Heliot Ramos delivered his biggest hit for his new team when his three-run homer capped a five-run fifth inning and helped the New York Yankees roll to a 16-1 victory over the visiting Boston Red Sox on Sunday afternoon.
The Yankees won for the 10th time in 14 games and moved four games ahead of the Red Sox for the AL’s top wild-card spot. New York also won seven of the 13 meetings to secure the season series and the tiebreaker should the rivals finish tied at the end of the regular season.
Austin Wells hit a pair of two-run homers in a nine-run eighth after entering the game as a pinch hitter for the Yankees. Jose Caballero hit a three-run homer in the eighth off infielder Andruw Monasterio, who also served up Wells’ second homer of the inning.
Paul Goldschmidt started the scoring with a two-run single that occurred after Boston center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela could not complete a running catch on Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s sinking liner. Rafaela caught the ball, but umpires determined the ball was touching the grass and the original call was upheld after Boston challenged.
New York’s Will Warren (9-6) allowed one run on six hits in seven-plus innings. Boston starter Ranger Suarez (5-4) was tagged for season highs of six runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Rays 5, Padres 4 (11 innings)
Jorge Mateo lined a walk-off single in the 11th inning as Tampa Bay claimed its major league-leading 14th series sweep, rallying to stun visiting San Diego in St. Petersburg, Fla., after tying the game in the ninth against star reliever Mason Miller.
With the bags full and one out, Mateo hit a pitch by David Morgan (2-1) over left fielder Samad Taylor’s head for a single and the Rays’ fourth straight win. Jonny DeLuca knotted the game against Miller with two outs in the ninth and the Rays down 3-1. DeLuca hit a fly ball down the left-field line that Taylor originally caught, but his contact with the low wall forced the ball out of his glove and over for a two-run homer.
Rays starter Drew Rasmussen allowed two runs on four hits over six innings. Padres starter Robbie Ray yielded one run on three hits over six innings.
Blue Jays 7, Mariners 0
Max Scherzer struck out a season-best 10 over seven one-hit innings and host Toronto shut out Seattle to complete a three-game sweep.
With his final strikeout, No. 3,535, the 42-year-old right-hander passed Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry for ninth place on the all-time strikeout list. Scherzer (2-7) allowed one walk to help the Blue Jays complete a 4-2 homestand. Alejandro Kirk was 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and Kazuma Okamoto added a solo shot, his team-leading 28th homer.
The sagging Mariners struck out 15 times, had one hit and continued to play sloppy defense. Starter Logan Gilbert (11-8) gave up three runs and six in five innings.
Marlins 6, Nationals 2
Otto Lopez’s two-run homer capped a six-run ninth inning and Miami rallied past host Washington.
The Marlins tallied six times on only two hits in the inning thanks to a bunt single, two walks, a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch, a sacrifice fly and a throwing error on that play. Jakob Marsee stole home for the Marlins’ fourth run before Lopez hit his 10th home run of the season. Dax Fulton (1-0) earned his first career win in relief.
Jorbit Vivas had two hits and two walks for the Nationals, who had won three straight.
Braves 3, Rockies 2 (10 innings)
Matt Olson hit a walk-off single in the 10th inning to lift streaking Atlanta over visiting Colorado for its seventh straight win.
After Victor Mederos (4-1) threw a perfect top of the 10th, Ronald Acuna Jr. opened the bottom of the inning with a single, advancing the automatic runner to third. Olson followed with an RBI single to right. Braves starter Tyler Mahle allowed just one run on five hits across 6 2/3 innings, striking out nine with no walks.
Jake McCarthy homered and Connor Norby added a game-tying RBI single in the eighth for the Rockies.
Guardians 11, Royals 1
Jose Ramirez homered and drove in four runs and Nathaniel Lowe hit a homer and drove in three to lead Cleveland to a rout of visiting Kansas City and salvaging the finale of the three-game series
Jo Adell was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run, Chase DeLauter was 4-for-4 with three runs and an RBI and Steven Kwan went 2-for-3 with three runs for the Guardians. Starter Parker Messick (11-8) limited the Royals to one run and five hits in six innings.
Kansas City lost for only the second time in 14 games. Starter Seth Lugo (6-8) was hammered for nine runs and nine hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Dodgers 6, Tigers 1
Tyler Glasnow held host Detroit to one run and two hits in seven innings as Los Angeles, which had lost four of its previous five games, pulled away to take the rubber match of the three-game series.
Glasnow (4-0) struck out six in his ninth start of the season. Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run home run and scored twice while reaching base three times, and Freddie Freeman reached base four times and scored three runs.
Tigers starter Framber Valdez (8-10) gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. Kevin McGonigle drove in the lone run for Detroit, which has lost nine of its last 11 games
Rangers 7, Brewers 4
Ezequiel Duran hit a solo homer and doubled in two runs as Texas topped host Milwaukee to avoid a series sweep.
Joc Pederson added a solo homer, and Cody Freeman and Elias Diaz each had two hits and an RBI for the Rangers, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Tyler Alexander (5-2), one of five Texas relievers, pitched two scoreless innings for the victory in the finale of the three-game set. Jacob Latz retired the Brewers in order in the ninth for his 27th save.
Gary Sanchez hit a two-run homer and Joey Ortiz had two hits for Milwaukee, which had its four-game winning streak come to an end. Dustin May (6-9) gave up four runs on six hits over 4 1/3 innings.
Twins 5, White Sox 1
Zebby Matthews struck out five and allowed one run in 8 1/3 innings, and Minnesota cruised past Chicago in Minneapolis to snap a four-game losing streak.
The right-hander (9-8) scattered five hits in winning his fifth straight start and came within two outs of recording a complete-game shutout for the Twins, who staved off a three-game sweep. Josh Bell went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and Trevor Larnach doubled and drove in a pair of runs.
Braden Montgomery drove in the lone run for the White Sox, whose four-game winning streak ended. Right-hander Jordan Hicks (2-2) served as the opener and took the loss. He allowed three runs on one hit in two-thirds of an inning.
Astros 6, Mets 3
LaMonte Wade Jr. cracked a two-run homer in the sixth inning that put Houston ahead for good in a win over host New York.
Pinch-hitting for Cam Smith after Yainer Diaz kept the inning going with a two-out double, Wade jumped on an 0-1 cutter from reliever Jonathan Pintaro (2-1). The homer traveled an estimated 409 feet, crashing off the facade of the second deck in right field for Wade’s third homer of the year.
Starter Ethan Pecko (1-0) earned his first major league win, allowing three hits and three runs (two earned) in five innings. Four relievers took care of the final four innings with Josh Hader earning his 21st save in as many chances.
Orioles 8, Athletics 5
Gunnar Henderson went 4-for-4 with a pair of home runs and five RBIs and finished a double shy of the cycle in leading Baltimore past the Athletics in West Sacramento, Calif.
The win gave the Orioles a sweep of the three-game series, their first since winning three straight in Houston, the first series after the All-Star Break, July 17-19. Baltimore starter Chris Bassitt (6-4) allowed eight hits and five runs over 5 2/3 innings against his former team. Yennier Cano pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his third save.
A’s starter Jeffrey Springs (3-13) gave up six hits and seven runs in 4 2/3 innings. The left-hander walked one and struck out six. Lawrence Butler hit a two-run double and teammate Brian Serven slugged a two-run homer for the Athletics.
Pirates 5, Cardinals 4
Esmerlyn Valdez hit a two-run home run and right-hander Braxton Ashcraft pitched five effective innings for visiting Pittsburgh in a victory against St. Louis.
Jared Triolo added a solo homer, and Brandon Lowe added two hits and an RBI for the Pirates, who finished their road trip by taking two of three in the series and winning for the fourth time in six games overall. Ashcraft (14-5) allowed two runs and six hits.
The Cardinals, who placed NL Rookie of the Year candidate JJ Wetherholt on the injured list before the game due to right wrist tendinitis, have dropped seven of nine. Bryan Torres had two hits and a walk from the leadoff spot, and Herrera drove in a pair of runs for the Cardinals.
Phillies 5, Angels 2
Zack Wheeler allowed one run on four hits over six innings to snap a seven-start winless drought as Philadelphia completed a three-game series sweep of Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.
Edmundo Sosa hit a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning, Bryce Harper doubled and had two hits and an RBI and J.T. Realmuto also homered and had two hits and two runs scored for Philadelphia, which won for the 13th time in the last 15 games. It was the first win since July 12 for Wheeler (11-5).
Wade Meckler went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored, Mike Trout had an RBI double and Oswald Peraza also had two hits for Los Angeles, which lost its seventh straight game, the team’s third seven-game losing streak of the season. Yusei Kikuchi (0-5) picked up the loss, allowing two runs on six hits in seven innings.
Reds 7, Cubs 5
Hector Rodriguez hit a three-run homer, Tyler Stephenson added a two-run blast and Dane Myers and Sal Stewart each hit solo shots as Cincinnati powered past host Chicago.
Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz went 2-for-4 with a double but exited in the seventh with what the team said was left quad tightness. Chase Burns (15-3) allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with one walk and seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 inning. Emilio Pagan notched his 19th save.
The Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong hit two solo homers and Nico Hoerner was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Ian Happ collected two hits and Michael Conforto drove in a run for Chicago. S Starter Shota Imanaga (8-10) allowed six runs on eight hits over five innings.
