Sports FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 42 Rizzo’s 2 HRs help Cubs beat Cardinals

ST LOUIS: Anthony Rizzo hit a pair of home runs scheduled to get an MRI on his sore right hip. Manaea (5-9) picked up his first career road victo- in 6 1/3 innings of four-hit ball. Brandon Maurer and pitched eight dominant innings as Marco Estrada (8-9) allowed four runs and four hits ry, retiring 13 of the final 14 batters he faced in finished for his 10th save. the Chicago Cubs beat the St Louis Cardinals 7-0 in 5 1/3 innings. five scoreless innings. Yordano Ventura (10-11) on Wednesday to clinch at least a wild-card playoff was pulled after 4 1/3 innings. ASTROS 8, RANGERS 4 berth. The Cubs improved their MLB-best record to TIGERS 9, TWINS 6 Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman both left with 93-52 and their magic number is one to clinch Miguel Cabrera’s homer broke a seventh- DODGERS 2, YANKEES 0 injuries but George Springer and Teoscar their first Central title since 2008. inning tie as Detroit rallied for a crucial victory. The Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw pitched five Hernandez homered, helping Houston keep its Chicago secured a playoff berth because St. Louis Tigers trailed 5-2 in the fourth inning, but came nearly perfect innings before Justin Turner hit an fading playoff hopes alive. Altuve exited after the and San Francisco are the only teams that could from behind to pull one game behind Toronto for RBI off Dellin Betances in a two-run ninth. fourth with right oblique discomfort, and Bregman pass them in the standings, but since those teams the second AL wild card. Ian Kinsler had four hits, The Dodgers took advantage of errors by second was pulled in the sixth with right hamstring dis- open a four-game series on Thursday both teams falling a homer short of the cycle, and drove in baseman Starlin Castro and Betances (35) to comfort. Houston snapped a three-game losing wouldn’t be able to do so. The Cardinals began the three runs while scoring two. Brian Dozier and Kurt increase their NL West lead to five games over streak and closed within 3 1/2 games of Toronto day a half-game behind the and a Suzuki homered for the Twins. Shane Greene (5-4) San Francisco. The Yankees completed a 7-3 for the second AL wild card. The Astros got just full game behind the Giants for one of the two got the win, while Ryan Pressly (6-7) took the loss home stand and remained two games behind their fourth win in 19 games against the Rangers wild-card spots. Lester (17-4) allowed four base after surrendering Cabrera’s homer. Francisco Toronto for the second AL wild card. Next up, this season. Houston’s Joe Musgrove (3-4) allowed runners, none of which got past first. Cubs Rodriguez put up a perfect ninth for his 42nd save. they begin an 11-game trip - their longest of the three runs and five hits with seven strikeouts in 6 David Ross threw out two Cardinals trying to steal season - to Boston, Tampa Bay and Toronto. 1/3 innings. Derek Holland (7-8) allowed five runs second and Lester faced just two batters over the MARINERS 2, ANGELS 1 Kershaw gave up one hit without a walk, pitch- and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. minimum. St Louis starter Carlos Martinez (14-8) Seattle’s Japanese starter Hisashi Iwakuma ing through two rain delays in his first career gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings. pitched into the seventh inning and earned his start at Yankee Stadium. Luis Avilan (2-0) pitched INDIANS 6, WHITE SOX 1 16th win as Seattle completed a three-game 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win, and Kenley Josh Tomlin pitched five effective innings in his ORIOLES 1, RED SOX 0 sweep over the Los Angeles Angels. Nelson Cruz Janson struck out three in the ninth for his 44th return to the Indians rotation and Coco Crisp hit a Mark Trumbo hit his major league-leading and Kyle Seager homered to lead the Mariners, save. three-run homer in the sixth inning as Cleveland beat Chicago to remain six games ahead of Detroit in the AL Central. Tomlin (12-8) allowed one run and four hits and walked none as he ended a per- sonal five-game losing streak. Crisp, who also dou- bled, went deep to left with none out in the sixth to chase Carlos Rodon (79), who allowed six runs to match his season high and lost for the first time since July 31.

MARLINS 7, BRAVES 5 Marcell Ozuna hit a three-run homer as Miami rallied to beat Julio Teheran and Atlanta in a testy game. The benches for both teams emptied in the seventh inning after Atlanta reliever Jose Ramirez threw inside to Miami ace Jose Fernandez, who had been knocked to the ground by a pitch from Teheran (5-10) in the fifth. No punches were thrown and Ramirez was ejected. The comeback from a 4-1 deficit helped Fernandez (15-8) stop a five-game road losing streak, the longest of his career.

PHILLIES 6, PIRATES 2 Freddy Galvis continued his surge, hitting his 19th of the season to lead Philadelphia. Galvis connected on a two-run shot in the second inning off Steven Brault (0-3) for his 10th homer in the last 32 games. The Phillies got a rare boost on the mound from righty Jake Thompson (2-5). Thompson, who won for the first time since Aug. 12, allowed six hits and two runs over six solid innings. Tommy Joseph hit his 19th homer for the Phillies. Jeanmar Gomez got the final two outs of ST LOUIS: Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester throws during a baseball game against the St Louis Cardinals, the ninth for his 37th save. Wednesday, Sept 14, 2016, at Busch Stadium. —AP BREWERS 7, REDS 0 Junior Guerra pitched six shutout innings, 42nd home run, Kevin Gausman outpitched Rick who extended their longest winning streak of NATIONALS 1, METS 0 Scooter Gennett and Domingo Santana homered Porcello over eight innings and Baltimore pulled the season to eight games. Surging Seattle Tanner Roark pitched seven scoreless innings and Milwaukee beat Cincinnati to avoid a three- within a game of AL East-leading Boston. moved within 1 1/2 games of Toronto for the and Wilson Ramos homered in the seventh inning game sweep. Guerra (9-3), in his third start since Baltimore took two of three in the series to pull a second AL wild card, with Detroit the only team for the game’s only run as Washington beat New coming off the disabled list with right elbow game ahead of slumping Toronto for the top AL in between at a game behind the Blue Jays. It’s York. With one out in the seventh, Ramos hit his inflammation, allowed just one baserunner past wild card. Zach Britton closed for his 43rd save the first time the Mariners (78-68) have won 21st home run deep over the center-field wall on second base - Jose Peraza on a one-out triple in the and Baltimore became the first team to beat eight in a row since July 2013. They have the the first pitch from Fernando Salas (0-1). The third inning. Tim Adleman (2-4) was the loser. Porcello at Fenway Park this season. Gausman (8- longest active streak in the majors. Cruz hit a go- Nationals have won five of six. Roark (15-8) allowed 10) and Porcello (20-4) had nearly identical line ahead homer in the seventh off Jose Alvarez (1- three hits with seven strikeouts and four walks, one DIAMONDBACKS 11, ROCKIES 6 scores over eight innings, each striking out six and 3), his 37th of the season and fourth in four intentional. Reliever Blake Treinen pitched the Jean Segura homered twice for the second allowing just four hits, except Porcello allowed games. It was the slugger’s 10th home run this eighth and Mark Melancon got the final three outs consecutive game and finished with five hits as the Trumbo’s leadoff shot in the second inning. year against Los Angeles, more than any other for his 42 save. Arizona Diamondbacks completed a three-game Porcello was 13-0 in home starts with one no deci- Mariners player has hit in one season against a sweep of the Colorado Rockies. Segura and Charlie sion entering the game. opponent. PADRES 3, GIANTS 1 Blackmon of the Rockies each belted a leadoff Madison Bumgarner missed a chance at his homer. Chris Owings and Brandon Drury also went RAYS 8, BLUE JAYS 1 ATHLETICS 8, ROYALS 0 milestone 100th career win and San Francisco deep for the last-place Diamondbacks. Segura, Alex Cobb pitched 6 2/3 innings to win for the Yonder Alonso and Marcus Semien hit two- wasted another chance for a potential push in the making a run at a 200-hit season, had three singles, first time in almost two years and Kevin Kiermaier run doubles as Oakland beat Kansas City for the NL West, losing to San Diego to be swept by the scored three times and drove in three runs. He has and Corey Dickerson hit two-run homers for third straight game to further ruin the Royals’ division’s second-to-last-place club. On Tuesday 182 hits with 17 games to play. The second base- Tampa Bay. Cobb (1-0) allowed one run and two postseason chances. The 2015 World Series night, San Francisco’s bullpen blew a three-run man went 3 for 5 with two homers Tuesday night hits to win for the first time since Sept. 23, 2014, champion Royals are five games out in the AL lead in the ninth and the Giants failed to gain in Arizona’s 11-4 win. Blackmon and Nolan against Boston. Reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson wild card with 17 games left and would have to ground. Bumgarner (14-9) gave up three runs over Arenado both had three hits for the Rockies. sat out his third straight game for Toronto and was climb over five teams. A’s rookie left-hander Sean 6 2/3 innings. Luis Perdomo (8-9) allowed one run Blackmon was a double short of the cycle. —AP