Joe Kelly pitched six solid innings to earn his first win since his initial start of the season, while Hanley Ramirez hit a two-run homer as the Boston Red Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 4-2 on Saturday.
The teams played a day after a fan at Fenway Park was struck in the head by a broken bat and suffered life-threatening injuries. Boston police said on Saturday that she is expected to survive.
Ramirez also singled twice, David Ortiz hit an RBI double and Mike Napoli had a run-scoring single for the Red Sox, who won for the fourth time in six games.
Photo: AP
Mark Canha hit a solo homer for Oakland, who lost for the third time in their past nine.
Kelly (2-4) gave up one run and four hits, striking out six and walking two to snap his career-worst, nine-start winless stretch.
Koji Uehara, the fifth Red Sox pitcher, worked the ninth for his 13th save.
Photo: AP
Jesse Chavez (2-6) allowed four runs and 10 hits in five innings.
DODGERS 2, CARDINALS 0
Clayton Kershaw allowed one hit and struck out 11 in eight innings against his nemesis from last season as Los Angeles beat St Louis with a big swing from Yasiel Puig in his return from the disabled list.
Puig snapped a scoreless tie in the seventh with an RBI double after missing the previous 39 games because of a strained left hamstring.
Kershaw (5-3) outpitched Jaime Garcia and lowered his ERA to 3.36. The left-hander led the majors in that category each of the past four seasons.
Kershaw lost to St Louis in the finale of the 2013 NL Championship Series and the final game of last year’s Division Series, making him 0-4 with a 7.15 ERA in his last four playoff starts against the Cardinals.
CUBS 4, NATIONALS 2
Jason Hammel extended his mastery over Washington in an 11th impressive start, while Dexter Fowler had two hits and scored twice to lead Chicago to the win.
Hammel (5-2) improved to 9-0 with a 3.01 ERA in 11 starts against the Nationals. Anthony Rizzo and Jonathan Herrera each had two hits and drove in a run for Chicago.
Hammel allowed two runs and five hits in eight-plus innings, striking out seven and walking two. He departed after Bryce Harper hit his 19th homer of the season to open the ninth.
After Hector Rondon walked Anthony Rendon, Pedro Strop entered and finished for his second save.
Wilson Ramos also homered for the Nationals.
With starting pitchers Stephen Strasburg and Doug Fister on the disabled list, the Nationals called on 22-year-old prospect Joe Ross (0-1) to make his major league debut.
RANGERS 4, ROYALS 2
Wandy Rodriguez pitched seven strong innings as Texas defeated Kansas City for their seventh win in eight games.
Texas have won six straight series for the first time since 2012. The AL champion Royals have lost nine of 11.
Rodriguez (3-2), a 36-year-old lefty who signed with the Rangers in early April after Atlanta released him in spring training, gave up one run and six hits. He walked none and struck out four.
Yordano Ventura (3-5) continued to struggle early, allowing four runs in the first two innings.
INDIANS 2, ORIOLES 1
Danny Salazar pitched impressively into the eighth inning to reach a career high in wins and Carlos Santana had a tiebreaking double as Cleveland beat Baltimore.
Salazar (6-1) struck out 10 and allowed six hits and a run in seven-plus innings. Baltimore’s only run came on Manny Machado’s third-inning homer. Salazar, who began the season in the minors, has not lost since May 5, a span of six starts.
Nick Swisher had an RBI single, while Santana drove in a run in the sixth off Brad Brach for the Indians’ seventh win in 10 games. They are 15-7 since May 14.
Brach (3-2) retired the first two hitters in the sixth before walking Jason Kipnis. Santana’s line drive landed in the right field corner and Kipnis scored on a headfirst dive into the plate.
In other results, it was:
‧ Giants 7, Phillies 5
‧ Tigers 7, White Sox 1
‧ Yankees 8, Angels 2
‧ Braves 5, Pirates 4
‧ Rockies 10, Marlins 5
‧ Blue Jays 7, Astros 2
‧ Padres 9, Reds 7
‧ Brewers 4, Twins 2
‧ Diamondbacks 2, Mets 1
‧ Mariners 2, Rays 1
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