PITTSBURGH — Pinch-hitter Chris Carter drilled a three-run home run in the eighth inning off reliever Felipe Rivero to lift the New York Yankees to an 11-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.
Carter sent the first pitch he saw from Rivero (1-1) into the bullpen beyond the center field fence for his first home run with the Yankees. Starlin Castro added a threerun shot of his own and Aaron Judge hit his team-high sixth home run for New York. Ronald Torreyes had four hits and two RBI.
Dellin Betances (2-1) earned the victory in relief.
Andrew McCutchen hit his third home run and had a sacrifice fly for Pittsburgh. David Freese added a home run, but the Pirates fell apart late.
Austin Romine reached on a two-out error by Pittsburgh second baseman Adam Frazier before Torreyes singled. Carter, co-leader in the National League last season with 41 home runs for Milwaukee, then pounced on an 86-mph changeup from Rivero.
A misplayed fly ball by McCutchen and left fielder Gregory Polanco allowed Jacoby Ellsbury to race to third base. Ellsbury scored on a wild pitch, and Aaron Hicks and Chase Headley hit back-to-back doubles to cap the five-run outburst.
All five runs were unearned. The Pirates have allowed a major leaguehigh 15 unearned runs this season.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
TIGERS 5, TWINS 4 Minnesota slugger Miguel Sano punched Detroit catcher James Mc-Cann (Arkansas Razorbacks) in the mask during a bench-clearing scrap in the fifth inning of the Tigers’ victory over the Twins.
ATHLETICS 4, MARINERS 3 Adam Rosales and Ryon Healy each homered in the first inning, Jharel Cotton pitched six innings of tworun ball and Oakland beat Seattle.
RAYS 6, ASTROS 3 Tim Beckham’s third consecutive hit came during a four-run sixth inning that helped carry Tampa Bay to a victory over AL-West leading Houston.
ORIOLES 4, RED SOX 2 Trey Mancini and Jonathan Schoop homered in succession off knuckleballer Steven Wright, Jayson Aquino won his first big league start and Baltimore beat Boston for its fourth consecutive victory.
INDIANS 7, WHITE SOX 0 Carlos Carrasco (2-1) pitched eight innings of three-hit ball, helping Cleveland shut out Chicago for the second consecutive night.
RANGERS 2, ROYALS 1 Elvis Andrus delivered an RBI single with one out in the ninth inning and Texas beat Kansas City. Rougned Odor led off the ninth with a sharp single off Bryant native Travis Wood (0-2), who didn’t face another batter before Peter Moylan took over. After Odor stole second base, Andrus hit a sharp single to left field. ANGELS 5, BLUE JAYS 4 Andrelton Simmons hit a tiebreaking grand slam, Tyler Skaggs pitched into the eighth inning and Los Angeles held off slumping Toronto.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CUBS 12, REDS 8 Willson Contreras hit his first career grand slam and Anthony Rizzo and Jason Heyward added three-run shots, powering Chicago to a victory over Cincinnati.
NATIONALS 3, METS 1 Gio Gonzalez (2-0) pitched no-hit ball into the sixth inning to win again at Citi Field and Washington beat New York. PHILLIES 4, BRAVES 3 (10) Maikel Franco hit a two-run single in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Philadelphia a victory over Atlanta. CARDINALS 4, BREWERS 1 Aledmys Diaz hit a go-ahead pinch-home run in the seventh inning as St. Louis beat Milwaukee.
DIAMONDBACKS 11, DODGERS 5 Yasmany Tomas homered twice and David Peralta hit a team-record four doubles, leading Arizona to a victory over Los Angeles.
ROCKIES 12, GIANTS 3 Antonio Senzatela got his third victory in four major league starts, Trevor Story homered for the second consecutive night and Colorado beat San Francisco.
MARLINS 6, PADRES 3 (11) Dee Gordon scored on his own swinging bunt in a crazy play during the 11th inning, Giancarlo Stanton homered twice and Miami beat San Diego.
Sports on 04/23/2017