Goldschmidt slams Cubs pitchers
CHICAGO — Paul Goldschmidt hit his third long homer of the game to snap a ninth-inning tie, and the Arizona Diamondbacks pulled out a rain-delayed 10-8 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.
Goldschmidt drove a 3-2 pitch from Wade Davis (2-1) deep into the right-center bleachers with one out. J.D. Martinez followed with another solo drive off the All-Star closer.
Goldschmidt’s first career three-homer game gave him 25 for the season, and his six RBIs matched a career high.
Brandon Drury also homered for Arizona, who remained percentage points ahead of Colorado for the top NL wild card.
The Cubs’ NL Central lead over Milwaukee slipped to 1½ games.
Jose Quintana was hit hard in his fourth start with the Cubs.
INDIANS 5, YANKEES 1
In Cleveland, Corey Kluber upstaged Sonny Gray’s debut for the Yankees by pitching a threehitter and leading the Indians to a win over the sloppy Yankees.
Kluber (9-3) struck out 11 and Cleveland’s ace threw his third complete game this season as the defending AL champions won the opener of a four-game series with a potential playoff opponent, ending their losing streak at three.
For five innings, Gray (6-6) was nearly as good as Kluber, but New York made three errors in the first behind the right-hander, who was acquired at Monday’s trade deadline from Oakland.
The Yankees sat struggling slugger Aaron Judge. The major league home run leader is batting .164 (11 of 67) with 29 strikeouts since the All-Star break.
ROCKIES 5, METS 4
In Denver, Nolan Arenado walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Rockies a win over New York.
Charlie Blackmon and Mark Reynolds homered for the Rockies, who maintained a 5½-game lead over Milwaukee for the second NL wild card.
Mets reliever Hansel Robles (6-3) began the ninth by hitting Jonathan Lucroy with a pitch. After a sacrifice by Pat Valaika, Blackmon was intentionally walked and DJ LeMahieu loaded the bases with another walk.
Robles got Arenado down 0-2 but the All-Star third baseman worked the count full. Robles sent his last pitch to the backstop behind home plate, bringing in Lucroy with the winning run.
BREWERS 2, CARDINALS 1
In Milwaukee, Keon Broxton drove in the go-ahead run and saved one with a leaping catch, Matt Garza made a strong start in his return from the disabled list, and the Brewers edged St. Louis.
Broxton, who robbed Jose Martinez of a homer in the second inning, gave the Brewers a 2-1 lead with a single in the fifth off reliever Brett Cecil (1-4).
Garza (5-5), making his first start since July 21 because of a right leg strain, allowed one run and four hits in 5⅔ innings to give Milwaukee its first home series win over St. Louis since July 2012. The Brewers won for just the fifth time in their last 17 games.
REDS 6, PIRATES 0
In Pittsburgh, Chad Kuhl permitted four hits in seven efficient innings, Starling Marte went 3 for 4 and scored three times, and the Pirates had little trouble with Cincinnati.
Kuhl (4-7) struck out six and walked two as the Pirates beat the last-place Reds for only the second time in 10 tries this season. David Freese went 3 for 4 with two RBIs for Pittsburgh. Andrew McCutchen also drove in a pair of runs. John Jaso’s pinch-hit single in the seventh ended an 0-for-34 skid.