Bieber Fever stops NY
Rookie right-hander Shane Bieber pitched into the eighth inning and the Tribe’s shaky bullpen narrowly closed things out, lifting the Indians over the New York Yankees, 6-5, last night in Cleveland.
Bieber (5-1) was removed after Tyler Wade’s leadoff double in the eighth and Cleveland leading 6-3. Brett Gardner’s RBI groundout cut the lead to two and set up a tense ninth inning.
Closer Cody Allen, who allowed a career-high six runs in the ninth inning against Cincinnati on Tuesday, gave up Giancarlo Stanton’s leadoff homer. Greg Bird followed with a single, but Allen got Miguel Andujar to bounce into a double play.
Allen walked Neil Walker, but pinch-hitter Didi Gregorius popped up to shortstop Francisco Lindor in shallow left field. Allen recorded his 19th save in 20 chances.
Jose Ramirez, the starting third baseman for the AL in the All-Star Game, drove in two runs with a groundout in the first and a triple in the fifth. Michael Brantley, also an All-Star, hit a two-run double in the second.
The Indians broke a seven-game losing streak against the Yankees dating to last season’s AL Division Series when New York came back from a 2-0 deficit. The Yankees won the first four games between the teams this season.
Astros 3, Tigers 0 — Dallas Keuchel pitched six strong innings, three relievers completed the sevenhitter and Alex Bregman provided the offense by setting a career high with his 20th homer to give host Houston a win over Detroit.
Keuchel (7-8) allowed six hits and struck out four to win his fourth straight decision after dropping the previous three. Tony Sipp and Brad Peacock pitched the seventh and eighth innings before Hector Rondon walked one in the ninth for his eighth save.
Rangers 5, Orioles 4 — Ryan Rua had a tiebreaking, pinch-hit three-run homer in the seventh inning and visiting Texas held on to beat Baltimore to snap a three-game losing streak.
Cole Hamels (5-8) won for the first time in almost a month, allowing four runs and five hits with three strikeouts and one walk over 61⁄3 innings in a matchup of last-place teams.
National League
Phillies 2, Marlins 0 — Aaron Altherr drove in his first run of July and later started a sensational relay to protect the lead, helping Jake Arrieta and NL East-leading Philadelphia blank host Miami.
Arrieta pitched seven innings of three-hit ball. Victor Arano got three outs and Pat Neshek finished the threehitter for his first save.
Maikel Franco hit his 13th homer of the season in the ninth for the Phillies, who have won 10 of their last 13.
Altherr, who came in hitting only .169, doubled in Scott Kingery in the second inning for all the support Arrieta (7-6) would need. The 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner struck out three and walked three.
Diamondbacks 2, Braves 1— Nick Ahmed hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh after Zack Godley allowed a run over six innings, and visiting Arizona edged Atlanta.
Godley (11-6) gave up three hits in the first, including Kurt Suzuki’s run-scoring single. He allowed only two hits over the next five innings and struck out seven overall.
Brad Boxberger struck out the side in the ninth for his 23rd save.
Mets 4, Nationals 2 — Noah Syndergaard pitched out of trouble in a rusty return from the disabled list and helped himself with an RBI single as host New York toppled Washington.
Amed Rosario tripled and doubled, both times over Bryce Harper’s head in center field, and the Mets won for only the sixth time in their last 26 home games. Brandon Nimmo had three hits for New York, which built a three-run cushion in the first inning against struggling starter Tanner Roark.
Pirates 7, Brewers 3 — Josh Bell tied a career with four hits, Gregory Polanco homered and both drove in two runs to lead host Pittsburgh over Milwaukee.
The fourth-place Pirates have won five of their last six. First-place Milwaukee has lost four of five.
Elsewhere in baseball — Chase Utley will retire from baseball at the end of this season, capping a 16-year career that included a World Series championship with Philadelphia and an elderstatesman role with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The six-time All-Star said he’s leaving to spend more time with his wife and two young sons.
Utley announced his decision at a jammed news conference in the bowels of Dodger Stadium yesterday, with several of his teammates surprising him by crowding into the small, steamy room. …
New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman won’t pitch in the All-Star Game in order to rest his sore left knee. Also, Cleveland Indians ace Corey Kluber has received an injection in his right knee that will force him to miss the game.
Houston’s Charlie Morton and Tampa Bay’s Blake Snell were added to the American League roster to replace them.