Betts’ double carries Red Sox to win
BOSTON — Mookie Betts lined a two-run double off the left-field wall with two outs in the ninth inning, capping a three-run rally that lifted the Boston Red Sox over the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 Wednesday night.
Xander Bogaerts hit a solo homer for the AL East-leading Red Sox, who won for the 12th time in 14 games and maintained their 4½-game lead over the second-place New York Yankees.
Kolten Wong had three hits, including an RBI single in St. Louis’ four-run second inning. It was just the third loss in 11 games for the Cardinals, who were swept in the twogame series, their first visit to Fenway Park since losing the 2013 World Series.
Trevor Rosenthal gave up Bogaerts’ homer into the Green Monster seats in the ninth. Zach Duke (0-1) struck out a batter and walked one before John Brebbia gave up Betts’ hit.
MARLINS 8, GIANTS 1
In Miami, Giancarlo Stanton’s homer streak ended, but he got two hits and helped the Marlins beat San Francisco.
Stanton had homered in a team-record six consecutive games and leads the majors with 44. The major league record for the longest home run streak is eight games.
Matt Cain (3-10) fell to 0-9 in his past 13 starts.
RANGERS 12, TIGERS 6
In Arlington, Texas, Elvis Andrus had the go-ahead home run among his four RBIs, Cole Hamels won again despite a shaky outing and the Rangers swept a three-game series from Detroit.
Ian Kinsler led off the game with a homer for Detroit, then after taking his position at second base in the bottom of the first received an onfield handshake from the longtime umpire who he said should get another job.
A day after Kinsler’s harsh and extended criticism of Angel Hernandez, the umpire was working second base for the series finale. Kinsler was ejected from the opener Monday when questioning balls and strikes during the middle of an at-bat while Hernandez worked behind the plate, and the second baseman lashed out the following day.
CUBS 7, REDS 6
In Chicago, Anthony Rizzo hit a grand slam in the first inning and Javier Baez scored on a wild pitch in the ninth as the Cubs beat Cincinnati.
Baez opened the bottom of the ninth with a double off Wandy Peralta (3-3) and pinch-hitter Jon Jay walked.
Then, Ben Zobrist moved the runners with a groundout.
Reliever Blake Wood came in and struck out Albert Almora Jr. With two outs and Kris Bryant batting, Wood threw a breaking pitch that got away from catcher Tucker Barnhart for the game winner.
ANGELS 3, NATIONALS 2
In Washington, Luis Valbuena and Kole Calhoun homered, Ricky Nolasco bounced back from a rocky first inning before exiting with an injury and Los Angeles split the two-game series with NL East-leading Nationals.
The Angels won for the seventh time in eight games. Tanner Roark (9-8) allowed four hits in seven innings for Washington, but was done in by the two home runs.
YANKEES 5, METS 3
In New York, Aaron Judge launched a titanic homer, Didi Gregorius snapped a seventh-inning tie with a two-run double and the NYankees beat the Mets for their third straight victory in the Subway Series.
Judge enjoyed his first game at Citi Field, hitting a solo drive into the rarely reached third deck in left.
Mets left fielder Yoenis Cespedes never even budged as Judge’s AL-leading 37th home run, projected at 457 feet, soared way over his head.
BREWERS 7, PIRATES 6
In Milwaukee, Manny Pina hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning to lift the Brewers over Pittsburgh.
Keon Broxton homered twice and Neil Walker and Travis Shaw also went deep as the Brewers completed a sweep of the two-game series with their fourth straight win after an extended offensive slump.
BLUE JAYS 3, RAYS 2
In Toronto, Marcus Stroman pitched 6⅓ innings, Steve Pearce homered and scored twice and the Blue Jays beat Tampa Bay.
Stroman (11-6) allowed two runs and six hits to beat the Rays for the first time in five career meetings at Rogers Centre. The right-hander entered 0-3 with a 6.38 ERA in four home starts against the AL East rivals.
Roberto Osuna pitched around a leadoff single in the ninth for his 31st save in 38 chances.
ASTROS 9, DIAMONDBACKS 5
In Houston, Josh Reddick hit a two-run homer in a four-run eighth inning as the Astros defeated Arizona.
Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer and J.D. Martinez followed with a home run as the Diamondbacks pulled within 5-4 in the eighth.
Morton (10-5) gave up one run and three hits in 6⅓ innings, striking out nine.
MARINERS 7, ORIOLES 6
In Seattle, recently acquired Yonder Alonso hit his first homer for the Mariners and drove in three runs, and Marc Rzepczynski struck out Chris Davis with the bases loaded to end a win over Baltimore.
Alonso, acquired in a trade with Oakland on Aug. 6, hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning, his 23rd of the season. He added an RBI single during a three-run fifth and also singled in the seventh.
Leonys Martin opened the sixth with his third home run to put Seattle up 7-4.
ROYALS 7, ATHLETICS 6
In Oakland, Calif., Alex Gordon hit a go-ahead single in the ninth inning and Kansas City topped the Athletics.
Alcides Escobar doubled to start the ninth against Blake Treinen (1-1), matching his season high with three hits. Then Gordon delivered his second run-scoring single of the series finale.
Oakland’s Matt Chapman hit a tying two-run homer in the eighth against Brandon Maurer (1-1), who wound up the winner.
PADRES 3, PHILLIES 0
In San Diego, Clayton Richard pitched a three-hitter for his first shutout since 2012 and Wil Myers stole three bases in an inning as the Padres completed a three-game sweep of Philadelphia.
Richard (6-12) struck out six and walked one and ended his four-game losing streak.
Nick Pivetta (4-8) struck out nine of the first 10 batters, and fanned a career-high 11 in fiveplus innings.
Myers, who has scuffled since the All-Star break, reached base four times. He became the first player since the Marlins’ Dee Gordon in 2011 to swipe second, third and home in an inning and the first ever Padre to do so.
ROCKIES 17, BRAVES 2
In Denver, Trevor Story had two homers and a career-high six RBIs, Jon Gray pitched six strong innings and Colorado routed Atlanta.
Mark Reynolds also homered and drove in four runs, and DJ LeMahieu had a double and RBI single in his fifth four-hit game of the season for the Rockies.
Gerardo Parra added three hits and four RBIs for Colorado.
PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE
CHIHUAHUAS 2, ISOTOPES 1
In El Paso, Christian Villanueva hit a runscoring double in the sixth inning, leading the Chihuahuas to a 2-1 win over the Albuquerque Isotopes.
Buddy Baumann struck Rosell Herrera out with runners on first and third to end the game for his first save of the season.
The double by Villanueva, part of a two-run inning, tied the game 1-1 before Diego Goris hit a sacrifice fly later in the inning.
In the top of the fourth, Albuquerque grabbed the lead on a solo home run by Jordan Patterson.
El Paso right-hander Kyle Lloyd (1-3) picked up a quality start and the win after allowing one run on eight hits over 6⅔ innings.
Opposing starter Sam Howard (4-3) took the tough loss in the Pacific Coast League game after giving up two runs and four hits over six innings.