Adams, Cards topple Nats
Matt Adams homered twice against his former team who traded him last month, Marcell Ozuna tied his career high with four hits and the St. Louis Cardinals held off the Nationals, 7-6, last night in Washington.
One night after bashing five homers against Washington, St. Louis settled for three in the rubber game of the series as Yairo Munoz had a solo shot in the sixth.
Miles Mikolas (14-4) worked 62⁄3 innings and was charged with four runs on 12 hits. Carlos Martinez worked the final two innings for his first save since 2014, getting three straight outs in the ninth after the first two batters reached.
Ryan Zimmerman’s threerun double followed by Wilmer Difo’s RBI single pulled Washington within 7-6 in the seventh.
Bryce Harper had three hits for Washington on a day when general manager Mike Rizzo responded that he hasn’t considered any other scenario when asked if manager Dave Martinez will return in 2019.
Marlins 2, Phillies 1 — Right-hander Sandy Alcantara pitched shutout ball into the eighth inning in his second career start, Austin Dean drove in a pair of runs and host Miami beat Philadelphia.
Alcantara (2-0) allowed three hits, walked two and struck out six. His ERA, over 12 innings this season, dropped to 0.75.
The Phillies have lost 4-of-5. They remained three games behind Atlanta in the NL East race.
Mets 7, Dodgers 3 — Zack Wheeler stayed in the game after getting hit in the chest by a line drive, pitching seven sharp innings to lead visiting New York over Los Angeles.
Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger homered for the playoff-contending Dodgers, who lost for the third time in their past 12 games. Los Angeles finished with three hits.
Pirates 3, Reds 2 — Jameson Taillon pitched five effective innings and helped send Homer Bailey to yet another loss as host Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati to sweep the three-game series.
Taillon (12-9) allowed only one run as he scattered eight hits and walked none while striking out six. He is 5-2 with a 2.56 ERA in his last eight starts.
Bailey (1-14) lost his ninth straight decision and the Reds are 1-19 in his starts this season.
American League
Indians 3, Royals 1 — Corey Kluber became the first 18-game winner in the majors this season, striking out 10 and pitching host Cleveland past Kansas City.
The Indians moved closer to the third straight AL Central title and reduced their magic number for clinching the division to 9.
Kluber (18-7) allowed one run and two hits in 62⁄3 innings. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner was pulled after throwing 105 pitches.
Cleveland used three relievers to complete the twohitter. Brad Hand struck out the side in the ninth for his eighth save since being acquired San Diego and 32nd this season.
The game began in sweltering conditions with the temperature at 91 degrees for the first pitch.
Blue Jays 10, Rays 3 — Aledmys Diaz hit a three-run homer in a seven-run first inning, Aaron Sanchez won for the first time in three months and host Toronto beat Tampa Bay to prevent a three-game sweep.
Billy McKinney added a solo homer as Toronto had 16 hits and improved to 3-9 against the Rays this season. Tampa Bay’s four-game winning streak was snapped.
Elsewhere in baseball — Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani has new damage in his right elbow and the team says Tommy John surgery has been recommended.
The Angels said Ohtani had an MRI yesterday in Texas that revealed the problem in his ulnar collateral ligament . . . .
The Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to be without All-Star closer Kenley Jansen for a key weekend series with the Colorado Rockies after a team cardiologist recommended the right-hander not travel to Denver.