Brandon Nimmo overcame an injury and came off the bench to hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning, securing a 4-3 win for the New York Mets against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday night.
Pete Alonso drove in two runs as the Mets avoided a three-game sweep, a day after being held hitless by three Atlanta pitchers until the ninth inning.
DJ Stewart, occupying Nimmo’s position at the top of the batting order, singled on the first pitch from Braves starter Bryce Elder. Nimmo, who had left Saturday’s game due to discomfort on his right side, didn't start but entered as a pinch runner in the seventh, and remained in the game to play left field.
Jarred Kelenic hit a home run for Atlanta against the team that drafted him sixth overall and then traded him. Marcell Ozuna's second RBI single of the night gave the Braves a 3-2 lead in the eighth.
Jeff McNeil began the bottom of the ninth with a successful drag bunt for a single. He advanced on Tomás Nido’s sacrifice bunt before Nimmo made his first plate appearance of the game.
Nimmo, who also made a great catch at the left-field fence in the eighth, hit a full-count cutter from A.J. Minter (5-3) to right-center for his sixth home run this season.
Nimmo celebrated as he circled the bases, and was greeted by enthusiastic teammates at home plate after hitting the second game-ending homer of his career.
Minter replaced Braves closer Raisel Iglesias, who had pitched the previous two days.
Edwin Díaz (1-1) secured a 1-2-3 inning for the victory.
Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. was caught off guard at first base twice. Atlanta had won four straight games since being swept at Dodger Stadium from May 3-5.
TWINS 5, BLUE JAYS 1
TORONTO — Carlos Santana hit a three-run home run, Bailey Ober matched his career high by striking out 10 over 6 1/3 scoreless innings and Minnesota won for the 17th time in 20 games by beating Toronto.
The Twins have won six consecutive series for the first time since September 2010.
Santana hit a home run for the third straight game in Toronto, extending Minnesota’s streak of games in Toronto with at least one home run to 20. The Twins homered in 21 straight games at Kansas City between July 30, 1998, and Aug. 25, 2001.
Max Kepler added a two-run double for the Twins, extending his career-best hitting streak to 14 games.
The game was scoreless until Kepler reached on a one-out fielding error by Blue Jays third baseman Ernie Clement in the seventh inning. Willi Castro followed with a single and Alex Kirilloff grounded into a fielder’s choice before Santana hit his seventh home run on a 2-0 pitch from Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah.
RED SOX 3, NATIONALS 2
BOSTON — Ceddanne Rafaela hit a two-run double after center fielder Victor Robles dropped a routine fly for an error during Boston’s three-run second inning, as they held off Washington to take the series.
Behind a strong start from Brayan Bello (4-1) and scoreless work from four relievers, the Red Sox won their second straight after losing the opener Friday.
Eddie Rosario hit a home run for the second day in a row for the Nationals, a two-run shot. Robles also made a base-running mistake that prevented a potentially big inning and lined to left with two runners on to end the seventh.
The game ended when Jacob Young was caught attempting to steal second, but it was challenged and confirmed.
Robles missed catching Vaughn Grissom’s fly, and the ball popped out of his glove while he was preparing to throw to third with runners on first and second. One out later, Rafaela’s bloop fell in down the right-field line for a ground-rule double.
Jarren Duran then scored on a wild pitch when Romy Gonzalez swung and missed. Adding to the eventful inning, plate umpire Brian O’Nora had the wrong count on Gonzalez later in the at-bat even though he took a full swing on the pitch.
ASTROS 9, TIGERS 3
DETROIT — Justin Verlander excelled against his former team and Kyle Tucker hit a home run as Houston defeated Detroit at Comerica Park.
Verlander (2-1) pitched seven innings without allowing any runs, giving up two hits while striking out eight. He now has 3,365 career strikeouts, which is two behind former teammate Max Scherzer and six behind Greg Maddux on the all-time list.
Mauricio Dubón had four hits for Houston and Jake Meyers went 3 for 3 with three RBIs despite not entering the game until the seventh inning.
Jack Flaherty (0-3) took the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. Detroit relievers allowed six runs on 11 hits in the final 2 1/3 innings.
Verlander retired the first 14 Tigers before Colt Keith beat out a slow dribbler to short, and he was promptly thrown out trying to steal second.
GUARDIANS 7, WHITE SOX 0
CHICAGO — David Fry hit a two-run home run and Andrés Giménez hit a solo shot in Cleveland’s three-run fourth inning, shutting out Chicago to end a three-game losing streak.
Logan Allen pitched six scoreless innings to help Cleveland win the last game of a four-game series in Chicago and stay in first place in the AL Central. The left-hander allowed six hits, walked one, and struck out three.
Nick Sandlin, Hunter Gaddis and Sam Hentges each pitched a hitless inning. Chicago’s four-game winning streak, which was their longest of the season, ended and the White Sox were shut out for the 10th time this season, the most in the majors.
Allen (4-2) was hit on the hip by Tommy Pham’s comebacker off his first pitch of the game, but he was checked by trainers and continued. He had allowed seven runs in 2 1/3 innings in his previous outing, Tuesday versus Detroit, and entered with a 6.41 ERA.
Estevan Florial tripled, doubled, and brought in a run. Brayan Rocchio added an RBI.
Last-place Chicago, at 12-29, is 9-7 after a 3-22 start.
CARDINALS 4, BREWERS 3
MILWAUKEE — Michael Siani doubled home the go-ahead run, Paul Goldschmidt homered to break out of his slump and St. Louis rallied to beat Milwaukee and end a seven-game skid.
Goldschmidt had gone 1 for 34 in May until he led off the fifth inning with just his third homer of the season, a drive to center off Bryse Wilson. Goldschmidt also hit a game-tying, two-out RBI single in the sixth against Jared Koenig as the Cardinals erased an early three-run deficit.
The score was 3-all in the seventh inning when St. Louis’ Iván Herrera hit a single against Elvis Peguero (4-1). Two outs later, Siani hit a double off the top of the wall in right-center to bring home Herrera before getting thrown out trying to reach third base.
Siani’s double was his second extra-base hit of his career and came in his 89th at bat.
St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol and bench coach Daniel Descalso were ejected in the third inning after first-base umpire Sean Barber missed a pair of calls that both got overruled after the Cardinals called for replay reviews. One of the reviews came in the second inning, and the other was in the third inning.
DIAMONDBACKS 9, ORIOLES 2
BALTIMORE — Zac Gallen pitched six good innings, and Arizona beat a particularly messy Baltimore for their first win at Camden Yards since 2007.
The Orioles allowed three unearned runs, plus several others that were earned but at least somewhat related to defensive mistakes. Jake McCarthy hit a home run for the Diamondbacks and Adley Rutschman hit a home run for Baltimore.
Gallen (5-2) took a no-hitter into the fifth and ultimately allowed two runs and four hits. He struck out four and walked twice.
Dean Kremer (3-3) allowed three earned runs, four hits, and four walks in 5 2/3 innings, striking out 10.
CUBS 5, PIRATES 4
PITTSBURGH — Cody Bellinger hit a go-ahead single before Patrick Wisdom added insurance with a home run in the 10th inning, helping Chicago win over Pittsburgh for a series victory.
Bellinger led off by hitting a ball through the left side of the infield off Aroldis Chapman (0-3), scoring automatic runner Seiya Suzuki before getting caught in a rundown between first and second. Wisdom hit a two-out sinker, the seventh pitch of the at-bat, 412 feet into the center-field bushes.
Chapman left with an apparent injury after going down 3-0 to Nick Madrigal with two outs and runners on first and second. Kyle Nicolas entered, completing the walk of Madrigal before Mike Tauchman scored on a passed ball.
Connor Joe led off the bottom half with his fifth home run, a two-run shot into the bleachers in left. Adbert Alzolay went on to walk Jack Suwinski before retiring the next three batters for his fourth save.
Chicago has won five of eight after taking two of three from Pittsburgh, which is 7-16 since an 11-5 start.
ROCKIES 3, RANGERS 1
DENVER — Converted reliever Ty Blach pitched five solid innings in his second start this season, Ezequiel Tovar hit a home run and Colorado beat Texas to finish a three-game series sweep of the defending World Series champions.
It was the first time the Rangers, who have lost four of their last five games, have been swept this season. Their offense was also stopped by three double plays, two exceptional defensive plays by third baseman Ryan McMahon and a run-saving catch against the center field wall by Brenton Doyle for the final out of the fifth inning.
Doyle also drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth inning for the Rockies’ final run.
The sweep by the Rockies, who have won their season high of four games in a row, was their first since May 2-4, 2023, against Milwaukee. It was their only series sweep during last year’s 103-loss season.
Jalen Beeks successfully got three outs for his third save in three attempts.
ROYALS 4, ANGELS 2
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Seth Lugo had a career-high 12 strikeouts and surrendered one run in eight strong innings, while Hunter Renfroe made a two-run single against his former team in Kansas City's win over Los Angeles.
Freddie Fermin and Michael Massey also contributed RBIs during the Royals’ four-run fourth inning, providing ample support for Lugo (6-1) as Kansas City took three of four from the Angels.
Willie Calhoun hit an RBI double in the sixth and a solo homer in the ninth for the Halos, who have a major league-worst 14 players on the injured list and have lost 17 of their last 23 games. Los Angeles has been unsuccessful in all six of its series at the Big A this season, failing to win consecutive home games at any point.
Lugo allowed five hits, continuing his exceptional start to his first season with the Royals. He secured his sixth win in eight starts, the best in the American League, and reduced his ERA to 1.66.
The veteran Mets right-hander overcame initial control issues, retired 11 straight at one point, and did not walk a batter for the first time this season. Lugo has given up two earned runs or fewer in eight of his nine starts for Kansas City.
MARINERS 8, ATHLETICS 4
SEATTLE — Julio Rodríguez and Mitch Garver both hit two-run home runs, Luis Castillo allowed two runs over six strong innings, and Seattle defeated Oakland.
Seattle bounced back to win two of three games from the A’s after losing their first series in nearly a month earlier this week in Minnesota. And they did it thanks to the long ball.
Rodríguez’s homer was only his second of the season and his first at T-Mobile Park in Seattle's 22nd home game. Rodríguez hit a 2-2 pitch from Oakland starter Alex Wood out to straightaway center field in the second inning for a two-run shot that gave Seattle a 5-0 lead. The homer had an exit velocity of 109 mph and traveled an estimated 409 feet.
Rodríguez almost homered in his next at-bat in the fifth inning, doubling off the top of the wall, but jogged home when Garver hit his fifth of the season to give Seattle a 7-1 lead. Garver also had a two-out RBI single in the first inning.
Seby Zavala hit his first home run of the season for the Mariners, a solo shot in the sixth.
After a slow start to the season, Castillo (4-5) has now gone six straight starts allowing two earned runs or fewer each time. Castillo needed 100 pitches to get through six innings, but closed his outing with strikeouts of Shea Langeliers and J.D. Davis with runners on base.
PADRES 4, DODGERS 0
SAN DIEGO — Yu Darvish yielded two hits in seven dominant innings to lead San Diego to a victory over Los Angeles.
Fernando Tatis Jr., Jake Cronenworth and Xander Bogaerts hit solo home runs for the Padres, who have won five of the eight games against the Dodgers this season.
The Dodgers dropped two of the three games in the series after a seven-game winning streak.
Darvish (3-1) struck out seven and walked one in a stellar performance that lowered his ERA to 2.43.
Dodgers starter Walker Buehler (0-1), pitching in his second game this season, had an ineffective and shortened outing. He gave up two runs, five hits, two walks and hit a batter in 3 1/3 innings.
Buehler gave up back-to-back home runs to Tatis and Cronenworth in the first inning, putting the Padres in a 2-0 lead. Bogaerts hit a solo home run in the fifth against reliever Gus Varland, extending the Padres' lead to 4-0.
GIANTS 6, REDS 5
SAN FRANCISCO — Casey Schmitt delivered a game-winning double in the 10th inning as San Francisco defeated Cincinnati.
After the Reds were unable to score in the top of the 10th against Giants reliever Luke Jackson (1-1), Schmitt hit a two-out ground-rule double to left-center field off Emilio Pagan (2-3), driving in automatic runner Luis Matos, marking his first hit of the season.
Mike Ford tied the score at 5-5 for Cincinnati with a solo home run in the eighth, following the Reds narrowing the deficit to one run in the seventh.
The Giants recorded six hits in the fifth to recover from a 3-0 deficit, including a two-run homer by LaMonte Wade Jr. to level the game. Heliot Ramos gave the Giants the lead with an RBI single, and then scored on an infield hit by Blake Sabol when Elly De La Cruz’s throw went past first and into right field.
Jeimer Candelario gave the Reds the early lead with a double that cleared the bases in the first inning.
The Giants had lost three consecutive series before winning two out of three against the Reds, who have suffered 10 losses in their last 11 games. Giants starter Kyle Harrison pitched four scoreless innings after Candelario’s first-inning double. San Francisco has emerged victorious in each of Harrison’s last six starts.
