Royal welcome: Cueto tosses 4- hitter in home debut
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Johnny Cueto could not have scripted a better introduction to the Kansas City fans.
Cueto threw a four- hitter in his home debut as the Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 4- 0 on Monday night.
Cueto ( 1- 1) did not allow a runner past second base, struck out eight and walked none. It was his sixth career shutout and second this season.
“The crowd really gave me an extra boost,” Cueto said with catching coach Pedro Grifol acting as his interpreter. “This is the most I’ve felt from a crowd; the intensity is by far the most.”
Tigers lefty Matt Boyd ( 1- 3), who beat Cueto and the Royals 2- 1 last Wednesday when he allowed seven hits and one run over seven innings in his Tigers debut, gave up singles to Alcides Escobar and Ben Zobrist on his first two pitches.
Lorenzo Cain doubled to center, scoring both runenrs. Kendrys Morales’ one- out single produced the third run of the inning.
Zobrist went 3 for 3 with a walk. The Royals’ first five hitters went a combined 11 for 19 with four RBIs.
Mets 4, Rockies 2
NEW YORK — Daniel Murphy drove in two runs with a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning for New York.
The Mets went ahead 1- 0 on Travis d’Arnaud’s first homer since June 20. It was the only hit for the NL East leaders off Jon Gray, the hard- throwing right- hander making his second major league start.
Carlos Gonzalez hit a two- run shot in the fourth off Jonathon Niese ( 7- 9). It was Gonzalez’s 13th homer since the All- Star break.
The Mets loaded the bases against Justin Miller ( 1- 1) in the seventh after Gray, the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2013, was pulled after 75 pitches. Miller gave up a single to d’Arnaud, and walked Michael Conforto and Ruben Tejada.
Boone Logan entered and hit Curtis Granderson with a fullcount pitch to tie it. Murphy then grounded a single past diving shortstop Jose Reyes.
Nationals 8, Dodgers 3
LOS ANGELES — Gio Gonzalez scattered seven hits over eight scoreless innings and Ian Desmond hit two homers as Washington kicked off a 10- game trip.
Gonzalez ( 9- 4) struck out six, walked one and stranded eight runners. The left- hander is 5- 0 with a 1.48 ERA in eight starts since losing 6- 1 at Tampa Bay on June 15.
The Dodgers’ Carl Crawford hit a three- run shot in the ninth off Doug Fister, the first pinch- hit homer of his career.
Lorenzo Cain doubled to center, scoring both. Kendrys Morales’ one- out single produced the third run of the inning.
White Sox 8, Angles 2
CHICAGO — Chris Sale allowed two runs and five hits in 7 1- 3 innings, and Avisail Garcia homered twice to drive in four runs for Chicago.
Tyler Flowers added a solo shot to back Sale ( 10- 7), who didn’t allow more than one baserunner in an inning until Johnny Giavotella drove in two runs with a double in the seventh.
Angels starter Matt Shoemaker ( 5- 8) had thrown 19 consecutive scoreless innings before Melky Cabrera’s sacrifice fly put Chicago ahead 1- 0 in the first. Shoemaker hadn’t allowed a run in his last three starts, but was tagged for seven and nine hits in 5 2- 3 innings.
D’backs 13, Phillies 3
PHOENIX — Welington Castillo tied a career high with four RBIs and Yasmany Tomas and A. J. Pollock homered for Arizona.
The Diamondbacks scored three runs in the fifth to break a 2- 2 tie, highlighted by Castillo’s solo shot with two outs. Castillo went deep to center in the fifth for his 15th home run and a 5- 2 lead, and drove in three with a triple in a six- run sixth.
Arizona starter Rubby De La Rosa ( 10- 5) lasted six innings and allowed three runs and eight hits.
Orioles 3, Mariners 2
SEATTLE — Chris Davis hit a go- ahead single and his 30th home run for Baltimore.
Adam Jones launched his 18th homer in the first inning off Seattle starter Vidal Nuno ( 0- 1) and scored on Davis’ base hit in the fourth. Davis then hit a line drive out to center off reliever Mayckol Guaipe in the sixth.
Seattle slugger Nelson Cruz extended his hitting streak to a career- high 20 games with an opposite- field single leading off the fourth. His streak of nine straight games with an extra- base hit came to an end.
Wei- Yin Chen ( 6- 6) won for the second time since July 1, pitching into the eighth inning and allowing only Franklin Gutierrez’s home run leading off the second. He struck out five and retired 13 of his final 14 batters. Zach Britton got five outs for his 24th straight save.
Padres 2, Reds 1
SAN DIEGO — Justin Upton hit a two- run homer and San Diego snapped a six- game losing streak.
Ian Kennedy pitched five innings for the win, backed up by four relievers who did not allow a run, who have lost five of six. Kennedy ( 7- 10) was charged with two hits and a season- high six walks. He struck out four while improving to 5- 1 against the Reds.
Craig Kimbrel pitched the ninth for his 32nd save in 34 chances. It was his first save since Aug. 1.
David Holmberg ( 1- 1) worked 6 2- 3 innings for the Reds. He allowed two runs, five hits and three walks with five strikeouts.