New York: Daniel Murphy drove in two runs with a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning as the New York Mets came back for a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Monday.
The Mets wasted three-run leads in two straight losses to Tampa Bay last weekend, then went ahead against Colorado on Travis d’Arnaud’s first homer since June 20. It was the only hit for the NL East leaders off Jon Gray, the hard-throwing right-hander making his second major league start.
Carlos Gonzalez hit a two-run shot in the fourth off Jonathon Niese (7-9). It was Gonzalez’s 13th homer since the All-Star break.
The Mets loaded the bases against Justin Miller (1-1) in the seventh after Gray, the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2013, was pulled after 75 pitches. Miller gave up a single to D’Arnaud, walked Michael Conforto and Ruben Tejada. Boone Logan entered and hit Curtis Granderson with a full-count pitch to level it.
Murphy then grounded a single past diving shortstop Jose Reyes for a 4-2 lead.
Kansas City pitcher Johnny Cueto threw a four-hitter in his home debut to help the Royals complete a 4-0 shutout of the Detroit Tigers.
Cueto (1-1) did not allow a runner past second base, struck out eight and walked none. It was his sixth career shutout and second this season. Cueto was acquired from Cincinnati on July 26 for three pitching prospects.
In Chicago, Chris Sale allowed two runs and five hits in 7 1-3 innings and Avisail Garcia homered twice to drive in four runs as the White Sox downed the Los Angeles Angels 8-2.
Tyler Flowers added a solo shot to back Sale (10-7), who didn’t allow more than one baserunner in an inning until Johnny Giavotella drove in two runs with a double in the seventh.
Angels starter Matt Shoemaker (5-8) had thrown 19 consecutive scoreless innings before Melky Cabrera’s sacrifice fly put Chicago ahead 1-0 in the first inning.
The Arizona Diamondbacks trounced the Philadelphia Phillies 13-3 after Welington Castillo equaled a career high with four RBIs, and Yasmany Tomas and A.J. Pollock bot hit home runs.
Arizona scored three runs in the fifth to break a 2-2 tie, highlighted by Castillo’s solo shot with two outs. Castillo has eight home runs and 14 RBIs in his last 12 games.
Castillo went deep to centre in the fifth for his 15th home run and a 5-2 lead.
In other games, Gio Gonzalez scattered seven hits over eight scoreless innings and Ian Desmond hit two homers as the Washington Nationals kicked off a 10-game trip with an 8-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chris Davis hit a go-ahead single and his 30th home run for the Baltimore Orioles in a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners and Justin Upton hit a two-run homer as the San Diego Padres were 2-1 winners over the Cincinnati Reds.
