Texas wrapped up a 9-6 victory over the New York Yankees at 2:44am yesterday in front of about 100 fans following a long rain delay, maintaining their 10-game lead in the American League West division.
A delay of three-and-a-half hours following the arrival of rain in the ninth inning meant only the most die-hard fans lingered on.
The Yankees’ crosstown rivals, the Mets, also lost in the opener of a key series against Washington, while Oakland took the opener of a series against local rivals San Francisco and the Los Angeles Dodgers took a belated victory at Pittsburgh.
Photo: AP
Yankee Stadium was so deserted after the rain delay that shouts from Texas players cheering in the dugout for Adrian Beltre’s go-ahead, two-run single could easily be heard.
Texas trailed 6-5 when Kirby Yates replaced Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman after the delay with a runner on first and no outs. Yates hit three batters, while Beltre and Elvis Andrus each hit a two-run single.
Washington’s Ben Revere had four hits and three steals as the Nationals beat the Mets 11-4 in the opener of a three-game series between the teams expected to fight out the National League East.
The Nationals moved four games ahead of the Mets, who dropped into third in the division behind Miami.
Washington stole six bases, matching their most since the franchise moved in 2005.
New York starter Noah Syndergaard took his first loss in more than seven weeks, ending a run of winning six consecutive decisions.
Oakland’s Daniel Mengden pitched into the eighth inning for his first major league win, steering the Athletics to an 8-3 win against San Francisco in the opener of the Bay Bridge Series.
Mengden, who began the season 0-3, retired his first 13 batters before giving up a single in the fifth. He was pulled in the eighth after losing his shutout bid.
Marcus Semien hit a three-run homer in the second, while Jed Lowrie and Khris Davis also drove in runs during a five-run inning. Semien added a run-scoring double in the sixth.
The Los Angeles Dodgers trimmed San Francisco’s lead in the NL West to seven games by winning 5-4 at Pittsburgh.
A.J. Ellis hit a tiebreaking, two-out infield single that capped a four-run fifth inning, which allowed the Dodgers to salvage one win from the four-game series.
Kansas City’s Danny Duffy matched a career best with eight sharp innings as the Royals beat local rivals St Louis 6-2.
Duffy served up a two-run homer in the first before settling into a rhythm. He struck out eight and did not walk a batter.
The defending World Series champions had lost their previous four meetings with the Cardinals.
Chicago’s Kris Bryant became the first major leaguer to hit three homers and two doubles in a game as the Cubs won 11-8 at Cincinnati.
Bryant’s 16 total bases were a Cubs record and his five hits marked a career high.
He homered twice off Dan Straily and once against Ross Ohlendorf.
Chicago ace Jake Arrieta struggled in his return to Cincinnati — where he threw a no-hitter in his previous visit — and gave up a season-worst five runs in five innings, but Bryant’s efforts still gave him the win.
Arrieta’s best work came at the plate, as he hit only his fourth career home run.
Colorado’s Carlos Gonzalez hit a three-run homer to power the Rockies to a 9-5 victory over Toronto, while former Rockie Troy Tulowitzki got a standing ovation in his first game back, but struggled at the plate, going zero for 4.
Tampa Bay ended an 11-game losing sequence by beating Boston 13-7, led by Nick Franklin, who homered and drove in a career-high five runs.
Cleveland stretched their winning streak to double figures by beating Atlanta 8-3, as starter Trevor Bauer pitched six controlled innings.
Houston’s Carlos Correa snapped a ninth-inning tie with a sacrifice fly, while Will Harris pitched out of a major jam moments later to preserve the Astros’ 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
Philadelphia’s Vince Velasquez returned from three weeks out with a bicep strain and pitched five scoreless innings to steer the Phillies to an 8-0 victory over Arizona.
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