Stanton, Judge lead Yanks past Red Sox for 16-1 stretch
NEW YORK — Giancarlo Stanton homered twice, Aaron Judge hit a tiebreaking single off Yankees enemy Joe Kelly and New York edged the rival Boston Red Sox 3-2 on Tuesday night for its 16th victory in 17 games.
In the opener of a three-game showdown between baseball’s top two teams, Luis Severino struck out 11 during a tight pitching duel with Red Sox lefty Drew Pomeranz. Judge cut down a runner at second base with a pinpoint throw from right field, and the steamrolling Yankees — on their best 17-game run in 65 years — won their seventh straight to tie Boston for first place in the AL East at 25-10.
It was the first time the storied rivals squared off with the two best records in the majors since June 2, 2002, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. And after their bench-clearing brawl at Fenway Park last month, touched off when Kelly drilled Tyler Austin with a pitch, a revved-up crowd of 45,773 showed up in the Bronx to see old foes go at it again.
There were no incidents this time.
BRAVES 1, RAYS 0
In St. Petersburg, Fla., Ronald Acuna Jr. became the youngest player to homer in a 1-0 game since 1935, lifting Atlanta over Tampa Bay.
The last player younger than the 20-year-old Acuna to go deep in a 1-0 game was the Chicago Cubs’ Phil Cavarretta against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sept. 25, 1935, according to MLB.com. Cavarretta was 19 years old at the time.
ROYALS 15, ORIOLES 7
In Baltimore, Dylan Bundy set a dubious modern-day record, yielding four homers and leaving without getting an out, part of a 10-run first inning that propelled Kansas City past the hapless Orioles.
Bundy (1-5) was lifted after allowing five hits and two walks to the only seven batters he faced. The Orioles have lost seven in a row and 19 of 22.
CUBS 4, MARLINS 3
In Chicago, Kris Bryant slid home safely with the go-ahead run on Victor Caratini’s grounder to the right side in the eighth inning as the Cubs beat Miami.
Caratini wound up with the winning RBI, a few innings after the Cubs catcher got into a heated situation at home plate with Miami’s Derek Dietrich.
BREWERS 3, INDIANS 2
In Milwaukee, Reliever Brent Suter homered off AL Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber and threw 4⅔ innings of two-run ball to lead the Brewers over Cleveland.
Suter connected on the first pitch by Kluber (5-2) in the third for the first homer of his professional career. It was the first home run given up by Kluber to a pitcher in his eight years with the Indians.
REDS 7, METS 2
In Cincinnati, catcher Devin Mesoraco made the short walk between clubhouses shortly before the first pitch as New York dealt for help at its neediest position, and he watched the Mets lose to the Reds.
The Mets traded former ace Matt Harvey to the Reds — he’ll join them in Los Angeles on Thursday for the start of a series against the Dodgers — and had Mesoraco on their bench for the first pitch. He pinch hit in the ninth and took a called third strike as the Mets lost for the seventh time in eight games.
TWINS 7, CARDINALS 1
In St. Louis, Jake Odorizzi pitched five strong innings and Eduardo Escobar had a two-run homer as Minnesota won its season-high fifth straight game.
The win capped a two-game series sweep for the Twins, who have won 14 of their last 17 games against National League teams.
PHILLIES 4, GIANTS 2
In Philadelphia, Aaron Nola struck out a career-high 12 in seven stellar innings and Odubel Herrera had two hits to extend his careerbest on-base streak to 37 games for the Phillies.
Aaron Altherr, Carlos Santana and Jorge Alfaro hit solo home runs for the Phillies. Nola (5-1) allowed one run and five hits while walking none.
PIRATES 10, WHITE SOX 6
In Chicago, Colin Moran hit a key two-run double, Jordy Mercer also had two RBIs and Pittsburgh cleaned up in interleague play once again, beating the White Sox.
Corey Dickerson had four hits. The Pirates have dropped five of seven, but they love to plunder the other league, specifically their counterparts in the AL Central. Pittsburgh improved to 7-2 in interleague play this year and 65-44 over the last six seasons, tops in the NL.
TIGERS 7, RANGERS 4
In Arlington, Texas, Victor Martinez, Jeimer Candelario and Jose Iglesias homered for Detroit.
Adrian Beltre got three hits for Texas after missing 12 games with a strained hamstring. He is MLB’s active leader in hits with 3,078.
ROCKIES 4, ANGELS 2
In Denver, Jon Gray continued Colorado’s strong stretch of starts with seven scoreless innings, and the Rockies won their sixth in a row.