Red Sox complete sweep of Nationals with shutout
Jackie Bradley Jr. drove in two runs, Eduardo Rodriguez struck out six in six innings and the Boston Red Sox beat the Washington Nationals 3-0 on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.
Rodriguez (10-3) allowed three hits and walked one. Craig Kimbrel worked the ninth for his 26th save in 28 chances, finishing a six-hitter.
The Nationals (42-43) have lost five in a row to fall below .500 this late in the season for the first time since being 60-61 on Aug. 21, 2015. The preseason NL East favorites held a players-only meeting after the game.
N.Y. Yankees 6, Atlanta 2: After a slow start, Giancarlo Stanton has been on a roll for the Yankees.
But he also said there’s another gear he can kick into, too.
Stanton hit a three-run homer, CC Sabathia pitched six effective innings, and the Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves 6-2.
Rookie second baseman Gleyber Torres left the game in the top of the fifth inning because of tightness in his right hip and afterward was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right hip strain.
Miami 3, Tampa Bay 0: Jose Urena and three relievers combined on a four-hitter, and the Miami Marlins shook off the hangover from a 16-inning loss to beat Tampa Bay 3-0.
J.T. Riddle singled, tripled and homered.
The teams took the field barely 12 hours after the Rays won a 5½-hour marathon. But Urena was well-rested in his first outing since June 20, when he was sidelined by right shoulder impingement.
Chicago Cubs 5, Detroit 2: Javier Baez stole home and Willson Contreras hit a tie-breaking homer and to lead the Chicago Cubs past the Detroit Tigers 5-2 for their sixth straight victory.
Conditions at Wrigley Field favored the longball, with a game-time temperature of 92 degrees, a heat index of 102 and the wind blowing out.
David Bote hit his first homer while Detroit got solo shots from Nick Castellanos and John Hicks, but was swept by the Cubs in the two-game interleague set and has dropped 13 of 15.
Philadelphia 4, Baltimore 3: Aaron Nola stuck out nine in seven splendid innings, Nick Williams hit a two-run homer and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 to sweep a two-game interleague series.
Nola (11-2) gave up one run and seven hits to win his fifth straight decision.
Oakland 4, San Diego 2: Stephen Piscotty was perfectly fine with Andy Green’s decision to walk Matt Olson to load the bases ahead of him with no outs in the eighth inning.
He liked Green’s move even more after hitting a go-ahead double to keep the plucky Athletics rolling along.
Piscotty doubled three times and had three RBIs, helping Oakland beat San Diego 4-2.
Milwaukee 3, Minnesota 2: Nate Orf hit a solo homer in Milwaukee’s two-run seventh after going hitless in his first seven major league at-bats, helping the Brewers beat the sliding Minnesota Twins 3-2.
Brad Miller homered to right-center off Jose Berrios (8-7) to lead off the bottom of the seventh for the Brewers. Two batters later, Orf sent a 2-2 curveball down the left-field line for a two-run lead.
American League
L.A. Angels 7, Seattle 4: Kole Calhoun hit a two-run homer, Luis Valbuena drove in two and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Mariners 7-4 to snap Seattle’s eight-game winning streak.
Calhoun had three hits and three RBIs, helping lift Garrett Richards (5-4) in his return from the disabled list. Richards allowed three runs, including homers to Kyle Seager and Ryon Healy, over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out eight.