Ramon Laureano drove in four runs and the Oakland Athletics survived seven solo home runs by the Los Angeles Angels — two by Shohei Ohtani — to win 8-7 in Anaheim, Calif., on Thursday.
The teams combined for nine homers, but the Athletics got two-run bombs from Seth Brown and Laureano and also capitalized on eight walks from Angels pitching. The Angels became the first team in MLB history to score seven or more runs in a game all on solo homers, according to STATS.
Oakland, which scored six runs in the third inning and two more in the fourth, won for the ninth time in its last 13 games in the rubber match of this three-game series. Los Angeles has lost five of seven.
Oakland starter Paul Blackburn (7-6) ended a seven-game winless drought, during which his ERA was 8.05, by surviving five innings. He gave up four runs on six hits — five for extra bases — and walked one. He struck out three.
Astros 6, Guardians 0
Justin Verlander allowed just two hits over six scoreless innings to record his major-league-leading 15th win, lifting Houston over host Cleveland for its fifth win in eight games.
Verlander (15-3) struck out five batters and walked one en route to lowering his majors-best ERA to 1.73. The two-time American League Cy Young Award recipient has allowed one earned run or none during each start of his seven-game winning streak.
Houston’s Chas McCormick and Martin Maldonado each belted a solo homer and drove in three runs. McCormick, who finished with three hits, served as the Astros’ right fielder with Kyle Tucker sitting out due to a non-COVID illness.
Pirates 5, Brewers 4 (10 innings)
Bryan Reynolds ripped an RBI double in the 10th inning and scored on a wild pitch as Pittsburgh completed a three-game sweep of visiting Milwaukee.
After the Brewers scored in the top of the 10th on a bases-loaded hit batsman, Reynolds doubled into the right-field corner to score Pirates automatic runner Tucupita Marcano. Pittsburgh loaded the bases on two intentional walks and, with Michael Chavis at bat, Reynolds scored on a wild pitch by Matt Bush (2-2).
Pittsburgh’s Duane Underwood Jr. (1-3) picked up the win despite allowing the run in the 10th. Milwaukee starter Brandon Woodruff allowed three runs (two earned) and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings, and Mike Brosseau and Victor Caratini each homered for the Brewers.
Cardinals 4, Cubs 3 (Game 1)
Lars Nootbaar delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to lift St. Louis to a win against visiting Chicago in the opener of their doubleheader.
Erich Uelmen (0-1) issued back-to-back walks to Nolan Arenado and Paul DeJong with one out in the ninth before Nootbaar came through.
Nolan Gorman and Paul Goldschmidt hit back-to-back home runs and Brendan Donovan had two hits for the Cardinals. St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas allowed three runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Cardinals 7, Cubs 2 (Game 2)
Tyler O’Neill hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the seventh inning, powering St. Louis past visiting Chicago to complete a doubleheader sweep.
The Cardinals have won six of their past seven games to pull into a first-place tie with the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central.
Jose Quintana held the Cubs to one run on one hit in six innings, Patrick Wisdom’s first-inning homer, in his Cardinals debut. He walked two batters and struck out seven. Jordan Hicks (3-5) earned the victory despite giving up one run in his lone inning.
Dodgers 5, Giants 3
The bullpen picked up injured Clayton Kershaw with five innings of one-run relief, helping Los Angeles complete a four-game sweep over host San Francisco with a victory.
The Dodgers’ fifth straight win overall and eighth in a row versus the Giants since the All-Star break might have been a costly one. Kershaw, the All-Star Game starter, was removed from the game before the fifth inning with low back pain.
Kershaw missed more than a month bridging April and May earlier this season with SI joint inflammation in his lower spine. Kershaw left with a 4-2 lead, having allowed a two-run homer to Giants newcomer J.D. Davis in the second inning.
Rays 6, Tigers 2
Brandon Lowe homered and drove in three runs, Jeffrey Springs tossed six strong innings, and Tampa Bay defeated host Detroit.
Lowe had three hits, while Randy Arozarena supplied four hits and drove in two runs. Yandy Diaz scored twice in the opener of a four-game series. Springs (4-3) limited the Tigers to two unearned runs and four hits in six innings while recording six strikeouts.
Javier Baez led the Tigers with two hits and an RBI. Drew Hutchison (1-5) gave up four runs (two earned) and eight hits in six innings.
Phillies 5, Nationals 4 (4 1/2 innings)
Alec Bohm hit a three-run homer in a rain-shortened game as host Philadelphia defeated Washington. The game was delayed after the top of the fifth inning, and it was called slightly more than two hours later.
Rhys Hoskins added a solo home run and an RBI single for the Phillies, who have won seven of their past eight games. Noah Syndergaard (6-8) allowed 11 hits and four runs in five innings in his Phillies debut after being acquired from the Los Angeles Angels before the trade deadline.
Yadiel Hernandez and Luke Voit each led the Nationals with two hits and an RBI. Paolo Espino (0-4) threw a four-inning complete game, giving up five runs on seven hits.
Rockies 7, Padres 3
Ryan McMahon homered and drove in five runs and Kyle Freeland held the Padres scoreless until the sixth inning as visiting Colorado defeated San Diego to avoid being swept in a five-game series.
McMahon smacked a three-run homer with two outs in the fifth inning and a two-run double with two outs in the third to lead Colorado.
However, the key play of the game might have been turned in by Rockies left fielder Sam Hilliard when the game was scoreless in the bottom of the second. Josh Bell singled to open the inning and Brandon Drury followed with a drive headed toward the left field seats. But Hilliard raced to the wall, turned and made a leaping catch with his glove clearly above the wall to deny Drury a homer and the Padres a 2-0 lead.
Blue Jays 9, Twins 3
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a three-run home run to highlight a six-run eighth inning, leading Toronto to a victory over Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Teoscar Hernandez also homered for the Blue Jays, who improved to 9-3 since the All-Star break. Bo Bichette had three hits, including a pair of doubles, and scored twice. Whit Merrifield, making his Blue Jays debut after being obtained in a deadline-day deal with Kansas City, contributed two hits, a run and an RBI.
Jake Cave homered and Jose Miranda had two RBIs for the Twins, who lost for the sixth time in their past nine games.
Mets 6, Braves 4
Left fielder Tyler Naquin, playing his first game at Citi Field since being acquired from Cincinnati at the trade deadline, hit two of New York’s four home runs and the Mets rolled to a win over visiting Atlanta.
Naquin became the first player in franchise history to hit two runs in his home debut with the club. Pete Alonso and Daniel Vogelbach also went deep to give the Mets their third four-homer game of the season.
The win extended the Mets’ lead in the NL East to 4 1/2 games over the Braves. Carlos Carrasco (12-4) pitched six innings and allowed three runs on four hits, one walk and six strikeouts.
Royals 7, Red Sox 3
Salvador Perez’s three-run, line-drive homer capped a four-run seventh inning as host Kansas City defeated Boston in the opener of a four-game series.
Perez collected four RBIs on the night. His home run was reviewed after the ball appeared to hit the wall below the railing, but the call stood. Boston manager Alex Cora was ejected when he emerged from the dugout to argue the call.
Prior to Perez’s blast, Bobby Witt Jr. singled home the go-ahead run. Taylor Clarke (3-1), who blew a save opportunity, was the winning pitcher. Darwinzon Hernandez (0-1) took the loss after allowing four runs in the seventh. Eric Hosmer, who starred for the Royals from 2011-17, made his Red Sox debut, going 0-for-3 with a walk.
Rangers 3, White Sox 2
Meibrys Viloria and Marcus Semien drove in seventh-inning runs as Texas held off Chicago in Arlington, Texas.
Jonathan Hernandez pitched a clean ninth inning for his second save. Brock Burke (6-2), who came on in relief of Texas starter Cole Ragans, picked up the win. Ragans gave up just an unearned run on three hits and four walks in five innings during his major league debut.
Johnny Cueto (4-5) took the loss despite logging eight innings, allowing three runs on 11 hits with four strikeouts and no walks.
–Field Level Media
