Taillon pitches Cubs to 8-3 win, dropping Marlins to 4-16
CHICAGO >> Jameson Taillon allowed one run over five innings in his first start this season after recovering from a strained back, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Miami Marlins 8-3 on Friday.
Nico Hoerner doubled twice for the Cubs, who have won five of six.
Miami fell to an NLworst 4-16.
Taillon (1-0), in the second season of a $68 million, four-year contract, did not pitch in any spring training games, then made a pair of minor league rehab outings on April 7 and 12.
The 32-year-old righthander gave up three hits, struck out four and walked none. He threw 73 pitches, including 27 fastballs that averaged 93.7 mph. BRAVES 8, RANGERS 3 >> Travis d’Arnaud hit his first three home runs of the season, including a grand slam in the sixth that gave Atlanta the lead, and the Braves beat the Texas Rangers 8-3 on Friday night for their fifth straight win.
Chris Sale (2-1) allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings in the interleague matchup of firstplace teams.
Adolis García’s two-run double off Sale in the sixth tied it at 3.
Rangers left-hander Jacob Latz (0-1) issued oneout walks to Matt Olson and Marcell Ozuna before a single by Michael Harris II loaded the bases for the NL East-leading. D’Arnaud lined a fastball from Latz 433 feet to left-center for his third career grand slam and second three-homer game.
PHILLIES 7, WHITE SOX 0 >>
Spencer Turnbull carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning, Alex Bohm hit a pair of three-run homers and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Chicago White
Sox 7-0 on Friday night to extend their winning streak to four.
Chicago has lost seven of eight and 12 of 14, dropping to a major leagueworst 3-16. The White Sox have been shut out seven times and are hitting a major league-low .190.
Turnbull (2-0) didn’t allow a hit until Gavin Sheets singled into right field with one out in the seventh. He struck out six and walked two, pitching seven innings for the first time since his no-hitter for Detroit against Seattle on May 18, 2021.
Turnbull retired 14 consecutive batters after a twoout walk to Paul DeJong in the second. Phillies starters have allowed one earned run over 29 1/3 innings in their last four games. REDS 7, ANGELS 1 >> Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run homer, Nick Lodolo pitched 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball for his second quality start since coming off the injured list and the Cincinnati Reds snapped a three-game skid with a 7-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
Lodolo allowed a run and seven hits while striking out six. The 26-yearold left-hander exited in the seventh with one out and runners on second and third. Fernando Cruz came on and struck out Jo Adell and Zach Neto to end the threat.
Angels starter Tyler Anderson (2-2) also was outstanding. The 34-year-old lefty threw seven innings, allowing one earned run and three hits. He struck out two and walked three. ROYALS 9, ORIOLES 4 >> Vinnie Pasquantino and MJ Melendez homered to help the Kansas City Royals beat Baltimore 9-4 on Friday night and stop the Orioles’ four-game winning streak.
Adley Rutschman hit his first career grand slam for the Orioles, a seventh-inning homer off Will Smith.
Dean Kremer (0-2) retired his first 11 batters before Pasquantino drove a 1-1 splitter into the rightfield bullpen for his fourth homer.
YANKEES 5, RAYS 3 >> Juan Soto hit a three-run homer halfway up the right field second deck to cap a fiverun seventh inning and the New York Yankees rallied to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 on Friday night.
Soto stood at home plate and admired his 409-foot drive off Chris Devenski (0-1), which gave the Yankees a 5-1 lead. Soto is hitting .347 with five homers and 20 RBIs in his first season with the Yankees.
Soto also made a leaping catch at the right field wall to rob Richie Palacios of a possible homer for the final out of the third. GUARDIANS 2 >> Tyler Freeman hit a two-run homer and Steven Kwan and Andrés Giménez each drove in a pair, sending the Cleveland Guardians to a 10-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Friday night.
Triston McKenzie (2-2) allowed one run in five innings and struck out a season-high six. The righthander had just five strikeouts in his first three starts after missing much of last season with a sprained elbow.
Josh Naylor added a solo homer and Estevan Florial had a career-best three hits for the Guardians, who have won five of their last six and have the best record in the AL Central at 14-6. It’s Cleveland’s best start since 1999.
10, ATHLETICS ASTROS 5, NATIONALS 3 >>
Justin Verlander allowed two runs and four hits over six innings to win his season debut for the Houston Astros, 5-3 over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.
The 41-year-old righthander, who began the season on the injured list because of right shoulder inflammation, struck out four and walked none, throwing 59 of 78 pitches for strikes in his 258th win.
Verlander (1-0) averaged 94.3 mph with 35 four-seam fastballs and induced five groundouts. The nine-time All-Star retired the side in order four times and improved to 5-0 with a 2.08 ERA in five regular-season starts against the Nationals.