Astros end Yanks’ 9-game win streak
HOUSTON » Charlie Morton pitched two-hit ball into the eighth inning and struck out 10 as the Houston Astros snapped the New York Yankees’ nine-game winning streak with a 2-1 victory Monday night.
Carlos Correa had two hits and an RBI for Houston in the first meeting between the teams since Game 7 of last year’s AL Championship Series, when Morton allowed two hits over five innings for the win in a 4-0 victory that sent the defending champion Astros to the World Series.
Houston has won seven straight at home against the Yankees including the postseason, and the Astros have held them to no more than one run in their past six games here.
Morton (4-0) had allowed just one hit when Gleyber Torres chased him with a two-out double in the eighth. Brad Peacock took over and walked pinch-hitter Aaron Judge, who didn’t start for the first time this season, and Torres stole third base. RED SOX 10, ROYALS 6 » Xander Bogaerts hit a grand slam over the Green Monster and Boston finished April with its most wins ever by beating Kansas City.
Mitch Moreland hit a solo homer and had three hits along with Bogaerts for the Red Sox, who posted their 19th victory in April. They had reached 18 three times, the last coming in their World Series-winning 2013 season. CUBS 3, ROCKIES 2 » Jon Lester pitched effectively into the sixth inning, continuing an impressive stretch for Chicago’s rotation and helping the Cubs beat the Colorado for their season-high fifth straight victory.
Lester allowed two runs and five hits, struck out five and walked three. Luke Farrell (1-0) worked 1 1/3 innings of perfect relief for his first career win, and Steve Cishek got two outs for his first save. BREWERS 6, REDS 5 » Homers by Manny Pina and Lorenzo Cain ended Milwaukee’s historically bad slump, and Domingo Santana doubled home the goahead runs in the seventh inning for a victory over Cincinnati.
The Brewers managed only two runs while getting swept four games at Wrigley Field, matching their lowest total for a four-game series. They had 14 hits total, their worst for such a series, and were blanked on two hits in each of the past two games. INDIANS 7, RANGERS 5 » Jose Ramirez’s RBI double broke an eighth-inning tie and Cleveland rallied for a win over Texas.
Texas scored twice in the top of the eighth to go ahead 4-3, but the Indians quickly regained the lead by scoring four times against Chris Martin (0-1). NATIONALS 3, PIRATES 2 » Tanner Roark pitched seven efficient innings and drove in his first run since 2016, and Washington beat Pittsburgh.
Roark (2-2) allowed two runs and six hits, struck out four and induced two double play grounders for his first win since April 2 as the Nationals ended a disappointing April with their second straight victory. RAYS 3, TIGERS 2 » C.J. Cron and Brad Miller each homered in the ninth inning and Tampa Bay held on for a victory over Detroit.
With the game scoreless, Detroit closer Shane Greene (1-2) walked Denard Span to start the ninth. Cron followed by hitting a 2-0 fastball into the right-center field seats for his seventh homer of the season. After Matt Duffy popped out, Brad Miller homered into the left-field bullpens to make it 3-0 and end Greene’s night.
But Detroit loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth on two hit batters and an infield single. Jose Alvarado replaced Chaz Roe and allowed a two-run single to Victor Martinez, then retired James McCann before walking John Hicks to load the bases again. Dixon Machado then grounded into a gameending force at second to give Alvarado his first career save.
The Rays have won nine of their past 10 games after a 4-13 start.
Rays starter Jake Faria (2-1) had the longest outing of his career, holding the Tigers scoreless for eight innings. He gave up three hits and a walk with six strikeouts in his second win in 11 starts.