Astros throw combined no-hitter

Aaron Sanchez looked like a reinvented pitcher in his Houston debut, throwing six stellar innings to start the Astros on a combined no-hitter Saturday night in their 9-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners in Houston.

Sanchez was an Allstar in 2016 and led the American League in ERA, but he’s struggled badly this season and had lost 13 straight decisions to lead the majors with 14 losses. Three days after he was acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline, the 27-year-old righthander teamed with Will Harris, Joe Biagini and Chris Devenski to shut down Seattle.

“Just trying to have a good first impression,” Sanchez said.

It was the second time in less than a month the last-place Mariners were no-hit by multiple pitchers. The Los Angeles Angels used two pitchers in a combined no-hitter July 12 against Seattle on a night when they honored late left-hander Tyler Skaggs by all wearing his No. 45 in their first home game since his death.

Sanchez (4-14) was replaced by Will Harris to start the seventh after throwing 92 pitches.

Harris and Joe Biagini, also obtained from the Blue Jays in the same deal that netted Sanchez, each worked one inning before Devenski tossed a perfect ninth. He retired All-star slugger Daniel Vogelbach on a routine fly for the final out, setting off an Astros celebration on the field.

“This is awesome,” Sanchez said, adding: “You can’t write it up any better than this.”

Sanchez struck out six, walked two and hit a batter with a pitch in his first win since late April. YANKEES 9-6, RED SOX 2-4: DJ Lemahieu hit a pair of home runs off an enraged Chris Sale in the opener, Mike Tauchman had a tiebreaking, tworun single in the seventh inning of the nightcap and New York swept a doubleheader from Boston. Sale was angry with Mike Esterbrook’s strike zone throughout his brief outing and tied his career high by allowing eight earned runs in 3 innings. Sale was ejected soon after Red Sox manager Alex Cora. Edwin Encarnación had a pair of RBI singles for the Yankees, but was hit on the right wrist by Josh Smith in the eighth. Encarnación suffered a broken wrist. A CT scan after the game revealed the fracture. There was no timetable for how long Encarnación would be out. Outfielder Aaron Hicks hurt his elbow on a throw in the second game. CUBS 4, BREWERS 1: Cole Hamels pitched five shutout innings after spending five weeks on the injured list, Albert Almora Jr. hit a tiebreaking home run and Chicago beat Milwaukee. The Cubs lost Allstar catcher Willson Contreras to an apparent hamstring injury. There was no immediate word on the severity of the setback.