Red-hot Jays thump KC
Teoscar Hernandez had four hits, including a two-run home run, Curtis Granderson hit his ninth career grand slam and the Blue Jays routed Kansas City 15-5 in Toronto yesterday to complete a threegame sweep of the Royals, losers of eight straight.
Toronto (12-5) is off to its best start since 2009.
Hernandez singled and scored in the first, homered in the third, flied out in the fourth, singled in the sixth and hit a two-run triple in the seventh. It was the first fourhit game of his career.
Granderson’s slam, which came off Justin Grimm, was the big blow in a six-run eighth. Toronto set season highs with 15 runs and 15 hits.
Yangervis Solarte also homered for the Blue Jays, a solo shot in the third.
Athletics 12, White Sox 11 — Matt Olson singled over left fielder Nicky Delmonico to drive in Marcus Semien with two outs in the 14th inning and host Oakland beat Chicago in a wild game that lasted nearly six hours.
The A’s trailed 6-1, 9-4 and 10-8, then gave up a tying run in the ninth before scoring the winning run off James Shields (1-1) five innings later.
The teams combined for 33 hits and 18 walks —12 by Chicago pitchers — in a game that lasted 5 hours and 48 minutes. It was the third-longest game by time in Oakland Athletics history.
Tigers 6, Orioles 5 — Dixon Machado led off the bottom of the ninth with a home run, capping a wild final two innings and lifting host Detroit over Baltimore.
Detroit led 2-1 before each team scored three runs in the eighth and one in the ninth. Baltimore’s Luis Sardinas tied it with a solo shot off Shane Greene (1-0) in the ninth, but then Machado hit a line drive off Pedro Araujo (1-2) that cleared the fence in left field for only the second homer of the infielder’s career.
Rays 4, Rangers 2 — In St. Petersburg, Fla., Jake Faria won for the first time since last July 25, allowing one run over six innings to lead Tampa Bay over Texas.
Faria (1-1) struck out six and walked one. He had been 0-4 in eight starts and two relief appearances since beating Baltimore.
National League
Mets 11, Nationals 5 — Yoenis Cespedes launched a grand slam during a nine-run outburst in the eighth inning that rallied host New York past Washington, preventing a three-game sweep.
Todd Frazier tied it at 4 with a two-run single and pinch-hitter Juan Lagares put New York ahead for the first time with a two-run double off Ryan Madson (0-2).
Pirates 10, Rockies 2 — Sean Rodriguez hit a two-run home run that backed Chad Kuhl and helped host Pittsburgh beat Colorado and avoid a three-game sweep.
Josh Bell drove in three runs and David Freese added a two-run double as Pittsburgh improved to 8-0 in day games. Adam Frazier had three of Pittsburgh’s 13 hits and backup catcher Elias Diaz added two hits.
Brewers 2, Reds 0 — Center fielder Christian Yelich returned from the disabled list and made a sliding catch on a fly ball that deflected off the glove of left fielder Hernan Perez, and host Milwaukee shut out Cincinnati.
Braves 7, Phillies 3 — Ryan Flaherty homered and drove in four runs, Brandon McCarthy (3-0) outpitched Vince Velasquez and host Atlanta beat Philadelphia.
Braves right-hander Anibal Sanchez was placed on the 10-day disabled list after straining his right hamstring while running in the outfield before the game.
Cards-Cubs, ppd. — The game between St. Louis and host Chicago was called off because of wintry weather, the 25th postponement in the first three weeks of the major league season.
The game was rescheduled for tomorrow afternoon.
Elsewhere in baseball — The Los Angeles Dodgers placed lefty Rich Hill on the 10-day DL with an inflamed middle finger.