De La Cruz and Andujar lead late rally that gives the Reds a 2-1 win over the Padres
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Elly De La Cruz and pinch-hitter Miguel Andujar delivered RBI singles in the eighth inning as the Cincinnati Reds beat the San Diego Padres 2-1 to take two of three games in a series between National League playoff contenders. Andrew Abbott threw eight sparkling innings to help Cincinnati pull even with San Francisco in the wild-card standings, two games behind the New York Mets for the NL’s final postseason berth. Nick Pivetta pitched four-hit ball for seven scoreless innings and the Padres had a 1-0 lead on Fernando Tatis Jr.’s home run before the Reds broke through against relievers Kyle Hart and Adrian Morejon in the eighth. The Padres dropped three games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West with 16 to play.
Rodriguez limits Giants to 1 hit over 6 1/3 innings in Diamondbacks’ 5-3 victory
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Eduardo Rodriguez allowed one hit over 6 1/3 innings and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Francisco Giants 5-3 on Wednesday to avoid a series sweep. The victory kept Arizona in the hunt for a postseason berth. The Diamondbacks entered the day 4 1/2 games behind the New York Mets for the third and final NL wild card. Rodriguez (8-8) had six strikeouts and walked two in a mostly dominant outing. Jake Woodford and Andrew Saalfrank each retired four batters to finish the game. Geraldo Perdomo had two hits including the first leadoff home run of his career to help the Diamondbacks end a three-game skid. Alex Thomas, Tim Tawa and Gabriel Moreno also had two hits apiece.
Kurtz, Butler power A’s past Red Sox 5-4, end Chapman’s hitless streak of 50 batters, 17 appearances
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Nick Kurtz joined Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire as the only Athletics rookies to hit 30 home runs and Lawrence Butler hit a ninth-inning walk-off single in a 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox and Aroldis Chapman, whose seven-week hitless streak ended. Kurtz led off the second with a 357-foot shot to left field. He is the 32nd player to hit 30 homers as a rookie. Canseco hit 33 in 1986 and McGwire hit 49 the next season. Shea Langeliers led off the ninth with a double off Chapman (4-3), who hadn’t surrendered a hit since July 23, a span of 50 batters and a franchise-record 17 appearances, the third-longest streak in MLB history since 1901.
Ohtani’s next start for Dodgers set for crucial series against NL East-leading Phillies
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is set to make his next pitching start for the Los Angeles Dodgers next week against the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies. The NL West-leading Dodgers trail the Phillies by four games for the National League’s No. 2 seed. Manager Dave Roberts hasn’t specified which game Ohtani will start in the three-game series beginning Monday. The team wants to give Ohtani extra rest after his last start on Sept. 5. Meanwhile, pitcher Roki Sasaki is returning to the Dodgers after a stint in Triple-A. The team will soon decide whether Sasaki will remain a starter or move to the bullpen.