Reds rally in 9th in push for playoffs

Elly De La Cruz hit a tying single and newcomer Hunter Renfroe beat out a double-play ball to drive in the winner as the Reds rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning for the second straight night, defeating the Cubs, 2-1, in Cincinnati on Saturday.

In a matchup of NL playoff contenders, Javier Assad pitched a season-high eight shutout innings and Jeimer Candelario hit his 20th homer to help Chicago take a 1-0 lead into the ninth.

The Reds are a half-game out of an NL wildcard spot.

Jake Fraley led off with a double against Mark Leiter Jr. (1-3), and pinch runner Harrison Bader stole third. TJ Friedl walked and Spencer Steer was hit by a pitch before De La Cruz singled.

Nick Martini flied out, keeping the bases loaded. Renfroe, claimed off waivers from the Angels earlier in the week, hit a grounder to shortstop, and the Cubs tried to turn a double play. Renfroe just beat the relay to first, allowing Friedl to score.

Earlier, the Reds said lefthander Brandon Williamson tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss his scheduled start Sunday. He is the fourth Reds pitcher to test positive this week.

Guardians cap comeback in 11th Steven Kwan hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Bo Naylor with the winning run after Jose Tena tied the score with a single in the 11th inning to lift the host Guardians to a 7-6 win over the Rays.

Rays center fielder Jose Siri had an opportunity to cut down Naylor at the plate but his throw sailed wide and Chris Devenski (3-3) took the loss in his first appearance with the team.

Tampa Bay, which has a commanding lead atop the AL wild-card standings, trails Baltimore by two games in the East.

Brandon Lowe gave Tampa Bay a 6-5 lead in the top of the 11th with a sacrifice fly off Sam Hentges (3-2).

Kwan forced extra innings with a two-out single in the ninth off closer Pete Fairbanks, scoring

Myles Straw. It was Fairbanks’s second blown save in 20 opportunities this season.

Pinch-hit homer lifts Pirates

Josh Palacios hit a pinch hit home run off Drew VerHagen in the top of the ninth to help the Pirates beat the Cardinals, 7-6, in St. Louis for their fifth straight win.

VerHagen (4-1) entered with one out in the ninth and hit Andrew McCutchen before Palacios, hitting for Connor Joe, drove a pitch into the right-field seats for his seventh home run.

Jordan Walker, Lars Nootbaar, and Tyler O’Neill all homered for the Cardinals.

Cody Bolton (1-0) pitched a perfect eighth for his first major league win.

Mullins kickstarts Orioles Cedric Mullins started a six-run fourth inning with a three-run blast, Kyle Bradish threw six solid innings, and the Orioles beat the Diamondbacks, 7-3, in Phoenix.

The Orioles — who snapped a two-game skid — haven’t lost three straight games since July 1 and own the AL’s best record at 84-51.

Arizona took a 2-0 lead in the third. Ketel Marte’s RBI double scored the first run and Alek Thomas followed with a run-scoring groundout.

But Baltimore responded quickly. Mullins launched his three-run homer in the fourth and the Orioles continued to unleash a string of hits against rookie Slade Cecconi, with Adam Frazier and James McCann hitting back-to-back RBI doubles and Adley Rutschman adding an RBI single.

Judge, Yankees edge Astros Aaron Judge homered for the second straight game and the Yankees got a big effort from their bullpen in a 5-4 win over the Astros in Houston.

Michael Brantley hit his first home run since June 2022 for the Astros, who fell a game behind first-place Seattle in the AL West. The Mariners beat the Mets, 8-7, in New York on J.P. Crawford tiebreaking homer to lead off off the ninth.

After New York starter Luis Severino lasted four innings, Jhony Brito, Wandy Peralta, and

Clay Holmes combined to throw shutout ball.

Brito (6-6), a rookie reliever who has a 1.27 ERA, started the fifth and went 3„ innings.

New York took the lead in the second, when Oswaldo Cabrera followed Oswald Peraza’s RBI single with a bases-loaded walk. Houston answered in the bottom half with Brantley’s two-run homer to right field.

New York regained the lead when Judge hammered a slider from Hunter Brown to right-center.

Brewers hold off Phillies

Carlos Santana had a two-run homer, Mark Canha doubled twice. and the Brewers withstood a late comeback attempt to beat the Phillies, 7-5, in Milwaukee.

Philadelphia lost its third straight even though

Trea Turner tied a franchise record by homering in his fifth consecutive game. Kyle Schwarber led off the game with a homer for the second straight night and J.T. Realmuto also went deep for the Phillies.

The Phillies had runners on third and second in the ninth when Devin Williams struck out Turner swinging at a 3-and-2 pitch to end the game and earn his 32nd save in 36 opportunities.

Milwaukee’s William Contreras, Brice Turang, and Andruw Monasterio had two hits each as the Brewers extended their NL Central lead to 4½ games over the Cubs.