Taillon, Hicks lead Yanks to ninth win in a row
TORONTO — Jameson Taillon and two relievers combined on a five-hitter, Aaron Hicks lined a three-run double and the New York Yankees extended their winning streak to nine by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-0 Saturday.
Taillon (8-1) allowed four hits and struck out eight in 5 2-3 innings to win his eighth consecutive decision.
“It just seems like every day we show up, we expect to find a way to win that night,” Taillon said. “There’s a confidence within the group that we’re going to find a way to do it.”
Michael King worked two innings and Clay Holmes got the final four outs.
Holmes made his 29th consecutive scoreless relief appearance, breaking Mariano Rivera’s 1999 team record.
“He’s a guy that I grew up watching,” Holmes said of Rivera. “Just to be in the same category for this one little thing he’s done is pretty cool.”
Holmes has pitched 311/3 consecutive scoreless innings, the longest active streak in the majors this season.
The Yankees threw their 11th shutout of the season and improved to a major league-best 49-16.
“Just another really good win by the guys doing it in a lot of different ways,” Manager Aaron Boone said.
Toronto put runners at second and third with one out in the second inning, but Taillon retired the next eight batters in a row.
Alek Manoah (8-2) lost for the first time in 16 career home starts, disappointing a sellout crowd of 45,055. Manoah came in 2-0 with a 1.52 ERA in four career starts against New York, but allowed 4 runs and 6 hits in 51/3 innings. He walked one ANGELS 4, MARINERS 2 Mike Trout hit a two-run home run in the top of the 10th inning and Los Angeles beat Seattle in the opening game of a doubleheader.
RAYS 7, ORIOLES 6 Harold Ramirez hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning, and Tampa Bay snapped its four-game losing streak with a victory over Baltimore. ROYALS 2, ATHLETICS 0 Brad Keller (28) allowed one hit in seven crisp innings, helping Kansas City past Oakland for its third consecutive win.
TIGERS 14, RANGERS 7 Eric Haase had three hits, including one of three Detroit home runs, and the Tigers snapped a six-game losing streak with a win over Texas.
WHITE SOX 7, ASTROS 0 Johnny Cueto (1-3) and Reynaldo Lopez combined for a three-hitter and Luis Robert tied a career-high with four RBI as Chicago jumped on Justin Verlander (8-3) early in a win over Houston.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
BREWERS 7, REDS 3 Willy Adames and Hunter Renfroe homered for the second consecutive day, rookie Jason Alexander (1-0) earned his first career win and Milwaukee beat Cincinnati. CUBS 6, BRAVES 3 Willson Contreras had three hits in his first game against younger brother William, helping Chicago past Atlanta. GIANTS 7, PIRATES 5 Brandon Crawford tied the game with an RBI single in the sixth and provided some breathing room with an RBI double in the ninth as San Francisco rallied past Pittsburgh.
METS 3, MARLINS 2 Taijuan Walker (5-2) retired 18 in a row and pitched into the seventh inning, Francisco Lindor homered for the second consecutive game and New York beat Miami. PHILLIES 2, NATIONALS 1 (10) Pinch-hitter Rhys Hoskins singled home the go-ahead run in the 10th inning and Philadelphia beat Washington for its 15th win in 17 games.
ROCKIES 5, PADRES 4 Ryan McMahon broke up a tie game with a home run in the eighth inning to lift Colorado over San Diego.
INTERLEAGUE CARDINALS 11, RED SOX 2 Nolan Arenado hit a two-run home run over the Green Monster in the first inning and St. Louis broke it open with a six-run sixth in a win at Boston. DODGERS 7, GUARDIANS 1 Freddie Freeman had three hits, Trea Turner homered and four Los Angeles pitchers limited Cleveland to two hits in the win.