American League

Twins 3, Indians 1

The best pitcher in baseball this season by so many measures, Cleveland's Shane Bieber has made so few mistakes.

Byron Buxton prepared himself for the rare occasion and sent a misplaced slider into the empty seats on the first pitch he saw.

Buxton hit a two-run homer and Kenta Maeda pitched seven shutout innings for Minnesota, as the Twins handed Bieber his first loss of the season on Friday with a victory over the Indians.

“He's tough. We got him tonight because we stayed focused,” said Buxton, who followed Jake Cave's double in the second with his seventh home run of the season. “That’s what it takes to go out there and beat one of the best pitchers in the league.”

Bieber (7-1) yielded five hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in seven innings, matching a season-most three runs allowed on the homers by Buxton and rookie Ryan Jeffers. This was the first time the right-hander was taken deep in six starts.

“It really came down to I made two mistakes,” said the 25-year-old Bieber, who's quickly become the leader of a stout rotation that has seen Trevor Bauer, Corey Kluber and Mike Clevinger all traded within the last 14 months.

The hitting is another story for the Indians. They've scored three runs in the last 33 innings, continuing a downward trend that began last season. Francisco Lindor batted leadoff for the first time this year, but the Indians didn't get a runner to second base until the ninth. Lindor led off the sixth with a single and was promptly picked off first base.

“I know what we can do as a team offensively. I’ve been on the wrong end of it many times," said Bieber, whose baseball-best ERA rose from 1.32 to a mere 1.53.

Bieber still became the fastest starting pitcher since 1900 to reach 100 strikeouts in a season, hitting the milestone in 62 1/3 innings, two fewer outs than Washington's Max Scherzer in 2018.

“He’s not going to leave a ton of pitches right in the middle of the strike zone," Jeffers said. "So, you’ve got to attack from pitch one, and I think we did a really good job of that.”

Taylor Rogers gave up a homer to José Ramírez in the ninth, then finished his ninth save. The Twins (28-18) improved to 8-2 in September and 19-5 at their empty home ballpark.

Minnesota stayed one game behind Chicago (28-16) in the American League Central race, pushing Cleveland (26-19) to 2 1/2 games back.

For the second time this week, the Twins played through raw, damp conditions, this time after a 42-minute rain delay. Maeda (5-1) was more than up to the task, allowing just four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. Maeda, in his first season with Minnesota, has been no slouch, lowering his ERA to 2.43. His walks-and-hits-per-inning rate is the best in baseball.

“I’m trying to fulfill the expectations that the team has for me," Maeda said through an interpreter. "I think I’ve been doing that pretty well.”

Sergio Romo pitched a perfect eighth for the Twins, adding some spice to the night when he finished the inning with a flyout by Lindor. The flamboyant Romo was jawing at Lindor as he jogged past along the first-base line, before Lindor charged at him and Romo kept on shouting. Both benches and bullpens emptied, but each team was able to diffuse the tension without incident. The tiff between the players predated this series.

“It's just a couple of players who continually interact with each other when they probably shouldn’t,” Baldelli said, “and I think it would probably be better if they didn’t.”

Romo's animated expressions after critical outs have rankled several opponents this season.

“If he’s going to dish it, we’re going to dish it back. He has to take it,” acting Indians manager Sandy Alomar Jr. said.

Athletics 10, Rangers 6

Cleanup hitter Matt Olson connected for a grand slam off Luís Garcia after the Texas opener walked the bases loaded to start the game, and Oakland beat the Rangers.

Mike Fiers (5-2) won for the third time in three starts against the Rangers with six solid innings as the AL West-leading A’s moved a season-high 13 games over .500 and reduced their magic number for reaching the playoffs to single digits.

Olson’s 426-foot drive about 15 rows up in right field on a 3-2 pitch was his 13th homer and second grand slam this season. He added an RBI single.

Garcia (0-2) didn’t get an out in what was supposed to be the second tandem start for the right-hander with Jordan Lyles.

Robbie Grossman hit his fifth homer in the sixth.

Fiers gave up one run through six innings before Elvis Andrus homered leading off the seventh. He ended up allowing four runs with five strikeouts.

White Sox 4, Tigers 3

Eloy Jiménez hit a three-run homer in Chicago’s four-run sixth inning, and the White Sox beat Detroit for their seventh straight win against the Tigers.

The AL Central-leading White Sox won for the sixth time in seven games overall, breaking through at the plate after they went hitless in the first five innings against Casey Mize. Evan Marshall (2-1), Codi Heuer and Alex Colomé combined for 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Lucas Giolito.

Detroit looked ready to stop the streak when it opened a 3-0 lead in the top of the sixth. Jorge Bonifacio hit a sacrifice fly and Daz Cameron, the son of former big league outfielder Mike Cameron, added a two-run single for his first career hit and RBIs. Miguel Cabrera had his first stolen base since 2015 and No. 39 for his career.

José Cisnero (2-3) took the loss. Colomé worked the ninth for his 10th save.

National League

Phillies 11, Marlins 0, first game

Marlins 5, Phillies 3, second game

Jorge Alfaro had his fourth consecutive two-RBI game, and Miami salvaged a split of a doubleheader against Philadelphia.

Alfaro’s two-run single capped a three-run fourth for the Marlins. Yimi Garcia gave up a run for the first time this season but earned his first save since 2015.

In the opener, Aaron Nola struck out 10 and went the distance for the first time in his career as the Phillies handed the Marlins their worst drubbing in two days.

With the split, third-place Miami remained half a game behind the second-place Phillies in the NL East.

In the opener, Nola (5-3) didn’t allow a hit until Brian Anderson singled to cap a 10-pitch at-bat leading off the fifth. By then the Phillies had their 11-run lead.

Nola hit two batters, walked none, threw 106 pitches and reached double digits in strikeouts for the fourth time this year.

Andrew McCutchen drove in three runs with three hits, including his sixth homer. Rhys Hoskins hit a three-run homer, his 10th. Adam Haseley doubled twice, singled and drove in two runs.

Trevor Rogers (1-1) gave up nine runs, eight earned, in three-plus innings.

Nationals 8, Braves 7 (12 innings)

Michael A. Taylor hit a game-ending single in the 12th inning, and Washington beat Atlanta after blowing a five-run lead for the second straight game.

Nationals relievers Kyle Finnegan and James Borque (1-0) worked out of bases-loaded jams in the 11th and 12th innings, respectively, and the NL East-leading Braves couldn’t score in three extra frames with a runner starting at second base.

Adam Eaton began the 12th on second for Washington and advanced to third on Trea Turner’s lineout. Juan Soto was walked intentionally before Grant Dayton (2-1) allowed Taylor’s single.

It was the longest game of the season by innings for both teams. Washington jumped out to a 5-0 lead for the second straight night after Atlanta rallied to win 7-6 on Thursday.

This time, the Braves tied it at 7 by scoring three runs in the ninth with two outs against Daniel Hudson, who blew a save for the fourth time this season.

Brewers 1, Cubs 0

Christian Yelich scored on Ryan Braun’s ninth-inning sacrifice fly, Brandon Woodruff pitched seven innings of one-hit ball and Milwaukee edged the Cubs.

Woodruff, Devin Williams and Josh Hader (1-1) combined on a two-hitter with 16 strikeouts.

Yelich walked leading off the ninth and took third on Jedd Gyorko’s single to right off Rowan Wick (0-1), just the fourth hit for the Brewers.

Braun greeted Jeremy Jeffress with a fly to right fielder Jason Heyward a few steps in front of the warning track. Yelich scored without a throw.

Reds 3, Cardinals 1

Luis Castillo pitched a two-hitter for his first complete game in the majors, Joey Votto homered, and Cincinnati beat St. Louis.

Castillo (2-5) struck out six and walked three in winning his second straight start. He outpitched Adam Wainwright (4-1), who allowed three runs in six innings. The Cardinals lost for the fourth time in six games.

Only twice did St. Louis get a runner to third against Castillo, who has given up just three earned runs in his past 15 innings.

Eugenio Suarez doubled in Shogo Akiyama in the Reds third.

Paul DeJong hit an RBI double in the second for St. Louis.

Royals 4, Pirates 3

Kris Bubic worked hard through five innings to earn his first major league win as Kansas City defeated Pittsburgh, extending the Royals win streak to four games.

Bubic (1-5) allowed one run on six hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out six. Greg Holland pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save.

Royals star catcher Salvador Perez came off the injured list and hit a double and single. He had missed the last 20 games with fluid on his left eye.

Adalberto Mondesi homered, scored three runs and stole two bases for the Royals. Maikel Franco hit a pair of RBI singles.

Steven Brault (0-3) allowed three runs on five hits in four innings. Josh Bell’s two-run homer in the eighth drew the Pirates to within 4-3.

Interleague

Rockies 8, Angels 4

Charlie Blackmon hit a two-out grand slam that capped a five-run rally in the ninth inning and lifted Colorado over the Angels.

Blackmon hammered Jose Quijada’s fastball down the middle of the plate on a 3-1 count over the wall in right center for his second grand slam of the season and third of his career. It was the fourth walk-off hit overall, three of them homers.

Ryan McMahon’s solo home run with one out in the Rockies ninth off Ty Buttrey (1-3) made it 4-all. Josh Fuentes then doubled to right-center and Daniel Murphy was intentionally walked, bringing on Quijada.

After Trevor Story walked with two outs to load the bases, Blackmon connected. It was Los Angeles’ major league-high 13th blown save of the season.

Blackmon finished with five RBIs and Story had two hits and three RBIs for the Rockies, who are in the chase for the NL’s final postseason spot.

Jared Walsh and Anthony Bemboom homered for the Angels. Walsh and Mike Trout each had two hits.

Diamondbacks 4, Mariners 3

Caleb Smith threw three solid innings in his first outing with Arizona, long reliever Alex Young worked into the ninth and the Diamondbacks beat Seattle.

Smith gave up one hit — Dylan Moore’s solo homer in the third — in his first start since the Diamondbacks acquired him in a trade with the Marlins. The left-hander struck out three and walked one.

Young (2-3) gave up two runs on two hits over 5 1/3 innings and got the first out of the ninth by striking out Kyle Seager. Stefan Crichton retired the last two batters to finish the three-hitter for his first career save.

Seattle’s Yusei Kikuchi (2-3) allowed four runs over six innings. The left-hander gave up six hits, walked one and struck out five.

Arizona jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first. Christian Walker’s triple scored Josh Rojas, Eduardo Escobar’s sacrifice fly scored Walker and Nick Ahmed’s single brought home Kole Calhoun, who hit a double.

The Diamondbacks led 4-1 after six innings. The Mariners got a run-scoring single in the seventh from José Marmolejos. Ty France homered in the eighth — his first with Seattle since being traded from the Padres — to make it 4-3.