Max Scherzer overcame a rocky start to win his Texas debut, allowing three runs and seven hits over six innings as the Rangers completed a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox with a 5-3 victory on Thursday in Arlington, Texas.
Scherzer (10-4) struck out nine and walked two following his trade from the New York Mets last weekend. All three runs came in the first before he settled in. Josh Sborz and Aroldis Chapman followed with one scoreless inning apiece, and Will Smith fanned two in the ninth for his 19th save.
Mitch Garver and Marcus Semien hit solo homers in the fourth inning to give the Rangers the lead for good. Josh Jung and Garver each collected two hits.
White Sox starter Touki Toussaint (1-4) allowed four runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. Tim Anderson and Andrew Benintendi had two hits apiece for Chicago, which lost its fourth game in a row.
Phillies 4, Marlins 2
Michael Lorenzen logged eight strong innings in his team debut and J.T. Realmuto belted a two-run homer to guide Philadelphia past host Miami.
Lorenzen (6-7), who was acquired from the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday prior to the trade deadline, gave up two runs on six hits. He matched the longest outing by a Philadelphia starter this season. Seranthony Dominguez picked up his second save as the Phillies took three of four games in the series.
Bryan De La Cruz hit a solo home run and Jazz Chisholm Jr. had an RBI double for Miami, which fell to 5-5 against Philadelphia this season. Johnny Cueto (0-3) allowed four runs on five hits in six-plus innings.
Orioles 6, Blue Jays 1
Jack Flaherty pitched six strong innings in his debut for visiting Baltimore, which defeated Toronto to take three games in the four-game series.
Flaherty (8-6), acquired in a trade Tuesday with the St. Louis Cardinals, allowed one run, four hits and two walks while striking out eight. Ryan Mountcastle went 4-for-4 with a sacrifice fly for the Orioles, giving him 11 hits in the series. Austin Hays was 4-for-5 with two RBIs.
Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman (8-6) allowed three runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in Toronto’s only run.
Giants 1, Diamondbacks 0
Reliever Tristan Beck went four shutout innings and LaMonte Wade Jr. hit a home run to lead San Francisco past visiting Arizona.
Wade’s blast over the right field wall leading off the fourth inning provided the only offense the Giants needed. Beck (3-0) took over for opener Scott Alexander to start the second inning and allowed two hits.
Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfaadt (0-5) was sensational in the loss. He was perfect through three innings, then allowed the homer to Wade before recovering to retire 12 of the next 14 hitters. Pfaadt allowed only two hits through his seven innings, with one walk and seven strikeouts.
Royals 9, Mets 2
Brady Singer pitched eight scoreless innings, Bobby Witt Jr. and Drew Waters homered and Kansas City completed a sweep of visiting New York.
Following a sweep of the Minnesota Twins, the Royals concluded a 6-0 homestand, the fifth such perfect homestand in club history. Singer (7-8) threw 100 pitches, surrendering only three singles with four strikeouts and no walks while allowing no runners past first.
Mets starter Carrasco (3-6) pitched six-plus innings, allowing six runs on eight hits and a walk. In the ninth, Francisco Lindor hit a two-run homer for New York’s first runs in 17 innings.
–Field Level Media
