Nationals blank Orioles in Beltway series
BALTIMORE » Anthony Rendon hit a three-run homer to back a sharp pitching performance by Gio Gonzalez, and the surging Washington Nationals beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-0 Monday.
Gonzalez (6-2) allowed six hits over 7 2/3 innings to end a six-game losing streak against Baltimore. The lefthander won his first start against the Orioles in 2009 before coming up empty in his next nine outings.
Shawn Kelley got four outs to complete the fifth shutout against the Orioles this season.
Matt Adams and Michael Taylor both had two hits and an RBI for the Nationals, who have won four straight and 13 of 18.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
BREWERS 8, CARDINALS 3 MILWAUKEE » Jonathan Villar and Christian Yelich homered, while Ryan Braun had three hits to lead the Brewers.
Milwaukee starter Brent Suter (5-3) allowed three runs in five innings, but hit a two-run double in the fourth that gave Milwaukee a 4-0 lead. Milwaukee won for the 10th time in 12 games.
St. Louis starter Luke Weaver (3-5) lost his third consecutive start, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts in four innings.
The Brewers were shut out 5-0 by the Mets on Thursday. Since then, they’ve scored 37 runs in four games, all victories. CUBS 7, PIRATES 0 PITTSBURGH » Mike Montgomery pitched two-hit ball into the sixth inning, Anthony Rizzo went 3 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs, and the sleep-deprived Cubs beat the slumping Pirates.
Montgomery (1-1), starting for the first time this season in place of injured Yu Darvish, retired the first 13 batters before giving up a sharp single to Corey Dickerson with one out in the fifth. He struck out five and needed just 76 pitches to get through 5 2/3 innings. Montgomery struck out five without allowing a walk.
Rizzo hit his seventh home run in the second off Chad Kuhl (4-3) to give the Cubs an early lead. Addison Russell gave Chicago breathing room in the seventh with the second pinchhit home run of his career, a shot to the bleachers in left off reliever Steven Brault that stayed just inside the foul pole.
RED SOX 8, BLUE JAYS 3 BOSTON » Andrew Benintendi hit a three-run homer to cap a five-run fourth inning, J.D. Martinez added a solo homer and Boston coasted.
Benintendi also had a triple and single, and Jackie Bradley Jr. added an RBI double, scored twice and made a spectacular catch in center field. Boston won for the seventh time in nine games.
It was the Blue Jays’ 11th loss in 15 games, dropping them to 2-5 against the Red Sox this season. Teoscar Hernandez had an RBI triple and double for Toronto. TIGERS 9, ANGELS 3 DETROIT » James McCann hit a grand slam in the third inning as the Tigers routed the Angels.
Matthew Boyd (3-4) allowed two hits in five-plus innings for the Tigers. His first scoreless outing of the season came on a hot day in which Detroit outfielder Niko Goodrum had to leave the game because of heat exhaustion.