Orioles avoid sweep with 9th-inning blast
Good news, bad news: Mets win, but Scherzer put on IL
BALTIMORE — Anthony Santander lined a three-run homer in the ninth inning off Lucas Luetge as the Baltimore Orioles avoided a four-game sweep by beating the New York Yankees 9-6 on Thursday.
“I put myself in the pitcher’s shoes in that situation,” Santander said through a translator. “Knowing that he wanted to come in, trying to jam me, trying to make me hit a soft grounder to force a double play. I was really able to get my hands in and focus on that. I hit the ball really well.”
New York lost for just the second time in 11 games and is still a major-league best 28-10. The Yankees fell to 18-1 when scoring five runs or more this season.
The Yankees were down to their last out in the ninth when DJ LeMahieu hit an RBI single off closer Jorge Lopez that tied it at 6.
The Orioles answered when Austin Hays reached on a throwing error by third baseman Josh Donaldson. One out later, Trey Mancini singled and Santander followed with a drive to left field for his seventh homer of the season.
METS 7, CARDINALS 6 (10): In New York, hours after the Mets learned Max Scherzer will join fellow ace Jacob deGrom on the injured list, Pete Alonso kept New York rolling with a two-run homer in the 10th inning for a win over St. Louis.
Paul Goldschmidt tied the score 5-all with two outs in the ninth off Mets closer Edwin Díaz with his fourth RBI of the game. Albert Pujols later hit a run-scoring double play grounder in the 10th of the Cardinals’ firstextra inning game this year.
In the bottom half, with the automatic runner on second, Alonso drove the second pitch from Giovanny Gallegos (0-2) into the left-field second deck for his third career game-ending home run.
The Mets said during the game that Scherzer had been diagnosed with a strained oblique muscle in his left side after leaving Wednesday night’s win following a pitch. Scherzer is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks.
RED SOX 12, MARINERS 6: In Boston, Trevor Story had three homers, four hits and seven RBIs to help Boston rally from a four-run deficit to beat Seattle.
Story slugged a pair of two-run homers and a three-run shot in the eighth, and also singled in the go-ahead run in the sixth with the help of a wild throw by Julio Rodriguez. In the first season of a $140, six-year contract, Story had just two homers in 32 games entering Thursday.
Jackie Bradley Jr. added an RBI double off as Boston scored nine straight runs and won for the fifth time in seven games.
DIAMONDBACKS 3, CUBS 1: In Chicago, Zac Gallen pitched five effective innings, Daulton Varsho homered and Arizona stopped a six-game slide by beating Chicago.
Gallen (3-0) allowed one run and two hits, continuing his strong start to the season. The right-hander issued three walks and hit a batter, but wiggled out of a jam in his last inning while earning his first win in his fourth career start against Chicago. Gallen has permitted two or fewer runs in each of his first seven starts this year.
The Cubs got pitcher Marcus Stroman (1-4) back from the COVID-19 injured list, but they went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base.
WHITE SOX 7, ROYALS 4: In Kansas City, Mo., Luis Robert homered and drove in four runs as Chicago rallied past Kansas City to win the five-game series.
Robert delivered a pair of RBI singles before hitting a two-run homer into the leftfield stands in the eighth. His sixth home run of the season capped Chicago’s sixth comefrom-behind win.
Pinch-hitter Adam Engel gave the White Sox their first lead with an RBI single in the seventh that broke a 4-all tie.
REDS 4, GUARDIANS 2: In Cleveland, Tyler Naquin homered in the fifth inning and scored on Kyle Farmer’s go-ahead single in the eighth, leading Cincinnati to a win over Cleveland.
The Reds won both games in the rain-extended interleague set, and are showing positive signs after starting the season 3-21. They’re 8-5 since May 5.
Cincinnati snapped a 1-1 tie by scoring three runs in the eighth off Trevor Stephan.
PADRES 2, PHILLIES 0: In Philadelphia, Yu Darvish (4-1) worked seven shutout innings to lead San Diego past Philadelphia.
The Padres took two of three from the Phillies and moved 10 games over .500 (2414). Each game included a shutout.
Darvish struck out five, walked none, allowed six hits.
ASTROS 5, RANGERS 1: In Houston, Martín Maldonado hit a three-run double and Jose Altuve added a season-high four hits to back a strong start by Framber Valdez (3-2) as Houston continued its home dominance of Texas.
The victory extended Houston’s winning streak at home against the Rangers to 11.