WASHINGTON — Fresh from getting a big deal, Bryce Harper hit a game-ending home run with two outs in the ninth inning that sent the Washington Nationals over the Philadelphia Phillies 6-4 on Saturday night.
Hours before the game, the Nationals announced they had reached agreement with Harper on a $21,625,000 contract for the 2018 season, covering the slugging outfielder through his last year before he can become a free agent.
Then in the ninth, the 24-year-old star provided an immediate payoff. Pinch hitter Adam Lind led off with a single against Edubray Ramos (0-3) and two outs later, Harper lined an 0-1 pitch over the wall in center for his 11th homer of the season.
Trailing 4-0 in the fifth, Washington tied it on a two-run homer by Trea Turner and a two-run double by Ryan Zimmerman.
Shawn Kelley (3-0) pitched the ninth.
RED SOX 6, RAYS 3
BOSTON — Chris Sale struck out 12 while pitching seven solid innings and Mookie Betts hit a two-run homer, leading Boston over Tampa Bay.
It was Sale’s seventh straight start with double-digit strikeouts. The 6-foot-6 left-hander allowed three runs and two hits, both homers.
CARDINALS 5, CUBS 3
ST. LOUIS — Carlos Martinez pitched into the seventh inning and collected two hits, leading the Cardinals to the win.
St. Louis also got another solid performance from Tommy Pham, who had two hits and two RBIs. The outfielder is batting .387 with seven extra-base hits in eight games since being recalled from Triple-A this month.
RANGERS 6, ATHLETICS 5
ARLINGTON, Texas — Elvis Andrus and Nomar Mazara had consecutive two-RBI hits as Texas rallied earlier this time, beating Oakland for its season-best fifth straight victory.
DODGERS 4, ROCKIES 0
DENVER — Alex Wood struck out 10 in six innings and drove in a run with a well-placed bunt on a squeeze play, leading Los Angeles past Colorado.
Brett Eibner supplied additional offense with his first home run of the season and Austin Barnes and Justin Turner added RBI doubles for the Dodgers, who won their 100th game at Coors Field, the most by any visiting club.
BLUE JAYS 7, MARINERS 2
TORONTO — Jose Bautista hit a three-run homer, and the Blue Jays earned their sixth win in seven games.
Kendrys Morales also connected for Toronto, and Kevin Pillar had three hits, raising his AL-leading total to 47. Devon Travis became the first player to steal home for the Blue Jays since June 2, 2015, scoring on a double steal in the eighth.
Dominic Leone (1-0) got one out for the win as Toronto improved to 8-4 in May.
ROYALS 4, ORIOLES 3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Nate Karns struck out a career-high 12 in five innings, Eric Hosmer reached base four times and Kansas City beat Baltimore.
Karns is the first in franchise history to strike out 12 in five innings. The last major league pitcher to accomplish that was Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs on June 5, 2016.
GIANTS 3, REDS 1
SAN FRANCISCO — Brandon Belt and Justin Ruggiano homered, Matt Moore pitched into the eighth inning and the Giants beat the Reds in a matchup of weary teams.
San Francisco and Cincinnati had a quick turnaround after they played 17 innings Friday night, with the Giants winning 3-2 on Buster Posey’s game-ending homer.
TWINS 4, INDIANS 1
CLEVELAND — Jose Berrios pitched neatly into the eighth inning in his first start of the season and the Twins beat the Indians in a game delayed several minutes when a squirrel ran around the field.
PIRATES 4, DIAMONDBACKS 3
PHOENIX — Trevor Williams pitched five strong innings and Pittsburgh snapped a six-game losing streak with a victory over Arizona.
Nick Ahmed homered twice for the Diamondbacks, the second to make it a one-run game in the ninth. It was Ahmed’s first career multihomer game.
BREWERS 11, METS 4
MILWAUKEE — Travis Shaw capped Milwaukee’s eight-run fifth inning with a three-run homer, helping the Brewers beat New York.
Milwaukee sent 11 batters to the plate in its highest scoring inning of the season. Orlando Arcia had a two-run single and Jesus Aguilar drove in two runs with a double before Shaw connected for his eighth homer.
TIGERS 4, ANGELS 3
ANAHEIM, Calif. — J.D. Martinez powered up in just his second game of the season, hitting his second homer of the game in the ninth inning to lift Detroit over Los Angeles.
Martinez opened the ninth with a solo shot off Bud Norris (1-2) to snap a 3-3 tie. He came off the disabled list Friday after missing the Tigers’ first 33 games with a sprained right foot.
BRAVES 3, MARLINS 1
MIAMI — Julio Teheran pitched six scoreless innings, leading Atlanta to the road win.
Nick Markakis had three hits and drove in a run for the Braves, and Matt Kemp extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a single in the eighth.
WHITE SOX 5, PADRES 4
CHICAGO — Yolmer Sanchez singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth to score Tyler Saladino and snap Chicago’s six-game losing streak.
Wil Myers, Manuel Margot and Allen Cordoba all had solo homers for San Diego.