UNDATED (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays now enjoy a four-game lead in the American League East after completing a three-game sweep in Baltimore.
Brett Phillips capped his first career two-homer game with a tiebreaking grand slam in the eighth inning of the Rays’ 9-6 comeback over the Orioles. Tampa Bay trailed 5-3 before scoring six times in the eighth to improve to an AL-leading 68-44.
Tampa Bay is 11-1 against the last-place Orioles this season, outscoring them 94-48.
The Blue Jays helped out the Rays by rallying in the eighth inning of a 9-8 win over the second-place Red Sox. Boston led 8-6 until George Springer crushed a three-run homer.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added a two-run drive to help the Blue Jays finish 9-2 on their first homestand in Canada since September 2019.
In Sunday’s other major league action:
— The Yankees’ five-game winning streak is over after Yusei Kikuchi (YOO’-say kih-KOO’-chee) and the Mariners bullpen combined on a six-hitter in a 2-0 shutout in the Bronx. Kyle Seager doubled to break a scoreless tie in the eighth inning, helping Seattle avoid a four-game sweep. New York rookie starter Luis Gil (heel) tossed two-hit ball over five shutout innings, four days after holding Baltimore scoreless over six frames in his big league debut.
— Jorge Polanco hit a solo home run in the fifth and a three-run shot to right in the sixth to help the Twins build a 7-3 lead in a 7-5 downing of the Astros. Miguel Sanó (sah-NOH’) smacked a two-run homer and Max Kepler had three hits for Minnesota, which won three of four against the Astros. Kenta Maeda (mah-EH’-dah) won for the first time since July 4, allowing three runs over five frames.
— Oakland wrapped up a three-game sweep as Starling Marte went 4 for 5 with an RBI in the Athletics’ 6-3 decision over the Rangers. Seth Brown homered and the A’s pulled within two games of the AL East-leading Astros. Sean Murphy and Jed Lowrie each drove in two runs as the Athletics won their fourth in a row while handing Texas its 14th consecutive road loss.
— Eloy Jiménez drove in five runs with two homers and a double as the White Sox completed their first three-game sweep at Wrigley Field since 2012, a 9-3 romp over the Cubs. Jiménez and Andrew Vaughn hit two-run shots after Tim Anderson led off the game with a solo drive off Zach Davies in a five-run first. Anderson finished with three hits as the AL Central leaders won their fourth straight and stayed 10 ½ games ahead of second-place Cleveland.
— Bradley Zimmer’s tiebreaking home run in the seventh lifted the Indians past the Tigers, 7-5. Derek Hill’s first major league home run in the second inning helped Detroit build a 5-2 lead, but Cleveland rallied and went ahead on Zimmer’s two-run shot off Erasmo Ramírez. Owen Miller also homered for the Indians, who scored three unearned runs in the fourth thanks to a throwing error by shortstop Zack Short.
— Albert Pujols (POO’-hohlz) belted his first home run against the Angels since they released him in May, sending Walker Buehler and the Dodgers to an 8-2 win. Cody Bellinger homered for the second straight game in helping the World Series champions take two of three in the Freeway Series. Buehler is 12-2 after pitching six strong innings, allowing one run on four hits and striking out eight.
— Pinch-hitter Tommy La Stella singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, capping the Giants’ comeback in a 5-4 win over the Brewers. Le Stella’s base hit came one inning after pinch-hitter Brandon Belt smacked a two-run blast that tied it. The Giants took two of three in the series of division leaders and own the majors’ best record at 71-41.
— The Reds completed a four-game sweep as Tyler Mahle struck out 10 while limiting the Pirates to two runs and six hits over seven innings of Cincinnati’s 3-2 victory. Kyle Farmer had an RBI double off losing pitcher Bryse Wilson to cap a three-run fourth that helped the Reds get within five games of the NL Central-leading Brewers. Nick Castellanos doubled and scored as the Reds improved to 9-1 versus the Bucs this season.
— Zack Wheeler struck out 11 and tossed a two-hitter against his former team as the Phillies completed a three-game sweep of the Mets, 3-0. Bryce Harper, Jean Segura and J.T. Realmuto (ree-al-MOO’-toh) homered to power Philadelphia to its eighth consecutive victory and a two-game lead over Atlanta in the NL East. New York has dropped seven of eight since building a 4 1/2-game lead over the Phils last Saturday, leaving the Mets 2 1/2 games out of first.
— Ozzie Albies was in a 3-for-26 slump before belting a two-run homer off Patrick Corbin in the Braves’ 5-4 downing of the Nationals. Adam Duvall also hit a two-run shot off Corbin, who has allowed a major league-high 27 homers this season. Max Fried (freed) held Washington to one run over six innings of Atlanta’s fifth win in six games.
— Blake Snell and Jake Cronenworth led the Padres to a 2-0 shutout of the Diamondbacks. Snell matched a season high with seven innings and limited Arizona to two hits while striking out 13. Jake Cronenworth homered and drove in both runs.
— The Royals squandered a 5-1 lead before Nicky Lopez provided an RBI single in the ninth to give them a 6-5 win over the Cardinals. Hunter Dozier had two hits and scored twice to help Kansas City win the series finale. St. Louis tied the game 5-all with a three-run rally in the eighth, capped by RBI singles from Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado (ar-eh-NAH’-doh).
— C.J. Cron (krohn) collected a career-high seven RBIs while homering twice, including a grand slam in the Rockies’ 13-8 thumping of the Marlins. Connor Joe went deep twice, including the first pinch-hit home run of his career Dom Nunez and Sam Hilliard also connected to help Colorado complete a three-game sweep.
MLB-NEWS
Another COVID positive for Yankees
UNDATED (AP) — Newcomer Anthony Rizzo has become the latest Yankees player to test positive for the coronavirus.
The first baseman tested positive after Saturday’s game against Seattle. He went 0 for 4 in the Yankees’ 5-4 victory.
Rizzo is the fourth New York player within the past week to be sidelined by COVID-19, joining starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery and catcher Gary Sánchez.
In other MLB news:
— The Red Sox have activated designated hitter J.D. Martinez and outfielder Jarren Duran from the COVID-19 injured list. Both players were in the lineup for Sunday’s game at Toronto. Duran was placed on the COVID-19 list Friday night, and Martinez joined him there before Saturday’s doubleheader.
— The Phillies have retired Roy Halladay’s No. 34 jersey. The team held a tribute for the late Hall of Famer Sunday on the same diamond where he pitched himself into history. He spent four of his 16 seasons in Philadelphia and was twice an All-Star.v