Yankees rally past Astros for win
HOUSTON » Aroldis Chapman struck out AL MVP Jose Altuve on three straight 101 mph fastballs with two on to end the game, and the New York Yankees got a key hit from rookie Gleyber Torres during a three-run rally in the ninth inning to seesaw past the Houston Astros 6-5 Thursday.
The Yankees won a wild one to take three of four from the team that beat them in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series last October.
New York took a 3-0 lead into the seventh, trailed 5-3 going into the ninth and let a bounced third strike give the Astros their final chance.
Pinch hitter Evan Gattis fanned but reached on Chapman’s two-out wild pitch, and George Springer followed with a single. Altuve went down swinging, giving Chapman his seventh save. NATIONALS 3, PIRATES 1 » Trea Turner and Ryan Zimmerman homered in the sixth inning, helping Washington complete a fourgame series sweep.
Jeremy Hellickson and four relievers combined on a five-hitter for Washington, which has won a season-high five in a row.
Sammy Solis (1-1) retired the only batter he faced, ending the sixth to keep the game scoreless. Sean Doolittle recorded the last five outs for his sixth save.
Pittsburgh’s Trevor Williams (42) allowed only two runners over the first five innings. Wilmer Difo led off with a single, and after Bryce Harper flied out, Turner hit his second home run of the season. BRAVES 11, METS 0 » Julio Teheran took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning, 20-year-old Ronald Acuna Jr. hit his second big league home run and Atlanta finished a threegame sweep that vaulted the young Braves into the NL East lead.
Kurt Suzuki, Acuna and Nick Markakis homered as Atlanta built a 6-0 lead against Jason Vargas (0-2), and 21-year-old Ozzie Albies went deep off an equally shaky Matt Harvey.
The Braves opened a 1½-game division lead, the latest in a season they have been in July 20, 2014. DODGERS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 2 » Arizona reliever Jorge De La Rosa threw two run-scoring wild pitches during an eighth-inning rally that sent the Dodgers to the victory.
The Dodgers scored four times in the eighth and handed Arizona its first two-game losing streak this year. The four-game split ended the Diamondbacks’ string of nine straight series victories to start the season. BLUE JAYS 13, INDIANS 11 » Yangervis Solarte hit his first career grand slam with two outs in the 11th inning, powering Toronto to the win in the opener of a traditional doubleheader set up because of April rainouts.
In the 11th, pinch-hitter Luke Naile walked with two outs against Tyler Olson (0-1) before Josh Donaldson doubled for his third hit in his first game since April 10.
After Teoscar Hernandez walked, Solarte hit a 2-0 pitch into the left-field bleachers. He finished five hits and six RBIs. OYALS 10, TIGERS 6 » Lucas Duda had three hits and drove in four first place since runs, leading victory.
Salvador Perez, Jorge Soler and Alex Gordon homered for the Royals, who have quietly gotten on track offensively after a miserable start. Kansas City to the