MLB roundup: Astros run winning streak to 10
Max Stassi broke open a two-run game with a three-run home run in the sixth inning, and the Houston Astros extended their winning streak to 10 games with a 10-2 victory over the host Kansas City Royals on Saturday at Kauffman Stadium.
Stassi launched his seventh home run to left field off Royals left-hander Danny Duffy (3-7), blasting a 1-0 changeup with one out and plating Yuli Gurriel and Marwin Gonzalez. The Royals had sliced what was a 4-0 deficit in half in the bottom of the fifth before Stassi struck but suffered their fifth straight loss and 11th in the past 12 games.
Kansas City clawed back into contention thanks in part to a fielding error on Astros shortstop Carlos Correa. Houston left-hander Dallas Keuchel (4-8) was one out shy of completing five scoreless innings before Correa muffed a ground ball from Royals catcher Drew Butera.
Keuchel, 0-3 with a 7.33 ERA over his previous five starts, delivered a rebound performance, allowing two unearned runs on six hits and one walk with five strikeouts over six innings.
Luis Severino scattered three hits in eight outstanding innings as New York beat Tampa Bay at Yankee Stadium.
Severino (10-2) joined Cleveland's Corey Kluber and Washington's Max Scherzer as a 10-game winner this season. He also improved to 9-0 in his last 14 home starts, including the postseason.
Giancarlo Stanton and Gary Sanchez hit back-to-back homers in the fifth inning for the Yankees, who won for the 13th time in 16 games.
Blue Jays 2, Nationals 0
Devon Travis hit a two-run home run, Marco Estrada pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings and Toronto defeated visiting Washington and Max Scherzer.
It was the second straight win for the Blue Jays, who will try for a sweep of the three-game interleague series on Sunday afternoon. The Blue Jays have won six in a row at home after going 1-10 before that at Rogers Centre.
Estrada (4-6) allowed three hits and walked two with four strikeouts in winning his second straight decision after going winless in eight previous starts. Scherzer (10-3) allowed two runs on four hits and one walk in six innings. The right-hander struck out 10, the 10th time this season that he has reached double digits in strikeouts.
Twins 9, Indians 3
Eddie Rosario went 4-for-4 with a home run, a double and four runs scored and Logan Morrison had three RBIs as visiting Minnesota beat first-place Cleveland for a second straight day.
The loss was especially painful for the Indians, who saw starter Carlos Carrasco leave the game after being hit in the right arm by a Joe Mauer line drive in the second inning. Carrasco suffered a right forearm contusion and was taken to the hospital for precautionary X-rays, the Indians announced.
Carrasco threw seven shutout innings in his previous outing, but the Twins got to him early. Eduardo Escobar and Max Kepler each hit two-run doubles in a four-run first inning for Minnesota.
Rhys Hoskins hit a 431-foot homer and fell a triple shy of the cycle as Philadelphia rebounded from a 13-2 loss Friday to defeat host Milwaukee.
In his seventh game back from a jaw injury, Hoskins produced his second three-hit game of the season. His other occurred in Thursday's 9-3 win over the Colorado Rockies. Since returning, Hoskins is batting .360 (9-for-25) with three homers and nine RBIs.
Andrew Knapp hit a solo homer for the Phillies, who matched a season high with 10 walks but went 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded a season-high 15.
Athletics 6, Angels 4
Marcus Semien ignited a four-run sixth inning with a leadoff home run and Stephen Piscotty capped it with a two-out, two-run single, sending Oakland to victory over visiting Los Angeles.
Left-hander Sean Manaea (6-6) overcame a three-run homer by the Angels' Chris Young to pitch six effective innings, helping Oakland end a four-game losing streak and even the three-game series at 1-1.
Young had the only extra-base hit for the Angels, who have lost five of six.
Braves 1, Padres 0
Charlie Culberson supplied the only run with a solo homer and left-hander Sean Newcomb picked up his eighth victory as Atlanta blanked visiting San Diego.
Culberson hit his third home run of the season on a long fly to left-center field on a 1-0 pitch off San Diego starter Jordan Lyles (2-4) in the fifth inning. Each of Culberson's three homers have provided the winning margin for Atlanta, the previous two being walk-off shots.
Newcomb (8-2) pitched six shutout innings and allowed only two hits and one walk, striking out seven.
Rangers 5, Rockies 2
Adrian Beltre tripled during a three-run eighth inning as Texas rallied to beat visiting Colorado.
Jose Leclerc (2-2) tossed one inning of relief to get the win and Keone Kela got the last three outs for his 15th save in as many chances for Texas, which ended a seven-game losing streak.
Delino DeShields led off the eighth with a walk, and Jurickson Profar singled off Rockies reliever Harrison Musgrave (0-2). Beltre followed with a triple to center to break a 2-all tie, and he came home on Rougned Odor's sacrifice fly.
Pirates 6, Reds 2
Colin Moran, Elias Diaz and Josh Harrison each hit home runs as Pittsburgh topped visiting Cincinnati for its third straight win.
The Pirates, who broke it open with three runs in the sixth, got back to .500 (35-35) and ensured themselves of winning a series after dropping eight in a row.
Eugenio Suarez and Brandon Dixon hit homers for the Reds, who have lost two straight after a three-game winning streak. Dixon's blast was the first of his major league career.
Tigers 7, White Sox 5
Nicholas Castellanos hit two homers and tied his career high with five RBIs, and Detroit extended its winning streak to four games with a victory over host Chicago.
Castellanos blasted a three-run homer and a two-run shot and added a single. Victor Martinez added three hits, and Jeimer Candelario scored twice.
Shane Greene recorded his fourth save in as many days and 19th overall by recording the last three outs. Detroit starter Jordan Zimmermann, making his first start off the 10-day disabled list, gave up four runs in five innings in a no-decision.
Marlins 5, Orioles 4
J.T. Realmuto homered twice and drove in four runs to lead Miami past host Baltimore.
It was the fourth career multi-homer game and second this year for Realmuto, who went 3-for-4. Former Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen (2-3) earned the win, allowing eight hits, one walk and three runs in six innings.
Miami has won five of its past six games. Baltimore has lost 16 of its past 18 games, including nine in a row.
--Field Level Media
