YANKEES 4, REDS 3
NEW YORK -- Jacoby Ellsbury hit a two-run home run, and David Phelps pitched the Yankees to a fast start in the second half, leading New York to a 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.
Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran had two-out RBI for the Yankees, who began a 10-game homestand by winning the opener of an interleague series against a National League contender. New York, with a major league-high 40 home games after the All-Star break, improved to 19-23 at Yankee Stadium.
Dellin Betances struck out three in 1 2/3 perfect innings, and David Robertson got three outs for his 24th save in 26 chances.
Phelps (4-4) gave up three runs -- two earned -- and six hits in 6 1/3 innings against a lineup missing injured thumpers Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips. The right-hander struck out seven and walked one for his first victory since June 19 against Toronto, which preceded four consecutive no-decisions.
Brayan Pena, subbing for Votto at first base, homered twice for the Reds. Mike Leake (7-8) allowed four runs and eight hits in seven innings.
With the score tied 2-all, Derek Jeter singled to start the fifth, and Ellsbury lined a 1-1 pitch to the short porch in right field for his seventh home run.
Brett Gardner was hit on the left foot by Leake's third pitch. Shaken up a bit, he was checked by manager Joe Girardi and a trainer before remaining in the game.
Gardner stole second and scored on McCann's two-out double.
Jeter's leadoff single in the third deflected off third baseman Todd Frazier. Ellsbury also singled before Beltran, just activated from the seven-day concussion list, came through with a two-out single.
Pena connected off Phelps to start the third and seventh for his first career multi-home run game.
Cincinnati tied it at 2 in the fourth, capitalizing on errors by Brian Roberts at second base and Jeter at shortstop. Devin Mesoraco had an RBI grounder, but Phelps prevented further damage.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
BREWERS 4, NATIONALS 2 Scooter Gennett and Khris Davis homered and Kyle Lohse pitched seven strong innings to help Milwaukee beat host Washington in a meeting of division leaders.
GIANTS 9, MARLINS 1 Pablo Sandoval hit a three-run home run off one of his favorite foils, and visiting San Francisco beat slumping Miami. All-Star Madison Bumgarner (11-7) allowed one run in six innings.
BRAVES 6, PHILLIES 4 Jason Heyward homered and drove in two runs, Andrelton Simmons had two RBI, and host Atlanta won its third consecutive game with a victory over Philadelphia.
PIRATES 4, ROCKIES 2 Travis Snider's pinch-hit double in the eighth scored Neil Walker to spark Pittsburgh to a victory over visiting Colorado. Tony Watson (6-1) picked up the win with a scoreless eighth inning.
CARDINALS 3, DODGERS 2 Matt Holliday homered and doubled with three RBI, and Lance Lynn won his third consecutive start for host St. Louis in a victory over Los Angeles.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
RANGERS 5, BLUE JAYS 1 J.P. Arencibia hit a three-run home run against his former team and Yu Darvish matched his season high with 12 strikeouts as visiting Texas beat Toronto. Arencibia was booed by the crowd before each of his at-bats, but silenced his detractors with a first-pitch home run off R.A. Dickey (7-10) in the seventh, his second.
INDIANS 9, TIGERS 3 Jason Kipnis hit a tiebreaking, three-run home run and Asdrubal Cabrera sent the next pitch over the right-field fence to cap a seven-run seventh inning and help Cleveland beat host Detroit.
RED SOX 5, ROYALS 4 Jonny Gomes hit a go-ahead two-run pinch home run in the sixth after another two-run shot in the inning by Xander Bogaerts and Boston beat visiting Kansas City.
WHITE SOX 3, ASTROS 2 Slump-ridden Tyler Flowers drove in the go-ahead run with a seventh-inning double, and four Chicago pitchers retired the final 22 batters to lift host Chicago to a victory over Houston.
RAYS 6, TWINS 2 Ben Zobrist homered and Evan Longoria had three RBI to lead visiting Tampa Bay to a victory over Minnesota. Alex Cobb (5-6) allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings as the Rays continue to play themselves back into contention.
Sports on 07/19/2014