Tucker, Astros beat Rangers after a duel
ARLINGTON, TEXAS >> Kyle Tucker hit a tiebreaking pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning and the Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 3-2 in a series finale that began as an impressive duel between starting pitchers.
Tucker's two-run blast came off Matt Bush (0-1), the first reliever for Texas after left-hander Martin Perez took a perfect game into the seventh inning before giving up his only run.
Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander (2-1) struck out eight and allowed one run over seven innings in only his fourth start since Tommy John surgery. The right-hander threw 64 of 91 pitches for strikes and didn't have a walk while lowering his season ERA to 1.73.
Blake Taylor pitched a perfect eighth for the Astros. Rafael Montero then worked the ninth with usual closer Ryan Pressly still on the injured list and got his first save despite Corey Seager's oneout homer to straightaway center.
Perez retired the first 18 batters he faced before Chas McCormick lined a double into the right-center gap on a full-count pitch leading off the seventh. The lefty got out two more batters out before Yordan Alvarez lined an opposite-field single to left to drive in McCormick.
BRAVES 5, CUBS 1 >> Ronald Acuña Jr. went 1 for 5 with two stolen bases in his return to the Braves lineup and Kyle Wright turned in another stellar performance, giving Atlanta its first series win of the season with a victory over Chicago.
Wright (3-0) pitched three-hit ball over a career-high seven innings as the World Series champion Braves, off to a sluggish start, made it two of three over the Cubs.
Austin Riley and Dansby Swanson hit solo homers off former Braves pitcher Drew Smyly (12), while Adam Duvall provided some insurance with a two-run shot against Ethan Roberts in the eighth.
YANKEES 10, ORIOLES 5 >> Aaron Judge hit a long three-run homer moments after Baltimore committed its fifth error of the game, and surging New York beat the sloppy Orioles.
Judge hit his fifth homer two batters after shortstop Jorge Mateo committed his second error by misplaying DJ LeMahieu's grounder. After Tim Locastro scored on a wild pitch by Paul Fry, Judge blasted a slider into the left-center field seats.
Marwin Gonzalez had an RBI double, and Judge hit a tying single off Baltimore starter Bruce Zimmermann (1-1).
Giancarlo Stanton added an RBI single as the Yankees won their sixth straight and for the eighth time in nine game. Miguel Castro (2-0) escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth.
BLUE JAYS 1, RED SOX 0 >> Alek Manoah struck out seven and pitched threehit ball over seven innings, and Toronto beat Boston.
The 24-year-old Manoah (4-0) walked only one batter as the Blue Jays took three of four from their AL East rival.
RAYS 2, MARINERS 1 >> Brett Phillips bounced a tiebreaking single off pitcher Chris Flexen's leg in the seventh inning and Tampa Bay beat Seattle.
PHILLIES 7, ROCKIES 1 >> Zack Wheeler tossed onehit ball over six shutout innings and Alec Bohm homered to help Philadelphia complete a four-game sweep of Colorado.
TWINS 7, TIGERS 1 >> Carlos Correa broke out of a slump with three hits and three RBIs and Minnesota completed a three-game sweep of Detroit.
CARDINALS 8, DIAMONDBACKS 3 >> Dakota Hudson pitched six shutout innings, Paul Goldschmidt drove in three runs and St. Louis beat Arizona.
ANGELS 4, GUARDIANS 1 >> Taylor Ward drove in two runs, Brandon Marsh had three hits and an RBI, and Los Angeles completed a four-game sweep of Cleveland, which has lost seven straight.
PADRES 7, REDS 5 >> HaSeong Kim hit a tiebreaking, three-run double in the sixth inning and San Diego beat Cincinnati to complete a season sweep in the series.
ROYALS 5, WHITE SOX 2, 10 INNINGS >> Rookie Kyle Isbel hit a two-run single in Kansas City's three-run 10th, and the Royals beat Chicago.
BREWERS 3, PIRATES 2 >> Andrew McCutchen hit a go-ahead two-run single in the top of the ninth inning to rally Milwaukee past Pittsburgh to complete a three-game sweep.
McCutchen, a five-time All-Star in Pittsburgh, began the game with a leadoff home run — his first at PNC Park as a visitor — before delivering a single to right field off closer Chris Stratton (0-1) in the final frame.
MARLINS 3, NATIONALS 2 >> Trevor Rogers provided his longest outing of the season by allowing one run in six innings, and Miami stretched its winning streak to five games and completed a sweep of Washington.