Morton extends winning streak to 9, Astros top Indians
Astros 4 Indians 1
HOUSTON — Charlie Morton pitched seven solid innings, Tony Kemp had a tiebreaking RBI double in the seventh and the Houston Astros beat the Cleveland Indians 4-1 on Friday night for their third straight win. Morton (6-0) allowed one run and four hits with eight strikeouts in extending his career-high winning streak to nine straight dating back to September. Morton retired 19 of the first 21 batters.
After Cleveland starter Mike Clevinger (3-1) walked Marwin Gonzalez and Derek Fisher to lead off the seventh, Brian McCann popped out before Kemp hit his RBI ground-rule double down the right-field line to give Houston a 2-1 lead. George Springer followed with a grounder to Kipnis, but Fisher beat the throw home.
Ken Giles pitched the ninth for his seventh save.
ROYALS 5, YANKEES 2
In Kansas City, Mo., Whit Merrifield had three hits, stole three bases and scored twice off CC Sabathia in the first four innings, Jakob Junis held down the Yankees’ potent offense and The Royals beat New York.
Salvador Perez homed and added three RBIs for the Royals, who had lost five straight and seven of eight.
Junis (5-3) pitched into the sixth inning, allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk to slow down the Yankees, who had won 19 of their past 22.
Kelvin Herrera capped a strong bullpen effort with a perfect ninth for his ninth save in 10 opportunities.
Sabathia (2-1) lasted just five innings, struggling all night with his command.
MARLINS 2, BRAVES 0
In Atlanta, Dan Straily pitched seven scoreless innings, J.T. Realmuto had an RBI triple and Miami beat the Braves.
Straily (2-0) allowed three hits, walked three and struck out six to shut down the NL’s top-scoring offense. He also beat Atlanta in his previous start a week prior.
Miami got both its runs in the sixth. Martin Prado singled and scored on Realmuto’s triple, and Starlin Castro chased Matt Wisler (1-1) with a double.
Brad Ziegler induced a double-play grounder from Tyler Flowers to retire the side in the ninth and earn his eighth save in eight chances.
ORIOLES 7, RED SOX 4
In Boston, Jonathan Schoop homered and Alex Cobb got his first win of the season as Baltimore ended its 13-game road losing streak.
Manny Machado went 3 for 5 with three RBIs and Adam Jones had two hits and drove in two for the Orioles, who won on the road for the first time since April 8.
Mookie Betts doubled twice and hit his 14th homer for Boston, which lost to Baltimore for the first time in the five meetings so far this season.
Cobb (1-5) held Boston to three runs on 10 hits over 6⅓ innings.
Brad Brach pitched a scoreless ninth for his sixth save.
Drew Pomeranz (1-2) lasted only four innings for Boston, getting pulled after the Orioles scored four in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead.
CUBS 8, REDS 1
In Cincinnati, Jon Lester pitched six dominant innings, Addison Russell tied his career high with four hits and Chicago quickly took control with a three-run first inning against the Reds.
Playing in a steady downpour that delayed the start of the game by 93 minutes, Willson Contreras added three hits and six different players each drove in at least one run for the Cubs, who’d lost three of their last four games.
Lester (4-1) faced one batter over the minimum through the first four innings. The left-hander allowed Cincinnati’s only two hits and one walk with a season-high eight strikeouts and even contributed a safety squeeze sacrifice bunt while Chicago was breaking the game open with a two-run fifth inning.
Homer Bailey (1-6) allowed 10 hits in five or fewer innings for the second consecutive game.
RANGERS 12, WHITE SOX 5
In Chicago, Shin-Soo Choo hit his first grand slam in eight years, leading Texas over the White Sox.
Choo made it 9-3 with his drive against reliever Chris Volstad in a five-run third inning. He also singled and scored in the fourth and walked twice.
Jurickson Profar and Joey Gallo each drove in three runs for Texas. Jesse Chavez (2-0) and two other relievers combined for 5⅓ scoreless innings following a shaky start by Matt Moore.
Jose Abreu had a pair of RBI doubles and scored two runs. But Carson Fulmer (2-4) made another early exit in his third straight loss.
METS 3, DIAMONDBACKS 1
In New York, Jacob deGrom matched a career high with 13 strikeouts, Michael Conforto went 4 for 4 with two RBIs and the Mets beat Arizona.
Wilmer Flores drove in one run and scored another to help the Mets win a series opener between struggling teams.
After an abbreviated outing last weekend in his return from the disabled list, deGrom (4-0) threw seven dominant innings this time and has won his first four decisions in a season for the first time.
Robert Gsellman worked a perfect eighth and Jeurys Familia struck out the side in the ninth for his 12th save.
Conforto, who equaled his career high for hits with four singles, had a two-out RBI single in the first inning and another in the fifth. Both came off starter Zack Godley (4-3).
PADRES 3, PIRATES 2
In Pittsburgh, Eric Hosmer hit two doubles and scored the go-ahead run and Tyson Ross won for the first time in more than a month as San Diego cooled off the Pirates.
Hosmer doubled with two outs in the sixth inning off Ivan Nova (2-4) and Franchy Cordero followed by a lining a single into left field. That broke a 2-2 tie and sent Pittsburgh to its second loss in 10 games.
Ross (3-3) ended a five-start winless streak by giving up two runs and five hits in six innings while striking out two and walking four.
Brad Hand got the final four outs for his 13th save in 15 opportunities.
ATHLETICS 3, BLUE JAYS 1
In Toronto, Dustin Fowler hit his first career home run and also had a tiebreaking RBI double in the seventh inning, Josh Phegley hit an RBI double in his season debut, and the Oakland beat the Blue Jays.
Danny Coulombe (1-1) pitched 1⅓ innings for the victory as Oakland won for the fourth time in five games.
Right-hander Marco Estrada (2-4) allowed three runs in 6⅔ innings to lose his third straight decision as the slumping Blue Jays lost for the 10th time in 13 home games.
For the second straight game, an injury forced Oakland to make an early call to the bullpen. Left-hander Brett Anderson lasted one inning before leaving because of a strained shoulder.
Chris Hatcher worked the seventh, Yusmeiro Petit got two outs in the eighth, and Blake Treinen finished for his ninth save in 11 opportunities.
BREWERS 8, TWINS 3
In Minneapolis, Jesus Aguilar homered twice and Ji-Man Choi hit a solo home run in his return to the majors as Milwaukee beat Minnesota.
Brent Suter (3-3) pitched a season-high 5⅔ innings for Milwaukee, which has won six of its past eight. The left-hander allowed one run on five hits and a walk with six strikeouts.
Kyle Gibson (1-2) gave up five runs in 5⅓ innings for Minnesota, which has lost four of five. Gibson surrendered eight hits and walked four batters. Max Kepler had two hits, including a two-run home run.
First baseman Joe Mauer was pulled from the game in the fifth inning with neck tightness and is considered day to day.
PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE ACES 9, ISOTOPES 7
In Albuquerque, Evan Marzilli had three hits and two RBIs as the Reno Aces beat the Isotopes.
Silvino Bracho struck Ryan McMahon out with a runner on first to end the game for his second save of the season.
Reno went up 4-0 in the second after Marzilli scored on an error and Rey Fuentes hit a two-run single.
The Isotopes cut into the deficit in the fourth inning when Jordan Patterson hit a three-run home run.
The Aces later tacked on five runs in the fifth, including a two-run double by Marzilli.
Albuquerque saw its comeback attempt come up short after McMahon and Mike Tauchman hit solo home runs to help cut the Reno lead to 9-7.
Reno starter Taylor Clarke (4-5) picked up the win despite allowing three runs and eight hits over five innings. Opposing starter David Holmberg (2-3) took the loss in the Pacific Coast League game after a rough outing in which he allowed nine runs and 11 hits over 4⅔ innings.
For the Isotopes, Tauchman was a double short of the cycle, scoring two runs. Patterson homered and singled, driving home three runs.
Despite the loss, Albuquerque is 4-2 against Reno this season.