Verlander’s 200th prevents sweep
OAKLAND, Calif. — Once they got into the clubhouse, the Astros showered Justin Verlander with champagne.
No, it wasn’t for helping them avoid a sweep at the Coliseum. But that was a nice benefit, too.
Verlander pitched just well enough to earn his 200th career win and the Astros hit five home runs, beating the Athletics 9-4 on Sunday to retake sole possession of the American League West lead.
“That was one of the tougher wins I had to get this season,” Verlander said. “Our boys swung
Yankees: J.A. Happ stayed unbeaten with the Yankees by topping his former teammates, and Greg Bird hit a grand slam during a six-run first inning in a 10-2 win over the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees completed a three-game sweep, but lost shortstop Didi Gregorius to an injured left heel. Gregorius was hurt when he collided with Blue Jays first baseman Kendrys Morales beating an infield hit in the first, and was taken to a hospital for evaluation.
Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw pitched seven sharp innings for his 150th career win, and Justin Turner homered and drove in five runs in a 12-1 victory over the Mariners in Seattle. the bats and that made for a great day.”
The surging A’s had won the first two games at the Coliseum to tie shaky the Astros atop the division. But Yuli Gurriel hit a three-run homer in the third inning and Evan Gattis, Alex Bregman, Marwin Gonzalez and Martin Maldonado later homered for the defending World Series champions. Maldonado also tripled and doubled.
“What a great way to get Verlander his 200th,” Bregman said. “We hand the ball to JV and he wins. He got us going in the right direction. He battled his head off for us.”
Mets: Amed Rosario had three hits and drove in three runs, and the Mets went from cheering Little League World Series players to impressing the youngsters in an 8-2 win over the Phillies in Williamsport, Pa. The game was played in 2,500-seat Bowman Field, the 92-year-old home of the Phillies’ Class A affiliate in the New York-Penn League.
Indians: Melky Cabrera hit a grand slam to cap a six-run fourth inning, four pitchers combined on the team’s American Leagueleading 13th shutout and the Indians continued to roll through August with an 8-0 victory over the Orioles in Cleveland. The Indians improved to 13-4 this month.
Verlander (12-8), who has not given up more than four runs in any of his 20 career games against the A’s, entered the day with a major league-leading 1.74 ERA on the road. Matt Chapman and Khris Davis hit solo homers off Verlander in the first inning, and Davis added his 36th homer, a two-run drive, in the third that made it 4-4.
Gattis put the Astros ahead for good in the fourth with his 24th home run.
“I’m guessing this won’t be (Verlander’s) last win,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “You just look at his numbers. He’s something special.”
Brewers: Mike Moustakas hit a two-run double, Jhoulys Chacin beat the Cardinals for the first time in his career and the Brewers edged the Cardinals 2-1 in St. Louis. The Brewers snapped a three-game losing streak and moved ahead of the Cardinals for the second NL wild card.
Rays: Reliever Diego Castillo started and allowed one single and Jalen Beeks allowed the only other Red Sox hit as the Rays won 2-0 in Boston to hand the AL East leaders their fifth shutout.
Rockies: German Marquez won his fourth straight road decision and DJ LeMahieu homered in a 4-2 win over the Braves to give the Rockies their first four-game sweep in Atlanta.