Harper clubs homer with unique bat
Bryce Harper homered using a patriotic bat Saturday and the Nationals beat the Giants 9-3. The Nationals got to Madison Bumgarner quickly with four consecutive hits, including homers by Michael Taylor and Harper. Tanner Roark (4-3) earned the win with 41⁄3 innings in relief. Tigers 8, Blue Jays 3: J.D. Martinez homered and David Price won his eighth with seven innings. The Tigers are 14-3 when Price starts, 27-36 with others. White Sox 3, Orioles 2: Avisail Garcia robbed Chris Davis of a tying HR in the ninth after J.B. Shuck’s pinch double in the eighth put the Sox in front. Yankees 3, Rays 2: A ninth-inning throwing error by pitcher Brad Boxberger gave the Yankees their second straight walk-off win. Steven Souza Jr. tied the score in the top half with a two-run HR. Red Sox 6, Astros 1: Clay Buchholz pitched a six-hitter to win his fourth straight start. Mookie Betts drove in three to help snap Houston’s five-game win streak. Cardinals 2, Padres 1: Jhonny Peralta broke an eighth-inning tie with a sacrifice fly as the Cardinals stopped their longest skid of the season at four games. Pirates 1, Indians 0: Jeff Locke pitched eight innings of two-hit ball, retiring his last 19, and Neil Walker had an RBI single to end the Indians’ five-game win streak in a 2-hour, 6-minute game. Athletics 2, Mariners 0: Ben Zobrist had two RBIs to hand Felix Hernandez (seven IP, season-high 10 hits) his first loss in Oakland in nearly seven years. Cubs 7, Marlins 2: Kris Bryant had two homers, drove in six, and Clayton Richard, acquired from the Pirates on Friday, got the win. Braves 9, Phillies 5: Cameron Maybin homered among three hits. Kelly Johnson had three RBIs. Keven Correia gave up nine runs. Twins at Royals: The Twins’ Mike Pelfrey was coming off his worst start of 2015 (two-plus IP, eight runs). He faced Joe Blanton, who had a solid 1.15 WHIP. Brewers at Reds: Jimmy Nelson did not have consecutive quality starts this year. The Reds’ Josh Smith made his third career start. Mets at Dodgers: The Mets’ Matt Harvey had yielded two runs in his last 192⁄3 IP. Zack Greinke hadn’t given up a run in 202⁄3 Angels at Rangers: The Angels’ Hector Santiago had a 2.58 ERA in 15 starts but just four wins. Rockies at D’backs: D’backs 2013 All-Star Patrick Corbin made his first start since September 2013.