Josh Donaldson homers as Yankees beat Red Sox again

BOSTON — Josh Donaldson hit a three-run homer during New York’s four-run first inning, Matt Carpenter homered among three hits in his first start in left field in a decade, and the Yankees beat Boston 12-5 Friday night for their 10th win in their last 11 games against the Red Sox.

Joey Gallo hit a two-run triple on a fly that Boston right fielder Christian Arroyo lost in the twilight. Gallo was thrown out at the plate trying for an inside-the-park home run.

New York opened a 15 1/2-game lead over second-place Tampa Bay in the AL East, the earliest in games and by calendar date the Yankees have taken a 15-game lead. The Red Sox are 16 games back.

Boston right-hander Connor Seabold (0-2) gave up seven runs and nine hits in 2 2/3 innings, raising his ERA to 11.91. He left with what the Red Sox said was right forearm extensor tightness.

Miguel Castro (5-0) got four outs for the win. Lucas Luetge pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings for his first save this season.

BRAVES 12, NATIONALS 2

ATLANTA — Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson and William Contreras homered against Erick Fedde, leading surging Atlanta to the victory.

Rookie Michael Harris II went 4 for 4 as the Braves improved to an NL-best 27-8 since June 1. Second-place Atlanta also moved within 2½ games of the NL East-leading New York Mets.

Charlie Morton (5-3) won his fourth straight decision, but his first since June 5 at Colorado. The 38-year-old right-hander allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings.

Harris hit a two-run homer in the eighth against Erasmo Ramírez.

Juan Soto hit a two-run shot for last-place Washington. Fedde (5-6) gave up eight runs in three-plus innings.

DODGERS 4, CUBS 3, 10 INNINGS

LOS ANGELES — Mookie Betts hit a tying sacrifice fly in the ninth inning, just missing a grand slam, and Will Smith hit a winning single in the 10th for the Dodgers.

Los Angeles trailed 3-1 after six, but Jake Lamb homered in the seventh and Betts drove in Zach McKinstry with his fly ball to the left-field wall against David Robertson.

Freddie Freeman was intentionally walked by Rowan Wick (1-4) in the 10th before Smith’s single to left drove in Trea Turner.

Evan Phillips (3-3) got three outs for the win as the NL-leading Dodgers improved to 8-1 on an 11-game homestand. They also improved to 5-0 against the Cubs this season.

Nico Hoerner homered for Chicago, and Ian Happ made it 3-0 with a two-run double in the sixth.

PADRES 6, GIANTS 3

SAN DIEGO — Manny Machado hit a three-run homer for San Diego hours after he was named the NL starter at third base for the All-Star Game.

Machado was voted to start the All-Star Game in a tight race against St. Louis’ Nolan Arenado. He lifted the Padres to a 3-0 lead before they made an out, connecting against Sam Long (0-2) in the first inning.

Blake Snell (1-5) struck out 11 for his first victory of the season. He permitted one run and three hits in six innings.

Nick Martinez pitched three innings for his third save.

Brandon Belt and David Villar homered for San Francisco, which has dropped eight of nine. Villar’s leadoff drive in the fifth was his first career homer.

ROCKIES 6, DIAMONDBACKS 5

PHOENIX — Kris Bryant hit two solo homers, powering Colorado to the victory.

Bryant finished with three hits. Chad Kuhl (6-5) pitched five innings for the win, and Alex Colomé worked a rocky ninth for his fourth save.

Josh Rojas and Sergio Alcántara homered for Arizona. Geraldo Perdomo had two hits and scored three times.

Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen walked in a run in the fifth, his third walk of the inning, and then hit C.J. Cron on the hand with a pitch to drive in another, tying it at 4. Cron had to be removed from the game with a right wrist contusion.

Sean Poppen (1-2) got the loss.

ASTROS 8, ATHLETICS 3

OAKLAND, Calif. — Houston’s José Urquidy allowed four hits over a career-high eight innings to win his third straight decision.

Alex Bregman hit a two-run homer and Martín Maldonado connected for a three-run drive on a night when every Astros starter had at least one hit. Houston outhit Oakland 14-4 and won for the 10th time in 11 games.

Elvis Andrus homered for the A’s, a major league-worst 28-57. Paul Blackburn (6-4) allowed six runs in four innings.

The American League’s leader in run support, Urquidy (8-3) was mostly dominant in his first career win in six tries against the A’s. He retired 11 straight and 14 of 15 following Andrus’ sixth home run this season.

REDS 2, RAYS 1, 10 INNINGS

CINCINNATI — Mark Kolozsvary scored on a game-ending balk by Matt Wisler in the 10th inning, sending Cincinnati to the victory.

Kolozsvary opened the 10th on second as a pinch-runner for Mike Moustakas. He advanced on Nick Senzel’s sacrifice bunt against Wisler (2-3). Albert Almora Jr. walked before Wisler’s balk with pinch-hitter Tyler Naquin at the plate.

Tampa Bay had a chance to score in the top half of the inning, but Kyle Farmer cut down Francisco Mejia at the plate on Yandy Diaz’s grounder to shortstop against Josh Kuhnel (1-1). The play was upheld by a video review.

Farmer then snared Wander Franco’s liner and stepped on second for an inning-ending double play.

It was the majors’ first game-ending balk since Dylan Floro for the Dodgers in a 5-4 loss at Seattle on Aug. 18, 2018. It was the first such loss for the Rays in franchise history.

Brandon Drury homered for last-place Cincinnati.

ORIOLES 5, ANGELS 4

BALTIMORE — Trey Mancini hit a game-winning single in Baltimore’s three-run ninth inning, and the Orioles extended their season-high win streak to six games.

Angels stars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani both homered on the night they earned All-Star selections. Ohtani’s 19th of the season off Dylan Tate (1-3) made it 4-2 in the ninth.

But Raisel Iglesias (2-5) allowed a two-out RBI double to Adley Rutschman that cut the lead to 4-3. Cedric Mullins then tied the game with a run-scoring single and took second on the throw home.

Mancini then set off a raucous celebration with the sharp hit to left.

PHILLIES 2, CARDINALS 0

ST. LOUIS — Alec Bohm homered twice against Adam Wainwright, powering Zack Wheeler and Philadelphia to the win.

Bohm opened the sixth with a 419-foot drive to center for his fifth homer. He also connected with two outs in the eighth for his first career multihomer game.

The first of a four-game series began with a 56-minute rain delay.

‘The Phillies won for the sixth time in eight games, and the Cardinals have lost seven of their last eight.

Wheeler (8-4) allowed five hits in seven innings. Brad Hand got three outs for his fourth save.

The 40-year-old Wainwright (6-7) pitched a five-hitter for his first complete game of the season.

MARLINS 5, METS 2

NEW YORK — Miami’s Garrett Cooper hit a two-run homer off the right-field foul pole, and the Marlins won for the seventh time in nine games.

Pablo López (6-4) pitched five effective innings for Miami, and Bryan De La Cruz doubled three times.

Dylan Floro, Anthony Bass and Tanner Scott each pitched a scoreless inning. Scott got his 11th save in 13 chances, finishing a five-hitter.

New York’s Chris Bassitt (6-6), activated from the COVID-19 injured list, started for the first time since winning at Miami on June 25. He gave up two runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.

ROYALS 4, GUARDIANS 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Michael A. Taylor hit a game-ending RBI single, lifting Kansas City to the win.

Vinnie Pasquantino opened the Kansas City ninth with a double to right against Sam Hentges (2-1) that nearly cleared the fence. Edward Olivares then entered the game as a pinch-runner.

After Kyle Isbel struck out on a foul bunt, Taylor poked a 1-2 pitch into right for the winning hit.

Cleveland led 3-1 after seven innings, but Whit Merrifield hit a tying two-run homer in the eighth against Eli Morgan. It was just his second homer in 42 games.

The Guardians have lost five straight and seven of eight overall.

Scott Barlow (3-2) pitched a shaky ninth for the win.

TIGERS 7, WHITE SOX 5

CHICAGO — Jeimer Candelario homered and drove in three runs, and Detroit beat Chicago for its sixth straight win.

The Tigers went ahead by five and hung on after Chicago scored three in the eighth and put two on in the ninth, extending their longest win streak since a seven-game run last July.

Candelario hit a tying two-run homer against Lucas Giolito (5-5) in the sixth inning and chased him with a two-out RBI single in the seventh that made it 3-2.

Detroit’s Tarik Skubal (6-7) tossed six solid innings after getting roughed up in losing his previous five starts.

RANGERS 6, TWINS 5

ARLINGTON, Texas — Corey Seager hit a tiebreaking three-run homer and Texas snapped a four-game losing streak by beating AL Central-leading Minnesota.

Seager’s 17th homer capped a six-run outburst in the fifth for the Rangers after they had only two baserunners in the first four innings against Sonny Gray (4-2). Seager greeted Caleb Thielbar by pulling a 396-foot drive into the right-field seats for a 6-3 lead.

Carlos Correa hit an early two-run homer for the Twins. Center fielder Byron Buxton made a highlight catch crashing into the wall in the fourth after left fielder Nick Gordon went in front of him with an unsuccessful leaping attempt on the warning track.

Texas starter Jon Gray (5-4) struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings, departing after a two-run homer by No. 9 batter Ryan Jeffers that cut the gap to 6-5.

BREWERS 4, PIRATES 3

MILWAUKEE — Willy Adames homered for Milwaukee and threw out Kevin Newman at the plate to end the game.

The Pirates trailed 4-2 in the ninth and had runners on the corners against Josh Hader when Daniel Vogelbach got a two-out single to right to bring home Diego Castillo.

Newman tried to score from first on the play. Adames, the Brewers’ shortstop, took the throw from right fielder Andrew McCutchen and easily threw him out at the plate.

Aaron Ashby (2-6) pitched five innings for the win. Hader earned his 26th save in 27 opportunities.

Pirates starter JT Brubaker (2-8) also worked five innings. He struck out six and allowed five hits, a season-high five walks and three runs.