Baltimore notches record loss
BOSTON—J.D. Martinez had three of Boston’s season-high 22 hits, including a three run homer that brought his major league-leading RBIs total to 127, and the Red Sox beat Baltimore 19-3 on Wednesday in the first game of a doubleheader that sent the Orioles to a franchise-record 112th loss.
The once-proud Orioles (45-112) had lost more than 100 games just once since moving to Baltimore in 1954, in 1988 when they lost their first 21 games en route to a 55-107 record. The previous franchise record of 111 losses was set by the 1939 St. Louis Browns. Baltimore dropped 61 1/2 games behind Boston (107-51), which extended the franchise record wins it set Monday.
In the makeup of Tuesday night’s rainout, David Price (16-7) settled down after an early stumble in his final tuneup before the playoffs. He allowed three runs — all in the second inning — six hits and three walks, striking out six before leaving with a 10-3 lead after five.
Price is expected to start Game 2 of the AL Division Series against the New York Yankees or Oakland. Probable Game 1 starter Chris Sale was scheduled to pitch Wednesday’s second game.
Rafael Devers had four hits and six RBIs, including two homers, and Mookie Betts had two hits to raise his major leaguebest batting average to .346. Xander Bogaerts and Blake Swihart also homered for Boston.
Renato Nunez and Trey Mancini homered for Baltimore. Ryan Meisinger (2-1) was the loser.
NATS 9, MARLINS 3, 7 INNINGS
WASHINGTON— Bryce Harper was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in the rain-shortened game that many expect was his last at Nationals Park as a Washington player.
Harper can become a free agent at season’s end. The storm arrived as Harper stood in the on-deck circle while the last out of the seventh was recorded.
Nationals rookie Victor Robles had a careerhigh four hits, including a three-run homer and a two-run double, and also stole a base. Brian Anderson homered for the Marlins.
Wander Suero (4-1) got the win with an inning of scoreless relief. Wei-Yin Chen (6-12) was the loser.
METS 3, BRAVES 0
NEW YORK—Jacob deGrom was dominant in what likely was his final pitch for the NL Cy Young Award, throwing eight stellar innings for New York and leaving with a major league-best 1.70 ERA.
DeGrom (10-9) made his final regular-season start, striking out 10 and allowing just two singles against NL East champion Atlanta. He retired the final 20 hitters after allowing a single to Johan Camargo. DeGrom gave up no more than three runs in his last 29 starts to extend his own single-season record. The All-Star ace also matched the overall mark set by Jake Arrieta in 2015-16.
Seth Lugo threw a scoreless ninth for his third save.
Luke Jackson (1-2) was the loser. Atlanta had won six straight.
ROYALS 6, REDS 1
CINCINNATI—Rookie Heath Fillmyer struck out a career-high nine, Adalberto Mondesi tripled, stole two bases and scored twice, and Kansas City beat Cincinnati to wrap up its road schedule.
Whit Merrifield, who went into the game tied for the American League lead in hits and leading in stolen bases, extended his season-high hitting streak to 16 games with a third-inning single. He also stole two bases. Alex Gordon tacked on a solo home run.
The only run Fillmyer allowed was Jose Peraza’s 14th homer in the first inning. Fillmyer (4-2) allowed four hits and two walks while tying his career high with 7 1/3 innings. Fillmyer also had his first major league hit and RBI with a sixth-inning double. Cody Reed (1-3) was the loser.