It may have taken 34 innings, but the resurgent Baltimore Orioles pitchers finally surrendered a run on Friday night.
With the Tigers down to their last strike in the ninth, Javier Báez hit a tying single off Orioles closer Félix Bautista (2-1), snapping a 34-inning scoreless streak by Baltimore pitchers. The Orioles immediately answered.
Adam Frazier hit a run-scoring grounder in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Baltimore Orioles their fourth straight victory, 2-1 over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.
The bottom of the ninth began with Baltimore’s Ryan Mountcastle hitting a one-out single off Jason Foley (0-1). Mountcastle made it to third on a single by Anthony Santander and Frazier followed with a soft grounder to the right side, and first baseman Spencer Torkelson’s throw home was not in time to get Mountcastle.
Orioles starter Tyler Wells allowed three hits in seven innings, and Austin Hays homered in the seventh to give Baltimore a 1-0 lead. The Orioles hadn’t allowed a run since the first inning of Sunday’s win over the Chicago White Sox, the longest scoreless streak by an AL team in the same season since Baltimore threw 45 straight scoreless innings to end the 1995 season, according to OptaStats.
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Tyler Wells throws during the fourth inning at Camden Yards
Orioles’ Adam Frazier (12) is doused by left fielder Ryan McKenna (26) after Friday’s win
Frazier hit a run-scoring grounder in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the O’s the victory
Wells walked one and struck out five. Two of the hits he allowed were infield singles. Bryan Baker struck out two in a perfect eighth, then Bautista came on in the ninth.
After pinch-hitter Akil Baddoo singled and stole second, Bautista struck out Nick Maton. Riley Greene then hit a sharp groundout to the shortstop, but Báez hit a single to left to tie it.
Michael Lorenzen pitched five scoreless innings for the Tigers, but the Orioles finally broke through on Hays’ two-out drive off José Cisnero in the seventh.
Baltimore has won eight of 10.
Wells surpassed his career high of six innings pitched, which he reached most recently on April 9 against the New York Yankees.
ASTROS 6, BRAVES 4
Yordan Alvarez hit a tiebreaking, two-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Houston Astros rallied from a three-run deficit to beat the Atlanta Braves 6-4 on Friday night in a matchup of the last two World Series champions.
With the score 4-4, Alvarez pulled a cutter to right-center for his fifth home run this season. Braves closer A.J. Minter (0-1) gave up his first home run this season.
Hector Neris (1-1) earned the win with a perfect eighth inning for the 2022 champions. Ryan Pressley pitched around a one-out walk in the ninth for his first save, striking out Ronald Acuña Jr. with a man on and retiring Matt Olson on a game-ending groundout.
Astros left fielder Yordan Alvarez (44) celebrates in the dugout after homering in the ninth
Houston erased a 4-1 deficit in the seventh against Jesse Chavez, who had not allowed a run in 10 appearances this season. Yanier Diaz hit an RBI double and scored on Jake Meyers’ single, and Mauriciio Dubón followed with a run-scoring double.
Braves catcher Sean Murphy threw out Corey Julks trying to steal third for the final out of the eighth inning. Kevin Pillar made a diving backhand catch in left to rob Alex Bregman with with a runner on first base in the ninth.
Bregman and Jake Meyers both went 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Astros.
Atlanta’s Bryce Elder outpitched Hunter Brown and lowered his ERA to 1.14 , holding Houston to an unearned run over six innings while striking out six.
Brown had not given up and earned run in 14 innings entering Friday, but gave up four in the first as he labored through a 29-pitch inning.
Ozzie Albies had a two-out, two-run double, and Austin Riley and Vaughn Grissom also drove in runs. Acuña doubled twice, including one leading off the first.
CUBS 13, DODGERS 0
Drew Smyly and Yan Gomes tumbled to the grass under a sunny sky at a picturesque Wrigley Field. Reclining on his side for one brief moment, Smyly grinned.
It was over, but it was a really fun afternoon for the Chicago Cubs.
Smyly lost his bid for a perfect game when he collided with his catcher while trying to field an eighth-inning dribbler that went for an infield single in a 13-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.
‘That’s a tough way to end it,’ Smyly said. ‘You feel like you’re really close.’
Nico Hoerner, Cody Bellinger, Trey Mancini and Patrick Wisdom homered as Chicago won for the fifth time in six games. Hoerner finished with four hits and four RBIs, and Wisdom and Mancini each drove in three runs.
Leaning heavily on his fastball and curveball, Smyly (2-1) struck out 10 and walked none in 7 2/3 innings. He threw 68 of his season-high 103 pitches for strikes.
Peralta’s hit dribbled up the third base line, while Smyly and Yan Gomes each went for the ball
ANGELS 2, ROYALS 0
Shohei Ohtani struck out a season-high 11 and allowed two hits over seven dominant innings, and fill-in catcher Chad Wallach hit a two-run homer in Los Angeles’ win over Kansas City.
Ohtani (3-0) returned to the mound just four days after a lengthy rain delay limited him to two innings in Boston. He has given up two runs and eight hits over 28 innings with 38 strikeouts while lowering his ERA to 0.64 — the lowest in franchise history through a pitcher’s first five starts. Ohtani also extended his franchise record with his 12th consecutive start allowing two runs or fewer.
Carlos Estévez and Jose Quijada completed the three-hit shutout, with Quijada earning his fourth save.
Ryan Yarbrough (0-2) took the loss for Kansas City, which opened a 10-game trip with its seventh consecutive defeat and its 10th in 11 games.
Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani reacts after striking out Royals second baseman Michael Massey
RAYS 8, WHITE SOX 7
Christian Bethancourt hit a leadoff homer in the ninth and Brandon Lowe followed with a walkoff two-run shot off Reynaldo López (0-2). Tampa Bay overcame a 7-4 deficit and improved to 11-0 at home.
Harold Ramírez had a two-run homer off Michael Kopech during a four-run first for the Rays, who matched the 2019 Seattle Mariners as the only teams since 1901 to homer in each of their first 20 games.
Kevin Kelly (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings for Tampa Bay, which is 4-3 since starting the season with a 13-game winning streak. Chicago lost for the seventh time in nine games.
BLUE JAYS 6, YANKEES 1
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. put Toronto ahead in the first inning against Domingo Germán (1-2) with his 11th home run in the Bronx and Brandon Belt drove in four runs. Guerrero is batting .301 (37 for 123) in 32 games at Yankee Stadium.
Yusei Kikuchi (3-0) allowed one run and four hits in six innings and Erik Swanson, Trevor Richards and Yimi García finished a five-hitter.
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) hits a two run home run
PIRATES 4, REDS 2
Connor Joe went 3 for 3 with a walk to back Mitch Keller (2-0), who gave up two runs and four hits in six innings. Pittsburgh won its fifth straight and at 14-7 is off to its best start since 2002.
Cincinnati has lost four in a row and 12 of 17.
David Bednar finished the five-hitter for his seventh save. Shortstop Jose Barrero’s error allowed Pittsburgh to break a 2-2 tie in the sixth against Derek Law (0-3).
PHILLIES 4, ROCKIES 3
Edmundo Sosa drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning on a single misplayed by left fielder Jurickson Profar and Kyle Schwarber hit a tying solo homer.
Brad Hand (0-1) started the night by receiving his 2022 NL championship ring from the Phillies and ended it by taking the loss for the Rockies.
Seranthony Domínguez (1-1) worked a scoreless eighth for the win and José Alvarado tossed a scoreless ninth for this third save.
RED SOX 5, BREWERS 3
Alex Verdugo homered for the second straight game, a third-inning drive off Freddy Peralta (2-2). Verdugo also doubled as Boston stopped Milwaukee’s four-game winning streak.
Pinch-hitter Rob Refsnyder tied the score 3-3 in the sixth with a bloop single and Jarren Duran followed with a liner that went off the glove of diving third baseman Owen Miller for a go-ahead single.
Nick Pivetta (1-1) allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, and Kenley Jansen retired the side in order in the ninth for his fifth save.
Boston Red Sox right fielder Alex Verdugo (99) celebrates his second homer in as many days
NATIONALS 3, TWINS 2
Joey Meneses hit his first homer of the season and Keibert Ruiz singled in the go-ahead run off Griffin Jax (1-2) in the eighth as Washington overcame a 2-0 deficit on a night with a game-time temperature of 37 degrees, coldest for a Nationals game.
Joey Gallo’s solo homer was one of just five hits for the Twins, who have scored two or fewer runs in seven of their 20 games.
Erasmo Ramírez (1-1) pitched a scoreless inning, and Kyle Finnegan got his fourth save when José Miranda grounded into a game-ending double play.
ATHLETICS 5, RANGERS 4
Pinch-hitter Jordan Diaz hit his first big league homer, a ninth-inning drive off Will Smith (0-1) and Oakland rebounded from a 4-0 first-inning debut to stop a seven-game losing streak.
Zach Jackson (1-1) pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the win, and Jeurys Familia worked a scoreless ninth for his first save.
Jonah Heim hit a three-run homer for the second consecutive game for Texas, which had its four-game winning streak stopped.
Oakland Athletics second baseman Jordan Diaz (13) reacts after hitting his first MLB homer
DIAMONDBACKS 9, PADRES 0
Zac Gallen threw seven innings of two-hit ball to run his scoreless streak to 21 2/3 innings, Gabriel Moreno had three hits and three RBI, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 9-0 on Friday night.
Gallen (3-1) retired 14 straight Padres at one point, plowing through their star-packed lineup with a mid-90s heater and pinpoint control, striking out 11 and walking none. His scoreless streak is currently the longest in the majors.
Miguel Castro pitched a spotless eighth and Joe Mantiply handled the ninth.
The Diamondbacks took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on Moreno’s infield single that brought home Christian Walker, who got on base with a double. Ketel Marte’s RBI double into the right-center gap pushed the margin to 2-0.
Moreno broke the game open in the ninth with a two-run single that made it 5-0. Geraldo Perdomo added a two-run double as the D-backs continued to pile on in the final frame.
San Diego’s Seth Lugo (2-1) gave up two runs on six hits over six innings, striking out six and walking one. The bullpen got roughed up in the ninth: Luis García gave up five runs while recording one out and Reiss Knehr finished while allowing two more runs.
Pete Alonso (left) celebrates after hitting his Major League-leading ninth homer this season
METS 9, GIANTS 4
Pete Alonso hit his major league-leading ninth homer and drove in four runs, Eduardo Escobar added a two-run drive to back a milestone night for rookie pitcher Kodai Senga and the New York Mets beat the San Francisco Giants 9-4 on Thursday night.
Jeff McNeil also connected for his first homer of the season and had an RBI single for New York. Brandon Nimmo, who had five hits against the Dodgers on Wednesday, added three more for the Mets, who are 6-1 on their 10-game road trip.
Brooks Raley #25 of the New York Mets pitches against the San Francisco Giants
‘We’re playing really good team baseball right now,’ Alonso said. ‘All of us are pulling in the same direction, and when you get quality starts from your starters and runs put up on the board by the offense and great defense, that’s what it takes to win a bunch of ballgames. We’re enjoying our form right now. ‘
Senga allowed four runs and five hits, struck out four and walked four in five innings to become the second pitcher in franchise history to begin his career 3-0. The Japanese right-hander joined Steven Matz, who won his first four decisions in 2015.
‘In previous outings, I would make bad pitches and they would hit them,,’ Senga said through interpreter Hiro Fujiwara. ‘Today I thought I made pretty good pitches and they still hit me. That’s just something to fix moving forward.’
Blake Sabol and LaMonte Wade Jr. homered for San Francisco. Mike Yastrzemski added three hits.
Alonso, who also had a two-run single, crushed a 3-2 pitch into the left field bleachers in the fourth inning off Sean Manaea (0-1) for his eighth home run in the last 14 games. It came after Francisco Lindor was hit by a pitch and was the 155th drive of Alonso’s career, 89 of which have come on the road.
‘When he gets something he can handle, he puts a good swing on it,’ Mets manager Buck Showalter said of his two-time All-Star first baseman. ‘Here’s a guy coming off as good a year as you want to see, and what’d he do when the season’s over? Went and did some things to try to get better. That’s all you need to know about Pete.’
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