Rays’ miscues help Rangers
Texas turned three Tampa Bay miscues into a three-run sixth inning and the Rangers beat the Rays, 4-3, last night in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The Rangers took a 4-3 lead during the decisive sixth when two runs scored after center fielder Mallex Smith misplayed Adrian Beltre’s two-out deep fly ball, and Beltre scored on two wild pitches by Chris Archer with Mike Napoli at the plate.
Elvis Andrus, who entered the series hitless in 16 at-bats, homered in his second consecutive three-hit game for the Rangers, who have won two straight following a fivegame skid.
Andrew Cashner (5-8) gave up three runs and four hits over six innings. Alex Claudio, the third Rangers reliever, got four outs for his fourth save.
After the game, the Rays acquired reliever Sergio Romo from the Los Angeles Dodgers for a player to be named or cash. Indians 2, Blue Jays 1 — Francisco Lindor hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the 10th inning and host Cleveland edged Toronto.
Jays right-hander Aaron Sanchez was placed on the disabled list for the fourth time this season because of a blister problem. Royals 7, White Sox 2 — Mike Moustakas homered twice, and Salvador Perez, Brandon Moss and Jorge Bonifacio also went deep to lead host Kansas City to the win, extending Chicago’s longest losing streak in two years to eight games.
Astros 8, Orioles 4 — Marwin Gonzalez stepped in for injured Colin Moran and delivered a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the sixth inning to propel visiting Houston past Baltimore.
Twins 6, Tigers 5 — In Minneapolis, Kyle Gibson took a shutout into the eighth inning in his longest start of the season, Zack Granite had three hits, and Minnesota held off a late rally to drop Detroit.
National League
Cubs 3, Cardinals 2 — Kris Bryant galloped home from first base on Anthony Rizzo’s bloop double, capping a three-run rally in the eighth inning that sent Chicago past visiting St. Louis, in the ever-tightening NL Central race.
A classic pitchers’ duel between Jon Lester and Adam Wainwright kept it scoreless into the eighth. Nationals 4, Diamondbacks 3 — In Phoenix, Bryce Harper homered and drove in two runs, Tanner Roark struck out a season-high 11 and Sean Doolittle stranded the potential tying run to preserve a Washington win over Arizona. Dodgers 6, Braves 2 — Chris Taylor drove in three runs with a home run and a triple, and Corey Seager and Chase Utley hit solo home runs as host Los Angeles snapped a two-game losing streak by stopping Atlanta.
Marlins 5, Reds 4 — J.T. Realmuto hit a pair of tworun homers and a double, powering visiting Miami over slumping Cincinnati.
Brewers 9, Phillies 8 — Domingo Santana singled home the winning run in the ninth inning after visiting Milwaukee blew a big lead, and the Brewers edged Philadelphia to snap a season-worst sixgame losing streak.
Rockies 7, Pirates 3 — In Denver, German Marquez matched a career best with nine strikeouts in seven solid innings as Colorado thwarted Pittsburgh.
Giants 5, Padres 4 — Nick Hundley singled in Kelby Tomlinson with two outs in the 12th, lifting host San Francisco past San Diego.
Interleague
Mets 6, Athletics 5 — Wilmer Flores hit a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, and host New York rallied from an early five-run deficit to nip Oakland for its fourth consecutive victory. Elsewhere in baseball — The New York Yankees said second baseman Starlin Castro will be placed on the disabled list with another injury to his right hamstring.