Cubs rally for 3 in 9th to complete sweep of Marlins, 5-4

the associated press

CHICAGO — Matt Szczur scored on A.J. Ramos’ wild pitch with two outs in the ninth inning to give the Chicago Cubs a 5-4 comeback victory over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday.

The Cubs scored three runs in the inning to sweep the three-game series.

Miguel Montero led off with a double to right and went to third on Javier Baez’s single. Ramos (1-1) then walked pinch-hitter Szczur to load the bases. Dexter Fowler made it 3-2 with a sacrifice fly to right, and all the runners advanced.

Kris Bryant struck out looking on a 3-2 pitch for the second out. Anthony Rizzo was intentionally walked to load the bases again, and Ramos walked Zobrist and then unloaded a wild pitch with Willson Contreras at the plate. It was Ramos’ second blown save of the season in 33 chances.

Jeff Mathis hit a two-run home run, and Christian Yelich homered and drove in a pair of runs to help the Marlins take a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the eighth.

Chicago cut it to 4-2 in the eighth when Fowler scored on Fernando Rodney’s wild pitch.

Justin Grimm (1-0) pitched the ninth inning for the victory. Chicago has won seven of eight.

Miami’s Ichiro Suzuki lined out softly to shortstop as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning against John Lackey. The Japanese star remained at 2,998 career hits.

YANKEES 9, METS 5

NEW YORK — Mark Teixeira hit a tiebreaking, three-run drive off Steven Matz in the second inning for his first home run against a left-hander in more than a year, then got hit by a pitch that sparked a bench-clearing dustup in the Yankees’ Subway Series victory.

Chad Green and Matz (8-8) both struggled at the start, and Luis Severino (1-6) came out of the bullpen with 4 1/3 innings of one-hit relief. Another of the Yankees’ Kiddie Korps, 23-year-old catcher Gary Sanchez, was called up before the game and got his first big league hit.

In a season-long slump, Teixeira came to the plate in the second with the score 3-all. Following two-out singles by Jacoby Ellsbury and Rob Refsnyder, the switch-hitter lofted the ball over the right-field scoreboard and into the first row of seats at Yankee Stadium for his 10th home run this season and first batting right-handed since July 31 last year against Carlos Rodon of the Chicago White Sox.

When Teixeira batted in the fifth, Matz’s first pitch hit him below the left knee. Teixeira got up, started yelling and was walled off by catcher Rene Rivera. Players from both teams came onto the field, but there were no scuffles. Then, during a three-run seventh that opened a 9-4 lead, the Mets had repeated mound meetings with reliever Hansel Robles when Teixeira was on second base, apparently thinking he was trying to steal signs. When Robles walked toward the dugout, he appeared to mutter at Teixeira, who pointed to the side of his helmet.

NATIONALS 8, DIAMONDBACKS 3

PHOENIX — Max Scherzer struck out 11 in eight innings and had a two-run single in Washington’s victory over Arizona.

Washington earned its fourth road series sweep of the season and first since May 30-June 1 at Philadelphia. Arizona lost its fourth straight and sixth in seven games.

Scherzer (12-6) allowed three runs on four hits, giving up two homers, and walked one. He is 3-0 in four starts against the Diamondbacks, the team that drafted him 11th overall in 2006.

Daniel Murphy’s sixth-inning solo home run broke a 1-1 tie before Scherzer bounced a single up the middle with the bases loaded and two outs, driving in Anthony Rendon and Danny Espinosa.

Arizona’s Zack Godley (3-2) allowed four runs on eight hits in six innings.

ROCKIES 12, DODGERS 2

DENVER — Carlos Gonzalez homered twice before leaving with an apparent ankle injury in Colorado’s victory over Los Angeles.

Gonzalez had his 19th multi-homer game of his career with Nos. 22 and 23 this season. He left in the bottom of seventh after he appeared to roll his left ankle at the plate.

Nolan Arenado, Mark Reynolds and DJ LeMahieu also homered for Colorado. The Rockies have won 11 of 13 to move above the .500 mark for the first time since May 18.

Arenado hit a three-run home run, and Reynolds added a two-run shot in a five-run first inning off Los Angeles starter Brock Stewart (0-2). Tyler Anderson (4-3) allowed two runs in seven innings for Colorado.

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw was moved to the 60-day disabled list earlier in the day, and right-hander Louis Coleman (shoulder fatigue) and left-hander Adam Liberatore were also placed on the DL.

PHILLIES 5, GIANTS 4, 12 INNINGS

PHILADELPHIA — Maikel Franco drove home the winning run with one out in the 12th inning to lift Philadelphia past struggling San Francisco.

Ryan Howard homered among his three hits and Cameron Rupp also connected for Philadelphia. Franco finished with three RBIs, including one on the unusual play that ended the game.

With the bases loaded and one out, Franco lined what appeared to be a clean single into right-center field. But young teammate Aaron Altherr, who was on first base, got so excited about the Phillies winning that he rushed to congratulate Franco without ever touching second base.

Giants catcher Buster Posey noticed the blunder and took a throw at second from right fielder Hunter Pence that technically forced out Altherr. Franco did indeed cross first base, though, so Tommy Joseph scored easily from third and the Giants had no chance at an inning-ending double play.

Posey singled, doubled and drove in three runs for the NL West-leading Giants. They have lost 13 of 17 since the All-Star break.

Luis Garcia (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win. George Kontos (2-2) was the loser.

CARDINALS 5, REDS 4

CINCINNATI — Brandon Moss singled home two runs in St. Louis’ four-run first inning, extending his season-long streak against Cincinnati.

St. Louis sent nine batters to the plate against Cody Reed (0-6) in the first inning, with Moss and Greg Garcia each driving in a pair of runs with singles. Stephen Piscotty added a solo homer, the Cardinals’ fifth in two games.

Michael Wacha (7-7) gave up a pair of runs in five innings as he won his fifth straight decision. Seung Hwan Ho gave up a hit in the ninth while earning his eighth save in 10 tries.

The NL Central rivals conclude the series Thursday. The Cardinals have won 18 of their past 22 series, including eight of 11 at Great American Ball Park.

ORIOLES 3, RANGERS 2

BALTIMORE — Kevin Gausman outpitched Cole Hamels, and Baltimore rode a three-run first inning to a victory over Texas.

Matt Wieters had two RBIs for the AL East-leading Orioles, a major league-best 39-16 at home. Baltimore will seek to complete a three-game sweep on Thursday in a series between first-place teams.

Gausman (3-8) gave up two runs and seven hits in seven innings, striking out seven and walking one. Darren O’Day worked a perfect eighth, and Zach Britton finished for his 33rd save in 33 tries.

Hamels (12-3) yielded three runs and three hits in a rocky first inning, then retired 13 of the next 14 batters without allowing a hit. He gave up three runs, four hits and four walks over seven innings.

TIGERS 2, WHITE SOX 1

DETROIT — J.D. Martinez broke an eighth-inning tie with a pinch homer on the first pitch he faced since June and Detroit beat Chicago for its eighth straight victory.

Playing for the first time since fracturing his elbow June 16, Martinez hit for James McCann leading off the inning and launched Chris Sale’s first pitch into the shrubs above the centerfield fence.

Shane Greene (2-2) got the win after pitching out of a seventh-inning jam, and Francisco Rodriguez finished for his 30th save. Sale (14-5) allowed two runs on six hits in an eight-inning complete game. He walked one and struck out 10.

Justin Morneau homered for Chicago.

RAYS 12, ROYALS 0

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Jake Odorizzi had his third consecutive scoreless start, Steven Souza Jr. homered for the first time in two months and Tampa Bay routed Kansas City.

Brad Miller and Kevin Kiermaier also homered for the Rays.

Odorizzi (6-5) allowed two singles, walked two and had six strikeouts in six innings. The right-hander hasn’t given up a run in 20 2/3 innings over the three-start stretch. Enny Romero and Ryan Garton completed a two-hitter.

After Evan Longoria had a sacrifice fly, Souza put the Rays up 4-0 on his three-run shot off Edinson Volquez (8-10) in the first. Miller made it 5-0 during the third on his 18th homer. Kiermaier hit a three-run drive off Chien-Ming Wang in a five-run sixth to put the Rays ahead 11-0.

MARINERS 3, RED SOX 1

SEATTLE — Nelson Cruz, Mike Zunino and Adam Lind hit solo home runs and Seattle beat Boston, handing Rick Porcello his first loss since May.

Cruz hit his 27th homer of the season leading off the second inning, Zunino hit his fifth leading off the sixth and Lind capped Seattle’s scoring with his 16th of the season with two outs in the seventh.

They were the only three hits allowed by Porcello (14-3) until Zunino’s single in the eighth, but enough to hand the right-hander his first loss since May 17 against Kansas City.

Seattle’s Hisashi Iwakuma (12-7) rebounded from a season-worst performance against the Chicago Cubs to limit Boston to five hits in 7 1/3 innings. Rookie Edwin Diaz gave up a run in the ninth on Travis Shaw’s RBI ground out, but got Sandy Leon for the final out and his second save.

TWINS 13, INDIANS 5

CLEVELAND — Joe Mauer had four hits and four RBIs, Brian Dozier hit a three-run homer and Minnesota continued its mastery over Cleveland.

AL Central-leading Cleveland fell to 4-8 against last-place Minnesota. The Twins have outscored the Indians 35-16 in winning the first three games of the series. The Indians’ lead over Detroit in the AL Central lead has shrunk to two games.

Tyler Duffey (6-8) allowed five runs in six innings. Eddie Rosario had three hits and three RBIs, and Max Kepler had two hits and drove in two runs.

Trevor Bauer (7-5) gave up eight runs — seven earned — in 2 2/3 innings. Mike Napoli homered for the fifth straight game while Tyler Naquin also went deep for Cleveland.

BRAVES 8, PIRATES 4

ATLANTA — Ender Inciarte broke a tie with an RBI single in the fifth inning and offensively challenged Atlanta had 15 hits in its victory over Pittsburgh.

Atlanta improved to 17-39 at Turner Field, the worst home record in the majors. Pittsburgh, which began the day two games out of a wild-card spot, has lost four five.

Pirates starter Jeff Locke (8-7) blew the four-run lead and was chased on Inciarte’s single.

Atlanta scored two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh off Juan Nicasio, taking an 8-4 lead on Adonis Garcia’s RBI single, Matt Kemp’s sacrifice fly and Erick Aybar’s RBI triple.

Braves starter Rob Whalen (1-0), making his first career appearance, gave up four hits, four runs, four walks and struck out five in five innings. Whalen put himself in a 4-0 hole on Matt Joyce’s 11th homer, a three-run shot, and a run that scored on a wild pitch.

BLUE JAYS 3, ASTROS 1

HOUSTON — Josh Donaldson hit two home runs, and Marco Estrada threw seven solid innings in Toronto’s victory over Houston.

Jose Bautista hit his second home run in two nights in the sixth as he and Donaldson went back-to-back. Donaldson led off the fourth with a home run to right field before hitting his 27th home run of the season in the sixth. It was Donaldson’s third multi-homer game this season.

Estrada (7-4) won his second straight start, allowing one run and four hits with seven strikeouts. Roberto Osuna pitched the ninth for his 23rd save. Collin McHugh (7-8) took the loss.

PADRES 12, BREWERS 3

SAN DIEGO — Edwin Jackson pitched seven scoreless innings and had an RBI double, and Jabari Blash hit his first major league home run to help San Diego rout Milwaukee.

Jackson (2-2) retired the first 11 batters he faced, and the Brewers didn’t put a runner in scoring position until Kirk Nieuwenhuis doubled in the fifth. Jackson signed a minor-league contract with the Padres in June after starting the season in Miami’s bullpen. He gave up three runs — two on Ryan Braun’s homer — on eight hits and struck out five over eight innings.

Yangervis Solarte also homered for San Diego.

Junior Guerra (7-3) was the loser.

ANGELS 8, ATHLETICS 6

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Los Angeles Angels an 8-6 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday night.

Mike Trout had three hits and reached on a throwing error to start the ninth, diving headlong into first base to avoid a tag. Pujols also finished with three hits to go with three RBIs.

Jefry Marte and Cliff Pennington homered in the fourth for the Angels, who have won 10 of 12 at home.

Stephen Vogt tied it 6-all with an RBI single in the top of the ninth, but Mike Morin (2-1) relieved Cam Bedrosian and got pinch-hitter Danny Valencia to bounce into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.