Joey Votto homered for the seventh straight game and Jonathan India went deep twice as the visiting Cincinnati Reds beat the New York Mets 6-2 Friday night.
Votto moved within one of the major league record for consecutive games with a homer. Dale Long did it in 1956 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Don Mattingly achieved the feat in 1987 with the New York Yankees and Ken Griffey Jr. did it in 1993 with the Seattle Mariners.
Votto has gone deep nine times in his last seven games, and also drove in a run for a career-high eighth straight game. The team record is held by Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, who had RBIs in 10 straight games in 1976.
Jeff McNeil and Brandon Drury hit RBI doubles for the Mets. Carlos Carrasco allowed one run on three hits in four innings after missing three months with a hamstring injury, becoming the 56th player to appear for the Mets this season, tying the team record set in 2018.
Yankees 3, Marlins 1
Anthony Rizzo hit a 449-foot homer in his New York debut, leading his new team to a win over host Miami.
Jameson Taillon (7-4) pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings to get the win. Rizzo, acquired in Thursday’s trade with the Chicago Cubs, went 2-for-3 with a base on balls. Former Texas Rangers star Joey Gallo also made his Yankees debut, going 0-for-4 with a walk.
Marlins rookie Zach Thompson (2-4) took a hard-luck loss, allowing just the sixth-inning solo homer by Rizzo in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out five, walked four and gave up just three hits.
Rockies 9, Padres 4
Ryan McMahon’s first-inning grand slam was the first of four homers hit by Colorado in a victory at San Diego.
The Padres, however, experienced an even bigger loss when shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. partially dislocated his left shoulder while sliding into third in the first inning. He immediately left the game, and he was later listed as day-to-day.
Rockies starter Jon Gray (7-6) held the Padres to two runs on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings to post his second victory against the Padres in a span of 19 days.
Astros 9, Giants 6
Jose Altuve’s second home run of the game, a sixth-inning grand slam, broke open a tight affair and sent Houston to a victory at San Francisco.
Altuve finished with three hits, three runs and five RBIs as the Astros won their third straight. The grand slam was the sixth of Altuve’s career. The two-homer game was his third of 2021 and increased his team-leading total to 25 for the season.
Donovan Solano, Buster Posey, Mike Yastrzemski and Brandon Crawford all had a pair of hits for the Giants.
Rays 7, Red Sox 3
Yandy Diaz slugged a two-run shot for one of Tampa Bay’s three home runs, Wander Franco drove in a pair of runs and the Rays topped Boston in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Mike Zunino and Randy Arozarena added solo homers for Tampa Bay, which has won two straight coming off a three-game skid. Rays starter Josh Fleming (8-5) allowed three runs on eight hits with a pair of walks and seven strikeouts over five innings.
Christian Vazquez, Bobby Dalbec and Hunter Renfroe each drove in a run for Boston.
Brewers 9, Braves 5
Avisall Garcia had three hits, including a three-run homer, to help visiting Milwaukee erase an early four-run deficit and beat Atlanta.
The Brewers hit three home runs and extended their winning streak to four, during which they have outscored opponents 37-8. Eduardo Escobar, playing his first game since being acquired by the Brewers, hit his 23rd homer of the season in the ninth inning.
Atlanta starter Touki Toussaint (1-2) had his worst outing since rejoining the rotation. He lasted only 3 1/3 innings and allowed seven runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts.
Diamondbacks 6, Dodgers 5 (10 innings)
Asdrubal Cabrera hit a run-scoring bloop double into left field with one out in the 10th inning to give Arizona a victory over Los Angeles in Phoenix.
Josh VanMeter had three doubles and three RBIs for the Diamondbacks, who have won seven of their past 10 games. Cabrera reached base five times on two hits and three walks and also drove in two runs.
Chris Taylor homered and had three RBIs for the Dodgers, who have dropped eight of their past 12 games. Los Angeles fell to 1-11 in extra-inning games.
Mariners 9, Rangers 5
Jarred Kelenic homered and drove in four runs and fellow rookie Logan Gilbert won his fifth consecutive decision as Seattle prevailed at Arlington, Texas.
Adolis Garcia, Jonah Heim and Jason Martin hit solo homers for the Rangers, who lost for the 14th time in their past 15 games. Gilbert (5-2) allowed four runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings with one walk and six strikeouts.
Rangers starter Kolby Allard (2-9) was tagged for seven runs — six earned — on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts in three innings.
White Sox 6, Indians 4
Tim Anderson drove in the go-ahead run with an eighth-inning single and Yoan Moncada had three hits — including a home run that bounced off a Cleveland outfielder — as host Chicago rallied for a win.
The White Sox snapped a 4-all tie with two runs in the eighth inning, when an Indians error and a passed ball set the stage for Anderson, who had two hits.
Jose Ruiz (1-1) earned the victory, stranding two runners while retiring all three batters he faced in the eighth. Liam Hendriks tossed a scoreless ninth for his 26th save. James Karinchak (7-3) was the loser after allowing two runs on three hits and a walk without recording an out.
Cardinals 5, Twins 1
Tommy Edman drove in three runs to lift St. Louis over visiting Minnesota.
Wade LeBlanc held the Twins to one run on six hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings while striking out three. Ryan Helsley (6-4) earned the victory in relief by recording four outs for the Cardinals, who won for the eighth time in 12 games.
In his third major league start, Griffin Jax held the Cardinals to one run on two hits and two walks in five innings, adding a pair of strikeouts while throwing 83 pitches. Reliever Tyler Duffey (2-3) took the loss for the Twins, who fell for the 11th time in 15 games.
Nationals 4, Cubs 3
Josh Bell and Luis Garcia homered and Washington downed visiting Chicago.
Sergio Alcantara and Rafael Ortega had two hits each for the Cubs, who have lost four straight. Chicago starter Jake Arrieta (5-10) gave up two runs on six hits over four innings, with a walk and three strikeouts.
Nationals starter Paolo Espino (3-2) allowed a run on four hits over 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out six. Kyle Finnegan pitched the ninth for his second save.
Pirates 7, Phillies 0
Gregory Polanco and Kevin Newman each drove in two runs and Wil Crowe pitched six scoreless innings as Pittsburgh busted out of a four-game losing streak with a win over visiting Philadelphia.
Crowe (3-5) combined with relievers Chasen Shreve and Duane Underwood Jr. on a one-hit shutout. Bryan Reynolds added an RBI triple and Rodolfo Castro and Ke’Bryan Hayes each hit an RBI double for the Pirates, who had lost eight of their previous 10 games.
Alec Bohm led off the second with a single for the Phillies’ only hit of the night. Philadelphia starter Vince Velasquez (3-6) lasted just two innings, allowing five runs and six hits with one walk and one strikeout.
Athletics 2, Angels 0
Chris Bassitt threw seven scoreless innings, leading Oakland to a shutout victory over Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.
Bassitt (11-3), an All-Star for the first time this season at age 32, struck out seven and walked one. Jed Lowrie and Elvis Andrus each had two hits and Matt Chapman homered for the A’s.
Angels starter Patrick Sandoval (3-5), coming off a near no-hitter in his previous start, gave up just one run on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six but also walked six.
Blue Jays 6, Royals 4
Bo Bichette hit a two-run home run, Teoscar Hernandez had a solo shot and Toronto won its true home opener by beating Kansas City.
George Springer was 3-for-4 in the Blue Jays’ first game at the Rogers Centre since Sept. 29, 2019. They had been playing their home games in Dunedin, Fla., and Buffalo because of COVID-19 restrictions. Toronto’s Ross Stripling (4-6) allowed two runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Royals starter Daniel Lynch (1-3) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings. He fanned two and walked two. Salvador Perez smacked his 26th homer of the season.
Orioles 4, Tigers 3
Pedro Severino hit two solo home runs, Matt Harvey tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings and Baltimore held off host Detroit.
Ryan Mountcastle also homered for the Orioles. Harvey (6-10) scattered six hits and didn’t issue a walk while striking out five. He hasn’t allowed a run in his past three starts. Cole Sulser recorded his fourth save by pitching a perfect ninth inning.
Miguel Cabrera had two hits and an RBI for the Tigers. Tarik Skubal (6-10) gave up all four Baltimore runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out four.
–Field Level Media
