Baseball Capsules
September 21, 2015
NEW YORK (AP) Carlos Beltran, CC Sabathia and the New York Yankees took advantage of Matt Harvey's early exit, beating the sloppy Mets 11-2 Sunday night to tighten the AL East race just in time for a critical trip to Toronto.
Dustin Ackley hit a three-run homer after Beltran's go-ahead double, and Sabathia (5-9) won for the first time since July 8 as the Yankees took two of three at Citi Field to win both Subway Series this season. New York, which leads the wild-card standings, moved within 2 1/2 games of first-place Toronto heading into a three-game set beginning Monday night.
The only bad news for the Bronx Bombers: Masahiro Tanaka won't make his scheduled start in the series because of a strained right hamstring.
Harvey looks fully healthy, but was pulled for Hansel Robles (4-3) after five scoreless innings. The Mets are limiting Harvey's workload down the stretch even as they try to close out an NL East championship.
CARDINALS 4, CUBS 3
CHICAGO (AP) - Cardinals star catcher Yadier Molina exited after spraining his left thumb on a tag and playoff-bound St. Louis ended Chicago's five-game winning streak.
The NL Central-leading Cardinals have already clinched a postseason slot. They are six games ahead of Chicago, which holds the second wild-card spot.
Molina, set to get an MRI on Monday, was injured tagging Anthony Rizzo in the eighth. Right fielder Jason Heyward threw out Rizzo on Addison Russell's no-out, bases-loaded fly.
In the ninth, pinch-runner Quintin Berry was thrown out trying to steal second by Molina's replacement, Tony Cruz.
Carlos Martinez (14-7) threw four-hit ball into the seventh, and Trevor Rosenthal got his 46th save in 48 chances.
Cardinals rookies Tommy Pham and Stephen Piscotty homered. Jon Lester (10-11) took the loss.
MARINERS 9, RANGERS 2
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Felix Hernandez became the American League's first 18-game winner, Robinson Cano drove in four runs and Seattle beat AL West-leading Texas.
Texas' division lead was trimmed to 1 1-2 games over second-place Houston. The Rangers finished a 7-3 homestand that included a four-game sweep of the Astros.
Hernandez (18-9) gave up two runs and matched a season high with five walks in 5 2-3 innings. He left with a stiff right elbow, a move the team called precautionary. King Felix is 5-0 against Texas this year.
Cano's 17th homer, a three-run drive in the fifth, put the Mariners up 7-2 and chased Derek Holland (3-3).
ASTROS 5, ATHLETICS 1
HOUSTON (AP) - Colby Rasmus homered twice and George Springer added a two-run shot to back a solid start by Collin McHugh and help Houston beat Oakland.
The Astros won their second in a row following a five-game skid that knocked them out of first place in the AL West. They are 1 1/2 games behind Texas for first place, and are 2 1/2 games ahead of the Angels for the second wild-card spot.
McHugh (17-7) allowed four hits and one run in eight innings, striking out eight in his fourth straight win.
Barry Zito pitched in the majors for the first time since 2013 and gave up Rasmus' second homer. The 37-year-old lefty had spent the season in Triple-A after sitting out last year.
Aaron Brooks (2-4) took the loss.
RED SOX 4, BLUE JAYS 3
TORONTO (AP) - The AL East-leading Toronto Blue Jays lost their grip in the eighth inning, and Boston broke ahead on a sacrifice fly by Jackie Bradley Jr.
Toronto began the day with a 3 1/2-game lead over the New York Yankees, who played at night against the Mets. The Blue Jays host the Yankees in a three-game series starting Monday night.
Pablo Sandoval reached in the eighth on an error by Toronto reliever Brett Cecil (3-5) and later scored on Bradley's fly when catcher Dioner Navarrp couldn't handle the short-hop throw.
Rich Hill (1-0) struck out 10 in his first big league win since July 14, 2013, when he pitched in relief for Cleveland.
Robbie Ross Jr. finished for his fourth save and second in two days.
TWINS 8, ANGELS 1
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Rookie Tyler Duffey pitched seven shutout innings, Eddie Rosario and Joe Mauer hit two-run homers, and Minnesota pulled even with Los Angeles in the AL wild-card race.
The teams are 2 1/2 games behind Houston for the second wild card.
A day after the Angels swept a day-night doubleheader, Duffey (4-1) stopped the Twins' five-game losing streak.
Torii Hunter put the Twins ahead with a solo homer in the second off Matt Shoemaker (7-10).
INDIANS 6, WHITE SOX 3
CLEVELAND (AP) - Josh Tomlin pitched 5 2-3 scoreless innings, Lonnie Chisenhall homered and drove in three runs, and Cleveland defeated Chicago.
Cleveland stayed four games behind Houston for the AL's second wild card. The Angels and Twins also are ahead of them.
Tomlin (6-2) allowed four hits and matched a season high with eight strikeouts. Cody Allen got his 31st save in 35 chances.
Chisenhall's homer highlighted a three-run second inning against John Danks (7-13).
ROYALS 10, TIGERS 3
DETROIT (AP) - Kendrys Morales hit three home runs and a triple, setting a team record with 15 total bases as Kansas City beat Detroit to avoid a three-game sweep.
Morales hit three solo shots and scored five runs.
Christian Colon had a career-high four hits for the AL Central leading-Royals and Paulo Orlando homered.
Kris Medlen (5-1) allowed three unearned runs and five hits in five innings. Danny Duffy pitched four innings for first career save.
Alfredo Simon (13-10) was tagged for eight runs and 13 hits in 4 1-3 innings.
RAYS 7, ORIOLES 6
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Pinch-hitter Brandon Guyer led off the ninth inning with a tying homer and Kevin Kiermaier beat out a two-out single for the winning run as Tampa Bay rallied past Baltimore.
Chris Davis hit his major league-leading 43rd homer for the Orioles, who lost for the fourth time in 12 games. Baltimore fell 5 1-2 games behind Houston for the second AL wild card.
Trying for his 35th save, Zach Britton (4-1) instead let a 6-5 lead get away and wound up with his fourth blown chance. With the bases loaded and two outs, Kiermaier hit a slow roller to second and was safe.
Kirby Yates (1-0) got two outs for the win.
NATIONALS 13, MARLINS 3
WASHINGTON (AP) - Stephen Strasburg struck out 10 in an encore to one of the best starts of his career, and Yunel Escobar had four hits and four RBIs as Washington beat Miami.
The Nationals moved within 6 1-2 games of the NL East-leading New York Mets, who played the Yankees later Sunday.
Escobar was 4 for 4 and had a three-run double in a seven-run sixth inning. Bryce Harper had three hits, including a double, and scored three times.
Strasburg (10-7) allowed one earned run in seven innings as Washington won its third straight. He tied a career high with 14 strikeouts in his last start.
Justin Nicolino (3-4) allowed seven runs in 5 2-3 innings.
BREWERS 8, REDS 4
MILWAUKEE (AP) - Adam Lind drove in three runs and Milwaukee ended an eight-game losing streak, taking advantage of Cincinnati's poor fielding.
Jay Bruce homered twice for the Reds.
Ariel Pena (2-0) got the win. Anthony DeSclafani (9-11) took the loss.
BRAVES 2, PHILLIES 1
ATLANTA (AP) - Julio Teheran took a perfect game try into the seventh inning and A.J. Pierzynski hit an RBI single in the ninth that lifted Atlanta over Philadelphia.
Teheran's bid was spoiled by Freddy Galvis' leadoff single in the seventh.
Peter Moylan (1-0) got two outs for the win. Luis Garcia (3-6) took the loss.
PIRATES 4, DODGERS 3
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Gerrit Cole (17-8) allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings and struck out nine, improving to 3-0 in four career starts against Los Angeles. Tony Watson and Mark Melancon followed with perfect innings of relief, and Melancon got his 48th save.
Starling Marte homered off Mike Bolsinger (6-4) to break a tie in the third. Pedro Alvarez had a go-ahead homer in the fourth.
Pittsburgh, which trails NL Central-leading St. Louis by four games, is a big league-best 34-17 in one-run games and improved to 23-6 against the NL West.
GIANTS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 1
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Buster Posey hit a three-run homer and Tim Hudson (8-8) allowed four hits in six scoreless innings, improving to 11-2 against Arizona.
Alejandro De Aza and Jarrett Parker also drove in runs for the Giants, who snapped a 35-inning scoreless streak at home against Arizona pitching. The Giants had lost six straight home games to the Diamondbacks.
Jeremy Hellickson (9-10) took a one-hitter into the sixth.
PADRES 10, ROCKIES 4
DENVER (AP) - Matt Kemp homered and doubled twice to back James Shields (13-6), who pitched two-hit ball into the seventh. Yangervis Solarte, Jedd Gyorko and Cory Spangenberg also homered for San Diego. Justin Upton had three of the Padres' 15 hits and drove in three runs.
Kyle Kendrick (6-13) gave up all four Padres homers. The Colorado starter has allowed a majors-most 32 home runs despite spending six weeks on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation.
