Woodruff, Brewers Down Bucs
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PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Brandon Woodruff struck out eight in six scoreless innings, steering the Milwaukee Brewers to a 2-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday afternoon.
Woodruff (7-3) gave up six hits, his most since May 9, but made up for it with a fifth straight start in which he didn't give up more than two earned runs. The right-hander has 18 strikeouts and no walks in 11 innings since returning June 28 after being sidelined with Raynaud's syndrome, which decreased blood flow to his pitching fingers.
"I just tried to go out there, throw strikes and get ahead," Woodruff said. "Tried to get some quick outs. It's good to not give up free passes because they had some traffic today. … I've worked hard on trying to get my delivery and everything synced up."
Omar Narvaez gave the Brewers their two runs by driving a cutter from Pirates starter Zach Thompson (3-6) 427 feet in the fifth inning over the Clemente Wall in right field. The longest homer of Narvaez's major league career nearly bounced into the Allegheny River, was his third of the season and ended a 25-game drought.
"It's something I've been working on," Narvaez said. "Trying to be more selective on pitches out over the plate. Try to do damage with it. … It just felt good to hit the ball good and finally drive the ball."
Josh Hader struck out two and got Bryan Reynolds to fly out with the bases loaded in the ninth for his 25th save.
Brewers catcher Pedro Severino did not play Sunday, but was reinstated after his 80-game suspension for testing positive for a fertility drug that's considered a performance enhancer.
Milwaukee outscored Pittsburgh 32-17 in the four-game series, but earned only a split.
"Overall, it was a good road trip," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "We beat a good team in Tampa twice. We got by the Pirates series with two very well-pitched games."
Thompson surrendered two runs on four hits with two strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings, and faced one over the minimum through the first four innings before walking Kolten Wong on four pitches to start the fifth, setting up Narvaez's home run. Thompson hadn't pitched since June 17 because of nerve inflammation is his right forearm.
Pittsburgh struck out 14 times, stranded 11 and was 0 for 10 with a runner in scoring position. Its best chance before the ninth came in the fifth, when Jack Suwinski laced a leadoff double to right. The Pirates were unable to move him before Woodruff got Ke'Bryan Hayes to ground to short, ending the inning.
"(Woodruff) needed his changeup against this type of lineup," Counsell said. "I thought he just pitched really well. He made pitches when they had a couple singles. He just made pitches when they had some small rallies."
ROSTER MOVES
Pirates: RHP Bryse Wilson was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. ... LHP Manny Banuelos was acquired from the New York Yankees for cash considerations.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Brewers: OF Tyrone Taylor was placed on the seven-day concussion injured list, retroactive to July 2.
Pirates: RHP Duane Underwood Jr. was activated from the COVID-19 injured list. He relieved Thompson, allowing one hit and one walk with one strikeout in 1 1/3 innings. … RHP Yerry De Los Santos was placed on the COVID-19 IL.
UP NEXT
Brewers: LHP Eric Lauer (6-3, 4.02 ERA) will take the mound Monday, when Milwaukee starts a three-game home series against the Chicago Cubs. He has allowed 20 earned runs in his past four starts after giving up five in his previous four.
Pirates: LHP Jose Quintana (1-4, 3.43) is expected to start Tuesday, when Pittsburgh welcomes the Yankees for the first of a two-game set. Quintana has not won since May 9 despite allowing fewer than four earned runs in seven of nine starts since.
McKenzie, pen combine on 1-hitter, Guardians beat Yanks 2-0
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Triston McKenzie shut down New York's lineup over seven innings in a combined one-hitter and closer Emmanuel Clase survived a harrowing ninth, giving the Cleveland Guardians a 2-0 win over the Yankees on Sunday.
Franmil Reyes drove in both Cleveland runs -- homering in the fourth off Jordan Montgomery (3-2) and hitting a RBI single in the eighth -- as the Guardians salvaged the series finale.
McKenzie (5-6) allowed only a broken-bat single to Josh Donaldson in the fourth.
Clase retired Aaron Hicks on a game-ending grounder with the bases loaded for his 19th save . The Yankees lost for just the sixth time in 32 games since May 31.
RED SOX 4, CUBS 2
CHICAGO (AP) -- Pitcher Rowan Wick (1-3) threw Trevor Story's comebacker down the right-field line for a two-run error with two outs in the 11th inning, and Boston avoided a three-game sweep.
Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts left in the seventh inning with a left thigh laceration after he was hurt when Willson Contreras was caught stealing second.
Jake Diekman (3-0) struck out four in two hitless innings in a game that took 4 hours, 25 minutes, Boston stopped Chicago's four-game winning streak, which had tied the Cubs' season high.
PADRES 4, DODGERS 2
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Jake Cronenworth lined a single off the back of Craig Kimbrel (1-4) to spark a four-run ninth as San Diego avoided a four-game sweep. Luke Voit hit a tying double and Eric Hosmer singled home the go-ahead run.
San Diego had lost 14 of 15 to the Dodgers since sweeping them last June. The Padres also snapped a nine-game losing streak at Dodger Stadium.
Mookie Betts returned from the injured list with two doubles and scored twice. Clayton Kershaw threw four-hit ball over seven innings.
Nick Martinez (3-3) allowed one hit in 2 1/3 innings, and Taylor Rogers worked the ninth for his 23rd save.
ASTROS 4, ANGELS 2
HOUSTON (AP) -- Angels star Mike Trout finished 0 for 11 with nine strikeouts in a three-game series and Los Angeles hitters fanned 20 times overall in the final as Houston completed a three-game sweep.
Rookie Jeremy Pena homered twice, capped by a two-run drive with two outs in the ninth inning off Ryan Tepera (1-2).
Framber Valdez struck out a career-high 13 in six innings, allowing two runs on three hits and five walks. Ryan Pressly (2-2) fanned three in the ninth.
MARLINS 7, NATIONALS 4
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Brian Anderson hit a go-ahead infield single in the 10th off Carl Edwards Jr. (2-3).
Washington star outfielder Juan Soto injured his left calf making a throw in right field in the third and was taken out after being involved in a rundown in the fourth.
Tanner Scott (4-2) got the win, and Dylan Floro pitched a scoreless 10th for his first save this season as Miami improved to 11-1 against Washington. The Marlins are 26-39 against everyone else.
ROCKIES 6, DIAMONDBACKS 5
DENVER (AP) -- C.J. Cron hit a pair of three-run homers, including a go-ahead shot in the eighth off Noe Ramirez (2-2) as Colorado overcame a 5-0 deficit.
Jake Bird (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth and Daniel Bard earned his 16th save by getting Daulton Varsho to ground out with the bases loaded.
RAYS 7, BLUE JAYS 1
TORONTO (AP) -- Shane Baz (1-1) allowed one run and seven hits in six innings and struck out seven for his first win in five five league starts ths season.
Harold Ramirez and Randy Arozarena hit two-run homers. Ji-Man Choi had a solo home run for the Rays in the six-run, seven-hit fifth inning -- their biggest inning of the season. All of the runs came off Ross Stripling (4-3) and Trent Thornton.
METS 4, RANGERS 1
NEW YORK (AP) --Eduardo Escobar homered for the third straight game, Starling Marte went deep for the second consecutive day and Jeff McNeil hit an RBI double to help the NL East leaders take two of three in the interleague series,
Carlos Carrasco (9-4) struck out eight and walked one in 5 2/3 innings, allowing one run and six hits, Edwin Diaz got three outs for his 18th save and Buck Showalter got his 1,600th win, passing Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda for 22nd place.
Jon Gray (4-4) gave up four runs, three earned, in 5 2/3 innings. Jonah Heim homered for the second consecutive day.
ORIOLES 3, TWINS 1
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Tyler Wells (7-4) won his sixth consecutive decision, striking out a career-high seven while allowing one run and three hits in six innings.
Rougned Odor put Baltimore ahead when he led off the fifth with his eighth homer. Trey Mancini and Ryan Mountcastle homered on consecutive pitches in the sixth from Devin Smeltzer (4-2), who allowed six hits in six innings.
Dillon Tate earned his second save.
ROYALS 7, TIGERS 4
DETROIT (AP) -- Edward Olivares and Emmanuel Rivera homered in a three-run second inning off Tarik Skubal (5-7), who allowed five runs, five hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings as he lost his fifth straight start.
Detroit pitchers tied a season high with eight walks, including two with the bases loaded.
Jose Cuas (2-0) relieved Brady Singer with the bases loaded and a 5-2 lead with two outs in the fifth and retired Javier Baez on a lineout that right fielder Whit Merrifield got with a sliding catch. Scott Barlow pitched a perfect ninth for his 12th save.
REDS 4, BRAVES 3
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Albert Almora Jr. slapped a bases-loaded single past a drawn-in infield in the ninth against A.J. Minter (4-2). Cincinnati stopped a 10-game losing streak at Great American Ball Park, the Reds' longest home skid since 11 straight at Riverfront Stadium in April-May 1986.
Hunter Strickland (1-2) won after wasting a 3-1 lead by allowing ninth-inning homers to Marcell Ozuna -- his second of the afternoon -- and Michael Harris II.
WHITE SOX 13, GIANTS 4
SAN FRANCISO (AP) -- Lucas Giolito (5-4) gave up three hits in six innings as Chicago finished a three-game sweep.
Selby Zavala had three hits and three RBIs, Gavin Sheets drove in three runs and Leury Garcia added three hits as Chicago improved to 7-1 at Oracle Park.
San Francisco has lost 11 of 13.
Sean Hjelle (0-1), a' 6-foot-11 reliever who joins Jon Rauch as the tallest players in major league history, allowed six runs -- four earned -- and eight hits in two innings.
MARINERS 2, ATHLETICS 1
SEATTLE (AP) -- Julio Rodriguez homered on Frankie Montas' first pitch and drove in both runs, Robbie Ray struck out a season-high 12 and Oakand lost for the 25th time in 31 games.
Ray (7-6) combined with Andres Munoz and Paul Sewald (ninth save) on a four-hitter and to strike out 16. Elvis Andrus homered for the A's, a big league-worst 26-55.
Montas (3-9) left after the first with tightness behind his right shoulder.