MLB: Astros use long ball to blast Yankees

NEW YORK — Carlos Gomez and Evan Gattis both homered and drove in four runs, sending Dallas Keuchel and the Houston Astros to a 15-1 blowout of the New York Yankees that briefly got testy Tuesday night.

Keuchel (15-6) held New York scoreless for the second time this season and became the first 15-game winner in the American League.

Gomez busted out of a hitting slump along with several teammates and rankled the Yankees with his flashy style.

The center fielder jawed with players in New York’s dugout after flipping his bat aside when he flied out in the sixth inning, then stood nose to nose with young catcher John Ryan Murphy before they were separated. Both benches and bullpens emptied, but the teams quickly went their respective ways without any pushing or shoving.

His next time up, Gomez launched a three-run homer into the Yankees’ bullpen in right-center to cap a six-run seventh.

BLUE JAYS 6, RANGERS 5

ARLINGTON, Texas — Troy Tulowitzki had a game-tying RBI single in the ninth inning before Adrian Beltre’s throwing error allowed another Toronto run to score as the AL East-leading Blue Jays rallied for a victory over the Rangers.

Rangers closer Shawn Tolleson walked two of the first three batters he faced. After pinch-hitter Justin Smoak flied out, Tulowitzki looped a single to left to tie the game 5-5. Josh Donaldson then hit a high chopper to Beltre, the four-time Gold Glove third baseman who fielded the ball before a wide throw to first base.

It was only the second blown save this season for Tolleson (5-3), who has 25 saves and had converted his last 12 chances.

LaTroy Hawkins (3-1) gave up three singles in a scoreless eighth before Roberto Osuna worked the ninth for his 15th save in 16 chances.

ANGELS 8, TIGERS 7

DETROIT — Albert Pujols homered and the Angels scored three times on wild pitches in a victory over the Tigers.

Both teams came into the game with four-game losing streaks, dropping the Angels 1 ½ games behind Texas for the second American League wild-card spot and the Tigers to sixth, 5 ½ games back.

Jered Weaver (6-9) picked up the win, despite allowing six runs on seven hits in 5 2-3 innings. Weaver struck out one batter and didn’t issue a walk.

Huston Street got the final four outs for his 30th save.

Alfredo Simon (11-8) struggled badly, giving up eight runs on nine hits, four walks and three wild pitches. He struck out two.

INDIANS 11, BREWERS 6

CLEVELAND — Josh Tomlin shook off three home runs and lasted six innings to win his season debut at home and Michael Brantley homered twice, leading the Indians to a win over the Brewers.

Tomlin (2-1) allowed solo homers in the first and second innings before retiring 12 straight until the sixth, when Ryan Braun hit a two-run shot.

The right-hander was making his third start since being activated from the disabled list following shoulder surgery in March. He had been 0-5 in eight starts since his last win at Progressive Field.

Brantley hit a pair of two-run shots for the Indians, who chased Wily Peralta (4-8) in the third inning. Jason Kipnis, who came in tied for the AL batting lead, had three hits and rookie Francisco Lindor had three RBIs for Cleveland.

Jonathan Lucroy homered twice and Domingo Santana connected for Milwaukee.

TWINS 11, RAYS 7

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Brian Dozier, Miguel Sano and Eddie Rosario all homered as Minnesota beat the Rays for the Twins’ fifth straight win.

Dozier gave Minnesota a 7-5 advantage on a two-run drive off reliever Matt Andriese (3-4) in the fourth. It was his third homer in 11 at-bats against Tampa Bay this season.

Eduardo Escobar hit a two-run double during a three-run fifth that extended the Twins’ lead to 10-6.

Tampa Bay catcher Curt Casali made it 10-7 on his ninth homer since the All-Star break and 10th overall later in the fifth, but appeared to take an awkward step near first base and had to leave the game after slowly going around the bases.

Sano opened the scoring on a towering three-run drive to center off Nathan Karns in the first.

J.R. Graham (1-1) allowed one run over two-thirds of an inning for his first major league win.

METS 6, PHILLIES 5

PHILADELPHIA — Michael Cuddyer hit a go-ahead two-run, pinch-hit single in the sixth inning and Noah Syndergaard finally won on the road as the Mets beat the Phillies for their fifth straight victory.

Yoenis Cespedes homered for the Mets, who have won 17 of their last 23 to remain 5½ games up on the Nationals in the NL East.

Ryan Howard and Freddy Galvis homered for Philadelphia, which has lost seven straight to the Mets.

Syndergaard (8-6) did just enough to earn his first road victory of the season in his 10th try. He entered 0-5 with a 5.05 ERA away from Citi Field while 8-1 with a 1.82 at home. In five innings, Syndergaard allowed four runs, two earned, and four hits with nine strikeouts and two walks.

Jerome Williams (4-10) took the loss.

NATIONALS 8, PADRES 3

WASHINGTON — Stephen Strasburg allowed two hits over six innings, Ryan Zimmerman hit a grand slam and the Nationals beat the Padres.

Wilson Ramos also homered for the Nationals, who are chasing the first-place New York Mets in the NL East.

Strasburg (8-6) struck out seven and walked one. The right-hander retired the final 15 batters he faced. Strasburg is 5-1 with a 1.51 ERA in his last seven starts and 5-1 in his career against the Padres.

Zimmerman connected in the sixth off Bud Norris for an 8-2 lead. It was his fifth career slam, the first since 2013.

Jedd Gyorko homered twice but San Diego lost its second straight after five consecutive wins.

James Shields (9-6) gave up four runs, eight hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings. San Diego has lost 12 of his 15 starts since June 9.

ROCKIES 5, BRAVES 1

ATLANTA — Chad Bettis pitched five solid innings in his return from the disabled list and the Rockies scored four unearned runs, taking advantage of three errors by Atlanta third baseman Adonis Garcia in a victory over the Braves.

Bettis (6-4) allowed five hits, walked two and struck out four in his first big league start since July 18. He was coming back from right elbow inflammation.

The Rockies scored two runs in the first after Garcia misplayed a grounder to his left that could have been an inning-ending double play. Garcia let Nick Hundley’s grounder get right through him to start the fourth, allowing the Rockies to tack on two more runs when DJ LeMahieu came through with a two-out, bases-loaded single.

Garcia made another error in the fifth.

Atlanta starter Mike Foltynewicz (4-6) went five innings and took the loss.

DODGERS 5, REDS 1

CINCINNATI — Alex Wood took a shutout into the sixth inning, and Justin Turner and Jimmy Rollins each hit two-run home runs as the Dodgers snapped their five-game losing streak with a win over the Reds.

Rollins also doubled and scored while the NL West-leading Dodgers matched their run total from their previous four games combined.

The Reds have lost 10 of their last 11 games.

Cincinnati got its leadoff batter on base in four of the first five innings, but never pushed anybody past second with Wood (9-8) on the mound. He left after Brandon Phillips singled with two outs in the sixth, and reliever Chris Hatcher then gave up Todd Frazier’s RBI double.

John Lamb (0-2) allowed three runs in five innings.

MARLINS 5, PIRATES 2

MIAMI — Major-league batting leader Dee Gordon tied a career high with four stolen bases, had two infield hits and scored twice, helping the Marlins beat the Pirates.

Miami’s Brad Hand (4-3) pitched into the ninth inning. He came into the game 7-20 as a starter, worst among all active pitchers, according to STATS, but has won three of his past four starts.

A.J. Ramos came on with two on and no outs in the ninth and earned his 22nd save in 27 chances.

Gordon scored the Marlins’ first run and reached on a bunt single to begin their three-run sixth against Charlie Morton (8-5). Gordon turned two double plays at second base, including a nifty one started by third baseman Martin Prado.

Gordon hiked his average to .333, and he leads the majors with 156 hits.

ROYALS 3, ORIOLES 2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kendrys Morales hit a solo homer, Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer also drove in runs and the Royals leaned on their bullpen to beat the Orioles.

Danny Duffy (7-6) dodged trouble for most of 5 2-3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks. The left-hander struck out five in a start that began in crisp efficiency and ended with the Orioles threatening to pull ahead in the sixth inning.

Luke Hochevar calmed things down with an inning of relief, though. Kelvin Herrera had no trouble with the rest of the seventh and eighth, and Wade Davis pitched a perfect ninth in place of closer Greg Holland to earn his 12th save.

Miguel Gonzalez (9-10) allowed all three runs on six hits and three walks in 4 1-3 innings.

WHITE SOX 5, RED SOX 4

CHICAGO — Rookie Trayce Thompson drove in three runs, including a go-ahead, two-run double, and the White Sox beat the Red Sox.

Thompson, who was called up Aug. 3, finished 3 for 4 and was a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. His two-out double sparked a three-run seventh inning, when the White Sox erased a 4-2 deficit.

Melky Cabrera added an RBI single in the seventh for Chicago, which had 15 hits.

The Chicago bullpen protected the one-run lead for the final two innings. Jake Petricka (4-3) picked up the win in relief and combined with Zach Duke and David Robertson to close it out.

Robertson pitched the ninth to earn his 26th save in 32 opportunities.

Wade Miley (10-10) allowed five runs and 13 hits in 6 2-3 innings.

CARDINALS 9, DIAMONDBACKS 1

PHOENIX — Tommy Pham had his second career three-hit game, Jaime Garcia pitched six strong innings and St. Louis cruised past Arizona.

Three days after his first three-hit game, Pham singled twice and got his second career triple. He scored three times.

Six players had RBIs for the Cardinals, two apiece for Jhonny Peralta, Jason Heyward and Yadier Molina. The Cardinals’ Peter Bourjos’ got his first career pinch-hit home run.

Garcia (6-4) allowed a run and four hits, striking out six and walking one. The Cardinals, 35 games above .500, earned their MLB-best 80th victory and lengthened their lead to five games over second-place Pittsburgh in the NL Central.

Robbie Ray (3-10) lasted three innings plus two batters. He allowed six runs and five hits. Ray walked five, hit a batter and struck out one.

MARINERS 6, ATHLETICS 5

SEATTLE — Austin Jackson’s bases-loaded, two-run single in the fifth inning capped Seattle’s rally from a five-run deficit and led the Mariners past Oakland.

Down 5-0 entering the fourth inning, Nelson Cruz sparked Seattle’s comeback with his major league-leading 38th home run, a solo shot off Jesse Chavez. He extended his streak of reaching base safely to 35 straight games.

Logan Morrison, on his 28th birthday, finished the fourth-inning rally with a two-run shot, his 13th, off the foul pole in right.

The Mariners added three runs in the fifth, finishing with Jackson’s two-out, go-ahead single that chased Chavez (7-13).

CUBS 8, GIANTS 5

SAN FRANCISCO — Kyle Schwarber, Miguel Montero and Starlin Castro all hit home runs in support of another solid outing from Jake Arrieta, and Chicago won its sixth straight.

Schwarber’s towering, three-run homer in the third set the tone for the Cubs, who have won 21 of 25 games to pull 7 1/2 games ahead of the Giants for the second wild-card spot.

Arrieta (16-6) had his 13th consecutive quality start, the longest streak by a Cubs pitcher in 23 years. He allowed an unearned run on four hits in six-plus innings.

Arrieta, who took over the major-league lead for wins, walked one and struck out eight, lowering his ERA to 2.22, second in the NL behind Los Angeles Dodgers’ Zack Greinke’s 1.67.

Hector Rondon pitched the ninth for his 24th save

Matt Cain (2-4) lasted five innings, giving up six runs and eight hits.