ATLANTA (AP) —
Nick Castellanos hit two home runs and saved the game with a brilliant throw as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves in 10 innings, handing the NL East champions their fifth loss in six games.
The Braves rallied from a four-run deficit and had a chance to walk off with the win in the ninth after pinch-runner Luke Williams stole second and third.
Orlando Arcia hit a fly ball down the right-field line that appeared deep enough to bring home the tagging Williams. But Castellanos made the catch in foul territory, spun around and threw home in time for Garrett Stubbs to tag the runner on the right shoulder before his foot touched the plate.
Craig Kimbrel (8-6) claimed the win and Matt Strahm earned his second save.
In the 10th, Bryson Stott came through with two outs, lining an opposite-field double down the third-base line that brought home two runs off A.J. Minter (3-6).
TWINS 5, REDS 3
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jorge Polanco's two-run single capped a three-run ninth inning, helping Minnesota overcome Hunter Greene’s 14 strikeouts to beat the Cincinnati.
With Minnesota trailing 3-2, Willi Castro singled leading off the ninth against Reds closer Alexis Díaz (9-5), then stole second and took third on catcher Luke Maile’s throwing error. Kyle Farmer followed with a tying single.
Polanco hit a bases-loaded, two-out single off Sam Moll that scored Farmer and Christian Vázquez. Griffin Jax pitched the bottom of the inning for his third save.
Greene allowed one run – Castro’s second home run in two days in the seventh – and three hits with one walk over seven innings.
Jhoan Duran (3-6) allowed a walk with two strikeouts to get the win.
ASTROS 2, ORIOLES 1
HOUSTON (AP) — Mauricio Dubon’s RBI single with one out in the ninth inning lifted Houston to the win over Baltimore, helping the Astros avoid a sweep and stay a half-game ahead of Texas for first place in the AL West.
Yainer Diaz doubled to right field off Danny Coulombe (5-2) to start Houston’s ninth, and he moved to third on a groundout by Chas McCormick.
Dubon then singled into the gap in right field to score Diaz.
Closer Ryan Pressly (4-5) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.
Anthony Santander doubled and drove in Baltimore’s only run with a single in the first inning as the team’s lead over the Rays in the AL East fell to two games.
NATIONALS 13, WHITE SOX 3
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lane Thomas hit a grand slam for Washington in a rout of Chicago.
Joey Meneses and Dominic Smith also homered for Washington, which had a season high in runs and won back-to-back games for the first time since taking three in a row from Aug. 24-26.
Gavin Sheets drove in two runs for Chicago, which has dropped nine of its last 12 games and 14 of 19.
Thomas broke the game open after Jesse Scholtens allowed Luis García’s single, hit Jake Alu and walked CJ Abrams to load the bases in the third inning. After taking the first pitch, Thomas hammered a curveball to left for his 26th home run and second career grand slam to put Washington up 8-1.
Thomas also walked twice and was hit by a pitch.
Josiah Gray (8-12) earned his first victory since July 22. The right-hander gave up a run on five hits in five innings and struck out four. Reliever Tanner Banks (0-4) took the loss.
RANGERS 15, RED SOX 5
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Marcus Semien drove in three runs and scored for the AL-best 115th time, Jonah Heim and Mitch Garver hit back-to-back homers and playoff-chasing Texas beat Boston.
Rookies Josh Jung and Evan Carter each added two-run homers for the Rangers, who began the day a half-game behind Houston for the AL West lead and tied with division foe Seattle for the American League’s third and final wild-card spot.
Left-hander Martin Perez (10-4) struck out five while allowing three hits over 4 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Jon Gray.
Boston, last in the AL East after losing 12 of 15 games, dropped its fifth consecutive series even after jumping ahead 4-0. Adam Duvall hit a three-run homer in the first and Bobby Dalbec had a leadoff shot in the second.
The first seven Texas batters reached base in the bottom of the second off Brayan Bello (12-10).
ROYALS 6, GUARDIANS 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nelson Velázquez hit a three-run homer, Angel Zerpa shut down Cleveland in relief of Zack Greinke, and Kansas City rolled to the victory and a three-game sweep.
Zerpa (3-3) got the final out of the fourth inning and allowed three hits the rest of the way. He struck out four without a walk.
Bobby Witt Jr. and Edward Olivares also drove in runs to send the Royals out on their final road trip having won six of their past seven games.
Lucas Giolito (8-14) allowed four runs, three of them earned, on seven hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
