CLEVELAND — Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber provided a major boost to the Chicago Cubs’ offense on Wednesday night.
CLEVELAND — Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber provided a major boost to the Chicago Cubs’ offense on Wednesday night.
Bryant had a grand slam and Schwarber was 4 for 5, including his first major league hit and RBI, and the Cubs hit four home runs to rout the Cleveland Indians 17-0.
The Cubs scored seven times in the ninth inning, which ended with Indians position players Ryan Raburn and David Murphy pitching.
The offensive outburst was the most runs scored in a shutout win by the Cubs since they blanked San Diego 19-0 on May 13, 1969.
The Indians suffered their most lopsided defeat since losing 23-2 at Minnesota on June 4, 2002.
Chicago’s rising young stars stole the show on the offense’s big night.
“They’re going to keep getting better,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “I’m telling you, man, that was a nice night. You get a glimpse of what it looks like when everybody’s here.”
Schwarber, the fourth pick in last year’s draft who was called up Tuesday, tripled in the second to key a six-run inning and added an RBI single in the third when the Cubs scored four times.
Schwarber hit into a double play in the fourth and singled in the seventh. He added an infield hit in the ninth.
Schwarber’s stay in the majors is expected to be brief. The plan is for him to DH in interleague games at Cleveland and Minnesota this week and send him to Triple-A Iowa where he will continue to be used as a catcher.
Asked if a four-hit night is making a case to stay in the majors, Schwarber said, “I’m just doing my job. I’m trying to take advantage of the opportunity I have. I’m trying to do my best and have good at-bats every day.”
Yankees 2, Marlins 1
NEW YORK — Alex Rodriguez singled twice to raise his career hits total to 2,997, Michael Pineda carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning before allowing Christian Yelich’s home run, and the New York Yankees beat the Miami Marlins 2-1 Wednesday night.
On a night when Yankees manager Joe Girardi was spared having to decide whether to lift Pineda with a high pitch count and New York benefited from an overturned call at home plate that prevented the tying run in the eighth inning, A-Rod closed in on becoming the 29th player to reach the 3,000 mark.
Rodriguez lined an RBI single to center in the first inning, singled softly to center in the fifth, walked twice to reach in all four plate appearances and also was thrown out at home plate. With New York starting an eight-game homestand, he has a good chance to get No. 3,000 at home.
TWINS 3, CARDINALS 1
MINNEAPOLIS — Tommy Milone gave up one run in seven innings and the Minnesota Twins squeaked out a victory over St. Louis.
Milone (3-1) gave up five hits and struck out five and Eduardo Nunez had two hits and two RBIs to help the reeling Twins, who had lost seven of their previous eight games.
Carlos Martinez (7-3) gave up two runs — one earned — on five hits and struck out six in 6 2/3 innings for the Cardinals, who are embroiled in a federal investigation into allegations that members of the team’s baseball operations hacked into the Houston Astros’ personnel database.
The Cardinals had two runners on with no outs in the ninth, but Glen Perkins struck out Mark Reynolds and Randal Grichuk and got Yadier Molina to ground out to improve to 23 for 23 in save tries.
MARINERS 2, GIANTS 0
SEATTLE — Felix Hernandez pitched eight innings of four-hit ball, Austin Jackson delivered a go-ahead RBI triple in the sixth, and Seattle beat San Francisco.
Hernandez (10-4) allowed four hits, struck out five and walked two to rebound from the worst outing of his career. The Mariners’ ace allowed a runner to reach scoring position twice, but both times he quickly retired the side by inducing a groundout.
Charlie Furbush retired the first two batters of the ninth and Carson Smith struck out Matt Duffy for his fourth save in five chances.
Jackson tripled home Mike Zunino with one out in the sixth off San Francisco starter Madison Bumgarner (7-4). Robinson Cano followed with an RBI double.
Bumgarner, who lost a perfect-game bid in the fifth, also gave up four hits in eight innings, striking out nine and issuing one intentional walk.
ATHLETICS 16, PADRES 2
OAKLAND, Calif. — Jesse Chavez struck out a career-high 11 in seven innings to win for only the second time in his last eight starts, Billy Butler had four hits including a three-run home run and Oakland beat San Diego.
Chavez (3-6) went into the game with the eighth-lowest ERA in the AL and was dominant while allowing three hits over seven innings. He fanned seven of the first 11 batters, walked one and didn’t allow a runner past first base until Alexi Amarista homered on the first pitch leading off the sixth.
Ben Zobrist drove in three runs and fell a home run shy of hitting for the cycle for the A’s. Stephen Vogt added two RBIs.
Will Middlebrooks homered for the Padres, who lost their third straight since firing manager Bud Black on Monday.
ASTROS 8, ROCKIES 4
DENVER — Carlos Correa hit one of Houston’s four home runs, Brett Olberholtzer pitched effectively into the seventh inning and the Astros continued their power surge in a win over Colorado.
Chris Carter, Preston Tucker and Jake Marisnick also homered for the first-place Astros, who have won four straight and lead the majors with 95 home runs. Correa and George Springer had three hits each.
Olberholtzer (2-1) followed up his eight shutout innings against Seattle on Friday with another strong outing. He allowed three runs and eight hits, struck out five and didn’t walk a batter in 6 1-3 innings.
He worked around Charlie Blackmon’s leadoff double in the sixth but left after allowing Nick Hundley’s RBI single in the seventh.
DIAMONDBACKS 3, ANGELS 2
PHOENIX — Paul Goldschmidt and Welington Castillo each hit a solo home run, and Arizona held on to beat Los Angeles.
Both homers came off Hector Santiago (4-4).
Yasmany Tomas had three hits for Arizona, including an RBI triple.
Goldschmidt’s 19th home run came in the first inning. Castillo hit his fourth — second since coming to the Diamondbacks — leading off the fourth.
Goldschmidt had two hits to raise his batting average to .363, best in the majors. He has reached base in 27 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the majors.
Chase Anderson (3-1) allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings for his second straight win.
BLUE JAYS 8, METS 0
TORONTO — Danny Valencia hit a three-run homer, Kevin Pillar had a solo shot and Toronto beat New York behind a solid start from Drew Hutchison.
Pillar went 3 for 4 with two RBIs as the Blue Jays, whose 11-game winning streak ended with Monday’s 11-inning loss to the Mets at Citi Field, won the opener of a five-game homestand. Toronto is 12-3 in June.
The Blue Jays lead the majors with 369 runs. Entering play Wednesday, Arizona was second with 291.
The Mets dropped to 10-20 on the road. They’ve lost 12 of 15 away from home.
Hutchison (6-1) allowed career highs of nine hits and eight runs in his previous outing, June 12 at Boston, but fared much better against the Mets. He gave up four hits in 5 2-3 innings, walked one and struck out five.
ROYALS 10, BREWERS 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Joe Blanton picked up his first victory in nearly two years with five solid innings and Alcides Escobar equaled his career high with four RBIs as Kansas City pounded Milwaukee.
Blanton (1-0) had not won since June 29, 2013, while with the Los Angeles Angels against Houston. He limited the Brewers to one run and five hits. The 34-year-old right-hander struck out four and walked none, throwing a season high 73 pitches.
Escobar tripled with the bases loaded in a four-run eighth. He also singled home a run in a three-run second. It was his third four-RBI game.
Mike Fiers (3-7) absorbed the loss, giving up six runs on eight hits and three walks in five innings.
RAYS 5, NATIONALS 0
WASHINGTON — Steven Souza Jr. hit his 13th home run of the season and Curt Casali blasted the first of his career to help Tampa Bay beat Washington.
Souza and Casali each had three hits, with Souza doing so while returning to his former home park.
Matt Andriese (2-1) pitched four shutout innings of relief for the AL East-leading Rays. Reliever-turned-starter Steve Geltz got the first six outs in what manager Kevin Cash called a bullpen game.
Jordan Zimmermann (5-5) allowed three runs in seven innings innings for Washington.
The Nationals committed three errors and had just two hits, one night after belting out 23 in a 16-4 victory over the Rays in Tampa.
PIRATES 3, WHITE SOX 2
CHICAGO — Jeff Locke allowed just two runs in six innings, Jung Ho Kang hit a two-run home run and Pittsburgh beat struggling Chicago for its seventh straight win.
The Pirates, who had thrown three straight shutouts — and five in the previous six — saw their streak of scoreless innings end at 35.
Locke (4-3) was followed by Arquimedes Caminero, Tony Watson and Mark Melancon, who combined for scoreless relief over the final three innings with Melancon getting his 22nd save.
The White Sox, who snapped a string of 30 scoreless innings with two runs in the sixth, have dropped a season-high six straight.
Locke gave up three hits and had a season-high eight strikeouts.
White Sox starter John Danks (3-7) settled down after a shaky first inning to allow three runs on five hits in seven hittings.
BRAVES 5, RED SOX 2
ATLANTA — Nick Markakis singled in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, Pedro Ciriaco added a pair of RBI singles and Atlanta beat struggling Boston.
The Red Sox, who began the night in last place and eight games out in the AL East, have dropped eight of nine overall and 11 of 12 on the road.
Red Sox manager John Farrell showed his frustration in the bottom of the seventh, getting ejected for arguing balls and strikes.
Atlanta, which has won three of five, took its first lead at 3-2 in the seventh when Markakis singled to score Cameron Maybin. Markakis’ hit came off Junichi Tazawa (0-3), who gave up three hits, two runs and one walk in two-thirds of an inning.
Nick Masset (2-1) earned the win in relief, and Jason Grilli recorded his 18th save in 20 chances.
ORIOLES 6, PHILLIES 4
PHILADELPHIA — Chris Parmelee homered for the third time in two games and Travis Snider also went deep as Baltimore handed Philadelphia its ninth straight defeat.
The Orioles still finished six homers shy of the club record they set in Tuesday’s 19-3 victory over Philadelphia. David Lough doubled and had two RBIs for Baltimore, which won its 12th game in the last 14.
Ubaldo Jimenez (5-3) struck out eight and walked none while giving up four runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings. Zach Britton pitched a scoreless ninth for his 18th save.
Freddy Galvis homered and Ben Revere had a pair of hits, including a triple for Philadelphia, which has lost 19 of 22 to sink to 23 games under .500.
Kevin Correia (0-1) took the loss.