MLB ROUNDUP: Blue Jays’ Chris Bassitt quickly works past the Mets with his wife in labor

The Los Angeles Dodgers routed the New York Yankees 8-4 in the first game of their series Friday night thanks to a stellar performance from Mookie Betts. 

Clayton Kershaw beat the Yankees for the first time with nine strikeouts over seven innings of four-hit ball, and Betts hit two more homers. 

Betts hit a leadoff homer and an RBI single during Los Angeles´ six-run, eight-hit first inning against Luis Severino (0-1). Betts finished 4 for 4 with three RBIs in his second straight two-homer game for the NL-leading Dodgers, who got off to an impressive start in this high-profile interleague series.

Kershaw (7-4) was 0-1 in four previous starts against the Yankees over his 16-year career, but the three-time Cy Young Award winner got a huge early cushion and didn’t falter after allowing early homers by Giancarlo Stanton and Josh Donaldson, who both returned from lengthy injury absences.

Kershaw eventually retired his final seven batters, earning a standing ovation from Dodger Stadium after recording his final out. He has now beaten every team in the majors except Baltimore. He has never faced the Orioles, but the Dodgers are headed to Camden Yards next month.

The Los Angeles Dodgers routed the New York Yankees 8-4 in the first game of their series

Clayton Kershaw beat the Yankees with nine strikeouts over seven innings of four-hit ball

Mookie Betts finished 4 for 4 with three RBIs in his second straight two-homer game

Donaldson hit two homers in his first game since April 5 for the Yankees, who have lost two straight after a four-game winning streak. Stanton and Donaldson, who also hit a two-run homer in the ninth off Phil Bickford, had both been sidelined since April with hamstring injuries, but their power wasn´t nearly enough.

A season-high 52,534 fans turned out for the latest meeting between major-market powerhouses and former New York rivals that have met in 11 World Series. The Yankees are making just their fifth trip to Chavez Ravine in the regular season and their first since August 2019.

Max Muncy added a two-run homer in the first, while J.D. Martinez homered and singled to extend his hitting streak to 16 games for the Dodgers. 

BLUE JAYS 3, METS 0

Chris Bassitt took the mound after a 91-minute rain delay, ready to rush back to Toronto as his wife went into labor, and shut down his former team on three hits to lead the Blue Jays over New York.

Bassitt´s wife, Jessica, was due to give birth to their second child.

The game was scheduled to start at 7:10pm but began at 8:41pm and didn’t end until shortly after 11pm. George Springer started the night by homering on Justin Verlander’s second pitch.

Bassitt (6-4) tied his season high with eight strikeouts and walked none, throwing 101 pitches. He had not been to Citi Field since losing the decisive Game 3 of an NL Wild Card series against San Diego last October.

Jordan Romano finished the four-hitter for his 14th save in 15 chances, the Blue Jays´ major league-high ninth shutout. New York has been blanked eight times, matching the Mets´ total last year.

Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt took the mound as his wife went into labor back in Toronto

DIAMONDBACKS 3-2 BRAVES

Merrill Kelly threw seven strong innings, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. ripped a two-run double and the Arizona Diamondbacks won their season-high sixth game in a row, beating the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Friday night.

It was the first game of a series between two of the top teams in the National League. It´s no surprise the Braves are among that group, but the emergence of the Diamondbacks has caught some by surprise.

Arizona is 12 games over .500 for the first time since 2018 and on its first six-game winning streak since 2020.

Kelly (7-3) gave up two runs and five hits, walked three and struck out eight. He threw 100 pitches. Miguel Castro worked a high-wire ninth for his sixth save in seven chances.

Eddie Rosario homered twice for Atlanta. The Braves have lost five of seven.

Atlanta starter Charlie Morton (5-6) allowed three runs on six hits over seven innings. He walked three and struck out nine.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. ripped a two-run double to help the Diamondbacks win sixth straight game

RANGERS 2-0 MARINERS 

Jon Gray pitched two-hit ball over seven innings to win his fifth consecutive start, Marcus Semien scored the game´s first run after extending his major league-best hitting streak to 21 games and the AL West-leading Texas beat Seattle.

Gray (6-1) struck out five and walked one to win a duel against Luis Castillo (4-3) that took only 2 hours, 5 minutes.

Castillo limited the Rangers to one run over seven innings with six strikeouts and one walk. Texas entered averaging an MLB-best 6.29 runs per game and had scored 11 runs in each of its previous two home games – though those were before a 6-3 trip with series wins in Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Detroit.

Grant Anderson, who made his big league debut Tuesday for Texas with seven strikeouts over 2 2/3 innings at Detroit, worked a scoreless eighth with one strikeout. Will Smith worked a perfect ninth for his 10th save in 11 chances, wrapping up the Rangers´ sixth shutout.

Jon Gray pitched two-hit ball over seven innings to win his fifth consecutive start

BREWERS 5, REDS 4, 11 INNINGS

Victor Caratini drove in the go-ahead run with an infield grounder in a two-run 11th inning and Milwaukee beat Cincinnati following the ejection of Brewers starter Corbin Burnes.

With the score 3-3, Burnes made a sliding, over-the-shoulder catch of Stuart Fairchild´s blooper to end the sixth and celebrated by spiking the ball. Burnes and plate umpire D.J. Reyburn exchanged words, and Reyburn ejected the pitcher after Burnes had returned to the dugout.

Burnes, the 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner, allowed three runs and two hits with seven strikeouts while tying his season high with four walks. He was 0-2 over his prior three starts.

Before a crowd of 44,073, a regular-season record at Great American Ball Park, Elvis Pegureo (1-0) struck out one in a hitless 10th for his first major league win. Fernando Cruz (1-1) was the loser.

Victor Caratini drove in the go-ahead run with an infield grounder in a two-run 11th inning

PIRATES 7, CARDINALS 5

Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning and Pittsburgh rallied past St. Louis for its third straight victory.

Hayes finished off a three-hit night by sending the first pitch he saw from Giovanny Gallegos (1-3) into the left-field bleachers to give the Pirates the lead. Josh Palacios followed two pitches later with his first career home run.

Carlos Santana had three hits for the Pirates, including a two-run double during a six-run seventh. Andrew McCutchen singled twice to boost his career hits total to 1,998.

Yohan Ramirez (1-0) got the win after striking out Tommy Edman with the bases full in the top of the seventh. David Bednar worked around a two-out single in the ninth by Paul DeJong for his 11th save.

Nolan Arenado had three hits, including his 10th home run, for St. Louis.

Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning to help Pittsburgh rally 

ASTROS 6, ANGELS 2

Yordan Alvarez hit a two-run homer off Shohei Ohtani for a major league-best 50 RBIs, backing a strong start by Framber Valdez in Houston’s victory over Los Angeles.

Valdez (6-4) scattered five hits across seven scoreless innings to extend his winning streak to four games.

There was one out in the first when Alvarez connected on his team-leading 15th home run to make it 2-0. Rookie Corey Julks added a two-run shot off Ohtani (5-2) in the sixth to push the lead to 5-0.

Ohtani yielded a season-high nine hits and tied a season high with five runs in six innings for his second loss this year. Batting leadoff for the first time this season, the two-way star also had a tough night at the plate, going 0 for 4 with two strikeouts and a walk.

Yordan Alvarez (left) hit a two-run homer off Shohei Ohtani (right) in the Astros’ win 

TWINS 1, GUARDIANS 0

Jorge Polanco hit an RBI double in the seventh inning and Jhoan Duran finished a combined eight-hitter, helping Minnesota beat Cleveland.

Polanco´s drive off Nick Sandlin (2-3) went high off the right-field wall, scoring Kyle Farmer from second base. The teams went a combined 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position before Minnesota broke through.

Brock Stewart (2-0) got three outs for the win, stranding a pair of runners in the seventh after Jovani Moran allowed two hits.

Duran entered with one out in the eighth with Steven Kwan on second base and the heart of the Guardians order ahead. Duran struck out José Ramírez, intentionally walked Josh Naylor and struck out Andrés Giménez to end the inning. He then worked the ninth for his eighth save in nine chances.

Jorge Polanco hit an RBI double in the seventh inning to help Minnesota beat Cleveland

MARLINS 4, ATHLETICS 0

Edward Cabrera struck out 10 in six innings and Miami beat Oakland.

Cabrera (4-4) gave up four hits and walked one. JT Chargois, Andrew Nardi and Tanner Scott followed Cabrera, each throwing an inning to complete the five-hitter.

Jesús Sánchez homered and singled twice, and Bryan De La Cruz had two hits.

The major league-worst Athletics lost their 12th straight on the road to drop to 12-47 overall. Shintaro Fujinami (2-6) was the loser.

Edward Cabrera struck out 10 in six innings and Miami beat Oakland 4-0 Friday night 

WHITE SOX 3, TIGERS 0

Mike Clevinger and four relievers combined on Chicago´s fourth shutout, Tim Anderson scored a run and drove in one, and the White Sox beat Detroit,

Clevinger pitched three-hit ball over five innings in first start since May 17. He struck out six and walked one after being sidelined because of inflammation in his right wrist.

Keynan Middleton (1-0), Reynaldo López and Joe Kelly each gave up a hit while working a scoreless inning. Kendall Graveman retired all three batters in the ninth for his fifth save.

The loss spoiled a solid start by Reese Olson (0-1) in his major league debut. The 23-year-old right-hander didn´t allow a hit until the sixth inning, when he gave up two runs. He struck out six and walked one.

Mike Clevinger (pictured) and four relievers combined on Chicago’s fourth shutout

NATIONALS 8, PHILLIES 7

Lane Thomas singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and Washington sent Philadelphia to its fifth straight loss, winning after blowing a six-run lead.

The defending NL champion Phillies have just five victories in their last 18 games and are tied with the Nationals at the bottom of the NL East at 25-32.

Alex Call drew a two-out walk against Connor Brogdon (2-1) in the eighth, stole second and scored on Thomas´ single to right center. Kyle Finnegan (3-2) pitched 1 2/3 innings for the victory, stranding the tying run on second in the ninth.

Nick Castellanos homered twice, singled, doubled and drove in five runs for Philadelphia. Down 7-1 after four innings, the Phillies tied it at 7 in the eighth.

Lane Thomas singled inthe eighth inning and Washington sent Philly to its fifth straight loss

CUBS 2-1 PADRES

Jameson Taillon pitched effectively into the sixth inning, Dansby Swanson homered among his three hits and Chicago beat San Diego.

Taillon (1-3), who came in winless over his previous eight starts with an 8.04 ERA, kept the Padres off-balance twice through their lineup. He gave up three hits and one run in a season-high 5 2/3 innings.

Padres starter Michael Wacha (5-2) struggled with control, issuing five walks in 4 2/3 innings. He gave up two runs and three hits while striking out eight.

Chicago took the lead with a fielder´s choice ground ball by Ian Happ to score Nico Hoerner from third in the third inning. Swanson hit a solo homer to left off Wacha to make it 2-0 in the fifth.

Mark Leiter Jr. finished up with a scoreless ninth for his third save.

Jameson Taillon pitched effectively into the sixth inning to see Chicago beat San Diego

ROCKIES 7, ROYALS 2

Ryan McMahon homered in the first inning and hit a go-ahead single in a six-run eighth and Colorado beat Kansas City to end a four-game losing streak.

Elias Díaz and Nolan Jones had two-run doubles in the eighth, among six hits by the Rockies in the inning. McMahon has reached safely in 11 consecutive games, batting .425 (17 for 40) with five homers and 15 RBIs.

Brent Suter (4-0) allowed one hit over two scoreless innings in relief of Chase Anderson, who gave up two runs and four hits in six innings. Justin Lawrence struck out Jackie Bradley Jr. with the bases loaded for his second career save.

Kansas City has lost nine of 12, dropping to 17-40. Carlos Hernández (0-3) was the loser.

Ryan McMahon homered in the first inning and hit a go-ahead single in a six-run eighth

ORIOLES 3-2 GIANTS 

Gunnar Henderson hit a go-ahead solo homer in the seventh, Dean Kremer struck out six over six innings and Baltimore beat San Francisco.

Kremer (6-2) allowed two runs on five hits and walked two while pitching a couple of hours from where he grew up in the Central Valley city of Stockton.

LaMonte Wade Jr. splashed a home run into McCovey Cove leading off the bottom of the first. Between innings, streamers flew to commemorate the 100th splash hit in Giants history. Logan Webb (4-6) had to pick up a stray stream before throwing a pitch in the top of the second.

Ryan O´Hearn and Jorge Mateo each hit RBI singles in the second for Baltimore, which got a nice start to a six-game trip following a 2-4 homestand.

Félix Bautista, the Orioles´ third reliever, struck out the first two batters of the ninth then surrendered Casey Schmitt´s double before striking out pinch-hitter Michael Conforto to finish for his 15th save.