AROUND THE HORN
Rays: Joey Wendle hit three doubles and a single, keying two big innings that sent the Rays past the Mets 12-5 Saturday. Yandy Diaz, who had two of Tampa Bay’s eight doubles, and Randy Arozarena each had three hits. Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and Jose Peraza each homered for the Mets, who have lost two in a row at Tropicana Field after a seven-game winning streak. Wendle had an infield single that set up a run in the first and doubled to spark a five-run fourth that made it 6-4. He hit a two-run double in a six-run eighth that broke open the game. “The law of averages,” explained Wendle, who has been slumping with the rest of the Rays. “We’ve talked about it being a long season, and these things happen … things will turn around at some point. We’re not going to hit .100 all season. I think it was something that was bound to happen eventually.” Rays starter Shane McClanahan got his first major league win.
Angels: Looking to bolster the majors’ worst pitching staff, the Angels acquired right-handed reliever Hunter Strickland from the Rays on Saturday for a player to be named or cash. The 32-year-old Strickland has a 1.69 ERA in 16 innings with the Rays this season. The Angels (16-21) entered the day with a majors’ worst 5.21 ERA and have lost three straight, sitting a seasonlow five games under .500. Strickland owns a 16-16 record with a 3.14 ERA in his eight seasons in the big leagues.
Dodgers: Dodgers left fielder AJ Pollock left Friday night’s 9-6 win over the Marlins with a left hamstring strain and is likely headed for the injured list, manager Dave Roberts said. Pollock was making his first start since straining his left hamstring last week in a 9-2 loss to the Angels.
Royals: White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu and Royals third baseman Hunter Dozier both left Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader after they collided in the second inning. Dozier, who left with a quad contusion and neck discomfort, was placed on the sevenday concussion injured list, and the club recalled Kelvin Gutierrez from Triple-A Omaha prior to Game 2 of the doubleheader. Abreu was back in the lineup for the Sox on Saturday, batting fourth and playing first base.
Red Sox: Alex Verdugo hit a solo homer in his first at-bat on his 25th birthday, Xander Bogaerts also went deep with a game-breaking, three-run shot and the Red Sox beat the stumbling Angels 9-0 on Saturday. Rafael Devers added a solo shot, Bobby Dalbec hit a two-run double and Franchy Cordero drove in two runs with two doubles for the Red Sox (25-16), who won their third straight and matched their season high by climbing nine games over .500.
Twins: Miguel Sanó snapped a 19-game homerless drought with a threerun homer in the eighth inning and the Twins came back to beat the Athletics 5-4 on Saturday. Sanó pounded his chest and gestured to his teammates as he rounded the bases after his homer off Oakland left-hander Jake Diekman just reached the overhang in right field. Sanó was hitting just .114 this season before the homer, which was just his second of the year and first since the third game of the season. It was the big hit Minnesota needed to snap its five-game losing streak. The Twins had been 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position on Saturday before Sanó’s homer.