Verlander's pitching, Castro's blast lead Astros over Mets
Justin Verlander pitched two-hit ball for eight innings, light-hitting backup catcher Jason Castro lined a two-run homer in the ninth and the Houston Astros beat the host Mets 2-0 Wednesday to send New York to its first three-game losing streak this season.
Verlander (10-3) became the major leagues' first 10game winner, striking out six and walking one. The 39-year-old right-hander has a 2.03 ERA this year in his return from Tommy John surgery.
Ryan Pressly pitched a perfect ninth for his 16th save in 19 chances.
Taijuan Walker allowed four hits in a season-high 7 1/3 innings with three strikeouts and two walks.
Castro began the day hitting .095 with one RBI in 74 at-bats. Kyle Tucker singled off Drew Smith (1-2) leading off the ninth, and with two outs Castro drove a slider into the right-field seats. PIRATES 8, NATIONALS 7 » Bryan Reynolds hit a career-high three homers and drove in six runs, leading Pittsburgh to a victory at Washington that ended a five-game losing streak.
Reynolds had a two-run homer in the first inning off Paolo Espino and a solo drive in the sixth off Carl Edwards Jr. (2-2).
Edwards exited with two runners on base in the seventh, giving way to Kyle Finnegan.
Reynolds launched Finnegan's elevated sinker into the visitors' bullpen in left-center for a three-run homer that put the Pirates up 8-6. Prior to that shot, Pittsburgh was 0 for 15 with runners in scoring position in the series.
Reynolds struck out swinging in the ninth when he came up with a chance to tie the major league record of four homers in a game. PADRES 4, DIAMONDBACKS 0 » Mike Clevinger outpitched Madison Bumgarner by throwing one-hit ball for six innings, leading San Diego over host Arizona.
Jake Cronenworth broke out of a 0-for-26 skid with two doubles and a single, driving in two runs and scoring once.
Clevinger (2-0) struck out six and walked one.
Bumgarner (3-8) allowed one run and four hits in five innings.
YANKEES 5, ATHLETICS 3 » Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton homered to fuel New York's major leaguebest 24th comeback victory, bailing out Jameson Taillon in a win over Oakland at Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees completed a three-game sweep of baseball's worst team and improved to 56-20, matching the 2001 Mariners and 1998 Yankees for baseball's best 76-game start since 1930.
Taillon gave up three runs in the first inning, but Judge countered with a two-run drive in the first and Stanton hit a three-run homer in the third against Cole Irvin.
The Yankees are 25-1 when Judge and Stanton homer in the same game, including 9-0 this season.
Taillon (9-1) grinded through five innings, and Clay Holmes pitched the ninth for his 14th save. TIGERS 3, GIANTS 2 » Eric Haase hit a two-run homer to break a 1-all tie in the sixth and visiting Detroit held on to beat San Francisco.
Miguel Cabrera also drove in a run for the Tigers, who improved their league-worst road record to 11-23.
Rony García (3-2) won his third consecutive start for Detroit, allowing one run on four hits with four strikeouts in five innings.
Giants starter Alex Wood (5-7) fanned six in 5 2/3 innings but surrendered three runs on seven hits.
MARLINS 4, CARDINALS 3 » Avisaíl García hit a two-run home run in the ninth and Sandy Alcantara pitched a complete game, lifting Miami to a victory at St. Louis.
With two outs, García hit the first pitch he saw from Ryan Helsley (3-1 ) 411 feet over the wall in center field.
Alcantara (8-3) gave up seven hits and three runs in his second complete game of the season.
With runners on first and second in the ninth, Alcantara got out of the jam by getting Edmundo Sosa to hit into a game-ending double play.
Rookie Andre Pallante pitched seven innings for the Cardinals, allowing two runs and five hits.
GUARDIANS 7, TWINS 6, 10 INNINGS » Josh Naylor hit a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the 10th, completing a four-run rally that gave Cleveland a victory over Minnesota.
Amed Rosario began the comeback with a oneout double off closer Emilio Pagán that scored automatic runner Richie Palacios, prompting the Twins to bring in Jharel Cotton (2-2).
A passed ball by Ryan Jeffers scored Steven Kwan, and Cotton retired José Ramírez before Naylor drove his first gameending homer onto the left field porch.
Minnesota had taken a 6-3 lead in the top of the 10th on an RBI pinch-single from Carlos Correa and a two-run homer by Max Kepler off Eli Morgan (4-2). ROYALS 2, RANGERS 1 » Zach Greinke allowed one run on four hits, helping Kansas City beat visiting Texas.
Greinke (2-4) made his 500th career start, the 48th pitcher in MLB history to do so, and went six innings. RED SOX 6, BLUE JAYS 5, 10 INNINGS » J.D. Martinez drove in the tiebreaking run when he was hit in the back by a David Phelps pitch with the bases loaded in the 10th and Boston won at Toronto, avoiding a threegame sweep.
Alex Verdugo hit a tworun homer and had four RBIs for the Red Sox.