MLB capsules: Chris Sale strikes out eight as Red Sox blank Rays

Boston ace Chris Sale struck out eight over six innings on Saturday, and Dustin Pedroia hit a two-run homer in the first inning as the Red Sox rolled past the Tampa Bay Rays 9-0 in Boston.

It was the fourth consecutive win for the A.L. East-leading Red Sox, who remained 4 1/2 games ahead of the second-place New York Yankees.

Andrew Benintendi had three hits and three RBIs for Boston, and Mitch Moreland also drove in three runs.

Tampa Bay lost its third in a row. Matt Andriese (5-3) got just five outs, giving up eight runs – six earned – and seven hits.

Sale (16-7) increased his major-league leading strikeout total to 278.

Rockies 6, Dodgers 5: Trevor Story hit a two-run homer and drove in three and Colorado beat host Los Angeles , sending the N.L. West leaders to their ninth straight loss in their worst skid since 1992.

The majors’ best team this season has lost eight in a row at Chavez Ravine for the first time in 30 years. The Dodgers have dropped 14 of 15 overall, and they lost their fifth consecutive series for the first time since 2007.

Despite its funk, Los Angeles still owns the best record in baseball at 92-50.

Colorado’s fifth straight victory tied the club’s longest road winning streak since June 3-10.

Chad Bettis (1-2) notched his first victory in his sixth start of the season after returning from testicular cancer. Greg Holland allowed Logan Forsythe’s homer in the ninth but got his 39th save.

The Rockies backed Bettis with a four-run second, highlighted by Story’s homer on the first pitch from All-Star Alex Wood (14-3).

Indians 4, Orioles 2: Cleveland earned its 17th straight win, topping visiting Baltimore behind a pair of timely swings for Jay Bruce and Francisco Lindor.

Bruce’s fourth-inning single put the Indians ahead to stay as Cleveland became just the second team in the expansion era – since 1961 – to win 17 straight in a season.

The crowd of 30,459 stood throughout the ninth inning as Cody Allen retired the heart of Baltimore’s order for his 25th save.

Cleveland’s franchise-record streak is the longest in the majors since Oakland won 20 straight in 2002.

Lindor added his 28th homer in the seventh for the Indians, who haven’t lost since Aug. 23. Josh Tomlin (9-9) pitched five-plus innings for the win.

Baltimore rookie Gabriel Ynoa (1-1), making his first start of the season, allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Mariners 8, Angels 1: Nelson Cruz hit a three-run homer, Mitch Haniger was a double short of the cycle and Andrew Albers pitched six scoreless innings as host Seattle gained ground in the wild-card chase with a victory over Los Angeles.

Cruz’s 32nd homer capped a six-run fourth as Seattle opened an 8-0 lead. Haniger homered in the first, tripled in the third and singled in the fourth. He grounded out in the sixth and was on deck when the eighth ended.

Albers (4-1), acquired from Atlanta on Aug. 11, allowed four hits while striking out four and walking one. Dan Altavilla and Shae Simmons each pitched a scoreless inning before Casey Lawrence allowed a run on three hits in the ninth.

Angels starter Andrew Heaney (1-2) left in the third after 60 pitches with shoulder soreness.

Seattle moved within three games of Minnesota for the second A.L. wild card. All four teams that were directly ahead of the Mariners in the race lost.

Padres 8, Diamondbacks 7: Carlos Asuaje hit a tying single and an error by left fielder David Peralta allowed the go-ahead run to score as San Diego overcame a five-run deficit in the ninth to beat Arizona in Phoenix.

After trailing 6-0 in the seventh inning and 7-2 in the ninth, San Diego surged ahead, sparked by Wil Myers’ second two-run homer of the game.

Arizona nearly came back in the bottom of the ninth, putting runners at the corners against Brad Hand when Jake Lamb walked and J.D. Martinez singled with one out, his fourth hit.

A.J. Pollock flied out to short left, Adam Rosales loaded the bases when he was hit by a pitch and Hand struck out Ketel Marte on a 96 mph fastball that was high and outside, earning his 17th save in 22 chances.

White Sox 13, Giants 1: Jose Abreu became the first Chicago player to hit for the cycle in 17 years during a win over visiting San Francisco.

Abreu hit his 29th homer in the first off Jeff Samardzija (9-13) and doubled in the third. He struck out in the fifth, singled in the seventh against Josh Osich and hit a two-run triple in the eighth versus Roberto Gomez.

The previous White Sox player to hit for the cycle was Jose Valentin against the Baltimore Orioles on April 27, 2000.

Tim Anderson, Avisail Garcia, Yoan Moncada, Nicky Delmonico and Yolmer Sanchez also homered for Chicago. James Shields (2-7) allowed one run and two hits in a season-high seven innings.

Yankees 3, Rangers 1: Aroldis Chapman earned his first save since being removed as closer, finishing a one-hitter as New York defeated Texas in Arlington, Texas.

Tyler Austin hit a go-ahead single in the ninth inning for wild card-leading New York.

Texas’ only hit was a run-scoring double in the fifth inning off Luis Severino, who went seven innings in his first no-decision since July 15 at Boston.

Chapman struck out two in a perfect ninth for his team-leading 17th save in 21 chances and first since Aug. 15. David Robertson (7-2) had a strikeout in a perfect eighth.

Alex Claudio (4-2) got the loss.

Phillies 5, Nationals 4: Rhys Hoskins went deep and drew three walks, helping Philadelphia to the win in Washington.

Maikel Franco hit his 20th homer for the Phillies, who had dropped four of five. Odubel Herrera went 0 for 4, stopping his hitting streak at 21 games.

Philadelphia right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. (3-5) allowed four runs and six hits over six innings.

Nationals right-hander Edwin Jackson (5-5) was charged with five runs in 3 1/3 innings on his 34th birthday. Washington’s magic number to clinch the N.L. East dropped to two when Miami lost to Atlanta.

Cardinals 4, Pirates 3: Yadier Molina and Matt Carpenter homered, and host St. Louis beat Pittsburgh to gain ground in the N.L. Central.

St. Louis pulled within three games of division-leading Chicago with its sixth victory in seven games. Tyler Lyons (4-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win, and Juan Nicasio got three outs for his second save since he was acquired in a trade with Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Carpenter’s 19th homer tied it at 3 in the seventh. Paul DeJong hit a leadoff double in the eighth and advanced on a groundout before coming home on Randal Grichuk’s bouncer to third, making it 4-3 St. Louis.

Chad Kuhl pitched six effective innings for Pittsburgh, which has dropped four in a row. George Kontos (0-6) took the loss.

Royals 5, Twins 2: Eric Hosmer went 3 for 3, helping Kansas City rally for the win over Minnesota in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Royals scored three times in the eighth. Lorenzo Cain led off with a single against Ryan Pressly (2-3), and Melky Cabrera walked. Hosmer’s single off Buddy Boshers scored pinch-runner Terrance Gore for a 3-2 lead.

Salvador Perez added an RBI double and Alcides Escobar capped the winning rally with a sacrifice fly.

Mike Minor (6-6) got the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Brandon Maurer earned his second save in three chances since the Royals acquired him in a July 24 trade with San Diego.

Brewers 15, Cubs 2: Hernan Perez homered and drove in five runs, powering visiting Milwaukee to the runaway win in Chicago.

Chase Anderson (9-3) pitched five scoreless innings as Milwaukee pulled within three games of N.L. Central-leading Chicago. Anderson also helped himself with two hits and two RBIs hours after the Brewers announced Jimmy Nelson has a shoulder injury that will sideline the right-hander for the rest of the season.

Milwaukee broke it open with eight runs in the third against Mike Montgomery (5-8) and reliever Justin Grimm.

Kyle Schwarber’s solo shot in the eighth ended Milwaukee’s bid for a second straight shutout. Leonys Martin added an RBI double in the ninth, but Chicago finished with just six hits.

Braves 6, Marlins 5: Ender Inciarte’s bases-loaded walk from Kyle Barraclough with two outs in the ninth inning lifted host Atlanta over Miami.

Barraclough threw four straight balls to Inciarte. While Barraclough (5-2) began his slow walk off the field, Inciarte was swarmed by his teammates in an impromptu celebration near first base.

It was the Braves’ second ninth-inning win in the series.

Giancarlo Stanton hit his 54th homer for Miami. Johan Camargo hit a two-run shot for Atlanta.

Arodys Vizcaino (4-3) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.

Athletics 11-11, Astros 1-4: Houston’s bullpen forced in five Oakland runs with bases-loaded walks and the team tied a franchise record with 13 free passes to lose the opener of a doubleheader in Oakland, California.

In the secong game, Houston reliever Chris Devenski allowed two runs in the seventh, including Chad Pinder’s tiebreaking homer with two outs, and Oakland completed the sweep.

Houston’s third straight loss to the last-place A’s loss dropped manager A.J. Hinch’s ballclub into a tie with streaking Cleveland for the best record in the American League at 86-56. The Indians have won 17 straight.

Oakland led 3-1 before Tyler Clippard issued the first bases-loaded walk to Jed Lowrie in the sixth inning. Reymin Guduan brought in three more while issuing five straight walks on 28 pitches in the eighth. Infielder J.D. Davis relieved Guduan and struck out Marcus Semien and Khris Davis, but also allowed another run by walking Chad Pinder.

A’s right-hander Daniel Gossett (4-8) had a career-high seven strikeouts and allowed one run over six-plus innings. It was his first win since Aug. 2 and the A’s third straight overall.

Blue Jays 5, Tigers 4: Kevin Pillar had four hits, including a tiebreaking home run, and Brett Anderson pitched six innings for his first victory with Toronto in a win over visiting Detroit.

Pillar broke a 2-all tie with a leadoff drive against Warwick Saupold (3-2) in the sixth, helping Toronto snap a three-game losing streak against Detroit.

Pillar’s 15th homer came one inning after he jumped into the center field wall to snare a deep drive by Tigers infielder Dixon Machado.

The loss ensures the Tigers will not have a winning record for the second time in seven years.

Making his third start for the Blue Jays, Anderson (3-3) allowed two runs and five hits. Ryan Tepera worked a rocky ninth for his second save.

Mets 6, Reds 1: Rafael Montero overcame five walks to win his third straight start, Kevin Plawecki hit a two-run homer and host New York won its fourth straight game by defeating Cincinnati.

Montero (5-9) allowed one run and four hits in five innings. The right-hander entered 3-1 with a 2.90 ERA in his previous five starts.

Cincinnati’s third consecutive defeat ensured its fourth losing season in a row and 14th in 17 years. Homer Bailey (4-8) allowed five runs and six hits in six-plus innings.