CLEVELAND — Aaron Hicks drove home Didi Gregorius from first base with a one-out double in the eighth inning off Cleveland ace Corey Kluber, sending the New York Yankees to a 7-4 win over the Indians on Thursday night.
Hicks drove a 3-2 pitch from Kluber (12-5) to deep center field, and Gregorius scored easily when the ball one-hopped the wall. Indians Manager Terry Francona elected to stay with Kluber in the eighth rather than turn things over to his shaky bullpen, which has the AL’s highest ERA.
The Yankees added another run in the inning on Greg Bird’s sacrifice fly off Oliver Perez.
Brett Gardner homered twice and Gregorius also connected for the Yankees, playing at Progressive Field for the first time since last October, when they overcame a 2-0 deficit and won the AL Division Series.
New York’s Adam Warren, David Robertson (6-3), Dellin Betances and All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman combined for four hitless innings. Chapman got three outs for his 25th save – in his first appearance since Sunday because of a sore left knee.
Jose Ramirez and Edwin Encarnacion homered off Yankees starter Luis Severino, who lasted five innings and was denied his major league-leading 15th win.
ATHLETICS 6, ASTROS 4: Mark Canha’s two-run single in Oakland’s three-run eighth inning lifted the Athletics to a win at Houston.
The Athletics fell behind early but cut the lead to one with a three-run fifth. An RBI double by Matt Chapman tied it with no outs in eighth before Canha’s single off Chris Devenksi (2-2) with one out made it 6-4.
Canha’s hit landed in the corner of left field and the Astros challenged the ruling that the ball was fair, but the call was upheld.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
ROCKIES 5, DIAMONDBACKS 1: Gerardo Parra and Raimel Tapia had pinch-RBI singles in Colorado’s three-run sixth inning, helping the Rockies beat Arizona at Denver.
Trevor Story homered for the Rockies, and Kyle Freeland pitched six-hit ball into the sixth inning. DJ LeMahieu had two hits and an RBI.
NATIONALS 5, METS 4: Max Scherzer made a final pitch to start the All-Star Game on his own mound, Anthony Rendon hit two homers and Bryce Harper also connected, leading Washington at New York.
Washington won for just the sixth time in 17 games and nudged back over .500 at 47-46.
Scherzer (12-5) didn’t dominate over his seven innings, but managed to tie Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola for the NL lead in wins. He struck out five, boosting his league-leading total to 182.
PIRATES 6, BREWERS 3: Jameson Taillon had a career-high 10 strikeouts, Jordy Mercer tied his career high with four RBI and Pittsburgh won at home.
Taillon (6-7) surrendered one run on four hits with two walks. The right-hander struck out the side twice, once in the third inning and again in the fifth, when he got out of a jam after allowing a leadoff walk to Tyler Saladino followed by a single from Erik Kratz.
Mercer was 3 for 4 with three singles, one of which knocked in two runs.
INTERLEAGUE
PHILLIES 5, ORIOLES 4: Jorge Alfaro homered and drove in three runs, Nick Pivetta took a three-hitter into the seventh inning and Philadelphia won at Baltimore.
Making the most of a one-day stay in Baltimore, the Phillies built a 5-0 lead against the team with the worst record in the majors.
Alfaro, the No. 9 hitter, singled and scored in the third inning, hit a two-run double in the fourth and led off the fifth with his sixth home run.
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