Kershaw faces MRI
Jorge Alfaro drove in two runs, Aaron Nola pitched seven innings of two-hit ball and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Dodgers, 2-1, last night in Los Angeles, spoiling Clayton Kershaw’s first start in almost a month.
After the game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw’s back tightened up, and he will have an MRI today.
Kershaw pitched in his first game since May 1 after a bout with left biceps tendinitis. The three-time Cy Young Award winner gave up one run and four hits in five innings, throwing 62 pitches. He had five strikeouts and a walk. Kershaw went 1-4 with a 2.86 ERA in his first seven starts.
Nola (7-2) struck out seven, including five of the last seven batters he faced. Seranthony Dominguez pitched two scoreless innings for his second save.
Braves 4, Nationals 2 — Sean Newcomb pitched seven strong innings for his sixth straight win, as host Atlanta jumped back into first place by beating Washington.
In the start of a fourgame series between the top teams in the NL East, the Braves snapped Washington’s six-game win streak and reclaimed first place by a half-game over the Nationals.
Newcomb (6-1), who lost his season debut to Washington, is 6-0 since with a 2.16 ERA in 10 starts.
The Nationals activated right-handed reliever Ryan Madson from the 10day disabled list (pectoral strain). The 37-year-old is 1-2 with three saves, six holds and a 4.19 ERA in 21 appearances.
Cubs 5, Mets 1 — Jose Quintana pitched six shutout innings, Ben Zobrist hit a two-run homer and Chicago beat host New York.
Zobrist also doubled and singled in the leadoff spot as the Cubs won for the fourth time in five games.
An inconsistent Quintana (6-4) continued his run of strong starts following poor ones. The lefthander allowed three hits and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third. He struck out six and walked two.
American League
Athletics 7, Rays 3 — Daniel Mengden allowed three runs over eight solid innings and host Oakland beat Tampa Bay to avoid a four-game sweep.
Matt Olson, Matt Chapman and Matt Joyce all homered, providing some punch to an offense that sputtered since leading home run hitter Khris Davis went on the disabled list. Davis was activated before the game and doubled and scored in a three-run second inning to help Oakland end a three-game losing streak.
Joey Wendle had three hits for Tampa Bay. The Rays had won five straight and outscored the A’s 11-3 through the first three games of the series before getting shut down by Mengden (6-4).
Tigers 6, Angels 2 — Victor Reyes hit a three-run triple in the five-run first inning to help host Detroit beat Los Angeles.
Tigers starter Ryan Carpenter was on pace to pick up his first career victory, but left the game after four innings with an oblique strain. Carpenter gave up one run and five hits. Warwick Saupold (3-1) replaced Carpenter and pitched two perfect innings.
Andrew Heaney (2-4) allowed five runs and eight hits in five innings. He had given up a total of six runs over his previous six starts.
Yankees-Orioles, ppd. — The opener of a scheduled four-game series between New York and host Baltimore was postponed by rain. The makeup will be held as part of a singleadmission doubleheader on July 9. It was the seventh game this season that the Yankees have had postponed or suspended.
Elsewhere in baseball — Alex Reyes’ return to the St. Louis Cardinals after a 20-month absence lasted just four innings. The 23-year-old right-hander was put on the 10-day disabled list because of a strained latissimus dorsi muscle in his right side. Coming back from Tommy John surgery, Reyes was hurt on Wednesday when he allowed three hits over four scoreless innings at Milwaukee in his first big league appearance since Sept. 29, 2016 . . . .
The Texas Rangers activated third baseman Adrian Beltre off the 10-day DL (hamstring) before last night’s game against Seattle. The 39-year-old missed 12 games and is hitting .314 with one homer and 12 RBI in 29 games this season . . . .
The Seattle Mariners activated second baseman Dee Gordon off the 10-day DL (fractured right big toe) before the game against Texas. Gordon is hitting .337 this season.