Friday's MLB Capsules

Games played on July 15, 2016

Chicago Cubs' Addison Russell (27) and Jason Heyward (22) celebrate after scoring against the Texas Rangers on a Chicago Cubs' Matt Szczur (20) two-RBI single during the sixth inning of an interleague baseball game, Friday, July 15, 2016, in Chicago.
Chicago Cubs' Addison Russell (27) and Jason Heyward (22) celebrate after scoring against the Texas Rangers on a Chicago Cubs' Matt Szczur (20) two-RBI single during the sixth inning of an interleague baseball game, Friday, July 15, 2016, in Chicago.

CHICAGO (AP) - Kyle Hendricks and four relievers combined on a five-hitter, Addison Russell had a two-run single to key a five-run sixth inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Texas Rangers 6-0 on Friday in a matchup of slumping division leaders.

The Cubs returned from the All-Star break to win for the seventh time in 22 games, while the Rangers lost their eighth in 10 games thanks to a rough sixth that included Prince Fielder's throwing error in a rare start at first base.

Hendricks (8-6), a former Rangers draft pick, lowered his team-best ERA to 2.41. He allowed three hits in six innings.

Russell's bases-loaded hit in the sixth was followed by pinch-hitter Matt Szczur's two-run single against Martin Perez (7-6).

NATIONALS 5, PIRATES 1

WASHINGTON (AP) - Stephen Strasburg threw eight masterful innings and drove in a run with a bunt, and Michael Taylor hit a two-run homer as Washington beat Pittsburgh.

Strasburg (13-0) allowed one run and three hits with six strikeouts while matching his longest start of the season. He's won a franchise-record 16 straight decisions since September and permitted a total of five hits in three starts since coming off the disabled list July 3.

Washington improved to 16-1 with Strasburg on the mound this year. He is the only qualified starter in the majors without a loss.

Francisco Liriano (5-9) yielded three runs and five hits in six-plus innings.

ORIOLES 4, RAYS 3

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Jonathan Schoop hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning, and AL East-leading Baltimore came back from an early deficit to beat Tampa Bay.

Schoop got his 15th homer leading off the inning against Chris Archer (4-13), who leads the majors in losses.

Mychal Givens (7-1) worked a scoreless seventh for the win one day after his daughter was born. Pedro Alvarez homered and had two RBIs for the Orioles.

With runners at the corners, Zach Britton struck out Logan Morrison and Steven Souza Jr. for his 28th save in as many chances.

Tampa Bay lost for the 23rd time in 26 games.

INDIANS 5, TWINS 2

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Mike Napoli had three hits, including his 19th home run, and Carlos Carrasco pitched into the seventh inning as Cleveland beat Minnesota.

The first-place Indians had lost four of five before the All-Star break. They maintained their 6 1/2-game lead over Detroit in the AL Central.

Napoli scored three runs, one on his solo shot in the eighth that stretched Cleveland's lead to three. That was more than enough for Carrasco (6-3), who allowed two runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He won for the fourth time in five starts.

Cody Allen closed for his 19th save in 21 chances.

Ervin Santana (3-8), coming off a shutout in his previous start, was chased in the sixth. Brian Dozier homered and drove in both runs for the Twins.

TIGERS 4, ROYALS 2

DETROIT (AP) - Victor Martinez drove in two runs with a tiebreaking infield single in the seventh inning, and Detroit took advantage of that fluky hit in holding off Kansas City.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Martinez's comebacker deflected off reliever Joakim Soria and rolled to the area between first and second. With the second baseman playing deep, there was no chance to retire Martinez, and two runs came home on the play.

Tyler Collins, just called up from the minors, hit a solo homer earlier in the inning off Luke Hochevar (1-2) to tie it at 2. Ian Kinsler also homered for the Tigers.

Justin Verlander (9-6) allowed one earned run and four hits in seven innings. He struck out 10.

Francisco Rodriguez finished for his 25th save in 27 chances.

Read more: Tigers score 3 in 7th, rally to beat Royals 4-2

RED SOX 5, YANKEES 3

NEW YORK (AP) - Ryan Hanigan, Travis Shaw and Xander Bogaerts homered to back knuckleballer Steven Wright, and Boston opened the second half with a win over New York.

Hanigan's third-inning homer was his first since last Aug. 19 off Cleveland's Corey Kluber. Shaw hit a two-run homer in the fifth, and Bogaerts made it 5-0 with a two-run drive in the sixth.

Wright (11-5), who began the night with an AL-leading 2.68 ERA, was a first-time All-Star at age 31 but didn't pitch in Tuesday night's game and was moved up in Boston's rotation for the series opener. He retired his first 14 batters before Alex Rodriguez's infield single.

Wright won for the eighth time in nine decisions. Koji Uehara finished the four-hitter for his fifth save, his third since closer Craig Kimbrel hurt a knee.

New York (44-45) is under .500 after the All-Star break for the first time since 1995. Michael Pineda (3-9) gave up five runs and five hits in five-plus innings.

METS 5, PHILLIES 3

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Neil Walker hit a three-run homer and Juan Lagares also went deep to lead New York over Philadelphia.

Asdrubal Cabrera had three hits for the Mets, who opened the second half by snapping a three-game skid while All-Star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes missed his third straight game with a strained right quadriceps.

Peter Bourjos had an RBI triple for Philadelphia, which won 10 of 13 before the break.

Bartolo Colon (8-4), one of four Mets chosen for the All-Star Game, started out sensational before a rocky sixth inning ended his night. Jeurys Familia pitched a scoreless ninth for his 32nd save while extending his club record for consecutive saves to 48, dating back to last Aug. 1.

Jeremy Hellickson (6-7) yielded four runs and seven hits in six innings.

REDS 5, BREWERS 4

CINCINNATI (AP) - Adam Duvall and Tucker Barnhart doubled home runs in the sixth inning, rallying Cincinnati past Milwaukee to snap a three-game slide.

The bottom two teams in the NL Central went into the All-Star break with downturns. The last-place Reds pulled off a three-run rally, then barely held on.

Duvall's double off Matt Garza (1-3) cut Milwaukee's lead to 3-2. Barnhart's two-run double off Carlos Torres gave Cincinnati its first lead. Jay Bruce added an RBI double in the seventh.

Anthony DeSclafani (4-0) allowed six hits in six innings, including Scooter Gennett's homer. Gennett fouled out against Tony Cingrani with the bases loaded for the second out of the ninth. Ross Ohlendorf retired Ryan Braun on a popup for his second save.

The Brewers have lost three straight and 10 of 14.

ROCKIES 11, BRAVES 2

ATLANTA (AP) - Carlos Gonzalez had three hits, Nolan Arenado scored three times and pinch-hitter Ryan Raburn capped a big offensive performance for Colorado with a ninth-inning grand slam against Atlanta.

After averaging 2.7 runs in their previous seven road games against the Giants and Dodgers, the Rockies took advantage of baseball's worst team. The Braves dropped to 13-35 at home and 31-59 overall.

Jorge De La Rosa (6-6) gave up two runs in six innings for the win.

Lucas Harrell (1-1) allowed seven hits and seven runs - five earned - in 3 2/3 innings. He also walked three in his third start for Atlanta.

MARLINS 7, CARDINALS 6

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Ichiro Suzuki had a pinch-hit single for his 2,991st hit and scored the tying run in the eighth inning, and Miguel Rojas drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth as Miami beat St. Louis for its fourth straight victory.

Tommy Pham had two of the Cardinals' four homers and drove in four runs. Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk also connected for St. Louis, which made three defensive miscues.

The hit was the first since July 4 for the 42-year-old Suzuki. He's had just seven pinch-hit appearances and one start this month.

Fernando Rodney (1-2) worked a hitless inning and A.J. Ramos struck out three in a two-hit ninth for his 28th save in 29 attempts.

Seung Hwan Oh (2-1), the Cardinals' stand-in closer, lost on his 34th birthday. St. Louis blew leads of 4-1 and 6-5 to fall to 19-27 at home.

Read more: Suzuki does his piece in Marlins' 7-6 win over Cardinals

ASTROS 7, MARINERS 3

SEATTLE (AP) - Carlos Correa hit a two-run double and scored from second base on a wild pitch during Houston's five-run fifth inning against Seattle.

Correa and his teammates picked up where they left off before the All-Star break, winning for the sixth time in eight games with their fifth straight over the Mariners.

Correa's two-out double off starter James Paxton (2-4) gave the Astros a 5-0 lead. The 2015 AL Rookie of the Year scampered home from second moments later on Paxton's third wild pitch of the inning. George Springer scored earlier in the inning on a wild pitch.

Springer led off the game with his 20th home run, and Marwin Gonzalez added a solo shot in the seventh.

The Astros' big inning offset a shaky performance from starter Doug Fister (9-6), who struggled to get through five. Houston's bullpen threw four shutout innings.

PADRES 4, GIANTS 1

SAN DIEGO (AP) - All-Star slugger Wil Myers hit his 20th home run and Adam Rosales also connected off Madison Bumgarner, powering San Diego past major league-leading San Francisco.

Bumgarner (11-4), also an All-Star, didn't appear Tuesday in the Midsummer Classic at Petco Park because he pitched on Sunday, throwing a one-hitter and striking out 14 in a 4-0 victory against Arizona.

Andrew Cashner (4-7) won for the first time in four starts by holding the Giants to one run and four hits in six innings, striking out nine and walking none.

Brandon Maurer worked the ninth for his second save.

DODGERS 13, DIAMONDBACKS 7

PHOENIX (AP) - Chris Taylor drove in six runs and fell a single shy of the cycle, and Los Angeles starter Bud Norris finally beat Arizona.

Taylor, acquired from Seattle on June 19 and recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City six days later, tripled in the fourth, doubled in the fifth and hit a grand slam in the sixth - his first major league home run. He was out on a bunt in the eighth.

Norris (5-7) entered 0-7 with a 13.92 ERA against the Diamondbacks but ended the drought with the help of the Dodgers' season-high 18 hits.

Patrick Corbin (4-8) lasted four innings, giving up seven runs - six earned.

ANGELS 7, WHITE SOX 0

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Hector Santiago threw seven innings of five-hit ball against his former team, and Los Angeles beat Chicago.

It was the second time this season Santiago (7-4) blanked the White Sox 7-0. He has tossed 14 spotless innings against them, but given up 54 runs over 91 1/3 innings in his other 17 starts.

This time, the left-hander struck out seven without issuing a walk. The Angels supported him with two runs in the second and five in the seventh.

Four runs came against Miguel Gonzalez (2-5), though only two were earned. Rookie shortstop Tim Anderson committed two errors.

Gonzalez has not won a road game since beating Tampa Bay on July 25, 2015.

ATHLETICS 8, BLUE JAYS 7

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Josh Reddick scored the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning on a play that was overturned by replay, and Oakland held on to beat Toronto.

Reddick drew a two-out walk from Brett Cecil (0-6) and went to second on Khris Davis' single. Stephen Vogt singled, and center fielder Kevin Pillar appeared to throw out a sliding Reddick at the plate.

Plate umpire Mark Wegner initially called Reddick out, but A's bench coach Mark Kotsay - filling in for ejected manager Bob Melvin - challenged the ruling.

Reddick, Davis and Vogt all homered off Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman. Ryan Dull (3-2) retired five batters to earn the win, and Ryan Madson pitched the ninth for his 18th save.

Toronto lost for only the second time in 10 games.