WASHINGTON — Stephen Strasburg was batted around by the Atlanta Braves, then engaged in a heated spat with Nationals ace Max Scherzer in the dugout during Washington’s 8-5 loss Friday night.
It was unclear what prompted the exchange between the star pitchers in their first game after the All-Star break.
The dispute occurred after Strasburg (6-7), activated from the 10-day disabled list earlier in the day and throwing on his 30th birthday, gave up six runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked into the dugout, got a pat on the back from Scherzer and sat down on the bench. They began barking at each other, then both quickly went off-camera by leaving the dugout.
The Braves lost All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies in the third inning, and the team said he was lifted as a precaution because of right hamstring tightness. He had an RBI double and stole a base in a two-run first inning.
Anibal Sanchez (5-2) allowed three runs over six innings for the Braves, who started the second half near the top of the NL East.
Ronald Acuna Jr. homered, doubled and singled, scored three runs and stole two bases for Atlanta. Charlie Culberson, who replaced Albies, also homered.
CARDINALS 18, CUBS 5
CHICAGO — Matt Carpenter hit three home runs and two doubles in just six innings, tying the major league record for extra-base hits in a game, and St. Louis hammered Chicago.
Carpenter went 5 for 5 and drove in seven runs at Wrigley Field. He led off the game with a home run and was pulled after adding a three-run drive in the sixth. Carpenter became the 14th player with five extra-base hits in a game, and the first to do it for the Cardinals.
DODGERS 6, BREWERS 4
MILWAUKEE — Manny Machado singled twice and walked twice in his debut with Los Angeles, which used a tiebreaking RBI single by Chris Taylor to beat sliding Milwaukee.
NL West-leading Los Angeles was held in check by Wade Miley before going ahead to stay in the seventh. Moments after Yasmani Grandal was cut down at the plate on a nice pickup by catcher Manny Pina, Taylor singled in Chase Utley to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead. Machado’s second hit then set up Max Muncy’s run-scoring double off Taylor Williams (0-3).
ASTROS 3, ANGELS 1
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Dallas Keuchel took a no-hitter into the seventh and finished with 7 2/3 innings of two-hit ball in Houston’s victory over Los Angeles.
Justin Upton broke up Keuchel’s bid with two outs in the seventh when his line drive escaped the glove of leaping Astros shortstop Marwin Gonzalez. The Angel Stadium scorer awarded a hit instead of an error on what would have been a fine defensive play if Gonzalez had held on.
METS 7, YANKEES 5
NEW YORK — Yoenis Cespedes homered in his return from the disabled list, Noah Syndergaard won his second straight start since coming back from an injury but left after a drop in velocity, and the Mets beat the Yankees in a Subway Series opener.
Robert Gsellman pitched two innings for his fifth save as Mets closer Jeurys Familia sat in the bullpen. Manager Mickey Callaway said he was told mid-game not to use Familia because the team was close to trading him.
RED SOX 1, TIGERS 0
DETROIT — David Price pitched four-hit ball into the seventh inning and Boston kept right on rolling in its first game after the All-Star break, beating Detroit.
The Red Sox (69-30) have won 13 of their last 14, and on this night one run in the first inning was enough for the team with baseball’s best record. Price (11-6) walked one and struck out five in 6 1/3 innings.
PHILLIES 11, PADRES 5
PHILADELPHIA — Carlos Santana homered and drove in four, Cesar Hernandez had a two-run double and Philadelphia overcame a four-run first-inning deficit to beat San Diego.
Odubel Herrera added two RBIs for the surprising Phillies, who remained a half-game ahead of Atlanta for first in the NL East with their 13th win in 19 games.
MARLINS 6, RAYS 5
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Derek Dietrich homered twice, including a three-run shot in the seventh inning that broke a tie, to lead Dan Straily (4-4) and Miami over Tampa Bay.
Dietrich’s 13th homer came off left-hander Hoby Milner after two walks by Diego Castillo (1-1). Miami added two more runs in the inning with the help of a couple of errors to take a 6-1 lead.
BLUE JAYS 8, ORIOLES 7,
10 INNINGS
TORONTO — Aledmys Diaz singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning and Toronto recovered after blowing a three-run lead in the ninth to beat Baltimore.
Diaz had four hits, including a solo homer, and scored twice as the Blue Jays improved to 7-1 against Baltimore.
ROYALS 6, TWINS 5
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lucas Duda homered and drove in three runs, Danny Duffy earned his first home win in 11 months and Kansas City held on to beat Minnesota.
Duda’s two-out single in the first inning scored Whit Merrifield and Jorge Bonifacio. He then led off the sixth with his eighth homer down the right-field line off Kyle Gibson (4-7).
RANGERS 9, INDIANS 8,
11 INNINGS
ARLINGTON, Texas — Edwin Encarnacion had an RBI single in the 11th inning to lift Cleveland to a 9-8 victory over Texas on a night the AL Central-leading Indians debuted their two new relievers.
Jose Ramirez, who earlier in the game hit his major league-leading 30th homer, led off the 11th with a double off the right-center field wall against Matt Moore (1-6). Encarnacion followed with a single to right, though he was thrown out trying to get an extra base.
MARINERS 3, WHITE SOX 1
SEATTLE — Wade LeBlanc and two relievers combined on a five-hitter, and Seattle beat Chicago.
LeBlanc (6-1) gave the Mariners 7 1/3 strong innings in the team’s first game after the All-Star break. LeBlanc surrendered two hits in the first, including Daniel Palka’s RBI double to center field, but gave up only two hits and a walk in his next 6 1/3 innings. He finished with a season-high 10 strikeouts.
ROCKIES 11, DIAMONDBACKS 10
PHOENIX — Pinch-hitter Raimel Tapia hit a grand slam in Colorado’s six-run seventh inning, Nolan Arenado had a pair of two-run homers and the Rockies rallied to beat Arizona.
Arizona built an 8-5 lead through six innings behind Ketel Marte’s career-high four RBIs and a big night by A.J. Pollock.
PIRATES 12, REDS 1
CINCINNATI — Sean Rodriguez homered and drove in four runs, Starling Marte hit a grand slam and Pittsburgh extended its winning streak to a season-high seven games by routing Cincinnati after a long rain delay.
Corey Dickerson had a solo homer for the Pirates, who finished with 16 hits — their most in a nine-inning game this year.
GIANTS 5, ATHLETICS 1
OAKLAND, Calif. — Dereck Rodriguez pitched three-hit ball into the seventh inning for his fourth consecutive win, leading San Francisco past Oakland.
Pablo Sandoval and Ryder Jones homered for the Giants. Andrew McCutchen doubled, drove in a run and made a pair of sliding catches in right field.
The A’s had won 21 of 27 before losing in front of their first sellout crowd this season.
The Bay Area rivals are in the midst of playing six consecutive games against each other. Oakland won two of three at San Francisco during the final series before the All-Star break.