MIAMI (AP) — Mike Trout and Nolan Schanuel both hit home runs for the Los Angeles Angels in a 4-3 win over the Marlins to open the series on Friday night, Miami's fourth straight loss.
Trout homered in the first inning to open the scoring. Trout, who turned 35 on Friday, hit a home run on his birthday for the sixth time in his 16 MLB seasons.
Josh Lowe scored when Trout reached on a fielder error by Josh Ekness and Schanuel hit a two-run shot to center field, his second home run in as many games, in the seventh.
Shaun Anderson (2-0) recorded the final out of the sixth and earned the win. He walked one and gave up one hit.
Owen Caissie walked to lead off the fourth, Jakub Marsee singled and Esteury Ruiz walked before Kyle Stowers drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in Caissie.
Stowers added an RBI single in the sixth.
In the ninth inning, with two outs, Leo Jiménez hit an RBI single to center field to score Agustín Ramírez and make it 4-3. Javier Sanoja hit the ball off the glove of third baseman Denzer Guzman and left fielder Jose Siri's throw home beat Jiménez to end the game. Replay review confirmed the out.
José Fermin pitched the ninth and earned his first career save. He allowed one run and three hits.
Ekness (0-1) pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed three runs.
RHP Sandy Alcantara (12-6, 3.68 ERA) starts for the Marlins on Saturday against the Angels' RHP Walbert Urena (7-7, 2.54).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Los Angeles Angels' Nolan Schanuel (18) celebrates after hitting a two-run home that also scored Mike Trout, during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Marcus Semien hit a three-run homer, rookie Zac Thornton pitched five scoreless innings and the New York Mets matched a season high with their fourth straight win by beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 on Friday night.
Semien’s second homer in two games and 14th of the season, a drive to left-center off Carmen Mlodzinski, capped a four-run third that put the Mets ahead 5-0. New York, last in the NL East, swept a three-game series in Cleveland before busing to Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
Thornton (3-2) allowed four hits while striking out three and walking two. The left-hander remained in the game following a 36-minute rain delay in the top of the third.
Pittsburgh got two runs in the seventh and then two more in the ninth off closer Devin Williams, but a pair of baserunning mistakes cost the Pirates as they tried to rally.
Semien made a sliding stop at second base of Bryan Reynolds' grounder with a runner aboard to end it.
Mets rookie outfielder Carson Benge was removed with left wrist soreness in the bottom of the fourth, one inning after sliding into the wall in the left-field corner while catching a flyball hit by Ronny Simon.
Benge was replaced by Cristian Pache with the Mets leading 6-0. Benge helped New York build the lead with a pair of run-scoring singles.
Making his first start since May 25, Mlodzinski (6-4) was tagged for five runs and seven hits in three innings. Mlodzinski returned to the rotation from the bullpen after Mitch Keller sustained a season-ending right shoulder injury in his previous start.
A.J. Ewing, another rookie outfielder, had three hits and scored twice for the Mets. Ewing led off the game with a double and scored on a single by Benge, who also singled home a run in the third before Semien homered. Francisco Lindor added an RBI single in the fourth.
The Pirates, who are 4-11 since the All-Star break, got two hits each from Reynolds, Nick Gonzales, Simon and Jared Triolo.
Mets RHP Robert Stock (0-1, 1.80 ERA) faces rookie RHP Bubba Chandler (4-8, 4.49) on Saturday night.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
The field at PNC Park is covered during a rain storm at a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Mets in Pittsburgh, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
New York Mets pitcher Jefry Yan (84) tags out Pittsburgh Pirates' Jared Triolo who was attempting to score on a wild pitch during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
New York Mets pitcher Zac Thornton delivers during the second inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
New York Mets' Marcus Semien (10) celebrates with Jared Young, left, and Carson Benge, back right, after hitting a three-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
New York Mets' Marcus Semien hits a three-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
