Yankees Astros Baseball

J.J. Matijevic, second from left, celebrates with Justin Verlander after his RBI single in the ninth inning gave the Astros a 3-2 win over the Yankees in the first game of a doubleheader Thursday in Houston. Kevin M. Cox/Associated Press

HOUSTON — Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman both homered and combined for five RBI as the Houston Astros completed a doubleheader sweep of the New York Yankees on Thursday with a 7-5 win in Game 2.

Chas McCormick added a two-run home run for the Astros, who won the season series 5-2 against the team with baseball’s best record.

Rookie J.J. Matijevic’s pinch-hit RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning lifted the Astros to a 3-2 win in the opener of the day-night doubleheader between the American League’s top teams.

Aaron Judge hit his MLB-leading 34th homer – a three-run shot off Brandon Bielak to the train tracks atop left field – to cut the lead to 7-5 with one out in the ninth in Game 2.

Rafael Montero, who pitched an inning in the first game, took over and was greeted with a single by Gleyber Torres. But Matt Carpenter grounded into a double play to end the game and give Montero his seventh save.

Alvarez, who returned from the injured list Thursday, smacked his 27th homer to the seats in left field with two outs in the first to give Houston an early lead. The Astros went back-to-back when Bregman connected off Domingo German (0-1) four pitches later to make it 2-0.

Advertisement

There were runners on second and third with two outs in the second when Alvarez doubled off the wall in left-center to score two more and extend the lead to 4-0. Bregman singled to left field to send Alvarez home and make it 5-0.

Judge walked with one out in the third before the Yankees cut the lead to three on a home run by Torres.

The doubleheader coming out of the All-Star break was scheduled to help make up a series that was postponed because of the lockout. Houston won the first game of the series on June 30.

RANGERS 8, MARLINS 0: Jon Gray pitched six innings of four-hit ball, Adolis García homered and Texas won at Miami.

García drove in three runs, helping Texas stop a four-game slide. Marcus Semien had two hits and reached base four times.

The Marlins lost their fourth straight, and their scoreless streak reached 34 innings. They last scored in the second inning of a 2-1 loss against Philadelphia on July 15.

Advertisement

Miami also tied a club record with its ninth consecutive game without a home run. Marlins teams in 1993 and 2019 had similar droughts.

Gray (7-4) struck out five and walked two. Matt Moore, Matt Bush and Dennis Santana each got three outs, finishing the Rangers’ seven-hitter.

TIGERS, ATHLETICS SPLIT: Sean Murphy hit a three-run homer to highlight Oakland’s five-run sixth inning that broke up a scoreless game, and the Athletics beat visiting Detroit to split a doubleheader.

In the first game, Jeimer Candelario homered and Robbie Grossman doubled twice and drove in three runs against his former team as Detroit won, 7-2.

Murphy connected for his 10th homer – his second straight season in double digits – off Garrett Hill (1-2), a rookie making his third major league start.

NOTES

DIAMONDBACKS: Former Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel was designated for assignment by Arizona after four ineffective outings.

Keuchel, 34, hoped to resurrect his career with Arizona after signing on June 7, but he struggled with an 0-2 record and 9.64 ERA, giving up 20 earned runs over 18 2/3 innings.

The left-hander was released by the Chicago White Sox in May after going 2-5 with a 7.88 ERA during the first two months of the year.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.