Cueto, Royals stop Tigers
Johnny Cueto threw a four-hitter in his Kauffman Stadium debut as the host Royals beat the Detroit Tigers, 4-0, last night in Kansas City, Mo.
Cueto (1-1) did not allow a runner past second base, struck out eight and walked none. It was his sixth career shutout and second this season.
Cueto, who was acquired from Cincinnati on July 26 for three pitching prospects, received a loud cheer as he went out for his warmup pitches and the standing ovations grew after every scoreless inning as he walked to the dugout.
Cueto struck out Anthony Gose on three pitches to begin the game as the festive crowd roared with approval. Sluggerr, the Royals’ mascot, appeared wearing a Cueto-esque mane of dreadlocks.
Tigers left-hander Matt Boyd, who was acquired from Toronto on July 30 in the David Price trade, gave up three runs in the first inning.
White Sox 8, Angels 2 — Chris Sale was back in All-Star form, and Avisail Garcia homered twice to drive in four runs as host Chicago White drubbed Los Angeles.
Tyler Flowers added a solo shot to back Sale (10-7), who rebounded with a gem after allowing 14 earned runs and 18 hits in 101⁄ innings while losing his previous
3 two outings. The lanky lefthander didn’t allow a run — or more than one baserunner in an inning — until Johnny Giavotella drove in two with a double in the seventh.
Orioles 3, Mariners 2 — Chris Davis hit a go-ahead single and his 30th home run, and visiting Baltimore pulled within two games of the second wild-card spot in the American League with a win over Seattle.
Adam Jones launched his 18th homer in the first inning off Seattle starter Vidal Nuno (0-1) and scored on Davis’ base hit in the fourth. Davis then hit a line drive out to center field off reliever Mayckol Guaipe in the sixth that landed in nearly the same spot as Jones’ drive.
National League
Mets 4, Rockies 2 — Daniel Murphy drove in two runs with a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning, and host New York rallied past Colorado after top Rockies pitching prospect Jon Gray was lifted after six innings.
The Mets went ahead on Travis d’Arnaud’s first homer since June 20 — the only hit for the NL East leaders off Gray, the hard-throwing
right-hander making his second major league start.
Diamondbacks 13, Phillies 3 — In Phoenix, Welington Castillo tied a career high with four RBIs and Yasmany Tomas and A.J. Pollock homered, leading Arizona in a rout of Philadelphia.
Arizona scored three runs in the fifth inning to break a 2-2 tie, highlighted by Castillo’s solo shot with two outs. Castillo has eight home runs and 11 RBI in his last 12 games.
Nationals 8, Dodgers 3 — Gio Gonzalez scattered seven hits over eight scoreless innings, Ian Desmond hit two homers, and Washington kicked off a 10-game trip with a win over host Los Angeles.
Gonzalez (9-4) struck out six, walked one and stranded eight runners, helping the Nationals remain 11⁄ games behind the NL
2 East-leading Mets. The left-hander is 5-0 with a 1.48 ERA in eight starts since losing 6-1 at Tampa Bay on June 15.
Padres 2, Reds 1 — Justin Upton hit a two-run homer and host San Diego edged Cincinnati to snap a six-game losing streak.
Ian Kennedy (7-10) pitched five innings for the win, backed up by four relievers who did not permit a run. He was charged with two hits and a season-high six walks. David Holmberg (1-1) worked 6 2⁄ for the
3 Reds, allowed two runs, five hits and three walks with five strikeouts.
Elsewhere in baseball — The Los Angeles Dodgers placed second baseman Howie Kendrick on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left hamstring and recalled infielder Jose Peraza from Triple-A Oklahoma City.