the associated press
the associated press
CHICAGO — Chris Sale returned from his jersey-trashing suspension and threw six effective innings, but John Lackey outpitched him and Aroldis Chapman got the final four outs to save the Cubs’ 3-1 victory over the White Sox in Chicago’s rivalry series Thursday night.
Sale (14-4) was greeted with smiles and hugs from his teammates following a five-day ban for tearing up 1976-style uniforms he didn’t want to wear before his previous scheduled start. He had command issues, but worked out of trouble while allowing two runs and six hits.
Lackey (8-7) allowed one run in six innings for his first win since June 8. Chapman, in his second appearance since being acquired from the Yankees, struck out two and consistently hit 102 mph in his first save for his new team.
Kris Bryant, who homered against Sale in the All-Star Game, hit an RBI double off the center field wall in the first inning. Ben Zobrist added an RBI single in the third and doubled and scored in the eighth as the Cubs earned a split of the four-game series and spoiled Sale’s night.
The lefty was scratched from his start Saturday, sent home and then suspended five days for cutting up a number of collared throwback jerseys the team was supposed to wear for the game. Sale said they were uncomfortable and became enraged when the team wouldn’t switch them out.
ANGELS 2, RED SOX 1
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Hanley Ramirez’s throwing error to the plate on Daniel Nava’s bases-loaded grounder allowed two runs to score, and Los Angeles walked off with a stunning victory over Boston.
The Angels rallied in the ninth against Boston closer Brad Ziegler (2-5), loading the bases with one out on singles by Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Andrelton Simmons.
Pinch-hitter Nava then poked a potential game-ending grounder to first, but Ramirez put his throw past catcher Sandy Leon, allowing Trout and pinch-runner Ji-Man Choi to end it.
NATIONALS 4, GIANTS 2
SAN FRANCISCO — Ryan Zimmerman had two hits and scored a run, Trea Turner added two hits and an RBI and Washington beat San Francisco in the opener of a key four-game series between division leaders.
Bryce Harper doubled in a run while Anthony Rendon had two hits to help the Nationals beat All-Star Game starter Johnny Cueto (13-3) in manager Dusty Baker’s return to AT&T Park. Baker won 840 games as the Giants manager from 1993-2002.
CARDINALS 5, MARLINS 4
MIAMI — Aledmys Diaz homered, doubled and drove in three runs against childhood pal Jose Fernandez, helping St. Louis beat Miami.
Fernandez gave up five runs in five innings and fell to 26-2 at Marlins Park.
Miami’s Dee Gordon, the 2015 NL batting and stolen bases champion, returned from an 80-game suspension for failing a drug test and went 0 for 4.
ROCKIES 2, METS 1
NEW YORK — New York closer Jeurys Familia stumbled for a second straight game, allowing two runs in the ninth inning in a loss that handed Colorado its seventh victory in eight games.
Less than 24 hours after Familia’s streak of 52 consecutive regular-season saves was snapped, the right-hander entered in the top of the ninth with a 1-0 lead, and couldn’t hold it.
RANGERS 3, ROYALS 2
ARLINGTON, Texas — Mitch Moreland’s second homer of the game broke a tie in the eighth inning and Cole Hamels earned his 12th win of the season in Texas’ victory over Kansas City.
Hamels (12-2) allowed two runs and six hits in eight innings, matching his longest start of the season. Sam Dyson earned his 21st save in 23 chances, stranding the tying run at third base.
TWINS 6, ORIOLES 2
MINNEAPOLIS — Rookie Max Kepler continued his midseason surge with a tying home run and finished with two RBIs to help Minnesota beat Baltimore,
The teams were squeezing in a make-up game from a May 9 postponement with Minnesota in the middle of a homestand and Baltimore heading for a weekend series at Toronto.
PHILLIES 7, BRAVES 5
ATLANTA — Aaron Altherr and Maikel Franco homered, Aaron Nola won for the first time in eight starts and Philadelphia beat Atlanta.
Altherr returned to the lineup after missing the first 103 games of the season with a broken left wrist. He went 3 for 4 with two RBIs.
BREWERS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 4
MILWAUKEE — Hernan Perez hit a two-run homer, singled and scored the go-ahead run in the sixth, Zach Davies pitched 6 1/3 innings and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4 on Thursday.
Perez, who started at shortstop for benched Jonathan Villar, crushed the first pitch from Robbie Ray (5-10) 458 feet off the facing of the scoreboard in deep center for the two-run homer in the third.