Twins 5, Brewers 3
MINNEAPOLIS -- Devin Smeltzer added another chapter to his inspiring comeback story, pitching six shutout innings in his big league debut and helping the Minnesota Twins beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-3 Tuesday night.
Diagnosed with a grapefruit-sized cancerous tumor against his bladder when he was just 9 years old, Smeltzer wasn't deterred in his goal to reach the majors. The 23-year-old got his chance this week after the Twins put pitcher Michael Pineda on the injured list with right knee tendinitis.
Smeltzer allowed three hits, walked none and struck out seven. Showing a funky, three-quarter style delivery, the lanky left-hander threw 69 pitches, 53 for strikes.
Smeltzer left with the game scoreless and got a no-decision.
In nine combined starts at Class AA Pensacola, Fla., and Class AAA Rochester, N.Y., Smeltzer was 3-2 with a 1.15 ERA. Facing the Brewers, he retired his final eight Brewers, striking out Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich to end the sixth.
Smeltzer danced around damage in the second, third and fourth innings when, with a runner on base, the final out each inning was a catch on the warning track.
The Twins got Smeltzer last July in a trade that sent second baseman Brian Dozier to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Smeltzer is the fourth Twins starter in team history to throw at least six shutout innings in his major league debut. Andrew Albers, Anthony Swarzak and Eric Milton are the others.
Eddie Rosario homered and Max Kepler added a two-run double for Minnesota, which has won 12 of 14 and has the best record in the majors.
PADRES 5, YANKEES 4 Eric Hosmer hit a three-run home run during a big first inning against Masahiro Tanaka and visiting San Diego survived a three-run rally in the seventh inning to earn a victory over New York.
ASTROS 9, CUBS 6 Alex Bregman hit two home runs, his second a tiebreaking two-run shot in the sixth inning that propelled injury-weakened Houston over visiting Chicago in a victory that gave Manager AJ Hinch his 500th career victory.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
NATIONALS 5, BRAVES 4 Stephen Strasburg matched his season high with 11 strikeouts in seven innings and Washington took the lead on three consecutive walks to beat host Atlanta.
PHILLIES 4, CARDINALS 3 Cesar Hernandez hit a go-ahead two-run home run, Nick Pivetta threw five tough innings and visiting Philadelphia beat slumping St. Louis.
REDS 11, PIRATES 6 Derek Dietrich hit three home runs -- all two-run shots -- to lift host Cincinnati over Pittsburgh. Dietrich connected in the fourth off Jordan Lyles (5-2), who left after the inning with discomfort in his left hamstring. Dietrich then connected off Geoff Hartlieb in the fifth and again in the seventh for his first three-homer game.
ROCKIES 6, DIAMONDBACKS 2 Chris Iannetta hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning to send Colorado past visiting Arizona. Jairo Diaz (1-0) earned his first career victory and Chad Bettis earned his first-ever save by throwing two scoreless innings.
MARLINS 11, GIANTS 3 Jorge Alfaro and Garrett Cooper hit Miami's first three-run home runs of the season and sent visiting San Francisco to its sixth consecutive loss.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
TIGERS 3, ORIOLES 0 Matthew Boyd took a five-hitter into the seventh inning, Niko Goodrum hit a home run and visiting Detroit interrupted a prolonged slump by defeating Baltimore.
RAYS 3, BLUE JAYS 1 Austin Meadows hit a home run for the third consecutive game and five Tampa Bay pitchers combined to throw a six-hitter to beat visiting Toronto.
WHITE SOX 2-4, ROYALS 1-3 Lucas Giolito struck out 10 while winning his fifth consecutive start as host Chicago posted two victories over Kansas City. Hours after Yolmer Sanchez hit an RBI single in the ninth inning to give the White Sox a victory in the resumption of a suspended game, Giolito (7-1) gave up a three-run home run to Alex Gordon in the first inning but allowed only 3 hits over 8 innings to improve to 6-0 in his past 8 starts.
INDIANS 7, RED SOX 5 Roberto Perez and Greg Allen hit home runs for visiting Cleveland during a five-run ninth inning as the Indians rallied to beat Boston.
Tuesday’s games
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cincinnati 11, Pittsburgh 6
Philadelphia 4, St. Louis 3
Miami 11, San Francisco 3
Washington 5, Atlanta 4
Colorado 6, Arizona 2
NY Mets at LA Dodgers, (n)
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Chicago White Sox 2-4, Kansas City 1-3
First game — completion of suspended game
Detroit 3, Baltimore 0
Cleveland 7, Boston 5
Tampa Bay 3, Toronto 1
LA Angels at Oakland, (n)
Texas at Seattle, (n)
INTERLEAGUE
San Diego 5, NY Yankees 4
Houston 9, Chicago Cubs 6
Minnesota 5, Milwaukee 3
Sports on 05/29/2019