FRIDAY’s MLB GAMES

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Royals 4, Indians 0

KANSAS CITY

Jason Vargas tossed his first shutout in nearly three years Friday night, outdueling Royals nemesis Josh Tomlin and sending Kansas City to a victory over the Cleveland Indians. Vargas (7-3) allowed seven hits over the first six innings but deftly induced double plays in four of them to escape the trouble. It was Vargas’ first shutout since a 3-0 victory over Oakland on Aug. 13, 2014. The Royals scored their first run off Tomlin (3-7) with two down in the sixth when Lorenzo Cain beat out an infield single.

Orioles 3, Red Sox 2

BALTIMORE

Seth Smith and Manny Machado hit first-inning home runs off Rick Porcello to back a redemptive pitching performance by Alec Asher and help the Baltimore Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox. Jonathan Schoop had two hits and scored a run for the Orioles, who have won four of five following a seven-game losing streak. Smith drove a 3-2 pitch into the right-field seats for his third career leadoff homer, and Machado pulled a fastball into the second deck for a 2-0 lead. Brad Brach, the third Baltimore reliever, got three straight outs for his 11th save in 14 tries.

Tigers 15, White Sox 5

DETROIT

Miguel Cabrera had his 1,000th career extra-base hit, J.D. Martinez fell a single short of the cycle, and the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox. Cabrera and Martinez combined for five hits, all for extra bases, and six RBIs in eight at-bats. John Hicks and Mikie Mahtook also homered for Detroit. Michael Fulmer (6-3) allowed a season-high five runs and seven hits in seven innings. The Tigers took the lead in the first when Nicholas Castellanos walked and scored on Cabrera’s RBI double. Two batters later, Martinez made it 2-0 with a double to left-center field. Mahtook made it 3-0 in the second with a home run over the bullpens in left-centerfield. Cabrera hit a two-run double later in the inning.

Blue Jays 7, Yankees 5

TORONTO

Josh Donaldson hit two solo home runs, Francisco Liriano won in his return from the disabled list and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees. Justin Smoak added his team-leading 13th homer, a two-run drive in Toronto’s three-run first inning. He drove in three runs. Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 18th homer for the Yankees and Starlin Castro also connected. Donaldson homered off Michael Pineda (6-3) in the first, then made it 6-4 with a homer off Jonathan Holder in the sixth. It was the 11th multihomer game of his career.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Pirates 12, Mets 7

NEW YORK

Elias Diaz hit his first major league homer and drove in six runs as a late addition to the lineup, lifting the Pittsburgh Pirates over the New York Mets. Diaz hit a go-ahead, three-run shot off reliever Paul Sewald (0-1) during a seven-run sixth inning. Pittsburgh led 11-7 when New York finally retired the side, a swift reversal after the Mets went up 7-4 with a five-run fifth. Diaz also had a three-run double off Matt Harvey in the fourth. The catcher got the start after Francisco Cervelli was scratched shortly before the first pitch due to illness. Diaz entered 2 for 12 in six games this season and had just one career RBI.

Cubs 3, Cardinals 2

CHICAGO

Jason Heyward hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning, and the Chicago Cubs snapped a six-game losing streak with a victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Heyward also had an RBI double in the sixth and Kris Bryant homered. Anthony Rizzo reached four times and scored two runs a day after he got engaged. Pedro Strop (1-2) struck out Yadier Molina with the bases loaded for the final out of the Cardinals eighth, and Wade Davis finished for his 11th save.

Marlins 7, Diamondbacks 5

MIAMI

Giancarlo Stanton matched a career high by scoring three times, and his 15th home run of the season put Miami ahead for good as the Marlins topped the Arizona Diamondbacks. Justin Bour and Christian Yelich each hit two-run homers in the first for Miami, which improved to 6-2 on this homestand. J.T. Realmuto had two hits and scored twice for the Marlins. Stanton’s solo homer in the fifth was his 579th career RBI, breaking a tie with Mike Lowell for the Marlins’ all-time lead.

Giants 10, Phillies 0

PHILADELPHIA

Ty Blach tossed his first career shutout and became the first pitcher in eight years to walk three times, Denard Span had five hits and the San Francisco Giants routed the skidding Philadelphia Phillies. Blach (4-2) scattered seven hits, struck out four and didn’t walk a batter to win his fourth consecutive start.

Reds 3, Braves 2, 10 innings

CINCINNATI

Eugenio Suarez scored the tying run in the ninth on Jim Johnson’s wild pitch, and Devin Mesoraco led off the 10th with a homer Friday night, rallying the Cincinnati Reds to a victory over the Atlanta Braves. Mesoraco, who got into the game as a defensive replacement in the 10th, connected off Jose Ramirez (2-2) for his first career game-ending homer. Raisel Iglesias (2-0) faced three batters in the top of the 10th. Atlanta’s Mike Foltynewicz pitched two-hit ball for seven innings and matched his career high with 10 strikeouts.

Associated Press