10th-inning fireworks help Yanks batter Rays
Cubs down Pirates, end four-game skid
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — DJ LeMahieu hit a tie-breaking tworun single and Gary Sanchez had a long three-run homer in the 10th inning as the AL East-leading New York Yankees overcame a ninth-inning blown save by closer Aroldis Chapman to beat the second-place Tampa Bay Rays 8-4 in the opener of a four-game series Thursday night.
Edwin Encarnacion hit his 25th homer for the Yankees, who have a season-high, 7½-game lead.
Gio Urshela started the 10th drawing a walk off Oliver Drake (0-1) and went to second when pinch-hitter Aaron Judge walked on a 10-pitch plate appearance.
After the Yankees loaded the bases on Brett Gardner’s bunt single, LeMahieu greeted Emilio Pagan with a ground single to left through a drawn-in infield.
CUBS 11, PIRATES 3: In Pittsburgh, Kris Bryant hit his 17th homer and Chicago erupted after manager Joe Maddon’s fourthinning ejection, routing Pittsburgh to stop a four-game skid.
Bryant tied a season high with four hits, including a first-inning shot to the seats in right-center off Jordan Lyles (5-5).
Robel Garcia finished a double short of the cycle in his first major league start.
Maddon watched the final innings from the Chicago clubhouse after getting tossed. Maddon
appeared to take exception with Lyles pitching up and in to All-Star Javier Báez.
DODGERS 5, PADRES 1: In Los Angeles, Hyun-Jin Ryu tossed six scoreless innings and Cody Bellinger hit his 30th home run as Los Angeles beat San Diego for its ninth straight home victory.
The Dodgers had won their previous five home games via walkoff, one short of the major league record set by Kansas City in 2000.
ATHLETICS 7, TWINS 2: In Oakland, Calif., Marcus Semien hit a grand slam in the eighth after his tying homer leading off the fifth, and Chris Herrmann had four hits as Oakland beat Minnesota.
Semien sent the first pitch from Mike Morin over the wall in leftcenter for his 13th homer of the year and fourth career slam.
NATIONALS 5, MARLINS 2: In Washington, Anthony Rendon hit his 20th homer and knocked in the go-ahead run to help Washington finish a three-game sweep of last-place Miami.
Washington has won eight of nine and 13 of 16 to climb to a season-best four games over .500.
Kurt Suzuki homered in the second inning to extend the Montreal Expos/Nationals franchise record for consecutive games with a home run to 18.
CARDINALS 5, MARINERS 4: In Seattle, Matt Wieters and Dexter Fowler homered, and Tommy Edman came through with another key hit as St. Louis rallied for a win over Seattle.
Wieters hit a solo shot in the third inning and Fowler added a two-run drive in the fourth.
BRAVES 12, PHILLIES 6: In Atlanta, Dansby Swanson hit two homers and drove in five runs as Atlanta rallied from a 4-0 firstinning deficit to beat Philly.
Ozzie Albies gave Atlanta a 7-4 the lead with a three-run homer in the third.
RED SOX 8, BLUE JAYS 7: In Toronto, pinch-hitter Marco Hernandez hit a tie-breaking home run in the ninth inning off Albuquerque’s Ken Giles (1-2) as Boston beat Toronto.
RANGERS 9, ANGELS 3: In Arlington, Texas, Lance Lynn matched the major league lead with his 11th win and Texas avoided a series sweep.
REDS 1, BREWERS 0: In Cincinnati, Luis Castillo struck out nine while pitching one-hit ball into the eighth inning, leading Cincinnati past Milwaukee.
INDIANS 8, ROYALS 4: In Kansas City, Mo., Francisco Lindor drove in three runs and Jose Ramirez homered twice as Cleveland rallied to beat Kansas City.
TIGERS 11, WHITE SOX 5: In Chicago, Niko Goodrum hit a two-run homer during Detroit’s five-run sixth and Matthew Boyd matched a career high with 13 strikeouts as Detroit beat Chicago.