Outfielder Brandon Nimmo, who didn’t start the game due to a side injury, hit a walk-off two-run homer in the ninth inning to lift the host New York Mets to a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday night.
The Mets averted being swept in the three-game series and won for just the seventh time in 19 games. Meanwhile, the Braves’ four-game winning streak ended.
Nimmo, who left after four innings in Saturday’s 4-1 loss due to a tight right intercostal muscle, entered as a pinch runner for DJ Stewart in the seventh inning on Sunday.
Atlanta snapped a 2-2 tie in the eighth, when Marcell Ozuna delivered his second RBI single of the night, and the Mets went down in order in the bottom of the inning before coming back in the ninth against A.J. Minter (5-3).
Jeff McNeil legged out a bunt single and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tomas Nido. Nimmo then hit a 3-2 pitch beyond the fence in right-center field for his second career walk-off homer.
Cubs 5, Pirates 4 (10 innings)
Patrick Wisdom hit a solo homer during a three-run 10th inning as visiting Chicago beat Pittsburgh in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Cubs reliever Adbert Alzolay allowed Connor Joe’s two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th before securing his fourth save. Hector Neris (3-0) earned the win after escaping a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the ninth inning. Wisdom had three hits and Christopher Morel had two, including a two-run homer.
Oneil Cruz had a solo shot for the Pirates, who went 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position and fell to 9-21 in their past 30 games.
Royals 4, Angels 2
Seth Lugo struck out a career-high 12, leading Kansas City past Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.
Lugo (6-1) went a season-best eight innings, allowing one run on five hits. He did not walk a batter. James McArthur gave up a solo home run to Willie Calhoun in the ninth but earned his ninth save.
The Royals scored all four of their runs in the fourth inning against Angels starter Patrick Sandoval (2-6), who gave up 11 hits and struck out three in six innings.
Diamondbacks 9, Orioles 2
Zac Gallen pitched six strong innings and Arizona finally got its offense going to avoid a three-game sweep, defeating host Baltimore.
Jake McCarthy hit his first home run of the season — a two-run shot — during Arizona’s six-run sixth inning. Ketel Marte drove in three runs for the game. Gallen (5-2) allowed two runs and four hits.
Adley Rutschman homered for the Orioles, who lost for only the second time in their past nine games. Baltimore starter Dean Kremer (3-3) gave up six runs (three earned) on four hits and four walks while fanning 10 in 5 2/3 innings.
Red Sox 3, Nationals 2
Ceddanne Rafaela hit a two-run double to help Boston defeat visiting Washington in the rubber match of a three-game series.
The Red Sox won for the second straight day despite striking out 11 times against three Washington pitchers. Brayan Bello (4-1) was activated from the injured list (lat tightness) and gave up two runs on four hits in five innings. Kenley Jansen allowed a hit in a scoreless ninth to earn his seventh save.
Eddie Rosario hit a two-run home run for the Nationals. Washington starter MacKenzie Gore (2-4) threw 111 pitches in six innings. He surrendered three runs (two earned) on six hits.
Twins 5, Blue Jays 1
Carlos Santana hit a three-run home run, right-hander Bailey Ober struck out 10 and Minnesota defeated host Toronto for its 17th win in its past 20 games.
Minnesota’s Max Kepler hit a two-run double in the eighth to extend his career-best hitting streak to 14 games in the rubber match of a three-game series. The Twins have won six straight series, while the Blue Jays have lost 12 of their past 17 games.
Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah (0-1) was making his second start of the season and allowed three unearned runs, four hits and one walk in seven innings. Ober (4-1) allowed no runs, one hit and no walks in 6 1/3 innings.
Astros 9, Tigers 3
Justin Verlander pitched seven shutout innings for his 101st career win at Comerica Park as visiting Houston rolled past Detroit.
Verlander (2-1), who retired the first 14 batters he faced, allowed two hits and recorded eight strikeouts. Kyle Tucker hit his major-league-leading 13th homer, a two-run shot. Jake Meyers had three hits and drove in three runs, and Mauricio Dubon delivered four hits, scored a run and drove in another.
Tigers starter Jack Flaherty (0-3) was charged with three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. He recorded seven strikeouts. Spencer Torkelson hit his first homer this season, a two-run blast, in the ninth.
Marlins 7, Phillies 6 (10 innings)
Emmanuel Rivera drilled a walk-off RBI single in the 10th to lead host Miami to a win over Philadelphia.
Rivera, a pinch hitter for Jesus Sanchez, grounded his single off the body of reliever Gregory Soto (0-1). Miami’s final three relievers — Calvin Faucher, Tanner Scott and Anthony Bender (1-2) — combined to pitch four hitless, scoreless innings.
Phillies starter Zack Wheeler nearly took a loss for the first time in five starts. He went four innings, allowing six hits and a season-high six runs, but Philadelphia rallied to allow him to escape with a no-decision. The Phillies tied the score with three runs in the sixth inning.
Yankees 10, Rays 6
Jose Trevino stroked two of New York’s five home runs as the Yankees bashed their way to a second series win over Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Trevino homered in the fourth and eighth innings in a three-RBI game. Jahmai Jones hit a solo shot, Aaron Judge (2-for-4, walk) had a two-run blast and Gleyber Torres swatted a three-run homer. Starter Luis Gil (4-1) was masterful over six shutout innings, yielding only three hits and lowering his ERA to 2.51.
Rays starter Tyler Alexander (1-2) allowed six runs on seven hits and surrendered three homers. Jose Siri hit his first career grand slam, Yandy Diaz homered and Richie Palacios went 2-for-5 with a run.
Guardians 7, White Sox 0
Logan Allen tossed six scoreless innings and Andres Gimenez and David Fry homered to help Cleveland avoid a four-game sweep by blanking host Chicago.
Estevan Florial had a triple and a double, while Fry walked twice and knocked in two runs as Cleveland ended its three-game losing streak. Zach Remillard singled twice and walked once for Chicago, which had its season-high four-game winning streak come to an end.
The day started painfully for Allen (4-2), who was drilled in the lower back by a comebacker on his first pitch of the game, but he recovered to throw 87 pitches, scattering six hits. Chicago starter Michael Soroka (0-5) pounded the strike zone early but allowed five runs (four earned) on four hits over 5 1/3 innings.
Cardinals 4, Brewers 3
Michael Siani doubled in the go-ahead run in the seventh and struggling Paul Goldschmidt added a home run and an RBI single as visiting St. Louis rallied past Milwaukee to snap a seven-game losing streak.
Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas (3-5) settled in after allowing three runs in a 42-pitch first inning, finishing his outing with five scoreless frames. He allowed six hits, striking out three and walking three — needing just 53 pitches the rest of the way.
The Brewers’ William Contreras singled with one out in the first to extend his on-base streak to 20 games. Milwaukee loaded the bases and Rhys Hoskins drew an eight-pitch walk to force in the first run. Joey Ortiz followed with an RBI groundout. Gary Sanchez delivered a run-scoring single to left for a 3-0 lead, but Hoskins was thrown out at home to end the inning.
Rockies 3, Rangers 1
Ezequiel Tovar homered, Brendan Rodgers had two hits and Colorado beat Texas in Denver to complete a sweep for the first time this season.
Ty Blach (1-1) allowed just one run on seven hits in five innings and Jalen Beeks picked up his third save for Colorado, which has won four in a row. The Rockies are the last team in the majors to sweep a series.
Marcus Semien and Ezequiel Duran had two hits apiece for the Rangers, who have lost four of their past five games and were swept for the first time.
Giants 6, Reds 5 (10 innings)
Casey Schmitt launched a walk-off double to left-center field with two outs in the 10th inning, sending host San Francisco to a victory over Cincinnati.
After Luke Jackson (1-1) had stranded runners at second and third in a scoreless top of the 10th, Schmitt came through with his two-strike bomb that one-hopped the fence against Lucas Sims to score automatic runner Luis Matos. Emilio Pagan (2-3) took the loss.
The see-saw affair saw the Reds go up 3-0 in the first and the Giants take a 5-3 lead in the fifth before Cincinnati rallied into a 5-5 tie after Jake Fraley singled in a run in the seventh and Mike Ford led off the eighth with his first home run of the season.
Mariners 8, Athletics 4
Julio Rodriguez hit just his second homer of the season and his first at T-Mobile Park as Seattle defeated visiting Oakland.
Mitch Garver and Seby Zavala also homered and Luis Castillo pitched six quality innings for the Mariners, who moved past Texas and into first place in the American League West. Castillo (4-5) gave up two runs on seven hits, with no walks and eight strikeouts.
Max Schuemann, Abraham Toro and Brent Rooker went deep for the A’s. Starter Alex Wood (1-3) allowed five runs over two innings, though just one of those runs was earned.
Padres 4, Dodgers 0
Yu Darvish retired the first 14 batters he faced and allowed just two hits in seven shutout innings as San Diego blanked visiting Los Angeles in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Darvish (3-1) walked one and fanned seven in winning his third straight start. Walker Buehler (0-1) lost in his second start since returning from a 23-month absence because of Tommy John surgery. Buehler lasted only 3 1/3 innings and 77 pitches, permitting five hits and three runs.
Buehler trailed 2-0 three batters into the game. After retiring Luis Arraez, he was rocked for a 442-foot homer to center by Fernando Tatis Jr. Jake Cronenworth followed with a solo shot.
–Field Level Media