ST PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays moved four games above .500 for the first time in nearly two years, surging past the Baltimore Orioles with a 15-5 win at Tropicana Field Friday night.
The Rays jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first three innings and reset their season high for scoring, getting home runs from Derek Norris, Shane Peterson and Logan Morrison. The slumping Orioles matched a dubious major league record by allowing at least five runs in 20 straight games — the first team to do so since the 1924 Philadelphia Phillies.
Tampa Bay roughed up starter Ubaldo Jimenez (2-3), who didn't survive the third inning. Rays starter Chris Archer (6-4) threw six innings, not needing his best stuff to win his second straight start.
The Rays got four RBIs each from Evan Longoria and Peterson, who was called up before the game and had a two-run homer.
Marlins 2, Cubs 0; Giancarlo Stanton homered, Jose Urena pitched six scoreless innings and Miami defeated Chicago at Marlins Park.
One night after Chicago routed Miami 11-1, Urena (6-2) held the Cubs to five hits and three walks. Relievers Kyle Barraclough, David Phelps and A.J. Ramos completed the shutout. Ramos posted his 11th save of the season.
Stanton's solo homer in the third inning gave Miami a 1-0 lead. It was his 19th long ball of the season, and he also doubled and was hit by a pitch in a 2-for-3 night. The Cubs got a good pitching performance by John Lackey (5-8), who allowed three hits, two walks and two runs (one earned) in six innings.
Red Sox 9, Angels 4: Boston retired David Ortiz's No. 34 in a pregame ceremony and then went out and built a six-run lead en route to a victory over Los Angeles.
Sandy Leon drove in four runs with a two-run homer and two-run double, and Hanley Ramirez also hit a two-run homer for Boston. Rick Porcello (4-9) avoided becoming the major league's first 10-game loser as the Red Sox opened a seven-game homestand.
The Red Sox entered the game a percentage point behind the New York Yankees in the American League East. They had three runs and one hit off Alex Meyer (3-4) in the first inning, Meyer wild-pitched home two of the
runs after Xander Bogaerts' RBI double.
Twins 5, Indians 0: Jorge Polanco homered and Brian Dozier had three hits and two RBIs as Minnesota shut out Cleveland at Progressive Field.
Nationals 6, Reds 5: Bryce Harper had an RBI single to right field with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning against Raisel Iglesias as Washington came back to beat Cincinnati.
Pirates 4, Cardinals 3: John Jaso clouted a tiebreaking homer as Pittsburgh rallied for a win over St. Louis.
Athletics 3, White Sox 0: Khris Davis hit his 19th home run of the season and Jharel Cotton pitched five shutout innings as Oakland ended its four-game losing streak.
Braves 5, Brewers 4: Brandon Phillips had a home run and a double and Atlanta survived a bullpen meltdown to hang on for a win over Milwaukee.
Yankees 2, Rangers 1 (10 innings): Ronald Torreyes singled with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, lifting New York over Texas in a game that marked the first major league meeting between Japanese starters Masahiro Tanaka and Yu Darvish.
Royals 5, Blue Jays 4: Whit Merrifield delivered his first career walk-off hit with a two-run double as Kansas City rallied from a four-run deficit to top Toronto.
Dodgers 6, Rockies 1: Justin Turner had three hits to improve his batting average to .392 and Alex Wood moved to 8-0 on the season as Los Angeles won its eighth straight game.
Mariners 13, Astros 3: Felix Hernandez pitched six strong innings in his first start since April 25 and Seattle hit three home runs to defeat Houston at Safeco Field.
Phillies 6, Diamondbacks 1: Mark Leiter Jr. effectively mixed his pitches over six shutout innings in his starting debut, and Maikel Franco and Tommy Joseph homered in the late innings to help last-place Philadelphia cool off Arizona.
Padres 1, Tigers 0: Luis Perdomo and three relievers shut out Detroit on three hits, and Austin Hedges doubled home the game's lone run in his return to the lineup as San Diego won the opener of a three-game interleague
series.
Mets 11, Giants 4: Yoenis Cespedes highlighted a six-run second inning with a two-run homer, helping New York end a four-game losing streak. — Reuters
