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Abbott pitches 7 crisp innings as the Reds hold off the Cubs

CHICAGO (AP) — Andrew Abbott pitched seven shutout innings in his third consecutive win, helping the Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago Cubs 6-2 on Friday.
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Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch (29), center, slaps hands with third base coach Quintin Berry. left, after hitting a triple during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

CHICAGO (AP) — Andrew Abbott pitched seven shutout innings in his third consecutive win, helping the Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago Cubs 6-2 on Friday.

TJ Friedl, Tyler Stephenson and Jake Fraley homered for Cincinnati, which improved to 3-1 on a six-game trip. Will Benson had two hits and scored twice.

The Reds played without outfielder Austin Hays, one of their best hitters. Hays was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left foot contusion.

Abbott (5-0) allowed one hit, struck out eight and walked one. The left-hander improved to 3-0 with a sparkling 0.55 ERA in six May starts.

Emilio Pagán got two outs for his 14th save, working out of a jam in the ninth.

Chicago had won four in a row and seven of eight overall. The NL Central leaders took two of three against the Reds in Cincinnati last weekend.

Cubs right-hander Colin Rea (3-2) was tagged for six runs and a season-high 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings.

ORIOLES 2, WHITE SOX 1

BALTIMORE (AP) — Zach Eflin allowed four hits over seven shutout innings and Baltimore beat the Chicago White Sox.

Eflin (4-2) struck out six and walked one in his first scoreless outing this season while lowering his ERA nearly a run to 4.46.

Ramón Urías broke a scoreless tie with a sixth-inning sacrifice fly off Sean Burke (3-6). Ryan Mountcastle then swiped home on a double steal, then left before the eighth inning with right hamstring discomfort.

Bryan Baker worked a perfect eighth in a game originally scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m. that was moved up to 4:30 p.m. because of expected inclement weather in the area, before Felix Bautista gave up Andrew Benintendi’s RBI double in the ninth then stranded two for his ninth save.

Burke worked six innings after opener Jared Shuster worked an inning plus a batter as the White Sox fell to .200 (6-24) on the road.

BREWERS 6, PHILLIES 2

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Christian Yelich hit two homers and drove in four runs, and victorious Milwaukee limited National League-leading Philadelphia to four hits for its fifth straight win.

Yelich hit a three-run homer on the first pitch from Philadelphia reliever Tanner Banks in the fifth inning to break open a close game. He hit his 12th of the season, a solo shot, into the second deck at Citizens Bank Park off righty Carlos Hernandez to lead off the ninth. It was Yelich’s 12th career multi-homer game and the second of the season.

Yelich’s shot off Banks was his first off a lefty this season. Before the at-bat he was hitting .147 against left-handers.

Brewers opener D.L. Hall pitched three no-hit innings and Quinn Priester (2-2) worked six innings of relief, allowing two runs on four hits for the win.

Williams Contreras and Sal Frelick added RBIs, Jackson Chourio had two hits and scored twice for the Brewers, who stole five bases.

METS 4, ROCKIES 2

NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Lindor homered from both sides of the plate and made a leaping catch at shortstop that saved at least two runs, sending New York to a victory over woeful Colorado.

Juan Soto snapped an 0-for-17 slump with an RBI double and Starling Marte also went deep against Kyle Freeland (0-8) as the Mets won for the fifth time in six games.

Huascar Brazobán relieved starter David Peterson (4-2) with runners at second and third in the sixth inning and retired pinch-hitter Mickey Moniak to preserve a 3-1 lead.

Sam Hilliard, in his first major league plate appearance this season, connected off Brazobán for his sixth career pinch-hit homer to make it 3-2 in the seventh.

Lindor, who homered right-handed off Freeland in the first, went deep from the left side leading off the eighth for his 21st career multihomer game and second this season. Lindor also singled in the third and scored from first on Soto’s two-out double.

Reed Garrett struck out two in a 1-2-3 eighth and Edwin Díaz fanned all three batters in the ninth to remain perfect in 12 save opportunities.

GIANTS 2, MARLINS 0

MIAMI (AP) — Matt Chapman homered, Kyle Harrison pitched five shutout innings and San Francisco beat Miami Marlins.

Tyler Fitzgerald went 2 for 3 with a double and a stolen base for the Giants, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

Harrison (1-1) made his second start since moving to the rotation, with three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander still out because of a strained right pectoral muscle.

Harrison held the Marlins (22-33) without a hit until Eric Wagaman’s leadoff single in the fourth. The left-hander didn’t allow another one, striking out five and walking three.

Five relievers held the Marlins to two hits before before Camilo Doval got the final four outs for his sixth save.

Chapman hit a solo shot off Marlins starter Cal Quantrill (3-5) that went 420 feet to left, which made it 2-0 in the fourth and tied Chapman with Heliot Ramos and Wilmer Flores for the team home run lead with 10.

Quantrill struck out a season-high seven over five innings. He gave up eight hits, two runs and walked one.

ANGELS 4, GUARDIANS 1

CLEVELAND (AP) — José Soriano threw six scoreless innings, Mike Trout had a hit in his return to the Angels’ lineup and Los Angeles beat Cleveland.

Jo Adell had three hits and an RBI and Jorge Soler hit a solo homer down the left-field line in the ninth inning as the Angels snapped a five-game losing streak.

Cleveland’s José Ramírez had his 21-game hitting streak snapped. He drew a walk in the eighth inning to extend his on-base streak to 26 games.

The Guardians, who have dropped four of their last five, avoided a shutout on Nolan Jones’ RBI single to right with two outs in the ninth.

It was the third time this season Soriano (4-5) has gone at least six innings and not allowed a run. The right-hander allowed only four hits with two strikeouts and four walks.

ASTROS 2, RAYS 1

HOUSTON (AP) — Yainer Diaz homered with two outs in the ninth inning and Framber Valdez pitched a three-hitter to lead Houston to a win over Tampa Bay.

The score was tied 1-1 entering the ninth. Garrett Cleavinger (0-1) struck out Jose Altuve and Christian Walker before Diaz sent a 98 mph sinker into the seats in right field to set off a wild celebration.

Valdez (5-4) gave up a homer to Jose Caballero in the first inning and tied a season high with nine strikeouts in his ninth career complete game and second this season.

Houston trailed 1-0 when Jake Meyers doubled to center field with no outs in the eighth inning and scored on Zach Dezenzo’s single on a grounder. Dezenzo moved to second on a throwing error by second baseman Curtis Mead on the play.

Caballero homered on Valdez’s second pitch to give the Rays an early lead. The homer was just his second this season and the first since April 9.

Rays starter Ryan Pepiot allowed two hits in 6 2/3 scoreless innings in his second strong start after he threw seven scoreless innings in his last start.

BLUE JAYS 11, ATHLETICS 7

TORONTO (AP) — Ernie Clement and Addison Barger hit home runs and Toronto moved over the .500 mark for the first time since April 21 with a victory over the Athletics.

Clement, who led off the third inning with a homer, had four hits and scored twice. Barger went deep in the sixth inning to help Toronto pull away for its fifth straight home win too improve to 29-28.

Chris Bassitt (5-3) worked five innings, striking out six and allowing five runs and seven hits and two walks.

Jeffrey Springs (5-4) lasted two innings for the Athletics, who have lost 15 of their last 16 games. He gave up six earned runs, six hits and six walks.

Tyler Soderstrom and Shea Langeliers hit solo homers for the Athletics.

RED SOX 5, BRAVES 1

ATLANTA (AP) — Trevor Story hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the fourth inning and Boston snapped a five-game skid with a victory over Atlanta.

Atlanta jumped out to a lead in the first on Matt Olson’s RBI single. Story and Boston took the lead in the fourth, added a run in the sixth and two more in the ninth on a two-run single by Rafael Devers to send the Braves to their fourth loss in five games.

Red Sox starter Lucas Giolito allowed one earned run on five hits with three strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings. Five Boston relievers combined to work 4 1/3 shutout innings with four strikeouts and just one hit.

RANGERS 11, CARDINALS 1

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Marcus Semien hit a two-run homer and matched his career high with four hits, Jack Leiter pitched 5 2/3 shutout innings for the first time in 15 major league starts and Texas routed St. Louis.

Leiter (4-2) allowed three singles and matched a career high with six strikeouts, throwing a career-high 96 pitches. Semien drove in three runs. He was 10 for 70 in his previous 21 games.

Sam Haggerty tied his career best with three hits and had three RBIs, Josh Jung also had three hits and three RBIs, and Wyatt Langford hit a two-run home run.

Haggerty scored the first of his three runs on a first-inning single by Josh Jung that ended a team-wide 0-for-30 drought. The Rangers (28-30) went into play last in the AL in batting average and runs. They were held to three runs in their previous three games, shut out Wednesday and hitless after Josh Smith’s leadoff single in the first inning.

Caleb Boushley pitched the final three innings for first career save.

TIGERS 7, ROYALS 5

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Dillon Dingler had three hits, including a home run, and three RBIs, and Detroit beat Kansas City for their fifth straight victory.

Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson each homered and drove in two runs for the Tigers, who won for the 20th time in 28 games and improved the best record in the majors to 38-20.

Brant Hurter (2-0) was the winning pitcher. Will Vest earned his eighth save.

Neither starter made it out of the fourth inning. Seth Lugo (3-5) allowed four runs on five hits, including two homers) in 3 1/3 innings. Casey Mize allowed three runs on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings.

The Tigers jumped on the Royals with two runs in the first on Greene’s 13th homer. Bobby Witt Jr. answered with a 442-foot blast in the bottom of the first. Mize escaped further trouble when Kerry Carpenter made a running catch with two runners on to end the inning.

Dingler extended the lead with a two-run homer in the second.

PADRES 3, PIRATES 2

SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego closer Robert Suarez got a huge called third strike with the bases loaded to end the eighth inning and the Padres beat Pittsburgh for their 10th straight victory over the Pirates.

After Jason Adam loaded the bases with two outs, Suarez came in and struck out Henry Davis looking on a low pitch that appeared out of the strike zone. Davis tossed his bat and started taking off his wrist guard in anticipation of taking first and then threw up his arms in disgust and tossed his helmet. Andrew McCutchen, representing the tying run, put his hands on his helmet in surprise halfway up the line.

Pirates manager Don Kelly was ejected by plate umpire Edwin Jimenez.

The four-out save was Suarez’s major league-leading 18th. He struck out three.

Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta (6-2) held the Pirates to two runs and six hits while striking out eight and walking none for his first win in five starts.

NATIONALS 9, DIAMONDBACKS 7

PHOENIX (AP) —Josh Bell hit a three-run homer, Robert Hassell III had three RBIs and Washington beat Arizona.

Hassell hit a two-run single in the first inning and a run-scoring single in the seventh that put Washington up 9-6. James Wood hit a solo homer and Kyle Finnegan gave up a run on Geraldo Perdomo’s groundout before closing out the ninth for his 16th save in 19 chances.

Nathaniel Lowe hit a go-ahead two-run single after Juan Morillo (0-1) walked the bases loaded in the sixth. Washington starter Jake Irvin (5-1) allowed six runs on 10 hits in five innings.

Perdomo and Pavin Smith had two RBIs for Arizona, which has lost eight of nine.

DODGERS 8, YANKEES 5

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit two home runs, including a solo shot leading off a four-run sixth inning when the Dodgers rallied to take the lead, and Los Angeles defeated New York in their World Series rematch on Friday night.

Aaron Judge and Ohtani became the first reigning MVPs to homer in the first inning of a game. Judge’s 19th homer of the season traveled 446 feet into dead center off Tony Gonsolin (3-1). Ohtani answered with a 417-foot shot on his first pitch from Max Fried.

Austin Wells homered and Trent Grisham added a two-run shot in the second, giving New York a 4-1 lead. Paul Goldschmidt, another former MVP, homered leading off the third, making it 5-2.

But just like in Game 5 of last year’s World Series, the Yankees blew the lead.

Ohtani’s homer keyed the offense in the sixth, when the Dodgers batted around. Teoscar Hernández and Will Smith singled before Freddie Freeman’s RBI double chased Fried.

Andy Pages followed with a game-tying RBI single off Jonathan Loáisiga (0-1). With the bases loaded, Tim Hill walked Michael Conforto on six pitches, forcing in Pages with the go-ahead run to make it 6-5.

The Dodgers tacked on two more in the seventh. Will Smith singled, Freeman doubled and both scored on Pages’ two-run single off Yerry De Los Santos. Freeman was safe in a close play at the plate after he made a wide turn into the grass coming around third.

Alex Vesia pitched the ninth to earn his second save.

TWINS 12, MARINERS 6, 10 INNINGS

SEATTLE (AP) — Carlos Correa hit a two-run home run in the 10th inning and Minnesota overcame a three-run deficit to beat Seattle.

Correa pounced on a first-pitch sinker from reliever Casey Legumina (4-3), sending it into the seats in left field. The Twins scored four more runs to cap off the victory.

Mariners closer Andres Munoz, who had yet to give up an earned run this season, saw that accomplishment go by the wayside when Willi Castro hit a two-run home run. Trevor Larnach then tied it with an RBI single.

The late Minnesota charge overshadowed a spectacular evening from Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. With a pair of home runs that upped his season total to 21, Raleigh became the first catcher in major league history to reach at least 20 home runs before the end of May.

Unfortunately for Seattle, Raleigh’s two and three-run home runs were not enough to stymie a Minnesota comeback and keep Twins reliever Jhoan Duran (4-1) from getting the victory.

The Associated Press

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