Scherzer returns; Nats stay on a roll
PITTSBURGH — Max Scherzer pitched four innings in his return from the injured list, giving up one run as the Washington Nationals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-1 on Thursday night.
Scherzer allowed four hits, struck out three and walked one. The three-time Cy Young Award winner was put on the IL on July 26 with a strain in his upper back — a day earlier, he made his first start since being on the injured list with a back issue.
The Nationals hadn’t set a pitch count for Scherzer in this game but said they would closely monitor him. He threw 71 pitches, 48 for strikes.
Anthony Rendon and Howie Kendrick homered for Washington, which leads the NL wild-card race and won for the ninth time in 11 games.
RAYS 5, ORIOLES 2: Baltimore set the major league record for home runs allowed in a season, giving up drives to Austin Meadows and Willy Adames in a rain-delayed, loss to visiting Tampa Bay that ended shortly before 1 a.m. Friday. Meadows hit the recordsetting 259th home run off Baltimore this year — the last-place Orioles began the day tied with the 2016 Cincinnati Reds for the dubious mark.
RED SOX 5, ROYALS 4: Brock Holt hit an RBI single with one out in the 10th inning as host Boston beat Kansas City to complete the weather-suspended game that began Aug. 7. The original contest was halted after a 1 hour, 49 minute-rain delay early on Aug. 8 with the score tied 4-4 and nobody out in the top of the 10th.
CUBS 1, GIANTS 0: Kyle Hendricks pitched seven sharp innings, and Chicago won despite getting only two hits, edging San Francisco at Wrigley Field for its fifth straight victory.
BRAVES 3, MARLINS 2: Ronald Acuna Jr. hit an RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning and host Atlanta won its fifth straight game, finishing off Miami.
WHITE SOX 6, RANGERS 1: Yoan Moncada lined a tworun homer his return from the injured list, Ross Detwiler struck out eight, and Chicago beat visiting Texas.
CARDINALS 6, ROCKIES 5: Marcell Ozuna, Paul DeJong and Dexter Fowler each hit two-run homers, and St. Louis came back to beat visiting Colorado.
METS 2, INDIANS 0: Noah Syndergaard retired the first 16 hitters and allowed two hits over six dominant innings before a heavy storm interrupted him, and host New York beat Cleveland in a rain-shortened game for its fifth straight win.
ATHLETICS 5, YANKEES 3: Tanner Roark struck out seven over six-plus innings, New York starter Masahiro Tanaka struggled early, and Oakland beat visiting New York for a three-game series sweep.
DODGERS 3, BLUE JAYS 2: Enrique Hernandez hit an RBI single to cap a three-run ninth as Los Angeles rallied to beat visiting Toronto.