UNDATED (AP) — The New York Mets picked up their sixth-straight win and expanded their lead in the NL East to two games over Washington by completing a three-game sweep of Miami, 8-6. Juan Uribe (yoo-REE’-bay) hit a three-run homer and Lucas Duda (DOO’-dah) had three RBIs to back Matt Harvey, who gave up two hits over seven shutout innings. The Nationals lost for the fifth time in six games as Welington Castro smacked a three-run homer and the top three hitters in Arizona’s lineup combined for nine hits in an 11-4 romp in Washington.
UNDATED (AP) — The Houston Astros suffered their third straight loss, cutting their lead in the AL West to two games over the Los Angeles Angels. Nick Martinez limited the Astros to a run and just one hit in five innings before the Texas Rangers’ bullpen put the finishing touchdowns on a four-hitter in a 4-3 triumph over Houston. The Angels scored three times in the bottom of the ninth on C.J. Cron’s two-run single and a game-ending wild pitch to pull out a 4-3 win over Cleveland.
UNDATED (AP) — Yasiel Puig (YAH’-see-ul pweeg) belted a three-run homer in the first inning before Brett Anderson and the Dodgers’ bullpen held off the Phillies in a 4-3 victory in Philadelphia. The outcome keeps the NL West-leading Dodgers two games ahead of San Francisco. The Giants were 6-1 winners against Atlanta behind Madison Bumgarner, who struck out nine while holding the Braves to a run and seven hits over 7 1/3 innings.
UNDATED (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals used the long ball to maintain their 5 ½-game lead over Pittsburgh in the NL Central. Randal Grichuk (GRIH’-chihk) crushed a solo homer in the top of the 13th to lift the Cardinals past Cincinnati 4-3. The Pirates kept pace as Gregory Polanco and Andrew McCutchen each hit solo homers and collected two RBIs in Pittsburgh’s 7-5 win over the Chicago Cubs.
UNDATED (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays picked up their fourth straight win to climb within 4 ½ games of the AL East-leading New York Yankees. Jose Bautista launched a grand slam and Edwin Encarnacion (ehn-kahr-nah-see-OHN’) added a three-run homer in the Blue Jays’ 9-7 win against Minnesota. Luis Severino was a loser in his major league debut despite allowing just two hits over five innings in the Yankees’ 2-1 setback against Boston.
