Darin Ruf broke an eighth-inning tie with a double after video review overturned what would have been the third out and Thairo Estrada followed with a three-run home run as the San Francisco Giants salvaged one win in their four-game series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers with a 5-1 victory on Thursday afternoon.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak and allowed the Giants (85-49) to regain a tie for first place in the National League West with the idle Los Angeles Dodgers (85-49) on the eve of their showdown three-game series that begins Friday night in San Francisco.
The Brewers (82-53), runaway leaders in the NL Central but third behind the Giants and Dodgers in the race for the league’s top overall record, had a four-game winning streak come to an end.
A pitchers’ duel between Giants right-hander Logan Webb and Brewers lefty Eric Lauer eventually was decided by the bullpens, coupled with a pair of late calls to New York.
Cubs 6, Pirates 5 (11 innings)
An error by Pittsburgh second baseman Wilmer Difo allowed the winning run to score as Chicago beat the visiting Pirates.
Difo could not corral an infield popup, which allowed Sergio Alcantara to cross the plate. The miscue gave the Cubs their first three-game winning streak since June 8-13, when they won five straight.
Rafael Ortega and Ian Happ homered during a five-run seventh inning for the Cubs. Ortega hit a three-run blast and Happ socked a two-run shot. Colin Moran hit a three-run homer to lead the Pirates, who have dropped three games in a row and five of six.
Braves 6, Rockies 5
Jorge Soler homered and finished with two hits, Adam Duvall also went deep as Atlanta beat Colorado in Denver.
Austin Riley added two hits for the Braves, who snapped a three-game skid and maintained their two-game lead in the National League East over the second-place Philadelphia Phillies. Jacob Webb (2-2) pitched two scoreless innings for the win, and Will Smith worked the ninth for his 30th save.
Charlie Blackmon hit a grand slam, and Brendan Rodgers and Trevor Story had two hits apiece for the Rockies, who fell for the third time in four games.
Phillies 7, Nationals 6
Andrew McCutchen drove in four runs as Philadelphia rallied from a six-run deficit and extended its winning streak to six games by beating host Washington.
Odubel Herrera had three hits for Philadelphia, which has scored at least seven runs in seven consecutive games. The Phillies improved to 9-1 at Nationals Park this season. Sam Coonrod (2-2) pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the victory. Ian Kennedy stranded the tying run at third base in the ninth for his 22nd save.
Washington dropped its fifth straight despite the efforts of Juan Soto, who went 3-for-4 with a home run, four RBIs and a stolen base. Andres Machado (1-1) was charged with the loss, allowing an unearned run and a walk in two-thirds of an inning.
Red Sox 4, Rays 0
Starter Eduardo Rodriguez was masterful over six-plus shutout innings and Bobby Dalbec drove in two runs as Boston earned a four-game series split with a shutout win over Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The club’s second straight victory helped the third-place Red Sox (77-59) trim the deficit against the first-place Rays (84-50) to eight games in the American League East.
Rodriguez (11-7) took over the Red Sox staff lead in wins by holding the home side to four harmless singles before leaving after two runners reached to open the seventh. Tampa Bay starter Shane McClanahan (9-5) was hit hard by Boston in his bid for a sixth consecutive victory.
Athletics 8, Tigers 6
Jed Lowrie hit a three-run homer in the first inning as Oakland built an eight-run lead and held off host Detroit.
Mark Canha also homered, and Yan Gomes supplied two hits and two RBIs for the A’s (74-60). Khris Davis, elevated from Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday, added two hits and an RBI. Frankie Montas (11-9) gave up three runs on five hits and struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings.
Jeimer Candelario hit a three-run homer for the Tigers (63-72). Akil Baddoo contributed a two-run blast and Harold Castro also homered for Detroit.
Mets 4, Marlins 3
Pinch hitter Dominic Smith delivered a tiebreaking, seventh-inning single for host New York, which overcame an early deficit to complete an unusual sweep of Miami.
The Mets took two games from the Marlins in the series but also completed a win from April 11 on Tuesday. Jeurys Familia (9-3) threw a perfect seventh before Trevor May and Edwin Diaz (28th save) combined for two hitless innings. Losing pitcher Sandy Alcantara (8-13) gave up four runs on eight hits and no walks while striking out six over 6 1/3 innings.
Miami’s Miguel Rojas and New York’s Jonathan Villar each homered on their first pitch in the first inning. Rojas finished with two runs scored.
Indians 4, Royals 2
Triston McKenzie allowed one run on two hits and one walk in six innings, striking out six, as Cleveland completed a three-game sweep at Kansas City.
Owen Miller hit a three-run home run in the fifth to give McKenzie all the support he would need. Cleveland has won 11 consecutive games against the Royals.
McKenzie who came off the injured list on Wednesday after dealing with shoulder fatigue, improved to 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA in six career appearances against the Royals. Emmanuel Clase picked up his 20th save.
–Field Level Media
