Rays get split with Royals
Brandon Lowe hit a tworun homer off Wily Peralta with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays rallied to beat the Royals, 3-1, yesterday in Kansas City, Mo., for a four-game split.
BASEBALL
Whit Merrifield became the third player with a twotriple game this season for the Royals, who lead the major leagues with 17 in 32 games. His third-inning triple drove in Martin Maldonado, who beat out an infield hit and is 7 for 13 against Charlie Morton.
AL East-leading Tampa Bay tied the score in the fifth on consecutive singles by Willy Adames, Nate Lowe and Guillermo Heredia.
Peralta (2-2) walked Daniel Robertson on four pitches leading off the ninth, and Lowe connected with two outs for his seventh home run this season.
Adam Kolarek (2-1) got the final two outs of the eighth, and Diego Castillo struck out two in a perfect ninth for his fourth save in as many chances. Tampa Bay won the season series 4-3.
Twins 8, Astros 2 — Jose Berrios won his fourth straight start, Jason Castro homered off former battery mate Brad Peacock and drove in four runs, and ALleading Minnesota beat Houston in Minneapolis.
Backed by a six-run fourth from the Twins against Peacock, Berrios (5-1) finished seven smooth innings with seven hits and two runs allowed to push the Twins to their first season series victory over the Astros since 2013. Berrios is 4-0 in four starts at home this year.
National League
Mets 1, Reds 0 — Noah Syndergaard became the first pitcher in 36 years to homer and throw a shutout in a 1-0 victory, lifting host New York over Cincinnati.
Syndergaard (2-3) struck out 10 and allowed four hits in his third career complete game, shaking off a sloppy start to the season with a do-it-all effort. He became the first Mets starter to get an out in the eighth this season, and the franchise’s first starter ever to go yard in a 1-0 complete game win.
Thor did his hammering in the third inning, driving a ball 407 feet to the opposite field in left-center off Tyler Mahle (0-4).
The previous pitcher to homer in a 1-0 completegame win was the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Bob Welch against the Reds on June 17, 1983, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Nationals 2, Cardinals 1 — Right-hander Stephen Strasburg reached 1,500 strikeouts in fewer innings pitched than any player in major league history as host Washington beat St. Louis.
Strasburg got opposing pitcher Dakota Hudson looking in the fifth inning for his eighth strikeout of the game and the 1,500th of his career. He finished with nine K’s, allowing one run over 6 ⅔ innings.
Padres 11, Braves 2 — Ian Kinsler and Wil Myers homered, Matt Strahm worked six innings and San Diego earned a split of their series in Atlanta.
The Padres broke the game open with a five-run fifth, helped by an errant throw from Atlanta pitcher Mike Foltynewicz that allowed four unearned runs to score.
Strahm (1-2) allowed eight hits, struck out six and didn’t walk anyone before turning it over to the bullpen.
Rockies 11, Brewers 6 — Nolan Arenado, David Dahl and Raimel Tapia homered to lead visiting Colorado over Freddy Peralta and Milwaukee for a four-game split.
Elsewhere in baseball — The Chicago Cubs optioned shortstop Addison Russell to Triple-A Iowa after he completed his 40-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy.
To make room on the 40man roster, the Cubs transferred closer Brandon Morrow (elbow) to the 60-day injured list.
Russell was eligible to rejoin the Cubs when they open a weekend series against St. Louis at home today. But manager Joe Maddon said Tuesday in Seattle the team wanted to give him more time at Triple-A to get ready.
Russell was suspended last fall after a series of allegations made by his exwife.