Sabathia solid; Astros lose
HOUSTON—CC Sabathia allowed just two runs in 6 2/3 innings to get back on track after a tough stretch and help the New York Yankees to a 6-3 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.
Sabathia (6-8) allowed four hits and struck out five to pick up his first win since June 16 after going 0-4 and allowing 31 runs—29 earned—combined in his past six starts.
Things didn’t look good early on Tuesday night when he allowed a solo home run to Marwin Gonzalez in the first inning. But he settled in after that, allowing only one single over the next five innings.
The Yankees built a five-run lead thanks in part to a two-run triple by Aaron Hicks by the time Evan Gattis homered to start Houston’s seventh and cut it to 6-2. Sabathia was lifted after a two-out single by Carlos Gomez in that inning.
Andrew Miller allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth for his second save since Aroldis Chapman was traded Monday and ninth overall.
Houston starter Doug Fister (10-7) allowed nine hits and six runs, which both tied season highs, in 4 2/3 innings for the loss.
Gonzalez added a solo homer in the eighth for his first career multi-home run game. His first home run was right-handed and the second one from the left to make the switch-hitter the first Houston player to homer from both sides in the same game since Lance Berkman did it in 2006.
The Astros loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth, but Dellin Betances struck out Jason Castro on three pitches to end the threat.
Tuesday’s game was the first time Sabathia had allowed fewer than four runs since that win on June 16. Since then he’d allowed a season-high six runs in two games and a season-worst nine hits in another start.
METS 3, CARDINALS 1, 2ND GAME
NEW YORK—Bartolo Colon pitched three-hit ball for seven sharp innings and the New York Mets overcame another home run by Jedd Gyorko to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 Tuesday night for a doubleheader split.
Gyorko homered in both ends and has connected seven times in nine games. His two-run shot helped St. Louis win the opener 3-2.
Colon (9-5) struck out eight and walked none. After Gyorko homered in the second and Alberto Rosario doubled in the third, Colon set down 14 of
his final 15 batters.
Addison Reed worked the eighth and Jeurys Familia closed for his 36th save this year and 52nd in a row during the regular season.
CARDINALS 3, METS 2, 1ST GAME
NEW YORK—Noah Syndergaard kept it close, manager Terry Collins won a pair of replay challenges and the New York Mets threw out three runners on the bases.
They just didn’t do quite enough to beat the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Mets remained stuck in a recent holding pattern, falling to St. Louis 3-2 Tuesday in the opener of a doubleheader. New York has alternated wins and losses for the last 11 games.
MARLINS 5, PHILLIES 0
MIAMI—Tom Koehler pitched six innings of three-hit ball, helping Miami beat Philadelphia.
Ichiro Suzuki made his first start in five games and went 1 for 5, giving him 2,997 career hits. He also stole a base and scored a run.
Giancarlo Stanton and Adeiny Hechavarria each drove in two runs for the Marlins, who were shut out in their previous two games.
Philadelphia right-hander Jerad Eickhoff (6-12) allowed one run and five hits in seven innings. He struck out eight and walked one.
ROCKIES 6, ORIOLES 3
BALTIMORE—Carlos Gonzalez and Trevor Story had two RBIs apiece in a four-run third inning, and Colorado beat Chris Tillman and the Orioles 6-3 to end Baltimore’s five-game winning streak.
Seeking to become the first 15-game winner in the majors, Tillman (14-3) gave up six runs and nine hits in five innings. The right-hander allowed a combined four runs over 28 innings in his previous four starts.
Tillman was 8-0 with a 3.23 ERA at home this season, and Baltimore was unbeaten in his 12 starts at Camden Yards.
Adam Jones homered for the Orioles, who were 21-4 at home since the beginning of June. Despite the loss, Baltimore still owns the AL’s best record.
TIGERS 9, RED SOX 8
BOSTON—Miguel Cabrera hit a tworun home run, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Tyler Collins each had a pair of RBIs and Detroit Tigers roughed up knuckleballer Steven Wright to beat Boston.
With the game tied in the sixth, Collins drew a bases-loaded two-out walk, which allowed Justin Upton to score the deciding run.
On a night when both starting pitchers struggled to string together outs, Detroit and Boston combined for 22 hits. Alex Wilson (1-0) got the victory, and Francisco Rodriguez closed for his 29th save.
David Ortiz had a three-run home run, but Boston’s offense didn’t have enough to offset a rare poor outing by Wright, who gave up nine hits and eight runs over 4 2/3 innings. Wright was leading the AL in ERA entering Tuesday.
Robbie Ross Jr. (1-2) got the loss.
INDIANS 7, NATIONALS 6
CLEVELAND—Francisco Lindor pushed an RBI single through Washington’s drawn-in infield with one out in the ninth inning, and Cleveland Indians rallied for three runs in it final at-bat to stun Washington Nationals in a matchup of two first-place teams with sights on October.
Down two runs and three outs from their losing streak reaching a season-high four games, the Indians rallied against Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon (2-4), who did not get an out before he was pulled by manager Dusty Baker.
With the bases loaded, Lindor fisted his base hit into right field and danced his way up the first-base line as the Indians celebrated an improbable victory.
The Indians, who came in leading the AL Central by 5 1/2 games, are 8-11 since reeling off 14 straight wins.
BLUE JAYS 7, PADRES 6
TORONTO—Devon Travis scored the winning run on a wild pitch, and Toronto Blue rallied for three runs in the 12th inning to beat San Diego.
Matt Kemp put the Padres in front with a two-run homer off Jesse Chavez (1-2) in the top of the 12th, but San Diego’s bullpen couldn’t hold the lead.
Travis drew a 14-pitch walk to load the bases, bringing Paul Clemens on in relief of Carlos Villanueva (1-2). Clemens walked Jose Bautista to make it 6-5 before Josh Donaldson tied it with a fielder’s choice grounder.
With Edwin Encarnacion batting, a pitch bounced away from catcher Derek Norris, and Travis slid in just ahead of the tag as his teammates stormed out of the dugout to celebrate.