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Astros’ Javier, 2 relievers combine to no-hit Yankees

Jun 25, 2022 | 7:55 PM

NEW YORK (AP) — Cristian Javier, Héctor Neris and Ryan Pressly combined on the first no-hitter against the New York Yankees in 19 years, shutting down the best team in baseball and pitching the Houston Astros to a 3-0 victory on Saturday.

Javier (5-3), a 25-year-old right-hander without a complete game in 84 professional starts, was clearly tired when manager Dusty Baker brought in a reliever to start the eighth. Javier set career highs for strikeouts (13) and pitches (115), and he matched his longest start with seven innings.

Pressly, who gave up a tying three-run homer to Aaron Hicks in a 7-6 loss Thursday night, retired three straight batters in the ninth for his 15th save in 18 chances.

After Giancarlo Stanton hit into a game-ending groundout, the Astros walked onto the field and gathered near the mound for a brief celebration. Houston was also the previous team to no-hit New York, when six pitchers combined for one at the old Yankee Stadium on June 11, 2003.

Rookie J.J. Matijevic gave Javier a lead in the seventh when he hit his second big league homer, driving a fastball from Gerrit Cole (6-2) into the right-field second deck. Jose Altuve homered into the left-field second deck in the eighth against Michael King, and pinch-hitter Yuli Gurriel added an RBI single off Lucas Luetge in the ninth.

RED SOX 4, GUARDIANS 2

CLEVELAND (AP) — Alex Verdugo hit a three-run homer, Jarren Duran had four hits and an RBI, and Boston won its sixth straight.

Verdugo’s two-out rocket to right off Shane Bieber (3-4) gave Boston a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning. Duran added an RBI single in the ninth off Enyel De Los Santos.

The scorching Red Sox moved a season-high 10 games over .500 and are 18-4 this month. Boston owns the second-best record in baseball since May 10 at 31-12, yet they remain 11 games back of the AL East-leading New York Yankees.

Right-hander Josh Winckowski (3-1) went 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs, to win for the third time in three June starts. The Toledo, Ohio, native made his big league debut May 28 against Baltimore and was pitching for the first time in his home state.

METS 5, MARLINS 3

MIAMI (AP) — Pete Alonso hit two leadoff homers, including a go-ahead shot in the eighth inning, and New York beat Miami.

Alonso’s home run over the left-center field wall against Miami reliever Jimmy Yacabonis (0-1) snapped a 3-3 tie. It was Alonso’s NL-leading 22nd homer of the season and 14th multi-homer game of his career

Brandon Nimmo’s third hit, an RBI double in the ninth, increased the Mets’ lead. Francisco Lindor doubled and singled and Starling Marte had two hits for the NL East leaders.

New York starter Chris Bassitt pitched seven strong innings. Bassitt (6-5) allowed three runs and six hits while striking out five. Seth Lugo pitched a perfect eighth and Edwin Díaz struck out the three batters he faced in the ninth for his 16th save.

BREWERS 5, BLUE JAYS 4

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Corbin Burnes pitched into the eighth inning, Andrew McCutchen and Mike Brosseau homered, and Milwaukee beat Toronto.

In his first career start against Toronto, Burnes (6-4) allowed home runs to Matt Chapman and Bo Bichette and an RBI groundout by Cavan Biggio. He struck nine and walked two, then turned over a 5-3 lead with runners at first and second and two outs in the eighth to Devin Williams, who fanned Alejandro Kirk.

Chapman doubled with two outs and scored on a base hit by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. off Josh Hader, but the closer escaped with his 22nd save when Gabriel Moreno grounded out to first.

Blue Jays starter Yusei Kikuchi (2-4) allowed five runs, two earned, on six hits with five strikeouts, a walk, a wild pitch and a hit batter. He slipped to 1-3 in his last seven starts.

CARDINALS 5, CUBS 3

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Iván Herrera hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning for his first career RBI and St. Louis beat Chicago.

Juan Yepez lined a one-out double to the left field wall off Cubs reliever Mark Leiter Jr. (1-2) in the eighth, and pinch-runner Edmundo Sosa advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring the go-ahead run on Herrera’s fly.

Harrison Bader advanced to second on Herrera’s out and scored on Tommy Edman’s single to right field to extend the lead to 5-3.

Ryan Helsley (3-0) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 0.31.

RAYS 6, PIRATES 5

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Isaac Paredes hit a solo homer in the eighth inning and a two-run single with two outs in the ninth, sending Tampa Bay to a 6-5 victory over Pittsburgh.

Ji-Man Choi and Vidal Bruján reached on two-out walks before Jonathan Aranda’s pinch-hit single loaded the bases against David Bednar (3-2). Paredes then hit an opposite-field liner to right for his game-ending single.

Ralph Garza Jr. (1-2) worked two scoreless innings for the win in Tampa Bay’s fourth straight one-run game. It also was a Rays-record 11th consecutive game decided by two or fewer runs.

Jack Suwinski hit a three-run homer for the Pirates.

ORIOLES 6, WHITE SOX 2

CHICAGO (AP) — Jorge Mateo homered and doubled to lead give Baltimore its first four-game winning streak this season.

Lance Lynn (1-1) retired eight straight batters before Mateo lifted a solo homer just over the left-center fence to put Baltimore ahead in the third.

Spenser Watkins (1-1) gave up five hits and no earned runs to get his third win in 19 career starts. He fanned four and walked one in five innings.

Baltimore has won eight of 10. Chicago has lost four in a row at home.

RANGERS 3, NATIONALS 2

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Adolis García homered leading off the bottom of the ninth inning, giving Texas a victory over Washington.

The Cuban slugger matched Corey Seager for the team lead with 15 homers when he drilled a 2-2 slider from reliever Kyle Finnegan (2-2) into Washington’s bullpen.

Nelson Cruz hit a tying two-run homer for the Nationals against for his former team in the sixth inning after Nathaniel Lowe had given Texas the lead with a two-run shot in the second.

Joe Barlow (3-1), the only right-hander to pitch on a bullpen day for Texas, finished the ninth with a strikeout of Victor Robles.

ATHLETICS 9, ROYALS 7

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tony Kemp hit a two-run homer, Seth Brown and Sean Murphy combined for four RBIs, and Oakland beat Kansas City.

The A’s tied a season high with 14 hits. Oakland had the leadoff man reach base in six innings. Four of the six were leadoff doubles, and all came around to score.

Jared Koenig allowed three runs off five hits in 4 2/3 innings and struck out a career-high four with three walks. The Oakland bullpen of Zach Puk, Zach Jackson (2-2), Sam Moll and Lou Trivino surrendered four runs. Trivino earned his third save with a scoreless ninth and completed two scoreless innings.

Brad Keller (2-9) gave up five runs, four earned, on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and two walks. Michael A. Taylor and Bobby Witt Jr. homered for Kansas City.

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