Verlander stars as Astros blank Mets
NEW YORK » Justin Verlander pitched two-hit ball for eight innings, Jason Castro lined a two-run homer in the ninth and the Houston Astros beat the Mets 2-0 Wednesday 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.
DODGERS 8, ROCKIES 4 » Freddie Freeman, Will Smith and Cody Bellinger homered, and the Dodgers took advantage of Germán Márquez’s struggles and early injury exit to beat Colorado.
Trea Turner added a two-run double and Julio Urías pitched into the sixth inning as the Dodgers avoided a three-game sweep against their surprising nemesis. The lastplace Rockies had been 4-1 against the NL West leaders.
Márquez (4-6) left with an apparent injury to his throwing hand with one out in the fourth after allowing five runs and five hits, including Freeman’s 446-foot solo drive to center in the first that extended his hitting streak to 13 games.
PIRATES 8, NATIONALS 7 » Bryan Reynolds hit a career-high three homers and drove in six runs, leading Pittsburgh to the win.
The Pirates ended a fivegame 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.
BREWERS 5, RAYS 3 » 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-theshoulder 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.
ROYALS 2, RANGERS 1 » Zack Greinke pitched six innings of one-run ball in his 500th career start, helping the Royals avoid a three-game sweep.
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 history to start 500 games, and the only active pitcher to reach that milestone. Scott Barlow worked a perfect ninth for his 10th save in 12 chances.
Leody Taveras homered for Texas. Dane Dunning (1-6) yielded two runs and six hits in six innings.
BRAVES 4, PHILLIES 1 » Adam Duvall homered, Kyle Wright tossed seven sharp innings and Atlanta kept rolling this month, beating Philadelphia.
The Braves improved to 21-5 in June, matching the team record for most wins in a calendar month since the club moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta in 1966. They’ll try to set a new mark when they go for a three-game sweep on Thursday night.
PADRES 4, DIAMONDBACKS 0 »
Mike Clevinger outpitched Madison Bumgarner by throwing one-hit ball for six innings in his longest outing of the year, leading San Diego over Arizona.
Jake Cronenworth broke out of an 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 threw three innings for his second save.
Bumgarner (3-8) allowed one run and four hits in five innings.
MARINERS 9, ORIOLES 3 » Julio Rodríguez hit his 12th home run of the season as part of Seattle’s sixrun fourth inning, and the Mariners beat Baltimore for their seventh win in nine games.
The Mariners took two of three from the Orioles and continued a stretch of good baseball after a 5-1 road trip last week.
Chris Flexen (4-8) permitted three runs in six innings.
GUARDIANS 7, TWINS 6 (10 INNINGS) » Josh Naylor hit a two-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning, completing a four-run rally that gave Cleveland a victory over Minnesota.
MARLINS 4, CARDINALS 3 » Avisaíl García hit a tworun home run in the ninth inning and Sandy Alcantara pitched a complete game, lifting Miami to a victory over St. Louis.
RED SOX 6, BLUE JAYS 5 (10 INNINGS) » J.D. Martinez drove in the tiebreaking run when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the 10th inning and Boston beat Toronto Blue, avoiding a threegame sweep.
CUBS 8, REDS 3 » Willson Contreras homered, Christopher Morel also went deep and nailed a runner at the plate with a terrific throw from center field, and Chicago beat Cincinnati.