Díaz escapes jam, Mets beat Dodgers to win series

New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo (9) and Francisco Lindor react after Nimmo scored during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday in New York. - Photo by Adam Hunger of The Associated Press
New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo (9) and Francisco Lindor react after Nimmo scored during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday in New York. - Photo by Adam Hunger of The Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Edwin Díaz struck out Gavin Lux on a 102.8 mph fastball to escape a jam in the eighth inning, and the New York Mets beat the major league-best Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 on Thursday.

Francisco Lindor hit a tying double in the sixth against Chris Martin (4-1) and scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Darin Ruf after the Mets were held to one hit in five innings by Clayton Kershaw, who made his first start since Aug. 4.

NL East-leading New York took two of three from Los Angeles, its first series win against the Dodgers since Sept. 3-5, 2011. LA lost consecutive games for the first time since July 25-26.

Chris Bassitt (12-7) allowed two runs and six hits in six innings for his fifth straight victory, matching his win total from last season with Oakland. He departed after the Mets took a 3-2 lead in the sixth.

New York led 5-2 when Díaz opened the eighth by walking Freddie Freeman and plunking Will Smith. Freeman scored on Justin Turner's sacrifice fly. Díaz then escaped by whiffing Lux on the hardest pitch of his career.

Adam Ottavino followed with a perfect ninth for his third save.

BRAVES 3, ROCKIES 0

ATLANTA -- Rookie Spencer Strider set an Atlanta record with 16 strikeouts while allowing two hits in eight innings to beat Colorado.

Strider (9-4) fanned his last two batters with two runners on in the eighth to complete his masterful 106-pitch outing.

Austin Riley and rookie Michael Harris II hit solo home runs for Atlanta.

Hall of Famer John Smoltz held the previous Atlanta record with 15 strikeouts, a feat he achieved in 1992 and again in 2005. Warren Spahn has the Braves franchise record, striking out 18 in 1952 when the team played in Boston.

Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth for his 31st save in 36 chances.

Chad Kuhl (6-8) allowed three runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings.

ORIOLES 3, GUARDIANS 0

CLEVELAND -- Rookie Kyle Bradish held Cleveland to two harmless singles in seven innings and Cedric Mullins homered on Shane Bieber's first pitch, leading Baltimore past Cleveland.

Bradish (3-5) had his second straight dominant performance. He hasn't allowed a run in 15 straight innings after going more than three months without a win.

Cionel Pérez worked a perfect eighth and rookie Félix Bautista finished off the two-hitter for his 11th save.

The Orioles took two of three in this series between playoff hopefuls. Cleveland's lead in the AL Central shrunk to one game over idle Minnesota.

Bieber (8-8) struck out 11 in seven solid innings but allowed homers to Mullins, Anthony Santander and Ryan Mountcastle.

NATIONALS 7, ATHLETICS 5, 10 INNINGS

WASHINGTON -- Joey Meneses hit a game-winning three-run homer in the 10th inning to cap his first four-hit game Washington rallied past Oakland.

Meneses, a 30-year-old rookie, homered to right-center off Oakland rookie Norge Ruiz (0-1), raising his average to .354.

Trailing 5-3 heading into the bottom of the 10th, the Nationals closed within 5-4 on Keibert Ruiz's run-scoring single with one out. Lane Thomas walked with two outs, setting the stage for Meneses.

Shea Langeliers homered and drove in three runs for the A's. He put Oakland ahead in the 10th with a two-out, two-run double off Hunter Harvey (1-0).

RED SOX 9, RANGERS 8

BOSTON -- Rob Refsnyder hit a game-ending single in a four-run ninth inning to complete Boston's rally past Texas.

The Red Sox trailed 8-3 in the eighth and 8-5 entering the ninth. Boston promptly loaded the bases with none out against Jonathan Hernández (1-1). Rafael Devers hit a two-run double and Kiké Hernández followed with an RBI single to tie the game before Refsnyder completed the comeback with a drive to left.

Jeurys Familia (2-1) worked a scoreless ninth for a Boston staff that was constantly in trouble. The Rangers stranded 12 runners as they dropped their fifth straight.

MARINERS 7, TIGERS 0

DETROIT -- Julio Rodriguez and Ty France hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning and Seattle completed a three-game sweep of Detroit.

Logan Gilbert (11-5), who had gone winless in his previous nine starts, held Detroit to two hits and a walk while striking out nine in six innings. Three Mariners relievers completed the four-hitter.

Tigers starter Eduardo Rodriguez (3-4) surrendered six runs -- five earned -- and six hits in four innings.

WHITE SOX 7, ROYALS 1

CHICAGO -- Andrew Vaughn and A.J. Pollock each cracked a two-run homer and singled, and Chicago beat Kansas City.

Leury Garcia and Elvis Andrus added two hits and an RBI apiece for the White Sox, who won their second straight following a five-game slide.

Johnny Cueto (7-6) allowed one run on six hits in 5 1/3 innings. Five Chicago relievers combined to throw two-hit ball the rest of the way.

Daniel Mengden (0-1) yielded three runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings in his fifth appearance and first start for the Royals this season.

DIAMONDBACKS 5, BREWERS 0

PHOENIX -- Christian Walker hit a two-run homer, Merrill Kelly pitched seven stellar innings and Arizona beat Milwaukee for its sixth win in seven games.

Walker hammered his 31st homer to deep left in the first inning off Milwaukee's Brandon Woodruff, giving the D-backs a 2-0 lead. Geraldo Perdomo's RBI single in the third pushed the advantage to 3-0 and Josh Rojas smashed a two-run double high off the center field wall in the fifth to make it 5-0.

Woodruff (9-4) gave up five earned runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out four.

Kelly (12-5) gave up four hits and no walks while striking out seven.

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