Ceddanne Rafaela had an impressive performance on Thursday, securing four hits and driving in four runs to lead the visiting Boston Red Sox to a 14-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. This defeat marked the White Sox’s 14th consecutive loss, setting a new franchise record for the most losses in a single season.
Tanner Houck (6-5) held Chicago to two runs on three hits over seven innings without issuing any walks, striking out nine. Jarren Duran, Enmanuel Valdez, and Jamie Westbrook each hit home runs for Boston, which achieved a season-high of 24 hits. Duran, who recorded four hits in the win, began the game with a home run off Chicago’s Jake Woodford (0-2). Blue Jays 6, Orioles 5.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a three-run homer, Yusei Kikuchi pitched six solid innings, and Toronto held on to defeat Baltimore, concluding a 4-3 homestand. Ernie Clement drove in two runs, Justin Turner had two hits, and Daulton Varsho scored twice for the Blue Jays, who won the last two games of the four-game series. Kikuchi (3-5) allowed one run on four hits and one walk in six innings. Orioles left-hander Cade Povich (0-1) made his major league debut, giving up six runs on five hits and four walks while striking out two in 5 1/3 innings. Adley Rutschman hit two home runs for Baltimore, and Ryan O’Hearn added a two-run, pinch-hit homer. Yankees 8, Twins 5.
Trent Grisham, making a rare start, drove in three runs as the host New York Yankees extended their winning streak to a season-high eight games with a victory over Minnesota. The Yankees swept the three-game series but pulled Juan Soto from the game due to left forearm discomfort after a 56-minute rain delay between the fifth and sixth innings. Gleyber Torres hit a tiebreaking two-run double during New York’s three-run third inning. Marcus Stroman gave up five runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Carlos Correa hit a home run off Stroman in the first inning, and Christian Vazquez followed with a tying homer in the third. Minnesota’s starter Pablo Lopez (5-6) was hit hard, allowing seven runs on four hits and a career-high six walks in four innings. Royals 4, Guardians 3: Kyle Isbel delivered a two-out, tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, and five Kansas City relievers held host Cleveland hitless over the final 5 1/3 innings.
Relievers Will Smith, Angel Zerpa, Sam Long (1-1), John Schreiber, and James McArthur (12th save) shut down the AL Central-leading Guardians, allowing the Royals to split the brief two-game series. Vinnie Pasquantino and Hunter Renfroe each contributed two hits and an RBI as Kansas City secured its third win in 10 games. Jose Ramirez homered for Cleveland, but the team struggled, going 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and failing to capitalize on Kansas City’s 11 stranded baserunners.
**Dodgers 11, Pirates 7**: Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts each hit a three-run homer, leading visiting Los Angeles to a win over Pittsburgh and salvaging the final game of the three-game series. Teoscar Hernandez also homered for the Dodgers, and Miguel Rojas drove in two runs, both recording three-hit games. Reliever Michael Grove (3-2) earned the win, allowing one hit and striking out three over two scoreless innings. Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz hit a three-run homer into the Allegheny River in the eighth inning, cutting the Dodgers’ lead to 11-7. However, Alex Vesia struck out the side in the ninth to secure the win. Nick Gonzales hit a two-run homer, and Ke’Bryan Hayes had three hits for the Pirates.
**Rockies 3, Cardinals 2**: Michael Toglia drove in a run and made a crucial run-saving catch as visiting Colorado edged St. Louis, snapping a five-game losing streak. Rockies starter Cal Quantrill (5-4) shut out the Cardinals for five innings, allowing three hits and four walks. Tyler Kinley earned his third save. Cardinals starter Sonny Gray (7-4) gave up three runs on two hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings.
**Mariners 3, Athletics 0**: Bryan Woo pitched six shutout innings, and Mitch Garver homered and drove in two runs, leading visiting Seattle to a win in the third consecutive pitchers’ duel between the AL West rivals. Woo (3-0), an Oakland native, allowed just two hits and no walks in his fourth scoreless outing out of six starts this season, lowering his ERA to 1.07—a Mariners record for the best ERA in the first six starts of a season. A’s starter JP Sears (4-5) was also strong, limiting Seattle to two runs and three hits in six innings.
**Reds 8, Cubs 4**: Elly De La Cruz celebrated the first anniversary of his major league debut with a three-run homer, helping Cincinnati defeat visiting Chicago. Will Benson and Jonathan India each drove in two runs for the Reds, who extended their winning streak to a season-best five games. Benson and Tyler Stephenson each had two hits. Seiya Suzuki and Christopher Morel hit two-run homers for the Cubs, who have lost 10 of their last 14 games.
**Braves 5, Nationals 2**: Marcell Ozuna hit a two-run homer to cap a three-run eighth inning, lifting Atlanta to a comeback win over host Washington. Adam Duvall also homered for the Braves, who have won three of their last four games. Ozzie Albies doubled off Hunter Harvey (2-2) in the eighth, and Austin Riley followed with an RBI single for a 3-2 lead. Ozuna then hit his 18th home run of the season. Aaron Bummer (2-2) earned the win with one inning of relief, and Raisel Iglesias secured his 16th save. CJ Abrams and Lane Thomas hit back-to-back homers for the Nationals, who have lost four straight. Abrams had been 1-for-21 over his previous five games.
**Diamondbacks 4, Padres 3**: Ketel Marte’s two-out RBI single in the seventh inning broke a tie, lifting visiting Arizona over slumping San Diego. Corbin Carroll doubled off reliever Jeremiah Estrada (2-1) before Marte’s decisive hit, giving Arizona its fifth win in six games. Kevin Ginkel (5-1) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win, and Paul Sewald earned his seventh save. San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. had a three-hit game, extending his hitting streak to 12 games, but it wasn’t enough to avoid the Padres’ fifth consecutive loss.
