Pirates look to complete sweep of Brewers.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Gregory Polanco homered, Chris Stewart added three hits and the Pittsburgh Pirates completed a four-game sweep of the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers with a 4-2 victory on Thursday.
The Pirates have won 11 of 13 and moved within three games of Milwaukee in a division that's tightened up since the All-Star break. The Brewers have lost five straight, cutting their lead to one game over the idle Chicago Cubs.
Polanco hit a solo shot off Jimmy Nelson (8-5) in the fourth inning, his ninth homer.
Stewart scored the go-ahead run in the fifth on a single by Josh Harrison.
Jameson Taillon (6-3) struck out a season-high eight in 5 1/3 innings. Felipe Rivero worked a perfect ninth for his ninth save.
BLUE JAYS 8, RED SOX 6
BOSTON (AP) — Justin Smoak hit a pair of homers and Steve Pearce drove in two runs when Boston second baseman Brock Holt lost his popup in the sun, giving Toronto a four-game split.
Including the 15-inning game on Tuesday with the Blue Jays, the AL East-leading Red Sox played 76 innings in about 144 hours — the equivalent of 8 1/2 games in six days.
Dominic Leone (2-0) earned the win. Starter Francisco Liriano got just five outs before but Toronto came back with four in the third to take a 5-3 lead against Doug Fister (0-4).
Roberto Osuna pitched the ninth for his 24th save.
DIAMONDBACKS 12,
REDS 2
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jake Lamb hit a pair of three-run homers and Patrick Corbin pitched into the eighth inning during an emergency start, sending Arizona over Cincinnati.
Arizona stabilized itself by taking two of three in the series. The Diamondbacks had dropped eight of nine heading into the set, falling behind Colorado for the second NL wild-card spot.
Lamb homered in the first inning off Luis Castillo (1-3) and again in the ninth for a careerhigh six RBIs.
Scheduled starter Taijuan Walker was scratched after his wife, Heather, went into labor Thursday morning. Corbin (7-9) was moved up a day and wound up with his first victory since June 16.
Arizona newcomer J.D. Martinez didn't play, a day after a pitch bruised his hand.
METS 3, CARDINALS 2
NEW YORK (AP) — Cardinals pitcher Trevor Rosenthal was late covering first base on a twoout grounder by Jose Reyes that turned into a game-winning single in the ninth inning for the New York Mets.
A leadoff walk and T.J. Rivera's single put runners on the corners with two outs. Reyes then hit a grounder up the first base line, and Matt Carpenter fielded it cleanly well behind the bag. Rosenthal (2-4) was slow to leave the mound, and the speedy Reyes easily beat him to the base with a headfirst dive.
Addison Reed (1-2) pitched a perfect ninth.
ORIOLES 9, RANGERS 7
BALTIMORE (AP) — Jonathan Schoop and Adam Jones both homered and drove in three runs, and the Orioles rallied to beat Cole Hamels and the Rangers to complete a four-game sweep.
Mark Trumbo and Chris Davis also went deep for the Orioles, who trailed 5-1 in the fifth inning before coming back to hand Hamels (4-1) his first loss in 10 starts this season.
Baltimore hit 10 home runs in the series and outscored Texas 34-11.
The Orioles' four-game winning streak is their longest since a sixgame run in early May, and it puts them within three games of .500 (46-49) for the first time since July 4.
Miguel Castro (2-1) worked the sixth for Baltimore after starter Wade Miley allowed five runs over five innings.
Mike Napoli homered for the Rangers, whose five-game skid matches their season high.
Adrian Beltre had two hits for Texas and has 2,985 for his career, tied with Sam Rice for 31st place on the all-time list.