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Juan Soto decides with a home run duel that Nationals win over Phillies
Juan Soto broke the tie with a home run, Max Scherzer outscored Zack Wheeler in the pitching game, and the Washington Nationals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 on Friday night.
Scherzer (5-4) struck out nine in seven innings of dominant work. He allowed one run and five hits.
The three-time Cy Young award-winning pitcher improved his ERA to 2.22 thanks to the seventh consecutive start in which he has allowed two or fewer runs.
Wheeler (4-3) allowed two touchdowns and five hits over 7 1/3 innings, in which he struck out eight.
Soto made the difference with his drive to left field, which made it 2-1 in the sixth inning. It was the Dominican’s eleventh homer in 80 at-bats in Philadelphia Park, which is considered favorable for batting.
Rhys Hoskins opened the bottom of the ninth by shooting a double off Daniel Hudson. Travis Jankowski replaced Hoskins on the trails but was retired after a low pitch to JT Realmuto at 2-2.
Jankowski fell halfway between second and third, and catcher Alex Avila moved up to touch him near shortstop.
For the Nationals, the Dominicans Soto 4-1 with a run scored and an RBI, Starlin Castro 4-1, Victor Robles 2-0.
For the Phillies, Venezuelans Odubel Herrera 4-0, Ronald Torreyes 3-0. The Dominican Jean Segura 4-1 with a scored.
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Rafael Devers in Boston opener against Yankees
Rafael Devers hit a three-run home run in the first inning off Michael King, Marwin Gonzalez produced another pair with a double and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 5-2 on Friday in the first of 19 games. that staunch rivals will sustain this season.
Former Yankees pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (7-2) won his third consecutive start, holding the shutout until the sixth inning, and the Red Sox snapped their 11-game losing streak in the Bronx with their first win at Yankee. Stadium from June 2, 2019.
After playing their first 57 games of the season without facing the Red Sox, the Yankees began a 14-game stretch against Boston in their next 43 games on the schedule. New York and Boston hadn’t met this late in the season since 1996, when their first clash was until July 1.
The 18,040 sold-out fans, with increased capacity following the relaxation of coronavirus restrictions, booed the Yankees when they hit a double play twice, reaching 54 this season to lead the majors. New York lost for the eighth time in 11 games.
King (0-3), replacing the injured Corey Kluber in New York’s rotation, allowed four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. On a 0-2 count, he laid a fastball on the plate at the level of the letters on Devers’ uniform, who catapulted the ball to the second floor down the right field.
Devers already has 15 homers and 46 RBIs this season.
Gonzalez, like Devers, hit unstoppable with two outs in the sixth, and added another double in the eighth.
For the Red Sox, Danny Santana 4-0, Devers 4-1 with one run scored and three produced. Venezuelan González 4-2 with two RBIs. Puerto Rican Christian Vázquez 4-0.
For the Yankees, Colombian Gio Urshela 4-1 with a run scored. Venezuelans Gleyber Torres 4-2, Rougned Odor 4-0. The Dominican Gary Sánchez 4-0.
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Greinke throws full game as Astros crushes Blue Jays
Zack Greinke had his first complete game since 2017, Carlos Correa backed him up with a pair of home runs and the Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 13-1 on Friday night.
Puerto Rican Martín Maldonado hit a grand slam for a total of five RBIs, while Cuban Aledmys Díaz also homered for Houston, which condemned the Blue Jays to their first loss in three games at their temporary home in Buffalo.
Greinke (6-2) allowed six hits, walked one and struck out three, on a 102-pitch pitch.
It was his first complete game since working eight innings on April 19, 2017, in a 1-0 loss, pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks at the San Diego Padres.
The previous nine-inning full game for the 37-year-old right-hander had come on June 7, 2016, also in an Arizona uniform but facing the Tampa Bay Rays.
Greinke reached 214 career victories. It caught up with Mark Buehrle and Rick Reuschel, at the 91st place in history.
The Astros posted their fifth win in six games.
The loss went to Hyun Jin Ryu (5-3).
For the Astros, Venezuelan José Altuve 3-2 with one scored and two RBIs. The Puerto Ricans Correa 5-2 with two runs scored and four RBIs, Maldonado 5-2 with two runs scored and five RBIs. The Cubans Diaz 6-3 with two runs scored and one RBI, Yuli Gurriel 4-2 with one scored, Yordan Álvarez 4-1 with one scored and one RBI. The Dominican Robel García 1-0.
For the Blue Jays, the Dominicans Vladimir Guerrero Jr 3-0, Santiago Espinal 1-0, Teoscar Hernández 3-2. Cuban Lourdes Gurriel Jr 3-0.
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Peralta near no hitter on birthday as Brewers beat D-backs
Freddy Peralta had a no-hitter until the eighth inning on his 25th birthday, and the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-1 on Friday.
Peralta, Brad Boxberger and Trevor Richards combined for a one-hitter. Peralta (6-1) struck out nine, walked three and allowed one run in 7 1/3 innings.
Nick Ahmed broke the no-hitter by hitting a one-out single off a low pitch that circulated to left center. The unstoppable hit the 109th and last pitch Peralta made in the game.
Fans stood up clapping when manager Craig Counsell ordered Peralta to be relieved, who welcomed the standing ovation as he walked off the field.
The Dominican has allowed more than three hits in just three of 11 starts this season. Rivals hit him .133.
Daniel Vogelbach and Omar Narvaez homered for Milwaukee, and the Diamondbacks suffered their 15th straight road loss, a franchise record. The Diamondbacks haven’t won on the road since April 25, when they swept a doubleheader in the Atlanta Braves.
Matt Peacock (2-2) allowed four runs, three earned, and five hits in 4 2/3 innings.
For the Diamondbacks, Venezuelans Eduardo Escobar 4-0, David Peralta 3-0, Asdrúbal Cabrera without an official turn but with an RBI.
For the Brewers, Mexican Luis Urías 4-0. Venezuelans Avisaíl García 3-1 with one scored, Narváez 3-2 with three runs scored and two produced. The Dominicans Willy Adames 2-0, Peralta 3-0.
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