Aquino stays hot, Reds top Cardinals

Aristides Aquino hit a three-run homer, Nick Senzel added a leadoff shot and the Cincinnati Reds dropped the St. Louis Cardinals back into a tie with Chicago for first place in the Central Division with a 6-1 victory on Saturday in Cincinnati.

With the Reds leading 2-1 in the fifth, Aquino followed two-out singles by Josh Vanmeter and Freddy Galvis with a no-doubt drive to center field on Milos Mikolas’ first pitch for his 11th homer in his 17th career game.

Aquino is the first rookie since 1900 with 11 homers in his first 17 games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

One day after being rocked for 18 hits and 13 runs, Cincinnati pitching limited St. Louis to Matt Carpenter’s second-inning solo homer, one of five hits and three walks allowed by Anthony Desclafani in five innings. Desclafani (8-7) struck out four.

The Cardinals loaded the bases against Lucas Sims with one out in the sixth, but he struck out pinch-hitter Paul Dejong and got Dexter Fowler to pop up.

Michael Lorenzen allowed one hit and had three strikeouts in two innings. He also had two hits. R.J. Alaniz finished up.

ATHLETICS 8, ASTROS 4: Matt Chapman doubled among his three hits and Mark Canha had two hits and three RBIS to back Chris Bassitt’s six solid innings, and Oakland beat Houston.

CUBS 2, PIRATES 0:

Kris Bryant homered in the seventh inning, and Chicago got out of three bases-loaded jams to snap a four-game skid with a win over Pittsburgh.

DODGERS’ URIAS ACCEPTS 20-GAME SUSPENSION: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urìas has accepted a 20-game suspension for a domestic violence incident and is expected to return in September. The 23-year-old reliever from Mexico was arrested in May and accused of shoving a woman. The charges were ultimately dropped. Urìas is 4-3 with a 2.64 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 26 games, including six starts.

RED SOX’S SALE GOES ON IL: The Boston Red Sox placed lefthander Chris Sale on the 10-day injured list with left elbow inflammation. President Dave Dombrowski said Sale felt stiffness after his start Tuesday in Cleveland and didn’t tell the team until Friday, so he was sent for an MRI that revealed inflamation. Sale is 6-11 with a 4.40 ERA.