MLB roundup: Yankees' Cole posts 20th straight win

Kershaw bounced back in a big way after losing his last start against the San Francisco Giants, giving up only one hit -- a solo home run to Anthony Rendon -- while walking two and striking out six. Bellinger had just two home runs all season before Friday, when he went deep against Angels starter Patrick Sandoval in the sixth inning and reliever Ryan Buchter in the eighth, both two-run homers.

Gerrit Cole pitched seven strong innings to win his 20th straight decision and the New York Yankees remained unbeaten in games played at Yankee Stadium with a 10-3 rout of the slumping Boston Red Sox Friday night. Cole (4-0) became the sixth pitcher to win 20 consecutive decisions in baseball history and the first since Jake Arrieta did it for the Chicago Cubs from Aug. 4, 2015-May 25, 2016. The all-time record is 24 straight decisions by Hall of Famer Carl Hubbell from July 17, 1936-May 27, 1937 with the New York Giants.

Cole allowed one run on four hits. He struck out eight, walked none in a 95-pitch outing. Cole's latest win helped the Yankees improve to 7-0 to start the abbreviated season at Yankee Stadium. It is the fourth time they have begun 7-0 or better in the Bronx since 1959 (also 2017, 1998 and 1987).

Alex Verdugo homered and drove in two runs for the Red Sox, who lost their fifth straight and continued to struggle against the Yankees. Rafael Devers added an RBI single in the eighth. Blue Jays 12, Rays 4

Bo Bichette hit one of six Toronto home runs, a three-run tiebreaking home run in a five-run bottom of the sixth inning, and Teoscar Hernandez added two more as Toronto beat Tampa Bay in Buffalo. The homer extended Bichette's hitting streak to eight games, and extended his streak of games with a home run to four. The Blue Jays snapped the Rays' six-game winning streak.

Hernandez hit a three-run homer and a solo shot for four total RBIs, Rowdy Tellez added a two-run blast, and Cavan Biggio and Randal Grichuk hit solo homers. Brandon Lowe hit a two-run homer for Tampa Bay. Phillies 6, Mets 5

Bryce Harper hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to score Roman Quinn from second base as host Philadelphia defeated New York. J.T. Realmuto homered and drove in three runs while Quinn and Andrew McCutchen had two hits each for the Phillies, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Dominic Smith homered in a third consecutive game, singled and knocked in two runs while Robinson Cano hit a solo home run, singled and had two RBIs for the Mets.

Phillies starter Spencer Howard lasted 3 1/3 innings and left with an apparent blister on a finger of his pitching hand. In his second career start, Howard allowed seven hits and four runs, three earned. Reds 8, Pirates 1

Jesse Winker homered twice and right-hander Sonny Gray struck out 10, while pitching into the seventh, as Cincinnati evened its four-game home series against Pittsburgh. Nick Castellanos' three-run homer highlighted a four-run seventh inning for the Reds. Gray (4-1, 2.05 ERA) allowed a Bryan Reynolds home run in the fourth, plus four other hits with one walk in 6 2/3 innings. Winker hit a solo shot in the second and added two-run blast in the fourth.

Kuhl (0-1) took the loss after giving up the two home runs, three runs and five hits with six strikeouts over five innings. The Pirates have lost 14 of their first 18 games. Orioles 6, Nationals 2 (conclusion of Aug. 9 suspended game)

Baltimore completed its suspended game with Washington without too much trouble, cruising to its sixth straight victory. In the game that started in Washington, Baltimore scored five runs in the fifth off World Series Most Valuable Player Stephen Strasburg (0-1) last Sunday. Starlin Castro belted a two-run homer in the bottom half of that frame before Mother Nature intervened in the top of the sixth.

Travis Lakins (2-0) got the win in relief for Baltimore. Strasburg took the loss as he's had problems with a nerve irritation in his pitching hand. Nationals infielder Starlin Castro broke his right wrist in the seventh inning and went on the 10-day injured list. Nationals 15, Orioles 3

Despite seeing starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg exit in the first inning, Washington got 5 1/3 strong innings from Erick Fedde and ended host Baltimore's six-game winning streak. Strasburg, who started last weekend's game, did the same in Friday's nightcap, but lasted only 16 pitches after a rain delay of one hour, 57 minutes at the start.

After Anthony Santander homered off Strasburg in the first, Washington took over against Tommy Milone (1-2), who allowed six runs (three earned) on nine hits with two strikeouts and no walks in four innings. Brewers 4, Cubs 3

Christian Yelich hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the sixth inning, and Milwaukee held on for a win over host Chicago. The 412-foot blast by Yelich was his fifth home run of the season, which leads the team. Milwaukee bounced back from a series-opening loss one night earlier and avoided its first three-game skid of the season.

Jason Kipnis, Ian Happ and Anthony Rizzo drove in one run apiece for the Cubs, whose home winning streak was snapped at seven games. Chicago lost for only the second time since July 30. Indians 10, Tigers 5

Franmil Reyes scored three runs and drove in three more, Domingo Santana hit a three-run homer, and Cleveland continued its dominance of Detroit. The Indians have defeated Detroit 18 consecutive times, dating back to last season. It's the Tigers' longest losing streak to any team in franchise history.

Indians starter Aaron Civale (2-2) gave up four runs on eight hits in six innings. Tigers starter Ivan Nova (1-1) surrendered eight runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings as Detroit lost its third straight. Dodgers 7, Angels 4

Clayton Kershaw threw seven strong innings, Cody Bellinger hit two home runs and the Dodgers beat the Angels in Anaheim, Calif. Kershaw bounced back in a big way after losing his last start against the San Francisco Giants, giving up only one hit -- a solo home run to Anthony Rendon -- while walking two and striking out six.

Bellinger had just two home runs all season before Friday, when he went deep against Angels starter Patrick Sandoval in the sixth inning and reliever Ryan Buchter in the eighth, both two-run homers. Diamondbacks 5, Padres 1

Merrill Kelly held San Diego without a run for 6 2/3 innings, and Kole Calhoun's homer broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning as Arizona topped the Padres in Phoenix. Kelly, Arizona's most consistent starting pitcher so far this season, struck out seven to improve to 3-1. He gave up three hits and two walks while outdueling Dinelson Lamet (2-1), who held the Diamondbacks to a run on three hits and a walk with eight strikeouts in six innings.

Calhoun, who had two hits and drove in two runs, hit his fifth home run of the season into the San Diego bullpen leading off the D-backs' sixth. Calhoun socked his second home run of the season off Lamet, and he is the only player to have homered off the Padres' ace this season. Astros 11, Mariners 1

Yordan Alvarez homered in his first plate appearance of the season as part of a nine-run first inning, and Houston defeated visiting Seattle. Yuli Gurriel also went deep in the first for Houston, which has won 17 of its past 18 games against the Mariners.

Left-hander Framber Valdez (1-2) went six innings, allowing one run on four hits for the victory. The Mariners were scheduled to start Yusei Kikuchi, but he was scratched about 30 minutes before first pitch because of neck spasms. Lefty Nestor Cortes (0-1) got the emergency start and retired just one of the nine batters he faced. Marlins 8, Braves 2

Pablo Lopez struck out a career-high eight batters and Jon Berti stole home, as Miami defeated Atlanta in its long-delayed home opener. Jesus Aguilar drove in three runs for the Marlins, who stole four bases and received seven scored runs from the bottom four hitters in the lineup. Lopez (2-1) allowed two runs on seven hits and now walks in six innings. Braves starter Kyle Wright (0-3) took the loss after giving up three runs and a career-high six walks in three-plus innings.

The Marlins, who had the worst record in the National League last year with 105 losses, are off to a 9-4 start. After a wild 23-day road trip that featured eight postponements and 18 players testing positive for COVID-19, this was Miami's official home opener, though the Marlins played two "home" games in Baltimore. Rangers 3, Rockies 2

Lance Lynn threw a two-hitter for his third career complete game, Nick Solak homered among his three hits, and Texas beat Colorado in Denver. Lynn (3-0) allowed two singles to lead off the bottom of the first, didn't walk a batter and fanned six in recording his first complete game since 2014, when he was with the St. Louis Cardinals. He allowed two runs (one earned) and retired the last 11 batters he faced.

Garrett Hampson and Trevor Story had the only hits for Colorado. Charlie Blackmon, who entered the day hitting .472, went 0-for-4. Athletics 8, Giants 7 (10 innings)

Mark Canha hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th, and Liam Hendriks struck out the side in the bottom of the inning as Oakland rallied from five runs down in the ninth to stun host San Francisco in the opener of a three-game interleague series. The A's trailed 6-0 and then 7-2 entering the ninth before Matt Olson belted a one-out solo home run off Giants closer Trevor Gott to ignite a game-tying uprising. After a walk, a fielder's choice on which the Giants didn't get an out and a hit batter, Stephen Piscotty drove a Gott pitch into the left field bleachers for a grand slam, tying the game at 7-7.

Joakim Soria (2-0), who stranded the potential winning run at third base in the last of the ninth, was credited with the win. Hendricks slammed the door in the last of the 10th, needing just 13 pitches to record his sixth save. Royals at Twins, ppd.

The scheduled series opener between the Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins on Friday night in Minneapolis was postponed due to inclement weather. The teams will play a straight doubleheader with a pair seven-inning games beginning at 1:35 p.m. ET on Saturday. The second contest will follow 30 minutes after the first concludes.

Minnesota will start right-hander Jake Odorizzi (0-0, 6.00 ERA) in Game 1 and right-hander Jose Berrios (1-2, 5.31) in Game 2. Kansas City will start right-hander Ian Kennedy (0-1, 7.88) in the opener and right-hander Jakob Junis (0-0, 4.00) in the second game of the four-game series that runs through Monday. 

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