MLB salutes Seaver’s HOF career

After the announcement late Wednesday that Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, one of the greatest in baseball history, had died, tributes began pouring in on social media from prominent figures in sports and beyond.

Seaver passed away Monday in his sleep from complications of Lewy body dementia and COVID-19, the Baseball Hall of Fame said in a statement.

His resume is jaw-dropping: three National League Cy Young Awards, 311 victories, a 2.86 career ERA, 3,640 strikeouts and 12 All-star selections over a 20-year career. Seaver played for four major league teams, most notably the New York Mets. He earned the nickname ‘‘Tom Terrific’’ for spearheading the ‘‘Miracle Mets,’’ who went from losers to surprise World Series champions in 1969.

‘‘Everyone knows he was a great pitcher,’’ Dwight Gooden, 55, a former Mets great who helped lead the franchise to their only other World Series title, in 1986, wrote on Twitter. ‘‘But he was an even greater person. RIP to my friend Tom!”

Keith Hernandez, 66, the Mets’ first baseman on that 1986 team, called Seaver “the greatest Met of all time.”

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred issued a statement delivering his condolences to Seaver’s family and ‘‘his admirers throughout our game, Mets fans, and the many people he touched.’’

‘‘Tom was a gentleman who represented the best of our national pastime,“Manfred’s statement continued.

Seaver was traded to Cincinnati in 1977 and spent parts of six seasons with the Reds.

Votto delivers winning hit

Joey Votto’s single in the ninth inning drove in Shogo Akiyama with the winning run as the Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 on Wednesday night in Great American Ball Park.

Facing Giovanny Gallegos (1-1), Akiyama and Curt Casali walked with one out, and Votto delivered a sharp line drive to right to send Akiyama sliding across the plate and extend his hitting streak to six games (9 for 20, .450) after sitting out three games.

Mckenzie, Naquin lead Indians

Triston Mckenzie tossed six innings of three-hit ball to celebrate his 23rd birthday, Tyler Naquin hit a pair of homers for the only runs of the game, and the Cleveland Indians beat the host Kansas City Royals 5-0 on Wednesday night.

Mckenzie (2-0) struck out six and allowed no walks.

Naquin’s first homer was a tworun shot off Jakob Junis (0-1) in the second inning. Naquin then provided his relievers with some much-needed breathing room by adding a three-run homer off Scott Barlow in the ninth.

Information from the New York Times and the Associated Press was used in this story.