A roundup of Tuesday’s baseball games.
CHICAGO — Jose Ramirez hit two more homers, Austin Jackson also connected and the Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago White Sox 9-4 on Tuesday night for their 13th straight victory, the longest run by a major league team this season.
Danny Salazar got just two outs in his return from right elbow inflammation, but Cleveland’s deep bullpen took over from there. Seven relievers combined for 8⅓ scoreless innings as the Indians moved within one of their franchise-record 14-game win streak last year.
Jackson and Ramirez hit backto-back homers during a threerun first against David Holmberg (2-4). Ramirez added another solo shot in the second, and the AL Central leaders went ahead to stay on Greg Allen’s tiebreaking, two-run double in the third. Yan Gomes tacked on a three-run shot in the ninth.
PIRATES 4, CUBS 3
In Pittsburgh, Max Moroff and David Freese each hit an RBI single off Carl Edwards Jr. in the eighth inning as Pittsburgh rallied past Chicago.
Pinch-hitter John Jaso led off the eighth with a walk and scored when Moroff hit a bloop single off Edwards (3-4) to tie the game. Freese drove home Moroff three batters later after the Cubs intentionally walked rookie Josh Bell.
Jordan Luplow hit the second home run of his career for Pittsburgh. Wade LeBlanc (5-2) earned the win in relief. Felipe Rivero worked a perfect ninth for his 18th save. The Pirates ran their winning streak to four on the same day the club announced contract extensions for manager Clint Hurdle and general manager Neal Huntington.
REDS 9, BREWERS 3
In Cincinnati, Robert Stephenson escaped threats while pitching into the seventh, and Scooter Gennett hit a three-run homer during Cincinnati’s five-run rally in the bottom of the inning against Milwaukee.
The last-place Reds have taken the first two games in the series from Milwaukee, which is trying to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2011. The Brewers remained 3½ games behind Chicago in the NL Central. They also trail Arizona and Colorado in the wild-card race.
Stephenson (4-4) wriggled out of a bases-loaded, none-out threat in the fourth inning, fanning the next three. The Reds turned three double plays behind the rookie to scuttle rallies.
NATIONALS 2, MARLINS 1
In Miami, Stephen Strasburg pitched six solid innings to help Washington edge Miami.
Daniel Murphy hit his 22nd homer and Pedro Severino also drove in a run for the Nationals, who have won seven straight against the Marlins.
RAYS 2, TWINS 1
In St. Petersburg, Fla., Jake Odorizzi took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in front of a tiny home crowd, and Tampa Bay topped Minnesota.
Lucas Duda homered off Bartolo Colon (6-11) and hit an RBI double for the Rays (70-70), who moved within two games of Minnesota for the second AL wild card.
ROCKIES 9, GIANTS 6
In Denver, Trevor Story homered and Colorado beat San Francisco for its 10th straight win over the Giants at Coors Field.
The Rockies held off a late rally by San Francisco to increase their lead to 2½ games over Milwaukee for the second NL wild card. Nolan Arenado doubled in a four-run sixth for his 112th RBI, tying Miami slugger Giancarlo Stanton for most in the majors.
TIGERS 13, ROYALS 2
In Detroit, JaCoby Jones and John Hicks each hit two of Detroit’s six homers in a rout of Kansas City.
Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez threw only five pitches and was knocked out of the game in the first inning after getting hit in the right leg by Whit Merrifield’s single. Sanchez exited with a bruised calf.
PHILLIES 9, METS 1
In New York, Ben Lively homered and drove in four runs off Mets ace Jacob deGrom, and also pitched seven strong innings to lead Philadelphia over New York.
A day after falling behind the Mets 10-0 by the fourth inning, it was the Phillies’ turn to answer back.