Choo’s homer sets mark, lifts Rangers over Royals

RANGERS 4, ROYALS 3 (10)

ARLINGTON, Texas — Shin-Soo Choo became the top major league home run hitter born in Asia, connecting for a leadoff drive in the 10th inning that lifted the Texas Rangers over the Kansas City Royals 4-3 Saturday.

Choo's 176th career homer moved him past Hideki Matsui for the most by an Asian player.

Choo hit a 3-1 pitch from Kevin McCarthy (3-2) for his eight home run this year. It was his third career walk-off homer and first in five seasons with the Rangers.

Alex Claudio (3-2) got the win by working the 10th.

Bartolo Colon, pitching two days after his 45th birthday, gave up five hits in seven innings for Texas. He remained stuck on 242 career wins and will have to wait at least one more start to tie Juan Marichal for most wins by a native of the Dominican Republic.

In 97-degree heat, Colon allowed four hits during a three-run third. He gave up just two runners over the other six innings and struck out four.

After falling behind 3-0, the Rangers tied it with single runs in the third, fourth and sixth. Ronald Guzman, who had homered in his previous four starts for Texas, tied it with an RBI double.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa had an RBI single in the third, and Joey Gallo doubled in a run in the fourth, just missing a homer when the ball hit high up on the right-center-field wall.

The Royals did their only damage against Colon by getting to him

early in counts in the third. After Hunter Dozier beat out an infield single, Alcides Escobar and Jon Jay each singled on the first pitch they saw, scoring one run.

Whit Merrifield then hit a 1-0 pitch into the left-field corner for a two-run double.

Royals starter Ian Kennedy gave up five hits and two runs in five innings and hasn't won since April 7, a stretch of nine consecutive starts. Guzman's tying hit came off reliever Brad Keller.

INDIANS 8, ASTROS 6

Yonder Alonso, Jason Kipnis and Edwin Encarnacion each hit tworun homers, and Cleveland’s beleaguered bullpen hung on as the Indians defeated the Houston Astros. Michael Brantley added a solo homer and the Indians needed every bit of the power display to end Houston’s five-game winning streak. Andrew Miller was placed on the 10-day disabled list with inflammation in his right knee before the game, leaving a major hole in the AL’s worst bullpen.

NATIONAL LEAGUE CARDINALS 4, PIRATES 1 Jack Flaherty

pitched six crisp innings and Matt Carpenter homered, leading St. Louis to the road win. Flaherty (2-1) gave up Starling Marte’s long home run in the first but settled down quickly. The rookie allowed four hits, struck out four and walked two. Bud Norris worked a perfect ninth for his 10th save.

INTERLEAGUE RED SOX 8, BRAVES 6

Andrew Benintendi homered and drove in three runs, helping the Boston Red Sox beat the Atlanta Braves. The AL East-leading Red Sox celebrated the return of Dustin Pedroia with their sixth win in seven games. Mitch Moreland had a key two-run double, Steven Wright (1-0) pitched three scoreless innings, and Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his 16th save.

PHILLIES 2, BLUE JAYS 1

Aaron Nola took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, Nick Williams hit his third pinch-hit homer in the eighth and the Phillies moved into first in the NL East. Nola did not allow a hit until Russell Martin’s tying RBI single with two out in the seventh. He struck out 10 and walked three while throwing 113 pitches, matching a career high.