NEW YORK -- His pregame tribute ended by a storm, Alex Rodriguez soaked in repeated cheers during his final game in pinstripes, getting one more hit for the New York Yankees and returning to third base one last time.

On a night filled with nostalgia as the Yankees and Rodriguez turn to uncertain futures, baseball's most notorious star of the last two decades drove a 96 mph fastball from Tampa Bay's Chris Archer into the right-centre field gap in the first inning of New York's 6-3 victory Friday.

And with the sellout crowd of 46,459 chanting "We want A-Rod!" the 41-year-old designated hitter trotted to third base for the first time in 15 months at the start of the ninth inning as the organist played "Thanks for Memory." He was replaced after a leadoff strikeout, hugging his teammates. A-Rod ran back on the field for more hugs after the final out, grabbing a handful of dirt from the infield.

Rodriguez grounded out, struck out and bounced out again on the first pitch in his last at-bat. The 1-for-4 night left him with a .200 average, nine homers and 31 RBIs in his 12th and final Yankees season.

Rodriguez has 696 home runs, fourth on the career list behind Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714). Rodriguez said last Sunday he had accepted an offer to play one final home game and then become a team adviser through 2017, tasked with mentoring young players.

Starlin Castro had four RBIs for the Yankees, hitting a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the sixth off Archer (6-16) that gave CC Sabathia (7-9) his second win since mid-June. Dellin Betances got the save.

CUBS 13, CARDINALS 2

CHICAGO -- Matt Szczur hit two home runs and Chicago won its 11th straight game, backing Jake Arrieta and battering St. Louis' Adam Wainwright.

Willson Contreras launched a three-run shot to cap a five-run second inning, and Javier Baez and Jorge Soler also went deep to make things easy for Arrieta (14-5).

The Cubs' winning streak is their longest since a 12-game run in 2001. They pulled 14 games ahead of scuffling St. Louis in the NL Central and improved the best record in the majors to 73-41.

Szczur and Kris Bryant each had three hits. The Cubs roughed up Wainwright (9-7) for seven runs and chased him after two innings, tying his shortest outing in 245 career starts.

Arrieta pitched one-run ball into the sixth inning and gave up four hits overall.

Stephen Piscotty and Jedd Gyorko homered for the Cardinals.

RED SOX 9, DIAMONDBACKS 4

BOSTON -- Hanley Ramirez hit two three-run homers, and David Ortiz also homered to help Boston rout Arizona.

Boston scored four runs in each of the first two innings, ending a streak of 14 scoreless innings by the Diamondbacks' starting pitchers. Arizona committed two first-inning errors.

Ortiz had three hits, including his 1,000th extra-base hit with Boston. It was all the run support needed for David Price (10-8), who struck out eight in eight innings to pick up the win.

Patrick Corbin (4-12) lasted only 1 2/3 innings, allowing eight runs and nine hits, including both of Ramirez's homers. Rickie Weeks homered for Arizona.

ASTROS 5, BLUE JAYS 3

TORONTO -- Joe Musgrove pitched seven innings for his first major league win, Teoscar Hernandez homered for his first big league hit and Houston beat Toronto.

Designated hitter Evan Gattis had four hits, including two doubles. Hernandez had two hits and reached base three times, and Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve each had two RBIs each to help Houston extend its winning streak to four.

Edwin Encarnacion hit his 300th home run and Michael Saunders had his career-high 20th for Toronto. Encarnacion has 32 home runs this season to tie Baltimore's Mark Trumbo for the major league lead.

Making his second career start, and facing the team that drafted him in 2011, Musgrove (1-0) allowed two runs and six hits. Pat Neshek handled the eighth and Will Harris worked around Encarnacion's homer in the ninth for his 12th save. Francisco Liriano (6-12) was the loser.

INDIANS 13, ANGELS 3

CLEVELAND -- Rajai Davis and Jose Ramirez each stole three bases to help Cleveland tie the franchise record with eight, and Brandon Guyer drove in five runs against Los Angeles.

Jason Kipnis and Francisco Lindor added steals for Cleveland to match the record that was first accomplished on Aug. 27, 1917, against the Washington Senators. The eight steals allowed also are the most in club history for the Angels.

Guyer homered in the second and had two-run singles in the fifth and eighth. Ramirez was 3 for 5 with a home run -- extending his hitting streak to 16 games -- and Kipnis was 4 for 5 for the AL Central leaders.

Carlos Carrasco (8-6) won for the first time since July 20. Tyler Skaggs (1-1) gave up seven runs in five innings for the Angels. Albert Pujols drove in two runs and Kole Calhoun homered.

Los Angeles has lost eight in a row, its longest losing streak since 1999.

PHILLIES 10, ROCKIES 6

PHILADELPHIA -- Ryan Howard hit a grand slam and drove in five runs to help Jake Thompson earn his first major league victory and lead Philadelphia past Colorado.

Charlie Blackmon hit three solo home runs and D.J. LeMahieu also went deep for Colorado.

Howard extended his franchise record with his 14th grand slam, launching a 1-0 pitch from Jon Gray (8-6) into the bullpen in right-centre field to break a 3-3 tie.

Thompson (1-1) earned his first win in his second career start after allowing three runs and two hits with six strikeouts and three walks in five innings. He accomplished a rare feat when he recorded four strikeouts in one inning, becoming the first Phillies pitcher to have four strikeouts in one inning since Doc White did it against Brooklyn in the fifth inning on July 21, 1902.

PADRES 8, METS 6

Rookie Ryan Schimpf hit a grand slam and added a two-run shot in San Diego's victory over New York.

Jabari Blash and Christian Bethancourt also homered early to help the Padres hand the Mets their fourth straight loss and sixth in seven games. The defending NL champions (57-58) fell below .500 for the first time since April 17.

One day after getting swept at home by last-place Arizona, the Mets again failed to look like legitimate wild-card contenders. San Diego, which has alternated wins and losses since July 26, jumped out to a 5-0 six batters into the game -- including Schimpf's grand slam. Logan Verrett (3-8) was the loser.

BRAVES 8, NATIONALS 5

WASHINGTON -- Jace Peterson, Freddie Freeman and Anthony Recker homered and Atlanta beat Washington to snap a 14-game losing streak in the nation's capital.

Atlanta hadn't won in Washington since Sept. 10, 2014, and was 0-6 against the NL East leaders this season.

Mike Foltynewicz (6-5) allowed four runs over 5 2-3 innings to help Atlanta win for the 11th time in 17 games. Jim Johnson pitched the ninth for his 10th save in 13 tries. Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg (15-3) struggled at home again, surrendering six runs in 5 1/3 innings.

REDS 7, BREWERS 4

MILWAUKEE -- Homer Bailey struck out 11 in six scoreless innings in his third game back from Tommy John surgery in Cincinnati's victory over Milwaukee.

Adam Duvall hit his 27th home run and Billy Hamilton stole three bases to push his major league-leading total to 51.

Bailey (2-1) struck out Jonathan Villar looking to open the game and finished by fanning the side in the sixth. He allowed three hits.

Milwaukee starter Jimmy Nelson (6-12) laboured through five innings, allowing three runs off six hits and three walks. Ramon Flores hit a solo shot in the eighth, and Manny Pina hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth for the Brewers.

ROYALS 7, TWINS 3

MINNEAPOLIS -- Yordano Ventura won consecutive starts for the first time in two months, Kendrys Morales homered in his return from a one-game suspension and Kansas City beat Minnesota.

Ventura (8-9) struck out nine in seven innings, allowing four hits, one walk and three runs, pitching the Royals to their fifth win in the last six games.

Miguel Sano homered for the fifth time in the last seven games and Brian Dozier hit a two-run shot, giving Twins starter Kyle Gibson (4-7) a one-run lead he took into the fifth inning.

Salvador Perez's bat broke on a two-strike, two-out, two-run bloop single with the bases loaded that gave the Royals a 4-3 lead. Third baseman Trevor Plouffe awkwardly backpedaled for the slowly rising ball, but it cleared his head and landed in front of diving shortstop Jorge Polanco.

ATHLETICS 6, MARINERS 3

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Yonder Alonso hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the sixth inning off rookie Joe Wieland and Oakland ended Seattle's winning streak at six games.

Khris Davis added his career-high 28th home run, Marcus Semien matched his career high with four hits and Stephen Vogt had an RBI double to help the A's win for the fourth time in five games.

Sean Manaea (4-7) gave up three hits, walked three and struck out four. Ryan Madson retired three batters for his 25th save.

Wieland (0-1) was the loser. Kyle Seager homered for Seattle.

WHITE SOX 4, MARLINS 2

MIAMI -- Carlos Rodon pitched six innings for his first victory since May and Chicago beat Miami.

Adam Eaton tied a career high with four hits for Chicago in its first game in Miami since 2004.

Rodon (3-8) allowed one run and three hits while striking out four and walking three in a 122-pitch outing. David Robertson pitched the ninth for his 28th save in 34 chances.

Andrew Cashner (4-9) was the loser.

ORIOLES 5, GIANTS 2

SAN FRANCISCO -- Mark Trumbo regained the major league lead with his 33rd home run and Baltimore moved back into first place in the AL East.

Trumbo's two-run homer in the third inning off Giants starter Matt Cain (4-7) travelled an estimated 441 feet.

The Orioles' win, coupled with the Blue Jays' 5-3 loss to Houston, moved Baltimore back into first place by a half-game over Toronto. The Giants retained their one-game lead in the NL West over the Dodgers, who lost 5-1 to Pittsburgh.

Chris Davis led off the fifth with his 24th homer for the Orioles, who are 4-4 on a 10-game road trip that ends Sunday in San Francisco.

Matt Wieters and Adam Jones had RBIs in the Orioles' two-run second.

Denard Span drove in San Francisco's first run with a third-inning double. Brandon Belt added an RBI single in the ninth.

Dylan Bundy (6-3) allowed one run and three hits in 5 2-3 innings for Baltimore. Zach Britton got the final three outs for his AL-leading 36th save.

PIRATES 5, DODGERS 1

LOS ANGELES -- Andrew McCutchen and Jordy Mercer homered to lead newcomer Ivan Nova and Pittsburgh.

Handed a three-run lead before he threw a pitch, Nova (2-0) has won both starts for the Pirates since they acquired him from the New York Yankees at the Aug. 1 trade deadline. The right-hander scattered nine hits over 5 1/3 innings and improved to 9-6 overall.

Tony Watson came on with runners at the corners and retired Corey Seager for his fifth save.

Dating to June 23, the Pirates' bullpen has posted the lowest ERA (2.13) and the best winning percentage 11-2 (.846) of any major league team.

Ross Stripling (3-4) started in place of Rich Hill, who remained on the disabled list with a middle finger blister on his pitching hand.

RANGERS 8, TIGERS 5

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Jonathan Lucroy drove in five runs with two homers, and Texas won after a rain delay that lasted 2 hours, 42 minutes, before the first pitch.

Yu Darvish (3-3) earned his first win since June 3. Darvish struck out five and allowed five hits and two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings. He is 6-0 against the Tigers in his career.

The Rangers increased their AL West lead to 7 1/2 games. Detroit dropped 1 1/2 games back in the AL wild-card race.

Lucroy hit a three-run homer in the first inning and a two-run shot, his career-high 19th of the season, in the third. Both came against Anibal Sanchez (6-12).

Mitch Moreland and Carlos Beltran also homered against Sanchez. He allowed eight runs in four-plus innings.