MLB scores: Cubs snap losing streak to beat Mets 5-1

Chicago Cubs' Willson Contreras, right, tries to score on a single by Matt Szczur, but is tagged out by New York Mets' Travis d'Arnaud during the third inning of a baseball game in Chicago on Monday, July 18, 2016. (AP / Charles Rex Arbogast)

CHICAGO -- Anthony Rizzo hit a three-run homer, Jon Lester pitched 7 2/3 innings and the Chicago Cubs stopped an eight-game losing streak against the New York Mets with a 5-1 victory on Monday night in a rematch of last year's NL Championship Series.

With one out and two on in the third inning, Rizzo fouled off five straight 2-2 pitches from Steven Matz before driving a changeup deep into the right-centre bleachers for his 22nd homer.

Lester (10-4) allowed one run -- Wilmer Flores' leadoff homer in the seventh -- and four hits in his first win in a month. Matz (7-6) was charged with four runs and eight hits in five-plus innings, dropping to 0-5 in his last nine starts.

MARLINS 3, PHILLIES 2

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Jose Fernandez tied a career-high with 14 strikeouts, and Martin Prado hit a solo homer off Brett Oberholtzer (2-2) in the 11th.

Fernandez pitched 6 1/3 innings and became the pitcher to reach 500 strikeouts in the fewest innings: 400.

Christian Yelich hit an RBI double off Jeanmar Gomez with two outs in the ninth and scored on Marcell Ozuna's single.

Kyle Barraclough (6-2) pitched one inning, and A.J. Ramos finished for his 30th save, retiring Maikel Franco on a game-ending flyout to the warning track

TIGERS 1, TWINS 0

DETROIT (AP) -- Matt Boyd (1-2) allowed three hits in six innings, sending last-place Minnesota to another loss just hours after it announced the firing of general manager Terry Ryan.

Justin Upton homered in the second. Three relievers finished for the Tigers, with Francisco Rodriguez pitching a hitless ninth for his 26th save.

YANKEES 2, ORIOLES 1

NEW YORK (AP) -- Alex Rodriguez hit his 696th career homer -- his first since June 18 -- Ivan Nova (7-5) grinded through six innings and Aroldis Chapman hit 105 mph while locking down his 19th save.

The No Runs DMC triad, possibly in its final days with Andrew Miller and Chapman rumoured to be on the trade block, covered the final three innings to extend its scoreless streak to 22 innings. The Yankees are 18-1 when all Dellin Betances and the other two relievers pitch in the same game.

Kevin Gausman (1-7) also allowed Brian McCann's sacrifice fly in the third and fell to 0-1 in three starts against New York this season despite a 1.31 ERA over 20 2/3 innings.

REDS 8, BRAVES 2

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Zack Cozart, Joey Votto and Eugenio Suarez all homered in the fourth inning of a matchup between the NL's two worst teams.

The Reds (35-58) have taken three of five this season against the Braves, who have the majors' worst record (32-61). Atlanta is 19-31 at Great American Ball Park, including five losses in its last six games.

Matt Wisler (4-9) has given up five homers in his last two starts.

Brandon Finnegan (5-7) allowed two runs and seven hits in five-plus innings.

CARDINALS 10, PADRES 2

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Mike Leake (7-7) had his second straight double-digit strikeouts game with no walks, joining Bob Gibson (1968-69) as the only St. Louis pitchers to accomplish the feat, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Leake struck out a season-best 11, allowing one run and six hits in six innings.

Pinch-hitter Matt Adams' two-run double keyed a four-run sixth. Randal Grichuk and Jedd Gyorko connecting in consecutive at-bats in the seventh, and Stephen Piscotty homered into the third deck in left in the eighth.

Christian Friedrich (4-6) gave up four runs -- three earned -- and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.

ROYALS 7, INDIANS 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Jarrod Dyson hit a grand slam off Jeff Manship following a pair of walks by Bryan Shaw (1-4), capping a seven-run rally in the eighth.

Corey Kluber scattered five hits and took the mound to begin the eighth with a 2-0 lead. But manager Terry Francona and trainer James Quinlan came from the dugout and pulled Kluber because of a right calf cramp on a night with a 90-degree gametime temperature.

Luke Hochevar (2-2) worked a scoreless eighth, and Wade Davis got the final out for his 20th save.

ATHLETICS 7, ASTROS 4

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Yonder Alonso drove in three runs with a pair of two-out hits to back Kendall Graveman's fifth consecutive win, and the Athletics beat the Astros.

Khris Davis hit his fourth home run in three games, Marcus Semien had two hits and scored twice while Ryon Healy added an RBI double for the A's.

Oakland has won three of four since the All-Star break.

Graveman (6-6) allowed three runs over seven innings to earn his second straight win over Houston. Dyan Dull retired three batters and Ryan Madson pitched the ninth for his 20th save.

Starter Mike Fiers (6-4) allowed six runs over 3 2/3 innings to remain winless in five career starts against Oakland.

MARINERS 4, WHITE SOX 3

SEATTLE (AP) -- Adam Lind hit a three-run pinch-hit homer in the ninth inning to give the Mariners an improbable comeback victory over the White Sox, handing Chicago its fifth consecutive loss and wasting a dominant performance by Chris Sale.

Seattle, which had managed just one hit in eight innings off Sale, rallied against closer David Robertson (0-2), who had recorded 13 straight save opportunities.

Sale, bidding to become the first 15-game winner in the majors, allowed just a first-inning single en route to eight scoreless innings.

David Rollins (1-0) pitched the ninth inning for the win.

ANGELS 9, RANGERS 5

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Mike Trout hit a three-run homer to help the Angels rally from four runs down and beat the Rangers.

With the score tied 5-5 in the seventh, Jeff Bandy was hit by a pitch from Keone Kela (1-1) to start the bottom of the inning and moved to third on Simmons' double. One out later, Calhoun hit a fielder's choice to second, driving in Bandy with the go-ahead run, and Trout followed with his homer over the left-field fence.

J.C. Ramirez (2-3) pitched 1 2/3 innings for the win, and Cam Bedrosian got the last three outs.