Anderson’s pinch-homer helps Marlins beat Braves
MIAMI » Brian Anderson hit a pinch-hit, two-run home run to help the Miami Marlins beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Saturday night.
Wei-Yin Chen (5-9) struck out 10 over six innings and Drew Steckenrider pitched the ninth for his second save.
Braves starter Anibal Sanchez (6-5) exited with right hamstring tightness after 5.2 innings and 98 pitches. Sanchez allowed four hits and one run.
Dansby Swanson led off the ninth with his 13th home run of the season, cutting the deficit to 3-1 and ending a 21-inning scoreless drought to the Marlins in the series.
After allowing the homer, Steckenrider retired the next three batters to end the game.
Anderson delivered his first career pinchhit home run and the 10th of the season when he hit a two-run shot to left field off Chad Sobotka in the seventh for a 3-0 lead. METS 3, NATIONALS 0 » Bryce Harper and Washington were shut out for the third game in a row, something that had never happened since the team moved from Montreal, as Zack Wheeler and New York posted a victory.
Amed Rosario and Todd Frazier hit solo home runs to back Wheeler, who pitched seven innings and won his seventh straight decision.
The Nationals fell to 64-66 — they’ve already lost more games than they dropped last year in going 97-65 to take their second consecutive NL East title.
Blanked by Aaron Nola and the Phillies on Thursday and by Jason Vargas and the Mets on Friday night, the Washington bats again went silent at Citi Field.
The Nationals tried everything to eke out a run. Adam Eaton bunted for a single on the first pitch of the game and, all by himself, Trea Turner bunted, delivered a hit-andrun single and stole his major league-high 33rd base.
GIANTS 5, RANGERS 3 » Andrew Suarez pitched seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball and San Francisco beat Texas.
Brandon Crawford and Hunter Pence homered. Nick Hundley added two walks and scored for San Francisco.
PIRATES 9, BREWERS 1 » Adam Frazier hit a three-run homer and Jameson Taillon pitched six strong innings as Pittsburgh defeated Milwaukee.
Frazier’s drive with one out in the eighth off reliever Taylor Williams give the Pirates a five-run cushion after Gregory Polanco broke a seventh-inning tie with a two-run single.
Taillon (10-9) gave up one run and five hits in six innings. He struck out eight and didn’t walk a batter.
RAYS 5, RED SOX 1 » Kevin Kiermaier tripled to key a two-run sixth inning, Tommy Pham homered and Tampa Bay won its seventh straight game by beating major leagueleading Boston.
The surprising Rays will try to become the first team to sweep Boston in a series this season in Sunday’s finale of the threegame set.
Tampa Bay is a season-high eight games over .500 (69-61). The Rays have allowed three or fewer runs in seven consecutive games.
YANKEES 10-5, ORIOLES 3-1 » Sonny Gray made the most of a foray into the starting rotation by taking a three-hitter into the seventh inning, and New York beat Baltimore for a doubleheader sweep.
In the opener, rookie Miguel Andujar homered and had four RBIs, J.A. Happ won his fifth straight start and New York rolled to a 10-3 victory.
Gray (10-8) gave up three hits, a walk and struck out seven in 6.1 innings. The righthander had been exiled to the bullpen after yielding seven runs in a loss to Baltimore on Aug. 1.
Baltimore has lost seven straight to fall 56 games under .500 (37-93). It’s the seventh time this season the Orioles have endured a skid of at least six games.
New York hit four home runs in the first game and got another solid outing from Happ, who struck out nine over six innings. ROYALS 7, INDIANS 1 » Rookie Heath Fillmyer pitched six strong innings, Lucas Duda homered and Kansas City beat Corey Kluber and Cleveland.
Fillmyer (2-1) limited the AL Central leaders to three hits and two walks, striking out three, as the Indians lost their fourth straight, matching their longest skid of the season.
Kansas City pounded out 14 hits, nine against Kluber (16-7), who went 5.1 innings, allowing five runs with two walks and six strikeouts.