Cedric Mullins ripped a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of a wild ninth inning as the Baltimore Orioles pulled out a 6-5 victory against the visiting New York Yankees on Sunday, taking a one-game lead in the American League East into the All-Star break.
The Orioles, who ended a five-game losing streak, were down to their final out just moments after their 3-2 lead vanished. But Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe’s fielding error let a run score to prolong the game, and Mullins, who entered earlier as a pinch runner, took advantage.
Ben Rice drilled a three-run home run in the top of the ninth to give the Yankees a 5-3 lead, but the visitors were unable to complete the three-game series sweep. Trent Grisham went 3-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs.
Rice’s sixth homer of the season came off Craig Kimbrel (6-2), who walked the first two batters in the ninth. Closer Clay Holmes (1-4), the Yankees’ fifth reliever, took the loss by giving up three unearned runs.
ATHLETICS 18, PHILLIES 3
Lawrence Butler clubbed three two-run homers to headline a historic offensive performance from Oakland, which blasted eight home runs to win the rubber match of a three-game series in Philadelphia.
Brent Rooker added a pair of two-run blasts and Seth Brown had two solo shots as the Athletics won for the third time in five games. Zack Gelof put the finishing touches on the stunning power display with a grand slam in the ninth. The Athletics matched a single-game franchise record with their eight home runs.
The home run parade provided more than enough run support for A’s starter Joey Estes (4-4), who yielded three runs (two earned) on four hits in six innings. Estes walked one and struck out five.
RED SOX 5, ROYALS 4
Rafael Devers and Dominic Smith each hit a two-run home run to propel Boston to a victory over visiting Kansas City and their fourth straight series win.
Devers hit his 23rd home run of the season to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead in the first inning, and Smith’s fifth home run increased the lead to 4-1 in the second. Both home runs came against Kansas City starting pitcher Brady Singer (5-6), who gave up four runs on eight hits in 2 2/3 innings.
Brayan Bello (10-5) gave up three runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings for the Red Sox. Kenley Jansen pitched two innings of relief to collect his 19th save, striking out the side in the eighth and giving up a run before escaping the ninth.
RAYS 2, GUARDIANS 0
Ryan Pepiot allowed just two hits over six strong innings and Jose Siri and Brandon Lowe hit solo homers as Tampa Bay beat Cleveland, the team with the best record in the American League, in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Siri went deep in the third and Lowe did the same in the sixth, both off Cleveland starter Ben Lively (8-5), who allowed just one other hit, two walks and struck out seven over 5 1/3 innings.
However, Pepiot (6-5) was even better, yielding only a single to right by Angel Martinez and an infield single by Andres Gimenez for two of Cleveland’s four hits, while winning back-to-back starts for the first time this season.
ROCKIES 8, METS 5
Michael Toglia hit three homers for visiting Colorado, which avoided being swept in a three-game series by defeating New York.
Ezequiel Tovar had two home runs and Brenton Doyle hit the tiebreaking homer leading off the sixth for the Rockies. Toglia hit solo shots in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings. The six homers were a season high for the Rockies.
Pete Alonso hit a two-run homer for the Mets, who had their five-game winning streak snapped.
TIGERS 4, DODGERS 3
Pinch hitter Justyn-Henry Malloy drove in the tying run and Los Angeles reliever Yohan Ramirez made two errors in the ninth as host Detroit staged a late game-winning rally for the second straight day.
The Tigers erased a 3-2 deficit in the ninth, one day after wiping out a five-run deficit in the ninth on Saturday before claiming an 11-9, extra-inning win. Zach McKinstry scored the tying run on Sunday after leading off the ninth with a triple.
Ramirez (0-5) took the loss after his errant throw on Wenceel Perez’s bunt allowed Malloy to score the winning run. Teoscar Hernandez and Andy Pages both drove in a run for the Dodgers, who have lost six of their last seven games entering the All-Star break.
MARLINS 3, REDS 2
Xavier Edwards went 2-for-3 and drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as Miami salvaged one win from its three-game weekend series against host Cincinnati.
Jonah Bride also contributed two hits — including a two-run single — for the Marlins, who snapped a five-game skid. A.J. Puk (3-8) retired the final batter of the seventh inning and pitched an inning of relief for the win. Tanner Scott secured his 14th save in 16 chances.
Elly De La Cruz belted his team-leading 17th homer for the Reds, who finished their 10-game homestand with a 5-5 mark after an 0-3 start.
PIRATES 9, WHITE SOX 4
Joey Bart cracked a go-ahead three-run home run, Bryan Reynolds also homered and Ke’Bryan Hayes had three hits as Pittsburgh finished a three-game road sweep of Chicago.
Reynolds, Oneil Cruz and Joshua Palacios each had two hits and an RBI for the Pirates, who enter the All-Star break at 48-48, their first time at .500 since April 27.
Quinn Priester (2-5) picked up the victory with two innings of one-run relief.
Luis Robert Jr. had three hits and Eloy Jimenez added two for the White Sox, who are a major league-worst 27-71.