MLB Updates From Last Night
UNDATED (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals are the first major league team to 50 victories this season, thanks to their fifth winning streak of at least five games.
Michael Wacha picked up his 10th victory of the year and three Cardinals collected two RBIs in an 8-1 pounding of the Chicago Cubs. Matt Carpenter hit a two-run single in a four-run fourth, Kolten Wong doubled home a pair in a four-run fifth and Xavier Scruggs delivered an RBI hit in both rallies to help Wacha get to 10-3.
Wacha gave up a run and six hits over six innings to become the third 10-game winner of the season.
The Cardinals' fifth straight win keeps them eight games ahead of second-place Pittsburgh in the NL Central.
Also in the majors:
— Pedro Alvarez doubled home a pair in a five-run first that jumpstarted Pittsburgh's 8-4 win over Atlanta. Starling Marte was 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored as the Pirates dealt the Braves their fifth consecutive loss. Francisco Cervelli had two hits and two RBIs to back Charlie Morton, who improved to 6-1 despite surrendering four runs and 10 hits in six-plus innings.
— Miami's five-game skid is over after Tom Koehler outpitched Clayton Kershaw and Christian Yelich collected four hits in the Marlins' 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Koehler allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings, while Kershaw was reached for one earned run and seven hits in seven frames. Miami scored each of its runs without an RBI, doing it with two errors and a wild pitch by Kershaw.
— Andrew Susac laced a three-run double in the seventh inning as San Francisco outscored Colorado 7-5 to pull within one game of the NL West-leading Dodgers. Buster Posey poked a two-run double, and Matt Duffy was 3-for-4 with a solo homer, two RBIs and three runs scored. Nolan Arenado (ar-eh-NAH'-doh) extended his hitting streak to 14 games with an RBI double for the Rockies, who lost for just the second time in seven games.
— Matt Andriese combined with three relievers on a three-hitter and Jake Elmore hit a two-run homer as the Rays beat Boston 4-1. Andriese retired his first 11 hitters and finished with five strikeouts and no walks in six innings to help the Al East-leading Rays stay a half-game ahead of the New York Yankees. Xander Boegaerts was the Red Sox's lone baserunner against the Tampa Bay starter, hitting a two-out single in the fourth.
— The Yankees kept pace with Tampa Bay as Brian McCann hit a grand slam in the first inning and Mark Teixeira snapped a 6-6 tie with a tiebreaking, two-run double in the eighth to lead a 9-6 triumph at Houston. Chris Young and Chad Headley also homered as the Yankees won despite another poor performance by Masahiro Tanaka, who was tagged for six runs and seven hits in five innings. Carlos Correa, Chris Carter and Jose Altuve went deep for the Astros, who saw their lead in the AL West shrink to four games over Texas.
— The Rangers have snapped a season-worst, six game losing skid with a 4-0 win over Toronto. Yovani Gallardo extended his scoreless streak to a career-high 23 innings by pitching three-hit ball into the ninth. Mitch Moreland, Robinson Chirinos and Rougned Odor (ROOG'-nehd oh-DOHR') hit solo homers for Texas.
— Eduardo Escobar belted a three-run homer and Torii Hunter added a solo blast in Minnesota's 5-2 triumph over Milwaukee. Kyle Gibson gave up two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings before Glenn Perkins claimed his 24th save in as many chances. The outcome keeps the Twins 4 ½ games behind the AL Central-leading Royals.
— Kendrys Morales supplied a go-ahead, two-run single in the sixth inning of Kansas City's 3-2 triumph at Oakland. Chris Young is 7-3 with a 2.71 ERA after yielding just one earned run and four hits in six innings. Young was reached for seven runs before leaving in the fifth inning of his previous start, last Sunday in Boston.
— Garret Richards was sharp in the Los Angeles Angels' 4-2 win over Seattle, giving up two runs and seven hits in 7 2/3 innings. Kole Calhoun hit a two-run homer
— Rain caused the postponement of Washington's game at Philadelphia, Cleveland's clash at Baltimore and Detroit's contest against the visiting Chicago White Sox. The games in Philadelphia and Baltimore have been rescheduled as part of Sunday doubleheaders, while the Tigers-Chisox makeup is slated for Sept. 21.
— Rain also left the Cincinnati Reds tied with the Mets 1-1 in New York before the game was suspended.