SEATTLE – Franklin Barreto hit his first home run of the season and Robbie Grossman added a pinch-hit, two-run double in the ninth inning as the Oakland Athletics defeated the Seattle Mariners 5-2 on Friday.
The Athletics won for the sixth time in seven games, thanks to a strong start by Brett Anderson and some key hits in the late innings.
Oakland took advantage of two errors by Seattle right fielder Domingo Santana on one play in the seventh inning to take the lead and cost Mariners lefty Yusei Kikuchi a chance at a victory in his best start since early May. Grossman provided insurance in the ninth lining a two-out shot off the wall against reliever Dan Altavilla.
Anderson (9-5) pitched into the seventh inning for the fifth time in six starts. He allowed two earned runs or less for the third time in his past four outings. His only outlier of the past month was a start against Tampa Bay when he allowed seven runs in three innings. Anderson struck out four and walked none.
Kikuchi (4-6) pitched seven innings for just the third time this season and first since May 8 against the Yankees. He struck out five and allowed four hits.
“The last two games actually I’ve been feeling pretty good, so I wanted to end the first half of the season on a good note,” Kikuchi said through an interpreter.
Barreto got to Kikuchi for a solo home run in the third inning, but it was the only mistake made by the rookie until the seventh inning.
Yankees 8, Rays 4 (11)
In St. Petersburg, Florida, Aaron Judge hit his second homer of the game leading off the 11th, Brett Gardner added a three-run shot and New York topped Tampa Bay.
Judge connected on the first pitch from Ryne Stanek 0-2) to give him nine career multihomer games. The slugger also went deep in the first against two-way player Brendan McKay.
Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka got a no-decision following a seventh-inning exit.
Tanaka struck out five, but was responsible for all four Rays runs after giving up six hits and a pair of walks in 6⅓ innings.
“I’d managed to throw a good variety, and had been patient with my pitch location. So it was really frustrating to end with getting chased off the mound that badly,” said Tanaka, who threw his fourth major league shutout against the Rays on June 18.
Angels 5, Astros 4
In Houston, Mike Trout slugged his AL-leading 26th homer, and Kole Calhoun, Shohei Ohtani and Andrelton Simmons also went deep to give Los Angeles a victory over the Astros.
Ohtani marked his 25th birthday by blasting a solo home run in the third. He sent Justin Verlander’s 1-0 fastball over the center-field wall at Minute Maid Park for his 13th homer of the season.
“It was a good, hard hit. I pay less attention to my birthday each year, so the timing doesn’t matter, but it’s important to go all-out every game,” said Ohtani, who finished 1-for-4.
Phillies 7, Mets 2
In New York, Jay Bruce hit a go-ahead single in the ninth off closer Edwin Diaz, Mets manager Mickey Callaway lost an early replay challenge that might have cost him late and Philadelphia beat the hosts.
In Other Games
Orioles 4, Blue Jays 1
Brewers 7, Pirates 6 (10)
Diamondbacks 8, Rockies 0
Royals 7, Nationals 4 (11)
Padres 3, Dodgers 2
Red Sox 9, Tigers 6
Twins 15, Rangers 6
Cardinals 9, Giants 4
Braves 1, Marlins 0
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Source : Baseball – The Japan Times