Yanks top Cubs in dramatic fashion
Gardner’s three-run homer with two outs in ninth wins it
CHICAGO — With the Yankees down to their final strike, Brett Gardner let his emotions out once his go-ahead home run landed on a patio in right field.
He pumped his left arm as he rounded the bases and gave Jacoby Ellsbury a leaping high-five after crossing home plate.
Gardner lined a slider from Hector Rondon for a three-run, ninth-inning drive that lifted New York over the Chicago Cubs 3-2 in the series opener Friday.
“I was fired up, man,” Gardner said. “I’m usually pretty even keeled, but I was excited. We were kind of slow all game, and they’re winning 2-0 up to last strike in the ninth inning. It feels good to come through in a situation like that.”
Home runs by Kris Bryant in the first and Kyle Schwarber in the sixth off Michael Pineda gave the Cubs that 2-0 lead.
Chase Headley singled with one out in the ninth off Hector Rondon (0-1). Ellsbury pinch hit with two outs and walked.
Gardner fouled off a pair of 1-2 fastballs, took a ball and on his seventh pitch of the at-bat and then hit his fifth home run of the season, all in the last six games.
DIAMONDBACKS 6, ROCKIES 3: In Denver, Paul Goldschmidt homered twice and drove in five runs, helping Zack Greinke and Arizona beat Colorado.
Goldschmidt hit a solo shot in the first and a three-run homer in the third. He later added an RBI single.
Greinke (3-2) allowed two runs over seven innings to help the Diamondbacks pull within a half-game of the front-running Rockies in the NL West.
METS 8, MARLINS 7: In New York, T.J. Rivera homered early and hit a two-run double to tie the score in a five-run seventh
inning that rallied New York past Miami.
Wilmer Flores drew a four-pitch walk from Kyle Barraclough with the bases loaded and two outs to force in the go-ahead run. New York opened the inning with six straight hits off reliever Brad Ziegler (1-2).
ORIOLES 4, WHITE SOX 2: In Baltimore, Gabriel Ynoa pitched six sharp innings after Orioles starter Wade Miley was forced out of the game by the impact of two line drives, and Baltimore got a home run from Chris Davis in a victory over Chicago.
Miley left after being drilled by successive batters. First, he was struck in the left wrist by a shot off the bat of Jose Abreu. Two pitches later, Avisail Garcia ripped a comebacker that hit Miley in the left thigh. NATIONALS 4, PHILLIES 2: In Philadelphia, Stephen Strasburg hit his second major league homer and pitched 5⅔ scoreless innings, leading Washington over Philly. Strasburg (3-1) allowed five hits, struck
out five and walked four, leaving after 119 pitches and failing to go seven innings for the first time this season.
Philadelphia’s Nick Pivetta, a New Mexico Junior College alumnus, was the loser, dropping to 0-2.
BLUE JAYS 8, RAYS 4: In St. Petersburg, Fla., Kendrys Morales had two late homers and drove in five runs, helping Toronto rally from a three-run deficit to beat Tampa Bay.
Morales hit a two-run shot during the seventh inning and hit a three-run drive off Jumbo Diaz (0-2) in a five-run eighth.
CARDINALS 10, BRAVES 0: In Atlanta, Tommy Pham doubled and hit a two-run homer after his recall from the minors, and Matt Carpenter also hit a two-run homer as St. Louis beat Atlanta. Lance Lynn (4-1) allowed four hits in six innings.
TWINS 4, RED SOX 3: In Minneapolis, Joe Mauer hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to lift Minnesota past Boston.
REDS 13, GIANTS 3: In Cincinnati, San Francisco’s Matt Cain was rocked for nine runs, matching the most he has allowed in the major leagues, and Jose Peraza drove in a career-high four runs in the first four innings to lead Cincinnati over the Giants.
ROYALS 3, INDIANS 1: In Kansas City, Mo., Jason Hammel allowed three hits over six innings and Eric Hosmer hit a two-run homer as KC beat Cleveland.
PIRATES 4, BREWERS 0: In Pittsburgh, Josh Bell hit his fifth homer of the year and Wade LeBlanc pitched three strong innings after a lengthy rain delay for Pittsburgh.
ASTROS 7, ANGELS 6 (10): In Anaheim, Calif., Carlos Correa’s RBI single in the 10th lifted Houston past Los Angeles, which forced extra innings with a four-run ninth. Albuquerque’s Ken Giles (1-1) got the win, but blew a save. TIGERS 7, ATHLETICS 2: In Oakland, Calif., the Tigers’ Michael Fulmer (3-1) gave up two runs (one earned) in eight innings and struck out nine as Detroit beat Oakland.