HOUSTON — In an up-and-down season, the American League champion Cleveland Indians left Houston feeling pretty good after sweeping the Astros.
Yan Gomes hit a home run and tied a career high with five RBI to lead the Indians over the AL West-leading Astros 8-6 on Sunday.
“This is the best team in the AL right now, and there’s a reason for it, and when we come in and play good ballgames I think we’re going to beat a lot of people,” Gomes said. “So it was good to see us do that.”
Gomes’ third-inning home run off Joe Musgrove (3-4) gave the Indians a 3-1 lead, and Cleveland added three more runs in the fourth. The Indians are 5-1 against Houston this season, dealing the Astros two of their three series losses.
“The Indians outplayed us in just about every area,” Houston Manager A.J. Hinch said. “They did a really good job this series, and that’s why they came away with the wins.”
Danny Salazar (3-4) yielded 3 runs and 4 hits in 5 2/3 innings with 7 strikeouts.
Manager Terry Francona said he is still looking for more from Salazar.
“We set up a high bar for Danny because of his stuff,” he said. “I just know that there’s more in there and we want him to reach that level so bad. I’m thrilled we won. I just think he can set himself up the way he’s pitched to have more success.”
Marwin Gonzalez hit a two run home run off Zach McAllister on the 13th pitch of an at-bat with two outs and the ninth, and Alex Bregman lined a home run on the next pitch. McAllister then struck out Nori Aoki.
INDIANS 8, ASTROS 6
Musgrove allowed a season-high seven runs and matched a high with eight hits. He lasted three-plus innings in his shortest start this season, and his ERA rose from 4.57 to 5.63.
Jose Altuve hit a two-run home run and Carlos Beltran had a solo shot for the Astros, whose tied their season high with their third consecutive loss.
Gomes’ RBI double and Jason Kipnis’ run-scoring single built a 2-0 lead in the second. Beltran hit his fourth home in the bottom half, but Musgrove walked consecutive batters with two outs in the third, then allowed Gomes’ third home run.
Consecutive singles by Kipnis and Francisco Lindor chased Musgrove in the fourth, and Edwin Encarnacion hit a run-scoring single off Ashur Tolliver (Sylvan Hills), who plunked Gomes with two outs and the bases loaded.
YANKEES 3, RAYS 2 Brett Gardner hit his eighth home run, one more than this 2016 total, and CC Sabathia won consecutive starts for the first time since last June to help visiting New York and avoid a three-game sweep. Sabathia (4-2) allowed 2 runs and 4 hits in 5-plus innings. BLUE JAYS 3, ORIOLES 1 Marco Estrada (3-2) matched his career high with 12 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings, Devon Travis hit a three-run home run and visiting Toronto beat Baltimore for the second time.
ROYALS 6-4, TWINS 4-8 Robbie Grossman, Max Kepler and Chris Gimenez all hit home runs in the second game of a doubleheader to help host Minnesota salvage a split. Grossman and Kepler each hit two-run homers in the first inning, and Brian Dozier had an RBI double in the second. In the first game, Brandon Moss hit two of Kansas City’s four home runs.
RED SOX 12, ATHLETICS 3 Mitch Moreland hit a home run in his third consecutive game, a two-run drive in the sixth off starter Andrew Triggs (5-3) that landed in the second deck as visiting Boston avoided a four-game sweep. WHITE SOX 8, MARINERS 1 Yolmer Sanchez had a two-run single in Chicago’s five-run first inning, and Derek Holland (4-3) gave up six hits in eight innings for the visiting White Sox. Tim Anderson had three hits and two RBI. RANGERS 5, TIGERS 2 Mike Napoli hit a home run to the camera platform beyond center field, and Yu Darvish beat Detroit yet again, leading visiting Texas over the Tigers. Darvish (5-2) has won all seven of his starts against the Tigers.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
ROCKIES 6, REDS 4 Rookie pitcher Kyle Freeland hit one of visiting Colorado’s four solo home runs off Bronson Arroyo (3-4) and Colorado improved the NL’s best record to 28-17. Freeland (5-2) gave up 4 runs — 3 earned — in 52/3 innings. Joey Votto and Scott Schebler hit home runs off him in the sixth.
PIRATES 1, PHILLIES 0 Chad Kuhl and four relievers combined on a three-hitter, and host Pittsburgh scratched out the only run of a rainy game when David Freese was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning with the bases loaded. Philadelphia starter Aaron Nola (2-1) returned from the disabled list and gave up four hits in seven innings.
CARDINALS 8, GIANTS 3 Matt Carpenter hit a home run and Randal Grichuk drove in four runs for host St. Louis, which stopped a fourgame skid. Adam Wainwright (4-3) allowed 1 run and 5 hits in 6 1/3 innings.
CUBS 13, BREWERS 6 Kris Bryant hit two home runs and reached base in all five plate appearances, Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist also went deep, and Willson Contreras went 3 for 3 with 3 RBI for host Chicago.
DODGERS 6, MARLINS 3 Brandon McCarthy (4-1) retired his first 14 batters before Derek Dietrich’s double and allowed 1 run and 3 hits in 6 innings for host Los Angeles.
PADRES 5, DIAMONDBACKS 1 Clayton Richard (3-5) pitched a five-hitter and struck out six in his fourth career complete game as host San Diego ended a five-game losing streak. NATIONALS 3, BRAVES 2 Stephen Strasburg (5-1) struck out a season-high 11, allowing five hits in 7 2/3 innings as visiting Washington beat Atlanta to stop a four-game losing streak.
INTERLEAGUE
ANGELS 12, METS 5 Mike Trout hit a home run, doubled and drove in three runs, C.J. Cron hit a grand slam and visiting Los Angeles built a 9-0 lead by the third inning as it avoided a three-game sweep. Andrelton Simmons and Jefry Marte also had home runs for the Angels. Matt Reynolds (Arkansas Razorbacks), Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce hit home runs as the Mets tried to rally.
Sports on 05/22/2017