Astros’ Valdez outpitches Ohtani, who takes 1st mound loss

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This article was published 09/05/2023 (916 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Framber Valdez racked up 12 strikeouts over eight innings of three-hit ball and sent Shohei Ohtani to his first mound loss of the season as the Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 on Tuesday night.

Ohtani (4-1) passed Babe Ruth in career mound strikeouts while giving up six hits over seven innings. He finished with seven Ks, but he has yielded at least three runs in three consecutive starts for the first time in his major league career.

Martín Maldonado hit a two-run homer and Yordan Alvarez had an RBI single in the fifth for the defending World Series champion Astros, who snapped their three-game losing streak.

Valdez (3-4) held Ohtani hitless at the plate, limited Mike Trout to one single and didn’t issue a walk while finishing one strikeout shy of his career high, also established against Los Angeles last July.

Rookie shortstop Zach Neto hit his first big league homer for the Angels, who have lost three of four.

Ryan Pressly pitched the ninth for his fifth save, striking out Ohtani along the way.

ORIOLES 4, RAYS 2

BALTIMORE (AP) — Adley Rutschman homered, Grayson Rodriguez pitched into the sixth inning and Baltimore’s bullpen was solid as it beat Tampa Bay to snap a three-game skid.

The Orioles pulled within 5 1/2 games of the major league-leading Rays. Tampa Bay won the opener Monday in a three-game series between the American League’s top teams.

Rodriguez (2-0) allowed seven hits in a career-high 5 2/3 innings. Félix Bautista got the final four outs for his eighth save in 11 chances.

Wander Franco and Taylor Walls homered for the Rays. Zach Eflin (4-1) gave up four runs in six innings.

YANKEES 10, ATHLETICS 5

NEW YORK (AP) — Gleyber Torres homered for the second consecutive game and drove in three runs as New York overcame three homers by Oakland rookie Jordan Diaz.

Diaz launched a solo shot in the fourth inning, a leadoff drive in the seventh and a two-run homer in the eighth. The 22-year-old second baseman from Colombia connected off three different pitchers, giving him four home runs in 30 major league games.

Aaron Judge had two RBIs in his return from the injured list and Clarke Schmidt (1-3) pitched a career-high six innings for his first big league win as a starter. The right-hander allowed two runs and five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.

Drew Rucinski (0-3) gave up seven runs, five earned, in five innings for the major league-worst A’s.

REDS 7, METS 6

CINCINNATI (AP) — Buck Showalter was ejected for the first time as New York’s manager as the Mets lost for the 12th time in 15 games.

Jonathan India drove in three runs for Cincinnati.

The Mets scratched Max Scherzer because of neck spasms. David Peterson (1-5) was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to make the start and allowed four runs, seven hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings.

Luke Weaver (1-2) gave up three runs and four hits in six-plus innings. The Mets hit a season-high four homers, two by Francisco Álvarez.

Showalter was tossed for arguing after Cincinnati’s Wil Myers slid into second with his right arm extended and was hit by a batted ball, preventing New York shortstop Francisco Lindor from making a clean play.

DODGERS 6, BREWERS 2

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Mookie Betts, Will Smith and Miguel Vargas homered as Los Angeles withstood Noah Syndergaard’s early exit to beat Milwaukee.

Syndergaard lasted only one inning because of a cut on the index finger of the 30-year-old right-hander’s pitching hand.

Phil Bickford, Justin Bruihl (1-0), Yency Almonte and Victor González combined to allow one hit over five innings of shutout relief as the Dodgers built a 6-0 lead.

Rowdy Tellez and Victor Caratini homered off Shelby Miller in the seventh for Milwaukee. Evan Phillips got the last out with two runners on for his sixth save in as many chances.

Eric Lauer (3-4) allowed four runs — three earned — in 3 2/3 innings.

CARDINALS 6, CUBS 4

CHICAGO (AP) — Paul DeJong, Nolan Gorman and Lars Nootbaar homered, and St. Louis beat Chicago for it third straight win.

DeJong put St. Louis in front when he opened the ninth inning with a drive to left-center off Javier Assad (0-2), his third homer this season. Dylan Carlson then tripled and scored on Andrew Knizner’s bloop double into shallow right field.

Chris Stratton (1-0) got four outs for the win, and Giovanny Gallegos worked the ninth for his second save.

Dansby Swanson and Christopher Morel homered for Chicago in its third consecutive loss.

BRAVES 9, RED SOX 3

ATLANTA (AP) — Matt Olson crushed a two-run homer in a four-run first inning as Atlanta overwhelmed Boston.

Sean Murphy drove in four runs on three hits as the NL East-leading Braves handed the Red Sox their second straight loss following an eight-game winning streak. Ronald Acuña Jr. added two hits and scored three runs.

Charlie Morton (4-3) allowed two runs on five hits in six innings. Nick Pivetta (2-3) allowed a season-high seven runs on eight hits and three walks in four innings.

ROCKIES 10, PIRATES 1

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jurickson Profar had his first multihomer game in four years, Connor Seabold got his first major league win and Colorado sent Pittsburgh to its eighth loss in nine games.

Pittsburgh’s skid has followed a 20-8 start, the Pirates’ best since 1992.

Profar hit a go-ahead solo homer off Luis Ortiz (0-1) in the second and followed Ryan McMahon’s two-run triple with a two-run drive off Duane Underwood Jr. that capped a five-run seventh.

Seabold (1-0) allowed one run in five innings in his eighth big league start. He had been 0-4 in his career with Boston and Colorado.

GUARDIANS 2, TIGERS 0

CLEVELAND (AP) — Shane Bieber struck out a season-high nine over six innings, Amed Rosario had an RBI triple among his four hits, and Cleveland beat Detroit.

Bieber (3-1) scattered seven hits and walked one before relievers James Karinchak, Sam Hentges, Trevor Stephan and Emmanuel Clase completed Cleveland’s third shutout of the season. Clase leads the majors with 13 saves in 16 chances.

Rosario singled in each of his three at-bats against Detroit starter Michael Lorenzen (1-2), then tripled home Will Brennan in the eighth against José Cisnero. The Tigers were shut out for the first time since opening day.

MARINERS 5, RANGERS 0

SEATTLE (AP) — George Kirby struck out nine in seven sharp innings, Tom Murphy hit his first homer in more than a year and Seattle beat Texas.

Kirby (4-2) walked none and has only issued three free passes in his seven starts this season. He allowed only two Rangers batters to reach scoring position as his ERA dropped to 2.62.

Murphy’s two-run homer in the seventh off Andrew Heaney (2-3) made it 4-0. Heaney gave up four runs, three earned, in 6 2/3 innings as the Rangers’ three-game winning streak was snapped.

GIANTS 4, NATIONALS 1

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Casey Schmitt homered in his major league debut and San Francisco beat Washington.

Schmitt was selected from Triple-A Sacramento earlier Tuesday and went 2 for 4.

Logan Webb (3-5) limited the Nationals to one run in seven innings, striking out seven and pitching out of several jams. Camilo Doval worked the ninth for his eighth save in nine chances.

Patrick Corbin (1-5) gave up three runs, two earned, in six innings.

MARLINS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 2

PHOENIX (AP) — Jorge Soler smashed two long homers and had five RBIs, Jesus Luzardo threw six effective innings and Miami beat Arizona.

Soler’s first homer was a 468-foot shot in the second inning that landed on the concourse behind the left-center seats and gave the Marlins a 4-1 lead. His second homer, his ninth this season, was a two-run blast in the fifth that landed near the same area, just not quite as deep.

Both came off D-backs rookie Brandon Pfaadt (0-1), who gave up six runs in five innings.

Luzardo (3-2) gave up one run on seven hits.

PADRES 6, TWINS 1

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — San Diego used savvy baserunning and three Minnesota errors to score twice in the seventh inning, giving Michael Wacha his first win in five starts.

Juan Soto had a season-high four hits with two doubles and a walk and Manny Machado hit a three-run homer in the ninth for the Padres.

Wacha (3-1) gave up just three hits and one run in six innings.

Austin Nola’s sacrifice squeeze bunt scored Ha-Seong Kim with the go-ahead run against Twins reliever Griffin Jax (1-4). Kim reached on an error by first baseman Alex Kirilloff. Catcher Christian Vázquez then committed two throwing errors, allowing Fernando Tatis Jr. to score.

PHILLIES 8, BLUE JAYS 4

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nick Castellanos went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs as Philadelphia beat Toronto.

Aaron Nola (3-2) allowed two runs on five hits over six innings to win his third straight decision. Brandon Marsh had a two-run double in the eighth inning for the Phillies, who have won two straight after snapping a six-game skid.

Bo Bichette hit his eighth homer of the season for Toronto. Alek Manoah (1-3) allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings, throwing 94 pitches.

WHITE SOX 4, ROYALS 2

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andrew Vaughn’s two-run homer in the sixth inning broke a 1-1 tie and lifted Chicago past Kansas City.

Lucas Giolito (2-2) allowed two runs on five hits over six innings in a game that started two hours late because of rain. Kendall Graveman worked the ninth for his first save.

Jordan Lyles (0-6) threw a complete game, the first by a Royals pitcher in more than two years, allowing four runs on six hits with no walks.

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