MLB Roundup: Skenes shines again as Pirates beat Astros

HOUSTON — Paul Skenes allowed one earned run over six innings in a no-decision and Michael A. Taylor hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the ninth off Josh Hader that led the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Houston Astros 6-3 on Monday night.

Skenes lowered his ERA from 1.93 to 1.90, giving up two runs, five hits and three walks with six strikeouts. His 103 strikeouts in his first 13 starts trail only Hideo Nomo (119), Kerry Wood (118), Herb Score (107), Jose DeLeon (106), while matching Masahiro Tanaka.

Taylor homered in the ninth off Hader (4-6) for a 5-2 lead on a night fans received replica Hader jerseys as a promotional giveaway. Taylor drove a 96.6 mph sinker 421 feet to left-center for his third homer this season.

Aroldis Chapman (4-4) struck out two in a one-hit eighth and David Bednar earned his 19th save in 22 chances. He forced in a run with a bases-loaded walk to Yordan Alvarez, then retired Yainer Diaz on a game-ending flyout.

José Ramírez homered twice to give him 26 this season and had an RBI double, providing plenty of offence for Tanner Bibee and the Cleveland Guardians in an 8-4 win over the Detroit Tigers on Monday night.

Ramirez’s second homer was No. 240 of his career, tying him with Albert Belle for second in Cleveland history behind Jim Thome’s 337. He has 25 multihomer games, one shy of the totals of Thome and Belle.

Bibee (9-4) kept the Tigers scoreless until they opened the seventh inning with three straight hits, including Dillon Dingler’s RBI double in his major league debut. That chased Bibee, who gave up two runs on seven hits in six-plus innings.

All-Star Josh Naylor returned to the lineup after resting the previous three games and his brother, Bo, hit a three-run homer in the three-run sixth that put Cleveland ahead 7-0

REDS 7, CUBS 1

CINCINNATI — Carson Spiers allowed one hit in five scoreless innings in his return from the injured list, and Cincinnati homered three times in a victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Cubs reliever Nate Pearson and manager Craig Counsell were ejected in the eighth inning after Pearson hit Tyler Stephenson in the helmet, one pitch after he allowed a homer to Jeimer Candelario. Stephenson took exception to the beaning while being partially restrained by catcher Miguel Amaya.

Pearson was ejected following a discussion by the umpires, and Counsell was tossed after he came out to argue.

TJ Friedl hit a three-run homer for the Reds and Will Benson hit a two-run shot, his career-best 12th of the season. Both came against Cubs starter Jameson Taillon (7-6), a possible trade target for contending clubs, who allowed a season-high six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. His ERA rose from 2.96 to 3.35.

YANKEES 14, PHILLIES 4

PHILADELPHIA — Aaron Judge homered twice to increase his major league-leading total to 39, Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit his first two home runs for the Yankees and New York beat Philadelphia for its first three-game winning streak since early June.

Judge, Chisholm and Ben Rice all took All-Star Zack Wheeler deep in the first two innings, and Judge added a two-run shot against Yunior Marte for a big league-best 99 RBIs.

Anthony Volpe hit his ninth homer of the season, a two-run shot in the eighth, and Chisholm added a ninth-inning homer against catcher Garrett Stubbs to give the Yankees their first six-homer game this season.

New York had not strung together three straight wins since four in a row from June 9-12.

RED SOX 14, MARINERS 7

BOSTON — Wilyer Abreu capped a 12-pitch at-bat with an RBI single and Masataka Yoshida hit the next pitch for a two-run homer as Boston scored seven runs in the third inning on the way to a victory over Seattle.

Yoshida also had a double among his three hits and drove in four runs. Abreu had two RBIs for Boston, which had lost seven of nine games since the All-Star break.

Dominic Smith added a solo homer and two RBIs, Romy Gonzalez hit a pinch-hit two run shot and the Red Sox had a season-high eight doubles.

Nick Pivetta (5-7) struck out 10 and allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings.

Randy Arozarena and Cal Raleigh hit solo homers for the Mariners, who had a three-game winning streak halted.

BREWERS 8, BRAVES 3

MILWAUKEE — Willy Adames hit a three-run homer in the sixth and rookie Jackson Chourio added a two-run shot in the eighth to lift Milwaukee past Atlanta.

Adames’ 416-foot home run, his 17th of the season, came off reliever Jesse Chavez (1-2) and put the Brewers in front 4-2. Joey Ortiz’s run-scoring triple in the seventh gave Milwaukee a three-run margin and Chourio’s homer, his 12th of the season, gave the Brewers a five-run edge.

Marcell Ozuna hit his 31st homer of the season off Milwaukee starter Colin Rea. It careened off a window above the second deck in left to lead off the fourth for the game’s first run. Center fielder Garrett Mitchell took away a would-be home run from Eddie Rosario to end the inning.

METS 15, TWINS 2

NEW YORK — Pete Alonso homered to start a six-run fourth inning and the New York Mets blew out Minnesota in the opener of an interleague series between playoff contenders.

Jeff McNeil and Luis Torrens each drove in three runs for the Mets, who batted around twice in a three-inning span. Every starter had at least one RBI besides newcomer Jesse Winker, who singled and scored in his first Mets start before getting lifted in the sixth.

Winker was acquired from Washington for minor league pitcher Tyler Stuart in a trade finalized Sunday morning.

Jose Quintana (6-6) fell behind 1-0 after five pitches but kept Minnesota off the scoreboard after that, throwing six effective innings to win his second consecutive start.

ORIOLES 11, BLUE JAYS 5, 1ST GAME

BLUE JAYS 8, ORIOLES 4, 2ND GAME

BALTIMORE — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered in both games of a doubleheader, including a solo shot in the nightcap that helped Toronto earn a split with Baltimore Orioles.

Guerrero went 7 for 10 in the doubleheader with five RBIs. In Game 2, he had a homer, three doubles and three RBIs.

Baltimore made three errors in the second game, leading to three unearned runs. Shortstop Jordan Westburg mishandled a throw in a second-inning rundown and threw wildly to first base in a two-run fourth that put Toronto ahead for good.

In the opener, Zach Eflin turned in a gritty pitching performance in his Orioles debut, Anthony Santander hit his 30th home run and Baltimore cruised to an 11-5 victory.

ROYALS 8, WHITE SOX 5

CHICAGO — Bobby Witt Jr.’s grand slam — and fourth hit of the game — capped Kansas City’s six-run, eighth inning rally and the Royals beat the Chicago White Sox.

Witt lofted the first pitch he saw from John Brebbia, a low slider, into the left-center stands for 19th homer and third career grand slam. Witt also singled twice and doubled as the Royals handed the major league worst White Sox a franchise-record 15th straight loss.

With Kansas City trailing 5-2 entering the eight, Hunter Renfroe and MJ Melendez hit back-to-back solo drives off reliever Steven Wilson. Brebbia (0-6) hit Adam Frazier with a pitch and issued a walk to Michael Massey before Witt connected.

Luis Robert Jr. had three hits and an RBI, and Andrew Vaughn added a solo shot for the White Sox. At 27-82, Chicago is 55 games below. 500 for the first time in franchise history and has a worse record than the 1962 New York Mets (29-80) through 109 games.

Andrew Benintendi drove in a run with a double, then Paul DeJong followed with an RBI single in Chicago’s two-run sixth.

RANGERS 6, CARDINALS 3

ST. LOUIS — Nathaniel Lowe hit a two-run homer, Nathan Eovaldi worked six solid innings and the Texas snapped a three-game skid with a win over St. Louis.

Wyatt Langford added three hits for the Rangers, who have gone 6-5 since the All-Star break. Corey Seager, Jonah Heim, Adolis Garcia and Leody Taveras also drove in runs for the Rangers.

Matt Carpenter homered for St. Louis, which has lost four of its last five games.

DIAMONDBACKS 9, NATIONALS 8

PHOENIX — Corbin Carroll hit a pinch-hit homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap a five-run rally, and Arizona shocked Washington with a win.

The D-backs trailed 8-4 heading to the ninth, but Geraldo Perdomo’s RBI single brought home Alek Thomas and Ketel Marte followed with a two-run homer down the right-field line off Washington closer Kyle Finnegan.

Finnegan (2-5) retired Gabriel Moreno for the first out before Lourdes Gurriel Jr. singled up the middle. That brought up Carroll, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year who has struggled at times this season.

But he jumped all over a Finnegan splitter, launching the ball over the right-center fence to set off a raucous Arizona celebration.

Washington built a big advantage early. C.J. Abrams struck out to start the game, but the next six Nationals reached base on the way to their 5-0 lead. Alex Call had the big blow, launching a three-run homer to left, which was his first long ball of the season. James Wood and Keibert Ruiz also had RBI hits.