Ranger Suárez gave up only two hits in seven innings and Kody Clemens hit a three-run homer as the Philadelphia Phillies increased their winning streak to seven games with a 7-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night.
Suárez, with a record of 4-0, has not allowed any runs in the last 25 innings. He has won his last four starts, including a 112-pitch shutout against Colorado last Tuesday. This time, he gave up two singles, struck out five and walked one.
Gregory Soto and Jeff Hoffman completed the two-hitter for Philadelphia’s fourth shutout this season, tying Cleveland for most in the majors.
Cincinnati was shut out for the first time.
Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson said that after Suárez's complete game less than a week ago, he planned to limit him to 80 pitches. The left-hander came out after 88.
“That was a pullback game for Ranger,” Thomson said. “He could have kept going, I’m sure. It’s a long year. We want to make sure we’re taking care of him.”
Suárez attributed his streak of strong innings to finding the right mix of pitches.
“As always I tried to mix up my pitches, especially my changeup. I don’t throw hard, so those are the things I have to do,” the 28-year-old Venezuelan said through an interpreter. “I have to mix up my pitches so I can get hitters off balance and get the outs.”
Without Bryce Harper, the Phillies scored runs on sacrifice flies in the second and third innings, then added another in the fourth on a groundout.
They scored one in the fifth when Kyle Schwarber walked and J.T. Realmuto hit a double down the left-field line.
Clemens, who was brought up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to play first base while Harper was on paternity leave, homered to right off Casey Legumina in the ninth.
Hunter Greene (0-2) allowed four runs on seven hits and struck out seven in seven innings for the Reds.
“Overall, I thought I pitched well,” said Greene, whose fastball velocity was consistently in the high 90s. “Did a better job of attacking the zone. I have to do a better job of getting the first guy out. I think that is what threw off those three or four innings.”
Bryson Stott had two RBIs for Philadelphia, which has scored at least seven runs in five consecutive games.
ATHLETICS 2, YANKEES 0
NEW YORK — Zack Gelof hit a two-run homer off Victor González in the ninth inning, and the Oakland Athletics ended an eight-game losing streak in the Bronx by defeating the Yankees, after New York manager Aaron Boone was ejected after just five pitches.
After New York’s Carlos Rodón and Oakland’s JP Sears matched each other with shutout ball, Abraham Toro reached base off González (1-1) leading off the ninth when the pitcher slipped while trying to retrieve his dribbler between the mound and the third-base line.
Gelof hit an opposite-field home run into the right-field seats on a flat sinker for his third home run this season.
Lucas Erceg (1-1) pitched two innings and Mason Miller struck out Anthony Volpe, Juan Soto and Aaron Judge to remain perfect in five save chances, completing a three-hitter and the fourth shutout against the Yankees in 23 games this season.
PIRATES 4, BREWERS 2
The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2, stopping the Brewers’ four-game win streak and ending their own six-game skid. Oneil Cruz had three hits, and Jared Jones pitched six innings, allowing only one run.
Cruz broke a slump by getting three hits and driving in two runs during the sixth inning. He also got a single in the second inning and a double in the fourth. Before this game, Cruz had only four hits in his last 44 at-bats.
Jones, a 22-year-old rookie, gave up only one run, four hits, and two walks in six innings. He struck out seven batters, making it a total of 39 strikeouts in his first five starts, with at least seven strikeouts in each game.
The Pirates endured a tough time in their last six games, being outscored 36-9 by the Mets and Red Sox. On the other hand, the Brewers had a three-game win streak at St. Louis before facing the Pirates.
TIGERS 7, RAYS 1
The Detroit Tigers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 7-1. Tarik Skubal pitched six scoreless innings and struck out nine batters. Mark Canha and Parker Meadows hit home runs for the Tigers.
The Tigers now have a 9-3 record on the road this season.
Skubal won his seventh consecutive decision by holding the Rays to three hits over six innings. He has a 2-0 record in four starts against the Rays, allowing only two earned runs in 17 1/3 innings.
The Rays had a rough time against Skubal, with only one runner reaching second base. José Caballero homered in the eighth inning off Shelby Miller, but it wasn't enough to turn the game around for the Rays.
Canha hit a solo homer in the first inning and Javier Báez had an RBI single in the second, helping the Tigers take a 3-0 lead off Zack Littell.
BRAVES 3, MARLINS 0
The Atlanta Braves defeated the Miami Marlins 3-0. Travis d’Arnaud hit his fifth home run in four games, and Bryce Elder pitched 6 2/3 spotless innings in his return from the minors for the Braves.
David Fletcher's RBI single capped a three-run fourth inning for the Braves, leading them to their seventh win in eight games.
Recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett, Elder allowed eight hits in his first major league start this season and secured his first win as a starter. He struck out four batters and walked none.
Elder had a successful run last year, but struggled in the second half and began the 2024 season in the minors after a tough playoff appearance against Philadelphia.
TWINS 7, WHITE SOX 0
The Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 7-0. Max Kepler returned from the injured list with two hits and three RBIs, and Chris Paddack struck out 10 batters in seven innings to win as a starter for the first time in nearly two years.
Edouard Julien had a homer and two other hits for the Twins in the game.
The White Sox were shut out for the eighth time this season and lost 10 of their last 11 games. Danny Mendick had two hits, and Gavin Sheets and manager Pedro Grifol were ejected for arguing in the eighth inning.
BLUE JAYS 5, ROYALS 3
The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals 5-3. Bo Bichette had a bases-clearing triple, and Daulton Varsho hit a two-run homer for the Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays secured their seventh win in nine games, while the Royals lost their third straight game at home after winning nine in a row at Kauffman Stadium.
Yusei Kikuchi (2-1) was effective in the beginning, letting one runner on 48 throws in the first five frames.
CARDINALS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 3
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Nolan Gorman ended a hitless streak with a two-run homer in the ninth inning, giving the St. Louis Cardinals a 5-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night.
It was Gorman's fourth home run of the season, and he came in as a replacement in the eighth inning. Paul Goldschmidt, who hit a home run earlier, reached base with a single, and Gorman then hit Kyle Nelson's first pitch for a home run to right field.
Ryan Helsley (2-2) pitched a scoreless inning to help the Cardinals stop a four-game losing streak.
Ryan Thompson (0-1) got the loss.
Eugenio Suárez boosted Arizona with three hits and two RBIs.
PADRES 3, ROCKIES 1
DENVER — Dylan Cease allowed only one hit in seven strong innings, and pinch-hitter Tyler Wade singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth, leading the San Diego Padres to a win over the struggling Colorado Rockies.
Cease (3-1) struck out eight, didn't walk anyone, and allowed only one runner in a 90-pitch performance. Acquired from the Chicago White Sox in a trade on March 13, the right-hander reduced his ERA to 1.82 — his best mark in his first five appearances in six major league seasons.
Luis Campusano got two hits for the Padres and scored the winning run. San Diego has won 10 of the last 12 matchups with the NL West rivals since last April.
