Paul Skenes no-hit the host Milwaukee Brewers through seven innings before being lifted, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 1-0 victory on Thursday afternoon in the rubber match of a three-game series.
The rookie Skenes (6-0), making his 11th major league start, walked one and struck out a career-high-tying 11. Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton opted to pull him ahead of the eighth, though, as the right-hander had thrown 99 pitches (65 strikes).
Colin Holderman took over for Skenes and immediately let Milwaukee get in the hit column. He kept the Brewers off the board, however, and Aroldis Chapman pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his fourth save of the season.
Yasmani Grandal provided all the offense Pittsburgh would need with an RBI double in the seventh. Andrew McCutchen went 1-for-2 with two walks for the Pirates.
Phillies 5, Dodgers 1
Brandon Marsh homered, tripled and drove in two runs to lift host Philadelphia past Los Angeles.
Trea Turner hit a home run and a single for the Phillies, who polished off a three-game sweep. Kyle Schwarber added a solo homer for insurance. Phillies starter Aaron Nola (11-4) tossed six innings and allowed four hits and one run with nine strikeouts and two walks.
The Phillies picked up their first series sweep against the Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park since a four-game sweep in August 2008. Gavin Lux homered and singled for the Dodgers, who have dropped four in a row.
Cubs 8, Orioles 0
Justin Steele threw seven shutout innings and Seiya Suzuki drove in runs with three extra-base hits as Chicago completed a three-game sweep at Baltimore.
Steele (2-3), coming off his first career complete game last week, yielded just three hits while helping the Cubs win for the sixth time in seven games. Chicago’s Dansby Swanson homered and drove in a run with a single.
Baltimore’s Albert Suarez (5-3) gave up four runs on six hits in five innings.
Rays 5, Yankees 4
Randy Arozarena belted a two-run homer and Brandon Lowe collected three hits as Tampa Bay beat New York in the decisive contest of a three-game series in St. Peterburg, Fla.
Yandy Diaz had a pair of doubles and scored twice for the Rays. Kevin Kelly (3-1) got the win in relief, and Pete Fairbanks earned his 16th save despite allowing a run in the ninth.
Juan Soto and Austin Wells each launched a solo homer for the Yankees, who are 0-7-1 in their past eight series. Nestor Cortes (4-8) was tagged for five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Reds 8, Rockies 1
Tyler Stephenson hit a three-run homer and a two-run shot to help Cincinnati to a win against visiting Colorado in the finale of their four-game series.
Santiago Espinal also homered and Spencer Steer and Jonathan India each had three hits and two runs scored for the Reds, who took three of four in the series. Michael Toglia homered for the Rockies, who have lost four of five games.
In his first outing since he was named to his first All-Star team, Reds starter Hunter Greene (6-4) allowed one run and two hits over six innings, recording a season-high 10 whiffs along with two walks.
Blue Jays 5, Giants 3
Kevin Gausman made a successful return to the Bay Area, Danny Jansen and Spencer Horwitz hit home runs and Toronto took a second straight game over host San Francisco in the series finale.
Gausman (7-8) overcame a two-run home run by Heliot Ramos in the first to record a win in his first appearance at the site where he was a 2021 All-Star for the Giants. The right-hander allowed just those two runs on six hits over seven innings.
Zach Pop threw a 1-2-3 eighth and Chad Green pitched around a Mike Yastrzemski homer in the ninth for his fifth save, helping the Blue Jays rebound from an opening loss for a road-series win, just as they had in Seattle to start their nine-game Western swing.
Mets 7, Nationals 0
David Peterson tossed six scoreless innings and Brandon Nimmo’s three-run double keyed a five-run fifth inning that lifted New York to a comfortable win over visiting Washington and a sweep of their three-game series.
Peterson (4-0) allowed four hits and walked three, striking out five in a 102-pitch effort. Four relievers took care of the final three innings as New York earned its first shutout of the year and jumped into the National League’s final wild-card spot, percentage points ahead of San Diego.
MacKenzie Gore (6-8) gave up four runs on three hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings, whiffing four. Washington lost for the sixth time in seven games and dropped to 4-12 over its last 16 games.
Red Sox 7, A’s 0
Masataka Yoshida went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs while Tanner Houck threw six dominant innings as Boston blew past visiting Oakland.
Connor Wong (2-for-3, RBI, three runs) and Wilyer Abreu (3-for-4, two RBIs) also homered for the Red Sox. Houck (8-6) struck out six across six innings of two-hit ball in his final start before making his first All-Star appearance. He walked three.
The Red Sox jumped right out for a three-run first inning, forcing Oakland starter Luis Medina (2-4) to labor through 34 pitches. All of the runs came with two outs.
Tigers 10, Guardians 1
Riley Greene had three hits and drove in three runs, Gio Urshela supplied a three-run double, and host Detroit rolled past Cleveland.
Carson Kelly had a solo homer as the Tigers won three of the four games in the series. Detroit starter Jack Flaherty (6-5), making his first appearance this month, limited Cleveland to one run and two hits in six innings. Flaherty, who has been battling a lower back injury, walked two and struck out four.
Spencer Howard (1-2) gave up four runs and seven hits in three innings in his Guardians debut. He was acquired from San Francisco for cash considerations last week. Bo Naylor homered for the American League Central leaders.
