Pirates back in win column
PITTSBURGH — Jung Ho Kang led off the eighth inning with a home run, leading Pittsburgh to a 4-3 win over St. Louis on Wednesday night to snap an eight-game losing streak.
Kang hit a drive deep into the bullpens in left-center off rookie Alex Reyes (1-1) for his 17th homer and third in two games. It helped snap Pittsburgh’s longest skid since dropping 10 straight in 2011.
Trevor Williams (1-0) allowed one unearned run in three innings for the win in his major league debut.
Tony Watson worked a perfect ninth inning for his 11th save after blowing his previous two opportunities, including Tuesday night, when he allowed three home runs in the ninth inning of a 9-7 loss.
Pittsburgh starter Jameson Taillon pitched five innings. The rookie gave up two runs, six hits and a walk with five strikeouts.
St. Louis ended a streak of 25 consecutive games with a home run, a club record.
The Cardinals are percentage points ahead of the New York Mets for the second NL wild card, and Pittsburgh drew within 4½ games of St. Louis.
YANKEES 2, BLUE JAYS 0: Bryan Mitchell earned his first major league win, combining with Luis Severino and Tyler Clippard to shut down Toronto, and host New York completed a three-game sweep. WHITE SOX 7, TIGERS 4: Avisail Garcia hit a go-ahead single against his former team in a four-run eighth inning, and Chicago beat visiting Detroit. RAYS 7, ORIOLES 6: Corey Dickerson had a go-ahead RBI double in the seventh inning to help Tampa Bay beat visiting Baltimore and deny the Orioles a three-game sweep. ROCKIES 6, GIANTS 5: Cristian Adames hit a two-run double in the ninth inning off veteran Joe Nathan to rally Colorado past visiting San Francisco. BREWERS 2, CUBS 1: Jonathan Villar hit two home runs, and Keon Broxton robbed Anthony Rizzo of a homer in the ninth inning as host Milwaukee beat Chicago. RED SOX 7, PADRES 2: Travis Shaw, Hanley Ramirez and Brock Holt homered, and David Price threw seven solid innings to lead Boston past host San Diego. TWINS 6, ROYALS 5: Miguel Sano’s hustle led Minnesota to a pair of early runs and his RBI double tied the game in the decisive seventh inning, helping the Twins dodge a series sweep by beating visiting Kansas City. METS 6, REDS 3: Noah Syndergaard lasted five shaky shutout innings, and New York won its fifth in a row, beating host Cincinnati for a three-game sweep. ATHLETICS 4, ANGELS 1: Jharel Cotton allowed one run on two hits, struck out three and walked two in a 102-pitch performance in his major league debut, helping Oakland beat visiting Los Angeles. MARLINS 6, PHILLIES 0: Andrew Cashner matched his season high for strikeouts with nine over 51⁄3 innings and earned his first win for host Miami.