UNDATED (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers enjoy a large lead in the National League Central right now, but they were never able to beat the worst team in the AL Central this season.
The Brewers put together a sloppy performance in a 6-3 loss to the Royals, allowing Kansas City to sweep the four-game season series.
Milwaukee made a pair of errors that caused the Royals’ first five runs to be unearned. Nicky Lopez had the key hit, a tiebreaking, two-run double in a three-run sixth.
Brad Keller won for the first time since June 4, allowing three runs over 6 2/3 innings.
Milwaukee still leads its division by 6 ½ games over the Reds.
In other major league action:
— Yadier Molina singled home the game-winning run off Craig Kimbrel in the bottom of the 10th to give the Cardinals a 3-2 win over the Cubs. Chicago tied it 2-2 in the ninth when pinch-hitter Eric Sogard doubled to right off reliever Giovanny Gallegos. Harrison Bader has five multi-hit performances in his last seven games after going 3-for-4 with an RBI double that put St. Louis ahead in the seventh.
— The Giants have restored their two-game lead in the NL West by scoring three times in the ninth inning of a 4-2 comeback over the second-place Dodgers in Los Angeles. The Dodgers owned a 2-1 lead and were on the verge of pulling into a first-place tie until Wilmer Flores slammed a two-run homer off Kenley Jansen. The Giants received four perfect innings from their bullpen after starter Logan Webb was reached for three hits, including Chris Taylor’s homer leading off the bottom of the first.
— Marcus Stroman was terrific in the Mets’ 7-0 win over the Reds, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out seven over eight innings. Stroman gave the bullpen a break after New York starters had worked just five innings over the last three games. Dominic Smith highlighted the offense with a grand slam for the Mets, who scored their other runs on homers by Luis Guillorme and Jonathan Villar.
— Fernando Tatis Jr. slammed his NL-leading 29th home run, a two-run blast that gave the Padres a 3-0 lead in a 3-2 win over the Braves in Game 1 of a doubleheader. The All-Star shortstop has eight hits, seven runs scored and six RBIs in his last five games. Chris Paddack reversed his recent struggles by limiting Atlanta to three hits over five scoreless innings.
— Game 2 of the Padres-Braves twinbill was suspended by rain in the middle of the fifth inning with San Diego leading, 5-4. The rest of the game could be played in San Diego when the Braves visit the Padres for a three-game series Sept. 24-26.
— The Marlins picked up a 3-1 win over the Nationals as pinch-hitter Jorge Alfaro doubled home the tiebreaking run in the 10th inning. Miguel Flores padded Miami’s lead with a sacrifice fly before the Marlins ended a four-game losing streak. Andrew Stevenson had an RBI-double for Washington, which had its three-game winning streak halted.
— Pavin Smith and Daulton Varsho hit consecutive home runs leading off the seventh inning of the Diamondbacks’ 6-4 downing of the Pirates. Madison Bumgarner allowed three runs over five innings for Arizona in his second start since coming off the injured list. The DBacks completed a three-game sweep and ran their winning streak to four games, tying a season high.
— Dom Nunez laced a three-run double while the Rockies scored five in the first inning of a 6-3 win against the Mariners. Austin Gomber pitched effectively for six innings in his return from the injured list, surrendering homers by Kyle Seager, Mitch Haniger and Luis Torrens. Gomber didn’t allow any other hits in winning his fourth straight decision.
— The Blue Jays dropped their final home game in Buffalo as the Red Sox banged out five home runs in a 7-4 decision over Toronto. Kiké Hernández, Rafael Devers, Michael Chavis, J.D. Martinez, and Hunter Renfroe all homered for Boston, which kept its one-game lead over Tampa Bay atop the AP East. Garrett Richards and three Sox relievers held Toronto to five hits.
— The Rays pulled out a 5-4 win over the Orioles on Austin Meadows’ two-out, two-strike, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth. Randy Arozarena homered twice and had a key single in the ninth as Tampa Bay won for the 10th time in 13 games. The Birds’ loss came after they announced that pitcher Keegan Akin and outfielder Anthony Santander were placed on the COVID-19 injured list.
— The Yankees coughed up a 5-2 lead before beating the Phillies, 6-5 on Ryan LaMarre’s game-ending single in the 10th inning. LaMarre’s clutch hit gave the Yankees their fourth straight win and ninth in 12 games heading into a four-game series with Boston. The Phils tied it with a three-run eighth with help from an error, four walks and a wild pitch that knotted the score.
— Max Kepler homered in his second straight game and Jorge Polanco also went deep for the Twins in a 7-2 downing of the White Sox. Polanco made it 6-1 with his sixth-inning blast. The Twins beat the AL Central leaders for just the fourth time in 16 games.
— The Tigers earned their sixth straight win as Matt Manning pitched six strong innings to lead a 4-2 victory over the Rangers. Robbie Grossman, Zack Short and Akil Baddoo hit home runs as the Tigers matched their longest winning streak since an eight-game run in 2016. Texas has lost eight in a row and has been outscored 47-5 in six games since the All-Star break.
— The Indians were 5-4 winners over the Astros as rookie Ernie Clement had a season-high three RBIs and Cesar Hernandez smacked a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning. Rookie starter Eli Morgan permitted three hits and three runs in five-plus innings. Jose Altuve and Kyle Tucker both homered for the second straight game, but Houston lost to Cleveland for the first time in seven meetings this year.
