MLB roundup: Anthony Rizzo sprains ankle for Cubs, who sweep Pirates

CHICAGO – Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo was pulled from a game Sunday with a sprained right ankle, putting a damper on the Chicago Cubs’ 16-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates that completed a three-game sweep.

Rizzo was injured fielding a bunt at first base, had to be helped off the field and could not put pressure on the leg. X-rays taken at Wrigley Field showed no fractures. He’ll get an MRI on Monday.

Chicago’s postseason pursuit has already been hindered by an injury to shortstop Javier Baez, who is out for the rest of the regular season with a hairline fracture of his left thumb.

The Cubs maintained their one-game lead over Milwaukee for the second NL wild card.

Kris Bryant homered twice, and Ian Happ, Kyle Schwarber and Jonathan Lucroy also connected for the Cubs, who outscored the Pirates 47-15 in the series.

Brad Wieck (1-1) struck out both batters he faced. Trevor Williams (7-7) allowed seven runs in 2 1/3 innings.

Dodgers 3, Mets 2

NEW YORK – Jedd Gyorko came off the bench late and played a big role in rallying Los Angeles to a victory that damaged New York’s dwindling wild-card chances.

Gyorko scored the tying run in the eighth inning on Chris Taylor’s double and hit an RBI single off Seth Lugo (6-4) with two outs in the ninth to put the NL West champions in front.

Brandon Nimmo laced a two-run triple for the Mets, who managed only three hits and wasted an excellent start from Zack Wheeler. They dropped four games behind the Chicago Cubs for the second NL wild card to with 13 to go. Milwaukee is three games ahead of New York.

Scuffling closer Kenley Jansen (5-3) worked a perfect eighth, and Kenta Maeda got two outs for his fifth career save and second this season.

Brewers 7, Cardinals 6

ST. LOUIS – Ryan Braun overcame a 4-3 deficit with a grand slam off Junior Fernandez with two outs in the ninth. Milwaukee won for the ninth time in 10 games and closed within three games of the NL Central-leading Cardinals.

Jon Gant (10-1) walked the bases loaded in the ninth.

Tommy Edman hit a two-run homer with one out in the bottom half off Josh Hader, who struck out Harrison Bader and pinch-hitter Tyler O’Neill for his 33rd save. Bader hit a pair of solo homers.

Matt Albers (7-5) got two outs.

Blue Jays 6, Yankees 4

TORONTO – Pitchers Dellin Betances and Jordan Montgomery made their season debuts for the Yankees after lengthy layoffs.

Betances, a 31-year-old right-hander, recovered from a strained lat muscle and struck out Reese McGuire and Brandon Drury, his only two batters. New York hopes Betances will be a factor in the playoffs, joining an already strong bullpen that includes Aroldis Chapman, Zack Britton, Adam Ottavino, Tommy Kahnle and Chad Green.

Recovered from Tommy John surgery, Montgomery made his first major league appearance since May 1 last year. He allowed three runs and four hits in two innings. He threw 26 of 41 pitches for strikes.

Randal Grichuck homered twice, including a tiebreaking three-run drive in the fifth off Nestor Cortes Jr. (5-1).

T.J. Zeuch (1-0) pitched 5 1/3 innings for his first big league win, and Ken Giles got his 20th save.

Red Sox 6, Phillies 3

PHILADELPHIA – Christian Vazquez homered twice, including his first career grand slam, and drove in a career-high five runs.

Andrew Benintendi had a pair of hits for the defending World Series champions, who have won three in a row. Boston began play trailing Tampa Bay by 10 games for the AL’s second wild card.

Rick Porcello (13-12) allowed two runs and five hits in five innings, and Brandon Workman pitched a scoreless ninth for his 14th save.

Rhys Hoskins homered for Philadelphia, which fell 4 1/2 games behind the Cubs.

Jason Vargas (6-8) gave up five runs – four earned – in three innings.

Reds 3, Diamondbacks 1

PHOENIX – Eugenio Suarez homered twice to tie the New York Mets’ Pete Alonso for the major league lead with 47 homers, and Trevor Bauer (11-12) held his former team to one run and four hits over eight innings as Arizona dropped 5 1/2 games behind the Cubs

Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth for his 31st save.

Zac Gallen (3-6) was charged with three runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Orioles 8, Tigers 2

DETROIT – Edwin Jackson (3-10) allowed five runs in five innings for Detroit (44-104), which lost two of the first three games of the four-game series against the Orioles (49-100) and opened a 4 1/2-game advantage for the worst record in the major leagues – and the top pick in next June’s amateur draft.

Asher Wojciechowski (3-8) won for the first time since July 26, allowing two runs and eight hits in five innings. He had been 0-5 in his previous eight starts.

Trailing 2-1, the Orioles took the lead in a three-run third that included Dwight Smith Jr.’s two-out triple, Hanser Alberto’s run-scoring bunt single and tiebreaking two-run homer by Rio Ruiz.

Nationals 7, Braves 0

WASHINGTON – Anibal Sanchez (9-8) allowed three hits in seven innings to beat his former team for the third time this season.

Howie Kendrick homered and drove in three runs as Washington clinched its eighth winning season in a row and remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Chicago for the top NL wild card.

Atlanta’s magic number to clinch the NL East remained at four as the Braves were blanked for the fourth time, the fewest in the NL.

Max Fried (16-6) allowed five runs on six hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings.

Astros 12, Royals 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Wade Miley (14-5) allowed two runs and in six innings, rebounding from a pair of bad starts, and Houston tied the Yankees for a big league-leading 98 wins.

Josh Reddick’s five hits included a two-run homer.

Jakob Junis (9-14) gave up five runs and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings, his shortest outing in 77 career starts.

Athletics 6, Rangers 1

ARLINGTON, Texas – Sean Manaea (2-0) limited Texas to three singles over six scoreless innings, Marcus Semien became the third Oakland slugger with 30 homers and the Athletics won their sixth straight to move 1 1/2 games ahead of Tampa Bay for the first AL wild card.

Rookie left-hander Jesus Luzardo allowed one run over three innings for his first big league save.

Jonathan Hernandez (1-1) allowed three runs and two hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Angels 6, Rays 4

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Albert Pujols hit a three-run homer off Ryan Yarbrough (11-4) in the fifth inning and drove in four runs, cutting Tampa Bay’s lead over Cleveland for the second AL wild card to 1 1/2 games.

Tampa Bay trailed 6-1 before Austin Meadows’ 31st homer, a three-run drive off Ty Buttre with two outs in the eighth. Hansel Robles struck out pinch hitter Ji-Man Choi, then worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth for his career-high 21st save.

After learning that two-time AL MVP Mike Trout will have foot surgery and miss the rest of the season, Los Angeles stopped a six-game losing streak. On Saturday, the Angels ensured their fourth straight losing record. Noe Ramirez (5-2) retired six straight batters.

Indians 7, Twins 5

CLEVELAND – Roberto Perez hit a three-run homer for the Indians, who lost two of three to Minnesota and trail the AL Central-leading Twins by 4 1/2 games

Eddie Rosario homered twice and Miguel Sano and rookie LaMonte Wade Jr. connected as the Twins became the 13th team – and first since the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies – to have four players reach 30 homers in the same season.

Nick Wittgren (5-1) allowed one run in 1 1/3 innings, and Oliver Perez got his first save since 2017 when Rosario popped out. Fernando Romero (0-1) was the loser,

Giants 2, Marlins 1

SAN FRANCISCO – Mike Yastrzemski scored the go-ahead run in the eighth on Ryne Stanek’s second wild pitch after Yastrzemski and Brandon Belt reached on consecutive one-out singles against Jarlin Garcia (3-2).

Johnny Cueto pitched five scoreless innings in his second game back from Tommy John surgery.

Tyler Rogers (2-0) struck out one in a perfect eighth, and Will Smith worked around a walk and a wild pitch in the ninth for his 33rd save. Giants rookie Mauricio Dubon homered.

Rockies 10, Padres 5

DENVER – Ryan McMahon hit two home runs and drove in four runs as Colorado finished a three-game sweep that ensured San Diego’s ninth straight season without a winning record.

San Diego (68-81) has not won more than 77 games since 2010. The Padres are one defeat from matching the team mark for consecutive losing records, set from their expansion season of 1969 through 1977.

Sam Howard (1-0) pitched 1 2/3 innings. Cal Quantrill (6-8) allowed four runs and six hits in three innings.

Mariners 11, White Sox 10

SEATTLE – Jose Ruiz (2-2) walked Tom Murphy with the bases loaded in the ninth, giving Seattle its second straight walk-off win. Kyle Lewis hit a three-run homer in the eighth that cut the Mariners’ deficit to 10-9, the fourth homer during his first week in the major leagues.

Austin Adams (2-2) struck out Chicago’s Nos. 1 through 3 batters in the top of the ninth.