Yankees blank Astros; Mets pummel Pirates
Ohtani’s 33rd homer a tape-measure job
HOUSTON — Nestor Cortes and three relievers combined for a three-hitter and Brett Gardner and DJ LeMahieu each drove in two runs to lead the New York Yankees over the Houston Astros 4-0 on Friday night.
It was New York’s first visit to Houston since Game 6 of the 2019 AL Championship Series. The Astros advanced to the World Series with a 6-4 win in that game on a two-run homer by Jose Altuve with two outs in the ninth.
METS 13, PIRATES 4: In New York, Pete Alonso hit a threerun homer and Francisco Lindor clubbed New York’s first grand slam this season during a 10-run sixth inning, and the Mets embarrassed Pittsburgh.
A night after being postponed because of weather for the second time in a week, New York won for the fifth time in seven games. Friday’s matchup was delayed 41 minutes as lightning, thunder and heavy rain blanketed Citi Field with one out in the bottom of the eighth.
CUBS 10, CARDINALS 5: In Chicago, Kyle Hendricks won his ninth straight decision, Patrick Wisdom hit a two-run homer and the Cubs beat St. Louis.
Kris Bryant drove in three runs with a pinch-hit double to start Chicago’s five-run burst in the seventh inning before Wisdom went deep against his former team.
GIANTS 5, NATIONALS 3: In San Francisco, the Giants got home runs from Wilmer Flores and Curt Casali in beating Washington.
The Giants used eight pitchers, the Nationals five.
INDIANS 2, ROYALS 1: In Cleveland, Bobby Bradley homered leading off the ninth inning as the Indians overcame some brutal base running that led to manager Terry Francona’s ejection for a win over Kansas City.
Bradley drove a 1-2 pitch from Jake Brentz (2-2) over the wall in right-center for his 10th homer as the Indians got their second straight walk-off win, touching off another wild celebration inside Progressive Field.
BRAVES 5, MARLINS 0: In Miami, Charlie Morton pitched seven innings of two-hit ball and Atlanta beat Miami.
Freddie Freeman homered and Austin Riley doubled and tripled for the Braves.
RAYS 7, BLUE JAYS 1: In St. Petersburg, Fla., three Tampa Bay relievers combined on five scoreless innings, Ji-Man Choi drove in three runs and the Rays won their fifth consecutive game.
Andrew Kittredge (6-1) and Jeffrey Springs each worked two perfect innings.
WHITE SOX 12, ORIOLES 1: In Baltimore, area native Gavin Sheets homered in his first trip to Camden Yards as a major leaguer, and Chicago routed the Orioles.
Sheets, whose father, Larry, played six seasons with the Orioles in the 1980s, said before the game it felt weird to arrive in Baltimore as a visitor earlier in the week. Whatever unease he had was long gone when he smashed a pitch from César Valdez to rightcenter in the seventh inning.
RANGERS 3, ATHLETICS 2: In Arlington, Texas, Adolis Garcia’s two-run single to center field highlighted Texas’ three-run sixth after Oakland’s Cole Irvin took a no-hitter into the inning, and Jordan Lyles won his third straight start.
REDS 2, BREWERS 0: In Milwaukee, Wade Miley pitched eight shutout innings and helped himself by doubling and scoring as Cincinnati beat the Brewers.
The Reds also reduced Milwaukee’s NL Central lead to six games.
TWINS 4, TIGERS 2: In Minneapolis, Max Kepler hit a two-run triple during a four-run sixth inning and Minnesota waited out another young Detroit starter.
Like left-hander Tarik Skubal a night earlier, Detroit rookie Matt Manning didn’t allow a hit through the first four innings.
RED SOX 11, PHILLIES 5: In Boston, Kiké Hernández led off the Red Sox first with a home run, J.D. Martinez hit a three-run shot and Rafael Devers also homered to lead Boston past Philadelphia.
Hernández’s homer was his fifth from the leadoff spot this season; only Kyle Schwarber (7) and José Altuve (6) have more. Notes
OHTANI GOES DEEP: In Seattle, Shohei Ohtani’s league-leading 33rd home run of the season Friday night put him in rare company in the history of the Seattle Mariners’ home ballpark.
Ohtani’s solo shot in the third inning off Marco Gonzales soared into the top deck of right field at T-Mobile Park. The Angels’ twoway phenom is the sixth player to reach the upper deck of the right field seats since the stadium opened in 1999. MLB’s Statcast projected the homer at 463 feet.
DODGERS: Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw got an MRI on his sore left elbow that showed inflammation but no structural damage, according to Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts.
Roberts said Friday that Kershaw is scheduled to play catch Saturday and will then use next week’s All-Star break to rest.
ASTROS: Houston shortstop Carlos Correa has been placed on the injured list due to health and safety protocols.
Friday’s move came a day after Correa announced that he would not play in next week’s All-Star game so he could spend time with wife Daniella, who is expecting the couple’s first child.
Manager Dusty Baker spoke of Correa being out of the lineup before the move was announced, but didn’t provide many details aside from saying he was not at the ballpark for the game against the New York Yankees.