Major leagues roundup
Gerrit Cole stared down José Caballero and wagged a finger at the Seattle Mariners’ dugout 15 times after striking out the side in the seventh inning, a pointed response to the rookie’s repeated step-outs during the New York Yankees’ 3-1 win Tuesday night that stopped a four-game losing streak.
After Caballero stepped out with an 0-2 count in the seventh, Cole threw a 97 mph fastball to the screen. The Yankees’ ace got Caballero swinging on a full-count fastball, stared at him as he walked off the mound, then turned to the Mariners’ dugout and wagged his right index finger over and over.
Plate umpire Dan Bellino then walked toward the New York dugout and had an intense discussion with manager Aaron Boone.
Cole (8-1) allowed one run and four hits in 7 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts and a walk. He received a standing ovation when he was replaced by Clay Holmes, then raised his right index finger and thumb to tip his cap to the crowd of 43,130 as he walked to the dugout.
Cole is 4-0 with a 1.87 ERA following a Yankees loss this season, and New York is 7-0 in those starts.
Holmes got five straight outs for his ninth save in 11 chances, ending a game that took just 2 hours, 9 minutes.
Kansas City 1, Detroit 0: Daniel Lynch allowed one hit over seven innings for his first major league win in almost 11 months, and the struggling Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers, 1-0.
Kansas City had lost 12 of 13. Matt Beaty, making his first start for the Royals, drove in the only run with a sixth-inning double.
Aroldis Chapman walked the bases loaded in the eighth, but Spencer Torkelson grounded into an inning-ending force at second.
Javier Báez doubled with one out in the ninth for Detroit, but Scott Barlow retired the next two hitters for his eighth save, completing the two-hitter.
Surgery for Houck: Boston Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck is scheduled to have surgery next week to insert a plate to help a facial fracture heal after he was hit by a batted ball.
Houck was hit below the right eye by a line drive from the New York Yankees’ Kyle Higashioka on Friday night. The 26-year-old right-hander saw a doctor Tuesday and it was determined a plate was needed.
Boston manager Alex Cora said Tuesday that the outcome was a “best-case scenario” for Houck because he was hit below the eye and temple. Cora said he envisions Houck returning to pitch this season.
“Sounds bad, right? Fracture,” Cora said. “But the fact that he knows he’s going to be part of this, it’s good. It’s the best news we can get.”
Cora said there’s currently no timetable for Houck’s return.
National League
Atlanta 4, Philadelphia 2: Spencer Strider struck out nine over six innings in his first start in Philadelphia since his postseason implosion, Austin Riley and Matt Olson homered and the Atlanta Braves beat the Phillies, 4-2.
The Braves made their first trip to Philly since the NL Division Series that launched Red October into a full-blown frenzy. Phillies slugger Rhys Hoskins provided the series’ indelible moment when he raised his arms in triumph, and then spiked his bat in celebration with a Game 3 homer against Strider.
Interleague
Toronto 2, Miami 0: Ernie Clement and George Springer hit consecutive RBI singles in the eighth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Miami Marlins, 2-0.
Yusei Kikuchi allowed two hits and struck out six in six innings to help Toronto even the series after falling 11-0 in the opener Monday night. The Blue Jays ended a 19-inning scoreless streak in the eighth against Tanner Scott (4-2).
Miami’s Luis Arraez went 1 for 4, dropping his major league-leading batting average to .398. The Marlins had won five in a row.