Kirk Nieuwenhuis homered three times to help the New York Mets beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3 on Sunday and complete a three-game sweep.
Nieuwenhuis homered twice off Diamondbacks starter Rubby de La Rosa (6-5) in the second and third innings, and once off reliever Randall Delgado in the fifth. His homer off Delgado rang off the right field foul ball and drew a curtain call from the cheering crowd of 28,259.
The Mets centerfielder’s effort backed up Jonathon Niese, who started the match in place of the injured Steven Matz.
Photo: AP
Niese (5-8) allowed three runs and five hits in 6-2/3 innings.
Nieuwenhuis’ effort marked the first time any Met had ever homered three times in a home game. Nieuwenhuis is the 10th player in Mets history with a three-homer game and the first since Ike Davis accomplished the feat on July 28, 2012 at Arizona.
ATHLETICS 2, INDIANS 0
All-Star Sonny Gray allowed just two hits in a shutout and only three base runners, leading the Athletics to a win over the Indians on Sunday.
Gray, who lowered his AL-best ERA to 2.04, walked one and struck out six. Only three outs were recorded by outfielders in his third career shutout.
Gray (10-3) retired the first 10 hitters before Francisco Lindor’s one-out single in the fourth.
The right-hander walked David Murphy to lead off the fifth and retired 11 in a row until Giovanny Urshela’s two-out single in the eighth.
Stephen Vogt, Oakland’s other All-Star, hit a two-run homer to right in the fourth off Corey Kluber (4-10) after being robbed of a home run in the first by Murphy.
In other games, it was:
‧ Pirates 6, Cardinals 5
‧ Rays 4, Astros 3
‧ Marlins 8, Reds 1
‧ Yankees 8, Red Sox 6
‧ Nationals 3, Orioles 2
‧ Twins 7, Tigers 1
‧ Royals 11, Blue Jays 10
‧ Cubs 3, White Sox 1
‧ Padres 2, Rangers 1
‧ Giants 4, Phillies 2
‧ Angels 10, Mariners 3
‧ Dodgers 4, Brewers 3
‧ Rockies 11, Braves 3
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