Wainwright comes off IL, helps Cards beat Mets 6-5
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Adam Wainwright came off the COVID-19 injured list and hung tough, St. Louis got a lights-out performance from its bullpen and the Cardinals beat New York for their fifth straight win.
After the game, the Mets fired hitting coach Chili Davis and assistant hitting coach Tom Slater. New York has struggled badly with runners in scoring position this season, a trouble spot last year as well when Davis worked remotely because of coronavirus concerns.
Several accomplished hitters are off to slow starts for the Mets, including $341 million newcomer Francisco Lindor.
The Cardinals were clinging to a one-run lead in the ninth with two outs and a runner on base when the lights at Busch Stadium flickered, then went out for a moment. When play resumed, reliever Alex Reyes walked Pete Alonso before retiring Dom Smith on a flyball for the final out.
Nolan Arenado and Harrison Bader homered to back Wainwright's first win of the season. Four Cardinals relievers combined for 3 1/3 hitless innings. Wainwright (1-3) had been out because of virus contact tracing. He fell behind 5-2 in the third inning, but didn't give up any more runs before leaving with two outs in the sixth.
Joey Lucchesi (0-2) allowed six runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings after being recalled from the Mets' alternate training site to make the start. He has not pitched into the fourth inning in any of his three starts this season.
RAYS 7, ANGELS 3
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Willy Adames and Manuel Margot homered, Mike Brosseau had a two-run single and Tampa Bay opened a seven-game California road trip with a victory over Los Angeles.
Tyler Glasnow (4-1) pitched six innings of four-hit ball with three walks for the defending AL champion Rays. The Los Angeles-area native largely dominated the Angels' lineup until a rocky sixth, striking out eight for his fourth win in five starts.
Shohei Ohtani hit his ninth homer after being scratched from his scheduled pitching start earlier in the day for the Angels, who have lost eight of 12.
Anthony Rendon also homered in the sixth, but the slugging third baseman exited in the eighth after sharply fouling a ball off his left knee. Rendon, who has already missed 12 games this season due to injuries, had to be helped off the field. X-rays on Rendon's knee were negative, and he is day-to-day with a bruise.
José Quintana (0-3) yielded five runs and six hits with nine strikeouts for the Angels while failing to get out of the fourth inning in another poor start.
PADRES 2, PIRATES 0
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Wil Myers singled with no outs in the seventh inning to end Tyler Anderson's no-hit bid and San Diego gave Pittsburgh its fifth straight loss.
Anderson (2-3) kept the Padres off-balance for six innings before they broke through in the seventh. Anderson issued a leadoff walk to Manny Machado before Myers singled to right field. Until then, Anderson had allowed only three baserunners, two on walks and one on his error in the fifth inning.
After Myers' hit, Tommy Pham hit a sacrifice fly and Austin Nola hit an RBI single with two outs to chase Anderson. San Diego had just three hits.
The Padres needed a bullpen game because three starters are out with injuries or illness. San Diego's sixth pitcher, Mark Melancon, pitched the ninth for his 10th save. Miguel Diaz, Craig Stammen, Austin Adams, Tim Hill (2-2) and Drew Pomeranz also contributed to the four-hitter.
ATHLETICS 5, BLUE JAYS 4
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Ramon Laureano homered for the third consecutive day and Oakland beat Toronto, spoiling Marcus Semien's return to the Coliseum.
Stephen Piscotty also went deep for Oakland. Jed Lowrie doubled twice and had three hits.
Frankie Montas (3-2) pitched six uneven innings to win the first meeting between the teams in more than two years. Jake Diekman worked the ninth for his third save.
Laureano connected on a 1-0 pitch from starter Steven Matz (4-2) to break a 3-all tie in the fifth.
INDIANS 8, ROYALS 6
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Eddie Rosario watched anxiously as plate umpire Dan Bellino called a ball what could easily have been strike three, then swatted the next pitch into the right-field stands for a tiebreaking three-run homer that sent Cleveland over Kansas City.
Josh Naylor added a two-run shot off Royals reliever Jakob Junis (1-2) two batters later, turning what would have been a scoreless seventh inning with Rosario's would-be punch-out into a five-run frame.
Bryan Shaw (1-0) coughed up a run in relief of Indians starter Aaron Civale, and James Karinchak gave up Hunter Dozier's two-run homer later in the seventh, before their bullpen finally wrapped up their sixth win in eight games.
Emmanuel Clase worked around a single in the ninth for his sixth save. He's yet to allow an earned run in 13 1/3 innings.
ORIOLES 5, MARINERS 3
SEATTLE (AP) - Cedric Mullins and Freddy Galvis each hit a two-run homer in Baltimore's five-run eighth inning against Seattle.
Shut down by Seattle's bullpen for seven innings, the Orioles broke loose in the eighth. Mullins got it started with a shot off Anthony Misiewicz (2-1) to right-center field that was nearly stolen at the wall by right fielder Mitch Haniger. The ball appeared to graze the top of Haniger's glove as he crashed into the fence.
Dean Kremer had arguably the best start of his young career, throwing six innings for Baltimore and allowing just two hits and one run. The only blemish was Tom Murphy's solo homer in the fifth.
Cole Sulser (1-0) pitched the seventh, but Shawn Armstrong ran into trouble in the eighth. He gave up a two-run homer to Haniger, his eighth of the season. That's all the Mariners got, though, as Tanner Scott finished the eighth and César Valdez pitched the ninth for his seventh save.
TWINS 6, RANGERS 5
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Kenta Maeda steered himself back on track by keeping Texas scoreless into the sixth inning, and Minnesota won the opener of a four-game series.
Maeda (2-2) had a season-high eight strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings, allowing only two singles and two walks in what was by far the best of his six starts this season.
Jorge Polanco had an RBI triple and an RBI double, and rookie Alex Kirilloff kept up his torrid start with two doubles for the Twins. One of them was a two-out, run-scoring line drive to left field in a three-run sixth that came against the left-handed reliever, Kolby Allard, brought in to face him.
Adolis GarcÃa hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning for the Rangers. Joey Gallo hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth against Taylor Rogers, who got his second save by striking out GarcÃa. Dane Dunning (1-2) allowed two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings.
PHILLIES 4, BREWERS 3
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Vince Velasquez threw six sharp innings, J.T. Realmuto hit a two-run homer and Philadelphia beat Milwaukee.
Velasquez (1-0) allowed one run and four hits, striking out six in his longest outing this season. Hector Neris struck out Lorenzo Cain with the bases loaded in the ninth to preserve the win.
Brewers starter Adrian Houser (2-3) gave up four runs - two earned - and four hits in six innings.
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