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MLB roundup: Ian Happ homers from left, right side in Cubs’ rout

By Thomson Reuters Jul 4, 2024 | 9:44 PM

Ian Happ hit a pair of three-run homers — one from each side of the plate — as the Chicago Cubs salvaged the series finale Thursday with a 10-2 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies.

Happ was 4-for-4 with a career-high six RBIs. He homered off Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez in the fourth and right-hander Seranthony Dominguez in the fifth. The only other time Happ homered from each side was May 7, 2018, against the Marlins.

Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon (5-4) got the win, giving up two runs on four hits over seven innings with seven strikeouts and no walks. Chicago broke a three-game losing streak but has lost seven of its last 11. The Phillies have won eight of 12.

The Phillies carried a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth after Nick Castellanos hit his 12th home run, a solo shot, in the top of the inning. But the Cubs erupted for eight runs over the fourth and fifth innings combined. Sanchez (6-4), who had thrown 19 straight scoreless innings, gave up seven runs on seven hits and three walks over four-plus innings.

Twins 12, Tigers 3

Jose Miranda and Ryan Jeffers combined for eight hits and seven RBIs as Minnesota pounded Detroit in Minneapolis in a game that was called in the bottom of the seventh due to inclement weather.

Miranda went 5-for-5 and scored four runs while driving in three. Jeffers’ three hits included a homer and four RBIs as the Twins took two of three games in the series. Bailey Ober (8-4) gave up three runs (one earned) on seven hits in six innings while striking out eight.

Detroit starter Kenta Maeda (2-5) was rocked for nine runs and nine hits in 3 2/3 innings. Colt Keith homered and Jake Rogers drove in two runs.

Mariners 7, Orioles 3

Julio Rodriguez broke out of a 3-for-37 slump with a home run and a double, rallying Seattle past visiting Baltimore in a matchup of division leaders.

J.P. Crawford hit a three-run double with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to break a tie and Mitch Garver followed with a two-run homer as the American League West-leading Mariners snapped a four-game losing streak.

Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg went deep for the Orioles, the AL East leaders, who led 2-0 entering the bottom of the fifth. Baltimore had won six of its previous seven games.

Nationals 1, Mets 0

Jake Irvin gave up just one hit and one walk over eight scoreless innings and Jesse Winker delivered a pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning as host Washington edged New York in just under two hours.

Winker belted his 10th home run of the season to make his mark on the pitchers’ duel. Nationals right-hander Derek Law pitched a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts for his first save. Irvin (7-6) struck out eight, and it was the first time he pitched eight innings in his career. He retired his final 17 straight batters.

Mets reliever Adrian Houser (1-5) gave up the home run to Winker and was saddled with the loss after seven scoreless innings from starter Jose Quintana, who gave up four hits with three walks and one strikeout. It was Winker’s sixth home run in 23 career at-bats against Houser.

Cardinals 3, Pirates 2 (10 innings)

Pedro Pages ripped a go-ahead RBI double in the top of the 10th inning, and St. Louis held on to beat the host Pittsburgh in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Pages connected against Pittsburgh reliever Dennis Santana (2-1) to drive in automatic runner Michael Siani. With two outs, Alec Burleson provided St. Louis with some vital insurance, sending a single to left to plate Pages.

Michael A. Taylor started the home half of the 10th at second and scored on Nick Gonzales’ deep fly ball to left-center. Brendan Donovan made the catch, but by taking what seemed to be a sigh of relief, he failed to quickly get the ball back into the infield. But the Pirates never scraped across the tying run, with John King (3-1) completing his second inning of relief for the win.

Reds 8, Yankees 4

Nick Martini, Jonathan India and Spencer Steer homered in the first five innings as visiting Cincinnati became the first National League road team to complete a three-game sweep of New York.

Jake Fraley added a bases-clearing triple to center in the seventh as the Reds sent the Yankees to their 13th loss in 17 games.

Former Yankees pitcher Frankie Montas (4-6) allowed two runs on four hits in five-plus innings for his first win since June 4. Montas took a shutout into the fifth before allowing solo homers to Austin Wells and rookie Ben Rice.

Astros 5, Blue Jays 3

Jeremy Pena hit a solo home run, Jon Singleton had a two-run single and Houston defeated host Toronto to take three of the four games in the series.

The Astros are 5-2 on their 10-game road trip. Left-hander Framber Valdez (7-5) allowed three runs, nine hits and two walks while striking out four in six innings. He was helped by four double plays, three on grounders.

The Blue Jays completed a 3-5 homestand. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was 1-for-4 to extend his hit streak to 10 games for Toronto, while Spencer Horwitz went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Right-hander Chris Bassitt (7-7) allowed four runs, eight hits and four walks (one intentional) in five innings. He struck out three.

A’s 5, Angels 0

JP Sears threw five scoreless innings, Brent Rooker contributed an RBI single to a three-run third, and Oakland completed a three-game sweep of visiting Los Angeles.

Miguel Andujar and Tyler Soderstrom also had run-scoring hits in the third inning for the A’s, who earned just their second sweep all season. Sears (5-7) limited the Angels to two hits and a walk while striking out six.

Angels starter Roansy Contreras (1-1) gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Guardians 8, White Sox 4

Steven Kwan had three hits, including a solo homer that ignited a four-run third inning, while brothers Josh and Bo Naylor each posted two hits with two RBIs as Cleveland beat visiting Chicago.

Ben Lively (8-4) allowed a single run in the second and a two-run homer to Paul DeJong in the sixth while striking out six in six innings as the Guardians took two of three in the series. Kwan, an All-Star starter who leads baseball with a .367 batting average, hit his eighth homer to break an early 1-1 tie for Cleveland.

Lenyn Sosa of the White Sox hit an RBI single in the second inning and a solo home run in the ninth, his fifth straight game with at least two hits.

Red Sox 6, Marlins 5 (12 innings)

Tyler O’Neill went 3-for-5 with two RBIs to help Boston recover for the win and a sweep of host Miami.

After Boston scored one run on a groundout in the 12th, O’Neill’s double drove in another to put Boston ahead 6-4. In the bottom half, Vidal Brujan scored on a sacrifice fly to halve the deficit, but Greg Weissert closed out his first career save. Red Sox reliever Zack Kelly (3-1) got the win after starter Nick Pivetta one-hit Miami for seven innings, with 10 strikeouts and a pair of walks.

Miami reliever Matt Andriese (0-1) gave up the go-ahead runs in the 12th. Jesus Sanchez went 3-for-5 with a double, triple and two-run homer for the the Marlins.

Padres 3, Rangers 1

Michael King threw 5 1/3 quality innings, helping San Diego past Texas in Arlington.

King (7-5) allowed one run on four hits, striking out five and walking two. Donovan Solano finished 3-for-4 with an RBI, while former Rangers player Jurickson Profar had a home run among his two hits for the Padres, who have won 11 of 14 games.

Josh Smith and Corey Seager each had two hits for the Rangers. Wyatt Langford drove in the lone run for Texas, which has dropped eight of 10.

–Field Level Media