Bieber tops Reds with record day
CINCINNATI — Shane Bieber kept up his record strikeout run, fanning 13 and pitching the Cleveland Indians past the Cincinnati Reds 6-3 on Sunday.
Bieber (2-1) became the first pitcher in big league history to begin the season with four straight starts with at least 10 strikeouts.
The AL Cy Young Award winner has 48 strikeouts this year, matching Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan for the most through the first four start of a season. Bieber has fanned at least eight in 16 straight starts, one short of Randy Johnson’s major league mark.
“I felt a little slow, a little sluggish at the beginning of the game but was able to get through it and kind of get on a roll there at the end,” Bieber said.
Bieber allowed three runs and six hits with two walks. “He’s the complete package as a pitcher,“Reds manager David Bell said. “He has it all. He deserves all the credit today. We got a few runs off him but not enough.”
Roberto Perez hit a three-run homer off Wade Miley (2-1) over the center-field wall with two on in the fourth inning for a 4-0 lead.
RAYS 4, YANKEES 2: Last-place New York lost its fifth straight game as Yoshi Tsutsugo hit a tiebreaking double off Gerrit Cole in the seventh inning that lifted visiting Tampa Bay to a three-game sweep.
PHILLIES 2, CARDINALS 0: Aaron Nola struck out 10 and threw a two-hitter for his first nine-inning shutout in the majors, leading host Philadelphia over St. Louis.
WHITE SOX SWEEP RED SOX: Tim Anderson homered on the game’s first pitch, Dallas Keuchel pitched five solid innings and visiting Chicago took the opener of a doubleheader 3-2. Yoan Mercedes homered and Nick Madrigal drove in two runs as Chicago took the second game 5-1.
RANGERS 1, ORIOLES 0 (10): Nate Lowe singled home Eli White with two outs and the bases loaded in the 10th inning, giving host Texas a victory over Baltimore.
ATHLETICS 3, TIGERS 2: Matt Olson scored from second base on a fielding error by Detroit third baseman Jeimer Candelario with two outs in the ninth inning, rallying host Oakland for its ninth straight win.
PADRES 5, DODGERS 2: Eric Hosmer’s single in the eighth inning drove in two runners to give host San Diego a victory over Los Angeles.
BRAVES 13, CUBS 4: Guillermo Heredia had a grand slam, two home runs and drove in six runs to power Atlanta to a rout of Chicago at Wrigley Field.
ROYALS 2, BLUE JAYS 0: Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning to lift host Kansas City over Toronto.
GIANTS 1, MARLINS 0: Alex Wood pitched five innings in his season debut and four relievers completed a three-hitter as San Francisco used an unearned run to win at Miami.
DIAMONDBACKS 5, NATIONALS 2: Madison Bumgarner allowed one run over five innings as Arizona beat host Washington after Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg was a late scratch. Strasburg was placed on the 10-day injured list before first pitch with right shoulder inflammation.
PIRATES 6, BREWERS 5 (10): Colin Moran doubled home the go-ahead run in the 10th inning and also hit a three-run homer as Pittsburgh won at Milwaukee.
METS 2, ROCKIES 1: Marcus Stroman pitched eight innings of one-run ball and New York won at Denver.