Robert, Velasquez power White Sox past Red Sox 4-2
BOSTON >> Luis Robert hit a two-run homer over the Green Monster and Vince Velasquez halted a rough road stretch by pitching five solid innings to lead the Chicago White Sox past the struggling Boston Red Sox 4-2 on Friday night for their fourth straight victory.
Tim Anderson had three singles, and Reese McGuire and José Abreu each contributed a sacrifice fly for the defending AL Central champions (12-13), who moved a step closer to .500 after an eight-game losing streak last month.
Jackie Bradley Jr. had an RBI double for Boston (10-17), which has lost 12 of 16.
Velasquez (2-2) held Boston's slumbering offense to three hits and a run. Liam Hendricks struck out three in the ninth for his eighth save.
BREWERS 6, BRAVES 3 >> Eric Lauer allowed one earned run, Christian Yelich's infield single was the big hit in a four-run sixth inning and four Milwaukee pitches combined for a three-hitter in a win over Atlanta.
The NL Central-leading Brewers have won four straight and nine of 10.
Atlanta's Ronald Acuña Jr. opened the fourth with a 450-foot homer to center field — his first since returning from knee surgery. Dansby Swanson added an eighth-inning homer for Atlanta.
Lauer (3-0) gave up two runs, one earned, on two hits and three walks with eight strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. Josh Hader pitched the ninth for his 11th save. ASTROS 3, TIGERS 2 >> Chas McCormick and Martín Maldonado hit consecutive homers and Luis Garcia worked seven strong innings as the Houston Astros stretched their winning streak to a seasonhigh five games.
McCormick's two-run homer to center in the second inning put the Astros up 2-1. Maldonado followed with a solo shot that just cleared the wall in right field.
Garcia (2-1) had his best outing of the season, allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits. He struck out nine, matching his career high. The righthander retired the final 15 batters he faced, including five straight by strikeout at one point.
Phil Maton pitched a perfect eighth, and Rafael Montero retired the three batters he faced in the ninth for his third save. Astros pitchers retired the final 21 Detroit batters. ANGELS 3, NATIONALS 0 Mike Trout hit a two-run double and Jhonathan Díaz pitched five strong innings in his first start of the season, leading the surging Los Angeles Angels to a victory.
Shohei Ohtani also drove in a run for the Angels in their third straight victory and 10th in 13 games. The AL West leaders opened a six-game homestand by moving eight games above .500 for the first time since June 2018.
Four relievers combined to finish the Angels' fifth shutout of the season and second in a row — the first back-to-back shutouts for the normally pitchingpoor Halos since July 2016. Raisel Iglesias threw a perfect ninth on six pitches for his seventh save.
Anthony Rendon went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts and grounded into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in his first game against the Nationals since leaving them to sign a seven-year, $245 million free-agent deal with the Angels in December 2019.
The Nationals managed four hits while getting shut out for the second time this season. They've lost three straight and 12 of 15 as they began the final series of their nine-game road trip.
Díaz (1-0) yielded three hits and four walks in his first shot at a rotation spot with the Angels in place of struggling Jose Suarez, who was sent down to Triple-A Salt Lake.
Díaz, who made his major league debut last September, mostly stayed out of trouble after giving up a double on his first pitch. The Venezuelan left-hander even got Juan Soto to slam his bat on the ground in frustration after striking out in the fifth.