MLB: Kolten Wong’s first HR is a grand one

ST. LOUIS — At his locker stall, Kolten Wong basked in the afterglow of the grand slam that busted the St. Louis Cardinals’ offensive slump. The rookie just kept smiling.

“It was awesome,” Wong said after he hit his first major league home in an 8-7 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night. “I couldn’t hold my excitement.”

The clubhouse was otherwise pretty silent after the pitching fell short once again.

“Go a couple days without scoring runs, you can see it on his face,” manager Mike Matheny said. “We needed that, it was a great spark.

“We can’t complain about what the offense did today. It just wasn’t enough.”

Facing right-hander James Shields in his 199th career at-bat in the majors, Wong’s first career grand slam at any level ended the Cardinals’ 20-inning scoreless drought and gave them a four-run cushion in the second inning. Matheny gave the 2008 Kamehameha-Hawaii graduate a hug and then sent him out for a curtain call.

Wong, 23, jammed his shoulder making a diving stop at second base on Billy Butler’s eighth-inning hit and thought he might miss one game.

He also had reason to smile earlier Tuesday when he was chosen the NL rookie of the month.

Wong started May at Triple-A Memphis, but in 13 games back in the big leagues he batted .333 on the strength of an eight-game hitting streak. He also drove in six runs and swiped four bases.

The defending National League champions finished a dismal 2-7 homestand when their pitchers faltered.

Eric Hosmer hit a tiebreaking single off closer Trevor Rosenthal in the ninth inning to give the Royals their second straight road victory in the four-game, two-city series.

ORIOLES 8, RANGERS 3

ARLINGTON, Texas — Nelson Cruz hit a towering three-run homer in his return to Texas and Baltimore won its third straight game.

Cruz drove the first pitch from Shawn Tolleson deep into the left-field seats, capping a six-run Orioles outburst in the eighth. The slugger, who spent the previous eight seasons in Texas, is hitting .313 and leads the majors with 21 homers and 55 RBIs.

Adam Jones matched a career high with four hits, including a homer off the right-field pole leading off the Baltimore fourth. Rookie catcher Caleb Johnson had a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth.

Brian Matusz (2-1) went 1 2/3 innings in relief of Ubaldo Jimenez, who held Texas to one run and four hits while striking out five over 5 2/3 innings.

Alexi Ogando (2-3), the second Texas reliever, got a popup to start the eighth before allowing three straight Orioles to reach.

WHITE SOX 4, DODGERS 1

LOS ANGELES — Jose Abreu homered for the second straight game and Tyler Flowers also went deep to lead Chicago.

Yasiel Puig went 2 for 4 with a double for the Dodgers on the one-year anniversary of his major league debut.

Hector Noesi (1-3) ended a stretch of 19 winless starts, winning as a starter for the first time since May 6, 2012 with Seattle, after going 0-12 with a 5.42 ERA. The 27-year-old right-hander allowed a run and five hits over six innings with six strikeouts.

Former Dodgers reliever Ronald Belisario pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save.

Dan Haren (5-4) gave up four runs on six hits through six innings.

ATHLETICS 5, YANKEES 2

NEW YORK — Brandon Moss hit his second homer of the game leading off the 10th inning, and Oakland rallied for the road win.

Returning to the lineup after missing two games with a strained right calf, Moss drilled a full-count pitch from Adam Warren (1-3) into the second deck down the right field line for his 15th homer. That gave the AL West-leading A’s their first lead in a game that was delayed more than an hour at the start by rain.

Dan Otero (5-1) pitched an inning and Sean Doolittle finished off the A’s fourth straight win with a perfect 10th for his sixth save.

Mark Teixeira hit his 10th homer for the Yankees.

TWINS 6, BREWERS 4

MILWAUKEE — Josh Willingham hit a three-run homer and Minnesota beat Milwaukee in a game delayed when a fan fell into the Brewers’ bullpen.

The game was held up at the start of the eighth inning after the man fell. He was carried on a stretcher out of the bullpen in left-center field, and the Brewers said he was conscious and alert.

The man had a brace around his neck as he was put on a cart on the warning track. He was wheeled off and taken to a hospital.

Willingham connected in the third off Yovani Gallardo (3-4) for a 4-1 lead. Samuel Deduno (2-3) got the win and Glen Perkins earned his 15th save.

BLUE JAYS 5, TIGERS 3

DETROIT — Brett Lawrie’s three-run homer highlighted a big burst for Toronto.

After eight scoreless innings between the AL East and AL Central leaders, both bullpens came unglued in the ninth. The Blue Jays broke through against Joe Nathan (2-2).

J.D. Martinez hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth for the Tigers. Casey Janssen came on and struck out Don Kelly for his ninth save in 10 chances.

Detroit’s Anibal Sanchez and Toronto’s Drew Hutchison each pitched seven impressive innings.

Dustin McGowan (3-2) worked the eighth for the win.

In his first season with the Tigers, Nathan’s ERA is now an unsightly 6.86 after he was charged with four runs Tuesday.

PIRATES 4, PADRES 1

SAN DIEGO — Pedro Alvarez and Neil Walker hit home runs to back Gerrit Cole’s solid outing for Pittsburgh.

Cole (6-3) limited the Padres to one run and four hits while striking out six in 5 2/3 innings as the Pirates went to 6-1 in his last seven starts. Pittsburgh won its third straight game and 10th in its last 14.

Jason Grilli pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his ninth save.

Jesse Hahn (0-1) lasted 2 2/3 innings in his major league debut. He allowed four runs on six hits, including the homers by Alvarez and Walker, striking out five with two walks.

The Padres lost for the third consecutive time and sunk a season-high seven games under .500.

NATIONALS 7, PHILLIES 0

WASHINGTON — Jordan Zimmermann rebounded from a mini-slump to throw eight crisp innings for Washington, and Ryan Zimmerman hit a pair of doubles and handled two chances with aplomb in his debut in left field.

Zimmermann (4-2) allowed five hits and struck out four, recovering well from four middling starts that had raised his usually impeccable ERA to 4.07. He got all the support he needed when the Nationals scored three in the third inning off David Buchanan (1-2), making his third career start.

Zimmerman went 2 for 4 with one RBI after being reinstated before the game following 44 games on the disabled list with a broken right thumb.

REDS 8, GIANTS 3

CINCINNATI — Devin Mesoraco hit a two-run homer and Jay Bruce emerged from a slump by driving in a pair of runs, leading Cincinnati to a season-high fourth straight win.

Mesoraco hit his ninth homer off Tim Lincecum (4-5), who has beaten the Reds during the playoffs but never during the regular season. Bruce, who spent time on the disabled list following surgery for torn knee cartilage, knocked in his first run since April 25.

Homer Bailey (6-3) went six innings in his first game against the Giants since his no-hitter against them last July 2 at Great American Ball Park. The right-hander gave up three runs and five hits, including Hunter Pence’s homer, double and single.

ASTROS 7, ANGELS 2

HOUSTON — Jon Singleton homered in his major league debut for Houston.

Jason Castro and Robbie Grossman drove in two runs apiece as the Astros took the lead with a five-run third inning.

The Angels were done in by C.J. Wilson’s lack of control. Wilson (6-5) walked a season-high five batters, including four in the third, in just 2 2/3 innings.

Josh Hamilton had a solo homer in the eighth inning in his return from the disabled list after breaking his left thumb on April 8. Fellow Angels outfielder Mike Trout was back after missing two games with a stiff back, but left in the second inning with more back trouble.

Collin Cowgill replaced Trout and homered in the eighth.

Houston starter Collin McHugh (4-3) allowed two hits over five scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 2.52.

CUBS 2, METS 1

CHICAGO — Chris Coghlan homered in the eighth and Nate Schierholtz hit a game-ending RBI single for the Cubs.

Curtis Granderson had three hits for the Mets and drove in their run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning. The Mets failed to win a season-high four straight games.

Hector Rondon (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.

Anthony Rizzo led off the bottom of the ninth with a single off Scott Rice (1-2). After New York third baseman David Wright was unable to turn a hard-hit grounder into a double play, Schierholtz pulled a liner into the right-field corner.

DIAMONDBACKS 4, ROCKIES 2

DENVER — Nick Evans and Chris Owings hit back-to-back homers for Arizona, and rookie Chase Anderson won his fourth straight start.

Evans’ solo shot in the fourth was his first homer since Sept. 3, 2011, when he was with the New York Mets. Four pitches later, Owings hit another off Jorge De La Rosa (6-4).

Anderson (4-0) didn’t overpower the Rockies so much as keep them guessing, throwing six effective innings in his longest outing since he was recalled from Triple-A Reno on May 6. He becomes the fifth rookie since 1998 to win his opening four starts.

Addison Reed pitched a wobbly ninth — surrendering a solo homer to Troy Tulowitzki — for his 15th save.

MARLINS 1, RAYS 0

MIAMI — Henderson Alvarez needed only 88 pitches to toss an eight-hitter for his third shutout this year, and Miami sent reeling Tampa Bay home after a winless eight-game trip.

The only run scored when Christian Yelich walked on a full-count pitch with two out and the bases loaded in the fifth inning.

Alvarez (3-3) struck out five and walked none in his third consecutive scoreless outing, a stretch covering 19 innings. He retired his last five batters to close out the win in 2 hours, 10 minutes.

The right-hander’s three shutouts lead the majors.

The Rays went 0 for 3 with runners in scoring position and are hitless in their past 22 at-bats in those situations. They’ve scored six runs in their past six games.

MARINERS 7, BRAVES 5

ATLANTA — John Buck had three hits, including a tiebreaking two-run homer in the seventh inning that helped Seattle rally for its fourth straight win.

The Braves led 4-0 in the first inning and 5-2 in the second. Buck’s first homer of the season came off Alex Wood (5-6).

The Turner Field air, normally thick with humidity, was unusually dry, and that helped the teams combine for four homers.

Seattle pinch-hitter Stefen Romero hit a three-run homer in the fourth that tied it at 5. Evan Gattis and B.J. Upton homered for the Braves.

Dominic Leone (2-0) had four strikeouts in two perfect innings for the win.

INDIANS 5, RED SOX 3

CLEVELAND — Michael Bourn hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the seventh inning, helping Cleveland to its season-high fifth straight win.

Bourn’s double off Andrew Miller sent the Red Sox to their second straight loss after winning seven consecutive games.

Nick Hagadone (1-0) struck out three in 1 1/3 innings. Cody Allen recorded the final four outs for his fifth save, striking out former Indians All-Star Grady Sizemore to end the game.

Jake Peavy (1-3) allowed five runs in 6 1/3 innings for Boston. The right-hander, who hasn’t won since April 25, gave up three runs in the first, but held the Indians scoreless until the seventh.