MLB roundup: Mets win on Granderson's walkoff homer
By The Sports Xchange
NEW YORK � Curtis Granderson hit a home run leading off the bottom of the ninth inning Friday night as the New York Mets beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-5, at Citi Field.
It was the second walk-off homer ever for Granderson. The Mets (28-19) won for the sixth time in seven games to move into a tie for first place with the Washington Nationals in the National League East.
The Dodgers tied it in the ninth against right-hander Jeurys Familia, who was pitching in a non-save situation with a four-run lead. But Adrian Gonzalez and Howie Kendrick opened the inning wiht singles, after which Familia struck out Joc Pederson. A single by Yasiel Puig loaded the bases before Yasmani Grandal coaxed a run-scoring walk.
Yankees 4, Rays 1
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run homer and Masahiro Tanaka gave up two hits over seven innings to lead New York to a win against Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field.
Rodriguez hit his sixth home run of the year off Rays starter Chris Archer on an 0-1 pitch in the top of the sixth inning to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead.
The Yankees scored their first run in the inning thanks to some shaky defense by the Rays. After Brett Gardner drew a one-out walk in the inning, Archer made a pickoff throw to first baseman Logan Morrison that went over his glove and into the outfield allowing Gardner to advance to third.
Cardinals 6, Nationals 2
WASHINGTON -- Lefty starter Jaime Garcia allowed two runs in seven innings and Stephen Piscotty hit a grand slam as St. Louis, despite getting just four hits, beat Washington.
Garcia (4-4), coming off a rough outing against Arizona, gave up seven hits and one walk with four strikeouts. The pitcher from Mexico, who was efficient with just 92 pitches, also began a third-inning rally with a one-out single.
The Piscotty grand slam came against Max Scherzer (5-4), who has allowed 10 homers in his last five starts and a MLB-high 15 overall. He did not allow a hit in any inning except the third, when the Cardinals scored five runs on three hits and two walks.
Cubs 6, Phillies 2
CHICAGO -- Batterymates Jon Lester and David Ross combined for big games but in different ways on a rain-plagued afternoon at Wrigley Field.
Lester (5-3) bounced back from two recent poor pitching outings with a strong 6 1/3-inning effort in Chicago's victory over Philadelphia.
Ross clubbed his 100th career home run in the fourth inning -- a three-run blast that put some distance between the Cubs and the Phillies.
Orioles 6, Indians 4
CLEVELAND -- Manny Machado had four hits and Mark Trumbo's two-run home run capped a three-run seventh inning to lead Baltimore to a win over Cleveland at Progressive Field.
The win snaps the Orioles' four-game losing streak.
Adam Jones had three hits for the Orioles, and Dylan Bundy (1-1) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief on one hit to earn his first major league win. Zach Britton pitched the ninth inning to pick up his 13th save.
Blue Jays 7, Red Sox 5
TORONTO -- Josh Donaldson hit two home runs and Toronto defeated Boston at SkyDome for its third consecutive win.
Donaldson also had a double, single and four RBIs to lead the Blue Jays. His two-run homer in the eighth put the Jays back in front after they squandered a 5-2 lead.
The Blue Jays now trail the American League East-leading Red Sox by five games.
Braves 4, Marlins 2
ATLANTA -- An overturned call and a clutch two-out hit with the bases loaded in the eighth inning proved to be the winning combination as Atlanta posted a victory over Miami to end its four-game losing streak.
It appeared the threat ended when Atlanta catcher Tyler Flowers was called out at first base on what would have been an inning-ending double play. But the Braves appealed the call and the replay showed that Flowers beat the throw.
Right fielder Nick Markakis, in the throes of a 1-for-22 slump, then hit an opposite-field liner that glanced off the glove of third baseman Martin Prado and rolled into left field, allowing two runs to score. The play, originally ruled an error, was changed to a hit and two RBIs.
Pirates 9, Rangers 1
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Pittsburgh hit four home runs, chased Cole Hamels in the fifth inning and rolled to its fifth straight win with a victory over Texas.
Hamels (5-1) hadn't lost since Aug. 7, 2015 -- his second start with Texas -- and was 12-0 since then coming into Friday's start.
The Pirates ended any chance at Hamels continuing the streak by scoring five times in the fifth inning to take a 6-0 lead. Hamels was done after 4 2/3 innings after he was tagged for six runs (five earned) in his shortest start since joining the Rangers.
Royals 7, White Sox 5
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Eric Hosmer homered and drove in four runs, one shy of his career high, and Whit Merrifield singled in two runs in a four-run seventh as Kansas City came from behind to top Chicago.
The White Sox took a 5-1 lead in sixth when they scored all their runs. Royals left-hander Danny Duffy was perfect for 5 1/3 innings before allowing three straight singles. Melky Cabrera then hit a grand slam, his first since July 29, 2011 while with the Royals.
Five pitches later, Todd Frazier belted his 15th home run, which ties for the American League lead, and finish Duffy's night.
Rockies 5, Giants 2
DENVER -- Colorado parlayed a superb outing Tyler Chatwood and a barrage of early doubles into its fifth win in eight games this season against San Francisco.
The loss ended the Giants' five-game winning streak and was just their second defeat in 15 games.
Matt Cain, who was 1-1 with a 1.71 ERA in his past three starts, had to leave the game after 1 2/3 innings due to a right hamstring strain. But the Giants got an exceptional relief outing from Albert Suarez, who had pitched a total of seven innings in his first four career appearances since his May 6 promotion from Triple-A Sacramento.
Brewers 9, Reds 5
MILWAUKEE -- Aaron Hill belted a pair of home runs among his four hits and Milwaukee defeated Cincinnati, handing the Reds their 11th straight loss.
Jonathan Villar added three hits, while Jonathan Lucroy (home run) and Ramon Flores each finished with a pair as Milwaukee won its fourth straight.
Zach Davies (2-3) allowed all five Cincinnati runs, but three came as a result of bad luck.
He needed two pitches to retire the first two Reds before giving up a base hit to Brandon Phillps. Jay Bruce followed with a fly ball to the warning track in right, but Ramon Flores couldn't come up with the catch. Adam Duvall then crushed a 1-0 offering to left for his 10th home run of the year.
Twins 7, Mariners 2
SEATTLE -- Rookie left-hander Pat Dean turned in the finest performance of his young career on a day when Seattle veteran Felix Hernandez struggled, leading Minnesota to a win over the Mariners.
Making his second career start and his fourth appearance since being promoted earlier this month, Dean (1-1) gave up four hits and two runs and had eight strikeouts in seven innings to outduel Hernandez, the Mariners' ace.
Miguel Sano and Joe Maurer each homered for the Twins (13-34).
Angels 7, Astros 2
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Matt Shoemaker continued his dramatic turnaround and Los Angeles rode one big inning to a victory over Houston at Angel Stadium.
Shoemaker gave up two runs and seven hits in 8 1/3 innings, striking out 11 and walking none while making 116 pitches. After 7 1/3 scoreless innings in his previous start, Shoemaker has given up two runs in 15 2/3 innings with 23 strikeouts and no walks in his past two starts.
Shoemaker had made 104 pitches through eight scoreless innings before Angels manager Mike Scioscia gave Shoemaker the ball to start the ninth for a chance at his first major league complete game and shutout.
Tigers 4, Athletics 1
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Rookie right-hander Michael Fulmer pitched 7 2/3 shutout innings, Nick Castellanos hit his 10th home run of the season, and Detroit defeated Oakland at the Oakland Coliseum.
Fulmer (4-1) struck out three, walked one and threw 103 pitches in his sixth career major league start.
Fulmer gave up a two-out single to Khris Davis in the second inning then held the A's hitless until the eighth when Chris Coghlan lined a two-out single to center. Coco Crisp followed with a ground-rule double, moving Coghlan to third and ending Fulmer's night.
Padres 10, Diamondbacks 3
PHOENIX -- Yangervis Solarte hit two home runs and Matt Kemp and Derek Norris also homered to help San Diego left-hander Christian Friedrich to his first victory in almost four years in the Padres' win over Arizona at Chase Field.
Kemp and Solarte hit back-to-back homers in a four-run fifth inning off Arizona starter Robbie Ray (2-4) and Solarte hit a three-run homer in a four-run sixth. Solarte has three homers this season, all in the last two games.
Norris also homered in the fifth to help the Padres break a four-game losing streak.
