HOUSTON (AP) – – Ramón Laureano hit a two-run homer, rookie Seth Brown hit his first Major League-homerun and the Oakland Athletics beat the Houston Astros 7-3 on Saturday-evening to win the series.
Houston took the win in Game 1 on Thursday-evening to combine five consecutive wins over the Athletics, which he swept in a four-game streak that marked the start of the season.
But Oakland’s hitting, harmless during a 1-7 start, woke up on Friday in a 6-2 win by hitting three homers.
He continued to star in the series finale, scoring 11 hits, his highest of the season. The A’s and Astros have a break next Sunday.
There were two outs in the fifth company when Mark Canha singled for Oakland. The Dominican Laureano continued his fire.
The ball bounced off the track behind the left field to make it 4-0.
Frankie Montas (1-1) was off to a good start, accepting six hits and a run in just over six innings, ending a series of three consecutive losses that went back to September.
The defeated was Mexican José Urquidy (0-1), after seven hits and four runs in six innings in which he ordered seven strikeouts.
For the Athletics, the Dominican Laureano 4-3 with two runs scored and two RBI’s. Venezuelan Elvis Andrus 3-1.
For the Astros, Venezuelan José Altuve was 4-2 with one run and one run. Puerto Ricans Carlos Correa 4-1, Martín Maldonado 4-1. The Cubans Yordan Álvarez 4-1, Yuli Gurriel 3-1, Aledmys Díaz 3-1.
BOSTON 6, BALTIMORE 4
BALTIMORE (AP) – – Rafael Devers hit a homerun and the Boston Red Sox had two touchdowns in the 10th inning thanks to a wild pitch and RBI-single by Puerto Rican Christian Vázquez to beat the Orioles in Baltimore.
Boston extended its winning streak to five games.
Baltimore-outfielder Trey Mancini hit his first homerun since returning from cancer surgery that sidelined him from the 2020 season onward. The homerun was Mancini’s first since September 28, 2019.
The Orioles scored twice in the eighth to take a 4-3 lead off a pick by Maikel Franco and an RBI-single by Freddy Galvis off Adam Ottavino. Boston was tied for ninth with another pick from Bobby Dalbec against Cesar Valdez, who had made his two previous saves.
Michael Chavis, who promoted hours earlier from the alternate training camp, pinch-run in the 10th inning and scored on a low pitch by Dillon Tate (0-1) that hit the bottom. Vazquez secured the win by producing a run with a single off of Wade LeBlanc.
Matt Barnes (1-0) struckout two batters in the ninth and Matt Andriese made Boston’s first save of the season.
For the Orioles, the Dominicans produced Franco 3-1, and Pedro Severino 1-0. Venezuelan Freddy Galvis 5-1, an RBI.
For the Red Sox, Puerto Ricans Enrique Hernández 5-2 and Christian Vázquez 5-1, an RBI. Mexican Alex Verdugo 4-0, two scored. The Dominicans Devers 5-2, one scored, two RBI’s and Frenchy Cordero 1-1. Venezuelan Marwin González 5-2, one scored.
INDIANS 11, TIGERS 3
CLEVELAND (AP) – – Aaron Civale gave up only three hits in a dominant 7 2/3 innings, and the Cleveland Indians hit five homeruns to beat the Detroit Tigers 11-3 on Saturday-evening.
One of the homeruns brought in three runs and was the work of Jordan Luplow, who almost hit another identical homerun. He had to settle for a two-run double to finish with five RBI’s, the highest total in his career.
Civale (2-0), who defeated the Tigers a week ago when he made his season debut, continued Cleveland’s strong pitching streak. The righthander gave up two basehits and faced as few batters as possible for six innings, before Robbie Grossman homered in the seventh.
Civale’s job included six strikeouts and not a single walk. Manager Terry Francona ordered him to relieve him in the eighth inning after throwing 90 pitches.
Detroit’s Jeimer Candelario hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning.
Dominican Franmil Reyes had his third homer in two days. Puerto Rican Roberto Pérez and Venezuelan Andrés Giménez added two homers from two runs.
Another Venezuelan, Cesar Hernandez, provided a lone club for Cleveland.
For the Tigers, Puerto Rican Willi Castro 4-0. The Dominicans Candelario 4-1 with one run and two RBI’s, Nomar Mazara 2-1. Venezuelans Miguel Cabrera 3-0, Harold Castro 2-0, Victor Reyes 3-0.
For the Indians, Venezuelans César Hernández were 5-3 with a run scored and an RBI, Andrés Giménez 3-1 with two runs scored and two produced. The Dominicans José Ramírez 4-0, Reyes 4-1 with a run scored and an RBI. Puerto Ricans Eddie Rosario 3-0, Roberto Pérez 1-1 with four runs scored and two RBI’s.
MARLINS 3, METS 0
NEW YORK (AP) – – Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a long homerun off a dominant Jacob deGrom; Trevor Rogers defeated the two-time Cy Young winner for the second time and the Miami Marlins defeated the New York Mets 3-0 on Saturday night.
DeGrom tied his best total with 14 strikeouts in eight innings. Rogers struckout 10 batters in six and the two teams together struckout 28 batters.
23-year-old Rogers (1-1) dropped deGrom for the second time in nine starts in the majors. The left-handed first hit him on August 31 last year.
Rogers started his third outing against the Mets, isolated three hits and two walks and retired 11 batters in a row.
DeGrom (0-1) looked tenacious until Chisholm fired a 402-foot cannon at a 100mph fastball. That was all he tolerated.
The righthanded man gave up five basehits and walked without taking 76 of his 95 pitches for strikes.
For the Marlins, Venezuelan Jesús Aguilar 4-1, an RBI. His countryman Miguel Rojas 4-2, an RBI. Dominican Starling Marte 4-2, one scored.
For the Mets, Puerto Rican Francisco Lindor 3-0. The Dominican Jonathan Villar 3-0.
D-BACKS 8, ROJOS 3
PHOENIX (AP) – – Riley Smith worked six innings effectively in the first start of his career and the Arizona Diamondbacks cooled off the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday by beating them 8-3.
Tim Locastro had four hits to back up Smith’s impressive debut (1-0), who gave up only two runs and eight hits against the Reds who had won six in a row.
The 26-year-old right-handed took over as a replacement for left-handed Caleb Smith, who was sent to the bullpen after a struggle during his first appearance.
Riley Smith knew how to dominate Cincinnati’s fiery line-up. His lone problem came in the second company, when the first four batters reached on a walk, a double and a pair of basehits. The hits, by Nick Senzel and Jonathan India, yielded runs.
GIANTES 4, ROCKIES 3
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – – Brandon Crawford brought in the decisive hit for the second day in a row, a three-run homer in the sixth inning, as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Saturday-evening.
On Friday, Crawford had reacted with a two-run double, with the bases loaded in the seventh inning, and the Giants won 3-1 in the first game of the series.
Ben Bowden (0-2) replaced Chi Chi González and walked Alex Dickerson and pinch-hitter Wilmer Flores before Crawford hit his second homerun of the season.
PARENTS 7, RANGERS 4
ARLINGTON, Texas, USA (AP) – – Trent Grisham hit the lead homer in the seventh inning when the Padres defeated the Texas Rangers 7-4 on Saturday-evening the day after San Diego had its first game. Without a hit or career in its history.
The day after Joe Musgrove delivered, the Padres won their seventh consecutive game against Texas. Eric Hosmer and Ha-Seong Kim also homered for San Diego.
Grisham put San Diego at 5-4 with a two-run homer off reliever Wes Benjamin (0-1). The midfielder, who hit first, was born in Burleson, Texas, about 30 miles from Globe Life Field.
BRAVOS 5, PHILIS 4
ATLANTA (AP) – – Freddie Freeman hit a two-run homer and grounded the lead in the seventh inning for the Atlanta Braves, who beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 on Saturday-evening.
Atlanta, which opened the season with four consecutive losses, recovered with a four-game winning streak, including two games in this series against the Phillies, their rivals in NL East.
The Braves’ start to the season, with a 0-4 record, included three losses in Philadelphia.
Venezuelan Ehire Adrianza started the game as pinch runner against Archie Bradley (0-1), to start the seventh inning. Another Venezuelan, Ronald Acuña Jr., singled to put Adrianza on third base.
Freeman grounded out with one out. Venezuelan left-handed José Alvarado acted on the mound.
Alvarado looked to second place, but since the box was playing early with the goal of playing on the record, no one covered that path. The pitcher threw at the plate late and Adrianza scored without even slipping.
PIRATES 8, DOGS 2
PITTSBURGH (AP) – – Mitch Keller worked five innings efficiently and the Pittsburgh Pirates used an early attack to hurt Zach Davies and beat the Chicago Cubs 8-2 on Saturday night.
Phil Evans hit his third homerun of the season to lead the Pirates in that field. Pittsburgh thus broke a six-game lost streak.
Keller (1-1) bounced back from a bad debut in 2021 and gave up just one run. The 25-year old pitcher, who has struggled with control since the preseason, struckout seven batters and walked only one.