MLB capsules: Chris Sale continues strikeout binge as Boston Red Sox defeat Tampa Bay Rays
Chris Sale struck out 12 while pitching seven solid innings and Mookie Betts hit a two-run homer, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 6-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday at Boston.
It was Sale’s seventh straight start with double-digit strikeouts. The 6-foot-6 left-hander allowed three runs and two hits, both homers.
Joe Kelly worked the eighth before Craig Kimbrel finished the three-hitter for his 11th save.
Betts also doubled in a run in Boston’s four-run fifth inning. Deven Marrero drove in two runs, helping the Red Sox to their 14th win in their last 19 games against the Rays.
Kevin Kiermaier and Logan Morrison homered for Tampa Bay, which has dropped seven of 11. Blake Snell (0-4) allowed six runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Nationals 6, Phillies 4: Fresh from getting a big deal, Bryce Harper hit a game-ending home run with two outs in the ninth inning that sent Washington over visiting Philadelphia.
Hours before the game, the Nationals announced they had reached agreement with Harper on a $21,625,000 contract for the 2018 season, covering the slugging outfielder through his last year before he can become a free agent.
Then in the ninth, the 24-year-old star provided an immediate payoff. Pinch hitter Adam Lind led off with a single against Edubray Ramos (0-3) and two outs later, Harper lined an 0-1 pitch over the wall in center for his 11th homer of the season.
Trailing 4-0 in the fifth, Washington tied it on a two-run homer by Trea Turner and a two-run double by Ryan Zimmerman.
Shawn Kelley (3-0) pitched the ninth.
Rangers 6, Athletics 5: Elvis Andrus and Nomar Mazara had consecutive two-RBI hits as Texas rallied to defeat Oakland at Arlington, Texas.
It was the Rangers’ season-best fifth straight victory.
The Rangers loaded the bases in the seventh when reliever Ryan Dull (1-2) allowed a hit and two walks before Liam Hendriks took over on the mound.
Andrus then grounded a single through the left side of the infield to tie it at 4. Mazara followed by lining a two-run double over left fielder Khris Davis and to the wall.
Texas had won 5-2 each of the previous two nights, scoring four runs in the ninth inning capped by three-run homers both times. Mike Napoli’s game-ending homer beat San Diego on Thursday night, and Joey Gallo’s blast won the series opener against Oakland on Friday night.
Tigers 4, Angels 3: J.D. Martinez powered up in just his second game of the season, hitting his second homer of the game in the ninth inning to lift Detroit over Los Angeles at Anaheim, California.
Martinez opened the ninth with a solo shot off Bud Norris (1-2) to snap a 3-3 tie. He came off the disabled list Friday after missing the Tigers’ first 33 games with a sprained right foot.
Martinez opened the scoring in the second inning, following Victor Martinez’s single with a two-run homer off Ricky Nolasco.
It remained 2-0 until the fifth, when Los Angeles’ Albert Pujols poked a two-run single off starter Daniel Norris. That gave Pujols 1,844 RBIs, tying Carl Yastrzemski for 11th on baseball’s career list.
Alex Wilson (1-1) pitched the eighth and got the win. Justin Wilson struck out three in the ninth for his second save.
Dodgers 4, Rockies 0: Alex Wood struck out 10 in six innings and drove in a run with a well-placed bunt on a squeeze play, leading Los Angeles past Colorado in Denver.
Brett Eibner supplied additional offense with his first home run of the season and Austin Barnes and Justin Turner added RBI doubles for the Dodgers, who won their 100th game at Coors Field, the most by any visiting club.
Wood (4-0) fanned at least one batter in five of his six innings and struck out the side in the third en route to reversing a dismal history at Coors, where he had gone 0-2 with an 11.25 ERA in four previous starts.
He has 21 strikeouts in his last two starts, fanning a season-high 11 last time out in beating the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday.
Cardinals 5, Cubs 3: Carlos Martinez pitched into the seventh inning and collected two hits, leading the Cardinals to the win over Chicago at St. Louis.
St. Louis also got another solid performance from Tommy Pham, who had two hits and two RBIs. The outfielder is batting .387 with seven extra-base hits in eight games since being recalled from Triple-A this month.
In a rematch of the season opener, Martinez (3-3) again topped Jon Lester (1-2). Martinez allowed three runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven.
Top Cubs prospect Ian Happ homered off Martinez in the seventh for his first hit in his major league debut. Lester was charged with four runs, three earned, and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Seung Hwan Oh pitched the ninth for his 10th save in 11 opportunities.
Blue Jays 7, Mariners 2: Jose Bautista hit a three-run homer, and Toronto defeated visiting Seattle for its sixth win in seven games.
Kendrys Morales also connected for Toronto, and Kevin Pillar had three hits, raising his A.L.-leading total to 47. Devon Travis became the first player to steal home for the Blue Jays since June 2, 2015, scoring on a double steal in the eighth.
Dominic Leone (1-0) got one out for the win as Toronto improved to 8-4 in May.
Seattle right-hander Ryan Weber left with a sore shoulder after 3 2/3 innings in his season debut. Nick Vincent (1-1) took the loss.
Giants 3, Reds 1: Brandon Belt and Justin Ruggiano homered, Matt Moore pitched into the eighth inning and San Francisco defeated visiting Cincinnati in a matchup of weary teams.
The teams had a quick turnaround after they played 17 innings Friday night, with the Giants winning 3-2 on Buster Posey’s game-ending homer.
Moore (2-4) provided a lift with 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball. He allowed eight hits, struck out seven and walked three.
The last-place Giants (14-24) won consecutive games for just the second time this season. They have won three of four overall.
Scott Schebler homered for Cincinnati, and Lisalverto Bonilla (0-1) pitched a six-hitter for his first career complete game.
Twins 4, Indians 1: Jose Berrios pitched neatly into the eighth inning in his first start of the season and visiting Minnesota defeated Cleveland in a game delayed several minutes when a squirrel ran around the field.
Max Kepler connected to give the Twins a home run in 14 straight games, their longest streak since 1988. He also had an RBI single in a three-run fourth for the A.L. Central leaders, who handed Cleveland its third straight loss.
The squirrel appeared from right field with Michael Brantley batting in the Cleveland sixth. Play was halted as the squirrel cut across the infield. It eventually hopped into the stands and play resumed.
Berrios (1-0), called up from Triple-A Rochester on Friday, gave up one run and two hits in 7 2/3 innings. Brandon Kintzler pitched the ninth for his 10th save.
Indians pitcher Mike Clevinger (1-1) allowed three runs and three hits while walking five in 4 1/3 innings.
Royals 4, Orioles 3: Nate Karns struck out a career-high 12 in five innings, Eric Hosmer reached base four times and Kansas City beat Baltimore at Kansas City, Missouri.
Karns is the first in franchise history to strike out 12 in five innings. The last major league pitcher to accomplish that was Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs on June 5, 2016.
Baltimore’s Chris Davis homered off Seth Maness (1-0) to tie it at 3 in the sixth, but Brandon Moss homered off Alec Asher (1-2) to put Kansas City back ahead later that inning.
Hosmer had two hits and walked twice. The Royals scored three runs in 4 1/3 innings off Chris Tillman.
Francisco Pena homered in the third and fifth innings against Karns. Pena had only one career homer entering the game.
Kelvin Herrera worked a perfect ninth for his seventh save in eight chances.
Pirates 4, Diamondbacks 3: Trevor Williams pitched five strong innings and Pittsburgh snapped a six-game losing streak with a victory over Arizona at Phoenix.
Nick Ahmed homered twice for the Diamondbacks, the second to make it a one-run game in the ninth. It was Ahmed’s first career multihomer game.
Williams (2-2), in his second start since taking the rotation spot vacated when Jameson Taillon left to begin treatment for testicular cancer, gave up a run on four hits, striking out four and walking one.
Taijuan Walker (3-3) gave up four runs, three earned, on eight hits in six innings.
Tony Watson gave up a run in the ninth but got his eighth save.
Brewers 11, Mets 4: Travis Shaw capped Milwaukee’s eight-run fifth inning with a three-run homer, helping the Brewers beat New York at Milwaukee.
Milwaukee sent 11 batters to the plate in its highest scoring inning of the season. Orlando Arcia had a two-run single and Jesus Aguilar drove in two runs with a double before Shaw connected for his eighth homer.
Neil Walker homered for New York, which has dropped three in a row. Robert Gsellman (2-3) was charged with six runs, five earned, and nine hits in four-plus innings.
Milwaukee right-hander Zach Davies (4-2) got the win despite allowing four runs and seven hits in five innings.
Braves 3, Marlins 1: Julio Teheran pitched six scoreless innings, leading Atlanta to the road win over Miami.
Nick Markakis had three hits and drove in a run for the Braves, and Matt Kemp extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a single in the eighth.
Teheran (3-3) beat the Marlins for the first time in seven starts. He allowed three hits and walked two.
Jim Johnson pitched a perfect ninth for his sixth save in eight chances.
Justin Bour homered for the Marlins, who have lost five straight and 14 of 17 overall. Edinson Volquez (0-5) yielded two runs in six innings.
White Sox 5, Padres 4: Yolmer Sanchez singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth to score Tyler Saladino and snap Chicago’s six-game losing streak.
Wil Myers, Manuel Margot and Allen Cordoba all had solo homers for San Diego.
David Robertson (2-0) pitched a scoreless top of the ninth for the win.
Brad Hand (0-3) took the loss.
Astros at Yankees, ppd.: The game between Houston and New York was postponed because of inclement weather.
The teams will play a doubleheader on Sunday, when the Yankees will honor Derek Jeter before the second game.