MLB Roundup: Yankees get a strong performance from Gerrit Cole to beat the Phillies 4-2

Gerrit Cole was relieved to navigate the Philadelphia lineup unscathed when he walked off the mound in the seventh inning after a pitch clock violation resulted in a walk.

“The Phillies are great. The lineup is a joke, they are so good,” he said.

There is little laughter at the NL champions who are facing their home opener. Philadelphia was held to two points or less for the third time in four games, with Aaron Nola losing 4–2 to Cole and the Yankees on Wednesday in a major game between leading pitchers.

Philadelphia fell to 1-5 for the first time since 2007.

Cole was removed with one out in the seventh after shaking off catcher Jose Trevino with a full count off Nick Castellanos, resulting in Cole’s first clock violation. Reliever Jonathan Loáisiga gave up a single to Bryson Stott on his first pitch and hit Alec Bohm with his second to load the bases, and Jake Cave’s sac-fly narrowed the deficit to 2-1.

Aaron Judge, right, celebrates with second baseman DJ LeMahieu at the end of the game

Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott (5) tags out Yankees’ Gleyber Torres

Jose Trevino hit a two-run homer in the bottom half off Gregory Soto, and Kyle Schwarber had a solo shot against Loáisiga in the eighth, his second in two days.

Gleyber Torres had three hits, including RBI hits in the first and sixth innings, and two stolen bases. He hits .421 with six RBIs and five steals for the Yankees, who took two of three from both San Francisco and the Phillies.

“He’s fearless on the base paths and instinctive,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “Just very patient, under-controlled at bats. He is capable of that.’

After six scoreless innings against San Francisco in the opener, Cole (2-0) threw a shutout ball in the seventh inning. T

The 32-year old righthander gave up three hits in 6 1/3 innings, struckout eight batters and walked three batters. He also struck out speedy Trea Turner at first base for the final out of the third.

Rays 7, Nationals 2

Wander Franco and Harold Ramirez had two hits each, including a home run, and the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Washington Nationals 7-2 on Wednesday.

The Rays improved to 6-0 and extended the best start in franchise history. They have the best start of any team since Baltimore opened 7-0 in 2016.

Taylor Walls and Randy Arozarena each had two hits for Tampa Bay, which defeated opponents 44-13.

Shane McClanahan (2-0) gave up two runs on five hits and four walks in six innings, leading to at least one baserunner in every inning except the sixth. He knocked out six.

“There’s something really nice about it when you settle in and sail a little bit, but it’s not as fun as the one where you really have to earn it,” McClanahan said.

“I had to fight and it was a fistfight and kudos to these guys in this locker room for standing behind me and fighting with me.”

Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Taylor Walls tags out Alex Call of Washington Nationals

Angels 4, Sailors 3

Shohei Ohtani held Seattle to one run in six innings and drove in a run at the plate to help the Los Angeles Angels win 4-3 against the Mariners on Wednesday.

Ohtani (1-0) held the Mariners scoreless after allowing a run in a bumpy first inning. He ended his day with three hits and four walks while striking out eight batters.

He also drove in Taylor Ward with a single in the top of the seventh against Mariners reliever Andrés Muñoz to give the Angels a 4–1 lead.

Shohei Ohtani smiles as he returns to the dugout after the seventh inning against Seattle

Brewers 7, Mets 6

Garrett Mitchell connected on a 3-2 cutter from Adam Ottavino (0-1) for his third homer in his past two games as the Brewers defeated the New York Mets 7-6 on Wednesday.

Milwaukee’s Devin Williams (1-0) retired the side in the top of the ninth.

The Mets lost despite breaking out of the hitting slump that had started them Wednesday with 20 consecutive scoreless innings. Pete Alonso hit a pair of two-run homers off Corbin Burnes and Francisco Lindor went 3-of-4 with two doubles and two RBIs for the Mets.

Milwaukee Brewers’ Garrett Mitchell is congratulated after hitting the game-winning home run

Astros 8, Tigers 2

Chas McCormick, Kyle Tucker and Jeremy Peña all homered and combined for six RBIs to help the Houston Astros complete a three-game slip with an 8-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday.

McCormick hit a two-run home run in the second off Eduardo Rodriguez (0-2) and doubled in the fourth.

Tucker homered for a second straight game with his solo home run in the fourth to help the Astros avoid a three-game sweep. Tucker added an RBI double in a two-run seventh as Houston moved into the lead.

Astros right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) collects high-fives in the dugout after hitting a home run

Braves 5, Cardinals 2

Matt Olson homered and batted in three, and the Atlanta Braves completed a three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2 on Wednesday.

Bryce Elder, who was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday, threw six strong innings, giving up two hits, striking out six and walking three. Jesse Chavez retired the lone batter in a row to earn his first save of the season.

The Braves won for the fifth time in their first six games, while St. Louis lost three in a row.

Braves midfielder Michael Harris II (23) loses his goggles when he catches a flying ball

Pirates 4, Red Sox 1

Mitch Keller struck out seven, Carlos Santana homered and Bryan Reynolds batted in his seventh run of the season as the Pittsburgh Pirates completed a three-game sweep of the Red Sox with a 4-1 victory on Wednesday.

Ke’Bryan Hayes drove in a run with a perfectly placed bunt in the sixth and Santana added an RBI double during a two-run seventh that gave the Pirates a 4–0 lead.

It was the Pirates’ first road sweep of an American League opponent since Pittsburgh won three in Detroit in 2018.

Mitch Keller of Pittsburgh Pirates struckout seven batters when the Pirates defeated the Red Sox on Wednesday

Guardians 6, Athletics 4

Andrés Giménez scored on pinch-hitter Will Brennan’s groundout for the go-ahead run in the 10th inning, Steven Kwan followed with an RBI single and the Guardians held off the Oakland Athletics 6-4 on Wednesday.

Two innings after the A’s scored four runs in the eighth to tie the score on Jesús Aguilar’s two-out, three-run homer, the Guardians recovered to win in extra innings for their second straight win in the series to end the season to start.

Giménez led off the inning at second base and Myles Straw walked Zach Jackson (0-1). After Giménez advanced to third on a wild pitch, Brennan lined out 3-2 to shortstop Nick Allen, who threw to first for the out as Giménez crossed home plate.

Cleveland Guardians’ Steven Kwan watches his RBI single during the 10th inning vs. Oakland

White Sox 7, Giants 3

Dylan Cease was battling cold symptoms and control issues, and Tim Anderson was ejected for the first time this season after thinking he pitched quickly.

On strike five innings into his first win, Anderson was ejected and Chicago beat the San Francisco Giants 7-3 on Wednesday.

Louis Robert Jr. had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run. Gavin Sheets added three RBI’s.

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease throws during the first inning vs. the Giants

Marlins 5, Twins 2

Bryan De La Cruz hit a go-ahead single in the eighth, Jorge Soler homered twice and Luzardo fanned 10 to lift the Miami Marlins 5-2 over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday.

Jean Segura and Jon Berti hit back-to-back one-out singles against reliever Griffin Jax (0-1) in the eighth before De La Cruz’s RBI single scored against Caleb Thielbar Segura to break a 1-1 tie.

Miami’s star midfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. had a lead-off single, but left in the first inning with a sting in his right shoulder after being caught stealing second place.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. on Wednesday was injured trying to steal second base in the first inning

Rangers 5, Orioles 2

Josh Jung hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the sixth off reliever Austin Voth (0-1) and the Rangers won 5-2 against the Orioles on Wednesday.

Two-time National League Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom, who signed a five-year, $185 million contract with Texas after nine seasons with the New York Mets, earned his first AL win.

Rodriguez struckout five and walked one while giving up four hits in five innings. He threw 53 of his 83 pitches for strikes.

Josh Jung hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the sixth off Orioles reliever Austin Voth