AROUND THE HORN | Friday’s Major League Baseball games

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Indians 4, Royals 0

CLEVELAND

Ryan Merritt didn’t look like a rookie , pitching a career-high 62/3 innings as Cleveland recorded its AL-leading 13th shutout. “He’s not breaking the radar gun, but when he’s pitching like that he’s so fun to watch,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. Merritt (1-0) was called up from Triple-A Columbus before the game to take the injured Danny Salazar’s spot in the rotation. The 25-year-old left-hander scattered seven hits for his second career win, both coming against Kansas City. Merritt is beginning his fifth stint with the Indians this season.

Orioles 16, Red Sox 3

BOSTON

Mark Trumbo and Chris Davis had home runs, and Baltimore used a seven-run fifth inning to power past Boston. The 16 runs is a season-high for the Orioles, who have won three out their last four as they try to stay in the mix for one of the American League’s wild-card spots. Trey Mancini led Baltimore with four RBIs. Jeremy Hellickson (8-7) allowed four hits and three runs over seven innings to pick up his second win in an Orioles uniform.

Twins 6, Blue Jays 1

TORONTO

Bartolo Colon pitched 62/3 innings for his second straight win while Byron Buxton had three hits and two RBIs for Minnesota. Joe Mauer had three hits and scored twice as Minnesota snapped a seven-game losing streak north of the border. The Twins had not won in Toronto since June 11, 2014. Justin Smoak hit his 35th homer for Toronto, but the Blue Jays lost for the sixth time in seven games. Smoak finished 3 for 3 with a walk.

White Sox 3, Tigers 2

CHICAGO

Tim Anderson led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a double and Yolmer Sanchez followed with an RBI single that sent Chicago over Detroit for a third straight win. Anderson had a game-ending hit Wednesday against Minnesota. This time, he easily scored on Sanchez’s single to right field off Joe Jimenez (0-2). Juan Minaya (2-1) pitched a scoreless ninth to get the win. Jose Abreu homered and went 2 for 2 with two intentional walks for Chicago. Jose Iglesias had a two-run single for the Tigers. Detroit starter Justin Verlander allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings.

Mariners 2, Yankees 1, 11 innings

NEW YORK

Yonder Alonso homered on a 100 mph fastball from demoted closer Aroldis Chapman in the 11th inning. Mike Zunino homered and had three hits for the Mariners, right in the middle of a crowded race for the second AL wild card. They used seven pitchers to hold down the Yankees, who lead the wild-card chase but trail first-place Boston by 41/2 games in the AL East.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Reds 9, Pirates 5

CINCINNATI

Rookie Robert Stephenson fanned a career-high 11 Pirates, and Scott Schebler drove in three runs with a homer and his first triple of the season. Stephenson (2-4) stymied Pittsburgh with sharp-breaking pitches in his fifth start and 19th overall appearance, allowing two runs in 52/3 innings. The right-hander fanned the first six batters for a modern Reds record, according to information from the Elias Sports Bureau provided by the team. The major league record is eight by Houston’s Jim Deshaies in 1986 and the Mets’ Jacob deGrom in 2014. Pittsburgh’s Josh Bell hit a three-run homer off Tim Adleman in the seventh, one of his four hits.

Mets 4, Nationals 2

WASHINGTON

Jacob deGrom had 10 strikeouts in 72/3 innings against Washington’s makeshift lineup. DeGrom (14-7) allowed one run on five hits. He upped his strikeout total to 201 this season by fanning the side in the seventh. Matt Reynolds and Dominic Smith drove in runs during the eighth for a 3-0 lead. Adam Lind homered in the ninth off AJ Ramos, who then loaded the bases with one out on a hit and two walks.

Braves 5, Rockies 2

ATLANTA

Julio Teheran won at home for the first time in four months while Matt Kemp and Kurt Suzuki hit home runs for Atlanta. Teheran (8-11) snapped an Atlanta record streak of nine straight home losses as he allowed two runs and five hits with no walks in 71/3 innings. Kemp and Suzuki each hit first-pitch homers off Bettis (0-1). Kemp hit a two-run shot in the first and Suzuki led off the second with a line-drive shot over the left-field wall. Kemp had three hits. Mark Reynolds hit his 27th homer in the seventh for Colorado. Bettis, making his third start since his return from surgery and treatment for testicular cancer, allowed five runs in five innings. Arodys Vizcaino pitched the ninth for his eighth save.

Marlins 8, Padres 6

MIAMI

Giancarlo Stanton homered twice, increasing his major league-leading total to 49, and tied a career high with five RBIs to help Miami climb above .500 for the first time since April by beating San Diego. Marcell Ozuna hit a three-run homer, his 30th, to put Miami ahead to stay in the seventh inning. Stanton has nine multi-homer games this season, the most in the majors since Jose Bautista had nine with Toronto in 2010. Stanton’s home run total is the highest in the National League since Prince Fielder hit 50 for Milwaukee in 2007 — and the Marlins still have 35 games to play. Stanton is on pace to finish with 63 homers. He increased his RBI total to 105, tying his career high. Led by their All-Star right fielder, the Marlins (64-63) have recovered from a 14-27 start to join the NL wild-card chase.

Phillies 7, Cubs 1

PHILADELPHIA

Rhys Hoskins hit another homer and Cesar Hernandez ripped a three-run triple to back Jerad Eickhoff. Called up from the minors too late to get a nickname on the back of his uniform for Players Weekend, Hoskins has put on a tremendous power display. He has nine homers and 21 RBIs in 16 games. No player in major league history has reached nine homers that quickly, according to MLB.com. Eickhoff (4-7) allowed one run and five hits, striking out eight in five innings. He has won four straight decisions. Jose Quintana (4-3) gave up six runs and nine hits in five innings, tying his worst start in eight outings since the Cubs acquired him from the White Sox. Kyle Schwarber hit a solo homer in the first for NL Central-leading Chicago. Hoskins connected in the bottom half to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead. Hernandez lined a bases-clearing triple in the second to make it 5-1 and Freddy Galvis followed with an RBI single. Hoskins was called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Aug. 10 after hitting 29 homers in 401 at-bats for the IronPigs. He went 0 for 12 to start his career so he has hit those nine homers in his last 13 games. Maikel Franco hit a solo homer in the eighth to make it 7-1.

INTERLEAGUE

Rays 7, Cardinals 3

ST. LOUIS

Corey Dickerson had four hits, including two doubles for Tampa Bay. Adeiny Hechavarria added three hits and two RBIs, helping Tampa Bay to its fourth win in five games. Steven Souza Jr. hit his 28th homer, Kevin Kiermaier also drove in two runs and the Rays finished with 16 hits. Sergio Romo (2-1) earned the win with two scoreless innings in relief of Jake Odorizzi, who allowed three runs in 32/3 innings. The Rays’ bullpen combined for 51/3 scoreless innings. St. Louis right-hander Michael Wacha (9-7) was charged with five runs and nine hits in 31/3 innings. The Cardinals have dropped five of six and eight of 11.

Associated Press