Astros top Red Sox, look for series sweep tonight
ASTROS 5, RED SOX 3
BOSTON — Alex Bregman hit his 30th home run, Charlie Morton returned from the disabled list with five solid innings and the Houston Astros beat the Boston Red Sox 5-3 on Saturday for their seventh consecutive victory.
Martin Maldonado also homered for American League West-leading Houston, which won the first two legs of the three-game rematch of last year’s AL Division Series. The defending World Series champion Astros will try to sweep the major league-leading Red Sox tonight.
Morton (14-3) was activated from the disabled list after missing his last start with discomfort in his right shoulder. He allowed one run and three hits in the first inning, but Boston didn’t score again until Xander Bogaerts’ solo home run in the fifth.
Morton matched his win total from 2017. He allowed 2 runs and 7 hits, striking out 3 and walking 2. Roberto Osuna took over in the ninth and got his 15th save despite allowing a run. Osuna got out of a jam when J.D. Martinez grounded into a double play.
Eduardo Rodriguez (12-4) pitched 3 1 / innings. Houston tagged him for 3 five runs and six hits, including solo home runs by Bregman and Maldonado.
ATHLETICS 8, RANGERS 6 Pinch hitter Matt Olson went the opposite way in the eighth inning for his 25th home run of the season to help host Oakland beat Texas.
INDIANS 9, BLUE JAYS 8 Roberto Perez homered and drove in four, Michael Brantley hit a two-run shot and visiting Cleveland outslugged Toronto.
RAYS 10, ORIOLES 5 Ryan Yarbrough struggled but got his 14th victory, most among major league rookies, and host Tampa Bay won its 10th consecutive home game by beating Baltimore. ROYALS 4, TWINS 1 Royals rookie Jorge Lopez came within three outs of a perfect game
before Max Kepler walked leading off the ninth inning and Robbie Grossman followed with a single in visiting Kansas City’s victory over Minnesota.
ANGELS 12, WHITE SOX 3 Mike Trout homered twice and drove in five runs as Los Angeles beat host Chicago.
YANKEES 4, MARINERS 2 Andrew McCutchen hit his second home run in two days, Dellin Betances pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth and visiting New York held on to beat Seattle.
PIRATES 5, MARLINS 1 Josh Bell homered for the second game in a row, Ivan Nova got his first victory in a month and Pittsburgh beat visiting Miami for its fifth consecutive victory.
REDS 7, PADRES 2 (7) Joey Votto ended his two-month home run drought with the Reds’ 11th grand slam — one shy of the National League record — and host Cincinnati beat San Diego in a game called because of rain in the top of the seventh inning.
NATIONALS 10, CUBS 3 Max Scherzer pitched a complete game and Washington took advantage of visiting Chicago in a victory in the NATIONAL LEAGUE
opener of a doubleheader.
METS 10, PHILLIES 5 Noah Syndergaard left the game after he was hit by a line drive in the seventh but managed to slow Philadelphia’s playoff run in host New York’s victory.
BREWERS 4, GIANTS 3 Gio Gonzalez received a standing ovation following an impressive first start with the Brewers, and Milwaukee beat visiting San Francisco. BRAVES 5, DIAMONDBACKS 4 (10) Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson made a diving stop on the outfield grass and cut down Nick Ahmed at home plate for the final out to preserve Atlanta’s 5-4 victory over host Arizona in 10 innings. ROCKIES 4, DODGERS 2 Kyle Freeland pitched six strong innings, Wade Davis worked out of a ninth-inning jam and Colorado beat visiting Los Angeles to remain atop the NL West. INTERLEAGUE
TIGERS 4, CARDINALS 3 Victor Reyes scored on a game-ending wild pitch with one out in the ninth inning, and host Detroit beat St. Louis. The Cardinals, who entered with a onegame lead for the second National League wild card, have lost five of seven.