Martinez leads Cardinals over Cubs
ST. LOUIS—Carlos Martinez pitched into the seventh inning and collected two hits, leading the Cardinals to a 5-3 win over the Chicago Cubs.
St. Louis also got another solid performance from Tommy Pham, who had two hits and two RBIs. The outfielder is batting .387 with seven extra-base hits in eight games since being recalled from Triple-A this month.
In a rematch of the season opener, Martinez (3-3) again topped Jon Lester (1-2). Martinez allowed three runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven.
Top Cubs prospect Ian Happ homered off Martinez in the seventh for his first hit in his major league debut. Lester was charged with four runs, three earned, and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Seung Hwan Oh pitched the ninth for his 10th save in 11 opportunities.
ROYALS 4, ORIOLES 3
KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Nate Karns struck out a career-high 12 in five innings, Eric Hosmer reached base four times and the Kansas City Royals beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 on Saturday night.
Karns is the first in franchise history to strike out 12 in five innings. The last major league pitcher to accomplish that was Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs on June 5, 2016.
Baltimore's Chris Davis homered off Seth Maness (1-0) to tie it 3-3 in the sixth, but Brandon Moss homered off Alec Asher (1-2) to put Kansas City back ahead later that inning. Moss has homered in consecutive games.
Hosmer had two hits and walked twice. The Royals scored three runs in 4 1/3 innings off Chris Tillman.
Francisco Pena homered in the third and fifth innings against Karns. Pena had only one career homer entering the game.
RED SOX 6, RAYS 3
BOSTON—Chris Sale struck out 12 while pitching seven solid innings and Mookie Betts hit a two-run homer, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 6-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.
It was Sale's seventh straight start with double-digit strikeouts. The 6-foot-6 lefthander allowed three runs and two hits, both homers.
Joe Kelly worked the eighth before Craig Kimbrel finished the three-hitter for his 11th save.
Betts also doubled in a run in Boston's four-run fifth inning. Deven Marrero drove in two runs, helping the Red Sox to their 14th win in their last 19 games against the Rays.
Kevin Kiermaier and Logan Morrison homered for Tampa Bay, which has dropped seven of 11. Blake Snell (0-4) allowed six runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.