Masataka Yoshida hit a game-tying, two-run home run with two outs in the ninth, Ceddane Rafaela went deep to open the 10th inning and the Boston Red Sox rallied from a 3-0 deficit to stun the New York Yankees 5-3 on Friday.
The Boston victory kept the two AL East rivals on their recent paths, with the Red Sox winning 15 of their last 20 games and the Yankees falling to 3-12 in their last 15.
New York’s Clay Holmes was one out away from a save in the ninth before pinch-hitter Dominic Smith singled. Yoshida fought back from an 0-2 hole before driving a full-count pitch over Yankee Stadium’s famous right field wall.
Tommy Kahle pitched the 10th for the Yankees, with Rafaela taking him deep on his second pitch and driving in automatic runner David Hamilton.
The bullpen collapse spoilt a strong start from Nestor Cortes, who allowed three hits and one run in six innings with eight strikeouts.
New York’s big bats remained mostly quiet, with AL MVP favourite Aaron Judge going 0 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Dodgers C Smith bashes trio of homers in win
Will Smith went deep three times, including a game-tying shot in the 7th inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-5 in a matchup of NL division leaders.
Smith, who walked in his other two plate appearances, became just the fourth Dodgers catcher to hit three home runs in a game, joining Yasmani Grandal (2016), Mike Piazza (1996) and Roy Campanella (1950).
On a night when Shohei Ohtani went 0 for 5, the Los Angeles offence was powered by Smith and Miguel Vargas, who was 2 for 3 with a walk and a two-run home run. Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez had clutch RBIs in the eighth to give the Dodgers the late lead.
Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow cruised through the first three innings but gave up two singles and two walks in the fourth before Rhys Hoskins put the Brewers ahead with a grand slam.
Glasnow allowed three hits and five runs over six innings in the no-decision.
Pirates’ 7 HRs back Skenes in blowout of Mets
Rookie sensation Paul Skenes threw seven strong innings, and the Pittsburgh Pirates tied a club record by hitting seven home runs in a 14-2 rout of the New York Mets.
Skenes, last year’s No. 1 overall draft pick, continued the dominant start to his career. The 6-foot-6 flamethrower improved to 5-0 after allowing four hits and two runs over seven innings while striking out eight.
Bryan Reynold and Rowdy Tellez each had two home runs, including a grand slam each, as the pair combined for 11 RBIs.
Jack Suwinski, Yasmani Grandal and Michael A. Taylor also went yard for the Pirates in front of a sell-out crowd at PNC Park.
The Mets’ Luis Severino was tagged for seven runs in six innings, while Ty Adcock gave up six runs in 1 2/3 innings as the Mets lost their third straight game.