Baseball Capsules
CLEVELAND (AP) — Corey Kluber pitched a three-hitter for his first shutout this season and new arrival Leonys Martin homered again as the Cleveland Indians beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-0 Saturday night.
After the game, there was a report that Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia is expected to step down at the end of this season. The report by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic cited unidentified major league sources.
The 59-year-old Scioscia is the longest-tenured manager in the majors and has guided the Angels since 2000. They are 55-57 this year.
Kluber (14-6) matched zeros for five innings with Felix Pena (1-3), who carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Martin led off with a homer. Martin has two homers in three games since coming to Cleveland in a trade with Detroit.
The Angels were again without All-Star outfielder Mike Trout, who missed his third straight game with a sore right wrist.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Josh Reddick's three-run homer highlighted Houston's seven-run eighth, and the Astros earned their fourth straight win.
Houston's Lance McCullers Jr. left after 60 pitches because of right elbow discomfort. He allowed two hits over four innings in his first start at Dodger Stadium since Game 7 of last year's World Series, won by the Astros.
The Dodgers were limited to three hits in losing their fifth straight regular-season game to Houston since 2015.
Brad Peacock (2-4) got the win with two innings of relief.
Los Angeles' Kenta Maeda (7-7) gave up five runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.
REDS 7, NATIONALS 1, 1ST GAME
NATIONALS 6, REDS 2, 2ND GAME
WASHINGTON (AP) — Nationals slugger Bryce Harper was forced to leave soon after being hit by a pitch, then Cincinnati Reds star Joey Votto went wild when he got drilled in a testy second game won by Washington.
Harper was hit in the right kneecap in the sixth by a pitch from Austin Brice. Harper initially struggled to put any weight on his leg, but made his way to first base.
But Harper labored defensively chasing after a double in the seventh and was immediately replaced in right field by Adam Eaton — Harper said he's not sure if he'll be able to play Sunday.
In the eighth, Votto was hit for the second time in the game and gestured at pitch Ryan Madson as he took first base. After being retired on a forceout at second to end the inning, Votto waved at Washington's dugout, prompting plate umpire Andy Fletcher to warn both teams.
The Nationals scored single runs in each of the opening five innings against Matt Harvey (5-7).
Jeremy Hellickson (5-2) pitched into the sixth. The Nationals have won four of five.
In the opener, Cincinnati starter Anthony DeSclafani (5-3) allowed one run in seven innings. Gio Gonzalez (6-8) lost his seventh straight decision.
RED SOX 4, YANKEES 1
BOSTON (AP) — Nathan Eovaldi pitched eight dominant innings and closer Craig Kimbrel held on during a shaky ninth to help the Boston Red Sox beat the second-place Yankees for the third game in a row and expand their lead in the AL East to season-high 8½ games.
One night after Rick Porcello threw an 86-pitch, one-hit complete game, Eovaldi (5-4) shut out the Yankees on three hits in sending them to their season-high fourth straight loss.
Down to their last strike, the Yankees rallied against Kimbrel on back-to-back doubles by Giancarlo Stanton and Didi Gregorius. A pair of walks loaded the bases before Greg Bird hit a routine flyball for the final out.
J.D. Martinez hit his big league-leading 33rd home run and Mitch Moreland also connected against Chance Adams, who lost in his debut in the majors.
The Red Sox, with the best record in baseball, go for a four-game sweep Sunday night with David Price scheduled to face Masahiro Tanaka.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Carlos Santana had three hits, including one of Philadelphia's four homers, and Zach Eflin allowed three runs in eight strong innings.
Cesar Hernandez, Nick Williams and Asdrubal Cabrera also went deep for the Phillies, who won their fourth straight to move 1½ games ahead of Atlanta for first place in the NL East.
Justin Bour and Miguel Rojas homered for Miami, which has dropped five in a row.
Eflin (8-3) gave up four hits with six strikeouts and no walks to reverse his recent fortunes.
Jose Urena (3-11) allowed six runs in five innings.
CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Schwarber and Anthony Rizzo homered in a five-run second inning and Chicago held off San Diego.
Jason Heyward added three hits and an RBI for the NL Central leaders.
Kyle Hendricks (8-9) allowed four runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings to win his second straight start.
The Chicago bullpen backed Hendricks with 3 1/3 hitless innings. Steve Cishek and Brandon Kintzler combined to retire seven straight batters, and Pedro Strop worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his seventh save.
Austin Hedges homered for the second straight day for the Padres.
Walker Lockett (0-2) allowed five runs in five innings after replacing scheduled San Diego starter Joey Lucchesi, who was ill.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jedd Gyorko drove in three runs while Kolten Wong, just off the disabled list, and Yadier Molina both had three hits to lead St. Louis.
Gyorko hit a pair of doubles, including a tiebreaking one in the fifth inning. Wong was activated before the game after being out since July 22 with left knee inflammation.
Matt Carpenter doubled and tied a career high with his 28th home run, a solo shot in the ninth off Dovydas Neverauskas. Jose Martinez doubled twice and Harrison Bader also had two of the Cardinals' 14 hits.
Dakota Hudson (2-0) pitched three perfect innings of relief of fellow rookie Austin Gomber, who gave up four runs in four innings. Alex McRae (0-1) lost in relief.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Travis Shaw hit a grand slam during Milwaukee's six-run first inning. The Brewers won for the fourth time in six games stayed one back of NL Central-leading Chicago.
Rookie Freddy Peralta (5-2) pitched six effective innings in his second win over Colorado this season. Trevor Story hit a pair of two-run homers for the Rockies, who have dropped five of six.
Tyler Anderson (6-4) was tagged for seven runs and seven hits in four innings. Colorado loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but Joakim Soria struck out pinch-hitter Tom Murphy swinging and Josh Hader got Charlie Blackmon to pop out for his eighth save.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Max Kepler had three hits, including a two-run homer that put Minnesota ahead to stay, and Jose Berrios threw seven sharp innings.
Eddie Rosario and Logan Morrison also homered for the Twins. Kepler went 3 for 3 with a walk and scored two runs.
Berrios (11-8) had trouble throwing strikes in his middle innings and allowed the Royals to take a 2-1 lead after walking the bases loaded in the third.
The Twins regained the lead on Kepler's homer off Burch Smith (1-3) in the fourth.
Minnesota's Addison Reed and Oliver Drake combined for two innings of scoreless relief. Drake, claimed off waivers from Toronto on Friday, set a major league record by pitching for his fifth team this season.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Tim Anderson scored when third baseman Matt Duffy made a throwing error on Leury Garcia's two-strike bunt in the ninth inning, sending the White Sox to their third straight win.
Anderson led off the ninth with a double off Yonny Chirinos (0-4). Garcia then bunted a 0-2 pitch and Duffy threw wildly toward first.
Xavier Cedeno (2-0) got the last out of the eighth for the win, and Thyago Vieira pitched the ninth for his first major league save.
Jose Abreu hit his 19th homer for Chicago.
Blake Snell allowed three hits in four innings in his first start for the Rays since July 12. After pitching in the All-Star Game on July 17, the 12-game winner missed a start due to left shoulder fatigue.
SEATTLE (AP) — Marco Estrada baffled Seattle's struggling bats with his mix of off-speed pitches, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning and leading Toronto to the road win.
Estrada (5-8) was masterful with his changeup, keeping the Mariners guessing all night. Mitch Haniger doubled with one out in the seventh for Seattle's first hit.
Seattle has lost five straight and fallen 2 1/2 games back of Oakland in the AL wild-card race.
Seattle starter James Paxton (9-5) lost for the third time in his past four starts against the team he no-hit earlier this season in Toronto. The damage against Paxton came via two blows: Devon Travis' two-run single in the third and Aledmys Diaz's solo home run leading off the fifth.
DIAMONDBACKS 9, GIANTS 3
PHOENIX (AP) — Nick Ahmed homered twice and had four RBIs, Steven Souza Jr. drove in three more runs and Arizona jumped on San Francisco early.
Souza hit a two-run triple and Ketel Marte hit a two-run homer off Andrew Suarez (4-7) in Arizona's second-straight five-run first inning against the Giants.
Ahmed had a run-scoring single in the first, a two-run homer in the fifth and a solo shot in the eighth.
Steven Duggar hit his first career home run and Andrew McCutchen had a solo shot for the only runs off Clay Buchholz (5-1), who won his fourth straight start. McCutchen had five hits and two RBIs.
ATHLETICS 2, TIGERS 1
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Khris Davis hit his 30th home run and ninth since the All-Star break, Matt Chapman also went deep and Oakland beat Detroit for its fifth straight win.
Edwin Jackson (3-2) pitched into the seventh inning, allowing an unearned run on five hits. Jackson struck out three and walked one to win back-to-back starts for the first time this season.
Chapman and Davis homered in a three-pitch span in the third off starter Jordan Zimmermann (4-4).
Lou Trivino retired five batters and Blake Treinen pitched the ninth for his 28th save.
NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Gausman was outpitched in his Braves debut by a blossoming Zack Wheeler, and New York stopped Atlanta's five-game winning streak.
Rookie second baseman Jeff McNeil went 4 for 4, and Austin Jackson had an RBI infield single as the Mets halted a four-game skid.
Pitching against his hometown team, Wheeler (6-6) matched a season high with nine strikeouts over seven innings of three-hit ball and extended his shutout streak to 17 innings.
Bobby Wahl and Robert Gsellman finished the five-hitter, with Gsellman getting four fast outs (all on grounders to McNeil) for his sixth save.
Gausman (5-9), acquired from Baltimore before the non-waiver trade deadline, was charged with three runs and six hits over five-plus innings.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Joey Gallo and Rougned Odor both homered for the third straight game, and Mike Minor worked an efficient seven innings for Texas.
Gallo's 29th homer of the season put the Rangers up 2-0 against Baltimore starter Dylan Bundy (7-10).
Minor (8-6) went seven innings for the first time in six starts, throwing 63 of his 86 pitches for strikes. The lefty struck out six without a walk while allowing one run and four hits.
Jose Leclerc, the expected closer after Keone Kela was traded to Pittsburgh earlier this week, worked a perfect ninth for his first save in five chances.