Kenta Maeda helps Dodgers beat Reds
CINCINNATI: Japanese pitcher Kenta Maeda (5-3) pitched five strong innings and drove in two runs, Logan Forsythe and Justin Turner homered, and Kike Hernandez made a spectacular game-saving catch to help Los Angeles hold on to beat Cincinnati 8-7 in Major League Baseball on Sunday. Cincinnati nearly rallied all the way back from an 8-1 deficit in the sixth inning. However, Hernandez went back to the left-field wall and made an awkward leaping grab of Joey Votto’s attempt at a go-ahead extra-base hit with runners on first and third in the eighth. Kenley Jansen got the last three outs for his 15th save. Bronson Arroyo (3-6), who was roughed up for nine runs and a career-high 13 hits in his last start at San Diego, lasted only three innings against the Dodgers, giving up five runs and seven hits.
ROCKIES 7, GIANTS 5
Nolan Arenado completed the cycle with a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Colorado Rockies stunned the San Francisco Giants by rallying for this victory. Arenado hit the first pitch he saw from All-Star closer Mark Melancon (1-2) into the left-field seats to finish a four-game sweep. The slugger was mobbed at home plate by teammates, with a frenzied sellout crowd chanting “MVP! MVP!” With the best record in the National League, the surprising Rockies have won five straight overall and nine in a row against the Giants. Last-place San Francisco has dropped six consecutive games and nine of 11. Melancon retired his first batter, but three singles produced a run and brought up Arenado, who tripled in the first, singled in the fourth and had an RBI double in the sixth. He hit a 91 mph fastball for his 15th homer and first career cycle. Carlos Estevez (4-0), called up from the minors before the game, struck out one batter in the ninth for the win.
INDIANS 5, TWINS 2
Edwin Encarnacion homered twice, Trevor Bauer pitched seven strong innings and Jose Ramirez had his sixth straight multihit game as Cleveland completed a four-game sweep of Minnesota. Cleveland came into the series trailing the Twins by two games in the AL Central. The sweep vaulted the Indians two games ahead and gave the defending AL champions sole possession of first place in the division for the first time since May 10. Bauer (6-5) allowed two runs and four hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. He retired 15 straight before hitting Kennys Vargas with a pitch in the seventh. Eduardo Escobar and Eddie Rosario followed with RBI hits to put Minnesota on the board. Kyle Gibson (4-5) retired nine straight before Encarnacion hit a 443-foot drive to the second deck in left field to put Cleveland on top 1-0 in the third.
CUBS 7, PIRATES 1
John Lackey and three relievers combined on a three-hitter, and Anthony Rizzo homered among his three hits to lead Chicago past Pittsburgh. The defending World Series champions took two of three in Pittsburgh and improved to 34-34 this season. Lackey (5-7) allowed two hits and struck out four over six innings. Carl Edwards Jr., Hector Rondon and Brian Duensing finished up for the Cubs. The first four Chicago runs came against Jameson Taillon (3-2), who made his second start since returning from surgery to treat testicular cancer. Taillon gave up eight hits in five innings while striking out four.
ATHLETICS 4, YANKEES 3
Khris Davis hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the third that held up to back rookie Jharel Cotton’s first victory since May 4, as Oakland completed a four-game sweep of slumping New York. New York welcomed back flamethrowing closer Aroldis Chapman but still lost its season-high sixth straight game following a six-game winning streak, finishing a disappointing 1-6 road trip with a weekend dud against the American League’s worst team. Cotton (4-7) struck out six over 6 1/3 innings for his second-longest start of the season. Luis Cessa (0-1) allowed four runs and five hits in four innings for New York.
DIAMONDBACKS 5, PHILLIES 4, 10 INNINGS
Rey Fuentes hit his first major league home run in the 10th inning, lifting Arizona over Philadelphia. Fuentes entered in the eighth inning as a pinch runner and was caught stealing. However, the rookie redeemed himself with a homer off Jeanmar Gomez (3-2) with one out in the 10th. Hector Neris entered with a 4-3 lead in the ninth and failed to pick up a save for the second time in eight chances. Archie Bradley (3-1) pitched a scoreless ninth, stranding a pair of baserunners. Fernando Rodney earned his 20th save in 23 chances.
BREWERS 2, PADRES 1
Jimmy Nelson struck out 10 in his first career complete game and Milwaukee got home runs from Hernan Perez and Manny Pina to edge San Diego on Sunday. Nelson (5-3) allowed six hits and two walks while throwing 118 pitches in his 89th major league start. He gave up only an unearned run and lowered his ERA to 3.28. Leading off the sixth inning, Perez hit his 10th home run into the Brewers’ bullpen off starter Luis Perdomo (1-4). One batter later, Pina connected on a 1-2 pitch for his fourth of the season to give Milwaukee a 2-1 lead.
ORIOLES 8, CARDINALS 5
Ubaldo Jimenez was stellar in his first start since May 22 and Mark Trumbo homered for the second consecutive day as Baltimore beat St. Louis. Baltimore homered 10 times while winning two of three against the Cardinals to improve to .500 (34-34). It was the first time the Orioles won a three-game series since May 2931 against the Yankees. Jimenez (2-2) will likely stay in the rotation after allowing two runs and four hits with three strikeouts and two walks over seven innings. Brad Brach picked up his 12th save for Baltimore. St. Louis’ Lance Lynn (5-4) allowed seven runs and nine hits with five strikeouts and a career high four home runs over 4 2/3 innings.
RAYS 9, TIGERS 1
Logan Morrison homered twice and Steven Souza Jr. hit his first career grand slam as Tampa Bay beat Detroit to split a four-game series. Derek Norris and Evan Longoria also homered for the Rays. Jake Faria (3-0) allowed one run, six hits and a walk in seven innings. He struck out a career-high nine. Buck Farmer (2-1) allowed seven runs in 2 1/3 innings, and has allowed 13 runs in 4 2/3 innings over his last two starts.
MARINERS 7, RANGERS 3
Kyle Seager drove in three runs with three doubles and Christian Bergman pitched effectively into the sixth inning to help Seattle beat Texas. Danny Valencia’s two-run homer capped a four-run first against Texas right-hander Yu Darvish (6-5), whom the Mariners beat for the first time in eight tries on the road. Bergman (44) permitted four hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings after giving up nine runs in 2 2/3 innings in his last start in Minnesota.
METS 5, NATIONALS 1
Jacob deGrom hit his first major league home run and shut down a bruising Washington lineup on three singles for eight dominant innings, giving New York a win that prevented a four-game sweep. The NL Eastleading Nationals had been 6-0 at Citi Field this season and had battered the Mets in three games this week, never trailing while totaling 18 extra-base hits. But they had trouble touching the blue-stitched balls - used all around Major League Baseball on Father’s Day thrown by deGrom (6-3). A career .199 hitter in 176 at-bats coming in, deGrom also provided the biggest jolt. He hit the first pitch of the third inning from Joe Ross (3-3) over the wall in left-center.
BLUE JAYS 7, WHITE SOX 3
Kendrys Morales and Russell Martin each homered to help Toronto beat Chicago. Martin tied the game in the sixth with his seventh home run of the season, a two-run shot to the center field fence that bounced off the glove of outfielder Willy Garcia and over. Ryan Goins tripled home Steve Pearce against Anthony Swarzak (3-2) for the tiebreaking run two batters later. J.A. Happ (2-4) picked up his first home win of the season, giving up three runs over 6 2/3 innings.
BRAVES 5, MARLINS 4
Brandon Phillips’ single drove in Johan Camargo from third base in the ninth inning to give Atlanta a win over Miami. It was the second straight game-ending hit for Phillips, whose run-scoring single in the 10th gave Atlanta an 8-7 victory Saturday. Camargo hit a one-out infield single off Drew Steckenrider (0-1) and moved to third on Ender Inciarte’s line-drive single up the middle. Jim Johnson (5-1) pitched a scoreless ninth.
ROYALS 7, ANGELS 3
Jason Vargas earned his 10th win, the most in the majors, and Salvador Perez hit a threerun homer as Kansas City beat Los Angeles. Mike Moustakas had a three-run double for the Royals, who went 7-2 on their California trip and scored at least seven runs in six of those victories. Vargas (10-3) gave up three runs and eight hits in six innings, and Kelvin Herrera got two outs for his 15th save. JC Ramirez (6-5) allowed five runs in three innings.
RED SOX 6, ASTROS 5
Xander Bogaerts went deep twice for the first multihomer game of his career and had four RBIs to lead the Boston Red Sox to victory over the Houston Astros. Bogaerts had just two homers entering Sunday’s game. He ended an 0-for-14 skid when he connected off Joe Musgrove (4-6) to make it 1-0 with two outs in the first inning. A two-run shot by Bogaerts in the sixth put the Red Sox up 3-2. Jackie Bradley Jr. added a two-run double later that inning. Houston cut the lead to 5-4 with homers from Jake Marisnick and George Springer in the sixth, but an RBI single by Bogaerts added an insurance run in the seventh. David Price (2-1) got the win despite tying a season high by allowing eight hits with three runs and three walks in five-plus innings. Craig Kimbrel allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth for his 20th save.