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MLB Roundup: Yordan Alvarez, Astros power past skidding Marlins Yordan Alvarez socked his 34th home run in the eighth inning, a tiebreaking two-run shot that lifted the Houston Astros to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Miami Marlins and a sweep of the three-game interleague series.
Alvarez homered for the third time in the series and leads the majors in that category.
He followed a leadoff infield single from Jeremy Pena with an opposite-field shot to left-center off Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara (10-6) that snapped a 2-2 deadlock and sent Miami to its ninth consecutive loss.
ADVERTISING Alcantara entered the eighth with 97 pitches on his ledger and in control.
He allowed a leadoff homer in the third to Pena, his ninth homer and third of the series, that enabled the Astros to take a 2-0 lead.
Alcanatara did not allow another runner to reach scoring position until Alvarez homered.
Isaac Paredes, whose three-run homer turned the tide on Tuesday, followed with a solo shot that chased Alcantara.
Paredes 14th home run of the season covered 398 feet to left-center.
Alcantara allowed five runs on nine hits and one walk with three strikeouts in seven innings.
Astros right-hander Bryan Abreu worked a perfect ninth for his sixth save.
Astros starter Peter Lambert labored through a 25-pitch first inning.
Otto Lopez and Heriberto Hernandez singled off Lambert in the frame, and the right-hander issued a two-out walk to Liam Hicks that loaded the bases.
Griffin Conine fashioned a threat with a 391-foot fly ball to right-center that Lucas Spence tracked down and caught to keep the Marlins off the board.
Conine was the first of nine consecutive batters retired by Lambert, who needed a total of 17 pitches to complete the second and third innings.
But after recording two quick outs in the fourth, Lambert walked Conine and opened the door for the Marlins to erase their deficit.
Javier Sanoja plated Conine with an RBI double and scored one batter later when Joe Mack followed with a run-scoring single that knotted the score at 2-2.
White Sox, Anthony Kay quiet Rangers Chase Meidroth went 4-for-4 with two RBIs, Andrew Benintendi added two hits and two RBIs, and the visiting Chicago White Sox claimed a 4-2 victory against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday in Arlington, Texas.
Chicago secured its third straight series victory and a one-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians atop the American League Central.
Left-hander Anthony Kay set the tone with five strong innings before relievers Jordan Hicks, Grant Taylor and Bryan Hudson combined to retire 12 of the 13 batters they faced with eight strikeouts.
Hudson pitched the ninth for his fourth save after Taylor struck out five over two perfect innings.
Chicago opened the scoring on Meidroths RBI single in the second inning.
The second basemans first hit of the night plated Braden Montgomery, who walked before advancing two bases on a Tyler Alexander wild pitch.
Texas answered with a solo home run from Cam Cauley in the bottom of the second.
Meidroth and Benintendi delivered successive run-scoring singles with two outs in the fourth to give the White Sox a 3-1 cushion.
The Rangers again responded, getting a run back on an Elias Diaz RBI double-play groundout.
It was their lone tally in the fourth after loading the bases with no outs.
Alexander worked as the Rangers opener, allowing one run and one hit in two innings with one walk and one strikeout.
Cal Quantrill (3-3) took the loss after spacing two runs and two hits in three innings.
The right-hander walked three and struck out one.
Kay worked effectively to earn his first victory since June 12, limiting the Rangers to two runs and five hits in five innings.
He fanned four while navigating two walks and a hit batter.
Texas went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position against the left-hander.
Kay (7-4) recorded his final out of the night by inducing Brandon Nimmo on a groundout to shortstop with two on and the Rangers trailing by one run in the fifth.
Chicago added an insurance run in the sixth on Benintendis RBI single.
The Rangers still own a half-game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the AL West as the teams begin a four-game set.
Braves big eighth inning tops Padres Rookie Jim Jarvis ignited a six-run eighth-inning rally with an RBI double and the Atlanta Braves hung on to defeat the visiting San Diego Padres 7-6 on Wednesday.
The win gave the Braves a 2-1 lead in the four-game series.
With the game tied 1-1 in the eighth, Mauricio Dubon started the outburst with a one-out single off reliever Wandy Peralta (1-2).
Jarvis followed with a double into the right field corner that scored Dubon easily.
Brewer Hicklen doubled to left to drive in Jarvis.
Reliever Randy Vasquez entered and allowed RBI singles to Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, Austin Riley and Dominic Smith as the Braves sent 11 men to the plate.
Trailing 7-1 entering the ninth, the Padres rallied to score five times.
Victor Mederos was charged with four runs while retiring just one batter.
Raisel Iglesias entered and allowed a two-run homer to Luis Rengifo, his first for the Padres.
Iglesias struck out Manny Machado and Ty France to end the game and earn his 20th save.
Dylan Lee (5-0) threw a perfect eighth inning.
Atlanta starter Martin Perez was activated before the game and made his first start since July 5, when he went on the injured list after being struck on the left forearm by a line drive.
He threw four scoreless innings, allowing one hit and four walks while striking out three.
San Diego squeezed six innings out of starter Michael King.
He gave up one run on five hits and four walks, striking out seven.
He has allowed one run in each of his last three starts.
The first three Braves drew a walk, but Atlanta could only cash in for one run in the first inning on an RBI grounder by Michael Harris II.
King struck out Riley and Mike Yastrzemski to end the threat.
The Padres tied the game in the seventh on Jackson Merrills solo homer off reliever Didier Fuentes.
Merrill lashed it 449 feet, the longest of his career, into the fountain in center field for his 14th homer.