BOSTON: Alex Rodriguez drove in a run with a bases-loaded dribbler, capping a three-run rally in the eighth inning that lifted the New York Yankees over the Red Sox 4-2 on Thursday night and sent the booed designated hitter out of Boston with one last victory.
Rodriguez is set to play his final game for the Yankees on Friday night at home against Tampa Bay. The 41-year-old designated hitter will then be released and become an adviser and instructor for the club.
Rodriguez was 0 for 4 and loudly jeered throughout the game that turned in the Yankees’ favor on a crucial fielding mistake that allowed them to overcome a 2-1 deficit.
Rodriguez lined out, popped out and struck out before his tapper in front of the plate in the eighth allowed Brett Gardner to score from third and put New York up 4-2. In 1994, Rodriguez was a teenager with Seattle when he got an infield single at Fenway Park for his first major league hit.
Dellin Betances earned his third save, striking out Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts with runners at the corners to end it. Luis Cessa (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings. Brad Ziegler (0-3) got the loss.
Cubs 4 Cardinals 3, 11 innings: In Chicago, Anthony Rizzo drew a bases-loaded walk from Zach Duke with two outs in the 11th inning and Chicago beat St. Louis for its 10th consecutive victory.
Pinch-hitters Willson Contreras and Jorge Soler led off with singles against Duke (2-1) and Dexter Fowler walked to load the bases with one out. Kris Bryant struck out before Rizzo took a 3-1 pitch inside to give the Cubs their longest winning streak since getting 12 straight in 2001.
Orioles 9 Athletics 6: In Oakland, California , Mark Trumbo hit a grand slam for his major league-leading 32nd homer and drove in five runs to help Baltimore beat Oakland.
The Orioles had been shut out for 17 straight innings and lost their lead in the AL East following three consecutive one-run losses in the series before Trumbo sparked them.
The All-Star slugger hit an RBI single in a three-run fourth, then connected the next inning for his third career grand slam.
Chris Tillman (15-4) allowed two runs over seven innings for his first victory since July 21. He’s Baltimore’s first 15-game winner since Bud Norris and Wei-Yin Chen in 2014.
Diamondbacks 9 Mets 0: In New York: Last-place Arizona rattled New York’s Noah Syndergaard with four more stolen bases, then broke it open in a six-run sixth inning that included Chris Owings’ bases-loaded triple.
Braden Shipley (2-1) pitched three-hit ball over seven innings in his fourth big league start to help the Diamondbacks sweep the three-game series. Zack Godley and Dominic Leone finished the five-hitter.
After brushing aside Syndergaard (9-7), the Diamondbacks began their sixth-inning burst against Jon Niese with Tuffy Gosewisch’s leadoff homer. Owings had his second straight three-hit game, finishing with a single, double and triple.
Royals 2 White Sox 1: In Kansas City, Danny Duffy pitched his first complete game to win his eighth straight decision, and Cheslor Cuthbert had two hits and drove in a run in Kansas City’s victory over Chicago.
Duffy (9-1) limited the White Sox to seven singles, struck out six and walked none. He has not lost since June 6 and has a 1.73 ERA in his past five starts.
Cuthbert tripled home Jarrod Dyson in the sixth. Dyson was initially called out trying to steal second, but the Royals appealed and the call was overturned. Cuthbert then scored the go-ahead run on Eric Hosmer’s single off Carson Fulmer (0-2).
Astros 15 Twins 7, 1st game
Astros 10, Twins 2, 2 nd game: In Minneapolis, Evan Gattis homered and had four RBIs, Carlos Correa went deep for the third straight game and Houston Astros beat Minnesota 10-2 to sweep a split doubleheader.
Houston had 16 hits after a season-high 19 in a 15-7 afternoon victory. The doubleheader was necessitated by a rainout Wednesday night, a game Minnesota led 5-0 in the third before the storms hit.
Jose Altuve had four hits in the first game and was 1 for 4 in the second. He leads the majors with a .365 batting average and has reached base in 41 straight road games.
Chris Devenski (1-4) won the second game for his first major league victory.
Tommy Milone (3-4) was the loser. In the opener, Altuve also had three RBIs and three runs, and Marwin Gonzalez tied a career high with four hits. Doug Fister (11-7) was the winner, and Jose Berrios (2-3) the loser.
Kennys Vargas homered from each side of the plate for Minnesota.
Rodriguez is set to play his final game for the Yankees on Friday night at home against Tampa Bay. The 41-year-old designated hitter will then be released and become an adviser and instructor for the club.
Rodriguez was 0 for 4 and loudly jeered throughout the game that turned in the Yankees’ favor on a crucial fielding mistake that allowed them to overcome a 2-1 deficit.
Rodriguez lined out, popped out and struck out before his tapper in front of the plate in the eighth allowed Brett Gardner to score from third and put New York up 4-2. In 1994, Rodriguez was a teenager with Seattle when he got an infield single at Fenway Park for his first major league hit.
Dellin Betances earned his third save, striking out Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts with runners at the corners to end it. Luis Cessa (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings. Brad Ziegler (0-3) got the loss.
Cubs 4 Cardinals 3, 11 innings: In Chicago, Anthony Rizzo drew a bases-loaded walk from Zach Duke with two outs in the 11th inning and Chicago beat St. Louis for its 10th consecutive victory.
Pinch-hitters Willson Contreras and Jorge Soler led off with singles against Duke (2-1) and Dexter Fowler walked to load the bases with one out. Kris Bryant struck out before Rizzo took a 3-1 pitch inside to give the Cubs their longest winning streak since getting 12 straight in 2001.
Orioles 9 Athletics 6: In Oakland, California , Mark Trumbo hit a grand slam for his major league-leading 32nd homer and drove in five runs to help Baltimore beat Oakland.
The Orioles had been shut out for 17 straight innings and lost their lead in the AL East following three consecutive one-run losses in the series before Trumbo sparked them.
The All-Star slugger hit an RBI single in a three-run fourth, then connected the next inning for his third career grand slam.
Chris Tillman (15-4) allowed two runs over seven innings for his first victory since July 21. He’s Baltimore’s first 15-game winner since Bud Norris and Wei-Yin Chen in 2014.
Diamondbacks 9 Mets 0: In New York: Last-place Arizona rattled New York’s Noah Syndergaard with four more stolen bases, then broke it open in a six-run sixth inning that included Chris Owings’ bases-loaded triple.
Braden Shipley (2-1) pitched three-hit ball over seven innings in his fourth big league start to help the Diamondbacks sweep the three-game series. Zack Godley and Dominic Leone finished the five-hitter.
After brushing aside Syndergaard (9-7), the Diamondbacks began their sixth-inning burst against Jon Niese with Tuffy Gosewisch’s leadoff homer. Owings had his second straight three-hit game, finishing with a single, double and triple.
Royals 2 White Sox 1: In Kansas City, Danny Duffy pitched his first complete game to win his eighth straight decision, and Cheslor Cuthbert had two hits and drove in a run in Kansas City’s victory over Chicago.
Duffy (9-1) limited the White Sox to seven singles, struck out six and walked none. He has not lost since June 6 and has a 1.73 ERA in his past five starts.
Cuthbert tripled home Jarrod Dyson in the sixth. Dyson was initially called out trying to steal second, but the Royals appealed and the call was overturned. Cuthbert then scored the go-ahead run on Eric Hosmer’s single off Carson Fulmer (0-2).
Astros 15 Twins 7, 1st game
Astros 10, Twins 2, 2 nd game: In Minneapolis, Evan Gattis homered and had four RBIs, Carlos Correa went deep for the third straight game and Houston Astros beat Minnesota 10-2 to sweep a split doubleheader.
Houston had 16 hits after a season-high 19 in a 15-7 afternoon victory. The doubleheader was necessitated by a rainout Wednesday night, a game Minnesota led 5-0 in the third before the storms hit.
Jose Altuve had four hits in the first game and was 1 for 4 in the second. He leads the majors with a .365 batting average and has reached base in 41 straight road games.
Chris Devenski (1-4) won the second game for his first major league victory.
Tommy Milone (3-4) was the loser. In the opener, Altuve also had three RBIs and three runs, and Marwin Gonzalez tied a career high with four hits. Doug Fister (11-7) was the winner, and Jose Berrios (2-3) the loser.
Kennys Vargas homered from each side of the plate for Minnesota.
