AROUND THE HORN
Athletics: Mitch Moreland homered twice, Chris Bassitt posted his AL-leading 12th win and the Athletics routed the host Indians 17-0 on Thursday for their seventh straight victory. By the end, the only drama involved Matt Chapman, who walked in his first five plate appearances for the A’s. The remaining fans from the crowd of 16,559 on a sweltering afternoon were cheering for a record-tying sixth walk when he batted in the ninth, and expressed their disappointment after he struck out swinging against Blake Parker on a 1-2 pitch. Chapman scored three times and Matt Canha and Starling Marte each drove in three runs as the A’s moved a season-high 18 games over .500. Bassitt (12-3) allowed three hits in six innings, striking out six and walking two. The right-hander has a nine-game road winning streak, tying Bob Welch’s club record set in 1989-90.
Mariners: Marco Gonzales pitched a two-hitter, J.P. Crawford and Jake Fraley homered and the Mariners beat the Rangers 3-1. Gonzales (4-5) allowed Charlie Culberson’s HR in the second, followed by Jason Martin’s single. He retired Andy Ibanez on a groundout, then faced the minimum number of batters over the final seven innings — helped by a double play that followed his only walk. Gonzales struck out nine while helping the Mariners to their 28th come-from-behind win. The Rangers have lost seven of eight and 16 of their last 17 on the road.
Brewers, Cubs: Luis Urías tied a major league record with five extrabase hits and Manny Piña drove in six runs, leading the Brewers to a 17-4 rout of the host Cubs. Urías homered in the seventh and ninth. He also hit three doubles, drove in five runs and scored five. He became the 16th player with five extra-base hits in a game. Piña had a grand slam and a two-run HR. Jace Peterson added five hits, including a HR, as the NL Central leaders completed a four-game sweep even though All-Star starter Brandon Woodruff made an early exit. Brewers All-Star closer Josh Hader returned from the COVID19 list. Hader, who joined several Brewers on the list early this month after he tested positive, struck out three in a scoreless eighth. The Cubs have lost eight in a row and 14 of 16. Cubs ace Kyle Hendricks (13-5) surrendered a career-worst nine runs in suffering his first loss in more than three months . ... The Cubs released RHP Jake Arrieta, 35, after he got hit hard Wednesday, ending a rough second stint with the team for a pitcher who won an NL Cy Young Award and helped bring home a drought-busting World Series championship in his first go-around.
Extra innings: Pete Alonso hit a game-ending HR with one out in the seventh and the Mets quickly bounced back from blowing the lead, beating the visiting Nationals 5-4 for a doubleheader sweep and three-game series sweep. The Mets won the opener 4-1 as Brandon Nimmo homered and drove in four runs and Marcus Stroman took a shutout into the sixth.
Jesse Winker hit a grand slam in the second and the Reds added four more HRs to snap a three-game skid with an 12-3 road win over the Braves. Vladimir Gutiérrez (8-3) gave up one run and five hits with two walks and six strikeouts in six innings.