Walker, Mets edge Bucs
Taijuan Walker won back-to-back starts for the first time in two months, Daniel Vogelbach homered against his former team and the New York Mets beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 Friday night.
Pete Alonso had his National League-leading 113th RBI for New York (9155), which is assured of its most wins since going 9765 in 2006. The Mets began the night with a one-game lead over second-place Atlanta in the NL East. NATIONALS 5, MARLINS 4 >> Joey Meneses hit an inside-the-park home run, Ildemaro Vargas had a goahead double in the eighth inning and Washington rallied to beat Miami.
The Nationals snapped a five-game losing streak, beating the Nationals at home for the first time in eight tries this season. Washington is 2-12 overall against Miami.
CUBS 2, ROCKIES 1 >> Marcus Stroman won at Wrigley Field for the first time since signing with the Cubs, pitching no-hit ball into the sixth inning.
BRAVES 7, PHILLIES 2 >> Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in a six-run eighth inning and Atlanta rallied for the win.
The opposite-field shot off Seranthony Dominguez (6-5) erased a 2-1 deficit and touched off a wild celebration at sold-out Truist Park, helping the Braves stay a game behind the firstplace New York Mets in the NL East.
American League
BLUE JAYS 6, ORIOLES 3 >> Matt Chapman hit two home runs, George Springer added a three-run shot and Toronto maintained its position in the AL wild-card race.
Chapman went 3 for 4 with three RBI and three runs to help the Blue Jays (82-63) win for the fifth time in six meetings with the Orioles.
Adley Rutschman hit a two-run home run and Gunnar Henderson added a solo shot for Baltimore (75-68). The Orioles were unable to gain ground on the three leading wild-card contenders, Toronto, Tampa Bay and Seattle.
Julian Merryweather pitched two shutout innings in relief of Trevor Richards, who struck out the side in the first. Yusei Kikuchi (57) followed by allowing two runs in two innings. GUARDIANS 4, TWINS 3 >> Pinch-runner Ernie Clement raced home from second base on a wild pitch in the eighth inning for the go-ahead run and AL-Central leading Cleveland rallied past Minnesota in the opener of a crucial fivegame series.
RANGERS 4, RAYS 3 >> Nathaniel Lowe hit his 25th home run in a four-run inning and Texas beat Tampa Bay.
Lowe’s two-run homer was the fourth of five straight hits in the third inning off Corey Kluber (10-9). TIGERS 3, WHITE SOX 2 >> Victor Reyes hit a deep flyball to center field in the 10th inning, scoring automatic runner Ryan Kreidler from third base and giving Detroit the win.