Pinch hitter Yohendrick Pinango drew a tiebreaking bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the host Baltimore Orioles 2-1 on Thursday in the first matchup of the season between the American League East teams.
George Springer opened the Toronto eighth with a double, and an intentional walk of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a walk issued to Daulton Varsho loaded the bases with one out. Kazuma Okamoto struck out before Anthony Nunez (2-2) walked Pinango, sending Springer across the plate with what became the winning run.
Jeff Hoffman (4-3) was the winning pitcher with one scoreless inning of relief. Louis Varland stranded two runners with a pickoff in the eighth and recorded four outs for his eighth save despite yielding Leody Taveras’ one-out single in the ninth.
Blue Jays starter Patrick Corbin worked five-plus innings and gave up one run on four hits. Orioles starter Chris Bassitt limited his former team to one run on four hits over six innings. The teams combined to go 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position and strand 15 runners.
Astros 5, Rangers 1
Jeremy Pena and Isaac Paredes homered and Spencer Arrighetti tossed six strong innings as Houston clinched a series win with another victory over host Texas in Arlington.
Arrighetti (7-1) allowed one run on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts for Houston, which took three of four from Texas and has won six of its last seven games.
The Astros needed just three batters to claim a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Pena opened the game by depositing a 2-1 splitter from Nathan Eovaldi (5-6) over the left field wall for his second homer of the season. After Yordan Alvarez walked, Paredes followed with a two-run shot to left field, his sixth homer.
Angels 7, Tigers 1
Grayson Rodriguez allowed one run and two hits with five strikeouts over five innings to help visiting Los Angeles beat Detroit in the rubber game of their three-game series.
Donovan Walton had three hits and scored two runs, Mike Trout had two hits, two RBIs and a run and Zach Neto had two hits, an RBI and a run for the Angels, who have won five of six.
Detroit right-hander Jack Flaherty (0-7) went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and six hits with nine strikeouts and a walk. Wenceel Perez doubled and homered for the Tigers, who have lost 10 of 12.
Braves 10, Red Sox 2
Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a grand slam and Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies also homered to propel Atlanta past host Boston to take two of three games in the series.
Acuna’s home run, his third of the season, came against reliever Greg Weissert and was part of a five-run sixth inning that handed the Braves a 7-2 lead. Atlanta starter Chris Sale (8-3) limited the Red Sox to two runs in five innings. The left-hander allowed six hits, walked three and struck out eight.
Boston reliever Danny Coulombe (0-2) was responsible for three runs in the five-run sixth. Isiah Kiner-Falefa had two hits and reached base four times, and teammate Caleb Durbin had two hits and one RBI.
White Sox 6, Twins 2
Randal Grichuk delivered a bases-clearing double to punctuate a four-run third and Davis Martin worked six strong innings to lift host Chicago over Minnesota.
Chicago out-hit Minnesota 8-5 to take three of four and win its fifth straight home series. The White Sox have won nine of their past 10 games against Minnesota dating to last season. After starting 4-1 on a 10-game road trip, the Twins were outscored 21-4 over the final two games at Rate Field.
Martin matched Cleveland’s Gavin Williams for the American League lead in victories, improving to 8-1 with his fourth win in five May starts. The right-hander contributed his fourth quality start during that span, spacing one run and two hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Cubs 7, Pirates 2
Ian Happ continued to shine in his hometown, collecting three hits, including a two-run homer, as Chicago downed host Pittsburgh to split a four-game series.
Happ, a Pittsburgh native who grew up in the suburbs, reached base for the 41st consecutive game at Pittsburgh. Seiya Suzuki had two hits and two RBIs for the Cubs, who have won back-to-back games after losing 10 in a row. Chicago starter Colin Rea (5-3) pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts.
It was a frustrating night for Pittsburgh ace Paul Skenes (6-5), who lost his third consecutive start, the first time that has happened in his career. Skenes struck out 10 and induced 20 swing-and-misses in 5 1/3 innings. However, some defensive miscues, including one of his own, contributed to the three runs the Cubs scored against him. The right-hander was charged with only one earned run. He walked three and allowed four hits.
