Sports Al Dente

Andrew McCutchen hit a three-run home run, reaching the 20-homer mark for the 10th time in his career, and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Miami Marlins 6-4 on Tuesday night.

The 37-year-old designated hitter smashed a fastball from Miami’s Adam Oller (1-3) with two runners on and two outs in the fifth inning, sending the ball into the left-field bleachers to give Pittsburgh a five-run lead.

McCutchen has achieved 20 home runs in eight of his seasons with Pittsburgh, which is the second-most in the team’s history behind Hall of Famer Willie Stargell.

Despite his accomplishments, McCutchen often thinks about how he might have ranked on the team’s all-time lists if he had never been traded to San Francisco in early 2018, which started a five-year journey before returning to the Pirates before the 2023 season.

“It’s nice to be able to be with those guys and those greats, it’s amazing, but it would be cool if I was here my whole career and then see where I would be at,” McCutchen said.

Isaiah Kiner-Falefa and Bryan Reynolds each had two hits for the Pirates, who have now won three games in a row.

Joey Wentz (1-2) picked up the win after giving up one run in 2 2/3 innings. Aroldis Chapman managed a shaky ninth inning to earn his eighth save, while the Pirates used six relievers behind opener Carmen Mlodzinski.

Jhonny Pereda had three hits for Miami, and Kyle Stowers added two doubles for the Marlins.

After securing a surprising wild-card spot last year at PNC Park, the Marlins are on track for their first 100-loss season since 2019.

The 29-year-old Oller, one of a record-tying 69 players the Marlins have used this season, allowed two runs in the first inning and four more in the fifth, including Reynolds’ RBI single and McCutchen’s 319th career home run.

McCutchen has hit 235 of his home runs with Pittsburgh, which is the fourth-most in team history and five behind Pirates legend Roberto Clemente. McCutchen intends to continue playing in 2025, likely in a place he considers home.

Michael Harris II hit two of Atlanta’s four home runs, and the Braves collected 15 hits in a 12-0 victory over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night, even though starter Reynaldo López left the game after one inning due to a shoulder injury.

López left the game because of tightness in his right shoulder after throwing 25 pitches, with 16 of them being strikes. His usual fastball speed of 96 mph was reduced to the 89-94 mph range.

He and three relievers limited the Nationals, who have lost seven of their last 10 games, to only three hits. López will have an MRI on Wednesday.

“We are getting him looked at and we’ll determine something tomorrow,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

“He’s checking out OK. I talked to him. I just saw the velocities were not good, and then when I talked to him after and kind of made him fess up and he wanted to keep going. But when he stepped on it he didn’t feel great.”

López said he was caught off guard.

“To be honest I really didn’t know what was happening,” he said through an interpreter. “I felt like that first pitch went out and I thought it was 95 mph, but when I checked it, it was 89 mph. So that took me by surprise. That was just something I wasn’t expecting.

I was definitely relieved when everything came back normal and good. I think it is right we are just being overly cautious.”

Harris’ two homers marked the fourth time in his career he has hit multiple home runs in a game. Sean Murphy added a two-run home run, and Orlando Arcia hit a solo shot, one night after the Braves managed only two singles by Matt Olson in a 1-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

Atlanta hit three doubles during a four-run third inning and then scored three more runs in the next inning, knocking out Nationals left-handed starter MacKenzie Gore and moving into a tie with the Mets for the final NL wild card spot.

Ramón Laureano and Murphy each had two hits and three RBIs. Olson contributed two singles and a double, marking his third multi-hit game in the last four games.

“I think we just got into a rhythm pretty quick in the third inning,” Laureano said. “We didn’t look back. It was a pretty smooth game after that.”

In the bottom of the first inning, López hit Nationals designated hitter Andrés Chaparro with a pitch while there were two outs. Braves medical staff checked López, but he stayed in to finish the inning with a called third strike to José Tena.

“It was a little frustrating, especially given the circumstances,” López said. “The position the team is in, every game counts. We are fighting for every victory out there. So whenever a start of a game, I want to go out there and finish it. Not being able to do that was frustrating.”

López had pitched at least six innings in his last three starts and has been a key part of the Braves rotation for 24 starts since signing a three-year free-agent deal with the Braves after leaving the White Sox.

Right-hander Jesse Chavez (2-2) replaced López and held the Nationals to one hit while striking out three.

Gore (8-12) pitched 3 2/3 innings, giving up seven runs, but only two were earned. He allowed six hits, three walks, struck out three, hit one batter, and threw one wild pitch.

“I just didn’t execute like I have been,” Gore said. “And when you see teams for a fourth time, execution is extremely important.”

Chaparro stole second base in the first inning, becoming the 23rd Nationals player to steal a base this season, matching the 1917 Pittsburgh Pirates. It was Chaparro’s first stolen base in the major leagues.

Seth Lugo struck out 10 batters in seven impressive innings, and Salvador Perez hit two singles that drove in runs, reaching 100 RBIs for the second time. The Kansas City Royals defeated the New York Yankees 5-0 on Tuesday night.

Lugo was pitching in New York City for the first time since his seven seasons with the Mets from 2016-22 and he was outstanding.

“I’m looking forward to going back and watching that, to be honest, because he must have been on the corners all night,” said Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro. “He got the breaking ball going to get the swing and miss. He elevated when he needed to. I mean, that was a pitching clinic.”

Tommy Pham hit a home run, and Bobby Witt Jr. had an RBI single for the Royals, who stayed 3 1/2 games behind first-place Cleveland in the AL Central. They have a 2 1/2-game lead over Minnesota for the league’s second wild card.

New York’s lead in the AL East was reduced to a half-game over second-place Baltimore, which won 5-3 at Boston.

“We know they’re in line to make the playoffs,” Lugo said. “With the atmosphere here in New York, I think the emphasis for a lot of guys on the team is getting used to this kind of atmosphere. This is what we’re going to face.”

In a potential playoff preview, Lugo (16-8) dominated a strong Yankees lineup that leads the majors in home runs and ranks second in runs scored.

“That was probably as good a performance (as there’s been) against us this year. We were silent,” said New York manager Aaron Boone. “He’s throwing the kitchen sink at you. He’s changing speeds.”

Lugo allowed only three singles and did not walk any batters, retiring 17 straight after Gleyber Torres’ bloop hit to start the bottom of the first inning.

Torres broke the streak with another soft single off Lugo with two outs in the sixth inning.

“I think he was mixing up pitches really well tonight. He was pounding the strike zone,” said Yankees slugger Juan Soto.

Kyle Schwarber set a new MLB record with his 14th leadoff home run of the season before leaving the game due to an injury. Pinch-hitter Cal Stevenson then hit a two-run double in the eighth inning to break a tie, helping the Philadelphia Phillies defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 9-4 on Tuesday night.

Trea Turner hit two home runs, each with two runs, and Bryce Harper added four hits as the Phillies (87-58) improved to 29 games over .500, tying their season high.

Schwarber broke the single-season leadoff homer record with his hit on the second pitch from Taj Bradley, sending the ball 437 feet to center field for a 1-0 lead.

He surpassed Alfonso Soriano, who had 13 leadoff homers with the New York Yankees in 2003. Schwarber, the Phillies’ designated hitter, left the game in the fourth inning after he injured his left elbow. He had reached base on a walk in the third inning and seemed to hurt himself diving back into first base on a pickoff attempt.

“I didn’t feel pain or nothing,” Schwarber said. “I kind of extended it and it was weird. I went down (to the batting cage) and took a swing and it didn’t feel good.”

Schwarber received treatment and felt somewhat better after the game. He mentioned that there was no structural damage and that if he could handle the discomfort, he might return to the lineup on Wednesday for the Phillies’ attempt at a series sweep.

Schwarber’s 35th home run of the season was also his 45th leadoff homer of his career, with 32 of those coming since he joined the Phillies in 2022.

Stevenson, who was called up from the minors earlier this month to replace the injured Austin Hays, came in to bat for Johan Rojas with two runners on in the bottom of the eighth inning. He hit a 2-2 changeup from Tampa reliever Edwin Uceta down the right field line to drive in two runs.

“You’re just trying to calm down and stay in the moment,” Stevenson said. “That’s probably the biggest at-bat I’ve had in my career. So, I was just trying to slow the game down and stick to a plan.”

The Phillies added more runs with an RBI single by Buddy Kennedy and Turner’s second homer of the game.

After Harper hit a double, Uceta hit Nick Castellanos on the hip with a pitch, leading to both benches and bullpens clearing as players gathered on the field. Uceta was thrown out of the game.

“I had an overwhelming sense that I was about to get drilled,” Castellanos said. “We all just got a sense of what it was — he was just upset that he got hit around and his ERA went up.”

Uceta claimed he did not hit Castellanos on purpose. He also said he threw a changeup, but according to MLB’s StatCast, it was a 96 mph sinker.

“You’re frustrated and you’re going to throw at somebody,” Castellanos said. “That’s like my 2-year-old throwing a fit because I took away his dessert before he was finished.”

Harper, who hasn’t hit a home run since August 9 and has been homerless at Citizens Bank Park since July 27, appeared to have hit a home run in the fifth inning.

However, the play was overturned on replay because a young fan reached over the railing and caught the ball, causing fan interference.

Harper was credited with a double but was left stranded as Castellanos flew out and Bryson Stott grounded out to end the inning. Harper hit three doubles in one game for the third time in his career and the first time since August 2021.

The third double happened just before Castellanos was hit. Harper was upset that Uceta hit his teammate and marched toward the mound, shouting at the Rays’ pitcher.

Harper avoided a physical confrontation because Uceta did not turn to face him.

“I didn’t want to be a loser and come up behind him,” Harper said. “If he’s going to turn around, then alright, let’s go.”

Turner also hit a home run off Bradley in the third inning, marking his 17th career game with multiple home runs and his third of the season.

Davis Schneider hit a two-run triple, Chris Bassitt struck out eight against his old team, and the Toronto Blue Jays won 6-2 against the New York Mets on Tuesday night.

The Mets lost for the second time in their last 12 games and are now tied with Atlanta for the last National League wild card spot. The Braves defeated Washington 12-0 on Tuesday.

Ernie Clement scored three runs, and Leo Jiménez reached base three times and drove in a run as the Blue Jays secured their second win in eight games this September.

Bassitt (10-13) gave up one run and five hits in six innings. He has won both of his career starts against the Mets, the team he played for in 2022.

“As crazy as it is, I hope they make the playoffs,” Bassitt said. “I know I didn’t do a good job for them tonight but I have a lot of friends there. I have a lot of people over there that I respect a lot. I hope I get to watch them come playoff time.”

“Baseball is a weird thing where I’ve got to do a job and be professional but at the same time I’m rooting for a lot of those guys over there,” Bassitt added.

Bassitt got his first win since August 6 against Baltimore, ending a streak of five starts without a victory.

“He was hitting his spots today, had a good game plan, and he was executing it,” Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo said.

Bassitt has won 10 or more decisions in each of the past four seasons, making him one of the few pitchers in the big leagues to achieve this, along with José Berríos, Corbin Burnes, Kevin Gausman, Framber Valdez, Logan Webb, and Zack Wheeler.

Bassitt hit Mets slugger Pete Alonso with a 70 mph sweeper in the third inning.

“You don’t want to get Pete mad,” Bassitt said. “I’m happy I hit him with probably my slowest pitch.”

Left-hander Brendon Little got one out in the seventh inning, and righty Zach Pop secured the final two outs, striking out Pete Alonso to end the inning and leave a runner stranded at third base.

“We just couldn’t get the big hit,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We came up short there in that inning.”

Kyle Farmer hit a three-run home run in the second inning to give a boost to a struggling lineup, and Matt Wallner and Carlos Santana also homered for the Minnesota Twins in a 10-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night, ending a four-game losing streak.

Pablo López (15-8) secured his fourth consecutive win with 10 strikeouts over seven innings and didn’t allow any earned runs. He held off a three-run homer by Zach Neto in the fifth inning that made the score 6-4.

“It’s no secret how the vibes were feeling lately,” López said. “We’re not used to that. We’re used to playing loose. We’re used to having fun, and that was really cool and special to see that.”

The Twins (77-68), who had lost 15 of their last 21 games, maintained a three-game lead with 17 games left in the race for the final AL wild-card spot. Detroit (74-71) is the closest competitor to Minnesota, which is six games behind Cleveland in the AL Central.

“Yes, our margin for error keeps shrinking, but we’re just in the mindset that winners focus on winning, losers focus on winners,” said López, who lowered his ERA to 3.88, its lowest since April 11.

Wallner hit a solo home run in the third inning and a two-run double with two outs in the sixth inning that drove Angels starter Griffin Canning (5-13) from the game. Canning allowed a career-high 10 runs on nine hits and three walks.

One run was unearned because of a grounder that slipped between first baseman Nolan Schanuel’s legs.

Trevor Larnach reached base all four times he batted, with a single and three walks, and scored three times for the Twins. They also got two RBIs from Ryan Jeffers and a two-run homer from Santana, his team-leading 21st of the season, sending Canning to an 0-10 record in 13 road starts.

Cedric Mullins hit two home runs and drove in three runs, while Albert Suárez allowed one run and struck out a career-high eight batters over six innings. The Baltimore Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox 5-3 on Tuesday night.

Adley Rutschman added a two-run single for the Orioles, who won for only the second time in their last six games as they try to catch the New York Yankees, who are leading the AL East. The Orioles are now just half a game behind after the Yankees lost 5-0 to Kansas City on Tuesday.

“I think last time I threw a lot of fastballs. This time I was working more with the breaking ball,” said Suárez, who also defeated the Red Sox just over three weeks ago. “They were probably trying to get the fastball and I think that was what was working today.”

Triston Casas and Masataka Yoshida each hit an RBI double for Boston, which has lost seven of its last 11 games while trying to catch Minnesota for the AL’s third wild-card spot. The Red Sox are now four games behind the Twins, who won 10-5 against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday.

“At one point, we were the best offense in baseball. Whenever we faced a righty, it felt like we had a good chance to score runs,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said.

“We haven’t done that in the last month, month and a half. When we were hot, everyone was hitting the ball all over the place. It just happened that everyone is struggling at the same time.”

Boston’s Tyler O’Neill went 0 for 3 with three strikeouts after hitting two home runs in a win on Monday.

With Gunnar Henderson on first base after a walk in the third inning, Mullins hit a cutter from Kutter Crawford (8-14) deep into the right-field seats to make it 3-0. This was his fifth career multi-homer game, with the last one being against Toronto on June 19, 2021.

After his second-worst start of the season where he gave up six runs in 4 1/3 innings last Wednesday against the White Sox, the 34-year-old Suárez (8-5) gave up four hits and two walks.

“Really good changeups. You needed it with that left-handed hitting lineup,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “A team that he had faced not that long ago and pitched really well against, you know that they were going to make adjustments.”

Lane Thomas hit a three-run homer, and Cleveland’s bullpen was excellent once again, leading the Guardians to a 5-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night after Ben Lively left the game with a leg injury.

With a record of 33-113, the White Sox are nearing the all-time record for losses since 1900, which is 120 by the 1962 New York Mets in their first season.

Thomas also had a double and scored on Kyle Manzardo’s single in the second inning. In the sixth inning, with two runners on and one out, Thomas hit a deep drive to left-center off Gus Varland’s second pitch for his 11th home run of the season.

Thomas, who was traded from Washington on July 29, had a tough start with the new team but is now hitting .364 (12 for 33) with three homers and nine RBIs in September.

“You just work day in and day out, and eventually you find something that kind of helps,” Thomas said. “I feel like the game kicks you in the teeth quite a bit, and you just got to work through those little stretches.”

After Lively left with a bruised right thigh, six Cleveland relievers pitched seven innings and gave up only four hits. Pedro Avila (6-1) earned the win by getting six outs.

Thanks to Thomas and their dependable bullpen, the AL Central-leading Guardians remain 3 1/2 games ahead of second-place Kansas City.

“Those guys stepped up in a huge way,” manager Stephen Vogt said of his relievers. “They were all efficient. Did their job, and then some.”

Chicago was shut out for the 17th time and managed just five hits. They have now lost a franchise-record 14 straight games at home.

“We had a couple of good swings here and there,” interim manager Grady Sizemore said. “We got some guys on, but just not the big hit when guys were on and weren’t able to grind at-bats and make them work at all.”

The 32-year-old Lively was struck on the outside of his right leg by a line drive from Dominic Fletcher in the second inning. The ball bounced to first baseman Josh Naylor, who stepped on the base for the final out of the inning.

Lively mentioned that he received treatment and ice for the injury and believes he should be able to pitch in his next game.

“It hit me and like my leg just gave out,” he said. “Next thing I know I was on the ground and it was just stinging.”

After Avila left, Eli Morgan, Cade Smith, Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis, and Erik Sabrowski combined to finish the game.

Cleveland’s bullpen has an impressive 37-11 record and leads the major leagues with a 2.76 ERA. “That’s a really close-knit group out there,” Vogt said.

White Sox rookie Jonathan Cannon (3-10) allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Gus Varland got two outs before Sean Burke took over and pitched three innings in his major league debut. Burke, who was called up from Triple-A Charlotte, gave up one run and three hits.

Burke, a third-round pick from the 2021 amateur draft who had shoulder issues last year, is expected to make at least one more start for Chicago in the remainder of the season.

“It was unbelievable. This is definitely the best day of my life,” Burke said. “It’s something I’ve worked for since I picked up a baseball for the first time. It’s hard to put into words right now.”

TJ Friedl hit a two-run single and also scored another run for Cincinnati in the fifth inning, leading the Reds to a 3-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.

“TJ came through with a big hit,” Cincinnati manager David Bell said. “You never know if it’s going to be enough.”

Elly De La Cruz of the Reds stole two bases after walking in the first inning, bringing his MLB-leading total to 64 stolen bases. He was caught trying to steal in the third inning when the Cardinals pitched out.

“He’s been showing that all year,” Bell said. “He had great at-bats tonight to create those opportunities on the bases. He can make things happen, but it all starts with the at-bats.”

Rhett Lowder (1-1) picked up his first MLB win in his third appearance. The 22-year-old right-hander, who was a first-round pick in the 2023 draft, pitched five scoreless innings, struck out three, and did not issue any walks.

“I’m glad we got out of here with the win,” Lowder said. “I lean on my ability to get the ball on the ground. I trust these guys in the field. They do a great job.”

Emilio Pagán closed the game in the ninth inning for his first save of the season and the 33rd of his career. He loaded the bases with two singles and a walk but then struck out the next three batters — rookies Jordan Walker and Thomas Saggese, and pinch-hitter Matt Carpenter.

“It was crazy,” Pagán said. “First off all, I had a blast. It was probably the best I’ve ever pitched to get in that scenario. I felt like I was throwing the ball super well. In those spots, you just try and execute. Once I got the first strikeout, I just tried to be as nasty as possible. It was a fun way to finish it.”

The Reds’ five pitchers combined for the team’s sixth shutout of the season.

“We didn’t have a whole lot going on the whole game,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “We didn’t string anything together in that whole game. We had a little life there at the end potentially pulling something off, but it just wasn’t enough today.”

“Walker and Saggese are going to take their best shot. There are times they’re going to come through. There are times they’re going to get beat. … You take your shot there with Carpenter.”

The pain still lingers for Andrew McCutchen, even as he wraps up a comeback season that few expected.

At 37 years old, the designated hitter is pleased with the achievements he’s reached, such as hitting 20 home runs in a Pittsburgh Pirates uniform for the eighth time during Tuesday night’s 6-4 win over Miami. However, he still thinks about what could have been.

McCutchen never wanted to leave Pittsburgh. In January 2018, he was traded to San Francisco due to baseball’s financial pressures, beginning a five-year journey where he moved from the Giants to the New York Yankees, then to Philadelphia, and finally to Milwaukee.

While he enjoyed these new places and had good teammates and experiences, none of them compared to Pittsburgh, his adopted home.

Even though McCutchen is now joining the ranks of greats in a team that has been around since 1887 — with only Hall of Famer Willie Stargell having more 20-home run seasons with the Pirates — he still thinks about how much higher he might be on the club’s all-time lists if he had spent his entire career there instead of being a journeyman.

“It’s nice to be able to be with those guys and those greats, it’s amazing,” McCutchen said. “But it would be cool if I was here my whole career and then see where I would be at.”

That didn’t happen, and although he has embraced his surprising return in early 2023, a part of him feels frustrated about having to leave in the first place.

“Every time I hear (where I rank), I’m like ‘Dang man, if only,’” McCutchen said. “I just go ‘cool’ and then I just move on.”

He acknowledges that his legs, which once earned him five All-Star appearances, the 2013 NL MVP, and a Gold Glove, don’t move as well as they used to.

A partially torn left Achilles last September forced him to wear a protective boot during part of the offseason. Spring training was tough, and he felt like he was behind, aware of the doubts about his performance.

That made the 403-foot home run to the left-field seats off Miami’s Adam Oller with two runners on in the fifth inning — McCutchen’s 319th home run in his 16-year career — even more satisfying.

“Would a lot of people think I’d have (reached 20 homers)? Probably not,” he said. “It’s why I don’t look at them … because I know I can do it.”

McCutchen has transitioned from a flashy player with dreadlocks to a seasoned veteran. The age difference between him and 22-year-old Pirates rookie ace Paul Skenes is just one year less than the difference between Skenes and McCutchen’s 6-year-old son, Steel.

With all these years comes experience. When asked if he thinks he’s a better hitter now than when he led the Pirates to three consecutive playoff appearances from 2013-15, he chuckles and mentions he’s become a bit of a cliché about the “if I knew then what I know now” idea.

Then, becoming more serious, he spoke like a player who feels there’s still much more to achieve before retiring.

“I’ve definitely gotten better over the past five, six, seven, eight – I don’t know how many years it’s been – but I’ve gotten better,” he said. “And I’ve gotten myself back to where I feel like I can be.”

Even though his batting average (.241) isn’t as high as it was ten years ago — due to the wear and tear from playing 2,116 games — his eye for the game remains sharp.

What impressed Pirates manager Derek Shelton, besides McCutchen’s power surge — with 20 home runs this season being the most he’s hit since 2021 — was the full-count curveball McCutchen chose to let go by for ball four in his next at-bat.

“Nobody takes that pitch,” Shelton said.

Zack Gelof hit a home run early in the game, and Max Schuemann and Nick Allen each drove in runs with bunts in the 12th inning, leading the Oakland Athletics to a 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.

With the game tied 2-2, Daz Cameron’s bunt single at the start of the 12th inning advanced Gelof, the automatic runner, to third base.

Schuemann then bunted the ball to Héctor Neris (9-5), who made a bad throw home, allowing Gelof to score on the sacrifice. The error allowed Cameron to advance to third base as the ball rolled into the field.

With runners on the corners, Allen bunted to force out Cameron, which brought Cameron in to score, giving the Athletics a 4-2 lead.

“That was well-executed,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “Obviously Daz was bunting for a hit… We had a couple of guys up there that can bunt and they do a good job with it with Schuemann and Allen. We took our chances there getting a run.”

Houston manager Joe Espada was unhappy with his team’s defense during the 12th inning.

“We just didn’t do a good job of handling the ball there in that inning,” Espada said.

Jose Altuve hit an RBI double to start the bottom of the 12th off Hogan Harris (4-3), who then retired the next three batters. Houston was 2 for 17 with runners in scoring position.

“We battled to the end,” Espada said. “We had the right guys at the plate when we wanted to and we just couldn’t — it was just one of those games.” Bryan Abreu struck out the side in the 11th inning for Houston.

In the 10th inning, Houston had a runner on third base with two outs when Jeremy Peña hit a fly ball to right field. However, Cameron made a diving catch to prevent a hit and end the inning.

“Right away I thought to myself (go) in, and I made a sick catch,” Cameron said. “The ball was tailing away and I dove at it and caught it. It was good knowing it kept us in the game to win it.”

Jacob Wilson’s sacrifice bunt advanced the automatic runner to third base to start the 10th inning, but Abreu struck out the next two batters.

Altuve hit a single off Scott Alexander with two outs in the ninth inning. Yordan Alvarez then moved him to third with a groundball single that got past the diving second baseman, Gelof. However, Alexander struck out Tucker to send the game into extra innings.

In the seventh inning, with one out and a runner on first, pinch-hitter Jon Singleton hit his first career triple off the wall in left-center, which reduced the lead to 2-1. Pinch-runner Jason Heyward replaced Singleton and scored when Altuve hit a bloop single to shallow center field, tying the game.

Oakland’s starter JP Sears pitched six scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks.

Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti matched a season high by giving up seven hits and two runs in 6 2/3 innings. This was his first start since giving up nine runs — three earned — and getting only two outs in a 12-5 loss to the Reds.

Brent Rooker hit a one-out single in the first inning and advanced to third base on a single by J.J. Bleday. The Athletics took the lead when Rooker scored on a sacrifice fly by Shea Langeliers.

Oakland added to their lead in the second inning when Gelof hit the first pitch over the train tracks atop left field for his 17th home run of the season.

William Contreras had three hits and drove in a run, Garrett Mitchell hit a home run, and the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the San Francisco Giants 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Aaron Civale (6-8) gave up two runs in 5 1/3 innings, pitching effectively against the Giants after previously throwing seven shutout innings against them two weeks ago at home. This win improved his record to 4-2 since being traded to the Brewers from the Rays in July.

“They came out a little aggressive on some pitches in the zone, (and I) just came back at them with some aggressive pitches of my own,” Civale said. “Just tried to keep the ball in the zone in spots that felt they couldn’t handle super well, and I did that for the most part.”

The Brewers, who lead the NL Central and had lost four of their last five games before this, are now 4 1/2 games ahead of the Cubs in their division. The Giants fell eight games behind for the third NL wild card spot.

Milwaukee improved to 66-3 when leading after seven innings, the best in the NL.

“I can criticize a couple of things here and there, but I thought the guys competed again,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “Another close game. It’s about our 90th this year within one or two runs.”

Four of the Brewers’ first five batters got hits off Giants starter Landon Roupp (0-1). Contreras singled to drive in Jackson Chourio, and Willy Adames drove in Contreras, giving Milwaukee a 2-0 lead.

Matt Chapman hit an RBI double in the bottom of the first for the Giants. Mitchell and Mike Yastrzemski hit solo home runs in the sixth inning.

Mitchell, who was looking for a fastball but ended up hitting an offspeed pitch from Tristan Beck on the first pitch, provided a crucial insurance run. The Brewers are not focusing on the magic number to clinch the NL Central, which decreased to nine with Tuesday’s win, he said.