Greinke leads Royals past Rangers 2-1
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Zach Greinke allowed just one run on four hits in his 500th career start, helping the Kansas City Royals avoid a three-game sweep by beating the Texas Rangers 2-1 on Wednesday.
Kansas City's Kyle Isbel provided the winning cushion with his second home run in as many games.
Greinke (2-4) is the 48th pitcher in Major League Baseball history to start 500 games, and the only active pitcher to reach that milestone.
He was understated as usual after the game, but did acknowledge the day's significance.
“Not many numbers I've been interested in, but I found out about that after the last game. I think that's a pretty neat number. It seems like a lot of games,” said Greinke, who went six innings, striking out three and walking one.
Royals manager Mike Matheny was more impressed.
“Trying to get your head around 500 starts, that's just amazing,” he said.
“You're just not going to see many people moving forward that are going to be able to do something like that and do it as well as he's done it.
“Then, to go out against a very good offense that's given him trouble in the past and put up that kind of start, I thought the first inning was indicative of who Zack Greinke is . ... He was in control of what he wanted to do. It was impressive."
Three Royals relievers combined for three strikeouts and one hit allowed over three innings, and Scott Barlow picked up his 10th save in 12 chances with a perfect ninth inning.
Texas' Dane Dunning (1-6) suffered his first loss when allowing fewer than three runs this season.
He gave up six hits in six innings, walking three and striking out three.
The Royals scored a run in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by MJ Melendez. Hunter Dozier was thrown out at the plate trying to make it 2-0.
The Rangers' Leody Taveras tied it in the fifth with a leadoff home run that just cleared the wall in right field.
It was his first homer of the season.
Isbel answered that with his second home run of the season, a line drive into the seats in right field.
“I feel like I'm making good decisions at the plate,” Isbel said. “I made a couple of swing changed but most importantly I'm hitting pitches I can handle.”
GREINKE-GRAM
Greinke was drafted sixth in the
first round of the 2002 draft and spent his first seven years with the Royals, returning for a one-year contract this past offseason.
“I thought I pitched good and got some really good defense today," he said of his 500th start. "And Isbel had a good game all the way around, defense and hitting. It was a good game today.”
YANKEES 5, ATHLETICS 3
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton homered to fuel the Yankees' major league-best 24th comeback victory.
The Yankees completed a three-game sweep of baseball's worst team and improved to 56-20, matching the 2001 Mariners and 1998 Yankees for baseball's best 76-game start since 1930.
New York's Jameson Taillon gave up three runs in the first inning, but Judge countered with a two-run drive in the first and Stanton hit a three-run homer in the third against Cole Irvin (2-6).
The Yankees are 25-1 when Judge and Stanton homer in the same game, including 9-0 this season.
Taillon (9-1) grinded through five innings, and Clay Holmes pitched the ninth for his 14th save to end a seven-game homestand.
MARINERS 9, ORIOLES 3
SEATTLE (AP) — Julio Rodríguez hit his 12th home run of the season as part of Seattle's six-run fourth inning, and the Mariners beat the Orioles for their seventh win in nine games.
The Mariners took two of three from Baltimore and continued a stretch of good baseball after a 5-1 road trip last week.
Rodríguez's long ball was the highlight on a day there was finally plenty of offense for Seattle starter Chris Flexen.
He wasn't alone in giving the Mariners an offensive jolt and it was the bottom of the lineup that provided the greatest impact. Abraham Toro, Adam Frazier and Sam Haggerty combined for seven hits and six runs scored. Haggerty had two doubles and a bunt single.
Flexen (4-8) had received zero or one run of support while on the mound in nine of his first 14 starts this season, so getting nine runs was a welcomed change.
Given the big lead, Flexen cruised through six innings allowed three runs on seven hits. Trey Mancini had a tworun double and Ryan Mountcastle an RBI double.
Seattle starters have allowed three earned runs or less in 26 of the past 27 outings.
Baltimore starter Austin Voth (0-1) lasted just three innings pitching against his hometown team for the first time in his career. Voth allowed four hits, but only one earned run in his third start with the Orioles this season.
BREWERS 5, RAYS 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Rowdy Tellez hit two home runs and Milwaukee center fielder Jonathan Davis made a spectacular catch, sending the Brewers to the win.
Tellez hit his 15th homer, a tiebreaking solo drive in the eighth inning against Calvin Faucher (1-2). The ball struck the outer C-ring of the catwalk at Tropicana Field.
In the second, Tellez homered to deep center off opener Jalen Beeks.
Davis robbed Randy Arozarena of an extra-base hit in the second when he made a flying, over-the-shoulder catch while crashing headfirst into the wall. He stayed down for several minutes holding his back and initially stayed in the game before leaving with lower back and rib cage discomfort.
Luis Urías and Jace Peterson also homered for Milwaukee. Brad Boxberger (2-1) got the win, and Josh Hader earned his 24th save.
PIRATES 8, NATIONALS 7
WASHINGTON (AP) — Bryan Reynolds hit a career-high three homers and drove in six runs, leading Pittsburgh to the win.
The Pirates ended a five-game losing streak.
Reynolds hit a two-run homer in the first inning off Paolo Espino and a solo drive in the sixth off Carl Edwards Jr. (2-2).
Edwards exited with two runners on base in the seventh, giving way to Kyle Finnegan.
After Ke'Bryan Hayes struck out, Reynolds launched Finnegan's elevated sinker into the visitors' bullpen in left-center for a three-run homer that put the Pirates up 8-6.
Daniel Vogelbach also homered for Pittsburgh. Chase De Jong (3-0) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, and rookie Yerry De Los Santos earned his first career save.
PADRES 4, DIAMONDBACKS 0
PHOENIX (AP) — Mike Clevinger outpitched Madison Bumgarner by throwing one-hit ball for six innings in his longest outing of the year, leading the Padres over the Diamondbacks.
Jake Cronenworth broke out of a 0-for-26 skid with two doubles and a single, driving in two runs and scoring once.
Clevinger (2-0) struck out six and walked one.
Nick Martinez completed the shutout. He gave up two hits and got his second save.
Bumgarner (3-8) allowed one run and four hits in five innings.
In the fifth, Jurickson Profar walked with two outs and Austin Nola singled, setting up Cronenworth's RBI single.
C.J. Abrams hit an RBI single in the sixth against reliever Kyle Nelson, a run helped by two walks and an errant pickoff throw.
Cronenworth doubled in the seventh and scored on a single by Luke Voit.
Cronenworth doubled off the center field walk in the ninth to score Profar.
ASTROS 2, METS 0
NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Verlander pitched two-hit ball for eight innings, Jason Castro lined a two-run homer in the ninth and the Astros beat the Mets to send New York to its first three-game losing streak this season.
Astros left fielder Yordan Álvarez and shortstop Jeremy Peña were hurt when they collided in the eighth while running down Dominic Smith's popup.
Both called for the ball and as Peña caught the pop, and they hit each other in the face with their gloves.
Álvarez was removed on a cart, sitting up, and Peña walked back to the dugout during the eight-minute delay.
Verlander (10-3) became the majors' first 10-game winner, striking out six and walking one. Ryan Pressly pitched a perfect ninth for his 16th save in 19 chances. New York's Taijuan Walker allowed four hits in a season-high 7 1/3 innings. Drew Smith (1-2) got the loss.
TIGERS 3, GIANTS 2
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Eric Haase hit a two-run homer to break a 1-all tie in the sixth inning and the Tigers held on to beat the Giants.
It was Haase's fifth home run of the season and his second in the last three games. Miguel Cabrera also drove in a run for the Tigers, who improved their league-worst road record to 11-23 and split the two-game series.
Rony García (3-2) won his third consecutive start for Detroit, allowing one run on four hits with four strikeouts in five innings. Gregory Soto pitched a perfect ninth for his 15th save in 17 opportunities.
Evan Longoria had a first-inning home run for the Giants, his eighth of the year, but San Francisco couldn't capitalize on late-inning chances to tie the game.
San Francisco starter Alex Wood (5-7) fanned six in 5 2/3 innings but surrendered three runs on seven hits to take the loss.