Taylor, Nats rout slumping Reds, 18-3
WASHINGTON — Michael Taylor homered twice among his four hits, Trea Turner finished 5 for 5 with a walk and the Washington Nationals beat the Cincinnati Reds 18-3 on Saturday.
Daniel Murphy had four RBIs for the Nationals. His three-run double highlighted the six-run second inning and Taylor’s two-run homer capped a four-run fourth inning. Taylor added a solo shot in the sixth.
Turner, Ryan Zimmerman, Matt Wieters each drove in two runs. All of Turner’s career-high five hits were singles including run-scoring hits in the second and eighth.
Washington led 13-0 as Joe Ross (4-3) blanked the Reds until Patrick Kivlehan’s pinch-hit home run in the sixth.
In his first appearance since Aug. 28, Homer Bailey (0-1) allowed eight runs and six hits with three walks in 1 2/3 innings.
The Reds, who have lost 13 of
14, also gave up 17 runs on May
29 at Toronto.
Rangers 8, Yankees 1
NEW YORK — Austin Bibens-Dirkx pitched seven dazzling innings in his first shot at the New York Yankees after
12 seasons in the minors, and Carlos Gomez homered for the Texas Rangers.
Robinson Chirinos also went deep and Elvis Andrus had a pair of run-scoring hits for the Rangers, who rebounded quickly from a difficult defeat that ended at 12:19 a.m. The teams were back on the field less than
13 hours after New York rallied to win the rain-delayed series opener 2-1 in 10 innings, and Bibens-Dirkx (3-0) lulled the Yankees’ bats to sleep.
The 32-year-old rookie, promoted to the majors last month for the first time, allowed only Aaron Judge’s major league-leading 26th home run in his fourth big league start. Filling a spot in Texas’ injury-depleted rotation lately, the right-hander scattered five hits and walked one while striking out three on 93 efficient pitches.
Cubs 5, Marlins 3
MIAMI — Jon Lester gave up a three-run homer to J.T. Realmuto in the first inning and then settled down to help the Chicago Cubs beat the Miami Marlins.
Lester (5-4) went seven innings, retiring 13 in a row after Realmuto’s seventh homer of the year. Cubs starters have an ERA of 2.52 over the past 11 games.
Wade Davis completed the four-hitter with a 1-2-3 ninth for his 15th save.
Javier Baez had an RBI single in the fourth, and his two-run double off Nick Wittgren (1-1) in the sixth put the Cubs ahead to stay. Jon Jay, a one-day sub for Anthony Rizzo in the leadoff spot, had two hits and scored a run. Addison Russell had two hits and scored twice.
Lester beat Miami for the first time in five career starts.
Orioles 8, Rays 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Dylan Bundy helped Baltimore avoid a dubious pitching record, throwing seven solid innings as the Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Orioles had given up at least five runs in 20 straight games, matching the major league mark set by the 1924 Philadelphia Phillies.
Bundy (8-6) allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings. Relievers Donnie Hart and Mychal Givens combined to keep the Rays scoreless over the final two innings.
Jose Alvarado (0-3) walked the only batter he faced, Seth Smith, leading off the seventh. He was replaced by Jumbo Diaz, who gave up a two-run double to Mark Trumbo and Trey Mancini’s two-run homer that put Baltimore ahead 7-3.
Baltimore also got a second-inning, two-run homer from Welington Castillo and Adam Jones hit a solo shot in the third.
Corey Dickerson and Evan Longoria homered on consecutive pitches in the third for the Rays.
Rays catcher Wilson Ramos singled in four at-bats in his season debut. The 2014 NL All-Star with Washington missed the first 76 games this season after right knee surgery.
Royals 3, Blue Jays 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jason Vargas earned his major league-leading 11th victory, pitching seven efficient innings to lead the surging Kansas City Royals over the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Royals won for the 11th time in 13 games and moved over .500 for the first time this season at 37-36.
Vargas (11-3) allowed two runs on eight hits, walked none and striking out two. Troy Tulowitzki and Pillar homered off Vargas.
Alcides Escobar had three hits and scored twice, including the go-ahead run in the seventh. He singled with one out and scored on Alex Gordon’s triple down the right-field line off Marco Estrada (4-6).
After Joakim Soria struck out two in the eighth, Kelvin Herrera pitched the ninth for his 18th save in 20 chances.
Twins 4, Indians 2
CLEVELAND — Brian Dozier hit a leadoff homer off closer Cody Allen to break an eighth-inning tie and the Minnesota Twins defeated the Cleveland Indians for the second straight day.
Dozier homered into the left field porch on a 3-2 pitch and narrowed Cleveland’s lead over Minnesota in the AL Central to one-half game.
The Indians swept a fourgame series at Target Field last weekend, but the Twins have responded in the first two games of this series.
Cleveland’s Corey Kluber struck out a season-high 13 and allowed three hits in seven innings, but throwing errors by second baseman Jason Kipnis and catcher Yan Gomes led to two unearned runs in the first.
Minnesota used five pitchers in the win. Taylor Rogers (4-1) recorded the final out of the seventh and pitched 1 1/3 innings.
Brandon Kintzler pitched the ninth for his 20th save. Francisco Lindor doubled with two outs, but center fielder Byron Buxton made a diving catch of Kipnis’ liner to end the game.
Athletics 10, White Sox 2
CHICAGO — Matt Olson hit his first two major league home runs while Jaycob Brugman and Franklin Barreto also launched their first career shots in Oakland’s rout.
Olson, Brugman and Barreto became the second trio of teammates to hit their first home runs in the same game, the Elias Sports Bureau said. It also happened in 1914 with the Kansas City Packers of the Federal League — the rival circuit lasted a couple of seasons, and included many big leaguers.
Former White Sox ace Mark Buehrle had his No. 56 jersey retired in a pregame ceremony. After the 30-minute tribute ended, the A’s roughed up James Shields (1-1).
Daniel Gossett (1-2) took advantage of an early 6-0 lead to win for the first time in three big league starts. He gave up two unearned runs in six innings.
White Sox manager Rick Renteria was ejected for the second straight game. He threw his hat to the ground and was tossed, right after third baseman Todd Frazier was ejected for showing his displeasure over a replay review that wasn’t reversed.
Braves 3, Brewers 1
ATLANTA — Brandon Phillips gave Atlanta the lead with a two-run homer in the third to continue his productive homestand, R.A. Dickey threw seven strong innings and the surging Braves topped the Milwaukee Brewers.
Phillips has homered in three straight games after delivering game-winning hits in back-toback games against Miami on June 17-18, early in the 10-game homestand. The Braves have won four straight and nine of 12.
Dickey (6-5) allowed one run in seven innings to improve to
5-1 at SunTrust Park. He has won three straight home starts.
The NL Central-leading Brewers began the day 1 1/2 games ahead of the Cubs.
Phillips had two hits, including the homer off Matt Garza
(3-4) into the Brewers’ bullpen behind the left-field wall. The homer drove in Ender Inciarte, who singled.