Yankees rally past Red Sox for 17-1 surge

Cole strikes out 9 as Astros sweep Athletics MLB Scoreboard

NEW YORK, May 10, (AP): Brett Gardner capped a slump-busting performance with a goahead, two-run triple off Craig Kimbrel in the eighth inning, Aaron Judge followed with a homer and the New York Yankees rallied to beat the Boston Red Sox 9-6 Wednesday night for their 17th victory in 18 games.

Kimbrel entered with two on and one out to face Gardner seeking the first five-out save of his career. Gardner drilled a full-count pitch into left-center field, well over the head of center fielder Mookie Betts, who was playing shallow. Neil Walker scored easily from third and rookie Gleyber Torres raced from first and slid past a lunging tag attempted by catcher Christian Vazquez.

Judge followed with a line drive to center measured at 117 mph off the bat, his ninth homer of the season. He had three hits and three RBIs as New York won its eighth straight overall and 11th in a row at home.

In Oakland, California, Gerrit Cole struck out nine to raise his major league-leading total to 86, and the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 4-1 Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.

Max Stassi and Derek Fisher hit consecutive home runs with two outs in the seventh off Daniel Mengden (2-4) for a 2-1 lead. Yuli Gurriel added a two-run double against Yusmiero Petit that extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Cole (4-1) allowed one run, four hits and three walks in six innings. His 1.43 ERA is second in the major leagues behind the 1.17 of teammate Justin Verlander.

In Los Angeles, Kyle Farmer’s sacrifice fly scored the go-ahead run in a sixth inning that included mistakes by Arizona’s bullpen and helped Los Angeles beat the NL West leaders.

The scuffling Dodgers improved to 4-8 against their division rivals this season. Their three-game skid ended on a night when they got back one of their injured stars. Yasiel Puig went 3 for 4 with two runs scored in his return from the disabled list.

Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros pitches against the Oakland Athletics in the fourth inning at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on May 9 in Oakland, California. (AFP)

The Diamondbacks’ three-game winning streak was stopped.

In Philadelphia, Carlos Santana had three hits and five RBIs, Nick Pivetta struck out seven in five scoreless innings and Philadelphia improved to 20-11 since a 1-4 start.

Pivetta (2-2) bounced back from an awful start against the Nationals in which he lasted only one inning and allowed six runs. He scattered four hits and didn’t walk anyone.

Giants starter Chris Stratton (33) gave up five runs and five hits in 4-2/3 innings.

Santana ripped an RBI double to right field in the first inning and scored on Maikel Franco’s single to left. Franco drove his seventh homer to deep left-center for a 3-0 lead in the fourth.

In Toronto, Yangervis Solarte hit a game-tying double in the eighth inning and Justin Smoak followed with a go-ahead double as Toronto rallied to beat Seattle.

Toronto started the eighth with five straight hits off Mariners reliever Juan Nicasio (1-1), turning a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead.

Josh Donaldson doubled and scored on Solarte’s hit and Solarte was replaced by pinch runner Anthony Alford, who scored on Smoak’s double to right. Kevin Pillar hit an RBI single to left, but was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into a double. Russell Martin ended Nicasio’s outing with a double.

In St Petersburg, Florida, Nick Markakis hit a three-run homer and Atlanta set a franchise record for consecutive shutout innings on the road.

Wilson Ramos’ two-run single with two outs in the eighth ended a string of 34 straight shutout innings for the Braves, who won for the seventh straight time on the road. That is the longest streak for the Braves in the modern era (after 1900), according to the Elias Sports Bureau, surpassing the 30 consecutive innings by Atlanta’s staff in July 1992.

Ramos’ hit extended his hitting streak to 16 games, the longest active streak in the majors.

In Baltimore, Mark Trumbo delivered a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth inning, Chris Davis homered and Baltimore ended a sevengame losing streak.

Jonathan Schoop had two hits and scored twice for the Orioles, who lost 18 of their previous 21 games.

Lucas Duda homered and drove in three runs for the Royals.

With two outs in the eighth, Manny Machado legged out a slow roller to third base for an infield single and Schoop sent him to third with a double. Trumbo then hit a liner up the middle that knocked Kansas City pitcher Kevin McCarthy (3-1) off his feet.

In Cincinnati, the New York Mets wasted a first-inning rally by batting out of turn, and Adam Duvall led off the 10th with a homer to win it for Cincinnati.

Duvall connected for his first career game-ending homer, a drive off A.J. Ramos (1-2).

Catcher Devin Mesoraco started for the Mets and went 0 for 4, a day after the Reds dealt him to New York for pitcher Matt Harvey.

Raisel Iglesias (1-0) retired six straight batters.

In Milwaukee, Carlos Carrasco struck out 14 in a complete game and Tyler Naquin and Francisco Lindor homered for Cleveland.

Carrasco (5-1) gave up five hits, walked one and threw 117 pitches in his second complete game this season. He also hit an RBI single.

Naquin hit a three-run drive off Junior Guerra (2-3). Milwaukee closer Corey Knebel, who had been out since April 5 with a hamstring injury, was activated from the disabled list and gave up Lindor’s leadoff home run in the seventh.

In Chicago, Kris Bryant hit his 100th career homer, Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell connected in an eight-run third inning, and Chicago routed Miami.

Rizzo also had a pair of doubles and finished with five RBIs as the Cubs outscored the Marlins 31-9 in a three-game sweep after dropping a season-high five in a row.

The 26-year-old Bryant hit a drive about halfway up the bleachers in left-center in the first inning for his third homer in four games, and later had an RBI double.

In Denver, Rene Rivera homered with a sore right hand, Jaime Barria threw efficiently into the sixth inning and the Angels ended Colorado’s six-game winning streak.

Barria (3-1) allowed five hits and struck out seven over 5-1/3 innings.

Zack Cozart and Justin Upton both homered in the third. Rivera added a solo shot in the seventh despite taking a pair of early foul tips off his right hand.

In Arlington, Texas, Nomar Mazara led off the 10th inning with his second homer of the game, giving Texas its first winning home series this season.

Mazara pulled a 1-0 pitch into the right field seats off Warwick Saupold (1-1), the sixth Detroit pitcher.

It was his first career game-ending homer. He has 10 home runs this season, seven in May.

Rangers closer Keone Kela (3-2) struck out three in two innings.

In Chicago, Colin Moran hit a two-run homer that capped a fourrun rally against Nate Jones in the ninth inning, and Pittsburgh sent the White Sox to their fifth straight loss.

Starling Marte and Josh Bell singled off Jones (2-1), Elias Diaz had a two-run double and Moran homered.

Richard Rodriguez (1-1) got the win and Felipe Vazquez pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save in seven chances.

In San Diego, Matt Szczur hit a go-ahead double in the seventh inning and San Diego’s bullpen pitched four scoreless innings against Washington.

With the game tied at 1, Manuel Margot opened the seventh with a single — his third hit of the game — and stole second before advancing to third on catcher Matt Wieters’ throwing error. Szczur doubled off reliever Trevor Gott (0-2).

Kirby Yates pitched a perfect eighth, and Brad Hand got three outs for his 10th save.