MLB roundup: Travis d’Arnaud’s three home runs boost Braves

Travis d’Arnaud homered three times, including a tiebreaking grand slam, to lead the Atlanta Braves to an 8-3 victory against the visiting Texas Rangers on Friday, extending their winning streak to five games.

The veteran catcher went 3 for 4 with six RBIs. His first two home runs were solitary drives, but his third came against reliever Jacob Latz (0-1) with the bases loaded, a 433-foot blast to center field. It marked his third career grand slam. D’Arnaud grounded out in his last at-bat.

It was d’Arnaud’s seventh game with multiple home runs and his second with three. It was the first three-homer game for an Atlanta player since Adam Duvall did so twice in 2020. Atlanta starter Chris Sale (2-1) went seven innings, giving up three runs on five hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts. He is 9-2 in his career versus Texas and has not lost to the Rangers since 2014.

Astros 5, Nationals 3

Justin Verlander produced six good innings in his first start of the season after a shoulder injury, and Houston defeated host Washington to end a three-game losing streak. Verlander held Washington to two runs on four hits with no walks. He struck out four. Chas McCormick drove in two runs, and Jeremy Pena and Mauricio Dubon both had three hits. Josh Hader gave up a run in the ninth but got out of it with the tying runs on base, earning his second save of the season.

Riley Adams homered for the Nationals, who were coming off a 5-4 West Coast trip. Starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore (2-1) suffered the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits over four innings. Washington utilized six pitchers.

Diamondbacks 17, Giants 1

Ketel Marte had four hits, Blaze Alexander hit his first grand slam, and Jordan Montgomery won in his debut as Arizona thrashed host San Francisco. The Diamondbacks’ 22 hits tied the franchise record set in 2013. Marte went 4-for-6 with an RBI and a run in the leadoff spot, while Alexander ended 3-for-5 with five RBIs and two runs. Christian Walker finished 3-for-6 with three runs, a double, and an RBI.

Montgomery and his rival on Friday, San Francisco left-hander Blake Snell, were both sought-after free agents who signed late this spring. Montgomery (1-0) gave up one run on four hits in six innings. He struck out three without walking. Snell fell to 0-3, allowing nine hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings. His ERA is 11.57.

Mets 9, Dodgers 4

Francisco Lindor hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the seventh inning, Harrison Bader had four hits, and visiting New York extended its winning streak to five games by defeating Los Angeles.

DJ Stewart homered and drove in three runs as the Mets won for the seventh time in eight games, improving to 11-3 after starting 0-5. Chris Taylor snapped out of his 0-for-31 slump with a two-run single for the Dodgers. Shohei Ohtani scored one run and drove in another, but Los Angeles suffered its sixth loss in eight games.

Royals 9, Orioles 4

MJ Melendez homered and drove in four runs, and Alec Marsh pitched 5 2/3 perfect innings as Kansas defeated Baltimore for its tenth consecutive home victory.

Melendez ended a 0-for-23 slump with a two-out RBI single to spark a five-run sixth inning. He followed up with a three-run home run in the seventh inning. Marsh (3-0) allowed only three hits while striking out six and walking two to defeat the Orioles for the second time this season. Adley Rutschman of Baltimore blasted three home runs, including his first career grand slam. Prior to the Royals’ huge inning, starter Dean Kremer (0-2) dismissed the first 11 batters he faced. Kremer allowed three runs on two hits over 5 2/3 innings. He had three walks and three strikeouts.

Reds 7, Angels 1

Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run homer, stole three bases and scored on a throwing error to lead Cincinnati past visiting Los Angeles.

Cincinnati starter and winner Nick Lodolo (2-0) allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings, and Tyler Stephenson hit a tape-measure, tiebreaking home drive to help the Reds snap a three-game losing streak. Making only his second start back from the injured list, Lodolo held the Angels scoreless until the fifth inning, when Jo Adell singled home Luis Rengifo to tie the game. Lodolo allowed seven hits and one run while striking out six and not walking a batter.

Phillies 7, White Sox 0

Alec Bohm hit two home runs and tied a career high with six RBIs, Spencer Turnbull had a no-hitter through 6 1/3 innings and host Philadelphia defeated Chicago.

Turnbull (2-0) pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing one hit, striking out six and walking two. He threw 92 pitches, 57 of which were strikes, lowering his ERA to 1.23. Whit Merrifield hit a solo home run, Trea Turner had three hits and extended his hitting streak to eight games, and Bryce Harper contributed two walks, two runs, and a single as the Phillies won their fourth in a row.

Yankees 5, Rays 3

Juan Soto capped a five-run seventh inning by hitting a three-run homer as New York capitalized on shoddy defense by visiting Tampa Bay.

Curtis Mead and Yandy Diaz’s seventh-inning errors led to the Yankees’ 14th win in 20 games. Oswaldo Cabrera tied the game at one with a grounder that skipped Diaz’s glove. Anthony Volpe broke the tie with an easy RBI single to center, and Soto drove a 1-0 ball from Chris Devenski (0-1) into the second deck in right field.

Richie Palacios homered in the sixth inning against New York starter Clarke Schmidt, and Issac Paredes got a two-run single in the eighth off Ian Hamilton. Clay Holmes recorded a game-ending double play to earn his ninth save in nine chances.

Cubs 8, Marlins 3

Jameson Taillon worked five strong innings in his season debut as host Chicago opened its four-game series with Miami on a winning note.

Taillon (1-0), who returned from the 15-day injured list on Thursday, allowed only one run on three hits. He didn’t walk anyone while striking out four. Nico Hoerner went 2-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI, and a run for Chicago, which also received two hits each from Cody Bellinger, Dansby Swanson, and Mike Tauchman.

Bryan De La Cruz went deep, and Jazz Chisholm went 2-for-4 for Miami, which has lost 16 of its first 20 games this season. The Marlins finished with six hits, including three in the ninth inning. In three innings, Miami starter A.J. Puk (0-4) gave up seven runs on seven hits and three walks. He fanned four.

Red Sox 8, Pirates 1

Wilyer Abreu went 3-for-5 and was one of three players to hit their first home runs of the season for Boston in a rout of host Pittsburgh.

Boston’s offense hammered out 12 hits to secure its second win in three games. Rob Refsnyder and Ceddanne Rafaela each drove in two runs with their first home runs of 2024, and Triston Casas also homered for the Red Sox.

Enmanuel Valdez hit a two-run double. Brayan Bello (3-1) won his second straight game in dominant fashion, allowing only one hit (Jack Suwinski’s leadoff double to left in the second) and two walks while striking out seven in six innings.

Guardians 10, Athletics 2

Tyler Freeman hit a two-run homer and Josh Naylor added a solo shot as Cleveland opened a three-game series with a victory against visiting Oakland.

Steven Kwan and Andres Gimenez each drove in two runs for the Guardians, who won for the fifth time in six games and advanced to an American League Central-best 14-6 record.

Triston McKenzie (2-2) of Cleveland allowed one run on three hits in five innings, walking three and striking out six. Abraham Toro blasted a leadoff home run in the first inning, giving the A’s an early lead. Brent Rooker’s solo blast against Scott Barlow in the eighth was Oakland’s only other run.

Tigers 5, Twins 4

Wenceel Perez went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, including a tiebreaking RBI single in the top of the ninth inning, as Detroit defeated Minnesota at Minneapolis.

Kerry Carpenter went 4-for-5 with a double and two RBI for the Tigers. Spencer Torkelson tallied three hits, including an RBI single. Andrew Chafin (2-0) of the Tigers received the win as one of three relievers after starter Jack Flaherty, who allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits, walked one, and struck out ten in six innings.

Trevor Larnach led the Twins’ offense, going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer. Byron Buxton had a two-run double for Minnesota, which lost its fifth game in a row.

Brewers 2, Cardinals 1 (10 innings)

William Contreras drove in both runs, including a two-out RBI single in the 10th inning, as Milwaukee edged host St. Louis.

In six scoreless innings, Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta limited the Cardinals to four hits and two walks. He struck out seven. Joel Payamps (1-1) won the game and Hoby Milner recorded his first professional save. Kyle Gibson, the Cardinals’ starting pitcher, limited the Brewers to one run on three hits and four walks while striking out three in six innings. Ryan Helsley (1-2), the reliever, took the loss.

Blue Jays 5, Padres 1

Justin Turner homered and knocked in two runs as visiting Toronto opened up a five-run lead in the second inning during a win over San Diego.

Five pitchers combined on a five-hitter, striking out 14 as Toronto won for the fifth time in six games. Bowden Francis (2-2) earned the victory with two-plus scoreless innings after starter Yuriel Rodriguez struck out seven and allowed San Diego’s sole run – a Fernando Tatis Jr. homer – in four innings.

Matt Waldron (0-2) took the loss for the Padres, giving up seven hits and five runs over 4 2/3 innings. Waldron walked once and struck out twice. Turner, Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Danny Jansen each had two of the Blue Jays’ eleven hits.