MLB: Hamilton pinch-hit double gives Rangers 4-3 win over Red Sox
ARLINGTON, Texas — Josh Hamilton had a pinch-hit, two-run double with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Texas Rangers beat the Boston Red Sox 4-3 on Sunday.
Hamilton lined a double into the left-center field gap on a 1-1 splitter off Koji Uehara (2-2).
Hanser Alberto led off the ninth reaching on a fielding error by third baseman Pablo Sandoval. After Delino DeShields had a sacrifice bunt and Shin-Soo Choo grounded out, Price Fielder was intentionally walked — and then scored the game-winning run from first with a belly flop into the plate.
Hamilton was pinch-hitting for Adam Rosales, who had earlier replaced Adrian Beltre after the third baseman sprained and cut his left thumb sliding in the fifth inning. Beltre is out at least two weeks.
After playing in six straight games since re-joining the Rangers on Monday for the first time since 2012, Hamilton was getting a break from the starting lineup. But the 2010 AL MVP who homered twice Friday night was waiting on the bench.
Ross Ohlendorf (1-0), the fifth Texas pitcher, threw a scoreless ninth when the Red Sox left a runner stranded at third base.
Texas won three of four games to win its fourth series in a row, but its first at home this season.
The Red Sox have lost six of their past seven games.
Beltre drove in the first two Texas runs, twice tying the game, before getting hurt. He led off the fifth with his second single of the game before being retired on a fielder’s choice, when his left hand was dragging along the ground when he slid feet-first into the base.
X-rays were negative and Beltre was diagnosed with a sprained thumb after being examined by team physician Dr. Keith Meister. Beltre, who was being fitted for a splint, also needed four stitches for a cut sustained on the play.
CARDINALS 3, DODGERS 1
ST. LOUIS — Carlos Martinez wiped away tears during a pregame tribute to late teammate Oscar Taveras, then pitched one-hit ball for seven shutout innings to lead the St. Louis Cardinals over the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 Sunday.
Jhonny Peralta homered and drove in all three runs for the Cardinals.
On the one-year anniversary of Taveras’ major league debut, his family was on the field to honor him. Taveras and his girlfriend were killed in a car accident in his native Dominican Republic in October.
Martinez was close friends with Taveras, and is wearing the outfielder’s No. 18 this season.
Martinez (5-2) struck out eight and extended his scoreless-inning streak to 20 1-3.
Rookie Joc Pederson hit his 13th homer in the eighth.
Brett Anderson (2-3) took the loss.
TWINS 6, BLUE JAYS 5
MINNEAPOLIS — Trevor Plouffe hit a two-run homer, Torii Hunter had a go-ahead double in the seventh inning and the Twins beat the Blue Jays.
Ryan Pressly (3-1) got two outs for the win, and the Twins overcame an early injury to starter Ricky Nolasco to win two of three in the series. A sore right ankle ended Nolasco’s bid for a sixth straight victory in the second inning.
The Blue Jays led 5-4 in the seventh after Josh Donaldson’s 15th homer, but a throwing error by shortstop Jose Reyes allowed Aaron Hicks to reach safely in the bottom half against Roberto Osuna (1-2). One out later, Brian Dozier singled and then Hunter launched a two-run double over Chris Colabello’s head in left field.
Blaine Boyer worked a scoreless eighth and Glen Perkins pitched the ninth for his major league-leading 19th save in 19 chances.
BREWERS 7, DIAMONDBACKS 6
17 innings
MILWAUKEE — Martin Maldonado homered with one out in the bottom of the 17th inning, and the Brewers outlasted the Diamondbacks to snap a seven-game losing streak.
The catcher hit the first pitch from reliever Vidal Nuno (0-1) over the wall in center field to start a well-earned celebration. Maldonado slid into home as his tired but giddy teammates surrounded the plate.
Making his first relief appearance since 2010, Matt Garza (3-7) threw five scoreless innings. He stranded a runner in scoring position in the 13th, 15th and 17th.
It was the longest game at Miller Park since Milwaukee lost 4-2 to the Chicago Cubs in 17 innings on May 15, 2003.
Maldonado caught all 17 innings and went 4 for 6 with three runs and two RBIs. He doubled in a two-run sixth that helped Milwaukee rally from a 5-1 deficit.
INDIANS 6, MARINERS 3
SEATTLE — Michael Brantley drew a bases-loaded walk in the 12th inning from reliever Dominic Leone, and the Indians beat the Mariners.
The Indians outhit Seattle 18-5, and took advantage of Leone’s control trouble to win.
Lonnie Chisenhall drew a leadoff walk from Leone (0-4), the Mariners’ eighth pitcher. With one out, Jose Ramirez doubled off first baseman Logan Morrison’s glove.
Jason Kipnis was intentionally walked to load the bases and Brantley walked with two outs. David Murphy followed with a two-run single.
Zach McAllister (1-2) got the win and Austin Adams pitched the 12th for his first save.
WHITE SOX 6, ASTROS 0
HOUSTON — John Danks earned his first shutout of the season to help the White Sox defeat the Astros.
Adam LaRoche homered and Conor Gillaspie went 2 for 4 with two RBIs for the White Sox, who won two of three against the first-place Astros.
A day after being blanked by Dallas Keuchel’s four-hit shutout on Saturday, the White Sox responded behind a solid performance from Danks (2-4).
Danks entered Sunday with an 0-2 record and a 9.28 ERA in two starts at Houston. He was 0-3 with a 9.15 ERA in four starts against the Astros, but put it all behind him on Sunday.
It was Danks’ third career shutout and first since August 2011 against Seattle. Danks threw 118 pitches, 82 for strikes, walking one and striking out six.
RAYS 9, ORIOLES 5
BALTIMORE — Steve Souza Jr. homered for the third time in three games, and the Rays provided right-hander Jake Odorizzi a rare show of offensive support in a victory over the Orioles.
Souza hit a three-run drive off Chris Tillman (2-7) in the fifth inning for a 6-2 lead. His 10 home runs are tops among AL rookies and twice that of any teammate.
David DeJesus also homered and Joey Butler had a career-high four hits for the Rays, who took two of three for their first series win in five tries since mid-May.
Delmon Young and Manny Machado had two home runs apiece for the Orioles.
Odorizzi (4-5) came in with a 2.31 ERA but had lost three straight starts due primarily to lack of offensive backing. The Rays have tallied six runs in his five losses, and their output Sunday was more than in his previous four starts combined.
CUBS 2, ROYALS 1
11 innings
CHICAGO — David Ross hit an RBI single with one out in the 11th inning, lifting the Cubs over the Royals.
The Cubs and Royals split the abbreviated two-game series. Saturday’s game was rained out and will be made up at Wrigley Field during the last week of the regular season.
Ross delivered the fifth game-ending hit of his career, a bases-loaded single just beyond the reach of shortstop Alcides Escobar, who tried to make a sliding, over-the-shoulder catch.
Earlier in the inning, Dexter Fowler was thrown out at the plate by left fielder Alex Gordon when he tried to score on a single.
Zac Rosscup (2-1) struck out Salvador Perez with runners on first and third with two outs in the 11th.
Ryan Madson (0-1) walked Fowler to begin the 11th.
METS 4, MARLINS 3
NEW YORK — Bartolo Colon became the NL’s top winner this season, helping himself with an RBI double and getting a five-out save from closer Jeurys Familia to lead the Mets over the Marlins.
Ruben Tejada hit a tiebreaking double in the seventh and Familia struck out Giancarlo Stanton in a rare eighth-inning appearance as the Mets avoided a three-game sweep.
The 42-year-old Colon (8-3) gave up six hits and three runs without walking a batter in seven innings. He ended May on a positive note after struggling in the month, and matched Seattle ace Felix Hernandez for the most wins in the majors.
Filling in at third base for injured captain David Wright, Tejada followed his tying three-run double Saturday with a drive to the wall in left off demoted closer Steve Cishek (1-5), enabling the Mets to finish their homestand 4-2.
ROCKIES 4, PHILLIES 1
PHILADELPHIA — DJ LeMahieu homered and had three hits, Nolan Arenado also went deep and the surging Rockies beat Philadelphia to hand the Phillies their season-worst seventh consecutive defeat.
Chris Rusin (1-0) replaced injured starter Jordan Lyles with one out in the second and pitched 4 2-3 scoreless innings to help the Rockies win their fourth straight and seventh in eight games.
The Phillies’ losing streak is their longest since dropping eight in a row in July 2013. Philadelphia was swept at home by Colorado for the first time in club history.
Offense continued to be a problem for the Phillies, who have scored 12 runs during their skid. They finished with seven hits.
Lyles re-aggravated an injury to his left big toe, which he sprained in his previous start, when he tried to avoid Cody Asche’s line-drive single up the middle.
BRAVES 7, GIANTS 5
SAN FRANCISCO — Jace Peterson tripled with the bases loaded in Atlanta’s four-run ninth inning to lead the Braves to a victory over the Giants.
Santiago Casilla (4-1) blew his third save, allowing four runs and three hits.
Nick Masset (1-1) pitched 1 2-3 scoreless innings for the win. Jason Grilli got the final three outs for his 15th save in 16 chances.
Casilla got the first out of the inning but Freddie Freeman, who entered the game in the seventh, hit a towering home run into the center field bleachers.
ATHLETICS 3, YANKEES 0
OAKLAND, Calif. — Jesse Chavez pitched eight impressive innings and Stephen Vogt hit a two-run homer to give the Athletics their first series win since the beginning of May with a victory over the Yankees.
Chavez (2-5) was extremely efficient in snapping his three-game losing streak and even got some rare run support when Vogt broke open a scoreless game with his homer in the sixth against Adam Warren. Chavez allowed seven hits and no walks, striking out six.
Chavez and Tyler Clippard protected that lead to help the A’s take three of four from New York for their first series win since winning two of three against Texas from May 1-3. Oakland had lost five series and split one since then.
Clippard got three outs for his seventh save in eight chances.
REDS 8, NATIONALS 2
CINCINNATI — Todd Frazier and Brandon Phillips each homered and drove in two runs and the Reds completed a three-game sweep of the Nationals.
Phillips snapped a 2-2 tie with an RBI single off Aaron Barrett (3-1) in the seventh inning, and Frazier followed with a run-scoring double, sparking a six-run inning.
The Reds have won four of their past five games after a nine-game losing streak and swept the NL East leaders for the first time since Aug. 26-28, 2011.
The Reds have won three straight games for the first time since May 12-14. The Nationals have lost three straight games for the first time since a six-game losing streak from April 22 through April 27.
Padres 7, Pirates 1
SAN DIEGO — Odrisamer Despaigne pitched eight strong innings and Will Middlebrooks homered and drove in three runs in the San Diego Padres’ 7-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday night.
Despaigne (3-3) held the Pirates scoreless through six innings before Gregory Polanco hit a solo homer off him in the seventh.
The right-hander allowed seven hits, struck out four and walked one in his longest career outing. Despaigne has allowed just three runs over 20 innings in his last three starts.
Middlebrooks homered off Jeff Locke (3-3) in a three-run third inning and added a sacrifice fly in the fourth.
Jed Gyorko had a two-run single in the first inning and Clint Barmes had three hits and an RBI.
The Padres have won four of six after losing eight of 10.
Angels 4, Tigers 2
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Johnny Giavotella hit a tiebreaking, two-run single with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, making up for an earlier error that helped the Detroit Tigers score the tying run, and the Los Angeles Angels completed a four-game sweep with a 4-2 victory Sunday night.
David Price (4-2) gave up a leadoff walk to David Freese and an infield single by Chris Iannetta, who was safe at first when third baseman Andrew Romine fielded his high chopper and pulled Miguel Cabrera off the bag with a hurried throw.
Kole Calhoun advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt, and Price intentionally walked Grant Green before retiring pinch-hitter Carlos Perez on a popup with his 121st and final pitch. Giavotella grounded Joba Chamberlain’s second pitch up the middle.
