Daniel Murphy drove in two runs with a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning as the Mets came back for a 4-2 victory over Colorado on Monday night.
The Mets wasted three-run leads in two straight losses to Tampa Bay last weekend, then went ahead against Colorado on Travis d’Arnaud’s first homer since June 20. It was the only hit for the NL East leaders off Jon Gray, the hard-throwing right-hander making his second major league start.
Carlos Gonzalez hit a two-run shot in the fourth off Jonathon Niese (7-9). It was Gonzalez’s 13th homer since the All-Star break.
The Mets loaded the bases against Justin Miller (1-1) in the seventh after Gray, the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2013, was pulled after 75 pitches. Miller gave up a single to d’Arnaud, walked Michael Conforto and Ruben Tejada. Boone Logan entered and hit Curtis Granderson with a full-count pitch to tie it.
Murphy then grounded a single past diving shortstop Jose Reyes for a 4-2 lead.
ROYALS 4, TIGERS 0
In Kansas City, Missouri, Johnny Cueto threw a four-hitter in his home debut with the Royals.
Cueto (1-1) did not allow a runner past second base, struck out eight and walked none. It was his sixth career shutout and second this season. Cueto was acquired from Cincinnati on July 26 for three pitching prospects.
Tigers lefty Matt Boyd, who was acquired from Toronto on July 30 in the David Price trade, gave up three runs in the first inning.
Boyd (1-3), who beat Cueto and the Royals 2-1 on Wednesday last week, when he allowed seven hits and one run over seven innings in his Tigers debut, gave up singles to Alcides Escobar and Ben Zobrist on his first two pitches.
Lorenzo Cain doubled to center, scoring both. Kendrys Morales’ one-out single produced the third run of the inning.
WHITE SOX 8, ANGELS 2
In Chicago, Chris Sale allowed two runs and five hits in 7-1/3 innings, and Avisail Garcia homered twice to drive in four runs for the White Sox.
Tyler Flowers added a solo shot to back Sale (10-7), who did not allow more than one baserunner in an inning until Johnny Giavotella drove in two runs with a double in the seventh.
Angels starter Matt Shoemaker (5-8) had thrown 19 consecutive scoreless innings before Melky Cabrera’s sacrifice fly put Chicago ahead 1-0 in the first.
Shoemaker had not allowed a run in his last three starts, but was tagged for seven and nine hits in 5-2/3 innings as Los Angeles dropped their seventh straight on the road.
Garcia had his third career multi-homer game to reach 11 for the season, and his three-run drive was the big blow as the White Sox sent nine hitters to the plate and pulled away with a four-run sixth.
DIAMONDBACKS 13, PHILLIES 3
In Phoenix, Arizona, Welington Castillo equaled a career high with four RBIs, while Yasmany Tomas and A.J. Pollock homered to lead Arizona.
Arizona scored three runs in the fifth to break a 2-2 tie, highlighted by Castillo’s solo shot with two outs. Castillo has eight home runs and 14 RBIs in his past 12 games.
Castillo went deep to center in the fifth for his 15th home run and a 5-2 lead.
The Diamondbacks put up six runs in the sixth with Castillo driving in three with a triple and scoring on a single by Tomas.
In other MLB action, it was:
‧ Nationals 8, Dodgers 3
‧ Orioles 3, Mariners 2
‧ Padres 2, Reds 1
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