Nola takes no-no into seventh inning, Phillies top Jays and lead East

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Aaron Nola took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, Nick Williams hit his third pinch-hit homer of the year in the eighth and the Philadelphia Phillies moved into first in the NL East Saturday with a 2-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Nola did not allow a hit until Russell Martin's RBI single to left in the seventh, which tied the game at 1. After cruising through the first six innings, Nola came back out to work the seventh after a brief rain delay — the second of the game — and walked Justin Smoak with one out before Martin came through, ending the right-hander's day.

Nola struck out 10 and walked three. He threw 113 pitches, matching a career high set on June 27, 2017.

Williams turned on an 0-1 cutter from Joe Biagini (0-4) to break the tie and allow Philadelphia to take a half-game lead over Atlanta in the NL East. It was the latest in a season the Phillies had been in first since the conclusion of the 2011 season, when they won 102 games.

Saranthony Dominguez (1-0) allowed one hit in 1 1/3 innings for his first major league win. Luis Garcia worked the ninth for his first save in his second opportunity.

Jaime Garcia allowed five hits in seven innings and gave up his only run on Maikel Franco's homer leading off the fifth.

Williams leads the majors in pinch-hit RBIs (8) and total bases (19). His three pinch-hit homers tied Miami's Justin Boar for tops in baseball.

RAYS 5, ORIOLES 1.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash got a lot out of his relievers.

Ryne Stanek, Anthony Banda and Chaz Roe combined to give up three hits on a bullpen day as the Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 on Saturday.

"We knew we're asking these guys a lot," Cash said. "Between Ryne Stanek and Anthony, both of them for young pitchers showed a ton of poise."

With the Rays thin in the rotation, Banda (1-0) entered with two outs in the second. He wound up allowing one run and three hits while striking out seven over 6 1/3 innings.

The left-hander held Baltimore hitless until Danny Valencia tripled to start the fifth. Valencia was left stranded when Banda struck out Chris Davis and Joey Rickard, and got a grounder from Andrew Susac.

"It's a little weird but just treat it like a start and just go from there," Banda said.

After the game Banda was optioned to Triple-A Durham, possibly to open a spot for fresh reliever.

Stanek got the start and retired all five batters he faced, including strikeouts of Adam Jones, Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop.

Roe worked a perfect ninth.

Sergio Romo will make his second start in three days and fourth in eight days in Sunday's series finale when the Rays completes a stretch of three consecutive days of having relievers starting games. The longtime reliever took the loss in Friday night's 2-0 loss to the Orioles, allowing one run while getting two outs.

The Rays had planned to begin the season with four starters and one bullpen day, however, Nate Eovaldi hurt his elbow in his final spring training start and Jake Faria could miss two months after straining his left oblique Tuesday. Eovaldi is set return for Tuesday night's game at Oakland.

Tampa Bay jumped ahead early, taking a 5-0 lead after two innings.

Joey Wendle had an RBI triple and scored on Wilson Ramos' double in the first. After Rob Refsnyder hit a run-scoring single, C.J. Cron made it 5-0 in the second with a two-run double off Andrew Cashner.

Cashner (2-6), who allowed five runs and 11 hits in five-plus innings, left with the bases loaded and no outs in the sixth and was replaced by Tanner Scott, who struck out three batters in a row.

"I was spinning out of my delivery, didn't really execute with anything, just threw a lot of bad pitches, and not a very good breaking ball," Cashner said.

Tampa Bay's second win in its last eight home games came one day after outfielder Denard Span and closer Alex Colome were traded to Seattle for two minor leaguers.

"You know what, impressive they bounced back," Cash said. "It was a rough day, a long day. We all talked about it. These guys, they're pretty impressive."

The Orioles got their run in the seventh when Machado doubled and scored on Davis' opposite-field single to left.

"This is probably one of the more talented teams I've played on," Valencia said. "We've definitely underachieved up to this point, I don't think there's any secret to it. We're hoping as the season goes along we're going to start turning the page."

NATIONALS 4, MARLINS 1.

MIAMI (AP) — When Bryce Harper struck out in the first inning, he stomped back to the dugout and took three swings at the bat rack , shattering his bat and producing a trio of angry thuds that reverberated in the stands.

The Washington Nationals' mood didn't improve much until the eighth, when Wilmer Difo hit a game-tying homer off the foul pole, and they rallied to beat the Miami Marlins for the 10th consecutive time Saturday, 4-1.

Difo pounded his chest in celebration and skipped into the dugout, and his enthusiasm proved infectious. Justin Miller made his Nationals debut by pitching out of a jam in the bottom of the inning, and Mark Reynolds hit a tiebreaking homer leading off the ninth.

"All it takes sometimes is one swing to get a little energy in the club, and Difo did that for us today," Reynolds said. "He got guys fired up."

Miami's Wei-Yin Chen took a two-hitter and a 1-0 lead into the eighth. He was especially dominant against Harper, who endured his first four-strikeout game since 2016.

Harper has 15 homers, but also a batting average of .231.

"He'll snap out of it," manager Dave Martinez said. "He's fouling his pitches off. We've got to get him to slow down a little bit and take his walks, get on base and start having fun again."

Chen departed after giving up the one-out homer to Difo, and Reynolds connected against Brad Ziegler (0-4). Pinch-hitter Matt Adams and Trea Turner each added an RBI single in the ninth.

"To come through when it's clutch time — we've been doing that," Nationals starter Tanner Roark said. "We showed it today."

Roark allowed four hits and one run in seven innings. Sean Doolittle pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th save and second in as many days.

RED SOX 8, BRAVES 6.

BOSTON (AP) — All those long rehab days finally paid off Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia.

The 2008 AL MVP made his season debut Saturday after October knee surgery, helping the Red Sox rally for an 8-6 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

"There's been a lot of tough days," Pedroia said. "Today was great to be out there and play."

Pedroia went 0 for 4, but he walked and scored in the third inning of Boston's sixth win in seven games. Andrew Benintendi homered and drove in three runs, and Mitch Moreland had a key two-run double.

Pedroia, who part of Boston's 2007 and '13 World Series-winning teams, got a standing ovation when he came up with the bases loaded and two outs in the first. He popped out to right.

"Every moment's special when you get an opportunity to play baseball here. I never take it for granted," he said. "Today was up there with any of the moments that I've been here. I was proud to be able to comeback from the surgery I had and help us win."

Pedroia hustled home on Christian Vazquez's single, beating a throw to the plate with a headfirst slide.

"Great baserunning. He looked fast," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "The way he moved, that was good to see. It's good to have him back with the energy he brings."

Knuckleballer Steven Wright (1-0) pitched three scoreless innings for the victory. Craig Kimbrel worked the ninth for his 16th save, retiring three in a row after Ronald Acuna Jr.'s leadoff homer.

Dansby Swanson hit a two-run drive for the Braves, who have dropped 10 of their last 13 at Fenway Park.

Atlanta left-hander Sean Newcomb, a Massachusetts native, struggled with his control in his first career game in Fenway, giving up three runs and six hits over three innings with four walks and four strikeouts.

"Wasn't clicking," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "I don't know, it just wasn't. He's bound to have one of those . ... He just didn't have it."

The Braves had a 5-4 lead before Moreland's double down the right-field line off Sam Freeman (1-2) in the sixth. Benintendi added a two-run triple in the seventh.

The Red Sox had to rally after Drew Pomeranz was pulled with one out in the fourth. He was charged with five runs and six hits.

Swanson connected in the second, hitting a drive to the Green Monster seats for his third homer. Kurt Suzuki added an RBI single in the third, and Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis each drove in a run in the fourth.

BREWERS 17, METS 6.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Erik Kratz homered in his Brewers debut and Jesus Aguilar also hit a home run to lift surging Milwaukee to a 17-6 rout of the New York Mets on Saturday.

Christian Yelich had three hits, drove in three runs and scored three times for the NL Centralleading Brewers, who have won eight of their last 10.

Kratz, acquired Friday from the Yankees, homered with two outs in the fifth against reliever A.J. Ramos, who came unraveled during what had been a close game.