Nola outpitches Scherzer in aces’ duel
WASHINGTON — Aaron Nola outdueled Max Scherzer in a meeting of All-Star aces, Odubel Herrera hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning and the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Washington Nationals 2-0 Thursday.
Nola (15-3) was masterful in his matchup with the three-time Cy Young Award winner, allowing five hits and one walk. He escaped his biggest jam with his final pitch, striking out Bryce Harper with runners on first and second to end the eighth.
Nola struck out nine and finished with a 2.13 ERA — the exact same ERA as Scherzer.
BRAVES 5, MARLINS 0
In Miami, rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. hit his 21st home run and got hit by another Marlins pitch, though tempers stayed in check this time and Atlanta went on to win.
It was the first meeting between the teams since the Aug. 15 game in which Miami starter Jose Urena earned a six-game suspension by plunking Acuna on his first and only pitch. This time, no hysterics broke out.
CUBS 7, REDS 1
In Chicago, Cole Hamels tossed a complete game to continue his dramatic turnaround with NL Central-leading Cubs, which got home runs from Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez to beat Cincinnati.
Hamels (4-0) allowed eight hits, struck out seven and walked two in his 17th career complete game and the first by a Cubs pitcher this season. His ERA in five starts with Chicago is 0.79.
ROCKIES 4, PADRES 3
In Denver, Ian Desmond hit a two-run, twoout homer in the ninth inning, and Colorado beat San Diego.
Desmond lined an 88 mph splitter from reliever Kirby Yates (4-3) over the fence in left after Trevor Story singled earlier in the ninth and stole second. It was Desmond’s second career walk-off homer. His other was May 2, 2012, against Arizona.
RED SOX 7, INDIANS 0
In Boston, David Price pitched eight shutout innings for his fifth straight win, backed by three bases-loaded doubles in a six-run fifth inning, and the Red Sox beat Cleveland to split their four-game series.
After losing the first two games, Boston won twice in 20 hours to open a 9½-game lead over the idle New York Yankees in the AL East. The Red Sox, who have the best record in baseball at 90-39, have not lost four games in a row all season, and they are the only team in the majors that has not been swept.
TWINS 6, ATHLETICS 4
In Minneapolis, with a two-run double by pinch-hitter Mitch Garver, the Twins overtook Oakland starter Trevor Cahill in the fourth inning on the way to victory.
The A’s lost consecutive games for the second time in more than two months and dropped 1½ games behind AL West-leading Houston.
Joe Mauer singled in the fourth to tie Rod Carew for second on the club’s career hits list, driving in Minnesota’s fifth run against Cahill (5-3).
GIANTS 3, METS 1
In New York, San Francisco’s Madison Bumgarner hit an RBI double for the only earned run off Mets ace Jacob deGrom and topped him on the mound, too.
RAYS 4, ROYALS 3
In St. Petersburg, Fla., a throwing error on Kevin Kiermaier’s bases-loaded grounder in the ninth inning helped Tampa Bay complete a four-game sweep of Kansas City.
Jake Bauers opened the ninth by drawing a walk from Brian Flynn (4-4) and went to third on C.J. Cron’s single.
TIGERS 7, WHITE SOX 2
In Detroit, Matthew Boyd pitched six scoreless innings and Ronny Rodriguez hit his first career home run to lift Detroit over Chicago.
Rodriguez also hit an RBI double, and Nicholas Castellanos and Mikie Mahtook homered off James Shields (5-15). All three of Detroit’s homers were solo shots in the sixth inning.
PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE CHIHUAHUAS 14, ISOTOPES 2
In El Paso, Ty France hit a two-run homer in the first inning, leading El Paso to a win over the Isotopes. The Chihuahuas swept the threegame series with the win.
The home run by France scored Luis Urias to give the Chihuahuas a 2-0 lead.