Mets beat Pirates 7-1 on Clemente Day to extend slim lead

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This article was published 15/09/2022 (1151 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NEW YORK (AP) — On a Roberto Clemente Day particularly meaningful to both of them, Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco propelled the New York Mets past the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-1 on Thursday night to extend their slim lead in the NL East.

Lindor launched his 24th home run to set a Mets season record for shortstops, and Carrasco (15-6) struck out 11 in six splendid innings as New York moved a game ahead of idle Atlanta.

Slumping designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach drove in three runs against his former team, and pinch-hitter Mark Vientos had an RBI single for his first major league hit.

Breaking out early at the plate in the opener of a four-game series, the Mets halted a five-game home losing streak and rebounded from a three-game sweep by the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field.

Michael Chavis had an RBI double in the second for the last-place Pirates. JT Brubaker (3-12) was tagged for five runs and seven hits over three innings before leaving with discomfort in his right lat muscle. He is day-to-day.

RAYS 11, BLUE JAYS 0

TORONTO (AP) — Yandy Díaz hit a three-run home run and Tampa — starting an unprecedented nine Latin American players on Roberto Clemente Day — routed Toronto to pull within a half-game of the Blue Jays in the wild-card chase.

Clemente, the late Hall of Fame outfielder from Puerto Rico, was a two-time World Series winner and NL MVP who played 18 seasons with Pittsburgh.

Activated off the injured list after missing 15 games because of a left shoulder impingement, Shane McClanahan (12-5) pitched five shutout innings. He allowed three hits, struck out five and walked one.

Isaac Paredes hit a solo home run and added an RBI single as the Rays (80-63) won the fifth and final game of the series. Toronto (81-63) will play a four-game series at Tampa Bay, starting next Thursday.

Seattle (80-62), which holds one of the three AL wild-card spots, was idle Thursday, but moved percentage points ahead of Toronto.

Díaz homered in a four-run second inning, his ninth. Paredes made it 5-0 with a leadoff blast in the seventh, his 19th

Kevin Gausman (12-10) was the loser.

ASTROS 5, ATHLETICS 2

HOUSTON (AP) — Aledmys Díaz hit a two-run homer, Lance McCullers Jr. had a solid start and Houston beat Oakland for its fifth straight victory.

At 94-50, American League-leading Houston’s magic number to clinch a postseason spot is one. The Astros are 13-3 in their last 16 games.

Díaz broke a 2-2 tie in seventh inning, roping an 84-mph slider from Joel Payamps (3-6) into the left-field Crawford Boxes. Díaz has 11 homers this season.

McCullers had 11 strikeouts — his most since July 29, 2018 — and held Oakland to two hits and two runs while walking four.

Seth Martinez (1-1) pitched a scoreless seventh, and Rafael Montero worked the ninth for his 13th save.

WHITE SOX 8, GUARDIANS 2

CLEVELAND (AP) — Elvis Andrus hit one of Chicago’s five home runs off rookie Hunter Gaddis — and backed up a pregame swipe at the Guardians —to help cut Cleveland’s lead in the AL Central to three games.

Andrus connected in the fifth inning off Gaddis (0-2) — the first Cleveland pitcher to allow five homers in a game since Luis Tiant in 1969.

On Wednesday, Andrus raised some eyebrows by telling reporters he expected the first-place Guardians “to crumble, the closer we get.”

Gavin Sheets hit a two-run homer in the second to start Chicago’s homer spree against Gaddis, and Andrew Vaughn, Yoán Moncada and Yasmani Grandal joined Andrus by hitting shots off the right-hander.

Lance Lynn (7-5) limited the Guardians to two run and six hits in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander is 5-0 in his last seven starts. Cleveland had its winning streak stopped at six.

REDS 3, CARDINALS 2

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Nick Senzel and Aristides Aquino hit solo home runs and Cincinnati beat NL Central-leading St. Louis to snap a six-game losing streak in the opener of a five-game series.

St. Louis made it interesting in the ninth against rookie reliever Alexis Diaz, loading the bases with one out on two singles and walk before pulling within a run on a sacrifice fly by Albert Pujols. Diaz then got pinch-hitter Cory Dickerson to ground out to end the game and earn his seventh save.

Aquino and Spencer Steer each had two hits for the Reds.

Pujols finished 0 for 3 and remained at 697 career home runs. He is fourth on the career list behind Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714).

Cincinnati starter Chase Anderson (1-3) was the winner. Miles Mikolas (11-12) took the loss.

MARLINS 5, PHILLIES 3

MIAMI (AP) — Kyle Schwarber hit his NL-leading 38th homer for Philadelphia in the playoff-contending Phillies’ loss to Miami.

Schwarber connected off Pablo López in the sixth with a solo shot to right-center.

Miami rookie Jordan Groshans hit his first major league homer and Bryan De La Cruz also went deep and had four RBIs.

López (9-10) completed 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and six hits. Dylan Floro pitched the ninth for his fifth save. Noah Syndergaad (9-10) was the loser.

DIAMONDBACKS 4, PADRES 0

PHOENIX (AP) — Drey Jameson pitched seven shutout innings in his major league debut and Arizona hit three home runs to beat San Diego.

Jameson, called up Thursday from Triple-A Reno, gave up two hits — both by Brandon Drury — and walked one. He struck out five — including Juan Soto twice — and got 10 ground outs. He threw 90 pitches, 62 for strikes.

Kevin Ginkel, Joe Mantiply and Reyes Moronta finished the three-hitter. Ketel Marte, Emmanuel Rivera and Carson Kelly hit solo homers.

Sean Manaea (7-9) was the loser.

TWINS 3, ROYALS 2

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Carlos Correa’s solo home run in the first inning and Nick Gordon’s two-run shot in the second were enough for Minnesota to beat Kansas City for a three-game sweep.

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The Twins (72-70) pulled within four games of first-place Cleveland in the AL Central.

Trevor Megill (4-3), who threw the first of five scoreless innings by five Twins relievers, picked up the victory with a perfect fifth. Jhoan Duran got his seventh save with a tense ninth,

Royals starter Daniel Lynch (4-11) was the loser.

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