MLB ROUNDUP: MARINERS BLAST 7 HOMERS IN 15-2 ROUT OF ROYALS
Teoscar Hernandez hit two home runs, including a grand slam, and drove in a season-best six runs and the Seattle Mariners tied the franchise mark with seven homers while routing the visiting Kansas City Royals 15-2 Saturday afternoon.
Josh Rojas, Mike Ford, Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh and Cade Marlowe also homered for the Mariners, who established a season high for runs. Logan Gilbert pitched seven strong innings for Seattle, which has won 10 of its past 11 games to move into a first-place tie with the Texas Rangers in the American League West.
Gilbert (12-5) allowed one run on two hits, with one walk and seven strikeouts. The only hits he allowed were a third-inning single by Dairon Blanco and Waters’ solo shot in the fifth.
Drew Waters went deep for the Royals, who have lost six of their past seven games. Jordan Lyles (3-15) was lifted after allowing seven runs in the third inning — including three homers. The right-hander gave up six hits, walked three and fanned four.
Nationals 3, Marlins 2
Washington, down to its last strike, got a game-tying single from Jake Alu and the go-ahead run on a passed ball later in the ninth inning in a win over host Miami.
Washington, which had been in last place for most of this season, has won five straight series. The Nationals are 11-3 in their past 14 games. Jake Irvin allowed four hits, three walks and one run in six innings. He struck out three.
Miami got a game-tying homer from Josh Bell in the sixth and a go-ahead dinger by Jorge Soler in the eighth. But closer David Robertson (4-5) couldn’t nail down the save, allowing two runs — one earned — in the ninth. Miami’s Eury Perez allowed just three hits, one walk and one run in six innings. He struck out seven.
Astros 9, Tigers 2
Alex Bregman had three extra-base hits, including a two-run homer, and drove in four runs as visiting Houston pounded Detroit.
Jose Abreu and Chas McCormick knocked in two runs apiece and Jose Altuve scored three runs. Detroit native Hunter Brown (10-9) was the winning pitcher. He allowed two runs, four hits and two walks in five innings while posting nine strikeouts.
Tigers starter Eduardo Rodriguez (9-7) was charged with four runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings. He also walked four batters and struck out one. Parker Meadows, who hit a game-winning, three-run homer on Friday, had two hits and an RBI for Detroit.
Brewers 5, Padres 4
Freddy Peralta pitched effectively into the sixth inning and Milwaukee extended its season-high winning streak to seven games, holding on for a victory over visiting San Diego.
Milwaukee scored five runs in the fifth to take a 5-1 lead, but Juan Soto pulled the Padres within 5-4 with a two-run homer in the eighth, his 25th, off Joel Payamps. Peralta (11-8) allowed two runs on two hits in 5 1/3 innings with nine strikeouts to win his fifth consecutive decision.
San Diego starter Pedro Avila (0-1) allowed five runs on five hits in 4 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking two.
Angels 5, Mets 3
Shohei Ohtani had two hits, two runs and two stolen bases for visiting Los Angeles, which raced out to a big early lead and held on for a win over New York.
The Angels have won the first two games of the three-game series. Daniel Vogelbach homered for the Mets, who have dropped four straight and five of six. Ohtani doubled in the first and scored on Brandon Drury’s RBI single. Ohtani laced an RBI triple during a four-run second, when he scored on Drury’s double.
Angels starter Chase Silseth was hit in the head by an across-the-diamond throw and took a few steps before collapsing. After several minutes on the ground, the right-hander was able to walk off the field with assistance and was transported to a local hospital, according to Angels manager Phil Nevin.
Phillies 12, Cardinals 1
Zack Wheeler struck out 10 over seven-plus innings, Nick Castellanos and Brandon Marsh each hit three-run homers during a seven-run seventh inning, and Philadelphia beat visiting St. Louis.
Bryson Stott hit a solo homer and Bryce Harper added three hits and two RBIs for Philadelphia, which has outscored St. Louis 19-3 in the first two games of the series. The Phillies have gone deep 48 times in August, setting a franchise record for home runs in a month.
Wheeler (10-6) gave up three hits with no walks and reached the 10-win mark for the sixth time in his career. He has posted a 2.51 ERA over his last seven starts. St. Louis was held to four hits and lost for the eighth time in its last 10 games.
Blue Jays 8, Guardians 3
Davis Schneider had a two-run homer, three RBIs and three runs while going 3-for-3 with a walk as Toronto defeated visiting Cleveland.
Left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu (3-1) allowed three runs (two earned) and four hits in five-plus innings as the Blue Jays gained a split of the first two games of a three-game series.
Jose Ramirez and Tyler Freeman hit solo home runs for the Guardians. Cleveland left-hander Logan Allen (6-7) allowed five runs, six hits and one walk in four innings.
Braves 7, Giants 3
Austin Riley and Orlando Arcia hit home runs, Max Fried pitched six strong innings and Atlanta beat host San Francisco to record its fourth straight win.
Matt Olson collected a double, two singles and two RBIs for the Braves. Wilmer Flores hit a two-run homer for the Giants, who lost for the fourth time in their last five games.
Fried (5-1) bounced back from Flores’ two-run blast, allowing no further scoring and a total of six hits. He walked two and struck out eight. Atlanta scored runs against all five Giants pitchers, including two in 3 2/3 innings off Sean Manaea (4-5), who took the loss.
Red Sox 8, Dodgers 5
Adam Duvall’s three-run home run in the sixth inning was the difference as Boston beat Los Angeles.
Alex Verdugo became the first player in Red Sox history to lead off three straight games with a home run, while Justin Turner also left the yard while going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs.
Duvall and Rob Refsnyder each had two hits.
Rays 3, Yankees 0
Tyler Glasnow threw 5 1/3 no-hit innings in a scoreless start in Tampa Bay’s two-hit shutout of visiting New York.
In an outing that required 85 pitches, Glasnow (7-4) allowed a lone single while striking out four and walking two.
The right-hander beat the Yankees for the second time in less than a month. Josh Lowe went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Randy Arozarena and Luke Raley (stolen base) each doubled and scored for the Rays.
Orioles 5, Rockies 4
Ryan Mountcastle hit a two-run, go-ahead double in the sixth inning and Baltimore went on to defeat visiting Colorado, winning for the seventh time in eight games.
It took some late-inning bullpen work to get the job done for the AL East-leading Orioles, who posted their fourth straight win.
Colorado lost its sixth game in a row. The first five in the skid included games the Rockies led or were tied in the eighth inning, but this time they never pulled even after the sixth.
White Sox 6, Athletics 2
Lenyn Sosa, Yoan Moncada and Andrew Benintendi homered and Touki Toussaint pitched five shutout innings to boost Chicago over visiting Oakland.
After allowing seven home runs in losing the first two games of the series by a combined score of 20-9, the White Sox turned things around while out-hitting the A’s 9-4.
Toussaint won for the first time in five starts behind his best outing in a frustrating August. The right-hander improved to 2-6 after scattering two hits, three walks and four strikeouts in five innings.
Cubs 10, Pirates 6
Left-hander Jordan Wicks made a splash in his major league debut, giving up just one run in five innings and striking out nine in visiting Chicago’s win over Pittsburgh.
Wicks, 23, a 2021 first-round draft pick, gave up two hits and walked one to earn his first win.
Seiya Suzuki hit an RBI triple and two-run double, Ian Happ laced a two-run double, and Cody Bellinger and Jeimer Candelario each had an RBI single for the Cubs, who have won six of their past eight.
Rangers 6, Twins 2
Robbie Grossman and Leody Taveras drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks to highlight a four-run ninth inning as visiting Texas beat Minnesota to end an eight-game losing streak.
Adolis Garcia hit his 32nd home run of the season and had two hits, and Mitch Garver also homered and had two hits for Texas, which remained in a tie for first place in the American League West with the Seattle Mariners.
Brock Burke (5-2) picked up the win with a scoreless inning relief after starter Max Scherzer allowed two runs on four hits over seven innings. Scherzer walked one and struck out 10, the 113th time he has struck out 10 or more in a game.
Reds 8, Diamondbacks 7 (11 innings)
Cincinnati scored the winning run on a balk in the top of the 11th inning, snapping Arizona’s six-game winning streak in Phoenix.
With two outs in the 11th inning, Spencer Steer reached on an infield single against Nabil Crismatt (0-2).
Designated runner TJ Friedl moved to third base on the play and scored when Crismatt committed a balk.
ALL-STAR CLOSER FÉLIX BAUTISTA PLACED ON INJURED LIST BY ORIOLES WITH ELBOW INJURY
BALTIMORE (AP) — All-Star reliever Félix Bautista was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday by the Baltimore Orioles, who can only hope his ailing elbow won’t keep him sidelined for the rest of the season.
“Early indications are he has some degree of injury to the ulnar collateral ligament,” Orioles general manager Mike Elias said. “We have not firmed down any timetable or anything of that nature.”
Although a UCL injury can lead to Tommy John surgery, Elias expressed hope that the team’s closer can return to help the AL East leaders secure a playoff berth or perhaps provide aid in the playoffs.
If not, then the Orioles simply will have to proceed without him.
“A Félix Bautista absence, even if it’s a short one, is not something that’s easy to cover. He’s the best reliever in baseball right now,” Elias said. “But we do have many talented arms.”
The injury occurred Friday night in Baltimore’s 5-4 victory over Colorado. Bautista retired the first two batters in the ninth inning and had a 2-2 count on Michael Toglia before the right-hander walked off the mound in obvious discomfort following his 12th pitch.
After being examined by team trainers, Bautista left the game.
Elias believes the injury occurred on that final pitch and was not the result of throwing in discomfort.
“I don’t want to speculate, but it looked to me like that one particular pitch might have had some unfortunate movement pattern,” the GM said. “He was not having any issues prior to that pitch.”
Bautista this season has established himself as one of baseball’s most imposing and effective closers. The 6-foot-8, 285-pounder is nicknamed “The Mountain” because of his size, and his fastball regularly is clocked in excess of 100 mph.
Bautista took the loss for the AL All-Stars in July, allowing two runs in two-thirds of an inning, but that hasn’t tarnished his accomplishments for the surprising Orioles, who own the second-best record in the majors (80-48 through Friday). Bautista is 8-2 with a 1.48 ERA with 33 saves in 39 opportunities.
The 28-year-old has 110 strikeouts and just 26 walks in 61 innings over 56 games.
“Félix has been such a massive part of our team. Best closer in the game,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “It’s been amazing to watch him do what he does. Last night sucked. Bottom line. Just hoping for the best for him.”
All-Star reliever Yennier Cano, veteran Danny Coulombe and left-handed rookie DL Hall — who was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday to replace Bautista — are among those in the bullpen who will try to cover for the loss of Bautista.
“The group’s going to rally around itself. We’ll figure out how to do the best we can however long his absence is,” Elias said. “I’m most sad for Félix himself, because this was just a dream season he had, was having.”
The news comes on a night the Orioles were staging a Félix Bautista bobblehead giveaway, a promotion that was expected to draw a huge crowd for the second game of the series against the Rockies.
REDS PLACE LHP ALEX YOUNG ON IL, ACTIVATE RHP BEN LIVELY
The Cincinnati Reds on Saturday placed left-hander Alex Young on the 15-day injured list because of tightness in his left hamstring and activated right-hander Ben Lively from the same list.
The move on Young was retroactive to Friday and comes after his appearance Thursday night in a 3-2 loss at the Arizona Diamondbacks. Young walked Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning, and one out later, gave up Corbin Carroll’s game-winning home run.
Young, 29, is 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA, 19 walks and 45 strikeouts and one save in 49 innings over 57 appearances in his first season with Cincinnati.
He has played in the major leagues for the Diamondbacks (2019-21), Cleveland Guardians (2021-22), San Francisco Giants (2022) and Reds. Young is 16-18 for his career with a 4.34 ERA in 154 games (25 starts).
Lively 31, has not pitched for Cincinnati since Aug. 1 because of a right pectoral strain. He is 4-7 this season with a 5.20 ERA, 19 walks and 64 strikeouts in 71 innings over 14 games (12 starts).