NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets swept a doubleheader from the National League East rival Atlanta Braves.
Mets manager Buck Showalter saved veteran starter Carlos Carrasco for the nightcap, hoping the 35-year-old could adjust his game plan to pitch more innings if Game 1 taxed New York’s bullpen.
Everything seems to be working out as hoped for the first-place Mets.
Carrasco dodged trouble for eight innings, Pete Alonso homered against Kyle Wright on an off night for Atlanta’s breakout right-hander and New York beat the Braves 3-0 Tuesday night to complete a doubleheader sweep.
Alonso had two RBI singles in the opener as the Mets pounced early against Charlie Morton, and New York’s bullpen closed out a five-hitter to beat the Braves 5-4. Alonso had two hits in each game.
Elsewhere in the major leagues:
— The Yankees have notched their 11th straight win with a 9-1 victory over the Blue Jays in Toronto. Aaron Judge homered and drove in three runs, while Jameson Taillon allowed one run in six innings to get the win for New York.
— Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker has won his 2,000th game, becoming the 12th skipper in major league history to reach the milestone and the first Black man to do it. The benchmark victory came in Houston’s 4-0 win over the Seattle Mariners. And, it comes more than 29 years after he collected his first win on April 9, 1993 when he led San Francisco to a 2-1 victory over St. Louis.
— The Los Angeles Dodgers opened their annual rivalry series against the San Francisco Giants with a 3-1 victory. Chris Taylor had an early two-run single and Julio Urías pitched six scoreless innings of four-hit ball as Los Angeles won for the third time in four games.
— Pinch-hitter Mike Zunino tied the game with a two-run homer in the ninth inning and Yandy Diaz hit a go-ahead double in a five-run 10th to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 10-7 win over the Oakland Athletics. Kevin Smith hit a grand slam in the first inning to stake the A’s to a 5-1 lead but Oakland didn’t score again and lost its fifth straight game.
— Rafael Devers homered, Michael Wacha pitched into the sixth inning and the Boston Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-0. J.D. Martinez added a solo homer in the eighth to help seal it for Boston.
— Round one of the battle of Chicago goes to the White Sox. Tim Anderson homered and José Abreu made two nice plays at first base, helping the White Sox beat the Cubs 3-1 at rainy, chilly Wrigley Field.
— Bobby Witt Jr. hit his first major league home run, Brad Keller pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning and the Kansas City Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-1 to end a four-game losing streak. Witt’s home run was one of two hits to go with two RBIs and two runs scored.
— Christian Walker had a homer, double and three RBIs, and Arizona Diamondbacks held on to beat the Miami Marlins 5-4. Arizona starter Humberto Castellanos completed his longest outing of the season, pitching 5 2/3 scoreless innings to earn the win.
— Brandon Woodruff struck out 12 to tie his career high, as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-3. Willy Adames hit a three-run homer for the NL Central-leading Brewers, who have won six of their last seven games. The Reds have lost seven in a row and have the worst record in the majors at 3-20.
— Zach Reks snapped a tie game with a two-RBI double to lead the the Texas Rangers past the Philadelphia Phillies 6-4. Mitch Garver and Jonah Heim homered for the Rangers.
— Ryan Jeffers hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the sixth inning and the surging Minnesota Twins defeated the Baltimore Orioles 7-2 for their fourth straight victory. The Twins have won 12 of 13 to move six games over .500 and into first place in the AL Central, which does not have another team with a winning record.
— Josh Bell and Juan Soto homered and the Washington Nationals beat the Colorado Rockies 10-2. Keibert Ruiz had three hits and three RBIs and Yadiel Hernández added three hits and two RBIs for the Nationals, who entered the game averaging a major league high 6.4 runs on the road. Erick Fedde pitched seven sharp innings for the win.
— Rain forced postponement of games between the Padres and Guardians in Cleveland and the Pirates-Tigers in Detroit. Both will be made up Wednesday as part of traditional doubleheaders.
