Sizzling Yanks recover a win
Rookie Miguel Andujar flared an RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning and the Yankees, after blowing two late leads, beat the Cleveland Indians, 7-6, last night in New York for their 13th win in 14 games.
Gleyber Torres, at 21, became the youngest Yankees player to hit a home run since 1969. He connected in the first matchup between these teams since New York won the decisive Game 5 of the AL Division Series in Cleveland last October.
Aaron Judge homered, doubled and drew a basesloaded walk in the eighth that put the Yankees ahead 6-5. Cleveland tied it in the ninth, scoring on the second wild pitch of the inning by Aroldis Chapman (1-0), who showed frustration after the ball got by catcher Gary Sanchez.
Sanchez has allowed 20 wild pitches this season to go along with five passed balls.
Giancarlo Stanton doubled off Alexi Ogando (0-1) to begin the Yankees ninth, and closer Cody Allen relieved. With two outs and runners on second and third, Andujar looped a single to shallow right-center field.
Down 5-0 in the eighth, the Indians suddenly pulled even. Bradley Zimmer hit a three-run shot off Chasen Shreve, and Jose Ramirez launched a two-run drive off David Robertson.
It was Aaron Judge Jedi bobblehead night as the Yankees, like many pro teams, played up the “Star Wars” theme on May the Fourth. Back home after a 6-1 trip, the slugger also doubled in his own Return of the Judge-I.
Rays 6, Blue Jays 2 — Relief pitcher Ryan Yarbrough made his case for a spot in Tampa Bay’s injury-depleted rotation by throwing five scoreless innings in a win over Toronto in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Johnny Field homered off J.A. Happ (4-2) and Brad Miller added a two-run shot to put it out of reach in the eighth. Wilson Ramos, Denard Span and Adeiny Hechavarria also drove in runs for the Rays, who’ve won 10 of 13 after a slow start.
Royals 4, Tigers 2 — Jorge Soler drove in the go-ahead runs with a two-out single in the eighth inning, bailing out a chagrined ballboy and giving host Kansas City a victory over Detroit.
The Tigers had taken a 2-0 lead in the top half of the eighth when the ballboy down the first-base line mistakenly picked up a fair ball, resulting in a ground-rule double. Blaine Boyer (1-0) walked Victor Martinez before serving up JaCoby Jones’ hard-hit double to left field.
National League
Reds 4, Marlins 1 — Eugenio Suarez hit a three-run homer, extending his surge since he returned from a broken thumb, and Sal Romano made another barehand play on the mound, leading host Cincinnati to a victory over Miami.
The Reds ended a threegame losing streak and improved to 8-24, their worst start since the Great Depression.
Nationals 7, Phillies 3 — Bryce Harper hit two more homers from the leadoff spot and Washington beat visiting Philadelphia for its sixth straight win.
Harper opened the Washington first by lining a fastball from Nick Pivetta (1-2) to the opposite field for his 11th homer of the season. With a runner on first in the third inning, Harper crushed a changeup 473 feet to dead center.
He has four homers in four games as the leadoff batter. After flying out to deep right-center in the third, Harper flied to deep center in the sixth and to left in the eighth.
Matt Adams added a tworun homer for Washington and made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Maikel Franco of at least extra bases.
Giants 9, Braves 4 — Jose Bautista doubled in his first at-bat of the season and Atlanta set a SunTrust Park attendance record in Ronald Acuña Jr.’s home debut, but San Francisco snapped the host team’s five-game winning streak.
Injured Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto will have his ailing right elbow examined by Monday by Dr. James Andrews.
Rockies 8, Mets 7 — Charlie Blackmon homered as Colorado raced to a big early lead, and the Rockies hung on to beat New York for its third straight win.
Hours after the Mets said they are cutting ties with former ace Matt Harvey, another New York starter struggled. Zack Wheeler (2-2) allowed eight runs and 10 hits in six innings, raising his ERA to 5.79.