Goldschmidt’s 3-run homer lifts Cardinals over Pirates 6-5
By JOE HARRIS Associated Press
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt was looking for a single. He ended up getting a whole lot more.
Goldschmidt hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off Michael Feliz in the seventh inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat Pittsburgh 6-5 on Wednesday, dealing the Pirates their fifth loss in six games.
St. Louis trailed 4-3 when Tommy Edman singled off Francisco Liriano (4-2) with one out in the seventh and José Martínez walked. Feliz relieved, and Goldschmidt followed with his 18th homer.
“I had two strikes there, I was just trying to put something in play,” Goldschmidt said. “I knew a single would tie the game up there so if I could just put something in play maybe find a hole and at least tie the game up and was able to get enough of it to get it out of there.”
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said Feliz’s stuff matches up better against Goldschmidt and Tyler O’Neill than anyone else out of the Pittsburgh bullpen.
“Goldschmidt and O’Neill were 0 for 5 against him coming in,” Hurdle said. “Unfortunately the fastball location was off on the pitch he threw Goldy today.”
John Brebbia (3-3) struck out four in two perfect innings. Carlos Martínez gave up an RBI single to Bryan Reynolds in the ninth before Starling Marté hit into a forceout, giving Martinez his sixth save in eight chances.
“The bullpen continued to be somewhat the unsung heroes,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. “They’re not in our clubhouse, but sometimes they get overlooked for doing their job.”
O’Neill also homered for the Cardinals, who won two of three from the Pirates.
O’Neill singled in a run in the first and hit a solo homer in the fifth. He is 10 for his past 20 with four home runs.
“I’m just trying to see the ball and keep things simple,” O’Neill said. “Just hit it where it’s pitched and good things are going to happen off of that.”
Daniel Ponce de Leon made his first start since the Cardinals announced he was joining the rotation and gave up four runs, eight hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings.
Pirates starter Chris Archer allowed three runs and five hits in six innings. Archer had a pair of hits, including an RBI single in a three-run fourth, after starting the season 1 for 25 at the plate. Reynolds chased de Leon with a two-run single.
“O’Neill got me,” Archer said. “He’s hot right now. I definitely want to execute better in that situation.”
Marte homered in the first, his fourth home run on a six-game trip.
“It’s good to win this series,” Goldschmidt said. “Yesterday we were right there, just couldn’t get the hit. Today we were able to. That’s what we’ve got to find a way to go is win those close games.”
MILESTONE HIT
Cardinals C Andrew Knizner got his first major league hit with a double in the second inning that set up José Martínez’s sacrifice fly.
TRAINING ROOM
Pirates: OF Gregory Polanco stopped his rehab at Triple-A Indianapolis because of left shoulder soreness and will be evaluated in Pittsburgh. … INF Erik González (broken left clavicle) was to resume a rehab assignment at Indianapolis on Wednesday night. …. RHP Chad Kuhl and RHP Edgar Santana threw off a slope for the first time since Tommy John surgery.
Cardinals: INF Jedd Gyorko (right wrist surgery) hit off a tee for the first time since getting hurt. “I don’t want to get too excited about anything yet because there’s still a lot of steps to go,” Gyorko said. “But we’re definitely I think on the mend. Everything is feeling better than what it used to so we’re headed in the right direction.”
UP NEXT
Pirates: RHP Jordan Lyles (5-6, 5.16 ERA) starts a homestand opener Friday night against Philadelphia. Lyles gave seven runs in two-thirds of an inning in a loss to the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
Cardinals: RHP Dakota Hudson is to start Thursday night at Cincinnati and RHP Tanner Roark (5-6, 3.99 ERA). Hudson is 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in three career appearances against the Reds.
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Reynolds slugs Pirates past Yelich-less Brewers 6-5
By ALAN SAUNDERS Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Red-hot rookie Bryan Reynolds hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Milwaukee Brewers 6-5 Sunday in their final game before the All-Star break.
The estimated 403-foot shot cleared the seats beyond the fence in right-center field and bounced toward the Allegheny River. Reynolds’ seventh homer of the season came after Kevin Kramer walked and Adam Frazier singled off reliever Junior Guerra (3-2).
Reynolds also hit an RBI double in the fifth and is batting .342 with a .950 OPS.
Brewers star Christian Yelich did not play and pulled out of Monday’s All-Star Home Run Derby with a back injury. It’s unclear if Yelich will still play in Tuesday’s All-Star Game.
Jesús Aguilar hit a two-run home run in the seventh off Pirates starter Joe Musgrove that tied the game at 3. It was his second home run of the game and eighth of season. He also hit a solo shot to left off Musgrove in the fifth.
Francisco Liriano relieved Musgrove and finished the seventh to improve to 3-1. Felipe Vázquez worked a four-out save, his 20th of the season.
Milwaukee rookie Keston Hiura hit a two-run homer in the eighth, also his seventh of the season.
Musgrove struck out five in six-plus innings, allowing five hits and three runs. His appearance was interrupted by a 40-minute rain delay in between the fifth and sixth innings.
He also contributed at the plate during a two-run second inning against starter Chase Anderson. Colin Moran tripled and scored on Kevin Newman’s single to right. Newman and Jacob Stallings perfectly executed a hit-and-run that left Newman at third for Musgrove, who put a squeeze bunt down the right side for his first career RBI.
Anderson allowed two runs on five hits over four innings. He struck out four and walked two.
Orlando Arcia pinch hit in the fifth inning after a scary collision with Hiura on Saturday.
Infield prospect Mauricio Dubon, recalled as insurance for Arcia, made his MLB debut as a pinch hitter in the eighth. Dubon is the first big leaguer born and raised in Honduras.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: RHP Burch Smith was optioned to Triple-A to make room for Dubon.
Pirates: LF Corey Dickerson (right groin discomfort) was held out of the lineup. … LHP Steven Brault (left shoulder strain) is not expected to be ready to return from the injured list after the 10-day minimum. Dario Agrazal will start the second half in the starting rotation while Brault recovers. … Kramer was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis and RHP Montana DuRapau was optioned there.
UP NEXT
Brewers: Have not announced a starting pitcher for their second-half opener on Friday against San Francisco.
Pirates: Chris Archer (3-6, 5.49 ERA) will start the second half at the Chicago Cubs on Friday. He had a 7.89 ERA on the road in the first half.
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Newman, Marte have 3 RBIs each, Pirates top Brewers 12-2
By WES CROSBY Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Kevin Newman had a big night at the plate for the Pirates. So did Colin Moran. Starling Marte, too.
They all helped power Pittsburgh to a 12-2 thumping of the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night.
Newman and Moran each had four hits and three RBIs, and Marte drove in three runs of his own.
“It’s a blast,” Newman said. “We’re just all having a great time going out there battling, making good contact, just trying to put runs up for the team. It’s going well for us right now.”
Newman, who had a home run among his hits, bounced back after going 0 for 5 in a 7-6 loss to Milwaukee on Friday. Melky Cabrera also homered for the Pirates.
Dario Agrazal (2-0) allowed two runs in six innings after being recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis to start in place of Trevor Williams, who was placed on the paternity list Saturday. The rookie right-hander gave up those runs on two homers, one by Mike Moustakas in the first and another by Yasmani Grandal two innings later.
“He knows what he wants to do,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “He’s done it since we’ve got him here. … In less than a handful of major league starts, there doesn’t seem to be much panic.”
After waiting out a rain delay of more than two hours, Moustakas gave the Brewers a quick 1-0 lead with his 25th homer of the season. But Newman hit a two-run single in the bottom of the first to cap Pittsburgh’s four-run inning.
Each of the Pirates’ first four runs came with two outs, starting with Moran’s single and Corey Dickerson’s double.
Grandal homered in the third to cut the deficit to two runs at 4-2, but Newman sent a slider from Adrian Houser (2-3) in the fourth 375 feet over the right-field wall for his sixth homer of the season.
Houser gave up more than three runs for the second time in 19 appearances – including five starts – this season, allowing five on seven hits in four innings.
“I feel like I’m letting the team down when I go out there and give up four in the first,” Houser said. “Just have to be better and figure some stuff out.”
The Brewers missed a chance to get even – or take the lead – when Lorenzo Cain left the bases loaded by grounding to second in the fifth.
Marte’s triple drove in two more to put Pittsburgh ahead 7-2 in the sixth. He made it 8-2 on a single to left in the eighth.
Brewers shortstop Orlando Arcia and second baseman Keston Hiura collided while converging on a groundball by Moran in the eighth, which plated two to give Pittsburgh a 10-2 lead. Arcia sat up while being carted off and waving to the crowd; Hiura remained in the game.
Manager Craig Counsell said Arcia was still being evaluated after the game, but noted shoulder pain is probably the worst of the symptoms. He said Hiura seemed to be fine.
“They’re both just trying to make a play,” Counsell said. “Just in the wrong spot and hit at the wrong speed. My understanding is Orlando’s shoulder hit Keston probably somewhere in the head area.”
Cabrera capped the scoring with a two-run homer in the eighth.
JOIN THE CLUB
Pirates LHP Felipe Vázquez and Brewers RHP Brandon Woodruff were named to the National League All-Star squad on Saturday. They will replace Brewers LHP Josh Hader (day-to-day with back soreness) and Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke (personal matter).
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: RHP Burch Smith was recalled from Triple-A San Antonio on Saturday. … RHP Deolis Guerra was designated for assignment after giving up four runs in the ninth inning of his season debut Friday.
Pirates: Dickerson left with right groin discomfort after catching a routine fly ball for the second out of the seventh inning. … RHP Dovydas Neverauskas was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. … LHP Steven Brault was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder strain. … RHP Montana DuRapau and RHP Luis Escobar were recalled from Indianapolis.
UP NEXT
Brewers: RHP Chase Anderson (4-2, 4.31) will face Pittsburgh on Sunday coming off two straight solid starts. He gave up four runs – three earned – in 11 innings during his past two starts since surrendering six in five innings against Cincinnati on June 21.
Pirates: RHP Joe Musgrove (6-7, 4.13) has allowed just one run in 16 innings over his last three starts, including none in three innings in a rain-shortened start against the Cubs on July 2.
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Judge hits 2nd HR of game in 11th, Yankees beat Rays 8-4
By MARK DIDTLER Associated Press
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees are on some kind of hot streak heading into the final weekend before the All-Star break.
Judge hit his second homer of the game leading off the 11th inning, Brett Gardner added a three-run shot and the Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-4 on Friday night.
“When it gets to be winning time with these guys, these guys know what to do,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “Just another really impressive performance. Judgy went up there real aggressive, went superhero on us.”
Judge connected on the first pitch from Ryne Stanek (0-2) to give him nine career multihomer games.
“I know he can get his fastball up to 100 (mph) and a good splitter,” Judge said. “So my biggest thing was to try to get ready early and stay on the heater but also have a chance at that splitter.”
The big slugger also went deep in the first against two-way player Brendan McKay as New York extended its AL East lead over Tampa Bay to a season-high 8 1/2 games.
The Yankees have won 16 of 18 since June 15 and are 9-2 against the Rays this season.
“Look, they’re a better team than us right now,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “There’s no denying that. They have a better record for many of the right reasons and they perform better than us. In a game, in a head-to-head matchup, they make the most of those situations more than we have.”
Aaron Hicks tied it in the eighth with a pinch-hit homer for the Yankees, who used a five-run 10th to beat the Rays 8-4 on Thursday in the opener of a four-game series.
David Hale (2-0) left with two on and one out in the 11th. Aroldis Chapman, who blew a two-run lead in the ninth Thursday, walked Travis d’Arnaud with two outs but got a lineout from Tommy Pham to get his 24th save.
Masahiro Tanaka, who entered 2-0 with a 0.41 ERA in three starts against the Rays this season, was charged with four runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.
McKay allowed three runs and six hits over five innings in his second pitching start. The left-hander gave up one hit in six scoreless innings in his big league debut last Saturday, a win over Texas.
“I’ve faced two very quality lineups and got my feet wet to what it’s like up here,” McKay said.
Nate Lowe hit his first major league homer and Mike Zunino also went deep for the Rays.
After replacing Tanaka with runners on first and third, Nestor Cortes Jr. allowed Kevin Kiermaier’s two-run single that gave Tampa Bay a 4-3 lead.
Hicks got the Yankees even in the eighth.
Judge, who faced McKay while on a rehab assignment for an oblique injury June 15 with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre against Durham, hit a hard grounder that just missed the pitcher’s leg in the fourth. He struck out swinging on a 93 mph fastball from McKay with two on to end the fifth.
In the minor league game, McKay got a grounder from Judge and struck him out.
HONORING CC
Yankees LHP CC Sabathia will be honored by Major League Baseball at Tuesday night’s All-Star Game in Cleveland. In the final season of his 19-year career, Sabathia will be recognized for his contributions to the game and longtime service to the community. “This is awesome,” said Sabathia, who started his big league career with the Indians in 2001.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: C Gary Sanchez was rested. He struck out as a pinch-hitter in the 10th.
Rays: Kiermaier (sore left wrist) was out of the lineup the previous two games.
UP NEXT
Yankees: Sabathia (5-4) starts on 11 days’ rest Saturday. He is 1-0 with a 2.12 ERA in three outings against Tampa Bay this season.
Rays: AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell (5-7) allowed six runs and got only one out in his last start against the Yankees on June 19 in New York.
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Brewers blow big lead, recover to edge Pirates 7-6 in 10
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A seemingly safe five-run ninth-inning lead gone in a flash, the Milwaukee Brewers were badly in need of a pickup.
Facing one of the best closers in the majors, Orlando Arcia provided one.
The shortstop’s sharp single off Pittsburgh’s Felipe Vázquez in the top of the 10th inning started a rally that ended with Lorenzo Cain’s go-ahead RBI single to put the Brewers ahead for good as Milwaukee ended a three-game losing streak to move in front of idle Chicago for first-place in the airtight NL Central.
“I think it’s one of those things where you have to do something good to change around the feeling,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.
Good feelings were in short supply in the Milwaukee dugout after the Pirates erased a five-run deficit in the ninth.
Starling Marte’s sacrifice fly scored Melky Cabrera and got the Pirates going. All-Star first baseman Josh Bell followed two batters later with a three-run shot to the right-field seats off Delios Guerra to get Pittsburgh within one. Milwaukee reliever Junior Guerra came on in an attempt to get the final out. His first pitch to Jung Ho Kang ended up in the left-field bleachers to tie the game.
“That pitch to Kang was kind of in the middle,” Junior Guerra said. “I expect that he’s not going to swing on the first pitch. That’s why I don’t throw fastball.”
The Brewers, however, bounced back against Vázquez (2-1). Arcia singled with one out, moved to third on Manny Piña’s single and scored when Cain’s sharp grounder got through the hole between first and second base.
“A lot of things happened,” Cain said. “We had the lead there in the end. They ended up coming back. At the end of the day, we find a way to come back and win. We definitely needed that. It was a big boost for the boys.”
Arcia finished 2 for 4, including his 12th home run of the season. Piña and Jesus Aguilar both hit two-run shots during Milwaukee’s four-run eighth that gave the Brewers a five-run lead the bullpen squandered.
Junior Guerra (3-1) picked up the win after blowing the save when he struck out pinch-hitter Joe Musgrove — a starting pitcher by trade — with two on in the bottom of the 10th.
“It felt like the Twilight Zone in a lot of ways,” Counsell said.
Aguilar took advantage of just his second start since mid-June to hit his sixth homer of the season and drive in three runs. Counsell re-inserted Aguilar into the starting lineup in hopes of giving the offense a jolt after the Brewers were shut out on consecutive days by Cincinnati.
The first baseman responded by ending Milwaukee’s 26-inning scoreless drought with an RBI single in the fourth off Pirates starter Steven Brault then provided some insurance with a two-run shot to the bleachers in left field in the eighth.
The Brewers arrived in Pittsburgh coming off a listless series in Cincinnati in which they dropped three of four as the gap between first and fifth in the tight Central shrank to 3 1/2 games. Counsell took Yasmani Grandal out of the leadoff spot, dropped Mike Moustakas from third to cleanup and gave Aguilar — an All-Star in 2018 — a start in place of Eric Thames.
Aguilar came in hitting .203 on the season, but collected just his second multiple-hit game since May 12. He ripped a single to right field with two outs in the fourth to give the Brewers their first run since the sixth inning of an 11-inning loss to Cincinnati on Tuesday.
The Brewers appeared to be in good shape after Josh Hader wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh and a four-run eighth pushed Milwaukee’s lead to five.
RESILIENT PIRATES
Bell, who will compete in the Home Run Derby on Monday night in Cleveland, now has 27 home runs on the season and five in his last five games. Adam Frazier finished with three hits and is batting .619 (13 of 21) in July. Pittsburgh has dropped two straight following a stretch in which it went 12-5 to get back into the NL Central race. Despite the loss, Bell believes Pittsburgh’s comeback will pay off going forward.
“I think it sends a message to them it doesn’t matter what the score is,” Bell said. “We’re right there knocking on the door.”
BRAULT INJURED
Brault exited after walking Arcia leading off the fifth with discomfort in his left (throwing) shoulder. Brault, coming off a June in which he posted a 2.52 ERA after injuries forced him to join Pittsburgh’s starting rotation full-time, allowed one run on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
“It was just tight after every inning,” Brault said. “And in that fifth inning I wasn’t able to get to the point where I needed to be. It was obvious seeing my velocity drop.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: LF Ryan Braun’s sore right knee is catching up with him. The 35-year-old said he initially hurt the knee during the 2018 playoffs and irritated the injury while making a sliding catch in Cincinnati on Tuesday. The 2011 National League MVP didn’t start on Friday but did leg out a double to center as a pinch hitter in the seventh.
Pirates: C Francisco Cervelli (concussion) is open to switching positions in an effort to help the team. Cervelli hasn’t played since taking a broken bat to the chin against the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 25.
UP NEXT
Brewers: Adrian Houser (2-2, 3.26 ERA) is 0-2 with a 7.62 ERA while working as an “opener” this season. Houser pitches a season-high five innings against Cincinnati on Monday.
Pirates: Dario Agrazal (1-0, 2.70) will make his third major-league start on Saturday in place of Trevor Williams, who was placed on the paternity list Friday evening.
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