CLEVELAND — Roberto Perez’s three-run homer helped the Cleveland Indians salvage the finale of their AL Central showdown series with a 7-5 victory against the big-swinging Minnesota Twins, who tied a major league home run record Sunday.
Perez’s 417-foot shot to center field off Kyle Gibson capped a four-run rally in the sixth inning that began with Jason Kipnis hitting a double off Fernando Romero (0-1).
“We responded very well,” said Perez, who has 23 homers and is batting .406 in his last 10 games. “The first two games were tough losses. It was a must-win. We came out with a lot of energy. I thought guys had better at-bats and I’m glad we got the win.”
Eddie Rosario homered twice, and Miguel Sano and rookie LaMonte Wade Jr. connected as the Twins became the 13th team – and first since the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies – to have four players reach 30 homers in the same season.
BLUE JAYS 6, YANKEES 4: Pitchers Dellin Betances and Jordan Montgomery made their season debuts after lengthy layoffs, and New York finished its longest trip of the season with a loss at Toronto.
Betances, a 31-year-old right-hander, was diagnosed with an impingement in his pitching shoulder after his fourth spring-training appearance March 17. His rehabilitation stopped when the team said June 11 that he strained his right latissimus dorsi muscle, and he didn’t start a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment until September. Montgomery is returning after Tommy John surgery.
ORIOLES 8, TIGERS 2: Edwin Jackson allowed five runs in five innings, and Detroit took control of the race for the top pick in next June’s amateur draft with a loss at home.
Detroit (44-104) has lost two of the first three games of the four-game series against the Orioles (49-100). Any combination of 10 Tigers losses and Orioles wins would clinch the top pick for Detroit in a draft highlighted by Arizona State first baseman Spencer Torkelson and Georgia pitcher Emerson Hancock.
ASTROS 12, ROYALS 3: Wade Miley bounced back from two disastrous starts with six strong innings and Josh Reddick’s five hits included a two-run homer as the Houston won at Kansas City, Missouri, completing a three-game sweep.
Abraham Toro and Reddick each drove in three runs, Kyle Tucker banged a two-run homer and Yuli Gurriel’s solo shot was his 28th homer.
ATHLETICS 6, RANGERS 1: Sean Manaea limited Texas to three singles over six scoreless innings, Marcus Semien became the third Oakland hitter with 30 homers and the Athletics won at Arlington, Texas, for their sixth straight victory.
A’s rookie left-hander Jesus Luzardo allowed one run over the final three innings for his first save.
MARINERS 11, WHITE SOX 10: Jose Ruiz walked Tom Murphy with the bases loaded in the ninth inning and Seattle won a walk-off for the second straight game.
A day after former White Sox catcher Omar Narvaez hit a game-ending homer in the 10th, Seattle rallied from five runs down to again beat Chicago.
ANGELS 6, RAYS 4: Albert Pujols hit a three-run homer off Ryan Yarbrough in the fifth inning and drove in four runs, leading Los Angeles at Anaheim, California, and dropping Tampa Bay 1½ games behind Oakland for the top AL wild card.
Seeking their first playoff berth since 2013, the Rays are 1½ games ahead of Cleveland for the AL’s second wild card.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
NATIONALS 7, BRAVES 0: Anibal Sanchez beat his former team for the third time this season, Howie Kendrick homered and drove in three runs, and Washington prevented a three-game sweep at home.
BREWERS 7, CARDINALS 6: Ryan Braun hit a go-ahead grand slam off Junior Fernandez with two outs in the ninth inning, and Milwaukee won at St. Louis to keep up its playoff push by winning for the ninth time in 10 games.
CUBS 16, PIRATES 6: Kris Bryant homered twice, and Ian Happ, Kyle Schwarber and Jonathan Lucroy also connected as Chicago, at home, battered Pittsburgh for a third straight day. The Cubs totaled 47 runs on 49 hits in completing the three-game sweep.
ROCKIES 10, PADRES 5: Ryan McMahon hit two home runs and drove in four runs to lead Colorado at Denver for a sweep of the three-game series.
GIANTS 2, MARLINS 1: Mike Yastrzemski scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the eighth inning, Johnny Cueto pitched five scoreless innings in his second game back from Tommy John surgery and San Francisco won at home.
REDS 3, DIAMONDBACKS 1: Eugenio Suarez homered twice in support of Trevor Bauer, who held his former team to one run on four hits as Cincinnati won at Phoenix.
DODGERS 3, METS 2: Jedd Gyorko scored the tying run in the eighth inning on Chris Taylor’s double and hit an RBI single off Seth Lugo with two outs in the ninth as visiting Los Angeles added to New York’s dwindling playoff hopes.
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