NEW YORK (AP) — Starling Marte hit his 150th career homer Wednesday, powering the New York Mets to a 9-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates and a sweep of a three-game series.
Marte, who spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Pirates, hit the milestone two-run homer off the railing beyond the left-center field fence to give the Mets a 2-1 lead in the third inning.
Tyrone Taylor hit a two-run single in the sixth and Harrison Bader homered on the next pitch for the Mets, who are 10-3 since an 0-5 start. Brandon Nimmo’s two-run single capped a three-run eighth.
The sweep was the first for the Mets at Citi Field since they won three straight from the Philadelphia Phillies from May 30-June 1, 2023.
GIANTS 3, MARLINS 1
MIAMI (AP) — Rookie Keaton Winn threw six solid innings of one-run ball and San Francisco beat the Marlins to win their first series in Miami since 2016.
Winn (1-3) scattered four hits and struck out four. Thairo Estrada had two hits and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh, when he raced home on a double-play grounder hit by Nick Ahmed against reliever Declan Cronin (0-2).
Jorge Soler and Jung Hoo Loo had two hits and scored one run each for the Giants. Matt Chapman hit an RBI double in the eighth.
The Marlins dropped to an NL worst 4-15.
BREWERS 1, PADRES 0
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Blake Perkins hit a single in the eighth inning to crack a scoreless game and lead Milwaukee to a win over San Diego.
The hit spoiled a stellar start by Padres right-hander Michael King (2-1), who pitched a no-hitter through 6 2/3 innings.
King didn’t allow a runner past first base until the eighth inning, when Brice Turang stole second after hitting a single. King was charged with a run when Turang scored on Perkins’ single off Wandy Peralta.
King went 7 2/3 innings on the day, throwing 109 pitches. He struck out 10 batters and walked two.
The Brewers snapped a three-game losing streak and ended the Padres’ three-game winning streak.
ORIOLES 4, TWINS 2
BALTIMORE (AP) — Cedric Mullins hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Baltimore a victory over Minnesota and a three-game sweep of the Twins.
Gunnar Henderson and Anthony Santander also went deep for the Orioles, their fifth straight game with at least three home runs. Baltimore had a streak that long only twice before in franchise history, in 1996 and 1987.
With one on and one out, Mullins hit a drive to right field off Griffin Jax (1-2) for his fifth homer of the year. Craig Kimbrel (3-0) worked a 1-2-3 top of the ninth.
Pablo López allowed a leadoff homer to Henderson in the first but was outstanding after that. He exited after six innings and 87 pitches, having allowed a run and two hits with seven strikeouts.
RANGERS 5, TIGERS 4
DETROIT (AP) — Josh Smith’s pinch-hit double in the top of the ninth drove home the winning run and Texas beat the error-prone Detroit.
With one out, Ezequiel Duran singled, went to second on an error first baseman Spencer Torkelson and scored on Smith’s clutch hit to right-center field.
Kirby Yates (2-0) got the final four outs, striking out the side in the ninth, to get the win. Detroit’s Shelby Miller (3-1) took the loss as the Tigers committed three errors, leading to two unearned runs.
ROYALS 4, WHITESOX 2, 1ST GAME
WHITE SOX , ROYALS 1, 2ND GAME
CHICAGO (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer in the eighth to put the Royals ahead, and Kansas City beat struggling Chicago in the first game of a doubleheader.
Perez socked his fifth homer of the season off Michael Kopech to left center for a 3-2 lead. Kansas City’s eight-time All-Star catcher started Wednesday after missing Monday with a groin injury.
Hunter Renfroe added a solo shot in the ninth and Adam Frazier drove in the Royals’ first run with a single. Bobby Witt Jr. had two hits and was aboard for Perez’s homer after beating out an infield single.
Paul DeJong hit a two-run homer off Royals ace Brady Singer and finished with three hits. Chicago has lost sixth straight and its 2-15 record is its worst start in franchise history.
Gavin Sheets homered, Erick Fedde pitched scoreless ball into the sixth inning and Chicago edged Kansas City in the second game for a doubleheader split that ended a six-game slide.
Gavin Sheets’ solo shot in the sixth off Michael Wacha struck the right-field foul pole and put Chicago ahead 2-0. Dominic Fletcher drove in Chicago’s first run with a single in the fourth.
Hunter Renfroe knocked in a run with a groundout in the seventh against Tanner Banks, Chicago’s first reliever. Deivi Garcia followed with two scoreless innings for his second career save and first this season.
BRAVES 5, ASTROS 4, 10 INNINGS
HOUSTON (AP) — Marcell Ozuna hit his major league-leading eighth homer and Orlando Arcia’s RBI single in the 10th inning lifted Atlanta to a win over Houston.
It completes a three-game sweep of the struggling Astros and is Atlanta’s fourth straight victory.
The Braves scored two runs in the eighth inning to tie it at 4-4. Michael Harris II started the 10th as the automatic runner on second and there was one out in the inning when Seth Martinez (1-1) intentionally walked Matt Olson.
Ozuna lined out to right field to send Harris to third base. Arcia then singled on a ground ball to left field to score Harris and put the Braves on top.
Pinch-runner Jake Meyers was on second when Kyle Tucker walked with no outs in the 10th. Meyers moved to third on a fly out by Yainer Diaz but Jeremy Peña grounded into a double play to end it.
A.J. Minter (3-1) got the last two outs of the ninth for the win and Raisel Iglesias earned his fifth save.
NATIONALS 2, DODGERS 0
LOS ANGELES (AP) — CJ Abrams homered in the first at-bat of the game and Washington beat Los Angeles to take the series.
Nationals starter Jake Irvin (1-1) threw six scoreless innings to get his first win of the season and gave up just four hits. Irvin was efficient and dominant all afternoon.
Landon Knack (0-1) made his major league debut for the Dodgers.
Abrams smacked his second pitch of the game to right centerfield for his third career leadoff home run. Joey Menses hit a sacrifice fly to center to score a run for a 2-0 lead also in the first. Those were the only runs of the game.
YANKEES 6, BLUE JAYS 4
TORONTO (AP) — Aaron Judge broke a 4-all tie with a two-run single in the ninth inning, Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton hit solo home runs and the New York Yankees rallied to beat Toronto, avoiding their first sweep of the season.
Daulton Varsho hit two home runs for the Blue Jays, but Toronto’s four-game winning streak was snapped.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider was ejected by plate umpire Ryan Wills for arguing in the bottom of the ninth.
Victor González (1-0) got one out for the win and Clay Holmes finished for his seventh save in eight chances.
ATHLETICS 6, CARDINALS 3
OAKLAND (AP) — Esteury Ruiz homered for the second time in three games since being recalled from Triple-A, and Oakland beat St. Louis to avoid a three-game sweep.
Ruiz drove in two runs, scored twice and stole a base. He has homered twice in six at-bats since his return Monday from Triple-A Las Vegas.
Tyler Nevin added three hits and an RBI as Oakland improved to 4-9 at home.
Iván Herrera drove in two runs for the Cardinals, who fell to 0-6 in series finales this season.
CUBS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 3
PHOENIX (AP) — Cody Bellinger hit a go-ahead solo homer in the sixth inning, Mike Tauchman added an RBI double and the Chicago Cubs beat Arizona.
The Cubs took two of three in the hard-fought series, which included two extra-inning games.
Cubs reliever Hayden Wesneski (1-0) earned the win in his first game of the season after being called up from Triple-A Iowa. The right-hander threw four innings to save a tired bullpen and gave up just one hit while striking out two.
Bellinger homered off Arizona right-hander Brandon Pfaadt — launching a sweeper into the right-center seats — for a 3-2 lead. Pfaadt (1-1) gave up three runs, including two earned, over seven innings.
The Cubs added two more runs in the eighth, including one on Michael Busch’s RBI single. The rookie recently tied a franchise record with homers in five straight games.
Ketel Marte gave the D-backs a 1-0 lead with his third leadoff homer of the season and eighth of his career.
SEATTLE 5, REDS 1
SEATTLE (AP) — Bryce Miller and three relievers combined on a one-hitter, Cal Raleigh, Mitch Garver and Josh Rojas all hit solo home runs, and Seattle beat the Cincinnati to complete a three-game sweep.
Miller (3-1) continued his brilliant stretch of pitching with the lone hit he allowed becoming the only earned run scored against him in his last three starts. Miller gave up a solo home run to Elly De La Cruz in the second when a slider stayed on the plate, but Miller was otherwise untouchable over six innings.
Miller walked Tyler Stephenson immediately after De La Cruz’s homer, but then retired the final 13 batters he faced. Miller struck out seven and lowered his ERA to 1.85. Trent Thornton, Gabe Speier and Austin Voth finished off the one-hitter by each working an inning of relief.
PHILLIES 7, ROCKIES 6
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyle Schwarber hit two home runs, including the 250th of his career, Cristopher Sánchez pitched six strong innings and Philadelphia completed a three-game sweep with a victory over Colorado Rockies.
Trea Turner homered, doubled and singled for the Phillies, who moved a season-best three games over .500. Philadelphia has won 13 of its last 15 against the Rockies.
Ezequiel Tovar had three hits and drove in two runs for Colorado, which dropped to 4-15. The Rockies entered tied with Miami for the worst record in the NL.
RED SOX 2, GUARDIANS 0
BOSTON (AP) — Tanner Houck pitched a three-hitter with nine strikeouts for Boston’s first complete-game shutout at Fenway Park in nearly seven years, and the Red Sox beat Cleveland.
Connor Wong homered in the fourth, one inning after Boston scored its first run on a balk by starter Ben Lively.
Houck (3-1) walked none in his first career complete game, which took just 1 hour, 49 minutes. He finished one short of his season high for strikeouts.
ANGELS 5, RAYS 4
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Anthony Rendon and Taylor Ward hit run-scoring singles off struggling closer Pete Fairbanks in the ninth inning and the Los Angeles Angels beat Tampa Bay.
Fairbanks (0-2) has 9.00 ERA in eight games this season with seven earned runs allowed in seven innings.
Amed Rosario gave the Rays a 4-3 lead with a two-run homer in the eighth off Hunter Strickland (1-0), who allowed a two-out single in a scoreless ninth to seal the win.
Tampa Bay scored twice with two outs in the ninth Tuesday night to tie it and won 7-6 on Rosario’s 13th-inning RBI single.
Mike Trout hit his eighth homer, a 400-foot first-inning solo drive to center off Zack Littell. He has gone deep four times in six games against the Rays this season and tied Carlton Fisk for 79th on the career home runs list with 376.
New York Mets' Starling Marte rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Marte hits 150th career home run and Mets rout Pirates 9-1
Marte hits 150th career home run and Mets rout Pirates 9-1
New York Mets' Starling Marte reacts as he reaches home plate after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
