MAJOR LEAGUES
Jose Bautista’s single in the 19th inning drove home the winning run as the Toronto Blue Jays came back from a five-run deficit to beat the Detroit Tigers 6-5 on Sunday in the longest game in club history.
Munenori Kawasaki singled off starter Rick Porcello (13-7) to begin the 19th and advanced to third when second baseman Ian Kinsler could not field an errant throw from Porcello on Jose Reyes’ sacrifice bunt.
Photo: AFP
Melky Cabrera was intentionally walked to load the bases for Bautista, who ended it with a single to right over the drawn-in outfield, sending his teammates streaming out of the dugout in celebration.
At 6 hours, 37 minutes, it was the longest game by time in Blue Jays history, easily surpassing a 5 hour, 57 minute game against the Yankees on April 19, 2001.
It was the second 19-inning game in as many days after the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Saturday.
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw won his 14th game to share for the National League lead as Los Angeles beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1 to avoid a three-game sweep in a matchup of divisional leaders.
Kershaw (14-2) allowed a run and six hits with two walks and six strikeouts in eight innings. He also reached base three times and had an RBI single in the eighth.
In Anaheim, California, Yoenis Cespedes hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning and Rubby De La Rosa allowed five hits into the eighth as the Boston Red Sox bounced back from their 19-inning loss with a 3-1 victory over the Angels.
Mike Trout homered in the eighth for the Angels (68-49), who still have the majors’ second-best record despite losing five of six.
Cespedes broke open a scoreless game with his first homer for the defending World Series champions, driving a pitch from Joe Smith (4-1) into the Boston bullpen in left.
The Seattle Mariners downed the Chicago White Sox 4-2 after Austin Jackson, acquired in a trade with the Detroit Tigers before the deadline, matched a career-high with four RBIs.
Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard had a game-ending single with two outs in the ninth inning after pinch-hitter Marlon Byrd had a tying hit as the Phillies pulled out a 7-6 victory over the New York Mets, while Devin Mesoraco hit his third grand slam of the season and drove in six runs as the Cincinnati Reds downed the Miami Marlins 7-2.
In other games, Carlos Carrasco pitched five dominant innings as the Cleveland Indians downed the New York Yankees 4-1 and the Minnesota Twins beat the Oakland Athletics 6-1.
The Chicago Cubs edged the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 over 12 innings and the St Louis Cardinals defeated the Baltimore Orioles 8-3.
Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez each homered as the Kansas City Royals beat the San Francisco Giants 7-4 and the Colorado Rockies took 10 innings to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3.
The San Diego Padres trounced the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-2, the Texas Rangers defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 and the Atlanta Braves were 3-1 winners over the Washington Nationals.
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