D’backs top Yankees again; Red Sox finally heating up
Published 12:00 am Thursday, May 2, 2019
- Arizona Diamondbacks celebrate after a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, May 1, 2019, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks won 3-2. (AP Photo/Matt York)
PHOENIX (AP) — Ketel Marte homered, Merrill Kelly won his first start against the Yankees and Arizona beat New York 3-2 Wednesday to sweep a two-game series.
New York dropped to 0-5 this year against teams that currently have winning records and is 17-8 against clubs that started the day under .500.
Kelly (3-2) allowed one run and five hits in 5 1/3 innings as Arizona won for the seventh time in nine games. Greg Holland pitched around Cameron Maybin’s one-out walk in the ninth to remain perfect in seven save chances.
RED SOX 7, A’S 3
BOSTON (AP) — Mitch Moreland homered and drove in another run on a sacrifice fly after a lucky hop off the second base bag moved the runners along as Boston completed a three-game sweep.
Boston was seven games under .500 and 7½ games out of first place on April 16. The Red Sox have won eight of 12 since.
Marcus Walden (4-0) relieved Red Sox starter Hector Velázquez after two innings and pitched three scoreless innings, striking out three and allowing one hit.
PIRATES 7, RANGERS 5
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rookie Bryan Reynolds hit a three-run double as Pittsburgh completed a two-game sweep.
A day after his first career home run put the Pirates ahead in the 11th inning of a 6-4 win that ended an eight-game losing streak, Reynolds extended his career-opening hitting streak to nine games with a liner over left fielder Joey Gallo in the fourth.
Felipe Vázquez got his eighth save by striking out Shin-Soo Choo and pinch-hitter Hunter Pence with the potential tying run at second in the ninth.
ROYALS 3-8, RAYS 2-2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kelvin Gutierrez hit his first big league homer and Kansas City pounded AL Cy Young winner Blake Snell for the second time in a week to complete Kansas City’s first doubleheader sweep since July 7, 2015, also against Tampa Bay.
In the opener, Adalberto Mondesi hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning for Kansas City, and Jacob Junis (3-2) and the bullpen held on.
Snell was easily outpitched by Glenn Sparkman (1-1), who was recalled from Triple-A Omaha and earned his first career win.
ORIOLES 5, CHISOX 4
CHICAGO (AP) — Jonathan Villar hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth Kelvin Herrera (0-1) after Richie Martin’s leadoff triple, and Baltimore won a doubleheader opener to stop a four-game losing streak.
Branden Kline (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings, and Mychal Givens got four outs for his second save, striking out Jose Abreu with a runner on first to end the game.
BRAVES 5, PADRES 1
ATLANTA (AP) — Max Fried gave up one run in seven innings, Dansby Swanson homered and drove in three runs and the Atlanta Braves beat the San Diego Padres 5-1 on Thursday night to spoil Cal Quantrill’s major league debut.
The Braves led 2-1 before scoring three runs in the seventh off Luis Perdomo. Ronald Acuña Jr. drove in Charlie Culberson from third base with a pinch-hit infield single as catcher Francisco Mejia dropped shortstop Manny Machado’s throw when shifting to make the tag. Swanson followed with a two-run homer.
Fried (4-1) allowed four hits. He had seven strikeouts and gave up a fourth-inning homer to Machado.
Fried made his first career start against San Diego, the team that made him the No. 7 overall pick in the 2012 draft. The left-hander was traded to Atlanta as part of the 2014 deal that sent outfielder Justin Upton to San Diego.
Left-hander A.J. Minter, whose recent struggles threatened to cost him the closer’s job, pitched a perfect ninth in a non-save situation.
REDS 1, METS 0
NEW YORK (AP) — Jose Iglesias homered off Edwin Diaz in the ninth inning to give the Cincinnati Reds a 1-0 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday night.
Mets ace Jacob deGrom rediscovered his Cy Young form, throwing seven shutout innings of three-hit ball after losing his previous three starts. But as was often the case last season, his teammates didn’t provide much support.
It was the second time in three nights that Diaz (0-2) gave up a tiebreaking homer to the Reds in the ninth.
Jesse Winker connected against the All-Star closer in the series opener Monday to give Cincinnati a 5-4 victory.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: RHP Phil Maton was optioned to Triple-A El Paso and RHP Miguel Diaz (torn meniscus) was transferred to the 60-day injured list to clear a roster spot for Quantrill.
Braves: 3B Josh Donaldson was held out for the second straight day with right calf soreness. Manager Brian Snitker said Donaldson was better and “hopefully” will start on Thursday. … CF Ender Inciarte (tightness in right hamstring) started after being limited to pinch-hitting on Tuesday night.
UP NEXT
Padres: LHP Matt Strahm (0-2, 3.04 ERA) will look for his first win of the season when the four-game series ends on Thursday. He has a 1.50 ERA over his last four starts.
Braves: RHP Mike Foltynewicz (0-0, 6.00), who came off the IL on April 27, will make his second start of the season. He is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in three career starts against the Padres.
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