Sept 24 (The Sports Xchange) – Highlights of Sunday’s Major League Baseball games:
Cubs 5, Brewers 0
Jose Quintana struck out 10 in a three-hitter game as the Chicago Cubs moved closer to clinching the National League Central by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 5-0 on Sunday.
Ben Zobrist hit a two-run homer for the defending World Series champions, who have a magic number of two to clinch.
Milwaukee starter Chase Anderson allowed three runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Diamondbacks 3, Marlins 2
J.D. Martinez singled with two outs in the ninth inning and Arizona edged Miami to clinch its first playoff spot since 2011.
Chris Herrmann homered for Arizona, which holds the first National League wild-card spot.
Giancarlo Stanton increased his RBI total to 126, moving into a tie with Colorado’s Nolan Arenado for the major league lead.
Angels 7, Astros 5
Brandon Phillips and Justin Upton homered and drove in two runs apiece, and Luis Valbuena also had two RBIs in Los Angeles win over Houston.
The Angels remain 4 1/2 games behind the Minnesota Twins for the second American League wild-card slot.
In the seventh, Valbuena drove one to the wall in right-center for a two-run double, breaking a tie and giving the Angels the 6-4 lead.
Twins 10, Tigers 4
Eduardo Escobar hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs as Minnesota rolled over Detroit.
Jorge Polanco also homered and Joe Mauer drove in two runs as Minnesota moved within four games of the New York Yankees for the first AL wild card.
Ian Kinsler hit a two-run homer for Detroit, which dropped its seventh straight.
Red Sox 5, Reds 4
Mookie Betts hit a three-run double in the eighth inning and scored on a single by Rafael Devers as Boston beat Cincinnati.
Betts helped the Red Sox lower their magic number for clinching the American League East to four. The Red Sox moved five games ahead of the Yankees.
Billy Hamilton stole his 59th base for the Reds, who blew a four-run lead.
Blue Jays 9, Yankees 5
Russell Martin doubled twice and drove in three runs as Toronto beat New York.
Teoscar Hernandez homered and Jose Bautista singled twice for the Blue Jays.
Aaron Judge hit his league-leading 47th and 48th homers of the season for New York, bringing him within one of matching Mark McGwire’s rookie record.
Rockies 8, Padres 4
Pat Valaika and Charlie Blackmon homered as Colorado inched closer to the second National League wild card by beating San Diego.
Colorado holds a two-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers and a 2 1/2 game edge over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Wil Myers and Yangervis Solarte homered for the Padres.
Indians 4, Mariners 2
Corey Kluber struck out 10 in seven innings as Cleveland beat Seattle.
Kluber allowed two unearned runs and upped his record to 18-4. He is tied with the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw for the major league lead in victories. Jose Ramirez hit his 29th homer as Cleveland won for the 29th time in 31 games.
Ben Gamel homered for Seattle.
Dodgers 3, Giants 1
Clayton Kershaw allowed a run in eight innings as Los Angeles beat San Francisco.
Kershaw gave up eight hits and struck out six while throwing 70 of 93 pitches for strikes.
Yasmani Grandal hit a two-run homer for the Dodgers. Mac Williamson homered for the Giants.
Athletics 8, Rangers 1
Khris Davis hit his 41st home run of the season, Jharel Cotton allowed one hit over five shutout innings as Oakland routed Texas.
The A’s won their season-high seventh straight game overall and defeated Texas at the Coliseum for the eighth straight time, matching their franchise high.
Nomar Mazara hit his 20th home run of the season, ending the Rangers’ season-worst, 21-inning scoreless streak.
Nationals 3, Mets 2
Max Scherzer outdueled Jacob deGrom in a matchup of aces as Washington edged New York.
Scherzer allowed one run on three hits in six innings to go along with 10 strikeouts. DeGrom allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits while striking out 11 in six innings.
Trea Turner hit a two-run homer for Washington. Brandon Nimmo homered for the Mets.
White Sox 8, Royals 1
Avisail Garcia homered and drove in three runs as Chicago blasted Kansas City.
Kevan Smith also homered while Lucas Giolito allowed one run in seven innings.
Lorenzo Cain homered for Kansas City. Royals starter Ian Kennedy allowed five runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Pirates 4, Cardinals 1
Starling Marte hit a two-run homer as Pittsburgh defeated St. Louis.
Jordan Luplow homered and tripled for the Pirates, and Jameson Taillon allowed one run in five innings.
Matt Carpenter homered for the Cardinals.
Orioles 9, Rays 4
J.J. Hardy and Chance Sisco hit two-run homers as Baltimore knocked off Tampa Bay.
Hardy hit the tiebreaking homer in the fourth inning while Sisco homered in the sixth.
Chris Archer dropped his fifth consecutive decision, allowing six runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings as Tampa Bay moved to the verge of officially being eliminated from the wild-card race.
Phillies 2, Braves 0
Nick Pivetta allowed five hits in six innings as Philadelphia blanked Atlanta.
Maikel Franco hit his 21st homer for Philadelphia.
Atlanta’s Luiz Gohara allowed one run on five hits in seven innings.
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