Yankees beat Mariners 5-4 for 5th straight victory
NEW YORK (AP) - DJ LeMahieu and Kyle Higashioka made savvy baserunning moves, turning a double-play grounder into the go-ahead run, and the New York Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners 5-4 on Saturday for their fifth straight victory.
Aaron Judge and Rougned Odor homered and the Yankees capitalized on a three-base error by right fielder Mitch Haniger to win for the 10th time in 12 games.
New York erased a 4-1 deficit by scoring four times in the sixth inning. The Yankees have won the first three in a four-game series against Seattle in a matchup of teams in the playoff chase. The Mariners fell to 3-6 on a 10-game trip and each loss has been decided by no more than two runs.
Odor hit a two-run drive inside the right field foul pole to pull the Yankees to 4-3 in the sixth. With one out, pinch-hitter Gleyber Torres hit a fly and Haniger raced back, appeared to overrun it and then slipped, allowing the ball to get to the warning track.
Higashioka delivered a tying, pinch-hit double with one out and took third on LeMahieu´s single off Casey Sadler (0-2).
Anthony Rizzo followed with a sharp grounder to first baseman Ty France, who stepped on the bag. Higashioka broke for home while France focused on LeMahieu, who alertly stopped first and second. LeMahieu forced a rundown and was tagged out after Higashioka had crossed the plate for the tiebreaking run.
New York Yankees pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga delivers a pitch during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, in New York. The Yankees won 5-4. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Andrew Heaney (7-8) settled down after a rocky beginning for his first win since being traded from the Los Angeles Angels to the Yankees. Jonathan Loaisiga pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save in place of Aroldis Chapman, who was put on the injured list before the game with left elbow inflammation.
Kyle Seager homered for Seattle.
BLUE JAYS 1, RED SOX 0, 1ST GAME
TORONTO (AP) - Marcus Semien hit a walk-off home run to begin the seventh inning and Toronto beat skidding Boston in the opening game of a doubleheader.
Each team managed only two hits, and Semien got the biggest of all. He connected on the first pitch from Matt Barnes (5-3) for his 26th home run of the season and the first game-ending homer of his career.
The Blue Jays improved to 8-1 since returning to Toronto July 30. The Red Sox have lost eight of nine and have scored five runs or fewer in 14 consecutive games. Before this game, they put slugger J.D. Martinez on the COVID-19-related injured list.
Jordan Romano (5-1) pitched a perfect seventh to earn the win.
WHITE SOX 4, CUBS 0
CHICAGO (AP) - Carlos Rodón struck out 11 in five stellar innings, Cesar Hernandez and José Abreu hit back-to-back home runs and the Chicago White Sox beat the Cubs.
Yoán Moncada added a two-run double for the White Sox in their second straight win in the crosstown series at Wrigley Field.
Rodón and the White Sox bullpen combined for 17 strikeouts. David Bote had two of the five hits for the Cubs, who have dropped three straight and five of six.
Rodón (9-5) allowed just two hits to bounce back after losing consecutive starts for the first time this season. He was lifted after walking Rafael Ortega to lead off the sixth. Cubs starter Adbert Alzolay (4-12) dropped his eighth straight decision.
New York Yankees Giancarlo Stanton breaks his bat lining out to end the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo and designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) celebrate after the Yankees defeated the Seattle Mariners in a baseball game on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, in New York. The Yankees won 5-4. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
