NEW YORK — Yu Darvish pitched eight masterful innings, Javier Baez homered and drove in three runs, and the Chicago Cubs topped the New York Mets 5-2 Tuesday night to take the opener of a pivotal three-game series in the National League wild-card race.
Baez and Addison Russell each hit a two-run homer off Marcus Stroman. Both middle infielders finished with three hits, and Baez had an eventful game all over the field.
The flashy shortstop made a tough grab to thwart a potential New York rally, contributed three extra-base hits and a walk on a perfect night at the plate – and was thrown out twice being overaggressive on the bases.
Pete Alonso hit his 42nd home run for the Mets, becoming the first rookie in 81 years to break his team’s season record.
PIRATES 5, PHILLIES 4: Rhys Hoskins kept Phillies fans booing when he inexplicably dropped a routine throw at first base in the ninth, turning what appeared to be an inning-ending double play into the go-ahead run for Pittsburgh.
After a pair of one-out walks by Hector Neris (2-5), Kevin Newman hit a grounder to second baseman Cesar Hernandez that could’ve let the Phillies escape.
Hernandez flipped to Jean Segura for a force at second, and the shortstop threw a strike to Hoskins that should have finishing the inning. But the struggling Hoskins seemed to close his mitt too early and the ball smacked off the leather and rolled away.
Adam Frazier scrambled home to score the tiebreaking run in stunning fashion and the Phillies failed to gain ground in the NL wild-card race.
REDS 8, MARLINS 5: Curt Casali homered and drove in three runs, helping Cincinnati to a win at Miami.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
INDIANS 10, TIGERS 1: Franmil Reyes hit a three-run homer to highlight a six-run seventh inning, and Cleveland won at Detroit for its 12th straight victory over the Tigers.
Carlos Santana had three hits and scored three times for Cleveland, while four pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts.
INTERLEAGUE
ORIOLES 2, NATIONALS 0: Aaron Brooks came up with an unexpected pitching gem against the torrid-hitting Nationals, throwing six innings of two-hit ball to help visiting Baltimore ended Washington’s five-game winning streak.
Brooks (4-7) came in with a 6.21 ERA and was facing a team averaging 9 runs over its last 11 games.
BLUE JAYS 3, BRAVES 1: Justin Smoak homered and drove in two runs, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two hits and an RBI and Toronto won at home.
Former Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson went 0 for 4 in his first game back in Toronto.
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