CHICAGO: Anthony Rizzo hit a three-run homer and Jon Lester pitched 7 2/3 innings as the Chicago Cubs stopped an eight-game losing streak against the New York Mets with a 5-1 victory on Monday night in a rematch of last year’s NL Championship Series.
With one out and two on in the third inning, Rizzo fouled off five straight 2-2 pitches from Steven Matz before driving a changeup deep into the right-center bleachers for his 22nd homer.
Lester (10-4) allowed one run — Wilmer Flores’ leadoff homer in the seventh — and four hits in his first win in a month. Matz (7-6) was charged with four runs and eight hits in five-plus innings, dropping to 0-5 in his last nine starts.
Marlins 3, Phillies 2: In Philadelphia, Jose Fernandez tied a career-high with 14 strikeouts while Martin Prado hit a solo homer off Brett Oberholtzer (2-2) in the 11th.
Fernandez pitched 6 1/3 innings and became the pitcher to reach 500 strikeouts in the fewest innings: 400.
Christian Yelich hit an RBI double off Jeanmar Gomez with two outs in the ninth and scored on Marcell Ozuna’s single.
Kyle Barraclough (6-2) pitched one inning and A.J. Ramos finished for his 30th save, retiring Maikel Franco on a game-ending flyout to the warning track
Tigeers 1 Twins 0: In Detroit, Matt Boyd (1-2) allowed three hits in six innings, sending last-place Minnesota to another loss just hours after it announced the firing of general manager Terry Ryan.
Justin Upton homered in the second. Three relievers finished for the Tigers, with Francisco Rodriguez pitching a hitless ninth for his 26th save.
Yankees 2 Orioles 1: In New York, Alex Rodriguez hit his 696th career homer — his first since June 18 — while Ivan Nova (7-5) grinded through six innings and Aroldis Chapman hit 105 mph while locking down his 19th save.
The No Runs DMC triad, possibly in its final days with Andrew Miller and Chapman rumored to be on the trade block, covered the final three innings to extend its scoreless streak to 22 innings. The Yankees are 18-1 when Dellin Betances and the other two relievers pitch in the same game.
Kevin Gausman (1-7) also allowed Brian McCann’s sacrifice fly in the third and fell to 0-1 in three starts against New York this season despite a 1.31 ERA over 20 2/3 innings.
Reds 8 Braves 2: In Cincinnati, Zack Cozart, Joey Votto and Eugenio Suarez all homered in the fourth inning of a matchup between the NL’s two worst teams.
The Reds (35-58) have taken three of five this season against the Braves, who have the majors’ worst record (32-61). Atlanta is 19-31 at Great American Ball Park, including five losses in its last six games.
Matt Wisler (4-9) has given up five homers in his last two starts.
Brandon Finnegan (5-7) allowed two runs and seven hits in five-plus innings.
Cardinals 10 Padres 2: In St. Louis, Mike Leake (7-7) had his second straight double-digit strikeouts game with no walks to join Bob Gibson (1968-69) as the only St. Louis pitchers to accomplish the feat, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Leake struck out a season-best 11, allowing one run and six hits in six innings.
Pinch-hitter Matt Adams’ two-run double keyed a four-run sixth. Randal Grichuk and Jedd Gyorko connecting in consecutive at-bats in the seventh before Stephen Piscotty homered into the third deck in left in the eighth.
Christian Friedrich (4-6) gave up four runs — three earned — and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Royals 7 Indians 3: In Kansas City, Missouri, Jarrod Dyson hit a grand slam off Jeff Manship following a pair of walks by Bryan Shaw (1-4) to cap a seven-run rally in the eighth.
Corey Kluber scattered five hits and took the mound to begin the eighth with a 2-0 lead. But manager Terry Francona and trainer James Quinlan came from the dugout and pulled Kluber because of a right calf cramp on a night with a 90-degree gametime temperature.
Luke Hochevar (2-2) worked a scoreless eighth while Wade Davis got the final out for his 20th save.
With one out and two on in the third inning, Rizzo fouled off five straight 2-2 pitches from Steven Matz before driving a changeup deep into the right-center bleachers for his 22nd homer.
Lester (10-4) allowed one run — Wilmer Flores’ leadoff homer in the seventh — and four hits in his first win in a month. Matz (7-6) was charged with four runs and eight hits in five-plus innings, dropping to 0-5 in his last nine starts.
Marlins 3, Phillies 2: In Philadelphia, Jose Fernandez tied a career-high with 14 strikeouts while Martin Prado hit a solo homer off Brett Oberholtzer (2-2) in the 11th.
Fernandez pitched 6 1/3 innings and became the pitcher to reach 500 strikeouts in the fewest innings: 400.
Christian Yelich hit an RBI double off Jeanmar Gomez with two outs in the ninth and scored on Marcell Ozuna’s single.
Kyle Barraclough (6-2) pitched one inning and A.J. Ramos finished for his 30th save, retiring Maikel Franco on a game-ending flyout to the warning track
Tigeers 1 Twins 0: In Detroit, Matt Boyd (1-2) allowed three hits in six innings, sending last-place Minnesota to another loss just hours after it announced the firing of general manager Terry Ryan.
Justin Upton homered in the second. Three relievers finished for the Tigers, with Francisco Rodriguez pitching a hitless ninth for his 26th save.
Yankees 2 Orioles 1: In New York, Alex Rodriguez hit his 696th career homer — his first since June 18 — while Ivan Nova (7-5) grinded through six innings and Aroldis Chapman hit 105 mph while locking down his 19th save.
The No Runs DMC triad, possibly in its final days with Andrew Miller and Chapman rumored to be on the trade block, covered the final three innings to extend its scoreless streak to 22 innings. The Yankees are 18-1 when Dellin Betances and the other two relievers pitch in the same game.
Kevin Gausman (1-7) also allowed Brian McCann’s sacrifice fly in the third and fell to 0-1 in three starts against New York this season despite a 1.31 ERA over 20 2/3 innings.
Reds 8 Braves 2: In Cincinnati, Zack Cozart, Joey Votto and Eugenio Suarez all homered in the fourth inning of a matchup between the NL’s two worst teams.
The Reds (35-58) have taken three of five this season against the Braves, who have the majors’ worst record (32-61). Atlanta is 19-31 at Great American Ball Park, including five losses in its last six games.
Matt Wisler (4-9) has given up five homers in his last two starts.
Brandon Finnegan (5-7) allowed two runs and seven hits in five-plus innings.
Cardinals 10 Padres 2: In St. Louis, Mike Leake (7-7) had his second straight double-digit strikeouts game with no walks to join Bob Gibson (1968-69) as the only St. Louis pitchers to accomplish the feat, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Leake struck out a season-best 11, allowing one run and six hits in six innings.
Pinch-hitter Matt Adams’ two-run double keyed a four-run sixth. Randal Grichuk and Jedd Gyorko connecting in consecutive at-bats in the seventh before Stephen Piscotty homered into the third deck in left in the eighth.
Christian Friedrich (4-6) gave up four runs — three earned — and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Royals 7 Indians 3: In Kansas City, Missouri, Jarrod Dyson hit a grand slam off Jeff Manship following a pair of walks by Bryan Shaw (1-4) to cap a seven-run rally in the eighth.
Corey Kluber scattered five hits and took the mound to begin the eighth with a 2-0 lead. But manager Terry Francona and trainer James Quinlan came from the dugout and pulled Kluber because of a right calf cramp on a night with a 90-degree gametime temperature.
Luke Hochevar (2-2) worked a scoreless eighth while Wade Davis got the final out for his 20th save.
