Cedric Mullins' two-run double capped a big ninth-inning rally for the Baltimore Orioles, who remained atop the American League East standings with Sunday's 6-5 comeback win over the rival New York Yankees.
After rookie Ben Rice's three-run homer in the top of the ninth gave the Yankees a 5-3 lead, the Orioles capitalised on two New York miscues in their half of the final inning to score three times and avoid being swept in the key three-game series.
Mullins' game-winning hit, a line drive that sailed over the head of New York's Alex Verdugo after the left fielder initially ran in on the ball, also snapped the Orioles' five-game losing streak and put Baltimore a game ahead of the second-place Yankees in the division race.
All three Baltimore runs in the ninth came with two outs, with Adley Rutschman extending the game by drawing a walk against New York closer Clay Holmes that loaded the bases. Ryan Mountcastle followed with an infield grounder that Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe bobbled for an error that let in a run and cut the lead to 5-4.
Mullins then drove a pitch over Verdugo's head to bring home Ryan O'Hearn and Rutschman with the tying and winning runs.
The Orioles had a chance to wrap up the game beforehand, but closer Craig Kimbrel walked the first two batters he faced after entering with his team up 3-2 to begin the top of the ninth. Rice then drilled a fastball over the wall in right center field to suddenly put the Yankees in front.
All-Star Anthony Santander went 2 for 4 and gave Baltimore a 3-2 edge with a solo homer off Tommy Kahnle in the bottom of the fifth. The Yankees had tied the game in the top of the inning on Trent Grisham's solo homer off Orioles' starter Dean Kremer.
Grisham finished 3 for 3 and also drove in the Yankees' first run with a second-inning single that plated Volpe, who had reached on a two-out double.
The Orioles went ahead in the third when James McCann drew a walk against New York starter Carlos Rodon and Gunnar Henderson followed with a two-run homer, the All-Star shortstop's 28th long ball of the season.
D'Arnaud's two homers help Braves' Sale earn 13th win
Travis d'Arnaud drove in four runs on a pair of homers to help Chris Sale to his MLB-leading 13th win in the Atlanta Braves' 6-3 victory over the San Diego Padres.
Sale yielded just one run and four hits over five innings to improve to 13-3 and send Atlanta into the All-Star break by taking two of three meetings from San Diego in the weekend series.
The All-Star hurler overcame some early trouble, as the Padres pushed home a run in the first inning on consecutive singles by Donovan Solano, Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts. Sale then proceeded to retire 13 of the final 16 batters he faced as the Braves eventually forged ahead.
Atlanta drew even in the fourth as Ozzie Albies singled off San Diego starter Randy Vasquez, stole second and scored on Matt Olson's single. The Braves went ahead an inning later when d'Arnaud walked, stole second and crossed the plate on an Adam Duvall single.
D'Arnaud extended the margin in the sixth with his first homer of the day, which came after Austin Riley and Marcell Ozuna reached via singles, with the three-run blast off Stephen Kolek increasing the lead to 5-1.
The Padres inched closer on Luis Campusano's pinch-hit, two-run homer off A.J. Minter in the seventh inning, but d'Anaud answered with a solo homer in the eighth before Raisel Iglesias retired the side in order in the ninth for his 22nd save of the season.
Vasquez (2-5) struck out five while allowing two runs over five innings.
A's slug eight home runs in 18-3 rout of Phillies
Lawrence Butler had three of the Oakland Athletics' eight home runs as the AL West's last place team earned a surprising series win over the National League-leading Philadelphia Phillies with Sunday's 18-3 rout.
Brent Rooker and Seth Brown each went deep twice as the Athletics tied a franchise record for homers in a single game, a mark set in an 18-2 win over the then-California Angels on June 27, 1996.
Butler drove in a total of six runs for Oakland, which also got a grand slam from Zach Gelof in the ninth inning with the Phillies using catcher Garrett Stubbs as a pitcher. Rooker knocked in five runs, Brown had three hits and three RBIs and JJ Bleday went 3 for 4 with four runs scored.
Philadelphia was dealt a second loss of the three-game series despite leading 1-0 after three innings, courtesy of All-Star Trea Turner's solo home run off Joey Estes in the first.
Estes (4-4) was solid the rest of the way as he allowed three runs - two earned - over six innings while well-supported by his team's power barrage.
Rooker followed a Bleday double with a homer off Michael Mercado (1-2) in the fourth to put the A's ahead, and Butler's two-run blast in the fifth extended the margin to 4-1.
Rooker had another two-run homer in the sixth, with Brown adding a solo shot during the inning to stake Oakland to a 7-1 advantage.
The Phillies put together a mild threat in their half of the sixth when a double by All-Star Alec Bohm put runners on second and third with one out. Bryson Stott followed with a sacrifice fly in which two runs scored on the play, as Bohm came in from second on a throwing error by Oakland left fielder Miguel Andujar.
It was all A's from that point on, though. Butler's two-run homer in the seventh increased the lead to 9-3, and Bleday tripled later in the inning and scored on Rooker's sac fly.
Brown delivered his second solo homer of the day in the eighth, and Butler had another two-run shot later in the frame to put Oakland up 13-3.
The A's scored five more times off Stubbs in the ninth on Brown's run-scoring single and Gelof's slam.
MLB: Ortiz, Cruz lead Pirates to 6th straight win
Luis Ortiz pitched seven scoreless innings and Oneil Cruz homered and drove in three runs as the Pittsburgh Pirates won their season-high sixth straight game, 4-1 over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night.
Ortiz allowed three hits in a season-high seven innings with two walks and two strikeouts.
Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in the eighth and David Bednar gave up Bryce Harper’s home run in the ninth.
The Pirates scored the game’s first runs with a pair in the sixth off All-Star Cristopher Sanchez.
Andrew McCutchen led off with a 431-foot home run and Bryan Reynolds singled before Connor Joe hit into a double play. Nick Gonzales then singled and came home on Cruz’s double off the wall in right.
Cruz extended the lead with a two-run blast – his 15th homer - in the eighth off Matt Strahm.
Pittsburgh (50-48) moved two games over .500 for the first time since late April and sent the major league-best Phillies to a season high-tying third straight loss.
Orioles back Rodriguez with three homers
Grayson Rodriguez struck out eight over six innings to become the first 12-game winner in the American League and was backed by three home runs in the Baltimore Orioles’ 8-4 win over the Texas Rangers.
Rodriguez (12-3) struck out the side in the sixth to end his night after 103 pitches. He allowed his only three hits and two runs in a four-batter span in the second before retiring 13 of the last 14 he faced.
Only Atlanta’s Chris Sale (13) has more wins in the majors than the second-year right-hander.
Jordan Westburg had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Ramon Urias added three hits and a pair of RBIs. Cedric Mullins and Ryan O’Hearn had solo shots for the Orioles, who won their third straight following five consecutive losses.
Mullins became the eighth Baltimore batter with 10 home runs.
The Orioles lead the majors with 156 home runs, 16 more than the second-place Yankees.
Max Scherzer lasted just two innings, giving up four runs and five hits with two walks.
Meyers, Diaz homer in Astros’ win
Jake Meyers hit a go-ahead two-run homer and Yainer Diaz also went deep to lead the Houston Astros to a 4-2 victory over the reeling Seattle Mariners.
Houston has won six of eight to take over sole possession of the AL West lead for the first time this season, while Seattle dropped its fifth straight and fell out of first for the first time since May 11.
Julio Rodriguez provided all the offence for the Mariners with a two-run homer in the sixth inning, but Seattle fell to 8-17 in its last 25 games.
After Framber Valdez gave up two runs on three hits in 5 2/3 innings, Houston’s bullpen held the Mariners hitless the rest of the way.
Bryan Abreu, Ryan Pressly and Josh Hader struck out five over the final three innings.
George Kirby limited the Astros to one run and four hits in six innings with six strikeouts and left with a 2-1 lead.
Ryne Stanek walked Jeremy Pena to open the seventh and Meyers drove a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right-center field for his 11th homer to give Houston a 3-2 lead.
Diaz’s homer in the eighth off Trent Thompson bounced off the top of the wall.
MLB: Astros shut out Mariners to tie for AL West lead
Hunter Brown and three relievers combined on a four-hitter and the Houston Astros moved into a tie for the AL West lead with a 3-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.
Yainer Diaz delivered the big blow with a two-run single and the Astros (51-46) won for the 18th time in 24 games. They trailed the Mariners by 10 games and were seven games under .500 on June 18.
Seattle, meanwhile, has stumbled to an 8-16 mark during that span and turned in a listless effort against a division rival coming out of the All-Star break that led to boos from the home fans after the final out.
Brown allowed four hits with three walks and five strikeouts to win for the sixth time in seven starts.
Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressly each worked a perfect inning and Josh Hader pitched the ninth for his 19th save.
Houston did all its scoring in the third against Luis Castillo.
Trey Cabbage doubled, then scored as Jose Altuve reached on a bunt single and a bad throw by Josh Rojas got away from first baseman Ty France. Alex Bregman was hit by a pitch and Yordan Alvarez walked to load the bases.
Diaz then jumped on Castillo’s first pitch for a two-run single and a 3-0 lead.
Pirates rally, walk-off Phillies
Nick Gonzales delivered a walk-off single and the surging Pittsburgh Pirates completed a rally from a three-run deficit for an 8-7 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Pittsburgh trailed 7-4 but pulled to within one in the seventh on an RBI infield single by Oneil Cruz and Rowdy Tellez’s sacrifice fly.
Jose Alvardo was called on to protect the slim lead in the ninth, but Connor Joe led off with a single and Andew McCutchen walked. After a double steal, Bryan Reynolds struck out and Cruz brought home the tying run on a fielder’s choice.
Gonzales then sent a first-pitch cutter through the left side of the infield to give the Pirates their fifth straight win and seventh in eight games.
Pittsburgh (49-48) moved over .500 for the first time since April 24.
Trea Turner homered and Weston Wilson had a career-high three hits, including his first home run of the season, for the major league-best Phillies, who lost their third in four games.
Freeman’s slam lifts Dodgers
Freddie Freeman drilled a grand slam in the eighth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ bullpen worked four scoreless innings in a 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox.
Nick Pivetta limited the Dodgers to two hits over six scoreless innings, but the Dodgers got to Boston’s bullpen in the eighth.
Miguel Vargas drew a leadoff walk against Zach Kelly and Chris Taylor struck out before Brennan Bernadino entered. He gave up a ground-rule double down the left-field line to Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Freeman followed by sending an 0-1 slider over the wall in right field for his 15th home run and seventh career grand slam.
Gavin Stone allowed one run and six hits over five innings before Anthony Banda, Alex Vesia and Ryan Yarbrough each pitched a scoreless frame. Daniel Hudson pitched the ninth for his fifth save.
All-Star MVP Jarren Duran homered for the Red Sox, who entered the break with 10 wins in 14 games.
MLB: Duran's home run lifts American League to All-Star win
Jarren Duran hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the fifth inning and the American League scored five unanswered runs to defeat the National League 5-3 in the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Arlington, Texas.
Shohei Ohtani staked the National League to a 3-0 lead with a three-run homer in the third inning off Tanner Houck, but the American League answered in the bottom half with three runs of its own.
Juan Soto doubled home a pair of runs and scored on pinch-hitter David Fry’s hit one out later.
Hunter Greene opened the bottom of the fifth by getting the first two outs, but Anthony Santander singled and Duran sent an 0-1 pitch 413 feet into the right-center field seats to give the AL a 5-3 lead.
Duran was named All-Star Game MVP.
Mason Miller struck out two in a perfect inning to earn the win and Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo and Kirby Yates each worked one scoreless inning before Emmanuel Clase fanned two in the ninth for the save.
Paul Skenes, 22, became the fifth rookie to start an All-Star Game and pitched a hitless first inning. His 11 big league games are the fewest for an All-Star.
The AL has won 10 of the last 11 All-Star Games and improved to 48-44-2 all-time in the Midsummer Classic.
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