Raliegh hits major league-leading 53rd homer, Mariners rout Braves 18-2 with most runs since 2012

ATLANTA (AP) — Cal Raleigh hits his major league-leading 53rd home run and the Seattle Mariners had 20 hits as they scored their most runs since 2012 in an 18-2 rout of the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.

Eugenio Suárez homered twice, raising his season total to 45, and Jorge Polanco and Josh Naylor also went deep as the Mariners hit five homers in consecutive games for the second time in team history, the first since May 20-21, 1994.

Polanco and Naylor homered in eight-run third inning and Raleigh hit a three-run drive in a seven-run ninth, giving him 113 RBIs. Suárez hit a solo homer in the sixth and a two-run shot in the ninth.

Seattle had its most runs since beating Texas 21-8 on May 30, 2012, and its most hits since getting 20 in that game against the Rangers. The Mariners won consecutive games for the first time since Aug. 24 against the Athletics and the following day vs. San Diego.

Seattle (75-68) has a 1 1/2-game lead over Texas (74-70) for the third and last AL wild card. The Rangers lost for the third time in four games following a six-game winning streak.

Luis Castillo (9-8) allowed one run and four hits in six innings.

Atlanta scratched scheduled starter Spencer Strider on Sunday morning and pushed him back to Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs.

Joey Wentz (5-6) gave up eight runs, matching his career high, and eight hits in 2 1/3 innings.

GUARDIANS 2, RAYS 1

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — José Ramírez passed Jim Thome to move into sole possession of second place on Cleveland’s career RBIs list, helping the Guardians to a win over Tampa Bay in a game with wild-card race implications.

Ramírez hit a tying triple in the a two-run sixth off Garrett Cleavinger (1-5) for his 938th RBI and trails only Earl Averill’s 1,084.

Gabriel Arias had an RBI single later in the inning against Kevin Kelly that scored David Fry, who slid home headfirst just ahead of right fielder Josh Lowe’s throw,.

Cleavinger entered to start the sixth with a 20-inning scoreless streak, the active major league high. The run was the first he allowed since July 5.

Cleveland (72-70) won the last three games of the four-game series and moved ahead of the Rays (71-72). Seattle (75-68) leads for the third and final wild card.

The game drew 8,155, the 16th time in 74 home games the Rays did not sell out 10,046-capacity Steinbrenner Field.

Left-hander Parker Messick (2-0), a 24-year-old left-hander making his fourth major league start, allowed one run and eight hits in six innings with four strikeouts and no walks. Messick is from Plant City, less than 30 miles away, and was pitching before family and friends .

Rays rookie Carson Williams homered in the fifth on a fastball, ending an 0-for-12 slide.

Cade Smith struck out the side in the ninth for his 11th save in 16 chances.

DODGERS 5, ORIOLES 2

BALTIMORE (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit two home runs and Mookie Betts added a solo shot to back an effective pitching performance by Clayton Kershaw, and Los Angeles beat Baltimore to end a five-game losing steak.

Kershaw (10-2) won his sixth straight decision to help the NL West leaders salvage the finale of a three-game series against the last-place Orioles. The left-hander struck out eight and allowed two runs and four hits over 5 2/3 innings.

It was the first time in his 18-year career that Kershaw pitched against the Orioles, the only Dodgers opponent he had never faced. The 37-year-old has defeated every team except Boston (0-1).

Ohtani went deep on the second pitch of the game and leading off the third, giving him 48 home runs for the season. Betts followed Ohtani’s second long ball with a drive into the left-field seats for a 3-0 lead.

All three homers came off Tomoyuki Sugano (10-8), who left in the fourth inning after being hit in the right foot with a one-hop liner.

YANKEES 4, BLUE JAYS 3

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge saved a run with a diving catch and scored the go-ahead run on Cody Bellinger’s double as New York beats Toronto and closed within two games of the AL East leader.

Making his second appearance in right field since July 25 because of an injured flexor tendon in his right elbow, Judge took a few steps and sprawled to catch George Springer’s 106.4 mph liner to strand Nathan Lukes at second and protect a one-run lead.

Judge had three walks, including in the third when he stole second and came home on Bellinger’s double off the right-center field wall.

Fried allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings and is 3-0 in his last four starts after struggling when he returned from a blister on his pitching hand.

Scherzer (5-3), pushed back a day after back stiffness last weekend, gave up four runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings.

BREWERS 10, PIRATES 2

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Andrew Vaughn had four hits and Jacob Misiorowski cruised through seven innings as Milwaukee scored nine runs off top prospect Bubba Chandler to complete a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh.

Vaughn’s three singles and a double in his first four at bats made up his first four-hit game since Aug. 12, 2024, while with the White Sox.

Misiorowski (5-2) allowed one run and three hits, striking out eight while going more than six innings for the first time in the majors.

Chandler (2-1), a fellow rookie right-hander, lasted 2 2/3 innings in his first major-league start after making three appearances out of the bullpen. The 22-year-old let up nine hits and three walks with three strikeouts.

The first five Brewers batters reached in the first, including Jake Bauers on a two-run double just inside the right-field line ahead of an RBI single from Vaughn. Bauers scored when Caleb Durbin grounded into a double play.

Liover Peguero produced the Pirates’ lone run off Misiorowski with a single in the second. Cam Devanney drove in another on a pinch-hit double in the eighth.

REDS 3, METS 2

CINCINNATI (AP) — Hunter Greene tied a season high with 12 strikeouts and Cincinnati beat the Mets to take two of three from New York and move back above .500.

New York’s Brandon Sproat (0-1) held the Reds hitless through 5 1/3 innings in his major league debut before allowing three consecutive hits, Noelvi Marte’s single, Ely De La Cruz’s tiebreaking RBI double and Austin Hays’ run-scoring single.

Hays had a sacrifice fly in the fourth that scored Marte, who walked, stole second and advanced on a groundout.

Greene (6-4) allowed one hit in seven innings, a third-inning home run by Brett Baty on a slider. He threw 30 pitches of 100 mph or higher and increased his season total to 346, most among starting pitchers.

Juan Soto hit his 38th homer, a ninth-inning drive off Tony Santillan, who got his fifth save when Starling Marte hit a double-play grounder with two on.

New York (76-67) leads Cincinnati and San Francisco (both 72-71) for the last NL wild card.

WHITE SOX 6, TIGERS 4

DETROIT (AP) — Lenyn Sosa homered and drove in three runs as Chicago beat Detroit.

Sosa walked and scored in the first inning, hit a solo homer in the third and hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth as the White Sox won for the seventh time in eight games.

Tigers pitchers walked nine batters as they lost for the ninth time in 12 games. They are a half-game behind Toronto for the best record in the American League.

Chicago took a 2-0 lead on Andrew Benintendi’s two-run double in the first, but Martin got into immediate trouble in the bottom of the inning. The Tigers loaded the bases with no one out on a double and two walks.

Spencer Torkelson flew out to shallow center, but Brooks Baldwin’s throw bounced into the Detroit dugout, allowing two runs to score. Wenceel Pérez followed with a sacrifice fly to put the Tigers up 3-2.

Sosa tied the game with a third-inning homer that cleared the first level of shrubs above the center-field fence.

Pérez doubled and scored on a Zach McKinstry sacrifice fly to give Detroit a 4-3 lead in the fourth, but Will Robertson tied it with an RBI single in the seventh.

MARLINS 5, PHILLIES 4

MIAMI (AP) — Otto López homered twice and Miami beat Philadelphia, avoiding a three-game sweep by the NL East leaders.

Troy Johnston had two hits for the Marlins, who snapped a five-game skid.

Ronny Henriquez (7-1) pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, and Lake Bachar escaped a jam in the ninth for his third save.

Trea Turner homered and Brandon Marsh had three hits for the Phillies. Turner exited because of a right hamstring strain after he legged out a grounder and reached on a throwing error by López in the seventh.

Phillies slugger Key Schwarber hit an RBI single in the ninth. Schwarber, who leads the National League with 49 homers, has not gone deep since he did it four times against Atlanta on Aug. 28.

The Marlins sent 10 batters to the plate in a four-run first against Taijuan Walker (4-8). López hit a three-run homer and Máximo Acosta added an RBI single.

Turner greeted reliever Calvin Faucher with a homer to lead off the sixth. Faucher also allowed an RBI single to Marsh.

López hit a solo drive off Philadelphia reliever José Alvarado in the seventh to make it 5-3.

Walker (4-8) worked six innings and held the Marlins scoreless after the first.

TWINS 5, ROYALS 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) —Byron Buxton and Kody Clemens homered and Minnesota beat Kansas City to drop the Royals two games back for the last AL wild card.

Buxton led off the game against Michael Lorenzen (5-10) with his 30th homer, extending his career high. He was hit by a 91.8 mph sinker in the fifth inning and was replaced for the bottom of the sixth because of what the Twins said was a bruised left knee.

Clemens hit his 16th homer in the fourth, a 451-drive that gave Minnesota a 3-0 lead. Minnesota padded its advantage in the fourth with a double steal, with Royce Lewis on first and Luke Keaschall on third.

Kansas City (73-69) fell two games behind Seattle (75-68) for the third AL wild card.

Bailey Ober (5-7) gave up one run and four hits in 5 1/3 innings,

Lorenzen allowed four runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings.

CARDINALS 4, GIANTS 3

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Sonny Gray took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning and St. Louis beat San Francisco to leave the Giants four games back for the last NL wild card.

Gray (13-8) allowed three runs, two hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings with six strikeouts. He walked his first two batters in the sixth, struck out Heliot Ramos and allowed Rafael Devers’ RBI single to center.

Riley O’Brien allowed a ninth-inning single and retired Patrick Bailey on a game-ending, double-play grounder for his third save, finishing a five-hitter.

Seeking its first postseason appearance since 2021, San Francisco (72-71) is four games behind the New York Mets for the third and final NL wild card. The Giants have lost two straight games after winning 11 of 12.

Kai-Wei Teng (2-4) matched his career high of eight strikeouts, allowing three runs, three hits and five walks in four-plus innings.

NATIONALS 6, CUBS 3

CHICAGO (AP) — Pinch-hitter Josh Bell hit a three-run homer and Washington rallied with five runs in the ninth inning off Cubs closer Daniel Palencia to stun Chicago.

The Cubs entered the ninth leading 3-1, but Palencia (1-6) failed to retire any of the five National hitters he faced before leaving with right shoulder tightness. The right-hander blew his third save in 25 chances.

Robert Hassell III led off with a homer to cut it to 3-2. Following an infield hit by CJ Abrams and walk to James Wood, Bell lofted the first pitch he saw to the basket in left-center for his 17th homer.

Daylen Lile tripled off Palencia and came home on Brady House’s second sac fly of the game to complete the scoring. Lile finished with two hits and is batting .481 in September.

Carson Kelly hit a pair of solo homers. Colin Rea allowed one run on three hits and struck out six over 5 1/3 innings, entering after opener Drew Pomeranz tossed a 1-2-3 first.

RANGERS 4, ASTROS 2

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jake Burger followed Josh Jung’s tiebreaking double with a two-run homer off Framber Valdez in the sixth inning, and Texas beat Houston to keep pace in the American League wild-card race.

The Rangers (74-70) remained 1 1/2 games behind Seattle (75-58), which won at Atlanta, for the final AL wild-card spot. Texas is four games behind the AL West-leading Astros (78-66) with 18 games remaining.

Valdez (12-9) was pitching for the first time since crossing up César Salazar and hitting his catcher with a pitch Tuesday in an incident that was perceived as intentional after the left-hander had given up a grand slam. Salazar wasn’t in the lineup.

With two outs and the bases empty in the sixth, Cody Freeman singled and scored from first on Jung’s liner into the gap in left-center field. Burger’s 14th homer went to the opposite field in right three pitches later.

Phil Maton (3-5) allowed a run in 1 1/3 innings, and Shawn Armstrong retired the last four Houston hitters for his seventh save.

Texas starter Patrick Corbin didn’t allow a hit until the fifth but quickly lost a 1-0 lead to start the sixth when Mauricio Dubón doubled and Jeremy Peña singled him home.

Valdez allowed five hits and four runs — three earned — with five strikeouts in seven innings.

PADRES 8, ROCKIES 1

DENVER (AP) — Manny Machado hit his 23rd home run and drove in three runs to help San Diego roll to a win over Colorado.

With the win, the Padres remained one game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the National League West.

Machado was one of four Padres players to hit a home run, with Jackson Merrill, Gavin Sheets and Ramón Laureano each connecting on solo shots. San Diego had entered the day with 123 home runs as a team this season, the second-fewest in the majors.

Merrill had three hits while Machado, Sheets, Jake Cronenworth and Freddy Fermin had two apiece for the Padres, who had lost nine of their previous 12 games.

Dylan Cease (7-11) earned the win for San Diego, giving up four hits and one earned run in five innings. He struck out five.

The loss was the Rockies’ 13th in their past 16 games and dropped them to an MLB-worst 40-103, tying the franchise record for most losses in a season.

ANGELS 4, ATHLETICS 3

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Jo Adell hit his 35th homer, Travis d’Arnaud hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth inning, and Los Angeles avoided a three-game sweep with a victory over the Athletics.

Chris Taylor sparked the winning rally with a one-out walk off A’s reliever Osvaldo Bido (2-5) in the eighth. Oswald Peraza was hit by a pitch — the fifth Angels hit batter of the game, a franchise record.

After entering in the seventh inning for injured catcher Logan O’Hoppe, d’Arnaud drove a ground-rule double to right-center in the eighth for a 4-3 lead.

Reid Detmers (5-3) earned the win despite giving up a run in the eighth, and Kenley Jansen retired the side in order in the ninth for his 26th save.

RED SOX 7, DIAMONDBACKS 4

PHOENIX (AP) — Pinch-hitter Nick Sogard lined a late tiebreaking, two-run double, Aroldis Chapman extended his hitless streak to 17 appearances by striking out four in the ninth inning and Alex Cora got his 600th win as Boston manager when the Red Sox rallied to beat Arizona.

Boston put two on in the ninth against Taylor Rashi (0-1) and Sogard followed with a double off Andrew Saalfrank. Carlos Narváez added a run-scoring single.

Chapman tied the record for strikeouts in an inning as Ildemaro Vargas reached on a wild pitch and the 37-year-old closer got his 29th save in 31 chances. Chapman‘s hitless streak, spanning 14 2/3 innings since July 26, is the third-longest since 1901.

Cora trails only Joe Cronin (1,071) and Terry Francona (744) for wins by a Boston manager.