MLB capsules: Yankees slug three HRs, beat Braves to extend win streak to 11

New York Yankees second baseman Rougned Odor (12) celebrates with Aaron Judge (99) after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
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ATLANTA — Wandy Peralta retired Freddie Freeman with the bases loaded for the final out, and the New York Yankees held off the Atlanta Braves 5-4 Tuesday night to extend their longest winning streak in 36 years to 11 games.

DJ LeMahieu’s two-run homer in the fifth inning gave New York the lead. Giancarlo Stanton and Roughned Odor also went deep for the Yankees.

New York closer Aroldis Chapman, trying to preserve the lead, gave up two hits and two walks in the ninth. Chapman’s bases-loaded walk to Jorge Soler cut the margin to one, and manager Aaron Boone pulled Chapman for Peralta.

The Yankees remained four games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.

The 11-game winning streak is New York’s longest since Aug. 31 to Sept. 10, 1985.

Charlie Morton (12-5) allowed four runs and six hits in five innings. He had nine strikeouts.

Clay Holmes (2-0), the third of six Yankees relievers, earned the win.

DODGERS 5, PADRES 2

SAN DIEGO — AJ Pollock hit a two-run single and robbed Manny Machado of a two-run homer to lead Los Angeles past sinking San Diego in a series opener between NL West rivals headed in opposite directions.

Will Smith homered for the Dodgers and Julio Urías (14-3) allowed one hit over five scoreless innings in his return from the injured list to match Chicago Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks for most wins in the majors.

The Dodgers have won 10 of 11. San Diego has lost 10 of 12.

Urías, who missed his previous turn with a bruised left calf, held the Padres hitless until Eric Hosmer doubled with one out in the fifth.

GIANTS 8, METS 0

NEW YORK — Brandon Belt hit two of San Francisco’s four home runs to push his career-best total to 19 and rookie Sammy Long pitched into the sixth inning in a win over slumping New York.

LaMonte Wade Jr. and Mike Yastrzemski also connected in the first four innings as the Giants jumped to a 7-0 advantage against rookie Tylor Megill (1-3).

Giants catcher Buster Posey was removed with left knee discomfort in the fifth.

Belt ended a 2-for-30 skid with two homers and a single in his first three plate appearances and added an RBI infield single in the eighth for his season-high fourth hit.

Long (2-1) tossed three-hit ball over 5 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking one.

Megill was clobbered for a career-worst seven runs on 11 hits and five walks over 3 2/3 innings.

RED SOX 11, TWINS 9

BOSTON — Hunter Renfroe homered twice, the second during a five-run fifth inning that gave Boston a six-run advantage, and the Red Sox beat last-place Minnesota.

Alex Verdugo had three hits, and Renfroe drove in five runs with his 14th career multi-homer game. Kiké Hernández added a two-run homer.

Jorge Polanco hit a two-run homer for Minnesota, and Josh Donaldson added a solo shot in the ninth.

Josh Taylor (1-0) earned the win. Ex-Twin Hansel Robles picked up his 11th save — his first for the Red Sox.

Griffin Jax (3-2) allowed nine runs on seven hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings.

BREWERS 7, REDS 3

MILWAUKEE — Omar Narváez hit a tiebreaking double in a four-run seventh inning, Kolten Wong added a two-run homer in the eighth and Milwaukee rallied past Cincinnati.

Milwaukee shortstop Willy Adames exited early with a leg injury, but the first-place Brewers hit a trio of sacrifice flies to win the opener of a three-game series between the top two teams in the NL Central.

Hunter Strickland (3-1) pitched a scoreless inning in relief of starter Corbin Burnes to help Milwaukee win for the 11th time in 14 games. Josh Hader earned his 27th save in 28 chances.

ASTROS 4, ROYALS 0

HOUSTON — Luis Garcia pitched into the seventh inning and two relievers completed a four-hitter as Houston blanked Kansas City.

Garcia (10-6) struck out seven and scattered four hits across 6 2/3 sharp innings. Ryne Stanek got the next four outs before Kendall Graveman worked a perfect ninth.

Carlos Correa had two hits and two RBIs to help the Astros snap a two-game skid.

Royals starter Brady Singer (3-9) permitted seven hits and four runs in five innings, but just one was earned.

RAYS 3, PHILLIES 1

PHILADELPHIA — Nelson Cruz returned from the COVID-19 list, played first base for the first time in his career and hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning as Tampa Bay beat Philadelphia.

The 41-year-old Cruz, Tampa Bay’s designated hitter who had never played first, handled all his chances cleanly in his first action anywhere on defense since he played right field for Seattle in 2018. He singled in the first and sixth innings before his big hit in the eighth, a line drive off Archie Bradley (7-2) that scored Brett Phillips and Randy Arozarena.

JT Chargois (2-0) struck out the only batter he faced to end the seventh, and Andrew Kittredge worked the last two innings for his third save.

RANGERS 7, INDIANS 3

CLEVELAND — Nathaniel Lowe was 5 for 5 with a three-run homer in the first inning, and Texas beat Cleveland after adding another player to the COVID-19 list.

Lowe homered in the first, singled in the third, seventh and ninth, and doubled in the fifth. DJ Peters also hit a three-run homer in the ninth and drove in four runs.

The win came at an opportune time for the Rangers, who placed catcher Jonah Heim on the COVID-19 list before the game, bringing their total to five players on the list.

Taylor Hearn (3-4) and four relievers held Cleveland’s offense in check. Hearn gave up solo homers to Daniel Johnson in the third and Yu Chang in the fifth.

NATIONALS 5, MARLINS 1

MIAMI — Tres Barrera had three hits, including a homer, and Washington sent Miami to its eighth straight loss.

Yadiel Hernádez singled and tripled, while Ryan Zimmerman also went deep for the Nationals.

Erick Fedde (6-8) struck out a career-high 10 in 6 1/3 innings. He allowed one run, six hits and walked one. The Marlins struck out 15 times against Washington.

The Nationals broke a scoreless tie in a three-run fourth against Miami starter Jesús Luzardo (4-7).

ANGLES 14, ORIOLES 8

BALTIMORE — Baltimore staggered to its 19th consecutive loss, allowing 19 hits and falling behind Los Angeles by 11 runs early.

Baltimore’s streak is the major leagues’ longest skid since Kansas City dropped 19 straight in 2005.

After Ryan Mountcastle homered in the first inning for a 1-0 lead, things soured quickly for Baltimore. No. 8 hitter Jo Adell tripled in two runs off rookie Spenser Watkins (2-6) and Juan Lagares followed with a two-run homer.

WHITE SOX 5, BLUE JAYS 2

TORONTO — Dylan Cease pitched seven effective innings, José Abreu hit a three-run homer and Chicago stopped a three-game slide.

Cease (10-6) retired his first 11 batters, fanning six, before Vladimir Guerrero Jr. lined a single to right in the fourth. Cease allowed one run and four hits. Liam Hendriks earned his 29th save in 35 chances.

TIGERS 4, CARDINALS 3

ST. LOUIS — Miguel Cabrera and Robbie Grossman hit back-to-back home runs to lead Detroit to an interleague victory over St. Louis.

Two days after hitting his 500th homer, Cabrera connected on No. 501. At 423 feet, it was his second longest home run this season.

The Cardinals immediately removed Jack Flaherty (9-2) with what the team said was right shoulder tightness. In two innings, Flaherty allowed four runs on four hits with three walks on 46 pitches. He velocity dropped dramatically after the first inning.

PIRATES 4, DIAMONDBACKS 2

PITTSBURGH — JT Brubaker pitched five scoreless innings for his first win in nearly three months, and Pittsburgh beat Arizona.

Brubaker (5-13) allowed four hits with six strikeouts, stranding five runners in scoring position. Since last winning May 29, Brubaker went 0-9 with a 7.08 ERA in 12 starts. Chris Stratton picked up his second save.

Madison Bumgarner (7-8) allowed four runs on six hits in six innings. Ketel Marte hit a two-run homer for Arizona.

Michael Chavis homered in his second game with the Pirates. Anthony Alford added a two-run shot, and Bryan Reynolds pushed another run across with sacrifice fly.

MARINERS 5, ATHLETICS 1

OAKLAND, Calif. — Luis Torrens hit a tiebreaking two-run single, Chris Flexen pitched into the seventh inning and Seattle swept a two-game series against Oakland.

The A’s managed three straight singles in the first against Flexen (11-5), who struck out five over 6 2/3 innings. He allowed six hits and walked one.

Mitch Moreland hit an RBI single for Oakland in the first before Jarred Kelenic tied it at 1 with a single of his own in the second. Kelenic also doubled home Tom Murphy in the eighth and scored on Dylan Moore’s single.

Drew Steckenrider earned his sixth save.