Verlander pulled after 6 no-hit innings, Astros beat Twins

HOUSTON — Justin Verlander was pulled after pitching six no-hit innings in his major league-leading 16th win and the Astros beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 Tuesday night in Carlos Correa’s return to Houston.

Verlander (16-3) allowed just one runner to reach base — Nick Gordon struck out in the second inning on a wild pitch to get aboard. The Astros ace fanned 10 and lowered his MLB-best ERA to 1.87 in his spectacular return after missing almost two seasons after Tommy John surgery.

Ryne Stanek relieved to begin the seventh and Correa led off with Minnesota’s first hit.

The Twins scored twice in the ninth and had the bases loaded before Bryan Abreu struck out Jake Cave to secure his second save.

Aaron Sanchez (0-1) allowed two runs on six hits in four innings.

YANKEES 4, METS 2

NEW YORK — Aaron Judge hit a 453-foot drive halfway up the bleachers for his 48th home run and added an RBI single during a seventh-inning rally, boosting the Yankees past the Mets for a two-game Subway Series sweep.

Rookie Clarke Schmidt (5-2) worked three innings of scoreless relief, departing in the ninth after loading the bases with two outs. Wandy Peralta relieved and retired Francisco Lindor on a flyout for his second save.

Andrew Benintendi had his third straight big day at the plate, singling in the go-ahead run for a 3-2 lead in the seventh against Joely Rodríguez (0-3).

The Yankees have won three straight for only the second time since the All-Star break.

CARDINALS 13, CUBS 3, GAME 2

CUBS 2, CARDINALS 0, GAME 1

CHICAGO — Nolan Arenado and Tyler O’Neill homered in a five-run fourth inning, Corey Dickerson had four hits and St. Louis split a doubleheader with Chicago.

The Cubs blanked the Cardinals 2-0 in the opener, ending St. Louis’ season-best eight-game winning streak.

The NL Central-leading Cardinals got back on track in the nightcap with 16 hits. Tommy Edman had a solo homer, a double and three RBIs.

Jake Woodford (3-0) allowed one run on four hits in 5 1/3 innings in his first start this season.

Hitless in the opener, Arenado went 3-for-4 in the nightcap, taking Adrian Sampson (1-4) deep in the fourth.

In the opener, Javier Assad pitched four scoreless innings in his major league debut. Relievers Michael Rucker (3-1), Sean Newcomb, Erich Uelmen and Brandon Hughes allowed one hit over the final five innings. Hughes picked up his third save.

Nico Hoerner and Seiya Suzuki drove in runs off St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright (9-9) in the third. Rookie Christopher Morel had two hits for the Cubs.

RAYS 11, ANGELS 1

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Christian Bethancourt had two run-scoring hits in a six-run seventh inning and later moved from behind the plate to pitch a scoreless ninth as Tampa Bay beat Los Angeles.

The Rays own the top AL wild-card spot. They have won four straight and 10 of 12.

Bethancourt homered and hit a two-run single. On the mound, his fastball topped out at 95 mph as he allowed two hits and struck out Luis Rengifo.

Corey Kluber (8-7) gave up one run on five hits in six innings.

Manuel Margot and Harold Ramirez had run-scoring singles in the third off José Suarez (4-6).

BRAVES 6, PIRATES 1

PITTSBURGH — Max Fried allowed three hits in eight innings as Atlanta beat Pittsburgh.

Fried (12-4) struck out seven and walked one, retiring 20 of the final 23 batters he faced, and allowed one run.

The Braves have won 13 of 15, while the Pirates have dropped 10 of 12.

Travis d’Arnaud homered off JT Brubaker (3-11) for the first of five Atlanta runs in the fifth.

ORIOLES 5, WHITE SOX 3

BALTIMORE — Ryan Mountcastle hit a three-run homer off Dylan Cease in the first inning and Baltimore held off Chicago.

Cease (12-6) allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings, his second straight start allowing at least three earned runs after he went 14 in a row yielding no more than one.

Austin Voth (4-1) allowed two runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. Félix Bautista pitched out of an eighth-inning jam and got five outs for his ninth save.

Eloy Jiménez hit a two-run homer in the first inning for Chicago and left the game after being hit by 102 mph fastball from Bautista.

BLUE JAYS 9, RED SOX 2

BOSTON — Jackie Bradley Jr. doubled and scored to key an eight-run third inning as Toronto rolled past his former team.

Ross Stripling (6-3) yielded one run off six hits and struck out six over six innings.

Boston’s Josh Winckowski (5-7) lasted 2 2/3 innings, allowing six runs, six hits and walking two.

George Springer had two hits and drove in three runs in his return to the Toronto lineup at designated hitter. The Blue Jays have won five of six and kept pace with Tampa Bay in the AL wild-card race.

PHILLIES 7, REDS 6

PHILADELPHIA — Nick Maton’s pinch-hit single with one out in the bottom of the ninth gave Philadelphia the win over Cincinnati.

Matt Vierling homered and J.T. Realmuto had a two-run triple for the wild card-contending Phillies.

Maton lined a 2-2 pitch from Alexis Diaz (4-2) to right field to score Bryson Stott.

Brad Hand (3-1) got the victory despite surrendering two unearned runs in the ninth, giving Cincinnati a 6-5 lead.

GIANTS 3, TIGERS 1

DETROIT — Carlos Rodón worked seven strong innings and San Francisco beat Detroit.

Evan Longoria homered for the Giants.

Rodón allowed one run on five hits and struck out 10 without walking a batter.

San Francisco closer Camilo Doval loaded the bases with one out in the ninth but struck out Miguel Cabrera and got Harold Castro to ground out for his 18th save.

Drew Hutchison (1-7) allowed one run on four hits in five innings.

ROCKIES 7, RANGERS 6

DENVER — C.J. Cron hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning and Elias Díaz also had a three-run homer as Colorado overcame two three-run deficits to beat Texas.

Cron’s two-out homer came after a fielding error by shortstop Corey Seager. Charlie Blackmon beat out an infield single with two outs before Cron hit his 24th homer of the season off Brock Burke (6-3).

Marcus Semien and Nathaniel Lowe homered and drove in two runs apiece and Adolis García extended his hitting streak to 20 games for the Rangers.

Justin Lawrence (2-1) struck out the side in the seventh and Daniel Bard pitched around a one-out double by Jonah Heim in the ninth for his 26th save in 29 chances.

DIAMONDBACKS 7, ROYALS 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Christian Walker had three hits, including a run-scoring double, and Arizona beat Kansas City.

Walker’s two-out double highlighted a three-run eighth against Josh Staumont (3-3) to extend the Diamondbacks’ lead to 5-1.

Arizona starter Zach Davies didn’t allow a baserunner until Bobby Witt Jr. hammered his 17th homer to left field with one out in the fourth. Reliever Joe Mantiply (2-4) got four outs to earn the win.

MARLINS 5, ATHLETICS 3

OAKLAND, Calif. — Brian Anderson homered, Pablo López pitched six scoreless innings and Miami withstood Oakland’s ninth-inning rally.

López (8-8) struck out five, allowing four hits and two walks.

Tanner Scott came on with two outs and a runner on third in the ninth after the A’s had scored three times and retired Sheldon Neuse for his 19th save in 24 opportunities.

Rookie Zach Logue (3-8) gave up two runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings.

DODGERS 10, BREWERS 1

LOS ANGELES — Tony Gonsolin combined with four pitchers on a four-hitter in his major league-tying 16th victory, and the Dodgers beat the Brewers.

Trayce Thompson blasted a three-run homer in the second and drove in another run as part of a 2 for 3 performance. Freddie Freeman went 3 for 5 with four RBI in helping the Dodgers bounce back after being shut out at home for the first time this season in a 4-0 loss in the series opener Monday.

Gonsolin (16-1) tied Houston’s Justin Verlander, who earned his 16th win earlier Tuesday. Gonsolin, the majors’ ERA leader at 2.10, outdueled current NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes (9-6) in a first-time matchup of former Saint Mary’s College teammates.

Burnes (9-6) got tagged for seven runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings, equaling his shortest outing of the season.

GUARDIANS 3, PADRES 1

SAN DIEGO — Rookie Oscar Gonzalez and Andrés Giménez homered off former Cleveland pitcher Mike Clevinger and the AL Central-leading Guardians beat the Padres.

Gonzalez hit a line shot to left field with two outs in the second, his fourth. Giménez drove a ball deep into the seats down the right field line leading off the fifth, his 15th.

San Diego, which came in leading Milwaukee by 1 1/2 games for the NL’s third wild card spot, lost for the sixth time in 10 games.

Clevinger (4-5) was facing the Guardians for the second time since they traded him to San Diego in a nine-player deal during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Nick Sandlin (5-2) pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win and Emmanuel Clase pitched the ninth for his 29th save.

MARINERS 4, NATIONALS 2

SEATTLE — Robbie Ray took a no-hit try into the seventh inning, Mitch Haniger and Eugenio Suárez both hit two-run homers and the Mariners beat the Nationals.

Ray (10-8), last year’s AL Cy Young winner with Toronto, had issued just a pair of walks through six before surrendering a leadoff home run by rookie Joey Meneses in the seventh.

Ray exited after an infield single by Lane Thomas with one out, receiving a standing ovation. He struck seven and walked two. Paul Sewald gave up a run in the ninth while getting his 16th save.

Erick Fedde (5-8) made his first start since July 24 after recovering from shoulder inflammation and coming off the injured list. The right-hander allowed two runs, on Haniger’s homer, in five innings.