Jays blast 4 HRs to pummel Orioles
Justin Smoak and Kendrys Morales hit back-toback home runs, Aledmys Diaz and Billy McKinney also connected, and the Blue Jays beat Baltimore 8-2 last night in Toronto, improving to 9-0 at home against the struggling Orioles.
Blue Jays right-hander Sam Gaviglio (3-6) pitched seven innings to snap a 15-start winless streak, earning his first victory since May 25 at Philadelphia. Gaviglio allowed two runs and six hits.
Smoak and Morales chased right-hander Dylan Bundy with solo blasts two pitches apart in the fifth. Smoak’s homer was his team-high 19th. Morales, who homered twice in Monday’s 5-3 win, has hit four home runs in his past three games, giving him 17 on the season.
One out later, McKinney took Ryan Meisinger deep for his first career homer, giving the Blue Jays their first three-homer inning since Aug. 23, 2017, against Tampa Bay.
Bundy (7-12) allowed seven runs and 10 hits in four-plus innings, the third straight start he surrendered seven earned runs.
Rays 4, Royals 1 — In St. Petersburg, Fla., Blake Snell helped Tampa Bay match a team record with 27 consecutive shutout innings in the win over Kansas City.
The scoreless stretch ended when Snell (15-5) allowed a fifth-inning solo homer to Ryan O’Hearn.
Snell struck out 11 and gave up four hits in six innings. Since returning from a stint on the disabled list for left shoulder fatigue, Snell is 3-0 and has given up two earned runs over 20 innings in four starts.
National League
Braves 6, Pirates 1 — Dansby Swanson had two homers and four RBI, Kevin Gausman breezed through eight innings and Atlanta defeated host Pittsburgh.
Gausman (8-9) gave up four hits with five strikeouts and two walks, helping the NL East-leading Braves take the first two games of the three-game series.
Mets 6, Giants 3 — Rookie Jeff McNeil went 4-for-4 and hit a go-ahead double with two outs in the eighth inning that sent host New York over San Francisco. Michael Conforto homered and drove in four runs in the win.
Interleague
Tigers 2, Cubs 1 — Jordan Zimmermann pitched six effective innings, Victor Martinez had three hits and host Detroit beat slumping Chicago.
The NL Central-leading Cubs were held to one run via homer for the fifth straight game, dropping the last three in the offensive slide.
Elsewhere in baseball — The Washington Nationals traded second baseman Daniel Murphy to the Cubs and first baseman Matt Adams to the St. Louis Cardinals, essentially throwing in the towel on a disappointing season.
Despite a roster that boasts such stars as Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper, Washington began the day with a losing record of 62-63, 71⁄2 games behind the NL East-leading Braves.
The Nationals got little in return. For Adams, the Cardinals sent $50,000 to Washington. For Murphy, the Cubs are swapping Class-A infielder Andruw Monasterio and a player to be named later or cash . . . .
New York Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius has been placed on the 10-day disabled list with a bruised left heel. Gregorius was hurt in a collision Sunday at first base during a 10-2 win over Toronto. Gregorius is hitting .270 with 22 home runs and 74 RBI with 48 extra-base hits . . . .
Miami Marlins righthander Jose Urena dropped his appeal of a six-game suspension for intentionally hitting Atlanta rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. with a pitch . . . .
The Los Angeles Angels placed outfielder Justin Upton on the 10-day disabled list with a cut on his left index finger . . . .
Chicago White Sox manager Rick Renteria was released from a Minnesota hospital after undergoing tests following an episode of lightheadedness and will rejoin the team today in Chicago. Also, the White Sox scratched first baseman Jose Abreu last night because of lower abdomen pain, and outfielder Leury Garcia will be out for 3-6 weeks with a left hamstring strain.