Tucker, Alvarez homer as Astros roll past Mets 9-1
NEW YORK » Kyle Tucker had a three-run homer and a stolen base, Yordan Alvarez hit his 23rd home run and Framber Valdez pitched a gem to lift the Houston Astros over the New York Mets 9-1 Tuesday night.
Alvarez reached base five times, Yuli Gurriel also homered and Alex Bregman had three hits as Houston beat the Mets for the third time in a week.
Valdez (8-3) allowed six hits over eight scoreless innings, striking out four and inducing a bevy of groundball outs.
Carlos Carrasco (84) had a second straight rocky outing against Houston, giving up six runs in 4 1/3 innings on six hits and three walks.
BRAVES 5, PHILLIES 3 » Matt Olson homered twice, Travis d’Arnaud also connected and Atlanta beat Philadelphia.
Olson had his second two-homer game this season and the 13th of his career. He broke a 3-all tie in the eighth with his second homer, driving an 86 mph slider from Andrew Bellatti (1-3) out to right.
A.J. Minter, filling in for injured closer Kenley Jansen, pitched a perfect ninth for first save in his third chance. Collin McHugh (1-1) tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.
Kyle Schwarber stayed red-hot in June with a home run for Philadelphia.
BLUE JAYS 6, RED SOX 5 » Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a game-ending single in the ninth inning to complete Toronto’s rally over Boston.
The Blue Jays trailed 5-4 when pinch-hitter Alejandro Kirk singled to begin the ninth against Tyler Danish (2-1). Hansel Robles gave up Bo Bichette’s tying RBI single, and Guerrero followed with his base hit. The blown save was Robles’ fifth.
Jordan Romano (2-2) worked the ninth as Toronto improved to 7-2 against the Red Sox.
Boston lost back-to-back games for the first time since May 30-31.
GUARDIANS 3, TWINS 2, GAME 1
TWINS 6, GUARDIANS 0, GAME 2 » Jorge Polanco drove in three runs in his first game back from the injured list and rookie Josh Winder pitched six stellar innings as Minnesota earned a day-night doubleheader split with a win over Cleveland.
Amed Rosario’s clutch two-run single in the eighth inning rallied Cleveland to a win in the opener, snapping the Guardians’ five-game losing streak.
BREWERS 5, RAYS 3 » Brandon Woodruff struck out 10
over five innings in his return from the injured list, Andrew McCutchen and Luis Urías homered during a four-run sixth, and Milwaukee beat Tampa Bay.
Woodruff (6-3) allowed one run and two hits.
Matt Wisler (2-2) replaced Tampa Bay starter Shane Baz with one on and two outs in the sixth, and it took eight pitches for the Brewers to turn a one-run deficit into to a 4-1 lead.
Josh Hader struck out the side in the ninth for his 23rd save in 24 chances.
CARDINALS 5, MARLINS 3 » Dylan Carlson drove in a pair of runs and the St. Louis bullpen held Miami scoreless over four innings.
Cardinals starter Dakota Hudson (6-4) went five-plus innings, allowing three runs. He was lifted after issuing a leadoff walk to Jorge Soler in the sixth.
Junior Fernández pitched two innings, Giovanny Gallegos worked the eighth and Ryan Helsley struck out the side in the ninth for his sixth save in eight opportunities.
The Cardinals knocked Braxton Garrett (1-3) out of the game during a fourrun fifth.
NATIONALS 3, PIRATES 1 » Patrick Corbin matched a career high with 12 strikeouts, Yadiel Hernandez delivered a go-ahead two-run double, and the Washington rallied in the eighth inning for the second straight game to beat Pittsburgh.
Corbin (4-10) allowed one run in eight innings for Washington, which has won three in a row and six of eight.
Pittsburgh has lost five in a row by a combined seven runs.
Hernandez came on to pinch-hit against former Washington prospect Wil Crowe (3-5) with two on and two outs in the eighth. Hernandez hit a shot over Diego Castillo in right, scoring both runners.
Tanner Rainey worked the ninth for his 11th save in 14 attempts.
RANGERS 8, ROYALS 3 » Marcus Semien homered and drove in four runs, Jon Gray pitched seven effective innings and Texas beat Kansas City.
Corey Seager hit a tworun double as the Rangers handed last-place Kansas City its fourth consecutive defeat. They’ve outscored the Royals 18-7 in the first two games of the series.
REDS 5, CUBS 3 » Luis Castillo struck out 11 over six shutout innings in his first win in a month, and Cincinnati beat Keegan Thompson and Chicago.
ROCKIES 7, DODGERS 4 » Randal Grichuk and Elias Diaz homered and Colorado continued to rough up Clayton Kershaw at Coors Field, beating the Dodgers.