-hit ball into the seventh inning and Michael Brantley and Jose Ramirez hit back-to-back home runs to lift Cleveland.
Bauer won his fourth straight start. He gave up one run and struck out eight.
PHILLIES 5, PADRES 1: In San Diego, Aaron Nola pitched six scoreless innings, and Maikel Franco and Cesar Hernandez homered as Philadelphia beat San Diego.
Nola (13-3)struck out five, gave up four hits and lowered his ERA to 2.28 as the Phillies moved one game ahead of second-place Atlanta in the NL East. PIRATES 4, GIANTS 0: In San Francisco, Trevor Williams and two relievers combined on a six-hitter as Pittsburgh blanked San Francisco.
The Pirates’ Josh Bell homered for the second time in three days. CARDINALS 8, ROYALS 3: In Kansas City, Mo., Jack Flaherty struck out nine in seven innings as St. Louis beat Kansas City for its fourth straight win.
Harrison Bader and Jose Martinez each hit a two-run homer, helping the Cardinals move seven games above .500 for the first time since June 12. RAYS 3, BLUE JAYS 1: In Toronto, Willy Adames had two hits and drove in the decisive run as Tampa Bay beat Toronto for its seventh win in eight meetings with the Blue Jays this season.
Aledmys Diaz homered for the Blue Jays, who have lost five of six.
TWINS 4, TIGERS 3: In Detroit, Tyler Austin hit a two-run homer in his Minnesota debut, helping the Twins beat Detroit.
Austin was acquired in the July 30 trade that sent Lance Lynn to the New York Yankees. He was recalled from Triple-A Rochester on Friday. MARLINS 4, METS 3 (11): In Miami, Bryan Holaday delivered a pinch-hit single with one out in the 11th inning to give Miami a win over New York.
ATHLETICS 7, ANGELS 0: In Anaheim, Calif., Marcus Semien hit two homers and Oakland starter Edwin Jackson (4-2) allowed three hits in 7-plus innings as the A’s beat Los Angeles.