Upton powers streaking Braves
PITTSBURGH — Manager Fredi Gonzalez has seen this before. Every summer it seems.
There will come a time during the season when something clicks in Justin Upton and all the rest of the Braves have to do is hop on and enjoy the ride. Like now, for example. Upton went 2-for-4 with five RBIs in Atlanta’s 11-3 thrashing of reeling Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. The Braves have won five straight and are 7-3 during Upton’s current 10-game hitting streak.
“He gets hot and he can carry us,” Gonzalez said. “He’s done that a few months so it’s nice to have that big bat right behind (Freddie) Freeman, who is starting to roll the pole a little bit also.”
Upton’s 24th homer came with two on and broke things open in the third inning. He added a two-run single in the fifth as the Braves extended Pittsburgh’s losing streak to a season-high seven games while spoiling Andrew McCutchen’s return.
McCutchen, the reigning National League MVP, went 0-for-4 in his first game back after missing two weeks with fractured cartilage in his ribs. ORIOLES 5, WHITE SOX 1
Nick Hundley homered in support of Chris Tillman, who threw eight strong innings as Baltimore won at Chicago.
Tillman’s lone mistake came in the first when he allowed Jose Abreu’s 32nd home run, tying the Orioles’ Nelson Cruz and Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton for the MLB lead. ROYALS 7, ROCKIES 4
Omar Infante had three doubles and four RBIs to help the Kansas City win at Colorado for its 21st victory in its last 26 games. NATIONALS 8, D-BACKS 1
After three straight walkoffs, Washington went for a cakewalk instead, scoring six runs in the third inning as it extended its winning streak to eight games with home win over lowly Arizona. ANGELS 4, RED SOX 3
Chris Iannetta hit his second double of the game, a tiebreaking drive in the ninth inning off Boston closer Koji Uehara that sent Los Angeles to a victory at Fenway Park. MARINERS 5, PHILLIES 2
Hisashi Iwakuma struck out a season-high 11 in eight scoreless innings, and Kyle Seager homered to lead Seattle to a win at Philadelphia. BREWERS 6, BLUE JAYS 1
Mike Fiers pitched seven dominant innings, retiring the final 18 batters he faced, as Milwaukee topped Toronto at home. CARDINALS 5, REDS 4
Jon Jay was hit by a pitch from J.J. Hoover with the base-loaded in the ninth inning, lifting St. Louis to a walk-off win over Cincinnati. TIGERS 8, RAYS 6
Victor Martinez drew a tiebreaking bases-loaded walk during a three-run 11th inning as Detroit won at Tampa Bay. MARLINS 4, RANGERS 3
Giancarlo Stanton hit an RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift Miami past Texas. INDIANS 7, TWINS 5
Rookie pinch hitter Tyler Holt hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning in Cleveland’s win at Minnesota.