Rangers strike early, split series with Mets
NEW YORK — Martin Perez allowed three hits over eight innings, Joey Gallo hit his 32nd home run and the Texas Rangers beat the New York Mets 5-1 on Wednesday for a two-game split.
Texas took a 3-0 lead in the first against Rafael Montero (1-8) when the pitcher balked with Shin-Soo Choo taking a sizable and distracting lead off third, and Gallo hit a two-run drive into the upper deck in right, his 11th home run since the All-Star break.
Elvis Andrus reached when he grounded into a forceout in the second, then advanced on three straights pitches when he stole second and third, and he slid home headfirst ahead of shortstop Amed Rosario’s throw on Nomar Mazara’s grounder.
Perez (6-10) did not allow a hit until Wilner Flores homered leading off the fifth, a drive off an orange M&M sign that initially was ruled a double but was changed after a video review. Perez struck out five and walked none. He had a 9.41 ERA in losing his previous four starts.
Giants 3, Cubs 1
SAN FRANCISCO — Madison Bumgarner allowed four hits over seven innings to win for the second time since returning from a dirt bike accident, helping the San Francisco Giants defeat the Chicago Cubs and complete a winning homestand for only the second time this season.
Bumgarner (2-5) struck out seven, walked one and gave up five hits — including a third-inning home run by Albert Almora Jr. Bumgarner is 2-2 with a 2.52 ERA in five starts since returning July 12 after missing nearly three months because of injuries sustained April 20. Since beating Pittsburgh on July 25, he did not get a decision against the Los Angeles Dodgers and lost to Arizona.
Bumgarner has a 1.38 ERA in his last four starts and has received two runs or fewer of support in seven of 10 starts this year.
Hunter Strickland pitched a one-hit eighth and Sam Dyson completed the six-hitter with a perfect ninth for his eighth save.
San Francisco won two of three against the NL Central-leading Cubs and has won consecutive home series for the first time since May. The Giants went 5-3 on a homestand that included a two-game split against Oakland and two wins in three games against Arizona. The Giants went 5-2 against Cincinnati and the Dodgers from May 11-17.
Rockies 3, Indians 2
CLEVELAND — Charlie Blackmon homered in the 12th inning, atoning for a baserunning blunder and lifting the Colorado Rockies over the Cleveland Indians.
With Colorado trailing 2-1, Blackmon singled leading off the eighth and was running on the pitch when DJ LeMahieu fouled a ball to the right side. Second baseman Jason Kipnis caught the ball on the warning track with his back to home plate, spun and threw to pitcher Joe Smith, who was covering first.
Colorado tied the score in the ninth when Carlos Gonzalez singled with one out and came home on Jonathan Lucroy’s double off Cody Allen, who blew a save for the third time in 22 chances. Lucroy’s hit bounced away from center fielder Bradley Zimmer, who had tried for a sliding stop.
Lucroy was booed throughout the series. He vetoed a trade that would have sent him from Milwaukee to Cleveland at last season’s trade deadline.
Blackmon connected against Zach McAllister (1-2) for his 27th home run. Blackmon’s 74 RBI are the most among leadoff hitters.
Carlos Estevez (5-0) pitched two hitless innings and Tyler Chatwood threw a perfect 12th for his second big-league save, his first since April 11, 2012. Rockies closer Greg Holland gave up four runs and threw 31 pitches in the ninth inning Tuesday as Cleveland rallied for a 4-1 win.
Mariners 6, Athletics 3
OAKLAND, Calif. — Nelson Cruz homered twice, Kyle Seager also went deep and the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics to complete a two-game sweep.
Robinson Cano had two hits and scored twice while Ben Gamel singled and made another sparkling defensive play to help Seattle to its fourth win in five games.
The Mariners, who entered the day tied with Kansas City and Tampa Bay for the second AL wild card, finished 6-3 on their road trip.
Cruz hit a two-run homer in the third, his 25th, then added his 26th in the fifth. It’s the second multi-homer game in four days for the Mariners slugger, who has 22 RBI in 13 games against the A’s this season.
Seager homered in the first inning after Jean Segura and Cano singled.
All three home runs came off Oakland starter Jharel Cotton (5-9).
Angels 5, Orioles 1
ANAHEIM, Calif. — After 10 seasons in the minors and playing in his first major-league game, Cesar Puello singled in the go-ahead run and C.J. Cron added a two-run homer to lead the Los Angeles Angels over the Baltimore Orioles.
Right-hander Troy Scribner (2-0) earned the win in the second start of his career. He allowed one run and two hits. Scribner did not walk a batter and struck out four.
Kevin Gausman (8-8) started well for Baltimore before fading. He went 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs, eight hits and two walks, striking out six.
Scribner retired his first seven batters before catcher Wellington Castillo hit his 12th home run of the season in the top of the third.
The Angels got the run back in the bottom of the inning after Kaleb Cowart led off with a hit, Ben Revere walked and Mike Trout blooped a hit to load the bases. Andrelton Simmons followed with a sacrifice fly.
Cron doubled to lead off the fourth and scored when Puello’s hard hit went up the middle, off Gausman’s glove and into center to score the run.