September 18, 2021
Kevin Gausman, pinch-hitting because San Francisco had run out of position players on the bench, lifted a walk-off sacrifice fly in the 11th inning Friday night as the Giants outlasted the visiting Atlanta Braves 6-5.
The matchup of division leaders saw both teams hit game-extending home runs in the ninth. Travis d’Arnaud socked a three-run shot in the top of the inning to put Atlanta ahead 5-4, and pinch hitter Donovan Solano belted a solo shot with two outs and two strikes to tie the game.
The Giants snapped a two-game losing streak and extended their lead over the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers to two games in the National League West.
The Braves took a third straight defeat and lost a game off their advantage in the NL East. They lead the Philadelphia Phillies by just two games.
Rays 7, Tigers 4 (10 innings)
Brett Phillips blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th and Tampa Bay rallied from a three-run deficit in the ninth to pull out the win over Detroit in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Phillips’ homer came after Bryan Garcia (2-2) walked leadoff batter Taylor Walls. Andrew Kittredge (9-3) held the Tigers scoreless in the top of the inning and collected the victory.
Tampa Bay’s Yandy Diaz had a two-run, pinch-hit single in the ninth. Miguel Cabrera had two hits for the Tigers.
Cardinals 8, Padres 2
Dylan Carlson hit two homers, a solo shot from the left side and a grand slam batting right-handed, and drove in five runs to propel host St. Louis past San Diego for its sixth consecutive victory.
Tyler O’Neill added a two-run homer for the Cardinals, who moved 1 1/2 games up on the Padres in the race for the second National League wild-card slot. The Reds also won, so Cincinnati remains one game back of St. Louis. San Diego has lost six of its past eight games.
Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas (1-2) blanked the Padres on three hits through 5 2/3 innings. Padres starter Vince Velasquez (3-7) allowed four runs on four hits in four innings.
Phillies 4, Mets 3
Zack Wheeler won his fourth straight start as Philadelphia edged host New York.
Didi Gregorius’ two-out RBI double in the eighth inning proved to be the difference for the Phillies, who earned their third straight win.
Wheeler (14-9) allowed one run on four hits and one walk while striking out six over five innings — the first time he’s lasted fewer than six innings since July 7.
Twins 7, Blue Jays 3
Jorge Polanco hit a two-run home run, Josh Donaldson, Miguel Sano and Brent Rooker added solo shots and visiting Minnesota defeated Toronto.
Rooker also had an RBI double for the Twins in the first meeting between the teams this season. Twins right-hander Michael Pineda (7-8) allowed three runs (one earned), three hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 46th home run of the season for the Blue Jays, who are a half-game behind the Yankees for the American League’s second wild-card spot. Toronto’s Hyun Jin Ryu (13-9) allowed five runs, five hits and a walk in two-plus innings.
Reds 3, Dodgers 1
Kyle Farmer delivered twice in key situations and Luis Castillo threw 6 1/3 shutout innings as Cincinnati beat visiting Los Angeles.
Farmer doubled twice, including a two-run two-bagger in the sixth that provided valuable insurance for the Reds, who won consecutive games for the first time since Aug. 26-27. Castillo (8-15) struck out 10 over a season-high 111 pitches.
The Dodgers had their six-game win streak snapped. Walker Buehler (14-4) went six innings, giving up three runs and six hits while striking out five against two walks.
Yankees 8, Indians 0
Joey Gallo homered twice, Corey Kluber pitched six scoreless innings in his best start since coming off the injured list and host New York rolled past Cleveland.
The Yankees won for the fourth time in five games. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton added solo homers while Brett Gardner hit a three-run homer for New York.
Gallo finished with three hits while teammates Judge and Gio Urshela had two apiece. The Indians managed only four hits, all singles.
Red Sox 7, Orioles 1
Bobby Dalbec homered to back an efficient Chris Sale in his return from COVID-19, and Boston thumped visiting Baltimore.
Hunter Renfroe blew the contest open with a three-game double in the sixth inning as the Red Sox won their third straight.
Austin Hays hit a solo shot for the Orioles, who sealed their third 100-loss season in the last four years.
Brewers 8, Cubs 5
Kolten Wong lined a two-run, tiebreaking single during a four-run eighth inning as Milwaukee rallied for a victory over visiting Chicago.
Lorenzo Cain hit a tying single earlier in the inning as the Brewers defeated the Cubs for the 10th straight time. Luis Urias drove in three runs for Milwaukee, and Wong had three of the club’s nine hits.
Aaron Ashby (3-0) struck out five and gave up three hits in three scoreless innings of relief for the win. Josh Hader worked the ninth for his 32nd save in 33 opportunities. Frank Schwindel homered for the Cubs, who have lost three straight games and six of their past seven.
Athletics 5, Angels 4
Oakland rallied from an early deficit and beat Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif., with the winning run scoring on a passed ball.
Angels catcher Kurt Suzuki, who played for the A’s from 2007-11 and parts of both 2012 and 2013, homered in the game, but he also committed two passed balls in the sixth inning, including one that allowed Mark Canha to score from third.
Oakland is 2 1/2 games behind the Yankees for the second AL wild card. A’s starter Cole Irvin (10-13) got the win after throwing six innings. He allowed four runs, but only one was earned.
Rockies 9, Nationals 8
Elias Diaz homered as part of a two-run ninth inning and visiting Colorado rallied past Washington for its fourth straight win.
Diaz led off the ninth against Kyle Finnegan (5-8) and lined a homer to left. Sam Hilliard singled and Finnegan walked Raimel Tapia. Garrett Hampson bunted the runners over and Brendan Rodgers looped a single to left, scoring Hilliard with the go-ahead run.
Rodgers and Hilliard also homered for the Rockies, who rallied from an early 6-2 deficit. Lane Thomas had a three-run homer and Keibert Ruiz had three hits for Washington.
Astros 4, Diamondbacks 3 (10 innings)
Chas McCormick earned a walk-off RBI when he was hit by a 10th-inning pitch, and Houston rallied for an unorthodox win over visiting Arizona.
After Arizona moved ahead on a David Peralta RBI single in the top of the 10th, Houston responded with a Jake Meyers bloop single that tied the game. Later with the bases loaded, Arizona reliever Tyler Clippard (1-1) plunked McCormick in the first walk-off hit by pitch for Houston since Aug. 8, 1998.
Diamondbacks left-hander Madison Bumgarner took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, giving up a two-run homer to Jose Altuve. It was the lone hit surrendered by Bumgarner over seven innings. Kole Calhoun, fresh off the 10-day injured list, hit his fourth home run for Arizona.
Mariners 6, Royals 2
Jarred Kelenic hit a pair of two-run home runs as Seattle defeated host Kansas City in the opening game of a three-game series.
Chris Flexen (12-6) worked 5 2/3 strong innings for the Mariners. He allowed one run on six hits, with two walks and three strikeouts.
The Mariners spoiled the major league debut of Royals pitcher Jon Heasley (0-1). The 24-year-old right-hander allowed four runs, all coming on home runs by Kelenic, on six hits in four innings. Hunter Dozier added a homer for Kansas City.
White Sox 8, Rangers 0
Luis Robert went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs, Dylan Cease struck out 10 batters over five scoreless innings, and Chicago cruised over host Texas in Arlington, Texas.
Jose Abreu added a double and two RBIs for Chicago, which snapped a two-game skid. Romy Gonzalez, Eloy Jimenez and Cesar Hernandez also drove in one run apiece. Cease (12-7) kept Rangers hitters off balance throughout most of the night, scattering four hits and a pair of walks.
Leody Taveras went 2-for-5 and swiped a base for Texas, which has lost three in a row and four of five. The Rangers did not record an extra-base hit.
Pirates 2, Marlins 1
Cole Tucker lofted the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the sixth, leading Pittsburgh past host Miami.
Pittsburgh closer Chris Stratton allowed a leadoff triple to Bryan De La Cruz in the ninth but escaped the jam to earn his sixth save of the year. The last-place Pirates are one win away from clinching their fourth straight series, and they have won seven of their past 10 games.
Pittsburgh starter Wil Crowe (4-7) earned his first win since July 30, allowing three hits, one walk and one run in five innings. Elieser Hernandez (1-2) took the loss, allowing four hits, a career-high five walks and two runs (none earned).
-Field Level Media
Source Link MLB roundup: Giants earn wild 11-inning win over Braves
