UNDATED (AP) — The Atlanta Braves have moved three games ahead of Philadelphia for first place in the NL East.
The Braves erupted for seven runs in the fifth inning of an 11-4 drubbing of the Diamondbacks.
Freddie Freeman hit an RBI double and a run-scoring single in the fifth. Adam Duvall delivered a two-run homer and Austin Riley had three hits and three RBIs in Atlanta’s second straight win since a four-game skid.
The Orioles avoided their 102nd loss as John Means scattered four hits over 6 2/3 innings of their 2-0 shutout of the Phillies. Cole Sulser and Tyler Wells finished up the combined four-hitter as the Birds kept Bryce Harper hitless with two strikeouts in three at-bats.
Neither team scored after Ranger Suarez gave up consecutive RBI singles to Pedro Severino and Ryan McKenna in the first inning.
Checking out Monday’s other major league action:
— Nolan Arenado slammed a two-run homer in the first inning to set the tone in the Cardinals’ ninth consecutive win, 5-2 over the Brewers. Yadier Molina provided a pair of RBI singles, including the go-ahead hit in the sixth. Winning pitcher Jon Lester allowed three hits over six innings, including solo shots by Avisail Garcia and Luis Urias in the second inning.
— The Reds erased a five-run deficit and beat the Pirates, 9-5 to stay three games behind the Cardinals for the second NL wild card. Joey Votto tied the game in the fifth inning with his second homer of the night, Eugenio Suarez followed with a go-ahead shot. Nick Castellanos drove in three runs and Kyle Farmer also went deep for Cincinnati.
— Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres hit RBI singles in a three-run third while the Yankees were building a 4-0 lead in a 4-3 win over the Rangers. Gary Sanchez homered as the Yankees bounced back from consecutive losses to the Indians by a combined 22-4 margin. The Yankees received 4 2/3 scoreless innings from the bullpen and within a half-game of Toronto for the second AL wild card.
— The Blue Jays led 2-0 until Yandy Diaz belted a three-run homer in the fifth inning of the Rays’ 6-4 victory. Diaz had three hits and scored twice to back Shane Baz, who worked five innings to earn his first major league win. The Jays fell to 13-4 this month despite homers by Teoscar Hernandez, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Marcus Semien.
— Seattle’s 4-2 victory at Oakland keeps the Athletics two games behind for the second AL wild card and brings the Mariners within three games. Kyle Seager was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, including a two-run single in the decisive third inning. Mitch Haniger doubled twice and winning pitcher Tyler Anderson allowed just one run and four hits while fanning seven over seven innings.
— Marwin González hit a grand slam and the Astros moved closer to the AL West title with a 10-0 victory over the Angels. Framber Valdez pitched seven innings of six-hit ball in Houston’s fifth victory in six games. Martin Maldonado launched a three-run homer and José Siri hit a leadoff homer as the Astros cut their magic number to six for winning their division.
— White Sox hurler Carlos Rodon was pulled after allowing two runs over three innings of a 4-3 loss at Detroit. Harold Castro’s eighth-inning single broke a 3-all tie for Detroit. Chicago’s magic number to clinch the division dropped to two when second-place Cleveland was swept by Kansas City in a doubleheader.
— Salvador Perez slammed his 46th home run and the Royals grabbed the opener of their doubleheader by whipping the Indians, 7-2. Perez tied for the major league lead in homers, became the RBI leader with 113 and broke Johnny Bench’s record among players who appeared in at least 75% of his team’s games at catcher. Hunter Dozier and Andrew Benintendi also hit two-run homers to support Brady Singer, who limited the Indians to two runs over seven innings.
— The Royals also were 4-2 winners for a sweep of the twinbill at Cleveland. Five hurlers combined on a four-hitter in the second game. Hanser Alberto provided an RBI single and a run-scoring grounder.
— Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered twice before scoring from third on a wild pitch in the 10th inning to give the Marlins an 8-7 victory over the Nationals. Jesús Sánchez homered and stunned even himself in the fourth inning when the Marlins right-fielder barehanded Lane Thomas’ fly ball.
