Gausman hurls shutout as Orioles trash Red Sox
BOSTON (AP) — Kevin Gausman pitched four-hit ball into the eighth inning, Tim Beckham hit a threerun homer and the Baltimore Orioles routed the Boston Red Sox for the second straight day, 7-0 on Saturday.
It was the third straight win for the Orioles, who pounded Boston 16-3 a night earlier. Jonathan Schoop added a solo homer and posted his 95th RBI, a club record for second basemen, surpassing Roberto Alomar's 94 in 1996.
The AL East-leading Red Sox dropped their third straight and saw their lead sliced to 3 1/2 games over the second-place New York Yankees.
Gausman (10-9) struck out five and walked three. He gave up four singles in 7 2/3 innings.
Eduardo Rodriguez (4-4) allowed five runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven.
YANKEES 6, MARINERS 3 NEW YORK (AP) — Greg Bird reached base three times in his long-awaited return to the Yankees' lineup and Jacoby Ellsbury homered and drove in four runs, leading Sonny Gray and New York over Seattle.
Bird singled, walked twice and scored in his first game since May 1. He has been hobbled by ankle and foot problems.
Ellsbury hit a three-run homer and an RBI single. He connected off Yovani Gallardo (5-10) in a matchup of playoff contenders.
Gray (8-8) struck out nine in seven innings and allowed one run on three hits, including a homer by Carlos Ruiz. It was the 11th straight start Gray hasn't permitted more than two earned runs, the best string by anyone in the majors this year. Five of those games have come since he was traded from Oakland to the Yankees on July 31.
Dellin Betances worked the ninth for his 10th save. BLUE JAYS 10,
TWINS 9 TORONTO (AP) — Josh Donaldson had three hits, including a two-run homer, Kendrys Morales added a solo shot and Toronto withstood a late rally by Minnesota.
Max Kepler hit a grand slam and Eduardo Escobar had a two-run drive for the Twins, who began the day with a slim lead in a crowded race for the second AL wild card.
Minnesota lost for the 11th time in 13 meetings with the Blue Jays.
Donaldson keyed a six-run fifth inning with his 23rd homer as the Blue Jays opened an 8-2 lead.
After Kepler cut it to 8-7 with his slam off Ryan Tepera in the eighth, Donaldson's RBI double off John Curtiss in the bottom half gave Toronto a two-run cushion. Donaldson later scored on a wild pitch to make it 10-7.
The 2015 AL MVP, Donaldson owns a .376 (50 for 133) career batting average in 35 games against Minnesota, with 15 doubles and 14 home runs.
Marco Estrada (6-8) allowed three runs in six innings to win for the second time in 16 starts since May 27. Roberto Osuna earned his 34th save in 42 chances.
Dillon Gee (1-1) took the loss in his second start with the Twins.
NATIONALS 9,
METS 4 WASHINGTON (AP) — Adrian Sanchez drove in three runs, including an RBI single moments after he took a pitch to the chest while trying to bunt, and made a diving play to help Washington beat New York.
With second baseman Daniel Murphy getting some rest before a pinch-hitting appearance, Sanchez filled in well with a two-run single during a big first inning and ranged to his left to help pick up Gio Gonzalez (13-5) in the seventh. More remarkably, after taking a 96 mph sinker in the chest from Mets reliever Jeurys Familia that was called a foul ball, the rookie from Venezuela laced an RBI single to give the Nationals a valuable insurance run.
Mets rookie Robert Gsellman (5-6) allowed six runs (two earned) and nine hits in four innings. He was sent to the minors after the game. ATHLETICS 8, RANGERS 3 OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Chad Pinder homered twice to help Oakland top Texas, ending Cole Hamels' fivegame win streak.
Jed Lowrie drove in three runs for the A's, who put back-to-back victories together for the first time since Aug. 5-6 at the Los Angeles Angels.
Adrian Beltre had three RBIs for the Rangers, who lost their second straight after winning 11 of 15.
Sean Manaea (9-8) won for the first time since July 16, ending his three-game slide. He gave up two runs in five innings.
Hamels (9-1) left a game trailing for the first time all season. He was nicked for six runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings, matching his shortest outing of the year. PIRATES 1,
REDS 0 CINCINNATI (AP) — Gerrit Cole ended his career-long futility against Cincinnati by hitting a solo homer and pitching seven innings for Pittsburgh.
Cole (11-8) was 0-6 against the Reds in nine starts, including a loss earlier this season. He broke through by holding down a lineup that had scored nine runs the previous night. Cole gave up five hits, didn't walk a batter and fanned six.
He also connected for his first homer of the season and the third of his career off Luis Castillo (2-7) in the sixth, getting around on a 95 mph inside fastball. It was Cole's first homer since May 26, 2016, against Arizona at PNC Park.
Cole is 8-0 in his last nine road starts. The last Pirates pitcher to win eight straight road decisions was Don Robinson in 1982.
Juan Nicasio and Felipe Rivero completed the five-hitter, with the left-hander getting his 15th save in 16 chances.
The Pirates won for only the third time in 13 games against their Ohio River rivals this season.