Phoenix, United States: St Louis produced four double plays in pulling off a 5-3 win at Arizona on Monday, retaining a 3-1/2 game lead in the race for top spot in the National League Central Division.
The Cardinals maintained the gap over Pittsburgh, who beat Miami, with the Chicago Cubs a further three games back after a narrow win against Cleveland. The three NL Central rivals are the top three teams in the overall NL standings.
The New York Yankees moved into a tie for top spot in the American League East by scoring the sole run of the game in the ninth inning against Houston, while Kansas City stretched their huge lead atop the AL Central by beating Baltimore.
St Louis’ Lance Lynn (10-8) pitched six effective innings, allowing two runs. He induced three straight inning-ending double plays, including with the bases loaded in the fourth and fifth. Arizona also failed to capitalise after loading the bases in the seventh.
The Cardinals broke open the game with a three-run seventh inning, with Yadier Molina diving in two with a single.
St Louis have won 10 of their past 11 meetings with the Diamondbacks.
New York’s Carlos Beltran hit a game-ending sacrifice fly after Houston closer Oliver Perez walked the bases loaded, giving the Yankees a 1-0 win.
Perez (0-1) entered in the ninth and gave New York fans a reminder of his volatile five seasons with the crosstown Mets. He issued three walks - and threw a wild pitch - to load the bases and was removed.
Beltran then drove Chad Qualls’ first pitch to deep center field to bring in the winning run.
Kansas City’s Omar Infante led a seven-run charge in the sixth inning to lift the Royals to an 8-3 win against Baltimore.
Infante followed a tying, two-run homer by Mike Moustakas in the sixth with a two-run triple, then scampered home when the throw to third base skittered away. Lorenzo Cain drove in two more later in the inning.
Royals’ starter Kris Medlen (2-0) lasted six innings in his first start in almost two years, having made seven bullpen appearances since undergoing Tommy John surgery. He allowed five hits while striking out six without a walk.
Chicago’s Kris Bryant homered with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the surging Cubs to a 2-1 victory over Cleveland.
The rookie, who had homered twice Sunday, lined a pitch from Cleveland reliever Zach McAllister (3-4) into the right-field bleachers to give Chicago its 21st victory in 26 games.
The Indians had tied the game with two outs in the top of the ninth before the Cubs’ response.
Pittsburgh’s J.A. Happ pitched six scoreless innings, extending a streak of strong starts for the Pirates, in a 5-2 win over Miami.
Pittsburgh starters have thrown 19 1-3 consecutive scoreless innings, and Happ (2-1) has allowed one earned run in his past 17 1-3 innings.
The Pirates won for the sixth time in seven games to climb a season-high 27 games above .500. They have won five consecutive road games and they’re 4-0 this year against Miami.
The New York Mets set franchise records for home runs — eight — and extra-base hits — 15 — in a 16-7 win against Philadelphia, who also hit three homers to make a combined total of 11 between the two teams, equalling an NL record.
