CHICAGO (AP) — Daylen Lile hit a tiebreaking home run in the fourth inning and rookie Brad Lord struck out a season-best seven to help the Washington Nationals beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1 on Saturday.
Lile’s solo shot off Matthew Boyd (12-8) gave the Nationals the lead for good.
Lord (5-8) struck out the side in the third and fourth and allowed two hits, an earned run and four walks in the first 5 2/3 innings as the Nationals won for the fourth time in five tries. Cole Henry, the fourth Washington reliever, worked the ninth and earned his second save.
Chicago batters drew seven walks but weren’t able to capitalize. The Cubs’ lone run came in the second when Carson Kelly knocked in Pete Crow-Armstrong on a ground-out.
Boyd worked the first seven innings and allowed seven hits and both runs while striking out three.
YANKEES 3, BLUE JAYS 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Cody Bellinger made a 95.3 mph throw from right field to get Bo Bichette at the plate for the final out of the sixth inning and New York beat Toronto in a game interrupted by rain for nearly two hours.
As heavy rain began pelting the field, Nathan Lukes lined a single to right field and Bellinger cleanly fielded the ball on the wet grass. In one motion, Bellinger made a strong one-hop throw to the plate and Austin Wells moved to his left to tag Bichette on the left leg.
It was Bellinger’s sixth outfield assist and second in 44 starts in right field this year. Bellinger started in right field after Aaron Judge made his first appearance on Friday since July 25 and threw gingerly.
After the play ended, Bichette was holding his left shin and lower leg. He hobbled off the field with the aid of a trainer and stayed in following the delay.
New York starter Luis Gil (3-1) allowed one run and two hits in a season-high six innings. Gil struck out one and walked four.
PHILLIES 4, MARLINS 2
MIAMI (AP) — Bryce Harper homered, Brandon Marsh doubled twice and Philadelphia beat Miami Marlins.
Jesús Luzardo struck out eight over six innings of two-run ball for the NL East-leading Phillies. Luzardo (13-6) allowed five hits and walked four.
Phillies star slugger Kyle Schwarber went 0-for-3 and was hit twice. Schwarber remains at 49 homers since he went deep four times against Atlanta on Aug. 28. He hit a drive to the warning track in the ninth that was caught by centerfielder Jakob Marsee.
After winning three of four at the New York Mets Aug. 28-31, the Marlins have lost five straight.
Philadelphia catcher J.T. Realmuto threw out Agustín Ramírez and Maximo Acosta on unsuccessful stolen base attempts in the first and seventh.
TIGERS 6, WHITE SOX 0
DETROIT (AP) — Tarik Skubal allowed two singles in seven innings and Detroit ended Chicago’s six-game winning streak with a win over the White Sox.
It was Skubal’s 12th start of the season with six or more scoreless innings, matching Adam Wainwright’s 2014 season for the most since Bob Gibson had 13 in 1968.
Skubal (13-4) walked Chase Meidroth to start the game, but Edgar Quero grounded into a double play. He didn’t allow another runner until Bryan Ramos blooped a single to left with two out in the fifth.
He struck out six and didn’t walk another batter after Meidroth, who also singled in the sixth and ninth innings. Ramos was the only other Chicago hitter to reach base.
REDS 6, METS 3
CINCINNATI (AP) — Sal Stewart hit his first major league home run, Brady Singer extended his winning streak to four and Cincinnati defeated New York.
Matt McLain and Austin Hays also went deep for the Reds, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Even with the win, Cincinnati (71-71) is five games back for the final NL wild-card spot.
Jared Young homered for the Mets and Francisco Lindor added three hits.
Cincinnati’s TJ Friedl had an RBI base hit with the bases loaded in the seventh inning to extend his on-base streak to a career-high 16 games.
Singer (13-9) went six innings and allowed one run on four hits.
BREWERS 4, PIRATES 1
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jake Bauers and Jackson Chourio hit two-run home runs, and Brandon Woodruff pitched six scoreless innings as Milwaukee beat Pittsburgh.
Bauers connected with two outs in the fourth inning off Mitch Keller (6-14) to break a scoreless tie immediately after William Cotreras singled. It was the sixth home run of the season for Bauers, who had two hits.
Chourio hit his 19th homer in the eighth off Evan Sisk to double the NL Central-leading Brewers’ advantage.
Woodruff (6-2) allowed just two hits while striking out eight and walking none. He had allowed five earned runs in each of his previous two starts.
Aaron Ashby, the fourth Brewers’ reliever, got the last four outs for his third save.
GUARDIANS 3, RAYS 2
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Steven Kwan beat out a grounder to shortstop in the ninth inning to drive in the go-ahead run and Cleveland beat Tampa Bay.
The Guardians won their second straight and clinched the season series against Tampa Bay. Cleveland also moved a game ahead of the Rays in the American League wild-card race and pulled 1 1/2 games behind Seattle, which holds the final playoff spot.
Hunter Gaddis (2-2) pitched a scoreless eighth to pick up the win and Cade Smith got the last three outs for his 10th save.
Rays closer Pete Fairbanks (4-5) gave up a run in the ninth to take the loss.
CARDINALS 3, GIANTS 2
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jordan Walker’s two-run double highlighted a three-run ninth inning and rallied St. Louis to a win over San Francisco.
The Cardinals’ win spoiled a solid start by San Francisco’s Justin Verlander, who threw six scoreless innings and passed Hall of Famer and Giants legend Gaylord Perry on the all-time strikeout list, moving into eighth place.
Ryan Walker (5-5) came in to pitch the ninth for the Giants. He gave up singles to Nolan Gorman and Masyn Wynn before hitting catcher Jimmy Crooks, loading the bases. Thomas Saggese singled, scoring Gorman, and Jordan Walker delivered his two-run double to left.
It was Ryan Walker’s sixth blown save.
Riley O’Brien (4-0) threw one inning and earned the win.
ROYALS 11, TWINS 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez’s three-run homer highlighted a five-run first inning as Kansas City routed Minnesota.
Vinnie Pasquantino doubled sharply off the right-field fence, producing one run before Salvador Perez’s 25th home run added three more. Nick Loftin’s double to left-center made it 5-0 as the Royals batted around in the first.
Joe Ryan allowed five runs on four hits and four walks while throwing 62 pitches in two innings, his shortest outing since Aug. 7, 2024.
It was a rare poor showing for Ryan (13-8) against Kansas City. In 10 previous starts he was 8-0 with a 1.34 ERA.
The Twins have lost six straight.
The Associated Press
