MLB
NATIONAL LEAGUE
St. Louis 3 – CINCINNATI 1… Jon Lester (5-6) allowed only a Kyle Farmer homer in 6-2/3 innings and the Cardinals topped the Reds and closed within 2 1/2 games of Cincinnati for the second wild-card spot. Paul Goldschmidt provided all the offense St. Louis needed with a two-run homer in the top of the first inning.
Philadelphia 7 – WASHINGTON 4… Bryce Harper homered with a runner aboard during a three-run top of the first inning and Brad Miller also went deep in the Phillies’ win over the Nationals. Ronald Torreyes legged out a bases-loaded triple for Philadelphia, which closed within three games of Cincinnati for the NL’s second wild card berth.
San Diego 7 – ARIZONA 5… The Padres built an early five-run lead and held on to down the Diamondbacks. Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a two-run homer in the top of the first inning and doubled home a run in the ninth. Eric Hosmer also went deep for San Diego.
Milwaukee 3 – SAN FRANCISCO 1… Corbin Burnes (9-4) took a three-hit shutout into the seventh inning and the Brewers’ bullpen did its job in holding off the Giants. Burnes helped himself offensively with an RBI single in the top of the second inning.
L.A. DODGERS 5 – Atlanta 3… Julio Urías became the majors’ first 15-game winner with a solid six-inning effort and the Dodgers ended the Braves’ 13-game road winning streak. Max Muncy, Will Smith, Mookie Betts and Corey Seager all homered or L.A., which is 1 1/2 games back of San Francisco atop the NL West.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Minnesota 3 – DETROIT 2… Bailey Ober (2-2) held the slumping Tigers’ offense to two runs on five hits over six innings and the Twins took the makeup of a game rained out on July 16. Josh Donaldson hit a two-run homer as Minnesota scored all three runs in the top of the fourth inning.
TORONTO 7 – Baltimore 3… Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered twice to raise his season total to 38 and drove home three run in leading the Blue Jays past the Orioles. Teoscar Hernández stroked a two-run double. Robbie Ray (10-5) allowed two runs on four hits and struck out 10 in seven innings.
TAMPA BAY 6 – Boston 1… The Rays cruised past the Red Sox for their eighth straight win. Rookie Luis Patiño (4-3) allowed a run on five hits over 5-2/3 innings. Brandon Lowe hit his 31st homer on the second pitch in the bottom of the first inning. Wander Franco extended his on-base streak 30 games with a two-run single.
L.A. ANGELS 8 – N.Y. Yankees 7… Juan Lagares singled home Brandon Marsh with a tie-breaking run in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Angels made it stand in fighting off the Yankees. Lagares also tripled home a run. Jack Mayfield unloaded a grand slam during a five-run fourth. Shohei Ohtani hit his major-league leading 42nd homer to lead off the fifth.
Houston 4 – SEATTLE 3… Kyle Tucker singled home a tying run in the top of the eighth inning and scored on Jake Meyers’ single as the Astros rallied past the Mariners. Tucker also lifted a sacrifice fly in the first.
INTERLEAGUE
TEXAS 4 – Colorado 3… Rangers’ starter A.J. Alexy (1-0) surrendered just one hit over five shutout innings on his way to winning his major-league debut. DJ Peters, Leody Taveras and Nick Solak all homered for Texas.