Michael Conforto hit a tying double and Wilmer Flores had a go-ahead single in the ninth inning to help the surging New York Mets beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Friday night for their seventh consecutive victory.
Juan Uribe and Daniel Murphy homered late for the NL East leaders. They improved to 4-0 on a six-game road trip and moved two-and-a-half games ahead of second-place Washington.
Lucas Duda reached first base to start the ninth on a throwing error by reliever Brad Boxberger (4-8). Duda went to second on a wild pitch and came home on Conforto’s liner to left-center. The rookie scored to make it 4-3 when Flores blooped a two-out single to right.
Tyler Clippard (1-0) was the winner, and Jeurys Familia got three outs for his 30th save.
BLUE JAYS 2, YANKEES 1, 10 INNINGS
In New York, Jose Bautista homered with one out in the 10th inning after two of the top slugging teams in the major leagues engaged in a pitchers’ duel, lifting surging Toronto past New York for their sixth straight victory.
Bautista connected off Branden Pinder (0-1) to pull Toronto within three-and-a-half games of the AL East-leading Yankees.
Brett Cecil (3-4) got the win, and Roberto Osuna pitched a perfect 10th for his ninth save.
The first of 13 games remaining between the division rivals started as most expected, with a slugfest. Josh Donaldson hit his 30th for Toronto in the first and Mark Teixeira connected for his 30th an inning later giving the Yankees a homer in 13 straight games.
ROCKIES 5, NATIONALS 4
In Washington, Drew Storen allowed Carlos Gonzalez’s eighth-inning grand slam as Washington blew a four-run lead in the loss to Colorado.
When Storen entered with six outs to go and the score 4-0, Washington appeared well on its way to recording a second straight win for only the second time since the All-Star break. Everything changed during a rare ineffective performance by the Nationals’ former closer, who lost his job when Jonathan Papelbon was obtained in a July 28 trade with Philadelphia.
With two outs and a runner on first, Jose Reyes and Nolan Arenado singled to load the bases for Gonzalez, who drove a 1-0 pitch into the Washington bullpen in right field. It was the first time in 15 appearances since June 24 that Storen (2-1) gave up a run.
In other results, it was:
‧ Pirates 5, Dodgers 4
‧ Cardinals 6, Brewers 0
‧ Cubs 7, Giants 3
‧ Red Sox 7, Tigers 2
‧ Royals 3, White Sox 2
‧ Diamondbacks 2, Reds 0
‧ Braves 6, Marlins 3
‧ Athletics 3, Astros 1
‧ Twins 10, Indians 9
‧ Angels 8, Orioles 4
‧ Mariners 4, Rangers 3
‧ Phillies 4, Padres 3
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