THURSDAY’S OTHER MLB GAMES

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Blue Jays 8, Red Sox 6

BOSTON

Justin Smoak hit a pair of homers and Steve Pearce drove in two runs when Boston second baseman Brock Holt lost his popup in the sun, and the Toronto Blue Jays held on to beat the Red Sox. The teams split the four-game series. Dominic Leone (2-0) earned the win. Roberto Osuna pitched the ninth for his 24th save. Smoak has 26 homers this season. His previous career high was 20, in 2013. It was 7-3 in the seventh when Dustin Pedroia, in the lineup at designated hitter after the long week, hit a three-run homer — his third hit of the day and his fourth homer in 11 games. Smoak, who also had an RBI single, added his second homer of the game in the ninth.

Orioles 9, Rangers 7

BALTIMORE

Jonathan Schoop and Adam Jones both homered and drove in three runs, and the Baltimore Orioles rallied to beat Cole Hamels and the Texas Rangers to complete a four-game sweep. Mark Trumbo and Chris Davis also went deep for the Orioles, who trailed 5-1 in the fifth inning before coming back to hand Hamels (4-1) his first loss in 10 starts this season. Miguel Castro (2-1) worked the sixth for Baltimore after starter Wade Miley allowed five runs over five innings.

Royals 16, Tigers 4

KANSAS CITY

Brandon Moss drove in four runs, Mike Moustakas had three RBIs and the Kansas City Royals routed the error-prone Detroit Tigers. Eric Hosmer and Whit Merrifield homered for the Royals, who moved within 11/2 games of first-place Cleveland in the AL Central. The 16 runs and 19 hits were season highs for Kansas City. Detroit committed three errors in the Royals’ four-run first inning, when only one run was earned. It was the most errors the Tigers have made in an inning since May 1, 2010. Michael Fulmer, the 2016 AL Rookie of the Year, threw 37 pitches in the first. The heat index was 107 when the game started. Fulmer (10-7), who had won his previous four starts, was removed after facing 18 batters. He retired only eight, and eight scored. It was the shortest outing of his career.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Diamondbacks 12, Reds 2

CINCINNATI

Jake Lamb hit a pair of three-run homers and Patrick Corbin pitched into the eighth inning during an emergency start on Thursday, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to a victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Arizona stabilized itself by taking two of three in the series. The Diamondbacks had dropped eight of nine heading into the set, falling behind Colorado for the second NL wild-card spot. Lamb homered in the first inning off Luis Castillo (1-3) and again in the ninth for a career-high six RBIs. Gregor Blanco and Ketel Marte added two-run shots as the Diamondbacks concluded a wacky series. They won the opener 11-2 while getting outfielder J.D. Martinez in a trade with Detroit. A day later, Martinez got hit on the left hand by a pitch in his Diamondbacks debut and left with a bruise. He didn’t play in the finale. Scheduled starter Taijuan Walker was scratched after his wife, Heather, went into labor Thursday morning. Corbin (7-9) was moved up a day and wound up with his first victory since June 16. The left-hander had gone 0-3 in his last five starts.

Mets 3, Cardinals 2

NEW YORK

Cardinals pitcher Trevor Rosenthal was late covering first base on a two-out grounder by Jose Reyes that turned into a game-winning single in the ninth inning, lifting the New York Mets over St. Louis. A leadoff walk and T.J. Rivera’s single put runners on the corners with two outs. Reyes then hit a grounder up the first base line, and Matt Carpenter fielded it cleanly well behind the bag. Rosenthal (2-4) was slow to leave the mound, and the speedy Reyes easily beat him to the base with a headfirst dive. Carpenter never even made a throw. Rosenthal hurdled Reyes as they crossed paths. Reyes’ fourth career walkoff RBI gave the Mets a split of the four-game series. Addison Reed (1-2) pitched a perfect ninth.

Associated Press