Baseball capsules: Houston Astros win ninth consecutive game, improve to 40-16

Carlos Beltran had three hits and drove in three runs Saturday as the Houston Astros extended their major league-best winning streak to nine with a 6-5 win over the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas.

Jose Altuve also had three hits for Houston, including a key solo homer to lead off the ninth.

At 40-16, the Astros have the best record in the majors and their best start in franchise history. They are 14 games ahead in the A.L. West over two-time defending division champion Texas, which is 3-10 since a 10-game winning streak that is still the longest in the majors this season.

Chris Devenski (4-3) worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings after taking over for Lance McCullers in the fifth. Ken Giles worked the ninth for his 15th save in 16 chances even while allowing an RBI single by Adrian Beltre.

Andrew Cashner (2-5) took the loss.

Angels 7, Twins 2: Albert Pujols hit a grand slam for his 600th homer, becoming the ninth member of the club during the fourth inning of Los Angeles’ victory over Minnesota in Anaheim, California.

Pujols reached the milestone in theatrical style, putting a low pitch from Ervin Santana (7-3) into Angel Stadium’s short left-field porch for his 14th grand slam. He became the fourth-youngest player to reach the 600-homer club – and the first to join it with a slam. The Anaheim crowd roared while fireworks soared overhead for the 37-year-old’s ninth homer of the season and his 155th for the Angels.

The Dominican veteran is the first player to hit his 600th homer since Jim Thome in August 2011. With his ninth homer this season, Pujols has joined the club with Bonds (762), Aaron (755), Ruth (714), Rodriguez (696), Willie Mays (660), Ken Griffey Jr. (630), Thome (612) and Sammy Sosa (609).

Andrelton Simmons and Kole Calhoun hit back-to-back homers in the third inning for the Angels. Matt Shoemaker (5-3) pitched five-hit ball into the seventh inning for his fourth victory in his last five starts.

Max Kepler homered for Minnesota.

Marlins 3, Diamondbacks 0: Edinson Volquez threw the sixth no-hitter in Miami history, facing the minimum 27 batters and beating visiting Arizona.

Volquez (2-7) struck out 10, and the two baserunners who reached on walks were erased by double plays. He needed 98 pitches, the last of those striking out Chris Owings to complete the masterpiece. It was the Marlins’ first no-hitter since Henderson Alvarez pitched one against Detroit on the final day of the 2013 regular season.

It’s the first no-hitter in the majors this season, and the first time Arizona was no-hit since the Marlins’ Anibal Sanchez threw one on Sept. 6, 2006. Volquez was nearly knocked out of the game after only three pitches, when he collided with Diamondbacks leadoff man Rey Fuentes as he covered first and rolled his ankle. But the 33-year-old righty from the Dominican Republic stayed in.

Randall Delgado (1-1) gave up six hits and one run in 5 1/3 innings for Arizona.

Red Sox 5, Orioles 2: David Price took a three-hitter into the eighth inning to earn his first win of the season, Hanley Ramirez homered and drove in three runs as visiting Boston beat Baltimore.

Price (1-0) allowed one run over seven-plus innings in his second start since coming off the disabled list with a strained left elbow. After belatedly launching his 2017 season with an uneven outing against the White Sox on Monday, Price looked every bit like a five-time All-Star against Baltimore. The left-hander gave up three hits, struck out seven and did not allow a runner past first base until Manny Machado led off the seventh with a home run.

Craig Kimbrel gave up a ninth-inning run, but picked up his 16th save.

Dylan Bundy (6-4) took the loss.

Yankees 7, Blue Jays 0: Brett Gardner, Matt Holliday, Starlin Castro and Didi Gregorius all hit solo home runs in the eighth inning, leading Jordan Montgomery and visiting New York over Toronto.

The Yankees tied the franchise record with four homers in an inning. Gardner led it off with a home run and then with two outs, Holliday, Castro and Gregorius connected in succession. Jason Grilli became the first reliever in Blue Jays history to allow four homers in a single inning.

This was the fourth time the Yankees have hit four homers in an inning – they last did it Oct. 1, 2012, against Boston. They first did it in 1977 at Toronto, with Cliff Johnson connecting twice and Lou Piniella and Thurman Munson once each.

Montgomery (3-4) gave up three singles in six innings for his first win since May 6 against the Cubs. Joe Biagini (1-4) allowed three runs in a career-high seven innings.

Cubs 5, Cardinals 3: Slumping Kyle Schwarber hit his first career grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning to rally host Chicago over St. Louis.

Schwarber, who entered batting .163 and was dropped to the ninth spot in the lineup, hit the first pitch of the at-bat from St. Louis starter Mike Leake (5-4) deep into the bleachers in left-center. Javier Baez also homered for Chicago, which has won two straight following a six-game losing streak.

Hector Rondon (1-1) pitched a scoreless seventh to earn the win. Wade Davis got the final three outs for his 12th save.

Yadier Molina homered and Jose Martinez had two RBIs for the Cardinals.

Braves 6, Reds 5 (12): Matt Adams hit his first career grand slam and connected again for a solo shot in the 12th, as visiting Atlanta defeated Cincinnati to end its three-game losing streak.

Adams’ one-out homer off Blake Wood (0-4) saved the Braves after they blew a lead for the second day in a row. It was Adams’ fourth career multihomer game, his first since 2014.

Jim Johnson (3-1) escaped a threat in the 11th and finished it off for the win, a day after he blew a lead in the ninth. The Reds rallied for a 3-2 lead in 10 innings on Friday night. The Braves won for only the second time in seven extra-inning games this season.

Athletics 10, Nationals 4: Ryon Healy had two doubles and two homers, Jed Lowrie doubled twice and homered, and Oakland beat Washington in Oakland, California.

A day after being outscored by 10 runs, the A’s got off to a fast start as Healy and Lowrie each hit two-run homers in the bottom of the first inning off starter Joe Ross (2-2). Healy also hit a long solo shot in a three-run seventh inning in which the A’s broke open a 7-4 game. It was Healy’s first career multi-home run game and the four extra-base hits tied a franchise record accomplished by 16 others since 1913.

Yonder Alonso hit a two-run homer – his 16th – earlier in the seventh. Adam Lind homered for the Nationals.

Liam Hendriks (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief to pick up the win.

Royals 12, Indians 5: Lorenzo Cain capped a six-run fifth with a two-run homer, Jason Hammel settled down after a shaky start and Kansas City routed Cleveland in Kansas City, Missouri.

Whit Merrifield and Mike Moustakas had two-run doubles off Carlos Carrasco (5-3) during the Royals’ big inning, helping them overcome a 3-0 hole and ensure a series win over their division rival.

Hammel (2-6) gave up homers to Carlos Santana and Bradley Zimmer in the third, but he retired 15 of his next 17 batters before giving way to Mike Minor with two outs in the seventh. Hammel struck out seven without a walk for his first win since beating Cleveland on May 5.

Phillies 5, Giants 3: Ben Lively pitched seven strong innings in his major league debut, Odubel Herrera drove in three runs in a four-run seventh and host Philadelphia stopped San Francisco.

Tommy Joseph homered for the Phillies, who snapped a five-game losing streak while winning for just the seventh time in their last 33 games. Philadelphia avoided losing its 11th straight series, which hasn’t happened since the 1941 club did it.

Lively (1-0) became the first Phillies starter to earn a victory since Jeremy Hellickson on April 27 by allowing one run and four hits with three walks and no strikeouts.

Johnny Cueto (5-5) took the loss, allowing three runs in six innings.

Mets 4, Pirates 2: Neil Walker hit a two-run homer against his former team and host New York also got long balls from Jay Bruce and Wilmer Flores in beating Pittsburgh to stop a three-game slide.

Robert Gsellman (4-3) won his second consecutive start – likely his last before a move to the bullpen. The rookie right-hander tossed 5 1/3 effective innings before Fernando Salas escaped a first-and-third jam, and New York’s shaky relief corps nailed one down for a change. Jerry Blevins worked around an error in a scoreless seventh, and manager Terry Collins called on Addison Reed to get the final six outs. The substitute closer, filling in for injured Jeurys Familia, pitched out of trouble for his eighth save in 10 chances.

Pittsburgh rookie Josh Bell homered for the second straight game, and streaking Jordy Mercer doubled twice among his three hits. But the Pirates stranded 12 runners, and rookie starter Tyler Glasnow (2-5) lost to the Mets for the second time in seven days

Tigers 10, White Sox 1: Jordan Zimmermann tossed six solid innings and host Detroit used four home runs to power past Chicago.

Nicholas Castellanos and Alex Presley hit back-to-back homers in the second inning, and Alex Avila and Justin Upton also homered for the Tigers, who have outscored Chicago 25-6 in the first two games of the weekend series.

Zimmermann (5-4) won for the second time in six starts, allowing one run and seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Detroit has won four of five.

Miguel Gonzalez (4-6) lost his fifth straight road start, giving up six runs and 10 hits in six innings, including three of Detroit’s homers. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus was ejected in the bottom of the first inning after he wasn’t allowed to challenge a play at first base.

Rockies 10, Padres 1: Nolan Arenado hit his 14th homer, Ian Desmond added a grand slam and visiting Colorado stopped San Diego’s season-high, five-game winning streak.

Tyler Chatwood (5-7) rebounded from his worst start of the season, allowing four hits over eight innings with eight strikeouts and one walk. Chatwood also had a pair of hits as the Rockies won for just the second time in six games. Jordan Lyles pitched a perfect the ninth. In his previous outing, Chatwood gave up six runs over 4 1/3 innings in a loss to Seattle.

Former Rockies righty Jhoulys Chacin (4-5) allowed four runs – three earned – and six hits in five innings, losing for the first time this year in five starts at home. The Padres had been on their longest winning streak since August 2015; they have not won six straight since June 2013.

Dodgers 10, Brewers 8: Chris Taylor hit a go-ahead grand slam off Carlos Torres in a five-run ninth and visiting Los Angeles rallied late for the second straight day to beat Milwaukee.

Los Angeles led 4-3 in the seventh when Chris Hatcher walked the bases loaded and Josh Fields relieved. Travis Shaw drove Fields’ third pitch over the fence in left-center, and Hernan Perez homered two pitches later for an 8-4 lead.

The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out in the ninth against Torres (2-4). Corey Seager walked, and Yasmani Grandal hit a grounder to first baseman Jesus Aguilar, who threw to second trying for a forceout and hit Seager on the back for an error. Pinch-hitter Austin Barnes walked, Cody Bellinger walked to force in a run and Taylor homered off the batters’ eye behind the center-field fence.

Mariners 9, Rays 2: Mike Zunino hit his first grand slam and drove in a career-high seven runs to power host Seattle past Tampa Bay.

Zunino, sent down to Triple-A Tacoma for two weeks in May after struggling offensively, had a two-run double in the second, an RBI single in the fourth, and capped a five-run fifth with his slam that put the Mariners up 9-1.

Rookie right-hander Sam Gaviglio (2-1) allowed one run – a homer by Corey Dickerson to lead off the game – and four hits in five innings. He struck out six and walked none in his fourth start since being called up May 10.

Alex Cobb (4-5) was rocked for nine runs and 14 hits in five innings.

Nelson Cruz had three hits, including a solo homer, and Danny Valencia had four singles and scored three times for the Mariners, who won for the sixth time in seven games.