MLB scores: New York ends Washington's five-game win streak

New York Mets' Ruben Tejada scores during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Washington on Sept. 7, 2015. (AP / Alex Brandon)

WASHINGTON - Yoenis Cespedes homered and doubled twice, David Wright hit a go-ahead single in the seventh inning and New York ended Washington's five-game winning streak Monday to open a key NL East series.

Michael Conforto and Wilmer Flores also homered for New York, which increased its division lead to five games over the Nats with 25 remaining. The teams play twice more in this set.

Dario Alvarez (1-0), pitching in the majors for the first time this season, faced only one batter - Bryce Harper - and struck him out to get his first major league win. Five Mets relievers combined for 5 2-3 scoreless innings, with Jeurys Familia closing for his 37th save.

Wilson Ramos hit a grand slam for Washington.

Nationals ace Max Scherzer allowed five runs over six innings. Blake Treinen (2-3) took over in the seventh as Washington used four relievers during a three-run burst by the Mets.

YANKEES 8, ORIOLES 6

NEW YORK - Rookie Greg Bird hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer off Brian Matusz in the seventh inning, and New York rallied past reeling Baltimore.

Alex Rodriguez and John Ryan Murphy also homered for the Yankees (77-59), who overcame a 4-1 deficit and improved to 18 games over .500 for the first time since 2012. With his 29th home run this season, A-Rod got his 3,054th career hit and passed Rod Carew for sole possession of 22nd place.

Jonathan Schoop and Manny Machado homered for the Orioles (65-72), who have lost 15 of 18 since and faded from AL wild-card contention.

Justin Wilson (5-0) got the win. Andrew Miller pitched the ninth for his 32nd save in 33 chances, allowing Chris Davis' two-out single, his 101st RBI.

Jorge Rondon (0-1) took the loss.

RED SOX 11, BLUE JAYS 4

BOSTON - Jackie Bradley Jr. had four hits with a two-run home run and four RBIs, Rick Porcello pitched into the eighth inning and Boston outslugged AL East-leading Toronto.

The Blue Jays lost for just the fourth time in 16 games. They had their lead atop the East sliced to a half game over the New York Yankees, who beat Baltimore 8-6.

Bradley added two singles and a double, and Travis Shaw hit a two-run homer for Boston, which posted its fourth straight win and eighth in 11 games.

Josh Donaldson and Justin Smoak each hit solo homers for Toronto. Donaldson's was his 37th.

Porcello (7-12) had his third consecutive strong start since coming off the disabled list following a right triceps strain. He allowed four runs - three earned - and eight hits over 7 1-3 innings.

Mark Buehrle (14-7) allowed five runs in 3 1-3 innings.

CUBS 9, CARDINALS 0

ST. LOUIS - Dexter Fowler had a leadoff home run and two-run double in the first two innings and Dan Haren worked seven innings for Chicago in a win over St. Louis.

The NL Central-leading Cardinals maintained a 5 1/2-game lead over Pittsburgh, which lost 3-1 to Cincinnati. The Cubs are 7 1/2 games back.

Addison Russell's three-run homer capped a five-run third that made it 8-0. The Cubs have won four in a row and got an 11-game trip off to a rocking start.

Haren (9-9) had five strikeouts and two walks. He contributed a single and sacrifice fly in Chicago's second victory in eight games in St. Louis this season.

Lance Lynn (11-9) surrendered six runs in 2 1-3 innings on nine days rest after getting extra time to recover from a sprained ankle in his last start.

INDIANS 3, WHITE SOX 2

CHICAGO - Ryan Raburn hit a pair of solo home runs and Trevor Bauer pitched two-hit ball for seven innings as Cleveland beat the White Sox, ending Chicago's four-game winning streak.

Raburn has eight multihomer games in his career, four of them against the White Sox. He connected both times against Chris Sale (12-8) and is 10 for 33 with four home runs lifetime versus the lefty ace.

Sale (12-8) struck out eight in seven innings. He has fanned 247 this year, nearing the single-season team record of 269 set by Ed Walsh in 1908.

Bauer (11-11) shrugged off a lack of command early to allow two runs on two hits in seven innings. He walked five and struck out six.

Cody Allen pitched the ninth for his 29th save.

BREWERS 9, MARLINS 1

MIAMI - Hernan Perez had three hits and three RBIs and Zach Davies earned his first major league win as Milwaukee beat Miami.

Khris Davis homered and drove in two and Jonathan Lucroy had two doubles and knocked in a run for the Brewers, who have won seven of eight.

Davies (1-0) pitched seven innings, allowing one run and four hits in his second start. He struck out four.

Davies retired 11 straight batters after giving up a leadoff single to Dee Gordon.

The Brewers pounded out 15 hits, including seven extra-base hits.

Marlins manager Dan Jennings was ejected in the seventh by home plate umpire Marvin Hudson for arguing balls and strikes. It was the third ejection of the season for Jennings.

Justin Nicolino (3-3) allowed five runs and nine hits in 4 1-3 innings for the Marlins.

REDS 3, PIRATES 1

CINCINNATI - Anthony DeSclafani pitched effectively into the eighth inning and Cincinnati took advantage of porous Pittsburgh defence to knock off the wild card leader in the opening of a three-game series.

DeSclafani (8-10) didn't allow a Pittsburgh baserunner past second base until the eighth. He didn't walk a batter in 7 1-3 innings, allowing seven hits with six strikeouts.

The Pirates broke up the shutout in the eighth on Jaff Decker's leadoff pinch-hit double and Neil Walker's one-out single to right. Reliever Jumbo Diaz walked Andrew McCutchen before getting Jung Ho Kang to hit into an inning-ending 3-6-1 double play.

Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth for his 29th save and second in two days as the Reds won back-to-back games for the first time since Aug. 12-13. Chapman hit Sean Rodriguez with a pitch but picked him off first base, a call that was confirmed after a replay review.

TIGERS 5, RAYS 4

DETROIT - Rajai Davis homered twice in a game for the second time in his career and Detroit beat Tampa Bay.

With the temperature rising through the low 90s as the game progressed on a humid day, there were five homers, all to left field.

James McCann homered for the Tigers, connecting off former college batterymate Drew Smyly. Detroit won for just the fourth time in 17 games.

Evan Longoria and J.P. Arencibia homered for the Rays, who have lost four of five while trying to stay in the AL wild-card race.

Al Alburquerque (4-1) picked up the win and Bruce Rondon got two outs for his fourth save. Tampa Bay loaded the bases with a single and two walks in the ninth, and the final out needed a review to confirm that second baseman Ian Kinsler stayed on the bag for a game-ending force play.

Brandon Gomes (2-5) took the loss.

ATHLETICS 10, ASTROS 9

OAKLAND, Calif. - Pinch-hitter Coco Crisp hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth after Oakland chased Mike Fiers, and the Athletics beat the division-leading Houston to snap a five-game losimng streak.

Fiers (2-1) allowed consecutive walks to start the inning before giving way to Josh Fields, who gave up Billy Butler's single to load the bases for Crisp.

Fiers pitched on eight days' rest in his second start since tossing a no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 21 while throwing 134 pitches.

Pinch-hitter Jonathan Villar hit a home run halfway up the second deck of the stands in left leading off the seventh for the Astros then Carlos Correa added a three-run drive, but the Astros missed a chance to move a season-high-tying 14 games over .500.

Felix Doubront (3-1) worked six-plus innings to win consecutive starts. Sean Doolittle, the fourth reliever, tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save in an injury-shortened year.

ROCKIES 6, PADRES 4

SAN DIEGO - Kyle Kendrick pitched five innings and hit his first major league home run for Colorado.

Kendrick (5-12) allowed three runs, seven hits and two walks as the Rockies won for the first time in seven games at Petco Park.

John Axford, the seventh Rockies pitcher, worked the ninth for his 20th save in 25 chances.

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado, who is tied with teammate Carlos Gonzalez for the NL lead in homers with 36, left in the eighth inning with a chest contusion. He was going to undergo an X-ray.

Arenado was injured diving into the stands attempting to catch a pop fly in the sixth inning.

San Diego has lost four straight and six of its last seven in falling eight games under .500 (65-73).

Ian Kennedy (8-13) pitched five innings and was charged with six runs - four earned - seven hits and a walk. He struck out nine.

DIAMONDBACKS 6, GIANTS 1

PHOENIX - Patrick Corbin threw six scoreless innings, Phil Gosselin and A.J. Pollock homered and Arizona snapped a four-game losing streak.

Corbin (5-3), who missed all last season following Tommy John surgery, scattered six hits, struck out five with no walks and had an RBI single.

Gosselin's three-run shot was his second home run since being activated from the 60-day disabled list (fractured left thumb) eight days earlier.

Mike Leake (9-8) allowed six runs and 11 hits in 5 2-3 innings to fall to 0-3 in his five starts since being acquired from Cincinnati.

San Francisco has lost eight of 10.

RANGERS 3, MARINERS 0

SEATTLE - Adrian Beltre lined a two-run, bases-loaded single in the sixth inning and Texas ended Seattle's season-best five-game winning streak.

The Rangers' go-ahead rally began with Delino DeShields drawing a one-out walk from Roenis Elias (4-8). Shin-Soo Choo followed with a single to centre, and Elias then hit Prince Fielder with a pitch, loading the bases.

Beltre worked a full count, then punched a fastball to right, scoring DeShields and Choo.

Yovani Gallardo (12-9) picked up the victory, working 5 1-3 innings. He allowed five hits, struck out four and walked two.

The Rangers added a run in the seventh on consecutive wild pitches by Rob Rasmussen, allowing Rougned Odor to advance to third then home.

Shawn Tolleson finished the ninth to pick up his 30th save in 32 opportunities and cap the Mariners' 10th shutout.

BRAVES 7, PHILLIES 2

PHILADELPHIA - Atlanta ended its 12-game losing streak behind the hitting of Hector Olivera and the pitching of Williams Perez.

The smallest crowd in the 12-year history of Citizens Bank Park - 15,125 - saw the Braves stop their worst skid since 1988.

Atlanta also had lost 13 straight on the road since defeating the Phillies on Aug. 2.

Olivera homered, doubled and drove in four runs. Freddie Freeman homered and Jace Peterson and Andrelton Simmons each got three hits for the Braves.

Perez (5-6) threw seven strong innings. The rookie had been 0-6 with a 9.50 ERA over his last seven games. Perez earned his first victory since June 20, giving up two runs and six hits while striking out seven.

Aaron Harang (5-15) leads the majors in losses. He is 1-12 with a 6.33 ERA over his last 17 starts.

Brian Bogusevic homered for the Phillies, who have lost four straight and 11 of 14.

TWINS 6, ROYALS 2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Tommy Milone pitched seven effective innings and Eduardo Escobar reached base four times and drove in three runs for Minnesota.

The Royals have been outscored 31-9 in dropping four straight, matching their longest losing streak of the season.

Milone (8-4) held the Royals to six hits and two runs, while striking out four and walking one.

Escobar contributed an RBI-single in a three-run sixth and drove in two runs with a two-out single in the seventh off Joba Chamberlain, who was making his Royals' debut.

Yordano Ventura (10-8), who was 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA in his five previous starts, yielded four runs, eight hits, five walks and two wild pitches in 5 1-3 innings, striking out eight.

DODGERS 7, ANGELS 5

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Scott Van Slyke had four hits and drove in four runs, and Zack Greinke pitched six innings of seven-hit ball for the Dodgers.

Pinch-hitter Justin Ruggiano had a two-run double as the Dodgers opened the Freeway Series with their seventh straight victory over their Orange County rivals.

Although Greinke (16-3) saw his majors-best ERA rise to 1.68 after giving up homers to C.J. Cron and Kole Calhoun, the right-hander still earned his 11th win in 13 starts.

The Dodgers have won 12 of 14 overall.

Albert Pujols had three hits for the Angels, who had won four of five.

Mike Trout went 0 for 5 with three strikeouts, extending the AL MVP's slump to 18 for 69.

The clubs combined to use 14 relievers in their rivalry series opener.