Giants’ Alex Cobb loses no-hit bid with 2 outs in the 9th, settles for 1-hit, 6-1 win over Reds

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Alex Cobb came within one out of a no-hitter before Spencer Steer doubled with two outs in the ninth inning of the San Francisco Giants’ 6-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.

Cobb dazzled to shut down Cincinnati before Steer’s double provided the Reds’ only run, coming so close to the majors’ fifth no-hitter this year.

Center fielder Austin Slater had made the defensive play of the game when he chased down a shallow fly ball by Will Benson with a diving catch in left-center to end the eighth.

The 35-year-old right-hander just missed tossing San Francisco’s first no-hitter since Chris Heston on June 9, 2015, at the Mets.

After getting Noelvi Marte’s first-pitch flyout to start the ninth, Cobb (7-5) issued a one-out walk to Nick Senzel before another fly to right by TJ Friedl. Then Steer came through with an opposite-field hit.

A run scored on the double, and Cobb threw a called third strike past rookie Elly De La Cruz on his career-high 131st pitch for his eighth strikeout.

Senzel was credited with a single in the third inning on a two-hopper that third baseman Casey Schmitt snagged with a backhand grab. The rookie’s throw from foul territory was high and pulled a leaping J.D. Davis off the first-base bag. Official scorer Chris Thoms originally called the play a hit, then changed it to an error several minutes later.

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Patrick Bailey hit a two-run homer to help Cobb win for the first time in nine starts since July 5. The Giants went ahead in the second on a balk then Luis Matos delivered an RBI double to back Cobb.

ATHLETICS 3, MARINERS 1

SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle’s two-day stay alone atop the AL West ended in a loss to major league-worst Oakland, which built an early lead on home runs by Seth Brown and Shea Langeliers and beat the Mariners for the first time in nine games this season.

Seattle had won 12 of its previous 13 games, turning a 7 1/2-game deficit into a one-game lead over Texas. The Rangers won 2-1 at the New York Mets, matching the Mariners at 75-57. Houston is a percentage point back at 76-58.

Star outfielder Julio Rodríguez was scratched of a pinch nerve in his left foot that left him day to day, and starter pitcher George Kirby was scratched before the game because of illness and replaced by Luke Weaver (2-5). First baseman Ty France left after two innings with a bruised left thumb sustained on a pickoff.

Sean Newcomb (1-0), the third of six A’s pitchers, struck out four in 1 2/3 innings innings for his first win with Oakland. Trevor May got his 15th save in 18 chances, finishing a four-hitter.

DODGERS 9, DIAMONDBACKS 1

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mookie Betts hit his career-best 36th home run, David Peralta went 3 for 4 and drove in a pair of runs and Los Angeles won its fourth straight home game, beating Arizona.

The Dodgers pounded out 16 hits while improving to 23-4 in August. Jason Heyward was 3 for 4 with two RBIs, and Chris Taylor was 3 for 3 with an RBI and a run. Will Smith also homered.

Clayton Kershaw (12-4) allowed one run and three hits in five innings, struck out five and walked three. He tied Don Drysdale (209) for second on the franchise wins list.

Merrill Kelly (10-6) gave up seven runs and 12 hits in five innings, struck out one and walked three. Corbin Carroll led off the fifth with a homer for Arizona.

YANKEES 4, TIGERS 2

DETROIT (AP) — New York won consecutive games for the first time in four weeks, beating Detroit as Gleyber Torres homered for the second straight game.

Kyle Higashioka and Anthony Volpe also homered for the Yankees, who had not won back-to-back games since Aug, 2 against Tampa Bay and the next day against Houston. New York has won consecutive road games for the first time since June 28-29 at major league-worst Oakland.

Last-place New York (64-68), in danger of ending its streak of 30 consecutive winning seasons, has two chances against the Tigers to end its run of 10 winless series since a three-game sweep of Kansas City from July 21-23.

Detroit (59-73) has lost four straight.

Jhony Brito (5-6) gave up two hits in 3 1/3 shutout innings for the win. Tarik Skubal (3-3) allowed three runs, two earned, four hits and two walks while striking out nine in six innings in the loss.

CUBS 1, BREWERS 0

CHICAGO (AP) — Justin Steele struck out eight in six innings, shaking off a comebacker that hit him on his left leg, and Chicago snapped Milwaukee’s nine-game winning streak.

Steele (15-3) allowed six hits and walked one, improving to 6-0 with a 3.09 ERA in his last eight starts. Chicago (70-62) pulled within four games of NL Central-leading Milwaukee (74-58).

Steele was struck near his left knee by Victor Caratini’s one-out liner in the second but stayed in the game, drawing a cheer from the Wrigley Field crowd of 33,294.

Corbin Burnes (9-7) also was terrific, striking out seven in seven innings for Milwaukee, which had seven hits and went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position in their first loss since Aug. 17. It was the team’s longest winning streak since an 11-game run in 2021.

BRAVES 3, ROCKIES 1

DENVER (AP) — Marcell Ozuna hit his 30th homer, Charlie Morton threw six innings of one-run ball and Atlanta beat Colorado for its 16th win in 21 games.

Major league-best Atlanta improved to 86-45, including 6-0 against the Rockies with a 57-17 run margin. Colorado is an NL-worst 49-83, assured of its fifth straight losing season. The Rockies have lost eight of nine overall.

Ozuna hit a solo drive in the second off Peter Lambert (3-5), and added an RBI single in the fifth. Sean Murphy had an RBI single in the second.

Morton (14-10) allowed three hits, struck out eight and walked one. Raisel Iglesias pitched a perfect ninth for his 26th save in 28 chances.

Ronald Acuña Jr. went 2 for 5 for his major league-leading 57th multi-hit game this season as Atlanta outhit Colorado 15-3 but stranded 12 runners.

PHILLIES 12, ANGELS 7

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Alec Bohm followed an intentional walk to Bryce Harper with a go-ahead three-run homer, Harper hit career home run No. 299 and Philadelphia beat Los Angeles for its fifth straight win.

Shohei Ohtani had three hits and knocked in two runs for an Angels team that reportedly put at least six players on waivers and seemingly surrendered any shot at salvaging the season.

Kyle Schwarber hit his 37th homer of the season, Bryson Stott added a two-run homer and Trea Turner hit a solo shot for the Phillies, who hold the top spot in the NL wild-card standings. Michael Lorenzen (8-8) struck out five in five innings and won for the first time since his Aug. 9 no-hitter.

Luis Rengifo homered twice and Randal Grichuk went deep for Los Angeles. Tyler Anderson (5-6) took the loss as the Angels lost for the seventh time in nine games.

RANGERS 2, METS 1

NEW YORK (AP) — Mitch Garver homered to snap a scoreless tie in the seventh inning and Texas emerged from a slump and beat New York.

Ezequiel Duran had an RBI single and Andrew Heaney had seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 shutout innings for the Rangers, who began the day a game behind AL West-leading Seattle. Chris Stratton (2-1) picked up his first win for Texas since being acquired from St. Louis in a July 30 trade.

Mark Vientos hit a two-run homer in the ninth for the last-place Mets (60-73). Drew Smith (4-5) picked up the loss as New York wasted six scoreless innings from José Quintana and lost for the sixth time in seven games.

NATIONALS 5, BLUE JAYS 4

TORONTO (AP) — Keibert Ruiz hit a three-run home run, Carter Kieboom had a two-run drive and Washington dropped Toronto 3 1/2 games behind Houston for the final AL wild card.

Washington’s Jacob Young got his first major league hit, a bunt single in the seventh and threw a runner out at the plate to end the eighth.

Washington (62-71) is 17-9 in August and moved two games ahead of the last-place New York Mets in the NL East.

Rookie Davis Schneider homered for Toronto, which has lost five of seven.

Washington left-hander MacKenzie Gore (7-10) allowed one run and six hits in five innings to win for the first time in six starts since July 23. Kyle Finnegan picked up his 25th save in 32 chances.

RAYS 11, MARLINS 2

MIAMI (AP) — Randy Arozarena, Josh Lowe and Isaac Paredes homered as Tampa rallied from two early deficits and beat Miami.

José Siri hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning and Yandy Díaz added two singles for the Rays, who trail AL-leading Baltimore by 2 1/2 games in the East Division and maintained their 5 1/2-game lead in the race for the AL’s top wild-card spot.

Miami slugger Jorge Soler left the game in the seventh inning due to right hip tightness. Soler, who has 35 homers this season, swung at a pitch from Tampa Bay reliever Erasmo Ramírez and stepped away from the plate.

Aaron Civale (7-3) overcame a 32-pitch first inning and worked five frames of two-run ball, allowing seven hits and striking out five.

Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara (6-12) gave up four runs, seven hits, walked two and struck out four in 5 2/3 innings for the Marlins (66-66), who are 13-27 since the All-Star break. Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a solo homer.

ORIOLES 9, WHITE SOX 3

BALTIMORE (AP) — Anthony Santander hit a go-ahead three-run double in the seventh inning, and AL-best Baltimore beat Chicago and matched its victory total from last season.

Baltimore (83-49), which has won nine of 11, remained 2 1/2 games ahead of Tampa Bay in the AL East. The Orioles went 83-79 in 2022, their first winning season since 2016.

Lenyn Sosa hit his third homer in five games for Chicago (52-81), which has lost 12 of 17. Aaron Bummer (4-3) took the loss.

Danny Coulombe (4-1) picked up the victory.

ASTROS 6, RED SOX 2

BOSTON (AP) — Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez hit back-to-back homer runs in the first inning and Houston beat Boston for its fourth straight win.

Mauricio Dubón added a two-run double in the sixth for the Astros, who kept pace in a tight race for the AL West after entering the night one game behind division-leading Seattle. The Astros opened a 3 1/2-game lead over Toronto for the final AL wild card spot.

J.P. France (10-5) pitched 5 2/3 innings, holding Boston to two runs on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts.

Adam Duvall homered for Boston, which has lost four of five and moved a step closer to being knocked out of playoff contention with 29 games remaining.

Brayan Bello (10-8) pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs — two of them earned — on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

GUARDIANS 4, TWINS 2

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Cleveland overcame an early exit from starting pitcher Gavin Williams caused by knee soreness, taking a three-run lead by the fourth inning and beating AL Central-leading Minnesota.

Minnesota, which leads second-place Cleveland by six games, went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position and stranded three runners on third base. The Twins’ Royce Lewis hit a solo homer in the fourth following grand slams in his previous two games.

Williams retired Lewis on a bases-loaded popup in the first, then was replaced by Hunter Gaddis (2-1), who allowed one run over three innings.

Emmanuel Clase allowed Michael A. Taylor’s one-out homer in the ninth before getting his AL-leading 35th save in 44 chances. Taylor’s home run was his career-high 20th.

Bo Naylor homered in consecutive games for the first time in his major league career, putting Cleveland ahead with a solo drive in the second off Pablo López (9-7).

CARDINALS 6, PADRES 5, 10 INNINGS

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Willson Contreras homered twice, pinch-hitter Tommy Edman singled in the deciding run in the 10th inning and St. Louis snapped a four-game skid.

Edman slammed the first pitch from Josh Hader (0-2) to left field with one out to bring in Maysn Winn. Richie Palacios set up the winning run with a two-strike bunt to move Winn to third.

JoJo Romero (4-1) struck out two batters in the 10th.

Luis Campusano homered for San Diego, which has lost four of five to fall to 7-16 in August. The Padres are 0-11 in extra-inning games.

Matthew Batten had four hits for San Diego. Ha-Seong Kim had two hits and reached base three times.

PIRATES 6, ROYALS 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a two-run homer with two out in the eighth inning, helping rally Pittsburgh past Kansas City.

Hayes hit his 11th homer of the season 424 feet to left-center to erase a one-run deficit. In the ninth inning, Liover Peguero added a three-run homer and Jack Suwinski scored on a Kansas City error.

The Pirates won the series opener 5-0 on Monday and will try to win three in a row on Wednesday for only second time since the All-Star break. Pittsburgh hasn’t swept a series since June 27-29 against San Diego.

Luis Ortiz (3-4) allowed just one run on three hits in five innings of relief to get the victory.

Carlos Hernandez (1-9), one of five Kansas City pitchers, gave up the home run to Hayes and took the loss.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb