MLB RECAPS

MLB Recaps: Mets win on 10th-inning homer

The Sports Xchange

August 29, 2016 at 9:18 pm.

Aug 29, 2016; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets left fielder Yoenis Cespedes (52) hits a walk off solo home run against the Miami Marlins during the tenth inning at Citi Field. Photo Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Aug 29, 2016; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets left fielder Yoenis Cespedes (52) hits a walk off solo home run against the Miami Marlins during the tenth inning at Citi Field. Photo Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK — Yoenis Cespedes’ two-out homer in the bottom of the 10th inning Monday night lifted the New York Mets to a pivotal 2-1 win over the Miami Marlins at Citi Field.

Cespedes crushed a 1-1 pitch from Nick Wittgren deep into the bleachers in left field. It was the third hit of the game for Cespedes, who admired the blast as the Mets began pouring out of the dugout.

The Mets (67-64) tied the Marlins (67-64) for second place in the National League East while ensuring they’d remain no more than 2 1/2 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the race for the second wild card.

Josh Smoker (1-0) earned his first major league win with a perfect 10th inning. Wittgren fell to 4-3.

Cardinals 6, Brewers 5

MILWAUKEE — Randal Grichuk hit a game-tying home run while Stephen Piscotty had two hits and scored the go-ahead run on a ninth-inning error as St. Louis rallied for a victory over Milwaukee at Miller Park.

Milwaukee erased a 3-1 deficit with four runs in the seventh inning, including a solo home run from rookie shortstop Orlando Arcia but the Cardinals answered in the eighth when with one out, Grichuk tagged Corey Knebel for his 19th home run of the year, tying the game at 5.

Greg Garcia kicked off the ninth with a pinch-hit double off Tyler Thornburg, who then walked Piscotty. Yadier Molina followed and put down a bunt that Thonrnburg fired to third for the force but Villar rushed a throw to first that went wide, scoring Piscotty and putting the Cardinals ahead.

Indians 1, Twins 0 (10 innings)

CLEVELAND — Jason Kipnis’ RBI single with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning broke a scoreless tie and gave Cleveland a victory over Minnesota.

The loss was the 11th in a row for the Twins.

The win went to reliever Zach McAllister (3-2), who came into a bases-loaded, two-outs situation in the top of the 10th and got the third out.

Tigers 4, White Sox 3

DETROIT — Jarrod Saltalamacchia blasted a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth, lifting Detroit to a victory over Chicago at Comerica Park.

Detroit’s catcher drilled his 12th homer this season off setup reliever Nate Jones (5-3). J.D. Martinez led off the inning with a walk and Jones retired the next batter before Saltamacchia’s game-winner.

Justin Wilson (4-4) picked up the victory with 1 1/3 inning of scoreless relief. Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his 37th save, surviving a pair of long flyouts.

Justin Upton added a solo homer for Detroit.

Red Sox 9, Rays 4

BOSTON — Rick Porcello, improving to 13-0 in 14 home starts, pitched seven solid innings for his major league-leading 18th victory and Mookie Betts hit his 30th homer, doubled in a run and scored twice to power Boston to a rout of last-place Tampa Bay.

The win kept the Red Sox two games behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East.

Nationals 4, Phillies 0

PHILADELPHIA — Tanner Roark combined with two relievers on a four-hit shutout as Washington blanked Philadelphia.

Jayson Werth homered for Washington, which ran its winning streak against Philadelphia to seven. The Nationals, however, won for just the third time in nine games overall.

The Phillies lost for the third time in four games and were shut out for the seventh time this season.

Blue Jays 5, Orioles 1

BALTIMORE — Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista hit solo homers, and starter Marco Estrada gave up one run over seven-plus innings as Toronto defeated Baltimore.

This was the opener of a key three-game series in the American League East. First-place Toronto now has won four straight and pushed third-place Baltimore four games behind with only 31 games remaining.

Donaldson’s 34th homer and fourth in two games tied the game in the fourth while Bautista gave the Blue Jays a 3-1 lead in the sixth with his 16th and first since returning from the disabled list Thursday.

Astros 6, Athletics 0

HOUSTON — Joe Musgrove notched his second career win and Houston claimed the series opener with Oakland at Minute Maid Park.

Musgrove (2-2) worked 5 1/3 innings allowing three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts. The rookie’s scoreless outing represented a rebound from consecutive struggles against the Orioles and Pirates, and the Houston bullpen protected the two-run margin that Musgrove delivered when he departed in the sixth inning.

Luke Gregerson, making his first appearance in 11 days, induced a timely double-play grounder to stifle an Oakland rally and conclude the sixth inning before Pat Neshek and Brad Peacock preserved the shutout with a combined three frames of scoreless relief.