Nationals’ teenager Soto hits a home run in first career start
WASHINGTON — Juan Soto, the youngest player in the majors at 19, hit a three-run homer in his first career start as the Washington Nationals defeated the San Diego Padres 10-2 on Monday.
Mark Reynolds had two solo home runs for the Nationals, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Bryce Harper had a homer and an RBI double.
Soto’s drive highlighted a five-run second inning for Washington. The promising outfielder, who played for three minor league teams this season, hit the first pitch from Robbie Erlin (1-3) over the Nationals bullpen in left-center field. Soto also singled.
Soto’s homer traveled an estimated 442 feet at Nationals Park. He earned a standing ovation from the crowd and the teenager responded by taking a curtain call. Per BaseballReference.com, Soto became the first teenager to hit a home run in a major league game since Harper on Sept. 30, 2012.
PHILLIES 3, BRAVES 0: In Philadelphia, former New Mexico Junior College pitcher Nick Pivetta struck out seven over seven innings, and Nick Williams and Aaron Altherr each homered to lead the Phillies to a win over Atlanta.
The Phillies took the opener of the three-game series and moved a half game behind Atlanta for first place in the NL East. ORIOLES 3, WHITE SOX 2: In Chicago, Manny Machado, Adam Jones and Mark Trumbo homered, helping Andrew Cashner and Baltimore beat Chicago.
Machado hit a line drive to left in the fourth inning for his 15th homer, moving into a tie for the major league lead with Boston’s Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez. Trumbo connected in the fifth against Hector Santiago, and Jones went deep in the sixth after leaving Sunday’s 5-0 loss to the Red Sox due to an illness. YANKEES 10, RANGERS 5: In Arlington, Texas, Gleyber Torres hit two of the four Yankees homers off Bartolo Colon and New York won to deny the Texas starter a milestone victory only three days before his 45th birthday.
Colon (2-2) allowed six runs and eight hits in 5⅓ innings in his 178th career loss. The portly right-hander remained one win short of matching Hall of Fame pitcher Juan Marchial’s 243 victories, the most by a player born in the Dominican Republic. ROCKIES 2, DODGERS 1: In Los Angeles, Gerado Parra homered and Carlos Gonzalez drove in the go-ahead run with an infield hit in the eighth inning to lead Colorado to a win over Los Angeles.
TWINS 4, TIGERS 2: In Minneapolis, Logan Morrison forced in the go-ahead run with a four-pitch walk in the eighth inning after striking out in his first three at-bats, propelling the Twins to a victory over Detroit.
BREWERS 4, DIAMONDBACKS 2: In Milwaukee, Travis Shaw, Domingo Santana and Lorenzo Cain each hit home runs off Zack Greinke, and Milwaukee beat Arizona.
METS 2, MARLINS 0: In New York, Jason Vargas returned to the rotation with five excellent innings, AJ Ramos pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth and New York beat Miami. CARDINALS 6, ROYALS 0: In St. Louis, Miles Mikolas pitched his first career shutout and Tyler O’Neill homered for the third straight game and drove in four runs, leading St. Louis to a victory over Kansas City.