MLB: Holt hits for cycle, Red Sox beat Braves 9-4

the assocIATED PRESS

BOSTON — Brock Holt became the first Boston player to hit for the cycle since 1996 and the Red Sox slugged their way out of a seven-game losing streak with a 9-4 victory over Atlanta.

Holt’s solo homer in the seventh put Boston up 5-2, leaving him a triple from completing the cycle. He got another at-bat in the eighth after Boston added two more runs and hit a fly ball to the triangle in center field at Fenway Park. Holt easily reached third and drove in a run.

It was the first cycle in the majors this season and the first for the Red Sox since John Valentin did it on June 6, 1996 against the White Sox in Boston.

Wade Miley tied his season high with eight strikeouts in 6 1/3 solid innings. It was his first start since getting pulled early and arguing with manager John Farrell in the dugout Thursday in a loss at Baltimore.

CARDINALS 3, TWINS 2

ST. LOUIS — Hours after a federal investigation into possible computer hacking by the Cardinals became public, St. Louis extended its winning streak to five by beating the Minnesota Twins 3-2 behind Michael Wacha’s pitching and Mark Reynolds’ two-run single.

Before the game, manager Mike Matheny said he was in the weight room when he first learned of the investigation into whether the Cardinals had hacked Houston’s computer database. The Cardinals then completed a soggy homestand in which three games were delayed and another against Kansas City was postponed until July 23.

St. Louis is 43-22 overall and 26-7 at home, both tops in the major leagues, and matched a franchise best by reaching 43 wins in 64 games.

Minnesota has lost seven of eight.

ATHLETICS 6, PADRES 5

SAN DIEGO — Eric Sogard singled in the go-ahead in the top of the ninth off closer Craig Kimbrel, lifting Oakland to a win over San Diego and spoiling the debut of interim manager Pat Murphy.

Kimbrel (1-2) issued a two-out walk to Billy Burns, who stole second and scored on Sogard’s ground ball single to center.

The game was played on the one-year anniversary of the death of longtime Padre and Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. The Padres played a brief video tribute to the eight-time NL batting champion before the game.

Murphy, named interim manager before the game, replaced Bud Black who was fired on Monday. San Diego has lost both games since Black’s firing, including Monday night’s 9-1 loss to Oakland under acting manager Dave Roberts.

ORIOLES 19, PHILLIES 3

BALTIMORE — Manny Machado and newcomer Chris Parmelee each hit two of an Orioles-record eight home runs, and Baltimore breezed past woeful Philadelphia for its eighth win in nine games.

The defeat sealed the Phillies’ first winless road trip of at least eight games since an 0-9 run in August 1883, their inaugural season. Philadelphia hosts the Orioles on Wednesday after going 0-8 in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

The eight home runs were the most by the Orioles since their move from St. Louis in 1954. They hit seven in a game three times previously, the last on Sept. 26, 2012, against Toronto.

Ryan Flaherty set the record with a solo shot in the eighth inning off Phillies right fielder Jeff Francoeur, who retired all three batters in the seventh after Baltimore scored in each of the first six innings.

ANGELS 4, DIAMONDBACKS 1

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Albert Pujols drove in the tying and go-ahead runs in the sixth inning with his 539th career homer, David Freese also hit a two-run shot and Garrett Richards pitched seven innings of four-hit ball to help Los Angeles beat Arizona.

Richards (7-4) yielded an unearned run and three walks, struck out four and retired his final 11 batters after a shaky start as the Angels snapped Arizona’s four-game winning streak.

The right-hander, coming off a 6-2 road victory against Tampa Bay in which he allowed two runs over seven innings, has won back-to-back starts for the first time since April 24-30 against Texas and Oakland.

Jeremy Hellickson (4-4) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings, striking out six and walking one for Arizona.

GIANTS 6, MARINERS 2

SAN FRANCISCO — Matt Duffy homered and drove in three runs to help San Francisco snap a nine-game home losing streak by beating Seattle.

Casey McGehee added a two-run double and Angel Pagan hit an RBI single as the Giants snapped their longest home skid since an 11-gamer at New York’s Polo Grounds in 1940. Tim Lincecum (7-3) allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings to get the win in his second start against his hometown team.

Brad Miller homered and drove in two runs for the Mariners, who split the two-game series in San Francisco and finished 4-4 on an eight-game road trip.

San Francisco had scored just 17 runs during the home skid and had not homered in five straight games here before Duffy went deep in the second inning against J.A. Happ (3-3).

RANGERS 3, DODGERS 2

ARLINGTON, Texas — Robinson Chirinos hit a game-ending home run leading off the bottom of the ninth inning and Texas beat NL West-leading Los Angeles.

Chirinos hit a 1-1 pitch from Josh Ravin (2-1) over the left-center field wall, his sixth homer of the season.

The Dodgers had gotten even in the top of the ninth when Justin Turner hit a two-run homer off rookie starter Chi Chi Gonzalez, who was so close to his second complete game and first shutout in only his fourth career start.

Shawn Tolleson (2-1), who had been proclaimed the Texas closer earlier in the day by manager Jeff Banister, gave up a pair of two-out singles after taking over before Jimmy Rollins’ inning-ending flyout.

Texas won both home games against the Dodgers, though the teams play again Wednesday and Thursday in Los Angeles.

ROYALS 7, BREWERS 2

MILWAUKEE — Chris Young became the first Royals pitcher to drive in three runs in a game since 1972 and worked seven innings of five-hit ball, leading Kansas City to a victory over Milwaukee.

Young had a two-run single in the fourth inning and an RBI single in the fifth for the Royals, who have won six of eight after a 2-9 skid. He is the sixth Kansas City pitcher with at least three RBIs and the first since Steve Busby.

Young (6-2) struck out three without any walks to improve to 12-2 in interleague starts in his career.

Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas each homered for Kansas City.

Matt Garza (4-8) allowed six runs and a career-high 13 hits in 6 2-3 innings. He is 1-5 at home this year.

Milwaukee is 11-24 at Miller Park after losing its fourth game in a row.

METS 3, BLUE JAYS 2

NEW YORK — Matt Harvey returned to form with seven shutout innings and an RBI double, leading New York to a victory over Toronto.

Bobby Parnell earned a five-out save in his third outing since Tommy John surgery, and the NL East leaders held on without their top late relievers thanks in part to a major baserunning blunder by the Blue Jays.

One night after ending Toronto’s 11-game winning streak, the Mets won for the fifth time in six games and improved to 11-0 at home against the Blue Jays.

Wilmer Flores and Ruben Tejada each knocked in a run and scored another to help New York build a 3-0 cushion. Harvey (7-4), who was 1-3 with a 7.20 ERA in his previous four starts, allowed four hits against the best offense in baseball and gave a huge fist pump after working a perfect seventh.

INDIANS 6, CUBS 0

CHICAGO — Carlos Santana hit a three-run homer and an RBI double, Trevor Bauer pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, and Cleveland beat Chicago.

Santana also walked twice and touted prospect Francisco Lindor contributed two hits in his first career start. Santana was just 3 for 28 with a home run and an RBI in his previous seven games.

The Cubs welcomed the Blackhawks and the Stanley Cup to Wrigley Field one night after Chicago beat Tampa Bay 2-0 in Game 6 for its third NHL title in the past six seasons.

Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta (6-5) walked six in five innings, and two of them scored on Santana’s drive that just cleared the wall in right in the third.

Bauer (6-3) struck out seven and walked three. Zach McAllister pitched the eighth and Marc Rzepczynski finished the four-hitter.

NATIONALS 16, RAYS 4

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Wilson Ramos homered twice off position players, Bryce Harper and Clint Robinson also went deep, and Washington routed Tampa Bay.

With the game out of reach, Rays manager Kevin Cash used infielders Jake Elmore and Nick Franklin to pitch the final two innings. Ramos hit a solo shot against Elmore in the eighth and added a two-run drive off Franklin in the ninth to finish with four RBIs.

Harper hit his 22nd homer this season, a long solo shot to center off C.J. Riefenhauser during a four-run fifth that gave Washington a 10-0 lead. The ball landed on protective netting near a fish tank that is home to a group of cownose rays.

Robinson had a leadoff homer and added an RBI double off Alex Colome during a six-run second inning that put the Nationals up 6-0.

MARLINS 12, YANKEES 2

MIAMI — Miami scored a franchise-record eight first-inning runs Tuesday against former teammate Nathan Eovaldi and beat New York.

Giancarlo Stanton hit a three-run homer, his 24th, which leads the majors.

The Marlins totaled nine hits in the first, including seven in a row after leadoff batter Dee Gordon grounded out. Marcell Ozuna hit a 99-mph fastball for a bases-loaded single to drive in the first two runs, and Adeiny Hechavarria hit a two-run triple. Derek Dietrich had the first and last hits in the inning, including an RBI triple.

Eovaldi (5-2) departed after Dietrich’s triple, and was charged with all eight runs in two-thirds of an inning, the shortest start of his career. His ERA rose from 4.13 to 5.12.

PIRATES 3, WHITE SOX 0

PITTSBURGH — Charlie Morton pitched seven innings to remain unbeaten since returning from hip surgery and Pittsburgh beat Chicago for its sixth straight win.

Morton (5-0) lowered his ERA to 1.62 after striking out three and walking one and not allowing a batter to reach third base. Mark Melancon worked a perfect ninth for his 21st save.

The Pirates have thrown three straight shutouts and five overall during their six-game run, a stretch in which their starters have allowed all of one earned run.

Francisco Cervelli and Sean Rodriguez hit solo home runs for the Pirates. Starling Marte, who had two hits, is batting .600 (15 for 25) over his last five games.

Jose Quintana (3-7) gave up three runs in six innings and again received little support in his 100th career start. The White Sox have dropped five straight.

ASTROS 8, ROCKIES 5

HOUSTON — Luis Valbuena homered twice and drove in four runs, and Houston beat Colorado.

Hank Conger hit a solo homer for the Astros, who lead the major leagues with 91 home runs. Houston is 25-0 this year when it has multihomer games.

Valbuena hit a solo homer in the second off Chris Rusin (2-2) and added a three-run drive in a five-run third that increased his team-leading home run total to 16.

Will Harris (3-0) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of rookie Vince Velasquez, who gave up five runs and seven hits in 4 2-3 innings. Luke Gregerson threw a perfect ninth for his 17th save in 19 chances.

Rusin (2-2) wasted a 3-1 lead and gave up seven runs and nine hits in four innings.

REDS 5, TIGERS 2

DETROIT — Todd Frazier homered twice and Jay Bruce added a solo shot to lift Cincinnati to a victory over Detroit.

The Reds had totaled only four runs in a three-game losing streak, and didn’t get on the board until the fifth against Detroit, but Michael Lorenzen and the Reds’ bullpen made the homers stand up.

Lorenzen (2-2) allowed two runs — one earned — and six hits with three walks in six innings, only striking out one. Three relievers finished, with Aroldis Chapman striking out the side in the ninth — the last on a 103-mph fastball — for his 14th save.