Gonzalez’s first homer of career lifts Giants
Luis González hit his first major league homer, a two-run drive with two outs in the ninth inning that sent the visiting San Francisco Giants over the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 on Monday night.
The Giants went 8-3 on their fourcity trip. Their one-game visit to Milwaukee was part of a makeup for a series postponed because of the lockout, and San Francisco will return for a doubleheader in September.
González connected after Wilmer Flores drew a two-out walk from Jake Cousins (2-1). González, a 26-year-old outfielder, is technically still a rookie after brief stints in each of the past two seasons with the Chicago White Sox.
“I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit, something to handle and something to drive in the gap and it ended up going over the fence,” González said. “Just really happy. I wish my family was here to witness it, but I’m sure they are really stoked back at home. It’s just incredible. I’m just loving life right now.”
Joc Pederson hit his sixth homer for the Giants, a two-run blast that made it 2-1 in the eighth.
The Brewers tied it in their half on Willy Adames’ homer into the leftfield bullpen off Jake McGee (1-1). BLUE JAYS 6, REDS SOX 2 >> Bo Bichette broke an eighth-inning tie with his first career grand slam and host Toronto beat slumping Boston.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Matt Chapman also homered for the Blue Jays, who lead the majors with 25 home runs.
José Berríos allowed two runs in a season-high seven-plus innings as Toronto won for the fifth time in six games.
Boston has lost three straight and five of six. The Red Sox have scored two runs or fewer in all five of those defeats.
Bichette snapped a 2-all tie with a two-out drive to right field off right-hander Tyler Danish.
The long balls by Gurriel and Chapman came off Red Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi, who allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings.
Berríos left after Bobby Dalbec and Arroyo singled to begin the eighth. Cimber came on to face Kevin Plawecki, who advanced the runners with a sacrifice before Kiké Hernández hit an RBI single and Alex Verdugo tied it with a sacrifice fly. Boston’s runs ended a 15-inning scoreless drought. METS 5, CARDINALS 2 >> Pinch-hitter Dominic Smith hustled for an infield single that drove in two pivotal runs, and New York capitalized on an uncharacteristic error by Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado to rally for five runs with two outs in the ninth inning of a victory at St. Louis.
After the hit by Smith gave New York the lead, Brandon Nimmo capped the outburst with a tworun homer off lefty T.J. McFarland.
Max Scherzer struck out 10 over seven innings of two-hit ball in a scoreless duel with Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas. A two-run single by Tyler O’Neill off Trevor May put St. Louis ahead in the eighth.
New York was down to its final strike when Mark Canha hit a grounder to third. Arenado, awarded a Gold Glove in each of his nine major league seasons, fielded the ball cleanly behind the bag but took his time making an off-balance throw to first.
The ball sailed high for an error that allowed Eduardo Escobar to score from second, making it 2-1. Canha was credited with an infield single.
Jeff McNeil doubled, sending pinch-runner Travis Jankowski to third, and Smith hit a sharp one-hopper that was snagged by sprawling first baseman Paul Goldschmidt behind the bag.
But closer Giovanny Gallegos was late covering first, and Smith beat him to the bag with a headfirst dive. McNeil never stopped coming around third and slid in safely at the plate ahead of Gallegos’ throw, giving the fired-up Mets a 3-2 lead. PHILLIES 8, ROCKIES 2 >> Bryce Harper homered and drove in two runs, Rhys Hoskins had three hits and Philadelphia downed visiting Colorado.
Kyle Schwarber added two RBIs for the Phillies. Kyle Gibson (2-1) lasted 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks. RANGERS 6, ASTROS 2 >> Marcus Semien and Corey Seager had RBI singles in the decisive seventh inning, Adolis Garcia added a basesclearing double in the eighth, and Texas beat visiting Houston.
Houston starter Framber Valdez allowed only an unearned run over six innings, striking out five.