Votto keeps Reds on pace
Joey Votto hit a threerun homer and Tyler Mahle tossed seven shutout innings to lead the visiting Cincinnati Reds to a 6-1 win Friday night against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Nick Castellanos added a solo homer and Eugenio Suarez hit a two-run shot for the Reds (63-54), who trail Milwaukee by 7½ games in the NL Central, even though they have a better record than the Phillies. The Phillies (6056) started the night in first place in the NL East.
Mahle (10-3) allowed three hits and walked none in his second win in a row. Michael Lorenzen worked the eighth and Heath Hembree gave up a run in the ninth.
With the Phillies chasing their first postseason appearance since 2011, Zack Wheeler (10-7) stumbled on a steamy night. The ace right-hander threw a two-hit shutout in his previous start against New York.
Tyler Naquin led off the fourth with a single and Wheeler plunked Castellanos.
Votto’s second-half revival continued when his 26th homer of the season landed in the bullpen for a 3-0 lead. Votto moved into second in the NL in home runs and became just the third player 37 years old or older to have at least one 22-game span with 15plus home runs.
Votto has 1,998 hits and trails only four players on the Reds’ career hits list. He is three homers shy of matching Frank Robinson for second on the team’s career list with 324.
Votto’s 2,000th career hit will make him only the second player (Billy Williams, Cubs, 1971) to reach that milestone the same season he also recorded his 300th home run and 1,000th RBI.
Other games
Cardinals 6, Royals 0: Right-handed ace Jack Flaherty was activated from the 60-day injured list and started against Kansas City at Kauffman Stadium. Flaherty went six shutout innings striking out five as visiting St. Louis defeated the Royals. Flaherty had not pitched since suffering a left oblique strain at the end of May.
Red Sox 8, Orioles 1: Kyle Schwarber scored twice in his debut for Boston and his new teammates delivered three home runs to lift the host Red Sox past slumping Baltimore. Xander Bogaerts, Bobby Dalbec and Hunter Renfroe each homered for the Red Sox, who are trying to snap out of a funk that knocked them five games back in the AL East.
Indians 7, Tigers 4: Cleveland rookie Ernie Clement hit the first two homers of his career while Miguel Cabrera stayed one drive short of No. 500 as visiting Cleveland beat Detroit. Cabrera went 0 for 4, leaving him at 499 career home runs and disappointing a crowd of 22,107. Most fans were crammed into the outfield seats at Comerica Park where the milestone drive might land.
Rangers 8, Athletics 6: Yohel Pozo and DJ Peters homered and reliever Dennis Santana got the win as Texas defeated visiting Oakland in the AL West.Pozo and Peters each had three RBIs in the win.